The spirit of cabaret is alive and well in Melbourne, with one of the world's most celebrated chanteuses lighting up Queen Victoria Market's Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent for the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Her particular mix of debauchery, dark humour and biting social commentary make this one of the festival's must-see shows. German kabarett superstar Bernie Dieter — described as "an electrifying cross between Lady Gaga, Marlene Dietrich and Frank-N-Futer in sequins" — will bring her infamous gin-soaked haus band and her troupe of bombastic bohemians back to Melbourne throughout October. Gather your fellow deviants for this one. [caption id="attachment_841679" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Johannes Reinhart[/caption] The show encapsulates the spirit of the notorious kabarett clubs of Weimar Germany, and features a vibrant lineup of international talent. The billing includes the dangerous art of hair hanging (we're getting split ends just from the mere mention of this one), flame breathers, gender bending aerial performances and plenty of strip teasing and pole dancing. The colourful show celebrates freedom and diversity in all its forms — Dieter herself describes it as "the ultimate party at the end of the world". Just as spectacular as the performance is its iconic — and all too appropriate — setting. Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett will take place in Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent at Queen Vic Market. The venue is one of the country's largest and most spectacular spiegeltents and an ideal setting for such a spellbinding cabaret show.
For years, you've probably sat at pubs or parties, listened to your pals tell boozy stories and found yourself laughing heartily. In fact, you've likely spun a few tales in a liquored-up state yourself — because we've all been there. And, since 2008, you've might've chuckled along to the US TV show based on that very idea, too. Indeed, it's easy to understand exactly how Drunk History came about, because the entire concept is just so relatable. While, in America, the show's run has just come to an end, Australian television is now hopping on the Drunk History bandwagon. It shouldn't escape anyone's attention that, at a time when we're all spending less time hanging out in bars talking with our mates for hours and hours over several rounds of drinks, Aussie TV has decided to deliver the next best thing. Called Drunk History Australia, the local version spans a six-episode first season, with each instalment tackling a couple of chapters of Aussie history. If you've ever wanted to watch James Mathison and Osher Günsberg reenact Burke and Wills' expedition, listen to Matt Okine explore the history of 'Waltzing Matilda', or hear Becky Lucas tell the tale of the country's first female detective — all with beverages involved — well, here's your chance. Also getting the Drunk History Australia treatment are Don Bradman, Dame Nellie Melba, Dawn Fraser and Gough Whitlam, in case you want to relive your primary school history lessons in a far boozier manner. And, the show also touches upon cannibal convicts, a war with emus and the first female bushranger, among other topics. The cast is similarly lengthy, featuring everyone from Anne Edmonds, Nikki Osborne, Em Rusciano and Tex Perkins to Stephen Curry, Joel Creasey, Steph Tisdell and Brendan Fevola. Drunk History Australia will start screening on Network 10 at 9.30pm on Monday, September 14; however, if you're keen to stream the whole thing right now, it's also already available via 10Play. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4iMnOEGI7c Drunk History Australia is now available to stream via 10Play, and will start airing on Network 10 at 9.30pm on Monday, September 14.
UPDATE, October 27, 2021: Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is available to stream via Disney+, and is also screening in Melbourne cinemas when they reopen on Friday, October 29. Much of Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) involves stunning archival footage, as recorded more than five decades ago, capturing live performances by an astonishing lineup of musicians. At the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a free series of gigs that rolled out across six weekend and saw around 300,000 people head along, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, BB King, Sly and the Family Stone, the Staples Singers, Mahalia Jackson and Gladys Knight & the Pips all took to the stage — among others — and the newly unearthed reels that immortalised their efforts are truly the stuff that music documentary dreams are made of. For his filmmaking debut, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson could've simply stitched together different songs from various sets across the festival, and let those music superstars lead the show. He could've taken the immersive, observational approach as Amazing Grace did with Aretha Franklin and her famed gospel gigs, and jettisoned context. But The Roots frontman and drummer doesn't make that choice, and he ensures that two words echo strongly throughout the film as a result: "Black Woodstock". Also in New York — upstate in the town of Bethel, 100 miles north of Harlem — Woodstock itself took place in the summer of 1969 as well. The Harlem Cultural Festival kicked off before and kept playing after its better-known counterpart ended, but comparing the two events makes quite the statement. Why has one endured in public consciousness and proven pervasive in popular culture, but not the other? Why did footage of one quickly get turned into a film, with the Woodstock documentary first reaching cinemas in 1970, but recordings of the other largely sat in a basement for half a century? Why did television veteran Hal Tulchin, who shot the entire Harlem Cultural Festival from start to finish on four cameras loaded up with two-inch videotape, get told that there was little interest in releasing much from a "Black Woodstock"? (One New York TV station aired two hour-long specials at the time, but that's all that eventuated until now.) These questions and the US' historical treatment of people in colour go hand in hand, and whenever the words "Black Woodstock" are uttered, that truth flutters through Summer of Soul. Here's another query that belongs with the others: why was such an important event left to fade in memories, and in broader awareness, to the point that many watching Questlove's exceptional doco won't have heard of it until now? Consider Summer of Soul an act of unearthing, reclamation and celebration, then. It's a gift, too. The archival materials that are so critical to the film are glorious, whether a 19-year-old Wonder is tickling the ivories; a young Staples is singing with Jackson, her idol; The 5th Dimension are breaking out matching outfits while crooning their 'Aquarius' and 'Let the Sunshine In' medley; or Simone is delivering her anthem 'To Be Young, Gifted and Black' with fierce passion. Powerful moments featuring immense talents like these keep popping up, including The Temptations' David Ruffin singing 'My Girl', and Reverend Jesse Jackson introducing Jackson and Staples' rendition of 'Precious Lord, Take My Hand' by giving a eulogy for Martin Luther King Jr. These are slices in time that everyone — every music lover, every fan of every single artist featured and everyone in general — needs to see, and now can. Savvily, Questlove also weaves through an exploration of the whys and hows not just behind the Harlem Cultural Festival, but also surrounding its lack of attention since. Where he can, he chats to the musicians, canvassing their recollections and reactions. Just as crucial: his interviews with attendees, many of whom were kids that were taken along by their parents. These festival-goers reflect upon how strong the event remains in their childhood memories; how it shaped them, their music tastes and their personalities afterwards; and the sense of togetherness that floated through the shows with the summer breeze. Their reminiscences tie into the broader discussion into New York City at the time, America's political climate — MLK was assassinated a year earlier, and Black Panthers acted as the festival's security — and the determination within the Black community to champion itself at every turn. Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault even shares her fight to get The New York Times to print the term 'Black' as pride around it grew. Also covered: the moon landing, and the conflicting sentiment about whether it was a giant leap for humankind or a wasteful step that spent money that could've been better put to use on earth (and specifically in Harlem). Indeed, this is a portrait of an era, a neighbourhood and its people as much as it's a window into one essential and historic festival. As its subtitle notes, it's also a snapshot of a revolutionary mood. If there's one misstep here, and it's just one, it comes from a few contemporary snippets of commentary that don't add anything beyond the obvious. Most movies can be improved by getting Lin-Manuel Miranda involved, but the Hamilton and In the Heights visionary's insights into the potency of music aren't needed here — because the footage, and the tales from the people who went to the Harlem Cultural Festival, say it all anyway. Questlove finds plenty of time for shots of the crowd, showing their response to the sets playing onstage, and all those jubilant faces and swaying bodies paint the strongest picture there is. Unsurprisingly, Summer of Soul captures their joy with an impassioned rhythm. Its director is also a DJ and music director, after all (including at the 2021 Oscars), and he knows where to bob in and out of tracks, vibes and refrains. When the film ends with one festival attendee watching footage from the event and exclaiming "I'm not crazy!" because he now has proof that this oft-overlooked "Black Woodstock" was real, it's the ultimate mic drop. Wanting to devour every second of material that Tulchin shot all those years ago is a clear side effect, though.
It's impossible to think about Christmas without also thinking about ornament-adorned trees; however, the traditional towering variety isn't always practical. Perhaps you don't have space in your apartment. Maybe you're keen on the real thing, but just can't make it to market, farm or nursery to get one. Or, you could have a four-legged friend (or several) that's fond of scaling anything that reaches up into the sky. Even if you've found a place for the same old plastic tree that you trot out every year, you're probably still wishing that you could gaze up at the real thing — which is where Floraly comes in. The Australian plant delivery service focuses on sustainable blooms and even offers monthly subscriptions, and it introduced a Christmas offering in 2019. Because it's that time already, it's getting festive again in 2020, too. The big drawcard: living trees. If you're happy with a pint-sized version, then this tiny plant is about to make your festive dreams come true. 'Tis the season to order a 60-centimetre-tall tiny tree that comes with decorations and a pop-up pot, wait for it to be delivered, then feel mighty jolly. Sourced from farms in Victoria and New South Wales, and able to be sent Australia-wide, Floraly's trees also arrive with soil, fairy lights, baubles and a tree-topper — so they really do look like miniature versions of your ideal Christmas centrepiece. There are two versions available, so you can opt for red baubles and a gold star for the top, or go with white decorations and a silver star In line with Floraly's eco-conscious mindset, its trees still have their root system intact. That means that once Christmas is over, you can replant them, keep them for some year-round merriment and then enjoy their splendour next year. The trees also come in fully recyclable packaging, further reducing their environmental impact. If you're keen, you can order a small bundle of greenery from the Floraly website for $79. Fancy sending a tiny tree as a gift? You can do that too, including as part of packs with T2 tea, Gelato Messina spreads, Endota body care products, and champagne and chocolate. Floraly's tiny Christmas trees are available to order now by visiting the service's website. Images: Floraly
If Dad's got a thing for charred meats and crafty brews, we reckon he'd be pretty stoked to join you at Grazeland's weekend-long food fest. The Spotswood food precinct is getting into the Father's Day spirit with its third annual BBQ Beer Festival, running from Friday, August 30–Sunday, September 1. The weekend's food lineup is a meat-lover's dream, with lots of Grazeland's vendors set to serve up special barbecue-inspired eats for the occasion. Expect a plethora of smoked meats, along with a globe-trotting array of grilled goodies from the likes of Zuya African BBQ, El Gaucho Argentinean BBQ, Smokeworks BBQ, BratBoy, Flame Skewers, Mr. Toum, Tandoori Land, Colombo and The Burgie Barare. To wash it down, there'll be a dedicated beer zone pouring drops from hyped local breweries including Little Creatures, Brooklyn Fixation and James Squire. And as always, there'll be plenty of live tunes and DJs across the weekend, ranging from soft rock, to classic backyard barbecue tracks.
