Artificial intelligence in video games has come a long way in the last few years. Rare now are the days of mindless drones walking pre-determined paths, completely oblivious to the death and destruction around them. In an industry where a single release can pull half a billion dollars in just one day, developers have adapted to an increasingly sophisticated market and pushed AI to a point capable of rivalling the human one. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for action movies, where nameless henchmen continue to run witlessly into hails of bullets like hapless Civil War foot soldiers or extras in Commando. The latest example of this is John Wick, a 'revenge porn' flick starring Keanu Reeves and directed by his former stuntman, Chad Stahelski. Reeves plays Wick, a retired hit man whose wife has just passed away from a terminal illness. On the day of her funeral he receives a pre-ordered puppy from her to ensure he doesn't mourn alone, but during a home invasion the puppy is killed and his beloved car is stolen. In response, Wick unleashes a vengeance-fuelled rampage on New York's Russian mobsters, ratcheting up a body count to rival ebola. It's basically Taken, but with Liam Neeson's daughter played by a foot-long beagle. Is it a dumb premise? Absolutely, but it's also terrifically fun, and let's face it, there have been far worse reasons given for cinematic rampages ("They're going to take you...again"). Stylistically, the action sequences are impressive and exhilarating. Kitted out in bespoke suits, Reeves combines martial arts with gunplay (or 'gun-fu') to despatch his enemies and secure what has to be the record for the most number of consecutive head shots. Stahelski's background in stunts clearly informs his direction, with a greater degree of physicality to the fight scenes coupled with lingering shots that hold longer in the same moment than your average film. The big problem with John Wick, though, is the HS — or 'Henchman Stupidity'. In each of the action sequences, the goons demonstrate a bewildering lack of survival instinct, immediately forfeiting their Darwinian credentials and robbing the scenes of any credibility. The defence raised here is that John Wick is a classic B-movie, but that's too convenient. Yes, it has a lower budget than many of its counterparts, but with a cast that also includes Willem Dafoe, Michael Nyqvist, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, Alfie Allen, Dean Winters, Adrianne Palicki and Bridget Moynahan, it's hard not to think the movie pitched for another capital B: 'Blockbuster'. So no, this isn't the thinking person's action film, but an action film it definitely is. As always, Reeves is a delight to watch in full-borne badass mode. He quips and kicks and does it all with an impossible level of cool. https://youtube.com/watch?v=2AUmvWm5ZDQ
For some, friendly banter with whoever happens to be behind a car's wheel is a regular part of booking a ride. For others, the obligatory bout of awkward conversation with the driver is the most dreaded part of the trip. Or, maybe you're just having a bad day and don't feel like chatting. Perhaps you're usually happy to talk away, but you're stressed, have too much on your mind, and have emails to check while you're getting from point A to point B. Whether you like a good chinwag with your driver or prefer riding in silence, Uber has introduced a new feature that lets customers choose their level of conversation. It's called quiet mode, and it gives riders three options — 'quiet preferred', 'happy to chat' and 'no preference' — when booking a trip. The catch: it's only available for Uber Black customers, and it has currently only launched in the US. According to the Uber website, the ridesharing service's premium offering has also added a suite of other 'enhanced features', including asking for help with your luggage, requesting a specific temperature within the car, giving passengers a bit of extra time to make their way to the vehicle, and offering a consistent kind of ride in terms of car models, makes, interiors and exteriors. While there's no word on if or when the features will be rolled out beyond America — or if any will be adopted by regular Uber — there is obviously already option for folks who'd like to get across town without natter. It's certainly a sign of the times that ordering a conversation (or lack thereof) can now be done at the touch of a button, rather than in person. That said, pre-selecting quiet mode will stop the dreaded, always uncomfortable "I don't feel like chatting" convo before the uncomfortable silence, as well as awkward small talk.
Childhood snaps aplenty are filled with Australia's big things, including pictures with The Big Pineapple as a backdrop if you've ever visited the Sunshine Coast. As an adult, there's another way to make memories at the famous Woombye site: hitting up The Big Pineapple Festival, which is finally returning in 2024 after a three-year absence and has just dropped its jam-packed lineup. The Queensland fest announced its comeback earlier this year, and also its 2024 date: Saturday, October 19. Now comes who'll be taking to the stage while you dance in the shadow of a giant piece of tropical fruit. The Amity Affliction, Bliss n Eso and Peking Duk lead the bill, alongside Tones and I, Golden Features, Vera Blue, Thornhill and Dune Rats doing a DJ set. There's a heap more acts where they came from, too, on what's set to be a massive spring day in the Sunshine State. [caption id="attachment_964826" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Tom Barnes[/caption] 2024's event will also add a World Eats and Beats precinct, which is where you can grab a bite and listen to global tunes; the Lantern Parade lighting up the site, aka pineapple fields; the Skate Jam, where top Aussie skaters will on their decks; and Burlesque L'amour doing a festival stint. Or, you can enter the Best Dressed at the Fest contest, with prizes for both solo and team attire — and likely a range of pineapple-inspired outfits getting a workout — or try your stuff at The Great Australian Pineapple Toss competition. On the nation's list of big things, The Big Pineapple is among the most famous. It's big. It's a pineapple. It's heritage-listed Queensland icon. It's surrounded by those pineapple fields. It now has a new cafe and viewing platform. Basically, what's not to love? Since 2013, however, it's no longer merely a reason to go to Nambour to gawk at over-sized fruit — because that's when it also became home to a music festival, which ran annually until its current three-year break. As well as live music, the fest includes two days of camping. Accordingly, if you hadn't already, start looking forward to an event that'll take over its iconic location's natural amphitheatres, get folks pitching a tent at the 4000-person campground, and also span workshops and art installations in a relaxed setting, too. The Big Pineapple Festival's return is welcome news at a time when the Australian music scene has been seeing cancellations, rather than comebacks. Tasmania's Mona Foma said farewell forever after its 2024 event, both Splendour in the Grass and Groovin the Moo scrapped their 2024 festivals mere weeks after announcing their lineups, Falls Festival took summer 2023–24 off, Summergrounds Music Festival at Sydney Festival was cancelled and This That hasn't gone ahead for a couple of years now. The Big Pineapple Festival 2024 Lineup: The Amity Affliction Tones and I Bliss n Eso Golden Features Peking Duk Vera Blue Thornhill Dune Rats (DJ set) The Dreggs Drax Project SLUMBERJACK Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Ocean Grove Kinder South Summit No Money Enterprise Day We Ran Betty Taylor Toby Hobart Hellcat Speedracer Raw Ordio Ishan Larynx Karlou Rhino Tess Fapani Earth Sign Unearthed winner [caption id="attachment_964825" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Billy Zammit[/caption] [caption id="attachment_944026" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Big Pineapple, Alpha via Flickr[/caption] The Big Pineapple Festival will return on Saturday, October 19, 2024. Ticket presale signups start from 8am on Monday, July 8, with presales beginning at 8am on Wednesday, July 10 and general sales from 8am on Thursday, July 11 — head to the fest's website for more information. Images: Claudia Ciapocha / Charlie Hardy.
Know a very good boy or girl of the furry, four-legged persuasion? This weekend is their time to shine. On Saturday, May 27, food truck park and beer garden Welcome to Brunswick is set to become even more dog-friendly than usual, as it celebrates man's best mate with a day of festivities for the second time this year. The Good Dogs of Brunswick party will kick off from 12pm with DJ tunes spinning through the afternoon, market stalls, food trucks specials, as well as a charity keg to raise funds for the Lost Dogs Home. If you and your pooch are up for some shopping, you'll find an array of pet-centric market stalls slinging everything from dog desserts and treats to funky accessories and leads. And for pups with a competitive edge, the venue will be running a whole swag of fun dog contests throughout the day, with prizes for the waggliest tail, the oldest boy, the hound with the best rescue story and more.
Melbourne's southeast is set to score an infusion of glamour and a sprinkle of sass as Mabel Jones fires up for a special one-off event. On Saturday, May 27, the cafe will be showing off its colourful side with a riotous afternoon of drag bingo and bottomless brunch. The ever-memorable Freida Commitment is set to play hostess with the mostest, running three rounds of bingo interspersed with drag performances and musical renditions aplenty. This isn't the same game your nan plays, that's for sure. Meanwhile, you'll be tucking into your choice of brunch plate — think, bacon benedict served atop house-made potato rostis, a raspberry hotcake with lemon curd and lemon crumble, and Korean fried chicken paired with house-made kimchi. Tickets come in at $69, which also includes two hours of free-flowing sips. Choose from creations like a peach bellini, a signature mule, or the watermelon punch made on award-winning gin from nearby Naught Distilling.
Already one of the most scenic areas in Australia, the Whitsundays are about to give visitors something else to look at — an installation of underwater and inter-tidal art. As part of the Whitsundays Reef Recovery and Public Art Project, six artists will create six artworks that'll sit beneath the sea, with tourists and locals able to snorkel and dive around them from the end of 2019. Selected from 73 expressions of interest, Brian Robinson, Adriaan Vanderlugt and Col Henry will create their pieces individually, while Caitlin Reilly, Jessa Lloyd and Kate Ford, from the Arts Based Collective, will work together. And although everyone will have to wait a year to enjoy the underwater creations at Langford Reef, some of the artworks will be designed with a dual purpose. As Lloyd explains, Arts Based Collective's contribution — called Anthozoa — "not only performs aesthetically in its sculptural form, but importantly doubles as a site for reef restoration. As the underwater form matures, visitors snorkelling and diving the site will see a sculpture festooned with a myriad of coral species, tentacles encrusted with soft and hard corals, marine animals sheltering in and peeking from small holes." Other pieces include a turtle, manta rays, Maori wrasse, coral polyp and an indigenous sculpture, 'Bwya', that contains 12 local species of fish and sharks. Made out of concrete, stainless steel and aluminium, they'll be placed in spots accessible to snorkelers and scuba divers. Although they'll vary in size, the largest sculpture will span six metres in length. The announcement follows a trial that began at the beginning of August, marking the first sculptures to ever be placed in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Local artist Vanderlugt earned those honours, with four of his sculptures placed near Langford Reef — including a fish, a nudibranch (aka a type of mollusc) and a crab that ranged up to 1.8 metres long, and weighed around 300 kilograms. Other than celebrating creativity, the Whitsundays Reef Recovery and Public Art Project aims give the region a new attraction, unsurprisingly. "This artwork will provide a new experience for people travelling to the Whitsundays and will help the marine tourism industry recover after Cyclone Debbie," said Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones in a statement earlier this year. "Around the world — from the Caribbean, to the Maldives, Spain, Bali and Australia's west coast — underwater art has been used to lure visitors." Images: Tourism Whitsundays / Lauren Vadnjal.
This week has really shown we need to chill out about our phones. Demand for the iPhone 6 has created endurance-testing queues outside every Apple store in the country. People are bartering, arguing and crying; one woman nearly got arrested. This obsession is even starting to find its way into legit infrastructure — China introduced a footpath exclusively for people on their phones. We clearly have a problem. Now, a group of friends from New York have come up with the perfect solution. Currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, the NoPhone is a "technology-free alternative" to the new iPhone. Putting an end to our obsession with rudely 'gramming our meal at dinner or Facebooking mid-conversation with someone, the NoPhone doesn't have internet capabilities. In fact, it doesn't work as a phone either. It's just a block of plastic. "With a thin, light and completely wireless design, the NoPhone acts as a surrogate to any smart mobile device," the KickStarter reads. "[Now you can] always have a rectangle of smooth, cold plastic to clutch without forgoing any potential engagement with your direct environment. Never again experience the unsettling feeling of flesh on flesh when closing your hand." Despite launching as a satirical statement about our relationship with technology, in the past week the NoPhone has amassed some serious backers. So far, the project has received nearly US$6,000 in proposed funding and there are still 21 more days to go. One supporter of the project has even made a request for a NoPad. Really, it makes sense. The NoPhone is the first phone to be both completely waterproof and free to run. No hiked up data charges, no extra cost for international calls — it's the dream. It even offers an optional selfie upgrade. "Enjoy sending yourself selfies in real-time. Share selfies with your friends if they’re standing behind you. Add a verbal hashtag by syncing your brain and vocal cords." Despite the surprising popularity (and our absolute love) of the idea, it might be some time before NoPhones actually hit the stands. The proposed funding goal is set at a whopping US$30,000. If you'd like to get in on the ground floor of this stunning investment, pledge some funds over here. The handset will set you back US$12 plus shipping. Alternatively, you could just stop being a douche and put down your iPhone every once in a while.
