When it comes to what we drink, we can be creatures of habit. We reach for our go-tos: a cheap-yet-standout bottle of vino, ready-to-sip cocktail cans and brews we know and love. But, if you knew how simple it is to craft winning cocktails, you'd be stocking up your bar cart, filling your ice tray and inviting your mates round for a few cheeky ones ASAP. So together with The Bottle-O, and in honour of World Gin Day — which on Saturday, June 10, is fast approaching — we've found a few easy-peasy, three-step wintery cocktails that'll have you sipping gin like a pro. Ready to up your G&T game? Impress your mates with a martini? Add a slice of summer to the cooler months with a gimlet? We've got you. MALFY ROSA G&T The classic G&T is a favourite among many. It's deliciously bitter, spotlights your gin of choice and always refreshing. In this recipe, there's the added juiciness of Malfy Gin Rosa's grapefruit notes and the sweet kiss of a Med-inspired tonic. A wedge of citrus will add some party to your glass (and a sprig of rosemary will jazz it up further), but it'll be just as delicious without. And, if you're pressed for time (or really cannot be bothered), opt for a four-pack of Bombay Sapphire G&Ts or Gordon's Pink Gin & Sodas (if you'd rather leave the tonic) — just stealthily pour the fizz into a glass and your pals won't know the difference. Ingredients Serves one 30ml Malfy Gin Rosa 60ml Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic Grapefruit to serve Method Add Malfy Gin Rosa to a glass with ice and top up with tonic water. Garnish with a wedge of grapefruit and enjoy. ROKU GIMLET If you're starting to feel the winter blues — and a tropical holiday is nowhere in sight — this short, sweet, citrusy cocktail is the drink for you. It looks fancy, but once you've secured your coupe, the hardest part is done. You want your glass to be chilly, the liquor to be a delicious pour like Roku Gin and a selection of salty snacks alongside. If you can't find the Japanese spirit, opt for any of the other top-quality (yet affordable) options, like Hendrick's or Four Pillars. Ingredients Serves one 50ml Roku Gin 50ml lime syrup Lime to garnish Method Add Roku Gin and lime syrup to a mixing glass with ice, then stir until the glass feels very cold. Strain into a chilled coupe glass, top with a slice of lime and enjoy. FOUR PILLARS RARE DRY GIN MARTINI If you're looking to impress, the martini is having somewhat of a resurgence. Although its taste divides cocktail-lovers everywhere (some think it's perfection, some know it's too strong), it's the hero on many a cocktail list. Well, the secret to a good martini is in the quality and temperature of your gin: you want something special, and you want it ice cold. Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin is the bottle for you. It's classic, herbaceous and citrus-forward — and it's Aussie made. Just quietly, a nip or two of Hendrick's would do nicely too. Ingredients Serves one 60ml Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin 15ml dry vermouth 2 dashes orange bitters Lemon peel to garnish Method Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice, stir and then strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with a twist of lemon peel and enjoy. Whether you're a seasoned gin lover that's looking for a hot new way to enjoy your pour this winter, or you're a newbie looking to take a delicious dive in, these three recipes will sort you out. Celebrating World Gin Day on Saturday, June 10 will be that much more exciting with a group of friends, some gin chilling in the freezer and a trio of recipes that are easy to nail. To begin with gin, head to your local The Bottle-O and take your pick. The Bottle-O is the independent store slinging your favourite boozy sips all over Australia — and a standout spot to nab the gin for your cocktail of choice this World Gin Day. Ready to dive in? Head to the website. Imagery: Declan Blackall.
You could say that every evening at Tippy-Tay, the Garden State Hotel's hidden trattoria, is a trip to the sweet life. But, however sweet it might be now, it'll be a whole lot sweeter on Thursday, May 8, when La Dolce Vita arrives. Happening for one evening only, this special event will begin with aperitivo hour, bringing you the chance to try three Aperol cocktails. With them on board, you'll be ready to start your first of four courses: a series of share plates bearing oysters with Aperol mignonette and lemon, burrata with artichoke agridolce, and other delights. Up next will be two pastas: a cheese wheel with pecorino romano and black pepper, and tortellini brodo. Don't fill up too much, though — you'll want to leave room for the chargrilled butterfly gurnard with green goddess dressing and salad. Come dessert, you'll be sitting down to a pistachio and raspberry tiramisu. All this – along with a roaming accordion player – will set you back $145. For an extra $45, add matching wines, or for $80, an Aperol fountain. Images: @zennieshia. For more information on The Pass and perks you can unlock, visit the website. For more bars and restaurants around Melbourne, explore more on Concrete Playground.
Looking to level up your fitness in the southeast? Upstate is just the place. Arriving in Elsternwick with a brand-new studio, a special launch celebration is getting locals in the mood with free classes all weekend long. It's going down across Saturday, May 3–Sunday, May 4, giving visitors the chance to road test the location's extensive fitness offering. Here, you'll find two reformer pilates studios, a dynamic boxing room, a dedicated hot pilates space, plus yoga and sound bath meditation facilities. All in all, achieving your fitness goals just got easier. Renowned for its big and bold sessions, the opening of Upstate's Elsternwick location is the brand's 13th. With bustling studios dotting the inner-city and beyond, other spots to give your wellbeing a boost include Richmond, Fitzroy, Geelong and Ballarat. If you decide to get down for the launch event, a host of other goodies are also up for grabs, like special membership deals and prizes. For instance, signing up for a foundation membership means getting access to reformer, boxing and mat classes for just $44 per week. Book a free class and get your sweat on.
Owned by brother and sister Paul and Jessica Ghaie, Blackhearts & Sparrows is a favourite amongst locals all over the city. Though they deal in top quality drops and boutique craft offerings, you won't find any wine snobbery in any of their five stores around Melbourne. Instead, Blackhearts & Sparrows is all about accessibility and knowledge sharing. After selecting all the stock themselves, staff are more than willing to help you, and the store is always full of new tastings and events. Mark an end to your goon-swilling days by picking up a bottle you can be proud of. As well as their Brunswick East location, Blackhearts and Sparrows can be found in Fitzroy, Fitzroy North, St Kilda East, Kensington. Richmond and Windsor. For more information, visit their website.
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.
Part of the appeal of this big, buzzing, wonderful city of ours comes from the constant parade of activities, restaurant openings, festivals and cultural fun it's got on offer. But with only 24 hours in a day, how are we supposed to cram it all in and keep the #fomo to a minimum? No, the answer is not to stop sleeping. You can get out there and enjoy this fine city while still maintaining the routines of everyday life (like, y'know, sleeping eight hours a night and rocking up to work in the morning). Melbourne life can be pretty hectic, which is why we're here to help you harness the power of a coffee break — be it in the morning, at lunchtime of when you knock off work. Take the break you, as a hardworking human being, deserve. [caption id="attachment_583906" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Jorge Zapata[/caption] UP YOUR COOKING GAME WITH MELBOURNE'S TOP CHEFS Sure, you might be all over the latest restaurant openings and know the ins and outs of the hottest café dishes around town, but how about your own kitchen prowess? If those culinary skills don't scream Melbourne foodie half as much as your Instagram does, The Neff Market Kitchen is here to help. Held in the iconic South Melbourne Market, this ripper cooking school will whip your skills into shape, offering a broad program of classes, run by the chefs behind some of your favourite local eateries. Let Tony Twitchett of Taxi Kitchen turn you into a Thai food whiz, or learn how to create an Austrian feast under the guidance of Union Dining's Nicky Riemer. EMBRACE SUMMER AT THE QUEEN VIC MARKET Even the most scorching of temperatures aren't enough to stop us Melburnians from enjoying a good night market — proof of which you'll quickly discover with a Wednesday evening visit to the Queen Victoria Market. For four months of the year, this grand old dame hosts a buzzing, weekly Summer Night Market, where punters can get stuck into a global array of street food, browse locally-crafted goodies, and enjoy an assortment of colourful entertainment, all under the one roof. Plus, it all kicks off from 5pm so you can head there straight from the office. [caption id="attachment_563362" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Healthy Lifestyle Lounge[/caption] GET FIT FOR FREE AT FED SQUARE Ditch that crowded gym in favour of the great outdoors, with an after-work sweat sesh at Fed Square. Here, you can soak up some truly Melbourne vibes while working on that bod with one of the precinct's free fitness classes. From 6pm every Tuesday head down to the picturesque Riverside Terrace, where instructors from Healthy Lifestyle Lounge will get those endorphins firing, with an invigorating circuit workout of body weight exercises, cardio training and core strength movements. It's just one cheap way to keep fit in Melbourne. Classes run for 45 minutes, so you'll still make it home for dinner. CHAT ABOUT YOUR BOOK FEELINGS AT BOOK CLUB If you're a bookworm in your spare time, you can hook up with some like-minded folk to dissect the works you've been reading. There's a plethora of book clubs around. If you're into classics, the Classics Book Club is held at the City Library on the third Thursday of every month, and will get you stuck into some of history's great page-turners — and then see you chatting them out with some new pals. The library also hosts a monthly Story Lounge where you can head along to hear texts read aloud. For a full list of clubs happening at libraries around town, head here. Or why not start your own? LEARN SOMETHING NEW AT KNOWLEDGE MARKET Shrug off any of that work-day stress, by tapping your creative energies and dabbling in a fun, new skill. Over in Docklands, you'll find the Knowledge Market, a new creative hub offering a smorgasbord of fun, eye-opening and sometimes unconventional workshops, with a focus on peer-to-peer learning. You might find yourself channelling that inner child with a Hoop Sparx hula hooping class, taught by a circus performer, or even turning your musical fantasies into reality, with a DJing workshop. Class times vary, but there are plenty of after-work gems on offer.
Usually surrounded by trees and nestled into a remote, almost-hidden patch of forest, a secluded cabin in the woods is a familiar on-screen setting. When a group of people step inside, unpleasant events tend to follow, as the horror genre taught viewers long before there was a movie specifically called The Cabin in the Woods. And, in the very first episode of new HBO series Lovecraft Country, this exact scenario plays out — with returned soldier Atticus 'Tic' Freeman (Da 5 Bloods' Jonathan Majors), his uncle George (Project Power's Courtney B Vance) and his friend Leti Lewis ((Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)'s Jurnee Smollett). During a cross-country trip across America, the trio soon find themselves holed up in a rustic hut and fighting for their lives; however they're not just stuck in the kind of stock-standard unsettling scenario that audiences have seen several times over. Ravenous, towering, swift-moving beasts are definitely on Tic, George and Leti's trail, as Lovecraft Country makes creepily and compellingly plain. Also lurking outside: a team of racist police officers who pulled them over purely because of the colour of their skin, and had equally brutal plans before things took a turn into supernatural territory. The message here is obvious, showing both the paranormal and actual monsters the series' three central characters are forced to face. Of course, sometimes the most effective way to make a statement is to take the straightforward route — even if nothing about this textured and layered show can ever be classed as simple. If following the above train of thought has you thinking about Get Out or Us, two recent stellar films that also explored US race relations through a horror lens, that's hardly surprising. Lovecraft Country joins them on Jordan Peele's growing resume, after all. Whether he's co-writing and starring in sketch comedies, directing those two exceptional movies, producing BlacKkKlansman, reviving a science-fiction classic with The Twilight Zone or co-writing the upcoming new Candyman flick, the actor and filmmaker has amassed an impressive body of work that continually interrogates the reality faced by Black Americans. And, in terms of examining the insidious and ever-present horrors that have been a part of the US for far too long — including in the 50s, in the time of the Jim Crow racial segregation laws, when the ten-episode first season of Lovecraft Country is set — Peele's latest project is as powerful as anything else he's ever made. [caption id="attachment_782361" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Elizabeth Morris/HBO[/caption] As based on Matt Ruff's 2016 novel of the same name, executive produced by Peele with Lost and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker's JJ Abrams, and overseen by showrunner and writer Misha Green (Underground), Lovecraft Country benefits from a smart and engaging overarching premise — one that's extremely well-executed from the get-go, too. Tic has come back to Chicago from Florida, where he has been living since returning from his Korean War service, to search for his suddenly missing dad Montrose (Michael Kenneth Williams, The Wire). That quest leads to a road trip into the US midwest, which also doubles as research to add African American-friendly places to the Green Book-style guide that George publishes. As for Leti, she's tagging along for the ride, en route to see her brother and sort out her own family problems. From teenagers spitting slurs at service stations to murderous white mobs chasing them out of small towns, Tic, George and Leti are treated abysmally from the moment they leave home. To call their encounters unwelcoming, discriminatory and hostile is accurate, but also underplays the heartbreak they endure. Indeed, when the show's titular elements complicate their path — with the series named for famed real-life sci-fi and horror writer HP Lovecraft, and travelling to a part of the country where he found inspiration for his tales — Lovecraft Country has already purposefully unnerved viewers with real-life terrors. From there, not only oversized creatures but also secret occult societies and haunted mansions await in the first three episodes alone, all while the series constantly and probingly conveys the experiences of black Americans. Impressive special effects help bring the otherworldly side of Lovecraft Country to life, but its other big drawcard — other than its concept, mastery of genre, potent message, excellent cast, and how commandingly and movingly it hits every target it aims for — is its detail. The lavishly made program couldn't look more meticulous in recreating the past, or feel more authentic at the same time. Every painstaking aspect of each set and scene is crucial not just in evoking the era, but in anchoring the wild journey its central characters traverse. This is a big, fantastical, pulpy horror series but, at every single instant, it's also grounded in recognisable experiences and actual emotions — and it never lets the audience forget it for a second. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvamPJp17Ds The first three episodes of Lovecraft Country are available to stream via Binge, with new episodes added weekly on Mondays. Top image: Eli Joshua Ade/HBO.
UPDATE: APRIL 24, 2020 — This pizzeria in Melbourne's north is serving its gluten free and vegan slices and pastas for takeaway and delivery. You can order via the website. Italian might not be the obvious choice when you're hunting for vegan or gluten-free eats, but Shop 225 is pretty keen to shake up that thought process entirely. Up in Pascoe Vale South, this neighbourhood pizzeria is dishing up a rare culinary combination: it's championing simple Italian fare, while also specialising in both vegan and gluten-free dishes. Boasting Coeliac Australia accreditation, the restaurant's got all the proper processes in place to minimise cross-contamination and ensure long-suffering diners can finally sit down to a whole menu filled with choices. A hefty range of traditional pasta dishes also includes a plethora of plant-based alternatives — from mushroom fettuccini to a rigatoni bolognese — with gluten-free casarecce, spaghetti or gnocchi interchangeable for most. And when it comes to woodfired pizzas, the options are even more bountiful, thanks to a wide-ranging lineup of vegan ingredients and Shop 225's signature coeliac-friendly bases ($4 extra). It swaps the usual wheat situation for a blend of Ardor gluten-free flour and rice, tapioca, maize, soy and pea flours. For toppings, plant-based options abound, crafted with lactose-free Local Craft cheese and vegan-friendly meat alternatives. And, of course, they haven't forgotten about the discerning dessert fiends out there either — you'll spy Nutella-loaded pizzas and calzones, creamy panna cotta and proper Sicilian cannoli, all available in both vegan and gluten-free variations. Images: Hi Sylvia Photography.
What kind of holidaymaker are you? Do you seek sun and sand on your break from the daily grind? Country hopping and sight spotting? Or just comfortable surroundings and a cold brew or two? Those keen on the latter will soon be able to put their feet up at the ultimate accommodation for beer lovers. In fact, The DogHouse is so steeped in yeasty tipples, it's attached to and run by a brewery. Scottish outfit BrewDog has been running a crowdfunding campaign to set up the boozy venture, which it'll build next to its just-launched US facility in Columbus, Ohio. So, what does the world's first craft beer hotel entail? In addition to a sour brewing facility, it includes beverages and lots of them, of course. Visitors will sleep in beer-themed rooms, eat craft beer-infused meals with brews tailored to every course, treat themselves to beer spa treatments (malted barley massages and hop oil pedicures, anyone?) and take brewery tours. In-room beer taps are also on the agenda, plus some suites will feature shower beer fridges and beer-filled jacuzzis. If all of the above sounds like your idea of heaven, here's the even better news: at the time of writing, BrewDog's cash-raising campaign has been funded more than twice over. They're now attempting to rustle up additional support for a rooftop resident's bar that will serve the sour beverages brewed up next door. For those looking to book plane tickets now, the hotel is expected to be operational by the second half of 2018.
When you think of crystal shops, you probably imagine a tiny, dark room decorated with purple velvet and cluttered with crystals, incense and fairy figurines — and it's probably the 90s and you're wearing a choker necklace. Delete that mental picture and step into Stoned Crystals, a light and airy space in Elsternwick that is worth a visit for its calming atmosphere alone. Whether you're a seasoned crystal enthusiast, a recent convert or just think they look pretty, Stoned Crystals offers a range of crystal decor, jewellery, self-care products, and raw and polished crystals. Plus, the store's knowledgeable staff host regular workshops to help you get the most out of your purchases.
It's been almost five years and a cool $88.1 million in the making, but Swanston Street's iconic State Library Victoria is finally just weeks away from unveiling the finished product of its ambitious makeover. As Australia's oldest and busiest public library, the historic site was well due for a revamp, and a mix of donations, public contributions and support from the Victorian Government has seen it finally come to fruition. The library's slated to open its doors and show off its new look on Thursday, December 5, sporting a big increase in public space and around 70 percent more seating than before. Which means it'll be a whole lot easier to wrangle a table and hit the books. [caption id="attachment_744439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A render of what The Ian Potter Queen's Hall would look like at night.[/caption] The site's set to enter its next phase of life armed with a suite of new features and services, headlined by a striking new Swanston Street entrance, complete with modern foyer and plenty of digital upgrades. The library's many spaces have been refurbished and reimagined for public use. The original heritage reading room is now The Ian Potter Queen's Hall, and will be a library space by day and an events space by night. Hansen Hall will act as a space that can be used for meetings and projects, and, courtesy of the John and Myriam Wylie Foundation, a new exhibition space known as the Victoria Gallery is set to launch at the end of October. The building will also be separated into newly named quarters. If you're a small business owner, you'll want to make use of StartSpace in the Ideas Quarter, a new service featuring co-working spaces, free support for start-ups and business-oriented meet-up events. You might also find yourself attending lectures, conferences and workshops in the new Conversation Quarter. The other two quarters are for kids — talks and events will take place in the schools-focused Create Quarter, and the Pauline Gandel Children's Quarter is specifically for families and children. The first stage library's revamp opened in September last year, including a new Readings bookstore, a new cafe called Guild and a revitalised Russell Street entrance. Anyone who spend their lunch breaks on the State Library lawn will be happy to have the front facade and entrance back up and running. The redevelopment, dubbed Vision 2020, has been brought to life under the guidance of Australasian design firm Architectus, along with Scandinavia's Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. The State Library Victoria is set to reopen to the public on Thursday, December 5.
