Saying that M. Night Shyamalan's latest film offers an improvement over his most recent efforts isn't really saying much. After impressing with The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, and a little less so with Signs and The Village, the likes of Lady in the Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender and After Earth won the writer/director few kind words. The Visit seems to fall somewhere in the middle; however, in plodding towards his usual twist and doing so with a clumsy blend of shocks and laughs, it soon proves closer to his latter work than his former. Fifteen-year-old Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and her thirteen-year-old younger brother Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) take the trip of the movie's title, leaving their single mother (Kathryn Hahn) for a week with the estranged grandparents they've never before met. Upon arriving at the remote farm their Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) call home, the siblings find their elders a little odd, but are reassured that their eccentricities stem from their advanced age. When even stranger occurrences start happening at night, Becca and Tyler are convinced that something else is going on. To complicate what becomes little more than kids simply being spooked by creepy old people, pseudo fairytale-style, Shyamalan throws the current horror movie trend — found footage — into the mix. Accordingly, The Visit is presented as a documentary being shot by wannabe filmmaker Becca, with Tyler assisting with the camerawork when he's not rapping in front of the lens. Shyamalan's found footage effort is not a slapdash attempt to capitalise upon the current fondness for a certain subgenre of film — at least as far as the actual found footage conceit is concerned. The director never abandons his approach, and even weaves the consequences of a constantly rolling camera into the story. Expect bit players performing because they know they're being watched, just as Tyler does. Don't expect shots from angles that can't be justified in the narrative, just because they look cool. Alas, around the well-executed and committed stylistic gimmick sits cliche and a veering tone that colours everything that happens. Attempted frights are easily foreseen in the shadowy Hansel and Gretel-like offering, though thankfully Shyamalan's love of the supernatural never rears its head. The predictability of the script certainly inspires much of the guffawing that will echo around the cinema, though many of the feature's gags are intentional. Making a good horror-comedy is as difficult a feat as mastering found footage, but The Visit doesn't succeed in the first instance. Giggling at, not with, the film, feels like the more frequent outcome as bodily functions are mined for humour alongside the naked elderly form. And with the jump scares few and far between, comic moments aren't quite being used to diffuse tension. Australians DeJonge and Oxenbould try hard to wade through the wavering mood, turning in playful performances that brighten up the standard story, but being asked to spout dialogue about filmmaking technique doesn't do their characters any favours. Still, to say that the duo ranks alongside Shyamalan's handling of found footage as the feature's highlights is accurate — although, in the context of the complete movie, that's once again not saying much.
The team behind Peter Gunn’s new restaurant IDES must be really organised. Or really lucky. Or both. The ambitious new venue has slated its opening to coincide with the Ides of March — and while it was a disastrous time for Caesar, we suspect it’ll be rather fortuitous for the ex-Attica chef. Gunn, who's spent the last five years as a sous chef under the legendary Ben Shewry at Attica, is striking out on his own with his new Collingwood restaurant with seating for just 36 lucky guests. But it’s not exactly a big risk for him, as Melburnians have been keen on what he’s got since 2013. Gunn’s already put in the leg work for IDES via his monthly pop-up dinners at Persillade that he organised while working in the kitchen at Attica (kind makes you feel guilty about lazily ordering takeaway, doesn’t it?). They were booked out months in advance, and we get the feeling the permanent restaurant will be just as busy. Interestingly, the menu will retain the spontaneity of the pop-ups with dishes going unplanned until the last moment, which Gunn believes injects energy into the menu. The package clocks in at six dishes for $110 (wine pairing will be available for a little more moolah), which is extraordinary good value for a degustation menu designed and made by one of Melbourne's — and. perhaps, the world’s — best young chefs. Get on it now before it books up until the year 3000, because you know it will. IDES will open on Wednesday, March 16 at 92 Smith Street, Collingwood. They will be open for dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, and you can make a reservation here.
Have you ever dreamed of spending the night in a giant transparent bubble, with the twinkling stars in full view above you? Well, now you can, thanks to Bubbletent's Aussie-first inflatable glamping tent, which sits in a remote pocket of a working farm, between Mudgee and Lithgow. Overlooking the Capertee Valley, this hi-tech bubble tent has a zero carbon footprint. But while it's off-grid, it certainly doesn't skimp on comfort, boasting a plush queen-sized bed, cooking facilities and a separate bathroom area complete with compost toilet and a sink with pump water. There's even a telescope for late-night stargazing sessions from the comfort of your bed. Getting a booking might be tricky though — so good luck. [caption id="attachment_830260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] Images: Destination NSW
The team behind recently refurbed The Royce purchased The Lyall back in 2021 and immediately started planning its makeover. The vision was to make it feel less like your usual hotel in Melbourne and more like a series of townhouses or Parisian-style apartments all connected to one another. And they seem to have done a pretty bang-up job, achieving just that. Sat on the leafy Murphy Street just off Toorak Road, you could easily mistake it for yet another luxury home in South Yarra. It doesn't scream 'hotel'. This flows throughout the new space, designed by the DKO team, who've also worked on Archer's Restaurant at Marriott Hotel Docklands and Pullman Melbourne on the Park. The lobby feels more like a luxe living room than hotel, decked out with a marble fireplace, plush seating and views through to the Japanese Maple Garden. The 49 rooms and suites are clearly hotel accommodations — there's no getting past that — but the views over either the quiet street lined by homes or the internal garden do help it feel more like a mini apartment. Guests can choose from balcony rooms, a collection of suites that vary in size, and a lavish penthouse suite with two fireplaces and an expansive outdoor terrace. Each is decked out with dark-stained Tasmanian oak furniture, grey marble bathrooms and plenty of luxury amenities. Some even have deep bathtubs looking out over the street. Director of Interiors at DKO Michael Drescher notes how "the inspiration for this transformation is drawn from the idea of a European pied-à-terre, combining Australian and European furniture to create a blend of comfort and style. The approach exudes quiet luxury, emphasising high-quality, minimalist pieces that possess timeless appeal." This is further reflected in the hotel's restaurant and wine bar, which will be open to the public. Here, contemporary Australian cuisine will be served from breakfast through to dinner, accompanied by an extensive international wine list. Everything at The Lyall is fairly understated but clearly luxurious. The Lyall will welcome its first guests on Thursday, March 14 and can be found at 16 Murphy Street, South Yarra. For more information, head to the hotel's website.
As one big HBO series came to an end, another signalled its return, with the US cable network dropping the first trailer for Westworld's third season during the Game of Thrones finale. Say goodbye to dragons, fighting over a fancy chair and living in a medieval-looking fantasy realm, and hello to robots, flying cars and stepping outside of everyone's favourite futuristic amusement park. Say hello to Aaron Paul, too, with the Breaking Bad actor not only joining Westworld for the next batch of episodes, but also starring in the initial trailer. His new character was promised a better world, but this dream hasn't come true, so he's now searching for something real. Given how Blade Runner-esque everything is around him, he's probably channelling Jesse Pinkman and exclaiming "yeah, science!" more than once, too (at least internally). As the teaser makes plain, this season steps beyond the confines of the titular amusement park and into the world around it. That's as far as it goes, plot-wise, for the moment, but it's still revealing. While the show has always been futuristic, with its Old West-themed attraction featuring robots who are virtually indistinguishable from normal people, the third season appears to be dialling the sci-fi — and accompanying technology — up a few notches. Here, robots actually look like robots, except when Evan Rachel Wood's Dolores pops up. Now, the bad news: although Westworld's second season aired in 2018, the third season won't hit until 2020. HBO hasn't announced an exact airdate as yet, so watch this space. If a year seems like a long time between android dramas, remember that the first season of the show arrived 43 years after the Michael Crichton-directed movie that it's based on, and 40 years after the film's sequel Futureworld. If you haven't done so already, both are worth viewing while you're waiting for the TV series to return. Check out the first trailer for Westworld's third season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deSUQ7mZfWk Westworld's third season will air in 2020. We'll keep you updated with an exact airdate when it comes to hand.
Dust off your petticoat and get your doublets out of the attic, because London's historic Globe Theatre is popping up in Melbourne later this year — well, sort of. Pop-Up Globe is the world's first, full-scale replica of the historic theatre, which was built by Shakespeare's playing company and housed his greatest works. Melbourne's version will set up shop at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl from September 21 until November 12 this year. History buffs and Shakespeare enthusiasts alike will have the opportunity to soak in plays As You Like It, Henry V, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, and a special performance titled Around the Globe in 60 Minutes, which details the theatre's colourful history (it famously burned down in 1613 and was reconstructed a year later). It will be the first time the Pop-Up Globe has travelled outside of Auckland. With the round, 900-seat, three-storey venue, no member of the audience will ever be more than 15 metres from the stage, and all performances will be conducted without the use of mics, just as it was in 1614. Also keeping with tradition, tickets will offer the "groundling" option – standing room only, directly in front of the stage. Organisers promise that Pop-Up Globe won't host 'dusty' versions of Shakespeare — rather, performances will be more like a party.
The Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), curated by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory in Darwin, are annual awards for First Nations artists from across the country. Due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19, the 2021 Telstra NATSIAA award winners will be announced via the Telstra NATSIAA website — and all Australians can get to know the finalists and winners via a virtual gallery, which will go live from 6pm AEST on Friday, August 6. Each year, the awards celebrates contemporary artworks across a broad range of disciplines. Think paintings, craftsmanship, photography and textile works. There are 65 finalists from across the country, and what makes the awards so special is the diversity in storytelling; there are perspectives from coastal regions, desert towns, cities and everywhere between. For 38 years, Telstra NATSIAA has represented the art of the nation — culturally, geographically and historically, as well as looking to our future — with 2021 marking 30 years with the awards' long-standing partner, Telstra. For those who plan to visit the Northern Territory, you can also experience the artworks in person at the Telstra NATSIAA Exhibition at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory from Saturday, August 7 right through till Sunday, February 6, 2022. And it's good news for those of us who'd usually miss out on the awards ceremony, as this year's presentation (usually held on the grounds of the Museum) will be broadcast online. You can join host Rachel Hocking on Friday, August 6 to find out which artists have won by visiting the website from 6pm AEST. While you're there, check out the fully interactive, virtual gallery and chuck a vote in for your favourites in the Telstra People's Choice Award, too. Head to the NATSIAA website on August 6 at 6pm AEST to catch the announcement of this year's winners. Images: Charlie Bliss and MAGNT
UPDATE, December 23, 2021: Better Watch Out is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. The weather outside might be frightful, but staying indoors is far from delightful. Indeed, in Christmas slasher story Better Watch Out, the gifts and games are of the murderous kind. With his parents (Virginia Madsen and Patrick Warburton) heading out for some seasonal cheer, 12-year-old Luke (Levi Miller) and his pal Garrett (Ed Oxenbould) are left home alone in the suburbs with 17-year-old babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge). If you've seen any kind of horror movie, Christmas-themed or not, you'll know that it doesn't turn out well. Far from walking merrily through familiar territory, however, writer-director Chris Peckover and his co-scribe Zack Kahn have a few surprises in store for fans of festive thrills. Their teenage trio aren't exactly setting booby traps for burglars, but nor are they simply hiding out as a knife-wielding maniac wreaks havoc. Even before the weapons come out, things aren't exactly going smoothly. Luke is soon downing champagne in his desperate attempt to seduce Ashley, despite the fact that she's preoccupied with arguing on the phone with her boyfriend. Oh, and someone is out to kill them. Someone inside the house. If Better Watch Out was a Yuletide beverage, it'd be spiked eggnog: you think you know what you're getting, but after a couple of sips it turns out to be something very different. And while it's best for viewers to experience the movie's twists and turns for themselves, savouring the performances that go with them is heartily recommended. Miller (Jasper Jones), Oxenbould (Paper Planes) and DeJonge (The Visit) embrace their multifaceted roles with relish, playing to type before suddenly veering in unexpected directions. The three local actors are a boon to the US-Australian co-production, which is set in the States but was shot in Sydney. With found footage film Undocumented also on his resume, Peckover has clearly seen more than a few scary movies, and wears his expertise on his sleeve. Better Watch Out is filled with overt nods to genre tropes — but then again, aren't most horror films these days? Here, winking at convention heightens the tongue-in-cheek vibe, although it also occasionally proves to be a crutch. In some moments, the movie's meta-references are smart, inspired and laugh-out-loud hilarious. In others, they mosey a little too close to cartoonish, particularly as the story starts to wind up. But the film fares far better when it comes to its treatment of Christmas flicks, burrowing into the darkness behind the supposedly happiest time of the year. Toxic Yuletide fantasies, toxic domesticity, toxic masculinity — Peckover and Kahn find time to poke and prod all three amidst their nasty pranks, hormonal teens and festive tunes. For fans of horror comedy, Better Watch Out is one seriously warped present beneath the Christmas tree. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b88Z3Xa9v4s