Joe Vargetto moved Mister Bianco to a much bigger site in Kew late last year, and we are only now seeing his fully realised plans for the site. First, he got Mister Bianco all settled. Here, he's delivering refined Sicilian cuisine layered with contemporary European touches. The team also got to sorting out the upstairs private dining space La Sala, looking out over the increasingly buzzy Cotham Road. And now, it's all about Bianchetto. The new cocktail and wine bar is right next to its sibling Mister Bianco, throwing similar cool and sophisticated vibes but with the lights turned down even more. Most of the 42-seat bar's lighting comes from the small table lamps and black-and-white 1960s Italian films projected on the wall. Feel your way to one of the leather benches, kicking things off with its signature Americano. For this classic Italian cocktail, the team will wheel a trolley over to you and make it tableside. But it's not all about the look and feel. And the theatrics are minimal. Award-winning bartender and owner of Loro Orlando Marzo has been brought on to make sure the cocktails are absolutely next level. Marzo is a master, so expect each creation to be that extra bit special. He's mostly reworked classic European cocktails for Bianchetto, like the Sicilian Sour made with marsala, tomato and lemon. Either pop in simply for some bevs before hitting Mister Bianco, or fill your table with enough snacking plates to make a proper meal out of the whole affair. Vargetto has, of course, designed the food menu here, offering up his signature take on contemporary Sicilian cuisine. Pair your wine and cocktails with nduja-stuffed olives, toasted mortadella sangas and zucchini flowers with black truffle honey. [caption id="attachment_946791" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kristoffer Paulsen[/caption] End the night with an olive oil martini or Australian bergamot negroni paired with a few scoops of amaro gelato and a whisky and chocolate cigar. Like the restaurant, Vargetto cooly blends old-school Italian sensibilities with contemporary flair at Bianchetto. His trio of drinking and dining spaces is yet another reason to head over to Kew, which is becoming quite the destination for foodies these days. You'll find Bianchetto at 26–28 Cotham Road, Kew, open Tuesday–Saturday from 6pm. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: Arianna Leggiero
It’s difficult not to see Betrayal as playwright Harold Pinter’s justification for his own affair with Joan Bakewell. At its core is a message similar to the existentialist theatre of Albert Camus: who can judge these characters in a world where there is no judge, where no-one is innocent? Emma (Alison Bell) meets her former lover Jerry (Nathan O’Keefe) in a pub, and tells him she’s finally going to leave her husband, Jerry’s best friend. Plagued by guilt, Jerry confesses to Robert (Mark Saturno), only to discover he has known for years, and had affairs of his own. The play’s structure has a kind of reverse chronology — ending with the beginning of the couple’s affair and interspersed with scenes that move forward in time, and director Geordie Brookman draws on the artifice a revolving set and costume-lined stage to emphasise these shifts. Saturno takes on a gift of a part with relish as her cuckolded (and cuckolding) husband Robert, his delivery steeped in arch, brittle bite. It’s a performance that skates dangerously close to the edge of something like caricature but instead manages to ride the rhythms of subtext and rhythms of Pinter’s text to deeply satisfying effect. The only flaw in this otherwise excellent State Theatre Company of South Australia production is Jordan Sweeney’s sound design. Even if the advent of digital technology makes the possible choices on offer endless, ironically it seems like the fondness Australian theatre 'composers' have for Logic bundles of glitchy scratches and sub-heavy bass is having a depressing, flattening effect upon our contemporary theatre. The one upside to the appearance of this well-worn modern palette here, in a production that otherwise hews so closely to the play’s original setting in costume and style, is that it forces us — however bluntly — to reflect upon our modern context’s relationship with the idea of infidelity. This is especially potent at a time when we’ve got access to the kinds of tools that would facilitate the characters various 'betrayals' — whether websites like Ashley Madison, or dating apps like Tinder.
SBS2 has poached Vive Cool City from the clutches of its internet following to give them a stab at a late-night TV viewership. The show takes a look at some of humanity's beautiful freaks through the winning presence of judgement-free, committed reporters. If you are suspicious about the 'committed' bit of that sentence, let me refer you to Ryder Susman's brush with a golden shower, and by brush I mean this. "(Our) aim is to embed, to understand, to attempt to get an uncensored take on the story," explains host and former Hungry Beast reporter Kirk Docker. "What we want our audience to do is see the topics we deal with, with new eyes — get them thinking, talking, questioning. What people get up to in real life is so much more compelling than what you can make up." Tonight at 11.30pm, Kirk, along with Ryder Susman, will announce the arrival of Vive Cool City to SBS2 by dropping into the Collingwood housing projects to interview heroin users, taking an in-depth look at a nudist Melbourne gym and introducing us to homemade tunnels, equine psychotherapy and Swedish bridge jumpers. Not to mention the You Report segment, where some UK viewers will show us the intricacies of turning breast milk into ice cream. The show claimed 10 million views on YouTube and has some serious TV pedigree behind it in producer Andy Nehl (Hungry Beast and The Chaser), so Vive Cool City could well be your next 30 (uncomfortable) minutes of choice. Check out some of their online stuff at their website.
At a train station in India, a young girl begins to sing while a man watches, rapt. He is a tea seller, but no one seems to notice the small stall where he brews chai. He begins to tell a story — an Indian fairytale. The station is crowded, but the stage contains only one performer. Guru of Chai is the latest work by New Zealand theatre company Indian Ink. Jacob Rajan performs the show solo, adopting 17 different characters and a good deal of shadow puppetry to tell the tale of seven daughters plotted against by their stepmother. This one's been doing the rounds for a few years now and picking up glowing reviews all along the way. Diving through layers of truth narrative and style, Guru of Chai is pure storytelling and by all accounts a completely transporting experience. Image: Robert Catto.
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. When Marguerite's turn comes, the words "the truth" linger for a few seconds longer; what follows is the most nuanced and best third of the film, with immense thanks to Holofcener and Comer. The Last Duel is often blunt movie, but there's a wealth of subtlety to this chapter — and a world of nuance in Marguerite's struggles in general and after her attack at Le Gris' hands. Holofcener doesn't rely upon big speeches, and Comer doesn't trade in big feelings. In fact, they're both economical and poignant, conveying exactly what they need to in as precise a way as possible. Both recognise that the situation, and all that Marguerite endures, is inherently abhorrent and distressing, and let those emotions radiate organically rather than with overstressed compulsion. The film's structure helps enormously, of course. After showing Carrouges glower and pout, and Le Gris pair charm with manipulation, The Last Duel makes its allegiance to Marguerite plain. That happens from the outset, actually, with the film knowingly arriving in a world where gender equality is still far from the status quo. That's why all those tiny tweaks over the three chapters couldn't be savvier or more engaging. Everyone is always the hero of their own story, but The Last Duel commits that idea to film by showing what it means in such horrendous circumstances — a life-and-death matter for Marguerite, Carrouges and Le Gris alike. This is a movie about power that examines how it manifests in broad, societal and overarching ways as well as on an everyday and intimate basis, all through its trio of perspectives. The Last Duel releases 44 years after Scott debuted with 1977's The Duellists. That nice bit of lexical symmetry is also a reminder that history and conflict have long been in his wheelhouse. As his second movie illustrated — that'd be Alien — he's similarly no stranger to tales of female survival in unforgiving conditions. Plus in Blade Runner, his third film, Scott showed his talent for getting contemplative via spectacular imagery. Both opening and closing The Last Duel, the eponymous joust is firmly a spectacle here. Visceral, exciting, tense and thrilling, it's shot and staged with rhythm, flair, grit, gore and an edge-of-your-seat level of anxiety. But this Gladiator-topping scene would ring empty if almost everything around it — not just within it — wasn't so piercing. Come for vain and selfish men brawling on horseback, stay for a compelling interrogation of the kind of world that sees them as its leaders while constantly casting women aside. Image: Patrick Redmond. © 2021 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
It's been four years since Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water turned a creature feature into a love story, and won the filmmaker the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars in the process. That's four years that movie fans have had to wait for his next dance with horror — because the director behind everything from vampire flick Cronos and dark fantasy Pan's Labyrinth to kaiju-versus-machine effort Pacific Rim and gothic haunted house feature Crimson Peak sure does love twisting genre staples in his own ways. Viewers love his work for doing just that, too, and del Toro's long-awaited next film looks set to continue the trend. With Nightmare Alley, he's forgoing Mimic's bugs, The Devil's Backbone's ghosts and Blade II's bloodsuckers in favour of spinning up psychological thrills in a carnival — and, as seen in the just-dropped first teaser trailer for the film, doing so with quite the impressive cast. Here, Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) plays carnival worker Stan Carlisle, who has a gift for using the right words to get people to do what he wants. That's a savvy — and manipulative, obviously — skill, and it proves even more so after he teams up with psychiatrist Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett, Where'd You Go, Bernadette). Adapting William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel of the same name — which was already turned into a movie back in 1947 — Nightmare Alley also features Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse), Rooney Mara (Mary Magdalene), Toni Collette (Dream Horse), del Toro regular Ron Perlman (who starred in the director's original Hellboy movies) and The Shape of Water's Richard Jenkins. And, as the trailer shows, it's embracing its setting in a big way. Throughout his almost three-decade filmmaking career, del Toro has always given his features quite the entrancing look (see: everything mentioned above), and that doesn't seem to be changing here. Expect things to get dark, story-wise, when the movie hits cinemas Down Under in January 2022. Expect big tops, carnival rides, Dafoe spruiking attractions, blindfolds, blood, fire and plenty of brooding looks, too, based on the trailer alone. Check out the Nightmare Alley trailer below: Nightmare Alley releases in Australian cinemas on January 20, 2022.
