Open up your eager eyes, Australia and New Zealand: The Killers are headed our way. With international tours starting back up again, the Las Vegas-born rockers will hit up a heap of arenas Down Under in November and December 2022 — and a few Aussie wineries, too, if you're keen on sipping vino while singing along to 'Mr Brightside'. Destiny is calling you to shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne in Australia, plus winery gigs in the Barossa Valley, Geelong and the Hunter Valley, with most of the latter taking place as part of next year's A Day on the Green tour. In NZ, you'll be doing just fine at Auckland and Christchurch concerts — and no, there won't be any sick lullabies to swim through. Given the band's lengthy back catalogue, Brandon Flowers and company won't just be playing 'Mr Brightside' on repeat, but will be making a hot fuss over plenty of their hits — including tracks from their 2020 album Imploding the Mirage. The tour is named after that record, even though they released another one, Pressure Machine, this year. That's what happens when live gigs get put on hold during a pandemic, clearly. Remember: somebody told you that you'll be dancing along to 'Somebody Told Me', 'Smile Like You Mean It', 'When You Were Young', 'Bones', 'Human' and 'The Man' as well. While the Aussie leg of The Killers' 2022 tour includes plenty of outdoor venues, the timing means that they won't be repeating their AFL Grand Final berth after stealing the show back in 2017. [caption id="attachment_831494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] THE KILLERS 2022 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES Auckland — Monday, November 21, Spark Arena Christchurch — Friday, November 25, Christchurch Arena Brisbane — Tuesday, November 29, Brisbane Entertainment Centre Barossa Valley — Saturday, December 3, A Day on the Green at Peter Lehmann Perth — Tuesday, December 6, RAC Arena Geelong — Saturday, December 10, A Day on the Green at Mt Duneed Estate Melbourne — Tuesday, December 13, Rod Laver Arena Hunter Valley — Saturday, December 17, Hope Estate Sydney — Monday, December 19, Qudos Bank Arena The Killers will tour Australia and New Zealand in November and December 2022. Pre-sale tickets go on sale at staggered times on Thursday, November 11, with general tickets on sale on Monday, November 15. For further details, head to the tour and A Day on the Green websites.
Ever wanted to tap into Melbourne's rich indigenous history as you walk around the city? Well, now there's an app for that. The brainchild of AIATSIS — the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies — the Melbourne Dreaming app launched late last year as a new platform for sharing stories and information about the area's vibrant cultural heritage. With it, users can customise self-guided tours exploring significant sites around the city, from the former hunting grounds of Chapel Street, to the Burnley Ngargee (or 'corroboree') tree in Richmond. The app is loaded with travel information to help streamline your historical explorations, and even comes with handy audio commentary. "Aboriginal culture is a living breathing part of Australian life that is easily accessible if you know where to look," explained AIATSIS CEO Craig Ritchie. He said the app is designed to help users "see past the concrete jungle and be exposed to real and local Aboriginal culture right in the middle of one of the world's top cities." Download the Melbourne Dreaming app now from iTunes and Google Play.
Melbourne fashion lovers sticking to a budget, rejoice — the biannual Magic Designer Sale is back for its first sale event of 2017. For one weekend from February 24–26, a massive amount of end-of-season stock and samples will be available from local designers such as Pageant, Witu, Verner, Kuwaii, Handsom, Seb Brown and Dress Up. With reductions running across the three days, your purchases are guaranteed to be investments. So cancel your weekend plans, empty your piggy bank and race over to Johnson Street. We suggest getting there early for the good stuff. The Magic Designer Sale will run from 9am till 6pm on Friday, 10am till 6pm on Saturday, and 11am till 4pm on Sunday. Image: Hannah Morgan.
Fancy a refreshing beverage to cool down this summer... on the house? Well, if you're in Victoria, you're in luck – these bars and pubs are offering a complimentary garden spritz on arrival on Friday, February 28. From beachside bars and pubs to inner-city drinking holes, enjoy a (refreshingly free) Chandon Spritz, and your summer will never be over. Chandon's Garden Spritz is a natural ready-to-serve blend of sparkling wine handcrafted with navel and blood oranges, dried orange peel and natural herbs and spices. All the way from the Yarra Valley, it's not too bitter, but not too sweet and has half the sugar of most spritzes thanks to its natural ingredients. For the perfect serve, just add ice and an orange slice, and top with a sprig of rosemary if you're feeling fancy. Republica St Kilda It's hard not to feel like a spritz when you're in St Kilda. With the ocean as your backdrop, sand on your feet and good vibes all around, it's always spritz o'clock at Republica St Kilda Beach. With endless views out towards the water, live music and classic pub feeds, the only thing to make your time here better is a complimentary spritz in hand. [caption id="attachment_817250" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] The Fifth Province, St Kilda Also in St Kilda, The Fifth Province Irish Bar & Restaurant brings a touch of Irish charm to the waterfront. But unlike Galway and the hearty dark ales, a Chandon Spritz wouldn't go astray. The menu is also a standout, with the likes of beef and Guinness stew or the roast chicken, leek, and mushroom pie also hitting the spot. The Bay Hotel, Mornington Only an hour from Melbourne's CBD, Mornington is a calm, beachside haunt that's perfect for those days you need to escape the hustle and bustle. And once you arrive, one of the best spots in town has to be The Bay Hotel. With its waterfront location, heritage facade and killer menu, serving up pub classics and seafood, you can't get much better than this. Perch at the bar or grab a table and order yourself a complimentary spritz for the ultimate summer arvo. [caption id="attachment_680532" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Giulia Morlando[/caption] Emerson, South Yarra Two words. Rooftop bar. This ritzy South Yarra institution is a club and cocktail bar with private booths and a rooftop lounge with panoramic views over the city. This is definitely the place to come if you want a dance and a good time. Plus, there's a selection of yummy little bites to keep you going all night long, along with drink options including cocktails, beer and (free) Chandon Garden Spritzes, of course. Baby, Richmond Richmond's neighbourhood Italian restaurant, Baby, is a laid-back spot perfect for indulging in wood-fired pizzas and pasta any time of the day. And no matter what time of the day those Italian cravings strike, there's always a good vibe here—Baby is never not buzzing with people. There is also a quaint outdoor area ideal for enjoying a Spritz or two. Half Moon Set on busy Church Street, Half Moon is a much-loved pub that has been pouring pints for Brighton locals since the 1960s. And now you can enjoy a spritz here too. Head to the beer garden or grab a spot at the rustic bar and enjoy some of the very best the beachside locale has to offer. Head into these venues around Australia on the last day of summer to receive a complimentary Chandon Spritz on arrival. First in best dressed and T&C's apply. Enjoy Chandon Responsibly. Images: Supplied.
We've all got that one friend whose media diet exists solely of documentaries. They're usually, to be honest, the most interesting of us all wielding their accumulated eccentric knowledge. However, documentaries and doco-style films have long become mainstream and the capitalist marketplace has heard our hungry cries for more. Introducing DocPlay, the new Netflix for docos. It's an Australian and New Zealand-based service that lets you stream documentaries directly. Their libraries are stuffed full of all the big names — Blackfish, Exit Through the Gift Shop, Advanced Style — complemented by some niche Aussie and international titles with a big emphasis on music. A premium member fee of $6.95 a month (or $69.95 a year) will grant you access to their ever-growing library. And if sign up to a free account, you'll get access to their rotating selection of docos. This week features Annie Leibovitz: Life Through A Lens, Academy Award winner The Cove, Ai Wewei: Never Sorry, and A Complete History Of My Sexual Failures amongst others. Not bad, not bad at all. If you don't want to cough up though, you can expect ads aplenty. It's still a pretty fresh service and can only get better with time. But anything that enables us to while away a Sunday watching back-to-back docos can only be good thing.
The best time to enjoy Victoria's High Country isn't only when the snow is falling. In the summer months the ski slopes transform into bucolic hiking trails. Alongside top-notch dining, cultural events and mountain accommodation, Mount Buller and its surrounds provide a brilliant summer escape. In collaboration with Victoria's High Country, we're highlighting just some of the top reasons to explore Mount Buller this summer and reconnect with nature in one of the most stunning settings Victoria has to offer. [caption id="attachment_833255" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Victoria's High Country[/caption] EXPLORE AN AUSTRALIAN FILM ICON AT CRAIG'S HUT Consider yourself a bit of an Aussie cinema buff? Head to the High Country this summer and explore Craig's Hut — the iconic setting featured in The Man From Snowy River. Since being built for the film, this landmark has become a popular waystation for people navigating the inland wilderness during the warmer months. As well as the chance to see one of our nation's defining cinematic settings, a visit to Craig's Hut also offers endless countryside vistas thanks to its prime position atop Clear Hills. Whether you drive, hike, mountain bike or — like the titular film character — ride a horse to the hut, you'll want to pack a picnic to soak up the views. Don't want to carry your lunch with you? Then, book a spot on a local tour to hear mountain tales over a catered dinner. [caption id="attachment_832800" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Victoria's High Country[/caption] TAKE A STROLL TO BINDAREE FALLS As the weather heats up, a visit to Bindaree Falls becomes increasingly appealing. Tucked deep in dense bushland, this scenic waterfall provides the perfect pitstop on a hot summer's day. After a short stroll to a viewing platform conveniently placed behind the cascades, you can cool off with a refreshing spray of fresh water. With access limited for much of the year, the warmer months ensure adventurers can drive to within a 10-minute walk of the falls. And thanks to its setting within Mansfield State Forest, Bindaree Falls is an ideal place to pause during a forested hike or walk between historic mountain huts in the surrounding area. [caption id="attachment_833256" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Victoria's High Country[/caption] HIKE THE HIGH COUNTRY Criss-crossing Mount Buller's slopes is an incredible experience in wintertime. But the euphoria is just the same when you undertake a stunning summer hike through the region. Although there are numerous paths to choose from, the Summit Nature Walk is an easygoing way to enjoy the alpine flora and fauna. Time your walk with sunset to see the sky and surrounding scenery slowly change colour. Elsewhere, the Little Mount Buller trail is a slightly more undulating seven-kilometre circuit that sees you wander through a plain of snow gums before being treated to some striking mountain views. For an even tougher but no less spectacular challenge, the Delatite River Trail Walk features a dozen log bridge river crossings over its nearly ten kilometres. SIT BACK AND RELAX AT ABOM BISTRO For a laidback meal at the heart of the mountain make a stop into ABOM Bistro. Located along Athlete's Walk in the middle of Mount Buller's bustling village, this long-standing Buller go-to is the place to grab a tasty lunch or dinner in cosy, chalet-inspired surrounds. And although the mulled wine has been replaced by chilled beers, you and your holiday crew will enjoy this popular après-ski destination. ABOM Bistro also offers great accommodation so you can take your time and stay overnight, then explore the hills even more the next day. OR, REFUEL IN STYLE AT BIRDCAGE If you're looking for somewhere a little fancier, Birdcage has you covered. Just a few doors down from ABOM Bistro, you'll be presented with outstanding food, coffee and cocktails that provide a buzzy metropolitan vibe on the mountainside. Open from breakfast, find favourites like smashed avo and truffle scrambled eggs. As the kitchen roars into life later in the day, head along to feast on heartier options like chicken ribs, wagyu beef burgers, and prawn and ginger dumplings. Stop in for happy hour and split a refreshing gin and elderflower cocktail jug with your crew to round out the experience. [caption id="attachment_832801" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Victoria's High Country[/caption] HAVE A PICNIC AT THE SUMMIT The idea of a sunset picnic at the summit of Mount Buller might sound more appealing than spending your afternoon in the bar. And with genuinely awe-inspiring perspectives to uncover across every side of the mountain, who could blame you? Drop into the well-stocked Buller Grocer to find everything from fresh fruit and deli meats to wine and spirits — including an excellent range of local produce from nearby growers — take your swag up to the peak for a delightful al fresco session. UNWIND AT MT BULLER CHALET Spending a few days exploring the High Country is a heavenly idea. But you're going to need somewhere cosy to rest your head after all those activities. The Mt Buller Chalet is our pick, thanks to its range of well-appointed rooms and suites that are backdropped by impressive views of the mountain range outside. Its ideal location in the heart of the village also makes it the perfect place from which to set off on your adventures. Need a bit of R&R? Head to the on-site spa, sauna or indoor pool for some me time, or get the blood flowing with a workout in the fully equipped gym. [caption id="attachment_841127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jarritos Mexican Soda (Unsplash)[/caption] ENJOY A MEXICAN FIESTA WITH A VIEW You're invited to indulge in some of Mount Buller's best local producers, growers and foodie delights at Long Lunch, a regular event series showcasing the region's diverse culinary landscape. The upcoming long lunch takes place on 5 March, and will see the much-loved winter go-to Bullrun Cantina turned into a high-altitude fiesta. There'll be a wide range of Mexican fare on offer — think slow-smoked meats, tostadas, fresh chilli, salsa, mole and more — as well as an excellent selection of tequila, all of which can be enjoyed with sweeping views of the high country beyond and a live soundtrack provided by the talented Blues Roulette ensemble. If you're looking for an excuse to eat, drink and dance the day away with spectacular views to boot, make sure you get yourself a ticket before they're all sold out. For more information on things to see and do at Mount Buller this summer, head to the Victoria's High Country website. Plan and book your activities and accommodation at the Mount Buller website. Top image: Victoria's High Country
Only 12 women have won the Archibald Prize, Australia's coveted award for portraiture, in the accolade's 103-year history. Laura Jones is now one of them. For the second year running, a female artist has taken out the prestigious gong, with four-time finalist Jones receiving the prize for her likeness of Australian author Tim Winton. She was inspired to commit his image to canvas after meeting him at an environmental advocacy event, then taking part in a 2016 artist residency that focused on studying the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef. Even with artists winning the award twice, this is still just the 14th time that a woman has taken home the accolade — an honour that the Greater Western Sydney-based Jones has called "a life-changing moment". "There is an array of brilliant finalists for the 2024 Archibald Prize. I am shocked and humbled to be chosen as the winner," said the artist, who paints, draws, sculpts and makes prints with a focus on the connection between humans and the environment, in a statement announcing the winner of this year's award. "I would like to thank my sitter, Tim Winton. Tim is one of the world's greatest novelists and also a tireless advocate for the environment. He is an inspiration to me as both an artist and as a human being." [caption id="attachment_961081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.[/caption] As unveiled on Friday, June 7, 2024, Jones emerged victorious from a 2024 lineup of 57 finalists for the Archibald Prize, which was whittled down from 1005 entries. One such fellow contender: Matt Adnate's Rhythms of heritage, a portrait of Baker Boy that received this year's Packing Room Prize on Thursday, May 30. Other works in the running included Caroline Zilinsky's portrait of Saltburn and Priscilla's Jacob Elordi, Mia Boe's of Tony Armstrong, Jessie Bourke's of Heartbreak High star Chloé Hayden, Paul de Zubicaray's of Jaguar Jonze and Angus McDonald's likeness of Professor Marcia Langton. Also on the list: Drew Bickford's portrait of Hello Dankness filmmakers Dan and Dominique Angeloro, aka Soda Jerk; Camellia Morris' of Anthony Field from The Wiggles; Tim Owers' of Matildas player Cortnee Vine; and Nick Stathopoulos' of film critic David Stratton. [caption id="attachment_961086" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] Jones' $100,000-winning piece came about after she contacted the Perth-based writer with 30 books to his name — Breath, Dirt Music, Cloudstreet, The Turning and Blueback included — and showed him her work. "I wrote Tim a letter and sent him a book of my reef paintings, and we seemed to really connect on our interest in climate activism. I was amazed by the humility of this great novelist, who has enchanted generations of Australian readers," explained Jones. "Last year, I watched his ABC documentary Ningaloo Nyinggulu, about the fight to save Ningaloo Reef. It was beautiful and terrifying... I was stunned to discover a portrait of Tim had never been a finalist in the Archibald Prize." [caption id="attachment_961082" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Wynne Prize 2024, Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu 'Nyalala gurmilili', natural pigments on bark, 263 x 154 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] AGNSW pairs the Archibald Prize with two other awards: the similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 738 entries in 2024, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 628 entries, naming 40 as final contenders. 2024's $50,000 Wynne Prize, which recognises the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, has been awarded to Yolŋu elder and artist Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu, who hails from Yirrkala in the Northern Territory. The first-time finalists's bark painting Nyalala gurmilili earned her the award. Depicting the miwatj or "sunrise side" in Yolŋu Matha, it's one of the largest bark paintings ever made. The $40,000 Sir John Sulman Prize is presented to the best mural, subject or genre painting, with Naomi Kantjuriny, an Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) community elder, doing the honours in 2024. Her winning piece: Minyma mamu tjuta, in which mamu — aka spirits both good and bad — feature. Also a first-time finalist for the award, she's also the third Indigenous Australian artist to win the Sulman. [caption id="attachment_961085" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Sulman Prize 2024, Naomi Kantjuriny 'Minyma mamu tjuta', synthetic polymer paint on linen, 197 x 153.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] If you'd like to see all of the above, plus the rest of 2024's finalists across the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024. Don't agree with the judges? You can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Thursday, August 8. Jones' win adds to a diverse recent history for the Archibald. In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first time the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. In 2021, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren nabbed the gong. In 2022, it was Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods that came out on top, while 2023's accolade went to Julia Gutman for a portrait of Montaigne. [caption id="attachment_961087" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] Archibald Prize 2024 Dates: Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024 — Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW Friday, September 20–Sunday, November 17, 2024 — Orange Regional Gallery Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, January 26, 2025 — Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery Friday, February 7–Sunday, April 6, 2025 — Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Thursday, April 24–Sunday, June 15, 2025 — Araluen Arts Centre, Northern Territory Friday, July 4–Sunday, August 31, 2025 — Lismore Regional Gallery [caption id="attachment_961089" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. [/caption] [caption id="attachment_961088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] 2024's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prize-winners will display at various locations around the country from Saturday, June 8, 2024. If you can't make it to any of the above exhibition dates, you can check out the winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: excerpt of the winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.