For 38 years, the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) has been recognising — and celebrating — First Nations artists. It's the longest-running and most prestigious awards of its kind in the country, highlighting the enormous and diverse talent of Indigenous artists from across the nation. In short, it's a big deal — and now, for non-Darwin dwellers, it's become even easier to catch the exhibition, thanks to Telstra NATSIAA's interactive virtual gallery. On Friday, August 6, seven First Nations artists were announced as the winners for 2021. The awards ceremony was an online-only affair presented by journalist and proud Warlpiri woman Rachael Hocking. She announced the winners across seven categories, with each awarded artist sharing stories of culture, creation, connection, healing and Country through their art. Telstra has proudly sponsored NATSIAA for 30 years, making it one of the most enduring arts partnerships in the country. To celebrate this year's NATSIAA-winning artists — and Telstra's partnership — we're taking a deep dive into the seven artists' practices. Check out their stories — and their winning artworks — below. Then, see all 65 finalists' works via the virtual exhibition, and vote for your favourite online in the Telstra People's Choice Award. [caption id="attachment_821374" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Timo Hogan, 'Lake Baker' (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Spinifex Arts Project Aboriginal Corporation.[/caption] TIMO HOGAN, Lake Baker (2020) Winner of the Telstra Art Award 2021 — prize $50,000 Pitjantjatjara man Timo Hogan took home the top gong: the major Telstra NATSIAA prize. Represented by not-for-profit, Aboriginal-owned art collective Spinifex Arts Project, Hogan paints his Country and its stories. His painting, titled Lake Baker (2020), depicts the site of Pukunkura (AKA Lake Baker), a salt lake located between traditional Spinifex Lands and Warburton in Western Australia. The artwork tells of the Tjukurpa — the dreaming, law and stories of Aṉangu culture, when Aṉangu ancestors took the form of people, animals and plants who, as they traversed the land, formed the landscapes. For the Pitjantjatjara people, the land is an inseparable part of their identity. Today, Lake Baker remains an important, strictly men's site. In the work, this is shown through the Wati Kutjara Tjukurpa (Two Men Creation Line) as the two watch carefully as Wanampi (Water Serpent) departs his home and wraps his way around the lake's edge. Having grown up with stories of life in the Spinifex Lands and, later, visiting the lake with his father, Neville Niypula McArthur, Hogan paints it — and the cultural significance it holds — with authority. The site of Pukunkura now holds a strong paternal connection for the artist. Hogan says: "My father took me to Lake Baker, all around, rockhole and all. I know all these places...Millmillpa (dangerously sacred)."* Unlike the usually colourful works produced by Spinifex Arts Project artists, Lake Baker echoes those of lauded First Nations artist and Kukatja/Wangkajunga man Rover Thomas. It is a restrained, powerful — and deeply personal — work. *'Spinifex People Spinifex Lands', p.123, exhibition catalogue, ReDot Fine Art Gallery in collaboration with Spinifex Arts Project, July 28, 2018. [caption id="attachment_821380" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bugai Whyoulter, 'Wantili (Warntili, Canning Stock Route Well 25)' (2021). Courtesy of the artist and Martumili Artists.[/caption] BUGAI WHYOULTER, Wantili (Warntili, Canning Stock Route Well 25) (2021) Winner of the Telstra General Painting Award — prize $5000 Kartujarra woman Buguai Whyoulter is from one of the last generations of Martu people to leave the desert. She grew up living a nomadic lifestyle — travelling from the Karlamilyi (Rudall River) region and along the midsection of the Canning Stock Route — through which she developed a deep knowledge of Martu Country. She eventually relocated to Kunawarritji Aboriginal community, located in the Pilbara region on the Canning Stock Route, where she resides today. It was here that she was first taught to paint in 2007. Whyoulter credits senior artists N Wompi and N Nungabar as central to her artistic development. She has since become an important artist in her own right and is considered one of the most established Martumili Artists. She's also no stranger to the Telstra NATSIAA, either, having had works selected as a finalist in the 2019, 2018 and 2013 awards. The site of Wantili, a large round jurnu (soak) and linyji (claypan) near Well 25 on the Canning Stock Route, is a focus in much of Whyoulter's work. It is a significant site to the artist as it is close to her birthplace and she is a senior Custodian of the lands that surround it. Her work in this year's Telstra NATSIAA is titled Wantili (Warntili, Canning Stock Route Well 25) (2021), for which she was awarded the Telstra General Painting Award. The work has Whyoulter's signature delicate brushwork and is demonstrative of her intrinsic knowledge of and connection to her land. [caption id="attachment_821384" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dhambit Munuŋgurr, 'Bees at Gäṉgän' (2021). Courtesy of the artist and Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre.[/caption] DHAMBIT MUNUŊGURR, Bees at Gäṉgän (2021) Winner of the Telstra Bark Painting Award — prize $5000 For a Yolŋu artist, Dhambit Munuŋgurr is unconventional. Blue pervades her recent works, a hue you won't often find in traditional Yolŋu art. This is because it's customary for Yolŋu artists to use natural materials, including ochre pigments, to paint Country and the stories it holds. So, while she uses the traditional material of stringy bark (with its fibrous texture showing through the paint), her art is unique by virtue of using acrylic paint. In 2005, Munuŋgurr was granted special permission to use acrylic after an accident left her in a wheelchair and she found it difficult to manoeuvre ochre. She was the first artist to use blue at Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka, the long-established art centre in the northeast Arnhem Land community of Yirrkala. According to the National Gallery of Victoria, when asked why she loves blue, the artist replied: "because the earth is blue, the sky is blue and the sea is blue". The Yolŋu art custom Munuŋgurr does still follow is using art to reflect an artist's clan and Country. Her striking work Bees at Gäṉgän (2021) won this year's Telstra Bark Painting Award and is teeming with ancestral references. It depicts the sacred bees at Gäṉgän nesting in ironwood trees, watched over by black cockatoos and olive pythons. It is a visual representation of a conversation she had with her grandfather when she was a child. [caption id="attachment_821379" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ms M Wirrpanda, 'Untitled' (2021). Courtesy of the artist's family and Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre.[/caption] MS M WIRRPANDA, Untitled (2021) Winner of the Telstra Works on Paper Award — prize $5000 Ms M Wirrpanda was also a Yolŋu artist at Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka, and a respected leader of the Dhuḏi-Djapu clan of Dhuruputjpi in Arnhem Land. Her earlier career was spent painting Dhuḏi-Djapu miny'tji (sacred designs) that depict her land by following the traditional Yolŋu practice of using natural pigments on bark, ḻarrakitj (memorial poles) and yiḏaki (didjeridus). In 2012, she began documenting the lesser-known plant species she ate as a child through her art as a way to educate younger generations. It was these later works that helped Wirrpanda develop her own visual stamp. Her Telstra Works on Paper Award-winning work Untitled (2021) is emblematic of her unique style and visual language and depicts the act of collecting shellfish in the mangroves. Her choice of medium — fibre-tipped pen on paper — eschews tradition, but the subject matter maintains the Yolŋu belief of art as an expression of connection to family, Country and to Wangarr (the period of ancestral creativity). [caption id="attachment_821387" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hubert Pareroultja and Mervyn Rubuntja 'Through the veil of time' (2021). Courtesy of the artists and Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre.[/caption] HUBERT PAREROULTJA AND MERVYN RUBUNTJA, Through the veil of time (2021) Winner of the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award (sponsored by Telstra) — prize $5000 Western Arrernte-Luritja man Hubert Pareroultja and Central and Western Arrernte man Mervyn Rubuntja are prolific artists at Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre. Both are known for their vibrant, surrealist landscapes. Notably, Pareroultja took home last year's Wynne Prize for Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges, NT), while Rubuntja has been a Telstra NATSIAA finalist in recent years. Now, the pair have collaborated on Through the veil of time (2021), which was awarded the Wandjuk Marika 3D Memorial Award as part of this year's Telstra NATSIAA. Tjoritja stretches 161 kilometres west of Alice Springs and holds great cultural significance for the Arrernte people. In the art world, Tjortija was made famous by renowned artist A Namatjira. Now, Pareroultja and Rubuntja have reimagined the sacred site through their immersive, large-scale installation. The work is both commanding, due to its size, and fragile thanks to the delicate layers of watercolour on silk screen mesh. It signifies the site's importance and powerful cultural ties, and depicts an ancient landscape sculpted over time. For visitors heading to the exhibition IRL at Museum and Art Gallery Northern Territory (MAGNT), it allows you to walk within the layers of Tjorita, as if passing through time. [caption id="attachment_821385" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kyra Mancktelow, 'Moongalba 11' (2021). Courtesy of the artist and N.Smith Gallery.[/caption] KYRA MANCKTELOW, Moongalba 11 (2021) Winner of the Telstra Emerging Artist Award — prize $5000 As a Quandamooka woman with links to Mardigan of Cunnamulla and Vanuatu — and living in Logan, just south of Brisbane — Mancktelow's heritage is central to her practice. Her go-to method is printmaking, through which she explores her cultural history, traditions and identity. Represented by N.Smith Gallery, the artist just had her first major solo exhibition, Unsilenced, at Logan Art Gallery in June–July of this year. The show was an examination of the Blackbirding slave trade of South Sea Islanders in the 1860s, when tens of thousands of Pacific Islanders were taken to work on Queensland plantations, as well as a look at the ancestral ties that still hold. On her artist profile, she says: "The abiding theme of my art practices is bringing forth the untold histories of Australia, allowing for a greater recognition of the truth." A similar look at Australia's troubled pasts underpins her Telstra NATSIAA-winning artwork, Moongalba 11 (2021). The haunting etching depicts children's uniforms to signify Australia's assimilation regimes whereby children were forced to leave their culture, heritage and families behind. Specifically, her work depicts the uniforms worn by children under a strict missionary regime in Moongalba, which were made from Tarleton — a fabric traditionally used to remove coloured ink from an etching plate. With this, Moongalba 11 symbolises these uniforms as a means to scratch away colour. [caption id="attachment_821390" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pedro Wonaeamirri, 'Jilarti, Live performance of Jilarti' (brolga song), 'Pimirtiki' (feather head piece), 'Imeuja' (false beard), 'Tokwayinga' (feather ball), 'Tjimirrikamarka' (fighting stick) and 'Tunga' (folded bark bag) (2021). Courtesy of the artist and Jilamara Arts & Crafts Association.[/caption] PEDRO WONAEAMIRRI, Live performance of Jilarti (brolga song), Pimirtiki (feather head piece), Imeuja (false beard), Tokwayinga (feather ball), Tjimirrikamarka (fighting stick), Tunga (folded bark bag) (2021) Winner of the Telstra Multimedia Award — prize $5000 Melville Island-born artist Pedro Wonaeamirri was commissioned for the 2020 Biennale of Sydney. He has also had works on display at galleries around the country as well as overseas institutions such as the British Museum (UK), Commonwealth Institute (UK) and Kaplan & Levi Collection (USA). And, he has been a finalist in eight Telstra NATSIAAs. So it comes as no surprise that his collection of multimedia works — Jilarti, Live Performance of Jilarti (brolga song), Pimirtiki (feather head piece), Imeuja (false beard), Tokwayinga (feather ball), Tjimirrikamarka (fighting stick), Tunga (folded bark bag) (2021) — took home an award this time around. A member of the Jilamara Arts and Crafts Association since 1991, Wonaeamirri works within the strong Tiwi practice of pwoja (body designs) using a kayimwagakimi (traditional Tiwi painting comb) to continue and celebrate Tiwi tradition. He also works across many mediums, including natural ochres on paper, linen and bark, print-making and carving, using Tiwi palette of red, yellow, white and black, which are made from natural ochre collected on Country. His 2021 Telstra NATSIAA submission is a celebration of his people. Telstra is committed to supporting Australia's arts communities and has proudly sponsored NATSIAA for 30 years. Take a look at the virtual gallery and vote for your favourite artwork in the 2021 Telstra People's Choice Award via the website. For more information on the awards, check out our event. Top image: Timo Hogan, courtesy of the artist, Spinifex Arts Project Aboriginal Corporation and MAGNT.
First, you watch Rings. Then, your interest in the franchise quickly dies. That's what happens when someone unleashes a video no one really wants to see, right? If the Ring series has taught us anything, it's that unpleasant content always sparks a nasty end — and that's exactly what happens here. In a way, the saga's own rules explain why these movies keep coming, except for the fact that creating a copy is supposed to stop something bad from happening. In this case, it just makes things even worse. Odds are, you should already have some idea as to what this movie is about. Maybe you saw Naomi Watts in 2002's The Ring and its lacklustre 2005 sequel. Maybe you're familiar with the (superior) Japanese original from 1998, Ringu, and the numerous spinoffs that followed on from that. Perhaps you're even aware of the Korean remake The Ring Virus or the recent crossover with The Grudge franchise Sadako vs. Kayako. Point is, the premise remains much the same in every single one: unsuspecting folks press play on a creepy video tape, a phone call delivers a seven-day deadline, and the long-haired Samara (now played by Bonnie Morgan) starts wreaking havoc once time runs out. Finding a VCR at a flea market, college professor Gabriel (Johnny Galecki) and his student Skye (Aimee Teegarden) are the latest to let the unhinged ghost loose, turning it into a research project about the existence of the soul. Freshman Holt (Alex Roe) gets himself caught up in the mess, and is soon counting down the days as well. Enter his worried hometown girlfriend, Julia (Matilda Lutz), who decides to get to the bottom of the whole unsettling business. Wait, didn't the first two American Ring flicks involve a feisty female trying to thwart death by investigating Samara's background? Yes, yes they did. Doing the same thing over and over is what horror sequels are usually about, so the fact that this F. Javier Gutiérrez-directed effort retraces the same path is hardly a surprise. Indeed, there's basically nothing surprising about this film, other than Vincent D'Onofrio showing up to deliver some exposition. When you're trying to elicit scares, that's a problem. Cue the same tape and the same journey, shot in a style that makes the entire movie look like a digital copy of better material. A video-within-a-video of extra spooky visuals taunt Julia and company, and an expanded backstory tries to explain Samara's actions even further, but both just typify the filmmakers' underlying "more is better" line of thinking, and neither device manages to amp up the scares or the intrigue. Nor does updating the concept for the modern day. Seeing Samara on in-flight screens and smartphones, and watching people duplicate files rather than tapes, still ultimately smacks of more of the same. Even more infuriating is the fact that Rings is blatantly setting the scene for more unwanted chapters. That means that the 102-minute revisit isn't just a routine rehash — it's filler designed to work up a frenzy for something that might never actually get made. Keeping audiences hanging for future fare rather than bothering to really entertain them this time around might be common in an era of endless, interconnected superhero movies, but here, it's a bigger drag than Samara's limp locks.
