Every year during our wintertime, so many lucky folks jet off to Europe and other parts of the northern hemisphere seeking sin-filled holidays, but there are still stacks of Aussie destinations that are warm and summery throughout the year. If you're seeking a coastal vacay, there's no need to get on a long-haul flight — especially with the likes of Byron Bay being a short trip away. In northern NSW, this dream destination boasts sun, sand and rainforest in abundance. Plus, it's full of romantic studio spaces and quaint coastal bungalows, ideal for unwinding with your significant other or favourite travel buddy. We've done the hard work for you and rounded up 20 of Byron Bay's greatest couples' escapes. Book a favourite, pack your bags and prepare for that well-deserved beach retreat. Recommended reads: The Best NSW Glamping Spots The Best Hotels in Sydney The Best Beach Camping Sites in NSW The Best Luxury Stays Near Sydney WOLF BEACH RETREAT, BYRON BAY A sleek, modern take on the classic beach shack, complete with open-plan living and secluded backyard. Cocktails on the deck are a must. How much? From $295 a night, sleeps two. THE STUDIO, BYRON BAY Decked out in soothing whites and natural finishes, this serene hideaway is primed for maximum relaxation. Check in and recharge in style. How much? From $263 a night, sleeps two. THE BUNGALOW, BYRON BAY It's hard not to embrace the Byron lifestyle at this relaxed coastal retreat, featuring modern boho styling throughout and a tropical garden out back. How much? From $427 a night, sleeps four. BEST LOCATION IN BYRON, BYRON BAY This stylishly minimalist studio space is the epitome of a calming getaway. It's filled with natural light and located just a quick stroll from the beach. How much? From $271 a night, sleeps two. LUXURY LOFT, BYRON BAY New York loft meets tropical bungalow for this breezy Byron hideaway. Get set for daily soaks in the outdoor tub, surrounded by nature. How much? From $395 a night, sleeps three. HILLSCAPES STUDIO, BYRON BAY Escape the hustle at this serene studio space, among the trees. A fireplace promises cosy nights and the deck boasts panoramic views. How much? From $242 a night, sleeps two. CACTUS ROSE VILLA, BYRON BAY With chic white interiors, a palm-fringed pool and a romantic loft-style bedroom, this private villa will have you living the holiday dream. How much? From $548 a night, sleeps two. PACIFIC EDGE, BYRON BAY Want to wake to the sound of the waves? This self-contained couples' escape is newly built and perched just minutes from the beach. How much? From $220 a night, sleeps two. BYRON BAY STUDIO, BYRON BAY A designer retreat for two, complete with glass-walled bathroom, secluded terrace and roomy outdoor tub. All just a quick hop from the beach. How much? From $379 a night, sleeps two. BAM STUDIO, BYRON BAY The luxurious self-contained hideaway you'll never want to check out of. Destress with the help of a private leafy garden and sun-dappled deck. How much? From $292 a night, sleeps two. EAST COAST ESCAPES STUDIO 105, BYRON BAY A contemporary coastal abode boasting a sun-drenched deck and beachy white colour palette, this one's handily located between the shops and the sand. How much? From $262 a night, sleeps two. JADE STUDIO, BYRON BAY Swap city life for some time spent recharging at this bright, breezy studio. It's got a sunny courtyard, outdoor shower and cracking location close to the shoreline. How much? From $297 a night, sleeps two. THE LOFT, BYRON BAY This beautifully restored cottage has cruisy coastal vibes on tap, just a ten-minute walk from Byron's Main Beach. The ultimate couples' hideout. How much? From $633 a night, sleeps two. THE APOLLO STUDIO, BYRON BAY Your own Mediterranean-inspired paradise, in the heart of town. With luxe fixtures and a leafy courtyard, this self-contained bungalow is a true holiday gem. How much? From $252 a night, sleeps two. THE TREEHOUSE, BYRON BAY A light-filled hilltop escape, with sweeping views across the trees. This designer space boasts a leafy terrace and ten acres of lush green backyard. How much? From $283 a night, sleeps two. SCANDINAVIAN SIMPLICITY, BYRON BAY Filled with luxe touches and boasting its own sunny green courtyard, this Scandi-inspired studio has holiday charms aplenty. An ideal escape for two. How much? From $180 a night, sleeps two. BASK & STOW SEA, BYRON BAY A cheery splash of Palm Springs style, by the beaches of Byron. This whitewashed villa features resort-worthy interiors and a sparkling plunge pool. How much? From $448 a night, sleeps two. PARADISO PROPERTY, BYRON BAY Embrace beachside living with a stay at this quaint bungalow for two. It's a breezy, open-plan situation, flanked by two grassy, sun-drenched courtyards. How much? From $339 a night, sleeps two. BOUTIQUE RETREAT, BYRON BAY A cheery self-contained apartment that's sure to win you over with its plush linens, palm-filled courtyard and pink stone outdoor tub. How much? From $275 a night, sleeps two.. ARTFUL WAREHOUSE CONVERSION, BYRON BAY Swap the beach shacks and bungalows for a stay at this lofty converted warehouse, featuring mod-industrial styling and some primo mountain views. How much? From $344 a night, sleeps two. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Since 1987, if you've wanted to hit up South by Southwest, then you've needed to visit Austin in Texas. In October 2023, however, that'll no longer be the case. In what was perhaps Australia's biggest cultural news of 2022, the acclaimed tech, innovation, music, gaming, screen and culture festival and conference announced that it'll stage its first-ever non-US event in Sydney this year — and now it's starting to drop impressive lineup details. SXSW Sydney will run for a week from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 around the Harbour City, hosting 1000-plus sessions — and it also has its first-ever keynote speaker, too. American futurist, The Genesis Machine author, and Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb will do the honours. A favourite on lists of powerful and influential women — she was named "one of the five women changing the world" by Forbes in 2022, and one of the BBC's 100 Women of 2020 — Webb is renowned for her focus on data-driven, technology-led foresight methodology to ponder how the future might eventuate. And, ticking plenty of SXSW boxes, she's also a frequent collaborator with film and TV producers about science, tech and what's to come. [caption id="attachment_888438" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Amy Webb[/caption] More keynote speakers are set to be unveiled in the coming months, but SXSW has also revealed an initial list of featured speakers. Among those getting chatting are Ben Lamm and Andrew Pask, who'll discuss their work on the de-extinction of the woolly mammoth and the Tasmanian tiger; Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist of Canva and former Apple Chief Evangelist, who'll talk evolving tech; lawyer, writer and filmmaker Larissa Behrendt, fresh from helming Richard Bell-focused documentary You Can Go Now; and Saudi women's rights activist Manal al-Sharif. The roster of talent goes on, also featuring Jack Reis of First Nations cyber-security business Baidam Solutions; Per Sundin, the Swedish CEO of Pophouse Entertainment who has worked with Avicii, ABBA, Tove Lo and Swedish House Mafia, and had a part in the rise of Spotify; and BAFTA Games Award-winning game designer Sam Barlow. Plus, Twitch's Chief Product Officer Tom Verrilli, 88rising's Sean Miyashiro and Yoomin Yang, a producer on the Korean adaptation of Netflix's Money Heist, are all also on the bill. [caption id="attachment_888439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Manal al-Sharif[/caption] If you're more interested in who'll be playing tunes during the SXSW Sydney Music Festival, a few names are starting to trickle in there as well. Nigerian British indie-pop songwriter Connie Constance will head Down Under for the first time, as will Canada's Ekkstacy, London-based quartet Los Bitchos, Japanese punk rockers Otoboke Beaver and teenage American rapper Redveil. Obviously, all of the above names — plus others listed below — are just the beginning of what's promising to be SXSW's massive Sydney debut. The fest has dropped a few more details about how it'll work, too, including the fact that it'll all take place within a walkable precinct within the Sydney CBD, Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, Chippendale and more. Think of the fest's footprint as a huge hub, with festivals within the bigger fest, exhibitions, talks, networking opportunities and streetside activations popping up everywhere. So far, venues named include Powerhouse Museum, ICC Sydney, UTS, Central Park Mall, the Goods Line Walk, The Abercrombie and Lansdowne Hotel. [caption id="attachment_888440" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Otoboke Beaver by Mayumi Hirata[/caption] So, attendees can hit up the SXSW Sydney Conference, which is where those keynotes, presentations, panels, workshops and mentor sessions come in — more than 400 of them. And, there's the SXSW Sydney Technology & Innovation Exhibitions, which is all about innovative and emerging tech and entertainment companies from across the Asia-Pacific region. Plus, at the Startup Village, up-and-comers from all industries and sectors will have space to meet, present and chat. SXSW's arts fests will span the SXSW Sydney 2023 Music Festival, which will be focused on live music venues in central Sydney — and the SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival, complete with more than 100 local and international independent games to play at venues (alongside demonstrations, launches performances, exhibitions and social gatherings). Movie and TV lovers, get excited — because the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival isn't just a film fest. There'll be flicks to see, including at red-carpet premieres; episodic content; and digital, XR and social content. Expect Q&As and panel discussions with the folks behind them as well. Can't wait, whether you're a Sydney local or planning to head along from elsewhere in Australia — or New Zealand? Platinum and industry badges are already available at early-bird prices, with more ticketing to come. [caption id="attachment_888443" align="alignnone" width="1920"] EKKSTACY by Gilbert Trejo[/caption] SXSW SYDNEY 2023 — FIRST LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT: KEYNOTES: Amy Webb FEATURED SPEAKERS: Andrew Pask Ben Lamm Guy Kawasaki Jack Reis Kyas Hepworth Larissa Behrendt Manal Al-Sharif Michael J Biercuk Per Sundin Que Minh Luu Robyn Denholm Rohit Bhargava Sam Barlow Sean Miyashiro Sheila Nguyen Sung-Eun Youn Tom Verrilli Yiying Lu Yoomin Yang SXSW SYDNEY MUSIC FESTIVAL: Connie Constance Ekkstacy Los Bitchos Otoboke Beaver Redveil SXSW Sydney will run from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues — head to the festival's website for further details. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
Being a Barbie girl in a Barbie world wasn't just a 2023 trend, back when Greta Gerwig's (Little Women) Margot Robbie (Asteroid City)-starring — and Oscar-nominated — film became one of the biggest and pinkest movies to ever hit cinemas. The 2025 way to get your Barbiecore fix Down Under from Friday, June 27, 2025 through till summer 2026: by enjoying ice cream floats served in a pink Barbie convertible car at the Malibu Barbie Cafe, plus sipping fairy floss-topped cocktails at the Ken Kabana bar, all at The Social Quarter at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne. The Malibu Barbie Cafe has been popping up across the US, with New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Miami, Austin and Houston all welcoming the venue — and the Victorian capital is hosting its debut stop beyond America. Pink hues? Beachy decor? Kicking it back to the 1970s, when Malibu Barbie initially debuted, at the onsite watering hole? A rollerskating rink lined by artwork of palm trees? A life-sized Barbie box? An installation that celebrates how Barbie as a brand has changed over the years? That's all on offer at the Malibu Barbie Cafe. So is merchandise that you won't find anywhere else, if you need a memento from your visit — although, with that in mind, we're sure that you'll fill your phone with plenty of photos. Ken's job isn't just beach here, given that his name adorns the cocktail-slinging upstairs bar in the two-storey site. On the drinks menu: that gin and lemonade concoction with spun sugar on top; themed takes on mojitos, margaritas, cosmopolitans, espresso martinis and old fashioneds; and more. If you're keen on a booze-free version, some of the tipples are available as mocktails. There's also a snack range, including fries with pink mayo, prawn cocktails, sushi and baked brie. Does putting your skates on appeal? You'll find that on the second level, too. Downstairs, Malibu Barbie Cafe's menu is an all-ages-friendly affair, with that ice cream float just one option. Sticking with sweets means choosing from doughnuts, pink cookies, cupcakes, ice cream sundaes, fruit and marshmallows. If you can't decide, the dessert sampler dishes up a mix of picks on a Barbie boat for between four and eight people. Savoury dishes span the same small bites as at the Ken Kabana, plus burgers, poke, garlic prawn linguine, beer-battered fish tacos, club sandwiches, grilled cheese, mac 'n' cheese and salads. Or, tuck into avocado toast, açai bowls, bacon and eggs, parfait or pancakes from the all-day brunch selection. Then, to drink, milkshakes, pink lemonade and pink lattes are among the options. If you're thinking "come on Barbie, let's go party", party packages are indeed a feature — including three-hour adults-only private-dining experiences from 6.30pm Thursday–Sunday.
UPDATE MARCH 30, 2017: Suey Sins owner Eli West has responded by posting a statement on Facebook. Over the past week Suey Sins has been subject to criticism regarding its concept and theme. I acknowledge all of the raised concerns and feedback surrounding Suey Sins theming, as well as those who have voiced their opinions. I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused. I would also like to emphasise that it was never our intention to upset or offend. The theme and character Suey Sin is fictitious, however I understand that offence has been taken to image references made of Anna May Wong. Further, whilst I acknowledge there has been offence taken in regards to images of staff members wearing the traditional Qipao dress these were for our annual Chinese New Year party and opening week of trade. Circulating images portray only a small portion of our multicultural team. As a young female leading a predominantly female team the glorification and exploitation of women of any culture is not something I condone or intended in Suey Sins theming. The voices of those offended have been heard and as a team we will be taking action to remove image references of Anna May Wong. Due to the nature of the comments on the said original image of Suey Sins staff members, we did out of a duty of care for our staff remove the image from Facebook shortly after the comments no longer remained constructive In an increasingly globalised world, and multicultural society like Australia it is important we continue to share, embrace and exchange other cultures with one another, which is what Suey Sins sought out to do and will continue to do. Again, I sincerely apologise for any offence that has occurred. Should you wish to provide any further feedback of a constructive nature please continue to inbox these through. Thank you for your understanding. In the time elapsed between launching earlier this month and opening their doors this morning, Sydney cocktail bar Suey Sins has placed itself firmly at the centre of public debates surrounding cultural appropriation, deeply rooted racism, and media ethics. While the venue's owner, 25-year-old entrepreneur Eli West, has said that she was aiming for an "old world charm" theme, members of the public have struck out on social media, saying that the apparent "sexy, pre-war Shanghai" theme is nothing more than wanton cultural appropriation, and nothing less than subtle racism that ignores the dark reality of Chinese culture during the British colonial era. While West initially stated in one of the bar's press releases that she wanted to open a bar that "doesn't take it-self [sic] too seriously," public reaction has suggested that perhaps it would have been more prudent to take cultural appropriation at least a little bit seriously. While the Chinese mainland was never colonised by the British, the effects of imperialism shaped China's culture, especially in the wake of the Opium Wars, and the Boxer Rebellion. With particular reference to the bar's staff uniform (traditional qipaos/cheongsams), activity on social media, and the thematic styling of the venue, Suey Sins has been accused of "continuing negative colonial ideologies", and "racist fetishisation of a marginalised women [sic] for a dollar" on their Facebook page. Suey Sins' initial press release stated that the the name for the venue comes from a "famous Shanghai call-girl ... a quintessential icon of the 'Shanghai Naughties'." "I have spent most of my life travelling in Indonesia, and have some Chinese heritage and I like to think I may be related to a character very similar to Suey Sin," explained West in the same press release. "I love the idea of this seductive, alluring woman who had old world charm and poise but also knew exactly what she wanted and how to get it. I see a bit of that in myself and the young women who will drink here." Unfortunately, as Pedestrian reported yesterday, the search for the existence of a "famous Shanghai call-girl" called Suey Sin has been somewhat fruitless. Routledge Handbook of the Chinese Diaspora, edited by Chee-Beng Tan, suggests Suey Sin was a Chinese woman working in the film industry in Los Angeles in the 1920s. So, not pre-war Shanghai, or a 'call girl', but the timing is right. On the walls of the venue, there is also a collage of Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong who, during her illustrious career, was passed over for a role playing a Chinese woman by MGM in 1935 in favour of German actress, Luise Rainer. Compounding the backlash the venue has faced, management has taken to deleting negative comments and reviews from their Facebook page (a significantly problematic no-no), and offering a pallid ghost of an apology that focuses on their mission to "create a venue that focuses on delicious Asian fusion inspired street style food and creative beverages for all to enjoy". The apology doesn't touch on the issues with the thematics and styling of the venue from whence the backlash originated. From the mural (and bar logo) featuring a naked woman, to the implication that rampant prostitution that catered for increased global trade (and traders) in China at the time was "seductive" and "alluring", public opinion has been that the bar ignores the fact that portraying Chinese women as nothing more than sex objects is damaging to both Chinese culture, and to the cultural status of women. Here are the staff in their Suey Sins uniform: And, for the record, this is how the bar is marketing their menu on Instagram (and quietly, mie goreng is Indonesian. Mee goreng is the Malaysian spelling of an Indonesian dish, although the dish is, granted, derived from Chinese chow mein): MEE-please, MEE-so hungry, MEE-Goreng Spring Rolls! Another Suey Signature dish #sueysins A post shared by Suey Sins (@sueysins) on Mar 16, 2017 at 1:27am PDT Chinese history during the 1920s is not best characterised as "sexy" or "old world", but is instead more appropriately viewed through the lens of the warring political ideologies that shaped the country. In 1923, civil war started brewing as Chinese nationalists clashed with the growing Communist party. The civil war, in part, came about as a result of the power vacuum left by the abdication of the last emperor, Puyi, in 1912. The last Qing emperor's abdication led to decades of warlord factionalism and a civil war that technically still hasn't ended. It would be unfair and incorrect to suggest that West intended for her bar to offend, as it's always a bad business to open a venue that people won't like. However, considering the reaction the public has had, current debates surrounding the alteration of Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, Hollywood 'whitewashing' in films such as Ghost in the Shell, and the misrepresentation of women in both media and society, offence has been caused and documented, despite the dubious strategy of removing negative comments on social media. At the time of writing, The Social Group, who runs the publicity for Suey Sins, informed us that the venue did not wish to comment at this stage. UPDATE MARCH 25, 2017: Routledge Handbook of the Chinese Diaspora, edited by Chee-Beng Tan, suggests Suey Sin was a Chinese woman working in the film industry in Los Angeles in the 1920s. So, not pre-war Shanghai, or a 'call girl', but the timing is right. This article has been updated to reflect this.
Intelligent machines that interact with humans have long been a sci-fi staple in books, cartoons and film. Whether the future will hold the doe-eyed Haley Joel Osment of Artificial Intelligence or the all-destroying Terminator is still the stuff of fiction, but the fact is thinking machines are already among us, watching us, and telling us what to drink. Japanese beverage company JR East Water Business Co. have created the ultimate in customer service with the Acure vending machine. This oversized box can be found on train platforms in Shinagawa and Tokyo. It boasts a 47-inch touch screen and a camera that uses inbuilt technology to detect sensory data, including the age and sex of the individual standing before it. When the hi-tech device is idle it engages in its 'intelligent marketing system' whereby advertisements relevant to the season, weather and time of day are displayed. If it’s a cold winter’s eve you can expect a nice warm cup of cocoa tempting you on its LCD. While it offers demographically targeted drink selections it also collects marketing data, which is stored and then collated by the company. Launching their first Acure vending machine in August 2010, they already know the most frequent users of the device are men in their 30s and that an inordinate number of juices are bought by them at night. [Via Hypebeast]
With its frames filled with teenagers and 20-somethings driving across America in search of a different life, watching American Honey feels like tagging along on a road trip. Many movies have charted characters coming of age as they traverse streets and highways and varying landscapes, but, with this film, Fish Tank and Wuthering Heights writer-director Andrea Arnold wants audiences to feel — rather than simply observe — the journey that results. "It's like an experience, rather than like a film," offers actor Riley Keough. After rocking out in The Runaways, racing through the desert in Mad Max: Fury Road, and starring in the television remake of The Girlfriend Experience, Keough plays the tough-talking, no-nonsense, money-focused Krystal, the leader of a crew that ventures from town to town and door to door selling magazine subscriptions. Jake (Shia LaBeouf) is the closest she has to a second-in-charge — and he's the reason that 18-year-old Star (Sasha Lane) decides to join the group, lured in by his charm, epic rat-tail and Rihanna-inspired dance moves. Theirs is a careening trek, with Star's entry into this brave new world the focal point. Mile by mile, they encounter privilege and poverty, kind and cruel passers-by, and new revelations about themselves and others, all set to an eclectic rock, pop and hip hop soundtrack. Populated by a mostly non-professional cast (who largely improvise dialogue), Arnold's film was shot on the road and in sequence — meaning that it replicates reality as much as possible. With American Honey now screening in Australian cinemas, we spoke with Keough about living rather than acting her part, seeking out complicated roles and making a movie that touches people. ON WANTING TO BE A PART OF AMERICAN HONEY "Well, I heard that Andrea [Arnold] was making a film, and I was a really huge fan of her. And I went and met the casting person, and it was a bit of a different casting experience. I was just kind of, I was very persistent on wanting to do everything I could to be able to be in this film, I guess. I knew that she liked to work with non-actors. I knew it was going to be wild. I knew it was going to be like, you know, a once in a lifetime kind of experience. So I was just kind of like, 'I'll do anything I can to come with you.'" ON MAKING A MOVIE IN SEQUENCE ON THE ROAD "She [Arnold] gave us a situation where we were allowed to just exist as these people, and it wasn't like something that a movie normally is. You kind of just had to take it day by day, and see what happens. It was like she was writing our lives for us, sort of, day by day. It was in sequence, and we wouldn't know what was happening until the day of. I don't think any day was the same. You get picked up, you go do your thing, you go back to your motel. There was no line or boundary between anything really. It was all just kind of what you see in the film. Everything she captured was real. I don't think people really knew either when she was rolling and when she wasn't." ON ACTING WITHOUT FEELING LIKE ACTING "There weren't really any acting choices. The thing is, when you're acting with non-actors or children, you can't really have an acting choice. You can't really act. You're forced to really open up to the scenario, which is what I think everyone's looking for, which is non-acting. You know what I mean? If I could do it on every film, I would, because it's what you're looking for when you're working with actors on every film. Because for us to be fully present and spontaneous and not have to have any attention on anything going on around us — it's a really magical thing to me. I prefer it that way, because there's not a lot of thought, there's not a lot of heavy intellectualising about every single thing that's happening. It just kind of really allowed us to exist in the moment and not feel like you're making a movie, which is kind of what you're always trying to not feel like, you know." ON SEEKING OUT STRONG, INTERESTING DEPICTIONS OF WOMEN "I definitely try to avoid a cookie cutter woman at all costs, just because I don't find that interesting. The normal characters that are written for women that are a bit two-dimensional — I definitely want to avoid that because I don't like doing that. I don't think any woman likes that. It's just like, a lot of the types of roles that are written for women are supporting the narrative in some way, and writers don't really want to go in deep on who these people are. And Andrea's amazing at that, in all of her films. Every little person, you know, they're so complicated. I think that's what makes her films so full of life. I look for something that I've never done before, whether it's the tone of the film, or the style or the character, or all of it. Just things I haven't done before, you know. But also, I like strong women." ON REACTIONS TO THE FILM "I have a lot of people walk up to me on the street or in the store and be like 'American Honey!'. I can see it in their eyes, how much they enjoyed watching the film. And I've never had that as an actress before. I have a couple of times, with Fury Road and GFE [The Girlfriend Experience], but with American Honey it was in a different way. I could tell it really touched people in the way that films touched me when I was teenager. I think it really touches people's sort of core. And that, to me, we've done something to the audience, which is kind of what you're always trying to achieve. So, I don't know how to really describe it, but it's kind of like what we always want to be doing with art. I think it happens a lot with singers, where they see sort of a more clear version of it. They listen to your song, and people are like 'oh this song got me through this thing.' It's very like clear version of art touching someone in a way, and I think American Honey is really getting to that sort of place in people's souls. It's just been a really cool thing to watch." American Honey is now screening in Australian cinemas. You can read our review here.