In Mark Wahlberg's performances, men are patriotic heroes and fun-loving dads. With his Funky Bunch and Boogie Nights days long behind him, that's the image he's been cultivating on-screen of late. The actor's resume has become littered with gung-ho action and family-friendly comedies — Patriot's Day, Mile 22 and Transformers sequels on one side; a pair of Daddy's Home movies and now Instant Family on the other. As different as the two might seem, both types of film basically allow him to play the same character. He doesn't disappear into his roles or make every part feel distinctive, but simply adds to his particular portrait of masculinity. While Wahlberg might hunt down terrorists in one flick, battle shape-shifting robots in another and then face the challenges of being a father in the next, he's really just painting the same picture one movie at a time. Instant Family, Wahlberg's latest all-ages affair, slides seamlessly into his recent filmography. As for the actor, he steps into the shoes of Pete Wagner, a take-charge kind of guy who renovates and sells houses for a profit with his wife Ellie (Rose Byrne). The couple's life is comfortable and happy, but they've fallen into a rut. So, being at the age where everyone comments about their lack of kids, they start thinking about helping children in need. Approaching becoming foster parents like they're remodelling a rundown home, the pair considers their new task a spiritual and emotional revamp. And the arrival of teenager Lizzy (Isabela Moner) and her siblings Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and Lita (Julianna Gamiz) goes smoothly at first; in fact, Pete and Ellie are initially pretty pleased with themselves. It's easy to see why Instant Family appealed to Wahlberg, who gets to play another tough but tender everyman facing a challenge, looking out for his family and doing what his type of guy does. That said, there's more to this specific story, with the film inspired by the life of director and foster parent Sean Anders. There's an evident ring of truth to many of the movie's scenes — the awkwardness of adoption fairs, where potential caregivers browse for kids like they might a new pet, coo over cute tykes and steer clear of teenagers, provides just one example. Anders hasn't come up with an offbeat scenario solely for laughs, and it shows in the script penned with his regular co-writer John Morris. Certainly, the authentic side of Instant Family shines through on occasion. It definitely shines brighter than the picture's unremarkable imagery. But Anders also wrote and directed the broad, formulaic Daddy's Home and its equally grating follow-up, and he's not giving up his by-the-numbers ways yet. As a result, Instant Family is a movie with its heart firmly in the right spot, yet it doesn't trust that audiences will buy in without the expected array of physical mishaps, kids saying the darnedest things and adults getting frustrated in the usual cliched manner. It's a film that feels caught between what it wants to say and what it needs to be — and while supporting actors Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro bring genuine comedic chops to the more overt comic moments, the movie just can't reconcile its various parts. Think the Bad Neighbours flicks, but pitting new parents against actual children in a kid-friendly fashion. Think the aforementioned Daddy's Home duo, too, but much less stale and more sincere. Instant Family is never as entertaining as the first set of films or as excruciating as the second, and if you prefer the former to the latter, Byrne is obviously here to help. Like her co-lead, she's doing something that she's done before, however the Aussie actor never makes her character feel like a stock-standard part. That she manages such a feat while being saddled with some of the movie's most routine material — playing a thirty-something woman who suddenly gets maternal and regrets her life decisions, namely — confirms why she's one of today's great, often underrated comedic performers. When it comes to enlivening an otherwise run-of-the-mill role, Wahlberg might want to take note. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCWHr6AUxwI
Are you the type of person who buys sneakers just to never take them out of the box? Have you queued for hours to get your mitts on a particular pair? Do you have a collection of kicks rivalling Carrie Bradshaw's stilettos? We've got good news: eBay's Museum of Authentics, a three-day extravaganza dedicated to the world's rarest sneaks, is headed for Melbourne this weekend. Running for three days at Neon Parc in Brunswick, the exhibition will give sneakerheads a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the most coveted sneakers in the world — as well as mingle with like-minded fans, of course. You'll be able to get up close and personal with the very Air Jordans worn by Michael Jordan during games in the 80s. Don't get any ideas about walking away in them — a similar pair supposedly sold for about AU$745,000 last year. If you're still holding onto being a Kanye fan even after recent events, you'll want to see the College Dropout Bapestas that West designed in 2007 before Yeezys were even a thing, as well as the 2009 Air Yeezy's 1 Zen — the sneakers worn during his 2008 Grammys performance. Also on the lineup are an extremely limited edition Back to the Future-themed pair signed by the late Kobe Bryant, as well as a sneaker collab between Pharrel, Chanel and NMDs from 2017. Only 500 pairs of the latter were ever created and they're priced at about AU$18,000. And if you're a sucker for that 'just out of the box' smell, you'll want to be one of the first 100 visitors in line. That will see you gifted a candle developed to smell like brand new sneakers (supposedly), with notes of "soft leather" and "a touch of glue". Yum, we guess. The eBay Museum of Authentics is running from Friday, April 29 until Sunday, May 1 and can be found at Neon Parc, 15 Tinning Street, Brunswick. Entry is free and doors are open from 10am-5pm each day.
Standing in a bar, being forced to make small talk with a stranger: we've all been there. Hearing from your parents more frequently than you have time for, despite your best intentions: many of us have experienced that as well. In Toni Erdmann, both scenarios combine in a way that might well give you nightmares. Just imagine if the person accosting you while you try to enjoy a drink turned out to be your dad in a bad wig and false teeth. At its simplest, that's the idea behind writer-director Maren Ade's 162-minute comedy, which has been garnering acclaim since it premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, and remains the favourite to win his year's Oscar for best foreign-language film. A German consultant living in Bucharest, Ines (Sandra Hüller) is irritated when her practical joke-loving, divorced and lonely father Winfried (Peter Simonischek) arrives for an unexpected visit. But that soon gives way to unbridled horror when his alter ego Toni starts following her around. Once is odd, twice is annoying, and three times… well, that's something else. Then again, one of the basic elements of life is repetition, which Toni Erdmann demonstrates disarmingly well. First, you'll cringe. Then you'll laugh. Before long, you may find yourself crying. Those are the stages audiences cycle through while watching Ade's film, and it's no accident. The mastery evident in ensuring that every detail of the movie imitates life can't be underestimated. The naturalistic camerawork and astute commentary on the importance of humour is not unlike Toni's ridiculous headpiece: it's just what's visible on the surface. With all the buzz around the film in the lead up to the Oscars, it's hardly surprising to learn that we'll soon be getting an American remake (starring Jack Nicholson and Kristen Wiig). Why the world needs an English-language version is a question Hollywood is happily ignoring, but its high-profile cast certainly have huge shoes (and wigs, and false teeth) to fill. As Toni keeps ramping up his antics and Ines keeps struggling to contain her reactions, Hüller and Simonischek prove the film's most important pieces, ensuring their characters are not just likeable, but thoroughly believable as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0uwi5EPnpA
After making his fortune at the card tables as a professional gambler, David Walsh launched MONA as something to give back to the community. Three years later it's become a national icon, boosted Tasmania's economy and given rise to one of Australia's best festivals. Now, despite labelling gambling as "mostly immoral", Walsh has plans in the works to build a mini-casino at his much-loved Tasmanian gallery. Yes, this is confusing. In its defence, Walsh's vision for the space goes far beyond the sad state of affairs you see on an average night at Star City or Crown. Designed for the more refined gambler, the space would be "a little high-roller, tourist-only, no-pokie casino". The entire operation would consist of nothing more than 12 cards tables. Basically, it'd be the perfect place for Bond villains to hang out should they ever find themselves in Australia. To add to this eye-patch wearing, cigar-puffing, international art smuggling cartel theme, Walsh has stated he would call the casino Monaco. While a cute play on the gallery name, the choice could also be a knowing wink at the ritzy Monte Carlo casino the nation is known for — a site coincidentally used in many Bond movies. Regardless, these plans have a long hard road to becoming a reality. At present, the Federal Group (owners of Wrest Point Casino) have an exclusive license on casino operations in Tasmania and Walsh's plans would require an overturning of the license by the state government. Walsh has reportedly made initial contact but is sceptical about his chances. At one point, the MONA owner was banned from Wrest Point for card counting. If the plans were to go through, the gallery would undoubtedly enjoy a large boost in funds. At the very least it would be an un unconventional solution to the impending cuts to Australia's arts industries and a welcome salvation for Walsh himself who has bankrolled the gallery since its inception. But honestly, the outlook doesn't look great. You can't blame an eccentric, art-loving millionaire for chasing the dream. Via The Guardian and The Mercury.
