Round out your weekend with some fresh air and a healthy dose of nature by heading out for a Sunday morning splash along the Yarra. A picturesque riverside spot just seven kilometres out of the city, Fairfield Boathouse has a watercraft situation to suit everyone, with a range of canoes, kayaks, and even hand-built Thames-replica rowing skiffs. Pick your favourite for a relaxing river jaunt, then cap off the adventure with a visit to the Boathouse's historic tearoom, where you can reward yourself with a traditional Devonshire Tea. Image: Brook James.
If you're a lover of a good, crisp cold one and spend your weekends rolling from one of Melbourne's inner north breweries to another, then do we have news for you. BWS has jumped on board the craft beer boat. Well, actually, plane, train and every other mode of transport you can think of (including donkey) to grab six of the world's rarest drops. Not only has it brought these tasty tipples back to Aussie shores, but also because beers are better when shared, BWS is giving them away for free. Yep, you can soon get your hands on a six-pack of world-class brews for less than your usual schooey at the arie during happy hour. Soon you'll be sinking a sour IPA from Poland, a German-style 'weizen' from Japan and a smoky Schlenkerla beer that tastes like liquid bacon from Bamberg, Germany. If you're into your lighter styles, then the Belgian blonde ale from Mexico's 100 percent Yucatan-owned Patito brewery may be more your speed. Like barrel-aged brews? The saison from Italy's CR/AK craft brewery has been aged for seven months in a combination of 60 percent scotch whisky barrels and 40 percent rum barrels. But, perhaps the rarest of all, is a beer from Bhutan: a country that only sees a small number of tourists every year. Namgay's red rice lager is made in the Himalayas at a casual 2195 metres above sea level. BWS did all the hard work. All you have to do to get yourself a six-pack of the world's rarest (and arguably greatest) beers is head down to BWS's Albert Street store anytime after 10am this Friday, October 18. We recommend you get there quickly, too, as stocks are limited. To check out all of BWS's travel adventures along the way, head here.
Joey Scandizzo Salon has long been an iconic feature of Toorak Road, its gorgeous black facade inviting every passerby to peek through the windows and see what magic is happening beyond. Inside, you will find it is equally luxurious and beautiful — both in its innovative design and its consistently gorgeous hair results. The Joey Scandizzo team all strives to work with highly individualised care, not following the latest trends, but instead working with clients to find something that works for their personal needs. Personal consultations are part of the experience with every client, ensuring everyone leaves the salon feeling like the best version of themselves. Blow-dries start at $80, while up-dos start from $150 depending on the style and stylist. The best part? First-time visitors get $25 off the service of their choosing — just head to the website to redeem the offer.
The hot cross bun and Easter egg specials are coming thick and fast as the long weekend creeps closer. Joining the fun is much-loved gelateria artigianale Pidapipo, with a brand new range of desserts to feast on. Plus, they're bringing back their admired single-origin Cioccolato range for the holiday, meaning there's something for everyone and every occasion, whether you're longing for baked buns, artisan Easter eggs or chocolate-focused gelato. Available in limited numbers for the first time in 2025, Pidapipo has invented what it's calling the hot cross doughnut. Here, hot cross bun dough is fried to perfection, then served hot with a scoop of fior di latte gelato and a drizzle of spiced salted caramel sauce. Made fresh to order, this decadent creation is available exclusively at Pidapipo's Fitzroy Laboratorio. For another sweet treat, Pidapipo is using its high-end Cioccolato range to produce a range of Easter eggs that will give your hunt an artisanal lift. Produced with single-origin Dominican Republic cacao, you can score bags of six mini eggs in milk and dark chocolate. Alternatively, the brand's larger Easter eggs come with a surprise inside — a wrapped mini chocolate egg and a cute Pidapipo pin. Also up for grabs are six-packs of assorted medium eggs and their bestselling praline-filled chocolate bundled in a carefully designed tin. Encasing a trio of flavours, the selection includes dark chocolate filled with white chocolate peppermint ganache; milk chocolate filled with caramel and malt crumble; and white chocolate with white chocolate and hazelnut ganache. Recalling traditional Italian design, Pidapipo teamed up with leading local outfit Studio Ongarato to develop the charming packaging. Pidapipo is still one of the best gelato spots in town. Churning out something special for Easter, visitors will find chocolate-focused gelato cones inspired by the flavour trio in Pidapipo's mini eggs tin. These indulgent options include: peppermint chocolate gelato with white chocolate fudge and dark chocolate shards; white chocolate bacio gelato with Nutella swirl and hazelnut merengue; and malted milk chocolate gelato with caramel swirl, dipped in milk chocolate. Growing from a Carlton pop-up to four locations across Melbourne – Fitzroy, Windsor, Melbourne CBD and Carlton – all but the hot cross doughnut are available at every store. You'll have to make your way to the Fitzroy Laboratorio to get your hands on that limited dessert. Pidapipo's Easter specials are available for a limited time at Carlton, Windsor, Fitzroy and Melbourne CBD locations. Head to the website for more information.
Something delightful is happening at Melbourne's outdoor cinemas. After months spent empty, with projectors silent and the smell of popcorn fading, outside picture palaces have been given the green light to reopen from Friday, October 22 — including the Coburg Drive-In, and the Lido and Cameo outdoor cinemas. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past two years, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit under the stars and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting outdoor cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer from this week. CANDYMAN Who can take tomorrow and dip it in a dream? 'The Candy Man' can, or so the suitably sugary earworm of a song has crooned since 1971. What scratches at the past, carves open its nightmares and sends them slicing into the present? That'd be the latest Candyman film, a powerful work of clear passion and palpable anger that's crafted with tense, needling thrills and exquisite vision. Echoing Sammy Davis Jr's version of the tune that virtually shares its name across its opening frames, this new dalliance with the titular hook-handed villain both revives the slasher franchise that gave 90s and 00s teen sleepovers an extra tremor — if you didn't stare into the mirror and utter the movie's moniker five times, were you really at a slumber party? — and wrestles vehemently and determinedly with the historic horrors that've long befallen Black Americans. It'll come as zero surprise that Jordan Peele produces and co-penned the screenplay with writer/director Nia DaCosta (Little Woods) and writer/producer Win Rosenfeld (The Twilight Zone). Candyman slides so silkily into Peele's thematic oeuvre alongside Get Out and Us, plus Peele-produced TV series Hunters and Lovecraft Country, that his fingerprints are inescapable. But it's rising star DaCosta who delivers a strikingly alluring, piercingly savage and instantly memorable picture. Alongside bloody altercations and lashings of body horror, razor blade-spiked candy makes multiple appearances, and her film is equally as sharp and enticing. In a preface that expands the Candyman mythology — and savvily shows how the movie has everyday realities firmly on its mind — that contaminated confectionery is thrust to the fore. In 1977, in the Cabrini-Green housing estate where the series has always loitered, Sherman Fields (Michael Hargrove, Chicago PD) is suspected of handing out the laced lollies to neighbourhood kids. Sent to do laundry in the basement, pre-teen Billy (Rodney L Jones III, Fargo) soon comes face-to-face with the man everyone fears; however, after the boy screams and the police arrive, he witnesses something even more frightening. Jumping to the present (albeit absent any signs of the pandemic given Candyman was initially slated to release in mid-2020), Cabrini-Green is now Chicago's current poster child for gentrification. It's where artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen) and curator Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris, WandaVision) have just bought an expansive apartment, in fact. They're unaware of the area's background, until Brianna's brother Troy (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Generation) and his partner Grady (Kyle Kaminsky, DriverX) start filling them in on the legend that's long been whispered across the local streets — and, struggling to come up with ideas for a new show, Anthony quickly clasps onto all things Candyman for his next big project. Read our full review. NITRAM It's terrifying to contemplate something so gut-wrenchingly abominable as the bodies-in-barrels murders, which director Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant depicted in 2011's Snowtown, and to face the fact that people rather than evil were behind them. Nitram courts and provokes the same response. Exploring the events preceding the Port Arthur massacre, where 35 people were murdered and 23 others wounded in Tasmania in 1996, it focuses on something equally as ghastly, and similarly refuses to see the perpetrator as just a monster or a Hollywood horror movie-style foe. It too is difficult, distressing, disquieting and disturbing, understandably. In their third collaboration — with 2019's bold and blazing True History of the Kelly Gang in the middle — Kurzel and Grant create another tricky masterpiece, in fact. And, the fact that Nitram is about a person is one key reason for its brilliance. The film's core off-screen duo don't excuse their protagonist. They don't to justify the unjustifiable, explain it, exploit it, or provide neat answers to a near-unfathomable crime. Rather, they're exactingly careful in depicting the lone gunman responsible for Australia's worst single-shooter mass killing, right down to refusing to name him. (The movie's title comes from his moniker backwards, and it's all he's ever called on-screen.) Nitram does depict its eponymous figure's mental health issues and medication, and his status as an outcast, but not as reasons for what's to come. It shows his complicated relationships, mentions his struggles as a boy and sees how he's teased as an adult, yet never deems these motives. All such things can be part of someone's life, or not, and that person can commit heinous deeds, or not — and this tremendous feature doesn't ever even dream of seeing that as a straightforward cause-and-effect equation. In his fifth stint behind the lens — 2015's blistering Macbeth and 2016's abysmal Assassin's Creed are also on his resume — Kurzel does adopt a hazy aesthetic, though. The film isn't dreamy, instead resembling anxious memories worn and frayed from too much time looping in someone's mind. Its imagery is boxed in within a constricted frame, heightening that sensation; however, cinematographer Germain McMicking (Acute Misfortune) shoots Nitram (Caleb Landry Jones, The Outpost) as if he's roving around the space to test the boundaries. The character does just that narrative-wise. He earns his wearied mother's (Judy Davis, Mystery Road) constant exasperation, and almost everyone else's dismay. His father (Anthony LaPaglia, Below) expresses more warmth, but is just as affected. After knocking on her door attempting to start a lawn-mowing business, eccentric lottery heiress Helen (Essie Davis, Babyteeth) shows Nitram kindness and showers him with gifts, but even with her he's still pushing limits. When Helen sees him shooting at an old car with an air rifle in her sprawling backyard, she forbids it. It's her sternest moment. She also asks him not to lunge at the steering wheel as she's driving and, as turbulent as ever, Nitram keeps doing it. Jones' work here is fragile but weighty, volatile but lived-in, boisterous but anguished, and petulant but intimidating. It's all these things at once and, even with other menacing roles in his on-screen past, it's phenomenal. Every second of his performance, and of Nitram, is a challenge to the views of masculinity that've become as baked into Australia as the ochre-hued soil, too. And, every moment is meticulously crafted to unsettle, to challenge, and to confront the reality that something this abhorrent happened at the hands of one person. Read our full review. SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS Social media can get you anywhere, or so the story behind Marvel's latest movie and the actor playing its eponymous character demonstrates. Back in 2014, Simu Liu tweeted at the comic book company-turned-filmmaking powerhouse, asking "how about an Asian American hero?". In 2018, after Black Panther's success, he tweeted again — querying "are we gonna talk or what?" with the #ShangChi hashtag. Now, the Kim's Convenience star leads the Marvel Cinematic Universe's 25th feature, and the first to focus on a hero of Asian descent in its 13-year run to-date. He's the face of the franchise's latest step forward, both in terms of inclusion and representation, and in keeping the MCU's ongoing narrative forever hurtling onwards. Liu anchors a film about history and destiny, too — one that's about breaking free from the past and committing to the future — and he heartily embraces the occasion. As directed and co-written by Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy, Short Term 12), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings itself flits between offering up a lively picture that strives to carve out its own space in the series, and simply serving up more of the usual Marvel template but in enticing packaging, however. Liu first graces the screen as Shaun, a San Francisco valet who's happy parking cars with his best pal Katy (Awkwafina, Breaking News in Yuba County), even though they both know they could follow other paths. While the film shows Katy's family decrying her lack of ambition, Shaun has a keener awareness of what he isn't doing — because he's really Shang-Chi, the son of centuries-old warlord Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung, The Grandmaster), who leads the shadowy Ten Rings criminal organisation and wears the mystical bracelets it's named after. Shang-Chi also has the otherworldly Jiang Li (Fala Chen, The Undoing), the former guardian of an enchanted village filled with dutiful warriors and mythical creatures, for a mother. But when she died when he was a child, his life changed. After the grief-stricken Wenwu obsessively trained him to become an assassin and see vengeance, Shang-Chi fled for the US, where he's lived since. Then, initially via a postcard from his Macau-based, underground fight club-running sister Xu Xialing (debutant Meng'er Zhang), and then thanks a violent visit from his dad's henchmen, he's forced into a family reunion that puts the fate of the universe at stake. Read our full review. MALIGNANT Nearly two decades have passed since a pair of Melbourne talents made a low-budget horror flick that became a franchise-starting smash, sparking their Hollywood careers. Thanks to Saw, James Wan and Leigh Whannell experienced every aspiring filmmaker's absolute fantasy — a dream they're still living now, albeit increasingly on separate paths. Wan's latest, Malignant, is firmly grounded in those horror roots, however. Most of the Insidious and The Conjuring director's resume has been, aside from recent action-blockbuster detours to Fast and Furious 7, Aquaman and the latter's upcoming sequel. With Malignant, though, he shows how strongly he remains on the same page as his former collaborator. Anyone who's seen Whannell's excellent Upgrade and The Invisible Man will spot the parallels, in fact, even if Malignant is the far schlockier of the three. Malignant is also an exercise in patience, because plenty about its first half takes its time — and, when that's the case, the audience feels every drawn-out second. But after Wan shifts from slow setup mode to embracing quite the outrageous and entertainingly handled twist, his film swiftly becomes a devilish delight. Heavily indebted to the 70s-era works of giallo master Dario Argento, David Cronenberg's body-horror greats and 80s scary movies in general, Malignant uses its influences as fuel for big-swinging, batshit-level outlandishness. Most flicks can't segue from a slog to a B-movie gem. Most films can't be saved by going so berserk, either. Wan's tenth stint behind the lens can and does, and leaves a limb-thrashing, blood-splattering, gleefully chaotic imprint. Perhaps it's a case of like name, like approach; tumours can grow gradually, then make their havoc felt. Regardless, it doesn't take long within Malignant for Dr Florence Weaver (Jacqueline McKenzie, Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears) to proclaim that "it's time to cut out the cancer" while treating a locked-up patient in the film's 1992-set prologue. This is a horror movie, so that whole event doesn't turn out well, naturally. Jump forward a few decades, and the feature's focus is now Seattle resident Madison Mitchell (Annabelle Wallis, Boss Level), who is hoping to carry her latest pregnancy with her abusive husband to term. But then his violent temper erupts again, she receives a head injury, and childhood memories start mixing with visions of gruesome killings linked to Dr Weaver's eerie hospital — visions that Madison sees as the murders occur. Bearing telepathic witness to horrific deaths is an intriguing concept, although hardly a new one — and, that aforementioned first scene aside, it's also the most interesting part of Malignant's opening half. Wan and screenwriter Akela Cooper (Grimm, The 100) play it all straight and obvious, including when the cops (Containment's George Young and Songbird's Michole Briana White) are skeptical about Madison's claims. That leaves only her younger sister Sydney (Maddie Hasson, Mr Mercedes) believing what's going on, and leaves the movie a plodding psychological-meets-supernatural thriller predicated upon routinely predictable but improbable character decisions. It makes the second half feel positively electrifying in contrast, when the big shift in tone comes, but also makes viewers wonder what might've been if that lurid look and kinetic feel had been present the whole way through. Read our full review. THE LAST DUEL A grim historical drama that recreates France's final instance of trial by combat, The Last Duel can't be described as fun. It hinges upon the rape of Marguerite (Jodie Comer, Free Guy), wife of knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon, Ford v Ferrari), by his ex-friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver, Annette) — aka the event that sparked the joust — so that term will obviously never apply. Instead, the movie is exquisite in its 14th-century period staging. After a slightly slow start, it's as involving and affecting as it is weighty and savage, too. When the titular battle takes place, it's ferocious and vivid. And with a #MeToo spirit, the film heartbreakingly hammers home how poorly women were regarded — the rape is considered a crime against Carrouges' property rather than against Marguerite herself — making it an expectedly sombre affair from start to finish. The Last Duel must've been fun to make from a creative standpoint, however. Damon sports a shocking mullet, and Ben Affleck (The Way Back) dons a ridiculous blonde mop while hamming up every scene he's in (and demanding that Driver drop his pants), although that isn't why. Again, the brutal events seen don't earn that term, but teasing out Marguerite, Carrouges and Le Gris' varying perspectives is fascinating. Director Ridley Scott (All the Money in the World) and his screenwriters — Good Will Hunting Oscar-winners Damon and Affleck, plus acclaimed filmmaker Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said) — have clearly seen Rashomon, the on-screen benchmark in using clashing viewpoints. In their "he said, he said, she said" tale, journeying in the iconic Japanese film's footsteps proves captivating. It must've been an enjoyable challenge for its cast, too, terrible hairstyles and all; as moments repeat, so much of the movie's potency stems from minuscule differences in tone, angle, emphasis and physicality. "The truth according to Jean de Carrouges" proclaims The Last Duel's first chapter, adapting Eric Jager's 2004 book of the same name in the process. (Le Gris and Marguerite's segments, following in that order, receive the same introduction.) Even in his own instalment, Damon plays Carrouges as a scowling and serious soldier, and as petulant and entitled. He's also a victim in his own head. That attitude only grows as Le Gris finds favour with Count Pierre d'Alençon (Affleck), cousin to teenage King Charles VI (Alex Lawther, The Translators), and starts collecting his debts — including Carrouges' own. And when the knight marries the beautiful and well-educated Marguerite, it's purely a transaction. It also deepens his acrimony towards Le Gris long before the rape, after land promised in the dowry ends up in his former pal's hands via the smarmy Pierre. Still, Carrouges is instantly willing to fight when he hears about the sexual assault. That said, it's also just another battle against Le Gris and the Count, after taking them to court and the King over their property squabble. In Le Gris' chapter, where Driver broods with an intensity that's fierce even for him, Carrouges' joylessness and pettiness is given even more flesh. Also explored here: the Count's hedonism, the ambition and greed driving the opportunistic Le Gris, and the fixation he develops with Marguerite. Scott ensures that the rape lands like the horror it is, too, leaving no doubt of its force and coercion despite Le Gris' claims otherwise. Read our full review. FREE GUY If Free Guy was a piece of home decor, it'd be a throw pillow with a cliched self-empowerment slogan printed on the front. You know the type. It might catch your eye the first time you spotted it, but it'd look almost identical to plenty of other cushions you can buy at absolutely any department store. It'd make you think of other, nicer pillows, too, but its phrasing and design wouldn't be as resonant or appealing. And, while its attractive font would tell you to believe in yourself, stand out and make each moment count, it'd still simply spout the usual well-worn sentiments that keep being served up as store-bought tonics for weary souls. Yes, Free Guy is a big-budget, star-led movie that primarily exists to answer two not-at-all pressing questions: what would The Truman Show look like if it starred Ryan Reynolds, and how would that 1998 classic would fare if it was about massive online video games instead of TV? But, as directed by Shawn Levy (the Night at the Museum franchise), scripted by Matt Lieberman (The Addams Family) and Zak Penn (a Ready Player One alum), and drawing upon everything from The Matrix, The Lego Movie, Groundhog Day and They Live! to Wreck-It Ralph, Black Mirror and Ready Player One, this is firmly Hollywood's equivalent of mass-produced soft furnishings emblazoned with self-help platitudes and designed to sit on as many couches as possible. Cast for his generically affable on-screen persona — as the Deadpool and Hitman's Bodyguard franchises also keep trying to capitalise upon — Reynolds plays Free City bank teller Guy. His daily routine involves greeting the same goldfish upon waking, putting on the same blue shirt, picking up the same coffee en route to work and having the same chat with his best friend Buddy (Lil Rel Howery, Judas and the Black Messiah) when their place of employment is held up multiple times each day. Guy is completely comfortable with his ordinary lot in life. He knows that things aren't like this for 'sunglasses people', the folks who tend to wreak havoc on his hometown, but he doesn't challenge the status quo until he decides that the shades-wearing Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer, Killing Eve) is the woman of his dreams. To have a chance with her, he's certain he needs sunglasses himself — and when he snatches a pair off the latest robber sticking up his bank, it's Guy's first step to realising that he's actually a non-playable character in a video game. Sporting an upbeat mood best captured by its frequent use of Mariah Carey's 'Fantasy', Free Guy enjoys its time in Free City, which is also the game's title. There's a story behind its NPC protagonist's story, however, with the movie splitting its focus between its Grand Theft Auto-esque virtual world and reality. In the latter, coder Millie uses the Molotov Girl avatar, which she needs to search for evidence for a lawsuit against tech-bro hotshot Antwan (Taika Waititi, The Suicide Squad). She's certain that Free City rips off her own game, but needs Guy's help to prove it, especially as he starts breaking his programming, making his own decisions and becoming sentient. Read our full review. THE SUICIDE SQUAD New decade, new director, new word in the title — and a mostly new cast, too. That's The Suicide Squad, the DC Extended Universe's new effort to keep viewers immersed in its sprawling superhero franchise, which keeps coming second in hearts, minds and box-office success to Marvel's counterpart. Revisiting a concept last seen in 2016's Suicide Squad, the new flick also tries to blast its unloved precursor's memory from everyone's brains. That three-letter addition to the title? It doesn't just ignore The Social Network's quote about the English language's most-used term, but also attempts to establish this film as the definitive vision of its ragtag supervillain crew. To help, Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn joins the fold, his Troma-honed penchant for horror, comedy and gore is let loose, and a devil-may-care attitude is thrust to the fore. But when your main aim is to one-up the derided last feature with basically the same name, hitting your target is easy — and fulfilling that mission, even with irreverence and flair, isn't the same as making a great or especially memorable movie. Indeed, a film can be funny and lively, use its main faces well, have a few nice moments with its supporting cast and improve on its predecessor, and yet still fall into a routine, unsuccessfully wade into murky politics, never capitalise upon its premise or promise, keep rehashing the same things, and just be average, too — and right now, that film is The Suicide Squad. Mischief abounds from the outset — mood-wise, at least — including when no-nonsense black-ops agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) teams up Suicide Squad's Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman, The Secrets We Keep), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney, Honest Thief) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, Dreamland) with a few new felons for a trip to the fictional Corto Maltese. Because this movie has that extra word in its title, it soon switches to another troupe reluctantly led by mercenary Bloodsport (Idris Elba, Concrete Cowboy), with fellow trained killer Peacemaker (John Cena, Fast and Furious 9) and the aforementioned Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian, Bird Box), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior, Valor da Vida) and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone, Rambo: Last Blood) also present. Their task: to sneak into a tower on the South American island. Under the guidance of The Thinker (Peter Capaldi, The Personal History of David Copperfield), alien experiment Project Starfish has been underway there for decades (and yes, Gunn makes time for a butthole joke). In this movie about cartoonish incarcerated killers doing the US government's dirty work, Waller has charged her recruits to destroy the secret test, all to ensure it isn't used by the violent faction that's just taken over Corto Maltese via a bloody coup. The end result is silly and goofy, fittingly — and yet, even when a supersized space starfish gets stompy (think: SpongeBob SquarePants' best bud Patrick if he grew up and got power-hungry), this sequel-slash-do-over is never as gleefully absurd as it should be. Again and again, even when Gunn's gambit works in the moment, that's how The Suicide Squad keeps playing out. Read our full review. Looking for more options? Black Widow, Space Jam: A New Legacy and Jungle Cruise, both of which screened in Melbourne cinemas in July before the last lockdown, are also back on the big screen as well.