With Christmas Day, and the many traditions and festivities that come with it just over the horizon, it's almost time to rearrange the furniture and set aside some space for the beloved Christmas tree. The Christmas tree has origins which most often date back as far as the renaissance in Germany, however there are many contested theories of origins preceding this. Although the traditional christmas tree is generally considered to be an evergreen conifer, many alternative designs have been created throughout history. The first artificial tree was also introduced in Germany, in the 19th Century. It has a rich history and has long been viewed as one of the most important and globally widespread symbols of Christmas. Not only loved for its aesthetic value with a vast amount of decorations decking out its branches from top to toe, the Christmas tree also perpetuates the buildup towards Christmas throughout December, and of course it is also the cause of extreme excitement for kids as the host of Santa's treasured christmas presents. Since then a plethora of artificial trees have been created, meeting the different needs of various times. And of course one of the most pressing issues in the modern era is sustainability. Enter the eco-friendly christmas tree, One Two Tree. The One Two Tree's branches rotating around its central trunk, which lets you change the design each year. The wood comes from plantation pine in Queensland. This environmentally sustainable, reusable tree is an eco friendly way to enjoy your christmas with a modern twist, and a great way to test your creativity with its endless possibilities for presentation. Via Inhabitat.
As school kids, we're taught to think of art and science as two very different beasts. But neuroscience now shows this dichotomy to be false — when performing most complex tasks, we use both the logical and creative sides of our brain. And this July, at Carriageworks, Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda will smash this division to smithereens by transforming science into art with two epic installations entitled micro | macro. The work — which Ikeda developed during a residency at the renowned science institution CERN in Switzerland — is divided into two sections. The first, the planck universe [micro], reveals atoms by blowing them up into visible proportions. This mind-bending installation will cover a whopping 172.8 square metres of space inside the Redfern multi-arts institution. The second, the planck universe [macro], is a ten-metre-high projection capturing the natural world in various scales — from the human perspective all the way to the cosmic one. "My work is created by reducing sound, light and the world into sine waves, pixels and data… so that the world can be viewed once more at a different resolution," said Ikeda of his new installations. As you wander through both installations, expect to feel very, very small, while finding yourself asking some big, big questions. What do we know? What can we know? Is what we see really all that it seems? This is Ikeda's third show at Carriageworks, previously presenting Superposition in 2015 and Test Pattern [No 5] in 2013, and it'll be as cutting-edge and immersive as ever. Images: Martin Wagenhan & Zan Wimberley
Redfern is getting itself a facelift. Commissioned by the City of Sydney, renowned street artist Reko Rennie and a team of young Aboriginal artists have designed and painted a mural covering an entire Redfern terrace as a tribute and monument to the neighbourhood's rich history of Aboriginal activism and urban culture. Entitled Welcome to Redfern the mural was launched today and marks the first step in the City of Sydney Council's ambitious Eora Journey project to give Indigenous culture and issues more public recognition. The local artists — Nahdia Noter, Trae Campbell, Ji Duncan-Weatherby, Tyrrelle McGrath, Brandon Phillips, Isaac Phillips, Josh Addo and Josh Nolan — helped to paint the mural's bold stripes in red, yellow and black and added paste-ups of 'local heroes', including colonial leader Pemulwuy and activists Charles Perkins and Mum Shirl. "These young artists have grown up in and around The Block, and the imagery is a colourful reminder of these incredible leaders to make sure the next generation will remember them, too," said Rennie, a Kamilaroi man and Archibald finalist who's also responsible for the bright pink T2 Building at Taylor Square. But why are art murals like this significant? While these sort of public projects undoubtedly do much to brighten the aesthetics of rundown urban landscapes, there is a legitimate concern that they offer little more than a highly visible and PR-friendly band-aid solution to the deep and divisive problems that have plagued the local Indigenous communities. The disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in terms of life expectancy, education and unemployment levels remain glaringly pronounced and so the question remains: what does a mural have to offer as a tactic for urban renewal? One of the biggest advocates for street art as a means of urban renewal has been the Dutch duo of Jeroen Koolhaas & Dre Urhahn, who more commonly go by the name of Haas and Hahn. These pioneering muralists — with the help of local artists and enthusiasts — have converted some of the world's poorest urban landscapes into living, breathing works of art. Their project in the slums of Rio de Janeiro converted the once derelict and incredibly dangerous area into a sprawling, breathtaking mural described by the New York Times as a "radiant, updated form of real-life Cubism". The remarkable effect that these murals have on the local community can be more clearly seen in Haas and Hahn's 18-month endeavour to spice up Philadelphia's Germantown. Not only did this project employ dozens of locals but it has also stimulated economic growth and development in the area and given the poverty-stricken region a new lease of life. Mohammed, one of the painters and leaders of the 'Philly Project' told documentary maker Jon Kauffman that the murals had an amazing capacity to lift the hopes and spirits of the artists and the local community. "Everybody's had hard times," he said, "but since I've been working here it's kinda like getting me away from my little troubles." It is these sentiments that give credence to Haas & Hahn's street art philosophy: "what feeds the heart feeds the soul". Closer to home, large-scale murals Melbourne's inner northern suburbs have become a hub for cultural, artistic and political expression thanks to a long series of Indigenous murals dating back to the early 1980s. The murals of the Collingwood Housing Estate often depict traditional Aboriginal iconography such as of the Australian landscape pre-settlement/invasion and Indigenous elders in warpaint and traditional dress, but it is the process of their creation that is perhaps of greater interest. These murals were born out of collaboration between a collection of local muralists known as the BEEM artists and a number of homeless Aboriginal people who live in the nearby park and identify themselves as 'parkies'. The contrasting styles of the artists and the resulting murals — with the street graffiti style of the 'parkies' often in conflict with the more refined portraits of the BEEM artists — is demonstrative of this unique collaboration. According to Denise Lovett, one of the leaders of the project, these murals have provided the local Indigenous community with a sense of cultural ownership over the urban landscape and banded the community together across lines of socio-economic status and ethnicity. So will the City of Sydney's newest mural provide this sort of urban renewal to the Redfern area? For his part, Rennie led the young Redfern artists through workshops covering artistic techniques, as well as other valuable skills. "We talked about how art can benefit an individual, and how success as an artist can be measured, such as by the ability to travel and work in other communities," he said. And Welcome to Redfern is only the very tip of the iceberg. The sweeping reforms of the Eora Journey include not only a further six Indigenous art projects to be scattered across the city but a number of other cultural and economic projects, including a permanent Indigenous Cultural Centre. One thing we can be certain of: the 'Welcome to Redfern' mural has far more to offer the urban landscape than simply pretty colours. Top image of Reko Rennie, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and curator Hetti Perkins.
Four acts for the price of one? Don't mind if we do. An annual highlight of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the New Order program brings together a collection of emerging comedians from across the UK. This year's contingent includes Ahir Shah, Brennan Reece, Steve Bugeja and — our personal pick of the bunch — Emma Sidi, whose act is inspired by Latin telenovelas and will feature "passion, obsession, revenge and some serious dancing".
Harry Styles is having a huge 2022 already, after headlining Coachella, dropping a new album and announcing a big Australian and New Zealand tour. And, before the year is out, he'll also give his acting skills another workout in not one but two new films: Don't Worry Darling and My Policeman. Yes, this year seems to be going in one direction for the former boy band star. That'd be up, obviously. Actually, it also appears to be sending Styles back in time, to the 1950s to be exact, with both of his upcoming flicks set seven decades ago The first of those two movies is directed by Booksmart's Olivia Wilde, led by Black Widow's Florence Pugh and looks set to unfurl a 1950s-set nightmare when it releases in cinemas in October. Due to hit Prime Video Down Under on November 4, the second of the pair also jumps back to the same decade, but this time as part of a Carol-esque romance. In My Policeman's just-dropped first teaser trailer, Styles plays Tom, the young cop of the movie's title. In sweeping, emotionally resonant period-drama style, the film sees him get caught in a love triangle with teacher Marion (Emma Corrin, The Crown) and museum curator Patrick (David Dawson, All the Old Knives). It'll also flit forward to the 1990s, where the older Tom (Linus Roache, Homeland), Marion (Gina McKee, Phantom Thread) and Patrick (Rupert Everett, The Happy Prince) are still haunted by how things played out when they were younger. If the storyline sounds familiar, that's because My Policeman comes to the screen from Bethan Roberts' 2012 novel of the same name. For the film version, director Michael Grandage (Red) is doing the honours, with Ron Nyswaner (Freeheld, Philadelphia) on screenplay duties. Based on the handsome trailer, which features a hefty mood of yearning, viewers can expect an exploration of love, social expectations, and the heartbreak that springs when the latter dictates the former. And, obviously, for Styles' latest on-screen stint after Dunkirk and Eternals. Check out the trailer for My Policeman below: My Policeman will be available to stream via Prime Video in Australia and New Zealand on November 4. Images: courtesy of Prime Video © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC.