Forget the idea that you can only be a dog person or a cat person. Kedi puts that theory to rest once and for all. Even if you wouldn't be willing to share your home with a purring companion, there's no chance you won't fall in love with the feisty felines in this Turkish documentary and the contemplative take on life their happy existence provides. That's the beauty of Ceyda Torun's film: its meowing mousers don't come from YouTube, but from the streets of Istanbul, where cats have roamed for thousands of years. They're pets to no one but beloved by all; strays stalking the pavements in a place refreshingly hospitable to their free-wandering lifestyle. As opening narration from one of the city's two-legged residents describes, here, "the cat is more than just a cat. The cat embodies the indescribable chaos, the culture and the uniqueness that is the essence of Istanbul." That may sound like a bold claim, but it soon proves right on the money. Graceful cinematography gets up close and personal with the film's adorable protagonists, while at the same time offering a sweeping view of how they're positioned within the hustle and bustle of their surroundings. Sari searches for food for her new kittens, often successfully begging for scraps at cafes. Bengü has her own hungry mouths to feed, and gets jealous when her favoured humans give their attention to others. Deniz flits around a marketplace making friends with customers, while Duman pursues his refined taste for delicatessen food. Aslan Parçasi is often found by the seashore, soaking up the view near a famous local fish restaurant. Gamsiz hops between apartments. As for Psikopat, she rules her neighbourhood, enforcing her will upon animals and people alike. If they all sound like distinctive characters with their own stories, personalities and behaviours, then it's no less than they deserve. Indeed, that's part of the point of Kedi, which fittingly means 'cat' in Turkish. Boosted by interviews with the humans who know and love these kitties best, Torun treats each animal's journey as she would a person's. In fact, her care and dedication truly lays bare life at street level, her film flitting from bustling eateries to overcrowded areas just like her subjects. Their travels around the city provide a portrait of Istanbul in a microcosm. Finding the ordinary in the extraordinary is a common aim in documentary filmmaking, with the best non-fiction efforts making viewers reassess everything they thought they knew about something regular and routine. With the aid of deft editing and a whimsy tinged soundtrack, the observational and enlightening Kedi couldn't provide a finer example. It wears its affection on its sleeves — or, perhaps its collar — but pairs that obvious love with thoughtful insights. After watching this film, you'll never come across a cat (or watch a cute cat video on the internet) without wondering what stories it might have to tell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKq7UqplcL8
Melburnians now have another excuse to hit the water, with GoBoat splashing into town. The Denmark-born company has been busy launching its eco-friendly picnic boats in cities all over Europe and, in our patch of the world, it's now up and running in Melbourne, giving punters a fun new way to cruise the Yarra. Aimed at making the whole boating caper more accessible for everyday folk, the Scandinavian-designed vessels are slow-moving, a breeze to operate and don't require a boating licence, making for some fun, fuss-free sailing sessions. In a win for the planet, they also run on silent, pollution-free, electric engines, and are crafted from a mix of reclaimed timber and recycled PET bottles. Each of the contemporary GoBoats clocks in at 18-feet long, boasting a central picnic table with room for eight people (and all the necessary snacks and booze). And despite what you might be thinking, they're even affordable enough to fit your post-holiday budget — simply BYO food and drinks, find enough eager sailors to jump aboard and a GoBoat session will cost you less than $15 per person, per hour. That's $109 hourly in total, or $189 for two hours, $279 for three hours, $349 for four hours, $429 for five hours and $509 for six hours. Yes, you can really make a whole day of it. Bookings are available for the service's first stint until the end of May, with timeslots available in 15-minute increments from 9am. The boats required to be returned by sunset (8pm at present, 7.30pm until mid-March, and then decreasing down to 6pm at the end of the season). GoBoats' fleet of four Melbourne vessels is now setting sail out of Docklands, with six more to come. Oh, and did we mention they're pet-friendly? Surely you've got a very good boy who deserves a river jaunt. For more information about GoBoat, or to make a booking, visit the service's website. Images: Lean Timms.
The Mornington Peninsula's dreamy Jackalope Hotel wants to take over your life for three days. It's announced that Friday, June 13–Sunday, June 15 is officially Jackalope Weekend. The program includes a bonfire-side whisky tasting and a long lunch involving copious amounts of pasta, roaming cocktails and special dishes. But the hero of them all is the Saturday night dinner — a collaboration between Jackalope's Doot Doot Doot restaurant and South Yarra's Yugen Dining. The two culinary forces will team up over five unique courses. Start with canapés of A5 wagyu nigiri, ginger soy and smoked caviar, and a pine mushroom and kombu tartlet. Next up is a sashimi platter served with seafood, dark soy and citrus ponzu. Two mains are on offer: miso-glazed rockling with kang kong, red cabbage and umami broth, and roasted dry-aged duck with black garlic, scallion pancake and shiso. Dessert is a yuzu cheesecake with mandarin compote and Chantilly. Petite fours include roasted chestnut puree, vanilla mousse and hojicha frangipane, as well as canelé cooked in beeswax, yamamomo and marigold. Dinner tickets are $180 each. If you're keen to stay all weekend, consider the all-inclusive package, starting at $3,099.
In 1977, Robyn Davidson decided she would walk west from Alice Springs until she hit the Indian Ocean, taking with her only her beloved dog and four camels. She was determined to do this alone, but, finding herself in need of money, was forced to allow National Geographic photographer Rick Smolan to document her journey. Davidson was told the trek would be suicide, but, undeterred, she set out anyway on her perilous, eventful journey. Filmmakers have been trying to adapt Tracks, the book she wrote about her experience, since the early 1980s, with even Julia Roberts attached in 1993. This is the sixth (and, clearly, the only successful) attempt to bring Davidson's story to the screen. Mia Wasikowska stars and is impressive as Davidson, imbuing her with a determination required to sell the character. Adam Driver, best known from Lena Dunham's Girls, is equally superb as Smolan. Driver is a compelling presence, and though his character is an irritant to Davidson, he is a welcome presence to us whenever he appears. Read our full review of Tracks here. Tracks is in cinemas on Thursday, March 6, and thanks to Transmission Films, we have five double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=RyDCfuYTX_U
It's the 32nd year for Australia's largest folk art and music festival. And like a vintage wine, the artistic line up gets more and more complex and impressive as the years go by. This year there'll be over 2000 artists in 400 acts across visual, performance and spoken word formats. Catch folk, rock and pop musicians including John Butler, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Beautiful Girls, Husky, Holy Holy, Canadian band The East Pointers, Timberwolf and Montaigne. Personalities such as Dr Karl, Tracey Spicer and Noel Pearson are among an exhaustive selection of speakers, presenters and comedians doing what they do best and you'll be mesmerised by at least 20 dance and performance acts. You can also try your hand at artisan crafts from pottery to tattoo art to Maori basket weaving — or even just go on a bush walk with a professional nature enthusiast through Woodford's beautiful surrounds. And as usual, you'll welcome in the new year alongside thousands of others with an epic fire display. The crowd is expected to reach over 132,000 this edition, so get your name on a ticket before they become scarce.
Back in the 2000s, if you weren't listing to Interpol and Bloc Party, were you really in the 2000s? No, no you weren't. The former arrived out of Manhattan in the late 90s, then helped define the city's turn-of-the-century indie music scene with The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio and The National. Hailing from Britain and also coming together just before Y2K, the latter initially scored some hefty approval in 2003 via Franz Ferdinand's lead singer Alex Kaprano. From those beginnings, both bands became indie rock greats. Next, they're heading to Australia to remind music lovers why. Busting out everything from 'Slow Hands' to 'She's Hearing Voices', the two groups will share the same bill on a co-headlining tour of the country's east coast in November, including a show at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Thursday, November 16. For Interpol, it'll be their first visit Down Under since 2019, plus their debut chance to play 2022 album The Other Side of Make-Believe in Australia. Tracks from past records such as Turn on the Bright Lights, Antics and El Pintor will also feature. Bloc Party are making the trip after last rocking Aussie stages in 2018, and will perform songs from Silent Alarm, A Weekend in the City, Intimacy and 2022 LP Alpha Games. Bloc Party images: James Kellegher. Interpol image: Ebru Yildiz.