Immersive and Instagrammable art is all the rage right now in Australia. Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Room has taken up permanent residence in Canberra, Sugar Republic's "dessert museum" toured the country in 2019 and an extremely photogenic pop-up "museum" for pets is set to hit later this year. Next on the must-photograph list: Happy Place. Dubbed the "world's most Instagrammable exhibit", the multi-room installation has already travelled across the US and Canada and is now heading to the rooftop of Sydney's Broadway Shopping Centre from Friday, March 6–Sunday, May 3. Once inside the exhibition, you'll find many OTT rooms to explore, including a rubber ducky bathtub room, a cookie room that actually smells like freshly baked cookies, a room filled with 40,000 golden handmade flowers and a giant rainbow with a golden ball pit (no leprechauns though, sorry). If that doesn't have you reaching for your smartphone, there's also a mind-bending upside-down room and the "world's largest confetti dome". As well as the rooms, the exhibition has a lemonade stand — with all money from the Sydney one going to Red Cross Australia — a retail store and a cafe. One million snap-happy folks have already visited Happy Place in the northern hemisphere — including, supposedly, celebs such as Adele, Hilary Duff and Kourtney Kardashian — and we're guessing it's going to be equally popular Down Under. While the exhibition is "on a mission to spread happiness around the world", let's hope it's not actually like The Good Place — or, speaking of Kardashians, as nightmare-inducing as Kylie Jenner's Stormi World. Either way, it's going to sell out — fast. Tickets are on sale now for $39 a pop, so go get 'em if you're keen. Find Happy Place on the rooftop of Broadway Sydney, 1 Bay Street, Ultimo from Friday, March 6–Sunday, May 3. It's open from 3–9pm Monday–Tuesday, 12–9pm Wednesday–Thursday and 10am–8pm Friday–Sunday. Tickets will set you back $39 and are available now via Moshtix.
It seems Melbourne's historic tramcar restaurants have been saved from extinction, two weeks after it was announced the tourist attraction's vehicles had been deemed unsafe and were no longer allowed to operate. As revealed by The Age last night, the famed moving restaurant has now been given a second chance, with Public Transport Victoria (PTV) offering to hook the company up with a newly upgraded W8-class tram while its own carriages await upgrade works. Colonial Tramcar Restaurant CEO Paul O'Brien took to Facebook last month to share the reasons behind the shutdown, blaming "a bureaucratic deadlock with Yarra Trams". The company had reportedly been given just two weeks to make safety improvements to its carriages in order to keep running, though were unable to schedule in for the necessary works until at least 2020. The 35-year-old attraction has proved it's got quite the backing, regardless of any safety concerns — we saw a lot of disappointed comments on our original story, and over 6000 people signing a change.org petition calling for Yarra Trams and Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan to step in and help save it. According to The Age, following a meeting with PTV chief executive Jeroen Weimar, the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant will now get to borrow an upgraded W8-Class tram from this November, and, after a bit of schedule shuffling, its own vehicles will get in to see the tram doctor from as early as this December. Should it choose to take PTV up on its offer, Colonial would have to pay for both the fit-out of the loaned tram and the major upgrades to its own historic trams, which could be costly. Either way, it looks like it won't be too long before the tramcar will be rolling slowly through the city again. Via The Age.
For Melburnians the word addict isn't too far removed from how we feel about our morning coffee and side of bacon. So it makes sense in our caffeine-filled brains that the newest cafe in Fitzroy would call themselves Addict Food & Coffee. They're just speaking the truth, right? Ain't nothing wrong with that. But word on the street is their name isn't talking about us, it's talking about them — and by them, we mean partners Greg Brassil and Joe Ventura. After two years of searching, they found a perfect location for their new venture, on the corner of Johnston and Gore Streets in Fitzroy. Apart from a killer name and a good location, what do these guys have going for them? Well two ex-St Ali chefs — Mark Boyd and Steve Hogan — for one, and a focus on coffee that includes Padre beans for filter and espresso, as well as a few rotating grinds. Seems like a recipe for goodness in our books. When it comes to the food, a crowd favourite is the potato hash and mushroom duxelles with roasted field mushrooms, a poached egg and caramelised onions, plated up like a fine dining entree ($17). Other dishes see the corn fritters fried crisp and served with kasundi, haloumi (thank the lord), poached eggs, and a salad of coriander and mizuna ($17). For something on the sweeter and lighter side, the fruit bread with apricot, almond, and pistachio butter is a good place to start, while the porridge is served with bananas, walnuts and butterscotch sauce. Thank us later. Your coffee addiction won't be judged here. We promise.
Beat the winter blues with a weekend at Healesville Sanctuary for the Wine & Wildlife festival, which transforms the bushland location into an exciting cellar door experience. The cosy winter festival takes place on Saturday, August 30–Sunday, August 31, and will include giant tepees and crackling bonfires to keep you warm, as well as live acoustic performances. Plus, you can taste wines from 22 Yarra Valley wineries, breweries and distilleries, while you roam Healesville Sanctuary and admire Australia's wildlife. Sutherland Estate, Four Pillars, Steels Gate Wines, Zonzo Estate, De Bortoli, Hop Hen Brewing, Tokar Estate and Stag Lane Distillery are some of the drinks producers participating this year, offering a range of tastings to enjoy. If enjoying a few wines amidst beautiful scenery isn't enough, you can also feel good about making a difference — proceeds from ticket sales will contribute to the rescue and rehabilitation of injured animals. Make sure to plan ahead, though, as Healesville Sanctuary will only be open to Wine & Wildlife ticket-holders for the entirety of the festival. If you book early, you can score tickets for $45 instead of the usual $60. For members, early bird prices are $27 instead of $40, while those under 18 have free entry.
Sprawling entertainment and food precinct Ella opened in May on the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe streets with a star-studded lineup of residents, a live music venue, an art gallery and a second hospitality hub and co-working space from Worksmith. Now, it's adding even more hits to its diverse offering. On Monday, July 15, the doors will open to Ella's four newest arrivals. The masters of Japanese food at Jiro will unveil their new spot Sushi Club, while acclaimed French pastry chef Pierrick Boyer will launch his new dedicated dessert bar and cafe Reverie. A new shared space — where you can kick back with eats and drinks from any of Ella's outlets — will also be part of the second phase of launches. Here, there'll be a brand-new CBD outpost of independent wine, beer and cider store Blackhearts and Sparrows. S0, you'll be able to grab a bottle of vino, order some snacks and enjoy a program of live gigs, parties, film screenings and the odd open-deck DJ or BYO vinyl night. We're told they'll even be breaking out the big screen for a series of 'Festival FOMO' parties, live streaming the best-loved music festivals from across the globe. Backing up the hospitality offerings is the first-ever Australian outpost of Chinese eyewear brand AOJO, which offers semi-affordable prescription eyewear turned out in just half an hour. There are even more exciting things to come, too, with hotly anticipated cocktail bar Byrdi from celebrated bartender and founder of Singapore's Operation Dagger, Luke Whearty, set to open its doors here come August. A city outpost for Daylesford's The Fermentary is slated to make its Ella debut later this year, with Axil Coffee Roasters coming to play from early 2020. Current residents include Thai street food eatery The Pad, from the crew behind Collingwood's Son in Law; Korean fried chicken joint Sam Sam; Pick a Stick Chinese Skewers by the Dainty Sichuan team; and Colours Bowls: a new plant-based offering from Atlas young-gun Charlie Carrington. Ella is now open at the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe streets. Opening hours are 10am–10pm, daily. To check each restaurant's opening hours, head to the website. Images of Reverie Cafe & Desserts
Melbourne is no stranger to a Korean barbecue restaurant. You'll find them all over the CBD and out in the burbs. We've also got all kinds of them — there are cheap BYO joints and all-you-can-eat affairs, as well as fancier varieties. Melbourne CBD's newest KBBQ spot Woo399 lands on the more premium side of things. Don't get us wrong, it's not a hushed-voiced fine-diner. There's still plenty of fun to be had fighting over the gas-fired grills in the 104-person restaurant. We say it's more high-end because of the quality of meat that's up for grabs. The team sources its pure-bred wagyu from Elbow Valley in Queensland, where the cattle are fed a combination of orange pulp and locally grown grains like wheat, barley and corn. This results in outstanding meat quality, with the team sourcing plenty of cuts with a 9+ marble score. And unlike most Korean barbecue joints, you don't just choose a banquet or selection of meats from the menu. At Woo399, you make your way up to the butcher's fridge, where top-grade meat has already been sliced and packaged for you. Either take this meat home or stick around to dine in. When dining in, simply pick the wagyu with your desired marbling (and price), add some other meats to your basket (pork belly and ox tongue are also available), pay at the counter and then start cooking. Choose from beef cuts like chuck eye roll, short rib, flat meat and the holy oyster blade. Each person is charged $9.99 to use the grills, which also gets you complimentary sauces, three side dishes and unlimited soft drinks. For an extra cost, you can order kimchi, croquettes, soups and a bunch of vegetables. And if you'd rather pair your KBBQ with some booze, Cass Korean larger and soju can be ordered from the waitstaff. Woo399 is ideal for Korean barbecue fans who are incredibly particular about the cuts and quality of meat they want to grill. There are absolutely no surprises here. You'll find Woo399 at 399 Lonsdale Street in the CBD, open from 5:30–10pm every day of the week. For more details, visit the restaurant's website.
One weekend of Coachella 2024 might be over, complete with lively sets and plenty of special guests, but this Californian music festival doesn't just run once each year. First, it throws its huge party in Indio across three days. Then, the next week, it backs it up to do it all over again. And for those playing along at home, that means that you have another chance to hit up the YouTube livestream. Wondering who is playing when? That's where set times for Coachella's second weekend come in. There aren't many changes from the first weekend's bill — but you will find Kid Cudi joining the lineup this time around. [caption id="attachment_950213" align="alignnone" width="1920"] petercruise via Flickr[/caption] In the headline spots as with weekend one: Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator, Doja Cat and No Doubt. Coachella's second 2024 run spans across Friday, April 19–Sunday, April 21 — which is Saturday, April 20–Monday, April 22 Down Under. Among the highlights on Saturday in Australia and NZ: Del Rey, Justice, Peso Pluma, Lil Uzi Vert, Sabrina Carpenter, Deftones, Suki Waterhouse, Peggy Gou and Tinashe. The list goes on, of course. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) On Sunday Down Under, get excited about Tyler, The Creator, No Doubt, Blur, Ice Spice, Jon Batiste, Sublime, Dom Dolla, Grimes, Orbital, Oneohtrix Point Never and RAYE — and more, obviously. And, come Monday for Aussies and New Zealanders, Doja Cat, Kid Cudi, J Balvin, Lil Yachty, Kruangbin, Reneé Rapp, Flight Facilities and DJ Seinfeld are on the bill, plus a heap of others. [caption id="attachment_936351" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Casey via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Spotted a dreaded set clash? This year, for the first time ever, you can livestream multiple stages at once. How many? Four in total. Each year, Coachella and YouTube join forces to beam the massive music fest around the world, which is no longer such a novelty in these pandemic-era times — but being able to fill your screen with a quartet of Coachella sets at the same time definitely is. YouTube's multiview concert experience is enjoying its debut in the music space, and globally, at Coachella. This year, the service is capturing six different stages, as it did in 2023 for the first time ever — with Sonora on the list for the first weekend and Yuma now up on the second. [caption id="attachment_951352" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaime Rivera via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] That said, while you can feast your eyes on four stages simultaneously, you'll only be able to hear one, so you will still need to pick a favourite in any given timeslot. Bookmark Coachella's YouTube channel ASAP — or hit it up below: Coachella 2024's second weekend runs from Friday, April 19–Sunday, April 21 — which is Saturday, April 20–Monday, April 22 Down Under — at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, and livestreams via YouTube across the same dates. Top image: demxx via Flickr.
Australia's cities are lighting up this winter thanks to a slew of dazzling arts festivals — and if you're planning to spend the middle of the year hopping between them, you've now got another destination. While Melbourne's Rising festival, Sydney's Vivid, and Hobart 's Dark Mofo will all unleash their delights in June (with Vivid even starting in late May), Illuminate Adelaide is set to brighten up the South Australian capital throughout July. And, based on its just-dropped lineup, there's plenty to tempt both locals and interstate visitors alike. Returning for its second year, Illuminate Adelaide is all about creativity, art, music and light, and will unfurl all of the above from Friday, July 1–Sunday, July 31. Topping the bill: Gorillaz, with Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's chart-topping act adding an Adelaide show to their Australian tour, which already includes headlining this year's Splendour in the Grass, plus sideshows elsewhere. Also set to be huge: Ouchhh Studio's Wisdom of AI Light, a major exhibition that's all about art and artificial intelligence. A multisensory experience, it'll take up a specially designed pop-up exhibition space in the East End of the Adelaide CBD, with quite a wonder inspired by renaissance painters as its centrepiece. Here, AI has been trained to analyse billions of brushstrokes by some of the best artists who've ever lived — with a particular focus on Leonardo da Vinci — and create its own new moving image work. [caption id="attachment_850982" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ouchhh Studio[/caption] The exhibition also includes a number of other pieces by the Istanbul-based Ouchhh Studio, such as art made in conjunction with the Machine Learning Scientists at CERN in Switzerland and with NASA. In the former, called Dark Machine, you'll peer at AI-processed data from subatomic particle collisions — while the latter, Data Gate, sees AI play with data from the Kepler Space Telescope, drawing upon its nearly ten years in space observing 2500-plus planets, more than 530,000 stars and over 61 supernovae. Still on all things radiant, 2022's festival will welcome back some of last year's big light installations (because peering at shiny sights never gets old). Making a comeback is Light Cycles, which'll once again transform the Adelaide Botanic Gardens with light projections, lasers, sound and special effects, all thanks to Montreal's Moment Factory. And, the Adelaide Zoo will host the return of Light Creatures, so there'll be another round of enchanting interactive animal installations — think: giant tiger lantern puppets, huge rainbow skinks, giant pandas and giraffe lanterns — giving the place an enormous glow. The City Lights program is returning as well, once again featuring a range of acclaimed artists — and turning the CBD into an after-dark art trail in the process. 2022's version will notch up more 40 free site-specific works over 17 days, spanning creative photobooths, illuminated laundry, 15 giant glowing seesaws and a chandelier harp in various spots around town. There'll also be a 50-metre-long walkway of moving light and mirrors, an interactive geometric LED cube, bouncing glowing orbs, and Vincent Namatjira's Going Out Bush turned into animation and projected onto the Art Gallery of South Australia's facade. [caption id="attachment_850978" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chandelier Harp, Jen Lewin. Photo by Aaron Rogosin.[/caption] Other standouts from the hefty full Illuminate Adelaide program include the Australian premiere of seven-channel video piece We Will Slam You With Our Wings by Joanna Dudley, which takes notoriously sexist speeches from throughout history and reframes them as feminist war cries; the Aussie debut of concert series KLASSIK underground, which pairs classical music with live visuals; and experimental and electronic music celebration Unsound Adelaide. And if you're already starting to make plans to head along, expect to have a heap of company — last year's fest was impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns and wild weather, but still attracted more than 500,000 attendees. Illuminate Adelaide 2022 runs from Friday, July 1–Sunday, July 31. Check out the festival's website for the full program and to grab tickets. Top images: Light Creatures, Adelaide-Zoo. Credit: Frankie the Creative. // Futures, part of City Lights // Submergence, part of City Lights. Credit: Rikard Osterlund.
Fancy hitting the road for a camping adventure, but don't have quite the right wheels for it? Before you fork out the big bucks to hire from a rental company, meet Camplify — a new Aussie sharing platform for campervans and RVs that works a bit like Airbnb. Using the peer-to-peer rental platform, owners can rent out their vehicles when they're not in use (read: gathering dust in the garage). As for hirers, they can get a taste of caravanning life whenever they like, without actually having to own one themselves. Each party has a Camplify profile, owners approve each hire and reviews are exchanged via the platform. The prices are reasonable too, starting at around $30 per night for a standard camper trailer. A caravan will cost you about $80, while that top-of-the-line luxury motorhome you hire for a romantic weekend getaway might see you stretching to $500. For minimal effort, you can even have the vehicle and gear set up for you at a campsite or holiday park, so it's holiday-ready as soon as you rock up. Insurance is covered in the cost, as well as Australia-wide roadside assistance from Camplify's mates at NRMA. Share your own caravan, or start planning that camping trip, over at Camplify.