Of all the dessert trends taking over Melbourne right now, the different varieties of decadently flavoured shaved ice treats have got to be the biggest. You've got Japanese kakigori, Taiwanese tshuah-ping, Filipino halo-halo, Turkish bibi bibi and Indonesian es campur. There's also Korea's bingsu, which you can already find at a heap of spots around Melbourne's city centre — think Homme, Sulbing and Bing Chillin. But there's about to be a new player in the game, as Bingsoo prepares to open its first CBD store on Saturday, August 10. The team is bringing all ten of its flavours — currently found at its flagship store in Springvale — to the city, including its popular strawberry, mango matcha, Oreo and injeolmi red bean bingsus. But flavoured ice isn't all that's on the menu here. Bingsoo also serves savoury eats like its Korean corn dogs — which can be decked out with heaps of different toppings — and gilgeori thick toasts. Its toasted sandwiches are must-tries, chock full of sweet and savoury fillings, from scrambled eggs and maple beef bacon to Nutella, Biscoff and taro. Like all of its menu items, they're also stunning to look at. To help introduce customers to the new store (and explore items beyond the bingsu), the Bingsoo team is giving away corn dogs and gilgeori thick toasts to the first customers who drop by between 12–3pm on Saturday, August 10. If you're curious about — or already obsessed with — Bingsoo's bites, you're not going to want to miss this giveaway. Bingsoo will open its new store at 260 La Trobe Street, Melbourne on Saturday, August 10. For more details, you can visit the venue's website. Images: Pete Dillon.
Becky with the good hair gets a shoutout in Swarm. Facial bites do as well, complete with a Love & Basketball reference when the culprit flees. This seven-part series about a global pop sensation and her buzzing fans and stans also has its music icon unexpectedly drop a stunner of a visual album, ride a white horse, be married to a well-known rapper, become a mum to twins and see said husband fight with her sister in an elevator. Her sibling is also a singer, and plenty of folks contend she's the more interesting of the two. Still, Swarm's object of fascination — protagonist Dre's (Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah) undying obsession — sells out tours, breaks Ticketmaster and headlines one of the biggest music festivals there is. And, while they call themselves the titular term rather than a hive, her devotees are zealous and then some, especially humming around on social media. Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, the show's creators and past colleagues on Glover's exceptional, now-finished Atlanta — Nabers also worked on Watchmen, too — couldn't be more upfront about who they're referring to. No one says Beyoncé's name, however, but Swarm's Houston-born music megastar is the former Destiny's Child singer in everything except moniker. In case anyone watching thinks that this series is trading in coincidences and déjà vu, or just failing to be subtle when it comes to Ni'Jah (Nirine S Brown, Ruthless), the Prime Video newcomer keeps making an overt opening declaration. "This is not a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is intentional," it announces before each episode, all of which stream from Friday, March 17. Ni'Jah is Swarm's sun, radiating her vastly popular glow upon all who choose to bask, and upon the world in general anyway. Always orbiting her from a distance, Dre is the show's earth. This is the latter's tale, as she starts the series as a twentysomething in 2016 who still adores her childhood idol with the same passion she did as a teen and, instalment by instalment, shows how far she's willing to go to prove it. Swarm's debut scene features Dre excitedly tearing open an envelope containing the credit card she needs to buy expensive Ni'Jah tickets she can't afford, which she's purchasing as a birthday present for her best friend and housemate Marissa (Chloe Bailey, Grown-ish). Alas, before the first set of closing credits run, that concert-going dream will be tainted by tragedy and murder, sending Dre across the country to chase her hero, confront Ni'Jah naysayers and work out if she's anyone beyond a stan. Thoroughly unrelated fellow 2023 arrival Poker Face commences in a similar fashion — not with pop goddesses and the people who are crazy, drunk and sometimes dangerously in love them, but with a friendship fractured and a road trip springing in the aftermath. While Swarm isn't a mystery-of-the-week series, it does see Dre head to different places, take up various jobs and befriend an array of people, and lets each chapter unfurl as a largely self-contained narrative. It's also anchored by a compelling lead performance, and one that's calibrated to make a statement. As Dre, Fishback is commanding. She stings with vulnerability and fierceness alike, and floats between the two expertly. Crucially, while she's ferocious, she's purposefully the opposite — or near enough — of Ni'Jah's Queen Bey-esque vision of perfect Black womanhood. Even if Swarm wasn't in formation with the star who runs many fans' worlds, Dre would remain a character rarely seen on-screen. From The King of Comedy through to its own ardent admirer Joker, and including Misery in-between, pop culture isn't lacking in ultra-dedicated enthusiasts who've sipped more than lemonade and can't stop worshipping — but they're never Black women. As Atlanta did before it and so gloriously, Swarm unpacks stereotypical representation. It tears into fame and its costs and consequences as well, plus true-crime and its formula, and it's clearly unafraid of real-world parallels. Surging with the surreal and savage, too, it whirrs and fizzes on a heightened plane (that Swarm's episodes could slot easily into Atlanta is an immense compliment). Awkward to the point of barely speaking at the outset — she lights up in Marissa's presence, then withdraws whenever Khalid (Damson Idris, Snowfall), Marissa's boyfriend, is around — Dre is the type of protagonist that audiences can't look away from even at her worst. Journeying from strip-club gigs to communes, she traverses a coming-of-age story, but a brutal one. Fishback's resume has ample highlights, such as a BAFTA nomination for Judas and the Black Messiah, and also-excellent work in Show Me a Hero, The Hate U Give and The Deuce, but she turns in the TV equivalent to Mia Goth's phenomenal recent work in Pearl here. Both tell of young women who don't feel like they belong, want more than their lot than life, and sport hopes and dreams they're constantly told are pure fantasies. Both won't simply accept that reality, either, no matter who or what gets in their way. There's a particular potency to Glover, aka Childish Gambino, helping to tell Swarm's toxic showbiz fandom tale. Again, the series leans into letting art blatantly imitate and riff on life — not with references to his own career, but in nudges to IRL fame wherever it can. Bailey is one half of Chloe x Halle, a singer and star, and even a former Beyoncé co-star and protege. Popping up as an erotic dancer, Paris Jackson (Gringo) is the daughter of Michael Jackson and, yes, has an album as well. When Dre finds herself with a NXIVM-inspired group, Billie Eilish plays its leader Eva. Brother to Macaulay and Succession's Kieran, Rory Culkin (Under the Banner of Heaven) also features. So does Glover's own sibling Stephen. And, among Swarm's staff writers is Malia Obama, credited as Malia Ann. Winking and nodding serves Swarm nicely, filtering down to its co-director Ibra Ake, who held the same position with Beyoncé's The Lion King visual album Black Is King — a movie where Donald Glover voiced Simba and Beyoncé voiced Nala. Top-notch craft that's as immersive and textured as Atlanta always was, all while veering more prominently into psychological horror-meets-satire territory, proves as important and deftly executed (with the Glovers and Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul's Adamma Ebo also behind the lens). Indeed, Swarm is a gripping series to look at and listen to, and a feat in aesthetics and sound; often grainy and saturated with red, and also literally buzzing whenever Dre's deeds are about to get violent, it's meticulous at plunging viewers into its headspace. Getting obsessed is easy — which, like any pop hit and its hooks, is aptly and knowingly all by design. Check out the trailer for Swarm below: Swarm streams via Prime Video.
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
In a food eats food world where croissants stuffed with fried chicken and doughnuts filled with ice-cream are the norm, it's easy to forget that sometimes it's the simple stuff that's best. If you need an example of this practice in play, look no further than Hawker Boys. Boasting a humble menu, Hawker Boys features contemporary Southeast Asian flavours with unpretentious homemade touches. Homegrown, hand-chopped lemongrass is used to make their fragrant lemongrass chicken, while the crumbed spicy chicken is dry-rubbed and soaked before cooking. Sticky barbecue pork is marinated for a minimum of 48 hours and prepared char siu-style (a Cantonese method of flavouring and preparing barbecue pork). One of the most popular menu items is the unassuming wonton noodle soup, served with egg noodles, chicken and prawn wontons, bok choy and a warming chicken broth ($12, $2 extra with char siu pork). It's made from scratch every morning and, needless to say, there's an unmistakable, borderline obsessive, amount of care that goes into every component of the dish. Other highlights of Hawker Boys' no-frills menu includes the devilishly soft and crunchy soft shell crab 'bun me' ($13). A finger-licking combination of generous soft shell crab, fried shallots, creamy Sriracha mayo, coriander, spring onion and slaw, it's only fair to warn you that this simple sambo may find its way into your weekly work lunch schedule. Vegetarians will be more than pleased with options like tender mixed mushroom skewers ($7 for two) and crispy fried tofu rice paper rolls ($7 for two) also on offer. The bright, fittingly hawker-style interior, designed by STUDIO Y, is clean and cosy. Featuring a playful pink wall mural, low hanging lamps and pale timber furnishings, you can choose between a private table or the central communal bench. Is Hawker Boys breaking new foodie ground or shattering sweet 'n' savoury glass ceilings? Not a chance. But against some of Melbourne's most outlandish, Insta-perfect dishes, Hawker Boys can easily stand their ground.
With the first residents moving into East Brunswick Village in 2020, a groundswell of like-minded businesses quickly followed. Replacing the area's dilapidated factories, you'll now find uncompromising baked goods at To Be Frank's second outpost alongside Fomo Cinemas, featuring a dine-in experience inspired by renowned cinema brands such as the Alamo Drafthouse. Bringing a new element to this creative bunch, East Brunswick Village is preparing to host its very first vintage market. Taking place from 10am–3pm on Sunday, February 22, over 30 stallholders will be in attendance, offering vintage and second-hand fashion, statement accessories, retro homewares, vinyl records, collectibles and one-of-a-kind finds. Beyond the rare items up for grabs, another EBV resident is also firing up the barbecue. That'd be Hagen's Organics — a long-standing family-run butchery — flipping a brisket sausage with Vegemite BBQ sauce and grilled onions. Plus, DODAM is elevating the market bites with its ever-popular Korean fried chicken. Fuelled up for your treasure hunt, you might also find yourself dancing from one stall to the next. Paris-born Waxflower regular DJ Michat will be spinning classic vinyl, showcasing her impressive repertoire of soul, disco and bossa nova tunes, plus some zouk deep cuts if you're lucky. Dogs are welcome, and the market is wheelchair accessible.
The St Kilda Foreshore Trail follows the water's edge, tracing the coastline for 11 kilometres from Port Phillip to St Kilda then Elwood. It's dotted with palm trees, beaches, cafes and parks — and is often packed with Melburnians enjoying the sun and salty air as they walk, cycle or jog the track. To help you make the most of your next walk or run on the trail, we've teamed up with Adidas to bring you seven rewarding pit stops to make along the way. Take a look, then plan your own adventure using the map below. [caption id="attachment_801213" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] PERC WHITE RESERVE Start your run at Perc White Reserve, which you'll find at The Boulevard in Port Melbourne, near the Maritime Cove Community Park and Sandridge Beach. The natural reserve offers a perfect place to prep for the route ahead. Find a spot near some native bush to limber up with a few stretches and light movements, like legs swings. You can also go for a quick stroll along the dock to get the blood flowing and warm your muscles. As you do, you'll be spoiled with impressive views of the city and Williamstown. [caption id="attachment_803770" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Taylor Franz; Unsplash[/caption] SANDBAR BEACH CAFE After around four kilometres, stop in at Sandbar Beach Cafe, along Beaconsfield Parade. As you look out over Port Phillip Bay, rehydrate with a cold-pressed orange, apple or watermelon juice. Alternatively, grab a hot coffee or tea to keep you going in the colder months or early mornings. Whatever you choose, take time to relax on the deck rewarding yourself with ocean views, or stroll along the beach to keep your legs moving. MIDDLE PARK BEACH A little farther along, Middle Park is a one-kilometre stretch of south-west facing beach that's a popular spot for swimmers. It's sandwiched between the Kerferd Road Pier and West Beach Pavilion with a low seawall separating it from the promenade and bustling Beaconsfield Parade. Relax on the sand, soak safely in the sun, or go for a dip. The best part is: it's dog friendly. So you can often catch some cute, furry guys frolicking in the waves. [caption id="attachment_750875" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria/Josie Withers[/caption] CATANI GARDENS As you reach St Kilda West, around 1.3 kilometres away, you'll come to Catani Gardens. It's a well-known hang out spot for families and other runners, and the gardens boasts expansive, well-manicured lawns framed by Canary Island palm trees. Here, you can catch your breath in the shade or have a rest under the notable rotunda in the heart of the gardens. There's also a drinking fountain to refill your water bottle and plenty of spots to get in some stretches or lunges. ST KILDA SEA BATHS Alternatively, a short stroll away is St Kilda Sea Baths, where the hydrotherapy spa pool and 25-metre seawater pool are heated to a pleasant temperature. As well as feeling salty and soothing, the seawater is said to have therapeutic qualities, too, such as helping to stimulate senses and relieve sore muscles. Take a moment to relax in the aromatherapy steam room (currently closed due to COVID restrictions) or sit in the lounge area with views of the bay. You'll find the baths at Jacka Boulevard. [caption id="attachment_803768" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Unsplash; Larry Crayton[/caption] ST KILDA OUTDOOR GYM, MO MORAN RESERVE Another 1.6 kilometres away is MO Moran Reserve Outdoor Gym, where your legs can take a small break while you work your arms, abs, shoulders and back. You can access the gym via Marine Parade where you'll find a hub of callisthenics equipment, such as parallel bars, dip bars, a push up bar, step and incline bench — all designed to build strength and give you a full-body workout. What makes it rewarding? All that strength training will help protect your joints for future runs. ELWOOD BATHERS Then, after another kilometre or so, you'll come to Elwood Bathers & Elwood Bathers Pizza, where you can refuel and relax after clocking up your step count. The waterfront restaurant boasts casual seating and stellar views of Port Phillip Bay. As you've finished your run, it's time to give yourself the ultimate treat: food. Order a wagyu or chargrilled chicken burger, beer-battered flathead and chips, or a well-earned slice of mushroom, prawn or prosciutto pizza. Wash it down with a grapefruit soda, spicy ginger beer or sparkling mineral water. Alternatively, enjoy a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc or a cool pale ale, draft or cider. In need of a new pair of runners? Take a look at the new Adidas Ultraboost 21 runners here. Launch the map below to start plotting your own running adventure in and around Melbourne. Top image: St Kilda Beach, Visit Victoria
The beloved Fitzroy local reached for the sky in 2017, opening her doors to a brand new rooftop. The space has vintage patio furniture and shabby chic styling mingling to create an al fresco hangout as relaxed as the suburb it calls home. The drinks offering hits all the right notes. Think easygoing, with just enough attitude, starring signature cocktails like the fruity 'You're Punching, Mate' and a new-school riff on the classic piña colada. They're backed by a fuss-free, ten-strong tap beer rotation and a globe-spanning wine list that's got a little something for everyone. Meanwhile, the food situation is a hands-on affair that'll see you getting stuck into burgers stuffed with beef and bacon and sticky pulled pork, or pizzas topped with spicy sausage and pepperoni. Throughout the winter months, it's also playing host to a cosy winter rooftop — filled with heaters, a creperie and even bottomless brunches on weekends.
Acclaimed pastry chef Pierrick Boyer has finally gifted local dessert fiends with his first solo venture, opening the doors to a namesake patisserie and cafe in the heart of Prahran. A minimal, 70-seat space decked out with powder pink and gold accents, lush foliage and velvet seating, it's both an homage to Boyer's delicate, French-style creations and a fitting addition to Melbourne's contemporary brunch scene. Out of one kitchen comes the French-trained chef's decadent line of cakes, desserts and pastries — from creamy lemon tarts and choux buns, to the PB passion brownie, loaded with passionfruit custard, crunchy praline and chocolate mousse. Another kitchen, manned by Head Chef Bradley Pearce, is where the savoury magic ensues, for a menu of reimagined brunch classics. Expect dishes like a soft shell chilli crab scramble, a cheesy croque madame, and a wagyu beef burger on house-made brioche. Best of all, no one's about to feel left out with this lot — in both the sweet and savoury corners, you'll find a hefty range of vegan, vegetarian, nut-free and gluten-free options to rival anything else off the menu. Feeling inspired by all those intricate desserts? Book yourself in for one of Boyer's regular masterclasses, held in the venue's third, educational kitchen.
It's long been a go-to both for live comedy and international beers. But now, the four-level Exhibition Street site formerly home to the European Bier Cafe is stepping things up a notch. It's set to score a top-to-toe multimillion-dollar revamp, reopening in autumn 2023 under the new moniker Morris House. With extensive renovations already under way, the building is being reborn as a 550-capacity venue at the hands of Australian Venue Co (State of Grace, Harlow, BrewDog Pentridge), complete with an NYC-inspired comedy club in the basement, plus upper restaurant and bar spaces. Expect a sprawling 180-person rooftop as the crowning glory, too. As for the new name, it's a nod to the site's original incarnation, which dates back to 1924. An exterior paint job is set to refresh the building's facade, while brand-new interiors are the work of local studio Red Design Group. The neon-lit subterranean level will play host to a hefty program of comedy performances and events, while the dining space above is getting a lighter, fresher aesthetic to match a brand-new menu of refined pub classics and share plates. Up on the first floor, you'll find a bar, entertainment space and terrace, serving up a live music program as well as offering space for private events. And the leafy rooftop bar crowns it all, decked out in neutral tones and features to protect punters from Melbourne's unpredictable weather. In a few months time, this'll be your spot for modern cocktails and shared platters overlooking the city. [caption id="attachment_680499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The European Bier Cafe, by Giulia Morlando[/caption] Morris House will open at 114-122 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, in autumn 2023. We'll share more details as they drop.