If you've been saving up for an end-of-year getaway, eyeing a ridiculously-priced beauty gadget or simply getting a head start on holiday gifts, the Velocity 1 Point Rewards Store could hook you up. Run by Virgin Australia's frequent flyer program, the pop-up is stocked with hundreds of wishlist-worthy items — and the only currency needed is a single Velocity point. Earlier this month, Brissies and Sydneysiders queued overnight to get into the Velocity 1 Point Rewards Store pop-ups in the respective cities. And on Friday, September 19, the mystery gift carousel rolls into the Melbourne CBD — setting up shop at Bourke Street Mall, just a minute away from Mecca's triple-decker flagship store. The event has always been a crowd favourite, with the 2023 iteration drawing snaking lines down Chapel Street. [caption id="attachment_1024597" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption] At 8am, sharp, the door will open to a shopaholics' carnival. There will be a life-sized carousel of mystery rewards, plus claw machines and shelves lined with coveted Myer products. Everything is priced at just one Velocity point, and downloading the app grants you a hundred. Up for grabs are Dyson Airwrap multi-stylers, Wellcare LED face masks, Prada Paradoxe and Burberry Hero fragrances, Bose QuietComfort headphones, Virgin Australia flights and lounge access. [caption id="attachment_1024601" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption] Daniel's Donuts will be fuelling hungry hopefuls with free freshly-baked doughnuts and there's a live DJ set to keep the energy up. It's limited to one reward per person, and if you have any questions, simply approach one of the Virgin Australia crew members in their signature cherry-red uniforms and lilac neck ties. [caption id="attachment_1024600" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied[/caption] Loyalty programs are an underrated way to save money or score some sweet freebies without spending a cent — the modern-day version of coupons, if you will. Amidst cost-of-living pressures, the 1 Point Rewards Store is a reminder from Velocity that everyday spending adds up, and even your grocery runs alone could unlock unexpected treats. Velocity 1 Point Rewards Store will open on Friday, September 19th. For more information or to sign up for a membership, visit the website.
You're busy, we get it. You've got work to do, friends to see, grandparents to call and a pile of dirty clothes which won't wash itself. Sounds like you are in need of a refresh, my friend. And, no, that doesn't mean you have to find a new job, give up lactose or join the F45 cult — nothing that drastic. All it takes is a few little changes — some minor tweaks — and you can get a whole lot more out of your week. We've put our heads together with our mates at Coopers Dry to bring you seven easy wins to help get you inspired and feeling great all week long. [caption id="attachment_593141" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] MONDAY: EAT YOUR LUNCH AT A PARK After spending all morning staring at a screen, eating your lunch al desko can be downright depressing, or, if you get crumbs all over your keyboard, totally infuriating. With spring now in full swing, why not bundle up your tucker and take it to the park. Trust us, even a sad sandwich tastes better in the sun. Not only will you get a good dose of vitamin D, but taking the lunchbox away from the inbox can do a world of good for your mental health, helping you stay happy and productive all afternoon. If you're super keen, pack a blanket, cutlery and a thermos of iced tea and have a legit picnic — it'll feel like you're on a mini-holiday from work and that's a massive win. TUESDAY: BAKE SOME COOKIES Are you looking to win friends and influence people? Forget reading that self-help book, bake cookies instead. An offering of soft-centred biscuits can be a great way to fast track your relationships, whether it's with new colleagues, disgruntled housemates or noise-complaining neighbours. Just a simple plate of chocolate-studded rounds can convey a range of sentiments, from "sorry for downloading that virus on your computer" to "thanks for not shutting down my 3am kick ons". As well as filling the home with delicious vanilla and choc smells, an evening of baking can be highly therapeutic after a long day at work. As can eating the raw dough, a very easy win. WEDNESDAY: MISS YOUR TRAIN ON PURPOSE While it may ensure you get your toe in the door exactly on time, catching the 8.13am train to work can make for a pretty stressful start to the day. Lengthy queues, crowded platforms and people encroaching on personal space is enough to put anyone in a snarky mood. Instead, try switching up your commute and catch a less-packed earlier or later service. Not only will you score a seat for your troubles, but you'll also have a quicker trip. And, depending on what time you hop on, it'll be cheaper, too. Opal, myki and Go cards all offer off-peak discounts. THURSDAY: ENJOY BREAKFAST IN BED Who said breakfast in bed was just for loved-up couples or mums on Mother's Day — we can all get in on the action. Instead of sitting in the kitchen like a schmuck, take that fresh fruit salad back to your kingdom of cushions for the horizontal brekkie that you know you deserve. You don't need an excuse. It doesn't have to be a special occasion (Thursday is good enough) nor an elaborate breakfast, in fact, it might be a little easier on the sheets if you go for a vegemite toast rather than full-on egg soldiers. And, as a pleasant side effect, you might even find it's easier to get up in the morning knowing that there's always the possibility to get back in. FRIDAY: HOST A MOVIE MARATHON Need to unwind after an exhausting week? Nothing says complete and utter relaxation like a movie marathon. While you could always head out to a ticketed showing, what's even easier and cheaper is to host one yourself. Not only have you got the obvious trackie pants advantage, but you also get to choose what you watch or don't watch. That means you can enjoy all of the Star Wars films sans The Phantom Menace because no one needs to sit through that — pick and choose as you please. We suggest whipping out some classics, like Home Alone, Independence Day (trust us) or The Breakfast Club because everybody loves a bit of cheese. SATURDAY: THROW A POTLUCK PARTY Dinner parties are magnificent things. There's nothing more glorious than tucking into a homemade meal with friends, exchanging stories through mouthfuls of mash and enjoying ice-cold beers straight from the fridge. What's not so great is crafting the dinner party menu, shopping and paying for the ingredients, then spending your day cooking like crazy until you're too stressed out to enjoy your own flambéed crepes. To share the love (and cooking load), host a potluck dinner party, where everyone contributes a dish. It's a great way to experience a whole bunch of different cuisines and cooking styles. Just grab a case of beers, and you're all set. SUNDAY: DO A SPRING CLEAN No more excuses, it's time for a good old fashioned spring clean. Not only will you find a multitude of long-lost chargers, but you might even find your sanity along the way — you'll be surprised how truly free you will feel after untangling those cables. If you can't decide whether or not to keep those ski pants that've been collecting dust for the past five years, consider the KonMari method: hold the item close to you and ask, "does this spark joy in my heart?". It's a surefire way to get rid of any unnecessary items (which you should then take to a charity shop). Having a cold hard look at your hoarding habits might just inspire you to start consuming a little more responsibly, which is always a good thing. Pro tip: if you need a little bit of motivation, it never hurts to get your best four-legged friend involved. It's a proven fact that pooches help calm the nerves. So when it all seems a bit overwhelming, pause for some pats and break it down area by area. Kick off your 'easy wins' by enjoying a Coopers Dry, or two, with your mates.
If you thought the most colourful part of tramming in Melbourne was the language used by patrons on the number 86, you're only a little bit right. Thanks to a partnership between Melbourne Festival, Arts Victoria and Yarra Trams, eight trams will be transformed into moving pieces of public art on the tracks for six months as part of the 2013 Melbourne Festival visual arts program. Melbourne Art Trams, a revival of the popular Transporting Art program that ran from 1978-1993, is calling for entries from professional artists, as well as current tertiary art and design students, to decorate Melbourne's most iconic and widely viewed canvases. The winning artists will share the company of Australian creative legends like Howard Arkley, Mirka Mora, Michael Leunig, Elizabeth Gower and Trevor Nichols. No pressure. Just don't screw it up. Expressions of interest close July 5 and winners will be announced as part of the Melbourne Festival program launch on August 13, so you'd better dust off the Textas, sharpen your grey leads and try to remember everything mum told you about colouring inside the lines. Mosey on over to www.melbournefestival.com.au/trams for further details, and if you're a winner, we would like to receive some sort of recognition for telling you about it. A large gift will be fine.
Add Weezer to the list of acts that first made it big decades ago that are hitting our shores again, with the Los Angeles-formed alt-rock band heading Down Under this spring. Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Scott Shriner and Brian Bell will take to the stage in Melbourne as part of a whirlwind three-day, three-show trip — on Friday, October 6 at John Cain Arena. Expect the supremely cruisy, holiday vibe-heavy 'Island in the Sun' to get a spin, plus 'Undone — The Sweater Song', 'Buddy Holly', 'El Scorcho', 'Beverly Hills', 'Hash Pip', 'Pork and Beans' and more, all from across the group's three-decade career. [caption id="attachment_912637" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Murphy[/caption] Australia legends Regurgitator will warm up the crowd — another favourite that began rocking the airwaves in the 90s. Weezer love a bit of a nostalgia, at least where their Aussie tours are involved. Back in 2020, they were announced for the Hella Mega Tour's Down Under run, which was meant to hit the country that November with Green Day and Fall Out Boy also headlining. Then the pandemic hit, and the trio's successful worldwide combined gigs cancelled its Australian plans. Top image: Hunter Kahn via Wikimedia Commons.
There's little doubt luxe newcomer Jackalope Hotel was one of this year's most hyped openings when it launched in the heart of Mornington Peninsula wine country this April. Now, barely nine months on, owner Louis Li has already revealed plans for a second luxury hotel, his sights set this time on the Melbourne CBD. Jackalope Flinders Lane will take over the site of the historic Maria George building, with the 32-suite, 16-storey boutique hotel set to be designed by March Studio. Despite the urban locale, however, Jackalope's second iteration will follow closely in the footsteps of the original, with a focus on art, design, storytelling and dining. As such, while the existing Flinders Street property will remain, plans for the new build include the addition of a 10-storey 'minimal frosted glass box', and a rooftop 'cloud bar' boasting a cloud-shaped structure crafted from electropolished stainless steel wire. Jackalope Flinders Lane will also feature its own cafe and two restaurants, housed on the lower four floors. The whole thing is still subject to planning approval, with a intended launch date of 2020. Stay tuned and we'll let you know more news as it drops. Jackalope Flinders Lane is set to open at 175-181 Flinders Lane, Melbourne in 2020.
Sydney is now home to a dedicated Harry Potter-themed store. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to return to Melbourne's stage this year. It looks like a new HP-related TV show is in the works, and Japan is due to score a theme park dedicated to the titular wizard. Yes, if you're a fan of the wizarding franchise, there are plenty of ways to keep indulging your love. Another one is coming, too, thanks to Harry Potter: The Exhibition. If the name sounds familiar, that's because it has existed since 2009 — and came to Sydney in 2012. Come 2022, however, a huge new version will start making its way around the planet, in a partnership between Warner Bros Consumer Products and Imagine Exhibitions. This time, Harry Potter: The Exhibition will cover all things Fantastic Beasts-related, too, if that's how you've been getting your magical fix over the past few years. In total, the big HP showcase will span between 929–1858 square metres, and feature everything from props and costumes from the ten movies to-date to installations that recreate the world of the books and films. While exact details of what'll be on display haven't been revealed as yet, the exhibition is set to "present beautifully crafted environments that honour the beloved characters, settings and beasts seen in the films while exploring the filmmaking magic that brought them to life" according to Imagine Exhibitions' statement announcing the new tour. The company also advises that Harry Potter: The Exhibition will "celebrate the most iconic moments of the films and stories of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and the expanded Wizarding World". Just where it'll be heading hasn't been announced so far either, but the showcase will tour to multiple regions, including cities in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. So, you can start crossing your fingers that a visit Down Under will be among its stops — or saying "accio exhibition" as often as you like. For now, Australian fans can stream the eight original films as they've just hit Binge. And, for a refresher on how the movies wrapped up, you can also check out the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mObK5XD8udk&utm_keyword=referral_bustle Harry Potter: The Exhibition will start its world tour from sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Image: Warner Bros.
