One of the busiest sections of the Melbourne CBD is about to become more chaotic, with part of Flinders Street shutting down for the Metro Tunnel construction works. From September 2, eastbound lanes between Elizabeth and Swanston streets will completely close to vehicles, for a period that could last up to three years. The closure is needed so that an underground connection can be built from Flinders Street Station to the new Town Hall Station. Announcing the news, Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan advised that the works "will unavoidably cause significant disruption", which includes to pedestrians. Folks on foot and in vehicles will still be able to access local businesses and residences, however, and the existing footpath will remain open along Flinders Street past Degraves Street, as well as to the Station construction site. A new crossing will also be established west of Degraves Street, but those walking through the area won't have access to full Flinders Street footpath until sometime late in 2020. Trams will largely remain unaffected, running in both directions up and down Flinders — except for a six-day closure between October 2–7, when major construction works will be undertaken near the tram network. In good news, if you've been spotting plenty of trucks in the CBD lately, the government expects the partial Flinders Street closure to halve the number on Swanston Street during the peak construction period. That means that there shouldn't be more than around 100 trucks per day, maximum, although that still sounds like a hefty amount. Still, if you regularly walk, drive or ride down Flinders Street, you might want to prepare for a change to your routine. Of course, you might've done so already, given that one of the westbound lanes has already closed between Swanston and Russell streets, and will also remain that way until 2022. Image: Josie Withers, Visit Victoria.
This pandemic sure hasn't dampened our appetite for booze, but it has left some of us feeling a little iffy about enclosed spaces filled with other shoppers. So, now seems like the ideal time to welcome Richmond's newest purveyor of alcoholic delights, drive-through craft bottle shop The Burnley. Launching this Friday, August 14, the venue is the work of Liquor Masters and clocks in at a hefty 1500 square metres. The site boasts a boutique bottle shop stocked with an expansive range of goodies, heroing lots of local, independent producers. There's a drive-through space for the grab-and-go crowd, as well as a tasting room that'll play host to a year-round calendar of booze-focused events, post-COVID-19. Think, cocktail making masterclasses, spirit appreciation sessions, weekend Meet The Maker tastings and more. Once gatherings are back on the menu, you'll be able to hire out this space for your own events, too. And there's plenty more to look forward to, with an onsite pizzeria and beer garden bar also in the planning stages. The Burnley is positioning itself as a one-stop-shop for all kinds of drinkers, from the craft beer aficionado hunting this season's must-try NEIPA to the novice wino looking for that reasonably priced local chardonnay. On the shelves, you'll find a diverse mix of familiar local names and international drops — beers from the likes of Boatrocker, Stomping Ground and Hop Nation; vinous treats from the Yarra Valley's Rob Dolan and low-intervention label Minimum Wines; and a spirits collection showcasing everything from some Guatemalan Ron Botran rum through to small-batch gin from Hobart distillery Taylor & Smith. Under current stage four restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne, you can only travel up to five kilometres from your home for shopping and exercise. So, if you're don't live near Richmond, you'll need to wait to visit The Burnley post-lockdown. Find The Burnley by the Liquor Masters at 161 Burnley St, Richmond, from August 14. It'll be open from 10am–8pm daily.
If you're like us, you're probably still not over the opening scene in Up. Or the closing scene in Toy Story 3. Or, to be honest, your weird but real crush on Sully from Monsters Inc. (how do they make the monsters so human?). But prepare to feel all the feelings all again because the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is putting on a Pixar-themed evening chock-full of your favourite moments, rendered spectacular by a live orchestral performance. You can expect montages from Finding Nemo, Wall-e, Toy Story, Ratatouille, A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc, Cars and Brave. The event will take place in Hamer Hall on April 7 and 8 and include a multimedia show of your fave Pixar gags (hello cheeky Pixar lamp, your exploits never cease to amuse us), along with a score that features music by the greats, including Randy Newman, Patrick Doyle, Thomas Newman and Michael Giacchino. Just remember to bring a backpack full of tissues for the when the You've Got a Friend In Me tears start to flow. Pixar in Concert will take place at Hamer Hall at 7pm on Friday, April 7 and at 2pm on Saturday, April 8. Book your tickets here.
Two-time Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton has long been wowing audiences with her kaleidoscopic collages, sculpture and film, amassing an impressive oeuvre of works that's positioned her as one of Australia's most admired artists. For her latest major solo exhibition at NGV Australia, the Sydney-based artist continues her interrogation of both humanistic and animals forms, using gaudy colours and patterns to draw the viewer into her works. The Highway is a Disco is Barton's largest solo exhibition to date, offering up many of her most famous works, while also presenting new works from which the exhibition draws its name. It will be on display from Friday, November 17 until Monday, March 12. Installation view, Del Kathryn Barton: The Highway is a Disco, NGV Australia, shot by Tom Ross.
Life is a cabaret, old chum — or at least that's what we've been told. Now we'll get the chance to find out. Heating up venues in both Prahran and the CBD, the latest edition of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival will welcome more than 100 different performers from around Australia and the world, for two weeks of singing, dancing and outrageous fun from June 14. This year's festival hub will be based out of Chapel Off Chapel, with additional shows at The Space Arts and Dance Centre and Love Machine Nightclub in Prahran, as well as The Butterfly Club in the city. The fun begins on Tuesday, June 14 with an opening night gala featuring some of the biggest acts of the festival, and won't stop until Sunday, June 26, with a closing night billed as "Australia's biggest piano bar party". In between, punters can check out over 40 different shows, from acts like UK performer Joe Stilgoe to Steve Ross (dubbed The Crown Prince of New York Cabaret by The New York Times) and local performers like Yana Alana, Imogen Spendlove, Geraldine Quinn and Rod Davies. Here's five shows you shouldn't miss.
From humble food truck beginnings, Melbourne Greek doughnut-slinger Lukumades opened its first bricks-and-mortar spot in West Melbourne in 2017. Now, it's about to bring its deliciously chewy on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside dessert to Windsor. Slated to open on Saturday, April 20, the second Melbourne outpost will be located on a buzzing section of Chapel Street, dishing up a modern spin on traditional Greek loukoumades. Cult favourites such as the Oreo Balls smothered in white chocolate and served with a scoop of cookies and cream gelato — and the White Nutella Balls topped with salted caramel sauce and crushed biscuits — will be on the menu, as well as more traditional doughnuts dusted with icing sugar or dipped in honey and cinnamon. New flavours on rotation will include matcha and jaffa, too. Lukumades is not just expanding to Windsor, either. As well as openings in Perth and Sydney, the brand has its sights set globally — thanks to its recent franchising — with stores in the United States and Cyprus anticipated to open by the end of the year. Lukumades Windsor is slated to open on Saturday, April 20 at 176 Chapel Street. It'll be open from 10am–11pm daily.
Pizza and tequila are about to embark on a tasty summer fling at new southside bar and eatery Chacho's Windsor. The Chapel Street space is keeping things fresh and fun with a Mexican-inspired pizza offering, an edgy urban fitout and a selection of agave spirits that's worth crossing town for. In the kitchen, ex-Lazerpig chef Dan Pegg is turning his pizza prowess to a line of crafty pies made on 12-inch sourdough bases and topped with all manner of non-traditional flavour combinations. The Del Toro ($21) is loaded with roasted onions, chorizo, corn and jalapeños, then crowned with a central ring of corn chips for dipping into guacamole and sour cream. The Whole Hog ($22) features pork and fennel sausage, caramelised onion and a sprinkle of pork crackling, while the Holy Mole ($21) riffs on the classic meat lover, teaming slow-cooked pork, coriander and pickled red onion with a Mexican mole sauce. Meanwhile, a range of 'Not Pizzas' includes bites like cream cheese-stuffed jalapeños, a roast sweet potato salad, or grilled corn cobs doused in chipotle aioli, chilli, parmesan, lime and tequila salt. The party vibes continue over behind the Chacho's bar, where a sprawling selection of tequila and mezcal is put to good use throughout a lively list of cocktails. You'll find a swag of margaritas, both savoury and sweet, alongside drinks like the Coco-Loco ($18), teaming elderflower liqueur, coconut tequila with a tropical coconut rim, and the Negave ($18), with mezcal, Antica Formula, Campari and grapefruit. There are tequila flights, too, available in both 20ml and 30ml serves. And there's even more fun in store for your wallet, depending what time of the week you pop in — a daily 5-7pm happy hour promises $10 pizzas and $10 margaritas to soothe those after-work blues, and there's $10 bloody marys up for grabs, all night every Sunday. Find Chacho's at 110 Chapel Street, Windsor. It's open from 5pm till late, daily.
Pairing Lebanese-style charcoal chook with chips and garlic sauce since 1998, Sydney's El Jannah has become one of the Harbour City's firm favourites. It currently boasts nine stores to its name, including a very popular drive-thru eatery that opened in 2020. And, in great news for everyone who loves flavoursome poultry pieces, the chain has big plans for the next few years — including opening its first Melbourne store, adding at least four more across the Victorian city, and expanding to include 30-plus venues in total across both Melbourne and Sydney. For Melburnians, this'll be your first chance to get a taste of El Jannah's beloved chicken — whether you'd like it in halves or quarters, on rolls and burgers, as part of a platter, on skewers or in salads. So, get ready to make a trip to 600 High Street, Preston, with the chook chain taking over the old Hungry Jacks site. An opening date hasn't been revealed as yet, but El Jannah expects to start cooking in late 2021. The company is also currently looking at a second site north of the city, so you might have options when it comes to getting your charcoal chicken fix. Others are planned to follow, too, with El Jannah aiming to have at least five Melbourne stores operating over the next five years. For Sydneysiders already enamoured with the brand's dishes, you don't just have to be content with the knowledge that it'll soon be available whenever you make the trip down south. El Jannah has also revealed that its expansion plans include opening more Sydney stores. Indeed, in both Melbourne and Sydney, six new sites have already been approved — although just where the new Sydney eateries will be located is yet to be announced. Wherever El Jannah pops up next in Sydney, it'll add to the chain's existing spread across Burwood, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Punchbowl, Granville, Kogarah, Penrith and Smithfield, as well as its Newtown venue — which heralded the chain's much-welcomed entry into Sydney's inner-west in 2019. Whether El Jannah's expansion will involve more drive-thrus is also yet to be revealed. El Jannah's first Melbourne store will open at 600 High Street, Preston, late in 2021. To keep an eye out for further details — including about the chain's planned expansion to more than 30 stores in Sydney and Melbourne over the next five years — head to the El Jannah website.
Following a five-year break, the Caulfield Whisky, Wine and Fire Festival will return with a bang this winter from Thursday, July 18–Sunday, July 21. Warm up from the inside out as you are treated to a feast for the senses, with whisky and wine tastings, as well as comfort food prepared over open flames by fine food vendors. The menu highlights roasted, smoked and spiced flavours, making for a cosy dining experience by the fire. The festival will set up camp at Caulfield Racecourse, with an outstanding roster of merchants that includes Penfolds, 19 Crimes, Bellarine Distillery, Chief's Son Distillery, Moët Hennessy, The Spirits Company, Laphroaig and Paringa Estate. Tickets are already on sale for $29, which includes a glass of whisky or wine. Kids have free entry. Learn more about the Whisky, Wine and Fire Festival at the official website.