When it comes to leaders in Melbourne's food scene, The Mulberry Group's founder Nathan Toleman has been right up there for well over a decade. When the city was undergoing somewhat of a cafe renaissance, he founded Three Bags Full, Top Paddock, The Kettle Black and Higher Ground. These were and continue to be some of Melbourne's best brunch spots. After conquering the cafe world, he set his sights on the dinner and late-night drinks trade in Melbourne's CBD, launching Dessous and Hazel. Dessous is still one of the best bars in Melbourne, and Hazel is one of the city's top restaurants. And now, Toleman's putting all of his learnings into two new neighbouring sites in Abbotsford that'll cover all your day- and night-time needs when it opens in June this year. Little Molli will be part deli, cafe and pantry, and Molli will be a sleek wine bar and bistro. Open from 8am every day, Little Molli will be serving locals a selection of loaded sangas — think smoked pork shoulder with whipped cod roe on To Be Frank's legendary focaccia and ciabatta. As it transitions to later in the afternoon, Little Molli will offer an extensive range of charcuterie and cheeses, plus a carefully chosen selection of wines by the glass that'll pair well with whatever's hitting the food menu. [caption id="attachment_868652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hazel[/caption] Hazel Head Chef Aleksis Kalnins is heading up both kitchens, giving great attention to Molli's dishes that are said to "sidestep the everyday wine-bar fare". Small and large plates will include eats like pork neck skewers straight from the Josper oven with a rich date puree; whole alpine trout coated with a horseradish emulsion; and pork rice crispies. "As an Abbotsford local myself, I want Molli to be the kind of place I've been missing," says Kalnins. "Really high quality and creative, but not pretentious. The food would be simple enough not to scare my mum and technical enough to make my chef friends wonder how I did it." Kayla Saito — who spends most of her time dreaming up Hazel's and Dessous' ever-changing beverage lineup — has designed a drinks list that's said to be "relaxed but thoughtful", with a deep sustainability ethos. Saito will work closely with the kitchen when fermenting some funky tipples and aims to ensure that Molli takes food waste issues seriously. Wines will lean away from the old-world varietals, aiming to be different yet unpretentious. Molli and Little Molli are still under construction, but Addition Studio is bringing plenty of light into the space with floor-to-ceiling windows. Warm, natural tones and wood finishes will keep things simple and lean into those classic bistro vibes, while a large rooftop garden with city views will open for special events. Toleman has high hopes for Little Molli and Molli, hoping to make them institutions just like so many of his previous venues. Given his track record, we feel pretty sure he'll nails these, too. Little Molli and Molli are slated to open in June this year at 20–30 Mollison Street, Abbotsford. Little Molli will be open 8am–5pm every day, and Molli will open 5-11pm on Wednesdays, 12-11pm Thursday–Saturday, and 11.30am–4pm on Sundays. Images: Tim Harris
If the last couple of years in pop culture are to be believed, it mightn't be a great idea to go away with a character played by Cristin Milioti. In three of the always-excellent actor's most recent high-profile roles, she has decamped to idyllic surroundings, only to find anything but bliss awaiting. Palm Springs threw a Groundhog Day-style time loop her way in its titular setting. Made for Love saw her trapped by sinister futuristic possibilities. In The Resort, which hails from Palm Springs screenwriter Andy Siara, she now has the ten-year itch — and a getaway to Mexico that's meant to soothe it slides swiftly into a wild mystery. In this instantly twisty comedy-thriller — which brings its first three episodes to Stan in Australia on Friday, July 29, and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand, then drops the remaining five weekly — Miloti plays Emma, spouse to William Jackson Harper's (The Good Place) Noah. After a decade of marriage, they're celebrating at the Bahía del Paraíso in the Yucatán, but they're really trying to reignite their spark. At this stage in their relationship, he recoils at her bad breath, she makes fun of him falling asleep on the couch, and they're rarely in sync; even when they're floating along the resort's lazy river, cocktails in hand, they want different things. And, they each tackle their matrimonial malaise in wildly dissimilar ways. She wants to find herself above all else, while he's desperate to reconnect. What they both find is a missing-persons case from 15 years ago, after Emma goes tumbling off a quad-biking trail, bumps her head and spies an old mobile phone. It belongs to Sam (Skyler Gisondo, Licorice Pizza), a guest at the nearby but now-shuttered Oceana Vista Resort, who was on holidays over Christmas 1997 with his parents (IRL couple Dylan Baker, Hunters, and Becky Ann Baker, Big Little Lies), as well as his girlfriend Hannah (Debby Ryan, Insatiable). As Emma learns via Sam's photos and text messages, all wasn't rosy in his romantic life. After running into fellow guest Violet (Nina Bloomgarden, Good Girl Jane), his SMS history skews in her direction. But the pair promptly disappeared, and any potential clues were lost when a hurricane struck and destroyed their getaway spot. Initially, Emma and Noah could've waltzed right out of The White Lotus, which also saw a sunny and sandy holiday turn sour — and surveyed couples looking to reignite their love, or solidify it, but getting caught up in thorny feelings and a murky death, too. When Emma takes to solving Sam and Violet's disappearance with the kind of enthusiasm she clearly hasn't shown towards Noah for years, she could been on loan from Only Murders in the Building as well. And, the more that the obsessed Emma and the reluctant Noah investigate, the more than The Resort has in common with Palm Springs. No one relives the same day again and again, but showrunner, writer and executive producer Siara displays the same sense of playfulness. Can bonding over a 15-year-old cold case fix a flailing marriage? Did a holiday romance end in tragedy all that time ago? They're The Resort's two key questions. It has more, many uttered by Emma and Noah as they track down every tidbit they can, but they're not the only people interested. In the series' flashback timeline, Oceana Vista Resort's head of security Baltasar (Luis Gerardo Méndez, Narcos: Mexico) tries to get to the bottom of things, while Violet's father Murray (Nick Offerman, Pam & Tommy) is understandably frantic. Also part this layered tale: Gabriela Cartol (Hernán) as knowing concierge Luna, Ben Sinclair (Thor: Love and Thunder) as erratic resort owner Alex, plus Parvesh Cheena (Mythic Quest) and Michael Hitchcock (Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar) as two married Teds dissecting their own long-running nuptials. The Resort's three main threads — a marriage in peril, holidays gone wrong and crime-inspired sleuthing — are as familiar as scenarios get on-screen in the past few years. Indeed, picturesque vacations taking turns for the worst have become a pandemic-era staple, as M Night Shyamalan's Old, the Tim Roth-starring Sundown, the aforementioned The White Lotus and fellow TV series Nine Perfect Strangers have all demonstrated. Siara moulds his addition to the landscape knowingly, though. He approaches all three of his well-worn setups with an understanding of why they're popular, and with a roguish eagerness to zig and zag all over the place. One of the show's biggest thrills comes from seeing just where it'll veer off to next, even while working with such recognisable beats. Surprises arise not just for Emma, Noah, Sam, Violet and company, but for The Resort's audience. Something that won't astonish: how quickly bingeable the series becomes, even though it's drip-feeding out its later episodes. Like Emma and Noah, getting drawn deep into the mystery is easy. Like Sam and Violet, too, getting caught up in the excitement comes just as naturally. The need to piece together puzzles kicks into gear while watching — something that Siara also cultivated on the tonally similar, criminally cancelled-too-soon Lodge 49, and rang true of producer Sam Esmail's Mr Robot as well. It helps that The Resort always looks enticing, not just via locations bound to inspire travel yearnings, but in the detail that resonates in its jungles, caves, hotel bars and lavish penthouses alike. The show's four directors, including Sinclair (High Maintenance), Australian filmmaker Ariel Kleiman (Partisan), and Daniel Garcia and Rania Attieh (Two Sentence Horror Stories), ensure that everything seen on-screen is lively, fascinating and probing in tandem. As guides through The Resort's many turns — as audience surrogates as well — Milioti and Harper are supremely well-cast, even if both have played these types of characters before (for the latter, see: season two of Love Life). The series could've focused solely their way and unearthed ample treasures, stirring insights into love and loss among them. That said, the same is true of the reliably engaging Gisondo (who keeps building on a resume that also spans Santa Clarita Diet and The Righteous Gemstones) and Bloomgarden as Sam and Violet find their own riddle to solve. Offerman's determined father adds poignancy, plus another excellent turn to his his name, but it's Méndez who best embodies The Resort. Sometimes he's tasked with teasing out minutiae and intrigue, sometimes he's delightfully goofy, and he's always impossible to look away from. Check out the trailer for The Resort below: The Resort is available to stream in Australia via Stan and in New Zealand via TVNZ On Demand. Images: Marisol Pesquera / Peacock.
Preaching the 'comfort food to share' angle, Ripponlea Food & Wine may be underselling itself a little. Breakfast panna cotta (vanilla bean yoghurt with summer berries and a toffee nut wedge — for breakfast!), kataifi king prawns with apple slaw and chipotle aioli and the tuna tartare (with spiced avocado and gazpacho, no less) are all good examples of this new cafe, restaurant and wine bar doing much more than what's traditionally considered 'comfort food'. Breakfast starts with the birds at 7am and sits in that perfectly balanced space between basic and fancy-pants. If the Staple Store gluten free Bircher muesli with poached pear and walnut crumble ($10.50) doesn't tempt you, you might prefer the potato rosti with smashed avocado, maple glazed bacon and poached eggs ($16). Later in the day the short-but-punchy cocktail menu comes out, as does the well-considered wine list, which includes a full-flavoured Te Mata Gamay Noir red served chilled ($43 bottle) — perfect for a bright autumn evening. Mei's Fury cocktail has also created quite a buzz, but it is not for the faint-hearted (and features house-infused jalapeno tequila). The lunch/dinner menu features flavours that span the continents. The wasabi squid, wagyu burger with fries and chipotle dip and potato and rosemary salt flatbread sit on the same page in harmony, while a Cherry Ripe ice cream sandwich ($14.90) for dessert brings it all back home. The space feels intimate without being squeezy, and the decor is modern rustic (if there can be such a contradiction). Exposed brick, communal tables and large windows with beautiful gold lettering makes this place feel sophisticated, yet down-to-earth and extremely inviting. It's the sort of place you imagine could fit within the New York scene — if the location opposite Ripponlea station and its leafy surrounds wasn't a key part of RF&W's overall success. It's still early days, but the signs are good. Welcoming and attentive staff, comprehensive menu options and well executed food and drinks make RF&W worth a visit, even if you have to cross town to get there. But let me guess — I had you convinced at breakfast panna cotta?
Summer might feel like it's flown by in a blink, but you've still got a chance to make the last of these balmy days count. Especially if you nab yourself a spot at one of Rosetta's upcoming Sicilian long lunches. On Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26, the Southbank Italian restaurant invites you to soak up some rays on the openair terrace while digging into a seafood-heavy four-course feast, basking in the bright flavours of Sicily. Book a table between 12–2.30pm and settle in over the likes of Port Lincoln prawn crudo, garlicky clam spaghetti served with house-made focaccia, coral trout with capers and cherry truss tomatoes, ricotta-filled cannoli and fruity sorbeti. Coming in at $179, the lunch includes a different Sicilian-inspired cocktail paired with each course — just in case you needed any more of an excuse to kick back and really unwind. Expect sips like a white negroni, the Sprezzatura Spritz and a Positano-style martini.
This time next year, you could well be spending your summer immersed in legendary Japanese artworks. The Art Gallery of New South Wales has announced a blockbuster exhibition, dubbed Japan Supernatural, set to open in November 2019 as part of the tenth Sydney International Art Series. Made up of more than 200 works from all over the planet, it's an exploration of the spirit world in Japanese art. Expect a immersive experience involving paintings, sculpture, prints, film, animation, comics and games. Leading the show is a monumental piece by Tokyo-born Takashi Murakami. He's a bit of an international rockstar, renowned for bringing together high and low art — much like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol. Chances are, you first heard of him in the 1990s, when he launched the inaugural Superflat exhibition. Since then, he's been a prolific creator of paintings, drawings, sculptures and animations, and collaborated extensively with Louis Vuitton. Representing a much earlier era will be Katsushika Hokusai, born in Edo in 1760. His best-known piece is Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, a series of wood block prints that includes the now iconic Great Wave off Kanagawa. While can't reveal, yet, which of his pieces will be travelling to Sydney, we're hoping we get some of the works that were at the NGV last year. Look out, too, for works by historical artists Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and Kawanabe Kyosai, as well as contemporary pop artist Chiho Aoshima and photographer Miwa Yanagi. The artworks are expected to be announced in early 2019, but, in the meantime, you can check out the ninth Sydney International Art Series, which includes paintings by Monet, Matisse and Picasso and a retrospective of South African photographer David Goldblatt's work. Japan Supernatural is slated to open at the Art Gallery of NSW in November 2019, as part the Sydney International Art Series. Image: Takashi Murakami by Claire Dorn.
Channel your inner adventurer, and spend a weekend exploring a region full of bushwalking trails, untouched forests and waterfalls. Only a 75-minute drive from Melbourne, West Gippsland will inspire you to seek out the many potential adventures the region has to offer. Pack your walking shoes and discover the most photogenic spots on foot, or strap your bike to the roof and spend an afternoon pedalling along a local trail. After adventuring around, refuel with some of Victoria's best produce at one of the many spectacular dining options, before setting in to fall asleep to the sound of nature. This is Gippsland. [caption id="attachment_645713" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Noojee Trestle Bridge.[/caption] DO If it's a bike ride that tickles your fancy, you'll be spoiled for choice in West Gippsland. Arguably the most famous track around is the meandering Grand Ridge Rail Trail in the pristine Strzelecki Ranges. Soak up the scent of native plants and keep your eyes peeled for one of Gippsland's most vocal attractions — the lyrebird. Another option for bike riding is the Noojee Trestle Bridge Rail Trail. Cycle along the track, and you'll reach Victoria's tallest surviving wooden trestle bridge. Soak up views of the 100-metre-tall bridge and surrounding valley before enjoying a picnic lunch at the nearby reserve. [caption id="attachment_645714" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Toorongo Falls.[/caption] At the end of your walk, explore the Toorongo Falls Reserve to see the eponymous falls cascading down the cliff face. The Mushroom Rocks Trail is equally rewarding, ending with a maze of giant and extremely photogenic granite tors. If these tracks sound a little too tame for your inner adventurer, pack your mountain bike and book a shuttle to the summit of Mount Baw Baw. The recently launched shuttle offers thrill seekers the chance to power down the mountain at one of three difficulty levels. With a total descent of three kilometres, this ride is not for the faint of heart. And if extreme mountain biking is a bit too much for you, the Mount Baw Baw National Park by foot is pretty spectacular, too. [caption id="attachment_645715" align="alignnone" width="1980"] Walhalla Goldfields Railway.[/caption] Finally, head to the historic mining town of Walhalla to explore historic buildings, hike up to the old cricket pitch and venture into the area's (possibly) haunted ghost towns. Visitors can also embark on the Long Tunnel Gold Mine Tour through the old mines or, on the weekends, catch a ride on the historic Walhalla Goldfields Railway. [caption id="attachment_617431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hogget Kitchen. Image: Tim Grey.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK In 2006, former truck driver Craig Robins set up a coffee business after being consistently disappointed with the standard of coffee available in the region. With help from wife Jenni, he gifted the region with Southern Addictions Coffee, which now supplies good coffee to cafes throughout the area, including the couple's first permanent outpost in Yarragon, The Shot House. It's a great stop for an early caffeine hit; grab a comfy stool at the espresso bar to try one of the daily single origins, or nab a table in the sun and order a sweet treat with your brew. Hogget Kitchen. Image: Tim Grey. Just a ten-minute drive up the road, you'll find Warragul. With no shortage of interesting eateries and a tangible Melbourne influence touching most venues in town, this lively country town will definitely keep you well fed. For a simple, produce-driven meal, head to Stella's Pantry, a cafe and retail store where you can pick up almost every kind of local product imaginable. Peruse the packed shelves for a little piece of Gippsland to take home with you, before plonking down on a comfy chair with some charcuterie, cheese and antipasto. Courthouse Restaurant and Garden Bar. For a meal with a more historic feel, head around the corner from Stella's to Courthouse Restaurant and Garden Bar. The gastropub's menu is full of local produce, but the real star is the local beef. Come for lunch, and order the Gippsland beef sirloin — char-grilled to your liking — and pair it with a full-bodied red wine for a decadent way to refuel after a massive hike. If you're looking to really treat yourself, though, plan a visit to Warragul's Hogget Kitchen. This famed rural restaurant serves some of Gippsland's best ethical produce, including berries, veg and herbs grown in the on-site garden. As expected from such a localised production, the menu changes daily, so you may find yourself here a few times during your trip so you can try several different dishes. [caption id="attachment_645440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vivere Retreat.[/caption] STAY For a centrally located getaway, book one of the three self-contained cottages at Vivere Retreat in Neerim South. The Retreat, Studio and Cottage each offer something a little different in terms of style and size, and each comes with a standout feature including fireplace, spa bath or a patio perfect for sunsets. Head a little further into the hills and you'll find Vue at Jindivick, an eco bed and breakfast tucked away in the forest. Set on 36 acres of land, a stay at Vue is ideal for those looking to embark on bushwalking, cycling and bird watching adventures throughout the region. If you visit from September through April, you'll also be able to take part in an on-site beekeeping workshop. Another option is to head to Poowong East to hidden gem Marge's Cottage. In a secluded spot, the handcrafted cottage includes an indoor fireplace, luxurious bathtub and, as a bonus, homemade snacks. Wake up to the soothing sound of the property's friendly milking sheep before making a gourmet brekkie with supplied local produce. For a Gippsland getaway with friends, book a stay at 100-year-old Fieldstone House. This rustic accommodation sleeps eight people and includes a private infinity pool and gorgeous English garden. It's equally ideal for that romantic weekend away you've been trying to plan for months now. Discover more of Gippsland here.