What has happened to that once glorious Hollywood staple, the romantic comedy? Even at its most saccharine, it was a dependable genre, the type that left you in a kind of terrible movie heaven of enjoyably unlikely plot premises, clueslessly fated lovers, and fairytale endings. Trashy, sure, but reliably trashy — carefree and frothy and silly. Beautiful people, overcoming mindlessly familiar cinematic hurdles and falling in love — it's comforting stuff for hopeless romantics like myself who get most of their life philosophies from Michel Gondry films. But a genre that focuses more on seduction and courtship and the happily-ever-after, bridal magazine moments eventually leaves viewers craving something a little more substantial. After all, anyone who lives in the real world knows that the real work in relationships begins at the point where rom coms usually end: the kiss, the wedding, the honeymoon period, the beginning. The reality and ridiculousness and complexity of relationships and sex and romance — surely this is the kind of thing that mainstream film should finally start getting right. That's why I Give It a Year should work. British director Dan Mazer has styled it as a renovated, thinking-person's rom com, one that starts at the wedding and explores the difficulty of staying in love. It's a worthwhile project, and one that The Simpsons creative director James L. Brooks has made into a career. Broadcast News, Terms of Endearment, and even the cruelly critically maligned How Do You Know? all subtly inverted the rom com rules by showing more realistic characters with more realistic relationships. And they were funnier for their closer collision with real life. Mazer has his work cut out for him by Brooks. Rose Byrnes' highly strung Nat and Rafe Spall's man-boy Josh are not meant to be — they marry too quickly and are obviously more suited to the two supporting characters, played by Simon Baker (on charismatic autopilot) and Anna Faris (on tedious autopilot. Why is she a thing?). But ultimately the film refuses to bust out of the conventional rom com template. Its plot remains face-punchingly implausible, its characters straitjacketed by stereotype, and its humour terminally planted in Mazer's familiar ground of extreme awkwardness and feeble frat-boy crassness. This is, after all, the man who produced Borat and Sacha Baron Cohen's other cinematic mis/adventures. Oddly enough for a love story, I Give It a Year fails to get to any kind of genuine emotional core for the characters or their relationships. Perhaps the highlight of the film is Rose Byrnes' wardrobe, a procession of pastel cashmere sweaters and tailored designer clothing this reviewer will never, ever be able to afford. Yes, Byrnes and Baker are lovely to watch, but it is frankly demoralising to see them wasting their presence on such an eye-rollingly unfunny project. The Office's Stephen Merchant is particularly misused given his considerable comedic talents. Despite its admirable aims, I Give It A Year is a 102-minute exercise in endurance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3UgPWKPDlvA
Grab your bowling ball and swap your bathrobe for your best purple outfit — The Jesus Rolls, the two-decades-later spinoff to the Coen Brothers' 1998 cult comedy The Big Lebowski, is due to hit the big screen this year. Instead of abiding by The Dude (Jeff Bridges), this follow-up spends time with John Turturro's Jesus Quintana, whose love of flinging gleaming balls down lanes means that he obviously isn't a golfer. Of course, if you still want to pour a white russian to celebrate this return excursion to the Lebowski universe, that's both understandable and warranted. Turturro not only stars, but writes and directs The Jesus Rolls, which was actually filmed back in 2016. Cast-wise, he's joined by a heap of familiar faces, including Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, Jon Hamm, Susan Sarandon, Christopher Walken and Pete Davidson. In addition to following Quintana's exploits post-Big Lebowski, The Jesus Rolls also acts as a remake of 1974 French film Going Places. As per the official synopsis, the picture is set joins its eponymous figure "hours after being released from prison", when he"pairs up with fellow misfits Petey (Cannavale) and Marie (Tautou), and embarks on a freewheeling joyride of petty crime and romance". And that's exactly what happens in The Jesus Rolls' just-dropped first trailer. As revealed last year, the movie will release in the US in March, just in time for The Big Lebowski's 22nd anniversary — and while plans Down Under haven't yet been revealed, start crossing your fingers. Check out The Jesus Rolls' trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLAmpku4fyg&feature=emb_logo The Jesus Rolls hits US cinemas on March 6, 2020. We'll update you with local release details if and when they come to hand.
It's about time for her arrival: Christina Aguilera's, that is, with the 'Dirrty', 'Genie in a Bottle', 'What a Girl Wants', 'Lady Marmalade' and 'Beautiful' singer heading Down Under in November for a one-night-only gig. Hitting Australia for the first time since 2007, the singer headlines Victoria's statewide music celebration Always Live, which is returning in 2023 for its second year after a successful debut run in 2022. Aguilera plays Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, November 25, in a show that'll also mark 20 years since her album Stripped. Not in Melbourne? This is a getaway-worthy show, given that it's the only concert she's playing on this Aussie trip. One of pop music's former Mouseketeers, the six-time Grammy-winner leads a bill that spans more than 165 artists at 60-plus events — all in Victoria. In other words, she spearheads a lineup that's designed to get the state's residents hitting up live gigs, and to entice tourists from the rest of the country to make music-filled holiday plans.
The Vegan Market is making its grand return this year — this time at The Edge and The Terrace in Federation Square. If you weren't able to make it last time, this indoor event promises vegan-baked goods, skincare, chocolate, grocery products and slow fashion. Dive into the flavours of top-notch vegan food trucks such as Woking Amazing, Purple Rabbit, Australian Cookie Empire, Bao Melbourne, Sfinci, Original Chai Co., Classica International, Nohadra's Kitchen, Mel Ethio Mothers Kitchen and Simply Lentils Super Raw. Adding to the vibe, a vegan DJ from Sacred Taste will be spinning tunes throughout the event. The whole family is invited to this community celebration of plant-based goodness. Rock up to Fed Square on Sunday, April 28 from 10am–4pm.
Award-winning theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh's incredible adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera is headed to Melbourne this November. His staging of the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber musical (produced in collaboration with Opera Australia) will see curtains raised at the State Theatre at 7:30pm on Wednesday, November 2 for the first of a strictly limited-time run. Given that the original musical has won over 70 major theatre awards and is so well-loved, it needs little introduction. However, for the unacquainted, it tells the story of a fictional masked figure who lurks in the catacombs below the Paris Opera House, terrorising all within. He quickly falls madly in love with a young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to fostering her talents — by any means possible. [caption id="attachment_875744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Phantom of the Opera Australia 2022 - Josh Piterman, Amy Manford by Daniel Boud[/caption] A seamless fusion of classic and contemporary, this new production features a thrilling combination of spectacular costumes, stagecraft and song (such as 'All I Ask of You' and 'Masquerade') brought to life by a few familiar Australian faces. Melbourne's own Josh Piterman plays the Phantom, Amy Manford stars as young talent Christine Daaé, and The Book of Mormon alum Blake Bowden brings to life the role of Raoul de Chagney, alongside an orchestra of 65 people — making The Phantom of the Opera one of the largest musical productions in Australian history. Opera Australia's The Phantom of the Opera is playing at Arts Centre Melbourne for a strictly limited time. With tickets on sale now, book them before you miss out. Images by Daniel Boud
When it comes to visiting a new city, it pays to have local knowledge. Without it you usually end up paying tourist dollar for shitty hamburgers, line up for 3 hours at the Louvre and get tricked into buying Chinese-made 'authentic' souvenirs. While you've probably visited the fine state of Queensland before, I'm sure you were quick to overlook the beauty that is Brisbane. You likely got the wrong impression that life's only a holiday for those on holiday in Whitsundays, and only tourists frequent Surfers Paradise. It takes one to know one and, we'll tell you now, our Brisbane has been experiencing a coming-of-age and it's hard to keep up with what's new, what's hot and what's not from one week to the next – so let us point you in the right direction. And heed this warning, Melbourne, this underdog is ready to (sun)shine. CENTRE: CBD The CBD is north of the river and would be a great spot to base yourself. If you like old stuff, pop by City Hall in King George Square. It's just reopened and you can take a free ride up the clock tower in the 1920's original lift. On Wednesdays the iconic Jan Power Farmers' Markets pop-up in Reddacliff Place, spruiking top quality chocolate, cakes, fresh produce, popcorn and dumplings among other things. For lunch, veer off Queen Street Mall and into Burnett Lane where you'll find Brew — a cool, but not pretentious, laneway bar, cafe and everything in-between. This place has a real urban feel and has perfected the art of both caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Further along Burnett Lane is Super Whatnot, an intimate bar with an Americana influence. Stop here and admire the letterpress coasters. If you want to avoid the predictable clothing chains, stick to the skirts of Queen Street Mall. The surrounding Adelaide and Elizabeth Street Arcade boast boutiques, designers and The Dark Chocolatier. Try the Turkish Delight hot chocolate, also good luck controlling your impulse here. Later on, walk down to Eagle Street Pier for views of the Story Bridge and dining like no other, stop for a drink by Riverbar, eat at Pony or hop a little further along to Customs House for fine dining. Go to: Eagle Street Pier, Adelaide Street, Reddacliff Place, King George Square See: Jan Power Markets, Queens Street Mall shopping, City Hall, Story Bridge Eat: Vintaged, Brew, Pony, Customs House Coffee: Brew, Pourboy, The Dark Chocolatier Something Stronger: Brew, Super Whatnot, Riverbar NORTH: Fortitude Valley, New Farm, Hamilton Further afield is what we locals fondly call 'the Valley'. While this entertainment precinct has a slightly seedy underside, it's also the place to catch a live gig, eat excellent street food and drink at some fine establishments. One bar to tick off the bucket list is Cloudland. This place has the wow factor, it's just like stepping onto a set of The Great Gatsby — the greenery and crystals of this massive venue scream opulence. From here bar hop your way through New York-style The Bowery, before ending up at Alfred & Constance. This award-winning bar/restaurant/cafe is more like five venues stuck together with a tiki bar upstairs, a New York-style subway bar in the bunker and restaurant, cafe and late-night dessert bar on the main level. Set across two Queenslander-style homes, this is the place to see and be seen. We hear its sister venue Limes Hotel has just added hot tubs to its rooftop bar ... better hit the gym now. Dining here can be cheap. For Chinatown classics head to The Vietnamese, Thai Wi Rat or King of Kings Seafood for a feast. For more variety try next door in New Farm, a hip suburb filled with 20- to 30-somethings at all hours of the day. It's also the perfect spot for breakfast — try Pablo or Shucked. Spend an afternoon at the Brisbane Powerhouse for a show and drink by the river. They have free comedy and resident bands every Sunday. The James Street precinct boasts great local designer shopping, a delicious gourmet food market and some great restaurants. Newcomer Gerard's Bistro was recently named in The Australian's Hot 50 restaurants and serves killer Middle Eastern-influenced cuisine. Another not to be missed is a cake from Jocelyn's Provisions, and the boozy high tea at Chester St Bread Co. If you want an adventure on the CityCat — and let's face it, taking a ride on the river is one of the best ways to travel the city — zip over to Brett's Wharf and visit Portside at Hamilton. After dark this complex has a cinema, handful of good restaurants and every Friday and Saturday night a street food market will be popping up based out of shipping containers. Go to: Chinatown, Brunswick Street, James Street, New Farm Park See: Local designers, Chinatown Mall by night, live music, Brisbane Powerhouse, Eat: The Vietnamese, Jocelyns Provisions, Gerard's Bistro, Harajuku Gyoza Coffee: Fifth Battery, Campos Coffee, Pablo, Shucked Something Stronger: Cloudland, Bowery, Alfred & Constance, Limes Hotel SOUTH: South Bank, South Brisbane, West End South of the river is home to our 'cultural centre'. We've kept it convenient with two galleries, two museums, the state library, digital hub and performing arts centre all in one place — surrounded by parklands, city views, stacks of good restaurants and our city beach to boot. Easy, huh? Californian Design has just opened at QAG, GoMA has the White Forest out again, The Illusionists are at QPAC and Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures is at the museum. With so much to see and do you can easily spend a day in South Bank, but you'll definitely need a pitstop. For lunch with a view, walk through the parklands to dine at Aquitaine. Closer to the arts hub, dine at Ole or South Side Diner and then cool off at Streets Beach (fake beach in the middle of a city, how Queensland) before calling it a day. Also on the south side is West End. You certainly won't find broadway here but you will find excellent Greek food and even better bars. For a cheap feed head to Little Greek Taverna — it might be worth booking as this place super popular. For finer dining stop by The Gunshop Cafe. West End is home is the very popular mega boutique beer bar Archive as well as smaller cocktail bars Lychee and Sling. Two fresh faces on the scene, The End bar and Jungle are proving their worth too, and Char Char Yiros does a mean late-night feed. If you walk by Avid Reader pop in for coffee and a browse, and Box Vintage and is renowned for good finds. Go to: Cultural Centre, South Bank Parklands, Grey St, Boundary St, Stanley St See: QAG, GoMA, QPAC, museum, Wheel of Brisbane, Streets Beach, Avid Reader Eat: Depo, Little Greek Taverna, The Meatball Co., Aquitaine, Ole Coffee: Merriweather, South Side Diner, Hoo Ha Bar, Two Trees Something Stronger: Archive, Lychee, Ole, The End, Jungle, Sling EAST: Woolloongabba, East Brisbane, Bulimba I'm sure you've all heard of 'the Gabba' but there's much more to this suburb than a few test matches in summer. Woolloongabba is both an antique hub and the place to come for breakfast on weekends. The closed-to-traffic street in the 'gabba five-ways' is home to top spots Pearl Cafe, The Crosstown Eating House and Baker's Arms, and, in the surrounding area, Brown Dog Cafe and Moose & Gibson also do great things with eggs. Besides the number of antique shops dotted throughout the semi-industrial area, the Woolloongabba Antique Centre is a hub of around 100 dealers with lots of retro goods and a cafe inside. Finish up with a fancy dinner at 1889 Enoteca — you won't regret the gnocchi. A little further east, Oxford Street in Bulimba is worth a stroll. When you're not dodging sporty mums with strollers there are a bunch of boutique shops and cute cafes to pop by. Further along from the main village, The Hawthorne Garage is the cutest grocer you'll ever see – with special logo trolleys and baskets to boot – and Bungalow 4171 do a sweet all-day breakfast. Go to: Logan Road, Oxford Street See: Woolloongabba Antique Centre, antique shopping Eat: Pawpaw Cafe, The Crosstown Eating House, Moose & Gibson, 1889 Enoteca Coffee: Pearl Cafe, Brown Dog, Pawpaw cafe, Baker's Arms Something Stronger: Foxy Drop, Canvas WEST: Paddington, Rosalie, Red Hill, Milton Paddington is a quaint inner-city suburb that feels anything but inner-city. Perching on the top of a hill, Latrobe Terrace boast a string of great shopping – op shops, vintage, antiques, boutiques, designers – with great cafes in between. The suburb, and, more importantly, the main street, is made up of Queenslanders — wooden weatherboard houses with verandas, usually on stilts — that make this place iconic. Cafe-wise, and therefore breakfast-wise, you'll be spoilt for choice. Try Kettle + Tin, Hamptons Home Living or Little Brew. For the twilight hours head to Caxton Street, it's fairly easy to stumble upon the city's sportsmad bogans here but, as with every coming-of-age, this street (Suncorp Stadium's favourite drinking hole) is going through its own renaissance period too. Statler and Waldorf has only just opened to rave reviews as our first gastro pub and next door is Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall. Order the house specialty – whisky and fresh juiced apples – start tapping your knees and enjoy the saloon atmosphere with chandeliers, velvet and taxidermy bears. Go to: Latrobe Terrace, Caxton Street See: Queenslander homes, boutiques, op shops, vintage clothing, cute cafes Eat: Kettle + Tin, Le Bon Choix, Hamptons Home Living, Coffee: Little Brew, Small Talk, Black Cat Books Something Stronger: The Walrus Club, Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, HANDY HINTS Buy a Go Card: they cost $5/10 for the card and you add credit. This gives you cheaper access to the bus, train and ferry network and every trip after your 9th is free every week. The card will allow you to catch the train to the Gold Coast, its theme parks or the Sunshine Coast too. In summer, bring a light jumper just in case but ditch the rest. In winter, perhaps pack one pair of jeans and a jacket. Look at Concrete Playground Brisbane's bar and restaurant directories for more eating and drinking.