If there's one thing that a film about Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs shouldn't be, it's average. Only ridiculously entertaining or ridiculously terrible will do, and those two outcomes needn't be mutually exclusive. The appeal of 65 is right there in that four-word premise, as it was always going to be, because getting the intense White Noise, House of Gucci, Annette and Star Wars actor (and BlacKkKlansman and Marriage Story Oscar-nominee) battling prehistoric creatures is that roaringly ace an idea. He should brood, and his dino foes should stalk, snap and snarl. That is indeed what happens thanks to writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who penned the first A Quiet Place, plus have horror movies Nightlight and Haunt on their past helming resumes. But for a flick that isn't required to offer anything else and knows it — well, other than laser guns to shoot at said dinosaurs, because not even the man who plays Kylo Ren can confront a Tyrannosaurus rex or pack of raptors barehanded — 65 doesn't possess enough B-movie energy. Beck and Woods have taken the very B-movie path story-wise, though. As 65's trailer made plain, this is a Frankenstein's monster of a film mashup, stitching together limbs from a stacked pile of other sources to fuel its narrative. The Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchise, the Predator series, the Alien and Prometheus saga, Logan, The Last of Us, The Man Who Fell to Earth and, yes, A Quiet Place: they each earn more than a few nods, and never with subtlety. So too does Planet of the Apes, but the fact that 65 is set on earth all along isn't a late-picture twist. What else would the title refer to? That said, Beck and Woods begin their movie elsewhere, taking time-travel 65 million years backward out of the equation. Instead, Driver's pilot Mills ends up on our pale blue dot from a civilisation out there in space, and one more advanced during earth's Cretaceous period than humankind is today. Again, these aren't surprises. Text on-screen points all of this out from the get-go or close enough. When the title card arrives bearing the number-slash-moniker 65, that the film takes place all those years ago, and that Mills is now on the third rock from the Milky Way's sun, is written out on-screen as well. Kudos to the filmmakers for not focusing their movie on the tease; a lesser flick, and not in the so-bad-it's-good way, would've been fine with wholesale ripping off Planet of the Apes but just journeying in the opposite temporal direction. Rather, even with the Rod Serling-esque concept — The Twilight Zone creator and presenter also penned the OG Apes' screenplay, as loosely adapted from the page — 65 is about what happens next with full knowledge of where it's set. The narrative from there is obvious, with or without any other context. Whatever you think will happen in 65 sight unseen, or from the trailer, does. Mills tries three things: to survive, to fend off those pesky dinosaurs and to get home. But, he isn't alone. He's transporting others as part of a long-range mission when his ship crashes on what's to him an unknown planet, and young Koa (Ariana Greenblatt, In the Heights) also lives post-impact — after their vessel is hit by an undocumented asteroid, sending them plummeting in the first place, and then after it smashes into earth, tearing apart and scattering its two halves 12 kilometres apart. The piece that Mills and Koa are in can't blast off, of course, and the planet's most frightening-ever residents are keen on a meal as the duo of interlopers attempt to use their wits and weaponry while walking from one section to the other. If you know earth's basic history and how things turned out for the dinosaurs, as we all do, there's no prizes for guessing what else occurs in 65. With startling its audience off the cards, ample pressure falls on the film's ability to engage through character, chaos or both — too much pressure, it proves. Everything is passable. Everything is firmly by the numbers. Nothing is wild, weird or wonderful. That applies to the family thread that runs through the film, after Beck and Woods showed their fondness for the ties of blood, monsters and the end of the world with A Quiet Place. Mills' well-paying gigs have long spirited him away from his wife (Nika King, Euphoria) and daughter (Chloe Coleman, Avatar: The Way of Water), the latter of whom has serious health conditions, making 65's protagonist a Star Wars-esque absent dad. So, when he's tasked with caring for Koa out of proximity and necessity, that job sparks an emotional reaction and connection. Movies about crashing somewhere strange and scary, being ushered into new worlds filled with threats and endeavouring to adapt all work as birth metaphors — we've all been there — an idea that lingers in 65's quiet moments. What does it mean to be thrust into an unfamiliar realm, learn of its ever-present perils and try to endure? How do we learn resilience, resourcefulness, who we are and what's truly important? These questions aren't unrelated, and they're also at the core of this feature. 65 doesn't dig fossil-level deep, however. It's always a dinos-versus-people sci-fi thriller. Actually, make that dinos-versus-humanoid aliens, given that Mills and Koa hark from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (no, not the George Lucas-started ones) as they're grappling with beasts brought to the screen with standard-at-best (and never Prehistoric Planet-standard) CGI. 65 would be a far worse film without Driver; switching out its star wouldn't make it an extinction-level event, but the whole 'Adam Driver fights dinosaurs' concept is alluring for a reason. Since singing "please don't shoot me into outer space" in Inside Llewyn Davis, he keeps being shot there, or from there, on-screen — and approaches each instance, as he has everything from Girls and Frances Ha to Paterson and The Last Duel, with blistering commitment. If this was a grander, gorier or sillier movie with Driver's performance at its centre, it might've been something special. There's glimmers here, glistening like a dinosaur's teeth. The version that treads forth is watchable, but also the most basic version of what it is, what viewers want and why it exists: yes, Adam Driver fighting dinosaurs.
A staple of Melbourne's cultural calendar for 80 years and counting, the Sidney Myer Free Concerts are back for another year. Held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the latest of this long-standing favourite will, as always, feature a trio of performances from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Whether you're a classical music buff or just want to stretch out with a picnic on the grass, there's a good reason these concerts have become a summertime tradition. After kicking off on Friday, February 8, and keeping the fun going on Saturday, February 16, Melburnians can enjoy the last evening in the series on Wednesday, February 20. The first night will feature a series of famous songs by American composer George Gershwin, while Tchaikovsky and Debussy will star on the Saturday. A Symphonic Celebration will round out the free performances with fantasy-themed pieces, such as Dukas' 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice'. Drinks and snacks will be available to purchase, but you can also BYO — just make sure you pack plastic cups. Performances begin at 7:30pm; however, gates are open at 4:30pm so be sure to arrive promptly with your picnic basket in hand.
Ask a cyclist why they risk death on two wheels to get around town, and their response might mention the green credentials of biking: infinite miles per gallon, fewer resources used in manufacturing, no resources required to repair the damage to roads caused by bikes... But what if you wanted to take your eco-cycling to a whole new level? What about all that CARBON in the carbon fibre? One of the world's leading bike manufacturers has come up with a solution. Trek have a recycling program using waste carbon fibre products to make new bike frames, and keeping the waste from landfill. If that's not green enough for you, you could opt for a bike made from nature's own carbon fibre: wood. Audi have partnered with specialist bike manufacturer Renovo to create a range of luxury bikes with hardwood frames. But if you prefer to have an eco-bike that's not associated with a car company, why not grow your own? Bamboo bikes have been around for a while as a cycling curio, and are now getting the full cycle-bling treatment by the likes of Calfee. Or, if you're into DIY, there's even an instructables page on how to build one yourself.
Sitting on the toilet can be a time of contemplation for a lot of us. If your mind ever wanders to the sustainability and style of your toilet paper, Wipe That has you covered. This new sustainable startup has launched a quirky new Christmas collection of bamboo toilet paper that will ease any stress about the environmental impact of your toilet breaks, and make a great gift for friends and family as the holiday season approaches. The star of the Christmas collection is a stylish little character named Poocci. Brought to life by graphic designer Bernardo Henning, Poocci plays off a certain luxury fashion house, rocking a chain and sunnies in order to brighten up your toilet paper. What was once Australia's most in-demand grocery store item is now a cutting-edge fashion statement (of sorts). Non-recycled toilet paper is a major cause of deforestation worldwide, so if you haven't made the switch, now's the perfect time to embrace the wonders of bamboo. The planet and your tush will thank you. All of Wipe That's three-ply toilet paper is environmentally friendly, vegan, plastic-free, and scent-free. It has also partnered with Australian revegetation project Carbon Neutral to ensure a tree is planted for every sale it makes. This new collection means that toilet paper is no longer a dud present come Christmas time. Your eco-conscious relatives will love it, or you can grab a pack for yourself to impress those who might be visiting your place for holiday celebrations. Stock is limited for the Christmas collection, so jump on the pre-sale if you'd like to get your paws on this loo roll. Each 36-roll box is available for $58, contains a personalised Christmas card and is available to be delivered Australia-wide between December 1–14. Outside of the collection, Wipe That offers sustainable toilet paper on a one-off or subscription basis, as well as eco-friendly laundry detergent sheets. You can shop Wipe That's entire range at the website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