2023 marks three decades since Snoop Dogg released his first single and album, with the rap star's career evolving in a variety of ways from there. He's dropped hits like they're hot, collaborated with seemingly everyone in the music industry, and popped up on both the big and small screens. He's also taken on MC duties at wrestling matches, released his own wine and adopted aliases. And, in 2018, he shared his kitchen skills with the world via his very own cookbook. Within From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes From Tha Boss Dogg's Kitchen's pages, fans can find recipes for everything from 'billionaire's bacon' and 'Bow Wow brownies and ice cream' — and, of course, gin and juice. Yes, the tome means that you can listen to Snoop's tunes while whipping up his dishes and sipping the drink he'll always be synonymous with. Yes, it was another success. [caption id="attachment_908060" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tulane Public Relations via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] From Crook to Cook reached shelves after Snoop teamed up with Martha Stewart on TV show Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party. Again, he does love a collab. So, now that it's time for a followup cookbook, the hip hop icon is also calling upon fellow rapper E-40 for help. The end result: Snoop Dogg Presents Goon with the Spoon. It's set to arrive in bookstores Down Under in November 2023, giving Snoop aficionados another way to splash their affection the musician's way after his tour across Australia and New Zealand back in February and March. This recipe collection spans more than 65 dishes, covering everything from mains and desserts to drinks. Despite the name, we're guessing that cask wine isn't included. This new kitchen bible will feature meals that take inspiration from Snoop and E-40's respective music catalogues, as well as Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party and E-40's Filipino food business Lumpia. And the reason for its moniker? Again, it isn't due to cheap boxed vino, but because that's E-40's — aka Earl Stevens — nickname, and adorns his range of sausages, ice cream flavour and burritos in the US. Snoop Dogg Presents Goon with the Spoon will also get Snoop-loving cooks sharing its wares, thanks to a selection of suggested event menus. Fancy a 4/20 potluck? Catering for a summertime block party? The cookbook includes options for both, plus headnotes and sidebar stories from Snoop and E-40's well-known pals about dinner parties and nights out together. View this post on Instagram A post shared by GOON WITH THE SPOON (@goonwiththespoon) Snoop Dogg Presents Goon with the Spoon releases on November 15, 2023. Top image: Jason Persse via Wikimedia Commons.
Creating a list of the very best Thai restaurants in Melbourne is no easy task. We are spoilt for choice when it comes to places that serve up the perfect green curry, pad thai and tom yum soup. But while us Aussies love these classic dishes, each of Melbourne's best Thai restaurants serves up stacks of other local delicacies that must be ordered — either keeping traditional dishes as authentic as possible or totally reinventing them for a new audience. Of course, you can head to any of these joints for your old favourite, but we always suggest changing things up. Go off-piste, asking the server for recommendations or simply close your eyes and pick something totally random. Let fate decide. Whatever option you choose, you're not going to be disappointed by the food, drinks and service at the eight best Thai restaurants in Melbourne. Recommended reads: The Best Pho in Melbourne The Best Hot Pots in Melbourne The Best Japanese Restaurants in Melbourne The Best Restaurants in Melbourne
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this months latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from December's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW LANDSCAPERS In 2013, in an ordinary backyard in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK police excavated the bodies of Patricia and William Wycherley. The elderly couple was last seen 15 years prior, with their librarian daughter Susan Edwards and her accountant husband Chris telling neighbours that the Wycherleys had moved — before Susan and Chris fled their own bills and chased their own love of Gallic cinema to France, that is. In 2014, the younger duo were convicted of the Wycherleys murders, despite willingly returning to England to face questioning and offering their own version of events in the process. To the police, the crime was a premeditated act motivated by money. In their tale, Susan and Chris spoke of multiple layers of abuse, of a heated night that ended badly, and of poor decisions inspired by a lifetime of fear. With Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter) playing Susan and David Thewlis (I'm Thinking of Ending Things) as Chris, Landscapers unfurls the Edwards-Wycherley saga, digging into the story's details across a four-part true-crime miniseries. But as its irreverent name makes plain, this isn't the usual dive into real-life crime — and not just because its two leads turn in phenomenal performances that rank among their very best. As he's done in both TV series Flowers and recent feature The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, filmmaker Will Sharpe brings his whimsical style to this experimental retelling. On paper, such a tone and the visual flourishes that come with it might seem ill-suited to the material, but it's all a part of the show's interrogation of how its central pair — and everyone in general — navigate life by spinning their own version of reality. It's an inspired touch, and makes Landscapers one of the most distinctive and engrossing additions yet to a ridiculously busy, ever-popular genre. Landscapers is available to stream via Stan. ENCOUNTER Excellent casting can't save all films. Ambitious directors can't, either. But with Encounter, it's easy to see how the sci-fi thriller would've turned out if anyone other than Riz Ahmed was leading the show — and if a filmmaker other than Michael Pearce was at the helm. Across the last three years and his past three movies, Ahmed has turned in a trio of stunning performances that lay bare struggling men battling to reclaim a sense of normality. Indeed, arriving after Mogul Mowgli and Sound of Metal, Encounter couldn't be better placed on his resume. As for Pearce, he jumps into this slippery story of a father, a road trip and a possible alien parasite invasion after making a tremendous feature debut with 2017's Beast, and serves up the same commitment to telling thorny tales without needing to explain away everything. When Ahmed's ex-soldier Malik Khan kills a wasp in his motel room with intense determination, it's clear that he's unusually passionate about eradicating insects — and, believing that a meteorite crashed into earth not so long ago, brought extraterrestrial invaders with it, but hardly anyone else noticed, he has good reason for his entomophobia. His mission: to rescue his two young sons (Heartland's Lucian-River Chauhan and first-timer Aditya Geddada) from the bug-sized aliens, even if it means whisking them away from his ex-wife (Janina Gavankar, The Morning Show) in the middle of the night. Co-written with Joe Barton (Girl/Haji), Pearce's film isn't quite the mystery he thinks it is, but it doesn't need to be to relay its weighty character study. Whenever Ahmed is on-screen, which is often, this is a tense and moving examination of trauma, stress and endeavouring to cope with chaos both everyday and extraordinary. Encounter is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS Here's a great way to know whether a new TV comedy is worth watching: check whether Mindy Kaling is involved. After stealing every scene she could in The Office, then turning The Mindy Project into a smart, funny and adorable rom-com sitcom made with oh-so-much love for the genre, she just keeps adding new shows to her resume as a co-creator, writer and producer. The Sex Lives of College Girls is the latest, and quickly thrives thanks to the kind of savvy, authentic, honest and highly amusing writing that's always been a hallmark of Kaling's work. If you didn't know she was behind it going in, you'd easily guess. It also sports an immensely descriptive title, following four college freshmen — strangers to each other, but now roommates — as they navigate the move from high school to the fictional Essex College in Vermont. Because three movies currently in cinemas starring a member of Chalamet family just isn't enough (aka Dune, The French Dispatch and Don't Look Up), The Sex Lives of College Girls features his Timothée's sister Pauline (The King of Staten Island). She plays Kimberly Finkle, who heads to Essex as valedictorian of her small-town school, is more excited about the classes than the parties, but still wants to have the full college experience. And, she's thrilled to find herself rooming with aspiring comedy writer Bela Malhotra (Amrit Kaur, The D Cut), star soccer player Whitney Chase (first-timer Alyah Chanelle Scott) and the wealthy Leighton Murray (theatre star Reneé Rapp) — even if the latter in particular doesn't initially return the enthusiasm. The quartet's exploits from there navigate all the usual kinds of relatable college antics, but do so with a warm-hearted vibe, a great cast, insightful humour, and a shrewd focus on friendships and figuring out who you want to be. The first season of The Sex Lives of College Girls is available to stream via Binge. SWAN SONG It took Mahershala Ali a mere two years to back up his first Best Supporting Actor Oscar with a second one, initially winning for the sublime Moonlight before again earning the nod for being the best thing about Green Book. He won't add a third Academy Award to his mantle for Swan Song, but he gives it two tries — playing a terminally ill illustrator who doesn't want to put his family through the pain of losing him, and also playing the clone his character has secretly had made to replace him without his loved ones ever knowing he was even sick. That's the futuristic sci-fi premise behind this poignant drama, which tussles with life, love, loss and two inescapable realisations. This isn't just a movie about facing your own mortality, but about confronting the fact that everything that's important to you — everyone that's important, to be specific — will still continue on after you say goodbye. Not to be confused with the Udo Kier-starring film of the exact same name that's just reached cinemas, Swan Song ruminates on Cameron Turner's (Ali, Alita: Battle Angel) moral quandary after enlisting Dr Scott (Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy) to replicate him before he succumbs to his illness. Even after seeing how fellow patient Kate (Awkwafina, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) and her clone fare, it's a decision that weighs heavily on his mind — especially given his wife Poppy (Naomie Harris, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) is expecting their second child. So much of Swan Song's power stems from Ali's ability to wade through such a difficult choice, and to convey its emotional ramifications often without saying a word. In this thoughtful directorial debut by writer/director Benjamin Cleary, Ali also unpacks the flipside as Jack, who'll replace Cameron, and sees the possibilities his existence brings with literally fresh eyes. Swan Song is available to stream via Apple TV+. THE NORTH WATER When ex-army surgeon Patrick Sumner (Jack O'Connell, Seberg) secures a gig on a whaling expedition to the Arctic working as the ship's doctor, he's clearly running from something. His new colleagues are instantly suspicious of his story, bloodthirsty harpooner Henry Drax (Colin Farrell, Voyagers) among them — although Captain Brownlee (Stephen Graham, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) and whaling company owner Baxter (Tom Courtenay, Summerland) are mostly just happy for his cheap services. That's the setup for The North Water, the 19th-century-set, five-part miniseries that takes to the seas, to the cold and to a brutal world, and proves grimly mesmerising with its Moby Dick-meets-Heart of Darkness vibes. Charting a survivalist tale not just of the physical kind amid all that unforgiving ice (and on those treacherous waters), but also of the emotional and mental variety as well, this is one of the most relentlessly intense shows to hit screens in 2021 — and it's also gripping from start to finish. The first episode sets the scene in a slow-burn fashion, culminating in sights so searing they're impossible to forget — and the story, as well as the vast chasm between Sumner and Drax, only grows from there. Writer/director Andrew Haigh adapts Ian McGuire's novel of the same name, but this series has the Weekend, 45 Years and Lean on Pete filmmaker's stamp all over it. He finds as much empathy here as he has throughout his stellar big-screen projects, and once again demonstrates his extraordinary eye for detail, exceptional sense of place and winning way with actors. With the latter, having O'Connell and Farrell lead the charge obviously helps. They're not only reliably phenomenal; they each put in some of their best-ever work, and their performances seethe with complexity. So does the entire miniseries, which is never willing to pose easy answers or provide straightforward interpretations when ruminating over the minutiae is much more riveting, fascinating and realistic. The North Water is available to stream via Binge. MACGRUBER They can't all be The Blues Brothers or Wayne's World — films based on Saturday Night Live sketches, that is. Eagerly silly, as you'd expect of any MacGyver send-up, 2010's MacGruber definitely doesn't belong in the same category as the two best SNL-to-cinema flicks. That hasn't stopped an action-parody TV series hitting streaming 11 years later, however. And, with Will Forte once again donning a Richard Dean Anderson-style mullet and wearing plenty of flannelette, this MacGruber revival is the satire's finest moment yet. You could easily think that it only exists because Forte had a gap in his schedule, or because even television skits-turned-movies never die, and both are likely true. Still, when it comes to making fun of all the action cliches that'll never leave screens either big or small, this series knows its unashamedly ridiculous niche. The setup: after spending a decade in prison, the eponymous hero is given a reprieve by his pal General Barrett Fasoose (Laurence Fishburne, The Ice Road) when the president's daughter is kidnapped. He's part of the ransom demand, but his long-term foe Brigadier Commander Enos Queeth (Billy Zane, The Boys) also has other plans. Cue a cavalcade of amusingly over-the-top gags about action-flick machismo and every other trope the genre keeps throwing at viewers, all with Forte and his co-stars as committed as ever to the concept, tone and non-stop jokes. If it wasn't so self-aware — and if both Forte and Kristen Wiig (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) weren't so pitch-perfect in their parts — it might just be stupid rather than stupidly funny. Thankfully, MacGruber knows what it is, knows how to do it well, and knows the difference between being dumb and serving up gleefully dumb fun. The first season of MacGruber is available to stream via Stan. NEW SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK STATION ELEVEN Add Station Eleven to the pile of post-pandemic movies and shows that ponder that very subject — a topic that'll continue to grace our screens for years and decades to come. It's unfair to clump this haunting end-of-the-world miniseries into the same group as opportunistic flicks such as Locked Down, though. Instead, like Y: The Last Man, it predates COVID-19, arrives after garnering a devoted following on the page, and taps into something far deeper than obvious observations about being stuck at home with your significant other and having to scramble to buy toilet paper. The focus of this excellent show, and of Emily St. John Mandel's 2014 book before it, is how art and community all play immeasurable parts in helping humanity process and navigate existence-shattering traumas — and to find a path out the other side. That's a sentiment that might sound mawkish and self-evident when described in a mere sentence, but nothing about Station Eleven ever earns such terms. It all starts with a flu that swiftly proves more than just the usual sniffles, coughs, aches and pains. For eight-year-old Shakespearean actor Kirsten (Matilda Lawler, Evil), the chaos descends during a tumultuous opening-night performance of King Lear led by Arthur Leander (Gael García Bernal, Old), the aftermath of which sees her traipsing around snowy Chicago with Jeevan (Himesh Patel, Don't Look Up), who she has just met. That's really just the beginning of this multi-layered narrative, which also jumps forward 20 years to experience Kirsten's (Mackenzie Davis, Happiest Season) life with a travelling theatre troupe as the planet adjusts to its new normality — and keeps fluttering backwards into her younger exploits, and into the experiences of others connected to her story in various ways. This is a dystopian disaster tale not just about merely surviving, but about truly enduring, and it's a lyrical, heartfelt and character-driven apocalyptic musing with an immediate difference. The first five episodes of Station Eleven are available to stream via Stan, with new episodes dropping weekly. FIREBITE Trust Warwick Thornton to rove his eyes across Australia's sunburnt landscape, imagine vampires prowling the outback and cast those predators within a narrative that hails back to the First Fleet's arrival. The Samson and Delilah and Sweet Country filmmaker co-created new Aussie fantasy-horror series Firebite with Mad Bastards' director Brendan Fletcher, so the credit isn't his alone; however, given that he's spent his career exploring the nation's treatment of Indigenous Australians, it slips easily into his filmography. His third TV project in short succession following the second season of Mystery Road and stunning docoseries The Beach, Firebite also carves out a place for Indigenous tales within the undead genre. Indeed, seeing the colonisation of Australia as the act of ruthless bloodsuckers is an idea so smart and shrewd that this new streaming delight deserves to span on for several seasons. Making glorious use of Coober Pedy's dusty expanse — and its underground dugouts, which help locals escape the heat — Firebite follows two black vampire hunters, aka bloodhunters. Tyson (Rob Collins, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) doesn't really like the label, but he's determined to keep his hometown of Opal City free of vampires, and he's teaching his teenage daughter Shanika (Shantae Barnes-Cowan, Total Control) the trade. But then The King (Callan Mulvey, High Ground) arrives, and more bloodsuckers follow. As a century of vampire fare dictates, this doesn't bode well for humans. Thornton and Fletcher — and fellow director Tony Krawitz (Secret City) — never merely follow in anyone else's footsteps, though. In fact, they don't just sink their teeth into a familiar concept, but tear into it to tell their own standout tale, and do so with a devil-may-care attitude that drips through Firebite's style, story and performances. The first two episodes of Firebite are available to stream via AMC+, with new episodes dropping weekly. EXCELLENT RECENT BIG-SCREEN RELEASES TO CATCH UP WITH IMMEDIATELY THE POWER OF THE DOG Don't call it a comeback: Jane Campion's films have been absent from cinemas for 12 years but, due to miniseries Top of the Lake, she hasn't been biding her time in that gap. And don't call it simply returning to familiar territory, even if the New Zealand director's new movie features an ivory-tinkling woman caught between cruel and sensitive men, as her Cannes Palme d'Or-winner The Piano did three decades ago. Campion isn't rallying after a dip, just as she isn't repeating herself. She's never helmed anything less than stellar, and she's immensely capable of unearthing rich new pastures in well-ploughed terrain. With The Power of the Dog, Campion is at the height of her skills trotting into her latest mesmerising musing on strength, desire and isolation — this time via a venomous western that's as perilously bewitching as its mountainous backdrop. That setting is Montana, circa 1925. Campion's homeland stands in for America nearly a century ago, making a magnificent sight — with cinematographer Ari Wegner (Zola, True History of the Kelly Gang) perceptively spying danger in its craggy peaks and dusty plains even before the film introduces Rose and Peter Gordon (On Becoming a God in Central Florida's Kirsten Dunst and 2067's Kodi Smit-McPhee). When the widowed innkeeper and her teenage son serve rancher brothers Phil and George Burbank (Spider-Man: No Way Home's Benedict Cumberbatch a career-best, awards-worthy, downright phenomenal turn, plus Antlers' Jesse Plemons) during a cattle-run stop, the encounter seesaws from callousness to kindness, a dynamic that continues after Rose marries George and decamps to the Burbank mansion against that stunning backdrop. Brutal to the lanky, lisping Peter from the outset, Phil responds to the nuptials with malice. He isn't fond of change, and won't accommodate anything that fails his bristling definition of masculinity and power, either. The Power of the Dog is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THERE IS NO EVIL The death penalty casts a dark and inescapable shadow over There Is No Evil, which is just as writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof intends. The Iranian filmmaker has spent his career examining the reality of his homeland, as previously seen in 2013's Manuscripts Don't Burn and 2017's A Man of Integrity — so much so that he's actually been banned from his craft, not that that's stopping him. With There Is No Evil, Rasoulof doesn't simply continue the trend that's guided his cinematic resume thus far. Rather, he interrogates the most severe form of punishment that any society can enact, and doesn't shy away from horrors both obvious and unplanned. To call the result powerful is an understatement, and it's won him Berlinale's prestigious Golden Bear in 2020, and now the 2021 Sydney Film Festival Prize as well. An anthology film that unfurls across four segments, There Is No Evil explores capital punishment, its impact and the ripples that executions have upon Iranian society. Even the mere concept of state-sanctioned killing rolls through the feature like waves, changing and reshaping much in its wake. It touches a stressed husband and father (feature first-timer Ehsan Mirhosseini), a conscript (Kaveh Ahangar, Don't Be Embarrassed) who can't fathom ending someone's life, a soldier (Mohammad Valizadegan, Lady of the City) whose compliance causes personal issues and a physician (Mohammad Seddighimehr, The Sad Widows of the Warlord) unable to practise his trade. While some sections hit their mark more firmly and decisively than others — There Is No Evil's introduction sets a high bar — this meticulously crafted movie, both visually and thematically, has a lingering cumulative effect as it ruminates on the threats and freedoms that come with life under an oppressive regime. There Is No Evil is available to stream via SBS On Demand. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November this year — and our top new TV shows of 2021, best new television series from this year that you might've missed and top straight-to-streaming films and specials as well. Top image: Ian Routledge/AMC+.