There's nothing quite like a Saturday spent quaffing top-notch wine and gorging on cheese. Throw the spotlight on local produce and you've got something even better. As part of this year's MFWF, the locally focused Wine and Cheese Fest takes over Williamstown's Seaworks for one gooey, cheesy day by the bay, celebrating some of the state's finest cheese, wine and artisan goodies. Chat to producers as you indulge in a parade of free tastings, sit in on a couple of cheese masterclasses or even hone your squishing skills in the day's grape stomping competition. And there'll be DJ sets and live jazz providing the soundtrack to your epicurean adventures. Up for some extra indulgence? Splash out on a VIP ticket to score your fill of free-flowing local wine and cheese platters. Wine and Cheese Fest is part of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Check out more of the festival's events here.
Kewpie (formerly Bimbo) officially closed its doors for good earlier this year, with locals sadly bidding farewell to the site's legendary $4 pizzas and late-night parties. Fortunately, the site wasn't empty for long, as a new group of owners moved in to quickly gut the space and transform it back into The Punters Club — a pub and live music venue that previously occupied the building throughout the 90s. The new Punters Club isn't an exact replica, but more of an homage. Local musicians will once again take centre stage here, with a stacked lineup of DJs and bands already slated to perform free gigs well into October. Food, on the other hand, will be a significantly more elevated and playful affair. Head Chef Dylan Marshall is running the kitchen here, plating up classic pub fare with an Aussie twist. Get your tuna tartare served with a bag of Smith's Salt & Vinegar Chips, kangaroo schnittys with mashed potatoes and pepper sauce and a fillet of fish with brown butter and capers. South Melbourne market dim sims even make an appearance on the menu alongside a Lune croissant bread and butter pudding served with Pidapipo pistachio gelato. It doesn't get more local than that. Pair this all with tap wines (sold by the glass or in half-litre carafes), the venue's own draught beer, a selection of local and international brews, and classic cocktails. The team behind the bar says the renovation was a "labour of love," sourcing artwork, a pool table, vintage lighting, dart boards, an old-school jukebox and memorabilia from all over Melbourne to start a new era for the legendary venue. Let's just wait and see if it lives up to its former glory. You'll find The Punters Club at 376 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, open 4–11pm from Tuesday–Thursday and 12pm–late from Friday–Sunday. For more information, you can check out the venue's website. Images: Liam Neal.
At this time of year, it is easy to feel a bit out of sorts: the winter chill is setting in, the days are shorter, and hoards of pals are jetting off to amazing locations all around the world. However, there's plenty of fun to be had right here, no matter how dreary it is outside. That's right, Melbourne has other plans for you. There are spectacular shows exclusive to Melbourne — like & Juliet, the rollicking piece of theatre powered by bona fide bangers at the Regent Theatre until the end of July — local haunts with stellar drink lists and weekly trivia, and even a cast of penguins making a regular pilgrimage to the sand. There's lots to delight in, Melburnians. Start your planning with our eight-strong list.
With winter a short steam-breath away, it's time to embrace life in the longer, cooler evenings. This is the season for cosy conversations in dark corners, wearing many layers and indulging in a good shot or two of gin, the spirit of old world glamour and new world glitz. Bombay Sapphire's Project Botanicals pop-up knows how to do it, with creations like the Angelica Negroni and Liquorice Pontefract. The botanical oils and floral scents of a great gin are loving partners to spicy winter flavours, giving your tastebuds a sophisticated toast as they warm your flesh. Here are five of our favourite gin cocktails, some classic, some new, that will take your tongue on a tour beyond the familiar martini. RANGOON GIN FIZZ Toby Maloney's variation on the gin fizz switches the traditional lemon juice for a spicier lime, and kicks the cold out with a ginger snap. The title bows to the old British name for Yangon, a former capital of Myanmar/Burma, so best serve this when you're ready for political debate. 60ml Bombay Sapphire 22ml ginger syrup 30ml lime juice 9 drops bitters 5 sprigs of mint 60ml tonic water (the less sweet, more quinine the better) Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass. Top with the tonic, garnish with mint. Image: Smith & Ratliff. ROSEMARY GIMLET Contemporary gins come infused with many crisp flavours, with citrus being a prominent one. This recipe takes the classic gimlet, a mix of gin and lime (to ward off malnutrition, presumably) and thumps some complexity into its orange soul. The rosemary is a beautiful winter addition, harkening to roast lamb and crisp evening air, while possibly helping you remember the night afterwards. 45ml Bombay Sapphire 30ml simple syrup, strongly infused with rosemary 30ml tart lime juice 8ml orange liquer (blood orange is preferable for presentation) 1 sprig rosemary Shake liquid ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with rosemary sprig. Image: The Style Gathering. AVIATION This classic recipe was born on the streets of New York, around the time when the Wright brothers were first getting up off the ground. Excellent for the gin-shy, sipping this dainty number will warm your loins for some ragtime dancing, or boost your morale for the frosty dash towards the nearest vaudeville theatre. Add a splash of crème de violette for a sky-blue variation. 45ml Bombay Sapphire 22ml lemon juice 15ml cherry liqueur 1 maraschino cherry Shake with ice, strain into cocktail glass and garnish with the cherry. Image: Platings and Pairings. BIJOU Another gin classic that would like to have a few stern words with the martini, the bijou (bee-joo) is French for 'jewel' and takes its name from the three gemstone colours represented by its ingredients: the diamond gin, the emerald Chartreuse and the ruby vermouth. Knocking back a few of these will most likely end the night in a poetic swoon or a bloody duel. 20ml Bombay Sapphire 20ml green Chartreuse 20ml sweet vermouth 1 dash orange bitters 1 orange peel Stir in a mixing glass with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel. Image: Nightlife.ca. THE MONKEY GLAND So apparently people used to do whacky things for their health, such as surgically graft primate testicles onto their body. Possibly they were inspired by this heady concoction. Aside from hilarious tales of medical history, the monkey gland will hopefully provide you with effective protection against the common cold. 50ml Bombay Sapphire 30ml orange juice 2 drops absinthe 2 drops grenadine Shake well with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a monkey gland (optional).
"It's a shock to the system. It's a change to the everyday, regular routine. It's where the unhappy gene comes out — and it's a sign of the times today." That's the gloriously candid and empathetic Sandra Pankhurst on trauma, a topic she has literally made her business. Later in Clean, the documentary that tells her tale, she describes herself as a "busy nose and a voyeur"; however, that's not what saw her set up Melbourne's Specialised Trauma Cleaning. For three decades now, her company has assisted with "all the shitty jobs that no one really wants to do," as she characterises it: crime-scene cleanups, including after homicides, suicides and overdoses; deceased estates, such as bodies found some time after their passing; and homes in squalor, to name a few examples. As she explains in the film, Pankhurst is eager to provide such cleaning services because everyone deserves that help — and because we're all just a couple of unfortunate turns away from needing it. The 2008 movie Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) and Emily Blunt (Jungle Cruise) fictionalised the trauma-cleaning realm; if that's your touchstone at the outset of Clean, prepare for far less gloss, for starters. Prepare for much more than a look at a fascinating but largely ignored industry, too, because filmmaker Lachlan Mcleod (Big in Japan) is as rightly interested in Pankhurst as he is in her line of work. Everything she says hangs in the air with meaning, even as it all bounces lightly from her lips ("life can be very fragile", "every dog has its day, and a mongrel has two" and "life dishes you out a good story and then life dishes you out a shit one" are some such utterances). Everything feels matter of fact and yet also immensely caring through her eyes, regardless of the situation that her Frankston-headquartered employees are attending to. Sometimes, STC does confront harrowing and grimy messes that could be ripped straight out of a crime drama, but ensuring that the families don't have to swab up themselves after a gory incident is a point of pride. Sometimes, it aids people with disability or illness by playing housekeeper when they can't, or sorts through a lifetime of possessions when someone has turned to hoarding. There's no judgement directed anyone's way, not by Pankhurst or the crew of committed cleaners who've formed a family-like bond under her watch. It takes a particular sort of person to do this gig, everyone notes, and the group is as sensitive and considerate as their boss because most have experienced their own hardships. They can also see what she sees: "everyone's got trauma; it's not the demographic, it's the circumstance". Pankhurst's company and tale isn't new to the public eye, thanks to Sarah Krasnostein's award-winning 2018 book The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay and Disaster — and both there and here, the role she has played and the fortitude she has displayed while sifting through her own personal traumas earns merited attention. Mcleod keeps his focus on STC for the film's first third, aided by Pankhurst's frank insights, but the many layers to the business, its workers and its clients are paralleled in her own multifaceted story. Clean takes her lead, though; never within its frames does Pankhurst offer up a simple assessment of herself, other than saying she'd liked to be remembered "as a kind human being — nothing more, nothing less". As a transgender woman who was adopted at birth, grew up in an abusive household, married and had a family, performed as a drag queen, undertook sex work, survived rape and drugs, transitioned, and became one of Australia's first female funeral directors, nothing about her can be deduced to a few mere words. The raw honesty, quick wit and spirited sense of humour continues as Pankhurst mentions many of these details, largely in passing or onstage when she becomes a motivational speaker after health woes stop her from cleaning. It's due to her medical conditions that she's vigilant about staff wearing PPE on the job — Clean's naturalistic, on-the-ground shoot, with cinematographer Louis Dai (Hakamada: The Longest Held Death Row Inmate in the World) behind the lens, began in 2019 well before the pandemic. There it is again: that unfaltering, highly moving, deeply inspirational compassion for others, whether they're the vulnerable struggling or employees lending the former a hand day in, day out. Clean looks upon Pankhurst with as much industrial-strength humanity as she sees in the world around her, even one where "people die in horrific ways every day", but never smoothes away her faults, doubts, rough experiences or tough edges. Mclean and Dai both double as the doco's editors and, as they begin splicing Pankhurst's time away from the business together with her team's everyday duties across the feature's second two acts, a touch of movie magic does filter in. To provide a wider array of imagery for the film's two strands, Mclean adds a number of brief recreations of Pankhurst's childhood and younger years, and of reconstructed crime scenes. They're unnecessary, and also don't suit the already affecting and absorbing tone that springs from Pankhurst and her employees telling it plain but with brimming understanding. There's a tender tenor in Patrick Grigg's (Australiana) score, too, that finds a better balance. Those dramatisations don't jumble the film by any means; they're just superfluous. Another reason that Clean's reenactments don't sit well: the feature has such a wealth of narratives to follow anyway, including time spent with specific members of the STC crew such as Brian Gaciabu, Rod Wyatt and others. Pankhurst gets the chance to search for her birth mother, her health gets pushed further to the fore, and some of the clients that the company helps also get a glimpse of the spotlight. Mcleod could've made several documentaries or a series about the overall situation, and even simply about the no-nonsense but endlessly entertaining Pankhurst; that COVID-19 impacted his timeline is apparent. This energetic but thoughtful tribute still cleans up, though — and that it has its imperfections fits every tale that it unfurls.