Passion. Vulnerability. Determination. This is what Mia Thompson offers when asked what's needed to make a career out of dance. The full-time artist speaks from a position of experience, having had both feet planted in the world of dance since childhood. "I started dancing when I was 4," Thompson shares. "I wouldn't say I was a superstar — just running around in a cute little tutu thinking everything's great. I have six sisters, so I think it was a way to get us into a controlled space together that was also artistic. It's in our family's blood to be artistic." Embarking on any creative journey is difficult — embarking on one as your 9–5 that satisfies your inherent creativity and enables you to share your craft with the world is especially so. With the support of LG SIGNATURE — a proud partner of Sydney Dance Company and supporter of the wider arts community — we had a chat with Thompson, exploring her travels to the world's stages, her current position with Sydney Dance Company and what it takes to be a full-time dancer. [caption id="attachment_866757" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pedro Greig[/caption] "I THOUGHT WHAT YOU DID WITH DANCE WAS TEACH" Not fussy on her favourite style, Thompson fell in love with all forms of dance. Ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop — for Thompson, it was a joy to just be moving. In high school, after watching an older sister perform, she realised that the world of dance extended further than the classes she was in. "I thought what you did with dance was teach," she laughs. "I saw the Queensland Ballet do The Sleeping Beauty and I was like, 'They're getting paid to do that?! I want to do that!'" After finishing high school, Thompson joined Queensland Ballet's professional program. "I did one year but the director didn't really like me — he thought I was only doing it 'cos my sister was. I was told it'd be unlikely that I'd get a contract with them, and that I could stay and get my training or find another program with a segue into another company." A heavy blow, but a blessing in the end. Because, what's vital to flourishing in the world of professional movement art? "A school or teacher that supports you as an individual. You can go to the top school in Europe, but it might not be the top school for you. If they don't understand you, they're not going to give you the most that you can get out of yourself as an artist. I was so headstrong on getting a ballet career, so being in a contemporary [dance] company now, maybe Queensland Ballet could see something I couldn't." Following her training in Queensland, Thompson went westwards with a successful audition for WAAPA. Living away from home for the first time, evolving as a dancer and starting friendships, the tingle for travel set in. Thompson secured a spot in the Scottish Ballet where, in 2018, she was promoted to first dancer. [caption id="attachment_865975" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rimbaud Patron[/caption] LANDING ON HOME SOIL While at the Scottish Ballet, she met her future fiancé. "He wanted to do contemporary and I told him about Sydney Dance Company. We were just friends at this point, and I was like 'You should go'." He auditioned, got in and the pair got together, giving long-distance love a go for a year. In the audience of a Sydney Dance Company production — and seeing the new-found articulation in her partner's body — Thompson had a revelation: "With ballet, you're striving for perfection. Watching the [Sydney Dance Company] dancers — the way they moved and the understanding they had for their body — there was nothing that I could relate to. I wanted that, I wanted to be able to speak on behalf of myself and my body." Dance is a notoriously cutthroat industry. There's limited spots, stiff competition and a relatively short career span. "You have no idea how many dancers, even in Europe, are just desperate to get into Sydney Dance Company. We are the leading contemporary dance company in Australia, even in the world. Young artists leaving school are just so keen to get in, they want to know everything about you, it's like we're celebrities. It's very easy to forget — I remember myself at that age, dancers would walk past and my jaw would drop. Even before I auditioned, that was me looking at the company." The chance to audition arose and she took it. She got the longed-for call and high-tailed it Down Under, finishing her time with the Scottish Ballet as Cinderella. As Thompson speaks, she radiates an almost palpable enthusiasm for her vocation. Sydney Dance Company's stellar reputation is one that has not only been earned, but continues to be a work in progress. "If we're not performing, a typical day starts at 9.30am and ends at 6pm. You rehearse repertoire or create new work, explore ways of moving. You can have your steps, but every day I see dancers in the mirror or talking to each other trying to find new ways to develop it. It literally never stops growing, which is beautiful in itself." [caption id="attachment_866753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pedro Greig[/caption] "IT'S FLOW STATE" When seated behind a desk, it's difficult to imagine a work life dedicated to exploring and executing movement. Beyond perfecting shape after shape, there's a bottomless list of to-dos. "After a show," Thompson shares, "you'll see most of the dancers in a cubicle, with our feet shoved in an ice bucket to cool." Plus, there's warm-up classes, prehab/rehab (to safeguard those hardworking bodies), rehearsals, feedback sessions and self-review videos, collaboration, hair and makeup, stage direction and spacial notes. The end result? Expertly controlled dancers commanding the stage, allowing audiences to connect and feel something. When asked what it feels like to perform on stage, Thompson's eyes widen and she lifts her chin. "When I dance I feel a great sense of freedom and release," she smiles. "It's like I'm in a trance. There's no better feeling than feeling completely lost on stage, surrounded by your colleagues. Working with them but also feeling completely alone in this world. It's my happiness, it's my sadness, it's my expressive therapy. It's flow state." Defining what it takes to be a full-time dancer is so subjective that it's no simple task. But, when you reflect on Thompson's persistence and determination, her desire to understand her body and to collaborate on stage, and the palpable energy and emotion that buzzes around her when she speaks about dancing, it's clear that it's not just a job. "Some days can feel like work," Mia finishes. "But the minute you step out on stage, you just get lost in it." A supporter of the wider arts community, LG SIGNATURE is a proud partner of Sydney Dance Company. Head to the website to learn more about the partnership. Top image: Pedro Greig
When Chloé Zhao adds her contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe later this year, the history-making Oscar-winner won't merely be leaping into a blockbuster franchise. With Eternals, the Nomadland filmmaker will unveil Marvel's next crew of superheroes — ancient and immortal alien beings who've been working in the shadows for thousands of years after arriving on earth via an eye-catching spaceship. Led by Ajak (Salma Hayek, Like a Boss), these heroes are now forced to band together again to save the world from an evil threat. The catalyst: the events of a little film called Avengers: Endgame. So, it's standard MCU stuff, at least on paper. But with Zhao the helm, the film doesn't look or feel like your average Marvel movie — at least based on the very brief sneak peek at the flick a few weeks back, as well as the movie's just-dropped first trailer. Also battling it against an enemy called The Deviants: Ikaris (Richard Madden, Game of Thrones), Sersi (Gemma Chan, Captain Marvel), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani, Stuber), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff, Sound of Metal), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry, Godzilla vs Kong), Sprite (Lia McHugh, Songbird), Gilgamesh (Don Lee, Ashfall), Druig (Barry Keoghan, Calm with Horses) and Thena (Angelina Jolie, Those Who Wish Me Dead). One GoT star is never enough for any movie, so Kit Harington also features, presumably knowing little. Ajak and her pals might've spent much of their past trying to blend in — "throughout the years, we have never interfered," she notes in the trailer's voiceover — but when they're not disguising themselves as humans, they certainly don superhero outfits and unleash quite the array of superpowers. Eternals is one of four MCU movies set to drop in 2021, alongside Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the latest Spider-Man flick. It's also Zhao's first feature after the vastly different film that's been winning her so much praise this year, as well as her first leap into the blockbuster realm. And, the filmmaker's visual sensibilities definitely shine through so far — even though she's working on a far bigger scale than seen in her first three movies. Check out the trailer below: Eternals opens in cinemas Down Under on November 4.
It's frequently referred to as the Olympics of the art world — and at 2024's edition, Australia has won gold. The event: La Biennale de Venezia, aka the Venice Biennale. The award: the coveted Golden Lion for Best National Participation. And the winning artist: Indigenous talent Archie Moore. The First Nations artist's exhibition kith and kin received the top gong, both chronicling history and making it. The work is a hand-drawn genealogical chart that spans back 65,000 years. The win gives Australia its first ever at the Venice Biennale. Both a personal and a political piece, kith and kin works through Moore's Kamilaroi, Bigambul, British and Scottish heritage across the installation's five-metre-high, 60-metre-long black walls. More than 2400 generations are covered. On display at the Australia Pavilion, the exhibition uses chalk on blackboard, with a reflective pool sitting in the middle of the room and 500-plus document stacks suspended above it. Every aspect of kith and kin makes a statement. With its size and scale, it speaks to Australia's Indigenous peoples being among the world's longest-continuous living cultures. The use of black is also designed to look like a celestial map, and therefore nod to the resting place of First Nations ancestors. Highlighting the decrease in Indigenous Australian languages and dialects since colonisation, the fragility that stems from not being able to pass down knowledge and injustices such as deaths in custody are all also part of the work — with the aforementioned piles of paper primarily from coronial inquests. "The phrase 'kith and kin' now simply means 'friends and family'. However, an earlier Old English definition that dates from the 1300s shows kith originally had the added meanings of 'countrymen' and also 'one's native land', with kin meaning 'family members'," notes Moore's explanation of the work. "Many Indigenous Australians, especially those who grew up on Country, know the land and other living things as part of their kinship systems — the land itself can be a mentor, teacher, parent to a child. The sense of belonging involves everyone and everything, and for First Nations peoples of Australia, like most Indigenous cultures, is deeply rooted in our sacred landscapes from birth until death." "I was interested in the phrase as it aptly describes the artwork in the pavilion, but I was also interested in the Old English meaning of the words, as it feels more like a First Nations understanding of attachment to place, people and time." kith and kin was curated by Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art's Ellie Buttrose, and also has a date with the Brisbane gallery as part of its 2025–26 program after its Venice run. In Italy, the work is on display until Sunday, November 24, 2024. "In this quiet, impactful pavilion, Archie Moore worked for months to hand-draw in chalk a monumental First Nation family tree. Thus 65,000 years of history (both recorded and lost) are inscribed on the dark walls and ceiling, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks and grasp the inherent fragility of this mournful archive," said the jury of the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia about Moore's exhibition. "The official documents drawn up by the State float in a moat of water. The result of Moore's intensive research, these documents reflect the high rates of incarceration of First Nations people." "This installation stands out for its strong aesthetic, its lyricism and its invocation of a shared loss of an occluded past. With his inventory of thousands of names, Moore also offers a glimmer of the possibility of recovery." "As the water flows through the canals of Venice to the lagoon, then to the Adriatic Sea, it then travels to the oceans and to the rest of the world — enveloping the continent of Australia — connecting us all here on earth. Aboriginal kinship systems include all living things from the environment in a larger network of relatedness, the land itself can be a mentor or a parent to a child. We are all one and share a responsibility of care to all living things now and into the future," said Moore about his win. "I am very grateful for this accolade; it makes me feel honoured to be rewarded for the hard work one does. I am grateful to everyone who has always been part of my journey ‚ from my kith to my kin — to my Creative Australia team and everyone else back home and those of the Venice lagoon." kith and kin is on display at the Australia Pavilion, Giardini di Castello, 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, until Sunday, November 24, 2024 — head to the exhibition website for further details. Images: Archie Moore / kith and kin 2024 / Australia Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024 / Photographer Andrea Rossetti / © the artist / Images courtesy of the artist and The Commercial.
Steak night at the pub is a quintessential Melbourne pastime — but one Fitzroy spot is here to take your midweek meat fix to a whole new level. Brunswick Street's Bonny is shaking things up with its new Wagyu Wednesdays offering, elevating hump day with standout steak. Roll in from 4pm each Wednesday to catch new chef James Cornwall (former Head Chef at Cumulus Inc) working magic with cuts of top-quality sher wagyu beef out of Ballan. He's pairing the steaks with a mountain pepper sauce diane, bottomless hand-cut shoestring fries made using spuds from Millbrook, and salad greens from Ramarro Farm in The Dandenong Ranges. It all comes in at an easy $30 per person. If you're still hungry, you'll find a handful of a la carte options and add-ons to back it up, including familiar favourites like the oysters with rice vinegar and green chilli. And there are plenty of plant-based offerings in case you've got a vegan mate who'd like in (sort of) on the Wagyu Wednesday action. As always, Bonny's drinks list will be packing a punch, with an oft-changing suggested wine match for the steak, as well as local vino on tap, a solid craft beer lineup and cocktails heroing native ingredients. Images: Jana Langhorst
Good morning to 2022's newly minted batch of Academy Awards nominees, and to fantastic news for the past year's very best film. The Power of the Dog leads this year's list of contenders with 12 nods, including three for filmmaker Jane Campion — who is now the first woman in history to receive two nominations for Best Director (after also being nominated for The Piano back in 1993), and could become the second female filmmaker in a row to win the coveted field (after Chloé Zhao's 2021 win for Nomadland). The Power of Dog's cinematographer Ari Wegner is also just the second woman to be nominated in her category, while the film's main cast all scored nods — including a Best Actor nomination for Benedict Cumberbatch, a Best Supporting Actress nom for Kirsten Dunst, and Best Supporting Actor nods for both Jesse Plemons and Australian talent Kodi Smit-McPhee. For real-life couple Dunst and Plemons, they nabbed their first-ever Oscar nominations together. For Smit-McPhee, if he wins, he'll become the second-youngest actor to score the shiny statuette in his category. That's the power of The Power of the Dog, clearly. Following Campion's exceptional New Zealand-shot western at the top of the 2022 Oscar nominations list is Dune with ten, including for Best Picture — although the film must've directed itself, with Denis Villeneuve missing out. After the sci-fi epic sits Steven Spielberg's new version of West Side Story and Kenneth Branagh's black-and-white memoir Belfast with seven apiece, also including Best Picture slots in a field that spans The Power of the Dog (obviously), CODA, Don't Look Up, Drive My Car, King Richard, Licorice Pizza and Nightmare Alley as well. Inspired by Haruki Murakami's short story of the same name, Drive My Car is now the most-nominated Japanese film in history, thanks to its Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay nods for filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, and its spot in the Best International Feature and Best Picture categories. Also making history: astonishing animated documentary Flee, which became the first movie to nab a spot in the Best International Feature, Best Animated Feature and Best Documentary Feature fields. Other standouts nods: Kristen Stewart's Best Actress nomination for playing Princess Diana in Spencer; Penélope Cruz's place in the same field for Parallel Mothers; Troy Kotsur's nod for CODA, becoming just the second actor who is deaf to be recognised by the Academy; both Olivia Colman (Best Actress) and Jesse Buckley (Best Supporting Actress) getting nods for sharing the same part in The Lost Daughter; Questlove earning some love for Best Documentary Feature for Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised); and The Worst Person in the World picking up places in the Best International Feature and Best Original Screenplay fields. Licorice Pizza's strong showing — including a Best Director spot for Paul Thomas Anderson — is also well-deserved, although the Oscars couldn't find room for Alana Haim's glorious lead performance. Oddities and omissions come with the territory every year, of course. The Academy went big for the average-at-best Being the Ricardos performance-wise, including nominating Nicole Kidman for Best Actress — and Don't Look Up's Best Picture nod probably at least means that filmmaker Adam McKay won't make a followup about how people ignored a movie that riffs on the response to climate change because they were more interested in better features. Also, despite a big public campaign, Spider-Man: No Way Home was only recognised in the Best Visual Effects category. That's a reflection of the film itself, though, and not of any supposed anti-superhero/supervillain flick bias, given that Black Panther scored seven nominations in 2019 and Joker picked up 11 in 2020. From all of this year's nominations, movie lovers will learn who'll emerge victorious on Monday, March 28, Australian and New Zealand time. And if it feels like we just went through all of this, that's because 2021's awards were held a little later than usual due to the pandemic — and because chatter about who's won Oscars and who'll win next, aka the sport of the film world, has become a year-round affair. The 94th Academy Awards will take place on Monday, March 28, Australian and New Zealand time. Here's the full list of nominations: OSCAR NOMINEES 2022 BEST MOTION PICTURE The Power of the Dog West Side Story Belfast Dune Licorice Pizza King Richard CODA Don't Look Up Drive My Car Nightmare Alley BEST DIRECTOR Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Kristen Stewart, Spencer Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Will Smith, King Richard Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... Boom! Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Ariana DeBose, West Side Story Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Judi Dench, Belfast Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog JK Simmons, Being the Ricardos BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson Belfast, Kenneth Branagh King Richard, Zach Baylin Don't Look Up, Adam McKay (story by McKay and David Sirota) The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal CODA, Sian Heder Dune, Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Drive My Car (Japan) The Worst Person in the World (Norway) Flee (Denmark) The Hand of God (Italy) Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Encanto Luca The Mitchells vs the Machines Flee Raya and the Last Dragon BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Flee Ascension Attica Writing with Fire BEST ORIGINAL SCORE The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood Dune, Hans Zimmer Don't Look Up, Nicholas Britell Encanto, Germaine Franco Parallel Mothers, Alberto Iglesias BEST ORIGINAL SONG 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die (Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell) 'Dos Oruguitas', Encanto (Lin-Manuel Miranda) 'Be Alive', King Richard (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson) 'Down to Joy' Belfast (Van Morrison) 'Somehow You Do', Four Good Days (Diane Warren) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Dune, Greig Fraser The Power of the Dog, Ari Wegner The Tragedy of Macbeth, Bruno Delbonnel Nightmare Alley, Dan Laustsen West Side Story, Janusz Kaminski BEST FILM EDITING Dune, Joe Walker The Power of the Dog, Peter Sciberras Don't Look Up, Hank Corwin King Richard, Pamela Martin Tick, Tick... Boom!, Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Dune, Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos Nightmare Alley, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau West Side Story, Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo The Tragedy of Macbeth, Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh The Power of the Dog, Grant Major and Amber Richards BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Dune, Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer Free Guy, Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Dan Sudick Spider-Man: No Way Home, Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver No Time to Die, Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner, Chris Corbould BEST COSTUME DESIGN Cruella, Jenny Beavan Dune, Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan West Side Story, Paul Tazewell Nightmare Alley, Luis Sequeira Cyrano, Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh Dune, Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr Cruella, Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon Coming 2 America, Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer House of Gucci, Goran Lundstrom, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras BEST SOUND Dune, Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett West Side Story, Tod A Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy No Time to Die, Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor Belfast, Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri The Power of the Dog, Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Audible Lead Me Home The Queen of Basketball Three Songs for Benazir When We Were Bullies BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Affairs of the Art Bestia Boxballet Robin Robin The Windshield Wiper BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Ala Kachuu — Take and Run The Dress The Long Goodbye On My Mind Please Hold Top image: Netflix.
Finding a day to spend at the hair salon can be tough with a busy schedule. Luckily, Meddlers understands how hectic life can be and has shaped its salon to suit its clients. Meddlers by Dunkley McKenzie is a private salon located in South Yarra. Operating from a beautiful 1950s apartment, this unassuming salon space offers expert service within a peaceful and private environment. And, with 35 years of experience, you know your hair is in safe hands. Since the pandemic, Meddlers has been opted to space out clients into seperate rooms so you can feel safe and secure during your appointment. With all the added privacy, it's an ideal work-from-salon environment. The senior stylists specialise in high-end colour work and styling, so you can enjoy a premium hair transformation while getting some work done.
It hasn't been the greatest couple of years for dining out at fancy restaurants. But, when it comes to the World's 50 Best restaurant awards, the show must go on. After a COVID-driven break last year, the prestigious awards have named their 2021 picks for the greatest restaurants in the world. Taking out this year's top spot was the newest incarnation of Denmark's Noma, led by renowned chef René Redzepi. While no Aussie venues claimed a position among 2021's 50 Best list, two Victorian restaurants secured spots in the 51–100 lineup. Dan Hunter's Brae placed 57th — up from its 2019 ranking of 101 — and Ben Shewry's Ripponlea fine diner Attica came in at number 97, shuffling slightly from its previous position at 84. Both have been regular contenders in the awards for the past few years. [caption id="attachment_616539" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dan Hunter and Ben Shewry[/caption] The 2021 World's 50 Best awards were unveiled at a glitzy ceremony held overnight in Antwerp, with the 51–100 lineup announced a couple of weeks earlier, on September 23. Coming in second place was another famed Danish diner, Geranium, while Spain's Asador Etxebarri retained its 2019 title of third best restaurant in the world. If you're planning any future overseas adventures based entirely around food, you'll be interested to know that both the USA and Spain cleaned up in this year's rankings, each with six restaurants earning spots among the top 50. Running annually since 2002, the World's 50 Best awards are chosen by a panel of over 1000 culinary experts, guided by a strict voting procedure. They're now hosted by a different country each year, with Melbourne playing host city back in 2017. Check out the full list of The World's 50 Best award-winners for 2021 over here. Top Images: Colin Page, from the cookbook 'Brae: Recipes and stories from the restaurant'.
If you've ever cranked a Monday night Game of Thrones episode and found Cersei's drinking habits rather infectious, an Australian company is about to fill your goblet. Surry Hills-based strategic and creative agency Common Ventures have released The Wines of Westeros, a series of 12 wines named for and based around the 12 significant houses in George R. R. Martin's map. From whites like The Greyjoy and The Stark to reds The The Dothraki and The Night's Watch, bottles will retail for around $20 each. Common Ventures are set to launch the series in time for the premiere of season five, so you'll have to drown your withdrawals with a regular bin end until then. At the risk of sounding like a Dolly magazine quiz, which type of wine variety matches your favourite character? Both House Targaryen and the Night’s Watch are Shiraz wines, while the Arryn, Greyjoy, White Walker, Wilding and Stark clan bottles are Sauvignon Blancs. The Baratheon and Lannister houses are Pinot Noirs, the oaky Tyrells are a Chardonnay, the Dothraki is a Merlot and the Martells rep a Cabernet Sauvignon. "A mind needs wine as a sword needs a whetstone," according to Common Ventures. "Whether it’s a bottle from beyond the wall or a case from the cellars of the Iron Bank, keep your mind fit for the death of summer with the lion’s share of vino. Have a wench fetch a goblet, reject all wedding invitations and settle down for a long, harsh winter. "12 houses. 12 temptations. Where does your loyalty lie?" Here's the lineup: Via PSFK.