One moment, you're watching Diego Luna sit down two rows in front of you in a cinema that seats 1600 people. The next, you're spotting Maggie Gyllenhaal and Patrick Stewart on the street. That's life at the Berlinale, or Berlin International Film Festival, which took place from February 9 to 19 — and it matches all of that star power with a massive, jam-packed program of movies. In its 67th year, Berlinale had everything in its 400-title-plus program, and we mean everything. Want big, mainstream efforts such as T2 Transpotting and Logan? Indie Aussie flicks like Emo the Musical and Monsieur Mayonnaise? A sci-fi retrospective and the world premiere of the 3D version of that other T2 — that is, Terminator 2, not the Aussie tea company or Trainspotting sequel? Geoffrey Rush getting an award? Charlie Hunnam traipsing around the jungle? Two movies filled with famous faces arguing over a meal? A flick about utopian world without men? A 1993-set Spanish coming-of-age effort that makes an impact? Another great entry in Romania's new wave? Yes, the festival delivered on all of the above and then some. Yes, you already know that the list goes on. Of course, not everyone can be there to experience films galore, below freezing temperatures, mulled wine aplenty and a newfound pretzel addiction. Don't worry, that's where we come in. We went, we watched, and we're excited about all of the movies that'll hopefully make their way to Australia at festivals or in general release. In fact, we can't wait to watch these ten again. CALL ME BY YOUR NAME If this film sounds more than a little familiar, that's because we were already mighty excited about it when it screened at Sundance. Oh boy, did Luca Guadagnino's (A Bigger Splash) latest and best feature to date more than deliver. Let us put it this way: when you're watching a 17-year-old become infatuated with his father's handsome research assistant, played by Armie Hammer, you're feeling every single emotion he's feeling. And, you're falling head over heels for everything about this masterpiece as well. Call Me By Your Name is the kind of effort that couldn't be more seductive, from the sumptuous sights of its scenic Italian setting to the summertime heat — and sizzling sentiments to match — that radiate from the screen. Keep an eye on Timothée Chalamet, too, who plays the teenager in question. If this movie is any guide, he should become one of cinema's next big things. A FANTASTIC WOMAN A Fantastic Woman? Yes, this sensitive drama and Berlinale best screenplay winner places one front and centre. A fantastic film? You bet. After using a compassionate gaze to explore the world of an older lady trying to find happiness in Gloria, Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio turns his attention to Marina (Daniela Vega), a waitress and singer whose life is thrown into disarray when tragedy strikes. The family of her much older lover are horrified, judging her transgender status rather than daring to let her into their lives — or let her mourn. The movie doesn't make the same mistake, in an effort that proves empathetic and engaging from start to finish, complete with an exceptional lead performance and one perfect song cue. THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE No one makes films like Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki. Sure, that's true of many directors, however the balance of deadpan humour and heartfelt drama he cultivates time and again isn't an easy one, even if he makes it seem otherwise. In this year's Berlinale Best Director winner The Other Side of Hope, Kaurismäki tackles the subject of refugees in Europe as Syrian Khaled (Sherwan Haji) finds himself in Helsinki, applies to stay and is forced to pursue other options when he's hardly given a hearty welcome. The tale of an unhappy salesman turned unlikely restaurant owner intersects with Khaled's plight, and so does absurdity, but in the filmmaker's warm but insightful way. THE PARTY It all seems so simple: gather a group of excellent actors together, stick them in a few rooms, give their characters plenty to argue about and watch what happens. At its most basic, that's what The Party does over 71 entertaining, black-and-white-shot minutes — of course, it does more than that as well. The scenario sees Kristin Scott Thomas' Janet securing a plum political appointment, with her friends and family — played by Timothy Spall, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy and more — all gathering around to celebrate. As something other than joy starts seeping through their get-together, writer/director Sally Potter crafts a lively and hilarious comedy filled with sparkling dialogue and intent on unpacking the political climate in Britain. ON BODY AND SOUL When On Body and Soul took home Berlinale's top award, the Golden Bear for Best Film, the Hungarian feature caught everyone by surprise. That's the beauty of film festivals, though — little turns out as expected, including a contemplative, surreal romantic drama set in a Budapest slaughterhouse. Writer/director Ildikó Enyedi takes her time to spin a tale of austere lives and vivid dreams, letting the emotion build at a slow and steady pace, as well as glimmers of humour. While it won't be for everyone, two things other than its accolade and its filmmaker make it stand out: just how it brings its absurd yet ultimately still relatable story to a close, and its corresponding performances. CASTING JONBENET Good news and bad news, everyone keen to watch the second full-length effort from Australian filmmaker Kitty Green. On the one hand, it's headed to Netflix in April. On the other, the film really does provide an astonishing viewing experience if you ever get the chance to see it in a cinema. As the name gives away, murdered six-year-old beauty pageant queen JonBenet Ramsay sits at the centre of this documentary — however, a regular true crime offering, this most certainly isn't. Instead, in an approach that results in disarmingly revealing insights about how we filter the events of the world through our own experiences, Green asks the people of Ramsay's home town of Boulder, Colorado to audition for a film about her case, then captures their responses. SPOOR Even if you don't know it, you're already familiar with the work of Polish filmmaking great Agnieszka Holland. Over the past decade or so, she has helmed episodes of everything from The Wire to The Killing to House of Cards — and while we can say that the flavour of all three can be glimpsed in her latest feature, Berlinale Silver Bear winner Spoor, don't go expecting something as straightforward or obvious as that may sound. A series of deaths, an investigation in an insular community and the political fallout provide the storyline for this moody and sometimes amusing feature that flits between mystery, thriller, black comedy and even fairy tale elements. Another Agnieszka also deserves acclaim, this time lead actress Agnieszka Mandat who puts in a more than memorable performance. I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO In I Am Not Your Negro, Samuel L. Jackson lends his voice to the words of American essayist James Baldwin. He does an outstanding job at capturing the tone and passion required, but it's the text itself, rather than the star uttering it, that's truly remarkable. Stepping through the state of race relations in the U.S. by focusing on the lives and deaths of civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., every syllable spoken couldn't be more perceptive — or, even though they were written decades ago, still relevant today. It's little wonder that the film was nominated for best documentary at this year's Oscars, with director Raoul Peck matching the verbal content with an illuminating compilation of footage from the '50s and '60s. ON THE BEACH AT NIGHT ALONE Last year, South Korean director Hong Sang-soo's two most recent films (Right Now, Wrong Then and Yourself and Yours) played at various Australian film festivals. Yes, he's prolific. Expect his latest, On the Beach at Night Alone, to pop up this year — and, amazingly, he has two other features due out in 2017. That might mean that he returns to the same themes of love, identity and fulfilment again and again, and plays with the same kinds of structural devices, but every one of his efforts has their delights. Here, one of them is the fact that he riffs on his own rumoured real-life circumstances, relaying a narrative about the fallout of an affair between an actress and a director. Another is the leading lady herself, Kim Min-hee, who both sits at the centre of his own scandal and puts in a revelatory, Berlinale best actress-winning turn. GOD'S OWN COUNTRY The words "Yorkshire-set Brokeback Mountain" have been bandied about with frequency regarding God's Own Country; however, thankfully they're accurate in the very best way. Set on a struggling farm, it's a film of sprawling landscapes and surging urges — with both weathering hardships but proving rich and resonant. Forced to take care of everything due to his father's ailing health, to say that scowling, constantly booze-soaked Johnny (Josh O'Connor) is frustrated is an understatement, but, slowly and tentatively, the arrival of handsome Romanian farm-hand Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu) helps brighten his unhappy days. First-time writer/director Francis Lee takes a raw, realistic approach to everything from the animals scenes to the feature's underlying emotions, with heart-swelling results.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your Christchurch trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. Bars on buses, pop-up public buildings and shipping container shopping centres — it's what you expect to see in some of the most cutting-edge cities in the world, but is it what you expect to see on the South Island of New Zealand? This is the land of the long white cloud's inventive, industrious and inspiring city of Christchurch today. Excitement and opportunity are stirring everywhere in a city with a fresh slate. It's in the small bars that have appeared in deserted streets, the designers who have started working a disused tannery and the locals who just want to contribute to the new incarnation of their city. For most, it's an inspiring time to be in New Zealand's second largest city, and there's no better time to visit. Here are four areas in which the city is thinking laterally and pulling off big things. Hospitality: C1 Espresso Christchurch is catching up to Auckland and Wellington in the cool stakes and forging its own rep for great coffee, small bars and a focus on local produce.. "We're all starting again and we've got an opportunity to redefine ourselves," says Sam Crofskey, owner of High Street's C1 Espresso. Pioneering the second wave coffee movement through to the third in Christchurch since 1996, C1 is famous for its pneumatic tube system that delivers burgers and fries to you at 100 km/hr. While there is something very Fifth Element about it, but this system is actually more in tune with the past than the future, as the tubes are part of the building's former life as a bank. "There is so much opportunity in the city," Sam says. "You can open a bar in an alleyway or upstairs above a shop or whatever." And people are. Bars specialising in whiskey, craft beer and local wine have popped up in unlikely places and are almost always buzzing with crowds. Retail: Re:START A temporary structural solution is driving the retail industry: shipping container shopping. Re:START encouraged retailers to establish temporary spaces in shipping containers to grow their businesses. Located in Cashel Square, Re:START has been one of Christchurch's biggest successes. (It's also home to Dimitri's, possibly the best souvlaki in the South Island.) In addition to what's happening in the city centre, retail has found an unlikely home-away-from-home in the industrial side of town. Ten minutes drive from the CBD in Woolston, an old tannery has become the new home of Christchurch's boutique designers and retailers. After owning the site for near on 20 years, Alasdair Cassels was able to redevelop the space into an arcade-like shopping mall, aptly dubbed The Tannery. Giving designers a place to create and sell their wares, The Tannery became a meeting place as well as a shopping destination — at a time when the city had nothing else like it. Art: Gap Filler Colour flows through Christchurch in the form of street art. From almost any vantage point you're bound to be in viewing distance of at least two pieces of work, with murals painted on the sides of buildings both abandoned and inhabited and outdoor installations littered over disused blocks. What's happened in Christchurch has shown that adversity exemplifies creativity. Seeing a way to breathe new life into the city, artists have used bare walls to redefine the mood and vision of the urban area. A mural painted We got the sunshine lights up Madras Street, a super-size Rhone portrait sits on one side of Cathedral Junction and local artist Wongi 'Freak' Wilson has left his mark all over town. As well as this, 'Gap Filler' projects are placed all over the city, activating vacant spaces with interactive installations. Walking around, it's likely that you'll hear someone playing the drums (in the Sound Garden), see someone having a boogie in front of a washing machine (at the Dance-O-Mat) or sitting on a giant Astroturf couch. Once a super conservative city, Christchurch now thrives on new work that will continue to shape and develop with it. If you're an artist with a crazy idea, Christchurch is the one city that might just let you do it. Infrastructure: Cardboard Cathedral As well as Re:START, which can be moved at any time, the Cardboard Cathedral is an incredible example of how great transitional architecture can be. Erected as a place of worship by emergency architect Shigeru Ban, the structure is made largely from cardboard tubes and looks like a picture of perfect symmetry from the inside. It's temporary, but it's meant to last around 50 years. But permanency is the ultimate goal, and plans for infrastructure and urban living are well underway. New Christchurch looks like it's going to be one hell of a city. Feature image and Rhone mural image courtesty of Jocey K, Cardboard Cathedral courtesy of Forgemind ArchiMedia via photopin.