If you want to catch a bus, train, tram or ferry in Sydney, the Opal card has been the main way to pay for your trip for a while now. But that's about to change — for some commuters, at least. After News Corp reported the impending demise of Australia's transport ticketing cards back in January, Transport for NSW has announced that, from today, contactless card payments — and devices that have the service enabled — will be available on ferries and light rail services. Yep, you can leave your Opal in your wallet/on your desk/down the side of the couch — with this new technology, you can just tap your card or device (Visa, Mastercard and American Express are all accepted) right onto the regular Opal scanners. Doing this will charge you for an Adult Opal single trip ticket — so if you have a concession, you might want to stick with a regular Opal card for now. Plus, using your card won't cap your fare when you travel multiple times in a day or week. Nonetheless, it's a welcome leap in technology — and one that was always going to happen at some point soon. Moving away from dedicated transport cards — or adding other payment options — will make things easier for tourists and travellers (and people who, god forbid, leave their Opal at home), who shouldn't have to buy a new piece of plastic just to catch a bus or train (or pay extra for a paper ticket if they don't) when they're visiting. However, if we're moving towards a contactless future, ensuring the new system remains accessible for anyone that doesn't have a smartphone, smartwatch or bank card remains a concern. So what about the other cities? Melburnians can expect to scan on with a credit or debit card in trials due to start this year, focusing on Routes 11, 86 or 96, according to The Sunday Herald Sun. And in Brisbane, The Sunday Mail reports that a trial will commence either later in 2018 or sometime in early 2019, starting with the Airtrain.
With the 89th Academy Awards here again, we're at once proud and legally hesitant to again bring you Concrete Playground's Annual Oscars Drinking Game. Play by the rules, and by the time the Best Visual Editing in a Foreign Animated Short Documentary category comes around*, you'll be dancing on tables better than Gosling and Stone could ever dream of. As always, Concrete Playground encourages both the responsible consumption of alcohol, and the soonest-possible-end to all reboots of movies that were fine the first time round. Read up on our predictions and settle in for a big Monday afternoon. ONE SIP (EVERGREEN OSCAR STAPLES) Anyone makes a President Trump joke. Jack Nicholson wears sunglasses. Diane Keaton wears gloves. Harrison Ford wears an earring. Jennifer Lawrence does something adorably "real" (three sips if it's a fashion mishap). Leo brings his mother as his date. Winner thanks God or Jesus. Winner's speech is played off by the orchestra. Winner pays tribute to his/her extraordinary fellow nominees. Winner describes his/her film as "important". Winner describes his/her film's director as "a genius" and/or "visionary". TWO SIPS (THE OSCARS ARE PREDICTABLE) Anyone makes an almost-President Hilary joke. Kimmel jokes that one day, thanks to advances in technology, translators like Amy Adams' character in Arrival might be able to decipher some sort of intelligence from President Trump's tweets. Whenever you catch yourself humming 'City of Stars' after it's performed during the ceremony. When the cast and crew of La La Land are invited to look under their seats to find a complimentary Oscar already taped to the bottom. Whenever Ben Affleck smiles, but remains dead behind those cold, joyless eyes. Nicole Kidman rocks up with her hair in the killer '80s 'do from Lion. The Manchester By The Sea video package depresses everyone so profoundly they all just pack up and go home. Nobody can figure out how to remove the default nominee settings of 'Steven Spielberg' or 'John Williams' from the teleprompter, so both men are named as contenders for Best Supporting Actress (three sips if one of them wins). Whilst presenting an award, DiCaprio plays it all cool as if Oscars don't really matter anyway. Alicia Vikander offers words of inspiration to all nominees from the Best Actress category by proving you can win for drama and finally graduate to playing Lara Croft like you always dreamed of. THREE SIPS (IF MOVIE STARS WERE INTERESTING PEOPLE) Anyone makes a President Nixon joke. Trump actually does tweet about the Oscars while they're happening. Meryl Streep turns up with a band of sherpas carrying all her previous Academy Awards. Dev Patel wins Best Supporting Actor and immediately does a flawless impersonation of whoever presents him with the award. A congratulatory kiss or embrace from the presenter "gets awkward". You've actually seen one of the nominees for Documentary Short Subject. Lady Gaga abseils onto stage for no apparent reason and hangs suspended for the remainder of the evening. Suicide Squad wins for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, resulting in a world-ending vortex as soon as the first person utters the words: "Academy Award-Winning Film Suicide Squad". FINISH YOUR DRINK (WOULD BE TREMENDOUS) Anyone makes a President Martin Van Buren joke. I Am Not Your Negro wins Best Documentary (Feature), but never receives the award after the progressive white presenter doesn't know if it's okay to say the title aloud. After winning the Best Actress award for Jackie, Natalie Portman jokes about 'a more preferable Presidential assassination' and is promptly taken down by the Secret Service. Someone forgets to thank Harvey Weinstein, so he summons a 50-foot demon and begins stealing the souls of everyone present. To prove he's no longer an anti-Semite, Mel Gibson instead goes on a tirade about Sentinelese tribesmen. * If at any stage you believe this is actually a legitimate category, put the drinks down — you've played hard enough. Tom Glasson is one of Concrete Playground's senior film writers and a regular Oscars Drinking Game participant. You can read his reviews here, here and here.
Melbourne masquerades as New York in Predestination, the latest film from German-Australian directing duo Michael and Peter Spierig. Reuniting the twin filmmakers with their Daybreakers star Ethan Hawke, this slickly produced time-travel noir attempts to put its own distinctive spin on one of sci-fi's most thoroughly exploited sub-genres. There are plenty of intriguing concepts beneath the movie's stylish surface, although often their delivery leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, some old-school vibes — and an astounding, career-making performance from actress Sarah Snook — ensures Predestination is worth your precious time. Adapted, and expanded, from Robert A. Heinlein's 13-page short story All You Zombies, much of the first half of the film takes place in a dive bar in New York, where a time-travelling secret agent (Hawke), on the trail of a terrorist mastermind, is working undercover serving drinks. One evening, he strikes up a conversation, seemingly at random, with a sullen young man named James (Snook), who bets the barkeep a bottle of whiskey he's got the best story the place has ever heard. And it's certainly a corker of a yarn. James, it would seem, began his life as Jane, abandoned by unknown parents on the steps of a Cleveland orphanage. A bright, tough young woman, Jane very nearly becomes one of the first female astronauts, only to be ruled out by an unexpected pregnancy. The father of the child abandons her soon after, although the shock is overshadowed by a revelation from her doctor: it turns out Jane has a second set of fully functioning (albeit internal) male reproductive organs, and that complication from her pregnancy will leave her no choice but to transition into a man. How James's incredible story is connected to Hawke's manhunt isn't immediately clear — although it's obvious from the cryptic way the brothers frame the flashbacks – always obscuring certain faces — that the cogs will eventually interlock. The second half of the film, wherein Hawke offers James the chance to travel back and change his past, is positively overflowing with time paradoxes and plot twists. The problem is, anyone with even a passing familiarity with time-travel stories will see them coming at least three scenes before they do. It's not that the revelations aren't interesting on an intellectual level; they just never result in the dropped jaws and shocked gasps that the Spierigs would obviously like. Still, if their script could use some polish, they succeed in delivering style. From Hawke's fedora and six-shot revolver to his portable time machine disguised as a violin case, the feel of Predestination is a particular brand of retro-futuristic cool. Likewise, the narrative device of two strangers swapping stories across the bar has an enjoyably hardboiled quality to it and helps disguise the fact that the entire first half of the movie is basically one giant dump of exposition. It also helps a great deal that Snook is the one who's delivering it. Hawke brings his typical mix of wryness and intensity, while Noah Taylor is dapper is his seemingly all-knowing handler. But it's the Adelaide-born actress who clearly runs away with the film, ranging from tough and emotionally guarded to devastatingly raw. So affecting are the scenes immediately before and after James' transition that you could almost do away with the time travel story altogether. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UVOpfpYijHA
Taking design cues from Everything Adorable Ever works a treat for Edwina Sinclair. The 22-year-old Brisbane designer behind Australian label Soot counts Emojis, kiddie terrycloth beach ponchos and post-swim towel huddling as the triggers for her SS14/15 collection 'Splash'. A beachworthy assortment of flowing, wide-leg pants, summery tunics and her signature knitted bubble print, Soot's spring/summer collection is a pastel-lover's paradise. An unfathomably recent graduate from Queensland University of Technology (we're talking a couple of years), industry favourite Sinclair took us through her pretty-as-blazes looks for next season. On Fusing the '30s with Emojis Soot's impossibly summery SS14/15 collection 'Splash' found its beginnings in Sinclair's enthusiasm for both structured '30s beachwear and her own Australian beach-bound childhood. "I wanted to incorporate humour, luxury and texture which are values that I aim to include in all Soot collections," she says. "Inspirations came from looking at 1930's beach loungewear and vintage pyjamas. I am all about comfort so this is subconsciously incorporated into the garments shapes." In an adorable move that reflects Sinclair's age, she found further inspiration right under her thumbs. "I further looked at Emoji's for the prints to incorporate another playful element and develop my 3D textures." On Getting Back to Aussie Roots Full of flat, flowy tunics, wide-leg pants, 'Splash' gives a firm nod to Sinclair's Australian heritage. Remember those 'ball gowns' you and your tiny crew used to make out of towels on the beach, perfect for a parental parade? Sinclair's taken those makeshift moments of Roxy towel-made haute couteur and made them into Actual Garments. "I love the beach, I am there almost every weekend!" she says. "The homage to my Aussie roots comes from the colour, the water references and some literal references too! Such as the linen towel dress — the shape came from wrapping a towel around you after a swim and the droplet jersey dress silhouette came from the terry toweling ponchos children wear at the beach!" On Her Signature Knitted Bubble Design Sinclair's signature knitted bubble bags and dresses popped up at every turn at this year's Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, with many a front rower swanning by with SOOT's most recognizable items in tow. Trending at MBFWA is a dream for most up-and-coming designers, and while Sinclair is flattered by the design's success she can see the pressure such hoo-ha can create. "It is great to have other people respond so positively to an idea that has come from a concept to a physical object," she says. "When something does have a good response it does put the pressure on to create something that will be as well received the following season." On Teaming Up With the Fam Edwina isn't the only talented sibling in the Sinclair family. 'Splash' is the first SOOT collection to feature her sister Tilly's jewellery designs. Fusing the strengths of the Sinclair sisters in one gorgeous collaboration, 'Splash' is a beautifully-executed family affair. "It is fun! Also it is very easy to talk openly about our ideas and if we disagree on something it is easy to resolve and compromise," says Sinclair. "It is really great that Tilly wanted to come on board to collaborate this season. I think the jewellery has added a nice touch to the collection." On Hanging at Home in Brisbane So where does one of Brisbane's best exports hang out when she's at home? "I like Shady Palms, Tipplers Tap and Lefty's for a drink with friends. I usually go to Jamie's Espresso Bar or Reverends to get my coffee (both in Fortitude Valley just near my studio). I shop at my favourite store which also happens to be Soot's Brisbane stockist, Blonde Venus in Fortitude Valley." Now for more pretty pictures, here's Soot's SS14/15 'Splash' collection. Check soot.com.au for stockists.