UPDATE, December 16, 2022: Top Gun: Maverick will be available to stream via Paramount+ from Thursday, December 22. As dripping with jingoism, machismo, militarism and sweat as cinema gets — and there really was oh-so-much sweat — 1986's Top Gun was a dream of a recruitment ad. The US Navy's aviation program couldn't have whipped up a stronger enlistment campaign in its wildest fantasies. Even if it had, getting Hollywood's gloss, a star who'd still be box-office catnip four decades later and Kenny Loggins' second-best movie tune (slipping in behind Footloose, of course) probably would've felt like a one-in-a-billion longshot. But all of the above, plus a lurid sheen and homoerotic gaze, didn't make Top Gun a good film. Loggins' 'Danger Zone' remains an earworm of a delight, but the feature it's synonymous with took a highway to the cheesy, cringey, puffed up, perpetually moist and aggressively toxic zone. The one exception: whenever Tony Scott's camera was focused on all that flying, rather than a smirking, reckless and arrogant Tom Cruise as a portrait of 80s bluster and vanity. Gliding into cinemas 36 years after its predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick is still at its best when its jets are soaring. The initial flick had the perfect song to describe exactly what these phenomenally well-executed and -choreographed action scenes feel like to view; yes, they'll take your breath away. Peppered throughout the movie, actually shot in real US Navy aircraft without a trace of digital effects, and as tense and spectacular as filmmaking can be in the feature's climactic sequences, they truly do make it seem as if you're watchin' in slow motion. Thankfully, this time that adrenaline kick is accompanied by a smarter and far more self-aware film, as directed by TRON: Legacy and Oblivion's Joseph Kosinski. Top Gun in the 80s was exactly what Top Gun in the 80s was always going to be — but Top Gun in the 2020s doesn't dare believe that nothing has changed, that Cruise's still-smug Maverick can't evolve, and that the world the movie releases into hasn't either. Early in the film — after Harold Faltermeyer's famous Top Gun anthem plays, text on-screen explains what the titular elite pilot training program is all about, a montage of fighter planes kicks in and then 'Danger Zone' sets an upbeat tone; that is, after the flick begins exactly as the first did — Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Cruise, Mission: Impossible — Fallout) is given a dressing-down. Still as rebellious as his call sign makes plain, he's just wantonly disobeyed orders, flown a ridiculously expensive hypersonic test plane when he's not supposed to and caused quite the fallout. "The future is coming and you're not in it," he's told, and Top Gun: Maverick doesn't shy away from that notion. As its opening moments show, along with a touch too many other nostalgia-steeped touches elsewhere this sequel hasn't wholly flown on from the past; however, it actively reckons with it as well. Still hardly the navy's favourite despite his swagger, megawatt smile, gleaming aviators and unfailing self-confidence — well, really despite his need for speed and exceptional dogfighting skills in the air — Maverick is given one last assignment. His destination: Fightertown USA, the California-based Top Gun program he strutted his way through all those years ago. There's an enemy nation with a secret weapons base that needs destroying, and his talents are crucial. But, to his dismay, Maverick is only asked to teach. Given a squad lorded over by the brash Hangman (Glen Powell, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood), and also including Coyote (Greg Tarzan Davis, Grey's Anatomy), Payback (Jay Ellis, Insecure), Fanboy (Danny Ramirez, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Phoenix (Monica Barbaro, Stumptown), Bob (Lewis Pullman, Outer Range) and the frosty Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (Miles Teller, The Offer), he's tasked with training them to fly like he does, navigate a Star Wars-style impossible path that zips speedily at perilously low altitudes and, ideally, still survive the supremely dangerous mission. Yes, Bradley Bradshaw is a real name this franchise has given one of its characters. And, he's the son of Goose (Anthony Edwards, Inventing Anna), Maverick's beloved wingman in the original movie, whose death he hasn't come to terms with. Also, stressing that chip-off-the-ol'-block link via Hawaiian shirts, a moustache and a barroom 'Great Balls of Fire' singalong is among Top Gun: Maverick's clumsiest and most needlessly wistful moves — second only to its shirtless team-building beach football scene. Luckily, it's easy to excuse some such blatant nods backwards when interrogating why Maverick is like he is, what cost that's extracted from him and those in his orbit, and how he might climb beyond it is one of the film's main concerns. Plus, one of the feature's other blasts from the past, Maverick's reunion with his ex-adversary Iceman (Val Kilmer, The Snowman), couldn't be more movingly handled. Again, recognising that Maverick's heyday, and everything it instilled in him, has long been and gone proves as crucial in this sequel as those sensationally balletic jets swooping and spiralling above. Cruise's heyday as a mega movie superstar isn't yet behind him, though, and Top Gun: Maverick is also better for knowing that his hyper-committed showmanship is now rare. So, Kosinkski leans heavily on the Tom Cruise of it all — aka the spectacle that's a given when he's in action mode — while unpacking the Maverick of it all. That's how the film zooms deeper than the initial flick, especially into its protagonist, with screenwriters Ehren Kruger (Dumbo), Eric Warren Singer (American Hustle) and Christopher McQuarrie (the last two and upcoming two Mission: Impossible movies) imparting a convincing sense of human drama. Top Gun: Maverick still sports patriotism and militarism so thick it'd show up on radar. It's still sweaty, albeit not as much as the Fast and Furious franchise these days. And it still has a thin but charismatic romance, this time with Jennifer Connelly (who gets a winning music moment if you know what she was starring in back in 1986). And yet, it also faces the fact that flag-waving patriotism and testosterone-fuelled bravado are relics. Even better: while Top Gun: Maverick's exploration of loyalty, duty, camaraderie, bromance and facing your mistakes to be a better person comes second to its stunning aerial scenes, none of those themes completely fade from mind when the movie hits the sky. They're meant to up the stakes, and genuinely do. Indeed, Gun: Maverick's underlying emotions feel as authentic as the astonishing visuals that repeatedly defy gravity. With the latter, it comes as no surprise that Kosinkski's TRON: Legacy cinematographer Claudio Miranda does the honours, again delivering an astounding sight. Similarly, that such edge-of-your-seat sequences are stitched together by McQuarrie's Mission: Impossible editor Eddie Hamilton won't raise an eyebrow. Action cinema rarely gets more thrilling than this — and an action movie that's this visibly wondrous and entertaining, knows it's walking in familiar footsteps but puts in a bold effort to make this return trip mean something is electrifying and, yes, breathtaking.
This is a very dangerous place to be on payday. Housing all your favourite designers like A.P.C., Vanishing Elephant, and ACNE, Incu is every discerning shopper's dream. Founded in Sydney in 2002, this curatorial store has treated guys and girls to new designer goodies for over a decade now all across Australia. Focussing on quality craftsmanship and fashionable statement pieces, it's no surprise that Incu goods don't come cheap. Window shop at the QV on your way home from the city or commit to fully treating yourself. There's no better place to do it. Incu Women is also located at Chadstone Shopping Centre, and a second men's store is located at 274 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.
There are plenty of ways to spend the first day of the new year, including nursing the remnants of the previous night's celebrations and getting a head start on all your resolutions. When 2021 farewells us all forever and 2022 kicks into gear, US cable network HBO and Australian streaming platform Binge have another option to keep you occupied: watching the new Harry Potter reunion special. The show was announced earlier in November, and will reteam Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson — because it wouldn't be worth going ahead if they weren't involved. The reason? To celebrate 20 years of the beloved pop culture franchise on the big screen. The special's name, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, says it all. Yes, HBO is doing with all things wizarding what it did with the cast of Friends earlier this year, in great news for everyone that's been chanting "accio more Harry Potter" for the past decade since the eight-film series wrapped up. Like the Friends special, this one won't feature anyone in-character — but, if you're a Potter devotee, spending more time with the movies' stars still promises to be magical. Also taking part is filmmaker Chris Columbus, who directed the franchise's first two movies. Plus, a huge list of other actors from across the series are also involved, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman and Tom Felton, plus James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch and Ian Hart. You'll spot some missing names — Maggie Smith and Robert Pattinson, for instance, to name just two — but clearly there'll be a whole lot of HP cast members reminiscing about their time in the wizarding world. Whether you're a muggle, a wannabe witch, or someone who spent far too much of their childhood reading the books and watching the flicks, you'll want to mark 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1 in your diary — as that's when the special will hit Binge. In the interim, you can check out the teaser trailer for the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special below — or stream all eight HP flicks on the Aussie streaming service: HBO's Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts special will be available to stream in Australia via Binge from 7.01pm AEDT / 6.01pm AEST on Saturday, January 1, 2022.
Experience all the wine this region has to offer during Canberra Wine House Murrumbateman Moving Feast, a weekend-long, roving degustation celebrating local drops and producers. Presented by the Makers of Murrumbateman, the feast will take over the best vineyards around town over the October holiday weekend from Saturday, September 30 to Monday, October 2, when local musicians will hold concerts throughout town for Music Monday. Each winery along the trail will offer signature tasting menus, with each dish paired with a curated fine wine. Punters can choose between a $25 savoury or $20 dessert degustation, with wines presented in a specialised engraved glass that is yours for the taking. Throughout the weekend, visitors will have the chance to meet the makers behind these nationally and internationally recognised bottles, all while taking in the gorgeous rolling views around the region.
Did you promise yourself that 2022 would be the year that you make that long-awaited trip to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef? Well, now you can finally tick that bucket-list trip off your list — on us. To celebrate the launch of the Qantas Green tier program, Qantas Frequent Flyer has teamed up with the destination leader in sustainable travel in Australia — Tropical North Queensland — to give away an eco-conscious holiday to the tropical north for you and a plus one. The prize is valued at over $11,000 and includes all the sustainable travel trimmings. You'll start with return airfares with Qantas that are 100-percent carbon offset. Then you'll spend three nights at the luxe carbon-neutral Daintree Eco Lodge, a Qantas Hotels eco-accredited property. The prize also includes an eco-certified trip to the Great Barrier Reef with National Sustainability Award winner, Sailaway, an exclusive rainforest conservation experience at Rainforest Rescue with a smoking ceremony by a Kuku Yalanji Traditional Owner, provided by Walkabout Cultural Adventures, and more. To take things one step further, we'll also be donating $5000 to Rainforest Rescue to help the organisation continue its crucial work in preserving and conserving the ecosystem in Tropical North Queensland. So you'll be doing good while you have a very, very good time. Keen to nab this incredible tropical holiday? Simply fill out your details below for your chance to win. [competition]844390[/competition]
We're used to seeing bars specialise in just one spirit — Gin Palace, Studio Amaro and Mejico — or simply focus on wine, dark spirits or beers. But rum and champagne? For us, that's a new and unlikely pairing. Yet for Huw Griffiths (Union Electric), these boozy bevs are meant to be together. He believes this so strongly that he has set up Lola Belle on Fitzroy's Brunswick Street, a cosy new bar that champions both champagne and sugarcane. In the back bar, you'll find one of Australia's largest collections of rum, which the team will gladly help you explore. There is a strong focus on terroir, highlighting unique flavour profiles from rums all over the world. But those who don't take their rum straight need not worry. Rum-based cocktails also feature here in spades, with a particular focus on daiquiris. Right now, there are three variations on the menu, including one made with light rum, another with dark rum and a third that features acid-adjusted grapefruit juice. "We want people to order their daiquiri like they order a martini – to know the style they like," Griffiths explains. Lola Belle also features an extensive champagne selection. We're not sure how mixing these two drinks throughout the night will pan out, but you're more than welcome to give it a go and let us know how you feel the next day. Pair your pour with simple eats like fresh oysters, and cheese and meat boards. This is a bar, first and foremost, so don't expect food to be plentiful or particularly lavish. You come here for the drinks, choosing to dine out in the area either before or after hitting Lola Belle. You'll find Lola Belle at 233 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, open 4–11pm from Monday–Thursday, 12pm–1am on Friday and Saturday, and 12–11pm on Sunday. For more details, visit the venue's website.
We all like ice cream, but sometimes, the occasion calls for something other than everyone's favourite sweet treat. Maybe it's too cold? Maybe you already have an ice cream headache? Maybe Gelato Messina is closed, or just not in the immediate vicinity? Enter the food mashup that had to happen, really — and a concoction straight out of every gelato and biscuit lover's dreams. If you're a fan of Tim Tams smashed, crushed or placed atop scoops of creamy goodness, then you're sure to be fond of their exact opposite: those iconic chocolate rectangles in Gelato Messina flavours. Due in stores around the country from February 6, the Gelato Messina Tim Tam range will come in four styles: choc mint, salted caramel and vanilla, coconut and lychee, and black forest. The collaboration came about after Arnotts, the folks behind the bikkies, got in touch with the ice cream makers. ""It was a new challenge for us — making a gelato is one thing — and making a biscuit that tastes like that gelato is another," said Gelato Messina co-founder Declan Lee. Making this tastebud-tempting news even better is the fact that, like all Tim Tams, they'll be sold in supermarkets everywhere. Yes, that means more Messina goodness more often. The biscuits are expected to set hungry shoppers back $3.65 per packed. Come on, you know you're going to buy more than one.
Geelong's waterfront playground is the only place to be when the sun is shining. Built in the 1930s, it's as popular today as it was nearly a century ago, and it's not hard to see why — the beachside reserve boasts lush green areas with barbecue facilities and undercover picnic tables, a historic fountain, public artworks and the city's famous ferris wheel. The centrepiece is the semi-circular, double-platform wooden promenade, one of Geelong's most recognisable sites. The 200-metre boardwalk encloses more than eight acres of seawater, and also features diving towers, slides and swimming pontoons, making it an ideal spot for a day by the water.
With yet another Monday looming large, Sunday afternoons can sometimes feel like a bit of a bummer — but not for much longer. We've found a surefire mood-booster to help you end your weekend on a high note, involving free (and delicious) cheese. From Sunday, April 11, Richmond's Ugly Duckling is kicking off the latest round of its ever-popular Wine and Cheese Sundays sessions, and inviting you to squash those inevitable Sunday blues with a good old-fashioned grazing session. Pop in between 3–7pm each weekend, and you'll also score a complimentary cheese plate when you purchase any bottle of wine. Cheese-wise, you can choose between quality creations like a Spanish manchego, Le Delice des Cremier, the Colston Bassett stilton blue or Castel Regio taleggio — each served with classic accompaniments including fig paste, lavosh biscuits and fresh apple slices. Of course, if you fancy amping up the indulgence factor, there's always the option to add on extra serves of cheese. Plus, there's a cracking cocktail list for those who'd like to linger even longer.