Bravo Child is a performance poet and a community builder. But he's also a coder, and he doesn't see that as all that far divided from his other talents. Bravo will be the host of Memebrain, an upcoming hackfest in Chatswood convened by dLux MediaArts, with partners Darwin Community Arts Centre, Kulchajam and the ISEA Portals Project, which aims to link up willing hackers in Sydney, Byron Bay and Darwin to see what they can do when pressing the arts and the computer sciences together. Concrete Playground recently got the chance to catch up with Child at one of his workspaces in inner-city Chippendale, where he told us all about what happens when art and science collide. If you're a coder, it's probably not a great surprise that Memebrain host Bravo Child would like to see you at his upcoming hackfest. But, if you're more of an arts type with little in the way of technical skills, you should know he wants you there, too. A hackfest is traditionally an afternoon, day or weekend where coders get together to collaborate and hopefully come up with some interesting software. Probably the best known recent Sydney attempt was the apps4NSW hackfest that slowly led to real-time bus and train data appearing on Sydney transport apps. The day itself is a 48-hour hackfest buried under the new Chatswood Concourse building. All sorts of people are expected to turn up Friday night — games developers, web developers, creative coders, roboticists (to be confirmed, at time of writing), illustrators, DJs, VJs and maybe even another poet. They'll all be politely clumped together to try to find new ways of linking up art and tech. The long term goal with Memebrain is to start a kind of Kino for Sydney hacking, with a permanent online presence and meetups in the physical world. Growing up to be a Coginaut Bravo describes himself as a 'coginaut', which he says is "an explorer of ideas". Essentially — like recent Vivid Ideas guest Jonathan Harris — he's a storyteller across media. Child splits his time over performance poetry, design work and occasionally cheering up countries one suburb at a time. His technical skills are only a late arrival in an ongoing love of live story. "My art form, if I could whittle it down, would be ideas and experiences." He wasn't always captivated by the technical side of things, though. He started when he was young at singing, acting and dancing workshops in South Africa. Coming to Australia, he studied at Australian Theatre for Young People, later learning impro and competing in the Cranston Cup. He'd run Outspoken workshops and hip hop battle nights and toured with spoken word group the Spokes. Eventually a degree in communication design (print media, essentially) got him interested in the technical, and his career veered off into game design. Make Code Without Computer Skills According to Jonathan Harris, "the medium of our time is code". Child feels similarly, that it's code that cleaves modern electronic art away from being just a repetition of cutscene-heavy, movie-like '90s games. But he doesn't think you need to give up your arts-brain to get into it just because there's a new mechanism to understand behind the scenes. He gives examples of easy ways to dip your toes in the coding world, depending on where your artistic interests lie: Code Academy turns the basic ideas of code into a game, with Foursquare-like achievements for threading your way through short, approachable coding lessons. Processing is another good place to start experimenting. Max/MSP is great for manipulating sound, while Isadora is a simple, "node based" way to learn to program your own interactive video for the stage. Just like some people can write prose but can't really draw, Child makes coding sound like simply another skillset for artists to DIY, or learn to coexist with. You wouldn't need any of it to turn up to Memebrain. But, equally, it doesn't sound like it would be too much drama to get a taste of the code side of things along the way. 48 Hours of Hacking For hacking participants, 48 hours of Memebrain will start Friday evening, June 14. Anyone can join in the main event there. And it's free. But you'll need to register first. There'll be some briefing, some meet and greet, then a night of hacking. He says that the vibe will be a bit like a mini-festival, with massages on Saturday, a chill-out space off to one side for sleepy-lidded hackers and some Saturday mentoring from ISEA Portal Project artists. There'll also be a live link up to teams working in parallel in Darwin and Byron. Participants bring their own components — art, mechanisms, code, ideas — and find a way to plug them together and do new, wonderful things. On Sunday, the results will be shown to the public in front of the Concourse big screen at 6pm. Zydnei should also be wrapping up nearby. It's about integrating skillsets. Any tech or art skill will do, says Child: "If you make cakes: cool. Bring your cake, and we'll plug an electrode into it." But it's also about integrating disparate pools of talent across town. As Child sees it, it's more about combining the two Snowian cultures of science and art. It's a hackfest that takes all types. "An artist who uses technology as the medium or a technologist who creates something artistic. We're really trying to have the fault line between the two become one."
If you've been to see a blockbuster on the big screen this year, odds are that you've been to see a Disney movie. The Mouse House is responsible for Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Aladdin, Toy Story 4 and The Lion King, after all — and it still has both Frozen 2 and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker to come before the year is out. And now, the huge entertainment company is set to loom large over your streaming viewing, too. This morning — Tuesday, November 19 — it launched its new Disney+ platform Down Under. The service features a heap of content that spans its hugely popular brands, including Disney classics, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic. On Disney+ you'll find over 600 films and 7000 episodes of TV, so it's basically everything your Disney dreams are made of (and there's a free trial to get you started). From previous announcements, we already knew we'd be watching Star Wars series The Mandalorian, the awkwardly named High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, animated Toy Story spinoff Forky Asks a Question and factual series The World According to Jeff Goldblum. And, along with the platform launch, the live-action Lady and the Tramp has also dropped along with the Anna Kendrick-starring Christmas flick Noelle. Disney has also previously unveiled a lengthy list of upcoming shows that'll hit the platform over the next few years, so prepare for multiple Marvel series about Loki, Hawkeye, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and the Scarlet Witch and Vision; a Lizzie McGuire revival; and Star Wars shows about Obi-Wan Kenobi (featuring Ewan McGregor as the beloved jedi) and Rogue One's Cassian Andor as well — although none of the above have release dates as yet. What's noteworthy, too, is the array of classic fare that's now available to stream. Disney has amassed a hefty library over the years and, after merging with Fox earlier this year, it picked up plenty of other films and TV shows. That means that you can stream Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks, Pixar hits, Star Wars movies and all your old favourite Disney animated films, naturally. Home Alone, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Muppets, TRON, Avatar, Sister Act, Hocus Pocus, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Rocketeer, Turner and Hooch and The Sound of Music. Boy Meets World, Duck Tales and The Simpsons also rank among a very sizeable pool of titles, as Disney+'s new Instagram video shows. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5BWValA0I8/ A bunch of National Geographic docos can also be found on the platform, including rock climbing nail-biter Free Solo, the touching Jane Goodall film that makes great use of archival footage and Leo DiCaprio's 2016 climate cahnge interrogation Before the Flood. The complete list of titles — which you can browse here — confirms what Aussie audiences will able to watch upon launch. Different local rights deals with other platforms have meant that Australian fans couldn't necessarily just assume that their favourite flicks would automatically be available on Disney+ straight away. For example, until recently, Stan had plenty of Disney content available to stream. Of course, it seems that turning Disney+ into a one-stop shop for the company's movies and series is the ultimate aim. On that note, viewers can expect all of the company's aforementioned big 2019 movies to hit the platform, too, as well as its entire film slate from 2020 onwards. If you want to try out the new service before committing to a subscription, you can sign up for a free one-week trial over here. Disney+ is now live, with subscriptions costing AU$8.99 per month or AU$89.99 per year. You can sign-up for a free seven-day trial here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
When someone tells you to try to put yourself in another person's shoes to understand how they feel, it isn't meant literally. In the Freaky Friday franchise, however, the Coleman family keep taking that idea to the extreme, albeit not by choice. In 2003's mother-daughter body-swapping comedy, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis, The Last Showgirl) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan, Our Little Secret) found themselves switching places courtesy of a fortune cookie. In 2025's sequel Freakier Friday, their lives and the circumstances have changed, but waking up as someone else is back on the agenda. It was back in 2023 that word arrived about a follow-up to the 00s version of Freaky Friday. Audiences will see the results on the big screen this winter Down Under, with Freakier Friday locking in a Thursday, August 7, 2025 release date. As for what's in store this time around for the Colemans, the sequel's just-dropped first teaser trailer promises more chaos, plenty of nods to its predecessor — a nostalgic favourite — and taking the identity-crisis scenario up a few notches. Story-wise, Anna has a daughter herself and is about to gain a stepdaughter, with the process of merging families happening just as a familiar scenario pops up. At the beginning of the debut sneak peek, Anna and Tess are told by a fortune teller (Vanessa Bayer, No Good Deed) that they've "walked in each other's paths" and "learned a lesson — a lesson that may serve you again". Cue the ground rumbling once more, plus quite the shock the next morning. When it was revealed in 2024 that the new film would feature "a multigenerational twist", we wondered if there'd be multiple swaps and if the kids would be trading places with their grandmother — and yes, the trailer has the answers. Also returning alongside Curtis and Lohan from Freaky Friday: Mark Harmon (NCIS: Origins), Chad Michael Murray (Sullivan's Crossing), Christina Vidal Mitchell (The Terminal List), Haley Hudson (Queen Gorya), Lucille Soong (Raya and the Last Dragon), Stephen Tobolowsky (The Madness) and Rosalind Chao (3 Body Problem). For more company, Julia Butters (The Fabelmans), Sophia Hammons (The Absence of Eden), Manny Jacinto (The Acolyte) and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever) join the cast. Behind the lens, Nisha Ganatra (The High Note, Late Night) is directing, with Curtis and Lohan among the executive producers, all on a movie that keeps building on the Freaky Friday name. The first Curtis and Lohan team-up didn't start the franchise, of course. Instead, it began with the 1972 book by Mary Rodgers, then the 1976 Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country)-starring first movie adaptation, and also a 1995 remake with Gaby Hoffmann (Zero Day). After 2003's beloved Curtis- and Lohan-led take, horror flick Freaky also gave the idea a spin in 2020. Check out the first teaser trailer for Freakier Friday below: Freakier Friday releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, August 7, 2025. Images: Glen Wilson © 2024/2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Until recently The Gertrude Hotel was hard to miss with its two-storey Bowie-style lightning bolt painted on the exterior of the building and its bold colour palette — big bursts of fluoro pink and green contrasted with a lot of black and iridescent artwork. The 'more is more' design aesthetic was fully embraced by this Fitzroy boozer. Now The Gertrude is under new ownership and is sporting an entirely different look and feel. A cool cream and navy colour scheme now permeates the building, paired with plenty of natural finishes. It's taken a turn from high voltage to stylishly understated and more refined across all elements. At the front bar, either jump on one of the leather stools at the curving marble-topped bar or pull up by the windows to watch the Gertrude Street crowds. Grab some Italian and Aussie vinos (there's a focus on smaller producers and natural and low-intervention wines) or get through some of the Euro-centric cocktails that change seasonally. You can eat at the bar or head into either the small dining room out the back or upstairs to the private dining rooms and outdoor terrace. Andy Lockyear (ex-Rockpool), is running the kitchen at The Gertrude Hotel, conceiving classic, beautifully executed gastropub fare alongside a selection of Italian bites and very good pizzas. A tight selection of antipasti work well for the drink and snack crowd — including fresh and baked oysters, fried calamari and an heirloom tomato and stracciatella salad, as well as larger plates for those wanting to further flex their appetites. Try one of the five pizzas (that can be made gluten-free), go heavier on one of the pasta dishes, or just embrace the pub energy and grab a classic chicken or eggplant parma with a schooner of your favourite lager. Come Mondays, you can get a kilo of mussels for a very modest $20. Tuesday nights are for discounted pizzas. The Gertrude Hotel also runs a wine and pasta deal every Wednesday for $29. These weekly specials are always loved by local Melbourne pub stans, and they're pretty much essential for any successful local gastropub these days. The spot has only been open since December 2023, but it is already buzzing, with tables filling up on weekends. If you want to get a table for lunch or dinner, you best book ahead. You'll find The Gertrude Hotel at 148 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, open from 5pm till late from Monday to Wednesday, and from 12pm till late from Thursday to Sunday. For more details, head to the venue's website. Images: Niki Schuch
Don't just smile and wave, musical fans. If you're fond of films turned into stage shows — animated hits making that leap, to be specific — then you'll want to scramble into the theatre to see the next smash-hit making its way around Australia. This time, a group of animals escape from their home in New York's Central Park Zoo, then find themselves washed ashore an island after a series of misadventures. Yes, it can only be Madagascar the Musical. Adapted from the 2005 DreamWorks animated movie, this production will start doing the rounds from December 2022 with all the bells and whistles of the international touring production. After runs in the UK and New Zealand, the show will bring the screen-to-stage story to life, supported by a lavish set, world-class puppets and colourful costumes. This'll be Madagascar the Musical's Australian debut, enjoying a two-week run from Friday, December 16–Sunday, January 1 at Sydney Coliseum Theatre to kick things off. Melbourne's Comedy Theatre will next do the honours from Wednesday, January 4–Sunday, January 15, 2023, then the Crown Theatre in Perth from Thursday, January 19–Thursday, January 26, 2023. Brisbane and Adelaide residents, fingers crossed it's your turn after that. If you've seen the film, which also sparked 2008 sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, 2012's Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and 2014 spinoff Penguins of Madagascar — as well as various TV shows and shorts, then this musical since 2018 — then you'l know the story. At the show's centre sits Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, Gloria the hippo and a gang of penguins, who find their zoo routines shaken up and then some. As set to an upbeat score featuring hits 'Copacabana', 'I Like to Move It', 'Best Friends' and 'Boogie Wonderland', this crew of critters leaves its comfortable zoo life behind, exploring the eponymous island ruled by King Julien. Hijinks ensue, as brought to the stage in the musical's Aussie run by a cast that includes Andrew Papas (ex-Titanium) as Alex the lion, Joe Kalou (The Book of Mormon, In the Heights, Wolf Like Me) as Marty, Moniquewa Williams as Gloria, Devon Neiman (The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil) as Melman and Jonathan Martin (the Pop Up Globe stage) as King Julien. MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL 2022–2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Friday, December 16, 2022–Sunday, January 1, 2023 — Sydney Coliseum Theatre, Sydney Wednesday, January 4–Sunday, January 15, 2023 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne Thursday, January 19–Thursday, January 26, 2023 — Crown Theatre, Perth Madagascar the Musical tours Australia from December 2022. For more information and tickets, head to the musical's website. Images: LK Creative.
It was an incredibly sad day when iconic St Kilda venue Stokehouse burned down in 2014. Now, after a two and a half year hiatus, it's finally coming back, renovated and designated into a 'precinct' of multiple bars and restaurants, set to dominate that seaside like only Stokehouse can. Over the past few months, the Van Haandel Group have opened the first two stages of the beachside precinct. Fish and chip kiosk Paper Fish was first back in October, followed by ground floor venue Pontoon in mid-November. But while the 400-capacity casual beachside bar and eatery was an exciting opening, it was certainly no match for the hardcore anticipation that has surrounded the relaunch of the one and only Stokehouse Restaurant, which will finally open tomorrow, Friday, December 9. While details (and photos) about the soon-to-be revealed restaurant are scant, this is what we know so far. The new building has been designed by architect Robert Simeoni which, as well as having a five Green Star rating for sustainability, looks pretty epic due to half of it being covered by a sand dune. After doing a stellar job on Stokehouse's previous 2010 refurbishment, Pascale Gomes McNabb has returned to fit out the new restaurant space, which will include a 12.5-metre oval bar and room for 130 diners. Chef Ollie Hansford will be on the pans, who you might have heard of from his stint at the short-lived Stokehouse City. This is what it's looking like: Hello Stokehouse terrace 🙌🏻 A photo posted by Stokehouse St Kilda Beach (@stokehousestkilda) on Dec 5, 2016 at 11:12pm PST Can't wait to check it out? Well, you might have to sit tight. The restaurant opened up bookings a few weeks ago, and they're already booked out until March 2017. Keep an eye on their Instagram for when they open up the next lot of bookings. Stokehouse Restaurant will open on Friday, December 8 on Level 1, 30 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda. For more info, visit stokehouse.com.au. By Imogen Baker and Lauren Vadnjal. Top image: Kristoffer Paulsen.