When the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras arrives each year, it fills the Harbour City with LGBTQIA+ celebrations, including in the New South Wales capital's cinemas. Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival doesn't just confine its movie love to the big screen, however. And, when it hits streaming as well, it isn't solely about Sydney audiences. That's the case again in 2024, with 161 titles showing both in picture palaces and via nationwide small-screen sessions. In its 31st year, MGFF is running in two parts: as a physical fest from Thursday, February 15–Thursday, February 29 at venues around Sydney, then online across the country from Friday, March 1–Monday, March 11. The IRL component has a date with Event Cinemas George Street and Hurstville, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Dendy Newtown, the Bearded Tit, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, the Sydney Opera House, the State Library of NSW and Westpac OpenAir Cinema. The at-home section is headed to your couch, of course. Attendees venturing out of the house can kick off MGFF with opening night's Femme, which stars Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Culprits) and George MacKay (1917) in a British neo-noir thriller about a drag performer seeking revenge after an attack. Then, after launching in 2023 with Australian director Goran Stolevski's coming-of-age film Of an Age, the fest will close in 2024 with the filmmaker's Housekeeping for Beginners. Other in-person highlights include All of Us Strangers, as led by the internet's boyfriends Paul Mescal (Foe) and Andrew Scott (Fleabag), which screens at Westpac OpenAir Cinema; a night at the Sydney Opera House dedicated to music from queer flicks, spanning tunes from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Moonlight and Portrait of a Lady on Fire; and the Billy Porter- (Big Mouth) and Luke Evans (Good Grief)-starring Our Son, about a long-term marriage disintegrating. Documentary A Portrait of Love, focusing on Archibald award-winning artist Craig Ruddy and directed by My Name Is Gulpilil's Molly Reynolds, will enjoy its world premiere at the fest. So will Australian feature In the Room Where He Waits and Argentina's Blue Lights, the first about a theatre actor in hotel isolation for seven days upon returning Down Under for his dad's funeral, and the second exploring friends and family members who get together for a 70th birthday party. From the retro titles, John Waters' 1974 classic Female Trouble gets a 50th-anniversary spin, 1984's Another Country with Rupert Everett (Napoleon) and Colin Firth (Empire of Light) will mark its 40th birthday, and 1995's When Night Is Falling scores a 4K restoration. The Ritz will be alive with The Sound of Music, too, via a sing-along session with the Order of Perpetual Indulgence and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir. Elsewhere at the fest, other standouts range from the Australian premiere of Filipino animation The Missing and Gena Marvin-focused doco Queendom to France's Along Came Love and Noёl Coward exploration Mad About the Boy: The Noёl Coward Story. Or, there's Melbourne-set Aussie coming-of-age film Sunflower, Hacks star Meg Stalter in Cora Bora, Japan's I Am What I Am about the expectations placed upon an asexual woman, Hilma af Klint biopic Hilma from director Lasse Hallström (The Nutcracker and the Four Realms), another Sydney stint after SXSW for The People's Joker and Sundance-winning documentary Kokomo City. "The theme focuses on films that start conversations. People will be keen to discuss and dissect them as soon as the credits start to roll," said Festival Director Lisa Rose about the 2024 lineup. "There's so much to sink your teeth into, including several that will inspire lively debate." For cinephiles watching on from home, choices include All the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White, the Berlinale Teddy Award-winning love story about two men dealing with Nigeria's anti-gay laws; Mexico's All the Silence, centring on a CODA (child of deaf adults) and her girlfriend who is deaf; F.L.Y., which sees two exes living under the same roof during the pandemic; and Mutt, which won Lio Mehiel a Special Jury Award-winner at Sundance for their performance. Or, opt for drama Old Narcissus about getting older in Japan, with a 74-year-old children's author finding connection with a sex worker. You'll also be able to stream several shorts packages online, including sessions dedicated to Asia Pacific, comedy, gay, non-binary and gender diverse, queer horror, queer documentaries, transgender and sapphic films. The My Queer Career short film fest will hop online as well, featuring seven films competing for $16,000-plus in prizes. Queer Screen's 31st Mardi Gras Film Festival 2024 runs from Thursday, February 15–Thursday, February 29 at venues around Sydney — and online nationally from Friday, March 1–Monday, March 11. For more information, visit the festival's website.
It was true when Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope hit cinema screens more than four decades ago, and it's still true now. If there's one thing everyone knows about the sci-fi world created by George Lucas, it's that it doesn't unveil its secrets quickly. All of these years later, viewers are still watching the space opera saga's twists and turns in episodic big-screen instalments (and will soon be doing so on the small screen, too). If you've been keeping an eye out for news about Disney's new dedicated Star Wars theme park zones, it's been a somewhat similar process. Of course, the force is strong with this overall idea. Yes, we've definitely got a good feeling about it as well. Soon, Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World in Florida will both boast dedicated Star Wars-themed zones, called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. With the two set to open between the middle and the end of 2019, Disney has slowly been sharing a few more details about what fans can expect. Last year, boozy watering hole Oga's Cantina was announced. It'll be part of both spaces, bringing alcohol to the California park for the first time. Then, Star Wars aficionados learned about both Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The former will put you in the driver's seat of Han Solo's beloved ship, while the latter will see you caught in the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the First Order. Now, the company has started spilling the details on the outpost of Batuu, which is where Galaxy's Edge is set. It's a hive for smugglers and rogues (naturally), and it's where you'll be wandering around when you're not exclaiming "punch it" a whole heap, trying to become best buddies with a loveable wookiee and hopping onto a star destroyer. Specifically, visitors will be getting cosy in the Batuu village of Black Spire Outpost — and there's plenty to keep everyone occupied. If you're a hands-on type, you can construct your own R2-D2 or BB-8-style droids, which you can then take home with you. You'll also be able to build your own unique lightsaber, and take a few Jedi lessons so you know how to use it. Or, pick up Resistance or First Order supplies, or look for rare goods from a galaxy far, far away (if you haven't noticed, most of these attractions involve purchasing some merchandise or a keepsake, because of course they do). When you're not giving your Star Wars skills and your wallet a workout, you'll also be able to enjoy the finest spread that Black Spire Outpost has to offer. Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo takes the form of a multi-purpose transport shuttle docked in a hangar, and is basically an intergalactic food truck, with 'Smoked Kaadu Ribs' (aka pork ribs) and 'Ithorian Garden Loaf' (aka a plant-based meatloaf alternative) on the menu. At Ronto Roasters, spit meats will be on cooked up on a recycled podracing engine, while Kat Saka's Kettle will sell street food snacks. And then there's the Milk Stand, the go-to place for both blue and green milk. Galaxy's Edge was first made public back in 2015, will span 14 acres at each site and will prove the biggest single-themed expansion the respective parks have ever seen. The guiding concept behind both spots is to "transport guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life." And, to give this interactive experience the requisite soundtrack, it'll also feature new Star Wars music by the man behind its iconic score, aka Oscar-winning composer John Williams. More details are certain to come to light before Galaxy's Edge opens, but expect both location to tie into all ten Star Wars movies to date and to feature an array of beloved characters roaming around. Eventually, visitors to Disney World will also be able to spend a night or several in an immersive Star Wars-themed hotel as well, although construction hasn't started yet and an opening date hasn't been announced either. That said, Disney recently revealed that a visit to the hotel will involve boarding a launch pod and taking part in "a fully-immersive, multi-day Star Wars adventure aboard a luxury starship", with high-end dining and cabins that apparently have a space view all part of your stay. Via Disney Theme Parks Blog. Images: Disney Theme Parks Blog.
It's time to start practising your alphabets, folks, because The Jacksons and Village People are heading Down Under for a huge classic R&B-filled concert touring the country. It was announced earlier this year that the start-studded lineup would be kicking of Sydney's new Summer series, and now it's been revealed that it'll also be heading to Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Perth. The concert will be headlined by rock 'n' roll royalty The Jacksons, who are set to make their first Aussie appearance in five years, with four of the original crew — Jermaine, Jackie, Tito and Marlon. They'll be dishing up hits like 'ABC', 'Blame It On The Boogie' and 'Can You Feel It'. The four will be joined on stage by acclaimed artists Kool & The Gang, tapping into a back catalogue of tunes like 'Cherish', 'Celebration' and 'Jungle Boogie', as well as disco kings Village People, unleashing iconic songs like 'YMCA', 'Macho Man' and 'Go West'. California R&B trio The Pointer Sisters are also coming along for the ride, with Sister Sledge and Sounds of The Supremes rounding out that huge serve of old-school disco magic. They'll mostly be playing under the stars, embracing summer at some of the country's best al fresco venues. 2019 DATES Brisbane — Sandstone Point Hotel, January 13 Gold Coast — Gold Coast Convention Centre, January 15 Melbourne — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, January 16 Perth — Sandalford Winery, January 19 Tickets go on sale at 10am, Thursday, October 18 at mjrpresents.com.
Explore hidden nooks and marvel at grand designs, as doors open all around town for the latest edition of Open House Melbourne. Returning for its ninth consecutive year, this year's event is set for the final weekend of July, and will for the first time extend beyond the CBD and into the surrounding suburbs. In fact, the 2016 program features a whopping 140 buildings, stretching all the way from Newport to Bundoora. Highlighting many an architectural marvel, the Open House program covers everything from government buildings including Parliament House and the Supreme Court of Victoria; commercial spaces like Hassell Studios' Medibank building, houses of worship such as St Paul's Cathedral and East Melbourne Synagogue; cultural institutions like the Athenaeum Theatre and the State Library; and sporting venues including AAMI Park and the National Tennis Centre. Pop across the Yarra and you can also pay a visit to the National Gallery of Victoria, or stargaze at the Melbourne Observatory nestled inside the Royal Botanic Gardens. And that's just in the city, mind you. Venture north and you can explore Circus Oz HQ or wander through the Melbourne General Cemetery. Alternatively, head west for a look at Yarraville's Sun Theatre and the Footscray Town Hall. Local history buffs might enjoy a gander at the city's heritage tram fleet, housed in the Hawthorn Tram Depot. And what trip through Melbourne could truly be called complete without paying a visit to Luna Park? Image: Hassell Studios.
Confirming one of our predicted food trends for 2015, it seems chefs and restaurateurs worldwide want to get out of their own kitchens and test their wares in another. Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck flew over to Melbourne last year, the Rook and Black Pearl exchanged places last year, and now Denmark's Noma has popped up in Tokyo. Open for five weeks at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo, the pop-up Noma restaurant will be run off its feet until February 14. Heralded the world's number one restaurant for four years running, Rene Redzepi's Noma obviously isn't the cheapest pop-up you've ever heard of — $420 per person for lunch or dinner. But as Good Food pointed out, 6500 tickets were sold out within hours of release and there are no less than 60,000 people on the waiting list. Yep, 60,000 individual people. Taking over the space usually housing the Mandarin Oriental's 37th-floor Signature Restaurant, Noma has gutted and refitted the space with elegant, natural (and considerably more permanent-looking than your usual pop-up) designs by Danish firm Carl Hansen & Son. We're talking super exxy oak tables and serving crockery embellished by local Japanese artisans. But it's not just Noma bells and whistles in the space — the whole Noma team has been flown in, a whole 77 people including Coffs Harbour-raised souf chef Beau Clugston, Adelaide restaurant manager James Spreadbury and Sydney team leader Katherine Bont, and Noma's long-suffering and mysterious dishwasher. So, the living-vicariously details you've been waiting for — what's on the menu? Redzepi told GF he'd be straying from the usual Noma menu. Having visited Japan multiple times on reconnaissance over the last year, Redzepi and research and development chefs Lars Williams and Thomas Frebel have devised 16 dishes to be served over three hours. Not for the faint-hearted (or squeamish vegetarian), the degustation even features a whole roasted wild duck dissected at the table and served with a matsubusa berry sauce. Here's a menu sampler: Assorted Japanese citrus and long pepper Shaved monkfish liver Just-steamed tofu with wild walnuts Sea urchin, maitake mushroom and cabbage Scallop dried for two days, beech nuts and kelp Hyokkori pumpkin, cherrywood oil, salted cherry blossom Garlic flower origami Sweet potato simmered in raw sugar all day Fermented shiitake mushroom in dark chocolate Noma pops up in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo until February 14. Tickets are unbelievably, undeniably, don't-even-think-about-it sold out. But we can dream. Via Good Food. Images: cyclonebill cc.
After nearly a decade of Westerosi power struggles, obsessed fans and soaring ratings, HBO found itself with a Game of Thrones-sized gap to fill last year. The network isn't completely saying goodbye to the world created by George RR Martin, with at least one spinoff in the works — but it's also eager for something else to help pick up where GoT left off, fantasy-wise. First debuting late in 2019, and due to return for a second season in the next few months. His Dark Materials is one of the US network's prime candidates. It's based on Philip Pullman's award-winning young adult trilogy of books of the same name: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. And if it sounds familiar — and not just because you watched the initial batch of episodes — that's because one of the tomes, The Golden Compass, was already turned into a movie back in 2007. HBO is keeping things simple with their adaptation by sticking with the franchise name, other than individual book monikers — hence the His Dark Materials title. They've also bet big on star power, with the series boasting a hefty cast. James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson, Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda, Da 5 Bloods' Clarke Peters and Logan's Dafne Keen all star, while Fleabag's Andrew Scott and Phoebe Waller-Bridge will also pop up in the second season. Yes, it'll be a reunion for the two series newcomers, although you'll be seeing Scott on-screen as Colonel John Parry and hearing Waller-Bridge's voice as Parry's daemon. What's a daemon? It's one of the key parts of His Dark Materials. Here, Keen plays an orphan by the name of Lyra Belacqua — who seems just like everyone else, but hails from an alternate universe where a person's soul manifests as a shape-shifting animal called a daemon. In the show's first season, as Lyra looks for a kidnapped friend in the Arctic, she discovers a church-run stolen children ring, learns about mysterious particles known as Dust and ventures through different worlds, including the one we all know. McAvoy pops up as a powerful aristocrat, Wilson is his ex, and Miranda plays a balloonist and adventurer. If you're eager for the next season, HBO has just dropped the first sneak peek, releasing a trailer as part of this year's Comic-Con at Home. An exact release date for the season hasn't been revealed yet, but it'll hit the US in the country's autumn — so spring Down Under, where it airs in Australia on Foxtel. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnFsU7SY0Gk His Dark Materials' second season will arrive sometime later in 2020 — we'll update you with an exact date when it is announced. Images: Simon Ridgway/HBO.