In 2021, the Golden Globes are taking place more than a month later than usual. The awards are also staging a different kind of ceremony than normal, with hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler steering the show from separate cities, and Zoom certain to feature heavily. Still, the first big event of this year's film and television awards season definitely knows how to get everyone talking — about its achievements and inclusions, as well as its snubs. The nominations for the 2021 Golden Globes were announced in the early hours of Thursday, February 4, Australian and New Zealand time, and they made history. For the first time ever, three women were nominated for Best Director, with Nomadland's Chloe Zhao, One Night in Miami's Regina King and Promising Young Woman's Emerald Fennell all getting a nod. If you're wondering how monumental this is, the Globes has never nominated more than one woman in the category in a single year, and it has only given out seven nominations to female filmmakers — yes, in total — in its 77-year history before now. David Fincher's Mank picked up the most amount of nods in the film categories, with six, but other highlights include Chadwick Boseman's nod for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Riz Ahmed's nomination in the same category for Sound of Metal, the filmed version of Hamilton picking up two nods in the comedy fields (including Lin-Manuel Miranda's nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy), and Sacha Baron Cohen getting a look for both Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (in the Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy category) and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Best Supporting Actor). Borat's breakout star Maria Bakalova also earned a nomination (for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy), too, becoming the first Bulgarian actor to do so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rsa4U8mqkw The Globes also recognise TV, which is good news for the likes of Unorthodox, The Great and The Mandalorian, all of which received some love. There's a big omission in 2021's nods, however, with Michaela Coel's exceptional I May Destroy You — the best new show of 2020 hands down — absolutely nowhere to be seen. Instead, The Crown came out on top with six nominations, and everything from Normal People and Small Axe to Lovecraft Country and The Flight Attendant earned some attention. Aussie actors Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett also scored nods in the television fields, thanks to The Undoing and Mrs America. Every list of nominees for every awards ceremony has gaps, of course, and I May Destroy You isn't alone in missing out at this year's Globes. In the movie fields, Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods was also completely overlooked — as was Zendaya's performance in Malcolm & Marie and the entire cast of Minari. In the TV categories , the Globes didn't sink its teeth into What We Do in the Shadows at all, and barely paid Better Call Saul any attention either. If you're wondering who else is actually up for an award, though, you'll find the full list of nominees below. And, as for who'll emerge victorious, that'll be announced on Monday, March 1 Australian and New Zealand time. GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINEES 2021: BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA The Father Mank Nomadland Promising Young Woman The Trial of the Chicago 7 BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Carey Mulligan — Promising Young Woman Frances McDormand — Nomadland Vanessa Kirby — Pieces of a Woman Viola Davis — Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Andra Day — The United States vs Billie Holiday BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA Riz Ahmed — Sound of Metal Chadwick Boseman — Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Anthony Hopkins — The Father Gary Oldman — Mank Tahar Rahim — The Mauritanian BEST MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Hamilton Music Palm Springs The Prom BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Maria Bakalova — Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Kate Hudson — Music Michelle Pfeiffer — French Exit Rosamund Pike — I Care a Lot Anya Taylor-Joy — Emma BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Sacha Baron Cohen — Borat Subsequent Moviefilm James Corden — The Prom Lin-Manuel Miranda — Hamilton Dev Patel — The Personal History of David Copperfield Andy Samberg — Palm Springs BEST MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED The Croods: A New Age Onward Over the Moon Soul Wolfwalkers BEST MOTION PICTURE — FOREIGN LANGUAGE Another Round La Llorona The Life Ahead Minari Two of Us BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Jodie Foster — The Mauritanian Olivia Colman — The Father Glenn Close — Hillbilly Elegy Amanda Seyfried — Mank Helena Zengel — News of the World BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE Sacha Baron Cohen — The Trial of the Chicago 7 Daniel Kaluuya — Judas and the Black Messiah Jared Leto — The Little Things Bill Murray — On the Rocks Leslie Odom, Jr — One Night in Miami BEST DIRECTOR — MOTION PICTURE David Fincher — Mank Regina King — One Night in Miami Aaron Sorkin — The Trial of the Chicago 7 Chloe Zhao — Nomadland Emerald Fennell — Promising Young Woman BEST SCREENPLAY — MOTION PICTURE The Father Mank Nomadland Promising Young Woman The Trial of the Chicago 7 BEST ORIGINAL SCORE — MOTION PICTURE The Midnight Sky Tenet News of the World Mank Soul BEST ORIGINAL SONG — MOTION PICTURE 'Fight for You' — Judas and the Black Messiah 'Io Si' — The Life Ahead 'Speak Now' — One Night in Miami 'Hear My Voice' — The Trial of the Chicago 7 'Tigress & Tweed' — The US v Billie Holiday BEST TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Ratched Ozark The Crown Lovecraft Country The Mandalorian BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Emma Corrin — The Crown Olivia Colman — The Crown Jodie Comer — Killing Eve Laura Linney — Ozark Sarah Paulson — Ratched BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — DRAMA Jason Bateman — Ozark Josh O'Connor — The Crown Bob Odenkirk — Better Call Saul Al Pacino — Hunters Matthew Rhys — Perry Mason BEST TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Emily in Paris The Flight Attendant Schitt's Creek The Great Ted Lasso BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Lily Collins — Emily in Paris Kaley Cuoco — The Flight Attendant Elle Fanning — The Great Catherine O'Hara — Schitt's Creek Jane Levy — Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES — MUSICAL OR COMEDY Don Cheadle — Black Monday Nicholas Hoult — The Great Eugene Levy — Schitt's Creek Jason Sudeikis — Ted Lasso Ramy Youssef — Ramy BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Normal People The Queen's Gambit Small Axe The Undoing Unorthodox BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Cate Blanchett — Mrs America Daisy Edgar-Jones — Normal People Shira Haas — Unorthodox Nicole Kidman — The Undoing Anya Taylor-Joy — The Queen's Gambit BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Bryan Cranston — Your Honor Jeff Daniels — The Comey Rule Hugh Grant — The Undoing Ethan Hawke — The Good Lord Bird Mark Ruffalo — I Know This Much Is True BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Cynthia Nixon — Ratched Gillian Anderson — The Crown Helena Bonham Carter — The Crown Julia Garner — Ozark Annie Murphy — Schitt's Creek BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TV John Boyega — Small Axe Brendan Gleeson — The Comey Rule Dan Levy — Schitt's Creek Jim Parsons — Hollywood Donald Sutherland — The Undoing The 2021 Golden Globes take place on Monday, March 1 Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website. Top image: The Crown, Des Willie/Netflix.
It's been a crazy year all round, but there's one thing that's tracking along as nicely as ever and that's Apple's plans for its latest iPhone creations. The tech giant has just dropped all the hot little details for its next highly-anticipated iPhone 12 releases; the standard, Mini, Pro and Pro Max. True to form, Apple's new phones come fitted out with its finest suite of features yet, rendering all those before them instantly uncool. We're talking about an all-new design, complete with super speedy A14 Bionic chip, next-level pro camera, 5G and the largest edge-to-edge Super Retina XDR display to ever feature on any iPhone. Here are seven details about the new iPhone 12, served up in handy dot point form for your next debrief with mates. YOU CAN DOWNSIZE YOUR UPGRADE, WITH THE MINI VERSION The standard iPhone 12 clocks in at 6.1 inches from corner to corner, pretty much dwarfing the 5.8 inches of the old iPhone X. But if you'd prefer something that actually fits in your hand, the same features also come neatly packed into the iPhone 12 Mini, which measures at a more manageable 5.4 inches. That now lays claim to being the smallest, lightest and thinnest 5G phone on the market. THERE ARE NEW COLOURS TO CHOOSE FROM Once again, Apple is tempting buyers with a range of fun phone colours, with the iPhone 12 and mini edition available in red, blue, green, black and white aluminium finishes. The Pro and Pro Max keep things a little more subdued, with a choice of gold, graphite, silver or pacific blue. IT CHARGES WIRELESSLY...BUT DOESN'T ACTUALLY COME WITH A CHARGER Yep, Apple's caused a big stir with this one. The new iPhone 12 has been optimised for use with a MagSafe wireless charging system, featuring a special magnet in the back that's designed to work seamlessly with a newly released line of wireless charging devices and other phone accessories. But you'll find exactly none of them included with your new phone purchase. In what's apparently an environmentally friendly move, Apple's not supplying any new chargers or AirPods in its iPhone 12 boxes — instead, it wants buyers to keep using their old gear, or buy new ones separately. IT'S MUCH HARDER TO DESTROY If you're the kind of person that leaves a trail of ruined smartphones in their wake, these new models might have you breathing a little easier. Clumsy hands don't stand much of a chance against the ceramic shield cover, which is infused with nano-ceramic crystals and apparently makes the phones four times more likely to survive a drop than their predecessors. Spills aren't an issue either, with all four models boasting an industry-leading IP68 water resistance rating, protected up to six metres for up to 30 minutes. IT'S A GAMER'S DREAM The main thing you need to know about the new A14 Bionic chip is that it's 50 percent faster than any other smartphone chip out there. Which in short, means the iPhone 12 promises a console-quality gaming experience, without burning through that battery all in one hit. THE PRO CAMERA IS BETTER THAN EVER Phone snaps and Tik Tok videos are about to kick up a few gears, if the new iPhone 12 cameras have anything to do with it. Apple's incorporated night mode for both the wide and ultra-wide cameras, and a host of improvements mean low-light shots will be better than ever. The camera is also the first device in the world to enable an end-to-end Dolby Vision experience, which is a game-changer for smartphone video. IT'S NOT AS PRICEY AS YOU MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED The good news is, you can snap up one of Apple's latest for even less than you forked out for the iPhone X. The Mini starts from $1199, while the standard iPhone 12 will set you back $1349 for a 64GB, moving up to $1599 for the 250GB edition. Up the other end, the cheapest Pro clocks in at $1699 and the Pro Max starts from $1849. You'll be parting with a cool $2369 if you want the 512GB version, though. The iPhone 12 varieties will be available to pre-order from October 16. Head here for the standard and Mini, or here for the Pro editions.
Rocco's Bologna Discoteca was one of the silver linings during Melbourne's lockdown-filled 2020, popping up for just a couple of short stints to make use of the Gertrude Street space that normally houses Poodle. The temporary sandwich joint proved so popular that it's made many cameo appearances since, including a handful more pop-ups — in various locations — hosted throughout 2021's lockdowns. No matter where Rocco's appears, you can bank on hefty crowds of fans flocking there to get their sandwich fix.
Cities are brilliant. They facilitate things like coffee, sex and conversation. You can get a pizza at two in the morning, you can stumble into washed-up models at the pub, and you can ask your local drag queen where they got their fabulous dress while you stand in line for an ATM. But for all of that, our cities have problems, and increasingly we are realising that the spaces we live in have an unparalleled impact on human health and happiness. There are 7 billion people alive today. By the end of this century there will be 10 billion. And it's estimated that 80 percent of those people will live in cities. "We have to deal with a doubling of urban dwellers in the next forty years. How are we going to make life in these places sustainable?" This is the question asked by Danish filmmaker Andreas Dalsgaard, whose documentary The Human Scale made its Australian premiere at the Sydney Film Festival last week and will screen at Melbourne's ACMI in June and July. Read our interview with Andreas Dalsgaard about the movement to build cities for people.
It's been whispered about for the last few years — Geelong is definitely one to watch on the Australia restaurant scene thanks to its underground culinary renaissance. The perfect storm of cheap rent, creative freedom and an active foodie base all collide to create an influx of exciting new restaurants. Some of Melbourne's big culinary names have jumped ship to Geelong, the place where gastronomic ideas go to germinate, making it an excellent destination for a mini food safari. Geelong, only 40 minutes away from Melbourne by train, is also connected by an impressive bus network that has been designed to open up the city and make it super accessible with simple routes and frequent services. We teamed up with PTV to bring you the best of the best restaurants in Geelong that are all only a hop, skip and myki tap away. FRANKIE BAR AND EATERY Found on Malop Street, Frankie is a place to settle into. The interior is divine — all polished leather, beige leather couches and soft rose-gold accents. It's the kind of interior we all want but are too clumsy and messy to manage. But let's not be superficial. Frankie serves up both atmosphere and a killer drinks menu featuring wines from local and state wineries and decadently garnished cocktails (try the mango bramble for $18 — just trust us on this). Once you've quenched your thirst, their pan-Asian dinner menu has the rest of your night covered. They dabble in a little Japanese cuisine with okonomiyaki pancakes with pickled veggie salad ($14), a little Indonesian with their nasi goreng ($22) and some Korean by way of crispy Korean pork belly with hot pepper glaze ($27). Plus, there's everyone's favourite finger food — bao buns. Try the sticky pork belly with pickled pineapple, coconut slaw and crushed peanuts ($20) for a flavour combo you won't forget in a hurry. 9–11 Malop Street. IGNI Behind a sleek black facade on Ryan Place (on the 24, 40, 41 and 42 bus lines), you'll discover one of Victoria's most acclaimed regional restaurants, Igni. Here, chef and owner Aaron Turner (also the guy behind Hot Chicken Project around the corner), is fearless in pushing the culinary envelope, as he champions the best of the region's small, bespoke producers. No two visits promise the same experience, thanks to an oft-changing menu directed by whatever top farm-fresh haul Turner gets his hands on each day. This is where the term 'produce-driven' is taken to a whole new level. Offered via five- or eight-course dining journeys, the fare, like the space, is a celebration of simplicity, where serious technique is showcased with minimal fluff and fanfare. Prepare to be wowed by some revelatory flavour combinations, as everyday ingredients are driven to mind-blowing new heights. To match, you'll find a brief but diverse rotation of wines, with expertly curated pairing menus available with each degustation. Ryan Place. LE PARISIEN Conveniently located on the foreshore (and accessible on the number 1 bus line), Le Parisien is the spot to go for a fancy night out — it is French, after all. The setting is one part classic foreshore (think palms and ocean views) to two parts Euro-chic (think white linen, cane chairs and low timber beams). The atmosphere is intimate and romantic, so prepare to gaze lovingly at whoever you're sharing a meal with. But enough about what it looks like. The menu is very French and protein-heavy (but with a few veggie options if you stick to entrees and sides). If you're brave, try the escargot as an entree (12 for $35), and if you're not, order the onion soup served with caramelised, confit and charred onions ($20). For mains, the bouillabaisse ($47) is phenomenal, made with crab, prawns, mussels and market fish all tumbling around in a tomato and fennel broth. Really, you can't go wrong with anything on this menu. And if you want to treat yourself, look into the duck fat potatoes ($12) for an indulgent side. 15 Eastern Beach Road. THE HOT CHICKEN PROJECT If you love Belle's Hot Chicken, you'll feel right at home at The Hot Chicken Project. It's actually owned by the original creator of Belle's and you could say it's a levelled-up version. Located on Little Malop Street (on the 22, 25 and 43 bus lines), HCP is a cornucopia of the best things on earth: excellent wine, indulgent specials and, of course, crunchy, spicy chicken. The menu set-up is similar to Belle's (a hefty serve of chicken with a side) but you'll find more variety at HCP. Plus, with sporadic specials like pork ribs, traditional mac and cheese and deep-fried banana split, you'll just keep going back. The wine menu is populated by Australia's best (and most experimental) winemakers and the staff are passionate about pairings, so don't be shy to ask for their seasoned opinions. 84A Little Malop Street. TULIP BAR AND RESTAURANT Tulip, found on Pakington Street in Geelong West along the 22 bus line, is an award-winning restaurant with absolutely none of the snobbery you'd expect from your typical award-winning restaurant. Headed up by chef friends Matt Dempsey (Gladioli) and Graham Jefferies (a Baveras alum), Tulip has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and a local, seasonal menu. Their food philosophy is share and share alike, with the menu consisting of many small share plates and an all-Victorian winelist. Try the cured market fish, finger lime, cucumber, prawn oil and green chilli ($17) for a fresh starter and the roasted chicken served with charred butter beans and anchovy vinaigrette ($58) for a more substantial main. A side of grilled zucchini, squash, almonds, shanklish and paprika ($14) would not go amiss either. You'll be struggling to lean into their share philosophy with food this good but give it a red hot go. 9/11 Pakington Street. Jump on a bus to Geelong for some serious culinary delights. Find your best route here.
If you're lucky enough to now be working from home, it probably means you have a little more time to make yourself breakfast in the morning. Instead of throwing a banana in your bag (never a good idea, really) or chugging a glass of Nippy's breakfast juice before running out the door, you can cook yourself some blueberry pancakes or scramble some eggs. Or, you can really take your brekkie to the next level with this new breakfast box. A collaboration between Australia's famous cultured butter maker Pepe Saya and arguably the country's best crumpets (don't @ us) Crumpets by Merna, the boxes are available for delivery to next-day delivery zones across NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Setting you back $35 a pop (plus a $20 flat rate for shipping), they come filled with a six-pack of golden crumpets, six 15-gram packets of Pepe Saya's lush butter, a pot of crème fraîche and a limited-edited, extremely lush topping. At the moment, you'll find boxes with lemon curd, strawberry jam, stewed rhubarb or Four Pillars marmalade, as well as chocolate crumpets, which the team describes describe as a cross between a crumpet and a chocolate brownie. But expect other flavours to drop regularly, too. If you're wondering just what exactly you'll be making with those ingredients, take a look at this: Yes, the mother of all breakfast crumpets. Hopefully this provides you with the motivation you need to roll out of bed and flip open your laptop on the couch. The new brekkie boxes are available to order on both the Pepe Saya and Crumpets by Merna websites, so, while you're there you can also tack on a six-pack of blueberry or vegan coconut crumpets ($15), perhaps, or a fancy butter knife. Plus, if you spend over $50 on either site, you'll get free shipping. Pepe Saya and Crumpets by Merna Breakfast Box is available for delivery in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Order online via Pepe Saya or Crumpets by Merna.
Internationally celebrated fine dining restaurants, beery brunch spots, teeny tiny cafes and openair dining terraces by the sea — Perth's fast becoming one of Australia's food capitals. With over two million Perthites, it's no wonder Western Australia's capital has matured into a hub of wealth and high achievers. Perth is a food lover's city with a laidback attitude, full of enthusiastic folks in activewear — in fact, it's apparently acceptable to wear head-to-toe exercise clothes 24 hours a day in Perth with zero judgment. Think of Perth like San Diego — a sprawled out city with pockets of creativity and sunshine for days. As one of our favourite long weekenders, we thought it time to share the love. You'll need a thick wallet, an empty stomach, an explorative mindset and an Uber account (taxis aren't exactly flowing in Perth). Grab a cross-country flight (around five to six hours) on Thursday night then take these cues for the best long weekend in pretty little Perth. [caption id="attachment_621562" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Petition.[/caption] EAT AND DRINK The benefits of flying to Perth include gaining time which ultimately means, double breakfast and double dinner. It's the food, wine and beer scene in this city that never disappoints. You thought Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane were hard to please? Perth boasts an exceptional quota of local coffee and food snobs with high expectations. Start your days strong with breakfast or brunch at Gordon Street Garage in East Perth, Petition Kitchen, Tiisch, Post, or La Veen in Perth city. If you're more of a long mac kinda person, Telegram, Saint Larry, Small Print, Max + Sons, Lowdown and Mo Espresso have you covered for a takeaway before you start your adventures. In the 'burbs, you want to head to Pixel Coffee Brewers in Leederville, Hylin in West Leederville or Mary Street Bakery in Highgate for epic baked goods to match your mug o' caffeinated magic. [caption id="attachment_621569" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Shorehouse.[/caption] By about midday, the sun has fully occupied Perth so you want to sit outside near a beach and enjoy those lunchtime rays that Melburnians dream of. Bread in Common in Fremantle, Bib & Tucker on Leighton Beach, Il Lido in Cottesloe, The Shorehouse in Swanbourne and Kailis Trigg Beach are a sure thing to a light tan while you indulge in Western Australian seafood and Semillon. Happy hour begins rather early in Perth and it seems customary to head to Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle for a pale ale with a side of hand-cut fries. Heading up the Indian Ocean you also can't go past the infamous Ocean Beach Hotel on Cottesloe Beach. Not many places in the world provide that view matched with thongs and bathers being an acceptable dress attire, but it's Perth so it's all good. [caption id="attachment_621556" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Long Chim.[/caption] Roughly five years ago, Perth saw a significant shift in the dining scene. Maybe it was the mining boom, which saw wealth flow over the state, or perhaps it was Perth's maturity kicking in, but it's plain to see local restaurants and bars have stepped it up. There's an old meets new, East meets West theme clearly evident across the city's menus. Following news of Restaurant Amuse and Neil Perry's Rockpool closing down, many feared the worst for Perth's fine dining industry. But new kids on the block, Ku De Ta, Long Chim, Wildflower and Lulu La Delizia are not letting anything deter them. After dinner, if you're keen to continue the late night shenanigans, hidden CBD bar Helvetica, underground cocktail bar Alfred's Pizzeria, snug rooftop joint Mechanics Institute, rum speakeasy Sneaky Tony's, country-loving dive bar Alabama Song, whiskey den Varnish On King, all-day/night favourite Pica Bar, WA-proud, two-level classic bar Dominion League or these ten bars worth travelling for. [caption id="attachment_621536" align="alignnone" width="1920"] COMO The Treasury.[/caption] STAY Turns out Perth hosts the second best hotel in the world according to Conde Naste. Yep, it's true. It's called COMO The Treasury and it's absolutely stunning. If you're a high baller with cash money to burn, look no further. Wedged between the original 1875 brick and stonework sits a sculpture of polished opulence. With the likes of David Thompson's Long Chim setting up shop inside the Hotel, one never really has to leave. DO Like most Australian destinations, Perth's activities are highlighted in the sun, and no trip is complete without visiting Rottnest Island. Around 20-40 minutes from Perth is Western Australia's version of the Whitsundays (at just a fraction of the price). Think crystal blue water, powder white sand and no cars in sight. You can do Rotto in a day by hiring a bike and snorkel gear and wandering through the bays along the way. The Rotto Pub, Hotel Rottnest is where it's at for fish and chips while you take selfies with the Island's famous native little friend, the quokka. Get your return ferry to drop you at B Shed in Fremantle and explore the Maritime Museum, Fremantle Prison and Fremantle Markets. After Rotto, head for more of the Indian Ocean coastline from Leighton Beach up to Trigg. Hiring a stand-up paddleboard from Elemental SUP is a great place to start. Whether you're a beginner, keen to head out by yourself or try SUP yoga, the team has you sorted. For those a little less SUP and little more surf, there's plenty of boards to hire in Cottesloe, Scarborough and Trigg beach. For a change of pace, head to one of the world's largest inner city parks, King's Park. Hosting various hikes, botanical gardens, outdoor cinema and concerts, treetop walks, memorials and Indigenous history, the park is perfect for exploring for a few sunny hours. Take a picnic with you to savour while you overlook Perth city and the Swan River. [caption id="attachment_621560" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Petition.[/caption] LET'S DO THIS: WHEN TO GO Like the majority of Australian destinations, to get the best out of them, you want to visit during summer. With an annual average of 25 degrees though, Perth is a sure thing for eternal sunshine. It's from November to April when this city really turns it on so if you can manage a long weekend around the Perth Fringe Festival or the Perth International Arts Festival you'll see Perth in its shining glory.