No one wants to relive the worst experience of their life again and again, but Peter Greste has been doing just that for a decade. The Correspondent is the latest instance. In December 2013, while on assignment in Cairo with Al Jazeera to fill in for a colleague over Christmas, the Australian war correspondent answered a knock at his hotel room door. He wouldn't taste freedom again until February 2015. Over that period, he wasn't just detained and interrogated, as the new Australian film shows — the Sydney-born, Brisbane-raised journalist was arrested, refused bail, incarcerated, put on trial for reporting that was deemed "damaging to national security" by Egypt, barely afforded resources to mount a defence, found guilty and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. New coverage came fast, flowing unsurprisingly furiously during Greste's 400-day ordeal. In 2017, then arrived The First Casualty, his memoir. More than a decade since Greste's Egyptian encounter began and exactly that since he was deported back to Australia from a country that still considers a convicted terrorist to this day, now The Correspondent brings it all to the big screen. Countless movies have made their way to cinemas by following a similar path, even if the specific circumstances at the heart of the nightmare differed. For the man at the centre of this powerful and empathetic one — who endured not merely a gruelling fight for his own freedom, but was caught up in the bigger ongoing battle for press freedom — how does it feel to see this chapter of his life flickering through picture palaces? The first time that he watched it, in the room with director Kriv Stenders (Last Days of the Space Age, Lee Kernaghan: Boy From the Bush), "was kind of weird. I walked out of that feeling a little bit shellshocked, I have to admit", Greste tells Concrete Playground. "After I got out of Egypt, I wrote the book. I've since given countless talks about the whole Egypt experience. I've built a career on it, in a way, and so I thought I was across all of it. I thought I've dealt with it. I mean, I don't suffer from PTSD. There's no sort of psychological fallout. And in a way, all of that talking has been a form of ongoing therapy, if you like," Greste advises. "But I don't think I was really quite prepared for what I saw on-screen. These guys managed to nail — obviously there are little details here and there that are different to what I went through in Egypt, and the story itself has been modified a little bit, not in any significant way — but in its essence, at its core, they managed to get the feeling of what it was like to be stuck in that concrete box, the kind of loss of control, the Kafka-esque nature of the trial, that sense of ongoing doom, if you like, and the real angst about whether or not this would ever come to an end. So in really essential ways, I walked out of there feeling as though I'd kind of been a little bit punched." By "these guys", Greste is referring to Stenders — the son of friends of his own family, with both his and the filmmaker's Latvian-born parents knowing each other for decades — and also actor Richard Roxburgh (Force of Nature: The Dry 2), who steps into his shoes on-screen. Stenders describes watching the film with Greste for the first time as "very nerve-wracking, obviously". He continues: "it was a funny screening because Marc Wooldridge, our distributor, was in the room at the same time. And the minute the film started screening, Peter was sitting right next to me and Mark was a few pews down, I realised 'this is actually a really bad idea to have Peter here in the same room, because what if Peter hates the film?'. And then the film finished and Peter didn't say a word. He went out, and I went 'oh my god'. And he came back five minutes later obviously quite emotional, and he hugged me and said 'that was amazing'. And just the relief was palpable. I just went 'thank you'. He then just proceeded to tell us how happy he was with the film, and how it was difficult for him but how he felt the film really, really captured his experience." Roxburgh's tension came at the beginning of the process, when screenwriter Peter Duncan (Operation Buffalo) suggested the Aussie acting great to Stenders to play Greste on-screen. Thanks to Rake, plus films Children of the Revolution, A Little Bit of Soul and Passion before the hit series, Duncan and Roxburgh are long-term collaborators; Stenders was the star's director on Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan. "I guess I approached it with some trepidation, because it's not as if I'm a close match in any way, particularly to Peter. And because he was somebody," he shares with Concrete Playground about being canvassed for the part. "I remembered the story vividly. He was a journalist who I respected so much and respected the horrors of his experience." "Talking to Kriv early on helped to massage some of those fears, because he said that we were never going to try to make it an act of mimicry in any way — that it was going to be about the internal life of what that human went through in that environment. And so that helped me, in a lot of ways, to work my way into where it needed to be." [caption id="attachment_1001033" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Australian Human Rights Commission via Flickr[/caption] Also among the apprehension surrounding The Correspondent: for Greste, whether recounting his stint in Egypt would be as timely and topical as it undeniably proves to audiences now watching Stenders' intimate, immersive, like-you're-there recreation of it, which only ventures elsewhere to jump back to an earlier assignment in Mogadishu. For viewers, it feels as if this tale was always destined for the screen, and that it would always be relevant — the movie has released at a period when journalists still keep facing arrest and imprisonment for doing their jobs in some corners of the world, and when attacks on reporters have been spreading to nations where that once would've been unthinkable — but its subject wasn't always so sure. How involved was Greste, and how did that assist Roxburgh and Stenders? How crucial was the picture's tight focus on Greste's experience with the Egyptian authorities from arrest to release? Why was he uncertain about the movie's timeliness? We asked The Correspondent's key trio about the above, too — and about casting Roxburgh and his history of portraying real-life Australian figures (Bob Hawke twice in Hawke and The Crown, Roger Rogerson in Blue Murder, Ronald Ryan in The Last of the Ryans, Graham Ashton in Bali 2002, plus more), Greste and Stenders' childhood ties, how Stenders' mix of documentaries (including The Go-Betweens: Right Here, Brock: Over the Top and Slim & I) amid his features (such as The Illustrated Family Doctor, Lucky Country, Red Dog and Red Dog: True Blue, Kill Me Three Times and Australia Day) helped and other subjects. On Greste's Involvement with the Film, Including Giving Roxburgh a Resource to Drawn Upon — and Coming to Set, But Only Once Richard: "Peter and I met — well we brushed elbows a great many years before at some strange awards night." Peter: "Richard won't tell you that I got the award for Man of Chivalry." Richard: "He did. He was awarded the Man of Chivalry. I don't know what my award, I can't even remember what my award was for. But we met properly at the first read-through at Carmel Travers' [The Correspondent's producer] house. And I was quite nervous, again, about meeting Peter. But having him in the room — and seeing and feeling his support for the project — it was incredibly helpful, incredibly useful for me along the way. And a relief as well. So I was able to, I guess, quietly observe Peter and the way that he was up close and personal, which was obviously incredibly useful as an actor. But also to have somebody that I could message with irritating thoughts, questions and observations along the way." Peter: "I guess it's one of those choices that you make, either you abandon it and let them get on with it, or you engage with the process and hope by engaging with it, you can help nudge things in a direction that works for you — that worked for me. I was a little bit nervous at the beginning, because there's all sorts of stories of people who've given over their lives to filmmakers and come away fairly battered by the experience. But everyone involved from the moment I met Carmel to working with Peter Duncan and Kriv and then Rox, they all showed real curiosity, real empathy with the experience. And there was a real willingness to try to make something that was as authentic as possible. And as Rox said, he and I, it's not like we'd spend whole weekends together, but the communication was pretty free. And I realised that he was trying to do something that was really empathetic to the experience, and I was more than happy to help and support that." Kriv: "He wasn't on set very much. He only came to set once, only for one day, but he and Peter worked — Peter always ran, Peter Duncan, that is, always ran the drafts by Peter Greste, and Peter was very open to not censoring the story. And what I felt, even though we decided to make the perspective very much Peter's perspective in Cairo, the other story I think that was really important was Kate Peyton's story in Mogadishu [where the British BBC journalist was killed on an assignment with Greste]. And the idea of that coming in these fragmented flashbacks was something that Peter Duncan and I talked about, and I felt as well, from a formalistic point of view, the idea of being able to escape that unrelenting internal Cairo world, it would be great to open it up into Mogadishu. That was something we decided on, those two kind of colours, but what was great was that Peter Greste was very open to us going there — because it paints Peter in a kind of compromised light, and Peter was, I think, very brave. It's quite brave for him to allow us to tell that side of the story and what he went through, but it was also important, because I think it shows what these journalists sacrifice and how it's not a glamorous job — and how there is a price to pay for being a truth-teller." On the Importance of Starting The Correspondent on the Day of Greste's Arrest and Ending It on the Day of His Release to Take Audiences on an Immersive Like-You're-There Journey Peter: "From my perspective, I didn't really understand how Kriv was going to do it. It was very obviously a directorial choice, and I think Rox will probably have a lot more to say about it than for me, but I was actually feeling quite puzzled by how he was going to pull this off. How do you make a compelling movie about arguably the most-boring, tedious situation imaginable, where you're stuck in a concrete box ad nauseam? How do you turn that into something that's actually watchable? And so when I saw the finished product, that's one of the things that really astounded me — was how gripping the whole thing was, how it seemed to move quite relentlessly through this story, but at the same time by not going very far at all. That, I think, is a testament to Kriv's directing skills and experience, but also to Rox's acting." Richard: "I think it really speaks to Kriv's understanding of the craft, and also his daring as a filmmaker — because a script like this could go in any number of directions. You could tell this story in all kinds of ways, and go off on lots and lots of different pathways. Kriv's choice was pretty astounding and bold — that it starts with the knock on the door and it ends with walking out as a free man — and the kind of strictures and the discipline that that applied to the filmmaking itself was so strong. But he was so avowed and had such a great vision for how he was going to, and belief, self-belief, I think, in how he was going to bring that to the screen. As Peter was saying, as a story that in fact is surprisingly full of suspense and has a forward momentum, it's a testament to his filmmaking craft skills." Kriv: "Well, it was more of a reductive process. The book, Peter's book, obviously, it's chequerboard, the chapters of chequerboarded are between Peter's experience and his other assignments and other stories. And the initial draft [of the script] was quite, very different. It had a number of parallel storylines going on, or timelines going on. It had, I think, the family or people back in Australia. It had the consulate. It was a much more, I guess — it had more scale in terms of the other storylines and the other characters. And my connection was 'well, you know what, I'm really interested in what Peter went through'. And I felt that if we just reduced it to Peter's experience and made it a very first-person journey from the minute that he gets a knock on the hotel room door to when he's released, if we just scaled everything to that, then we've got a really interesting movie that can say more by the way, not so much doing less but by being less. It can be much more interesting. And as a director, your currency is form. I always think my job as a director is to really play with form, and that's my remit. So once I pitched my approach to Carmel and to Peter Duncan, the writer, they could see, I guess, the throughline, and we then just quickly — very, very very quickly — adapted the script just to be that one-person perspective. It's critical because I felt, I just thought 'well, what would it be like to be arrested?. What would that feel like? What would that sound like? What would it look like?'. And what I realised, it would literally be a series of corridors, prison vans, prison cells, courtrooms — and you wouldn't really see Egypt. You'd just hear it or you'd feel it. And to me, I wanted the audience to — and I wanted to — experience what it would be like to actually be thrust into that position. And therefore, being put into that, how would I feel by the end of the journey? And by the end of the journey, I think you really do get a sense of the hugely traumatic gauntlet that Peter went through and how lucky he was to escape it." On Whether There Was a Sense of How Timely The Film Would Be — and That It'd Feel Like It'd Never Not Be Relevant Peter: "Well, you say it was always going to be timely. I didn't think it was. I was actually really worried about that when I first wrote the book. I told the publishers to get the story out quickly because it would start to date pretty quickly. I trace back the origins of what I've come to think of as the war on journalism back to 9/11, when George W Bush declared the war on terror. And what that did was, it kind of liberated the language, the rhetoric around national security and terrorism, so the governments were able to use it to introduce all sorts of what I think have become pretty draconian crackdowns on freedom of speech, on the lot of civil liberties and freedom of the press. What happened to us in Egypt was a way in which the government had weaponised that definition of terrorism and used it to come after uncomfortable journalism. But I honestly thought that the further we moved away from 9/11, the more that that rhetoric would feel dated, would feel tired, that we'd grow up, we'd move past it, that journalism would recover its traditional role in our democracies. But as you said, quite the opposite has happened. The numbers of journalists that have been imprisoned are at record highs. The numbers of journalists that have been murdered on the job are at record highs. We're seeing assaults on media even in the United States from the White House — which is supposed to be the bastion of liberal democracy, the bastion of freedom of speech and press freedom. They've got the First Amendment, for christ's sake, that gold standard of press freedom, of a defence of press freedom. And so yeah, and in ways that I don't think I ever really anticipated and certainly wouldn't have wanted, it does feel more timely than it ever had ever before. It wasn't a plan, put it that way." Richard: "It feels like the film is coming out at a period of some real urgency. It's not that the film itself is a didactic work or that it's meant to be. Above anything else, it's an extraordinary piece of storytelling. But as Peter says, it couldn't be more timely given what's happened to journalism and to the role of journalists. And hopefully, if anything, if it opens a discussion about that with people who've seen the film or it brings some attention to that matter, then that's all for the better. Journalism used to be, up until very recently, something that was protected under the Geneva Convention. And so for that to have completely vanished, certainly in theatres of war; that journalists are now people who are essentially regarded as the enemy; and to have governments of leading democracies now talking about journalists as the enemy of the people — I think we are at a time where there's no more pertinent story to tell." Kriv: "I think when Peter wrote the book — and when it happened to him, then when he wrote the book — I think we were more than a decade on from September 11, and the idea that journalism was under threat was still, it was there, but it was nowhere near as acute as it is now. So the relevance of the story has, I guess, amplified over the last ten years — and that's the biggest takeout that I've got. And then the biggest motivation we had making the film is that this story is more important than it ever was. I was just thinking about this this morning — I was thinking, just looking, you're always aware of what's happening in the world, and we're heading into, I think, a very, very scary time. I mean, America is turning into — it's becoming a fascist state. It's a really terrifying time. And I think it's very important even if the film just reminds us what democracy is. Journalism is a basic foundation to any kind of functioning civilisation or democracy, and the minute you start eroding that — and even now, people are questioning universities. It's just like 'what?'. This is just absolutely insane. A new dark age is coming. And I think it's very important that films, journalism, politicians, all corners of society, start to remind each other and remind ourselves what's important and what's crucial that we don't lose." On Why Roxburgh Was the Right Actor — and Dream Pick — to Play Greste Kriv: "Because Peter Duncan told me that he's the one. Because Peter Duncan and Richard have a long working relationship. And I'd worked with Richard previously on my last film Danger Close, and I loved working with Richard. He's such a beautiful actor to work with. I liken him to like a Rolls-Royce: he's just beautiful to drive. It's just a pleasure to work with him. And when you're trying to cast a film, there's all these pressures to cast a name and whatever — but when Peter said 'look, really think about Richard', I did. And I went 'well, why not?'. It wasn't like Peter Greste is a well-known face or well-known voice. You could find an actor who could interpret Peter. It didn't have to be slavish. It wasn't like we're making a film about Elvis or Muhammad Ali. It wasn't a biopic in that respect. So you could have the license to have an actor interpret it. And when I thought about Richard, it just made so much sense on so many levels, because he just brings this wonderful humility and at the same time, this gravitas, that I think the role needed." On How Roxburgh Approached Conveying Greste's Emotional Journey, Through Shock, Exasperation, Determination, Bravery, Weariness and More — and the Kind of Direction Needed, If Any, to Help Richard: "It was a project that, in conversations with Kriv, we really wanted it to feel minute, so that it was about trying as much as humanly possible to just sit in the circumstance. And to that end, I think the exhaustion helped. I think it was a tough shoot, but that was a good thing because it helped. I think it helped to give, to have a sense of being more emotionally ragged, of being spent — of, I suppose, having some sort of proximity to the way Peter might actually have felt, through all of the exhaustion of the shoot. This one was very particular in the sense that, because it was 100-percent POV, it meant that I'm in every single frame of the thing, which was new territory for me. But I think the sheer exhaustion of doing that was a useful thing, because it strips everything away and it just leaves you closer to where you need to be to countenance what Peter actually might have gone through." Kriv: "I think really as a director, when you work with actors, the biggest direction you give them is really casting them. That's directing. Once you've cast them, that is really the biggest bit of direction you're going to give, because you've chosen them to play the role — and as a director, really, it's a matter of trust. I really believe that the actor should know more about the character than me, because all I am is just a sounding board. All I am is a pair of ears and a pair of eyes. And if it sounds right and looks right, we just move on — and I'm just there to tell the story, orchestrate telling the story, and the actor is there to actually bring the character to life. So there's really not much direction I give as a director — it's purely there to support and to make sure that we're getting the material we need in order to tell the story." On How Roxburgh Tackles Portraying Real-Life Figures, and Helping to Chronicle Very Diverse Aspects of Australian History On-Screen, as He Has Several Times Across His Career Now Richard: "I guess I don't really think about it in that way. There's obviously a huge, huge responsibility that comes with playing figures who are in the public consciousness, who are actual people. In this case, it was something very different altogether, because this was a man who was in the room, a man who had been through this terrible ordeal and somebody who I really respected. And so that came with its own particular set of concerns, and I guess a bigger sense of internal responsibility to the storytelling. I think for both Peter and myself, it was some relief to feel like I was not going to be doing a Peter Greste, in the sense that I wasn't going to be copying Peter's way of being — that, in a way, it was about embodying that experience, the kind of internal landscape of that experience, if you like, as much or as empathetically as I could." On Greste and Stenders' Childhood Connection — and Whether Stenders Ever Thought He Might Make a Film About Greste When He Was Seeing the Latter's Ordeal Play Out in the News Kriv: "Not at all. No, no. That's why it was very funny when — I mean when it happened, it was like 'yeah, wow, that's sounding really heavy'. And it was because, when it's happening, you don't see the end. You're in the moment. And at that point, when he first got arrested and then when he got sentenced, it felt really hopeless. Then when he was released, obviously there was relief, and I got on with my life and with other projects and things, that wasn't really something that was foreground for me. But when Carmel called me up out of the blue and said 'do you know anything about Peter Greste?', I just laughed and I went 'yeah, I do'. I told her the backstory and then she said 'look, I've got this idea' and suddenly it clicked. I went 'yeah, I'm onboard'. She didn't even have to pitch it to me, really. She just said, when she said 'I'm adapting it into a story', I just went immediately 'yes, I'm in' — because I knew what it was, and I knew I kind of had a personal connection to it immediately." Peter: "As you said, it had been many, many, many years since I'd met Kriv, and I think we barely remembered each other from that initial meeting. Although we did meet, we realised that we had crossed paths, we had played together as kids. And I think it's more the synchronicity of it that feels right somehow. I'm not the kind of person that believes in the universe planning things out and sending messages, but there just does seem to be something delightfully synchronous about having Kriv on this particular job. I remember when I was telling my father about how Carmel was hunting around for a director and we thought we'd found someone. And dad, I couldn't say anything more, dad jumped in and said 'oh well, listen, if you need some help finding a director then my friend Andy, his son I think is in the movie business and maybe he might be able to help'. I said 'dad, it's okay, it's under control. We've got Andy's son Kriv'. And that, I think, is delightful. Kriv also — Kriv gets it. He's the kind of director, at so many levels, he's obviously incredibly skilled at filmmaking, but he's also done a lot of documentary work. He understands not just the creative elements of really good nonfiction storytelling, but he also has a really good handle on how to tell a good true story. And I think all of those elements came in. He brought all of that into this narrative. And, of course, being Latvian as well brings a certain kinship and understanding, I guess, which is also really lovely." On the Sense of Responsibility That Comes with the Job for Stenders Given That Personal Connection Kriv: "I think even if I didn't know Peter, the responsibility and that same weight would have been there. The fact that I knew him, it just allowed the access to be a little bit more fluid, because there wasn't any of that guardedness that you had to break down. So we were already, we were able to get that out of the way. And I think the trust — I think what it did give us was a different level of trust than I would have normally had if I didn't know Peter." On Whether the Documentary Side of Stenders' Filmography Assisted with The Correspondent Kriv: "A little bit. Documentary and fiction are actually not that different. They're still storytelling. You're still editorialising everything, still making decisions about what to show and what not to show. There's a physical obvious thing about the handheld camera and the verite feel of it, that, I guess, comes from documentary — and that you don't, even though you labour a lot over the way it looks, you also try to make it look effortless, and documentary just does that by default. The difference, though, with this was that yes, it's based on a true story, but you still take dramatic license — which you can't in documentary. So you still stylise certain things, you still shorthand certain things, you still abbreviate certain things. But having a documentary background, I think all it does is — I call it cross-training. I do documentary. I also do features. I also do television drama. And those three disciplines, just oscillating between those three, they sharpen up your intuitive muscles and reflexes. So when the day's going difficult or when you're in a tight corner and you don't know what to do, another part of your brain, your documentary brain, goes 'well, we're just going to do this' — or your TV drama brain says 'look, we can shoot this in one hour if we do this'. So I just adapt to the situation or to the problem at hand." The Correspondent opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Images: John Platt / Daniel Asher Smith.