Thanks to Serial, Making a Murderer, Dirty John and Zac Efron's recent role as serial killer Ted Bundy, true crime might feel like a relatively new trend. With all manner of podcasts, shows and movies devoted to the topic these days, the genre is certainly enjoying an extended moment in the spotlight — but grim real-life tales didn't just begin with the case of Adnan Syed. Around the same time that everyone was obsessing over Serial's first season, Aussie television was turning one of the country's most notorious cases into a two-part drama, with Catching Milat the end result. Dramatising the NSW backpacker murders of 1989–1993, as well as the hunt of now-convicted killer Ivan Milat, it aired on Channel Seven back in May 2015. If you missed it, or you're a new true crime obsessive, it's now on Stan. You can revisit the mini-series — with Malcom Kennard as Milat, Sacha Horler as his ex-wife Karen, Leeanna Walsman as his sister Shirley, and Richard Cawthorne, Geoff Morrell, David Field and Craig Hall as the cops on the case. It's worth noting that Catching Milat is a work of drama — and while it's not as fictionalised as Wolf Creek, which writer/director Greg McLean noted was partly inspired by Milat, it's definitely not a documentary either. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_g7cHhCBCs You can watch Catching Milat on Stan here. Updated: May 9, 2019.
What do perusing the inaugural SXSW Sydney conference program and scrolling through Netflix have in common? Artificial intelligence, cybernetics, tech-enhanced dating, social media's ups and downs, science fiction-esque healthcare applications, digital afterlives and interactive gaming all feature in both — and the list goes on. On the streaming platform, you'll find the above in Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror. Since starting with a squeal in 2011, the British anthology series has become pop culture's go-to place for futuristic visions dripping with unease. It ponders what might come, often with prophetic insight, and imagines how humanity's use of any given gadget or advancement will bring out our worst impulses. No one is going home from SXSW Sydney with nightmares, of course. Still, it couldn't be a better place for the creator of Black Mirror to dive into the latest in tech and future innovations. He's one of the keynote speakers at the first-ever SXSW outside of Austin, Texas since it was founded in 1987, getting chatting in an interview-style discussion about his hit series, its ideas and what fascinates him about technology. "Luckily I don't have to deliver a speech," he tells Concrete Playground after freshly arriving in Sydney. "When you say 'keynote speaker', I always get a stab of fear like an anxiety dream where you haven't done your homework, because I have not prepared a speech. So I'm just going to answer questions as off the cuff as I can." [caption id="attachment_922397" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] From the moment that Brooker was added to the SXSW Sydney lineup, joining a bill that also features Chance The Rapper celebrating 50 years of hip hop and Future Today Institute CEO Amy Webb musing on tomorrow's possibilities — plus literally hundreds of other speakers and sessions — the two seemed a dream pairing. Somehow, this is the first time that Brooker and SXSW have connected at all. "I've not been to South by Southwest in the States. I've not been there, and I've never been to Sydney before, either," he explains. "So these are two firsts for me happening concurrently, so that's very exciting, and I'm intrigued to see what it's all about." As well as Brooker's in-conversation session on Wednesday, October 18, SXSW Sydney is about everything from streaming algorithms to simulations. True crime features on the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival lineup, too — but no, even with the two clearly sharing plenty of fields of interest, the event isn't happening inside the latest and sixth season of Black Mirror that arrived this past June. [caption id="attachment_917938" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netflix[/caption] What should get fans of Brooker's work particularly buzzing is his SXSW Sydney plans beyond regaling an audience. On the list for the former video gaming journalist, satirist, Wipe franchise host, creator of both Big Brother-but-zombies gem Dead Set and the Cunk mockumentaries, and the reason that Netflix also has choose-your-own-adventure-style interactive short Cat Burglar in its catalogue: "digging into obviously the screen side of things, and also the video games and technology side of things". Will the next season of Black Mirror find its basis in SXSW Sydney's talks upon talks? Will Sydney inspire a new Philomena Cunk instalment after this year's Cunk on Earth? And how does someone navigate a tech, innovation, ideas, music, screen and gaming conference when they gave the world a series that's become synonymous with tech anxiety? As Brooker soaked in the Harbour City's weather — "it seems like there's about ten times the amount of light here, whereas in Britain it always feels a bit like it's on eco-saving mode" — he told us about all of the above, plus marvelling at getting to talk to anyone about Black Mirror, being mistaken for being anti-technology and his dream to make a Black Mirror game. [caption id="attachment_922398" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] ON DISCUSSING BLACK MIRROR AT SXSW — AND STILL MARVELLING AT THE SHOW'S IMPACT Ask Brooker if he ever imagined that Black Mirror would bring him to SXSW's stage and he's emphatic that it didn't even cross his mind. "I didn't conceive that I would be talking to anyone about it other than myself, so I'm amazed and delighted that I can talk to anyone about the show. I wouldn't have foreseen it at all," he advises. "Our first episode, the story of that is quite divisive. Certainly way back yonder when doing the very first episodes of the very first series, at that point I thought 'wow, this is never going to…'. I just, in my head, assumed it would only ever be of interest colloquially in Britain." "It's been astonishing that the show has travelled, as they say, or it's got legs or whatever you want — global reach, whatever you call it. That is constantly startling to me." "I've come here to Sydney, so I'm on the other side of the world from where I normally am. I don't often go out of London, basically. I'm a writer, so I spend most of my time sitting typing in in West London. And so I have to occasionally check myself. I think it's weird I've flown all the way to Sydney, Australia, and I can talk to people who've heard of the show. That's quite odd — that does my head in." ON BLACK MIRROR BECOMING SHORTHAND FOR TECH ANXIETIES, DYSTOPIA AND NIGHTMARES It's inspired by The Twilight Zone. It surveys the tech landscape. It's famed for predicting everything from Prime Minister pig scandals to social currency systems. And it features a spectacular cast, with Daniel Kaluuya (Nope), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Loki), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Sarah Snook (Succession), Andrew Scott (Fleabag), Annie Murphy (Schitt's Creek), Salma Hayek (Magic Mike's Last Dance), Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Breaking Bad co-stars Aaron Paul and Jesse Plemons, and Miley Cyrus are just some of its stars. Black Mirror isn't just a series that the entire world knows about, though. It has become a term itself. That too isn't something that Brooker ever anticipated. "It is weird. It's an odd thing to have done. I remember the first time I really thought 'ohh okay, this has entered common vernacular in ways beyond the reach of the show itself'. I think it was in 2016 that somebody said, 'hey, did you see Hillary Clinton just referred to something as being a bit Black Mirror?'. And I thought 'oh my god, that's a bit Black Mirror in itself'." "So it's weird. Actually, the only aspect of that I find frustrating is when people assume I'm going to be anti-tech or that I'm some Luddite who thinks we should smash all computers up with his shoe, because I'm actually quite pro-technology. It would be the worst job if you hated technology, doing Black Mirror, because a lot of it involves thinking about product design of some gizmo or other that someone's going to use to wreck their own life. What it's showing is that it's human foibles that are the problem, not the amazing tool that is technology in and of itself." "So that's the only aspect I find frightening. That said, I love it if people are going say, 'oh, that's a bit Black Mirror' about some new Samsung fridge that comes out that sings to you every time you pour milk from it. That's all free publicity for me." ON POTENTIALLY FINDING NEW BLACK MIRROR OR PHILOMENA CUNK IDEAS AT SXSW SYDNEY Anyone who's ever watched Black Mirror is always wondering what's coming next, whether the series is dropping an interactive film such as 2019's Bandersnatch or years have passed between seasons (four from 2019's fifth season to 2023's sixth, for instance). If you've seen Cunk on Earth and its predecessors Cunk on Shakespeare, Cunk on Christmas and Cunk on Britain, the same train of thought applies. Perhaps SXSW Sydney might inspire the next chapter in both Brooker-created shows. "I was thinking we should send Cunk here, because we're always looking for nice filming locations, apart from anything else. And I know Diane [Morgan, who has played Philomena Cunk since 2013–15's Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe] hates it when it's cold. That's her main complaint — she doesn't like being anywhere cold." "Hopefully I'll go home with a head full of all sorts of things. It's interesting because, like I say, it's a new experience for me being here — and then we're also we're going to travel a bit over the next week." "I'm looking forward to digging into the video games and VR side of things that are going on the South by Southwest, partly because I used to be a video games journalist — so I'm also very interested in all of that as well." ON EXPLORING INTERACTIVE AND GAMIFIED STORYTELLING WITH BLACK MIRROR: BANDERSNATCH — AND THE DREAM OF MAKING A BLACK MIRROR GAME A series about technological possibilities, Black Mirror fills its frames with new gadgets and inventions — and new evolutions of today's tech as well. As Black Mirror: Bandersnatch showed when it had audiences pushing buttons to guide a gaming programmer through his decisions, Brooker's hit also likes tinkering with its own technology. He'd like to do more. "I'd love to do a sort of full-bore video game, as it were. With Bandersnatch, actually the original design was even more explicitly game-y than the finished thing ended up being. There were going to be achievements you could unlock, and stuff like this. And it was structured a bit more like an escape room puzzle that you had to solve," he explains. [caption id="attachment_922399" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kevin Lake[/caption] "It feels like it's a very different skill set. I think the most-impressive video games that I encounter tend to be, when they tell a story, they tell it in a way that you couldn't do in any other medium. So I'm thinking of games like Lucas Pope — he did a game called Papers, Please and a game called Return of the Obra Dinn." "Those are both fascinating and very different, but really interesting forms of storytelling. I think all scriptwriters should sit down with those games and see how they tell a story in a very deceptive way — they're puzzles, but they tell quite complex stories." "I'm in awe of that sort of thing. I don't think I probably have the skillset to be able to think that way. But I'd love to see a full a full-blown Black Mirror video game. That'd be great." Charlie Brooker in Conversation takes place at SXSW Sydney at 1pm on Wednesday, October 18 in the Pyrmont Theatre at ICC Sydney, 14 Darling Drive, Sydney. SXSW Sydney runs from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22, and SXSW Sydney Screen Festival from Sunday, October 15–Saturday, October 21. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Black Mirror streams via Netflix. Read our review of season six. Cunk on Earth also streams via Netflix. Read our review. Top image: Netflix.
If you like music and skiing, Snow Machine has served up a winning combination of the two since 2020. It takes place in chilly climes. It enlists a heap of top-notch talent to provide the tunes. And, as it soundtracks a snow-filled week, it plays out like a massive frosty party. For Australians, it also boasts another huge drawcard: getting you to take an overseas alpine holiday. When Snow Machine first debuted its savvy mix, it did so in Japan. Then came an expansion to Queenstown in New Zealand in 2022, where it's still going strong and will return come September 2024. Thinking ahead to the colder weather in the northern hemisphere in 2025, the fest has not only locked in its plans for Hakuba, its OG home, but is expanding to Niseko as well. Snow Machine has also unveiled the lineup for its two next Japanese dates, with Hakuba first up from Tuesday, March 4–Sunday, March 9, then Niseko from Monday, March 10–Saturday, March 15. Chase & Status leads the bill in both locations, with Action Bronson, Hot Chip doing a DJ set, Melanie C, A-Trak and Ken Ishii among the other names. Attendees will catch a club set from Bob Moses as well, plus DJ sets from each of Jungle and Sbtrkt. The roster of talent keeps going from there with Claptone, Cyril, Dillon Francis, DJ Kentaro, DJ Nobu & Wata Igarashi, Horse Meat Disco, Jimi the Kween, Monorochrome and Riton — plus Vintage Culture in Niseko only. Snow Machine Japan might next return when autumn will be kicking off Down Under, but it's one helluva excuse for a getaway during Japan's snow season. No matter where it's taking place, this is the hottest festival for the colder months, treating festivalgoers to action-packed days on the slopes, après ski events and its hefty lineup of international acts against an idyllic backdrop. And, because this is Japan, onsen trips, sake aplenty and yakitori bites are usually also on offer. Other than the wintry setting, one of the things that sets Snow Machine apart from other music fests is being able to book your entire getaway with your ticket. Packages span five or seven nights of accommodation, and include a festival ticket across the entire event, plus a four-day lift pass for Goryu & Hakuba 47, Tsugaike, Iwatake, Happo, Norikura and Cortina in Hakuba — and Niseko United in Niseko. A word of warning: unsurprisingly, the packages are popular. Although the Snow Machine Japan 2025 lineup has only just been announced, packages are already 70-percent sold out. If you're keen to take care of your own place to slumber and just nab a festival ticket, that's an option as well — via both day and four-day passes. Snow Machine Japan 2025 Locations and Dates: Tuesday, March 4–Sunday, March 9 — Hakuba Monday, March 10–Saturday, March 15 — Niseko Snow Machine Japan 2025 Lineup: Chase & Status A-Trak Action Bronson Bob Moses (club set) Claptone Cyril Dillon Francis DJ Kentaro DJ Nobu & Wata Igarashi Horse Meat Disco Hot Chip (DJ set) Jimi the Kween Jungle (DJ set) Ken Ishii Melanie C Monorochrome Riton Sbtrkt (DJ set) Vintage Culture (Niseko only) Snow Machine Japan 2025 will be held across Tuesday, March 4–Sunday, March 9 in Hakuba and Monday, March 10–Saturday, March 15 in Niseko. For more information and tickets, visit the festival's website. Images: Pat Stevenson. 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.
For over a decade, Blackbird has been a go-to spot in Brisbane for a top-quality steak, stylish cocktail and excellent river views. Now, the family-owned Ghanem Group is bringing this award-winning concept to Melbourne, with an attention-grabbing three-level site in the heart of the CBD. Coming soon to the Collins Place precinct, this second Blackbird location will maintain the essence of the original while adopting a distinctive Melburnian edge. It'll be the hospo group's third venue in Melbourne — it already counts Collingwood's American barbecue spot Le Bon Ton and the sleek riverside Lebanese venue Byblos as part of its southern stable. "We believe this is the right time and place for our Melbourne expansion," says Ghanem Group CEO, Vianna Joseph. "Blackbird Brisbane has just celebrated its tenth anniversary and has more than proved its credentials, gaining loyal corporate and leisure clientele, including many Victorian visitors. Bringing Blackbird to their own city makes perfect sense." With a June opening on the cards, a full-scale renovation of the space is being led by Gold Coast-based Space Cubed Design Studio, which has also designed a number of Ghanem Group's stylish Queensland venues including Donna Chang and Boom Boom Room. Encompassing a sophisticated restaurant, bar and event space, the refined offer is expected to slot effortlessly into the 'Paris end' of Collins Street. Blackbird Melbourne will feature an interior aesthetic rich in dark, moody tones and contrasting textures set against murals contemporary artwork. At street level, an intimate cocktail bar invites guests to find a comfy spot on a sunken lounge, plush banquette or an upholstered armchair, creating an intimate escape from the bustling Flinders Lane. Rising through the levels via a central staircase, you'll find eye-catching chandeliers, mirrored ceilings and an expansive, split-level dining space awash with tonal charcoal hues. This striking setting is the perfect backdrop for executive chef Jake Nicolson's menu. A Victorian native, Nicolson — whose impressive resume includes stints at Daylesford's Lake House and the now-closed St Kilda fine-diner Circa — will highlight premium ingredients such as Josper-grilled and dry-aged meats, fresh seafood, and seasonal vegetables, showcasing the best of Victorian produce. Plus, select ingredients sourced from Queensland will pay homage to the restaurant's origins. "I am very much looking forward to rekindling and building upon the great relationships with growers and producers I had formed during my early years in Victoria," says Nicolson (pictured below). "Showcasing the best of each season's bounty, and combining the very best produce from Victoria and Queensland for all to celebrate through the menus at Blackbird Melbourne is very exciting." Blackbird Melbourne is scheduled for a June opening at Collins Place, 66 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. Check back for updates or head to the venue's website for more information. Images: Markus Ravik.