Party with petunias and watch a circus amongst the cleomes at Tesselaar's Kabloom Festival of Flowers — where millions of blooms will serve as a backdrop for daily circus performances, photoshoots for social media influencers and lunchtime picnics. Running from Saturday, March 23–Sunday, April 21, the Dandenong Ranges festival will feature acres of colourful flowers and whimsical performances by Circus Oz. The main circus will run each day for the duration of the festival, featuring magical woodland creatures and awe-inspiring stunts. Throughout the day, the fairies and sprites will have a variety of other acts, including tightrope walking over flowers, juggling, hula hooping and contortion. Other festival attractions include food and market stalls — yes, including a flower market — for the adults. There are also a variety of activities for children's entertainment, including circus and drumming workshops, face painting, interactive storytelling sessions and garden games. On Easter long weekend, there will also be an Easter rabbit hunt where you search the fields for rabbits instead of eggs, and go in the running to win some prizes. Visitors can also take a tractor train tour of the farm to view the flowers and learn more about how they are planted and cared for. Some activities require prior registration. Tickets start at $23.50 for adults, $19.50 for concessions, and children under 16 can enter the event for free. You can also bring your pooch along with you as long as you keep them on a lead. Water bowls will be dotted around the grounds to keep them happy and hydrated.
Having completed a sold out Australian tour only last year, funny man Gabriel Iglesias returns to Melbourne for two nights of high-octane laughs. Known for mixing storytelling with voice effects, Iglesias provides a roller coaster of comedic experience from start to finish. Known predominantly for his shows I'm Not Fat I'm Fluffy and Hot and Fluffy, Iglesias' comedy career has been moving forward in leaps and bounds. Having started work for a mobile phone company, Iglesias suddenly changed to a career in comedy, risking his financial security for a shot at his dream. Luckily for us, Inglesias has been performing to audiences all over the world for the last 12 years, and even featured in the 2012 film Magic Mike with Matthew McConaughey and Channing Tatum. Inglesias will be performing two nights of stand up at the Regent Theatre. Don't miss your chance at seeing this electric, life-filled performer in the flesh.
Ordering wine by the glass doesn't mean you won't get a top-quality drop. Yet, casting your eye over the wine list only to discover that most options require you to stump up for an entire bottle, you wouldn't be blamed for feeling like you're missing out. Offering a solution to this first-world problem is Coravin, whose handy wine preservation tools make pouring from the bottle without popping the cork a reality. Returning to Australian shores for the second Coravin World Wine Tour, five wine bars around the country are getting involved so you can enjoy rare and diverse bottles by the glass. Hosting the Melbourne stop of this international affair is Clover, a happening Richmond wine bar renowned for its appreciation of natural wines. From Thursday, May 1–Saturday, May 31, guests will have the chance to indulge in any bottle on the menu without having to front up for the whole thing. Plus, you're bound to discover a host of incredible pairings with the venue's fascinating fire-cooked cuisine. Clover Co-Owner Lyndon Kubis is no stranger to thoughtfully conceived wine bars and shops. He's also behind Collingwood's The Moon, Prahran's The Alps Wine Bar, Milton Wine Shop in Malvern and Toorak Cellars, among other vino-related ventures. Head along to Clover and discover the full range of seasonal grape goodness pouring throughout May.
Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art might temporarily be closed at present, but it's now streaming one of its most luminous and spectacular installations once a week — and for the entire night. Spectra, by Roiji Ikeda, is a 15-kilometre-tall tower of beaming white light that stands over the city's skyline. The tower is powered by 49 custom-made search lights that illuminate the Hobart sky, accompanied by music specially curated for the exhibit, and can be seen from home up to 100 kilometres away. Every Saturday from sunset, MONA is live streaming the installation, which has been a permanent centrepiece for the museum since 2018. Each weekly stream will run all through the evening, finishing at sunrise on Sunday. Here are all twelve hours of last week's live-stream: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16071&v=QewCcg_E44g&feature=emb_logo[/embed] It might be a while until we can start travelling and witnessing enchanting sights like this one again, but this initiative by MONA will bring some of the magic of Hobart straight to your home in the interim. Image: MONA/Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of MONA Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
As it stands, Mornington Peninsula's Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is already epic — home to over 30 geothermal pools scattered across its 15-hectare property. But one of Melbourne's best spas and natural hot springs destinations is about to get a whole lot better, having just announced plans to build five new luxury villas and two studio rooms on the dunes overlooking the estate. Slated to open in early 2025, these new accommodations — collectively known as The Sanctuary — will have their interiors designed by Kate Walker of KWD in Mt Martha, and feature a heap of top-tier amenities. Get around Aesop products, a pillow menu, and a complimentary mini-bar stocked with wines from Ten Minutes by Tractor, specialty brews from St Andrew's Beach Brewery and Illy coffee. Those wanting breakfast onsite can head to the spa's Thyme or have it delivered to their room — eating in bed (or on the balcony) while looking out over the property and surrounding dunes. A night's stay in one of the private villas starts at $950, and a night in one of the rooms starts at $650. You can then add on spa treatments and hot springs access to make it a truly indulgent night or weekend away. The Sanctuary at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is slated to open in early 2025, and can be found at 282 Browns Road, Fingal. For more information, you can check out the venue's website.
Architects across the world are adopting the idea of exhibitionism in their design of some very ‘open’ houses. Not leaving much to the imagination, people who live in these see-through structures obviously aren’t shy about exposing their true selves. Ranging from a three level, blue-tainted glass box set in snowy Milan, to an oversized toy house in the middle of Tokyo, these houses are perfect for the eccentric exhibitionist looking to reveal some of their quirkiness to the outside world. The Glass House by Philip Johnson — New Canaan, Connecticut Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe — Plano, Illinois Glass House by Unit Arkitektur AB — Träslövsläge, Sweden Glass House by SANTAMBROGIOMILANO — Milan, Italy Glass House by JM Architecture — Lake Lugano, Italy House NA by Sou Fukimoto Architects — Tokyo, Japan Jodlowa House by PCKO — Krakow, Poland The Sebastopol Residence by Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects — Sebastapol, California
Australians, if a trip across the ditch ranks high on your wish list, the New Zealand Government has delivered some great news: across the first half of 2022, the country will start reopening its borders to international travellers. Earlier in 2021, Aotearoa and Australia had a brief international travel bubble, which allowed Aussies and Kiwis to fly back and forth between the two countries without quarantine. It was then put in pause in July after COVID-19 outbreaks in Australia — and that suspension was extended following outbreaks in New Zealand. But, in a press conference on Wednesday, November 24, NZ COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced that the country's international travel restrictions are set to lift in January — beginning with vaccinated New Zealanders and those who hold NZ visas early next year. From Monday, January 17 NZ time, folks who fall into those categories will be able to re-enter NZ without quarantining in NZ's managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities — although a seven-day stint in self-isolation will be required. That move will then be extended to vaccinated travellers from other countries, including Australia, across a three-step process. Here's how it's going to work: STEP ONE From Monday, January 17 next year, double-vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers (such as visa holders) will be able to return to New Zealand from Australia, without a two week stay in MIQ facilities. This means Kiwis can travel to Australia, however briefly, and avoid MIQ on their return. However, they'll need to self-isolate for seven days after returning to Aotearoa, and must provide a final negative test before entering the community. STEP TWO From Monday, February 14 next year, double-vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers (such as visa holders) will be able to return to New Zealand from all other countries — not just Australia — and also avoid an MIQ stay, except after travelling to countries deemed "very high risk". The same safety precautions as above will need to be taken: they'll need to self-isolate for seven days and must provide a final negative test before entering the community. STEP THREE From Saturday, April 30, all other double-vaccinated international travellers will able to enter the country, without an MIQ stay. This might be staggered on visa levels, Hipkins added during his press conference. The requirement to self-isolate and provide testing upon return will be assessed during this period, but it's expected this will be probably be in place throughout May. So, it isn't time to go packing your suitcases for a NZ getaway just yet, but it will be soon — and just in time for ski season (if you're already thinking about your winter plans). Since the beginning of November, double-vaxxed Australians have been permitted to leave our shores for overseas holidays; however, exactly where you can head obviously depends on travel restrictions in other countries. More information about NZ's international travel three-step plan and Hipkins' full statement can be found on the New Zealand Government website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
December might be all about festive viewing for some, but this year's merriest month is also delivering a new dose of TV medical nightmares. As promised since mid-2022 and feared since the first season in 2021 — if you're not fond of hospital horror stories, that is — Dr Death is returning with another true-crime tale about a sinister surgeon. The new doc in the spotlight: surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, who earned the nickname 'Miracle Man' for his innovative operations. But his charm starts to fade when investigative journalist Benita Alexander approaches him for a story — a tale that'll change her life forever, too. Once again, all of the details are drawn from reality. Once again, Dr Death is bound to prove disturbing whether you already know the ins and outs or you're set to discover them for the first time — as terrifying medical details, especially about deadly doctors, always do. The just-released trailer will get you feeling unsettled already, in fact, before the series drops all eight of its season-two episodes on Stan on Friday, December 22. Édgar Ramírez (Florida Man) plays Macchiarini, while Mandy Moore (This Is Us) steps into Alexander's shoes. Macchiarini's first reason for getting famous: leading the surgery for the world's first synthetic organ transplant. As for why else he's been in the news, that's what watching the series will tell you. When it hit streaming queues in mid-2021, Dr Death initially focused on Christopher Duntsch (Joshua Jackson, Fatal Attraction), a surgeon who was full of charm when he was trying to encourage folks with spinal pain and neck injuries into his operating theatre — or when he was attempting to convince hospitals, particularly in Texas, to hire him. But again and again, those surgeries ended horrendously. Actually, that's an understatement. Duntsch's story is done and dusted; however, he was just the first medical professional that the OG Dr Death — aka the Wondery podcast that shares the TV show's name — has explored. Since then, the audio series has released two further seasons, with its third batch of episodes now providing the basis for the second TV adaptation. Check out the trailer for Dr Death season two below: Season two of Dr Death will stream via Stan from Friday, December 22. Images: Scott McDermott/Peacock.
It's a familiar setup: a remote house, a family haunted by decades-old troubles, a murky history that's still leaving an imprint and tension levels rising when, naturally, strange things start to happen. As it has been for countless scary flicks before it, that's the broad overall premise of new Australian horror movie Relic; however this Sundance-premiering film has more than a few tricks up its sleeves. Emily Mortimer (Mary Poppins Returns), Robyn Nevin (Top of the Lake), and Bella Heathcote (Bloom) star as three generations of a Victorian-based family — with Mortimer's Kay called back to her family home when her widowed elderly mother Edna (Nevin) disappears. With her own daughter Sam (Heathcote) in tow, Kay first endeavours to find her missing mum. Then, when Edna reappears suddenly without any explanation for her absence, Kay and Sam try to ascertain just why Edna's house — and, increasingly, Edna too — seems so sinister. The feature directorial debut of Japanese-Australian filmmaker Natalie Erika James — who cowrote the script with fellow first-time Christian White — the instantly disturbing but still slow-burning Relic takes its creepy, eerie look and feel seriously, as the film's trailer shows. As it trifles with the supernatural and provides many a well-executed jump, bump and unnerving sensation, the smart and thoughtful movie also uses its concept and plot to ponder the physical and emotional impact of ageing, including dementia. Aussie audiences can get unsettled — including by the film's labyrinthine main setting and its nerve-rattling soundscape — when Relic hits Stan on Friday, July 10. Across the ditch, it arrives courtesy of the NZ International Film Festival. It follows this year's also excellent Aussie-made release The True History of the Kelly Gang in making the leap from international festivals to local streaming. Check out the Relic below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atqf47wM5Gg Relic starts streaming via Stan from Friday, July 10. You can also watch it as part of the NZ International Film Festival from 25 July.