When it's February in Berlin, the temperature is barely approaching positive figures and the ground is slick with last night's snow, there's only one place to be: the Berlin International Film Festival. Also known as the Berlinale, it's not just Germany's premier annual celebration of cinema, but one of the world's as well. Even from afar, it's easy to see why. Huge world premieres, like this year's opening night film Isle of Dogs? Tick. A host of famous attendees, spanning everyone from actors Bill Murray, Isabelle Huppert and Robert Pattinson to filmmakers Wes Anderson, Steven Soderbergh and Idris Elba (yes, he's a director too)? Tick again. Plenty of movies that everyone will be talking about for the next 12 months and longer? After featuring Call Me By Your Name and A Fantastic Woman on their 2017 program, the festival well and truly has that sorted in 2018 as well. There's nothing like being there, however. The rushing between cinemas, the pretzels devoured between sessions, the delicious mulled wine at the end of (and during) the day — from February 15 to 25, that was our life. We went, we watched, we saw scores of people walk out of unimpressive eventual Berlinale Golden Bear winner Touch Me Not, and we witnessed an entire theatre going crazy for Australia's own Hugo Weaving. And now that it's all over, we're excited about all of the movies that'll hopefully make their way to our own shores at festivals or in general release. Take our word for it, and look out for these ten at a cinema near you — we can't wait to catch them again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt__kig8PVU& ISLE OF DOGS A stop-motion animated movie about a futuristic Japanese wasteland filled with dogs, one plucky orphan boy trying to find his beloved pet and the island's helpful canine inhabitants, Isle of Dogs couldn't sound more like a Wes Anderson movie if it tried. Actually, thanks to a voice cast that includes Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Greta Gerwig, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton and Frances McDormand, it literally sounds like a Wes Anderson movie during every moment — and, it proves a smart, sharp, glorious and gorgeous feast for both the ears and the eyes. It's no wonder that the filmmaker won Berlinale's best director award, with his ninth feature a feat of all-round artistry in each elaborate, detailed, textured frame. Similarly unsurprisingly, it's also filled with heart, humour and wit, all while making a very timely social statement. Yep, it's enough to make you go barking mad with delight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVw6wlYJPo DAUGHTER OF MINE In 2015, Italian filmmaker Laura Bispuri and actress Alba Rohrwacher teamed up for Sworn Virgin, a compelling, moving film about an Albanian woman who vows to live life in the mountains, without sex and as a man rather than adhere to traditional views about female subservience. Their second collaboration, Daughter of Mine, also explores ideas of femininity, but in a vastly different way. It's also excellent, and exceptionally acted. As the title suggests, motherhood is in the spotlight as Rohrwacher's strong-willed Angelica and Valeria Golino's more traditionally maternal Tina grapple not only with each other, but over what's best for ten-year-old Vittoria (Sara Casu). As a Sardinian summer rolls by, the secret that connects the trio is thrust out into the open, as is a tussle between nature and nurture that shapes a young girl's journey of discovery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4LTz4OC3pA THE GREEN FOG No one loves movies the way that Guy Maddin loves movies. No one turns snippets of films into such loving, intelligent and amusing collages and homages like the experimental Canadian filmmaker either. In The Green Fog, he once again joins forces with his The Forbidden Room collaborators Evan and Galen Johnson, takes cues from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo and makes an amusing, immersive reimagining using clips from other San Francisco-set fare. The Game, The Love Bug, an NSYNC video — they're all featured in this retelling, as is everything from Sister Act to Basic Instinct to The Rock. The fact that The Green Fog mostly eschews dialogue adds another layer, too, to a finished product that sweeps over viewers like its titular mist. And, also brilliant is the trio's accompanying ten-minute Accidence, which peers into the balconies behind an apartment block in a clever and involving riff on Hitchcock's Rear Window. [caption id="attachment_660555" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] © Agnete Brun[/caption] U — JULY 22 There's nothing new about recreating a harrowing real-life event from the perspective of those who were there, and giving audiences an on-the-ground view of their horrifying experiences. There's nothing new about adopting that approach when it comes to mass shootings either, or just generally unravelling a tense and terrifying situation in a single shot. Still, Norwegian effort U — July 22 finds the best way to plunge viewers into the thick of one of the most traumatic incidents in the country's history. On the eponymous date in 2011, a right-wing extremist gunned down 69 of the 500 attendees at a youth summer camp on the island of Utøya, with filmmaker Erik Poppe following one 19-year-old's efforts to survive. Lead actress Andrea Berntzen is fantastic as the desperate young woman searching for her sister, and for a way to make it out alive, in a feature that's never easy to watch but remains heartbreakingly engrossing — and important — from start to finish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=182pyCffVLk PROFILE One of the best films at Berlinale unspools solely on a computer screen. It's the latest to use what might seem like a gimmick — and the third linked Night Watch, Wanted and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter director Timur Bekmambetov — and it's absolutely captivating. Unlike Unfriended and this year's Sundance flick Search, which he produced, Bekmambetov helms this based-on-a-true-story account of a journalist (Valene Kane) investigating ISIS enlistment campaigns by befriending a charming recruiter (Shazad Latif) online. Tabs, programs and windows pop up thick and fast, and the stress and tension soars with it, as a bond forms between the two. Profile won the audience award in the festival's Panorama section for good reason: slick, thrilling and utterly involving, and with pitch-perfect performances to go with it, it's a film that not only entertains and engages, but lingers. AN ELEPHANT SITTING STILL In his nearly four-hour debut feature, Chinese writer/director Hu Bo achieves what every filmmaker dreams of: a movie that assembles its parts in such an assured and astute way that changing even one element seems unthinkable. And it's not just the length of his first and only film that makes that such an impressive feat, but the command of tone, the naturalistic yet patient style, and the subject matter. Working with a story from one of his own novels, Hu weaves together intertwined slices of unhappy lives, following four figures miserable in their modern-day Chinese industrial town. Each is going through a particularly bleak day, and all are drawn to a story about an elephant that sits still and ignores the world around it. As a heartbreaking postscript that casts a shadow over every moment of his movie, the author-turned-filmmaker took his own life in October last year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Z13OH9EyY TRANSIT As Barbara and Phoenix both cemented in recent years, Christian Petzold is one of Germany's best contemporary filmmakers, crafting accounts of the country's fractured past with an artistic eye and an empathetic gaze. With Transit, he bases his latest in the French port city of Marseilles, though his usual approach — and thematic fascinations — remain. Escaping war and fascism, the film's protagonist, Georg (Franz Rogowski), is desperate to flee to Mexico, but is forced to bide his time until the requisite papers come through. Assumed identities, heartbroken children, complex love triangles and the realisation that inertia is hell in itself all feature in this thoughtful, soulful film, as does a stellar turn by Victoria and Happy End's Rogowski, who proved a standout of the festival thanks to his similarly excellent work in contemplative warehouse romance In the Aisles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7KZrt_cHH0 UNSANE At the Berlinale press conference for Unsane, Steven Soderbergh was filed with enthusiasm about his latest filmmaking technique: shooting an entire feature on an iPhone. Watching the results of his efforts, it's easy to understand why — when you're making a psychological thriller about a woman (The Crown's Claire Foy) pursued by a stalker (Joshua Leonard), trapped in a mental health facility and pondering her sanity, you want the intimacy and immediacy that comes with his choice of camera. The film doesn't go exactly where that plot description suggests, either, in a tense, twist-filled, nightmarish flick that shows just why the cinema-loving world should be thankful that Soderbergh's supposed retirement didn't stick. If his 2013 flick Side Effects met his fantastic TV series The Knick, threw in a committed performance by Foy, adopted a pulpy tone and mirrored society's current probing of the treatment of women, it might look something like this. [caption id="attachment_660554" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] © Alejandra Carvajal[/caption] MUSEUM Heists have long proven one of cinema's favourite scenarios. Thankfully, there's no shortage of different approaches to what's become a very, very familiar on-screen premise. Museum throws up one of them — and won Berlinale's best screenplay prize for writer/director Alonso Ruizpalacios and co-scribe Manuel Alcala for its addition to the fold. The Gael Garcia Bernal-starring effort is actually loosely inspired by reality, taking on the Christmas eve 1985 theft of 140 indigenous objects from Mexico's National Museum of Anthropology, but doing so with fictional characters. That's just one of its playful touches, in a film that knows how to stage the main event in an attention-grabbing manner, yet also knows how to ponder everything from the control of historical artefacts to the bonds of friendship to father-son relationships, and to do so with a cheeky smile and stylistic confidence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sNP9laRXts ÁGA When a film takes viewers to a world vastly dissimilar to their own, one of the best pieces of praise it can garner is also one of the simplest. Calling a fictional movie "documentary-like" isn't just quick shorthand — it recognises the skill required to dive so convincingly, thoughtfully and delicately into another way of life, opening it up to audiences far removed from its reality while showing the requisite respect as well. And, it's a term that Ága earns as it follows ageing Inuit couple Nanook (Mikhail Aprosimov) and Sedna (Feodosia Ivanova), their daily existence in their snow-surrounded yurt, and the subtle — and not-so — changes encroaching upon their happiness. Finessed performances, astonishing images, a concise script, and a well-handled sense of pace and mood all combine for a movie that initially seems like it'll trek down a recognisable path, but is filled with its own considerable charms. Top image: © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox
Google are very cunning. They have a plan for you and I. They know that we have been ruining our eyesight for years by reading Buzzfeed lists in tiny font on our phones. They know that non-prescription glasses are the trademark of the much-maligned hipster. So they've done the inevitable and finally released a range of new Google Glass styles which, though no Ray Bans or Warby Parkers, are at least vaguely wearable, and can actually help you see. What are the new options? There are four titanium frame styles with slick names (Bold, Curve, Split and Thin), five colours, clear lenses and shades in two tints. We also have a lookbook full of languidly beautiful girls and boys wearing these things like it's completely natural. Wear prescription Google Glass down to the cafe, wear them on your bike, wear them to the opera — no one's going to laugh at you. Hopefully. Another insidious advantage of prescription Google Glass? We will be less jarred by the sight of smart-glasses on the face of someone who we know wears glasses anyway — at least, this is the fervent hope of Glass product director Steve Lee. So what's the price tag? The $225 prescription is small fry on top of the $1500 entry fee for accessing the Explorer program. It takes a specially trained optometrist to fit the prescription, and currently qualified optometries can only be found in LA, San Francisco and New York. Limitations exist for prescriptions beyond a certain range (+4 and -4). Once you add the complexity of bifocals and trifocals to the mix, prescription Google Glass has some way to go. Public availability is slated for late 2014, when Glass will finally become a customisable lifestyle tool. What's annoying is knowing that by 2020 or sooner, Google Glass won't look nearly so clunky; you probably won't even know someone's got a computer hidden in their lenses. Meanwhile, we who favour Dame Edna cat-eye vintage frames purloined from street stalls and optometrists' back rooms will have to wait a bit longer for our perfect Glass moment. Via Dezeen.
It was true in the first season of Nine Perfect Strangers, and it appears accurate in season two as well: for the guests invited to stay with wellness guru Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman, Holland) at her choice of luxe retreat, little is what it seems. This time, the Austrian Alps is the group's destination. The setting has changed, and the nine perfect strangers are also all different; however, as the just-dropped trailer shows, this series is still plunging its characters and viewers into a mystery. While the initial season of Nine Perfect Strangers was shot in Byron Bay, the second definitely wasn't, given that the Australian spot can't double for frosty European climes. The cast around Kidman in season two starts with Henry Golding (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), Lena Olin (The Darkness), Annie Murphy (Fingernails), Christine Baranski (The Gilded Age), Dolly de Leon (Jackpot!) and Mark Strong (Dune: Prophecy). Murray Bartlett (The Last of Us) also features, after starring so memorably in The White Lotus' first season. Also joining him and the above actors: Lucas Englander (The Day of the Jackal), King Princess, Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Wolf Hall) and Aras Aydin (To Betray). The storyline again charts the titular cohort as they're summoned by Masha to a transformational wellness retreat —" because sometimes, you shouldn't deal with pain gently", she tells them. Healing her guests, and helping them recharge and "rediscover inspiration", isn't the only thing on the agenda. The group unsurprisingly have their questions and suspicions. As proved the case in season one, too, their host is also on her own quest. Call Nine Perfect Strangers season two's arrival — from Thursday, May 22, 2025 Down Under via Prime Video, dropping weekly episodes — a case of great timing if you love watching things going awry at lavish resorts on super-scenic getaways, plus digging into star-studded small-screen mysteries. Call it a trend repeating as well. In 2021, within the space of mere months in the middle of the year, the debut season of The White Lotus hit, followed by the first season of Nine Perfect Strangers. Four years later, The White Lotus is a season ahead of Nine Perfect Strangers, but they're both back. David E Kelley (Presumed Innocent) remains one of the driving forces behind Nine Perfect Strangers — and author Liane Moriarty (The Last Anniversary), who wrote the novel that the first season was based on, is one of its executive producers again. As a result, Kidman continues her link with both. Kelley was also behind Big Little Lies, which, like Nine Perfect Strangers, also adapted a book by Moriarty. While The Undoing didn't initially stem from the Australian writer's pen, it did connect Kidman and Kelley. Nine Perfect Strangers' new on-screen lineup follows in the footsteps of an equally starry group: Melissa McCarthy (Only Murders in the Building), Michael Shannon (The Bikeriders), Luke Evans (Weekend in Taipei) and Asher Keddie (Fake), plus Bobby Cannavale (Unstoppable), Regina Hall (O'Dessa), Samara Weaving (Azrael), Melvin Gregg (Fight Night), Grace Van Patten (Tell Me Lies), Tiffany Boone (Mufasa: The Lion King), Manny Jacinto (The Acolyte) and Zoe Terakes (The Office), who all starred in the first season. Check out the trailer for season two of Nine Perfect Strangers below: Nine Perfect Strangers season two streams from Thursday, May 22, 2025 in Australia and New Zealand via Prime Video. Images: Prime Video / Reiner Bajo.
The best way to really explore a place? Taste it. We're all about food tourism and farmgate experiences in 2023, so it's delightful (and delicious) that our glorious Sunshine State is serving up a jam-packed season of delectable festivals. If you nab tickets to any of these stand-out events, you'll be well placed to eat and drink more fresh and local fare than you've done in your life. Next year's lineup will have you encounter celebrity chefs, salt-of-the-earth farmers and artisan crafters of all things gourmet and gorgeous. It will have you spend sunny days (yes, even in winter — it's Queensland) at markets and masterclasses, tours and guided tastings, feasting on farmland and sampling frothy bevs by the salty sea. You'll see the source of every bite, discover the land, sea and people behind the flavours and, of course, just consume everything the Sunshine State has to offer. Together with Queensland, we've found the intel on five fantastic foodie experiences that you'll want to get yourself to. So, pack your stretchy pants and loosen your belt, and head to Queensland for a gourmet adventure. EAT LOCAL MONTH, SCENIC RIM BRISBANE This festival is a guaranteed locavore's delight, placed in the aptly-named Scenic Rim, just a short drive from Brisbane or the Gold Coast. Running annually, Eat Local Month offers a slew of foodie and farming activities — including free and family-friendly events and the Winter Harvest Festival. The lush area is home to renowned cooks, distillers, growers, brewers, makers of all things delicious — such as award-winning camel milk gelato — and some pretty famous carrots (the region is actually known as Australia's Carrot Capital). Eat Local Month is a month of tastings, food trucks, tours, meet-the-maker events and the best chefs from Queensland and beyond coming to work their magic with the local abundance. Kids can learn about cheesemaking and gardening, all while you sip locally made liqueurs and spirits, wines from just over the hill and beers brewed just around the corner. If you're a foodie who cares about fresh produce, provenance and artisan makers, come feast on the Scenic Rim. Eat Local Month, Saturday, June 2023 THE CURATED PLATE, SUNSHINE COAST This delicious festival debuted in 2019 before being rudely interrupted by a certain pandemic. In 2022, it was offered in a smaller 'side-plate' format, but it's returning with a bang in 2023 with the full The Curated Plate festival from Friday, July 28 till Sunday, August 6. Over 10 days, you will have the chance to encounter the varied flavours of Queensland and immerse yourself in the region — this is as farm-to-table (and still-to-bottle) as it gets. You'll get the chance to meet the growers and artisans on their home turf — the Sunshine Coast — as they show off the best of the local food scene alongside guest chefs. Previous events have included fermentation and bush tucker classes, long lunches and degustations as well as boat trips and farm-gate experiences. Whatever the 2023 line-up holds, it's a food tourism extravaganza no gourmand can afford to miss. The Curated Plate, Friday, July 28 till Sunday, August 6, 2023 TASTE BUNDABERG FESTIVAL, BUNDABERG Go troppo for 10 days of pure Bundy flavour. This region is about way more than just its iconic brands (although you'll find those here, too). From Friday, August 4 until Sunday, August 13, discover the best of the locale at Taste Bundaberg with everything from farm tours and feasts to markets, masterclasses, music and maker-led events. In previous years, there's been in-orchard dining, sun-soaked long-table lunches, celebrity chef demonstrations, guided cheese-tasting, cocktail making and gourmet picnics where you can sample the produce from the land beneath your very feet. With glorious weather, there's a full program of indoor and outdoor activities for foodies and families to take advantage of. Taste Bundaberg, Friday, August 4 till Sunday, August 13, 2023 CRAFTED BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL, BROADBEACH Sprawling across Broadbeach's Kurrawa Park, the Crafted Beer & Cider Festival welcomes the best local breweries and bigger names from around the country. You're in for two expertly curated days of ice-cold frothies and foodie delights beside the beach. Last time, there was nearly 60 breweries and over 400 beers. Sound overwhelming? Don't worry, the full list and tap map are released ahead of time so you can plot your golden haze of a journey along the rows of beers, ciders, seltzers, ginger beers and more (there's vinos, spirits and cocktails too). You can expect a few festival exclusives, specialty beers and non-alc options as well — plus live music to feed your ears and food trucks for your bellies. Vendors are still TBC, but you can expect all you need for a day of beer and sunshine. For tunes, a full spectrum of musicians will take to the stage, from established acts (2022 saw British India headlining) to emerging artists. Crafted Beer & Cider Festival, Saturday, September 9 till Sunday, September 10, 2023 MORETON BAY FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL, MORETON BAY BRISBANE Showcasing the culinary delights and fine fresh foods of southeast Queensland, the Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival is taking over Woody Point's Apex Park for the first weekend in August, 2023. The celebration is part of the epic six-week Tastes of Moreton Bay Festival. In 2022, more than 20,000 people rocked up for the weekend, and you can be sure that eager, hungry crowds will once again converge beside the glittering waters of Moreton Bay to savour fine foods. A smorgasbord of foodie experiences will roll out over one long weekend — everything from maker's markets, performances and masterclasses to classic games of beer pong and spectacular fireworks. Sip cocktails by the water or watch as celeb chefs take to the stage to demonstrate their recipes demonstrations that make the most of the fine foods from the land, sea and artisans in this prodigious pocket of the Sunshine State. Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival, Friday, August 4 till Sunday, August 6, 2023 To explore more of the food and wine events taking over Queensland in 2023, head to the 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 next trip. In this instalment, we take you to Samabe Bali Suites & Villas in Nusa Dua. We've also teamed up with this luxe spot to offer readers a 40% discount on their stay when they book through Concrete Playground Trips. We've even included a bunch of extra travel experiences, helping you really elevate your Bali holiday game. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Even though Bali's Nusa Dua can get busy — people flock here for the famous long white sandy beaches — this clifftop accommodation feels far away from the crowds and gives visitors access to quieter shores. The uninterrupted sea views, all-inclusive elements and ultra-luxurious villas also make this a standout place to stay. THE ROOMS As it says in the name, there are two kinds of accommodations here: suites and villas. Each of the large suites can sleep 4–5 people and most come with their own private plunge pool looking out over the beach. Expect to also find large dining and living rooms, bathrooms with free-standing tubs and queen- or king-sized beds. Then, there are the villas. These bad boys are huge and incredibly opulent. They come with much larger living and dining spaces, pools (either overlooking the courtyard or ocean) and lush gardens. All rooms are traditionally Balinese in design but have all the most modern amenities and plush furnishings. FOOD AND DRINK Samabe Bali Suites & Villas has four restaurants and bars on the premises and also offers a series of bespoke romantic dining experiences. First off, the Rempah-Rempah Restaurant is where you head for an extravagant buffet breakfast every morning (included in the price of your stay). You'll be offered classic brekkie options alongside lavish inclusions like seared wagyu beef, foie gras and all kinds of seafood. Japanese and Korean breakfast set menus are also available for those wanting to change things up. The Te.Ja.Co Lounge and Bar is where most people grab their complimentary afternoon tea and pre-dinner drinks. The Ring of Fire Pool Bar is what you'd expect from most lavish poolside drinking dens. Tuck into a bunch of light bites as you make your way down the long list of fun cocktails, beers and wines. The team isn't reinventing the wheel here — just doing the classics well. Lastly, there's the Crystal Blue Ocean Grill. This openair thatched-roof style dining spot overlooks the Indian Ocean and the main pool area. It's pretty big on the surf and turf life — tuck into all manners of freshly caught seafood or get your steak on with a bunch of different cuts available. [caption id="attachment_896022" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sven Piek (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA If you're seeking sun and sandy shores, then Bali's Nusa Dua is the place to be. The main strip in town is filled with sun-soaked bars and restaurants as well as a bunch of boutique stores and market stalls. But the biggest drawcard of this area is the beaches. They are next-level gorgeous. And plentiful. Either rent out a sun lounger at the beach (located at the foot of the resort's cliff) and spend your days dipping in and out of the clear blue waters and chilling with a good book or go on an adventure with heaps of water sports available to travellers. And if you're looking to take your Bali holiday to the next level, check out these nine local trips and tours that you can book through Concrete Playground Trips. THE EXTRAS Samabe Bali Suites & Villas has extras galore. You can engage full luxury holiday mode by getting your own personal butler for your entire stay. Or, try booking one of its special romantic experiences (honeymooners are clearly the target audience for these). There are also a bunch of signature activities — think Balinese cooking classes, catamaran picnics, camel rides, outdoor theatre nights and private yoga classes. And if you book our four-night stay at Samabe Bali Suites & Villas, you'll get access to a heap of extras. This includes a unique Indonesian Rijstafel dinner, two in-room massages, complimentary fruit and face masks by the pool, daily beach yoga and a heap of all-inclusive offerings. Plus, the whole trip is 40% off. That means you save over $2500. If you're seeking to extend your summer by going on a luxury island getaway, be sure to check out this exclusive deal. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
When you're spending a night or several away from home, it's often the small things that matter. On a beach getaway, being able to wander directly from your hotel to the sand — without crossing roads and walking down the block — is one such tiny luxury. And, it's exactly what'll be on offer at The Langham Gold Coast, with the new five-star spot opening its doors to holidaymakers in mid-June. Joining the brand's existing Australian hotels in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as a worldwide portfolio that dates back to 1865 in London, The Langham Gold Coast will boast direct beachfront access — a rarity for new towering places to stay in the tourist spot. It's also the chain's first beachfront property, and it's pairing that oh-so-close proximity to sun, surf and sand with everything from a pool bar and cocktails upon arrival to 17 different types of rooms and suites to slumber in. Obviously, gorgeous ocean views are a big feature — although, if you find yourself in a room on the other side of the building, you'll be peering out over the Gold Coast hinterland instead. There'll be 339 rooms and suites in total, all decked out in coastal hues, and with a huge emphasis on luxury. When it launches on Thursday, June 23 — with bookings open from Monday, May 16 — The Langham Gold Coast will also include a range of food and beverage venues in addition to the aforementioned pool bar. So, when you're not enjoying afternoon tea at Palm Court, which goes big on pastries and pool views, you'll be hitting up all-day dining spot Akoya, a casual eatery serving meat, fish and poultry over cocktails (and seaside vistas). Or, there's the lobby bar, for more tipples; Coral Moon, another openair bar; and 26 & Sunny, which'll sit on the beach and offer sandwiches, coffee and deli options. Come spring, T'ang Court will also start serving up Cantonese dishes, giving the hotel a sister venue to the brand's Michelin-starred restaurants overseas. Between zipping into the waves and knocking back beverages, guests can also hit up Chuan Spa, The Langham's wellness centre. There, traditional Chinese medicine will guide the treatment selection — and leaving you feeling blissed out is the number-one aim. A health club with a gym, plus yoga, pilates and meditation sessions will be onsite as well, and — as the pool bar makes plain — places to swim besides the ocean. There'll be two pools, in fact, one indoors and the other outdoors. You'll need to be outside for those lagoon-style swim-up drinks, though. Artwork by Australian sculptor and artist Camie Lyons will feature around the hotel, and the chain's Ginger Flower fragrance will help set the mood. And if you're wondering where to head, The Langham Gold Coast will make its home inside the Jewel towers between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. Find The Langham Gold Coast at 38 Old Burleigh Road, Surfers Paradise, from Thursday, June 23. For more information or to make a booking, head to the hotel's website.