Feeling hemmed into the daily grind without much respite? It's time to break free from our own four walls in favour of spectacular scenery. If you have your sights set on a New South Wales getaway, we've found eight other-worldly spots that'll leave you spellbound — from extraterrestrial-esque terrains to luminous caves, jewel-coloured oceans and prehistoric forests. Here are some must-visit sites for your next NSW holiday that'll have you falling back in love with your own backyard. Due to extreme weather events, some places mentioned may be closed or operating differently. Check websites before making plans to visit. [caption id="attachment_802265" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] DISCOVER THE MARS-LIKE LANDSCAPES OF MUNGO NATIONAL PARK You'll feel like you're on a space expedition wandering around the wind-sculpted sand dunes and millenia-old rock formations of this World Heritage-listed site. It's home to the 40,000-to-42,000-year-old Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, some of the oldest modern human remains discovered outside of Africa. Dive into the park's history at the Mungo Visitor Centre and learn about the cultural heritage of the area, which is shared by the region's Indigenous landowners, the Paakantji, Ngiyampaa and Mutthi Mutthi people. Choose a walking, biking or driving route to explore the blazing red earth landscapes and vast, dry lakebed. Visitors can stay in the park's two campgrounds or the historic Mungo Shearers' Quarters, but numbers are limited. Or, find more accommodation in the nearby towns of Mildura and Balranald. It's quite the drive from Sydney — a solid ten or so hours — so, if you'd rather cut the highway drive, consider flying to Mildura or Griffith. [caption id="attachment_802263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SWIM IN THE SAPPHIRE SEAS OF MIMOSA ROCKS NATIONAL PARK Pack your camp gear, fishing rods and multiple sets of swimmers and visit this Sapphire Coast gem. You'll find idyllic inlets like Nelson Beach or Moon Bay, perfect for swimming, surfing and fishing. Picnickers and those prepared to paddle with a canoe or kayak should head to Nelson Lagoon. Or, if it's sea life you seek, stroll along the walking track to Wajurda Point lookout and spy whales and dolphins among the endless blue. Park your pack at the campgrounds at Gillards, Picnic Point or Middle Beach for a canvas room with an ocean view. Or, you can book the historic Myer House by Lake Wapengo for up to 12 people. The nearby towns of Bermagui and Merimbula are good spots to stay for the less intrepid, too — and you can even fly straight into the latter if you're short on time. [caption id="attachment_802357" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] CHECK OUT A JAW-DROPPING CANYON AT CAPERTEE VALLEY Regular Blue Mountains visitors and new explorers alike will be awestruck by the Capertee Valley, the second-largest canyon in the world. The mighty sandstone escarpment drops into a deep chasm of bush and grasslands that's a hiker's haven. If you're not so keen on climbing, easily accessible vantage points such as Pearsons Lookout let you gaze upon magnificent formations like Pantoneys Crown – a flat-topped monolith structure — without all the work. Campers can set up at the main grounds by the Capertee River, or you can find charming private accommodation around the valley, including three bubble tents with 360-degree views and outdoor woodfired baths. [caption id="attachment_802277" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SNORKEL WITH SEALS AT WILDLIFE HAVEN BARUNGUBA (MONTAGUE ISLAND) Another jewel in the Sapphire Coast's crown is Barunguba, aka Montague Island, nine kilometres off the coast of Narooma. The nature reserve is home to a colony of fur seals, thousands of little penguins, more than 90 bird species and regular whale and dolphin visitors. This tiny island offers plenty of activities, from snorkelling and scuba diving to touring the lighthouse, fishing for tuna and marlin or wildlife spotting on the island walking track. The island can only be reached on a guided tour or if you book accommodation on the island, and all visitors must be over the age of five. The Montague Island Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage sleeps up to twelve people while the Lighthouse Assistant Keeper's Cottage sleeps seven. Either way, you'll more or less have the island to yourself. [caption id="attachment_802275" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] WANDER THROUGH ENCHANTED GARDENS AT DISTILLERY BOTANICA Get to know the botanicals that make a G&T really pop at this distillery hidden within three acres of lush gardens on the Central Coast. Take a turn around the leafy grounds where owner and herbalist Philip Moore grows ingredients for Distillery Botanica's range of gins, liqueurs and vodkas. Then, settle in for a tasting session at the distillery door, followed by a garden-inspired meal at the on-site eatery, Bar Botanica. Once you're done, bottle up the day and take it with you by purchasing your favourite spirits. Sure, you could just visit on a day trip but, with the Central Coast offering up pristine beaches, national parks and next-level food and drink options, it'd be remiss not to extend your stay. [caption id="attachment_802543" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] TIME TRAVEL WITH SERIOUS GONDWANA VIBES AT DORRIGO NATIONAL PARK The climbing vines and giant rainforest ferns of Dorrigo National Park are Jurassic Park-level. Drive an hour inland from Coffs Harbour and you'll feel like you're walking with dinosaurs as you hike past 600-year-old trees or brave the suspension bridge to feel the spray at Crystal Shower Falls. Well-kept boardwalks lead to uninterrupted views across the rainforest canopy and provide perfect birdwatching platforms. If a cool-down dip is in order, head to Dangar Falls where a crater within undulating farmland has produced a 30-metre waterfall cascading into a pristine swimming hole. If you're coming from the city, it's about a six-hour car ride, or you can fly into Coffs Harbour. Where to stay? The quaint, colourful town of Bellingen is just 30 minutes from the park and has plenty of accommodation — from campgrounds to luxe farmstays. [caption id="attachment_790432" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Tran via Department of Planning, Industry and Environment[/caption] HEAD ON LUMINOUS ADVENTURES THROUGH GLOW WORM TUNNEL The creeping ferns shrouding the entrance to the Blue Mountains' Glow Worm Tunnel provide a mystical air to this historic site reclaimed by nature. Speak in whispers and keep the lights low once you enter, and an army of glow worms will create a constellation of blue light along the surface of the 400-metre tunnel. This dreamy experience in Wollemi National Park is an easy one-kilometre walk from the car park at the end of Glow Worm Tunnel Road. If you'd prefer a guided tour, Blue Mountains Glow Worm Tours offers one-hour expeditions for $65. Beyond the transformed railway tunnel, you can explore the park's lush rainforests and stunning rock formations, all within an hour's drive from Lithgow. [caption id="attachment_802550" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wollongong Botanic Garden[/caption] TRAIPSE THE TRANQUIL GROUNDS OF WOLLONGONG BOTANIC GARDEN Just over an hour's drive south of Sydney, Wollongong thrums with an element of city bustle. But all that drains away once you enter the grounds of the Wollongong Botanic Garden. The peaceful rainforest-like oasis has semi-arid succulents and delicate rose gardens that have been carefully cultivated for 50 years. Horticultural enthusiasts can spend hours exploring the flora — some local to the Illawarra and many more from as far as Japan, Africa and North America. It all sits at the foot of the escarpment under the watchful gaze of Mount Keira. You can head to the summit lookout for views across the city and Wollongong's glistening coastline, too. If you are looking for more places to feel free in New South Wales, head to visitnsw.com. Top image: Dorrigo National Park, Destination NSW
You can put a beloved animated series into cryogenic stasis, but someone is going to thaw it out one day. In Futurama's case, US streaming platform Hulu has announced plans to defrost the Matt Groening-created show about life in the 31st century, marking the second time that it has been brought back. Originally airing from 1999–2003, the futuristic animated series then returned from 2008–2013 — and now it'll be revived again in 2023. Obviously, in the words of Professor Hubert J Farnsworth: good news, everyone! Hulu has announced a new 20-episode run for Futurama, as well as the return of most of the original voice cast. That means that you'll be spending more time with Philip J Fry (voiced by Billy West), the 20th-century pizza delivery guy who managed to get accidentally cryogenically frozen on New Year's Eve 1999, only to defrost a thousand years later — and then get a job delivering packages with Planet Express, the cargo company run by Farnsworth, his distant nephew. It also means more antics with one-eyed Planet Express captain Turanga Leela (Katey Sagal); fellow company employees Hermes Conrad (Phil LaMarr), Amy Wong (Lauren Tom) and Zoidberg (also West); and everyone from self-obsessed starship captain Zapp Brannigan (West again) and his amphibious 4th Lieutenant Kif Kroker (Maurice LaMarche) through to scheming corporation owner Mom (Tress MacNeille). One key cast member who hasn't yet been confirmed for the Futurama revival: John DiMaggio, aka the voice of constantly sauced robot Bender Bending Rodríguez. Variety reports that it's still hoped that DiMaggio will return for this trip back to the animated future, but if that doesn't happen, Bender will be recast. Whoever will be exclaiming "bite my shiny metal ass!", Futurama will keep doing what it did hilariously well over its past seven seasons and four direct-to-DVD movies: peering at life in the year at 3000 and beyond in its offbeat way. "I'm thrilled to have another chance to think about the future... or really anything other than the present," said David X Cohen, Futurama's head writer and executive producer, in Hulu's announcement. "It's a true honour to announce the triumphant return of Futurama one more time before we get canceled abruptly again," added The Simpsons great Matt Groening. Viewers Down Under can likely expect to watch the new Futurama via Disney+, given that the Mouse House owns Hulu and airs Hulu shows in Australia and New Zealand via its Star expansion — but expect further specifics to be confirmed, alongside a premiere date, as 2023 approaches. New episodes of Futurama are set to air in 2023 — we'll update you with further details, including where you'll be able to watch Down Under, when they're announced.
When it was announced back in 2016 that Moulin Rouge! was being turned into a stage musical, fans around the world thought the same thing in unison: the show must go on. Since then, the lavish production premiered in the US in 2018, then hit Broadway in 2019, and also announced that it'd head Down Under in 2021 — and if you're an Aussie worried about whether the latter would actually happen after 2020's chaos, the same mantra thankfully applies to its planned Melbourne season. After the Australian production put out a casting call for auditions late in 2020 — and, in the process, revealed that it was working towards June rehearsals and August previews as part of its timeline — it has been confirmed that Moulin Rouge! The Musical will indeed hit Melbourne's stage in the second half of this year. So, from Friday, August 13, you'll be able to watch the spectacular show at Melbourne's revamped Regent Theatre. Based on Baz Luhrmann's award-winning movie, the stage musical brings to life the famed Belle Époque tale of young composer Christian and his heady romance with Satine, actress and star of the legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret. Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, the film is known for its soundtrack, celebrating iconic tunes from across the past five decades. The stage version carries on the legacy, backing those favourites with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the movie premiered. Indeed, when Moulin Rouge! The Musical makes its Aussie debut this year, it'll help mark the movie's 20th anniversary year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p68Q1G1A_k4&feature=emb_logo The musical is heading to Melbourne in the hands of production company Global Creatures, along with the Victorian Government. The Government is also a big player behind the Regent's upgrade works, having dropped a cool $14.5 million towards the $19.4 million project. It co-owns the site, along with the City of Melbourne. At present Moulin Rouge! The Musical's season will run through until at least December, with general public tickets going on sale from 9am AEDT on Friday, February 19 for performances up until Sunday, December 5. You might want to get in quickly if you're keen on heading along, though — when pre-sale tickets were put up for grabs on Monday, February 15, they broke the Regent Theatre's record for the most pre-sale tickets sold in a single day. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will hit The Regent Theatre, at 191 Collins Street, Melbourne from Friday, August 13. General public tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster from 9am AEDT on Friday, February 19 — and for further details, head to the production's website. Moulin Rouge! The Musical image: Matthew Murphy.
Afloat is dropping anchor in the Yarra River this month — and for its milestone tenth edition, it's all about the rhythms, flavours and flair of Rio de Janeiro. From Friday, August 29, the ever-changing floating bar and restaurant will reopen with a brand-new look, feel and menu, all inspired by the colour and energy of the Brazilian seaside city. Afloat has built its reputation on full-scale annual reinventions, with each season channelling a different international escape, from the Amalfi Coast to Palm Springs. For Afloat's 2025–6 edition, HQ Group (also behind permanent riverside hangout Arbory and multi-venue Lonsdale Street precinct HER) is drawing inspiration from Carioca spirit, with Carnival colour, a stacked events lineup and a menu brimming with bold, tropical flavours. [caption id="attachment_1015765" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arianna Leggiero[/caption] The venue has undergone a complete design overhaul — interior designer Emily Jamieson has drawn from what she calls the "alluring paradox" of Rio's "old-world glamour and super-chill beach vibes". Expect expansive umbrellas in lush rainforest greens, ocean-hued awnings and bars built from natural materials like wood, rope and rattan, as well as plenty of tropical plants and palms, hand-painted murals and pops of sunset pink and orange throughout. The drinks program is similarly colourful. Curated by HQ Group's Head of Cocktails, Tom Younger, and the team at the group's RTD offer Straight Up Cocktails, the menu features fun, flirty and fruit-forward sips like a passionfruit pisco sour, coconut water and vodka highball and a reaimgined long island iced tea. There'll also be a rotating selection of three frozen cocktails that might include the likes of mango batidas, piña coladas and strawberry and açai daiquiris. The food menu takes its cues from Brazil's rich multicultural culinary traditions, showcasing Portuguese, African and Japanese influences. There'll also be classic Brazilian fare, from snacky beachside faves like arepas and pastels to larger-format proteins cooked on the grill. Of course, it wouldn't be Afloat — or a trip to Rio — without a party or two. This season, Afloat will channel the energy of Rio Carnival with samba nights and full-venue parties going into the small hours. [caption id="attachment_1015764" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Griffin Simm[/caption] Afloat opens for walk-ins on Friday, August 29, with reservations available from Friday, September 5, onwards. For more information and to book, visit the venue's website. Top image: Arianna Leggiero.
Mercedes-Benz drivers will soon be able to send text messages, listen to music, change radio channels and update their status on social networks right from the front seat of their car. The company recently announced that they will be integrating Apple’s Siri interface into the electronics systems in their vehicles, allowing drivers to access their iPhone apps using voice commands alone. Mercedes-Benz is the first carmaker to use Apple’s Siri voice command technology in their vehicles. The program, to be known as Drive Kit Plus, will translate the iPhone’s screen onto the in-car system screen, and will come with popular apps such as Twitter, Facebook and Aupeo Personal Radio pre-installed. The new in-car feature will launch next month at the 2012 Geneva auto show. [via PSFK]
Listen up and mark your calendars: Melbourne Food & Wine Festival has announced a stellar lineup of over 200 events and experiences for the 2026 program, which will run from Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 29. The ten-day program includes events across regional Victoria, features famous international chefs through a Global Dining Series, and, as always, showcases Victorian restaurants, chefs, growers and makers. One of the big-ticket items announced for this year is the CAKE PICNIC, a global sensation hailing from San Francisco, which makes its southern hemisphere debut as part of the 2026 program. The proposition is simple: bring a cake, and eat a lot of cake. Fouder, Elisa Sunga, says, "I am so excited to bring CAKE PICNIC to Melbourne. I am looking forward to seeing what flavours and styles Australia's bakers bring to the table. I've heard only great things about Melbourne's food scene, so my excitement is at a high." The CAKE PICNIC will be held at Kings Domain on Saturday, March 21, however, you'll need to get in quick. The last San Francisco event sold out its 2000 tickets in under a minute. Another headline event, which has been running since 1993, is the annual World's Longest Lunch, set to capitalise on the wave of reinvigorated Greek dining that has swept across Melbourne over the last few years. The three-course meal, offered to 1600 guests, will be served by author Ella Mittas, Alex Xinis from Yarraville sensation Tzaki, and the crew from CBD hotspot Kafeneion. The Greek-themed lunch will be held at Kings Domain on Friday, March 20. "Here, try this. A Greek-themed World's Longest Lunch! The global sensation that is CAKE PICNIC! And everyone's favourite author and baker Helen Goh. There is so much to be excited by in the 2026 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival," says Anthea Loucas Bosha, CEO of Food + Drink Victoria. "I'm thrilled that the…program features an incredible Special Events program with 170 events across Melbourne, alongside our Regional Special Events program…bringing 26 events to towns and regions across Victoria. [The] Global Dining Series, presented by Polestar, is back, with chefs from all corners of the globe heading to Melbourne to collaborate with our best restaurants. And our final weekend has us back at Fed Square, where Melbourne's best bakers and patissiers will be on show at our fourth and supersized Baker's Dozen, presented by McKenzie's. For 10 days in March, there will be nowhere better to eat and drink in the world. I'm looking forward to sharing a slice of cake with you in March". The Global Dining Series will showcase an incredible array of international talent, including a collaboration between Bridges, one of New York's most renowned restaurants, and Melbourne's beloved Cutler, an Italian social media star serving street fare at Sunhands, and the chef behind the viral Dubai chocolate popping up at Fable. "We've got guests making their way to Melbourne from Mexico City, Manila, Chiang Rai, Valetta, London, New York City, Singapore, Paris and beyond cooking food from Bundjalung, Shenyang, Larrakia, Abruzzese, Samoan, Maltese, Māori, Filipino, Malaysian and Finnish traditions, to name just a few," says Melbourne Food & Wine Creative Director Pat Nourse. "They're cooking in fine-dining restaurants and in pubs, serving food on china plates on damask cloths, and straight out of restaurant windows, doing it savoury, sweet, spicy and everywhere in between — if you're looking for flavour, it's right here in Victoria this March, and there's plenty of it." Of course, the festival would not be complete without the beloved Baker's Dozen that will feature guests from interstate and overseas, including Ottolenghi sweets boss Helen Goh. It's been a big year for bakeries in Melbourne, and your favourites from across town will make an appearance, including Amann Patisserie, Butter Days, Iris, Monforte Viennoiserie, Raya, Sebby's Scrolls, To Be Frank, and so many more. "The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival once again shows why we are the nation's food and wine capital and the 2026 program is sure to attract visitors from near and far — boosting local businesses and jobs," said Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos. Images: Supplied. Tickets for the 2026 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival go on sale at 10am on Thursday, November 27, with pre-sale tickets available from 10am Monday, November 24, for subscribers. If you miss out on tickets to the Greek Longest Lunch, you can still try the best Greek restaurants in town using our handy guide.
Australia's most prestigious portrait award, the Archibald Prize is one of the country's most anticipated annual arts events, making a huge splash across the Aussie creative scene each year. For the past few years, the event has announced its finalists in early May, then revealed its winner around a week later — and unveiled its exhibition at the Art Galley of NSW at the same time. In 2020, however, the Archibald has been postponed, with new dates yet to be revealed. It's the latest event affected by the growing spread of COVID-19, as well as Australia's various efforts to stop the illness — including banning outdoor gatherings with more than 500 people, banning indoor gatherings with more than 100 people, and implementing a limit of one person per four square metres in inside spaces and venues. In a statement on the Art Gallery of NSW website, the venue announced that "due to COVID-19, the gallery intends to hold the 2020 exhibition later this year". That applies not just to the Archibald, but to the Wynne and Sulman Prizes — which recognise the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture and the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project, respectively. At present, entries have been suspended for all three prizes, with dates for submission and delivery of entries to the prizes postponed. [caption id="attachment_721079" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Lindy Lee by Tony Costa.[/caption] In 2019, Sydney painter Tony Costa took out the Archibald with his oil painting of fellow artist Lindy Lee — marking the first time in the award's 98-year history that a portrait of an Asian Australian has taken out the coveted prize. The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize exhibitions will no longer open on May 9 at the Art Gallery of NSW. For further details, visit the gallery's website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your text trip. In this instalment, we take you to Hanging Gardens of Bali where guests stay in luxury villas overlooking some of Indonesia's untamed jungle. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This Balinese resort sits far away from the crowds, up in the lush rainforest surrounded by local wildlife and charming rice terraces. Hanging Gardens of Bali has also won so many international accommodation awards thanks to the breathtaking views, super luxurious villas and gracious service. THE ROOMS This high-end resort is made up of 44 private villas, each perched high atop wooden pillars overlooking the valley below. Wake up and enjoy this view from your extra-large canopy bed before rolling out into your own private plunge pool — it's paradise on stilts. And each villa is full of character. The villas combine contemporary and Balinese décor with signature hand-crafted furniture, exotic fabrics, open-air dining areas and epic master bathrooms. We see no reason why you'd ever need to leave your villa. FOOD AND DRINK Keeping with the 'never leave your villa' life, these guys will make and deliver an enormous breakfast to your room, made to be eaten in your private pool. It's all served in a bespoke wooden boat that sits out in the water with you. A dining experience that, due to your location, is quite literally next-level. But, if you do want to get out of your villa for dining, they have stacks of other options available. Either head to the main pool area for cocktails and snacks or dine in their Three Elements Restaurant. The restaurant has won separate awards for their cuisine and dining experience so shouldn't be missed. And that's just the start. Hanging Gardens of Bali also offers a wide range of other dining experiences. Spread throughout the valley are a series of cosy private dining spaces. Have a gourmet picnic on their riverside Bale, be served a romantic dinner within an ancient temple and eat some traditional afternoon tea around the rice fields. [caption id="attachment_872752" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Niklas Weiss (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA This luxury resort is located near Payangan, a small village north of Ubud. Zip around the winding roads of the area on a quad bike (or just get a taxi if you dare not undertake this feat) to explore the nearby temples, holistic centres, yoga studios, rice fields and stacks of local markets. Explore this area to see why Bali is still on the top of so many people's travel bucket list destinations. You can also visit Canggu and Uluwatu to find the best surf or temporarily leave the serenity and hit Kuta and Seminyak for those famous Bali party vibes. Choose your own Bali adventure — it's all pretty easy to do from this location. THE EXTRAS Now we've already mentioned all of the extra dining options available at Hanging Gardens of Bali, but these guys don't stop there. The team here has created an impressive smorgasbord of additional pampering activities. First off, there is the spa — yes, this has won a handful of awards too. It's truly luxurious treatments combine natural, local ingredients and ancient techniques, to create beauty therapies and treatments that soothe the mind, rejuvenate the body and energise that poor old soul of yours. Of course, these treatments also come with a view of the Balinese jungle so you'll feel surrounded by nature even when you're technically inside. We are also big fans of their guided morning walks. Take off on a journey through the local villages, led by their resort guide before reaching one of the local rice fields. Here, the guide will serve a few refreshing drinks while talking a little bit about rural life in this part of Indonesia. It's a really delightful way to start the day. Get 30% off your stay at The Hanging Gardens of Bali here (with daily breakfast, sunset yoga and a couple's massage included). 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.
Your tweets might be entertaining sometimes, but are they a narrative? A virtual page-turner? A form-bending flight of fancy? They could be, if you flex your fingers and join in the 2014 Twitter Fiction Festival. Friends, strangers and your favourite authors are using Twitter for their latest literary endeavours, right now until March 16. The best part is that, as with the recent Digital Writers' Festival, no travelling is required to get to it; it is entirely virtual and takes place on the platform it embraces, Twitter. While there are a select group of official participants — famous authors plus 25 contest winners — all Twitter users are encouraged to participate. Festival organisers (a grouping of American publishers) encourage everyone to use the hashtag #twitterfiction and make their stories easy to find for other users. The short stories call on many of the distinct features of Twitter. Users can collaborate, create multiple different character accounts, and incorporate pictures and videos into their fiction. Teju Cole recently wrote a story entirely through retweets. Ranging from romance stories to crime stories to the inner erotic thoughts of Mr. Bates from Downton Abbey, the 2014 Twitter Fiction Festival has something to offer everyone, particularly because these stories are so easily digestible. One fictional account is tweeting a new book of the Bible entitled #TheBookOfBieb. It recounts the rise and fall of the younger brother of Jesus, Justin Bieber. Alternatively, author Alma Katsu will be exploring what happens when a dead man's Twitter account seemingly comes back to life. Whether you're in the mood for a story about a tense hostage stand-off or need someone to relate to while you're stuck at the airport, finding fiction can be done by perusing the #twitterfiction hashtag or by checking the official Twitter Fiction Festival account to see what they're retweeting. Inspired to write your own Twitter fiction story? Get started on your own story with the Twitter Fiction tweet generator. If you just want to read, check out the program for more information. Via The Millions.