Clocking in at two hours and 40 minutes, Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood isn't a short movie. Like the bulk of the acclaimed writer/director's films, however, it's one that viewers would be be happy to spend even longer with. Since the hit flick premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year, Tarantino has even talked about returning to its world, revealing that he has written the scripts for five episodes of the Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio)-starring fictional TV western Bounty Law — and that he plans to make and direct them all. It might take some time for that to come to fruition, though, so a new, free documentary that peeks behind the scenes of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will just have to do in the meantime. Called Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — A Love Letter to Making Movies, the half-hour doco lives up to its title. Not only does it step through the making of Tarantino's feature, but it explores how the filmmaker's obsessive love of cinema informed everything about the movie. QT's fondness for the medium he works in isn't new news. Neither is his tendency to fill his films with references to his inspiration, or his dedicated attention to detail. But if you want to hear more about how that all plays out on this specific 19169-set flick — a movie that's, among other things, a love letter to Hollywood's heyday just as it was fading — then here's your chance. Currently available to watch on Youtube, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — A Love Letter to Making Movies features plenty of the movie's heavy-hitters, so expect to-camera chats from Tarantino — obviously — as well as DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant and the late Luke Perry. With the film industry's annual awards season currently in full swing, and with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood not only vying for ten Oscars, but hotly tipped to nab the coveted Best Picture prize —if Parasite or 1917 doesn't beat it, that is — the documentary's release is obviously extremely well-timed. Check out Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — A Love Letter to Making Movies below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AxkaueDxYM Top image: © 2018 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
What are your thoughts on a good acrobatics show? Are you entranced by the physicality, the movements that require seemingly impossible feats of strength and concentration? Then check your calendar and get ready to witness Le Aerial, a globally praised show coming to the Playhouse Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne from Wednesday, May 3 to Sunday, May 7. Le Aerial brings top-shelf Aussie stars of the stage and screen to a production of Cirque-style skill and heights. Le Aerial is more than just feats of acrobatic wonder — keep your ears peeled for two singers and live music for an extra level of entertainment. These productions involve a lot more verticality than your typical stage play or musical, so it takes a special kind of performer to bring these shows to life. Those performers include international gymnastics sensation Alex Caulfield, fresh from performing with Cirque Du Soleil in Totem, local Melbourne musical theatre star Mike Snell, Craig Monley and Sriani Argaet (Dancing With The Stars) and a lineup of exceptional gymnasts and dancers. The show has captivated audiences worldwide for the better part of eight years, but this Melbourne stint is only six shows over five days (plus a few special matinee performances), so you'd better get your tickets ASAP. Le Aerial will play daily from Wednesday, May 3 to Sunday, May 7, in the Playhouse Theatre of Arts Centre Melbourne. For more information on the show and the venue or to secure your tickets, visit the website.
It tells of gold rushes, of brave and dusty new worlds, and of yellow frontiers stretching out beneath shimmering and inky blue skies; however, the true colour of the western is and always will be red. This isn't a genre for the faint-hearted, because it's a genre that spins stories about power and its brutal costs — power over the land and its Indigenous inhabitants; power-fuelled in-fighting among competing colonialists; and power exercised with zero regard for life, or typically for anyone who isn't white and male. It's a rich and resonant touch, then, to repeatedly dress Emily Blunt in crimson, pink and shades in-between in The English, 2022's best new TV western. She plays one instance of the show's namesakes, because the impact of the British spans far beyond just one person in this series — and the quest for revenge she's on in America's Old West is deeply tinted by bloodshed. In her first ongoing television role since 2005 — and following a varied array of big-screen parts in the last couple of years, including navigating theme park ride-inspired chaos in Jungle Cruise, monsters that pounce on every sound in A Quiet Place Part II and bad Irish accents in romance Wild Mountain Thyme — Blunt dons such eye-catching hues as Lady Cornelia Locke. With a mountain of baggage and cash in tow, she has just reached Kansas when The English begins, seeking vengeance against the man responsible for her son's death. But word of her aims precedes her to this remote outpost's racist hotelier (Ciarán Hinds, Belfast) and, with stagecoach driver (Toby Jones, The Wonder), he has own mission. That the aristocratic Englishwoman arrives to find her host torturing Pawnee cavalry scout Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer, Blindspot) is telling: the plan is to blame her end on him. Before the first of this Prime Video miniseries' episodes ends — all six of which stream from Friday, November 11 — Cornelia and Eli have rescued each other and notched up a body count. She's still determined to get her retribution, he's trying to head home to Nebraska to claim land promised for his military service, and they're each endeavouring to find peace in their own ways. This isn't the genre for that to come easily, either, as stop after stop on their journeys makes clear. The bulk of The English takes place in 1890, but to survey the way that rampant and engrained imperialistic violence and dehumanisation — of First Nations Americans, and of women — leaves scars that linger, the series also jumps backwards 15 years, and takes a flashback trip to Cornelia's native London. Writer/director Hugo Blick (The Honourable Woman, Black Earth Rising, The Shadow Line) charts pain that bakes as unforgivingly as the frontier sun: massacres of Indigenous Americans and non-English-speaking settlers alike, the ruthless money- and power-first mentality to staking claims and seizing everything in view, and the dark hearts festering inside abhorrent men who can only hate what they refuse to spend time knowing. The English is a show of shootings, scalpings, stabbings and slaughter, and blood is an oh-so-frequent sight. But Blick also makes a compelling and compassionate series about two kindred souls fighting for what they hold dearest, and against the kinds of horrors that everyone should battle, no matter the cost to their own personal survival. The tone isn't quite as unrelenting bleak, and the setting is on the other side of the world, but Jennifer Kent's Australian masterpiece The Nightingale springs to mind — and The English doesn't suffer in the comparison. As the iconic spaghetti westerns of the 60s and 70s, exceptional TV series Deadwood, and recent big-screen period-set westerns like The Harder They Fall and The Power of the Dog have all shown, this genre also serves up a gallery of rogues living, dying, striving and thriving amid such inhospitable surroundings. The English is no different; when Black-Eyed Mog (Nichola McAuliffe, The Man Who Fell to Earth) shows up, she isn't quickly forgotten, and nor are Gary Farmer and Kimberly Guerrero (both of Reservation Dogs) as a Native American couple getting by, or Rafe Spall (Trying) at his most operatic and nefarious (and with quite the accent and wardrobe). Including Stephen Rea (The Stranger) as a small-town sheriff in Hoxem, Wyoming and Valerie Pachner (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) as another put-upon woman greeted by hardship in her adopted homeland, there's no weak link among The English's cast. Even brief appearances make a mark, as aided by banter that recalls Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight western-genre best. That said, Blick never lets his two stars slip from the limelight — from the golden beams that colour his setting with far more splendour than sites of such grim events deserve, to be exact. Traversing the birth of colonised America, his narrative does what the greatest westerns do, unfurling a clash between good and evil, right and wrong, and the outdated and the modern against landscape that lends itself to myth; his series is always about people first and foremost, though. Blunt's resume overflows with highlights, given that it spans My Summer of Love, The Devil Wears Prada, The Young Victoria, The Muppets and Looper through to Edge of Tomorrow, Sicario, Mary Poppins Returns and more, and her phenomenal efforts in The English slot in swiftly besides her finest work to-date. Spencer comes to the series with less fame (The Twilight Saga, Banshee, Sneaky Pete and Jessica Jones are among his other credits) but with just as much command and presence. Indeed, to watch Blunt as Cornelia is to watch a woman wield her strength, grief, heartbreak and empathy like no one expects her to, and keep picking herself up to do so again and again. She won't let her pain subside, or submit to anyone that tells her otherwise — and while the action-hero aspect of the series is nothing new to its best-known talent, she's phenomenal every time the camera peers her way. To watch Spencer is to watch a star-making turn, a part of brooding and swagger as well as deep soul and honesty, and a performance that's as riveting as Clint Eastwood and John Wayne ever delivered. In a TV realm that is welcomely starting to centre Indigenous American actors and stories (see also: Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls), as it should, he's a magnetic powerhouse. To watch The English is also to luxuriate in spectacular imagery, as lensed by Arnau Valls Colomer, that says as much as the show's stars and dialogue. The cinematographer arrives fresh from making every detail of every frame matter in stellar Spanish filmmaking satire Official Competition, and the same approach is pivotal here. One particularly glorious detail: the way that extreme long shots keep showing Cornelia and Eli galloping both towards and from their destinies, often in static compositions that let their horses storm in from each side of the image, then start being swapped for slightly closer vantage points in later episodes. It's a thoughtful move that mirrors its two protagonists' paths, and also never lets the world they're rallying against fade from view. It's also stunning and powerful filmmaking in a series that earns those terms several times over. Check out the trailer for The English below: The English is available to stream via Prime Video from November 11.
In the space of less than a week, the last two Super Bowl half-time show headliners have both announced 2025 tours to Australia. First, Kendrick Lamar locked in a prime slot at Spilt Milk just months after taking to the field. Next, 2024's Super Bowl performer Usher has confirmed Aussie dates for his Past Present Future world tour. He's heading to Melbourne in November and Sydney in December. The appropriate reaction if you're an Usher fan: yeah! This will be the eight-time Grammy-winner's first Australian solo headline tour since 2011. Celebrating his three-decade career is the name of the game — which means going all the way back to his first single 'Call Me a Mack' from 1993, also playing tracks off of his latest 2024 album Coming Home, plus working his way through plenty in-between. "I can't wait to bring this tour to Australia, a place where I hope to retire in the future. See you soon!" said Usher, announcing his trip Down Under. Eight dates have been locked in for when Past Present Future makes its Aussie stop: four each at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne across Wednesday, November 19–Thursday, November 20 and Saturday, November 22–Sunday, November 23, plus another four at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney from Monday, December 1–Tuesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 4–Friday, December 5. And yes, that timing means that Usher and Lamar will be here at around the same time, given that Spilt Milk runs across the first two weekends of December. The first US shows on the Past Present Future tour were announced just days before Usher's Super Bowl set, which worked through hits from across his lengthy career itself. From August–December 2024, the Texas-born singer made his way across North American stages, before heading to Europe (including England, France, the Netherlands and Germany) from March 2025. Also popping up on his setlist across the tour so far: 'Yeah!', of course, plus everything from 'Can U Get Wit It', 'Nice & Slow', 'U Remind Me' and 'U Got It Bad' to 'Burn', 'OMG', 'Euphoria' and more. Usher Past Present Future World Tour Australia 2025 Dates Wednesday, November 19–Thursday, November 20 + Saturday, November 22–Sunday, November 23 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Monday, December 1–Tuesday, December 2 + Thursday, December 4–Friday, December 5 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Usher is touring Australia in November and December 2025. Presales start on Monday, May 12 at 11am for Melbourne and 12pm for Sydney, while general tickets go on sale at 12pm for Melbourne and 1pm for Sydney on Friday, May 16 — head to the tour website for more details. Images: Marcus Macdonald / Bellamy Brewster.
Pioneering pop art with Campbell's soup cans and Marilyn Monroe portraits helped make Andy Warhol a huge star, but that's only a fraction of his creative output. In fact, the above mightn't have come about if he wasn't so interested in photography — and if you'd like to learn more, an upcoming Australian exhibition has just the details, works and snaps. Running from Friday, March 3–Sunday, May 14, 2023, Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media will take over the Art Gallery of South Australia with an impressive exploration of Warhol's fascination with taking photos. It's the first exhibition in Australia on the topic, and it will display more than 250 works, including photographs. Warhol's experimental films will also feature, given the focus is on his talents with a camera; however, there will also be a selection of his screenprints and paintings. [caption id="attachment_872132" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gerard Malanga, born 1943, No title (Andy Warhol), 1971, gelatin silver photograph, 33.7 x 22.6 (printed image), 35.6 x 27.8 cm (sheet); National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Purchased 1973[/caption] So, you'll be able to see images that Warhol snapped himself, including AGSA's own collection of 45 Warhol photographs, which will be shown together for the first time. You'll also be able to check out some of those famous pop art portraits — Monroe's, unsurprisingly, as well as Elvis Presley's — with examining how Warhol's photos flickered through his other art a key focus. This is a wide-ranging survey that also peers at Warhol, however, complete with behind-the-scenes glimpses into his life. And, it will look into the lives of friends and other celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, Bob Dylan, Debbie Harry, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Liza Minnelli, Lou Reed and Elizabeth Taylor. As a result, Warhol's works will sit alongside others by his creatives he collaborated with and contemporaries; think: Brigid Berlin, Nat Finkelstein, Christopher Makos, Gerard Malanga, Robert Mapplethorpe, Duane Michals and Billy Name. [caption id="attachment_872133" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andy Warhol, born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1928, died New York City, New York 1987, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts (photo shoot for the Rolling Stones 'Love You Live' album cover), 1977, New York, Polaroid photograph, 10.8 x 8.6 cm (sheet), 9.5 x 7.3 cm (image); V.B. F. Young Bequest Fund and d'Auvergne Boxall Bequest Fund 2018, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, © Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency[/caption] The exhibition's title nods to the social aspect of the showcase, hopping between Warhol, his pals and his peers. It also references his enduring influence in today's social media-heavy times. "Some 35 years after his death, this exhibition attests to Andy Warhol's enduring relevance as an artist and cultural figure in an era defined by social media. With cross-generational appeal, this is an exhibition of our times which begs the question, was Warhol the original influencer?" said AGSA Director Rhana Devenport ONZM, announcing the exhibition. [caption id="attachment_872134" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andy Warhol, born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1928, died New York City, New York 1987, Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli and Jacqueline Onassis in Liza's dressing room, New York, no. 12 from the portfolio Photographs, 1978; published 1980, New York, United States, gelatin silver photograph, 30.0 x 42.3 cm (image), 40.9 x 50.5 cm (sheet); James and Diana Ramsay Fund 2020, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, © Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. ARS/Copyright Agency[/caption] "Photography underpinned Warhol's whole artistic practice — both as an essential part of his working method and as an end in its own right," adds Julie Robinson, AGSA's Senior Curator of Prints, Drawings & Photographs, and also Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media's curator. "He took some 60,000 photographs in his lifetime. His candid images, which capture his own life as well as the lives of his celebrity friends, offer audiences a revealing insight into Warhol the person, taking viewers beneath the veneer of his pop paintings and persona." Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media forms part of the 2023 Adelaide Festival program, kicking off with the fest but running for a couple of months afterwards. That's plenty of time — more than the 15 minutes of fame that Warhol has become synonymous with — to make a trip to SA to see one of the year's certain Aussie gallery highlights. [caption id="attachment_872135" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andy Warhol and Henry Gillespie, image courtesy Henry Gillespie[/caption] Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media will display at the Art Gallery of South Australia from Friday, March 3–Sunday, May 14, 2023. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the AGSA website. Top image: Oliviero Toscani, born Milan, Italy 1942, Andy Warhol, 1975, New York, United States of America, pigment print on paper, 32.0 x 46.0 cm (image), 40.0 x 50.0 cm (sheet); Public Engagement Fund 2021, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, © Oliviero Toscani.