It's hard to get a true snapshot of a place you're holidaying in when you don't know a resident who can show you around. It can take years to truly get to know a place, and while tourist spots are the obvious starting point, they can also leave you wanting to dig deeper. We've teamed up with Pullman Hotels and Resorts to bring you a guide to Melbourne's less obvious but obviously fabulous experiences. It's not exactly a local's guide, because visitors are not exactly locals and we all want to treat ourselves while on vacay. But it is a round-up of the best of the best art, food and fun found in Melbourne. And as Melbourne has a lot to offer in the way of premium coffee, tasty treats and good times, this was no easy feat. Putting our heads together with Pullman Melbourne Albert Park's chief concierge, Rhett Constantine (a man who's been giving out recommendations for two decades), we've curated a list of must-dos that will leave you wanting more of Melbourne. Whether you're into cuisine, culture or cocktails, you'll find your perfect day out right here. Check out the rest of our Explore More content series to hone your itinerary for some of Australia's best holiday destinations. FOOD & DRINK MARKET LANE COFFEE AND QUEEN VICTORIA MARKETS Melbourne is a city that runs on coffee. It is a pillar of the economy as both a primary export and a productivity booster, and as a result, we've perfected it. And among some of the world's best coffee establishments is the king: Market Lane. The cute and efficient little operation has a few cafes in the city and inner-northern suburbs, but we recommend heading to their stall at the Queen Vic market. Pair your impeccable brew with something from their endless supply of varied baked goods. Don't miss: On Saturdays, have your coffee with a handful of doughnuts from the American Doughnut van. Some clichés make sense and coffee and doughnuts is one of 'em. CLAYPOTS SEAFOOD Melbourne's beaches may be a little frosty, but the seafood on the shores is exceptional. Claypots in St Kilda is one of the most well-known seafood eateries, so book in advance or you may miss out entirely. The menu is almost entirely seafood and changes depending on the haul of the day. You have to try their signature claypots ($20), with flavour profiles like the Orpheus (red wine, sweet pepper and capsicum) and the Singapore (chilli, coriander, and ginger sauce). We also recommend trying the king prawns and fresh fish dishes (prices vary) if you want to indulge. Usually, the atmosphere is romantic, warm and boisterous, thanks to live music and close quarters, making it the perfect destination for a special dinner. Don't miss: It's all in the name — at least one claypot is a must. MADAME BRUSSELS ROOFTOP BAR There's something hopelessly romantic about rooftop bars, and Madame Brussels is the queen of them all. Situated conveniently on Bourke Street, the iconic establishment is styled to look like a really fancy, if a little kitschy, garden party, with white lattice, fake flowers and wrought-iron chairs you might remember from your grannie's garden. The open-air deck is cosy, designed for reclining instead of standing. We recommend trying the (hilariously named) boards: the Rather Fancy and Slightly Smelly Old Cheese Plate ($28) or the Butch charcuterie board ($30). Don't miss: A jug of Pimms in the sun — it will have you feeling as fancy as the royal family. SUPERNORMAL FOR DINNER You're going to have make some hard choices when it comes to dining in Melbourne. There's just so many world-class venues and never enough evenings to explore them all. But, trust us, you don't want to miss Supernormal. Don't let the name deceive you; it's anything but normal. We recommend sharing a few smaller dishes so you can sample broadly from the menu. Try the tuna with perilla and kombu ($19) and the pot-sticker dumplings ($15), and make sure you don't overeat, because you're going to want stomach space to fit in their famous dessert. Don't miss: The peanut butter parfait ($15). It is known far and wide as Melbourne's most indulgent dessert. Seriously, this dish could run for mayor and win, it's so beloved. And it's no wonder: creamy PB parfait mixed with salted caramel and served with soft chocolate is a winning combo. ART & DESIGN VIVIEN ANDERSON GALLERY One of St Kilda's less obvious but most important art spaces, the Vivien Anderson Gallery showcases the work of prominent Indigenous artists. Over the last 20 years, the gallery has moved locations several times to accommodate for its growth, but all the while it's been dedicated to displaying and encouraging Indigenous art. It's a small and intimate gallery that lends itself well to introspection and quiet contemplation. They curate thoughtful, small-scale displays of individual works and artefacts or thematic group exhibitions, and the staff are all knowledge and passionate about Indigenous art. A must-do when visiting St Kilda. Don't miss: Picking the brains of the staff to get more insight into what's on the walls. NGV AND ACCA No trip to Melbourne is complete without a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria, the crowning jewel of Melbourne's art scene. All the big exhibitions that grace our shores can be found there, but the permanent collections are worth your time too. The international collection contains works from big names like Picasso, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Rubens, Manet and a host of Australian artists, so even if you turn up between key exhibits, there's always something pretty to stare at. And just over the way is the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, which is a work of art in itself. You'll be able to pick it a mile away for the stark, rusty steel facade and awkward angles. Don't miss: Stop at the Malthouse Theatre's cafe, which shares a courtyard with ACCA, and drink it all in. LANEWAYS TOUR (STOPPING OFF AT A FEW KEY COFFEE HOUSES) Melbourne is known for its street art scene, and nowhere is it more prominent and competitive than in the crowded laneways of the CBD. Start on Bourke Street Mall with Union Lane, a smelly but graf-heavy place. It's usually packed with tourist taking pics, so try to get in early. While you're skulking around the laneways, stop in at Dukes Coffee Roaster on Flinders Lane, one of the city's smallest but best coffee vendors. The City of Melbourne have a recommended route to hit all the best laneways and arcades, which is a good place to start. If you want to venture further afield, head to Fitzroy, where you'll the find the George Costanza mural near George's Bar and the work of renowned artist Ghostpatrol along Napier Street. Don't miss: Sniders Lane, home of the famous Kim K and Kendall mural. WELLBEING & LEISURE SOUTH MELBOURNE MARKET There are some incredible permanent markets in Melbourne that create a lot of competition for one another. On the southside, South Melbourne Market is the best of the bunch. It's a huge undertaking, so give yourself a whole morning to wander through the many stalls. Grab a coffee and almond croissant from Padre (Stall 33) to start you off right, then make your way over to Azalea, the florist and nursery in stall 49. It's always bursting with Aussie native blooms, gorgeous smells and reasonably priced plant-babies. Lunch at Proper and Son is always fresh (and realllllly well priced). We recommend the prosciutto, bocconcini and peach salad ($10.50) or field mushroom and haloumi with romesco sauce in a roll ($11.50). Don't miss: SO:ME Space, the permanent and semi-permanent installation for fashion and design. They rotate between pop-ups regularly, and you'll always find handcrafted, one-off pieces from Melbourne designers. STUDLEY PARK BOATHOUSE On a fine day, take an Uber to Yarra Bend Park. Follow the rolling hills and winding turns in the Yarra until you come to Studley Park. Over a bridge and alongside the river you'll find the Studley Park Boathouse, an idyllic little wonderland that backs onto the Yarra. At this point you can choose to rent a rowboat and cruise the river trying to look cool in a safety vest, or recline on the bank with a scone and beer and survey the rowboat carnage. Rowboat rental for two people is $40 an hour and you'll need some form of ID. And, word of warning, make sure you play nice with the duck families that cruise the waterway. Don't miss: You came all this way, so rent a rowboat and enjoy the Notebook-level romance. ACLAND STREET TO LUNA PARK WALK IN ST KILDA Even though it's only a 25-minute tram ride out of the city, St Kilda is like another world. There's a fine layer of sand on everything, people walk around with no shoes on, and everything is totally cowabunga. But the most cowabunga thing (are we using that right?) about St Kilda's main drag, Acland Street, is the bakery shop windows filled with treats. We recommend a cake crawl, stopping in at Le Bon Continental Cake Shop, Europa Cake Shop and Monarch Cakes, if you have the stamina. Don't miss: A visit to Luna Park and its rickety wooden rollercoaster — preferably before you eat all the cake. Explore more with Pullman. Book your next hotel stay with Pullman and enjoy a great breakfast for just $1.
Honestly, is there anything better than soaking in the Melbourne sun on a lazy afternoon, cocktail in hand, while perched in one of the city's best beer gardens? We certainly don't think so. So, to help you plan your summer of outdoor drinking, we've partnered with Maker's Mark to bring you nine summery courtyards for when you want to catch up with friends before dark. From local hotels to cocktail bars on the Yarra, there's a courtyard to suit your vibe and a drinks list to match it.
Somewhere in the dark recesses of a record company, a phone rings in the jazz music copyright department. Five minutes later, an email begins to circulate around Hollywood: "URGENT: 1920s costumes required. Wooden tennis racquets also welcome. Destination not yet known, but assume Manhattan or France". Finally, casting agents receive a visit from a mysterious stranger with a very specific request: "I need a girl. Young. Sexy but approachable. Almost too young, without being obvious, if you follow?" He winks and disappears into the smog. The clues are unmistakeable. The conclusion, unavoidable. Woody Allen is making a movie. His 47th, in fact, and his most handsome in quite some time. Yet the eyes can deceive, and just as his characters learn throughout Magic in the Moonlight, beauty all too often masks a shallowness that will always, eventually, out. It is, to put it simply, very light fare across the board. Amusing more than hilarious, sweet yet far from moving, Magic in the Moonlight is as fun to watch as it is easy to forget. Set (once again) in the 1920s, the entire film is built around a simple, singular premise: esteemed magician Stanley Crawford (Colin Firth) is brought to the French Riviera to debunk the charming young American clairvoyant Sophie (Emma Stone). Her bewildering talents, however, quickly defy his every attempt to expose her, deftly penetrating every layer of his stoic scepticism. Faced with the possibility that real magic might exist, the insufferably rational and pragmatic Stanley finds himself questioning everything, from the meaning of life to the love of his soon-to-be wife. It's a romantic comedy of sorts, but the pairing of Stone and Firth fails to spark any real on-screen connection despite both actors ticking all the boxes individually. It's worth remembering there's almost 30 years between the two, an age gap (or chasm, rather) that Stanley acknowledges early on as 'preposterous'. It's perhaps less a joke than a symptom of the film's ultimate inability to resonate. Either way, you don't really care whether they get together or not, just as it matters little whether Sophie's talents are legitimate. The stakes are low, and for a film all about magic, the only genuine mesmerising comes from the scenery. https://youtube.com/watch?v=nzcPdGxuewU
If you've been following the rise of Tesla in the hope that one day they might make electric cars mainstream and affordable, you'll be glad to hear that the car and energy company has taken a big step in that direction. Today Elon Musk's California-based company will start production on its first mass-market electric car, the highly anticipated Model 3. Model 3 passed all regulatory requirements for production two weeks ahead of schedule. Expecting to complete SN1 on Friday — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 3, 2017 Why is this such a big deal? Because up until now, Tesla's vehicles — the Model X and the Model S — have clocked in at well over $100,000. This new Model 3, however, will be on the market for 35,000 USD (around 46,000 AUD or $48,000 NZD). That's a lot more affordable, and around the same price that other electric cars, like the Chevy Bolt or the Nissan Leaf. A major drawcard of a Tesla vehicle is its driving range — on a single charge, you can expect to travel about 350 kilometres. That's a lot further than pretty much any other electric car at the same price point, except perhaps the Chevy Bolt. The Model 3 comes with room for five people (the driver included), the ability to go from zero to 100 kilometres in 5.6 seconds, autopilot hardware and a five-star safety rating. Tesla will start production of these cars today, and has some ambitious goals. The aim is to be cranking out 5000 cars per week by the end of this year, and double that throughout 2018. And, to cater to the growing number of electric vehicles on the road, Tesla has plans to double the number of charging stations currently available and to operate a bunch of trucks that can service cars in remote areas. Those who've got $1500 to spare can reserve a Model 3 now and expect delivery by mid-2018. Although, perhaps we won't need cars when Musk's high-speed vacuum tube Hyperloop comes into play. Via The New York Times.
Girls to the front: that's the mantra at Australia's dedicated Centre for the Moving Image in 2023. We're the country that gave the world Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie, to name just a few renowned Aussie actresses owning the silver screen in recent years, so we're no stranger to celebrating formidable women in cinema. It tracks, then, that ACMI has curated a world-premiere exhibition dedicated to femininity across screen history — which, from Wednesday, April 5, is now open. Six-month-long showcase Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion declares its affection for ladies of the screen right there in its name. Examining how women are represented in cinema and television, it pays tribute to standout ladies, how depictions and expectations of femininity have changed, and what female talents have symbolised — and been forced to deal with — about and from the society around them. Displaying until Sunday, October 1, it's both a massive and a landmark exhibition. More than 150 original costumes, objects, artworks, props and sketches are now gracing the Federation Square venue's walls and halls, all championing oh-so-many women and their impact. Launched in-person by the one and only Geena Davis, who is also the exhibition's lead ambassador, Goddess fittingly includes outfits worn by her and Susan Sarandon in 1991's Thelma & Louise — and that's just the beginning of its treasures. Among a lineup that spans threads that've never been displayed before, various cinematic trinkets, large-scale projections and other interactive experiences, attendees can check out odes to Marlene Dietrich in 1930's Morocco, Pam Grier's spectacular Blaxploitation career, Tilda Swinton in 1992's Orlando and the aforementioned Robbie via 2020's Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Plus, there's Mae West's sky-high heels from 1934's Belle of the Nineties, as well as Michelle Yeoh's fight-ready silks from 2000's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The list goes on, clearly, covering Anna May Wong, Marilyn Monroe, Laverne Cox and Zendaya as well. And, everything from Glenn Close's Cruella de Vil in 102 Dalmatians to the Carey Mulligan-starring Promising Young Woman also gets time to shine. As it charts how representations of femininity have evolved over the years — not just in different eras, but in different places, too — Goddess also aims to inspire a rethink of plenty of cinema's memorable female characters. Silent-era sirens, classic Hollywood heroines, unforgettable femme fatales and villains, Bollywood stars, women in China and Japan's cinematic histories: they're all being given the spotlight. Goddess is also plunging into provocative on-screen moments from Hollywood's silent days through to today that've not only left an imprint, but also played a part in defining (and altering) what's considered the feminine ideal. So, expect an interrogation of how women on-screen have helped to redefine fashion expectations, sparked boundary-breaking genres and spearheaded the #MeToo movement — and to spend time thinking about how screen culture has shaped the world's views of gender. As it does with its big exhibitions, ACMI is pairing Goddess' wide-ranging display with soundscapes by Melbourne-based composer Chiara Kickdrum, and also hosting a sprawling events program complete with late-night parties, performances and talks — and film screenings, of course. Fancy taking an in-depth curator tour of the exhibition after hours? That's on the bill monthly. There's also a music program called Goddess Nights from late May, which'll focus on three femme-centric live music lineups with performances by DJ JNETT, CD, POOKIE and Ayebatonye — and a curated range of food and booze put together just for each evening. For film buffs, movie series Divine Trailblazers will focus on contemporary actors at the height of their powers, while the Goddess Sundays is all about on-screen personas. So, the first includes Angela Bassett's Oscar-nominated performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Academy Award-winners Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All At Once, Cate Blanchett conducting a masterpiece in Tár, Viola Davis in warrior mode in The Woman King, Filipino actor Dolly De Leon stealing every scene she's in in Triangle of Sadness, and Leah Purcell writing, directing, producing and starring in The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson. Unsurprisingly, the exhibition is ACMI's big midyear blockbuster — and its 2023 contribution to the Victorian Government's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, as Light: Works from Tate's Collection was in 2022. After showing in Melbourne for its premiere season, Goddess will then tour internationally, taking ACMI's celebration of women on-screen to the world. Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion exhibits at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne, from Wednesday, April 5–Sunday, October 1, 2023. For more information and tickets, head to the ACMI website. Images: Eugene Hyland Photography.