Seafood lovers, listen up. We've teamed up with our mates at Glen Waverley's The Boiling Crab to offer one lucky Concrete Playground reader a $300 dining voucher. To celebrate the new Melbourne restaurant that launched in March — the first location of the popular US franchise in Australia — you can go in the running to snap up this voucher for you and your mates to enjoy a succulent seafood dinner. If you love seafood and eating with your hands, this one's for you. Yep, no tricks here. Just the chance to enjoy fresh oysters, crabs, prawns, clams and mussels, plus countless side dishes — and to get your fingers covered in cajun spices — on the house. Keen to treat your mates to a seafood feast? Enter your details below to go in the running to win. [competition]811304[/competition]
Before she was even a teenager, Angourie Rice faced the end of the world. Ever since, she's been living almost everyone's dream. When the Sydney-born Australian actor made her feature film debut, it was in 2013's homegrown apocalyptic thriller These Final Hours, in what was also one of Sarah Snook's (Succession) early movie appearances. Jump to 2024 and Rice has not only a coveted resume to her name spanning everything from Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled to three Spider-Man flicks, but also a role that couldn't be more iconic. Move over Lindsay Lohan, get in Rice as Mean Girls' Cady Heron. Call it fetch, grool, coolness — when you grew up watching a film on repeat and now lead its 20-years-later musical remake, they all fit. The Aussie star of The Nice Guys, Jasper Jones, Black Mirror, Ladies in Black and Mare of Easttown has made it happen. Rice isn't just living the dream in her acting success, however. She also received an email that anyone who has seen 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live or, yes, the OG Mean Girls wishes would land in their inbox: a note from Tina Fey. [caption id="attachment_934705" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures[/caption] That's how Rice was first given the script for the 2024 movie that's also called Mean Girls, remakes the 2004 favourite of the same name, but isn't merely a case of telling the same tale again two decades later with a different cast. After Fey adapted non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes for the initial Mean Girls film, a phenomenon was born. Alongside getting the world forever equating Wednesdays with wearing pink, the Lohan (Falling for Christmas)-, Rachel McAdams (Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret)-, Amanda Seyfried (The Crowded Room)- and Lacey Chabert (A Merry Scottish Christmas)-starring feature inspired both a made-for-TV and a graphic novel sequel, plus a smash-hit musical that premiered in 2017. And, in a full-circle moment, it's the latter that the new Mean Girls adapts, with Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez (Quarter Life Poetry: Poems for the Young, Broke & Hangry) directing. So, a parenting book about the behaviour of girls in high-school cliques became a huge success as a teen comedy, then took to the theatre with songs and dancing, and now returns to the big screen with those tunes intact (not that you could really tell that from Mean Girls circa 2024's first trailer). Fey penned the script again — she wrote the book for the stage version, too — and reprises the role of teacher Ms Norbury as well. The only other cast member making a comeback: Tim Meadows (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) as Principal Duvall. Familiar faces surround North Shore High School's recognisable educators, however. As well as Rice as Cady, The Sex Lives of College Girls' Reneé Rapp plays queen bee Regina George, a part that first had her leading the Plastics on Broadway. Auli'i Cravalho, the voice of Moana, features as Janis. Jon Hamm (Fargo) Jenna Fischer (Splitting Up Together) and Busy Philipps (Girls5eva) are among the adults. Ashley Park (Only Murders in the Building) falls into that category also, after originating the stage's take on Gretchen Wieners and earning a Tony nomination for her efforts. How does as Aussie actor named after a coastal New South Wales town of Angourie become Mean Girls' new Cady? How did she react when Fey appeared in her inbox? How obsessed was she with the original film? And how did she prepare to play such a famous and beloved character? We chatted with Rice about all of the above, as well as why Mean Girls is so relatable, loving musical theatre and what she looks for in a role. [caption id="attachment_934704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures[/caption] ON GETTING CAST AS CADY HERON — STARTING WITH THAT EMAIL FROM TINA FEY "The journey for me began with, believe it or not, an email from Tina Fey — which I could not believe. When it landed in my inbox, I was like 'what is going on?'. And it was a note from her with the script saying 'we're making this movie — I saw you in this thing, I think you'd be great for Cady'. I was just astonished that she even knew who I was, and that she was taking the time to send me a personal note. That is so rare when you receive scripts, so that meant a lot to me. Also because I just idolise her so much. So that's how it began. I read the script. I worked on the songs, and yeah." ON BEING A LIFELONG MEAN GIRLS FAN STARRING IN MEAN GIRLS "I had Mean Girls on DVD. I watched it over and over again between the ages of like five and nine. It was that and High School Musical 2 and The Sound of Music, I just watched over and over again. That movie is very, very stuck in my childhood brain — and my adult brain as well. I continued to rewatch it all the way up until I got cast in the movie. And then I was like 'I'm not going to watch it' because I need to have a clean mind going into it." [caption id="attachment_934703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures[/caption] ON TAKING ON SUCH A BELOVED PART "There's a huge sense of responsibility to the people who loved the story of Mean Girls in whatever form, and the sense of responsibility to myself as well. So it was daunting, but I realised that I couldn't say no. It just had to be yes because I knew that if I said no and I went to the cinema and watched it, I would feel like I really missed out." ON PREPARING TO STEP INTO CADY'S (AND LINDSAY LOHAN'S) SHOES "I prepared in the same way I do for any role, actually. I go through the script. I annotate it. I also write down questions in certain scenes that I can ask the writer or director. The directors also gave me a character sheet, which is really cool — just a list of questions that you would answer as your character, which was really helpful." [caption id="attachment_934701" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mare of Easttown, Michele K Short/HBO[/caption] ON DRAWING UPON RICE'S OWN HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCES TO PLAY CADY "What I love about Mean Girls is those feelings of being the new kid, feeling left out, feeling like you're not good enough, those are things are universal and you can feel them at any point in your life — starting a new job, or just when you arrive at a party and you only know one person. I definitely had that experience. I wasn't a new kid in high school, but I would go away and travel and come back, and things in high school move so quickly. So I'd come back and find out that my friendship group dynamic was different, or that someone had had a falling out with someone else and I had to pick a side — those sorts of dynamics. So, coming home and feeling like the new kid again because I'd just been away for three months and everything had changed, I did relate to that a lot with Cady." [caption id="attachment_689818" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ladies in Black[/caption] ON WHAT RICE HAS LOOKED FOR IN A PART EVER SINCE THESE FINAL HOURS "I look for stories that are interesting and characters that have a good arc. That's what I love about Cady. She's got this incredible arc from being naive to being top of the world to falling down and having to get back up again. For me, it starts with the script and the story, and I think that's why I've been fortunate enough to have experiences in different genres and in different formats — limited series and movies. Because it's the story that comes first, and then the genre, and then the time period. I feel very fortunate that I have had lots of different opportunities." ON ALWAYS WANTING TO MAKE A MUSICAL "I love musicals. I love musical theatre. So I was just overjoyed. One of the main reasons I took it was simply because I just wanted to be in a musical. I love the feeling that musical theatre gives me, so I just really wanted to be a part of it." Mean Girls opens in Australian cinemas on Thursday, January 11 and New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, January 18. Read our review. Mean Girls 2024 images: Jojo Whilden/Paramount © 2023 Paramount Pictures.
As Brisbane's annual LGBTQIA+ celebration, Melt Festival has seen Sophie Ellis-Bextor grace its stage, and Chappell Roan as well. It has also hosted Spencer Tunick's nude photography works, including shutting down the Story Bridge for one installation. They're just some of the event's highlights from recent years, but it's adding another in 2025: a Brisbane-only show by Broadway icon Bernadette Peters. In New York's famous theatre district, she originated the role of The Witch in Into the Woods, and of Dot in Sunday in the Park with George. She has two Tonys, for Song and Dance and Annie Get Your Gun. She won a Golden Globe for Pennies From Heaven on the big screen, and featured in The Jerk and Annie as well. On TV, she boasts Smash, Mozart in the Jungle, The Good Fight, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and High Desert on her resume. Now, Peters is doing an Australian-exclusive performance in the Queensland capital — and it's her first Aussie gig in more than a decade. [caption id="attachment_998041" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Drama League via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] An Evening with Bernadette Peters has a date with the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, October 24 — falling within Melt Festival's Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9 run for 2025. The star kickstarts the lineup not just as a Broadway legend, but as an icon of the LGBTQIA+ community, including thanks to her work with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to raise funds for AIDS patients and research. How will a talent with six decades of performing to draw upon — including the current Broadway season of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends — whittle that down into one Brisbane show? You'll need to head along to find out. In her Brisbane performance, Peters boasts support by Camerata — Queensland's Chamber Orchestra. Top image: Drama League via Wikimedia Commons.
The Mount Erica Hotel has seen some things. Back when it was established as the area's first licensed venue in 1853, the corner of Williams Road and High Street was considered a bush setting. After two decades of operation, it was then rebuilt after a bushfire (yes, a bushfire) tore through the building. In the 140 years that have followed, the site has been through many iterations — some more successful than others. But the old Prahran boozer has been a constant even while the suburb around it has changed. The team behind Fitzroy's Marquis of Lorne are the current custodians of Melbourne's oldest pub. The dining space has a theatrical, lobby lounge feel, clad in warm timber panelling and tailored tartan, while the lounge plays with dark blue and teal to create a laidback gathering place, complete with quirky art and a fireplace. The menu centres on simplicity and sophistication with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern touches. Chef Sean Donovan describes the offering as "modern, fresh, produce-driven food", with a twist: a charcoal rotisserie. Chicken, beef, lamb, seafood and vegetables get the smoky treatment, bringing out the best of the season's produce. Classic pub crowd-pleasers like sausages, fish and chips and chicken parmas are still core to the menu. The staples are joined by plenty of lighter seafood and vegetable dishes; you can snack on salt cod fritters and fresh oysters before moving on to the smoked trout and endive salad or the retro-inspired prawn cocktail. With a range of 12 beers across 30 taps, you'll never be short of something new to try in the booze department. In addition to Melbourne's standard brews, you'll find local pilsners, pales and golden ales from the likes of Sample, Stomping Ground, Balter and Wolf of the Willows, as well as some hop-heavy and sour varieties from Kiwi breweries Epic and Liberty. Likewise, the wine list pairs straightforward classics with quirkier drops, all at a price point that'll keep your bank balance happy. Keep an eye out for the four cocktail taps with mixes rotating seasonally. There's no single demographic — all are welcome here. Whether it's a Sunday spritz on the terrace, a roast dinner with the folks or a post-work pint, the Mount Erica Hotel is the place to go. Images: Frances Parker.
Call it Red Light, Green Light. Call it Statues. Call it Grandmother's Footsteps. Whichever name you prefer, how good are you at playing the game that gets folks a-sneaking, ideally without being caught? Now, how would you fare trying to creep forward while avoiding being spotted when Young-hee is lurking? Squid Game fans, if you visit Luna Park Sydney from this summer, you'll be able to find out. The Harbour City tourist attraction has announced the next experience that's heading to its big top, which has been hosting the dazzling projections of Dream Circus since relaunching after a revamp in late 2023. From Monday, December 16, 2024, just in time for the Christmas holidays and Squid Game season two's arrival on Netflix on Boxing Day, Squid Game: The Experience will get everyone playing Red Light, Green Light with Young-hee — and also busting out their marbles skills, then walking over the glass bridge. Get your green tracksuit ready. Front Man will be there to dare you to take the Squid Game challenges IRL, which obviously won't notch up a body count like in the series — and won't be televised like reality competition show Squid Game: The Challenge. Some games will be inspired by the Netflix program. Others will be brand new. You'll only know if Squid Game: The Experience takes any cues from the thriller's second season, though, if you drop by after Thursday, December 26. With the experience running Friday–Sunday weekly, players can take part individually, or in groups of up to 25. As you work through the challenges, which get harder as you go along, you'll earn points. Another difference from the series: if you get eliminated from a game, you'll still be able to take part in the challenges that follow. Alongside Red Light, Green Light, marbles and more, Squid Game: The Experience includes a post-game night market with Korean snacks on the menu thanks to SOUL Dining. Fingers crossed that there'll be sugar cookies as a snack. You'll also be able to nab some merchandise, such as clothes and collectibles, to take home. And yes, Young-hee has popped up Down Under before, with a 4.5-metre, three-tonne recreation of Squid Game's eerie animatronic figure with laser eyes making its presence known also in Sydney back in 2021. [caption id="attachment_975032" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Netflix[/caption] Squid Game: The Experience arrives at Luna Park Sydney, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, from Monday, December 16, 2024. Head to the venue's website for more information and to join the waitlist ahead of ticket sales from Tuesday, November 4, 2024.
Glen Bagnara knows a thing or two about opening a treasured neighbourhood bar, as one of the minds behind Hemingway's Wine Room and Prahran's Bar Bianco. For this next trick, he's transformed the basement beneath his daytime diner Clementine to create a moodier and altogether more playful bar: Castlerose. The new bar is giving luxury hidden underground European bar energy. After entering via a black spiral staircase found towards the edge of Clementine, you'll find a small dark room filled with a few intimate leather banquettes, timber tables and stools by the black marble-topped bar. Architect Co:Aika has also subtly added in design features from the early to mid 20th century, imparting an elegant old-world feel that's also reflected in the food and drink offerings. Fine champagne is served in vintage-style coupe glasses. Classic European cocktails come in intricate stemware. An old-school cheese cart is wheeled around for anyone who wants to handpick wedges of local and imported cheeses that'll change regularly. But the most playful aspects of the dining experience are those with supper club touches. It's that themed and immersive kind of dining that always puts a smile on diners' dimly lit faces. At Castlerose, the confit duck comes wrapped up like a cigar, served in a wooden cigar box with an ashtray of olive dust. And the duck rillettes come in a sealed tin, ready to be peeled open and enjoyed with fig jam, cornichons and slices of toasted baguette. Head Chef David Yuan is making these fun dishes, but isn't depending too much on theatrics. Beneath it all, he's serving up classic European fare that leans more on the luxury end of the dining spectrum. Think: wagyu steaks, lobster rolls and top-quality charcuterie. With the introduction of Castlerose, Clementine regulars can keep things going beyond its daytime opening hours, sneaking downstairs for a little late-night luxury. Find Castlerose at 67 Palmerston Crescent, South Melbourne, open Wednesday–Saturday from 4pm till late. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: Alex Squadrito.
The oldest floral festival in Australia, the Grafton Jacaranda Festival focuses on the hundreds of lilac-blossomed trees that line the town's streets. First held in 1935, the festival brings together art exhibitions, live music, markets and parades for a week-long celebration from October 25 through November 3. While the jacaranda blooms are of course the main attraction, it's by no means the only event you'll have to look forward to during the festival — think hot air ballooning, and a carnival sideshow, along with buskers, fireworks and stallholders aplenty. Grafton takes its tree heritage seriously and currently holds the title for biggest jacaranda on the National Tree Register of Big Trees (yes, it is a real registry). While in town, visit 'The Gorge', a tree which measures at a massive 30 metres high with a six-metre circumference. It deserves a nice big hug, we reckon. For the full event program for Grafton's Jacaranda Festival visit their website.
One of Melbourne's masters of creatively charged cafe fare is at it again. Kevin Li, the mind behind Lights in The Attic, 3Lives and The Crux & Co, has gifted the city with yet another supercharged brunch concept, with his Glen Waverley newcomer Cru+. Pronounced 'cru-plus', this open, marble-clad space has made its home within The Glen Shopping Centre, and its vibe apparently nods to both Tokyo train stations and the sort of high tea service you'd enjoy aboard the Orient Express. Designed by acclaimed studio EAT Architects, it's light, bright and contemporary, doing away with walls and showcasing a luxurious assembly of rich velvets and cool steel. The offering, too, is far from standard, headlined by the same style of intricate cakes and pastries made famous by sibling Crux & Co. There's no shortage of ingenuity here, with creations like the moody-looking charcoal and salted egg yolk croissant, a char sui pork eggs benedict featuring wasabi onion, miso hollandaise and pumpkin loaf, and a grilled miso salmon that's given the blowtorch treatment. The humble breakfast burger's been reimagined through a series of stuffed croissants, loaded with combinations like smoked salmon, dill crème fraîche and capers; buffalo mozzarella with salsa verde; and bacon, egg and barbecue sauce. Cru+ is also shaking things up with its build-a-box options, allowing diners to customise their own breakfast, lunch or high tea bento with additions like granola pots, sandwiches, croissants, salads and pastries. Vidda Flowers is lending extra life to the space, too, with an onsite pop-up florist, while that all-important coffee offering comes courtesy of a collaboration blend with Five Senses. Find Cru+ at The Glen Shopping Centre, K31, Ground Level, 235 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley. It's open Monday–Wednesday 9am–5.30pm, Thursday–Friday 9am–9pm, Saturday 9am–5pm and Sunday 10am–5pm.