It's that time of year, somehow. Christmas is almost here, summer has officially started and you're probably thinking about your 2021 shenanigans. While jetting overseas still isn't an option for Australians at the moment, you can make plans to roam around much of this country we all come home now that borders are reopening — and, if you'd like to head over to South Australia in the new year, its government wants to give you an extra incentive. As part of the returning Great State Vouchers scheme — which first ran in October this year — the SA Government is giving away $50 and $100 vouchers to use at hotels in the state between Thursday, January 7–Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The amount of the voucher varies depending on where you're planning on staying, with $50 vouchers on offer for regional and suburban accommodation, and $100 vouchers available to use for Adelaide CBD and North Adelaide stays. During the first round of vouchers, more than 50,000 where snapped up in just over an hour — but they were only available to South Australian residents. This time around, with more than $2 million worth of vouchers available, the scheme is open to interstate folks as well. And, in another expansion, they can be redeemed over a longer booking period, and can also be used at accommodation places with five or more rooms (up from ten or more last time). That means that you'll be able to choose between hundreds of places to stay — with more than 800 accommodation providers eligible to participate. To take part, you'll need to download a voucher from the scheme's website on Tuesday, January 5, then make your booking between Thursday, January 7–Sunday, January 31. There are a few caveats, unsurprisingly. The vouchers don't cover Saturday nights and, to try to nab one, you'll have to log on to the voucher website and prove your identification via your driver's license or proof of age card. Border-wise, SA currently doesn't require interstate visitors to quarantine, after opening its borders to Victoria on Tuesday, December 1. But some states do currently have restrictions in place for anyone who has travelled to South Australia, or parts of it (such as Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania) — or require permits (Victoria) to enter if you've been in SA. So, it's best to keep an eye on your state's requirements when you're trying to score a voucher and then making a hotel booking. For further details about South Australia's Great State Vouchers scheme — or to nab one on Tuesday, January 5 — head to its website.
If you're after a fitting chocolate treat to spread the Valentine's Day love, you'll find it hard to go past the Baci. An indulgent morsel of chocolate and hazelnut, wrapped in foil with a love note inside, and named after the Italian word for kisses? Now that's amore. And once again, your mates at Piccolina Gelateria have taken the concept and run with it, creating a new Baci-inspired gelato cake guaranteed to have your boo (or just you) swooning on February 14. This year's limited-edition Valentine's treat comes in the form of the Baciami (a more passionate variation of "kiss me") — a Baci-shaped frozen cake featuring hazelnut gelato, Frangelico hazelnut croccante and gianduja ganache, along with the signature Better than Nutella gelato and a hazelnut dacquoise. In a nod to the original, this supersized version is glazed in dark chocolate and packaged in the tell-tale silver foil. And in a win for Valentine's Day gifters, the wrapping also hides a love note — inspired by one featured in Frank Sinatra's Baci collaboration back in 1962. Clocking in at $28, the Baciami is big enough to serve two, making the perfect date-night dessert. Pre-orders are now open, with pick-up available from all six of Piccolina's Melbourne stores. [caption id="attachment_848617" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Piccolina Hawthorn, by Jana Longhurst[/caption] Piccolina's Baciami is available to pre-order online, to pick up from the Collingwood, Hawthorn, Richmond, St Kilda, Hardware Lane or Degraves Street stores.
The sun is shining, your out of office is on and you've already spent a good amount of time curled up streaming TV shows. Now's the chance to catch up on your reading — so, find a shady spot on a beach, next to a pool or by a waterfall and start making your way through our favourite ten books of 2019. It's a mixed bag this year — we've been turning the pages of a novel about a debaucherous secret society, the latest Booker Prize winner (no, not The Testaments), devastating nonfiction works about Australian bushfires and a heartwarming page-turner combining politics, royalty and queer history. Some of them are immersive, some of them knotty and uncomfortable, which makes them perfect for mulling over during the holidays, and provide flavourful fodder for dinner conversations. Take your pick. LANNY BY MAX PORTER In 2016, Max Porter won the Dylan Thomas Prize for his debut novel Grief Is the Thing With Feathers — a story in which a trickster-babysitter crow visits two grieving children. This year, Porter delivered another poetic and daring tale, this time centring on a creative and mysterious boy called Lanny. There's a rhythm to Porter's writing; he illustrates one of his most exciting characters through a scrawling, italicised font that seems to slip and slide off the page. Dead Papa Toothwort is a shapeshifting spirit that feeds on the life and grime of Lanny's village in the English countryside — one with gossip at the school gates, nosy but well-meaning neighbours, and a woodland where children like to build treehouses. Reliable old Pete is Lanny's good friend. He's an older man, an artist, and one of the more likeable characters. What starts as an eerie, but largely quiet, tale of village life gathers speed towards the end, when Lanny is missing and the village mob starts pointing fingers. SUPPER CLUB BY LARA WILLIAMS Lara Williams' novel about a secret society of women who meet after dark to feast is superb. At the centre of the novel is Roberta, and the novel jumps back and forth between her days at university, where she teaches herself to cook and dates a lecturer, and the present day, where her and her wild, intense friend Stevie start the supper club. Over bowls of pasta, slabs of meatloaf, messy bouillabaisse and gallons of wine, the women gorge themselves and behave in an incredibly 'unladylike' manner in rebellion of their oppression by men. They throw food at each other, vomit, dance topless and go wild with debauchery. Intelligent and boldly written, Williams' story is less about food and more about the characters' appetites to acquit themselves of their everyday lives. Easy to read, you'll smash it quicket than your avocado on toast. RED, WHITE AND ROYAL BLUE BY CASEY MCQUISTON It might be questionable of us to include a book that would certainly not be considered literary, and falls firmly in the romance and new adult categories. But Casey McQuiston's debut novel Red, White & Royal Blue is so joyous and hopeful that it makes you want to throw away any pretence of trying to appear cool. Incorporating, and elevating, all the best cheesy rom-com tropes — enemies to friends to lovers, fake friendships, a secret relationship and an email scandal — McQuiston's writing is heartwarming, funny and intelligent as she blends politics, royalty and queer history into a big ball of happiness. I challenge you not to fall in love with this book's diverse cast of characters: Alex, the obliviously bisexual Mexican-American son of the first woman president of the United States; Henry, the compassionate, quietly homosexual prince of England with a scholarly interest in queer history; Pez, the prince's dastardly attractive Nigerian best friend; Zahra, the president's fierce and frightening chief of staff; Amy, a transwoman and former marine-turned-secret service agent who likes embroidery. Would recommend to anyone looking for a book so firmly placed in the now — but a better one than the one we've got. If it were possible, it would make your heart smile. ON EARTH WE'RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS BY OCEAN VUONG Ocean Vuong's debut novel found itself on a host of nominee lists for literary prizes his year, earning reviews describing it as shattering, tender, haunting and stunning. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother, tracking a family history back to its roots in war-torn Vietnam and forward to the son's experiences as a queer, biracial American, and telling a story trapped between the worlds of trauma and compassion. Vuong's poetry background makes for prose that is fluid, raw and earnest, in an intimate exploration of race, class, grief and masculinity. SALT BY BRUCE PASCOE Likely already on the radar of fans of his work, Salt offers an insight into the range and depth of influential Indigenous Australian historian Bruce Pascoe. This collection of stories and essays from the award-winning author of Dark Emu includes some of his most revered work and previously unpublished pieces of fiction — tender stories exploring country, nature and identity — just waiting to be discovered. For those with a short attention span or looking for an introduction to Pascoe's works, this is an ideal read for afternoons on the beach, and a poignant reminder of our nation's history. BEAUTY BY BRI LEE Beauty marks the second book by Bri Lee in as many years to make it onto our Summer Reading List, so she must be doing something right. Once again imbuing her words with a brutal candour, Lee explores our obsession with thinness and beauty, in a world that has made huge strides against the patriarchy, yet still finds us holding ourselves to an impossible and unattainable standard of physical 'perfection'. Readers are invited into Lee's world in a 150-page essay on her battle with eating disorders and her final rejection of society's punishing ideals. For anyone that loved Eggshell Skull — and pretty much everyone else, too. THE ARSONIST: A MIND ON FIRE BY CHLOE HOOPER Published in October 2018, this novel isn't a 2019 book. But, with catastrophic bushfires currently burning across Australia, its content couldn't be timelier. Following the trial of the man charged with lighting the Latrobe Valley fires, part of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires that killed 173 people in regional Victoria and burnt over 450,000 hectares, Chloe Hooper's The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire is devastating and haunting. It includes harrowing accounts from those injured in the fires and fascinating details from the investigation, all delivered with captivating and lyrical prose. And, while it's a work of nonfiction, it reads like a thriller — and it's impossible to put down. GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER BY BERNARDINE EVARISTO Two books won this year's Booker Prize: Margaret Atwood's 34-year follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale, called The Testaments; and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. We're recommending you read the latter. Following the interconnected lives of 12 characters, mostly Black British women, from different generations, religions and social classes, it's a joyous, poetic read. You'll meet lesbian playwrights, investment bankers and farmers, all battling everyday problems and larger social issues, such as race and sexuality. As well as being a collection of 12 separate, intimate portraits, the book successfully paints a polyphonic picture of modern-day Britain. FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE BY TAFFY BRODESSER-AKNER A renowned celebrity profiler — if you haven't already, we suggest you read her New York Times Magazine piece on Gwyneth Paltrow ASAP — Taffy Brodesser-Akner first dipped her toe into fiction this year with the release of her debut novel Fleishman Is in Trouble. And Fleishman, a recently divorced, now-single dad navigating the world of dating apps, sexts and raising two children, really is in trouble. As is our narrator: stay-at-home mum Libby. And Fleishman's ex-wife, Rachel. While the bulk of the novel is dedicated to Fleishman and his struggles, it also cleverly explores how women's stories are often over-looked and sidelined. Its ending more-than rewards readers for pushing through some of the less-gripping sections, too BELOVED BY TONI MORRISON The first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, Toni Morrison passed away in August at the age of 88. Her novel Beloved wasn't published this year — in fact, it was published way back in 1987 — but we think this summer is the perfect time to revisit it, or pick it up for the first time. Arguably Morrison's best-known novel, Beloved follows an escaped enslaved woman who is haunted by decisions and trauma from her past. It's not an easy read, nor should it be. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has had far-reaching cultural influence since its publication, including on Jordan Peele's 2019 horror flick Us. If you'd like to explore this connection further, we suggest listening to this episode from The New York Times podcast Still Processing. Words by Aimee Sics, Emma Joyce, Leisha Kapor and Samantha Teague.
Rustica Sourdough, the Melbourne institution and baker of all things sour and delicious, has opened a new bakery and cafe in Melbourne Central. It's the bakery's fourth location, with its original cafe in Fitzroy, and shops on Hawthorn's Power Street and in Rialto Towers both opening last year. This means there are now two CBD locations, and twice the likelihood of you nabbing something sweet or sourdough-y on your lunch break. Located on level two of the shopping precinct (next to Country Road), the new Rustica is — like its siblings — a cafe-bakery hybrid, with options for those who are looking for a leisurely brunch, a quick bite for lunch, or just a comforting hot cross bun on their way through to the train station below. It will have the most extensive menu of any Rustica cafe yet, with everything from sourdough loaves (obviously) to chocolate lamington french toast, baba ganoush and pickled eggs, and a matcha panna cotta. We expect a whole heap of trains are going to be missed by those who've wandered in and gotten distracted by cronuts. Rustica is now open at Level 2, Melbourne Central. It's open seven days a week, from Monday to Wednesday, 8am–6pm; Thursday to Saturday, 8am–9pm; and Sunday 10am–6pm.
Whether or not making movies has ever been your goal, everyone knows that some film achievements that are just the dream. Getting into SXSW is one of them. If you're from Australia, and from Sydney at that, having your first feature play at Sydney Film Festival ranks as highly. Amy Wang has now notched up both thanks to Slanted, which premiered at Austin's OG version of SXSW in March, then made its Aussie debut at SFF. Was this the dream for Wang? "100 percent. Yes. Yes. Growing up — and I went to film school here in in Sydney as well — there are those film festivals like the Cannes, the Sundances and SXSWs, where you're just like 'wow, even to just play'," she tells Concrete Playground. "I think they choose ten films or eight films to play in competition at South By. I remember that day. I had a friend who had a film that played at South By the previous year, and they had said they got their acceptance email around the beginning of December. So I just had this inkling. I was like 'if I don't get this email today' — it was a Friday — 'then it's probably a no go'. And I got it. It was so surreal for sure. Just so happy." That's how Wang discovered that she'd be unveiling her body-horror satire about a Chinese American teen's desire to be like her peers at her US high school — plus the lengths the character goes to to achieve that aim — in America. For her troubles, she took home 2025's SXSW Narrative Jury Award. Playing Sydney Film Festival is another treasured milestone. "In many ways, I am even more excited to show it in Sydney," she notes. "Growing up in Sydney, I would go to Sydney Film Festival every year since I was a teenager. So I've been to the State Theatre so many times, lined up outside. It's such a prestigious venue." Slanted's first Aussie session did indeed play at the grand venue at the heart of SFF. It's a US-set and -made film, but screening in Australia is a homecoming because its Chinese Australian writer/director has taken inspiration from her childhood experiences right here. The story of Joan Huang (Shirley Chen, Dìdi) isn't far from Wang's own growing up, when she was teased and attacked due to her race, she advises. Well, that setup has its parallels, at least. With Slanted, the filmmaker takes that trauma and transfers it into a world of prom queens and blonde obsessions, crafting a biting exploration of such a nightmare — one where Joan is convinced that the radical step that is "racial transformation surgery" is her only choice. When Joan walks her school's halls, she strolls past photos of past tiara-wearing teens, all blue-eyed and fair-haired. Her bedroom walls are filled with pictures of blonde celebrities. On her phone, she changes her own image with filters. Lightening her tresses IRL follows. Upon arriving in America with her family (Starring Jerry as Himself's Fang Du and The Afterparty's Vivian Wu) as a kid (Kristen Cui, Knock at the Cabin), she was mocked quickly, cementing the idea in her impressionable young mind that assimilating with her classmates was the ideal option. Also as a child, courtesy of her dad's job as a high-school janitor, she discovered prom queens and the adoration that the title brings. So, when a company called Ethnos slides into adolescent Joan's DMs with a proposal, securing all of her fantasies — and befriending the most-popular girl in school (Amelie Zilber, Grown-ish), too — appears closer to becoming a reality. If this sounds like a "be careful what you wish for"-esque setup, that's because it is as Slanted also works Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire star Mckenna Grace into its cast as Jo — and as Wang digs into the desire to belong, its costs, caucasian-centric beauty standards, white privilege and class clashes. Wang knows that this is well-populated territory in general, but "nobody had really done what I've done", she reflects. "Even around White Chicks, for example, it's still the same actors. And obviously Freaky Friday is another example of a body-swap kind of film, but with this, still it's the same person. And it's to do with race, and that's something I think that hasn't really been touched. Obviously a lot of people have been comparing the film to The Substance, which is a little similar as well in terms of themes, but still different. I think it was just the race aspect of it — the fact that it's so personal to myself — that's how I made it different and my own." Was the process of penning and helming Slanted cathartic for its guiding force? "100 percent. 100 percent. I use film and I use writing and directing to work through my own trauma, I think, and it's been deeply cathartic," Wang shares. As much of a focus is ensuring that everyone else that has ever felt like Joan does can see that others have been there. "I made this film so that people didn't feel alone," Wang continues. "And I could express a story about somebody who maybe the majority of Australians or the majority of Americans don't really think about — and to do it an entertaining way so that they are entertained, but also are made to think and reflect on themselves." Wang's path to Slanted spans studying at the American Film Institute, winning accolades for her short film work before her feature's SXSW triumph — 2017's Unnatural picked up a gong at the Cannes Lions — and diving into a sequel to a Hollywood hit. When Crazy Rich Asians 2 makes its way to cinemas, it'll do so with Wang as its writer. Netflix's From Scratch and The Brothers Sun are also on her resume so far. We chatted with Wang about her Slanted journey to date, the movie's response, having an Australian perspective on US teendom and more, including the picture's balancing act, its crucial casting, the visual approach and more. [caption id="attachment_1008985" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amy E. Price/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images[/caption] On How the 12 Months Since Making Slanted Have Panned Out for Wang "Oh my gosh, it's been nuts. It is kind of crazy to think — like even today on my phone, you know how your iPhone sometimes gives you memories of the last couple of months? I hadn't even started shooting this time last year. So we shot June–July. I think I flew back to LA — because we shot in Atlanta — I flew back to LA in August to start post. And it's been pretty fast, when I think about it. And it was — I mean, it's still crazy. We delivered the film like three days before we premiered. I'm sure SXSW hated us with that. So it was kind of non-stop until the premiere. The night before, I couldn't sleep because I was so nervous. And then we had such a great reaction after that first screening. I thought the festival will tip you off if you win anything, but they don't. I wasn't even going to even go to the awards night. And I just rocked up in a t-shirt and jeans. Other people were dressed up in dresses and suits and everything, and me and my husband were just sat in the back. It was the most-crazy experience, and so I'm still pinching myself." On Whether Wang Expected the Type of Response That Slanted Has Been Receiving "I think I wanted for this response, and I'm really happy that that I've received it. There was definitely a part of me that was a little bit afraid. I like to push buttons with all of my films, the scripts that I write — and in a way, I do like a bit of controversy within the stuff that I do. So I think I was more afraid of that of — like would people take it the wrong way? Would people get offended? But surprisingly it's been — you always get the random Letterboxd reviews or even film critics critiquing the film, but the majority have been so amazing and supportive. I remember after my premiere at South By, when I was walking to the afterparty, there were multiple people who came up to me with tears in their eyes and just telling me about how much they related to the story. And these were Americans. I'm even more excited to see the reaction in Sydney, because, again, the film came from my own experience growing up in Sydney. And Australia, Sydney in particular, has such a huge Asian population. So I'm so interested to see how people relate to the film." [caption id="attachment_938017" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tim Levy[/caption] On How Slanted Evolved From Wang's Childhood in Australia — and Why It Embraces the US as a Setting "The reason why I set it in America was because I moved to America in 2015 to go to film school at AFI. And I ended up staying and working in LA. And it felt, at the time when I came up with the concept, like all of my connections, my career, was really in the US. So I knew I needed to adapt the story that I had in my head to a US audience — because all the money, all of the filming crew, cast, everybody, would have been US-based. So that was really the main reason. If I had written a story that was in Australia, I wouldn't have the slightest clue how to get it made in the Australian bubble. The story is very closely based on my own life. Growing up in Sydney, I, unfortunately for a really long time — and even now to a degree, I think we're all still working towards fully embracing and accepting who we are — but as a teenager, I definitely was very, very aware that I looked very different. And I received a lot of, I wouldn't say very violent attacks, but definitely had people throw things at me, follow me around, say very, very horrible racist, just blatantly racist things to me. And it really just made me feel ashamed of my culture, what I look like, and made me want to look like the blonde surfie girls who I went to high school with, who were the always the most popular. And I remembered wanting to — I didn't grow up very wealthy, I would nag my mum to get me Billabong boardies and those types of bags to fit in a little bit more. And I'd get so ashamed over the lunches my dad would make me, because the kids would tease me about how badly they smelled and how weird they looked. I'm happy that I went through it, because it's made me who I am. And I'm just really happy that I was able to make a film that I think connects to a lot of people who have experienced very similar things — even if you're not Asian Australian. I think everybody feels in some way as an outsider." [caption id="attachment_1008986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gilbert Flores/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images[/caption] On Whether Having an Outsider Perspective in the US Assisted When Satirising the Prom and American High Schools "Yes, absolutely. You definitely hit the nail on the head. I feel like I was able to really satirise America because I'm not American. And growing up in Australia, growing up on American films and American TV, I think I had that separation and I was able to make fun of it. And also, I think what is cool is because I've been living here so long, to also firsthand experience the ins and outs and the intricacies of American society. I didn't, when I was in Australia, I never knew that American kids did the Pledge of Allegiance. And it was so shocking to me. I remember when I was doing research and visiting high schools in California, and they would all do the Pledge of Allegiance — and I was like 'what? What is this?'