Remember when your mum told you that being popular wasn't everything? There are many situations where that advice holds true. Take watching movies, for example. Sure, superhero flicks look great on the big screen — but for every blockbuster you head along to, there's probably a heap of smaller films you're missing out on. They're the small players in a world that focuses on big hits, and the ones that pop up at fewer cinemas, run for shorter spans, and don't break attendance records. But just because they don't get as much love, doesn't mean they're not worth viewing. Indeed, among the ranks of the under-seen lurk some of the year's best efforts. Take these ten, which — by way of a limited screening season or lacklustre local box office performance — you may have missed, but we think you really should take the time to see. A MOST VIOLENT YEAR It has been a good year for Oscar Isaac. He's about to feature in one of the year's biggest films (that is, Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens), he made an unnerving impact in the best artificial intelligence movie of 2015 (Ex Machina), and he starred in a heartbreaking HBO TV series made by The Wire's David Simon (Show Me A Hero). But before all three, he teamed up with always exceptional Jessica Chastain in A Most Violent Year, a moody, '80s mob thriller from All Is Lost writer-director J. C. Chandor. The tale of an honest man corrupted as he follows his ambitions might seem familiar, but there's nothing that's routine — and plenty that's riveting — about this devastating dissection of the American dream. Read our full review. THE TRIBE Writer-director Miroslav Slaboshpitsky's first feature was always going to be a hard sell. The film runs for more than two hours without a word of dialogue, a hint of music or even any subtitles, with its characters — a group of classmates at a Ukrainian boarding school for the hearing impaired — communicating only through sign language. And it's not just a difficult concept; in an effort that becomes both violent and haunting — all the more so because it demands audiences pay the utmost attention to what they can see — it's also difficult to watch. Reports of fainting are widespread, but those who can stomach its brutal sights will find a movie completely unlike anything else they've ever seen before. Read our full review. LONDON ROAD When the National Theatre turned the real life 'Suffolk Strangler' case into a stage production, it probably wasn't expected. Adapting the play into a film shouldn't have been quite as surprising, but the results certainly are astonishing. Filmmaker Rufus Norris (Broken) teamed up once again with writer Alecky Blythe to bring the theatre work to the screen — not only telling the tale of the murders of five prostitutes that rocked England's Ipswich in 2006, but charting the media frenzy that followed and the reactions throughout the community. What makes London Road stand out isn't its narrative, though, but its approach. The words uttered by actual residents of the area, reporters covering the case and sex workers become a musical sung in stuttered bursts and choreographed in a highly stylised fashion. It also features a memorable performance by Olivia Colman, as well as appearance by Tom Hardy as a taxi driver. TANNA Two youths fall in love, but external forces — i.e. the wishes of their families — complicate matters. With that description, you're likely thinking about Romeo and Juliet — however, there's more to the first feature shot entirely in Vanuatu than simply following in William Shakespeare's footsteps. In fact, the film actually stems from a local tribal tragedy, uncovered by writer-director-producer duo Martin Butler and Bentley Dean after spending seven months living with the indigenous Yakel community, and then working with them to make the movie. Calling Tanna authentic is underselling its heartfelt account of the story, its impassioned performances and its arresting images — the latter of which makes the most of the South Pacific archipelago nation's lush greenery and ash-spewing volcanoes. GIRLHOOD With Girlhood, the third time is the charm for filmmaker Céline Sciamma — although, with the likes of Water Lilies and Tomboy also on her cinematic resume, the first and second times were pretty up there too. Her film might sound like a female version of Richard Linklater's 2014 hit, but even though it also serves up a coming-of-age narrative, that couldn't be further from the truth. Charting the tough times faced by 16-year-old Marieme (Karidja Touré) on the outskirts of Paris, the movie tackles maturity on the margins with a raw, realistic and intimate approach — and with stunning performances from the largely untrained cast, too. Plus, it ensures viewers will always feel fondly about Rihanna's 'Diamonds', which provides the soundtrack for the film's most striking scene. Read our full review. PARTISAN Trust a film about a charismatic figure that lures single mothers and their children into his cult-like enclave to have the same mesmerising impact upon its viewers. In relating the experience of the oldest boy in the commune, Alexander (Jeremy Chabriel), when he's deemed mature enough to complete special tasks, Ariel Kleiman's debut feature is the kind of movie you can't look away from — even if you want to. Partisan might be inspired by actual accounts of child assassins, but this is an atmospheric take on allegiance and rebellion, rather than an action flick. It's also the latest effort to feature a hypnotic performance by Vincent Cassel, who's no stranger to playing menacing men, but is rarely given a role so simultaneously threatening and understated. Read our full review. '71 The complexities and contradictions of war are thrust onto the screen in '71, and so is rising star Jack O'Connell. If both seem frenetic and anxious, that's understandable — the film recounts the terrors of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, as seen through the perspective of a rookie British solider left in unsympathetic territory by his squadron, after all. Director Yann Demange splices the two together with skill, his first-time helming efforts as intense as the movie's lead portrayal. If you thought O'Connell was good in TV's Skins, or in previous big-screen offerings Starred Up and Unbroken, prepare to see him blow those performances out of the water. Read our full review. LIFE If ever there was a match made in cinema heaven, it's the combination of Anton Corbijn and James Dean. Add actor Dane DeHaan to the equation, and you've got a movie that smoulders as much as its subject, all while peering behind the tragic star's mystique. Everyone knows that Dean was killed in a car accident at the age of 24 with just three films to his name — and while other features have attempted to give him the biopic treatment, capturing his allure is a much more difficult feat. With the same precision he demonstrated in his last account of a fallen idol, the Joy Division-centric Control, Corbijn achieves just that as he focuses on Dean's connection with Life magazine photographer Dennis Stock (Robert Pattinson). Read our full review. THE SALT OF THE EARTH If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Sebastião Salgado's efforts are worth several multi-volume encyclopaedias. Yes, his images are that intricate and informative — as they should be. The Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist has travelled the world for more than 40 years, snapping the people and places few ever see. Thankfully, the film that charts his life, work and impact is just as engaging and illuminating, as directed by veteran filmmaker Wim Wenders alongside Sebastião’s son Juliano Ribeiro Salgado. Don't take the younger Salgado's involvement as a sign of the documentary's sentimentality, however. Instead, he helps craft a textured portrait of a man who has dedicated more than just his career to taking textured portraits. Read our full review. ZERO MOTIVATION One of the year's funniest and most thoughtful movies sprang from an unlikely place: within the human resources unit of an Israeli army administration office. There, two pencil-pushing women (Nelly Tagar and Dana Ivgy) dream of something more — however, they're never unaware of their status, nor of the military side of their employment. You're probably thinking that Talya Lavie’s feature sounds like it wouldn't be out of place alongside other amusing yet perceptive looks at bureaucracy and war, and you'd be right. Blackly comic as well constantly subversive, Zero Motivation is a slacker comedy and a contemplative consideration of combat, all in one package.
UPDATE, December 4, 2020: Sound of Metal opened in select Melbourne cinemas on Thursday, December 3, and also streams on Amazon Prime Video from Friday, December 4. When Sound of Metal begins just as its title intimates, it does so with the banging and clashing of drummer Ruben Stone (Riz Ahmed, Venom) as his arms flail above his chosen instrument. He's playing a gig with his girlfriend and bandmate Lou (Olivia Cooke, Ready Player One), and he's caught up in the rattling and clattering as her guttural voice and thrashing guitar offers the pitch-perfect accompaniment. But for viewers listening along, it doesn't quite echo the way it should. For the bleached-blonde, tattooed, shirtless and sweaty Ruben, that's the case, too. Sound of Metal's expert and exacting sound design mimics his experience, as his hearing fades rapidly and traumatically over the course of a few short days — a scenario that no one wants, let alone a musician with more that a few magazine covers to his band's name, who motors between shows in the cosy Airstream he lives in with his other half and is about to embark upon a new tour. 'Heavy metal drummer loses his hearing' is the six-word way to sum up Sound of Metal, but that's not all the film is about. Ruben's ability to listen to the world around him begins to dip out quickly and early — a scene where he's driving is methodically crafted to convey to the audience just how out of the blue and jarring it is — leaving him struggling to cope. It's how he grapples with the abrupt change, and with being forced to sit with his own company without a constant onslaught of aural interruptions distracting him from his thoughts, that the movie is most interested in, however. Ruben feels a sense of loss and also feels lost. As the awards-worthy soundscape makes plain, he feels both cast adrift and assaulted. With apologies to cinema's blockbusters (which usually monopolise the sound categories come Oscars time), no other feature this year mixes its acoustics together in as stunning and stirring a fashion, and also bakes every single noise heard into its script, and its protagonist's journey, as well. Reluctantly, Ruben takes up residence at a rural community for addicts who are deaf; he's four years clean himself, but the turn of events has Lou worried. While he's in the care of the soulful Joe (Paul Raci, Baskets), an ex-soldier and ex-alcoholic with kindness seeping from his pores, Ruben must move in alone — farewelling the love of his life and their shiny caravan. Again, he's unmoored, even as he's welcomed in by other residents and the children at the school where he's taught sign language. Although Joe stresses that deafness isn't something that needs to be fixed, Ruben is obsessed with rustling up the cash for a surgically inserted cochlear implant. The movie's most telling sequence, though, comes when Joe notices that Ruben literally can't sit still or stand his own company, and tasks him with spending his days in a quiet room unburdening his angst onto a piece of paper. On the first go, he's so distraught and so desperate to escape his brain that he smashes a doughnut as if he was beating a snare in an intense solo. 'Intense' is the word for Sound of Metal, and for its decision to express Ruben's distress as immersively as possible. It's also a term that doesn't completely do the movie justice. Making his feature directing debut, and co-writing another screenplay with filmmaker Derek Cianfrance as he did with 2012's The Place Beyond the Pines, Darius Marder turns his picture into a masterful exploration and skilled evocation of the kind of anxiety that's drummed deep into a person's darkest recesses. Viewers don't just hear what Ruben hears, but also feel what he feels as he rages and rallies against a twist of fate that he so vehemently doesn't want yet has to live with. While the film specifically depicts hearing loss, it's so detailed and empathetic in conveying Ruben's shock, denial, anger and hard-fought process of adjustment that it also proves an astute rendering of illness and impairment in general. That's Ahmed's recent niche; in two consecutive roles in just the past year, the always-excellent actor has played musicians who are blindsided by their health and the impact of a sudden affliction on their future. This year's Berlinale-premiering Mogul Mowgli, where he steps into the shoes of a British Pakistani rapper with an autoimmune condition, doesn't just pair perfectly with Sound of Metal. Together, the two movies demonstrate how committed Ahmed is to telling such tales in a piercing, probing, visceral and lived-in way. Here, he learned to play the drums and American Sign Language. What resonates as persistently as the muffled buzz that replaces Ruben's ability to discern ordinary sounds, though, is how affectingly and attentively his on-edge but also vulnerable portrayal is attuned to the everyday grief that comes with his character's situation. Losing a part of yourself, whether it's an actual sense or the sense that you'll always be healthy, is dispiritingly tough. Accepting and making the most of that scenario is just as difficult. Being deaf shouldn't be considered a state that needs to be cured, as Joe rightly espouses, so Ahmed's powerfully physicalised performance shows the fight and fortitude it takes to get to that place mentally and emotionally. From the exceptional work of supervising sound editor Nicolas Becker (Suspiria, American Honey, Gravity) to the urgent, in-the-moment cinematography favoured by Daniël Bouquet (Elektro Mathematrix), every choice made under the talented Marder's guidance has the same outcome as well. Indeed, when Sound of Metal ends — not with a bang, nor a whimper, but with a quiet yet potent moment — it has taken its audience deep into Ruben's journey, made those on- and off-screen confront both specific and existential anxiety, and rousingly, movingly and sensitively challenged traditional depictions of and attitudes towards disability in the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFOrGkAvjAE
You can't beat a good sandwich. And Burnside, down on the big bend intersection of Smith and Gertrude Streets, has some great ones. They prove that sometimes there's no need to complicate things and recreate the dining experience. Sometimes it just is. That pretty much sums up the Burnside experience: simple food, good location, great coffee. The owners are a little bit like the A-Team of Melbourne coffee. Chris Handley, Sean Albers and Jona Gunn —from Cheerio, Brother Baba Budan and Seven Seeds respectively — know what they are doing, and have have brought their knowledge to the busy Fitzroy corner. The area is not in the least starved of good coffee, but locals seem to be flocking to Burnside just the same. Open from 6.30am weekdays, swing by for a Seven Seeds coffee on the way to work or while waiting for the tram. Croissants, doughnuts and pastries from Noisette are all available and sitting neatly on the counter until all gone, and muesli and and toast are on the menu too. But from 10am, you can get the sandwiches. Soft, fresh seeded or sourdough bread is filled with quality ingredients like veggies, tuna and olive, chicken, or pastrami and sauerkraut. You can take away or perch on the wooden benches and stools handmade by Jona. Add some low-key funk as background music, uncluttered decor and a few friendly staff, and there you have it — another quality coffee haunt for the inner north.
Doing your bit for the environment has never looked quite so good as it does with Frank Green's colourful range of reusable cups. The durable containers are not only helping to quash Australia's single-use coffee cup waste problem, they're also super stylish and beautifully designed. And you've got the perfect excuse to add a couple to your collection (or someone else's), when Frank Green hosts its first ever warehouse in Melbourne sale next week. Taking over the brand's Southbank headquarters on Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20, the sale will offer some very sweet bargains on a huge assortment of Frank Green products. Selling at up to 60-percent-off the usual price, you'll find items from the Stainless Steel, Original and Next Generation collections, across the dreamy 2018 colour range. With the cups usually going for around $30–40, you could score one for as cheap as $12 with the discount. For the uninitiated, those Next Generation products each feature an in-built payment chip that's linked to your Visa card, allowing you to tap and pay for that morning latte with your actual coffee cup. Very nifty – especially if you can scoop one up at a bargain price. Frank Green Warehouse Sale runs from midday–5pm Friday and 8am–5pm Saturday.
Melbourne's seaside suburbs had a bit of a foodie glow-up in 2024. Sushi Baby got a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Brighton, D.O.C landed in St Kilda, Southall moved to a bigger and better site in Hampton, and Moon Dog has announced it will open up a new brewery bar in Frankston. Bayside locals have cried out for more great places to eat and drink. And their calls are slowly being answered — with Hampton's Bang Bang being the latest to do so. The Bang Bang crew already has a site in Mordialloc, but they saw demand for a new location further out in Hampton. Here, fans of the original outpost can find most of the same dishes that span cuisines all over Asia — focusing on Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea and India. The kitchen is plating up prawn toast with tonkatsu and bonito; bao buns stuffed with 12-hour short ribs; a Balmain bug and pork larb; snapper ceviche; chicken satay served with roti; a beef cheek massaman curry; and a spicy fried Sichuan eggplant. Like most new restaurants in Melbourne, the menu is made for sharing, and the team offers up a chef's selection of dishes ($57.50 and $89) for those overcome by choice paralysis. Drinks include a stack of Asian-inspired cocktails, Victorian beers and cider, a tight selection of wines and sake, and a smattering of mocktails. The team even has a fab happy hour to entice folks over to Bang Bang Hampton. Every weeknight from 5–6pm, diners can tuck into $2 fresh oysters, a $35 raw tasting plate and a heap of $15 cocktail specials. Nabbing one of these deals ain't a bad way to give Bang Bang a go. Stop by for some cheap seafood and cocktails and see if you want to stick around for a flavour-packed pan-Asian feast. Images: Jessie B Evans
If Uluru's stunning Field of Light installation doesn't already have you planning a trip to the centre of the country, then the latest news out of the Northern Territory might — Litchfield Adventure Park, the NT's most popular national park, is getting a $12.1 million makeover. As part of the facelift announced by the NT Government, new areas of the 1500 square kilometre park will be opened up to visitors, including five new swimming spots and waterfalls, 40 kilometres of new four-wheel drive tracks and three new campgrounds. Established as a national park in 1986, Litchfield is located 120 kilometres south-east from Darwin, and is a particularly popular spot for day-trippers. Indeed, it's the Top End's most popular national park, attracting almost 370,000 visitors a year. The new addition — in the park's north, as reported by the ABC — expected to increase that number by 60,000 annually. At present, there's plenty at Litchfield to entice visitors anyway, including existing swimming holes, camping spots, picnic grounds, bushwalking tracks, scenic lookouts and more. A highlight for adventurous trekkers is the 39-kilometre Tabletop Track, which takes up to five days to complete, with camp sites along the way. For more information about Litchfield Adventure Park, visit the park's website.