A fireworks display is often only as good as where you're watching the show from, and we think a rooftop party is an excellent vantage point. Campari House has themed their New Year's Eve bash 'Four Seasons', so slip on some cocktail attire and add a touch of your favourite season to your get-up. Tickets start at $110 for the party; for rooftop access and extravagant cocktails tickets go up to $195. Let's just hope that unpredictable Melbourne weather doesn't decide to take the theme too literally.
Pottery fans of the eastern suburbs, you're about to score a new ceramics studio — and it wants to indulge your love of clay. In fact, to celebrate its official launch this month, Céramiques Camberwell is offering up the kind of deal that'll make you want to rush to a potter's wheel. From October 22, Céramiques is offering two whole weeks free introductory classes to anyone who wants to give the pastime a go. All skill levels are welcome, as you'll learn the basics of throwing and working the wheel. After the launch, the studio will run both one-off classes and multi-lesson terms for those willing to take up pottery as a hobby. This is owner Guy Vadas's second Melbourne studio — you might remember that he also ran free classes when he opened his Elsternwick location earlier this year. They booked out super quickly, so you know what to do. To attend a free class, you'll need to visit the Céramiques website to register for the waitlist.
There's nothing quite like a Saturday spent quaffing top-notch wine and gorging on cheese. Throw the spotlight on local produce and you've got something even better. Melbourne's indulgent culinary event Wine & Cheese Fest is returning in March for its 11th iteration, transforming Port Melbourne's Timber Yard into a cheesy wine-fuelled paradise. Running across two sessions from 12–3.30pm and 4–7.30pm on Saturday, March 1, the event will celebrate some of the state's finest cheese, vino and other artisan goodies. Chat to producers as you sip, swirl and snack your way through a parade of complimentary tastings; sit in on a couple of free cheesemaking or wine masterclasses; or even test your squishing skills in the day's grape-stomping competition. The day's lineup is full of much-loved names and producers, from Witchmount Estate, Santolin Wines, Rob Dolan, Bellarine Estate Winery, Milawa Cheese Company, Boatshed Cheese, Frenchese, That's Amore, and L'Artisan Cheese. There'll also be DJ sets and live acts providing the soundtrack to your epicurean adventures. Plus, the kids will also be entertained with face-painting stations and interactive games. General tickets start from $60, which gets you 3.5 hours of tastings, masterclasses and a festival glass and tote bag to take home. The latter should come in handy, too, given there'll be lots of products available to purchase to stock up that pantry and wine fridge. Up for some extra indulgence? Splash out on a $160 VIP ticket that gives you all-day access to the festival, a spot in the VIP room and entry to a VIP wine-tasting masterclass.
All birthdays require some sort of celebration — it's the rules. Whether your idea of a celebration is a round of tequila shots, a weekend away, or a nice cup of tea a Woolies chocolate cake, it's the one day of the year you can do you and no one can even begin to begrudge you for it. Hawthorn's Muharam is certainly taking that to heart this year — the cafe is celebrating its 11th birthday in 2018, and it's decided to throw a bit of an all-year shindig to mark the occasion. Eleven years of going strong means that it's doing its regulars a solid, slashing everything on the menu down to a mere $11. That's right, approximately the price of three x lattes, one x fancy green juice, or half x the smashed avocado tomfoolery. And it's not just running for a day, or even a week — it's on offer until the end of this year. Yep, everything on the food menu will be just a blue note and a coin until December 31. Definitely doable on a Sunday morning — even if you've spent pretty much everything else in your wallet the night before. ✖11 years, 11 dollars✖ To celebrate 11 YEARS of Muharam Cafe, EVERY DISH on the menu will be $11.00 for the WHOLE YEAR 〰 Starting on the 1st of May! #11for11 A post shared by Muharam (@muharamcafe) on Apr 30, 2018 at 12:43am PDT So what can you get for your 11 bucks? The menu includes red velvet pancakes, spiced corn fritters with avo and bacon, and an acai smoothie bowl. The real star of the show might just be vegan black buckwheat waffles with activated charcoal, maple glazed banana, pitaya cashew cream and pistachio crumble — which is basically $1 per ingredient, so you've no good reason to not get yourself to Muharam immediately. You're welcome. Muharam is located at 97 Burwood Road, Hawthorn and is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. For more info, visit muharam.com.au.
At Brunswick Street's Indian restaurant Mukka, Kabir Singh means to pack a punch — and put new life into Indian food in Australia while he's at it. The passion and vitality is obvious from the moment you step through the door. The space features jaunty colours, greenery hanging from slatted frames on the ceiling and a specials board that revels in its chalky colourfully illustrated invitation: 'Hey, will you share a cocktail jug with me?' How could you refuse an offer like that? Or the slow-cooked goat curry and homemade dosas for that matter? But if goat and cocktails don't rock your boat, there's plenty of other goodness to choose from across the menu. A selection of street eats from Singh's home of New Delhi forms the basis for Mukka's starters. Either go for classic samosas and onion bhajis or change it up with some damn delicious fish pakoras and papdi chaat — think of it as an Indian nachos dish consisting of flour crackers topped with spiced potatoes, chickpeas, cold yoghurt and a few different homemade chutneys. Amongst the curries from the tandoori grill is a chicken tikka marinated in spices and yoghurt overnight, then cooked in the tandoor oven — it's succulent and full of flavour. The saucier curries feature a modest selection of vegetarian, seafood and meat options. Our very favourite? The Bombay prawn masala. This thick curry isn't too spicy, but is full of garlic, ginger and desiccated coconut. It's a flavour bomb packed with prawns. And even though this Indian restaurant is all about serving up authentic curries, it also serves up one of the best butter chickens in Melbourne — not overly sweet or creamy like so many others out there. If you're a lassi fan, Mukka has a smooth mango classic, the original spiced-up minty version or a rose and cinnamon creation. And depending on how the day is unfolding, you can make your lassi that little bit more edgy with a dash of vodka or coconut rum. Cocktails have also been given plenty of love, with the bar team serving up classic tipples and Indian-inspired creations like the whisky sour spiced with cardamom, cloves and black pepper — vegans can even get a version made with aquafaba instead of egg whites. Head here for inventive cocktails and authentic Indian eats from regions all over the subcontinent. And if you're down south, check out Mukka's much larger St Kilda location that's serving up all the same bites. Images: Jo Rittey
The picturesque village of Olinda in the Dandenongs has scored a sweet new addition in chocolaterie and cafe Only Mine. This is one for true dessert lovers as you can not only settle in for something sweet, but you can do so while watching the adjacent chocolate factory in action. The bright cafe serves as a charming spot to showcase Jason Stockton and Anya Tran's handmade individual chocolates, which come in flavours like Himalayan salted lime, chai, and dried apple and cinnamon. Many are vegan and gluten-free, too. Alongside those, the pair's dishing up an indulgent menu of desserts, like a caramel sticky date pudding and a build-you-own sundae offering. Choose your favourite ice cream flavour, then have it loaded up with caramel or chocolate sauce and a variety of other jazzy bits and pieces, like gluten-free brownie, caramel rocks, crushed cookies and vegan chocolate soil. Coffee comes courtesy of Fitzroy's Industry Beans, but to really sate that sweet tooth look no further than Only Mine's signature hot chocolate. It's a luxurious blend of milk and dark chocolate that's brewed for 24 hours with milk and cream. If you need to burn off all that extra energy, the 1000 Steps is only a quick drive away.
You can now recreate a little of that Fancy Hank's magic at home, as the flavour masters behind Bourke Street's beloved barbecue joint unveil their very own line of house-made, small-batch sauces. Launching just in time for the season of backyard barbies and park picnics, the new range features five concoctions, including two barbecue sauces and three styles of hot sauce, packaged in nifty 200mL or 375mL bottles and made using all-Aussie ingredients. And they're already award-winners, having each nabbed a medal at this year's Australian Food Awards. You'll have encountered some of these American-style creations before — the Original BBQ is Fancy Hanks' signature sauce, best teamed with a pile of smoky pulled pork, while the Coffee & Molasses number is the go-to accompaniment for the restaurant's famed beef brisket. The trio of hot sauces dial up the flavour even more, with the gutsiest variety, Habanero & Carrot, best used sparingly in a chicken marinade or a stew. The mild and fruity Cayenne & Watermelon sauce is the entry-level option, while the Jalapeño & Peach kicks a little bit harder, boasting a sweet, tangy finish. You can pick up a bottle — or hey, why not get fancy with the whole collection? — from Fancy Hank's CBD restaurant, the online shop, Spring Street Grocer, Meatsmith (in Fitzroy and St Kilda), and three of the city's McCoppins Food Stores.
One of the most worthwhile things you can do when looking to start your own business is sit down with another small business owner and share your ideas, as well as take note on what they've done right (and wrong), what small wins they encountered that eventually led to bigger things. When it comes to opening a cafe specifically, successful venues like Three Williams in Redfern can be a great source of inspiration — especially considering that this particular brunch spot was once started by a first-time cafe owner, too. As running your own business can typically involve a lot of hard work and crazy hours, we've teamed up with MYOB to bring you some helpful hints from those in the know. Here are four ideas to get you started (whether you're looking to open a cafe, a shop or other small business), courtesy of Three Williams co-owner Toby Iaccarino. [caption id="attachment_683542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Three Williams co-owner Toby Iaccarino.[/caption] DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY Put yourself out there and get your hands dirty in a business that inspires you, says Toby. "Learn the ropes from cleaning drains to fine-tuning your customer service skills to honing the art of people management," he says. While there's much to be gleaned from research and study, nothing beats rolling up your sleeves and jumping in there yourself — whether it's through an internship or a few hours per week in a related side hustle. "I cannot stress how paramount raw experience is to your success in such a hands-on industry." LEARN THE RULES OF THE GAME Most new venues will require a spruce up, so make sure to run your plans through council first. "Council regulations raised a multitude of unexpected and untimely hurdles along the way that I wasn't necessarily financially prepared to accommodate," says Toby. "Regulations differ, sometimes significantly, from council to council. So do your research. Calculated planning and foresight can save you a wealth of not only time and money, but major headaches down the line. Familiarise yourself on what you can do, can't do and must do in order to operate in the capacity you are envisioning." MAKE SURE YOUR FINANCES ARE IN ORDER Having great staff — in this case, an excellent chef, barista and floor team — is obviously vital to a business's success, however, the importance of financial understanding cannot be stressed enough, says Toby. "The ability to get your head around GST, BAS, super and all the other cash flow and cash management requirements will be the difference between failure and success." While a few cents difference between shopping bags or sugar sachets may seem like small beans, keeping your eye on market prices can end up being paramount to profitability, and it's these small wins that help lead to bigger things. "Constantly tweaking roster costings, analysing suppliers and their pricing and keeping up to date with the cheapest energy companies makes all the difference." INVEST IN NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SMART BUSINESS SYSTEMS New business systems and smart platforms that allow you to monitor, track and manage your operations can help you run your business more efficiently, as well as free up your time for the jobs that really matter. For Toby, managing finance and compliance obligations had become overwhelming, so he decided to invest in cloud-based accounting software. "MYOB has been, and continues to be, such a practical way to manage our invoicing, payroll, reporting and finances. It makes everything from preparing BAS to managing financial year rollovers and keeping track of inventory a breeze." Planning to open your own business? Consider MYOB to help sort out all your accounting needs.
One of the Mornington Peninsula's go-to summer hot spots has had one heck of a makeover, and reopened just in time for the balmy days to come. Famed for its waterfront beer garden and sweeping bay views, the Portsea Hotel is now sporting a dapper new look, helping launch the 142-year-old building into its next phase of life. The $7 million transformation nods to the past, while embracing the contemporary, with plenty of original tiling and artwork making a return appearance. The acclaimed beer garden remains, though now it's joined by a moody whisky haunt dubbed the RIP Bar, a California-style burger bar known as Cliff's, and a stunning second-floor events space, called Bertrand Bar. Walls by the front entrance are set to play host to a rotating curation of local and international art, while in the reimagined dining room Longshore, a big open kitchen is serving up a menu filled with top local produce and healthy touches. Think, whipped cod roe served with pita, Mooloolaba swordfish teamed with panzanella, and a creamy burrata cheese and caprese salad, alongside pub classics and loaded pizzas. A planned series of yoga, pilates and fitness classes will grace the Portsea Hotel's beer garden over summer, as will a hefty program of live music and parties. Kyle Lionhart, The Babe Rainbow and Didirri are just some of the acts that'll help christen the pub in the coming months, with Spacey Space headlining a Christmas Eve Eve fiesta and Tom Tilley leading a dance-worthy NYE ensemble. Find the new-look Portsea Hotel at 3746 Point Nepean Road, Portsea. It's open from 11am–10pm daily.