It’s time to stop fishing behind couch cushions and shaking piggy banks; the boutique hotel-hunters at Mr & Mrs Smith have unearthed 10 budget-conscious escapes that won’t need a second mortgage. These ten wallet-friendly stays made the shortlist for ‘Best Budget Hotel’ in the inaugural Smith Hotel Awards, which just took place in London. Want to know the winner? You’ll have to keep reading. Best for bona fide bohemia: Brody House, Budapest, Hungary Smith’s ‘Best Budget Hotel’ is more like the private designer digs of a swish friend than a hotel. Brody House is bursting with creative inspiration and can add sometime-host to film and fashion shoots to its artistically inclined resume. Each room has its own unique style — some feature freestanding gold bath tubs — and is named after the artists whose works adorn the walls. The Brody House Bar is open to the public and keeps pouring as long as guests keep sipping; there’s also an honesty bar, so you can tap into your inner mixologist. An in-house chef prepares simple and seasonal Hungarian fare that changes daily and is best enjoyed in the picturesque courtyard. Best for pool-side hedonism: Ace Hotel & Swim Club, Palm Springs, United States Escape the desert heat and hop into the cool cocktail that is Ace Hotel & Swim Club: a reinvented hotel haven, luring in pleasure-seekers, bohemian-beauties and the hipster-chic. Designed with an organic, laidback ethos, some rooms have garden patios and fireplaces, record players and old vinyl. Brave the heat by renting a candy-coloured Vespa or booking a horse-riding lesson. Those reluctant to venture away from the cool comfort of air-conditioning may prefer languidly lying in a hammock and working through the bar’s cocktail menu. The King’s Highway restaurant (formerly a roadside Denny’s diner) dishes up classic American fare with dashes of the unexpected, such as kurobuta pork chops and roasted halibut cheeks. Best for culture vultures: Home Hotel, Buenos Aires, Argentina Click your heels and escape to Home Hotel, a green dream hidden away in an ivy-entwined structure in residential Buenos Aires. The eco-design and open-air pleasures – an outdoor passageway leads to the restaurant overlooking the gorgeous grounds – extend through to the rooms, which are tricked out with retro Scandinavian furnishings and vibrant vintage wallpaper in pretty florals. Take in an obligatory tango performance and a Lloyd Webber-inspired stroll to the grave of Eva Perón, before succumbing to the nimble-knuckles of Home’s in-house masseur, Luis. Don’t go back to your actual home without sampling delicious tapas and a Bloody Mary at the bar. Best for a romantic rendezvous: The Reading Rooms, Kent, United Kingdom Tucked behind a classic Georgian facade, The Reading Rooms is dotted with antique furnishings, preserved features and nooks for rekindling romance or igniting a new flame. Each of the three rooms occupies a floor of the restored townhouse and has antique wooden floors fit for a foxtrot, high ceilings and views over a peaceful tree-lined square. Begin days by dining on the in-room breakfast spread — bacon and sausage sandwiches, just-baked croissants and fresh fruits — before exploring Margate’s vintage boutiques and the picturesque Kent coast. Best for a rural romance: Borgo della Marmotta, Umbria, Italy Peer over the high stone walls at Borgo della Marmotta to find clusters of beautifully converted 17th-century farmhouses and stables, olive trees and views of Spoleto Valley. There’s no flash and pomp here; instead, expect a simple spin on luxury: rustic cobblestoned passaged leading to charming rooms and pockets of lush garden, pots of lemon trees casting shadows on the terrace and vibrant bunches of wisteria hanging from pergolas. Rise early to snag a table outside for a breakfast feast of sweet croissants, conserves, cheeses and cold cuts, before whiling away Umbrian sun-soaked days by the glittering blue pool. Best for artistic inspiration: The Cullen, Melbourne, Australia One for art aficionados and the creative coterie, The Cullen is inspired by the eye-catching and contemporary works of Adam Cullen — the hotel even has its own dedicated art curator, who has the lowdown on the top exhibitions around town. The gallery-worthy aesthetic continues to the rooms, where cartoonish prints adorn the walls and glass showers are engraved with Ned Kelly-esque horses and bushrangers — the views of Melbourne’s skyline aren’t half bad either. After a day of pedalling between Prahan’s fashionable boutiques — bespoke red Swedish Kronan two-wheelers are available to rent — don your newest designer duds and head downstairs to one of the eateries off the hotel’s ground floor. Gramercy Bistro brings a taste of New York to Melbourne, serving Reuben sandwiches, buttermilk pancakes and six cuts of steak to knock your oversized sunglasses off; Hutong dishes up dumplings and delectable duck. Best for a weekend wind-down: The Wheatsheaf Inn, the Cotswolds, United Kingdom Having played host to Kate Moss, The Wheatsheaf Inn has gone from traditional British coaching inn to bang-on designer den. Paintings of historic British tobacco barons keep a watchful eye over the Inn’s dining room, an inviting and lively eatery where seasonal produce is the star in a daily-changing menu and the all-day weekend brunch is best washed down with a Buck’s fizz. Between feasts, shooting — of the real and clay-pigeon variety — is up for grabs near this rustic retreat or, if you prefer something with fewer bangs, meander around the wallet-tempting boutiques of Northleach. Best for beach bliss: Mia Resort, Nha Trang, Vietnam A sojourn at Mia Resort — once a sugarcane plantation — will certainly leave a sweet taste in your mouth. This sandy getaway is neighboured by imposing mountains, lush greenery and beyond-blue waters, where days are spent moseying barefoot between the turquoise pool, sun loungers and Xanh Spa. Sea-frolicking is thirsty work and Mojitos bar serves at least eight varieties (if we miscounted, blame the rum); sip your way through ginger, whatijo (watermelon), lemon and lychee libations. Nab a spot on the sugar-sand beach for a sunset picnic, complete with a hamper groaning with sandwiches, cupcakes, a cheeseboard and carafe of fruit juice — just make sure to book ahead. Best for palatial paradise: Baudon de Mauny, Languedoc-Roussillon, France Walk through the heavy, centuries-old wooden front door at Baudon de Mauny and into the quiet cobbled courtyard to feel instantly at ease. Sprawling rooms are coupled with vintage-inspired furnishings and contemporary cool to create an escape with style so sophisticated, it could only be French. After exploring the local markets and brocantes, recline on the antique scarlet sofas in the first-floor salon, a glass of Faugeres in hand. Best for coastal calm: Chapman House, Nantucket, United States Forget ships in glass bottles and cliched beach-themed interiors: at Chapman House, nautical stripes have been replaced with pops of teal, coral and ikat prints. A kingly Continental breakfast is served each morning — fresh-baked breads and croissants, homemade muffins, fruits, cheese and granola parfaits — the perfect preface to a stroll around the harbour town or a series of aquatic adventures, including sailing lessons, whale watching, fishing excursions and sea kayaking. You don’t need a reason to return to boutique base-camp but Chapman House gives you one anyway: freshly baked cookies are your afternoon treat here. For more Mr & Mrs Smith boutique hotels, visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or call the expert Travel Team on 1300 896 627. Smith guests enjoy exclusive extras at all stays.
The crew behind Marrickville's Grifter Brewing Co just unveiled new environmentally 'friendlier' four-pack holders so you can enjoy a more liberated conscience with your tins of Serpent's Kiss. Grifter has the lofty ambition of developing a packaging solution across the business that is 100% renewable. And while they're not quite there yet, according to Grifter co-founder Matt King, the switch to these first-to-market four-pack holders — made with 93.5% renewable resources — will save five tonnes of plastic waste per year. "These new holders will start to roll out across our whole range from this week," said King. "So keep an eye out, pick one up, take it home, rip into it and let us know what you think!" Since 2018, the team has been trying to improve their packaging and now that they've invested in getting to a more sustainable option (made locally in Sydney), they're hoping other local brewers jump on board. Lately, I've been fantasising about knocking back a few middies of pink lemonade sour at the bar of Grifter's Marrickville digs. In the meantime, a slab of takeaways tinnies will be that drop more satisfying. To check out Grifter Brewing Co's full range of beer and merch, head to the website.
If you haven't nabbed tickets to see Kendrick Lamar when he tours Australia at the end of 2025, you now have more chances to head along. First, in news worth exclaiming "DAMN"- and "LOVE" about, he was announced as Spilt Milk's 2025 headliner. Then, not content with taking to the stage Down Under in Ballarat, Perth, Canberra and on the Gold Coast, the acclaimed hip hop artist locked in two solo Aussie stadium shows — one each in Melbourne and Sydney. Now Lamar has expanded those standalone gigs on his Grand National tour, adding an extra date in each city. Accordingly, after making its way around North America and Europe, Lamar's latest string of live dates now spans two nights apiece in the Victorian and New South Wales capitals. First up: Melbourne, at AAMI Park across Wednesday, December 3–Thursday, December 4, 2025. Then comes Allianz Stadium in the Harbour City over Wednesday, December 10–Thursday, December 11, 2025. [caption id="attachment_1008775" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gregory Shamus/Getty Images[/caption] Lamar's Aussie stadium shows still kick off before his Spilt Milk dates, then slot in-between the festival's two weekend runs. The fest hits Ballarat on Saturday, December 6; Perth on Sunday, December 7; Canberra on Saturday, December 13; and the Gold Coast on Sunday, December 14. For company at his solo gigs, he'll have ScHoolboy Q in support on Wednesday, December 3 and Wednesday, December 10, as previously announced. On the new dates — so on Thursday, December 4 and Thursday, December 11 — Doechii will be doing the honours. December clearly suits Lamar for a jaunt Down Under — that's when the Pulitzer Music Prize-winning musician also made the trip in 2022. Lamar is one of the most-critically acclaimed and successful hip hop artists of our generation. He currently has 22 Grammys to his name, plus an Academy Award nomination for one of his contributions to the Black Panther soundtrack. He won the 2017 Triple J Hottest 100 and, when he nabbed his Pulitzer in 2018, he also became the first ever artist to take out the prestigious award for contemporary music. GNX, his most-recent studio album, dropped in November 2024 — with his extensive catalogue also spanning 2011's Section.80, 2012's good kid, m.A.A.d city, 2015's To Pimp A Butterfly, 2017's DAMN and 2022's Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Kendrick Lamar Grand National Tour 2025 Australian Dates Wednesday, December 3–Thursday, December 4 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Wednesday, December 10–Thursday, December 11 — Allianz Stadium, Sydney Spilt Milk 2025 Dates Saturday, December 6 — Victoria Park, Ballarat Sunday, December 7 — Claremont Showground, Perth Saturday, December 13 — Exhibition Park, Canberra Sunday, December 14 — Gold Coast Sports Precinct, Gold Coast Kendrick Lamar is touring Australia in December 2025, with ticket presales for his second Melbourne gig kicking off at 11am on Thursday, August 7, and for his second Sydney gig at 12pm on Thursday, August 7 — with general sales from 1pm on Monday, August 11 in Melbourne and 2pm on Monday, August 11 in Sydney. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Timothy Norris/Getty Images for pgLang, Amazon Music, & Free Lunch.
It has been seven years in the making, but Splendour in the Grass is moving into its new digs — the North Byron Parklands — just 20 minutes north of NSW's Byron Bay. Securing a location for the winter pilgrimage has been a hazardous task over the last few years, which included a two-year stint in Rockford, Queensland from 2010-11. But today organisers announced that the long-intended permanent home is prepped and the 2013 festival dates are set for the weekend of July 26-28. Today's press announcement also teased at "the next chapter" for avid festival-goers as it settles into 660 idyllic acres. Like all things Byron, festival co-producers Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco emphasised staying true to their roots: "Onsite camping has always been a high priority for us. It creates a real sense of community at the show." Splendour has worked hard to earn its reputation for pulling the big internationals over the last few years — Coldplay, Kanye West, Jack White and '90s favourite Pulp are among the esteemed list of headliners past — while showcasing a strong Aussie punch in their lineups. The 2013 lineup announcement might be a little while off, but the question on our minds is, can we beat the 43-minute record sell-out time of last year?
When Australian wine festival Pinot Palooza does the rounds each year, it's heaven for fans of the type of vino that's in its name. When dairy fest Mould pops up, cheese dreams are indeed made of this. The two initially ran as separate events, but that's been changing in some Australian cities in recent years. In 2025, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth are on that list, getting the Mould x Pinot Palooza experience. It's a wine fest. It's a cheese fest, too. It's a celebration of an iconic pairing, clearly. Brisbane is hosting the first festival of the year, across three days in May at the RNA Showgrounds. Then, come winter, Melbourne gets a two-day stint in July at the Royal Exhibition Building, before it's Perth's turn for three days at Claremont Showgrounds in August. On the vino side, being spoilt for choice can be overrated. Sometimes, like when deciding which wine varieties you feel like at any given moment, it's easier to have someone else do the picking for you. With that in mind, Pinot Palooza goes all in on pinot noir — and here, the sound of a light- to medium-bodied red wine sloshing around a glass is the standard soundtrack. For cheese fiends, imagine a place where cheese reigns supreme, other than in your own kitchen. Imagine a wide array of different varieties on offer for the tasting. Imagine being able to sample whatever you liked from this dairy feast, too. And, picture just buying one ticket to devour all the cheddar, brie, camembert, raclette and whichever other cheeses take your fancy. Is this the real life? Yes — it isn't just a cheesy fantasy. Bringing Pinot Palooza and Mould together is both a stroke of genius and the result of the two events both being organised by the same company. Revel first starting clinking glasses filled with pinot noir in 2012, then turned its attention to cheese, cheese and more cheese in 2017. The full lineup of folks that'll be letting you sample their wares hasn't yet been revealed, but it will include Innocent Bystander, Vinteloper, Yering Station, Meadowbank Wines, Charteris Wines and Howard Vineyards on the wine front, plus Milawa Cheese and Bruny Island among the cheesemongers — and Bee One Third honey and Women's Work relishes, too. And yes, your $59 ticket still includes unlimited tastings at the fest's featured stalls. You'll also get a free cooler bag, wine glass and tote. "Mould x Pinot Palooza is the ultimate celebration of two of life's greatest pleasures — cheese and wine. This year, we're bringing together Australia's best artisan cheesemakers alongside a stellar lineup of pinot noir producers from Australia, New Zealand and beyond. It's a chance for food and wine lovers to immerse themselves in the incredible diversity of local cheese and world-class pinot," said Jessica Audas, Head of Revel. "More than just a tasting experience, this event is about discovering the magic of perfect pairings — where the right cheese and pinot can elevate each other in unexpected and unforgettable ways." Mould x Pinot Palooza 2025 Dates: Friday, May 23–Sunday, May 25: John Reid Pavilion, RNA Showgrounds, Brisbane — Friday (5–9pm), Saturday (11am–3pm and 4–8pm), Sunday (11–3pm) Friday, July 4–Saturday, July 5 — Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton, Melbourne — Friday (5–9pm), Saturday (11am–3pm and 4–8pm), Friday, August 8–Sunday, August 10: Silver Jubilee Pavilion, Claremont Showgrounds, Perth — Friday (5–9pm), Saturday (11am–3pm and 4–8pm), Sunday (11–3pm) Mould x Pinot Palooza is touring Australia between May–August 2025. For more information, and for tickets, head to the Mould and Pinot Palooza websites. Select Mould images: Dexter Kim.
As Glen Huntly residents have long been aware, local café Workshop Brothers Specialty Coffee is a rare hybrid of both substance and style. The minimalist, super Instagram-worthy space belies some serious coffee know-how and the enterprise has been so successful — nestled out in the 'burbs as it is — that, in 2016, the team opened a second outpost in the heart of the CBD. You'll find its house blend, single origin and filter here. Along with excellent cups of joe, the cafe also sells its own beans, bottled cold coffees, a selection of pastries and doughnuts. Appears in: The Best Coffee Shops in Melbourne's CBD
In these Netflix-obsessed, streaming video-heavy days, the words 'on demand' have been added to almost everything we watch. But it seems they're no longer restricted to screens, with a Brisbane venue bringing the concept to live theatre performances. In an Australian first, 50-seat Brisbane establishment Studio Theatre and Cafe is offering live theatre on demand. Patrons can request a staging of a show at any time of the day — and any day of the week — that takes their fancy. Yes, you can say goodbye to being at the mercy of regular sessions, and start seeing things more suited your schedule. Catching a play in the late hours of the evening or the early hours of the morning is real option. There are a few caveats though, to help minimise the impact of keeping the cast and crew on permanent standby — waiting in the wings 24/7 isn't the best situation for actors. Bookings must be for groups of ten people or more, and only certain productions are available at on-demand times. Along with the $20 ticket cost, both are a small price to pay for seeing a live performance with your friends whenever you want to. Kicking off the test period of the flexible gimmick until the end of the year is one-man musical Once in My Life, which tells the tale of a figure who probably wouldn't have played whenever the audience asked him to — aka Frank Sinatra. If the season is successful, more will follow. Find Studio Theatre and Cafe at 647 Wynnum Road, Morningside. Visit their website and Facebook page for more information. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
We all know that video piracy is a crime and that we should pay for the music we are listening, too, but just how far we have come from 20th-century entertainment is not always present in our minds. Enter photographer Julia Solis and her new book Stages of Decay — a feat that took her across Europe and the US over a period of years to document over 100 disused and dilapidated theatres that once housed The Who, witnessed the cinematic events of their eras and were symbols of popular culture, cultural hubs and signifiers of Western affluence. The images tiptoe along that enticing line between nostalgia, beauty, decay — actually it is all very Tintern Abbey — and all those butterfly feelings that come up when we dream of days long gone. Solis sees the images as more experiential, as she told Flavorwire: "You want a one-on-one encounter with it, to open secret closets and fondle plaster and play with rusted machinery without your parents' interference. In a society that's increasingly controlled, monitored and publicised, a wild space like that can't help but have an incredible allure." Be sure to note the cars parked underneath the ornate ceiling of the old Michigan Theatre, and for the trivia buffs, it is now the parking lot for the new cinema. Circle of life?