87. Just hold onto that number for a moment. We’ll come back to it. In the meantime, some science, for it is in the science of Concussion where this movie shines brightest. Science, and specifically statistical analysis, is not a precise art. It recognises that there will always exist the possibility of chance being the driving factor behind any set of results. Accordingly, for a theory to gain credence, it must first secure what is known as statistical significance – a minimum threshold above which results are deemed to be more than coincidence. But what if the only way for you to meet that threshold – the only way to prove to the world that you were right – was for people to die? Such was the fascinating (if also deeply disturbing) dilemma facing Nigerian-born American forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu in 2002. Omalu had been called upon to autopsy a beloved former NFL player named Mike Webster, and concluded that the cause of Webster's death was cognitive disfunction resulting from repeated and severe blows to the head – a condition Omalu ultimately named chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Put another way, Omalu theorised that playing NFL was akin to almost guaranteeing some form of brain damage. Webster’s case alone, however, was not enough to prove CTE’s existence. Omalu needed a minimum of three, and since CTE could only be established post-mortem, he had to wait for more NFL players to die in order to test it. Of the many tragedies outlined in Concussion, perhaps the most confronting is quite simply how little time Omalu had to spend waiting. Concussion, then, is to football what The Insider was to cigarettes, with the National Football League playing the role of Big Tobacco. The Outsider, in fact, would have made an equally appropriate title for this film, because if being Nigerian in America wasn’t already hard enough on Omalu, the NFL’s attempts to brand him 'the man who wants to kill football' rendered him about as un-American as could be imagined. And yet he persisted, and such is the substance of this tale. As already indicated, the science of Concussion is compelling and extraordinary, matched only by the performance of its leading man, Will Smith. Sporting a disarming smile and an impressively consistent accent, Smith puts in his best performance in years – a fine accomplishment made all the more impressive given the less-than-spectacular script he had to work with. Concussion, in its efforts to render this a one man vs the world saga, spends far too much time dealing with Omalu’s home life and not nearly enough grappling with the two biggest questions raised by his research: how much did the NFL know, and how long did they know it? For a film about the extreme, even fatal impacts in NFL, Concussion lands an unreasonably soft blow against the corporation that kept these dangers a secret from its players. Which brings us back to the number 87. That’s where the count now stands in terms of deceased former players who’ve tested positive for CTE. Even more shockingly, that’s 87 out of a total of 91 tested – a statistical return of 96%. Concussion tells merely the opening stages of a story that is still alive and well to this day. Tragically, that's more than can be said of many of the characters who’ve taken part in its telling. As such, while the film is undoubtedly confronting, it's not nearly critical enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io6hPdC41RM
The CBD's new modern izayaka Bincho Boss is giving you even more to love next month. It's hosting a three-course tuna and bottomless yuzu lunch on Saturday, August 3, from noon–2pm. For $75, diners can indulge in a six-dish tuna feast, all while sipping endless yuzu cocktails. Executive Chef Tomotaka Ishizuka will show off his skills on the day, starting the lunch by ceremoniously slicing the tuna for guests. The fish he'll be cutting is wild, line-caught Tasmanian bluefin, so you'll be eating some top-notch produce. The six dishes on offer include tuna tartare on crispy rice paper; a Japanese-style kinuta roll, which wraps tuna, chives and avocado in a white daikon sheet; and yuzu and soy-marinated tuna wrapped in rice crackers. Later courses include bacon-wrapped tuna skewers, tuna belly nigiri and mini sushi rolls. Throughout the two-hour meal, guests will have access to bottomless cocktails, including a yuzu spritzer (yuzu juice, sparkling wine, apricot brandy and maraschino), the Trilogy Yuzu (tequila, Campari and yuzu juice) and the non-alcoholic Yuzu Siesta (yuzu juice, orange juice, verjuice and almond syrup). Spaces are limited, so grab tickets while you still can.
Sitting in the Andaman Sea between the west coast of mainland Thailand and the island tourist mecca of Phuket, Ko Phi Phi Don is an idyllic island measuring little more than 8km in length. Ever since Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony) turned Alex Garland's famous 1996 novel, The Beach, into an even more famous film of the same name, this palm-fringed paradise has been on the to-do list of twenty-somethings around the world, with the neighbouring isle of Ko Phi Phi Leh providing the setting for much of the film's action. Hundreds of limestone karsts jut out from the turquoise waters as you near Phi Phi, with the islands' respective silhouettes providing a stunning vista. As the ferry drops anchor, those travellers seeking out the island's famous whiskey bucket-fuelled beach parties hop off at Ton Sai Bay, destined to dance the coming days and nights away in any number of open-air bars full of Scandinavian, European and Antipodean backpackers. This time though, we're heading for a calmer locale, another 45 minutes by longtail boat around the coast to the island's northernmost point. As the longtail pulls up to Laem Tong beach, Zeavola's exact location is not immediately evident. Set back in lush green vegetation that fringes a perfect white sand beach, this boutique eco-resort's scattering of hand-hewn teakwood huts have been cleverly disguised by an extensive network of palm-laden gardens, linked by meandering sand paths. The hotel's staff greets you on the sand to take your bags, insisting you carry your luggage no further. As you make your way up the beach, the rustic but luxurious architecture of Zeavola becomes apparent. Guests are encouraged to ‘step back to simplicity’ here. Zeavola is one half design hotel, one half beach shack. Each of the resort's 52 freestanding villas is carefully disguised by the surrounding gardens, so you feel like you have your own private beach house but can still enjoy the comforts that come with being part of a bigger, managed property. Open air showers give you access to the outdoors when you want it, and remote controlled shutters around the bungalows do the opposite when you need to sleep off your lunchtime Singhas. Zeavola's menus offer contemporary interpretations of traditional Thai cuisine alongside smatterings of western options at Baxil, the resort's main restaurant (where breakfast is served each day), and Tacada, a breezy restaurant and bar right on the sand. Closer to the water sits a line of bright yellow beach umbrellas with oversized pillows and triangle cushions, the perfect place to spend extended periods of time reading, sleeping, drinking and just being. Further down the beach at Jasmine, a simple restaurant owned by a charming young family from Phuket, you'll be served authentic Thai food for a smaller price in a jovial atmosphere created by some of the island's sea gypsies next door. Phi Phi's beaches, reefs and surrounding islands are the most popular attractions to see, and the best way to see them is to head down to the nearest cluster of longtails and bargain for the best hourly, half day or full day rental rates. The service is as basic as it gets, but the local boatmen will happily take you anywhere on the island at anytime of the day and night, including around to Ton Sai Bay and back in the wee hours if you want to join the heaving masses. If a trip to The Beach (Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh) or Monkey Bay is on your list, head there early before the tour boats arrive. But for something a little slower, hightail your longtail to Mosquito Island or Bamboo Island. If you're lucky, you'll even find your own private slice of paradise for a few hours. Double rooms from 8000 baht (AUD$240), +66 7562 7000, www.zeavola.com. The writer stayed courtesy of Zeavola.
From Tokyo book stores to the catacombs in Paris to Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain's LA apartment, there are some pretty ridiculous places up for rent thanks to the Internet — but this Airbnb listing has to be one of the coolest yet. Well, if you're into post-impressionist painting, that is. As part of their current exhibition Van Gogh's Bedrooms, the Art Institute of Chicago has created an IRL replica of Gogh's famous work — one that you can visit, touch and book to spend the night in. Because just looking at epic, classic pieces of art is way too basic these days, the museum has recreated Gogh's The Bedroom in 3D life-sized form, complete with all the details painted in the original. They've used digital technology to replicate the painting of his 'Yellow House' in Arles, France, making the real-life version even more vivid, distorted and emphasised. It looks incredible — and, unlike other installations, you can actually get all handsy with it. The room — which is located off-site in Chicago’s River North — is listed on Airbnb by Vincent himself for just $14 a night. The reason for the price? Well, according to the host: "I'm charging $10 [USD] for no other reason than that I need to buy paint." It's the ultimate experience for art nerds; Vince will even chuck in some tickets to his Art Institute of Chicago exhibition with the price of the room. The exhibition features all three versions of his bedroom paintings that he created from 1888 to 1889. It's the first time the pieces will be shown within the same space in North America. Via Colossal.
Illuminated by pyramids and backdropped by an enormous chameleonic moon, the Opera House Concert Hall stage was transformed into some enigmatic extraterrestrial woodland last week. James Vincent McMorrow emerged from the shadows like a creature born of such a setting — bearded like a werewolf yet singing at a pitch to touch the lower rungs of heaven. The Irishman's stories of "harrow winds", "desolate love" and hearts like "unending tombs" are those of a man who’s spent long periods in cold, lonely places. Over the course of sixteen or so songs, McMorrow mixes up tunes from his folksy breakthough album Early in the Morning (2010) with those from recent release Post Tropical (2014). One minute he’s yearning his way though 'Glacier', filled out by mellifluous harmonies; the next McMorrow’s dropped an octave or two (as you do) and picked up the drum sticks to power through a rousing version of 'We Don’t Eat'. Although the sophomore album represented a significant departure from the first, the structural soundness of the songwriting on both makes for a seamless live show. McMorrow's band creates an even more intense dynamic than that captured on his albums, delivering mournful clarinet solos, drum beats that range from tribal to all-out rock and ethereal counter melodies. McMorrow doesn’t speak until he’s at least five songs in. Not because he’s deliberately reserved — but because he’s overwhelmed and nervous. "This is crazy, just crazy," he mutters, referring to the fact that he’s playing to a packed-out Opera House. Towards the end of the set, McMorrow introduces a song by explaining his last New Year’s Eve; when excited messages flooded his inbox informing him that he was sound-tracking Sydney’s midnight fireworks. What the organisers might not have known at the time is that they were inadvertently facilitating two of McMorrow’s teenage ambitions. "If I hadn’t become a musician," he confesses, "I would have loved to have worked with explosives." He then launches into his famously fragile, solo version of 'Higher Love'. Support came in the form of Airling, moniker of Brisbane-based artist Hannah Shepherd. Her gorgeous vocals glided over some ultra-smooth grooves and lush electronic arrangements. Images by Prudence Upton.
If you feel like Melbourne's getting busier and busier, well, you're not just becoming a grumpy ol' adult. New numbers from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have revealed that the city's had the largest and fastest population growth in the whole country. Having welcomed more than 125,000 extra people between June 2016 and July 2017, Melbourne's now looking at hitting the five million resident mark before the end of 2018. By comparison, Sydney grew by 100,000 people, which has brought its population up to 5.1 million. The ABS found that the increase in population is largely due to migration, with 80,000 foreigners making up 64 percent of the Melbourne's recent growth in 2016–17, and seven percent attributed to people moving interstate. It you average it all out, there's around 350 people moving to the city each day, with Cranbourne East booming larger than any other Aussie suburb. Interestingly, Sydney lost more people to other parts of Australia than it gained. Population growth is mainly concentrated in the three major east coast cities — Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane — though, as Perth, Darwin and Adelaide all saw no more than one percent growth. The revelations have prompted calls for improved infrastructure and public transport across the city — some of which is already underway, but really can't come soon enough.
Popping up might be all the rage at the moment, but Londoners are on their way to developing an appetite for Popping Down. Soon, their city will see a new underground public space, with a disused tunnel being transformed into a subterranean walkway, lined with urban mushroom patches. Last year, the Landscape Institute, in conjunction with the Green Museum and the Mayor of London, ran the High Line for London Competition, an open call for ideas for green infrastructure. According to the contest guidelines, submissions did not need to "be constrained by any restrictions such as current planning law, land ownership, budgets or health and safety issues". Of the 170 entrants, Fletcher Priest Architects came out on top. The tunnel central to their plan is known as the 'mail rail' and runs under Oxford Street. Posties once used it to enable speedy delivery of letters and parcels between Paddington and Whitechapel, avoiding London's over-crowded streets. Pedestrians will enter and exit 'Pop Down' at street level. Above ground, a sequence of glass-fibre mushroom sculptures will delineate the passageway, simultaneously letting in controlled amounts of light, to be supplemented by interior fibre optics. What's more, there'll be a chance to sample some subterranean goodness, with pop-up 'fungi' cafes at the tunnel's entrances sourcing their produce from below. The competition was inspired by New York City's 'High Line', a public park constructed on an abandoned freight train railway elevated above Manhattan's West Side. In winning, Fletcher Priest beat a 20-strong shortlist of impressively creative rivals. The runner-up was Y/N Studio, with its 'Lido Line' plan, which would have seen the construction of a clean basin in the Regent's Canal, enabling water babies to swim to and from work.