Do pickles tickle your fancy? If so, you'll find yourself in briny green heaven when pop-up favourites The Pickle & The Patty throw a pickle-fuelled party in honour of their new permanent South Melbourne digs. On Saturday, October 8, you're invited to help christen this new restaurant space at its grand opening celebrations. Get your gherkin on while gorging on an array of pickle-themed eats and drinks, and enter the day's lucky dip for a shot at winning pickle-related prizes — from fresh merch, to an actual pickle tattoo courtesy of the studio down the road. Your cravings will be completely sorted with bites like the specialty beef burger featuring pickles five ways, cheesy pickle fries, house-made pickle lemonade, giant fried pickles on sticks and soft serve topped with — yep, you guessed it — pickle syrup. On the booze front, you can try sips like the Pickled Watermelon Rind G&T, pickled martinis and a whole variety of pickleback shots, as well as vodka tastings from the folks at Rusty Barrel Spirits. [caption id="attachment_871122" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Pickle & The Patty[/caption]
Fans of malatang will now find it even easier to get their hands on their favourite Sichuan-style street food, as local masters Dragon Hot Pot open the doors to two more Melbourne restaurants. Heroing the popular Chinese cuisine that's essentially a customised hot pot for one, Dragon has set up shop both at Box Hill Central's North Precinct and within QV Melbourne in the CBD. These follow current outposts on Russell Street, Elizabeth Street and Swanston Street in the city, as well as one in Glen Waverley, which have all opened within the past year. The hot pot newcomers are offering the same pick-and-mix scenario as their siblings: diners select fresh ingredients from over 100 different options, with each choice priced at $3.20 per 100 grams. You'll need to clock in at a minimum of 400 grams — though, with a dizzying array of meat, noodles, seafood, offal, tofu and fresh veggies, that's probably not going to be a hard task. To match the wide range of add-ons, Dragon Hot Pot offers five different flavour-packed base stocks, including the signature Ma La Tang number, a thick, rich stock made to an ancient Sichuan recipe, cooked with over 24 varieties of wild herb sourced from China's Mount Emei. Of course, diners also have a choice of spiciness, with four levels ranging from mild, to the fiery 'dragon hot'. Found yourself hooked? Luckily, Dragon Hot Pot offers 24-hour service at its Russell Street outpost, and plans to roll it out at all of its CBD spots — QV included — by the end of 2019. Find Dragon Hot Pot's newest restaurants at FC54 Box Hill Central North, 17-21 Market Street, Box Hill, and Shop 27-01, QV, 210 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Images: Griffin Simm.
On Northcote's main High Street strip, burger joints have been few and far between. So there are sure to be a few locals happy about the arrival of its new burger-flipping resident, 300 Grams. Especially since the store is celebrating its launch by handing out a stack of freebies. Making its home next door to the Northcote Social Club, this newcomer is from the same minds behind Port Melbourne fish shop D'Lish. And, while it officially opens its doors on Monday, September 16, the real fun comes with the Grand Opening Giveaway on Thursday, September 19. The new 300 Grams will be showing off its Hot Black-designed space, while handing out unlimited free vegan burgers, fried chicken burgers and cheeseburgers between 4 and 7pm. You'll also be able to pick up one of 400 free cans of Remedy kombucha, too. The 300 Grams menu features seven signature options — from a plant-based number with fried mushrooms to the namesake 300 Gs with a beef patty, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles and the house special '300 sauce'. The kitchen's also whipping up extras like sweet potato fries, cauliflower bites and a range of vegan sundaes made with coconut water-based soft serve. 300 Grams is giving away unlimited free burgers from 4–7pm.
Opening this November, a historical event 3000 years in the making is coming to Sydney's Australian Museum. Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs will be an unmissable exhibition for any lover of history, arts and culture. As the name suggests, the exhibition profiles Pharaoh Ramses II, often referred to as Ramses the Great. So great in fact was Ramses, that in his 90-plus years of life he held the second-longest reign of all Pharaohs, a ruler so respected that many of his subjects feared the world would end when he died in 1213 BCE. The world kept turning but Ramses II left a permanent mark on Egypt — nine future pharaohs would be his namesake out of respect. And statues and artefacts from his reign still exist today — including the 181 objects bound for this exhibition comprising sarcophagi, animal mummies, royal masks, jewellery, amulets and other golden items from the ruler's tomb. Chief among them is the sarcophagi (royal coffin) that Ramses himself was entombed in on its first tour outside of Egypt. Many of these objects have never left Egypt before, let alone landed on Australian shores, with the entire collection loaned and supported by the Egyptian government. You can also upgrade your ticket to include a multisensory VR experience, allowing you to step inside two of the most significant structures from the era — the tomb of Queen Nefertari and the temples of Abu Simbel. Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs opens on Saturday, November 18 and will run until Sunday, May 19, 2024. For more information or to book tickets, visit the Australian Museum website.
If there's one thing that Ben & Jerry's loves above all else, it's the obvious: ice cream in a huge array of ridiculously named flavours. It's the brand behind Chunky Monkey, Cherry Garcia, Phish Food and The Tonight Dough — and has been responsible for Liz Lemon Greek Frozen Yoghurt, Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream and Schweddy Balls, too. And, once a year to the delight of your sweet treat-loving tastebuds, it loves giving away free scoops just as much. Indeed, to share its wares with the masses for nix, these frozen confection masterminds gave the world Free Cone Day, which is exactly what it sounds like — a day where your ice cream is on the house. It ran annually until the pandemic, then took a break for obvious reasons. And on Monday, April 3, it's finally back for the first time since 2019. Here's how it works: if you adore ice cream as much as Ben & Jerry's adores ice cream, then you just need to hit up your local participating store between 12–8pm AEST. You can choose whichever flavour you like, and you can also line up for a free cone as many times as you like within that eight-hour period. Free Cone Day is happening Australia-wide — worldwide, too, in more than 35 countries — at both Ben & Jerry's Scoop Stores and its Hoyts outlets. In New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, that means hitting up Manly, Bondi Beach, Newtown and Parramatta, plus cinemas in Blacktown, Wetherill Park, Penrith, Broadway, Phillip and Belconnen. Victorians have St Kilda and Burwood East stores, and Hoyts venues in Melbourne Central, Docklands, Ringwood, Chadstone, Greensborough, Maribyrnong and Ringwood to choose from. If you're in Queensland, head to South Brisbane, Broadbeach Waters, Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Mooloolaba, Noosa Heads and Cairns, or Hoyts Sunnybank. In Western Australia, Fremantle, Hillarys and Northbridge Scoop Shops are taking part, plus Karrinyup and Cannington cinemas. And in South Australia, Hoyts Norwood is your destination. Free Cone Day runs from 12–8pm on Monday, April 3, 2023 at Ben & Jerry's Australian stores. Head to the brand's website for further details.
Kitty Green doesn't just direct films that demand attention; she makes movies where paying the utmost notice to small moments and details couldn't be more pivotal. With her 2013 debut Ukraine Is Not a Brothel, she deployed her documentarian's eye to explore protest group Femen with revealing and probing intimacy. With 2017's bold and unforgettable Casting JonBenet, Green honed in on the minutiae that can swirl around a crime — especially when true crime has become its own genre, sparking non-stop theories even decades later — all while structuring her picture around holding auditions for a film about the infamous case that shares the feature's name. The Melbourne-born filmmaker moved into fiction with 2019's The Assistant, and now stays there with The Royal Hotel. The shift has still seen Green unpacking reality. The Assistant is a #MeToo movie set in a film production company's office where sexual harassment at its head honcho's hands has become distressingly normalised. The Royal Hotel sprang to life after Green watched Australian documentary Hotel Coolgardie, about two Finnish women encountering the worst of Australia's drinking culture while working in Western Australia's Denver City Hotel, with the director then inspired to dramatise the situation. Diving into insidious everyday horrors in topical thrillers: that's Green's fictional niche right now, even with both The Assistant and The Royal Hotel born from facts. Getting three-time Ozark Emmy-winner Julia Garner playing women confronted with problematic gender dynamics and power imbalances in ominous spaces is also her current terrain — as is peering as closely and intently as Green can. "People keep asking about how my background in documentary helps, and I'm not sure it does really," Green tells Concrete Playground about taking her cues from Hotel Coolgardie this time around, and how her time making docos factors in. "I mean, I think maybe it affects what I watch and my references, and what sort of inspires me." "I really like the close stuff. I like movies that are about these tiny moments. That's something you can't really do in documentaries, because have to stay wide because you don't know what will happen. But with a fiction film, you can really hone in on a facial expression or gesture or a glance — these kinds of little moments that can make you know that a woman in that space feels very uncomfortable, but often get missed by the environment at large. So I was able to amplify those moments with a fiction film." The Assistant spends a day in the life of Garner's Jane, lingering claustrophobically in her New York workplace as the junior staffer navigates the impact of her boss' actions, as well as the hostilities engrained in the industry for women in general. The Royal Hotel finds its terrors in an outback pub where backpackers man the bar, with Garner's Hanna and Jessica Henwick's (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) Liv the latest arrivals at the titular mining-town watering hole. In both, unsettling men surround young women doing a job, with The Royal Hotel's male cast reading like a who's who of Australian talent. In her first Aussie-made feature, Green enlists Hugo Weaving (Love Me) as the pub proprietor, with Toby Wallace (Babyteeth), James Frecheville (The Dry) and Daniel Henshall (Mystery Road: Origin) among the regulars. "It's been good to have it back home," Green explains of the film, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, also played Toronto and London, then opened the first-ever SXSW Sydney Screen Festival and the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival. "Honestly, we screened it in the US, in Canada, in Spain and in the UK, and I feel like while they seem to really enjoy it and it seemed to play really well, I think it there's an element, a lot of kind of nuances, that they miss. There's a lot of Australian humour that they don't really pick up on over there." With The Royal Hotel now showing in Aussie cinemas — and The Assistant a must-see since it first arrived a few years back — we spoke to Green about taking inspiration not only from Hotel Coolgardie, how her two fictional features pair well together and the importance of casting, as well as adopting a female perspective on Australia's drinking culture, working Kylie Minogue's 'The Locomotion' onto the soundtrack and the hope to do a third film with Garner. ON BEING INSPIRED TO MAKE THE ROYAL HOTEL AFTER WATCHING HOTEL COOLGARDIE "I was just immediately struck by Hotel Coolgardie, and just the dynamics at play in it. And I had seen Australian drinking culture on film before, but I haven't seen it through the eyes of two young women, foreign women, who didn't understand the rules of it and were trying to make sense of it. So that to me was really interesting and great territory for a film to take place. It became the jumping off point for our screenplay. I worked with co-writer Oscar Redding (Van Diemen's Land), who lives in regional Australia. The two of us threw around a lot of the dialogue and figured it out that way. But mostly it's based on our own experiences of being in pubs and seeing things happen, and stories our friends told us. You basically soak a bunch of things up, it sits in your brain, and then you figure out what you want to use, and what's fun and what works, and what adds to the tension. It's definitely never one thing. It's all come from a few different places, I think." ON THE ROYAL HOTEL'S PARALLELS WITH THE ASSISTANT "You always want a challenge with the next project you take on, but I also liked the idea that I could work with Julia again. It was something I knew could work in a similar way — that is, a character trying to make sense of her environment. But with The Royal Hotel, everything is up. Everything is wilder and weirder and stranger — a lot more noise and craziness. So it was a fun challenge to take on." ON RETEAMING WITH JULIA GARNER FOR THE SECOND FILM IN A ROW "We worked really well together on The Assistant. And often we don't get the biggest budgets in the world, so we have to work quite quickly. So there's a shorthand that we have, we have this ability to communicate — you don't have to discuss things at length. We get each other, in a way, so that really works. So I was hoping to work with her again, and this project, when I saw Hotel Coolgardie, I was like 'ohh this could be a role for Julia which is interesting to me' — putting her in that environment was interesting to me. So yeah, it just fit. I dragged her out here, and she did it, which was great. She was excited about the project. I think landing here, we drove them [Garner and Henwick] straight out to the middle of nowhere, and I think they were a bit freaked out for a moment there. We kind of had to live the movie a little bit. We put them up in pubs nearby our shooting location, so they really had the full experience — which, I think they had a great time, but it took them a second just feel comfortable in the place and figure out who the people were. Yeah, it took a minute, but they really, honestly, they had such a good time, the two of them. They were so happy." [caption id="attachment_927983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Royal Hotel[/caption] ON CASTING THE ROYAL HOTEL'S MEN "The set was a pretty warm and loving place. When you call cut, it feels very safe. That was something we intentionally tried to create, which was making sure we cast the right men, essentially, to play those roles — who understood the sensitivity of the material. I think we got the right people and it was able to feel good for everyone. We wanted them all to feel a little different. We wanted them all to have their own energy. They all bring something something different. And they're all wonderful and warm and kind lovely people, which was great, too. We knew we needed someone cheeky and young to play Mattie, and Toby Wallace was available and a sweetheart, and understood what we're trying to do. Then James [Frecheville], I'd loved in Animal Kingdom, so it was exciting to get to work with him. And Dan [Henshall] was in Snowtown and was absolutely terrifying, so I knew that he could deliver in terms of Dolly. We have fun with that because I think Australians come to it with that understanding. Americans don't, but they still find him really intense. He's not like that in real life, though. Somehow we convinced them all to say yes, and put ourselves together a lovely group." ON SEEING AUSTRALIA DIFFERENTLY BY EXPLORING THE OUTBACK AND COUNTRY'S DRINKING CULTURE THROUGH THE EYES OF WOMEN "That became the agenda, I guess, in a way, but it wasn't a political thing. It was more just this is a story I want to tell, and this is something I have experienced in ways, and it felt real and it felt honest. It was about getting the right collaborators who understand what you're doing. I know that when we were pitching it around, people wanted more violence, they wanted Wolf Creek, but we weren't going to give them that. You have to just find the right partners that understand the project, and the mission statement, and once you've got the right collaborators, it should fall into place, really, from there." ON AVOIDING TURNING HANNA AND LIV'S EXPERIENCES INTO WOLF CREEK "We were looking at the type of behaviour that's the entry point for sexual violence — like how do we prevent it from ever getting to that point? And so the film is about trying to figure out when you can speak up for yourself, when you can say no before the behaviour crosses the line — just when it's dancing on the line. So the aim of it is to prevent that sort of behaviour from ever happening. If we can be a little more responsive a little earlier, then maybe we can create safer spaces for everyone. Essentially, this is the conversation that we want to have." ON PUTTING THE ROYAL HOTEL'S AUDIENCE IN HANNA'S SHOES "That's what they do really have to. They do that with The Assistant, too. I think a lot of these, it's about the behaviour that gets missed in big spaces like that where there's a lot going on. It can be someone creepy, but other people wouldn't really notice it — but Hanna's character would. So it's giving audiences a glimpse of what it's like to be that person behind the bar who's a little worried and feeling a little uncomfortable and not sure how to express it." [caption id="attachment_927984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Royal Hotel[/caption] ON A QUINTESSENTIAL AUSSIE PUB AS A SETTING, BACKDROPPED BY THE AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE "When you're coming to a project, it's about what's the right environment for some drama and some tension, and I think an Aussie pub is a great one. Not only is it for the interior of this pub, and the claustrophobia of it and all these men — there's 60 miners in that pub and two young women serving them, just that kind of dynamic is interesting to me — but also the exteriors, and this idea that they're in the middle of nowhere in the remote setting adding to that tension, and the isolation making it feel a little terrifying. It just was a really great starting point for a story. The isolation really adds to the tension. It's nice to keep a lot of the action in the bar, and to feel that claustrophobia of being kind of trapped in there. But also the idea, that even though they're not claustrophobic outside, it's somehow just as terrifying but for very different reasons. The contrast of the two spaces was really interesting to play around with. I haven't made an Australian film since film school, so it was nice, if I'm going to make an Australian film, to take advantage of the uniqueness of the landscape and play around with that." ON GETTING KYLIE MINOGUE'S 'THE LOCOMOTION' ON THE SOUNDTRACK "It was about going 'if you're going to teach some foreigners about Australia, where do you begin?'. And so Kylie Minogue, swimming in a water hole, seeing a kangaroo — ticking a few of those boxes." ON POTENTIALLY MAKING A THIRD FILM WITH GARNER TO ROUND OUT A THEMATIC TRILOGY "We would love to do a third one. We've just got to figure out what that should look like and how to get that done, and how to make sure it's a little different. If we're going do it again, we need to play around with it. I mean, hopefully we get to get a chance to do it. It'd be great to work with Julia again." ON WHAT GETS GREEN EXCITED ABOUT A PROJECT "It has to feel like something — often it's something like a gut instinct, and it's something that I feel in my bones, like a story that needs to be told. And often it's because I haven't seen it elsewhere, or it's something that I want say. With The Assistant, we were looking at the larger picture — the news was focusing on Harvey Weinstein and we were saying that we want to look at something wider, like at the systemic problem, sexism in the industry, and how that creates an unsafe workspace and contributes to all of that sexual violence. So then with The Royal Hotel, it was looking at, I guess, just looking at my own discomfort in some of those spaces and how we can voice our concerns a little more, and kind of ripping that apart. Generally, it's just something that gets me interested in something [where] I feel like 'oh, I want to say something here'. That's the starting point, and then there's a lot of people involved. It takes a village to get a movie to the screen, so it changes as it goes, but often I go in with the kernel of an idea that I think is interesting." The Royal Hotel opened in Australian cinemas in November 23. Read our review. Images: Neon / Transmission / See-Saw Films.