SBS has launched their newest cooking program, The Chef's Line, employing a competition format that gives an inside look at how commercial kitchens really operate. The nightly program follows four amateur cooks and four professional chefs over the course of a week as they battle it out to prove who does it best. Every week, the show features four chefs from a particular restaurant, ranging from the apprentices and the chef de parties, to the sous chef and the head honcho. Each night, the contestants go head to head with one member of the chef's line, and the contestant with the least impressive dish is graciously shown the door. On Thursday nights, the last amateur standing unleashes their skills against the head chef. The dishes are judged blindly by Australian food icons Dan Hong, Mark Olive, and Melissa Leong, who take turns each night to either taste and decide the winner, or get about the kitchen, having a chat with the competitors. The week culminates with program host Maeve O'Meara heading to the restaurant in the spotlight for a behind-the-scenes peak at their chef's line in action. It's a pretty interesting twist on something viewers have seen plenty of lately — aka the contemporary cooking competition — as there's less emphasis placed on drama and things going wrong. Instead, The Chef's Line has the kind of vibe you'd expect when a few mates cook up some wicked food in the kitchen. With the relatively small number of contestants getting a complete refresh each week, there's no time to develop a narrative arc of intrigue and cutthroat competition, so the show relies on simply showing some home cooks making rad dishes while hanging out with chefs who make the same dishes for a living. Which, really, is what a cooking show is all about: good food and good people make for good watching. With a multicultural focus, the program brings a new cuisine to the fore every week, ensuring a swathe of various challenges as contestants aim for authentic, global dishes. Week one ran from April 3, championed Vietnamese cuisine, and took its chef's line from the guys behind Dandelion in Melbourne, as led by Geoff Lindsay. "It's a really wonderful way to celebrate diversity," said the program's creator, Chris Culvenor, calling the unique format a "celebration of the diversity of Australian food culture." The Chef's Line airs on weeknights on SBS at 6pm. If you're keen on the great dishes whipped up on the show, recipes will be made available from sbs.com.au/thechefsline.
Step into your local arthouse theatre these days and you'd be hard pressed not to find a regional film festival going on. From established cinematic powerhouses like France, Germany and Japan, to less spotlighted industries such as Poland, Indonesia and Serbia, the sheer amount of world cinema on the cultural calendar means there's almost always an alternative to the latest blockbuster out of Hollywood. As long as you don't mind reading subtitles, that is. In 2014, the line-up is getting that little bit more crowded, with the inaugural edition of a brand new festival highlighting the films from Europe's frozen north. Covering Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the first annual Scandinavian Film Festival is set to put the kvikmynd in kvikmyndahátíð. One area where contemporary Scandinavian cinema really seems to excel is the crime genre. Case in point, the Easy Money trilogy, starring Joel 'RoboCop' Kinnaman as a uni student turned drug runner. All three films will screen at the festival — see them before the scheduled US reboot featuring Zac Efron. From across the bridge in Denmark, meanwhile, comes police thriller The Keeper of Lost Causes, one the highest grossing films at the Danish box office last year. Continuing the dramatic thread, Metalhead, out of Iceland, tells the story of a pre-teen girl who copes with her brother's accidental death by taking on his identity. Sounds a little strange, sure, but the film has drawn rave reviews on the international festival circuit and scored a record-breaking 16 nominations at Iceland's prestigious Edda Awards. Thankfully, despite the region's chilly climate, not everything on the program is so severe. Finland's August Fools is a rom-com set against a Cold War era backdrop, while opening night features the informatively titled Swedish comedy The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. For more information about the Scandinavian Film Festival, visit their website. It's on at Palace Cinemas on the following dates: Canberra Tues 8 July - Sun 20 July Sydney Wed 9 July - Sun 27 July Melbourne Thu 10 July - Sun 27 July Brisbane Fri 11 July - Sun 20 July Adelaide Wed 23 July - Thurs 31 July Perth Thu 24 - Wed 30 July Byron Bay Fri 25 - Wed 30 July
The apocalypse is something we fear, right? The desolation and destruction caused by a cataclysmic event is something we surely would not want to witness. Yet we seem to have a weird fascination with Armageddon, dedicating a significant amount of time to it in film, video games and those pub conversation about which of your friends has the best zombie survival plan. Now Lori Nix, a Kansas-born artist, has shared her deep wonderment with Judgement Day in her exhibition The City, which depicts New York City devoid of humanity, scarred by the apocalypse. "My childhood was spent in a rural part of the United States that is known more for its natural disasters than anything else," says Nix on her website. "For a child it was considered euphoric." This informed her project The City, which imagines "a city of our future, where something either natural or as the result of mankind, has emptied the city of it's human inhabitants. Art museums, Broadway theaters, laundromats and bars no longer function. The walls are deteriorating, the ceilings are falling in, the structures barely stand, yet Mother Nature is slowly taking them over. These spaces are filled with flora, fauna and insects, reclaiming what was theirs before man's encroachment." Nix portrays this reclamation through a series of photographed dioramas that she painstakingly constructs, right down to the most minute detail. Some of you may have heard of the The City before and that is because Nix began the project in 2005. However, each diorama takes approximately seven months to construct, followed by three weeks to shoot the final image of it, and so the series is ongoing. It has come to the fore again as the latest nine photographic works in the series are currently on exhibition at ClampArt, NYC until November 16 to coincide with the release of her first book. Explore our favourites in the gallery below and head to Nix's website to see the full collection. Via Gizmodo.
Still sad because you missed The Avalanches much hyped comeback show at Splendour? Well, start saving your pennies because they're back for the Falls Music & Arts Festival. They're just one of the artists who have just been announced in the full 2016 lineup, alongside Childish Gambino, London Grammar, Grouplove, Broods, Jamie T, Parquet Courts and heaps, heaps more. As always, Falls will be heading to Lorne in Victoria for four nights, and Marion Bay in Tassie and Byron Bay on the NSW coast for three nights over New Year's Eve. They'll also be setting up shop in Fremantle for the first time with Falls Downtown, a two-day city festival slated to take place over the weekend of January 7-8. If you're seriously strapped for cash, it's time to warm up those vocal chords because The Falls Festival folks are giving you the chance to win VIP tickets for you and three mates. All you have to do is serenade the world with your favourite song from the 2016/17 lineup and upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #fallskaraoke. Get cracking. FALLS FESTIVAL 2016 LINEUP Childish Gambino (No Sideshows) London Grammar (No Sideshows) The Avalanches Violent Soho Matt Corby Alison Wonderland* Catfish and the Bottlemen* Fat Freddy's Drop* Ta-ku The Rubens* The Jezabels Ball Park Music Grouplove Bernard Fanning* Jamie T Broods Tkay Maidza Grandmaster Flash Illy MØ Hot Dub Time Machine DMA's AlunaGeorge Booka Shade Client Liaison Vallis Alps Parquet Courts City Calm Down LDRU* Modern Baseball Tired Lion* Remi* RY X Marlon Williams* Lemaitre Shura *Not Playing Fremantle Tickets for Falls Festival 2016/17 will go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, August 30 via their website.
Add three more names to the hefty list of big music stars heading Australia's way in 2023: Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and The Game. In what's basically a 90s and 00s hip hop and rap fan's dream come true, the trio are teaming up on the same bill for an Aussie arena tour, hitting stages Down Under in autumn. This isn't just any old nostalgia-dripping tour, either. It'll also mark the 30th anniversary of two influential albums: Ice Cube's Lethal Injection and Cypress Hill's Black Sunday. The former was the N.W.A member's fourth solo release, and included singles 'Really Doe', 'You Know How We Do It' and 'Bop Gun (One Nation)', while the latter gave the world 'Insane in the Brain', 'Hits from the Bong', 'When the Shit Goes Down' and 'I Ain't Goin' Out Like That'. Expect to hear plenty of those songs get a whirl in late March — and plenty more — starting at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena, then jumping to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. For Ice Cube, the tour marks his first visit to Australia since 2018, when he became the first-ever rap artist to headline at the Sydney Opera House. "I love performing in Australia. It's been four long years since my last visit and I can't wait to return for a couple of history-making shows in 2023," said the rapper, aka O'Shea Jackson Sr (and yes, his son O'Shea Jackson Jr did play him in N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton). Ice Cube and Cypress Hill will be joined by The Game, who came to fame in the 00s in the West Coast scene. The US talents will also feature Aussie talent in support, with exactly who else will take to the stage yet to be announced. ICE CUBE, CYPRESS HILL AND THE GAME 2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Thursday, March 23 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Saturday, March 25 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre Sunday, March 26 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tuesday, March 28 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and The Game will tour Australia in March 2023. Ticket pre-sales start at 2pm local time on Tuesday, November 22, with general sales from 2pm on Wednesday, November 23. Head to the tour website for further details.
Taking your pet to get a family portrait with Santa is such a thing now. Dress the little one up as a reindeer or give them their own cute festive jumper for the day. Then use the photos for your next Christmas card, stick them on the fridge and post a few on Instagram, to share the cuteness of your four-legged friend with as many people as you can. And to help festive dog parents get their seasonal snaps, View Melbourne is hosting a Santa Paws event where you can get free pictures of your dog with Santa Claus. Head down on Wednesday, December 14 to get your 2022 Christmas family portrait sorted. Rather than the usual shopping mall vibe where these sorts of pics are usually taken, this photoshoot is happening at the hotels' beer garden Hop Garden, so you can hang out with people who are just as obsessed with their pooch as you are with yours – enjoying a craft beer or local wine with a plate of spicy wings as your pup makes some new friends. This is a free event, but booking is essential. You'll also need to provide an email address so you can receive a digital version of your paw-fect image. Santa Paws will take place on Wednesday, December 14 at View Melbourne's Hop Garden. Find out more and book your free pet portrait here.