Wine — a four-letter word that can open up a whole world of possibilities. Yep, learning about wine (and, of course, drinking it) brings up fun facts about travel, food, agriculture, history, science and more. But, if your eyes glaze over when you peruse the shelves at your local bottle-o — or you think carbonic maceration is the name of a heavy metal band — we've got five easy (and not boring) ways for you to up your vino knowledge. To do so, we've teamed up with online wine retailer Vinomofo. If you've ever felt out-of-place when your uncle talks about terroirs and tannins, you'll soon be sneaking "did you know that the pressure in a bottle of champagne is about the same as in a semi-trailer tyre?" into everyday conversation. [caption id="attachment_787704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Klook[/caption] GO ON A GUIDED TOUR IN AN AWARD-WINNING WINE REGION Let's start with a fun one: wine tours. In Australia, we have over 100 different grape varieties grown across 65 distinct regions. So if you prefer hands-on learning, there are plenty of incredible and award-winning vineyards right on your back doorstep. Klook's big red bus tour of the Hunter Valley in NSW and Daylesford Wine Tours, which runs day tours of Victoria's wine regions, are both great ways to experience wine with the winemakers in an up-close setting. Not to mention they're a good excuse to get out of the city for a weekend getaway. GET SCHOOLED BY THE EXPERTS Thanks to last year's unprecedented times, there are now many options available to people who want to learn about wine, either online or in person. Sydney Wine Academy (TAFE) hosts online wine courses that are accessible nationwide, including wine sensory evaluation bootcamps and courses on mastering wine from Australia and New Zealand. Or, you can opt for a 25-minute private virtual wine tasting with Handpicked, where you'll be guided through three to six of its drops in the comfort of your own home. Otherwise, join in a Wine School event with legendary Sydney sommelier and owner of Fix Wine Bar, Stuart Knox. [caption id="attachment_768003" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bibo[/caption] HEAD TO A WINE-THEMED EVENT Even when the source material seems a little dense, learning about wine should be fun. Enter Grapes of Mirth by way of comedian and radio personality Merrick Watts and event manager Jason Nikolas. The comedy and wine festival travels around the country and is designed to bring conversation, laughter and fun into wine regions. We also recommend keeping an eye on what's happening in your local area for specialised wine events, such as like Sydney restaurant Bibo's wine trivia nights, The Ugly Duckling's Wine and Cheese Sundays in Melbourne and a bubbles and oyster pop-up at Brisbane's Cloudland. READ, READ AND READ SOME MORE Even professional wine lovers need help sometimes. Thankfully, there's no shortage of fantastic resources you can turn to when you want to know what's going on in the world of wine. Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz is considered a staple for any wine nerd, while Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack's Wine Folly is a fantastic book for beginners wanting to understand the ins and outs of where, when and how wine is made (the infographics are second to none). More recent titles like Wine All the Time by Marissa A. Ross and Which Wine When by Bert Blaze and Claire Strickett are excellent resources to have on hand when you want to know what wines work with burgers or when to use a decanter. GET YOURSELF A PERSONALISED WINE SERVICE For those who have no idea where to start, Vinomofo has your back thanks to its curated selection of wines. The in-house buying team carefully chooses the wine to guarantee quality and exciting vino across the website. The online wine slinger also has a superb selection of mixed cases to help you go on an adventure to find out what wine styles you might like. For those wanting a little extra hand-holding, you can jump online or on the phone to have a one-on-one chat with Vinomofo's wine dealers, who'll guide you to your next drop. And, not that you need anymore convincing, but right now Vinomofo is celebrating its tenth lap around the sun with its biggest giveaway ever. From Monday, April 12 through to Tuesday, April 20, you can buy any wine online and go in the running to win $1000 wine credit, with one winner drawn every day over the course of the promotion. That's a lot of dollars to put towards your wine knowledge journey. Vinomofo's Birthday Week runs from Monday April 12–Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Head to the website and buy any wine and you'll go in the running to win a $1000 wine credit. See terms and conditions here. New to Vinomofo? Enter code VINO to get $30 off your first order plus free shipping.
Sweet tooths, beware — it just got a whole lot easier for you to get your hands on Mörk Chocolate's dreamy creations. As well as continuing to stock the shelves of their North Melbourne cafe with baked delights, the team behind the acclaimed chocolate brew house has also launched its own wholesale cake company. Dubbed Söt by Mörk, it'll supply a new range of artisan treats to all Market Lane cafes (Collins Street, Queen Victoria Market and Prahran Market) and the CBD's Patricia Coffee Brewers, with more stockists added to the list in coming weeks. To help bring this chocolatey project to life, Mörk founder and head chocolatier Josefin Zernell has pulled together a crack team of pastry wizards, whose collective resume includes the likes of Vue De Monde, Cutler & Co and the UK's Fat Duck. In true Mörk form, the new line of cake cabinet additions will be entirely chocolate and cacao-based. Keep an eye out for old favourites like the single-origin Madagascan brownie and that decadent twice-baked chocolate cake, alongside plenty of crafty new creations.
See Cate Blanchett take on 13 roles in one, in a brand new exhibition at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Co-commissioned by ACMI in partnership with the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin and the Sprengel Museum in Hanover, Manifesto is a bold new multichannel work from celebrated German artist Julian Rosefeldt, with the Oscar-winning screen star at its centre. Housed at ACMI from December until March, Rosefeldt's installation will question the role of the artist today, drawing on the philosophies of numerous pre-eminent artists, including writer Andre Breton, sculptor Claes Oldenberg and filmmaker Jim Jarmusch. From these sources, Rosefeldt has crafted a collage of artistic manifestos, which Blanchett will then articulate through the guise of various characters, including a school teacher, a newsreader, a homeless man and a puppeteer.
There's only one way to escape — and we mean really escape — in today's continuously connected world, and that's travelling far beyond the reach of text messages, emails, Facebook notifications and the stresses of modern life. The good news is, you don't have to go all the way to the depths of the Simpson Desert to do it. Right here in Victoria — within a couple hours' drive of Melbourne — you can find calming cabins, picturesque glamping spots and rustic farmhouses that are entirely off the grid. We've put our heads together and curated a list of the very best weekend escapes in regional Victoria. Next time you want to unplug and disconnect for the weekend, head along to one of these beauties. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. While regional holidays within Victoria will be allowed from May 31, some of the places mentioned below may still be closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check websites before making any plans. SHELTERED GLAMPING CO., PHILLIP ISLAND If your ideal getaway involves sun, sand and surf, then make tracks to the Sheltered Glamping Co. on Phillip Island. Here, you can choose from one of seven tents, all fitted with spacious beds, handcrafted furniture, cosy blankets, comfy seating and Bluetooth speakers, among other decadent touches. To stay within walking distance of an unspoilt beach and next to a solar tree — way more photogenic than a normal tree — book Gentoo or Adelie. Alternatively, to gaze at ocean vistas from your bed, sleepover in Fiordland or dive into extra space and ultimate luxury in Emperor Safari. UNYOKED, VARIOUS LOCATIONS Founded by twins Cam and Chris Grant back in early 2017, Unyoked's tiny houses have been in high demand since the outset. Each is in a secret location in the Victorian wilderness, a long way from any human interference. Expect to be surrounded by exquisite scenery, walking trails and wildlife. But, that doesn't mean you'll be going without your creature comforts. Specifically designed for Unyoked, each solar-powered, sustainably built house comes with a snug bed, hot shower, kitchen appliances, firewood, coffee, milk, granola and towels. And the best news? Since there are six within two hours' drive of the Melbourne CBD, escaping has never been easier. SHACKY, VICTORIAN HIGH COUNTRY AND YARRA VALLEY Shacky are pint-sized, solar-powered dwellings situated on picturesque private properties, surrounded by stunning countryside and absolutely no mobile reception. In other words, stay at one of these and you'll have no choice but to switch off. That way, you can focus on what matters — lazing about in a queen-sized bed, finding total relaxation under a high-pressure shower and, on cold nights, snuggling up next to a pot-bellied stove. Should you feel peckish, your hosts — who live on the property, but well out of sight — will organise a feast of local produce. There are just three properties so far; one on an olive grove in the Victorian High Country, another on a cattle farm in the Yarra Valley, and one located in 100 acres of bushland in the Grampians. YARRANUNGARA YURT RETREAT, KING VALLEY Take a journey to Mongolia without leaving Victoria at Yarranungara Yurt Retreat. Set among 100 acres of red gum forest, bordering the King River with sweeping views of Brangie Dam, this eco-friendly handcrafted Mongolian yurt is a secluded getaway in the heart of the High Country. The yurt is equipped with all the creature comforts — including plush bedding, an ensuite equipped with luxe toiletries, a red gum breakfast bar, fridge and gas flatplate barbecue — so you don't have to go without. Spend time stargazing beside the chiminea on the deck or reading a book as you gently swing in a hammock, totally isolated, not a building or other guest in sight. If you're keen to get out and about, you can bushwalk to nearby waterfalls, rivers and swimming holes or take a short drive and sample the gourmet food and wine of the King Valley region. Lovingly referred to as Little Italy by some, this area is renowned for producing high-calibre Italian-style wines, including prosecco, nebbiolo, sangiovese and pinot grigio — take a bottle back to the yurt to savour as the sun sets. BLUETONGUE BERRIES, SEYMOUR Keen to retreat but still need a little human contact? Book yourself a stay at Bluetongue Berries. This 20-acre organic blueberry farm near Seymour is a 90-minute drive north of Melbourne and a self-sufficient paradise, powered by a hybrid wind and solar system. You'll be sleeping in one of two buildings: The Hacienda, a strawbale dwelling designed to cool and heat passively, or The Casita, the farm's original weatherboard house that looks directly over the blueberry orchard. There's also an on-site cantina, where you can tuck into hearty fare and catch live music sessions on Sundays. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: Unyoked by Luisa Brimble.
St Kilda institution The Espy is going all out this negroni week — the venue is offering 1.5-litre magnums to the negroni loving masses. The special batched cocktail was made in American oak barrels, then treated with Tawny port for two months, aged for an additional four weeks and bottled onsite. As this negroni is very large (and very strong), the magnum bottles will only be served to a tables of eight or more — a great excuse to grab seven of your best mates and make a night of it. As to be expected, the novelty doesn't come cheap, and will set you back $280, though $60 of the cost will go to Sacred Heart Mission (a leading charity for the homeless). Individual serves of the stuff will also be available for $19, and five bucks of that will go to the same charity. It'll be available all week long at the venue's Cantonese restaurant Mya Tiger. Negroni Week at The Epsy runs from June 24–30 — head to their website to book a table.