It's time to break out those picnic rugs 'cause The Peninsula Picnic is back for its annual celebration of food, wine and good times. Taking over the Mornington Racecourse on Saturday, March 30, this year's lineup promises to be as impressive as ever, showcasing the region's finest epicurean delights, alongside a rather nifty musical offering. Showing off their goods on the day — and ensuring bellies and wine glasses stay happily full — will be a hand-picked selection of local producers. Expect offerings from renowned wineries like T'Gallent, Quealy and Prancing Horse, and dining hot-spots like Jackalope Hotel's Rare Hare, Max's Restaurant, Green Olive and Montalto. There'll also be brews from Wild Yak and cocktails from Pimm's, plus a series of wine masterclasses and market stalls. Topping it all off, The Peninsula Picnic has landed a cracking lineup of live tunes, headlined by Sydney band The Rubens. The five-piece rockers — who've just dropped their third album Lo La Ru — will be joined by loved Aussie singer Sarah Blasko, alt-indie artist Tia Gostelow, emerging local act Fraser A Gordon and Latin music performers San Lazaro.
From 1279–1213 BCE, Ramses II ruled over Egypt. When Saturday, November 18 rolls around this year, a collection of items from the pharaoh's rule 3000-plus years ago will gleam in Australia. First announced back in 2021, and now locking in its dates and details, Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs will display more 181 rare artefacts and treasures at the Australian Museum in Sydney — including sarcophagi, animal mummies, royal masks, jewellery, amulets and other golden items from the ruler's tomb. Focusing on Egypt's third pharaoh from its 19th dynasty — a ruler also known as Ramses the Great, who enjoyed the second-longest reign of any pharaoh, and is considered a symbol of the country's prosperous ancient New Kingdom period — this showcase is set to be big. The Australian Museum has dubbed it the largest cultural collection Down Under in more than a decade, in fact. While the hefty number of objects featured is impressive, so is their rare status; some of the pieces included haven't ever left Egypt before. [caption id="attachment_908639" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World Heritage Exhibitions[/caption] Bringing a slice of history to Australia's shores, Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs will be filled with items from museums and historical sites in Egypt, which are being loaned to the exhibition by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities. Also included: letting attendees enter two of the ruler's monuments — the Tomb of Queen Nefertari, and the temples of Abu Simbel — virtually. [caption id="attachment_908637" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paris Exhibitions[/caption] "Mystery surrounds Egypt's origins, religions and monumental architecture — many of which were built during the reign of Ramses II," said The Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr Mostafa Waziry, who is also an archaeologist, launching the countdown to Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs. "This ability to transcend age and time has ensured the Egyptians have an eternal place in history, and I invite visitors to discover for themselves why Ramses II is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated and most powerful pharaoh of all time." [caption id="attachment_908641" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World Heritage Exhibitions[/caption] "The AM is thrilled to present these exceedingly rare objects in an exhibition where visitors can appreciate their astonishing beauty and enduring history firsthand. Ancient Egypt holds intrigue and fascination for all age groups, and I know Ramses & The Gold of the Pharaohs in Sydney will introduce the mystery of the pharaohs to new generations of locals and visitors alike," added Australian Museum Director and CEO Kim McKay AO. Presented in partnership with World Heritage Exhibitions, Neon and the Houston Museum of Natural Science, with support by Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and also funding from the NSW Government's Create NSW Blockbusters Funding initiative, Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs heads to Australia after showing in Houston and San Francisco in the US, as well as its current season until September in Paris. Sydney was also meant to celebrate a different Egyptian rule, Tutankhamun, a few years back; however, Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh, which was due to bring more than 150 items to the Australian Museum in 2021, was cancelled due to the pandemic. [caption id="attachment_908640" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World Heritage Exhibitions[/caption] [caption id="attachment_908638" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World Heritage Exhibitions[/caption] Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs will display at the Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney, from Saturday, November 18 until May 2024 — head to the exhibition's website for further details, and tickets from Monday, July 17. Top image: Paris Exhibitions.
Australia's hospitality scene has endured a tough couple of years, cycling through lockdowns, restrictions and stints where almost everyone in town seemed to be in isolation. But for diners keen for restaurant dishes without heading out, Providoor arrived with some sweet relief: an innovative new meal delivery platform that hit Sydney and Melbourne in 2020, and Brisbane earlier in 2022. Even now that being mandated to stay at home is a thing of the past, the service can still give you an eating-out level meal without leaving the house — and, as of Monday, October 17, on the same day that you order. Don't like planning too far ahead? As long as you place an order by 1pm daily, you'll be tucking into restaurant dishes in your own dining room that very evening. You do need to live within 15–20 kilometres of the city centre; however, if that's you, you can now enjoy a same-day feast from spots such as Manta, Gourmet Life and Lotus in Sydney; The Everleigh, Lona Misa and Maha in Melbourne; and Phoenix, Naim and Siffredi's in Brisbane. Providoor works with some of each city's best dining institutions, stepping up the takeout game by dropping high-end dishes to customers' doorsteps. The brainchild of Maha Chef-Owner Shane Delia, it drops off its chef-prepared meals via cold-freight within its service area. Then, once the dish is in your kitchen, you'll follow the supplied instructions to add the finishing touches: heating up a red pepper sauce, perhaps, popping some brisket in the oven for its final minutes of cooking or getting crafty with the plating up process. After that, voila! — the end result is a pretty close replica of what might arrive at your restaurant table, hot off the pass. No soggy dumplings or lukewarm potato in sight. "We are delighted to be able to expand the remit of Providoor's mission by offering same-day delivery to our customers. Our aim has always been to help the hospitality industry by opening new avenues of sales, and same-day delivery does just that by increasing consumer convenience," said Delia. "With this update, diners can take meal planning out of consideration, and simply decide what they feel like on the day, straight from the menus of their favourite restaurants." The lineup of venues taking part is impressive — and broader delivery areas include Sydney Metro, regional New South Wales including the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Newcastle and Wollongong, and Byron Bay and Tweed Heads in NSW; Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, Bellarine Peninsula, Gippsland, Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and greater Geelong in Victoria; and Brisbane Metro, Gold Coast, Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba in Queensland. Providoor has also updated its website so that you can only see restaurants relevant to where you are, and also filter dishes according to dietary requirements, allergens and preparation time. For more information about Providoor, or to order via the service, head to its website.
Legendary Sydney crew Mary's opened its debaucherous Melbourne burger bar earlier this year, then COVID-19 happened and it had to close its doors to punters for a while. Sure, you could get it delivered, but you missed out on the good times that got served up alongside your burgers and fries. Well, come Thursday June 4, the boys are back — and you can bet they're celebrating. Co-owners Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham know that lots of Aussies have had their salaries reduced during the crisis, so they're temporarily reducing the price of food at five Mary's venues. From Thursday, June 4 till Wednesday, June 10, you can get 30 percent off burgers, chook and mash at Mary's Melbourne outpost — as well as four Sydney venues— with the deal valid for sit-in meals as well as for takeaway and via Deliveroo. Expect favourites such as the Mary's burger, the fried chook and the much-loved mash and gravy, plus the full vegan menu being dished up for a fraction of the usual cost. The brand's grungy, rock 'n' roll attitude will be alive and well, too. And it would be rude not to at least glance at the top-notch, very fun wine list. Images: Kitti Gould and Mary's
Long-standing Brunswick East haunt The B.East is known for its hefty burgers, rock 'n' roll and good times aplenty. And that should give you some idea of what to expect when its brand-new sibling dances into Fitzroy this week. The B.East of Brunswick Street makes its official debut on February 18, but you're invited to help christen the space across four huge days of opening celebrations, from Thursday, February 20, to Sunday, February 23. Across the weekend, expect a smorgasbord of DJs — including 3RRR's Annaliese Replica, Northside Records' Chris Gill and Bone Soup DJs — while the new kitchen struts its stuff with a raft of tasty specials. Think, $10 cheeseburgers all day Thursday, $2 classic and vego burgers from 12–4pm on Friday and all-day $10 recovery burgers to help your Sunday run smoothly. From 6pm on Friday, you can try your luck at nabbing $3 tinnies in a heads or tails 'Toss The Boss' coin toss, while on February 22, that competitive streak can get a work out in The B.East of Brunswick Beer Pong League. Throw in a few $2 margaritas for World Margarita Day on Saturday (6–9pm), and $10 bloody marys and caesars matched with some free pool on Sunday and you've got yourself one heck of a welcome party.