The hottest festival for the colder months is coming — Queenstown's winter music festival and ski trip Snow Machine is set to make its long awaited debut for four snow-filled days of music and adventure this year. After launching in Japan in 2020, the festival was supposed to make its arrival in Aotearoa in September 2021 but was cancelled after the country was plunged into a snap level 4 lockdown. Now it's set to return this winter, taking place down south from Wednesday, September 7 until Saturday, September 10, 2022. Attendees will be treated to action-packed days on the slopes, aprés ski events on both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables and a lineup of international acts against the idyllic backdrop of New Zealand's adventure capital. Ironically, this year's Snow Machine is being headlined by none other than Melbourne electronic music group the Avalanches. Local legends Fat Freddy's Drop are also set to headline (let's be honest, it wouldn't be a Kiwi music festival without them) alongside dance-pop royalty Sneaky Sound System. Also dropping in to share the stage will be The Presets, Hermitude, Hot Dub Time Machine, Sachi, Bliss N Eso, Late Nite Tuff Guy, Yumi Zouma, Owl Eyes, Ball Park Music, Tori Levett, Mell Hall, Client Liaison, host Jimi the Kween and more. What really sets Snow Machine apart from other music festivals is that you can book the entire getaway with your ticket. A variety of five-night accommodation options ranging from 'Value' to 'Mid-Range' and finally 'Deluxe' are all available, which come alongside a four-day festival ticket and lift passes. If you'd rather make your own way or pass on the skiing, there are 'ticket only' options, and of course, VIP packages if you really want to do it in style. Additional services like flights, equipment rentals, mountain transfers and lessons for those beginners can all be purchased through Snow Machine further down the track. Festival goers are encouraged to immerse themselves in the adventure capital by adding on heli-skiing, jet boating, bungy jumping and skydiving. Snow Machine will be held from September 7–10, 2022 in Queenstown, New Zealand. Presale tickets go on sale from 6pm Wednesday, February 16 with general tickets available from midday Thursday, February 17, 2022. For more information, visit snow-machine.nz.
For residents of Australia and New Zealand, taking an overseas holiday hasn't really been on the agenda for much of the pandemic due to strict international border controls in both countries. Since April, however, the trans-Tasman bubble has let Aussies take a getaway in NZ and vice versa, all without having to go through quarantine upon arrival. But, with COVID-19 cases growing across Australia again, and the Greater Sydney area and all of both Victoria and South Australia currently in lockdown, NZ has just suspended the arrangement. Announced today, Friday, July 23, by NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the pause applies to quarantine-free travel to and from all Aussie states and territories. This isn't the first time that the bubble has been put on hold with all of Australia, with the same thing happening at the end of June. It has been paused with individual Aussie states before, too, as is currently the case with New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. This time, though, the nationwide suspension will stay in place for at least the next eight weeks. The pause will come into effect from 11.59pm NZT / 9.59pm AEST today for Australians entering NZ. For New Zealanders heading home, managed return flights will run for the next seven days; however, to get on one, you'll need proof of a negative pre-departure test. And, if you've been in NSW, you will still have to go into managed quarantine for 14 days. Folks who've been in Victoria must self-isolate upon return, and also have a negative Day 3 test. "There are now multiple outbreaks, and in differing stages of containment, that have forced three states into lockdown. The health risk to New Zealanders from these cases is increasing," Prime Minister Ardern said. "We've always said that our response would evolve as the virus evolved. This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but it is the right decision to keep New Zealanders safe." https://twitter.com/covid19nz/status/1418393858795196419 When NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern first announced the two-way bubble between Australia and New Zealand back in April, she noted that it could and would be paused if and when outbreaks occur — so none of the suspensions so far, including this one, are surprising. The NZ Government advised that this current pause "will give Australia time to manage its current outbreaks, while giving New Zealand health officials the time to monitor the situation, assess travel developments in other countries and consider different quarantine-free travel settings while ensuring New Zealanders are safe." To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
We made it through 2020. We're in the throes of a new year, with two months of summer still ahead of us. The holidays are done and dusted, and as we get back into the swing of work it can be easy to get swept up in all the chaos and miss out on the good stuff — like outdoor cinemas, gigs, wine festivals and food pop-ups. It's time to make the most of the summertime events you probably meant to check out in 2020 but didn't. New year, new you. And that means getting outside and embracing the best of Melbourne life. Here are seven things to do this summer and autumn to help lift your mood. Get out there and enjoy it.
If you're starting to think hard about next year's travel plans, we've got a stay that warrants an extra stop on the list — and it's not a beachfront villa or five-star skyrise. South Island sheep and cattle farm Lake Hāwea Station is the only New Zealand property to have made Condé Nast's prestigious Gold List of accommodation options for 2023. Now in its third decade, the international publication's hand-selected Gold List consists of the international team of writers' favourite places to stay around the world. And, recognised for its eco-practices and luxe transformation of the farm's historic cottages, Lake Hāwea Station made the cut in the publishing house's Best Sustainable Hotels category. [caption id="attachment_882820" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] We can see why — just 15 minutes from Wanaka, Lake Hāwea Station is the first certified carbon-zero farm in Australasia, offering travellers an authentic farm experience while they stay on-site in one of its four luxe accommodation options. In their notes, Condé Nast editors wrote that it was "simply, one of the most impressive, can't-believe-this-place-could-possibly-exist retreats you'll ever be lucky enough to stay in." "[The] property's true point of difference is its pioneering ethos in New Zealand's approach to cultivation and sustainability." [caption id="attachment_882821" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] The farm has four accommodation options available: the three-bedroom glass-walled Lake House, the studio-like Little L tiny house (which comes complete with a miniature library), the simple two-bedroom Homespur cottage and the historic Packhouse cottage, which sleeps six. All houses boast stellar lake views, outdoor firepits, hot tubs and outdoor dining. [caption id="attachment_882819" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] Owners Jussie and Geoff Ross received recognition for their renovation and transformation of the 16,000-acre property which they purchased in 2018. They were also recognised for the farm's focus on animal welfare practices, enhanced farm biodiversity and their work to slow climate change — including the planting of more than 100,000 native trees. [caption id="attachment_882818" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] Jussie says that it's a sign of a changing travel industry to see a working farm on a list usually reserved for luxury hotels. "It shows that high-end travellers want to be part of a climate-positive experience," she said in a statement. "In an age of increasing demand for both climate action and transparency, Lake Hāwea Station immerses its guests in every aspect of their fight for the climate." [caption id="attachment_882817" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Thomas Greenway[/caption] Lake Hawea Station is the only New Zealand property to be crowned in Conde Nast's Gold List for 2023. You can find more info about the station's sustainability practices — and perhaps book your stay — on the official website. Top image: Thomas Greenway
When it was published in 2005, Dead Europe, the novel by Christos Tsiolkas, was pronounced both brilliant and completely unfilmable. Tony Krawitz, whose previous films include Jewboy and The Tall Man, took on the challenge and has produced what is at once a deeply beautiful and also one of the most viscerally disturbing films to have emerged from Australia in recent years. The film follows Isaac, played by Ewen Leslie, who returns to Greece after the death of his father to scatter his ashes. Isaac is gradually drawn deeper into the horror of the diseased underbelly of Europe, all the while pursued by the ghosts of family history. Very kindly, Tony Krawitz sat down one lovely afternoon to have a chat about what is a truly remarkable film with a girl who'd spent the past month writing on the novel. What was it that made you want to make Dead Europe into a film? Because some said it was unfilmable. Well, obviously I never felt that. The book, as it is, is unfilmable because it's so dense and beautiful and goes in so many directions. But it felt like the contemporary story had a road movie type of structure. I always knew it would be challenging but I didn't think it would be unfilmable. Did Tsiolkas have a lot of input or did he let you just run free with it? He was really free with us. He said, "I saw Jewboy, and I really like it, and I trust you. Go for it," which is freeing and also terrifying. I think he read the last two drafts, and was really encouraging, and then helped us through pre-production and acted almost as a consultant. And he's seen the finished film and he's really happy with it. I think it's because he loves film so much and he understands how different the adaptation needed to be. They're like companion pieces. The way he described it to me is that he kind of got lost in the film and forgot about the book, which is really nice to hear from the author. The film takes the curse of the book and gives it to the father's side of the family instead of the mother's, which reminded me of the connection between the absent father and the son in Jewboy. Why was it that you decided to place the family story at the centre of the film? The family curse is central to the book, and that's the main narrative. Folding them together helped to make it more streamlined. What it also did, which I really liked, is it made it more biblical — the sins of the father. The father was someone who said he was a rationalist, who didn't believe in religion, but felt that he was cursed, and Isaac is a rationalist who goes "I don't believe in any of that shit" but finds out that he does. Would I be right in saying that the protest scenes in the film were the real ones happening in Athens? Was that part of you wanting to try and engage with the reality of Europe, as a sort of documentary? Yes, that's what I loved about the book. It was such a prescient title. The stuff Christos was seeing seven years ago in the book have come to fruition now in difficult and unexpected ways. With the protests we were looking to update the book and ask, what are the issues now? The response some readers had to the book was almost one of possession, and I think the film has a similar effect. You feel possessed by it. It makes you feel before you can intellectualise anything. Was that your intention? Exactly. What we were trying to do as filmmakers was to get the audience past their intellect, to make it visceral. Some people will love that, some people will really hate that and come out going "but that isn't how I think about that, how dare you put that on screen." The reason we were doing that is because that's what happens to Isaac. He's saying, "I am in my intellect, I understand the world, I know what Europe is, I know what suffering is, I know what war is," but he's a sheltered boy from Melbourne. Did having to deal with such intense themes have an effect on the cast? Yeah it did. We filmed mostly in sequence, so especially for Ewen, as we got more tired and more run down we were getting to the more intense scenes. I think it was great for him as an actor to be able to go on that journey. What were your motivations in changing the ending? It's hard to talk about for people who haven't seen the film yet; I don't want to spoil it. But it changed. It took a lot of conversations to get to that hotel room scene. It does end with more hope than the book, and I like that because the story, for me, is about the forgotten people of Europe. It's about the victims of the past, whether they're Holocaust victims or victims in Yugoslavia or victims today in Syria. Christos is so passionate about human rights and it's like the book was a primal scream about those issues. The way it seemed to me was that there's this official version of history, which we're constantly curating, but the film is interested in exposing these other histories that we don't acknowledge, but which still exist and still haunt us. And what's so powerful about the film is it's putting up a mirror and saying, "you're implicated in this." Yes, because we're actually taught that it's other people who do that, and we have no agency or responsibility. And I think that's what's uncomfortable for people, because they want to go watch a film which says "everything's fine", while this is much more unsettling, which people will either really love, or hate. https://youtube.com/watch?v=XrNnofw8CQw Read our review of Dead Europe here. Image 1: Ewen Leslie as Isaac in Dead Europe. Image 2: Tony Krawitz with producer Liz Watts.
Since making his feature debut in a glow of sci-fi and action with 2010's TRON: Legacy, Joseph Kosinski can't stop feeling the need for speed. Just over a decade after his first film, the director was behind the helm of Tom Cruise-starring 2022 megahit and 36-years-later sequel Top Gun: Maverick, aka the movie that helped bring audiences back to cinemas in a big way after COVID-19 closures and lockdowns. Now comes another huge flick with ample adrenaline, dashing modes of transport aplenty and a zooming pulse, as well as another silver-screen must-see: F1, which isn't just set in the world of Formula 1, but was shot within it, including on real race weekends. Kosinski came to his sixth feature — 2013's Oblivion, 2017's Only the Brave and 2022's Spiderhead are also on his resume — during the pandemic's early days, sparked by an obsession that's shared by many. Chalk up another win for Formula 1: Drive to Survive, then. Being interested in a sport, immersed in a TV show about it and driven turn that love into a movie isn't the same as having experience in it, though. Enter Formula 1's record-holder for the most amount of wins (and pole positions and podium finishes, too), seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. He's not just one of F1's producers, but also a crucial player in ensuring that authenticity is at the forefront of the movie. Introducing Kosinski at a press Q&A, the IRL star driver himself called the end result "the most-authentic racing film you will ever experience in a cinema". The just-dropped full trailer for the film and its past teasers give viewers a sneak peek of how F1 strives to make good on Hamilton's promise. "Joe, Jerry [producer Bruckheimer], Brad, the cast and the whole filmmaking team put an incredible amount of effort to deliver a genuine Formula 1 racing experience unlike anything you've ever experienced before on screen," Hamilton continued. "As you may have heard, the film was shot during the F1 races over the course of a season — and with Joe at the helm, audiences around the globe are going to feel like they're on the track and in the driver's seat. Watching Brad drive around at speeds over 180 miles an hour was really impressive to see, because it's not something you can just learn overnight. And the dedication and the focus that Brad put into this process has been amazing to witness." Chatting ahead of hitting the track for his Ferrari debut at 2025's Melbourne Formula 1 season opener, Hamilton also called being involved with F1 "such a thrill for me — and I genuinely promise this film delivers on every level". [caption id="attachment_994934" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by Scott Garfield, courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures / Apple Original Films.[/caption] The excitement on Hamilton's part is real. The same can be said for Kosinski, who also co-penned the story for the film with screenwriter and fellow Top Gun: Maverick alum Ehren Kruger. The filmmaker couldn't praise Brad Pitt's (Wolfs) driving prowess enough, too: "he just had that natural feel for grip in the car, and what we're doing on this film is dangerous. You have to be fearless, and when you see Brad driving, that's not acting. He's really concentrating on keeping that car on the track and out of the wall during all those scenes. So that's something that you just can't fake, I think. I hope the audience feels that when they watch the movie," Kosinski advised. F1 tasks Pitt with playing Sonny Hayes, a former racer ("the best that never was", the new trailer notes) who returns to the sport as part of fictional team APXGP. Damson Idris (Snowfall) co-stars as his hotshot colleague Joshua Pearce — someone who Hayes clashes with, as the film's trailers illustrate — while Kerry Condon (Skeleton Crew), Javier Bardem (Dune: Part Two), Tobias Menzies (Manhunt), Sarah Niles (Fallen), Kim Bodnia (Nefarious) and Samson Kayo (House of the Dragon) also feature. "This is a movie about friendship, teamwork, sacrifice, redemption," Kosinski noted, stressing that it's not just for Formula 1 diehards. "The story, I think, is universal. It just happens to be set in this incredibly exciting world of Formula 1." What were the filmmaker's biggest highlights in bringing the picture to fruition? "There's so many. It's hard to pick one, but I'll say working alongside Lewis and all the other drivers on the grid, and having them embrace us — because certainly asking to be part of that family and that world, and to say you're making a movie, there's going to be some reticence there. But when they saw how determined we were to make it authentic and represent their sport in the absolute best way we could, to have them embrace us and to be able to have them play themselves in the film, to be able to shoot on the track alongside them, showed a level of trust that was really remarkable," he continued. "There's just no way this film would exist without that." The filmmaker also discussed his Drive to Survive inspiration, capturing Formula 1's genuine intensity, working with Hamilton and other names in the sport, challenges along the way, the sound of the film — Hans Zimmer's (Mufasa: The Lion King) score included — and more. On Why Kosinski Wanted to Make a Movie About Formula 1 "Well, I think like a lot of people during COVID, I found myself starting to watch the races and found this great television show called Drive to Survive — and I found that it's an incredibly unique sport in that your teammate is also, in many ways, your greatest competition. And for me, that makes for a great drama. I also loved how the first season of the show focused on the last-place teams, the underdogs, rather than the Ferrari, the Mercedes, the Red Bull, the teams that you see at the front of the pack. And I thought that there was an interesting story to be told about an underdog team in trying to not win the championship, but just trying to win one race against these titans of the sport. So that's where it started. And lucky for me, I had a contact who was in Formula 1 that I could reach out to, so I did." On Bringing the IRL Intensity of Formula 1 to the Screen "The first thing I did was I reached out to Lewis Hamilton, and obviously he lives that sport every day. He's one of the greatest of all time, and I asked him to be my partner on making this film. So having Lewis gave me this incredible in into this world, and one of the people he introduced me to was Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes. And I started talking with them about wanting to capture the speed of this sport — and it was actually Toto who came up with the idea of, rather than making a movie car fast enough to achieve these speeds, he said 'why don't you start with a race car and take a real race car and then work the cameras that you need into that'. So we did that. We actually bought six F2 cars, real F2 race cars, and worked with Mercedes-AMG, the Formula 1 team and their engineers, to build real race cars that could carry our camera equipment, recorders and transmitters for making this film. So every time you see Brad or Damson driving in this movie, they're driving on their own in one of these real race cars on a real F1 track. So that's how we approached the making of this film." On Getting Brad Pitt and Damson Idris Up to Speed to Do Their Own Driving in the Film "Brad and Damson are both driving in this film, and in order to get them into these race cars, it required months, literally months of training. But the first day was really fun. It was me, Brad and Lewis Hamilton at the track together, all of us jumping in cars and driving each other around in sports cars — which was one of those things, I'll never forget having Lewis Hamilton as your driving instructor. But what we learned, and what Lewis was really interested in, was seeing did Brad know how to drive, right? Because if Brad can't drive, this whole film wasn't going to work. And what Lewis was very happy to discover was that Brad had a lot of just natural ability right from the start. And I don't know where he got that or if he was born with it — and he rides motorcycles, which I think has something to do with it — but he's just a very talented, naturally gifted driver, which for Lewis, after that first meeting, gave him a lot of confidence that we might have a shot at pulling this off." On Collaborating with Lewis Hamilton and Other Formula 1 Professionals "Lewis was instrumental in not only the technical aspects, obviously, but in the real formulative stage of the movie, formulating this narrative. We tell the story of Sonny Hayes, who's a veteran racer, and then Joshua Pearce, who's a rookie. Lewis has been both. He's been the rookie, almost winning his first season in Formula 1 — and now with seven world championships, he's kind of seen it all. So his perspective on shaping the narrative of these two characters and giving me real insight into what it is that drives him, what makes these guys want to do this day in day out, it was really, really helpful. We couldn't have made this film without him." On Ensuring That the Film Isn't Just About the Racetrack Action, But Is Filled with Compelling and Authentic Characters Within the Formula 1 World "It always starts with a great script and a great story. I knew that no matter how accurate or exciting the racing is, it doesn't mean anything if you're not telling a story supported with great characters. So it all starts with the script, and I worked with Ehren Kruger, who also worked on Top Gun: Maverick. He wrote an incredible script for us to start with. And then the most important thing a director does beyond developing the script is casting. Casting is everything. And the group of actors that we pulled together for this film is pretty incredible. Javier Bardem and Brad together, their friendship, which is an old one — three decades old — really is the core of this story and of this film, and just seeing them together on-screen is really special. Kerry Condon — yeah, she's incredible. She plays the team technical director, so she's the person in charge of designing the car and the engineers and the drivers. There's some healthy tension there on every team, and it makes for a great relationship between the two of them. And then Damson Idris, who people might know from his television career, but maybe not from the movies — I'm really excited for people to see him here going toe to toe with Brad on a big screen and a big story. So yeah, we have an incredible cast of supporting actors as well. And yeah, it's a great ensemble." On How Filming on Location — and During Race Weekends — Impacted F1's Narrative "I mean, the tracks, the location is one thing, but on race weekend it just becomes this whole different world. It's like a traveling circus. So we couldn't just shoot at the track without the race going on. It would've been the wrong dynamic. So we were actually there on race weekend with hundreds of thousands of people watching us finding these timeslots between practice and qualifying, that Formula 1 graciously afforded us. So we'd get these ten- or 15-minute slots where we'd have to have Brad and Damson ready in the cars, warmed up with hot tyres ready to go — and as soon as practice ended, they would pull out onto the track. We'd have 24, 30 cameras ready, rolling, and I'd have to shoot these scenes in these very short, intense, high-speed windows. But the crowd you're seeing was really there in the stands. I don't think the crowd realised that Brad Pitt was in the car that was in front of them. And so there was definitely this heightened quality to every race. We were also shooting dramatic scenes on the grid before races, so it was a very unique way of working, rather than having a whole day to shoot a scene like you normally would on a movie. We had these nine- or ten-minute slots, so it was like a live stage play, but in front of hundreds of thousands of people shooting at 180 miles an hour, literally. So it was an adrenaline rush every weekend, but what we captured is something you can't fake, you can't stage. It's really happening, and I think the audience will see that." On the Challenges of Shooting in Such a High-Octane Environment "The big challenge was just the camera system itself. I mean, we had to develop a brand-new camera system, taking everything we learned on Top Gun: Maverick and pushing it much further. You can't put 60 pounds of gear onto a race car and expect it's going to perform the same way. So we took those Top Gun cameras and we worked closely with Sony, sizing them down to something about a quarter of the size. And then on top of that, something I really wanted to do on this film was actually be able to operate and move the cameras while we were shooting, which was something we weren't able to do on Top Gun. So we have motorised mounts on the car as well. So you have transmitters that are transmitting the picture back. We've got transmitters controlling the movement of the camera. I'm sitting at the base station with Claudio [Miranda, also from Top Gun: Maverick], our cinematographer, looking at 16 screens. I've got camera operators on the controls for the cameras and it's calling out camera moves like a live television show while they're shooting. So much research and technology and development went into just being able to roll a frame of footage, in addition to the training for the actors and the logistics of shooting at a real race. So it was a lot of prep to be able to pull this off." On the Sound of F1, Complete with a Hans Zimmer Score "Sound is a huge part of racing. So we have a sound designer, Al Nelson, also from Top Gun: Maverick. You're seeing a theme here, I guess, in terms of collaborators. He was there at the track recording all the real sounds of the real cars. We got microphones on the real F1 cars, which was, as you can imagine, very difficult to do because they count every gram that they put on those cars. So getting our recorders on the real cars was a huge aspect of getting it right. And then the other type of sound, the score, we've got Hans Zimmer creating another epic theme and score, and he's got a lot to compete with sound-wise in this movie. So he really brought it. The score for this film is something I'm really excited for people to hear. It's Hans. What Hans does, what few composers can do, is he can write a real theme, a real melody that you just can't get out of your head. And he's written another one here that I can't wait for people to hear." F1 releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, June 26, 2025.