"Careful, you've got about seven cameras on you," Josh Niland quips to one of his chefs on a quiet Monday evening. The Saint Peter cook in question offers a nervous smile, but isn't distracted from his meticulous work: chargrilling twenty identical King George whiting over coal. The butterflied fish are served with a nostalgic play on hundreds-and-thousands — a rich butter sauce with bright chives, finger lime and popping orange tapioca pearls. "Make sure you start at the tail end, so the fish continues to cook evenly," Niland recommends to the group, who have been invited to preview his pop-up collaboration with whisky-maker Talisker. By all accounts, things are going swimmingly for Niland: he was the only Australian chef to be awarded a spot in this year's Best Chef Awards, also nabbing the Best Chef Innovation Award for his nose-to-tail approach to the ocean's finest. Back in 2020, he also won the James Beard Book of the Year Award for his magnum opus, The Whole Fish Cookbook. But the peerless seafood chef rarely dabbles in branded collaborations. So, we took the time to chat about the art of collaboration in the kitchen, teamwork and the best advice he's ever received. [caption id="attachment_873425" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Talisker and Saint Peter pop-up.[/caption] How do you go about choosing the right partners for your venues? "The initial engagement with Talisker was fascinating to me — there are very few metrics around for what you can do with fish and whisky. It's a very robust alcohol to weave into a fish dish. But, I like being pushed into the corner and told 'this is all you're allowed to do'. It's also about quality [when it comes to partnerships]. We're making a decision based on quality and the underlying ethics of the business — ensuring that they're working responsibly in terms of the procurement of their ingredients and how they work within the company. We have to do our due diligence and make sure that both parties are aligned." Speaking of quality products, I assume there were a few whisky tastings involved in the process? "There were definitely some... should we say 'quality checks' — not just from me, but also from my chef Ben, who gave it a good taste." [caption id="attachment_855330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Rob Palmer, Charcoal Fish[/caption] How do you approach collaborating with Julie, your wife and co-owner, particularly if you disagree? "I feel like Julie and I are obviously very aligned. We've been married nearly 13 years so we've had meals together and experiences together, and that polishes the edges of what we feel we want to be doing as professionals. But that continually changes all the time — the way we were pre-COVID is very different to the way we are now. And I think what you'll see from Saint Peter in the coming years will be starkly different to what you see now — that's just signs of a good, evolving business. Although there are moments of friction, above all it just comes down to trust — knowing that, if it doesn't seem 100% right because it's not the same as what we did at one time, then the trust is there that we're making the best decision. We trust that we're not going to steer the ship astray, and we rely a lot on the team around us to help us make those decisions — especially significant ones. We're very fortunate to be surrounded by some really extraordinary people in our management team and also the young chefs and front of house professionals." [caption id="attachment_870811" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Talisker and Saint Peter pop-up.[/caption] How do you collaborate with your chefs at Saint Peter? "It's been a learning experience the last two years, how to be a better coach as opposed to captain. We're now starting to see the benefits of mentorship and looking after the guys really well, and they're starting to feel more confident with what they can offer to the team. It's been a nice 12 months, even though it's been challenging — it's been super rewarding. You can go home at 6pm and put the kids to bed, and know that everyone is 100% behind you and they all believe in the one thing and they're all driving towards the same product. There are moments where you're like 'I wish I could've had my hands on that', but I've changed significantly in the last six years. I've gone from standing on the stove and going 'nobody touch anything, I'm doing it' to now going 'can somebody else do this cause I want to show you how to do it' and then people are thriving and they're showing the next people. It's all a maturity thing and a learning thing — I was 26 when we opened Saint Peter. I'm getting pulled in every direction personally and professionally so I'm just making sure that at its heart everyone understands what we're doing and why we're doing it." [caption id="attachment_739656" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Fish Butchery by Cody Duncan[/caption] Obviously finding consistent and reliable producers plays a huge role in what you do. How do you approach managing those relationships? "Consistent and reliable — that's actually the biggest challenge. You can never rely on anybody and you can never rely on the weather. When what we plan at the beginning of the week doesn't arrive, then we need to change. That's why when people always ask, 'why can't you leave dishes on the menu, why can't you just stop changing the menu?' It's not for not trying! It's because we always have to work like that. When you're a fish business you have to keep changing and evolving. We now have four teams all working on fish that is not always consistent and that is not reliable, so we rely on [the team] to remain flexible and adaptable and courageous enough to keep turning up. Finding the fishers that we've found — particularly Walkers Seafood in Mooloolaba in Queensland and Bruce Collis at Corner Inlet in Victoria — I would put that down to me having a relationship with Steve Hodges at Fish Face. So you've got Steve Hodges, Neil Perry, John Susman, Greg Doyle and Peter Doyle from the generation that's just gone through and they have carved out a pathway for our next generation and given us the ability to go direct to fisherman. But you have to be ready to pick up the phone and talk for an hour — about fish. The extension of that conversation is really powerful for the customer to hear about, because then there's a registering and appreciation for the price point, because they see the value of someone going out and intentionally catching something for their dinner." [caption id="attachment_870810" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Talisker and Saint Peter pop-up.[/caption] What's the best advice you've ever been given? "'Treat everyday as a sprint, but life is a marathon.' Simon Marnie from ABC Radio told me that, he's a friend from a long, long time ago. I had just got back from overseas and he could see all the layers of places I wanted to go and people I wanted to meet in my eyes, but he kind of slapped me over the head and said 'listen'. Even Luke Magen said to me as a second-year apprentice that 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. That came at a really poignant time in my cooking, I had been there for about eight months and I was really frustrated that I hadn't been 'seen' yet, because you were part of a 35-chef system. It really bothered me. So I went and I did a trial at Balzac with Matthew Kemp and he offered me a job. And then I got back to work the next day, not to have the conversation, but to continue to think about if I wanted the job. Luke came up to me and said 'I heard you had a conversation with Matt Kemp.' And I realised that the kid from Maitland didn't realise how small Sydney was. Luke said, 'Rome wasn't built in a day, you need to be patient.' You gotta — not necessarily earn your stripes — but understand that you can't have everything you want right now, but with a bit of application and intentionality and telling us that that's what you want, then let's get on with it. And then from there I got to really be exposed to a lot more." Josh Niland's Taste of Talisker will pop up in Sydney's North Head between Friday, October 21–Saturday, October 22. You can purchase tickets to either the three-course menu or the Made by the Sea whisky experience via Moshtix. Top image: Rob Palmer, from Josh Niland's The Whole Fish Cookbook
Carnegie, your Instagram brunch prayers have officially been answered. Major Mitchell Café has opened its doors on Grange Road, and it's very, very pink. Long-time locals will recognise this place as the old 1950s Glen Huntly post office, which has been given the traditional influencer décor makeover: bright pink door, pink-flecked terrazzo bar, pink floral arrangements, blushing pink walls and pink cocktails flying off the pass. This is the latest venture from sister duo Katie Devic and Melissa Glentis, who started their wholesale brand, Daly St Coffee Roasters, during Melbourne's lockdown (or one of Melbourne's lockdowns, anyway). No prizes for guessing which beans are running through the white San Remo espresso machine. In fact, you can taste your way through the whole Daly St range at Major Mitchell, including the girls' signature 'Candy Shop' blend, aka "the coffee version of a strawberry milkshake." Food-wise, head chef Daniel Ricardo Reyes Diaz is pulling influences from pretty much everywhere: polenta and truffled mushrooms from northern Italy, smoked lamb shoulder with celeriac skordalia from Greece, Pina Colada ice-cream on waffles from, well, our daydreams. The general theme is bright, eye-catching plates and big, rock-em sock-em flavours. Anything that pairs well with a boozy Orange Garden Spritz. Claudia Bradar from The Renovate Avenue has done a cracking job with the interiors here, and Major Mitchell should draw a steady stream of young families, southside foodies and Brighton influencers. There's even a private Champagne Room that seats up to 15 people. Find Major Mitchell at 122 Grange Road, Carnegie. It's open 7:30am-3pm Monday to Friday, and 8am-3pm on weekends.
When New Zealand comedy Nude Tuesday hits screens Down Under this winter, it'll be business time. Despite what star Jemaine Clement has sung in Flight of the Conchords, however, few folks on-screen will still be wearing their socks. Birthday suits are the preferred attire here, as made plain in the new movie's name. It does follow an unhappy couple who are gifted a trip to a remote couples' retreat to help save their marriage — a spot where getting in the buff often is recommended — after all. Playing that duo: fellow NZ treasure Jackie van Beek, who co-starred with Clement in What We Do in the Shadows, and Australian The Tourist actor Damon Herriman. And no, the latter isn't portraying Charles Manson, as he did in both Mindhunter and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Laura and Bruno, the pair's characters, find scenic sights awaiting at their mountainside getaway — and also Clement as Bjorg Rassmussen. Laughter workshops, tantric dance, sexual liberation and emotional animals all pop up, too, as does baring all to truly work out how they are. See: the just-dropped and very funny trailer. All that flesh, and that cast, is one reason that Nude Tuesday stands out. The other: it's entirely spoken in a made-up language. The cast improvised gibberish as they filmed, and British comedian and writer Julia Davis (Camping) then came up with the subtitles for the movie afterwards. There was a script behind the narrative, though — penned by van Beek, who also co-wrote and co-directed fellow NZ comedy The Breaker Upperers. Here, van Beek came up with the story with filmmaker Armağan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water), who is on helming duties. New Zealanders will be able to see how it all turns out in cinemas on June 16, while Nude Tuesday hits Australian cinemas on June 23 — and will also stream in the latter via Stan from July 7. In Australia, multiple versions of the movie will make their way to streaming, including one subtitled by Aussie comedians Celia Pacquola and Ronny Chieng. Check out the Nude Tuesday trailer below: Nude Tuesday opens in New Zealand cinemas on June 16, in Australian cinemas on June 23, and will stream via Stan in Australia from July 7.
If you're a bit wary of technology's ever-growing influence in humanity's daily lives — be it artificial intelligence, streaming algorithms, social media, drones, augmented reality or online dating, to name just a few examples — then Charlie Brooker and Black Mirror might be one of the reasons. Since 2011, they've been spinning dystopian nightmares about what might happen as tech evolves. In plenty of cases, they've been satirising and interrogating innovations we use today, and what their next step might be. Yes, that makes Brooker the perfect speaker to get chatting at SXSW Sydney. Just days after the tech, innovation, screen, music, games and culture festival added Chance The Rapper to its list of headliners at its first-ever event outside of the US — celebrating 50 years of hip hop — it has now announced that Black Mirror creator Brooker is on his way to Australia as well. He'll hit Sydney during Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 as part as a stacked lineup that also includes Coachella CEO Paul Tollett, Queer Eye star Tan France and Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb among its big names. [caption id="attachment_917939" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netflix[/caption] "Having to quickly provide a personal quote for a press release about how excited I am to join the inaugural Sydney-flavoured SXSW event is exactly the sort of thing ChatGPT is for, but I've written this one myself because I still care about our species, dammit," said Charlie Brooker in a statement announcing his trip Down Under. "Although I initially misspelt 'inaugural' just then until I got corrected by a machine, so actually maybe we're just rubbish." "This tense love-hate relationship with technology is what Black Mirror is all about. That and stories about Prime Ministers and pigs. Anyway, I can't wait to attend and get so cowed by all the creativity and innovation on display that I go home feeling depressed and inadequate. I'm genuinely looking forward to it," Brooker continued. [caption id="attachment_917938" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Netflix[/caption] "SXSW Sydney seeks to offer unique perspectives of the future, making Charlie Brooker an ideal speaker for our event," added SXSW Sydney Managing Director Colin Daniels. "Black Mirror consistently leads the cultural conversation on what we face in the now or may confront in our future, offering a chance for reflection and change. Charlie embodies what attendees can expect from SXSW Sydney: creativity and innovation." Also on the SXSW Sydney lineup so far: a 700-plus strong bill of talent, covering over 300 sessions. The event will feature more than 300 gigs across 25 venues, too, and has been dropping its music highlights and must-attend parties since earlier in 2023. Its dedicated gaming strand will include a tabletop game expo. And, the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival will open with The Royal Hotel, and host the world premiere of Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles. The entire event — the festivals within the bigger fest, exhibitions, talks, networking opportunities and streetside activations — will happen within a walkable precinct in the Sydney CBD, Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, Chippendale and more, with the SXSW Sydney's footprint operating as a huge hub. Venues named so far include Powerhouse Museum, ICC Sydney, UTS, Central Park Mall, the Goods Line Walk, The Abercrombie and Lansdowne Hotel. [caption id="attachment_911084" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jane Greer[/caption] SXSW Sydney will run from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues, with the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival running from Sunday, October 15–Saturday, October 21 at The ICC's Darling Theatre, Palace Cinemas Central and more venues to be announced. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Charlie Brooker images: Michael Wharley. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
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.
M. Night Shyamalan is back. Of course, he never really went anywhere — he just took a detour from familiar territory. After coming to fame with his third feature — the dead people-filled, six-time Oscar nominee The Sixth Sense — the filmmaker made a name for himself with supernatural-heavy, twist-oriented efforts such as Unbreakable, Signs and The Village. When he switched to bigger budget sci-fi with The Last Airbender and Smith (as in Will and Jaden) family vehicle After Earth, it was a definite change of pace. Then came The Visit, the low-budget 2015 flick that once again toyed with Shyamalan's recognisable elements, and became a huge financial hit in the process. Consider that dipping a toe back into the water, but don't go thinking his latest film, Split, is the writer/director simply offering up more of the same. Yes, the James McAvoy-starring movie is moody and unnerving, embraces a distinctive concept, and balances psychology and philosophy — all Shyamalan trademarks. A claustrophobic kidnapping tale with a lead character boasting 23 different personalities (plus a 24th trying to burst out), as well as an engrossing story that doesn't merely hinge upon late-stage revelations, it's also among his best work. Split commences with Kevin (McAvoy) abducting three teenagers (Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula) and taking them to an underground bunker, all while trying to fend off the strict Patricia and the creepy Dennis, as well as a few others. The fact that all of Kevin's foes exist inside his head, alongside nine-year-old Hedwig and plenty more, sets the scene for a tense, largely one-setting horror thriller — and the chance for McAvoy to demonstrate the full extent of his acting chops. With Split now in cinemas, we chatted with Shyamalan about working on the story for 15 years, finding the right actor to play such a complicated part, and other film twists that proved influential. ON THE ORIGINS OF SPLIT "It's an unusual story because I wrote part of the story a long time ago — fifteen, sixteen years ago. It was part of another screenplay, and I pulled it out. I decided to make it its own movie — I hoped to make it as its own movie. And I guess, you know, I got caught up making other movies and it just always kind of sat there. And now recently felt like the perfect time to make it for me, so I started to return to it and think about it as, well, who is this character, and what would happen? So I started outlining it, and I think it really lent itself to the types of movies that I'm doing both practically and creatively. One, practically, that it is very contained, which I'm leaning towards those kind of movies right now. And then, it's kind of dark, comedic, suspense — I'm in that headspace." ON TRYING TO BALANCE BOTH HUMOUR AND THRILLS "It is a tricky balance. It is fascinating because you can have the wrong humour moment at the wrong time and you detach — and you may get the laugh but it's a bad one because the stakes aren't high. And the reverse is also true. So if the stakes are at a certain level, no one would say something or react in a way that would cause a laugh in that situation, so it would be artificial. It seems almost counter that those two could exist, but I really enjoyed in these last two movies, finding these moments that can do both." ON WRITING A LEAD ROLE WITH 24 DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES "I mean, it's funny — you kind of just think of them as different characters. And in this movie, the premise of the disorder is that this isn't someone changing moods, these are different human beings, occupying the same body. So if you really honour that disorder, it's just writing different characters. There are three abductors that keep these girls: Patricia, Kevin and Hedwig. So, it would be as if I had written that a group of three people had abducted these girls — a man, a woman and a child — and they try to manipulate the child to get out....It just so happens that one guy is going to play all of them." [caption id="attachment_607463" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)[/caption] ON CASTING JAMES MCAVOY "I met James at Comic-Con, appropriately enough. We met for the first time, and...I just felt such a connection with him. And my headspace was so much about Kevin, and I was writing Kevin, and I was like, 'this guy can play him, I can feel it'. There were two different moments. One was when I saw him at Comic-Con and I felt a real kind of good guy feeling — like, he's a good guy, coming right off him. That's always what I wanted for the person that played the part — that they could play it with sincerity and they could bring empathy to each of the characters. And then once I sent him the script — he was in London and I Skyped with him — and I remember getting off Skype and I was like, "I am 100 percent certain that this is the guy". Just the way he talked about the part, and his knowledge of the disorder. He was actually very aware of the disorder and had done some research into it prior to reading the script, and I could see that his approach to it was going to be right-on. And he was fearless, he was just very fearless about the whole thing." ON SELF-FINANCING SPLIT "When you put yourself out there, financially, you're a different version of yourself. You're all in. It's a fascinating thing, you know? If you were a professional basketball player, right, and you went and played in a street ball tournament, you went outside and you went there's no referees or anything like that — you'd probably be the best version of yourself there, when you have something to be concerned about. They could hurt you, there is nobody there to say foul or anything like that. So you're hyper-concentrated. In that same way, when you take away the safety net, you're different. And then others come to the table with that same mindset, because they can just feel it off of you literally and physically and emotionally. So you get very like-minded people on the movie, so it's this kind of hyper-commitment that comes from everyone. And then when the actors come on, they feel that too. I feel like — even if just in my own head — the feeling that I'm allowed to do anything and it is up to me, that is a very empowering feeling. It allows me to break genre, and to do something daring, and to do tonal things that maybe I would be hesitant to do otherwise, [like] make the main character ambiguously good or bad, or have a very provocative scene, or juxtapose comedy and suspense in a way that's unorthodox. There's more choices when you make it at an appropriate budget level, which makes me feel like it's okay to be different. Not only is it okay — that's your secret weapon, that you try to make it special and you try to make it as different as you can." ON TWIST-FILLED FILMS THAT INSPIRED SPLIT "I'm more inspired by the weirdest movies that you would see. For me, Robert Altman was a big inspiration for Split. And the film Cache. And Dogtooth, which was a film from Greece. Just really unusual movies were the inspiration for Split. It isn't like one-to-one like that, but of course it was those movies that have those amazing paradigm shifts." Split is in cinemas now. Read our review here.
If you've had the words "bring on the Deadpool and Rob McElhеnney" stuck in your head since 2022, or "we've got Mullin, super Paul Mullin" instead — or as well — then you're either a fan of Welcome to Wrexham or Wrexham AFC, or both. It was back in 2020 that It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Mythic Quest's McElhenney bought the Welsh football club with Deadpool & Wolverine's Ryan Reynolds. Two years later, a documentary series about that huge move dropped its first season on Disney+. Success has followed both on the field and on the screen, including a run of promotions for the club and three more seasons of the series — the latest of which, the fourth, arrives on Friday, May 16, 2025. Thanks to a show that's not too far from an IRL Ted Lasso, Wrexham's fanbase has gone global. Hollywood's involvement will do that — but, as the series has chronicled to touching effect, Reynolds and McElhenney have always put revitalising the club, its stadium, and the town and community around it first. In 2025, Wrexham are heading Down Under, too, in a literal sense. The club has announced three games across Australia and New Zealand in July, visiting the two countries on its pre-season tour. "From the very beginning, we wanted to help make Wrexham a globally recognised team, town and brand," said McElhenney and Reynolds, announcing the Down Under trip, which will see the team play in Melbourne, Sydney and Wellington. "We could not be more excited to bring the Red Dragons to Australia and New Zealand, and we are particularly proud that this announcement features neither a Men at Work or Hugh Jackman joke. The latter of which took maturity and tremendous restraint. We're proud of Ryan. Of course, we make no promises going forward." Wrexham will face off against a trio of local squads: lining up against Melbourne Victory at Marvel Stadium on Friday, July 11; taking on Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium on Tuesday, July 15; and competing against Wellington Phoenix at Sky Stadium on Saturday, July 19. For their past two pre-season tours, Wrexham have unsurprisingly journeyed to the US, including playing games against fellow UK sides Manchester United and Chelsea. Now, they're hitting Australia and Aotearoa as part of their plans to ideally be in the same league as both of those powerhouse English teams come the 2026–27 season. Since the 2022–23 season, Wrexham has been promoted every year under manager Phil Parkinson, first from the National League to League Two, then from the latter to League One — and next, in the 2025–26 season, they'll play in the Championship League, aiming to get promoted to the top-tier Premier League from there. If you can't make it to Wrexham's two Australian matches or one NZ game, they're being streamed via Paramount+. And for something to watch in the interim, check out trailer for Welcome to Wrexham season four below: Wrexham Down Under 2025 Fixtures Friday, July 11 — Melbourne Victory vs Wrexham AFC at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, from 7.30pm AEST Tuesday, July 15 — Sydney FC vs Wrexham AFC at Allianz Stadium, Melbourne, from 7.30pm AEST Saturday, July 19 — Wellington Phoenix vs Wrexham AFC at Sky Stadium, Wellington, from 5pm NZST [caption id="attachment_1003973" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Lord via Flickr[/caption] Wrexham's Down Under tour is taking place in July 2025. For more information, head to the Wrexham website — and for tickets, visit Ticketek in Australia and New Zealand. Welcome to Wrexham streams via Disney+, with season four arriving from Friday, May 16, 2025.