If Christmas has snuck up on you as it has us, you're in luck, because Melbourne Quarter has you covered with a lineup of fun events this season to take some of the pressure off. That's right, Season's Eatings is here to add that extra sprinkle of joy to your December days, running from Monday, December 4 to Thursday, December 15. And guess what? It's all free, though some events are ticketed with limited spots — so get your RSVP in quick. Kick off the festivities on Monday, December 4, by popping in to see Melbourne Quarter's festive decorations, crafted by local artist Justine McAllister. Then, on Tuesday, December 5, start your morning the right way by heading to Peddler Espresso and nabbing yourself a free coffee and mini danish. As the week progresses, your tastebuds are in for a treat with Royal Stacks' slider-tasting lunch on Wednesday, December 6, featuring mini versions of its most popular burgers plus fries and live DJ tunes. And if you're craving a bit of Italian flair, Saluministi's pop-up on Thursday, December 7, offers the perfect opportunity to chat with founders Peter Mastro and Frank Bressi while munching on their famous panini and cannoli. There's more. Fishbowl's latest 'Street Food' menu offerings await you on Wednesday, December 13, in the form of a VIP lunch. And to wrap up, Sergy Boy is hosting a pretty damn sweet happy hour deal on Thursday, December 14, from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, with a free drink on arrival, and all drinks half-price thereafter. So, gather your mates, or make some new ones, and enjoy the festivities at one of Melbourne's newest hang-out spots. See you at Melbourne Quarter. To RSVP to events and see the full program, head to the Melbourne Quarter website.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've had a close-contact run-in. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 14 that you can watch right now at home. X In new slasher standout X, the eponymous letter doesn't simply mark a spot; it isn't by accident that the film takes its moniker from the classification given to the most violent and pornographic movies made. This is a horror flick set amid a porn shoot, after all, and it heartily embraces the fact that people like to watch from the get-go. Swaggering producer Wayne (Martin Henderson, The Gloaming), aspiring starlet Maxine Minx (Mia Goth, Emma), old-pro fellow actors Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow, Pitch Perfect 3) and Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi, Don't Look Up), and arty director RJ (Owen Campbell, The Miseducation of Cameron Post) and his girlfriend/sound recorder Lorraine (Jenna Ortega, doing triple horror duty in 2022 so far in Scream, Studio 666 and now this) are counting on that truth to catapult themselves to fame. Hailing from Houston and aroused at the idea of repeating Debbie Does Dallas' success, they're heading out on the road to quieter climes to make the skin flick they're staking their futures on, and they desperately hope there's an audience. X is set in the 70s, as both the home-entertainment pornography market and big-screen slashers were beginning to blossom. As a result, it's similarly well aware that sex and death are cinema's traditional taboos, and that they'll always be linked. That's art imitating life, because sex begets life and life begets death, but rare is the recent horror movie that stresses the connection so explicitly yet playfully. Making those links is Ti West, the writer/director responsible for several indie horror gems over the past decade or so — see: cult favourites The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers — and thrusting a smart, savage and salacious delight towards his viewers here. Yes, he could've gone with The Texas Porn-Shoot Massacre for the feature's title, but he isn't remaking the obvious seminal piece of genre inspiration. X is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. C'MON C'MON The last time that Joaquin Phoenix appeared in cinemas, he played an overlooked and unheard man. "You don't listen, do you?" Arthur Fleck asked his social worker, and the entirety of Joker — and of Phoenix's magnetic Oscar-winning performance as the Batman foe in the 2019 film, too — provided the obvious answer. Returning to the big screen in a feature that couldn't be more different to his last, Phoenix now plays a professional listener. A radio journalist and podcaster who'd slide in seamlessly alongside Ira Glass on America's NPR, Johnny's niche is chatting with children. Travelling around the country from his New York base, C'mon C'mon's protagonist seeks thoughts about life, hopes, dreams, the future and the world in general, but never in a Kids Say the Darndest Things-type fashion. As Phoenix's sensitive, pensive gaze conveys under the tender guidance of Beginners and 20th Century Women filmmaker Mike Mills, Johnny truly and gratefully hears what his young interviewees utter. Phoenix is all gentle care, quiet understanding and rippling melancholy as Johnny. All naturalism and attentiveness as well, he's also firmly at his best, no matter what's inscribed on his Academy Award. Here, Phoenix is as phenomenal as he was in his career highlight to-date, aka the exceptional You Were Never Really Here, in a part that again has his character pushed out of his comfort zone by a child. C'mon C'mon's Johnny spends his days talking with kids, but that doesn't mean he's equipped to look after his nine-year-old nephew Jesse (Woody Norman, The War of the Worlds) in Los Angeles when his sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent) needs to assist her husband Paul (Scoot McNairy, A Quiet Place Part II) with his mental health. Johnny and Viv haven't spoken since their mother died a year earlier, and Johnny has previously overstepped when it comes to Paul — with the siblings' relationship so precarious that he barely knows Jesse — but volunteering to help is his immediate reflex. C'mon C'mon is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE BATMAN When The Batman begins (not to be confused with Batman Begins), it's with the slaying of a powerful Gotham figure. A shocking crime that scandalises the city, it leaves a traumatised boy behind, and couldn't be more influential in the detective-style tale of blood and vengeance that follows. But viewers haven't seen this story before, despite appearances. It isn't the start of pop culture's lonesome billionaire orphan's usual plight, although he's there, all dressed in black, and has an instant affinity for the sorrowful kid. Behold the first standout feat achieved by this excellent latest take on the Dark Knight (not to be confused with The Dark Knight): realising that no one needs to see Bruce Wayne's parents meet their end for what'd feel like the millionth time. The elder Waynes are still dead, and have been for two decades. Bruce (Robert Pattinson, Tenet) still festers with pain over their loss. And the prince of Gotham still turns vigilante by night, cleaning up the lawless streets one no-good punk at a time with only trusty butler Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis, Long Shot) in on his secret. As directed by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes' Matt Reeves, and co-scripted with The Unforgivable's Peter Craig, The Batman clocks something crucial about its namesake and the audiences that watch him, however. The caped crusader's every move stems from his inescapable grief as always, but no one has to witness its origins yet again to glean why he's become the conflicted protector of his anarchic city. Instead, here he's overtly anguished, upset, broken, broiling with hurt and working his way through those feelings in each affray — a suave, smooth and slick one-percenter playboy in his downtime, he isn't — and it's a more absorbing version of the character than seen in many of the past Bat flicks that've fluttered through cinemas. The Batman is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. DRIVE MY CAR Inspired by Haruki Murakami's short story of the same name, Drive My Car's setup couldn't be simpler. Still recovering from a personal tragedy, actor and director Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima, Silent Tokyo) agrees to helm a stage version of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima — but the company behind it insists on giving him a chauffeur for the duration of his stay. He declines, yet they contend it is mandatory for insurance and liability reasons, so Misaki (Toko Miura, Spaghetti Code Love) becomes a regular part of his working stint in the city. Friendship springs, slowly and gradually, but Murakami's name is one of the first signs that this won't follow a standard road. The other: Japanese filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, who makes layered, thoughtful and probing reflections upon connection, as seen in his other efforts Happy Hour, Asako I & II and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy. Drive My Car doesn't hurry to its narrative destination, clocking in at a minute shy of three hours, but it's a patient, engrossing and rewarding trip. It's a gorgeously shot and affectingly performed one, too, whether taking to the road, spending time with its central pair, or chronicling Yusuke's involving auditions and rehearsals. Another thing that Hamaguchi does disarmingly well: ponder possibilities and acceptance, two notions that echo through both Yusuke and Misaki's tales, and resonate with that always-winning combination of specificity and universality. Drive My Car is intimate and detailed about every element of its on-screen voyage and its character studies, and also a road map to soulful, relatable truths. Drive My Car is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. DOG Like pouring kibble into a bowl for a hungry pooch each morning, Dog is dutiful with the basics: a man, a mutt, an odd-couple arrangement between seeming opposites with more in common than the human among them first thinks, and an emotional journey. Turner & Hooch-esque comedic hijinks ensue along the way, naturally, although that Tom Hanks-starring 80s flick didn't involve anyone getting cock-blocked from having a threesome with two tantric sex gurus by its four-legged scamp. Given that Channing Tatum's (Free Guy) Jackson Briggs needs to take Belgian Malinois Lulu 1500 miles from Montana to Arizona by car — she won't fly — Dog is also a road-trip film, complete with episodic antics involving weed farmers and fancy hotels at its pitstops. That's all so standard that it may as well be cinema's best friend, but this flick also reckons with combat-induced post-traumatic stress disorder of both the human and animal kind, and ideas of masculinity and strength attached to military service. When Briggs is introduced by co-director Tatum and his fellow helmer/screenwriter Reid Carolin (who penned Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL), he's working in fast food by necessity — think Breaking Bad's fate for Saul Goodman, with Tatum even channelling the same stoic demeanour — as he waits to get redeployed. All he wants is to head back on active duty, but his higher-ups need convincing after the brain injury he received on his last tour. Still, his direct superior (Luke Forbes, SWAT) throws him a bone: if Briggs escorts Lulu to their former squad member's funeral, after he drove himself into a tree at 120 miles per hour, he'll sign off on his re-enlistment. Lulu has also been changed by her service, so much so that this'll be her last hurrah. Afterwards, Briggs is to return her to the nearest base where she'll be euthanised; however, the bond that springs between the two throws a bone into that distressing plan. Dog is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. BERGMAN ISLAND Each filmmaker walks in the shadows of all who came before them — and as the cinema's history lengthens, so will those penumbras. With Bergman Island, French director Mia Hansen-Løve doesn't merely ponder that idea; she makes it the foundation of her narrative, as well a launching pad for a playful and resonant look at love, work and creativity. Her central couple, both filmmakers, literally tread in the footsteps of the great Ingmar Bergman. Visiting Fårö, the island off Sweden's southeastern coast that he called home and his base, Chris (Vicky Krieps, Old) and Tony Sanders (Tim Roth, The Misfits) couldn't escape his imprint if they wanted to. They don't, of course, as they're searching for as much inspiration as they can find; however, the idea of being haunted by people and their creations soon spills over to Chris' work. These Fårö escapades only fill half of the movie, because Bergman Island also brings Chris' budding screenplay to life. There, fellow filmmaker Amy (Mia Wasikowska, Blackbird) visits an island, too — dancing to ABBA and crossing paths with her ex Joseph (The Worst Person in the World's Anders Danielsen Lie). That tumultuous relationship is as bedevilled by other art and the past as Chris' quest to put pen to paper. And, via the film-within-a-film concept, there's a sense of mirroring that couldn't spring any firmer from Bergman himself. That said, the end result is as savvy and soulful as anything on Hansen-Løve's resume (including the stellar Eden and Things to Come) — and, due to Krieps and Wasikowska, as exceptionally acted. Bergman Island is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. FLEE When Flee won the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, it collected its first accolade. The wrenchingly affecting animated documentary hasn't stopped notching up deserving acclaim since. A spate of other gongs have come its way, in fact, including a history-making trifecta of nominations for Best International Feature, Best Documentary and Best Animated Feature at this year's Oscars, becoming the first picture to ever earn nods in all three categories at once. Mere minutes into watching, it's easy to glean why this moving and compassionate movie keeps garnering awards and attention. Pairing animation with factual storytelling is still rare enough that it stands out, but that blend alone isn't what makes Flee special. Writer/director Jonas Poher Rasmussen (What He Did) has created one of the best instances of the combination yet — a feature that could only have the impact it does by spilling its contents in such a way, like Ari Folman's Waltz with Bashir before it — however, it's the tale he shares and the care with which he tells it that makes this something unshakeably exceptional. Rasmussen's subject is Amin Nawabi, an Afghan refugee using a pseudonym. As his story fills Flee's frames, it's also plain to see why it can only be told through animation. Indeed, the film doesn't cover an easy plight — or a unique one, sadly — but Rasmussen renders every detail not just with eye-catching imagery, but with visuals that flow with empathy at every moment. The filmmaker's protagonist is a friend of his and has been for decades, and yet no one, not even the director himself, had ever previously heard him step through the events that the movie chronicles. Amin is now in his 40s, but he was once a kid in war-torn Kabul, then a teenager seeking asylum in Copenhagen. His life to-date has cast him in other roles in other countries, too, on his journey to house-hunting with his boyfriend as he chats through the ups and downs for his pal. Flee is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. CYRANO Love can spring quickly, igniting sparks instantly. Or, it can build gradually and gracefully, including over a lifetime. It can be swift and bold like a lightning strike, too, or it can linger, evolve and swell like a gentle breeze. In the sumptuous confines of Cyrano, the newest period piece from Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and Anna Karenina), all of the above happens. The latest adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac, this time as a musical via playwright Erica Schmidt's own song-filled on-stage version, lends its attention to two men who've fallen for the plucky Roxanne (Haley Bennett, Hillbilly Elegy) in opposite ways. Charming soldier Christian de Neuvillette (Kelvin Harrison Jr, The Trial of the Chicago 7) gets the fast-and-infatuated experience, while the movie's namesake (Peter Dinklage, I Care a Lot), a poet also handy in battle, has ached for his childhood pal for as long as he can remember. Roxanne's two suitors make a chalk-and-cheese pair, with their contrasting approaches to matters of the heart — specifically, to winning her heart and helping ensure that she doesn't have to marry the rich and ruthless De Guiche (Ben Mendelsohn, The Outsider) to secure her future — driving much of Cyrano's drama. Also present and accounted for, as all takes on the tale have included (see also: 80s rom-com Roxanne with Steve Martin, the Gérard Depardieu-starring Cyrano de Bergerac, 90s rom-com The Truth About Cats & Dogs with Uma Thurman and Janeane Garofalo, plus recent Netflix teen flicks Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and The Half of It): insecurities about appearance, a way with words and a ghostwriting gambit. Short in stature given Dinklage's casting, Cyrano can't even dream that Roxanne could love him. But he wants her to be happy above all else and knows that she's smitten with Christian, so he secretly lends his romantic rival his letter-penning abilities to help woo her by lyrical prose. Cyrano is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. STUDIO 666 As the drummer for Nirvana and the frontman for Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl doesn't have