It's happening a month later than last planned, but holidays in Western Australia are finally back on the agenda effective Thursday, March 3. And if you live in WA, getaways somewhere other than your home state will become an easy possibility again as well, with Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan locking in a new border reopening date. There's more than a little deja vu to this announcement, given that Western Australian Government set a February 5 date back in December 2021, then suspended those plans indefinitely due to the Omicron wave elsewhere in the country. But now there's a new firm date, with the Premier revealing the news on Friday, February 18. Consider it a late new year's gift, a chance to see friends and family, or — for folks now keen to head west ASAP — an excuse to visit WA's newly minted best Australian beach for 2022. When the borders reopen, the state will adopt its updated safe transition plan that'll allow travellers from other states and overseas destinations to visit again. And yes, the reopening will apply to both WA's domestic and international borders. Today we announced the new date for WA's full border opening – and it's worth talking through how we got here. Four weeks ago, on January 20, we took the difficult decision to delay Western Australia's full border opening. pic.twitter.com/zEpV2tQRoR — Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) February 18, 2022 There'll be different rules in place depending on where you're entering from; however, you'll need to be triple-vaccinated to enter from interstate, also undertake a rapid antigen test upon arrival, and have one of WA's G2G passes registered. For those making the journey from an international location, there'll be no quarantine for vaccinated arrivals — and the same testing requirements will be in place for both domestic and overseas travellers. If you're unvaxxed, you'll still need to go into hotel quarantine for seven days. The border news comes as WA's COVID-19 case numbers have been rising — 194 local cases were reported on the same day as the announcement — with the Premier advising that "we held back Omicron as much as we could". "There comes a point where the border is redundant, because we'll already have the growth of cases here, having the border is no longer effective," McGowan also noted. Effective Monday, February 21, WA also brought in a range of new public health and social measures for the Perth, Peel, South West, Wheatbelt, Great Southern and Pilbara regions, limiting at-home gatherings and venue capacities, and requiring COVID-19 safety checklists or plans for events with more than 500 people. The mask mandate for indoor settings was also extended to apply statewide. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Western Australia, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub. Top image: Tourism Western Australia.
Whether you first heard about it on Wondery's Dr Death podcast, from the recent streaming drama of the same name or by reading the news, the tale of Christopher Duntsch conjures up all the terrors of a horror movie. As it should, given that the neurosurgeon is currently imprisoned for life after maiming and harming some patients, and killing others. In total, 33 people who went under his knife for spinal surgeries in the Dallas, Texas area during the early 2010s found their lives forever changed — or, in some cases, lost. Thanks to the aforementioned dramatisation, which stars Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere) as Duntsch, these chilling events have been getting plenty of attention recently. You've probably spent some time this month binge-watching it, and been creeped out — again, rightly so — the whole way. And if you're now eager to find out more about this horrific case (not that 'eager' is really the right word when it comes to this kind of nightmare fuel), you can check out new docuseries Dr Death: The Undoctored Story. Stan, which is also streaming Dr Death, will drop the four-part true-crime documentary on Friday, July 30. Obviously, if you've already watched the former, you'll already know some of the details covered by the latter; however, you'll also get to see some of the real-life figures involved chat about the story. On the interviewee list: the real-life Dr Robert Henderson, Dr Randall Kirby and Michelle Shughart. In the scripted series, the trio were played by Alec Baldwin (Pixie), Christian Slater (Dirty John) and AnnaSophia Robb (Words on Bathroom Walls), respectively. Dr Death: The Undoctored Story also features chats with Jerry Summers, the best friend that Duntsch's paralysed in surgery, and Wendy Young, his ex-girlfriend and mother of his two sons — as well as with other former colleagues, patients and lawyers from the trial. Obviously given the details, this won't make for feel-good viewing, but it will let you dive deeper into this shocking tale. Check out the trailer below: Dr Death: The Undoctored Story will be available to stream via Stan from Friday, July 30.
We're still not sure if Australian Bacon Week is a gimmick or not, but — if we're being honest — we don't really care. We're happy to support Australian bacon as long as it's supporting us (by being a delicious wunderkind of the meat world, that is). Want to get involved? Grab your fork. This year, it's Huxtable and Huxtaburger that are bringing home the bacon and using it two create two unique dishes that showcase the holy piece of pork. For the week of June 22-28, both venues will be serving up a limited edition bacon dish to celebrate Australian Bacon Week. Huxtable will be plating up a cider braised kaiserfleisch with buttered cabbage and sweet mustard sauce for $26 (a.k.a. fancy bacon), while over at Huxtabuger, the guys will be flippin' their first ever BLT ($10). It's the Huxtaburger that you know and love, filled with a wagyu pattie, double smoked Istra bacon, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard mayonnaise. Don't forget the side order of chips with super spesh bacon salt. Or just mill around Smith Street for the smell. Plus, we hear that Messina up the road is bringing their Kevin Bacon special back especially for Bacon Week. That's maple and whiskey gelato with a candied bacon crunch, so go the whole hog and eat bacon for dessert too.
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 their Melbourne Discovery Centre. With no children to get in the way (or outdo your creations), you'll be able to have free reign of LEGOLAND to check out the 4D cinema and rides, take a factory tour, and build to your heart's content in the brick pits. Challenge yourself by taking on the master builder or a speed build and vie for the prizes up for grabs — there'll even be a scavenger hunt so you can go full inner child mode. BYO shameless excitement, taste for glory, and creativity to enter the model of the month competition. It'll be a fierce one. The Thursday adult nights will run once a month until November, on August 24, September 21, October 26 and November 30.
Whenever a new Ghostbusters movie reaches screens — which has been happening pretty frequently of late — we all want a few key things. We want ghosts to be busted, obviously. We want a goofily comedic vibe that suits the premise, of course. And, getting into the spirit of the franchise's theme song, we want this stint of bustin' to make us feel good. These days, with the series almost reaching 40 years old, we must want nostalgia, too. That's what Ghostbusters: Afterlife promises to serve up, at least. In this threequel — which seems to ignore the fact that a great recent Ghostbusters film already exists, thanks to Paul Feig's wrongly maligned all-female version from 2016 — there's something strange in the town of Summerville. So, a group of kids are calling upon themselves to bust it, in a movie that swaps New York for Oklahoma and grown men (and women) for children, and jumps firmly on the Stranger Things-led 80s nostalgia bandwagon in the process. Whether siblings Phoebe (Annabelle Comes Home's McKenna Grace) and Trevor (Stranger Things' Finn Wolfhard) are seeing things runnin' through their heads or they'll catch an invisible man sleepin' in their beds is yet to be gleaned, but both the film's first trailer and its just-dropped new sneak peek lay out the basics of Ghostbusters: Afterlife's plot. The central duo has moved to the isolated locale with their mother (The Nest's Carrie Coon), and into a rundown old house they've inherited from their grandfather. It's filled with ghost traps, containers of spores, mould and fungus, beige jumpsuits emblazoned with the name 'Spengler' and a recognisable car — which is going to come in handy when the ground starts shaking for no reason, a mysterious green light begins to glow, ghosts suddenly walk the earth and tiny marshmallow men scamper around supermarket shelves. Yes, even just from the trailer, there's plenty that's familiar about this latest addition to the Ghostbusters saga — including a few faces making a return from the original flick. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts are all set to reprise their roles; however, Harold Ramis, aka Spengler, passed away in 2014. The new Afterlife trailer is filled with other nods to the first two films, with writer/director Jason Reitman (Tully, The Front Runner) making both obvious and subtle references to the movies originally directed by his dad Ivan Reitman. This time around, Paul Rudd also stars as teacher Mr Grooberson, who schools the kids in Ghostbusters lore — because this is a direct sequel to the original 1984 Ghostbusters and its 1989 follow-up Ghostbusters II. Check out the trailer below: Ghostbusters: Afterlife will open in Australian cinemas on December 2, 2021.
The great American poet Walt Whitman has a poem called 'Splendour in the Grass'. It's about the fleeting nature of youth, and the pain and suffering of old age, and the acknowledgement that all good things must pass. What though the radiance which was once so bright Be now for ever taken from my sight, Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower, We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind; In the primal sympathy Which having been must ever be; In the soothing thoughts that spring Out of human suffering; In the faith that looks through death, In years that bring the philosophic mind. Unlike old Walt, though, our hour of Splendour in the Grass is only just beginning. And there's sure to be a little somethin-somethin for everyone, with Frank Ocean headlining, festival favourites like Of Monsters and Men, Mumford & Sons, a topnotch Aussie contingent (including You Am I performing their classic albums, Hi-Fi Way and Sound As Ever in full!), exciting newcomers like Haim and Fidlar. And when you add to that Polyphonic Spree performing The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you just know this is going to sell out faster than you can say 'It's just a jump to the left'. Here's the lineup in full: Mumford & Sons (Only Aus show) Frank Ocean The National (Only Aus show) Of Monsters & Men Empire of the Sun Bernard Fanning The Presets TV on the Radio (Only Aus show) Klaxons Flume Babyshambles Passion Pit Birds of Tokyo James Blake Architecture in Helsinki Laura Marling Matt Corby Drapht Mystery Band Flight Facilities Polyphonic Spree (Performing Rocky Horror Picture Show) Boy & Bear Fat Freddy's Drop Cold War Kids The Rubens Sarah Blasko Darwin Deez You Am I (Performing Sound As Ever & Hi-Fi Way) Hermitude Haim Airbourne The Drones Ms Mr Gurrumul Everything Everything Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes Cloud Control Portugal. The Man Daughter Something For Kate Wavves Chet Faker Snakadaktal Robert Delong Unknown Mortal Orchestra Whitley Fidlar Jake Bugg The Bamboos Surfer Blood Deap Vally Palma Violets Alpine Little Green Cars Vance Joy Jagwar Ma Villagers Violent Soho Dune Rats PVT The Jungle Giants Cub Scouts Art of Sleeping The Growl Twinsy The Chemist Songs Mitzi Splendour takes place from July 26-28, 2013, at North Byron Parklands, Byron Bay (its permanent home), and get ready to pounce on www.moshtix.com.au when tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday, May 2. With this calibre of acts, there's no reason for misplaced excitement, a la these fans (of nonexistent bands) caught out at Coachella. https://youtube.com/watch?v=W_IzYUJANfk
Melbourne's seen its fair share of dockless bike share systems rolled out (and often axed) over the years. But things are shifting up a gear this year when the city's first ever long-term dockless share scheme for electric bikes launches this week. The City of Melbourne, the City of Yarra and the City of Port Phillip have announced they're starting a one-year trial with Uber's much-hyped e-bike service, Jump. Jump has already been embraced by cities across the US and Europe, and is en route to our neighbours in Auckland, but this will be its Australian launch. When they lands in Melbourne tomorrow at 6am, Wednesday, 4, the bright red pedal-assisted bikes will be available to hire through your regular Uber app. You'll just need to switch to bike mode, where you'll be able to see available bikes and use the app to unlock one and ride away. For now, 400 bikes will located in the CBD, with more bikes set to roll out across the City of Yarra and City of Port Phillip over the coming months. They'll be available to use in the three council areas, only, which cover the CBD and Docklands, West Melbourne (and over to Flemington), the inner north (Carlton, North Melbourne, Fitzroy and Richmond) and down to the bay (Port Melbourne, South Melbourne, Albert Park, St Kilda and Elwood). If you ride a Jump bike outside of these areas, you may receive a penalty charge to your Uber account. In another effort to avoid the woes of past bike share networks, the councils have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the rules and regulations Jump will need to stick to in order to keep operating in Melbourne past the 12-month trial. The company using geo-fencing technologies and remote monitoring to keep track of its fleet. Hopefully that'll help curb the number of bikes ditched in trees, creeks and other questionable spots around the city, as was mostly the downfall of previous players like oBike. As well as laying down requirements for parking and maintenance, it stipulates firm resolution timeframes for damaged or discarded e-bikes. Taking care of service and maintenance will be the crew from Good Cycles, a Melbourne-based social enterprise that trains and employees disadvantaged youth. Riders will, of course, have to don a helmet and play by the usual road rules when cruising around on a Jump bike, with the bikes costing $1 to unlock and 30 cents a minute to ride. When you've finished using the bike, you'll also need to park and lock the bike in one of the e-bike zones shown on the app's map. Uber hasn't announced any plans to launch Jump in any other Australian cities yet, but if the trial goes well, we'd expect that it will in the near future. The Jump bike option will be available in your Uber app from Wednesday, March 4. You can find more info on the Jump bikes here.