Long gone are the days when the gluten intolerant were stuck with just a couple of boring options wherever they went to eat. Here in 2022, the choice of gluten-free eats is as big as it's ever been and coeliac-friendly fare has become so creative, it's easily camouflaged amongst its everyday, gluten-filled peers. In fact, you'd be forgiven for not even noticing the fact that the CBD's new bakery-cafe Kudo, with its wafting scents of freshly baked bread and tempting-looking pastries, is entirely, 100-percent gluten-free. You'll find this standing-room-only spot nestled around the side of the ground level of The Hotel Windsor, the work of husband and wife chef duo Felix Goodwin (Sunda, Saigon Sally) and Elena Nguyen (Saigon Sally, The European). Two years in the making, Kudo was born out of the couple's desire to find reliably tasty baked goods they could both enjoy, with Goodwin himself a coeliac. Through extensive research, experimentation and taste-testing (as you might have spied over on their Instagram), the pair has created a daily-changing menu of cakes, pastries, breads and other gluten-free treats to showcase at their diminutive debut venture. Native ingredients get quite a look-in here, as you'll discover in creations like the chefs' take on a classic Taiwanese pineapple cookie, finished with a vibrant coating of pink Davidson Plum powder, and the rye-style miche loaf that features wattleseed and miso. Traditionally made canelés come in flavours ranging from lemon brûlée, to almond, to ondeh ondeh (a Southeast Asian dessert of glutinous rice balls flavoured with pandan). You can get a further sweet tooth fix with goodies like choux puffs, madeleines and the chewy Mars Bar-inspired cookie with chocolate and wattleseed; while the rotating lineup of gluten-free breads might include anything from sesame rolls and baguettes, to sourdough loaves and a new take on a Danish-style seeded rugbrød. You can admire Kudo's timber-filled, terrazzo-floored fitout by architect Kei Kitayama, as you wait for your Ona coffee — there are two single origins on rotation, with both batch brew and espresso options. In fab news for CBD workers and locals, the cafe's also set to launch an online pre-order service in the not too distant future, as well as adding a changing selection of grab-and-go sandwiches to the menu. Find Kudo at 8 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. It's open 8am–4pm Thursday to Sunday. Images: Parker Blain
Pack your bags, book a flight, grab your winter woolies, and get ready to head to Hobart. For yet another year running, the Museum of Old and New Art is making Tasmania the place to be with events more weird and more wonderful than ever before. Yep, they've unveiled their stellar Dark Mofo 2016 lineup. From June 10 to 21, the museum every mainlander wishes was in their home city is unleashing its unique brand of large-scale art, food, film, music and just general light, noise and mayhem upon the apple isle. It's the kind of cultural pandemonium that has inspired more than 130,000 people to make the trek to Tassie in previous years. Now that's how you celebrate the winter solstice. One-off installation Asylum, set inside a historic mental institution, includes a 72-hour, non-stop performance by artist Mike Parr — and it only accepts mirrors (yes, those shiny things you can see your own reflection in) as an entry fee. It's the type of event most festivals can only dream of, so, naturally, it's on the Dark Mofo program. So is Ryoji Ikeda's supersymmetry [experience], which springs from his 2014-15 residence at the European Council for Nuclear Research, the home of the Large Hadron Collider, and will become the latest addition to the MONA collection. With the Juliana Engberg-curated exhibition Tempest bringing a blend of piracy and wild weather to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery at the same time, that's part of the Dark Mofo shenanigans as well. And it includes Event for a Stage: the Australian premiere of a new stage-to-film exploration of the acting and the creative process made by Turner Prize-winning Young British Artist Tacita Dean OBE, starring Game of Thrones' Stephen Dillane, and shot live during the nineteenth Biennale of Sydney. If that's not enough to inspire a mid-year pilgrimage, then perhaps a public art playground filled everything from swinging pendulums to LED light drawings that transcribe the patterns of the wind will be. Yep, the dockside Dark Park is the place to find Divination, Nancy Mauro-Flude's thirties-era cabaret crossed with a cypherpunk internet cafe; A Galaxy of Suns, where Michaela Gleave and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus turn constellations into scores; and the disorienting chamber of kaleidoscopic reflections that is Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney's House of Mirrors, too. We're noticing a theme here. [caption id="attachment_567185" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] The Bacchae. Image: Pia Johnson.[/caption] And really, that's just the beginning. Performance-wise, pop-up space Block Box will play host to a whole heap of pieces — although it depends if Lustmord's dark ambient tunes or hallucinatory theatrical event The Bacchae, a dream-like invocation of excess and violence as told through the eyes of teenage girls, is your kind of thing. Music fans will want to flock to Hymns to the Dead, where death metal gets its due, or to Rivers and Streams, the only Aussie show by Ukrainian maestro Lubomyr Melnyk, aka the fastest concert pianist in the world. Anyone fond of costume balls can don their best gothic threads for The Funeral Party — and given that it's set at Turnbull Family Funerals, it's certain to be as dark as it sounds. Plus, film buffs should expect another fright-inducing feast of sinister cinematic delights, such as heavy metal horror effort The Devil's Candy. Dark Mofo isn't just about all things new and exciting, though, with a couple of old favourites also returning. Late-night event Blacklist will turn both weekends into an art party, and the Winter Feast will serve up another communal banquet. Don't forget to purge your fears with the annual burning ritual of the ogoh-ogohs, and take part in the Nude Solstice Swim after the longest night of the year. Basically, whatever type of activity floats your boat, you'd best get on one — or another type of landmass-hopping transport — to take part. With a lineup this killer, you know you're going to kick yourself if you miss it. Dark Mofo runs June 10 to 21 in various locations across Hobart, Tasmania. Tickets are on sale from 10am on Monday, April 20 from the festival website.
Sometimes, the spirit of a movie can stem from something as simple as sole stroke of casting. Sometimes, the right actor in the right role so perfectly encapsulates the material to come that everything else hangs off of that one performance — even if everything else is finely done but also familiar, as well as quite slight. In People Places Things, that one actor and portrayal springs from Jemaine Clement, otherwise known as one half of musical comedy duo — and star of the TV series of the same name — Flight of the Conchords. If his turn as vampire lothario Vladislav in 2014's uproarious What We Do in the Shadows demonstrated a more heightened version of his antics, then writer/director James C. Strouse's (Grace Is Gone) latest feature celebrates him at his most deadpan and understated. Clement plays Will Henry, a New Zealand-born, New York-based graphic artist happily married to Charlie (Stephanie Allynne), and just as happily helping raise twin daughters Clio (Aundrea Gadsby) and Colette (Gia Gadsby) — or so he thinks. That upbeat emotion fades at his offspring's fifth birthday party amid revelations that Charlie wants to leave him for the man, Gary (Michael Chernus), she has been having an affair with. Fast-forward to a year later, with the newly single Will struggling with part-time parenting, not to mention full-time estrangement from the now-engaged and pregnant woman he thought he'd share his life with, and teaching at an art school to make ends meet. One of his more eager students, Kat (Jessica Williams), tries to set him up with her mother, Diane (Regina Hall). Alas, his considerable baggage threatens to derail any chance they have at forging a relationship. People Places Things may read like a typical mid-life malaise rom-com, and even initially threatens to follow such a path, but Strouse remains more concerned with Will's state of mind than his romantic endeavours. Love features prominently, as do laughs, but this is an effort steeped in finding internal contentment rather external companionship. The strong focus on Will's search to reclaim his sense of self — aka an adult coming-of-age — helps salvage his traversing of the usual plot points. That too has a been-there, seen-that quality, though in the filmmaker's hands it is thoughtfully written and elegantly executed, and in Clement's portrayal it feels real. Always awkward and dry, albeit authentically so, as well as enjoying impeccable timing, he's an ideal fit to deliver straight-faced puns about pain and embarrassment that sparkle with both truth and wit. He's also in good company when it comes to the commanding Williams and Hall, who each beg for more screen time, even if the narrative doesn't deliver. Other than the cast, the hand-drawn images by Gray Williams draw the eye, all passed off as Will's work and proving as charming as the actor who plays him. They're small sketches that map out big things, as the lead performance is as well. If only all such sincere and sweet yet still slender and recognisable efforts could possess such gifts.
Melbourne artist Sonia Payes' new exhibition Interzone draws on a theme that has inspired artists ever since one first hopped on a steam engine train: industrialisation. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Industrial Revolution was viewed by artists such as Monet (in his portraits of railways) and Maximilien Luce as a new enlightenment, with works that celebrated the innovation and majesty of man. Payes, during a recent residency in Beijing, watched on as China went through its own Industrial Revolution. Her resulting collection of photographs paint a far more sombre and haunting portrait of how vast areas of farmland have been torn down to make way for a world of quarries, steam factories and concrete. Payes' painfully beautiful photographs demonstrate not only how industrialisation has effected the Chinese landscape but how it has transformed the lives of the Chinese people and their centuries old relationship with the land. The exhibition officially opens on Saturday May 4, from 3pm to 5pm. Image Sonia Payes
Therese Desqueyroux plays out in 1920s provincial France, where unconventional protagonist Therese (Tautou as an anti-Amelie) weds a wealthy business owner, choosing pragmatism over love. She realises the marriage is a trap lying in wait, a fact highlighted by her stubborn sister-in-law's rash, passionate love affair with a poor, Jewish neighbour. Weighted with an unwanted pregnancy, Therese longs for an out and when she discovers that too much of her husband's medicine makes him ill, she makes an irreversible mistake. There are two portraits painted here: one of a woman's slow dawning that she has no control over her life and one of the society that corners women and strips them of their choices. The challenge for the highly respected director Claude Miller is to bring freshness to a theme so thoroughly mined by other adapted novels like Anna Karenina and Portrait of a Lady. Perhaps something has been lost in the translation from novel to film. Perhaps Miller should have kept the book's original structure. Commencing with Therese's crime then stepping back to reveal the lead-up would have introduced some much-needed momentum and suspense. Whatever the misstep, the character of Therese, not unlike the film itself, remains a little out of reach. Where Miller aims for restraint he more often hits something closer to dour, with the outcome an austere, sombre character study. The film momentarily lifts off in a handful of beautifully shot dream sequences where Therese privately acts out her inner violence, but these respites are not quite enough to shake the fog.
If you were looking to seriously impress a special someone this winter, here's a little giveaway just for you. Three seriously dramatic acts are joining forces for French Baroque, a show that promises to turn your preconceived notions of circus and baroque music inside-out, upside-down and back-to-front. The first is acclaimed acrobatic troupe Circa, who have been travelling the world with their take on circus as stunning, mobile contemporary art. The second is French soprano Claire Lefilliâtre, who has been starring on stages all over Europe. And the third is the five-time ARIA Award-winning Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, home to some of our nation’s best interpreters of 16th- and 17th-century music. With the music of French composers Rameau, Lully and Marais as inspiration, Circa’s artistic director, Yaron Lifschitz, describes the pasticcio of selected music as combining “the longing of the night with the playful side of French baroque”. He's choreographed a performance to meet this mood. “I have responded by creating a river of moonlight that divides the stage, reflecting singer and acrobat, musician and vocalist,” he says. “In the interplay between delight and desire, between pleasure and abandonment, we see a world created where bodies seamlessly meld into song, where lives and loves intermingle and where the simple magic of singing speaks clearly to the heart.” French Baroque will be performed at Sydney’s City Recital Hall from July 22 to August 8, and at Melbourne Recital Centre from July 25 to 26. Tickets range from $20 -166, but thanks to the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, we have two A-reserve double passes for to give away to both the Sydney and Melbourne opening nights, on July 22 and July 25 respectively. If you can't make the opening night (which you really should), you can pick your date. To be in the running, subscribe to our mailing list and then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au
What looks like it takes its design cues from The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Shining's Overlook Hotel and Willy Wonka's chocolate factory? What gives the escape-room concept a game-fuelled twist and drips with nostalgia as well? What also combines all of the above with booze for the ultimate in kidulting fun? And, what marks the latest Victorian venue for Funlab, the company behind Strike, Holey Moley and Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq? Actually, another question: what's now open in Chadstone's just-launched new dining and entertainment precinct, and wants you to play and sip your way through it from now on? The answer: Hijinx Hotel, Funlab's adult-focused twist on sleuthing your way through various spaces with a beverage or several in your hand. Instead of escaping here, patrons hit up challenges. Making its Victorian debut in Melbourne after first opening in Sydney and then on the Gold Coast in 2022, the new venue spans ten game rooms filled with entertaining things to do. That includes a Big-style piano room with a giant keyboard across the floor, one dedicated to television, another that's all about basketball and yet another that's devoted to Rubik's cubes. Basically, the whole concept is a bar decked out like a hotel, but getting attendees to complete challenges rather than get a-slumbering in its various spaces. It also gleans inspiration from all those supremely Instagrammable pop-up installations that include ball pits, but this one is sticking around Melbourne permanently. And, it boasts plenty of cocktail-drinking opportunities, nods to New York hotels in its facade, and just generally overflows with homages to movies and board games from the 80s and 90s. Shaking off your regular routine is clearly the name of the game here, and partying like you would've before you were old enough to drink alcohol — but with the hard stuff definitely on offer. That all starts when you enter via the faux hotel lobby bar, which is full of colour and surrealist touches. Instead of merely checking in, you'll commence your Hijinx Hotel experience. Afterwards, there's also an outdoor terrace, which is where you'll find cocktails. As for the not-quite-hotel rooms themselves, you gain access by heading to reception t0 pick up a swipe card. As well as the aforementioned activities, interstate faves such as the Adore-a-ball and Scrambled rooms have been replicated in Chadstone. Hijinx Hotel has company as part of a 3611-square-metre precinct with a capacity for 1050 guests, which is Funlab's largest precinct in the country so far. The company's fellow brands Holey Moley, Strike and Archie Brothers have also opened their doors, for tapping around pop culture-themed greens, knocking down pins and getting a sideshow experience. Holey Moley sports four holes exclusively designed for Chadstone, Strike is decked out to look like the inside of a train station and Archie Brothers even includes a 4D XD theatre. In total, the entire space features 62 arcade machines, eight bowling lanes, ten game rooms and 18 holes of golf, so you won't get bored. Also a highlight: those four bars serving up creative cocktails, and breaking up all that kidulting. Find Hijinx Hotel at Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road, Chadstone, Victoria. Images: Eugene Hyland / Funlab.
For Victorian fans of BrewDog, the wait is finally, almost over. After years of hints and speculation, the Scottish craft beer giant has confirmed its arrival into Melbourne, revealing plans to open a hefty new venue in the historic Pentridge Prison precinct this spring. Following the launch of its first Australian brewery and taproom in Brisbane back in 2019, BrewDog confirmed some lofty ambitions to also expand into other Aussie cities. Now, thanks to a new partnership with Australian Venue Co (AVC) — the group behind spots like Harlow, The Smith, Kewpie and State of Grace — the Melbourne-based part of those plans is finally coming to life. Already the world's largest craft beer bar operator, BrewDog's next Aussie project will feature a two-level pub complete with an indoor dining room and lounge bar, plus a sprawling beer garden sporting its own BrewDog container bar, big screens and dedicated games area. Interiors will pay homage to the Coburg site's heritage, with an upper level playing host to a suite of event spaces. While further details are yet to be revealed, the 1100-square-metre venue is on track to become a go-to craft beer destination. The original Brisbane venue boasts 28 taps pouring both house creations and guest brews, alongside a menu that's known for its burgers, pizza and wings. [caption id="attachment_800310" align="alignnone" width="1920"] BrewDog DogTap Brisbane[/caption] The new BrewDog and AVC partnership is also a win for interstate beer fiends, with the duo confirming they'll be opening more of these bars across Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and beyond in the coming years. BrewDog currently operates 102 beer bars worldwide, having recently launched outposts in Mumbai and New Albany (USA), and with huge flagship bars coming soon to Las Vegas and Waterloo (London). Find BrewDog Pentridge in the E Division building at Pentridge Prison, 1 Champ Street, Coburg, from spring 2022. We'll share more details as they drop.