many mixed bags on his resume. The music superstar has been in the spotlight for three-plus decades now, and boasts success after success to his name, complete with a list of awards and hits bound to make almost everyone else in the industry envious. But all their lives, Grohl and his fellow Foos must've dreamt of being horror movie stars — and the result, the pandemic-shot Studio 666, shouldn't entice any of them to quit their day jobs. A haunted-house horror-comedy, this rockstar lark is gonzo, gory and extremely goofy. It's a clear bit of fun for everyone involved, and it's made with overflowing love for the genre it slips into and parodies. But it's an indulgent and stretched exercise in famous folks following their whims at times like these, too. Achievement unlocked: there's Grohl's mixed bag. Studio 666's setup revolves around Grohl, now-late drummer Taylor Hawkins, guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, bassist Nate Mendel and keyboardist Rami Jaffee packing their bags for a live-in recording session at an Encino mansion. As the movie's 1993-set prologue shows, their temporary new home has a dark past, after the last group that inhabited the spot met bloody ends; however, ignorance is bliss for the Foo Fighters. Actually, an obligation to deliver their tenth album to their overbearing manager (Jeff Garlin, Curb Your Enthusiasm) inspires the move, as does the band's creative lull in conjuring up the record otherwise. Grohl instantly falls for the sound of the space as well, to an unhinged degree, and his bandmates begrudgingly agree to the month-long stay to make musical magic happen. Recording an album doesn't usually spark The Evil Dead-style murderous mayhem, cursed book and all, but that's Studio 666's gambit. Studio 666 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. UNCHARTED Some movies sport monikers so out of sync with their contents that someone really should've had a rethink before they reached screens. Uncharted is one of them, but it was never going to switch its name. The action-adventure flick comes to cinemas following a decade and a half of trying, after the first Uncharted video game reached consoles in 2007 and the journey to turning it into a movie began the year after. Accordingly, this Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home)- and Mark Wahlberg (Joe Bell)-starring film was fated to keep its franchise's title, which references its globe-trotting, treasure hunting, dark passageway-crawling, dusty map-coveting storyline. But unexplored, unfamiliar and undiscovered, this terrain definitely isn't — as four Indiana Jones films to-date, two National Treasure flicks, three Tomb Raider movies, 80s duo Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile, and theme park ride-to-screen adaptation Jungle Cruise have already demonstrated. In a film that acts as a prequel to its button-mashing counterparts, Holland plays Drake as a 20-something with brother issues, a vast knowledge of cocktail histories that's handy for his bartending gig, an obsession with 16th-century Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and the gold he might've hidden, and very light fingers. Nate's elder sibling dipped out of his life after the pair were caught trying to steal a Magellan map as orphanage-dwelling kids, in fact, which Sully uses to his advantage when he first crosses his path in a New York bar — and, after some convincing, Nate has soon signed up to finish the quest he's been dreaming about since childhood. Naturally, this newly formed duo aren't the only ones on the Magellan treasure's trail. The wealthy Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard) is descended from the explorer's original financiers and boasts a hefty sense of entitlement, while knife-wielding mercenary Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle, You) and enterprising fortune-hunter Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali, India Sweets and Spices) are each chasing a windfall. Uncharted is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MARRY ME Releasing a rom-com starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson in 2022 toys with time a little. Its source material doesn't date back 25 years, to when its stars were both in Anaconda, but its broad strokes could've still fuelled a late-90s addition to the romantic-comedy genre. That's how creaky it feels; of course, that timing would've meant spinning a story without livestreamed concerts — and livestreamed lives, outside of films such as The Truman Show and EdTV — but it also would've rid the movie of one of its biggest crutches. Directed by Kat Coiro (A Case of You), Marry Me finds it too easy to blame too many character choices on the always-online, always-performing, always-oversharing mentality that's now the status quo. It too lazily uses the divide between constantly broadcasting one's every move via social media and happily living life offline to fuel its opposites-attract setup as well. It's no wonder that the movie always feels shallow, even for an obvious fairytale, and even as the script attempts to layer in knowing nods to how women like its central pop star are treated by the world whether or not they record and share every moment they're awake. That singing celebrity is Kat Valdez, aka Lopez playing a part that could've easily been originally penned with her in mind. Kat is a global superstar who, to her dismay, is known as much for her hits as for her personal life. That said, she also willingly combines the two in the track 'Marry Me', a duet with her fiancé Bastian (Colombian singer Maluma) that the pair plan to get married to during a show livestreamed to 20 million people. But moments before Kat ascends to the on-stage altar, news that Bastian has been unfaithful spreads across the internet. Sick of being unlucky in love — and just as fed up with being publicly ridiculed for her romantic misfortunes — she picks out Owen's middle-school maths teacher Charlie Gilbert from the crowd and weds him instead. He's just holding a banner with the movie's title on it for his pal and fellow educator Parker Debbs (Sarah Silverman, Don't Look Up), and he's accompanied by his daughter Lou (Claudia Coleman, Gunpowder Milkshake), but he still says yes. Marry Me is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MISS MARX Daughter of Karl Marx, a socialist activist in her own right, a translator of Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck and Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary, and first seen in Miss Marx giving her father's eulogy in 1883, Eleanor Marx was many things — but she wasn't a fan of punk music. She simply couldn't have been, thanks to the gap between the timing of her life and the genre's arrival, with seven decades separating them. Still, that doesn't stop filmmaker Susanna Nicchiarelli (Nico, 1988) from soundtracking her biopic about the youngest Marx with rollicking punk tracks courtesy of current rockers by Downtown Boys, including a cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark'. Such a decision is anachronistic in fact but not in spirit, Miss Marx contends, and it's a savvy observation. In much about her life — her willingness to break free of her father's and society's expectations, her anti-establishment activism, and her rejection of mainstream norms among them — Eleanor fits the tunes. If only Miss Marx moshed into cinemas with more than that smart idea layered over an otherwise by-the-numbers period drama — one that, despite its namesake's progressive quest for women's wrights, better working conditions for the masses and education across both genders, focuses on her ties to men, too. It boasts two particularly marvellous and playful scenes, one involving that punk soundtrack and an opium-fuelled dance by star Romola Garai (Suffragette) for the ages, the other toying with the dynamic between Eleanor and her paramour Edward Aveling (Patrick Kennedy, The Queen's Gambit), but a willingness to break the mould, thrash outside the lines and upset the status quo is rarely part of the movie. Eleanor's existence was defined by her dad since birth, of course. It was then linked to the already-married Edward when she decided to live with him as wife in all but the paperwork. But bringing her tale to the screen with such a focus feels not only much too straightforward, but also reductive. Miss Marx is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. WYRMWOOD: APOCALYPSE Add The Castle to the list of influences flavouring Australian zombie franchise Wyrmwood: here, as in the beloved homegrown comedy, it's the vibe of the thing. Starting with 2014's low-budget labour of love Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead and now continuing with Wyrmwood: Apocalypse, this bushland-set saga has atmosphere to spare. Free-flowing gore, a crash-and-bash urgency and a can-do attitude splatter across the screen in abundance, too. They're key factors in all movies about a dystopian future ravaged by the undead, but filmmaking siblings Kiah and Tristan Roache-Turner ask that mood and tone to do much of their series' heavy lifting. The Wyrmwood films blast away with affection for all of the zombie flicks that've preceded them, and all of the outback thrillers, Ozploitation fare and mad scientist-fuelled tales as well — and they couldn't be more blatant about it — but, even with that teeming passion and prominent energy, they still prove less than the sum of their evident sources of inspiration. Writer/director/editor Kiah and writer/producer Tristan stick with the most obvious protagonist the second time around: Rhys (Luke McKenzie, Wentworth), a special forces soldier who also happens to be the twin of a crucial figure from the prior film. He weathers dystopian life by holing up in a fenced-in compound where he uses a pen full of zombies to his advantage — aided by various contraptions, plenty of chains and shackles, plus blood-dripping carcasses as incentives — and by driving a Mad Max-style vehicle to round up undead test subjects for The Surgeon (Nicholas Boshier, The Moth Effect). In fact, after crossing paths with Tasia Zalar's (Streamline) Grace, he delivers her for military-approved experiments, but Shantae Barnes-Cowan's (Firebite) Maxi soon demands that he help set her free. Rhys has been operating under the assumption that The Surgeon and his armed pals had humanity's best interests in mind, despite all glaring appearances otherwise, a misguided belief that Maxi quickly vanquishes. Wyrmwood: Apocalypse is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BOOK OF LOVE In 2018's The Nightingale, Sam Claflin gave the performance of his career so far while playing thoroughly against type. As a British lieutenant in colonial-era Tasmania, he terrorised the film's female protagonist to a nerve-rattlingly distressing degree — and his work, just like the phenomenal feature he's in, isn't easy to watch. Book of Love, his latest movie, couldn't be more different; however, Claflin's portrayal could use even a sliver of the commitment he demonstrated four years back. The film around him could, too. Here, he plays a floundering novelist who doesn't want to do a very long list of things, so it makes sense that he takes to the part with a dissatisfied attitude that drips with not only unhappiness, but pouting petulance. He's meant to be one of this dire rom-com's romantic leads, however, and he constantly looks like he'd rather be doing anything else. Author of The Sensible Heart, Claflin's Henry Copper is instantly as dour as his book sounds. It too is a romance, but he's proud of its sexlessness — to the point of boasting about it to bored would-be readers who definitely don't make a purchase afterwards. He's also seen using his novel as a pick-up line early in the movie, and that goes just as badly. In fact, his whole career seems to be a shambles, and the prim-and-proper Brit can't understand why. But he's also surprised when he's told that his latest has become a bestseller in Mexico, and he's hardly thrilled about the whirlwind promotional tour his brassy agent (Lucy Punch, The Prince) swiftly books him on. Upon arrival, where his local translator Maria Rodríguez (My Heart Goes Boom!) doubles as his minder, he's visibly displeased about everything he's asked to do — more so when he discovers that she's taken the liberty to spice up his work. Sparks somehow fly between them, otherwise there wouldn't be a movie, but nothing can ignite this cliched slog for audiences. Book of Love is available to stream via iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows, or check out the movies that were fast-tracked to digital in January, February, March and April.
Preston's foodie revolution continues, with modern Mexican haunt Benzina Cantina opening on High Street over the weekend. A collaboration between Bruno Carreto — the mind behind cult Brunswick taqueria Los Hermanos — and motorcycle stuntman, 'Lukey Luke' Follacchio, sparked by the mates' shared love of tacos and motorbikes. Adjacent to Follacchio's bike workshop, Benzina Garage, the laidback venue's tapping into those warehouse vibes, with a minimalist, industrial fitout and its own rooftop space. The kitchen here is riffing on Los Hermanos' much-loved menu of authentic Mexican fare, with tacos and tequila the stars of the show. To start, there's Carreto's 'gorditas' — handmade corn flour pockets stuffed with refried beans and either cheese or chilli mince beef — alongside bites like chipotle grilled corn and cactus salad. Crafty taco varieties feature the likes of beer battered fish with red cabbage, or twice-cooked beef with carrots and potato, and a slew of options for meat-free diners — including cactus mole and tortillas topped with smoky mushrooms. To wash it down, choose between a tidy mix of local craft beers and Mexican imports, a concise crop of wines from Australia, Chile and Spain, and a hefty lineup of cocktails. Settle in with one of the Watermelon Margaritas, or the tequila-infused Espresso Martini and summer won't feel so far off at all. Find Benzina Cantina at 84 High Street, Preston. Images: Alex Jovanovic
"You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Jack Nicholson's (How Do You Know) version of the Joker asked in 1989's Batman, just because he liked the sound of it. Here's another question: have you ever seen the Tim Burton (Wednesday)-helmed, Michael Keaton (The Flash)-starring classic caped-crusader movie on the big screen with a live orchestra playing its score? Whatever your answer to the first query, you can soon respond to the second with a hearty yes. To celebrate 35 years since the superhero classic initially reached cinemas, Batman is making a silver-screen comeback Down Under to see out 2024 and start 2025 — and in each of its six stops, beginning in Melbourne then heading to Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Hobart and Sydney, it's giving the film's tunes the symphonic treatment. It's Batman in concert, with the movie playing, plus John Foreman's Australian Pops Orchestra, Southern Cross Symphony, Perth Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and The Metropolitan Orchestra picking up their instruments as the flick screens. They'll be busting out Danny Elfman's Grammy-nominated score, which is just one of the feature's music highlights. The other: songs by the one and only Prince. As well as marking three-and-a-half decades since the picture debuted, these concert screenings also commemorate 85 years of the character on the page — and have been announced just as Burton and Keaton reteam again for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. For the Batman Live in Concert sessions, audiences can follow the bat signal to Melbourne's Regent Theatre across Thursday, October 24–Saturday, October 26; AEC Arena in Adelaide across Wednesday, November 13–Thursday, November 14; Perth's PCEC Riverside Theatre on Friday, November 29–Saturday, November 30; the BCEC Great Hall in Brisbane from Tuesday December, 3–Wednesday, December 4; MyState Bank Arena in Hobart over Friday December, 13–Saturday, December 14; and ICC Sydney Theatre on Friday, January 10. Keaton's stint in Bruce Wayne's slick suits by day and Batman's cape by night kicked off a big-screen four-movie series that ran from 1989–1997, and also saw Val Kilmer (Top Gun: Maverick) and George Clooney (IF) inhabit the role — a character played elsewhere by everyone from Adam West and Christian Bale (Amsterdam) to Ben Affleck (Air) and Robert Pattinson (The Batman). As part of a global tour of events, only Batman going the concert route so far, not Batman Returns, Batman Forever or Batman and Robin. If you're keen to dress up to attend, that's encouraged — and there'll also be merchandise on sale. Batman Live in Concert Dates: Thursday, October 24–Saturday, October 26, 2024 — Regent Theatre, Melbourne with John Foreman's Australian Pops Orchestra Wednesday, November 13–Thursday, November 14, 2024 — AEC Arena, Adelaide with Southern Cross Symphony Friday, November 29–Saturday, November 30, 2024 — PCEC Riverside Theatre, Perth with Perth Symphony Orchestra Tuesday December, 3–Wednesday, December 4, 2024 — BCEC Great Hall, Brisbane with The Metropolitan Orchestra Friday December, 13–Saturday, December 14, 2024 — MyState Bank Arena, Hobart with Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Friday, January 10, 2025 — ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney with The Metropolitan Orchestra Batman Live in Concert is touring Australia from October 2024–January 2025. Head to the event website for tickets and further details.