Stanley Kubrick has influenced filmmakers the world over for his meticulous attention to detail and unique vision. But what you may not know about the man who made 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange is that before he was a filmmaker, he was a photojournalist for Look Magazine, for whom he captured the street life and subjects of New York City in the second half of the 1940s. Glimpses of Kubrick's iconic style are apparent in these photos, capturing a sense of Kubrick's fascination and bewilderment of the strange quirks of human nature. [Via The Inspiration Grid]
Since setting up at 10 Neild Avenue late last year, "total food hub" Rushcutters has established itself as a genuine champion of fresh, seasonal produce and community spirit. Head honcho Martin Boetz (ex-Longrain) has been keeping inner city diners connected with the country through immersive techniques: an all-day menu, workshops, produce markets and cooking classes. Most of the ingredients involved come direct from Boetz’s Sackville-based Cooks Co-Op Farm, just 50 km from the big smoke. And now? Farmer’s Feast Dinners at just $25 a head. On the last Tuesday of every month, Rushcutters will put a handpicked selection of its favourite local producers and artisans on display. Diners will have the chance to meet the faces behind their dinner plates while enjoying a tasty, seasonally-designed meal. Prepared with seasonal, local produce, the Farmer's Feast menu features braised venison with beetroot and horseradish, brought to the table with a butter mash from Pepe Saya and Valhalla organic wine. The reasonable $25 cover includes a glass of vino, matched by the Keystone Group’s sommelier Sarah Limacher. First cab off the rank is Tim Hansen of Mandagery Creek Venison, who’ll be in house this Tuesday, May 27. Since 2002, he’s been rearing free range deer out in Orange without the use of nasties — antibiotics, stimulants and growth hormones don't have any part in the process. Hansen's sister, Penny Hanan, takes the by-products and transforms them into suede goods and hand crafted knives. She’ll be coming along for the ride to Rushcutters, showcasing her wares from 1803 Artisan Deer Design. Farmer's Feasts start Tuesday May 27. For bookings, call Rushcutters on 02 8070 2424.
Summer is in the air, and with it the smell of fresh popcorn, as starlight screenings return to the Lido Rooftop Cinema in Hawthorn. Perched atop the eight-screen picture house overlooking Glenferrie Road, the outdoor screen will light up from next week with a selection of new release movies in the open air. The season kicks off on Thursday, October 27, with a screening of contemporary western Hell or High Water complete with western-themed party. Bring your boots, your bolo ties and your ten gallon hats, and knock back bourbon cocktails on sale at the bar. It's one of a number of special events on the Lido Rooftop program, which also includes a Halloween screening of Rob Zombie's 31, a midnight showing of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and a throwback screening of 1992's Death Becomes Her presented by Taste of Streep. Other titles to make the journey skyward include Marvel movie Doctor Strange, ensemble comedy Office Christmas Party and Mel Gibson's new WWII movie Hacksaw Ridge. For more information visit www.lidocinemas.com.au.
A Cautionary Tail looks set to be one of the success stories of Flickerfest this year. The short film centres on a little girl born with a tail that expresses her emotions. It's a source of fun while she's a child, but as she grows into an adult, it becomes a problem, stopping her from fitting in the way she wants to. The animation has been embraced every step of the way so far, ensnaring the talents of Cate Blanchett, David Wenham, and Barry Otto and earning massive support through Kickstarter. Now it's making its worldwide premiere at Flickerfest on January 14, screening in the Best of Australian competition program. We sat down with director and animator Simon Rippingale to talk about loss, growing up, and why he had to grow a trayful of grass in his studio. Where did the story of A Cautionary Tail come from? I was writing a script with Erica [Harrison, writer of A Cautionary Tail], and she was hit by a car one night. She was on a little scooter, and it really cleaned her up, put her in hospital. And she was pretty close to losing her leg … which freaked her out because she's a crazy runner, runs everyday, kilometres. She wrote this poem as a way of sort of dealing with this concept of loss. She's really inspired by Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes, that sort of dark, rhyming verse thing. So it was kind of like a puzzle for her to work on. The way she writes, they're like puzzles. Like, each stanza's got exactly this number of beats, and how do you tell the story. And it's like other people do sudokus or whatever. That's a beautiful thing from quite a horrible beginning. And then she came to you with the project? She was very keen for it to be a kid's book, and I was keen for it to be a short film. And we fought about that for a little while. And I won. But now it's going to be a book, too. The story also deals with that conflict between conforming to society and just being yourself, something it seems both adults and kids could relate to. It's for both, I think, It's aimed at kids, that sort of pre-teen age bracket … But it's also aimed at adults because the biggest theme of the story is dealing with loss and growing up, the transition from childhood to adulthood. Everybody relates to that. Everybody's chopped their tail off, in a way. We all had to get jobs and pay bills and most of us have to, you know, be normal. The animation is incredible. Tell us about your techniques. Everything you see in the film is made of miniatures. There were 21 miniature sets built, at my art studio out in Summer Hill … I built all the miniature sets with a team of set builders, some of them are professional props makers from the film industry, a couple of them are graduate students from Enmore Design School, who are doing miniatures there. We shot the miniatures without characters in them and edited the film without the characters on the screen, which is a bit tricky … Then we went into the character design process. All the characters are generated in 3D and animated in Maya. And then a compositing team put it all together. It looks like a lot of detail went into the miniatures — a lot of hands, a lot of hours. It was a massive job, about three months of intensive work. But it was really fun, I loved it … All the organic things you see in the film like grass and leaves and trees are all real. They're real bark, and the grass I grew in a big tray. The sets were plopped on the grass and filmed like that. What are some of your animation inspirations? Well I love Pixar, for story. They really have raised the bar with storytelling, and the art of storytelling, and the importance of story – prioritising story over other things. And I think other studios have jumped to that tune and now everyone else is catching up to that idea. Also Miyazaki. I love Miyazaki, the Studio Ghibli films. How they've stuck to their style, that 2D, the sort of strangeness of that Japanese style of storytelling, which doesn't quite make sense to us and is a bit different, the narratives are a bit odd. And that's really nice for us, growing up in the West. It's a bit of a window into another way of thinking. And also Tim Burton, that stop-motion, and others. There's an undercurrent of handmadiness that's almost making a resurgence, in your work and elsewhere. Yeah, absolutely, there's been a real resurgence of handmade, stop-motion films, because 3D is so prevalent. It's like vinyl; it's not going to go away. You seem to have had a lot of success with Kickstarter. How was that experience? Kickstarter is an amazing medium and we had a great Kickstarter campaign. It was quite unexpected. We were really surprised at the support from all around the world … The cool thing about it is that you sort of develop your fan base and distribution and marketing when you're at the fundraising stage. So producers love it — you're developing the market while you're raising funds. And that's why you see some big names using Kickstarter? Yeah, there are some big names using Kickstarter, like Charlie Kaufman and Phil Tippett, who are both doing big things, raising money by going outside the studio system, saving them having to sort of justify their ideas on market potential. With crowdsourced funding you don't have to justify to somebody else; you just put it out there and gauge interest yourself. You also held an exhibition at the same time. How did that go? Yeah, we did an exhibition at the Paramount building in Surry Hills, where Heckler Studios have their offices now. Heckler did all the post on A Cautionary Tale and they worked with us and also headspace to do an exhibition and fundraiser. We exhibited some of the miniature sets and prints from the film, we projected some of the work-in-progress animation, and we all got drunk. So real life and the internet came together. Did you see a corresponding bump in the Kickstarter campaign? Yeah, definitely at that time. And we had laptops set up on the night. For the drunk people to contribute. Yeah, so drunk people could get their credit cards out… You certainly got some major celebs involved in this project. Cate Blanchett, David Wenham, and Barry Otto voice the film. How did you get them on board? That was simple — we just sent the project to their agents. We didn't really have an 'in', or know anyone. I think they just responded to the writing. The story is really strong. The poem is beautiful. It's going to come out on iTunes next year at some point and as an e-book. So yeah, the poem itself is sort of what started this whole project off. Everyone responds really strongly to it. The actors who came on board were obviously right at the top of our list. We weren't expecting them to say yes, but they said yes. We were very lucky. And now you're about to have our official premiere at Flickerfest. What's it like to be in the festival? It's great. They've been really lovely and supportive of the film. And it's just very exciting to be showing the film, after so much work. It's a local festival, a great festival. Do you personally find you get something out of the festival experience, versus, say, just finding and watching stuff on the internet? I like checking things out on YouTube, but I also like the cinema experience. I like a big roomful of people and the lights go down, the curtains. It's a bit of a ritual. And it's an experience you share with people. I don't think that's going to go away. And film is still a very relevant medium, even if TV has taken a bit of the wind out of its sails. Those HBO series are just spectacular. But still, the film format is very strong, it's not going away any time soon. And your category is Academy® Accredited, which means if you win, you could be up for an Oscar. That must be exciting? Yes. I'm writing the speech… Who would you thank? My mum.
Heading off on holidays should feel like an adventure, right down to the place you choose to rest your head after a fun-filled day. With this in mind, London's Miller Kendrick Architects have come up with what might be one of the most imaginative and impressive hotels possible. Created for Visit Wales's 'Year of Legends 2017' design contest, not only does it celebrate the Welsh landscape, but it is inspired by the legend of King Arthur — and the cave him and his knights allegedly stayed in. As far as unique accommodation goes, the aptly named Arthur's Cave proves a two-for-one affair: soak in the natural surroundings in a cabin that really has been crafted to emulate a cave, and soak in a slice of British legend. It's also a case of blending the old with the new, namely all of the above with building materials and techniques. Inside the timber and glass structure — which uses locally sourced sheep's wool insulation for thermal insulation against the elements — you'll find a cosy sleeping space with a bed, chair and fireplace, aka everything you need for snuggling up and staring out over the landscape around you. Don't spend all of your time looking outside, though; with the cabin made from plywood rib-like shapes that expand and contract, the undulating and sinuous interior is a sight to behold too. Sadly, Arthur's Cave hasn't been built yet; however it is slated for construction early this year. Until then, add this one-of-a-kind pop-up glamping hotel to your must-stay travel bucket list. Via AWOL.
If you're looking for an excuse to venture out of town for some regional autumn adventures, you'll find it about an hour's drive north of Melbourne. Over the next four weeks, the Macedon Ranges Autumn Festival is set to fire up all your senses with another region-wide program of interactive art, garden tours, markets, music, and top-notch food and drink. Showcasing the Macedon Ranges' many diverse charms, the fun is unfolding across nine local villages from Saturday, April 1–Sunday, April 30 — and the offerings are endless. Food-lovers can tuck into a foraged lunch feast at Lyons Will Estate, hit Big Tree Distillery for sunset cocktails and canapes, check out a swag of local farmers markets and get creative at a wine-matched clay workshop. The famed Macedon Ranges Autumn Pie and Tart Trail will have you hunting down and sampling all kinds of pastry perfection, the Edgy Veg Trail is set to showcase the area's plant-based gems and a series of Tipple Trails lets you unearth local goodness of the liquid variety. Animus Distillery is teaming up with Piper Street Food Co for a series of Friday night pizza parties, while Double Oaks Estate invites you to fill your Sundays with live tunes and wine tastings. Elsewhere, you'll have the chance to catch local artists at work during an open studio weekend, take an audio guided nature walk at Sanatorium Lake and get a little spooky on a ghost tour of Lancefield Mechanics Institute. Throw in a few tours through historic gardens, artist-led painting classes and lots of live music pop-ups, and you might just decide to relocate here for the entire month. Images: Chloe Smith for Visit Macedon Ranges
Still recovering from High-Rise, Ben Wheatley's seductive, satirical, Tom Hiddleston-starring movie that divided audiences a few months ago? Well, prepare for the British filmmaker's latest to get you all fired up again. Fresh from premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, all-star shootout Free Fire is making its way to Aussie screens as part of Monster Fest's 2016 program. Featuring Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley and Australia's own Noah Taylor, Free Fire has been compared to The Raid; however it's not the only flick worth getting excited about. Monster Fest will also screen father-son coroner thriller The Autopsy of Jane Doe, which just won Fantastic Fest's best horror feature award; the world premiere of grindhouse crime effort Mondo Yakuza; and a doco that peers behind Burt Reynolds vehicle Smokey and the Bandit. And, there's more where that came from. Talk about variety. The new additions join a lineup that's proving more than a little jam-packed, including opening night's faint-inducing Raw and a Nightmare VHS Board Game Party. More titles are still to be announced — but if you like horror and genre fare in general, you're going to want to start booking tickets. Monster Fest 2016 runs from November 24 to 27 at Melbourne's Lido Cinemas. For more information, visit the festival's website.