Family-run Box Hill eatery Shaanxi-Style Restaurant is an argument for not judging a book by its cover. Behind an unassuming facade almost stereotypical of a suburban Australian Chinese joint, the authentic northwestern Chinese food draws in so many customers the family had to expand the original dining room into the space next door. As the name suggests, the food here all originates in the Shaanxi province in northwest China, where strong flavours of garlic, salt and onion are common. Try regional specialties like roujiamo (flatbread meat sandwiches), biang biang noodles and paomo, which is a lamb soup popular in the province's capital, Xi'an. If you walk away from Shaanxi-Style Restaurant with a bill of more than $40, we'll be very surprised, as dishes range from $3 for green bean soup, to $19.90 for the fried pork intestine with chilli; most of the dishes sit at around the $12 mark.
Spring has arrived, and with it comes the smell of fresh popcorn as starlight screenings return to Lido's Rooftop Cinema in Hawthorn. Perched atop the Glenferrie Road picture house, the outdoor screen will once again light up with a selection of new release movies in the open air — from Thursday, October 27. The 2022–23 Lido on the Roof season kicks off with Billy Eichner-starring rom-com Bros, plus sessions of Barbarian and the similarly scary Terrifier 2 and Sissy around Halloween. The Woman King and Smile help round out the rooftop cinema's first week, although that's just the beginning of the program. Also on the bill: the Harry Styles-starring Don't Worry Darling, coming-of-age tale Armageddon Time, much-anticipated Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the sleuthing Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and festive hijinks with Violent Night and Die Hard — with more titles set to be added over spring and summer. Always a hot ticket, sessions sell out quickly here — if you need any more motivation to get booking. Also, don't forget that the bar opens an hour before session start times for rooftop — and sunset — drinks.
For much of the past two years, Victorians — and Melburnians in particular — have been asked to stay at home. But when lockdown conditions haven't been in effect, the State Government has taken the exact opposite approach. With the tourism industry doing it tough during the pandemic, a number of initiatives have popped up to encourage folks to head out of the house on local getaways, with free money given away as incentives — and the new Victorian Travel Voucher Scheme is the latest. As it has done several times before, the Victorian Government is giving away $200 vouchers, this time to folks travelling anywhere in the state. This round was announced back in February, and will open at 2pm AEDT on Wednesday, March 23. And, based on previous voucher drops, and the fact that it's a first in, first served affair, getting in quickly is highly recommended. A whopping 140,000 vouchers will be made available as part of this $30 million round, all worth $200 each. You'll need to use them for travel this autumn, between Friday, April 8–Friday, May 27 — and, to get the cash back, you'll need to spend $400 on eligible tourism and travel related services, which span paid accommodation, tours and experiences. That means that, at most, half of your expenses will be covered; however, that's still $200 that you won't have to fork out yourself. You'll also need to book in for a two-night stay at a minimum — again, in paid accommodation. Also, these vouchers are being released per household (not per person), with one available to each across the entire scheme. [caption id="attachment_845440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peter Tarasiuk, Visit Victoria[/caption] As every initiative like this has since the beginning of the pandemic, the Victorian Travel Voucher Scheme once again has two obvious aims: enticing Victorian residents to go venturing throughout the state, and helping support pubs, hotels, wineries and small businesses. In the past, the vouchers have been able to be used on holiday parks, camping sites, cottages, farm stays, private holiday rentals, houseboats (yes, houseboats), winery tours, adventure tours and entry fees to regional attractions, such as museums, water parks and adventure parks. While the full rundown for this drop hasn't yet been released, there is always a hefty list of things that you can't spend these State Government vouchers on, too, including gaming, alcohol, fuel, food and drinks (unless it's part of a winery tour, for example), groceries, personal items (such as clothing) and transport (such as rental cars and public transport). So, you can't use the voucher just to take a road trip to a pub, for instance. That said, you can use it to book accommodation at the pub, then spend your own money on food and drinks — which will still make your trip away significantly cheaper. [caption id="attachment_837286" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] Again, getting in asap is recommended — when the first two rounds of vouchers became available, they were snapped up quickly, so much so that another 30,000 were released after the first set to meet demand. The third round also unsurprisingly proved popular, as did a separate batch just for metropolitan Melbourne stays. As part of a broad stimulus package to encourage Victorians to get out and about, and to pump cash into the local economy, more free money is up for grabs right now if you're eating out in Melbourne — thanks to the Midweek Melbourne Money program. Also on the way: a new $30 million entertainment voucher scheme for discounted tickets to the cinema, theatre shows, live music gigs and exhibitions, plus conferences and other events. It's currently expected to kick off on Tuesday, March 29. The Victorian Travel Voucher Scheme opens at 2pm AEDT on Wednesday, March 23, with 140,000 vouchers up for grabs for travel between Friday, April 8–Friday, May 27. For more information, head to the Victorian Government website. Top image: Visit Victoria.
Aussies are ditching the overdone, stuffy dinner parties of yesteryear and instead are opting for bougie elevated cocktail nights at home with their besties. We're socialising more than in previous years but, with the rising cost of living, we're looking for more economical ways of hanging out with our friends. One way to do it is to host luxurious cocktail parties at home. Are you part of the trend? Read on to get some tips to elevate your next cocktail party. CONCOCT THE COCKTAIL LIST You can't have a cocktail party without cocktails. To keep things easy for you (and interesting for your guests), stick with a single spirit for your shindig. Bourbon can be a foundation for many cocktails like old fashioneds, manhattans, whisky sours or highballs. Vodka is the basis for numerous cocktail recipes like a classic cosmo, martini, bloody mary or lemon drop. Equally versatile is gin with cocktails like gimlets, Tom Collins, negronis and, of course, gin and tonic on its repertoire. Aim to prebatch your ingredients and garnishes so you can spend more time socialising with your guests. One garnish can work for many cocktails. For instance, bourbon cocktails work exceptionally well with orange peel garnish. CURATE A MENU Tasty cocktails deserve equally tasty food. It doesn't need to be complicated, especially because cocktail parties are better suited to canapes and charcuterie boards. So crack out the cheese knives and small plates and set up grazing stations throughout your party space. You don't need to bust your weekly budget on ingredients. Stock up on cheese, crackers, cured meats, fresh fruits, olives and crusty bread. Don't forget dips and spreads, and you'll be golden. Keep in mind any dietaries your mates may have, and don't mix bread and crackers with the cheese and meat to ensure any coeliacs among you are happy. CREATE THE ATMOSPHERE What's a party without the right vibes? Get onto Spotify and create the playlist to perfect your cocktail party theme. Are you going with minimalist chic? Maybe you should load up on lo-fi beats. Are you thinking more of a luxe old-world vibe? Jazz is your friend. Or perhaps you're pushing a colourful midday sesh. If so, pop music should be on the tracklist. Depending on the vibe you are going for, lighting can make a major impact on the atmosphere. No one wants to chill with overhead lights showing everything. If you don't have dimmers on your lights, you can create a soothing vibe with fairy lights, lamps or candles — just be careful where you set up candles. To let your guests know the party is over, subtly blow out the candles and turn off the music. The vibes will be over, and so will the party mood. Keen to host a luxurious night of your own? We are giving our readers the chance to host a luxury cocktail party for up to 40 guests. Check out the competition here. Images: Susannah Townsend, Woodford Reserve, Getty Images
Maybe you love nothing more than telling simulated people what to do. Perhaps a fantasy universe is your favourite place to escape to when you're mashing buttons. More than a quarter-century back, virtual critters might've been your go-to pastime. The Sims, World of Warcraft and Neopets have all made an impact on the gaming world, and on audiences. All three are also scoring plenty of love at Game Worlds at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne. For five months between Thursday, September 18, 2025–Sunday, February 8, 2026, this video-game exhibition is shining a spotlight on 30 iconic titles — and making attendees feel like they're stepping inside some of them, too. Expect everything from original concept art and never-before-seen designs to rare objects at the Federation Square site's Gallery 4. Expect to get playing, rather than just peering, as well. [caption id="attachment_997872" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Electronic Arts[/caption] Although the full lineup of games featured hasn't been revealed as yet, they'll span from the 70s until now, and 20 of them will be playable. Demos, games from years gone by, trying to break speed records: they're all part of the setup, which will include international hits, new Australian releases and everything in-between. ACMI has staged major video-game showcases before. This is its third, in fact, following 2008's Game On and 2012's Game Masters. Since the latter, the venue has also hosted smaller gaming exhibitions, such as 2017's Code Breakers — where women in the industry were the focus — and 2024's Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition. Earlier in 2025, it celebrated 25 years of The Sims across one nostalgic weekend. As it regularly does with its showcases, the gallery will pair Game Worlds with talks, film screenings and other events, family-friendly activities among them. [caption id="attachment_997868" align="alignnone" width="1920"] World of Neopia[/caption] Top images: Blizzard Entertainment.
UPDATE, September 1, 2023: Aftersun is available to stream via Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. The simplest things in life can be the most revealing, whether it's a question asked of a father by a child, an exercise routine obeyed almost mindlessly or a man stopping to smoke someone else's old cigarette while wandering through a holiday town alone at night. The astonishing feature debut by Scottish writer/director Charlotte Wells, Aftersun is about the simple things. Following the about-to-turn-31 Calum (Paul Mescal, The Lost Daughter) and his daughter Sophie (debutant Frankie Corio) on vacation in Turkey in the late 90s, it includes all of the above simple things, plus more. It tracks, then, that this coming-of-age story on three levels — of an 11-year-old flirting with adolescence, a dad struggling with his place in the world, and an adult woman with her own wife and family grappling with a life-changing experience from her childhood — is always a movie of deep, devastating and revealing complexity. Earning the internet's Normal People-starring boyfriend a Best Actor Oscar nomination, and deservedly so, Aftersun is a reflective, ruminative portrait of heartbreak. It's a quest to find meaning in sorrow and pain, too, and in processing the past. Wells has crafted a chronicle of interrogating, contextualising, reframing and dwelling in memories; an examination of leaving and belonging; and an unpacking of the complicated truths that a kid can't see about a parent until they're old enough to be that parent. Breaking up Calum and Sophie's sun-dappled coastal holiday with the older Sophie (Celia Rowlson-Hall, Vox Lux) watching camcorder footage from the trip, sifting through her recollections and dancing it out under a nightclub's strobing lights in her imagination, this is also a stunning realisation that we'll always read everything we can into a loved one's actions with the benefit of hindsight, but all we ever truly have is the sensation that lingers in our hearts and heads. That aforementioned question arrives early in Aftersun: "when you were 11, what did you think you'd be doing now?" Sophie asks. A query that's been uttered many times to many people, Wells does indeed mean to get Calum taking stock, remembering his youthful hopes and dreams, and seeing the chasm between what he once wanted and where adulthood has brought him. She also wants viewers sharing the train of thought with him, in a movie that doesn't just feel personal in every second — the filmmaker has called it "emotionally autobiographical" — but gets its audience feeling that it is personal to them. That's a remarkable skill, making a piece of fiction drawn partly and loosely from someone's facts feel as vivid to you as if you'd lived it yourself. And, for 90s kids like Sophie, it doesn't just spring from the meticulous period detail in the sets, wardrobe choices, and 'Macarena', 'Losing My Religion' and 'Tubthumping' on the soundtrack. Consider Calum's quietly, subtly shaken response to Sophie's innocent inquiry — the unsettled look on his face momentarily, owning the brief but loaded pause, before he remembers that he needs a dad's reaction — Exhibit A among the evidence that Mescal is doing career-best work. The actor still only has a handful of screen credits to his name, scoring his Academy Award nod in just his third movie role. He's never been anything less than phenomenal in anything he's been in. Earthy and charming, gentle and fragile, stoic and raw, so wounded inside and so reluctant to share it, and sporting a vulnerable gaze and a cast over one wrist, Mescal is simply heartwrenching in Aftersun, however, as it keeps diving into Sophie's remembrances of her oft-smoking, always supportive, tai chi-practising, playfully bantering, tenderly doting but also silently depressed dad. Understanding why the adult Sophie is scouring VHS tapes and her mind's eye for far more than mere nostalgia involves doing what everyone on a resort getaway does: hanging out. Aftersun spends much of its time in the simple holiday moments, including by the pool, at dinner, singing karaoke, day tripping, and in Sophie and Calum's room — and lets these ordinary, everyday occurrences, and the details that flow from them, confess everything they can. With a blue hue, the film pieces together the pair's history along the way, with Sophie living in Glasgow with her mum, Calum based in London but hardly settled or happy, and this vacation a rare chance for the two to enjoy quality time alone. It also hears the instances where he's mistaken for her older brother and, not unrelated, sees her yearning to be liked by the older kids staying at the same hotel as they drink, banter, party and represent a step closer to her dad's existence. Mescal gets a tilt at Hollywood's night of nights for his efforts, but Corio is just as extraordinary — perhaps more so given that it's her first acting role. Watching the duo together is a marvel and, befitting the wistful sensation that washes through the feature about its central voyage, a rarity. Aftersun is sensual and dreamy in its structure and texture, elaborately constructed to look and feel that way, and anchored by two sensationally naturalistic performances and one sublimely authentic rapport. Everything about the picture ripples with a lived-in air: Mescal and Corio alone and combined alike, the emotions so tremendously conveyed in their portrayals, the genuine rather than fetishised 90s minutiae, Catatonia's 'Road Rage' and All Saints' 'Never Ever' echoing among the pitch-perfect music choices, and those flashes of hazy lose-yourself-to-dance reverie that include the grownup Sophie as well as her vision of Calum. Sophie, Calum and the inescapable aching that haunts both make an unforgettable trio, but Aftersun adds more names to that list, Wells chief among them. One of her great feats in penning and helming a movie that itself is a great feat is ensuring it resembles a flickering memory, complete with making it look and play that way — aided by cinematographer Gregory Oke (Raf) and editor Blair McClendon (The Assistant) — with its faded, glitching videotape aesthetic. Her sense of pace, feel and emotional storytelling, and her ability to build layers everywhere, is as engrained as Mescal and Corio's easy vibe. Her way with all the details revealed in all those small things, and with music drops that say everything (the use of David Bowie and Queen's 'Under Pressure' is majestic and dazzling) is as well. There's nothing tiny about the talents on show here, or the story shared, or one of the most resonant, intelligent and shattering final shots any film has ever managed. "Wish we could've stayed for longer," Sophie says before that. When Calum replies "me too", he's speaking for all of us.