When a standard villa and self-made holiday itinerary simply won't do, you could turn your attention to Hotel Clicquot — a world first entry to all-in luxury accommodation by French champagne house, Veuve Clicquot. Here's the skinny: The hotel is popping up in the Byron Bay hinterland at Cooper's Shoot, a prime location for exceptional ocean vistas (and possible Zac Efron sightings), from 24 November to 5 December 2021. As per the description: A quintessential part of a stay at Hotel Clicquot is the daily calendar of unique, money-can't-buy experiences, all of which are entirely optional. Do or do not! Once there, you'll be looking at two nights and three days of activities (or no activities!), pre-arranged for you, so the only decision-making required is whether or not you should have another glass of champers. There's a 24hour butler service. There will be an in-house sommelier to guide you on a journey through the French champagne house's finest drops. A massage therapist will be at your disposal. Meals will be prepared for you and your cohort, one by up-and-coming chef Alanna Sapwell and the other by David Moyle of acclaimed local spot Harvest Newrybar, who will host a 'garden gastronomy' dinner. And, it should go without saying, but yes: there is of course an infinity edge pool. Helicopter transfers are optional. And if you need to fill a seat, I solemnly nominate myself for the task. Bookings are available from 1 November and you can register your interest here.
Plastic shopping bags might seem to last forever, but Australian's reliance upon the pesky, flimsy carriers has an expiration date — and it's finally here. In a massive move for the industry — and a huge hug for the environment — the country's supermarkets are ditching single-use plastic bags from this week. Last July, three of the country's biggest grocery chains announced that they'll be banning the bag: Woolworths, Coles and the New South Wales-based Harris Farm. Harris Farm stopping stocking bags at the start of the year, and now it's time for the big two to do the same. Coles will pull the plug on Sunday, July 1, while Woolies — which also includes Big W and BWS — will get in first and remove the bags from checkout from this Wednesday, June 20. The move will impact Woolworths and Coles locations around the country — bringing New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia into line with South Australia, ACT, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, where state-wide plastic bans are already in place. So, without the bags, what are your options? Well, you'll still be able to get plastic bags at the checkout at both supermarkets fro 15 cents each. These ones are apparently thicker, more durable and are made from 80 percent recycled plastic — but, even though they're meant to be more reusable, it's hard to say if people will use them any differently to the way they use single-use bags now. Woolworths will also be offering another fold-up 99-cent bag option, as well as the regular, bulkier green bags. If you get your groceries delivered, you'll be able to choose a no-bag option. Queensland will flat-out ban single-use plastic bags from July 1, and Victoria is set to do the same later this year. NSW is the only state that hasn't committed to banning them. Getting rid the ever-present items everyone has too many of is the latest example of Aussie businesses putting the planet first. Bars around the country have banned plastic straws, Closed Loop has been trialling ways to recycle takeaway coffee cups, and reusable coffee cups have been gaining popularity all over the place — with some cafes offering discounts, and others banning disposable containers completely.
The eighth movie in the Mission: Impossible comes with a loaded title: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. The film's trailers, both the first teaser in 2024 and the just-dropped full sneak peek now, also play up the idea that everything has been leading to this. Does Tom Cruise (Top Gun: Maverick) only have one more stint in Ethan Hunt's shoes left in him? That's the vibe that the promotional campaign for The Final Reckoning is aiming for. Whether or not that actually proves accurate, its star is doing what he always his in this action-packed spy franchise, ever since he stepped into it almost three decades ago: testing his limits through death-defying stunts. Initially, this new chapter was called called Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two, given that it directly follows on from 2023's Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. But then the film was delayed during Hollywood's strikes, pushing back its release by almost 12 months. Now, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is getting ready for potentially seeing the last of Cruise as Hunt come May. The feature's two trailers so far traverse everywhere from snow and sky-high heights to under the sea and frozen in ice — and, as always, include plenty of Cruise running. Story details are sparse, however, but of course the film's star is seen hanging off of a plane. Another focus: that everything that happens to us, and Hunt, is the truly sum of our choices. Indeed, the franchise's protagonist isn't just sighted in the trailer, but discussed at length. Viewers can expect more world-hopping intrigue, explosions, chases and fights, though, as regularly occurs when Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Missions Force team return. Also back: a cast including Simon Pegg (The Boys), Ving Rhames (The Wild Robot) and Hayley Atwell (Heartstopper), Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), Esai Morales (Crescent City), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Henry Czerny (Zombie Town), Angela Bassett (9-1-1) and Shea Whigham (Lawmen: Bass Reeves) — and, behind the camera, director Christopher McQuarrie helms again after doing the same on Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible — Fallout and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. On-screen, Holt McCallany (The Lincoln Lawyer), Janet McTeer (The Old Man), Nick Offerman (Civil War) and Hannah Waddingham (The Fall Guy) feature, too. Check out the full trailer for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning below: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning will release in cinemas Down Under on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Read our review of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. Images: Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
Melbourne four-piece The Harpoons are set to release their debut album Falling For You, which features singles such as the utterly gorgeous 'Unforgettable' and slightly more chilled gem 'Can We Work This Out'. To celebrate this long-awaited LP, they’ll be playing shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. The Harpoons consist of brothers Jack and Henry Madin, stunning vocals from Bec Rigby and man about town Martin King (you might remember him from the likes of Oscar and Martin) Sweet one moment, breathtakingly soulful the next, get ready to go through a kaleidoscope of emotions and feel all the feels. The Harpoons pair flawless vocals with hypnotic beats and Aunty aptly described them as the R'n'B of both today and yesteryear. Their album launch at Howler will include other local favourites Kirkis, Dorkus Malorkus and DJ LA Pocock.
Enjoying a glass of wine might come with plenty of medical benefits, but having a tipple isn't typically an exercise-heavy pastime. You sit. You drink. You get up, top up your beverage and repeat. You usually don't walk particularly far, let alone run. At a new series of wine-tasting fun runs about to take place around Australia, however, you'll put in the hard yards before you get the boozy rewards. The Grapest 5K run consists of two sections. First, you sprint, jog or set forth at whatever pace suits you best, making your way through scenic vineyard surroundings. Then, you walk another kilometre — yes, in addition to the first five, or ten if you're feeling extra energetic — while stopping at tasting stations along the way and sampling the good stuff. Don't worry, if you're not up to the first part and you're simply keen on wandering and sipping, that's an option (although it does defeat the idea of combining fitness with throwing back drinks). The first run takes place on February 11 at Balgownie Estate in Bendigo, with a second scheduled on March 4 at Coolangatta Estate in Shoalhaven, south of Woollongong. Further events are mooted in the Hunter Valley, Brisbane, Margaret River in Western Australia, Langhorne Creek in South Australia and Canberra throughout the rest of the year. For more information, visit the Grapest 5k run website.
Located just off Collins St in the heart of Melbourne's CBD, Curry Vault offers modern Indian dishes with a special attention to its wine list. It's the perfect place to kick back for a long lunch (Monday-Friday) or a special dinner (Monday-Saturday). Inside, expect a mix of casual art gallery, classic Indian diner and local bar. This is somewhat formal dining but not at the price of fun. There's a casual and relaxed atmosphere where you can easily spend a few hours like they were minutes. The menu kicks off with a handful of hot appetisers, including traditional Nepalese momo made with minced chicken or seasonal vegetables and served with chutney, and govi pakora – deep-fried cauliflower in a chickpea flour batter. Inside the tandoor, king prawns, chicken, lamb cutlets and fish are cooking. Opt for the mixed platter if you can't decide which you'd prefer. The selection of vegetarian dishes runs from the spicy paneer chilli through to the mild and creamy malai kofta. Or if meat is more your thing, there are seafood, chicken, beef and lamb specials to suit everyone. The prawn malawari stands out, a generous serving of king prawns in a coconut cream sauce. As well as being an Indian restaurant, Curry Vault is also something of a wine bar, specialising in pairing your order with a glass of wine. Their list includes a large selection by the glass or bottle and there is something to complement every dish. Top drops include Castelforte Soave from Veneto in Italy and the Argyle Heathcote shiraz. While they offer up serious food and wine to match, Curry Vault is the kind of place to come in and relax. There's no hurrying you out the door here, and there is always another wine to sample.
As we enter holiday mode, it's time to celebrate with our nearest and dearest. But entertaining can be stressful — and we can't all be master cocktail makers. Luckily, Archie Rose has made it easy for us to enjoy a delicious cocktail without needing to do any heavy lifting, thanks to its range of limited-edition bottled cocktails that bring the bar to you. Whether you want a refreshing beverage on a hot summer's day or a classy nightcap to impress guests at your next dinner party, these pre-made cocktails are a sure thing. And even though the drinks are already taken care of, you can take your serve to the next level with our picks of easy (but effective) garnishes that will make anyone look like a master bartender. THE MOOD: Bright and summery THE SERVE: Salted Mango Spritz with sparkling wine and dehydrated mango For something bright and fresh, grab a bottle of the limited-release Salted Mango Spritz. This cocktail is summer in a bottle, and features Archie Rose Native Botanical vodka, tropical mango, salted caramel and chamomile. This salty sweet beverage is impressive enough when served straight from the fridge neat. However, you can really up your game with a couple of additions. Balance out the sweetness — and add a bit of sparkle — by topping up your glass with a splash of champagne or sparkling wine. Finally, add a slice of dehydrated mango as a garnish for an extra special touch. THE MOOD: Cool and refreshing THE SERVE: Cucumber Collins with elderflower tonic and a ribbon of cucumber If you're after something refreshing and aromatic to enjoy poolside, the Cucumber Collins is a perfect addition to any summer's day. It features juniper notes from Archie Rose's Bone Dry Gin, as well as accents of cucumber and jasmine. This cocktail will impress any guest for your end-of-year entertaining, especially with a couple of simple tweaks. Sure, you could serve it neat, but we recommend you jazz it up with soda or tonic water — try Fever-Tree elderflower for an extra hint of sweetness. Finally, add a cucumber ribbon (simply by taking a peeler to a cucumber) to enhance the flavours in the serve. THE MOOD: Smooth and sexy THE SERVE: Red Centre Negroni with pink grapefruit tonic There's nothing like a negroni on the rocks to kick-start an evening. This bottled version is from the Archie Rose Native Australian range celebrates local ingredients and adds a homegrown twist to the classic. This all-Australian negroni features gin with sweet vermouth by Victorian-based maker Maidenii, and Økar Island Bitter sourced from South Australia's Applewood Distillery. With notes of native riberry and strawberry gum, this cocktail is bursting with flavour. To take it to the next level, top with soda water, sparkling wine or Fentimans pink grapefruit tonic water. Garnish with a twist of grapefruit, a slice of orange, or a sprig of rosemary to compliment those native flavours. THE MOOD: A classy nightcap THE SERVE: Caperberry Martini garnished with a rosemary-speared olive For a classy nightcap to impress your guests, try a Caperberry Martini. This twist on the classic is crafted using Bone Dry Gin, Belsazar dry vermouth, sake and caperberry. Keep your bottle in the freezer and serve neat, or over ice if that's your thing. Or, you could enhance the subtle savoury flavours with a garnish to really bring the bar into your home. A classic Sicilian olive speared in a sprig of rosemary is a great addition for some fragrance. Or keep it simple with a whole-stemmed caperberry. If you really want to impress, then make a lemon twist with a knife or a peeler and wipe around the rim of the glass before serving to add an aroma of citrus. Discover Archie Rose's full range of pre-bottled cocktails at the website.
When a venue opens in Docklands, despite its allure and promise, there's always a hint of hesitation. A pocket of the city still under a cloud of doubt, a venture west of the CBD border seems questionable: will it all be worth it? But making your way to Long Shot, the newest addition to the Collins Square corporate complex that already houses Bar Nacional, is one effort that is amply rewarded. In actual fact, Long Shot just sits on the cusp of Docklands on Collins Street, barely over the bridge and a short walk from Southern Cross. It joins Halyard Coffee and Duke's Story Coffee & Foodstore in the new movement to provide specialty coffee to a previously sparse area; those that work in Docklands now have access to the same quality brew that the rest of the city affords in such a capacity. The coffee in question is from St. Ali and is expertly executed by head barista Joshua Willis (ex Proud Mary). While the line at the takeaway window can build up prior to 9am, there is enough room to linger over a latte and freshly baked pastry or two. Either settle into a window seat or the round communal table and — with the rush passing the cafe — savour the idle time and the menu. Undoubtedly, the main drawcard for Long Shot is its worship-worthy cake display. Baked fresh on site by Shaun Quade and Jo Barrett, you can expect crisp and chewy almond croissants and juicy fruit Danishes ($4.50), but other sweet treats — such as sticky cinnamon scrolls, doughnuts, savoury muffins and a gluten free lemon meringue pie — change daily. We wouldn't stress too much though, it's choosing just one that's the hard part. A few sit down breakfast options cover all the bases from soft cooked eggs with maple glazed bacon and house made sourdough ($14.50) to a fully handmade gluten free cereal ($12.50). The yoghurt is pot set in house too and, with apple pie jam and puffed grains, it is creamy and tartly cut with the jam to surpass all expectations ($8). For lunch, gourmet salads and sandwiches go on display and it becomes acceptable to order a glass of organic wine ($9) or the German wheat beer on tap. Adding to the sheer self-sufficiency of Long Shot, Quade also ferments his own soda and has created his own range of imaginative bottled flavoured milks. Try the sweet Vietnamese coffee, the caramel corn and burnt butter or the rice pudding and cinnamon, which absolutely bursts in your mouth ($4.50). Satisfying the three C's — coffee, cereal, cake and cinnamon milk — Long Shot is adding to Docklands' burgeoning coffee scene. In the food game, there are some things worth the risk. This is one long shot you can bet on.
Following a series of four pop-up stores, Far Fetched Designs founders Rachael DiMauro and Belinda Miller decided it was time to open their own space. Inspired by the craft markets the pair have visited around Australia, they wanted to provide Seddon's locals with the chance to buy the most impressive arts and crafts without having to go on their own road trip. Supporting small businesses and independent creatives across the country, Far Fetched Designs lets the makers set their own price, while only taking a small commission. If you're after small-run jewellery, homewares or knick-knacks, there's a good chance you'll find something special at Far Fetched Designs. Images: Parker Blain.