There are few areas on earth that Google Street View can't venture — and now one place in space as well. In the latest addition to their popular Google Maps feature, the technology giant has added the International Space Station to its list of destinations. Clearly charting the planet humanity walks on just wasn't enough. Launched on the 48th anniversary of the first manned moon landing, the virtual leap for mankind lets users explore all 15 of the ISS's interconnected modules, which orbit the planet more than 400 kilometres above the surface. From peering through the observational node to entering the airlock, pretending that you're living out your science-fiction dreams — and experiencing what it's like to literally look down on the rest of us, too — is now as easy as moving your cursor and clicking your mouse. Obviously, you can't send Google's Street View car fleet into space, so the company worked with NASA bases and ISS astronauts to capture imagery from the inside the structure. DSLR cameras and equipment already on board were used to collect pictures in gravity-free conditions. The resulting snaps of the habitable artificial satellite were then sent back down to earth, stitched together and turned into panoramic shots. If that sounds a little tricky, that's because it was. As European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet explains in a blog post for Google, "there are a lot of obstacles up there, and we had limited time to capture the imagery, so we had to be confident that our approach would work." Still, for anyone who has ever wanted to take a trip into space — but found costs, logistics, training and a whole long list of other factors getting in their way — it was worth it. Explore the International Space Station on Google Maps. Via The Verge. Image: Google Maps.
Live life long enough and anything can happen. Enjoy an undead existence for hundreds of years and that feeling only multiplies, or so the wealth of movies and TV shows that've let vampires stalk through their frames frequently remind viewers. A sharehouse-set mockumentary focused on bloodsucking roommates who've seen more than a few centuries between them, What We Do in the Shadows embraces that idea like little else, though — as a Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi-starring movie, aka one of the funniest New Zealand comedies of this century, and then as a hilarious American TV spinoff. The premise has always been ridiculously straightforward, and always reliably entertaining. That dates back to Clement and Waititi's short film days, which is where this franchise began as 2005's What We Do in the Shadows: Interviews with Some Vampires — and continues right through to the TV iteration's now-airing fourth season, which screens in Australia via Binge and in New Zealand via Neon. A camera crew captures the lives of the fanged and not-at-all furious, squabbles about chores, a rising body count and avoiding sunlight all included. Their domesticity may involve sinking their teeth into necks, blood splatters aplenty, sleeping in coffins and shapeshifting into bats, but it also covers arguing about paying bills, keeping the house clean and dealing with the neighbours. For fans of the film, the stakes were high with this leap to television. What We Do in the Shadows, the movie, had already given rise to a homegrown offshoot courtesy of Wellington Paranormal — the NZ TV show that trailed the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they kept investigating the otherworldly — which first arrived in 2018. But the small-screen version of What We Do in the Shadows has a few crucial and important things going for it: another killer cast, this time inhabiting a ramshackle, gothic-style abode in Staten Island; the same glorious sense of silliness, including everything from blood sprinklers and undead labour disputes to getting a genie to magic up a giant penis in the latest season alone; an eagerness to gleefully skewer the entire vampire genre; and well and truly letting anything happen within its frames. Season four picks up after a climactic end to the show's prior batch of episodes, which only finished airing back in October 2021. Its bloodsucking roommates were all set for their own adventures, after Nandor (Kayvan Novak, Cruella) decided to explore his roots in his ancestral homeland in what's now Iran, and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) took up a prestigious job in London with the Supreme Vampiric Council, who oversee the vampire world order. Her beloved Laszlo (Matt Berry, Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown) stayed behind at the last minute to take care of the baby that burst its way out of energy vampire Colin Robinson's (Mark Proksch, The Office) body. To accompany Nadja, in his place he sent Nandor's familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen, Werewolves Within), who has also discovered throughout the first three seasons that he's a Van Helsing — yes, a vampire hunter. What We Do in the Shadows wouldn't be What We Do in the Shadows if its central quintet were scattered around the world, rather than bantering together, so homecomings are swiftly in order. A year has passed in the show, old grounds have been stomped, new jobs trialled and that infant is now a young boy — who, eerily, still looks like Colin. Nandor returns more determined than ever to find a wife, and thinks that one of his many from the Middle Ages could be the one again; bringing back a Djinn (Anoop Desai, Russian Doll) to grant his wishes helps. Nadja has big ambitions, too, but of the professional rather than personal kind. Taking over the local Vampiric Council again, she sets her sights on turning it into a vampire nightclub. Its custodian The Guide (Kristen Schaal, The Bob's Burgers Movie) is unsurprisingly far from thrilled. If vampire nightclubs and blood sprinklers sound familiar, that's because back in 1998, Blade got there first. That's the type of winking and parodying that What We Do in the Shadows loves — and keeps finding ways to turn into comedy gold. It'll always be difficult to beat the show's exceptional first-season episode that featured Wesley Snipes as a half-vampire version of himself, alongside everyone from Tilda Swinton to Paul Reubens referencing their own past undead film roles (Only Lovers Left Alive and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, respectively), but this series never stops trying. It's just as devoted to fleshing out the demonic world that exists beyond human eyes, with a new episode set at an anything-goes night market where the supernaturally inclined trade for everything they can a particular treasure. That nodding and nudging will never grow old, thanks to the stellar writing behind it, as well as the fantastic cast bringing it to the screen. Matt Berry should star in all comedies always (see also: the aforementioned Toast franchise, Year of the Rabbit, The IT Crowd, Snuff Box, The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace), and his pronunciation, the way that Laszlo yells "bat!" when he turns into a bat and the character's general buffoonery will always be among What We Do in the Shadows' biggest weapons. Hearing him read In Cold Blood to the young Colin, as a bedtime story, is a scene for the ages alone. He's ably matched by always riotous Demetriou and the equally amusing Novak, who lean into their vamps' eccentricity-laced personalities with as much gusto. Nadja's unapologetic passion, pursuing whatever she wants whenever she wants, always feels fleshed out, as does Nandor's awkwardness despite a past as a bloodthirsty warrior. It was always going to take something special to match the big-screen What We Do in the Shadows. That's a task that its TV spinoff has always managed, however, and as enchantingly as the immediately catchy strains of theme song 'You're Dead' by Norma Tanega — a tune the two versions share. Nothing about this delight sucks, not for a second, and season four is as ace as ever. Check out the trailer for What We Do in the Shadows season four below: What We Do in the Shadows' fourth season streams in Australia via Binge and in New Zealand via Neon. Images: Russ Martin/FX.
Vertical gardening is one way to prevent the Blade Runner-ifying of our urban environments. But how about an invisible skyline, made up of anti-skyscrapers? South Korea is about to get a first taste of the concept, with construction set to start on 'Tower Infinity'. At 450 metres, it's definitely one of the ten tallest buildings in the world. What's attracting headlines, however, is the fact that you can't see it. (What?) By employing cameras, a special skin and optical technology, GDS Architects have designed the tower so that its pinnacle appears to vanish into the sky. Their concept won a 2008 international competition involving 146 entries from 46 nations, but they've only just been granted permission to begin construction. To be built in Seoul's Yongsan International Business District, near Incheon International Airport, Tower Infinity will, for the most part, fulfil recreational, rather than residential, purposes. There'll be eateries, a theatre, amusement park rides, observation decks (including one at 392 metres) and landscaped gardens. GDS Architects' principal, Charles Wee, argues that it's not merely an exercise in vanity. "Instead of symbolising prominence as another of the world's tallest and best towers, our solution aims to provide the world's first invisible tower, showcasing Korean technology while encouraging a more global narrative in the process," he said in World Architecture News. "We are elated that the many years of design, testing and coordination have led us to that all important step of beginning the building process. We look forward to providing Korea and the world with a completely new model for what it means to be an observation tower." [via Inhabitat]
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 take you inside the Berry View Hotel. This utterly charming boutique hotel is brimming with winning mid-Century design detail and takes inspiration from 1950s drive-in motels and Palm Springs bungalows. Located in Berry on the south coast of New South Wales, it's the perfect spot for a smug weekend away — and right now when you book your stay here you'll get an exclusive rate and a bottle of wine to start your stay with a toast. Cheers to that. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This hotel has been lovingly designed with the principles and aesthetic of Mid-Century Modern design at every element. The impeccably tasteful, minimalist decor and fresh white and pumpkin exterior make this little pocket of Berry feel as thought it's time travelled to the swinging Sixties. THE ROOMS Calming, cool and curated are the vibe of the rooms, each of which has its own individual styling. The devil is in the design detail — a beautiful vase, bespoke light fitting or a velour single-seater sofa add personality to each of the bedrooms, which come in bedding configurations for couples on a romantic weekend away or a family-friendly setup with a queen bed and a bunk. The bathrooms feature full sized bathing products by O&M so there's zero need to bring your own. Each room also comes with Nespresso coffee machine and pods for your caffeine requirements before you venture out to enjoy the best of Berry's charming town centre which is a short stroll from the hotel. FOOD AND DRINK Rooms at the Berry View include all your critical amenities like a kettle and the aforementioned coffee machine, tea, coffee and milk. But when you're in Berry you need to get out and experience the local talent. The historic Berry Hotel has great regional pub energy. Milkwood Bakery does superb woodfired sourdough, great coffee and a banger apple tart for the dessert-inclined. And there's the famous Berry Donut Van is responsible for what might be a serious contender for best cinnamon donut in the country. For a more luxurious and lengthy lunch or dinner option, SOUTH on Albany and Queen Street Eatery are both great options combining impressive food with laidback vibes and stellar service. THE EXTRAS When you book here through CP Trips, the lovely crew at the Berry View Hotel will welcome you with a complimentary bottle of shiraz or prosecco to celebrate your good fortune. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Australian designer Marc Newson has placed his golden touch on everything from clothing to aircrafts, and now he has unleashed what may be his most awesome creation ever - the Riva Aquariva. Newson is renowned for his simple yet immediately recognisable work across a diverse range of spectrums. This time round, Newson collaborated with the very fancy-sounding Officina Italiana Design for a brilliant re-interpretation of the luxury speedboat. Although it made its initial appearance in 2010, the Riva Aquariva again pleased viewers at Arte-Fiera, an art fair in Bologna, Italy, earlier this year. Adding to the extravagance and opulence of these boats, only 22 were made and they sell for around $1.5 million. Featuring a traditional colourway with eye-catching turquoise accents, this vessel's distinct vibe will teleport you straight to the Port of Miami on a summer's day. Throw on a pastel button-up, some slim-cut khaki pants and bring your finest champagne before you climb on board. [via The Cool Hunter]