You can never have too much gelato, or too many places to pick up the frosty, creamy dessert — especially when summer is underway. So, following that train of thought, Piccolina Gelateria has opened a new store. If you're keen for a scoop of its handmade gelato, you can now head to Richmond's Swan Street. Open since Monday, December 21, the new digs expand Piccolina's footprint to four Melbourne shops — because it's already a firm neighbourhood favourite in Hawthorn, Collingwood and St Kilda. In Richmond, you can get your mitts on the brand's desserts, including by the scoop and via frozen gelato cakes. Frappes, thick shakes and shaved ice granitas in three flavours are also on the menu. Prepare to go a little bit nuts with the chocolate and hazelnut, too. Like Piccolina St Kilda, the Richmond store does Nutella on tap. Fancy some whipped cream atop your dessert? The new shop has its own machine to let you get extra creamy. The new Swan Street store sports a Hecker Guthrie-designed fitout like its siblings; however, this time it's aiming for a cocktail bar-esque atmosphere. You'll stand beneath a handblown chandelier imported from Europe, sit at custom-made solid walnut benches, and get your gelato served from a front counter that combines grey Italian terracotta tiles with a grey terrazzo stone benchtop. Or, if you want to soak in the location, there's also seating outside. Piccolina Richmond is now open at 85 Swan Street, Richmond — trading daily (except Christmas Day) from midday till late.
Melbourne is filled with must-try places for a bite, but there's still nothing like a home-cooked meal. Alison Roman understands this. The Brooklyn-based food writer and chef may live in New York and have access to its thriving dining scene, but she's a big fan of eating in — and she has viral recipes such as #TheCookies, #ThePasta, #TheStew and #TheDip to prove it. Roman also has two cookbooks currently in bookshops, and possibly on your own shelves: Dining In: Highly Cookable Recipes and Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over. Come April in Australia, Sweet Enough: Desserts for People Who Don't Do Dessert will join them. To launch the latter, and to make her first trip ever Down Under, Roman is hitting our shores to get chatting about home cooking, those internet-famous dishes and why she adores her own kitchen. [caption id="attachment_752523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott, courtesy of Hardie Grant Books.[/caption] The viral recipe queen and New York Times-bestselling scribe will head to Melbourne Town Hall on Friday, May 5 as part of this year's Melbourne Writers Festival. In the Victorian Capital, she'll be talking with Benjamin Law, and expect her food newsletter A Newsletter and YouTube series Home Movies to get a mention. She'll also discuss her career and her journey to the dessert-focused Sweet Enough, plus everything from having her own CNN cooking show to releasing her first baking book.
Succession isn't the only Emmy-winning HBO show dropping its fourth and final season in 2023. Bill Hader's just-as-excellent hitman comedy Barry is also finishing its run when season four wraps up, and it's just-as-certain to be deeply missed. The reason is all there in the killer concept, and the phenomenal performances, writing and direction that goes with them. When you've got Hader (Lightyear) playing a military sniper-turned-hitman-turned actor, something special was always bound to result. If you've watched season three, which was characteristically spectacular, you'll know why things seem to be coming to an end for Barry in more ways than one. A show about an assassin trying to be an on-screen star in Hollywood can't keep its main figure away from the law forever. So, in the just-dropped full trailer for Barry season four — which follows an earlier sneak peek from HBO — the series' namesake is in reflective mode. "I'm really sorry. I didn't think it would end up like this. I am a good person — that is who I am," Barry tells himself in the new trailer. Everyone he knows seems to be taking stock, too, whether they still have their freedom or not. In this season, Barry is incarcerated, his mentor and veteran thespian Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, Black Adam) is being hailed as a hero, but this turn of events is clearly going to have consequences. That includes for his former handler Monroe (Stephen Root, Succession), as well as his ex-girlfriend Sally (Sarah Goldberg, The Night House). Is this where the killer-for-hire will be when the eight-episode season concludes? Will Chechen gangster Noho Hank (Anthony Carrigan, Bill & Ted Face the Music) somehow intervene? What's happening with Sally's career after season three? These are all natural questions to have about the show's return. Answers will start coming soon, with Barry season four set to start streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Monday, April 17. If you're new to all things Barry, Hader not only stars but created the show, has directed a heap of episodes, and also co-wrote others. The initial setup: when Hader's Barry Berkman heads from Cleveland to Los Angeles for his job, he discovers a previously unknown passion for acting after he stumbles into a class held by veteran thespian Cousineau. The catch? Barry kills people for money, and that isn't a line of work that you can leave easily, especially when you become caught in the Chechen mafia's violent and deadly dramas. Check out the full trailer for Barry season four below: Barry's fourth season will start streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand from Monday, April 17. Images: Merrick Morton/HBO.
Chicken has become one of most talked about topics in the culinary world this year. But unlike other passing fads (Nutella, we're looking at you), the discussion has been in many ways warranted. Because there's been a lot happening with chicken in Australia. There was the free-range egg scandal that saw significant changes to the way free-range chicken products are classified in Australia, and a new interest about where the chicken we eat comes from. Meanwhile, pundits have called out chicken — particularly rotisserie and charcoal chicken — as one of the biggest emerging food trends of 2016. Philippe Mouchel was perhaps the first chef to import and use a French rotisserie in Melbourne in the early '90s. Under the guidance of the three-hatted Paul Bocuse, famous for his contributions to the nouvelle cuisine movement, Mouchel moved from France to Japan and then Australia to open the Paul Bocuse restaurant. It was here that Normandy-born Mouchel first made his mark on the Melbourne fine dining scene. Having now just launched his new restaurant, Philippe, Mouchel has brought his much-loved rotisserie back to Melbourne. And along with it, the rotisserie chicken that shot to stardom at PM24, his previous short-lived collaboration with George Calombaris. So why has rotisserie chicken — traditionally relegated to suburban chicken shops (and always served with chips) — made a resurgence in Australia's fine dining scene? And why now? We have a chat to Sydney and Melbourne's top chook-cooking chefs to find out. IT'S ABOUT TRADITION Having grown up in a relatively self-sufficient family, a Sunday roast of chicken, duck, rabbit or goose — whichever it was that made it first from their garden to the table — was a way of life for Mouchel. "When I moved to Lyon, working for Mr Bocuse, we had a fireplace, and we used to cook the chicken that way as well," says Mouchel. "It is something you cannot forget, I think. And this is what I like to cook." "If you go to the market in France, everyone has their own rotisserie chickens," says Mouchel. "Everything about the process is natural, the potatoes and vegetables served with the chicken cook underneath it in its natural juices. "It is something that is very close to my heart and that I love. It is a fantastic way to eat I think because it really keeps in all the flavour." But it's also unique, Mouchel explains. Each region within France has their own special chicken from that area. "It's very easy to sell chicken," says Mouchel. "You can say, this is a chicken from Normandy, or this is a chicken from Bresse. Different chickens, different breeds, different prices and different tastes as well." For the ex-Momofuku chef who re-launched Sydney's The Paddington late last year, Ben Greeno, the French tradition took a similar hold over his imagination. "I spent a lot of time in France as a kid on holidays and stuff, and you'd always see those big rotisseries," says Greeno. It was these early memories of the French way of cooking and an opportunity to cook chicken a different way in Sydney that saw him install three gas-powered rotisseries in The Paddington's kitchen. [caption id="attachment_555619" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ben Greeno's chicken at The Paddington, Sydney.[/caption] IT'S A NEW OLD WAY OF COOKING Rotisseries these days are much more widespread than when Mouchel first landed in Australia, but even today very few restaurants use them all the way through the cooking process. But for Greeno and his new team, this was part of the challenge. "We decided we'd do it from nothing, from the raw product all the way through." This is why The Paddington, in Sydney's inner east, is one of many venues ruffling feathers. After undergoing a major renovation by hospo monolith Merivale, Greeno took over as executive chef and made chicken the star of the menu. It's his free-range Bannockburn birds that are drawing a crowd at The Paddington. Henrietta's Chicken Shop in Melbourne have taken a more Australian approach to the chicken shop. But with a former sommelier in Stuart Brookshaw at the helm, there's more than enough restaurant experience at the table. His emphasis, like Mouchel and Greeno, is on local and sustainable ingredients. Which extends from his choice of either Bannockburn or Milawa chooks, all the way through to his use of mallee root coals and native lemon myrtle seasoning. But that's where the similarities stop; Brookshaw uses an entirely different process to the French rotisserie method. Here the chickens are injection-brined overnight, rolled in a dry rub and spit roasted over smoke and fire. By contrast, in Mouchel's kitchen, mushrooms and herbs are stuffed underneath the skin, before the chicken is seasoned only with salt and pepper. "There's no secret," says Mouchel, "People think it's very complicated, it's really very easy. But you need a good quality chicken first." [caption id="attachment_581500" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Philippe Mouchel's truffle chicken at Philippe, Melbourne.[/caption] IT'S RESPONDING TO DEMAND FOR QUALITY PRODUCE The chicken industry in Australia has nowhere near the diversity of France or England, but, as Brookshaw explains, "If you look at where chicken is, it's exactly where [the] beef [industry] was about 13-14 years ago." Which is on the verge of something much bigger. About 95 percent of all chicken eaten in Australia is one of two breeds, says Brookshaw — and around 85 percent still comes from the major suppliers. But the trend is now that people are more aware and interested in where their food is coming from, which means more space in the market for small producers to exist. There are currently only two specialty chicken producers in Australia licensed to breed the famous Bresse birds from France. Prized by top restaurants for their complexity of flavour, the Bresse is a slow growing and much taller chicken, with a larger thigh and leg region than the standard broiler bird. At around $50 a bird wholesale, they're not cheap. But as a more fastidious market continues to prove, there is demand for organic, hand-reared and specialty birds in Australia. Chefs are embracing and taking advantage of the better quality produce available to them, and that's not just limited to chicken. "Like everything else, if you want to cook a nice meal then you need to use beautiful ingredients if you can afford them," says Mouchel. And while Australia may not have reached its peak yet, it's very much on it's way to becoming a more diverse and specialty supplier. "Chicken is the last domain in a lot of ways," says Brookshaw. And it's true — we already know where products like beef come from, so presumably, it's just a matter of time until the chicken industry catches up. And Greeno would tend to agree. "Ten years ago, in England, if you wanted to get a really good chicken you were very limited." Like England, it looks like Australia will get there eventually. [caption id="attachment_572031" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Stuart Brookshaw's chicken at Henrietta's Chicken Shop, Melbourne.[/caption] SO CAN CHICKEN BE A TREND? "Everybody keeps saying, 'why do you think chicken is this new hot trend?' And I probably don't agree with that," says Greeno. "I mean, is it? There're some guys in Sydney that have opened a chicken shop; there are some guys in Melbourne that have opened a chicken shop. But I don't see everybody doing chicken. Dan Pepperell is doing a fantastic chicken down at Hubert, but it's just a chicken. I was doing roasted chickens at Momofuku, I was serving them with fucking witlof and black truffle, but I was still doing chicken." Whether it is a trend or some seriously trumped up charges, some interesting things are happening with chicken right now. Perhaps it isn't the hottest new trend of 2016, but rather a slow growing Bresse that will come into maturity over the next five, ten or even 20 years. [caption id="attachment_567954" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Rotisserie chicken at Mercado, Sydney.[/caption] OKAY, WHERE DO I GET SOME CHICKEN? Get your chicken fix from any of the following good restaurants. Chicken breast rôtissoire at Philippe The dish that started it all. The Belair Club at The Premises Breakfast or lunch with a solid take on the classic chicken and stuffing sandwich. Charcoal chicken at Henrietta's New world charcoal chicken cooked with native ingredients. Don't forget the potato salad. The GLT at Bar Liberty The soon to be cult classic (a chicken skin sandwich) from ex-Attica staff. Rotisserie chicken at The Paddington French-style rotisserie chicken and late night chicken bacon sandwiches. Chicken fricassee at Restaurant Hubert The go-to dish at this bound-to-become Sydney institution. Spit-roasted chicken at Mercado A picture-perfect chicken available in half or whole. Top image: The Paddington.
This year has seen a lot of us spending a whole heap more time at home, and we can't think of a better excuse for a little domestic spruce up. Or, at the very least, a neat new rug to adorn your living room floor. If it is time for a rug refresh, expect to find some winning options among Miss Amara's huge three-week sale. The online rug retailer is dishing out deals with 15 percent off each of its three best-selling rug styles across three weeks. First up, its boho rugs, with designs like the luxe wool Camilla, are on sale from October 11–18. Then, you can nab 15 percent off minimal rugs from October 21–29, and score savings across the whole collection of tribal rugs from November 1–8. Having trouble choosing? Answer a few questions online about your space and your preferences, and Miss Amara's virtual stylist will help you find your ideal rug match. What's more, you can take your favourites for a visual test drive, thanks to the virtual room simulator. Just click the button that says 'See This In My Room' below any product, snap a photo of your space and see how well they pair. And to get even more of a taste, Miss Amara will even let you try a rug at home, with free refunds and returns if it doesn't tick the right boxes. As an added bonus, Miss Amara offers free delivery across Australia, too. https://www.instagram.com/p/CFrT2KLn0gt/ FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Spend a day meeting and greeting puppies at the Guide Dogs Victoria Community Fair. Not only will you be getting more than your fair share of fluffy cuddles, you'll also be supporting a good cause. The fair is all about sharing the world of guide dogs with the public. On top of meets and greets, there'll be chances to see puppies in training, watch puppy demonstrations and see first-hand the difference that guide dogs can make to people's lives. Plus, there'll be a live performance by singer Rachael Leahcar, who placed third in The Voice in 2012. Other special guests on the bill include Collingwood Football Club's Mason Cox, Carlton Football Club's Jack Silvagni, and comedians Anthony 'Lehmo' Lehmann and Dolly Diamond. In between all that, wander through market stalls, feast on local eats and check out Guide Dogs Victoria's world-first fully accessible campus. It's a game-changing space for people with low vision or blindness.