. And it just felt so bizarre. But to an American, it's what they grew up with, so they wouldn't question it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by SXSW (@sxsw) On Finding the Right Tone When You're Making a Satire with a Clear Sense of Humour, But That Comes From a Personal Place — and Is a Body-Horror Film, Coming-of-Age Movie and Family Drama as Well "I feel like it's interesting because I didn't really think too hard about — I definitely thought about the tone a lot, but in terms of weaving all of these things together, I didn't think 'ooh, I have to have some body horror in there, I have to have some satire in there'. I think the satire came organically because the initial concept was just 'oh, what if a Chinese girl turned herself into a white girl?' — and so that concept itself was so absurd and surreal that it just automatically steps into that satirical tone and zone. And then, the reason why I'm a filmmaker is because of films like Fight Club and Seven — David Fincher in particular. My favourite filmmaker is Michael Haneke. And I grew up watching a lot of Cronenberg. So I love dark material. And it just makes sense — I wanted to make a film about learning to accept who you are but in a nightmarish storyline, so it just makes sense to see the repercussions of what happens when you decide to transition into something so drastic." On the Importance of Also Digging Into Class Clashes "That's just another theme that I'm very passionate about, because I don't come from a lot of money. And both of my parents are very working class, don't have any association with the film business. And especially coming out to LA, not really having anything, going AFI — which is a great school, but really being surrounded by a lot of people who do come from a lot of money, or has a famous dad or whatever. Especially in the film industry, in Hollywood, I think, I'm constantly surrounded by people who are just wealthier. And I think that's just something that I'm very aware of. Again, I'm really happy with everything I've been through because it always informs my work, but classism and race, those are definitely things that I just am very aware of — of my own differences and of society in general, the wealth disparity, especially in America." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shirley Chen (@shirleylchen) On the Importance of Finding the Right Joan in Shirley Chen and the Right Jo in Mckenna Grace "I found Shirley first. I watched a lot of auditions. And I'd always known of Shirley, cause I've seen her in Dìdi, I'd seen her in this great short called Krista, I think that also played the South By. And then she did Beast Beast, which is a great film as well. She just had such a naturalistic, kind of edgy vibe about her that I just loved. And I remember watching her initial audition just being like 'fantastic, I've found my person'. And then we had lunch and got to know her a little bit. So I knew I had to find Joan first. And then from Shirley, getting to know Shirley a little bit more, I figured out 'okay, this is her general vibe, this is her energy', and I needed to find someone who could match that. And I met with Mckenna — and same with Shirley, I'd seen Mckenna in obviously Ghostbusters, but I saw her in A Friend of the Family, The Handmaid's Tale. She's just an incredible young actress. We also had lunch, and she just told me how much she related to the script — and really blew me away with her interpretation. And after that meeting, I was like 'yeah, she's the one'. After I cast the two of them, we did a lot of rehearsals and body-language imitating exercises and things like that, to really make sure they feel like the same person." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mckenna Grace (@mckennagraceful) On How Chen and Grace Worked Together to Play the Same Character — and Take That Figure on a Shared Emotional Journey "They did so much homework. I know they had shared playlists and really used music to tie themselves, the both of them, together. But I did a lot of exercises. I had Mckenna follow Shirley around, copy how Shirley ate, how she walked, how she danced — all sorts of little fun exercises I came up with. And we also figured out one thing in the movie, that both of them will squeeze their nose, and that was something that really tied it together. And that's something I used to do and my dad used to do. So I think that was a really easy tic that they both really caught onto. And sometimes even on set, I would forget and then they would add it into the scene, and I'd be like 'oh, this is amazing'. So they just they did the work. And Shirley would be on set when Mckenna would be on set, and vice versa, because we'd obviously shoot their scenes intersectionally, so that really helped as well." On Mixing Naturalism and Surrealism in the Film's Stylistic Approach "So my DP and I — my wonderful DP Ed Wu [Mother of the Bride] — we had this almost like a map that's one to ten. One was the most grounded, realistic types of films, like Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold types of films. And then on the other end of the spectrum were the Sorry to Bother You kind of way-more out-there-visually satire. And so with each scene, we'd be like 'okay, this scene, it's sitting more in the one to two', which is more the Andrea Arnold kind camp. But then some scenes, like when we're in Ethnos, definitely ventured more into that hyper-real, Being John Malkovich kind of world. So we had that communication during set, in pre-production as well. And sometimes it was hard, because there would be some scenes where it would go back and forth a little bit. The first half might be more of a one, but then the second half is a ten. So those were a little bit more difficult to really nail. But I think the music was also really big thing. Shirley Song [XO Kitty], she's a fantastic composer." On How Short Films, From Scratch, The Brothers Sun and Writing on Crazy Rich Asians 2 Helped Lead Wang to Her Feature Debut "I was never much of a writer when I got into AFI, to be totally honest. I had always wanted to direct and I went to the American Film Institute for directing. And it was my second year when I really started getting into writing, because a graduate came back and was like 'if you don't want work at Starbucks after you graduate, you're just not going to get paid to direct anything for a very long time, so you need to learn how to write'. So that advice really stuck with me. And that's kind of what I did. So I think that on the writing side, just writing for a lot of studio films — I sold scripts to Paramount and Netflix and all sorts of places. It definitely helped me craft the screenplay in the best way. And then for directing, I think it was just I really enjoyed my experience at AFI. It taught me a lot about directing. And you're just really drawing from personal experiences, and you take apart films. And I made a lot of short films back in Sydney. And all of that experience I think really contributed to making this feature." Slanted is screening at Sydney Film Festival until Sunday, June 15, 2025. Head to the fest's website for more details.
The Standard Store on Gertrude Street is anything but standard. From eccentric pins made by graphic designer Georgia Perry to uber-trendy tops from Commune de Paris and bright, geometric dresses by Henrik Vibskov, owners Orlando and Nicola Reindorf know how to create a store filled with the kind of items that make you feel unique. There's no fast fashion to be found. Instead, the pair make bi-annual overseas trips to ensure that anything they source from over the pond is of the same quality as the homegrown brands they consistently back. Image: Caitlin Morahan.
In February 2018, we announced that Melbourne was getting a huge new rooftop urban farm in what could prove to be the world's most sustainable shopping centre. Since then, plans for the groundbreaking new development — dubbed Burwood Brickworks — have been approved by council and construction has begun. And now, we've got our first real look at what the 2000-square-metre farm will actually look like. It's just been announced that the rooftop — which will have both a farm and a restaurant — will be designed and managed by consulting firm Tully Heard, which runs Acre, an eatery in inner Sydney that operates alongside (but independently from) an urban farm. This brand new space will be an extension of the Acre concept, and, like its Sydney counterpart, will be a farm-to-table eatery that is both a cafe and a full service restaurant. That means you'll be able to eat the food that's growing around you in greenhouses, planter boxes and landscaped growing areas. While the Sydney farm is owned and operated by non-profit group Pocket City Farms, the Burwood Brickworks farm will instead be headed up by Tully Heard. But the concept is set to be very similar. Director Luke Heard will come down south with urban farmer and environmental educator Adrian Baiada — who were both involved in establishing the Sydney farm — to set up the Melbourne farm before they recruit a farming manager later this year. The plan is for the farm to regularly host workshops, talks and opportunities for city-dwellers to get their hands dirty by helping out on the farm. The community can expect to get involved in beekeeping, composting, harvesting and pickling when it's all up and running smoothly in the new year. The rooftop space and shopping centre will be part of the 12,700-square-metre Burwood Brickworks development by Frasers Property Australia, located just 15 kilometres south of the Melbourne CBD in a former brickworks site. The development will be made up of 2.5 hectares of open space and parklands, community facilities and 700 homes. Tully Heard will develop the Acre rooftop in conjunction with eco-warrior Joost Bakker (Greenhouse by Joost, Brothl) to make its as sustainable as possible. Inside the shopping centre, the sustainability continues with a solar-powered Woolworths, soft plastic recycling facilities and natural refrigerants, which aim to reduce the centre's carbon footprint. The design of the wider mixed-use development will also focus on sustainability, using a large solar PV system and an embedded electricity network to target a minimum five-star green rating, with the aim of becoming Australia's first six-star Green Star Design — and to achieve Living Building Challenge accreditation. This accreditation is seriously hard to obtain and means the building must have a net zero carbon footprint, produce more electricity than it consumes, grow agriculture on 20 percent of the site, and prove net water and waste positive. It must also be constructed using non-toxic and recycled materials, and have other social benefits like access to natural daylight and indoor air quality. The Burwood Brickworks sustainable shopping centre is expected to be completed by late 2019, with the residential housing following in late 2020. Once complete, the development will go under evaluation to see if it meets the criteria to be considered the world's most sustainable shopping centre. Acre Farm and Eatery will open at Burwood Brickworks in late 2019. We'll keep you updated on an anticipated opening date. CORRECTION: APRIL 2, 2019 — The original article stated that Tully Heard operated both Acre and Pocket City Farms in Sydney when, in fact, it just operates the restaurant, Acre. The article has been updated to reflect this and provide more context around the separate businesses.
Update Wednesday, July 12: Bookings are now open for the W Hotel's huge Darling Harbour development. You can lock in a stay for dates from Wednesday, November 1. Five years in the making, W Hotel's luxury Darling Harbour development will finally bring the global hotel chain back to Sydney in October this year. Originally scheduled to open in 2020, the unmistakable harbourfront hotel has faced several delays and setbacks, but has now revealed key details in the lead-up to its official opening in seven months' time. Located within The Ribbon, the sleek multimillion-dollar development is designed by HASSEL architects and sits on the former IMAX theatre site — which is scheduled to also reopen this year. W Sydney is promising not just a hotel, but a luxury hideaway with this inner-city accommodation. As with every W Hotel, you can expect impeccably-designed futuristic spaces, eateries overseen by expert chefs, cocktails created by top-notch bartenders and collaborations with local artists, musicians and designers. Partnering with HASSEL is Bowler James Brindley who is handling the interior design of the luxury building. "The freedom to create an entirely new cultural space for Sydney was incredibly exciting, and we were inspired by the idea of 'the larrikin' the non-conformist spirit of the city that makes it irresistible," a Bowler James Brindley spokesperson said. "We love to design spaces that embrace the individuality and even eccentricity of their locations, and to create interiors that engage their buildings and neighbourhoods in conversations, rather than treating spaces as blank canvases." One of W Sydney's drawcards — apart from its 585 next-level rooms and suites — is the exuberant shared spaces throughout the hotel including a heated rooftop infinity pool overlooking the water, a two-storey rooftop bar, an all-day dining restaurant, a luxury spa and a gym. The meticulously designed restaurant on level three can be seen from the adjacent highway, acting as a living, breathing billboard for the hotel. Inside, the diner boasts urban design hallmarks that celebrate its place in the heart of the city, as well as concrete columns and unique ceiling lighting that combine to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Other notable touches include jellyfish mosaic artwork that you can discover at the bottom of the impressive 30-metre pool, silicone petals resembling those of the waratah decorating the entrance sign, a future noir-themed lobby inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis and graphic designs from renowned multidisciplinary artist Bradley Eastman (aka Beastman) throughout the hotel's spa. W Sydney will open its doors in October 2023 at 31 Wheat Road, Darling Harbour. You can find out more about it on the Darling Harbour website.
Apologies to anyone who isn't a Harry Styles fan — 2022 clearly isn't your year. The former One Direction member has been everywhere over the past nine months, given that he's headlined Coachella, dropped a new album, and announced a big Australian and New Zealand tour. Oh, and he's also been the talk of the Venice Film Festival just this week for potentially spitting on Chris Pine at the premiere of Don't Worry Darling, one of two movies that'll be giving Styles' acting skills a workout on screens near you this spring. The upcoming second flick on Styles' resume? That'd be My Policeman — which will also send Styles back in time, to the 1950s to be exact, because starring in movies set seven decades ago is the ex-boy band star's own personal 2022 trend. As first revealed in the film's initial teaser back in June, this one gives off big Carol vibes, but in Britain, and focusing on a love triangle involving the titular cop, the man he falls for and the woman who loves him. Due to hit Prime Video Down Under on November 4, My Policeman sees Styles plays Tom, that eponymous law enforcement officer. In sweeping, emotionally resonant period-drama style, the movie gets him caught between teacher Marion (Emma Corrin, The Crown) and museum curator Patrick (David Dawson, All the Old Knives). And as the just-dropped new sneak shows, heartbreak seems to be the prevailing mood. My Policeman will also flit forward to the 1990s, where the older Tom (Linus Roache, Homeland), Marion (Gina McKee, Phantom Thread) and Patrick (Rupert Everett, The Happy Prince) are still haunted by how things played out when they were younger. If the storyline sounds familiar, that's because My Policeman comes to the screen from Bethan Roberts' 2012 novel of the same name. For the film version, director Michael Grandage (Red) is doing the honours, with Ron Nyswaner (Freeheld, Philadelphia) on screenplay duties. Based on the handsome trailers so far, both of which sport a hefty mood of yearning, viewers can expect an exploration of love, social expectations, and the tumult that springs when the latter dictates the former. And, obviously, for Styles' latest on-screen stint after Dunkirk, Eternals and Don't Worry Darling, which releases a month earlier in October. Check out the full trailer for My Policeman below: My Policeman will be available to stream via Prime Video in Australia and New Zealand on November 4. Images: courtesy of Prime Video © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC.
It only ran for three short years, but when international dance festival Creamfields took a hiatus in 2013, it left a big, fat hole in the Aussie festival calendar (large-scale festivals, at least). Now, folks who count the days for big drops have something to plan for, with today's announcement that Creamfields will make its return to Australian shores at the end of this year. Transplanting the clubbing experience into a huge outdoor event, Creamfields has given the global electronic music scene a solid shake-up since it first landed in 1998, starting life as a one-day UK show with a crowd of 25,000. In the years following, it's been staged in 22 countries, with that original UK festival morphing into a 70,000 capacity, four-day camping situation. It's raked in the accolades too, including the 2010 Music Week Award for Festival of The Year, and the 2016 gong for Best Major Festival at the UK Festival Awards. And this November, as it celebrates the big 2-0, Creamfields is heading back to Melbourne, set to bring with it a suitably huge lineup of DJs and electronic artists. Exactly which names will take the stage is yet to be revealed, but with past Aussie headliners including the likes of Skrillex and David Guetta, it's looking pretty darn promising. Both the lineup and venue for Creamfields Australia 2017 are yet to be announced, but you can register here for first dibs on tickets and the chance to win some sweet prizes. Images: Supplied.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we go to Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, where we are putting up guests who book one of our epic For The Love VIP packages. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This four-and-a-half-star hotel looks out over the picturesque North Wollongong Beach and lighthouse. It's one of the very best places to stay in the area, giving you easy access to local walking trails and swim spots as well as the thriving night life. THE ROOMS The rooms themselves aren't super flash, but they don't really need to be when you have sea views like this. In the morning, grab a seat on your private balcony, breathe in some sea air and watch Wollongong wake up — with the long stretch of coastline your backdrop. Gorge. Each of the 209 spacious rooms have all the necessities too. Air conditioning (a must for summer), a flat screen television, free wifi, a large desk (if you need to work) and a mini bar on demand. Just be aware that not all rooms have those stunning sea views — you'll need to choose one when booking. FOOD AND DRINK Novotel Wollongong Northbeach knows how to entertain. It has four separate bars, each with its own unique menu and level of formality. The Adrift Pool Bar consists of several white wooden booths and a few cute rattan tables set up around the heated pool. The best bit? Fresh seafood and classic cocktails are served out here. Hang out with some locals and fellow travellers at the public Pepe's on the Beach — where you can hire out your own cabana for the day. Or go for something a little more refined at North Bar. An impressive selection of wines adorn this drinks list, alongside a few specialty cocktails and top-shelf spirits. And when the sun goes down, American-style The Frisky Flamingo is the place to be — dress up and start your night out at this glam drinking den. THE LOCAL AREA Yes, you have so many places to eat and drink at Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, but you'd be a fool to spend all your time wining and dining. Either walk down to the beach or seaside pool for an ideal summer jaunt or head to some of the nearby walking trails along the coast to see even more of this gorgeous coastline. Boutique stores, local restaurants and all other town centre necessities are only a short walk away — with a free bus available right outside the hotel for those who want to have a chill one. If you're about to spend a day partying at For The Love, the bus is for you. [caption id="attachment_882178" align="alignnone" width="1920"] North Bar[/caption] Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
If you've ever had a sneaky little go with some small person's Lego blocks once they're all tucked up in bed, Legoland sees you, tips you their hat… and raises you an adults-only night at its Melbourne Discovery Centre. With no children to get in the way (or outdo your creations), you'll score free rein of Legoland to check out its 4D cinema and rides, and build to your heart's content in the brick pits. Test your skills by taking on the build challenge, have a crack at a speed build or try a scavenger hunt — and vie for the prizes up for grabs. [caption id="attachment_878422" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaz Blom[/caption] As an added bonus, this adults-only instalment will be embracing a festive theme — get in the spirit by donning your finest ugly Christmas sweater, nabbing a pic with Santa and grooving to the night's festive DJ tunes while you create those Lego masterpieces. It all takes place from 6–9pm on Thursday, December 15 — and you should BYO shameless excitement, a taste for glory and boundless creativity. Entry will set you back $39.99, with food and drinks available to purchase from the onsite cafe until 8pm. [caption id="attachment_878421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaz Blom[/caption] Top Image: Jaz Blom