"Well, Kriv got talking to me, you see. At a certain point late in the filming of The Correspondent, he mentioned in passing that he wanted to talk to me about another thing. And when he told me about the idea, I had some initial reluctance, because I guess playing another important Australian political figure wasn't the first thing that would come to mind on my list of most-desired projects," Richard Roxburgh tells Concrete Playground. The Australian actor is chatting about director Kriv Stenders, who he worked with on 2019's Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan, then on 2025 cinema release The Correspondent and now on Joh: Last King of Queensland as well. "And I guess the way that he talked about it, the way that he pitched it to me, I just thought it was such a kind of crazy, excellent idea that I thought I had to go for." In Roxburgh and Stenders' aforementioned movie collaborations so far, the former has continued a trend that's popped up repeatedly across his career: portraying real-life Australian figures. Danger Close tasked him with stepping into Brigadier David Jackson's shoes. In The Correspondent, he helped bring journalist Peter Greste's ordeal after being arrested in Egypt, then put on trial, found guilty and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, to the screen. Now, however, Roxburgh is playing former Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen — and doing so not in a drama, but in a documentary. Joh: Last King of Queensland initially premiered at the 2025 Sydney Film Festival, then made its way to streaming via Stan. While Stenders has compiled a wealth of archival footage to fill its frames, as well as contemporary interviews with the politician's family members and friends, plus journalists, historians and more, Roxburgh couldn't have a more pivotal part. In recreations of the final days that the conservative figure at the doco's centre spent in office in 1987 after years leading the Sunshine State — when he refused to leave, in fact — the acclaimed actor delivers Bjelke-Petersen's speeches. Stenders grew up in Queensland, and has crafted a cautionary portrait of Bjelke-Petersen's time in charge of the state. The prolific filmmaker, who has kept jumping between fiction and fact, and the big and small screens, via everything from The Illustrated Family Doctor, Lucky Country, Red Dog and its sequel, Kill Me Three Times, the Wake in Fright miniseries, Jack Irish, Bump and Last Days of the Space Age to The Go-Betweens: Right Here, Brock: Over the Top and Slim & I, has also made another timely film with Roxburgh after The Correspondent also proved exactly that. Watching Joh: Last King of Queensland's survey of one man's authoritarian-style power, a regime filled with corruption and the vast suppression of dissent, for instance, means seeing blatant parallels to global politics today. [caption id="attachment_1015675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images[/caption] Despite his initial hesitation, Roxburgh felt that this was a unique opportunity. "It really did. It felt really quite odd, and I was still unreally unsure about it when we started shooting it — but Kriv was so determined about it and was loving what he was seeing so much, he kept reassuring me that it was just going to slot into what he was doing. So, I trusted him," he advises. He was aware of the type of material that would surround his performance in the documentary, too. "I picked Kriv's brains about a lot of it, so I did know quite a bit of what was going on. I knew the people he'd interviewed, what the general thrust of their interviews were. I was across quite a bit of that stuff." Portraying Bjelke-Petersen doesn't just follow Roxburgh's time as Greste and as Jackson for Stenders. He has played former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke twice, in both Hawke and The Crown. His performance as corrupt police office Roger Rogerson in Blue Murder won him his first Australian Film Institute Award — the accolades that are now the AACTAs — and Logie. Then there's Roxburgh's efforts as pianist Percy Grainger in Passion; as Ronald Ryan, the last person legally executed in Australia, in The Last of the Ryans; and in Bali 2002 as Graham Ashton, the Australian police's operational commander in the investigation into the bombings. That parts as real-life Australian figures keep coming his way, alongside interrogations of power and how it impacts those in prominent positions — streaming series Prosper and The Dry sequel Force of Nature equally fit the latter bill — were also topics of discussion in our second chat for 2025 with Roxburgh. Among other subjects, we spoke with him about putting in another performance for Stenders that places him in one space alone, as portraying Greste largely did; not growing up in Queensland under Bjelke-Petersen like Joh: Last King of Queensland's director; if there's a real-life Aussie that he's keen to take on next; and the diversity he's enjoyed beyond his stints inhabiting IRL names, with Thank God He Met Lizzie, Oscar and Lucinda, Mission: Impossible II, Moulin Rouge, Van Helsing, Rake, Sanctum, Looking for Grace, Go!, Elvis, Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe and Lesbian Space Princess just some of his other projects. On the Theatre Feel to Roxburgh's Solo Scenes in Joh: Last King of Queensland — and the Process of Stepping Into Bjelke-Petersen's Shoes "It was a weird little moment in time, obviously. Because it felt after a couple of days, I said to Kriv, like a stage production that no one would see about the life and times and great strangeness of this powerful Australian political presence. So it was odd. But I think the more I settled into it, into the rhythms of that character, and tried to burrow into what he was doing in those last three days when he was alone, the more settled I felt. I thought it was going to be easier than it ended up being — because I thought, the way that Kriv talked about it, we weren't going to do makeup, we weren't going to do any of the lookalike stuff, in particular. But there were some elements that were so key to his personality, and so key to the way that he crafted sentences — the way that he conveyed information. And then there were other things, like the fact that he had polio as a child. There were so many things that went into the physical and vocal life of the character that ended up being so important and, in a way, they were sine qua non. I had to at least find the song of it. I had to find that cadence, that particular gift for clouding argument, for obfuscation, for changing sentences midstream. And you couldn't do that in the end without actually doing it. So it ended up being quite a lot of work — a lot of pre-work." On Getting Into the Mindset of a Leader That Everyone Wants Out of Office But Is Refusing to Leave "There's quite a bit of really excellent footage of Joh strongly inhabiting his argument, whatever the argument is. And so that was really useful to see how he commanded the space in those times. There was a lot less of his cloudiness, his wooliness, his diversion, obfuscation, when he was speaking like that — and a lot more control and determination, incredible determination, that he was absolutely right. Joh was an absolutist. He believed in his authority, and the fact that it was a kind of gift to Queensland from god, as it were, because he felt like he was obeying divine instruction. He was always serving his version of his lord. And so there's, to my mind, a really salient warning in that as well." On Whether There's Anything That's Key to Roxburgh in Inhabiting, Rather Than Merely Impersonating, a Real-Life Figure "I guess it's not more than it is for any other character you do. It's just a different landscape, because it's a landscape that everybody's seen before. So the difference is that an audience is going to watch it with a precondition and pre-understanding of what that character is meant to look like or how they were. It's not really different in the sense that you always have to find yourself in the in the centre, in the makeup of — and I don't mean makeup as in hair and makeup, I mean in the cellular energy of that individual, which doesn't change whether the character is fictitious or was somebody who lived and was very much in the public eye. But the difference is that everybody knows that landscape. So the people watching this documentary, at least 90 percent of them will be enormously familiar with the personality and personage of Joh. And so they'll be coming in with a pre-understanding or a preconditioning to what that character is like. So that's the thing. The risk is to do the comedic version of the character, because there were so many great versions of that and I didn't want to fall into that." On If Having an Outsider's Eye, Not Growing Up in Queensland, Helped with Roxburgh's Task in Joh: Last King of Queensland "Interesting thought. I don't know the answer to that. I feel like probably my work would be the same no matter what. Because your work, when you're inhabiting that character, is going to be always the same — and in a sense, it's to not judge it. Because Joh, whatever we think of him, he had his own incredibly powerful reasons for doing what he did — and incredibly powerful self-justifications for doing them." On What Interests Roxburgh About Interrogating the Nature and Influence of Power On-Screen "I think it's definitely something that interests me, because it's so front and centre in the human experience — because we're either living it, aiming for it ourselves, or we're suffering at the hands of it. And so it's always there. And it's such a rich and compelling part of what it is to be a human being, as evidenced in everything that Shakespeare ever wrote. There's no drama, in a sense, without it, without the mechanics of it in one way or another." On Why Portraying Prominent Real-Life Australian Figures Keeps Coming His Way "No clue why I get offered these things because I obviously don't look a thing like Bob Hawke. I don't look at thing like Joh Bjelke-Petersen, either. I don't know why this happens. And as I said, I did have really strong tendrils of reluctance when Kriv was first talking to me about this. And he said 'look, I understand if you don't want to do this, having played Bob and various others — Peter Greste and other Australian famous figures'. But then I think I just really love the audacity of this project. I love the audacious way that Kriv was finding to tell this story. I just thought 'it's a great, really ballsy, wonderful piece of cinematic thinking that I loved I really'. I just really dug it. And I trust his opinion." On the Parallels That Joh: Last King of Queensland Draws Between Joh-Era Queensland and the US in 2025 — and If It Felt Like This Would Be a Timely Film While Making It "Yeah, it did. I think it's really fascinating because I have spoken to 30-year-olds in Australia who didn't know the name Joh Bjelke-Petersen, and I thought 'holy crap, come on, everybody should know that name'. These people need to be known about. As the famous saying goes about history repeating, I just think there's so many shots across the bow in that administration of Joh Bjelke-Petersen. There's so many warnings about untrammelled power and where it can lead — that one tiny rollback of something here then leads to a bigger rollback of democracy there, which just keeps leading democracy further and further afield, until you end up with, I think, a kind of deeply embedded, corrupt, pretty rotten administration where there is so much fear, so much resentment, so much anxiety. And where anybody with a slight sense of sitting outside the paradigm had to escape to safety. And I don't think that's a great place to be, and so I would love Australians to know about what happened under the administration of Joh Bjelke-Petersen." On How Roxburgh and Stenders' Working Relationship Has Evolved Over Multiple Films Now "A lot of trust in it. I really do. And a lot of the time, not having to say too much to each other. I'll still pick his brains and he'll obviously give me direction and talk about stuff. We will do that. But I think I just know what he's after. I can assess what he's after at any given moment, I think. And sometimes, we just scratch our heads after a scene and say 'I don't know if that? Did we get that right? Or do we — fuck it, let's do another one'. So there's a really great, very relaxed, trusting shorthand, I would say. And I think Kriv is an artist who is at his peak of his powers. I think he's doing such really, really interesting, strong work." On How Roxburgh Sees His Almost Four-Decade On-Screen Journey So Far "I think I've been really lucky because I've had a working life in the thing that I love. And I do still love it. I love the hell out of it. I love doing what I do so much. I love the various shapes of it. So I also like the idea of producing, of directing, of creating material, as well. I love being able to step between theatre and film and television. I like the gradation of difference that exists between film and television. I like all of it. I love all of it. So I feel really lucky and I feel privileged in the matter that I have had a life in it, and been able to make life in it. Because it's not always the case, and it can be a tough life at times. But I feel incredibly fortunate." On the Diversity That Roxburgh Has Enjoyed Across His Career — Even If Recurring Trends and Themes Pop Up "I love it. I love the kind of weird, wacky, family-photo-album madness of that particular curriculum vitae, I guess. I think, again, I'm lucky. I'm lucky to have experienced things that were ridiculous comedies. I love my time on Rake so much, because it was familial because I was deeply involved creatively — and it was so meaningful to me on lots of levels. But I think it's just a really madcap photo album that is kind of fascinating to thumb through, not that I ever do. But I guess one day in my dotage I'll be siting around, thumbing through: 'my god, I did this thing called Go!. I did this thing called — can anybody remember Lesbian Space Princess? I mean what did I do in that?'. I think it's fascinating. It's crazy." On Whether There's Any Other Key Australian Figure That Roxburgh Is Keen to Portray "No — I can say in all honesty there's not particularly. That person does not exist particularly at the moment. Generally what happens more is that you get offered something and your first thought is 'well, that's insane. That's ridiculous. Why would they? I don't. I'm not. I couldn't play that person'. And it goes from there so. No, I would say this — it's not like I would ever sit around thinking 'I'd love to have a crack at that character'." Joh: Last King of Queensland streams via Stan.
What runs the film world right now? Concert flicks, which are having a big-screen moment again. In the space of mere months, three huge examples of the genre will play cinemas worldwide, much to the delight of folks who like getting their movie and music fix in one go. First comes Taylor Swift's Eras tour concert film in October. In Australia, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, aka the best concert flick ever made, will return to picture palaces in November. And now RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will do the same worldwide from December. Beyoncé is no stranger to splashing her sets across a screen, after HOMECOMING: A Film By Beyoncé did exactly that on Netflix back in 2019. That movie covered the superstar singer's time on the Coachella stage, and came with a 40-track live album as well. This time, Bey is focusing on her 56-performance, 39-city world RENAISSANCE tour in support of the 2022 album of the same name. Now wrapped up after starting in Stockholm in Sweden in May and finishing in Kansas City, Missouri in the US on Sunday, October 1, the RENAISSANCE tour featured everything from 'Dangerously in Love 2', 'Cuff It', 'Formation' and 'Run the World (Girls)' to 'Crazy in Love', 'Love On Top', 'Drunk in Love' and 'America Has a Problem'. Sadly, audiences in Australia or New Zealand haven't experienced that setlist for themselves, with the tour skipping Down Under shows so far. Accordingly, RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ is the first chance for Bey fans in this part of the world to join in without heading overseas. "When I am performing, I am nothing but free," says Beyoncé in the just-released trailer for the new concert flick, which dropped along with the news that the movie exists. "The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free," the musician continues, in a sneak peek that includes behind-the-scenes glimpses, crowd shots and, of course, spectacular concert footage. RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ charts the tour from its first show until its last, as well as the hard work and technical mastery that went into it on- and off-stage, as 2.7-million-plus fans have seen in person. In North America, it'll hit cinemas on Friday, December 1, and play for at least four weeks from Thursday–Sunday, including in IMAX. Exactly when the film will debut Down Under hasn't been revealed as yet — nor where the movie will screen — but prepare for lift off ASAP afterwards. Check out the trailer for RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ below: RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will start screening in North America from Friday, December 1, with opening dates in other locations still to be announced — we'll update you when Australia and New Zealand details are revealed. Images: Julian Dakdouk / Mason Poole.
Winter is coming, as Game of Thrones has been telling us for years — and if the idea hasn't quite sunk in, the show's latest trailer is here to help. After announcing that the series would return in April for its final season with a very brief clip, HBO has dropped another short teaser. Expect snow and dragons, obviously. While we're still hanging out for a proper trailer, the latest sneak peek features the series' Dragonstone table map, aka a painted depiction of Westeros. Sadly, there's no footage from the new season — but there is enough icy intrigue to whet fans' appetites. After leaving everyone hanging for the entirety of 2018, Game of Thrones' eighth and final season will hit the small screen in April 2019, nearly two years after season seven premiered in July 2017. The US network hasn't announced an exact premiere date as yet, but even knowing which month to look forward to is good news. If you're eager to get your fix of the series' staples — that is, battles, bloodshed, betrayal, bare chests, family bickering, Jon Snow knowing nothing (including about his long-lost aunt) and plenty of dragons — then you can almost start counting down the days. Of course, we all know that this isn't really the end of the world created by author George RR Martin — and no, we're not talking about the now seven-year wait for his next book in the literary franchise, The Winds of Winter. A prequel TV series to Game of Thrones is in the works, set thousands of years before the events we've all be watching since 2011, with Naomi Watts set to star. Come next year, you'll also be able to tour original GoT filming locations in Northern Ireland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NspqGM0DbbQ Game of Thrones season eight will arrive on HBO in April, 2019.
Glamping has been having a renaissance in recent times. For too long, your fussy friend was always the one to kill the vibe on every camping trip. You know the kind — the one fumbling with expensive battery packs and car adaptors for their hair straightener while the rest of the group settle into full Bear Grylls-style wildling life. But now, the tables have turned. Now, the glamper has an awesome arsenal of James Bond-level gadgets at their disposal and, if you laugh at them, they won't let you into their amazing impromptu hot tub. The latest invention to set glampers' hearts aflutter, the Nomad Collapsible Hot Tub is exactly what it sounds like. Delivered to you in what must seem like the most infuriating IKEA-style flat pack ever, the tub is easily transportable within a regular-sized duffle bag. When fully assembled, this vinyl-coated slice of heaven transforms to a structure 1.5m wide and 60cm tall. It holds 850 litres of water and approximately four or five super-chilled adults. As idyllic as this concept sounds, it obviously hinges on a few important things. For instance, unless you carry 850 litres of water with you wherever you go, you really need to be camping somewhere with easy water access. The tub needs to be filled with the help of a pretty hardcore water pump, and it has to be heated with a nifty little water heater coil. This means two things: you really have to be prepared — this isn't the $2 shop blow-up pool you fill up with the hose on Australia Day — and you have to willing to pay for it. In a special sale offer, Nomad are selling both the tub itself and the water heater coil for US$990. But that's not taking into account the water pump you'll need to fill it or the inevitable postage you'll rack up in shipping both to Australia. All in all, you'd surely be looking at around $1500 for a dip in the spa. Plus whatever exorbitant costs you and your glamping buddies are already paying for a tent with a king size bed in it. All things considered, it still has a crazy amount of pulling power. Even if you can't assemble an IKEA flat pack to save your life, even if you consider a ticket to the hot springs a splurge in the budget, even if you get pruny fingers immediately after jumping into any form of hot water, you really can't deny how much better your camping trip will be with a gadget like this.
Sometimes, he's played by an over-the-top Robert Downey Jr. As TV fans know, sometimes a curmudgeonly Benedict Cumberbatch does the honours. Ian McKellen has even taken the job, as has Will Ferrell. In fact, on the big and small screens for over a century, a lengthy list of actors have stepped into Sherlock Holmes' shoes and worn his deerstalker cap. But Netflix's new film isn't really about the famed sleuth — instead, it's about his sister. As brought to the screen by Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown, Enola Holmes is the family's youngest sibling. Naturally, she has a mystery to solve — she is a Holmes, after all. When her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) goes missing on the morning of Enola's 16th birthday, it's up to the teenager to find out where she has gone and why. Her brothers, Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin), aren't too pleased, though. They're not very happy with her demeanour either, and would rather send her to a finishing school to learn how to become a 'proper' young lady. As the just-dropped full trailer for Enola Holmes shows, yes, Enola does say "the game is afoot". She also becomes caught up in quite the adventure, as based on Nancy Springer's young adult book series. This is a period-set version of the Holmes story, too, not a modernised one — so expect to see Enola flit around 1880s England when the movie hits Netflix on September 23. In addition to Brown, The Crown's Bonham Carter, The Witcher's Cavill and The Nightingale's Claflin, the film also stars Medici's Louis Partridge as a young runaway Lord who crosses Enola's path. Behind the camera, Fleabag and Ramy's Harry Bradbeer directs — with the filmmaker earning an Emmy in 2019 for the former. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d0Zf9sXlHk Enola Holmes hits Netflix on September 23. Image: Alex Bailey.