Every year is a big year for movies, but 2023 is set to be downright explosive, all thanks to one of the most-anticipated films of the year. That feature: Christopher Nolan's latest, and his first flick since Tenet. It just explores a little thing called the atomic bomb, focusing on J Robert Oppenheimer. "They won't fear it until they understand it. And they won't understand it until they've used it," says the titular figure in the just-dropped full Oppenheimer trailer. Played by Nolan regular Cillian Murphy (see also: The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises and Dunkirk), the "father of the atomic bomb" narrates the new sneak peek with plenty of such telling comments. Here's another: "I don't know if we can be trusted with such a weapon, but we have no choice". Yes, Nolan is going back to the Second World War again, focusing on the eponymous American physicist, aka the man who helped develop the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. Also earning the director's attention: the fact that Oppenheimer needed to risk destroying the world to save it. Charting his life, his part in birthing the atomic bomb and how it changed the world — and the fallout — should make for gripping viewing, although viewers will need to wait until July 20, 2023 Down Under to find out. The new trailer follows a brief teaser in mid-2022, and provides a bigger glimpse of what's in store. Oppenheimer's story also includes heading up Los Alamos Laboratory — and observing the Trinity Test, the first successful atomic bomb detonation in New Mexico on July 16, 1945 — as this latest bit of footage shows. Nolan is always in serious mode, but this is a solemn affair even by the Memento, Interstellar and Dark Knight trilogy filmmaker's standards. And, it looks like a spectacle, in no small part thanks to being shot in IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography, including sections in IMAX black and white analogue photography for the first time ever. Based on Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin's Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film boasts an all-star cast, including Emily Blunt as the physicist's wife, biologist and botanist Kitty (reteaming Blunt with Murphy after A Quiet Place Part II) — plus Matt Damon (The Last Duel) as General Leslie Groves Jr, director of the Manhattan Project; Robert Downey Jr (Dolittle) as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the US Atomic Energy Commission; and Florence Pugh (The Wonder) as psychiatrist Jean Tatlock. Also set to pop up: Josh Hartnett (Wrath of Man), Michael Angarano (Minx), Benny Safdie (Stars at Noon), Jack Quaid (The Boys), Rami Malek (No Time to Die) and Kenneth Branagh (Death on the Nile). Oh, and there's Dane DeHaan (The Staircase), Jason Clarke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Olivia Thirlby (Y: The Last Man), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (Stranger Things) as well. Check out the full trailer for Oppenheimer below: Oppenheimer will release in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023. Images: © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Architectural fusion with nature has been taken to a new level with Villa Vals. Constructed in 2009 by Bjarne Mastenbroek (of SeARCH) and Christian Muller (of Christian Muller Architects), the villa is designed to 'completely integrate into the landscape to avoid disturbing the unspoiled nature.' The building's underground location does not diminish visual access to the external world. A central patio and slanted facade provide scope for mountain views. Given that Villa Vals' address is above thermal springs, at a 1,250-kilometre height in the Swiss Alps, this means the kind of landscape that would have had Tolkien reaching for his pen: wildflowers, singing streams and secret valleys. Peter Zumthor's famous Therme Vals is just next door. A contemporary minimalist aesthetic informs the interior, expressed through airy, uncluttered perspectives and straight lines. Several Dutch designers, including Hella Jongerius, Demakersvan, Scholten & Baijings, Marcel Wanders, Claudy Jongstra, Royal Tichelaar Makkum and Vitra Nederland, have contributed furnishings and decorative objects. Despite this eclecticism of sources, the overall feel is coherent and tranquil. Villa Vals holds up to 10 people. A cool 3,850 Euros will buy a week's stay in the high season, and this drops to 2,100 during the low period. It is also possible to book for just 2 nights. Couples seeking one room only receive a 20% discount. An alpine village is just up the road and the area is brimming over with opportunities for hiking, cycling and skiing adventures. [via PSFK]
Based on James Patterson's world wide best selling novels, Alex Cross follows the action-packed journey of young detective/psychologist (Tyler Perry) as he meets his match in a serial killer (Matthew Fox) who is fascinated by pain and specialises in torturing his victims. In this psychological thriller Cross is pushed to his moral limits and when the mission gets personal, he is willing to protect his family at all costs. Alex Cross (previously played by veteran Morgan Freeman in Kiss The Girls & Along Came A Spider) embarks on a high-stakes mission to put an end to a vicious serial killer in this high-speed, suspenseful action thriller. Concrete Playground has 15 double passes to giveaway to see Alex Cross. To go in the running just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Every concert-goer has had that sinking feeling. That gut-wrenching moment when you realise that the artist you forked out the big bucks to see isn't going to play your favourite song at their concert. It's about mid-set, they are starting to wind down through their songbook of classic hits and and you realise — with that awful mix of regret and sheer pissed-off-ness — that the little-known dirge from their underrated third album you love so much just ain't going to make the cut. That's set to change at this year's SXSW, however. Doritos is sponsoring a giant vending machine stage that will host an interactive concert where audience members and fans from around the world can choose rap superstar LL Cool J's encore number. All they need to do is tweet in their favourite song using the hashtag #BoldStage. The six-storey vending machine includes an LCD screen collating, calculating and encouraging your tweets (through the incredible Mass Relevance software, which can process up to 400,000 tweets a minute), allowing you to help control the performances of such hip hop royalty as Public Enemy, Ice Cube and Doug E. Fresh. But organisers are taking the concept of an "interactive" concert one step further. Not only can you help select the songs but fans also control what photos appear on the LCD screen; when smoke, lasers, confetti, beach balls and other special effects are used; and even choose the concert's opening act. Prior to the concert, three of hip hop's rising stars — Devin Miles, Snow Tha Product and Aussie Seth Sentry — will battle it out for the chance to perform one song at the opening the concert, with the song that receives the most #BoldStage votes getting the gig. The iconic SXSW features a whole host of conferences, events, panels and products showcasing and celebrating the way new technologies are shaping the arts and the way we interact with world around us. The BoldStage also made an appearance last year's festival. The interactive element was less low-tech then, though you could search the town for giant quarters with which to purchase the giant bags of (giant) chips in the vending machine. Via Mashable.
Most pet owners could look at their gorgeous ball of fluff all day, every day. Most animal lovers could do the same thing with any type of creature. If you're especially fond of gazing at cute puppies and delightful dogs, you'll soon have a new place to go — no, not your local dog park or pooch-friendly drinking session, but New York's Museum of the Dog. While a museum dedicated to dachshunds opened in Passau in Germany last year, NYC's newcomer will showcase all types of canines. Run by the American Kennel Club, it'll be specifically filled with doggo-centric art. Basically, if you think that paintings of pups are the ultimate creative ideal, then prepare to feast your eyes on more than just dogs playing poker. Statues of dogs, odes to famous movie pooches, a 'find your match' feature that uses facial recognition to pair you with the best breed for you, a 'meet the breeds' touchscreen exhibit that'll tell you everything you need to know about every kind of pupper — they're all part of the museum as well. It'll also include a community wall, where locals can show off their favourite four-legged friends. And, as it'll be located at the same site as the AKC's headquarters, the Museum of the Dog will also have access to the organisation's library, archives and collection. [caption id="attachment_704503" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Museum of the Dog[/caption] When the Museum of the Dog opens on February 8, it'll actually mark a homecoming, with the facility starting in New York in the 80s before moving to St Louis for the past three decades. The celebration of man's best friend will also offer rotating exhibitions exploring the art of making art about canines across the ages, plus 'guest dog of the week' sessions where visitors can meet, greet and learn about different varieties of pooch. If you're headed to New York next month, the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog will open its doors on February 8. Visit the museum website and Facebook page for further details.
Since the 19th century, writers, filmmakers and musicians have fantasised about moving to Mars. And now, space agencies all over the world are working furiously to make it happen, though none has a 100% firm plan of action yet. After all, Mars isn't the friendliest place: the air is almost oxygen-free, temperatures swing from -150 to 20 degrees celsius and the winds are fierce. Despite that — and the prospect of never returning home — thousands of people applied to join Mars One, a Dutch non-profit hoping to send four travellers on a one-way mission to Mars in 2031. Meanwhile, NASA has its sights set on putting humans into orbit by the 2030s and on the surface by the 2040s. With Sydney Science Festival kicking off on August 8, we thought it the perfect time to dive into the possibility of one day colonising the Red Planet. So, we put our lab coats on and tracked down some of the people working to make this interplanetary dream a reality. Here, we chat with Josh Richards, one of 100 short-listed candidates for Mars One, and Dr Mitch Schulte, a scientist working on NASA's 2020 rover mission, about what living on Mars might involve. GETTING THERE Before stepping foot on the Red Planet, before testing the environment, before figuring out how to make Mars home, the first obstacle for the next giant leap for mankind is getting there. So far, two-thirds of all spacecrafts to have tried have failed. Mars's atmosphere is 100 times thinner than Earth's, which means that when a rocket enters, it takes much longer to slow down, making a crash landing a major risk. In addition, monstrous dust storms howl across the planet's surface, which is covered in hazardous rocks. That said, seven spacecrafts have made it successfully — all free of people, however — and right now, two rovers, Opportunity and Curiosity, are up there roaming around. "The rovers travel by direct trajectory. We send them directly from Earth to arrive at a particular spot," says Dr Schulte. "That requires going from 35,000 miles an hour when the rover hits the atmosphere to 0 miles at the surface. We slow them down with hypersonic parachutes, which open at incredibly fast speeds... When you send humans into orbit, you have to use rockets to slow them down, so that gravity captures the spacecraft." So, the trick now is figuring out how to slow humans down safely. "After we've successfully accomplished that and brought people back, we can think about putting them on the ground, as happened with the moon missions." [caption id="attachment_631550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA.[/caption] BREATHING When or if anyone does manage to land on Mars in one piece, the next challenge will be breathing. The air is made up of 96% carbon dioxide and 0.2% oxygen, as opposed to ours which contains 21% oxygen. To live on the Red Planet permanently, we'd need to develop the technology to do some serious harvesting and storing. "One of the goals of the 2020 mission is to demonstrate an instrument that could extract oxygen from the atmosphere, but it would be used primarily for propellant grade oxygen for rocket fuel," says Dr Schulte. "At this stage, any human travelling to Mars would have to take all the air they need with them." Should things go as planned for Mars One, there'll be rovers capable of extracting oxygen from Mars's rocks and atmosphere by the 2020s. With this technology in place, the rovers will head up in advance of the crew, ensuring hundreds of litres of breathable air are ready to go. [caption id="attachment_631541" align="alignnone" width="1922"] Twentieth Century Fox/The Martian.[/caption] SETTING UP DIGS The first humans on Mars won't be spending much time outside. Mars One's idea is to have them living in inflatable pods similar to the BEAM module currently attached to the International Space Station but much bigger. Two of these pods are currently in orbit, having their resilience tested. "Each is fifty metres long; they look like big, white caterpillars," Richards says. "The first crew [on Mars] will be four people... [though] for the first two years, they won't be going out very much, unless it's critical." Richards explains how the team will operate similarly to winter crews in Antarctica. And as with the oxygen extraction technology, rovers will travel in advance to also bring and set up modules that'll provide spare parts and life support systems, like the SpaceX Dragon Capsule, explains Richards. Meanwhile, one of NASA 2020's goals is to deepen our meteorological understanding. "We'll be flying a weather package," says Dr Schulte. "It's a set of instruments to measure temperature, pressure, relative humidity, wind speeds and ultra violet radiation levels." Knowing more about these conditions will help set up a proper living environment for the future. [caption id="attachment_631544" align="alignnone" width="1921"] Twentieth Century Fox/The Martian.[/caption] EATING OFF THE LAND (EVENTUALLY) Some will rejoice, some will mourn, but it looks like life on Mars will be more than just vegan-friendly; once a food system has been set up, life will be vegan only. "We'll land with six years' worth of food," says Richards. "Then, we'll start growing food as quickly as we can, which means setting up greenhouses and, essentially, going vegan, which for me is a terrifying thought... It's the worst thing about going to Mars." Mars will understandably be a pretty sustainable place as well, where even human waste will be reprocessed and used as a resource. "There's an old saying on the International Space Station," Richards tells, "'Yesterday's coffee is today's coffee is tomorrow's coffee'. What you pee out gets cleaned, filtered and put back into the water supply." LIVING WITH LOW GRAVITY "The gravity on Mars is about 35% what it is on Earth," says Dr Schulte. If you've ever watched the moon landing, you'll know reduced gravity can make for some bouncy fun — though the Moon is a bit bouncier than Mars, with gravity about 15% what it is on Earth — but no one's sure of the long-term effects on the body. Astronauts living on the International Space Station, which is gravity-free, have noticed their spines lengthening and, if they don't exercise regularly, muscular atrophy. Richards says that a big part of each day will be spent testing and measuring bone density and muscle strength, to find out how he and the crew are faring. (He's also planning to pack a Kindle loaded with novels and his ukulele.) Plus, if all goes well, the team will be prepping for the arrival of the second crew, who'll set off two years after the first Mars One mission. [caption id="attachment_631548" align="alignnone" width="1921"] Twentieth Century Fox/The Martian.[/caption] MEETING THE NEIGHBOURS Finally, of course, there's the question of whether or not Mars is already taken. "The bottom line is, we don't know if life exists — or did exist — on Mars, but we do know it's geologically and geochemically similar to Earth," says Dr Schulte. "There are environments that indicate there was liquid water near the surface and that [there are] the kinds of rocks from which organisms could extract chemical energy. "The problem now, though, is that the surface is very dry and liquid water is not stable there, so it exists as ice or gas. If life were to exist now, it would have to be underground, where pressures and temperatures would be high enough — at least as far as we understand how life exists here on Earth." Could we see the colonisation of Mars in our lifetime? Time will only tell, but with the ferocity in approach and devotion to the cause by the likes of Mars One, NASA and others, it looks like a strong potential to us. If you're in Sydney for the next two weeks, you can hear more about what life on Mars could be like from Dr Mitch Schulte at Life on Mars: The 2020 Rover Mission and from Josh Richards at Becoming Martian, both at Sydney Science Festival this month.