When the movie-loving powers that be decided to hold the Melbourne International Film Festival in the middle of winter, they made a smart choice. Another year, another frosty patch of weather, another feast of flicks hitting the city's cinemas. Who doesn't love getting cosy in front of a screen when the weather is chilly — or in front of more than 375 movies? That's how many titles are on the bill at the this year's festival, spanning features, documentaries, shorts, virtual reality experiences, full-dome presentations and more. While it is sadly impossible to watch them all between Thursday, August 1 and Sunday, August 18, you can certainly give it your best shot. Under the guidance of new artistic director Al Cossar, the lineup boasts everything from Quentin Tarantino-directed blasts from the past, to heartfelt Australian dramas about refugees and reconciliation, to docos about beloved cult flicks. International award-winners, Cannes hits, out-there animation, an all-night Jeff Goldblum marathon — the list goes on. Feeling spoilt for choice? As always, we're here to help. Spanning films we've seen and loved, as well as ones we're eager to watch asap, here are our ten must-see picks from MIFF 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGCaNcYKLX0 MONOS The relentlessness of modern life, the ongoing unrest in Colombia and the ceaseless trials and tribulations that plague all teens facing adulthood — they all sit at the centre of stunning South America-set thriller Monos. Set in a camp of teen guerrillas, Alejandro Landes' third film follows gun-toting rebels that have barely said goodbye to childhood, but are still tasked with guarding an American hostage (Julianne Nicholson). Unsurprisingly, even with nothing around but fields, jungle, a cow to milk and occasional enemy fire, little goes according to plan. Engagingly lingering between a dark fairytale and a psychological treatise on war, combat and humanity's dog-eat-dog nature, the result is one of the year's definite standouts. From the eye-popping landscape cinematography, to the needling tension of Mica Levi's score, to the commanding performance from the young cast, there's a reason that Monos keeps proving a festival hit around the globe, including winning Sundance's Special Jury Award. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuKQfEX1Xy4 MEMORY — THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN It has been 40 years since cinema-goers first saw terror — and a very memorable, fearful extra-terrestrial monster — stalk the understandably shocked and scared crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo. As well as being a flat-out masterpiece, Ridley Scott's Alien spawned an entire franchise, made Sigourney Weaver a star, gave the world one of the best on-screen heroines there is, and, thanks to all that, deservedly ranks among the best films of the 20th century. Whether you're an avid fan or haven't revisited the acclaimed sci-fi flick for a while, Memory: The Origins of Alien proves an informative and engaging peek behind the scenes, particularly focusing on the genesis of not only the movie itself, but on Dan O'Bannon's original idea. As well as dissecting Alien's production, director Alexandre O Philippe unfurls the film's inspirations and thematic threads. Once you've sat through this delightful documentary, you know what you'll be watching when you get home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r846l8ieHqs I WAS AT HOME, BUT They're common thematic fodder on our screens, but loss, grief, coping with life-altering chaos and trying to pick yourself back up after tragedy are all difficult concepts to convey. So is malaise — the kind that affects people suffering from all of the above, the type that infects folks living a seemingly comfortable existence, and the onslaught that springs when the two combine. Nabbing this year's Berlin International Film Festival best director prize, Angela Schanelec finds the ideal way to wade through this terrain in I Was At Home, But, as she unpacks the tumult surrounding bereaved single mother Astrid (Maren Eggert) when her teenage son goes missing. The German filmmaker won't ever be accused of making straightforward movies, favouring an elliptical approach both narratively and visually; however, stepping into her cinemascape is a rewarding and distinctive experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_yjT5i36b8 EXTRA ORDINARY Combining giggles, chuckles, bumps and jumps, a great horror-comedy is always an unabashed treasure — especially when it finds the right balance between its two genres, and makes the mix work in a winning way. Directed by first-timers Enda Loughman and Mike Ahern, starring Irish stand-up Maeve Higgins, and also featuring Will Forte and Australian comedian Claudia O'Doherty, Extra Ordinary firmly falls into that category. Higgins plays driving instructor Rose, who doesn't particularly love her routine small-town life, but, after being scarred by an otherworldly childhood trauma, likes it better than putting her supernatural powers to work. Then she's asked to help a kindly local man (Barry Ward) save his daughter from an occult ritual, and all hell literally threatens to break loose — as does plenty of silliness of the sweet, offbeat and thoroughly enjoyable kind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGqr7Qt1f4Q LOS REYES If watching the world go by is your idea of a good time — and watching two stray dogs find their place in it, too — then Los Reyes is the observational documentary for you. Four-legged Santiago residents Fútbol and Chola while away their existence at the titular skate park, and this patient, in-the-moment film shows just what their life entails. Filmmakers Bettina Perut and Iván Osnovikoff also paint a portrait of the rest of the spot's comings and goings, with the chatter of teenage skateboarders providing a constant soundtrack; however, the movie's focus belongs to the adorable mutts who rest in the sun, run across the half-pipes, protect their turf from other pooches (and motorbikes) and just generally go about their doggy lives. A deserving winner of a Special Jury Award at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, the end product is equally revelatory, cathartic and surprising, as all of the best fly-on-the wall, slice-of-life docos are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QlHyTGz0MM NO TIME FOR QUIET A documentary for the inner rockstar inside all of us, No Time for Quiet looks set to serve up a powerful and important chronicle about an empowering initiative. As the name suggests, the GIRLS ROCK! camps push young women to the front — and trans and gender non-conforming youths with them — in an industry that's not well-known for equality amongst the sexes. When the global organisation finally held its first Melbourne get-together for Aussie teens, filmmakers Hylton Shaw and Samantha Dinning were on hand to capture the results. Come for appearances by Courtney Barnett, Cable Ties, Camp Cope and slam poet Sukhjit Khalsa, stay for an inside look not only at a worthy event, but at the next generation of potential rockers finding a path they mightn't otherwise. MATTHIAS & MAXIME Despite being only 30, he has already directed eight features — and there's very little room between his most sublime filmmaking and the rest of his cinematic oeuvre. We're talking about Heartbeats, Tom at the Farm and Mommy's Xavier Dolan, who both helms and stars in Matthias & Maxime. In his usual style, the French-Canadian auteur promises to take both his characters and his audience on quite the emotional journey. Dolan's Maxime has been friends with Matthias (Gabriel D'Almeida Freitas) since childhood; however, the platonic pals — the former is queer, the latter is straight — find themselves in completely uncharted territory after a friendly kiss. Dolan has always been a gifted visual storyteller, finding a way to super-charge every inch of every frame with feeling, with every one of his films a delight to watch in multiple senses of the word. THE DAY SHALL COME Given the current state of the world (not to mention the fact that nothing ever seems like it's improving), a new Chris Morris movie can't arrive fast enough. It has been nine years since the British comedian made his filmmaking debut with hilarious, savvy and scathing satire Four Lions, after all. Now he's back, not only with another politically charged dose of commentary and humour, but with another exploration of today's war on terror. Co-written with Morris' previous co-scribe (and The Thick of It, Peep Show and Succession alumni) Jesse Armstrong, The Day Shall Come heads to Miami to chart a poor preacher's (Marchánt Davis) dalliance with a determined and devious FBI agent (Anna Kendrick) — and to parody and probe real-life sting counterterrorism tactics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebaqtoNVozk THE LODGE In the unnerving stakes, Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala's Goodnight Mommy is one of the horror highlights of the past five years. In plenty of other stakes, it ranks just as highly, stamping the duo's long-awaited follow-up a must-see for genre fans. The pair makes its English-language filmmaking debut with The Lodge, which seems like it charts a familiar story, but is certain to throw up plenty of surprises. Think you've seen every take on creepy cabin flicks or insidious cult movies? You haven't seen this this tense effort yet, which has more than a few haunting and harrowing tricks up its sleeves. Story-wise, the film follows evangelical cult survivor Grace (Riley Keogh), her boyfriend Richard (Richard Armitage) and the latter's unhappy kids, all while they're all trapped in a snowstorm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMUtltCOsAE THE WILD GOOSE LAKE MIFF's 2019 lineup is filled to the brim with acclaimed filmmakers dropping their highly anticipated latest projects, with Black Coal, Thin Ice's Diao Yi'nan also on the list. Adding to the growing genre that is Chinese crime noir — a field that the director seems to adore and thrive in — he saunters into the country's seedy underworld for a twisty tale rendered with neon hues. The film's focus: gangster Zhou (Ge Hu), sex worker Liu Aiai (Lun-Mei Kwei) and the complicated web they're caught in. He flees the cops, she's sent to get him and society's worst elements stalk their paths. As keeps proving the case with Diao, an array of gritty style, loaded images, purposeful violence and permeating darkness are all in store, as is a wander through the state of modern Chinese society. Still have some room on your mini-pass or passport? Don't worry, we have a few more suggestions. From our rundown of Australian titles to check out this year, The Nightingale and Emu Runner are both screening at MIFF. And, from our Berlinale highlights, so are The Souvenir, Amazing Grace, Ghost Town Anthology, Skin and Buoyancy as well. Back at the Sydney Film Festival, we were excited about Les Miserables, and couldn't recommend In My Blood It Runs, In Fabric, Scheme Birds and Happy New Year, Colin Burstead highly enough. Once the fest was over, we also added Pain and Glory, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Judy and Punch, Ray & Liz, Bacurau, Come to Daddy, Dirty God and The Dead Don't Die to our picks. That'll keep you busy — happy viewing. Melbourne International Film Festival 2019 runs from August 1–18 at various cinemas across Melbourne. To check the full program and buy tickets, head to the website.
Cycling to work is fun. But turning up to the office in lyrca and fluoros? Not so much. Fortunately (for everyone involved) San Francisco-based designer Parker Dusseau has come up with a solution. It's a suit that's cool enough to ride and work in. That's cool, temperature- and style-wise. Similar to the Wear-More, Wash-Less T-shirt that caught our eye last week, the 'Commuter Suit' is made of merino. Australian 135 Performance Superwool, to be precise, with spandex throw in for flexibility, poly tricot mesh lining and a water-resistant finish. Not only is it breathable, it actually wicks away moisture, minimising temperatures while maximising comfort levels. The cut is form-fitting yet allows plenty of room for movement. According to Dusseau's site, the Commuter Suit embodies "the perfect intersection of cycle gear and men's fashion". Pretty much every conceivable detail seems to have been taken into consideration. A pleat in the back section of the jacket creates an 'Action Back', enabling extension and stretching without resistance. A three-button enclosure prevents the wind cutting through. Super-deep internal pockets provide safe storage. Elastic bands hidden in the pant cuffs mean they can be secured to avoid entanglement in the chain. Available in navy and charcoal grey, the Commuter Suit can be purchased online. Jackets are selling for US$485 and pants for US$245. There's also a dress shirt, which comes in ivory white or periwinkle blue, for US$145 and 'Commuter Cinos' for US$145. Via PSFK.
First, in its initial fourth-season sneak peek back in May, Westworld called upon Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day'. Now, dropping the full trailer for the dystopian drama's next batch of episodes, it enlists Nine Inch Nails' 'The Day the World Went Away'. Big things are coming in the hit HBO series, clearly — and if those music cues mean anything, so is quite the eventful day, or several. Also leaving an impression in the new Westworld trailer is a chilling statement: "we're not here to transcend, we're here to destroy." Actually, the entire glimpse at the upcoming season — which finally starts arriving from Monday, June 27 via Foxtel, Binge and Neon Down Under — is filled with eerie and creepy pieces of dialogue and images. Here's another: "maybe it's time you questioned the nature of your own reality." That's classic Westworld for you. Since it first hit HBO back in 2016 — and made its way to Australia and New Zealand as well — the series has been unnerving from the get-go. It's all there in the concept, which first unfurled on-screen back in 1973 thanks to the Michael Crichton-directed movie of the same name. Here, in the eponymous android amusement park, humans pay to live out their fantasies while surrounded by supremely realistic-looking androids. What could go wrong? Everything, obviously. Across its second season in 2018 and third batch of episodes in 2020, the TV version of Westworld has built upon this premise, twisting in wild, strange, violent and surreal directions. Naturally, when season four hits, that's only going to continue. Neither trailer so far is particularly big on plot, but they do set a huge mood — or reinforce the tone that Westworld fans already know and love, to be more precise. While narrative details are scarce, the show is bound to keep wading through the fallout that's been shaping its story from day one, after some of the robot theme park's electronic hosts started to break their programming, make their own decisions and question their creators. What the show's season four trailers lack in plot specifics, they make up for in atmosphere and recognisable faces, including Evan Rachel Wood (Kajillionaire), Thandiwe Newton (All the Old Knives), Ed Harris (The Lost Daughter), Jeffrey Wright (The Batman), Tessa Thompson (Passing), Luke Hemsworth (Young Rock), Aaron Paul (Truth Be Told) and Angela Sarafyan (Reminiscence). Joining them as a newcomer this season: newly minted West Side Story Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose. If you feel like you've been hanging out for new Westworld for years, that's because the show always seems to bring its android dramas back in two-year intervals. Still, it's worth remembering that the first season of the show arrived 43 years after the Michael Crichton-directed movie that it's based on, and 40 years after the film's sequel Futureworld. If you haven't done so already, both are worth viewing while you're waiting for the TV series to return. Check out the full trailer for Westworld's fourth season below: Westworld's fourth season will start streaming via Binge in Australia from Monday, June 27 — and via Neon in New Zealand. Images: Photograph by John Johnson/HBO.
First Nations cultural currents run deep across Australia, marking the landscape with diverse history and meaning from its glistening coastlines, across the mountains and out to the expansive desert plains. With more than 60,000 years of human experience to contemplate, the best way to learn about this living history is by seeking guidance from the Traditional Custodians of the lands. Join First Nations tour operators and guides on these nine experiences that will take you across New South Wales on knowledge-seeking journeys.
Nothin' says NOPE like the idea of a wine milkshake. Flipping the bird to the haters, US burger chain Red Robin has made the bold, unstoppable move toward the unchartered territories of wineshakes. Yup. We'll give you a minute while you see that lunch of yours again. Abominably but probably fittingly titled 'Divalicious Red Wine Shake' has been created by Red Robin in a furiously horrible attempt to bring all the boys to the yard. Ingredients? Little Black Dress "red wine", Pinnacle whipped vodka, raspberry puree and vanilla soft serve ice cream — the stuff underage backyard party and Poor Life Decision dreams are made of. The best bit? Your red wine shake comes with a free dangly wine charm thingy because you're fancy like that. According to Red Robin's website, the shakes are designed "for 21-and-over guests in need of some 'me' time." If you're kicking it around the States, the wine shakes are available as part of Red Robin's holiday collection — along with a more logical and less vom-inducing menu item, the gingerbread milkshake. But this isn't the first time Red Robin have released the ungodly blend of wine and dairy products — the crew revealed a 'Mango Moscato Shake' earlier this year. Yeah alright, that one doesn't sound or look so bad. "The sky's the limit at Red Robin," says the campaign. Just... fly over there and away from my glass. Via Grub Street. Images: Red Robin and CamEvans via photopin cc.