UPDATE, APRIL 4: Paramount Pictures has announced a new release date for A Quiet Place Part II, with the film now hitting cinemas on September 3, 2020. UPDATE, MARCH 13: Due to concerns around the coronavirus, Paramount Pictures has announced that A Quiet Place Part II will no longer release on its initially scheduled date of Thursday, March 19, 2020. At present, a new release date has not been announced — we'll update you when one has been revealed. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. In 2018, the biggest horror movie of the year leaned heavily on silence. A Quiet Place tasked a young family with staying soundless, lest they be heard and then killed by giant spider-like monsters — and their efforts to survive became a huge box office hit. Indeed, A Quiet Place was so successful that it had a flow-on effect. When you watched it in a cinema, you probably glared whenever someone near you crunched popcorn, crinkled a packet of chips or started talking. Your ears keenly listened out for any noise that could put Lee (John Krasinski), Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) Abbott in jeopardy, and you didn't want some loud person in the next row ruining that viewing experience. The frightful aliens, the hushed tones and Emily Blunt in kick-ass mode — it's all back thanks to sequel A Quiet Place Part II. So, too, is hoping that your fellow cinema-goers don't make a sound while you soak in every second of expertly calibrated stillness. Like the first film, this follow-up is directed and written by Krasinski, with Blunt, Simmons and Jupe all returning on-screen. The sequel's cast also welcomes franchise newcomers Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders) and Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy). And if you're wondering why Krasinski isn't mentioned among the actors, then you need to go back and watch the original movie again. As the just-dropped first trailer shows, A Quiet Place Part II picks up where its predecessor left off. The suitably unsettling sneak peek starts with a flashback to the day the monsters initially made their presence known, before jumping to Evelyn, Regan and Marcus' latest attempts to avoid the fearsome creatures. Expect plenty of bumps, jumps and — naturally — silence. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7qxYOpy9Ms After being delayed from its original release date of March 19, 2020, A Quiet Place Part II will now open in Australian cinemas on September 3, 2020. Image: © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved
For TV fans, 2022 was the year of finally. After a couple of years of hefty pandemic delays, so many stellar television shows finally returned. In 2023 so far, it's been the year of farewells. Again, plenty of ace programs have added extra episodes — but some of them, such as Succession, Barry, The Other Two, Servant and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, dropped back in for their final runs, then said goodbye. Revelling in the last glimpses of feuding families, actors-turned-hitmen, stardom-chasing siblings, eerie nannies and comedians — and maybe AFC Richmond, too — has only been part of the viewing landscape among returning TV shows this year, though. Thankfully, when our screens delivered more time with high schoolers lost in the woods, for instance, it did so with the promise of more to follow. Elsewhere, the lineup of already-great series offering more instalments spanned everything from decade-plus comebacks to ridiculously brilliant sketches — plus shows about comebacks, dinosaurs, twisted technology, being trapped in a musical and more. Now that 2023 has passed its halfway point, we've rounded up the 15 best TV series that released another season between January and June. Binge them now if you haven't already. SUCCESSION Endings have always been a part of Succession. Since it premiered in 2018, the bulk of the HBO drama's feuding figures have been waiting for a big farewell. The reason is right there in the title, because for any of the Roy clan's adult children to scale the family company's greatest heights and remain there — be it initial heir apparent Kendall (Jeremy Strong, Armageddon Time), his inappropriate photo-sending brother Roman (Kieran Culkin, No Sudden Move), their political-fixer sister Siobhan (Sarah Snook, Pieces of a Woman), or eldest sibling and now-presidential candidate Connor (Alan Ruck, The Dropout) — their father Logan's (Brian Cox, Remember Me) tenure needed to wrap up. The latter was always stubborn. Proud, too, of what he'd achieved and the power it's brought. And whenever Logan seemed nearly ready to leave the business behind, he held on. If he's challenged or threatened, as happened again and again in the Emmy-winning series, he fixed his grasp even tighter. Succession was always been waiting for Logan's last stint at global media outfit Waystar RoyCo, but it had never been about finales quite the way it was in its stunning fourth season. This time, there was ticking clock not just for the show's characters, but for the stellar series itself, given that this is its last go-around — and didn't it make the most of it. Nothing can last forever, not even widely acclaimed hit shows that are a rarity in today's TV climate: genuine appointment-viewing. So, this went out at the height of its greatness, complete with unhappy birthday parties, big business deals, plenty of scheming and backstabbing, and both Shiv's husband Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen, Operation Mincemeat) and family cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun, Zola) in vintage form — plus an early shock, at least two of the best episodes of any show that've ever aired on television, one of the worst drinks, a phenomenal acting masterclass, a The Sopranos-level final shot and the reality that money really can't buy happiness. Succession streams via Binge. Read our full review. BARRY Since HBO first introduced the world to Barry Berkman, the contract killer played and co-created by Saturday Night Live great Bill Hader wanted to be something other than a gun for hire. An ex-military sniper, he was always skilled at his highly illicit post-service line of work; however, moving on from that past was a bubbling dream even before he found his way to a Los Angeles acting class while on a job. Barry laid bare its namesake's biggest wish in its 2018 premiere episode. Then, it kept unpacking his pursuit of a life less lethal across the show's Emmy-winning first and second seasons, plus its even-more-astounding third season in 2022. Season four, the series' final outing, was no anomaly, but it also realised that wanting to be someone different and genuinely overcoming your worst impulses aren't the same. Barry grappled with this fact since the beginning, of course, with the grim truth beating at the show's heart whether it's at its most darkly comedic, action-packed or dramatic — and, given that its namesake was surrounded by people who similarly yearn for an alternative to their current lot in life, yet also can't shake their most damaging behaviour, it did so beyond its antihero protagonist. Are Barry, his girlfriend Sally Reid (Sarah Goldberg, The Night House), acting teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, Black Adam), handler Monroe Fuches (Stephen Root, Succession) and Chechen gangster NoHo Hank (Anthony Carrigan, Bill & Ted Face the Music) all that different from who they were when Barry started? Have they processed their troubles? Have they stopped taking out their struggles not just on themselves, but on those around them? Hader and his fellow Barry co-creator Alec Berg (Silicon Valley, Curb Your Enthusiasm) kept asking those questions in season four to marvellous results, including after making a massive jump, and right up to the jaw-dropping yet pitch-perfect finale. Barry being Barry, posing such queries and seeing its central figures for who they are was an ambitious, thrilling and risk-taking ride. When season three ended, it was with Barry behind bars, which is where he was when the show's new go-around kicked off. He wasn't coping, unsurprisingly, hallucinating Sally running lines in the prison yard and rejecting a guard's attempt to tell him that he's not a bad person. With the latter, there's a moment of clarity about what he's done and who he is, but Barry's key players have rarely been that honest with themselves for long. Barry streams via Binge. Read our full review. THE OTHER TWO Swapping Saturday Night Live for an entertainment-parodying sitcom worked swimmingly for Tina Fey. Since 2019, it also went hilariously for Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider. Not just former SNL writers but the veteran sketch comedy's ex-head writers, Kelly and Schneider gave the world their own 30 Rock with the sharp, smart and sidesplitting The Other Two. Their angle: focusing on the adult siblings of a Justin Bieber-style teen popstar who've always had their own showbiz aspirations — he's an actor, she was a ballerina — who then find themselves the overlooked children of a momager-turned-daytime television host as well. Cary (Drew Tarver, History of the World: Part II) and Brooke (Heléne York, Katy Keene) Dubek were happy for Chase (Case Walker, Monster High: The Movie). And when their mother Pat (Molly Shannon, I Love That for You) gets her own time in the spotlight, becoming Oprah-level famous, they were equally thrilled for her. But ChaseDreams, their little brother's stage name, was always a constant reminder that their own ambitions keep being outshone. In a first season that proved one of the best new shows of 2019, a second season in 2021 that was just as much of a delight and now a stellar third go-around, Cary and Brooke were never above getting petty and messy about being the titular pair. In season three, however, they didn't just hang around with stars in their eyes and resentment in their hearts. How did they cope? They spent the past few years constantly comparing themselves to Chase, then to Pat, but then they were successful on their own — and still chaotic, and completely unable to change their engrained thinking. Forget the whole "the grass is always greener" adage. No matter if they were faking it or making it, nothing was ever perfectly verdant for this pair or anyone in their orbit. Still, as Brooke wondered whether her dream manager gig is trivial after living through a pandemic, she started contemplating if she should be doing more meaningful work like her fashion designer-turned-nurse boyfriend Lance (Josh Segarra, The Big Door Prize). And with Cary's big breaks never quite panning out as planned, he got envious of his fellow-actor BFF Curtis (Brandon Scott Jones, Ghosts). The Other Two streams via Binge. Read our full review. PARTY DOWN Sometimes, dreams do come true. More often than not, they don't. The bulk of life is what dwells in-between, as we all cope with the inescapable truth that we won't get everything that we've ever fantasised about, and we mightn't even score more than just a few things we want. This is the space that Party Down has always made its own, asking "are we having fun yet?" about life's disappointments while focusing on Los Angeles-based hopefuls played by Adam Scott (Severance), Ken Marino (The Other Two), Ryan Hansen (A Million Little Things), Martin Starr (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) and more. They'd all rather be doing something other than being cater waiters at an array of California functions, and most have stars in their eyes. In the cult comedy's first two seasons back in 2009–10, the majority of its characters had their sights set on show business, slinging hors d'oeuvres while trying to make acting, screenwriting or comedy happen. Bringing most of the original gang back together — including Jane Lynch (Only Murders in the Building) and Megan Mullally (Reservation Dogs) — Party Down keeps its shindig-by-shindig setup in its 13-years-later third season. Across its first 20 instalments as well as its new six, each episode sends the titular crew to a different soirée. This time, setting the scene for what's still one of the all-time comedy greats in its latest go-around, the opening get-together is thrown by one of their own. Kyle Bradway (Hansen) has just scored the lead part in a massive superhero franchise, and he's celebrating. Ex-actor Henry Pollard (Scott) is among the attendees, as are now-heiress Constance Carmell (Lynch) and perennial stage mum Lydia Dunfree (Mullally). Hard sci-fi obsessive Roman DeBeers (Starr) and the eager-to-please Ron Donald (Marino) are present as well, in a catering capacity. By the time episode two hits, then the rest of the season, more of the above will be donning pastel pink bow ties, the series keeps unpacking what it means to dream but never succeed, and the cast — especially Scott and the ever-committed Marino — are in their element. Party Down streams via Stan. Read our full review of season three. YELLOWJACKETS For Shauna (Melanie Lynskey, The Last of Us), Natalie (Juliette Lewis, Welcome to Chippendales), Taissa (Tawny Cypress, Billions), Misty (Christina Ricci, Wednesday), Lottie (Simone Kessell, Muru) and Van (Lauren Ambrose, Servant), 1996 will always be the year that their plane plunged into the Canadian wilderness, stranding them for 19 tough months — as season one of 2021–2022 standout Yellowjackets grippingly established. As teenagers (as played by The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse, The Boogeyman's Sophie Thatcher, Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy, Shameless' Samantha Hanratty, Mad Max: Fury Road's Courtney Eaton and Santa Clarita Diet's Liv Hewson), they were members of the show's titular high-school soccer squad, travelling from their New Jersey home town to Seattle for a national tournament, when the worst eventuated. Cue Lost-meets-Lord of the Flies with an Alive twist, as that first season was understandably pegged. All isn't always what it seems as Shauna and company endeavour to endure in the elements. Also, tearing into each other occurs more than just metaphorically. Plus, literally sinking one's teeth in was teased and flirted with since episode one, too. But Yellowjackets will always be about what it means to face something so difficult that it forever colours and changes who you are — and constantly leaves a reminder of who you might've been. So, when Yellowjackets ended its first season, it was with as many questions as answers. Naturally, it tore into season two in the same way. In the present, mere days have elapsed — and Shauna and her husband Jeff (Warren Kole, Shades of Blue) are trying to avoid drawing any attention over the disappearance of Shauna's artist lover Adam (Peter Gadiot, Queen of the South). Tai has been elected as a state senator, but her nocturnal activities have seen her wife Simone (Rukiya Bernard, Van Helsing) move out with their son Sammy (Aiden Stoxx, Supergirl). Thanks to purple-wearing kidnappers, Nat has been spirited off, leaving Misty desperate to find her — even enlisting fellow citizen detective Walter (Elijah Wood, Come to Daddy) to help. And, in the past, winter is setting in, making searching for food and staying warm an immense feat. Yellowjackets streams via Paramount+. Read our full review. I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON Eat-the-rich stories are delicious, and also everywhere; however, Succession, Triangle of Sadness and the like aren't the only on-screen sources of terrible but terribly entertaining people. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson has been filling streaming queues with assholes since 2019, as usually played by the eponymous Detroiters star, and long may it continue. In season three, the show takes its premise literally in the most ridiculous and unexpected way, so much so that no one could ever dream of predicting what happens. That's still the sketch comedy's not-so-secret power. Each of its skits is about someone being the worst in some way, doubling down on being the worst and refusing to admit that they're the worst (or that they're wrong) — and while everyone around them might wish they'd leave, they're never going to, and nothing ever ends smoothly. In a show that's previously worked in hot dog costumes and reality TV series about bodies dropping out of coffins to hilarious effect, anything can genuinely happen to its gallery of the insufferable. In fact, the more absurd and chaotic I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson gets, the better. No description can do I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson's sketches justice, and almost every one is a comedic marvel, as again delivered in six 15-minute episodes in the series' third run. The usual complaint applies: for a show about people overstaying their welcome, the program itself flies by too quickly, always leaving viewers wanting more. Everything from dog doors and designated drivers to HR training and street parking is in Robinson's sights this time, and people who won't stop talking about their kids, wedding photos and group-think party behaviour as well. Game shows get parodied again and again, an I Think You Should Leave staple, and gloriously. More often than in past seasons, Robinson lets his guest stars play the asshole, too, including the returning Will Forte (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), regular Sam Richardson (The Afterparty), and perennial pop-ups Fred Armisen (Barry) and Tim Meadows (Poker Face). And when Jason Schwartzman (I Love That for You) and Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) drop in, they're also on the pitch-perfect wavelength. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson streams via Netflix. Read our full review. I HATE SUZIE TOO Watching I Hate Suzie Too isn't easy. Watching I Hate Suzie, the show's first season, wasn't either back in 2020. A warts-and-all dance through the chaotic life, emotions and mind of a celebrity, both instalments of this compelling British series have spun as far away from the glitz and glamour of being famous as possible. Capturing carefully constructed social-media content to sell the fiction of stardom's perfection is part of the story, as it has to be three decades into the 21st century; however, consider this show from Succession writer Lucy Prebble and actor/singer/co-creator Billie Piper, and its blood pressure-raising tension and stress, the anti-Instagram. The unfiltered focus: teen pop sensation-turned-actor Suzie Pickles, as played with a canny sense of knowing by Piper given that the 'Honey to the Bee' and Penny Dreadful talent has charted the same course. That said, the show's IRL star hasn't been the subject of a traumatic phone hack that exposed sensitive photos from an extramarital affair to the public, turning her existence and career upside down, as Suzie was in season one. Forget The Idol — this is the best show about being a famous singer that you can watch right now. In I Hate Suzie Too, plenty has changed for the series' namesake over a six-month period. She's no longer with her professor husband Cob (Daniel Ings, Sex Education), and is battling for custody of their young son Frank (debutant Matthew Jordan-Caws), who is deaf — and her manager and lifelong friend Naomi (Leila Farzad, Avenue 5) is off the books, replaced by the no-nonsense Sian (Anastasia Hille, A Spy Among Friends). Also, in a new chance to win back fans, Suzie has returned to reality TV after it helped thrust her into the spotlight as a child star to begin with. Dance Crazee Xmas is exactly what it sounds like, and sees her compete against soccer heroes (Blake Harrison, The Inbetweeners), musicians (Douglas Hodge, The Great) and more. But when I Hate Suzie Too kicks off with a ferocious, clearly cathartic solo dance in sad-clown getup, the viewers aren't charmed. Well, Dance Crazee Xmas' audience, that is — because anyone watching I Hate Suzie Too is in for another stunner that's fearless, audacious, honest, dripping with anxiety, staggering in its intensity, absolutely heart-wrenching and always unflinching. I Hate Suzie Too streams via Stan. Read our full review. THE GREAT Television perfection is watching Elle Fanning (The Girl From Plainville) and Nicholas Hoult (Renfield) trying to run 18th-century Russia while scheming, fighting and heatedly reuniting in a historical period comedy The Great. Since 2020, they've each been in career-best form — her as the series' ambitious namesake, him as the emperor who loses his throne to his wife — while turning in two of the best performances on streaming in one of the medium's most hilarious shows. Both former child actors now enjoying excellent careers as adults, they make such a marvellous pair that it's easy to imagine this series being built around them. It wasn't and, now three seasons, The Great has never thrived on their casting alone. Still, shouting "huzzah!" at the duo's bickering, burning passion and bloodshed-sparking feuding flows as freely as all the vodka downed in the Emmy-winner's frames under Australian creator Tony McNamara's watch (and after he initially unleashed its winning havoc upon Sydney Theatre Company in 2008, then adapted it for television following a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for co-penning The Favourite). In this latest batch of instalments, all either written or co-written by McNamara, Catherine (Fanning) and Peter (Hoult) begin the third season sure about their love for each other, but just as flummoxed as ever about making their nuptials work. She's attempting to reform the nation, he's the primary caregiver to their infant son Paul, her efforts are meeting resistance, he's doting but also bored playing stay-out-of-politics dad, and couples counselling is called for. There's also the matter of the royal court's most prominent members, many of whom were rounded up and arrested under Catherine's orders at the end of season two. From Sweden, exiled King Hugo (Freddie Fox, House of the Dragon) and Queen Agnes (Grace Molony, Mary, Queen of Scots) are hanging around after being run out of their own country due to democracy's arrival. And, Peter's lookalike Pugachev (also Hoult) is agitating for a serf-powered revolution. The Great streams via Stan. Read our full review. PREHISTORIC PLANET When it initially arrived in 2022, becoming one of the year's best new shows and giving nature doco fans the five-episode series they didn't know they'd always wanted — and simultaneously couldn't believe hadn't been made until now — Prehistoric Planet followed the David Attenborough nature documentary formula perfectly. And it is a formula. In a genre that's frequently spying the wealth of patterns at the heart of the animal realm, docos such as The Living Planet, State of the Planet, Frozen Planet, Our Planet, Seven Worlds, One Planet, A Perfect Planet, Green Planet and the like all build from the same basic elements. Jumping back 66 million years, capitalising upon advancements in special effects but committing to making a program just like anything that peers at the earth today was never going to feel like the easy product of a template, though. Indeed, Prehistoric Planet's first season was stunning, and its second is just as staggering. The catch, in both season one and this return trip backwards: while breathtaking landscape footage brings the planet's terrain to the Prehistoric Planet series, the critters stalking, swimming, flying and tumbling across it are purely pixels. Filmmaker Jon Favreau remains among the show's executive producers, and the technology that brought his photorealistic versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King to cinemas couldn't be more pivotal. Seeing needs to be believing while watching, because the big-screen gloss of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World sagas, the puppets of 90s sitcom Dinosaurs, and the animatronics of Walking with Dinosaurs — or anything in-between — were never going to suit a program with Attenborough as a guide. Accordingly, to sit down to Prehistoric Planet is to experience cognitive dissonance: viewers are well-aware that what they're spying isn't real because the animals seen no longer exist, but it truly looks that authentic. Prehistoric Planet season streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. SERVANT When M Night Shyamalan (Knock at the Cabin) earned global attention and two Oscar nominations back in 1999 for The Sixth Sense, it was with a film about a boy who sees dead people. After ten more features that include highs (the trilogy that is Unbreakable, Split and Glass) and lows (Lady in the Water and The Happening), in 2019 he turned his attention to a TV tale of a nanny who revives a dead baby. Or did he? That's how Servant commenced its first instantly eerie, anxious and dread-filled season, a storyline it has followed in its second season in 2021, third in 2022, and then fourth and final batch of episodes in 2023. But as with all Shyamalan works, this meticulously made series bubbles with the clear feeling that all isn't as it seems. What happens if a caregiver sweeps in exactly when needed and changes a family's life, Mary Poppins-style, but she's a teenager rather than a woman, disquieting instead of comforting, and accompanied by strange events, forceful cults and unsettlingly conspiracies rather than sweet songs, breezy winds and spoonfuls of sugar? That's Servant's basic premise. Set in Shyamalan's beloved Philadelphia, and created by Tony Basgallop (The Consultant), the puzzle-box series spends most of its time in a lavish brownstone inhabited by TV news reporter Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose, Yellowjackets), her celebrity-chef husband Sean (Toby Kebbell, Bloodshot), their baby Jericho and 18-year-old nanny Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free, Too Old to Die Young) — and where Dorothy's recovering-alcoholic brother Julian (Grint, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) is a frequent visitor. That's still the dynamic in season four, which slowly and powerfully moves towards its big farewell. Dorothy is more determined than ever to be rid of Leanne, Leanne is more sure of herself and her abilities than she's ever been — in childminding, and all the other spooky occurrences that've been haunting the family — and Sean and Julian are again caught in the middle. Wrapping up with one helluva ending, Servant has gifted viewers four seasons of spectacular duelling caregivers and gripping domestic tension, and one of streaming's horror greats. Servant streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review of season four. THE MARVELOUS MRS MAISEL Here's how The Marvelous Mrs Maisel started: in New York City in 1958, Miriam 'Midge' Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan, I'm Your Woman) had become accustomed to waiting in the wings while her husband Joel (Michael Zegen, The Stand In) tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Then she took to the stage herself, and this blend of comedy and drama followed the revolutionary aftermath. Sometimes, that's brought highlights, including having her talent recognised by Gaslight Cafe manager Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein, Family Guy), taking her sets on the road and working her way up the comedy ladder. Sometimes, there have been costs, especially in her relationships. And always, right up to the show's fifth and final season that featured jumps forward to the 21st century, there was a battle that still sadly remains oh-so-relevant IRL: for women in comedy to be treated and seen equally. Hailing from Gilmore Girls and Bunheads mastermind Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel's cast has always proven a dream — Tony Shalhoub (Flamin' Hot), Marin Hinkle (Jumanji: The Next Level), Kevin Pollak (Willow) and Caroline Aaron (Ghosts) also feature, and Jane Lynch (Party Down), Luke Kirby (Boston Strangler) and Stephanie Hsu (Joy Ride) as well — and, unsurprisingly, its writing, too. Indeed, there's nothing quite like Sherman-Palladino-penned dialogue, which Brosnahan especially is a natural at nailing its rhythms. The period detail has consistently been impeccable, but this wouldn't be the hit it is (or have Golden Globes and Emmys to its name) if it didn't also mean something. It should come as no astonishment that Joan Rivers was one of the inspirations for the series, and that it is equally hilarious, heartfelt and finely observed, with its guiding writer, director and producer's charms in abundance. The Marvelous Mrs Maisel streams via Prime Video. TED LASSO It wasn't simply debuting during the pandemic's first year, in a life-changing period when everyone was doing it tough, that made Ted Lasso's first season a hit in 2020. It wasn't just the Apple TV+ sitcom's unshakeable warmth, giving its characters and viewers alike a big warm hug episode after episode, either. Both play a key part, however, because this Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live)-starring soccer series is about everyone pitching in and playing a part. It's a team endeavour that champions team endeavours — hailing from a quartet of creators (Sudeikis, co-star Brendan Hunt, Detroiters' Joe Kelly and Scrubs' Bill Lawrence), boasting a killer cast in both major and supporting roles, and understanding how important it is to support one another on- and off-screen (plus in the fictional world that the show has created, and while making that realm so beloved with audiences). Ted Lasso has always believed in the individual players as well as the team they're in, though. It is named after its eponymous American football coach-turned-inexperienced soccer manager, after all. But in building an entire sitcom around a character that started as a sketch in two popular US television ads for NBC's Premier League coverage — around two characters, because Hunt's (Bless This Mess) laconic Coach Beard began in those commercials as well — Ted Lasso has always understood that everyone is only a fraction of who they can be when they're alone. That's an idea that kept gathering momentum in the show's long-awaited third season, which gave much to engagingly dive into. It starts with Ted left solo when he desperately doesn't want to be, with AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham, Hocus Pocus 2) desperate to beat her ex Rupert Mannion (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head) new team, and with the Greyhounds' former assistant Nathan 'Nate' Shelley (Nick Mohammed, Intelligence) now coaching said opposition — and with changes galore around the club. It ends with more big moves after another astute look at the game of life, whether or not it returns for season four. Ted Lasso streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. SCHMIGADOON! For fans of Key & Peele, the fact that Keegan-Michael Key can do anything won't come as a surprise. In 2023, proving that statement true has seen the comedian and actor voice Toad in The Super Mario Bros Movie, and also return to the realm of singing and dancing in Schmigadoon!. What would it be like to live in a musical? That's been this Apple TV+'s central question since it first premiered in 2021. Key stars opposite the also ever-versatile Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live) as a couple, Josh Skinner and Melissa Gimble, who are simply backpacking when they suddenly find themselves in the wondrous titular town. The duo were hoping to fix their struggling relationship with a stint in nature, but instead step into a 24/7 Golden Age-style show — a parody of Brigadoon, clearly — that helps them work through their feelings, discover what they truly want and see a different side of life. That was season one. In season two, Josh and Melissa start back in the real world, married, in their medical jobs and going through the motions. In their malaise, a return trip to Schmigadoon! beckons; however, when they stumble upon it again, the place isn't quite the same. Instead, they're now in Schmicago. And, instead of 40s and 50s musicals, 60s and 70s shows are in the spotlight — including the razzle dazzle of Chicago, obviously. What a ball this series has, including with a jam-packed cast that includes Dove Cameron (Vengeance), Kristin Chenoweth (Bros), Alan Cumming (The Good Fight), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Jane Krakowski (Dickinson), Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building) and Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) — and with ample thanks to creators Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio (the Despicable Me films). Schmigadoon! streams via Apple TV+. BLACK MIRROR When Ron Swanson discovered digital music, the tech-phobic Parks and Recreation favourite was uncharacteristically full of praise. Played by Nick Offerman (The Last of Us) at his most giddily exuberant, he badged the iPod filled with his favourite records an "excellent rectangle". In Black Mirror, the same shape is everywhere. The Netflix series' moniker even stems from the screens and gadgets that we all now filter life through daily and unthinkingly. In Charlie Brooker's (Cunk on Earth) eyes since 2011, however, those ever-present boxes and the technology behind them are far from ace. Instead, befitting a dystopian anthology show that has dripped with existential dread from episode one, and continues to do so in its long-awaited sixth season, those rectangles keep reflecting humanity at its bleakest. Black Mirror as a title has always been devastatingly astute: when we stare at a TV, smartphone, computer or tablet, we access the world yet also reveal ourselves. It might've taken four years to return after 2019's season five, but Brooker's hit still smartly and sharply focuses on the same concern. Indeed, this new must-binge batch of nightmares begins with exactly the satirical hellscape that today's times were bound to inspire. Opening chapter Joan Is Awful, with its AI- and deepfake-fuelled mining of everyday existence for content, almost feels too prescient — a charge a show that's dived into digital resurrections, social scoring systems, killer VR and constant surveillance knows well. Brooker isn't afraid to think bigger and probe deeper in season six, though; to eschew obvious targets like ChatGPT and the pandemic; and to see clearly and unflinchingly that our worst impulses aren't tied to the latest widgets. Black Mirror streams via Netflix. Read our full review. HUNTERS Call it a conspiracy thriller. Call it an alternative history. Call it a revenge fantasy. Call it another savage exploration of race relations with Jordan Peele's fingerprints all over it. When it comes to Hunters, they all fit. This 70s-set Nazi-slaying series first arrived in 2020, following a ragtag group determined to do two things: avenge the Holocaust, with many among their number Jewish survivors or relatives of survivors; and stop escaped Third Reich figures who've secretly slipped into the US from their plan of starting a Fourth Reich. The cast was stellar — Al Pacino (House of Gucci), Logan Lerman (Bullet Train), Tiffany Boone (Nine Perfect Strangers), Jeannie Berlin (Succession), Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Lena Olin (Mindhunter) and Australia's own Kate Mulvany (The Clearing) among them — and Get Out and Us filmmaker Peele executive produced a gem as he also did that same year with Lovecraft Country. And, when it wrapped up its first season, it did so with one mighty massive cliffhanger: the fact that Adolf Hitler (Udo Kier, Swan Song) was still alive in 1977. Returning for its second and final batch of episodes three years later, but largely moving its action to 1979, season two of Hunters sees its central gang initially doing their own things — but unsurprisingly reteaming to go after the obvious target. Jonah Heidelbaum (Lerman) is living a double life, with his new fiancee Clara (Emily Rudd, Fear Street) in the dark about his Nazi-hunting ways, but crossing paths with the ruthless and determined Chava Apfelbaum (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Possessor) ramps up his and the crew's efforts. Knowing this is the final go-around, the stylishly shot series wasn't afraid of embracing its OTT leanings, tonal jumps and frenetic camerawork, and always proved entertaining as it hurtles towards its last hurrah. The best episode of the season, however, is one that jumps back to World War II, doesn't focus on any of its main stars and is as clever, moving and well-executed as Hunters has ever been. If the show ever gets revived in the future, which it easily could, more of that would make a great series even better. Hunters streams via Prime Video. Looking for more viewing highlights? We picked the 15 best new TV shows of 2023, too. We also keep a running list of must-stream TV from across the year so far, complete with full reviews. And, you can check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
Lego Camera is a 3-Megapixel camera made entirely out of its namesake. It is a new go-to gadget for any shelf that’s looking a little bare and any hands that are feeling a little bored because, being Lego, you can add extra pieces to build a totally customised camera. Fortunately, it can't be pulled apart, which means you won’t find yourself scrambling on all fours looking for that missing piece. The camera, available online at Urban Outfitters, has pretty simple features: fixed focus, digital zoom, in-built flash and a 1.5 inch colour-screen with memory to store 8 shots. This may be marketed to the younger generation, but for those who never outgrew their childhood Lego fixation to operate this is certainly a fun option. [Via Desktop Mag]
No longer confined to children's birthday parties, bouncy castles, inflatable obstacle sources and blow-up labyrinths have become hot property for adults (and their inner kids, of course). And the next blow-up event to return to Australia is big. Really big. Dubbed 'The Big Bounce Australia', it's an inflatable theme park made up of the world's biggest bouncy castle — as certified by the Guinness World Records — plus a 300-metre long obstacle course, a three-part space-themed wonderland and a sports slam arena. You're going to need a lot of red cordial to bounce your way through all of this. Set to tour the country in 2022, The Big Bounce is open to both littl'uns and big'uns, but there are a heap of adults-only sessions — so you don't have to worry about dodging toddlers on your way through. Tickets for adults will set you back $59, which gives you a whole three hours in the park. Yes, you'll need it. Inside, you'll encounter the aforementioned bouncy castle — aptly named The World's Biggest Bounce House — covering a whopping 1500 square metres and, in some spots, reaching ten metres off the ground. In this house, you'll encounter a heap of slides, ball pits, climbing towers, basketball hoops and (if you can believe it) a stage with DJs, confetti cannons and beach balls. Then, there's The Giant, with 50 inflatable obstacles, including giant red balls and a monster slide. [caption id="attachment_825374" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sarasota Experience[/caption] Before you hit the next, three-part section of the extremely OTT theme park, you may need to pause, down some red frogs and maybe even have a nap. Or not, as you do only have three hours to explore it all. Either way, at Airspace, aliens, spaceships and moon craters collide with a five-lane slide, some more ball pits and an 18-metre-tall maze. After that, you'll certainly need a nap. And, new for 2022, there's also the Sport Slam, which is rather self-explanatory — and will be a must of you're keen to add a competitive spin to all that bouncing. THE BIG BOUNCE AUSTRALIA 2022 TOUR DATES: January 14–16: Eagles Sports Complex, Brisbane January 28–30 and February 4–6: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne February 18–20: Ellis Park, Adelaide March 4–6: Canberra, venue TBC March 11–13: St Ives Showground, Sydney April 8–10: Newcastle, venue TBC May 6–8: Claremont Showgrounds, Perth The Big Bounce tours Australia from January–May, 2022. For more information, or to buy tickets, head to the event's website.
You've seen the animated movie, watched the photorealistic (and CGI-heavy) remake and hummed along to the stage show. You know all the words to 'Hakuna Matata', and you instantly get nostalgic whenever the phrase "circle of life" comes up in conversation. The next item to tick off on your list, Lion King fans? Sipping your hot beverage of choice out of Frank Green's Lion King-themed keep cups (and saying "no worries" to doing the environment a solid in the process). Teaming up with Disney, the sustainability-focused Australian brand is launching a limited-edition range of cups and reusable bottles inspired by the 90s flick and its beloved characters. Design-wise, you can choose between Rafiki's cave painting of baby Simba, the future king's face, adult Simba or, back in his cub days, the young lion with Timon and Pumbaa. There's also an animal-print option, if you can't quite bring yourself to choose between the other styles. The cups and bottles come in different hues depending on the design, so you could be drinking coffee from a coral-coloured bottle or a khaki-toned cup. You also have choices regarding size, with each design available in small (295 millilitres) medium (595 millilitres) and large (one litre). Priced between $46.95–64.95, The Lion King range joins Frank Green's other Disney-themed wares, which also includes Winnie the Pooh, Frozen and Wall-E — and both Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The new designs hit the brand's online shelves from Tuesday, May 18, but you can pre-order now until stocks run out. Once you have one in your hands, it's up to you whether you want to hold your coffee over your head like you're standing atop Pride Rock. Frank Green's Lion King range is available to preorder now, before going on sale from Tuesday, May 18.
Coming via London's Victoria and Albert Museum, a new exhibition of garments by groundbreaking fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga has made its way to Australia. As well as being one of the most well-known fashion designers of the 20th century, the Basque-born couturier was also one of the most influential in changing and shaping modern fashion and haute couture. He was even once called "the master of us all" by Christian Dior. Showing exclusively in Victoria's Bendigo Art Gallery, Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion features more than 100 iconic pieces from the 50s and 60s as well as works by his protégés and contemporary designers continuing his legacy. It's a must-see if you're interested in not only the craftsmanship of fashion, but the history of it and how it can change societal standards and trends. Here, we've picked out five pieces you should seek out at the regional exhibition. [caption id="attachment_739079" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Imagine Pictures[/caption] DEFINING THE CLASSICS: THE TULIP DRESS Balenciaga retired unexpectedly in 1968 at age 74. In an interview with The Times in 1971, he's reported to have said: "When I was a young man I was told by a specialist that I could never pursue my chosen métier of couturier because I was far too delicate. Nobody knows what a tough métier it is, how gruelling the work is. Underneath all this luxury and glamour, the truth is, it's a dog's life!" This dress shows Balenciaga at the height of his craft. Playing with gravity and weightlessness, the tulip dress is one of the classic pieces of the collection. It also shows to using texture, light, structure and form to create the striking silhouettes for which the couturier is known. [caption id="attachment_739090" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Veasey[/caption] MAKING FASHION PRACTICAL: AN X-RAY OF A DRESS The meticulous structural work undertaken for garments like those made by Balenciaga again highlights the work involved to produce his gowns. Balenciaga worked carefully to reduce the number of fastenings so women could dress easily and without assistance, making his gowns both beautiful and comfortable to wear. As Bendigo Art Gallery Curator Jessica Bridgfoot puts it, "the garment did the work for you." New forensic investigations reveal the couturier's hidden workings and processes. This includes a series of x-ray images by British photographer Nick Veasey. Veasey's x-ray photographs are presented in the exhibition alongside works made during a digital pattern making project with the London College of Fashion. [caption id="attachment_739092" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn wearing coat by Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paris, 1950. Photograph by Irving Penn © Condé Nast,Irving Penn Foundation[/caption] DITCHING THE WAISTLINE: THE COAT Balenciaga is credited as the designer who took women's fashion beyond an obsession with a tiny waistline. His sculptural contributions to fashion include the sack dress, babydoll and shirt-dress which all remain staples today. This influence can be seen in the work of contemporary designers like Comme des Garçons and Hussein Chalayan. Here, model Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn sits for photographer Irving Penn in a Balenciaga coat. Irvin Penn was Balenciaga's favoured photographer, and one of the only people the famously private designer allowed in to his workrooms and studios to document his collections. [caption id="attachment_719353" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dovima with Sacha, cloche and suit by Balenciaga, Cafe des Deux Magots, Paris 1955 © The Richard Avedon Foundation[/caption] STICKING TO STRUCTURE AND TEXTURE: DOVIMA IN PARIS When Richard Avedon photographed Dovima in Paris in 1955, she was one of the world's most famous models. This photograph shows her in a cloche and suit by Balenciaga. Striking contrasts in colour and texture are complemented by the couturier's hallmark minimalist shapes, fastidious attention to colour, and structured outlines – the aesthetic that made him one of the most influential designers on modern fashion. [caption id="attachment_739103" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Imagine Pictures[/caption] A FASHION LEGACY: GHESQUIÈRE'S GREY CAPE An important part of the show examines the legacy that Balenciaga made on fashion — both in his own house and others. Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion includes works by other designers who worked to carry the Balenciaga label forward after its founder's retirement, including Nicolas Ghesquière. Ghesquière designed the grey cape — which was features in Vogue in 2006 — and was known for pairing voluminous, billowing shapes with tightly cut suits and pants. He is now creative director of the house of Louis Vuitton — so you may notice some similarities in the two labels' pieces. Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion is exclusive to Bendigo Art Gallery in Australia, and runs until November 10, 2019. Bendigo is a two-hour drive from Melbourne. Top image: Imagine Pictures.
If anyone's embracing the idea of doing one thing and doing it well, it's the duo behind Thornbury's Casa Nata. Ruben Bertolo and Nelson Coutinho's High Street bakery is devoted to just one specialty: creamy, authentic pastéis de nata. Both children of Portuguese parents that migrated to Australia in the 80s, the pair is more than familiar with the custard-filled pastry, but felt it wasn't being properly represented here on Aussie shores. So, they decided to do something about it, got cracking on perfecting a recipe and opened the doors to Casa Nata in April 2020. The menu is a testament to the idea of quality over quantity, featuring nothing more than Atomica Coffee alongside just one version of the signature dessert. "And that is it for now. It still blows people's mind that that is all we do," says Bertolo, also admitting they don't plan on expanding this offering too much any time soon. "If we do add anything else, it definitely would never be something that would distract from the tarts." Of course, the hero status of these beauties is well-deserved, each tart taking three days to produce and the recipes kept firmly under wraps. You can, however, catch a glimpse of the chefs in action, thanks to the store's open kitchen.
The first WorldPride to ever be held in the southern hemisphere is upon us, boasting more than 300 shows, gigs, exhibitions and parties, and taking over Sydney across 17 days from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5. On the program: everything from art exhibitions and film festivals to dance parties and big-name international headliners, in one helluva jam-packed festival. We've pulled together a list of ten events popping up throughout the festival that feature once-in-a-lifetime lineups or celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride in their own unique way. From the long-awaited return of the annual Mardi Gras parade to its spiritual home through to multi-day party programs, these are the cream of the crop that will have you considering last-minute flights to Sydney. Explore our picks for the best WorldPride events this massive program has to offer. LIVE AND PROUD: SYDNEY WORLDPRIDE OPENING CONCERT Who else to open the Southern Hemisphere's first WorldPride than Australia's pop princess Kylie Minogue? Sydney shall be so lucky, with the iconic hitmaker taking to The Domain for a blockbuster concert kicking off the festivities on Friday, February 24. But, it doesn't end with Kylie. Live and Proud will also feature appearances from Charli XCX and Jessica Mauboy, with local legends Casey Donovan and Courtney Act on hosting duties. If you can't be there in person, the performance will be broadcast live nationwide on the ABC as well. [caption id="attachment_749877" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeffrey Feng[/caption] MARDI GRAS PARADE One of Sydney's biggest nights of the year is returning in a massive way in 2023. Not only is this Mardi Gras parade the event's 45th anniversary, as well as its return to Oxford Street, but it's also part of WorldPride. It's all happening on the streets of Darlinghurst on Saturday, February 25. The theme: gather, dream, amplify. All of the colourful floats and community groups the parade is known for will begin to march from 6pm, with the parade continuing until 11pm. Expect more than 12,500 marchers and 200 floats throughout the five-hour celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. DOMAIN DANCE PARTY Two days after Kylie takes to The Domain, another megastar will arrive, with Kelly Rowland headlining DJ Dan Slater's Domain Dance Party. DJ Suri and DJ Isis Muretech will also be on the decks, but the big star is clearly the former Destiny's Child member, who'll work through tracks from across her career. Fancy getting sweaty on the dance floor with 10,000 people? That's what's on offer on Sunday, February 26, with Rowland, the DJ lineup, onstage dancers and surprise acts all providing good times. MARDI GRAS FAIR DAY Fair Day is traditionally one of the first events of Mardi Gras each year, but in 2023 it's going one better: happening on Sunday, February 19, it's also the first major event of WorldPride. Get ready for a family-friendly, pup-friendly, eco-glitter-friendly day in Camperdown's Victoria Park that's inclusive, relaxed and free. This year's Fair Day will feature a fancy dress competition for dogs, over 300 market stalls, pop-up bars, a main stage with leading queer performers in Australian music, plus the chance to shine brightly with your nearest and dearest chosen family. Highlights from the performance lineup include Eurovision champion Conchita Wurst, a Sissy Ball vogue showcase, The Buoys, Nana Miss Koori, Carla Wehbe, Jamaica Moana and Latifa Tee — plus pop-up bars from the likes of Archie Rose and Squealing Pig. RAINBOW REPUBLIC: SYDNEY WORLDPRIDE CLOSING CONCERT While we'd love the celebrations to continue year-round, nothing lasts forever, and WorldPride will be coming to an end on Sunday, March 5 — but not before one last pop-filled party. Wrapping things up will be Rainbow Republic, another hit parade in The Domain featuring German pop star Kim Petras. Joining the 'Unholy' and 'Coconuts' hitmaker is MUNA, G Flip, Peach PRC, Alter Boy, BVT and Vetta Borne. Keiynan Lonsdale (Love, Simon, The Flash, Eden) will also be performing and taking to the stage between acts on hosting duties. MARDI GRAS FILM FESTIVAL The annual Mardi Gras Film Festival returns with a bumper edition celebrating both WorldPride and its own 30th anniversary. Fans of queer cinema, rejoice: this annual Sydney film fest is screening 166 films at eight venues around the city, running from Wednesday, February 15–Thursday, March 2. MGFF highlights include All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, 2022's Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winning documentary about queer artist Nan Goldin, her life and career, and her battle against the billionaire Sackler family — plus closing night's The Venus Effect, with the Danish movie about two young women in love enjoying its Aussie premiere. The full fest program includes 100-plus sessions in cinema, outdoors and on-demand, alongside panel discussions, workshops, networking events and parties. Plus, there's an online component showing 21 movies nationwide. [caption id="attachment_887917" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alex Davies[/caption] DAY FOR NIGHT: THE PLEASURE ARC Festivalgoers should prepare their endurance for The Pleasure Arc, a 24-hour party packed with incredible talent set to immerse attendees in an extravagant queer utopia. Enjoy some of Australasia's best queer artists including House of Sle, House of Silky, Marcus Whale, Basjia Almaan and imbi during the opening weekend of the festival across Saturday, February 18–Sunday, February 19 at Carriageworks. In charge of keeping the tunes rolling during the overnight extravaganza will also be the Your Pleasure DJs, meaning there won't be a dull moment across the non-stop party. [caption id="attachment_887907" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] MARRI MADUNG BUTBUT Also at Carriageworks is Marri Madung Butbut (Many Brave Hearts): Sydney WorldPride First Nations Gathering Space. This six-day program from Thursday, February 23–Tuesday, February 28 celebrates Indigenous LGBTQIA+ artists and communities. Kicking off the festivities is a free-to-attend opening night party, the Djarraba Disco, featuring some of Eora and Naarm's best performance artists lighting up the dance floor. From there, you can head along to 11 different free events and several ticketed pop-ups ranging from variety shows to heartfelt plays. "Marri Madung Butbut is a place where everyone is welcome to experience the rainbow heart of the oldest surviving culture on the planet," explains Festival Creative Director Ben Graetz. ALL THE SEX I'VE EVER HAD We've all heard of the saying "the older you are, the wiser you are" — and in this case it stands true. It is common knowledge that we can glean so much from our elders with their breadth of experience. So when it comes time to learn about experiences pertaining to love, romance and sex, who better to ask than the ones with the most expertise? Strap in — or on — for a wild ride, as All The Sex I've Ever Had returns to Sydney completely revamped for WorldPride. The Darlinghurst Production Company has teamed up with Canada's Mammalian Diving to bring an LGBTQIA+ edition of the hugely successful, 90-minute tell-all production back to Sydney. From Tuesday, February 21–Friday, February 24, plus a 5pm show on Sunday, February 26, you can draw upon the wisdom of queer local senior citizens at the Eternity Playhouse Theatre. You'll also experience the climaxes of truly raw storytelling as these generous elders recount some of the highest highs and lowest lows when it comes to dating, relationships and sexuality. THE ABERCROMBIE WORLDPRIDE PROGRAM Following years of lockouts and lockdowns, the dance floor has finally made an emphatic comeback in Sydney. Part of this return is the reopening of storied nightclub The Abercrombie, which is making full use of its 24-hour license and multiple dance floors for WorldPride by rolling out a stacked program of parties. Curated by DJ Kate Monroe and party-starter Xander Khoury, the program runs from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, and enlists the help of party crews like Heaps Gay, Kerfew, Fur Ball and the Queer House Collective to bring together three weeks of packed dance floors, thumping bass and joyous energy. From full-venue takeovers and post-parade kick-ons raging until 8am to rooftop recovery brunches, this lineup has packed in as much dance music and good times to WorldPride as possible. The entire program features plenty of free events as well as a few ticketed nights — and all events are free for drag performers and First Nations attendees. Sydney WorldPride runs from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5 — for information, or for tickets, head to the event's website.
UPDATE: MAY 28, 2020 — Since publication of the below article, the Japan Tourism Agency has clarified in a Tweet that the subsidy scheme, called the Go To Travel Campaign, is to "stimulate domestic travel demand within Japan after the COVID-19 pandemic and only cover a portion of domestic travel expenses". The scheme is still under consideration by the Japanese Government. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, global tourism as we once knew it virtually disappeared overnight, with borders closing, flights grounded and overseas holidays off the cards for months now. But with Australia, New Zealand and other nations around the world gradually beginning to loosen their coronavirus restrictions, that might eventually change — and if you're wondering where to venture to first, the Japanese government wants to help fund your next getaway. As reported by The Japan Times, the Japan Tourism Agency has announced a tourism subsidy scheme that'll pay a portion of travel expenses for visitors coming into the country. If the idea sounds familiar, that's because the Mediterranean island of Sicily is doing the same thing, as it revealed a few weeks back. JTA's chief Hiroshi Tabata told a press conference that the program would come into effect when Japan's COVID-19 case numbers subside and the country subsequently reopens its borders — which he said could be as early as July. Few other details have been revealed as yet, including exactly what costs the scheme will reimburse (such as flights, accommodation and venue tickets). Still, if strolling across Shibuya's scramble crossing, visiting the Studio Ghibli museum, wandering through a kaleidoscopic maze of digital art, singing karaoke in a ferris wheel and eating Godzilla-themed desserts next to a building-sized Godzilla statue are all on your must-do travel list (and they all definitely should be), this is welcome news. The Japanese agency expects to spend a massive ¥1.35 trillion — approximately AU$19 billion — on the tourism initiative, a move designed to help revive the struggling sector. As The Japan Times also notes, Japan's visitor numbers for January–April 2020 are down 64.1 percent compared to the same period in 2019. And, with the Tokyo Olympics rescheduled from 2020 to 2021 due to COVID-19, there's no longer a guaranteed influx of travellers expected this year. Japan has been under a state of emergency since early April, but it was lifted on Monday, May 25 by Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, with infection numbers — especially in Tokyo — continuing to fall. While lockdowns have been loosening in some regions around the country in recent weeks, the latest move also includes Tokyo, where restrictions on restaurants, bars, libraries and museums are also starting to ease. For further details about the Japan Tourism Agency tourism scheme, keep an eye on the agency's website. Via The Japan Times.