According to Dean Sewell — Moran Prize winning photographer and part of the Oculi collective — there was this duffel bag. Inside it was a banner a hundred foot long, decorated with two words. This was on the maiden voyage of the Sydney to Hobart ship, the Spirit of Tasmania. There was strict security. Four passengers waited to get on as that security looked at the huge lump of canvas inside their bag. It was a spinnaker for a yacht, claimed the four men, and time consuming to fold back up. The security guards considered if it was worth unrolling for a closer look, squeezed it a little, and let it through. As the ship pulled out, most passengers and security wandered upstairs. Amid empty decks, the four men clipped themselves onto the boat, jumped over the side and unfurled their banner. The four had spent months preparing for the stunt, doing photo recon on the boat and practicing abseils down the side of a car-park at the University of New South Wales. They had even made sure the banner's font matched the writing on the side of the ship. And as they unrolled the result, Dean Sewell was across the harbour on a water taxi taking photos for the Sydney Morning Herald. He had been covering these men, part of the activist group the Lonely Station, since the previous year. A highly-skilled successor to BUGAUP, the group would meticulously rework ads into satire, leaving a much more political message in their place. As time went on Sewell became involved in the group's actions, and his photos form the basis of a new exhibition at the Museum of Sydney, Culture Jammers. Dean recently sat down with Concrete Playground to talk about the Lonely Station, photography and the usefulness of good rope skills. What happened after the banner dropped? They ripped the four Lonely Station guys off the boat. A police launch met up with the pilot launch, took 'em back and processed them. They wore a $6,000 fine for it. Who were they? The Lonely Station was a pretty loose collective of artists, environmental activists and legal minds, about 2004 to 2007. I think it was really born out of the environmental movement. A couple of them were arborists, highly skilled abseilers. So that allowed them to pull off all these actions. You can search globally for culture jamming, you'll be hard pressed to find anything the size of the works these guys were doing: they were hanging off building tops, off boats, all sorts of things. I think they were just looking at giving people a moment of pause. Being that circuit breaker. The spin cycle was in overdrive and they just really wanted to stop it, if only just for a moment in time, to let people recalibrate. Did you have a go at it? I did partake in some things. I think there were times when I was behind the camera, and other times I was taking an active role in producing work. What sort of things were done? One my favourites was a Vodafone billboard at Kingsford Smith Airport. They used that now infamous image from Abu Graib. They climbed up in early hours of morning, abseiled off, put it on, even had ropes dangling off the fingers. It looked very authentic. There was a sub quote under the main slogan, How are you? Underneath that they wrote "Liberated!" They got to hammer the telco company, and at the same time send a message straight to Canberra. It was on the evening news on Channel Ten. Vodafone got hauled over the coals. Vodafone had pulled a stunt, maybe twelve months earlier, where they'd had a guy arrange secretly to run onto a football match naked in New Zealand. It was great. So, the question put to them was "Is this a stunt you guys did? Because if so, it's in really poor taste." You've said that, as a photographer you look for 'the extraordinary in the ordinary.' For me that's the challenge in photography. Exacting something special out of the mundane, ordinary situations. A lot of people think that photographers chase around incredible things. We do sometimes, fantastic and incredible situations. But also it's the ordinary that attracts us. So becoming a full time paparazzo doesn't appeal? The interesting people are real people. The people living out in the middle of nowhere. Living quite humble lives, just in suburbia. Mostly no-one ever hears of these people. You go sit in a pub in outback Queensland or go up to the Corner Country. That's where you find really interesting people. They're normally not in front of you walking a red carpet. One of the images I got, I was just coming back from Cockatoo Island with my friends. We went to the Biennale on Cockatoo Island. And I took a picture on a the ferry. I won the Moran photographic prize with that. You'll see a lot of photographers take flight, chasing this and that. "Oh, it's too boring here, nothing happens here." And they want excitement or thrills or something. I just think I have a certain level of responsibility to document the issues here. You got these interesting, cosmopolitan suburbs of bustling, thriving places. They've got character. You know, you go to Auburn: where all these enclaves of culture exist. And for me, the most interesting cultural scene here is the Inner West, Marrickville, those areas. All the artists collectives. Underground stuff. It's thriving. Leading image of Dean Sewell (c) Tamara Dean. Images Spirit of Tasmania and Helping You Communicate Better (c) Dean Sewell.
If you like to fill your time staring at a screen, small or big, there's never a bad year to do it. Great shows and films, terrible ones, everything in-between — they all arrive every single year. That said, if you're a fan of savvy TV series with something to say — and plenty about the world to savage, skewer or expose — then 2021 has been a particularly excellent year. Some of the absolute best series of the past 12 months took a look at the chasm between the wealthy and everyone else, the way women in entertainment are treated, or sitcom and rom-com tropes, and turned it into exceptional television. Other 2021 standouts transformed true crime and podcasting obsessions into an amusing murder-mystery, examined race relations in America in a searing fashion, stepped back to the AIDS crisis of the 80s and early 90s, and spun a slice-of-life comedy around Indigenous American teenagers. And yes, the list goes on. Thankfully, all of the year's highlights are also now available to stream — so here's your catch-up viewing for the summer. THE WHITE LOTUS With Enlightened, his excellent two-season Laura Dern-starring comedy-drama from 2011–13, writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) followed an executive who broke down at work. When she stepped back into her life, she found herself wanting something completely different not just for herself, but for and from the world. It isn't linked, narrative-wise, to White's latest TV miniseries The White Lotus. The same mood flows through, however. Here, wealthy Americans holiday at a luxe Hawaiian resort, which is managed by Australian Armond (Murray Bartlett, Tales of the City) — folks like business star Nicole (Connie Britton, Bombshell), her husband Mark (Steve Zahn, Where'd You Go, Bernadette), and the teenage trio of Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria), Paula (Brittany O'Grady, Little Voice) and Quinn (Fred Hechinger, Fear Street); newlyweds Rachel (Alexandra Daddario, Songbird) and Shane (Jake Lacy, Mrs America); and the recently bereaved Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge, Promising Young Woman). From the outset, when the opening scene shows Shane accompanying a body on the way home, viewers know this'll end with a death. But as each episode unfurls, it's clear that these characters are reassessing what they want out of life as well. In The White Lotus, a glam and glossy getaway becomes a hellish trap, magnifying glass and mirror, with everyone's issues and problems only augmented by their time at the eponymous location. In terms of sinking its claws into the affluent, eat the rich-style, this perceptive, alluring and excellently cast drama also pairs nicely with the White-penned Beatriz at Dinner, especially as it examines the differences between the resort's guests and staff. The White Lotus is available to stream via Binge. Read our full review. THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Two words: Barry Jenkins. Where the Oscar-nominated Moonlight director goes, viewers should always follow. That proved the case with 2018's If Beale Street Could Talk, and it's definitely accurate regarding The Underground Railroad, the phenomenal ten-part series that features Jenkins behind the camera of each and every episode. As the name makes plain, the historical drama uses the real-life Underground Railroad — the routes and houses that helped enslaved Black Americans escape to freedom — as its basis. Here, though, drawing on the past isn't as straightforward as it initially sounds. Adapting Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same moniker, the series dives deeply into the experiences of people endeavouring to flee slavery, while also adopting magic-realism when it comes to taking a literal approach to its railroad concept. That combination couldn't work better in Jenkins' hands as he follows Cora (Thuso Mbedu, Shuga), a woman forced into servitude on a plantation overseen by Terrance Randall (Benjamin Walker, Jessica Jones). As always proves the case in the filmmaker's work, every frame is a thing of beauty, every second heaves with emotion, and every glance, stare, word and exchange is loaded with a thorough examination of race relations in America. Nothing else this affecting reached streaming queues in 2021 — but even one series like this made it a phenomenal year for audiences. The Underground Railroad is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. KEVIN CAN F**K HIMSELF There's never been a show on TV quite like Kevin Can F**k Himself, but there have been too many series that resemble half of this clever and cutting dark comedy. Whenever Allison Devine-McRoberts (Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek) is around her manchild of a husband Kevin (Eric Petersen, Sydney to the Max), she's clearly in a sitcom. The lights glow brightly, her home looks like every other cosy abode in every other apparently amusing show about an obnoxious man and his put-upon wife — including all the ones starring Kevin James — and multiple cameras capture their lives. Also, canned laughter chuckles whenever something supposedly funny (but usually just cringeworthy) occurs between Kevin, his ever dimwitted best pal and neighbour Neil (Alex Bonifer, Superstore), Neil's one-of-the-guys sister Patty (Mary Hollis Inboden, The Righteous Gemstones) and Kevin's ever-present dad (Brian Howe, Chicago Fire). We've all seen this setup before, and Kevin Can F**k Himself's creator Valerie Armstrong (Lodge 49) definitely knows it. But, whenever Allison is blissfully free from her horrible hubby, murkier tones and a much more realistic vibe kick in. Just one camera films her struggles, and she's clearly in a premium cable drama. This is when Allison starts trying to do something about her terrible marriage, including a plot not just to leave Kevin, but to ensure that she'll be free of him forever. On paper, the creative decisions behind Kevin Can F**k Himself's two halves are a high-concept gimmick, and purposefully so. They're deployed devastatingly on-screen, however. Thankfully, Kevin Can F**k Himself has been renewed for a second season, too, so more of its savvy charms and astute social commentary — and Murphy and Inboden's memorable performances — await. Kevin Can F**k Himself is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. Read our full review. HACKS It sounds like an obvious premise, and one that countless films and TV shows have already mined in the name of laughs. In Hacks, two vastly dissimilar people are pushed together, with the resulting conflict guiding the series. Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, North Hollywood) and her new boss Deborah Vance (Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown) couldn't be more different in age, experience, tastes and opinions. The former is a 25-year-old who made the move to Hollywood, has been living out her dream as a comedy writer, but found her career plummeting after a tweet crashed and burned. The latter is a legendary stand-up who hasn't stopped hitting the stage for decades, is approaching the 2500th show of her long-running Las Vegas residency and is very set in her ways. They appear to share exactly one thing in common: a love for comedy. They're an odd couple thrust together by their mutual manager Jimmy (Paul W Downs, Broad City), neither wants to be working with the other, and — to the surprise of no one, including each other — they clash again and again. There's no laugh track adding obvious chuckles to this HBO sitcom, though. Created by three of the talents behind Broad City — writer Jen Statsky; writer/director Lucia Aniello; and Downs, who does double duty in front of and behind the lens — Hacks isn't solely interested in setting two seemingly mismatched characters against each other. This is a smart and insightful series about what genuinely happens when this duo spends more and more time together, what's sparked their generational conflict and what, despite their evident differences, they actually share beyond that love of making people laugh. And, it's a frank, funny and biting assessment of being a woman in entertainment — and it's also always as canny as it is hilarious. Hacks is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. RESERVATION DOGS Not content with just having two of the best current sitcoms on his resume — that'd be Wellington Paranormal and What We Do in the Shadows — Taika Waititi has gone and added a third. If you didn't know that he was one of Reservation Dogs' creators, executive producers and writers, you'd likely guess from the laidback tone; however, this is firmly a case of Waititi helping to get an exceptional show off the ground, and also lending his star power to assist emerging voices and under-represented communities. The 'reservation' part of this comedy's title is literal. In rural Oklahoma, that's where Indigenous American teenagers Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Beans), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, also seen in Beans) and Cheese (debutant Lane Factor) live, spend their days and meander about while dreaming of being somewhere else. Their ideal destination: California. Their number-one pastime: rustling up cash by whatever means they can to fund their big getaway, including by hijacking a delivery van filled with potato chips in the show's first episode. It's that heist and the aftermath that gives this quartet their Quentin Tarantino-style nickname, but Reservation Dogs isn't about bold and flashy moments. It's about the daily reality as Bear and his pals navigate their present existence and hope that they can soon escape it. In other words, this is a series that's deeply steeped in conveying the small details in its characters' lives, and giving audiences the chance to spend time with them. It's a show that's as much about hanging out as propelling a plot forward and, in the hands of Waititi and fellow co-creator/executive producer/writer Sterlin Harjo (Mekko), it's a coming-of-age gem. Reservation Dogs is available to stream via Binge. IT'S A SIN More than two decades after creating Queer as Folk, Russell T Davies has given the television landscape another excellent queer drama. The screenwriter and television producer has been busy over the intervening period thanks to everything from Doctor Who to Years and Years — and he also has 2015's Cucumber to his name, too — but It's a Sin is one of the very best things on his lengthy resume. Stepping back to the AIDS crisis of the 80s and early 90s, the five-part miniseries follows a group of friends chasing their dreams in London. Ritchie (Olly Alexander, Penny Dreadful) heads to the city to become an actor, and to avoid telling his stern parents that he's gay. Roscoe (Omari Douglas) flees his parents' home when they keep threatening to take him back to Nigeria. Colin (Callum Scott Howells) arrives for an apprenticeship at a high-end tailor shop, but soon finds himself seeking an escape from his lecherous boss. Given the era, there's no doubting where the story will head. It's a Sin is as joyous and vibrant as it is soulful and heartbreaking, though. Ritchie, Roscoe and Colin not only cross paths, but form a makeshift family in their modest flat, with the former's college friends Jill (Lydia West, Dracula) and Ash (Nathaniel Curtis) rounding out the quintet. Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Fry also feature, but they're never It's a Sin's stars — because, in series that looks and sounds the period part at every moment, the show's five main players are simply phenomenal. It's a Sin is available to stream via Stan. MARE OF EASTTOWN Kate Winslet doesn't make the leap to the small screen often, but when she does, it's a must-see event. 2011's Mildred Pierce was simply astonishing, a description that both Winslet and her co-star Guy Pearce also earned — alongside an Emmy each, plus three more for the HBO limited series itself. The two actors and the acclaimed US cable network all reteamed for Mare of Easttown, and it too is excellent. Set on the outskirts of Philadelphia, it follows detective Mare Sheehan. As the 25th anniversary of her high-school basketball championship arrives, and after a year of trying to solve a missing person's case linked to one of her former teammates, a new murder upends her existence. Mare's life overflows with complications anyway, with her ex-husband (David Denman, Brightburn) getting remarried, and her mother (Jean Smart, Hacks), teenage daughter (Angourie Rice, Spider-Man: Far From Home) and four-year-old grandson all under her roof. With town newcomer Richard Ryan (Pearce, The Last Vermeer), she snatches what boozy and physical solace she can. As compelling and textured as she always is, including in this year's Ammonite, Winslet turns Mare of Easttown into a commanding character study. That said, it's firmly an engrossing crime drama as well. Although yet again pondering the adult life of an ex-school sports star, The Way Back's Brad Ingelsby isn't just repeating himself by creating and writing this seven-part series, while The Leftovers and The Hunt's Craig Zobel takes to his directing gig with a probing eye. Mare of Easttown is available to stream via Binge. GIRLS5EVA First, a word of warning: the hit song that brought fictional late 90s/early 00s girl group Girls5eva to fame is such an earworm, you'll be singing it to yourself for weeks after you binge through the sitcom that bears their name. That's to be expected given that Jeff Richmond, the composer behind 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's equally catchy and comedic tunes, is one of the talents behind it. Tina Fey and Robert Carlock produce the series, too, so you also what type of humour you're in for. Starring Sara Bareilles (Broadway's Waitress), Busy Philipps (I Feel Pretty), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton) and the great Paula Pell (AP Bio), Girls5eva follows four members of the eponymous band two decades after their heyday. Their initial success didn't last, and life has left the now-fortysomething women at different junctures. Then a rapper samples their hit, they're asked to reunite for a one-night backing spot on The Tonight Show, and they contemplate getting back together to give music another shot. As well as being tremendously well-cast and immensely funny, the series is also bitingly perceptive about stardom, the entertainment industry and the way that women beyond their twenties are treated. Also, when Fey inevitably pops up, she does so as a dream version of Dolly Parton — and it's as glorious as it sounds. Girls5eva is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. SQUID GAME Exploring societal divides within South Korea wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but its success was always going to give other films and TV shows on the topic a healthy boost. Accordingly, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between the acclaimed movie and Netflix's highly addictive Squid Game — the show that's become the platform's biggest show ever (yes, bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton). Anyone who has seen even an episode knows why this nine-part series is so compulsively watchable. Its puzzle-like storyline and its unflinching savagery making quite the combination. Here, in a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup, 456 competitors are selected to work their way through six seemingly easy children's games. They're all given numbers and green tracksuits, they're competing for 45.6 billion won, and it turns out that they've also all made their way to the contest after being singled out for having enormous debts. That includes series protagonist Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, Deliver Us From Evil), a chauffeur with a gambling problem, and also a divorcé desperate to do whatever he needs to to keep his daughter in his life. But, as it probes the chasms caused by capitalism and cash — and the things the latter makes people do under the former — this program isn't just about one player. It's about survival, the status quo the world has accepted when it comes to money, and the real inequality present both in South Korea and elsewhere. Filled with electric performances, as clever as it is compelling, unsurprisingly littered with smart cliffhangers, and never afraid to get bloody and brutal, the result is a savvy, tense and taut horror-thriller that entertains instantly and also has much to say. Squid Game is available to stream via Netflix. YELLOWJACKETS When Yellowjackets begins, it's with an intriguing mystery, a killer cast — led by the compulsively watchable Melanie Lynskey (Mrs America), Juliette Lewis (Breaking News in Yuba County) and Christina Ricci (Percy vs Goliath) — and a deep valley full of trauma. In their high-school years, Shauna Sheridan (Lynskey, and also The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager) and Natalie (Lewis, plus The Tomorrow Man's Sophie Thatcher) were key players on the titular high-achieving New Jersey soccer team, while Misty (Ricci, as well as Shameless' Samantha Hanratty) was the squad's frequently bullied student manager. Then, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private plane in 1996, they entered Lost territory. That crash saw the survivors stranded in the wilderness for 19 months, and living their worst Lord of the Flies lives, too. As established in a stellar first episode directed with the utmost precision by Destroyer's Karyn Kusama, Yellowjackets isn't simply interested in an inherently disturbing experience that'd change anyone's life. It's just as obsessed with that transformation itself — with how, after falling from the sky, learning to endure in such remote surroundings and plummeting into a horror movie, someone copes when normality supposedly comes calling afterwards. Flitting between the two 25-years-apart time periods, it's about tragedies endured, paths taken, necessities accepted and the echoes that linger from all three. Its first season isn't over yet, but this instant must-see is already chilling, perceptive, resonant and potent. Yellowjackets is available to stream via Paramount+. ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING If you've ever listened to a true-crime podcast, decided that you'd make a great Serial host yourself and started wondering how you'd ever follow in Sarah Koenig's footsteps, then you should be watching Only Murders in the Building. The Disney+ series follows three New Yorkers who follow that exact same process. Actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) are all obsessed with a series hosted by the fictional Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva), to the point of bonding over it as strangers. Then, when someone turns up dead in their building, they decide that they can sleuth their way through the case — by getting talking themselves, naturally. But being a true-crime podcast diehard and making a true-crime podcast clearly aren't quite the same thing, and turning amateur detective isn't clearcut either. Entertaining and exceptionally well-cast, Only Murders in the Building makes makes the most of its main trio's mismatched vibe. It's filled with hearty affection for everything it jokes about, resulting in an upbeat satire of true-crime obsessions, podcasting's pervasiveness and the intersection of the two. It adores its single-setting Agatha Christie-lite setup, it's always empathetic, and it also loves peppering in highly recognisable co-stars and guest stars such as Fey, Nathan Lane (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels), Amy Ryan (Late Night) and even Sting. The series is also written and acted with enough depth to pair relatable character insights with its bubbly, clownish fun. If Knives Out was a sitcom, and also a little goofier, it'd turn out like this — and that's a delight, obviously. Only Murders in the Building is available to stream via Star on Disney+. Read our full review. STARSTRUCK When Rose Matafeo last graced our screens, she took on pregnancy-centric rom-coms in 2020's Baby Done. Now, in Starstruck, she's still pairing the romantic and the comedic. In another thoughtful, plucky and relatable performance, she plays Jessie, a 28-year-old New Zealander in London who splits her time between working in a cinema and nannying, and isn't expecting much when her best friend and roommate Kate (Emma Sidi, Pls Like) drags her out to a bar on New Year's Eve. For most of the evening, her lack of enthusiasm proves astute. Then she meets Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral). He overhears her rambling drunkenly to herself in the men's bathroom, they chat at the bar and, when sparks fly, she ends up back at his sprawling flat. It isn't until the next morning, however — when she sees a poster adorned with his face leaning against his living room wall — that she realises that he's actually one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Yes, Starstruck takes Notting Hill's premise and gives it a 22-years-later update, and delivers a smart, sidesplittingly funny and all-round charming rom-com sitcom in the process. When a film or TV show is crafted with a deep-seated love for its chosen genre, it shows. When it wants to do more than just nod and wink at greats gone by like a big on-screen super fan — when its creators passionately hope that it might become a classic in its own right, rather than a mere imitation of better titles — that comes through, too. And that's definitely the case with this ridiculously easy-to-binge charmer. Starstruck is available to stream via ABC iView. Read our full review. Looking for more viewing highlights? We also rounded up 12 of 2021's best TV highlights that you might've missed. And you can also check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. Plus, we picked 12 standout new 2021 series in the middle of the year, too.
It was a glorious day when, fresh from spending a decade working on Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey created her own sitcom about a late-night sketch comedy show. For seven stellar seasons and 138 hilarious episodes, 30 Rock charted the behind-the-scenes exploits on the fictional TGS with Tracy Jordan, with Fey starring as the show's head writer. The result: one of the standout TV comedies of the past 15 years, the source of the best holiday song there is and a great reason to love night cheese. It's the show that not only satirised the inner workings of live, televised sketch comedy, but made plenty of fun of its American network, NBC, and its parent company, General Electric — with Alec Baldwin note-perfect as the GE microwave division head suddenly also placed in charge of TV program. Fey and Baldwin had plenty of great company, with 30 Rock's main cast also boasting Jane Krakowski, Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit and Judah Friedlander. And, guest-wise, the list goes on. Everyone from Matt Damon, Jon Hamm, Julianne Moore and Tom Hanks popped up, as did Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Jennifer Aniston, Peter Dinklage, the Beastie Boys and Elizabeth Banks. If you watched the series during its original 2006–13 run, then you'll already know all of the above — and now you can rediscover its delights. From Sunday, December 22, Stan is streaming 30 Rock's entire run, so you can live every week like it's 30 Rock week. And if you're new to the show, it's never too late to dive in. It's the Australian streaming platform's newest addition to its growing range of beloved series, following Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How I Met Your Mother, Sons of Anarchy, Grey's Anatomy and Family Guy. And, it's timed perfectly if you've been wondering what you'll be watching over the holidays or summer. A handy hint: 30 Rock has some fantastic Christmas episodes, should you be looking for some festive viewing. Merry Ludachrismas everyone. Check out a clip from the 30 Rock pilot below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYGbfKuBBBk All seven seasons of 30 Rock are now available to stream on Stan.