The Dromana 3 Drive-In is worthy of a trip down the Peninsula at any time of year, but it's busting out the big (and truly spooky) guns this year for Halloween. The cinema and the gang at HauntZone have built two mazes: 'Infected' and 'Darkness Manor'. It's probably safe to assume this won't be a casual amble through a hedge maze. From Wednesday, October 30, you can catch Halloween-appropriate flicks each night including a special 40th anniversary screening of The Amityville Horror, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Zombieland Double Tap and Ready Or Not. Come down with a carload, head into the two mazes before your flick and prepare to scream your guts out — bring a mate you feel comfortable holding on to for dear life because there's a whole list of disclaimers that come with maze entry. The haunted attractions will set you back $18, in addition to film tickets, and are only around until November 4.
After three years of envelope-pushing dishes and rule-breaking dinner degustations, Carlton's small-but-mighty Nora is gearing up for its last-ever service. Owners Sarin Rojanametin and Jean Thamthanakorn have announced they'll shut the doors to their Elgin Street eatery in three weeks, drawing the curtains on one of Melbourne's most innovative food offerings of recent years. 2018 will find the pair venturing back to their roots, tapping into new inspirations and setting their sights on fresh challenges. Nora first opened its doors as an experimental, Thai-inspired cafe back in 2014, hitting reset in 2016 to reopen as degustation restaurant, giving the owners more scope to flex their creative muscles. We hope to see a new venture from them in the near future. Nora will open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday up until the end of December, 2017. Book now and head in for a final farewell at noramelbourne.com.au.
If you're in Melbourne or Brisbane and Uluru has always been on your travel bucket list, getting to the world-famous large sandstone formation in Australia's Red Centre just got easier. Back in late 2023, Virgin announced that it was starting direct flights from the two cities to the Northern Territory landmark in June 2024 — and now those routes are taking off, complete with a sale slinging cheap fares to celebrate. People make their way Down Under from around the globe to see Uluru. Last year, it was even named one of the best places in the world to visit by The New York Times. For folks keen to head there from the Victorian capital, flights begin on Thursday, June 6, 2024. And for Queenslanders, you can take the trip from Friday, June 7, 2024. The new direct routes mark Virgin's first-ever legs to Uluru from Melbourne and Brisbane. The airline is flying between Melbourne and Uluru four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The carrier is zipping between Brisbane and Uluru three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Virgin has partnered with the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia — which runs Ayers Rock Resort — on the new services to get more people to the middle of the country. And it's aiming to send quite a few more tourists in that direction, with 62,000-plus seats a year on offer thanks to the two new legs. "To see Virgin Australia planes touching down in Uluṟu again is a huge thrill — this is a landmark moment that underscores the boundless appeal of the Red Centre," said Matt Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. "We're excited to have even more visitors experience the wonders of Uluṟu, along with culturally immersive experiences like Sunrise Journeys and Wintjiri Wiru, through Virgin Australia's extensive network." If you're eager to book ASAP and score a bargain, Virgin's new flight sale is running until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Fares start at $119 one-way in economy, with dates varying across July–December 2024. For accommodation, Ayers Rock Resort is doing $230-per-night three-night stays as well. [caption id="attachment_905928" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Salty Travellers[/caption] [caption id="attachment_905930" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism NT and Sean Scott[/caption] Virgin's Melbourne–Uluru services commence on Thursday, June 6, 2024, and its Brisbane–Uluru services start on Friday, June 7, 2024. The airline's current sale on flights to Uluru is slinging fares from $119 until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024 — head to the Virgin website for more details.
Not be outdone by their neighbours, whose own festival du film celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the latest line-up at the Audi Festival of German Films is guaranteed to give the French a run for their money. Presented by the Goethe-Institut in conjunction with Palace Cinemas, the 2014 festival boasts a selection of more than 50 German language films, as well as parties, lectures, special screenings and Q&As. Just a few of the highlights include Marc Rothemund's The Girl with Nine Wigs, about a young woman struggling with a cancer diagnosis; Constanze Knoche's simmering family drama, Visitors, about the strained relationship between a father and his three adult children; and Jan-Ole Gerster's black and white, day-in-the-life dramedy Oh Boy, which scooped up the top prize at the 2013 German Film Awards. The Audi Festival of German Film is in Sydney and Melbourne from March 27 to April 11, and in Brisbane from March 28 to April 3. Thanks to the festival, we have six double passes to give away in each city, valid for a session of your choosing. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au For the full Audi Festival of German Films program, see the festival website. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Xlyt_IRWM30
Every year since 1987, when March rolls around, the Texan city of Austin becomes a hive of activity for fans of film, music, creativity, culture, technology and everything in-between. That's no longer the case in 2020, however, with this year's South By Southwest now cancelled for the first time in the event's 34-year history. In the same week that new Bond movie No Time to Die had its release date pushed back from April to November, the reason for SXSW's cancellation is obvious, with concerns mounting about the effect of the coronavirus COVID-19 — especially in such a busy, public, highly populated space as a large-scale, highly attended music and film fest. SXSW organisers scrapped the 2020 event after the City of Austin basically made the decision for them. "The City of Austin has cancelled the March dates for SXSW and SXSW EDU. SXSW will faithfully follow the City's directions," the festival announced in a statement. With SXSW 2020 due to take place next week from Friday, March 13–Sunday, March 22, speculation that the event wouldn't go ahead had been mounting over the past few days. In fact, a Change.org petition calling for the fest's cancellation due to the coronavirus outbreak received more than 55,000 signatures. Before the event was officially canned, plenty of high-profile parties had already dropped out of attending the festival — including Amazon, Netflix and Apple, all of whom had scrapped screenings of upcoming films and TV shows; music groups like Sony, Universal and Warner Music; and speakers and guests such as Trent Reznor, the Beastie Boys and Ozzy Osbourne. [caption id="attachment_764009" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Shelley Hiam[/caption] SXSW's powers that be are currently exploring their options — to either reschedule this year's event, or provide a "virtual SXSW online experience". It's highly unlikely that this is the last time that COVID-19 will have this effect on the entertainment industry. Large swathes of cinemas have been temporarily shuttered in China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy and France; theme parks have been closed in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo; and the latest Mission: Impossible movie shut down its production in Venice. Music tours have been cancelled throughout Asia, too, and plenty of questions hang over forthcoming events elsewhere in the world — such as Coachella in April and the Cannes Film Festival in May. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: David Brendan Hall.
When it comes to books, not everyone can completely embrace the digital age. The texture and smell of a book is something that no iPad or Kindle can copy. To help you embrace your love of books without breaking the bank this festive season, the Abbotsford Convent is hosting a huge book market. If you ever visited Fed Square's packed book market, you'll know what to expect: this one's run by the same people. More than 5000 pre-loved and new books on every topic under the sun — from history to gardening, travel to art and literature — and a heap of second-hand vinyls will fill the Convent. This should make for some very happy browsing and even happier reading later on. The Melbourne Book Market has relocated to the Convent permanently and will be holding monthly fairs for bibliophiles. And it's in good company, with the Convent already being home to Lentil As Anything, a pay-as-you-feel vegetarian that's open all day on Saturdays. We'll update you as soon as more MBM dates are announced. The Melbourne Book Market will run from 10am–5pm.
On the surface, Digital Gardens looks like the now 31-year-old Fringe trying to prove it's still got the new age tech savvy of a pimply teenager. But don't be put off by your first impressions — the program on offer doesn't just use digital media as a gimmick but actually engages with its possibilities for audience interaction and storytelling. One of the ways the project will work is by collaborating with artists who are presenting in the Hub so that audiences from those shows can recreate their live experiences of that work in a digital format. Melbourne's a city that punches above its weight in the world of independent game development, and the Fringe are inviting some of the city's talented digital designers to dream up some immersive, multiplayer experiences for visitors. Digital Gardens runs from September 19 – 21, City Square, Melbourne CBD; September 28 – 29 and October 5 – 6, Prahran Town Hall, City of Stonnington. Read the rest of our top ten picks of the Melbourne Fringe Festival here.
Imagine a space bustling with bartenders creating new drinks and learning innovative techniques. Then, imagine a space where you can pull up a stool to be whisked away on a tasting journey. This is the scene Orion Leppan Taylor and Mitch Bloomfield are envisioning with their new Cocktail Lab in Wollongong. The 26-year-old south coast locals pitched the concept to Idea Lab — an initiative run by Beam Suntory, which awards grants to change-making hospitality ventures. The pair won $20,000 to help turn their plans into reality. The pair currently work at Wollongong's Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms, which is where they're planning to build the new Cocktail Lab. "It'll be a space where we can educate the bar scene of Wollongong from an industry perspective," says Leppan Taylor. "But also, where we can run classes, educate and broaden [the public's] palates." While Leppan Taylor is now the bar manager at Breakout, he was brand new to hospo when he joined the venue three years ago. "As a bartender, I've had to self direct. But a big part of that has been [being connected to] the great community we have here," he says. "There are people I can reach out to if I'm hitting a wall, or running into problems, who are very open with volunteering their time and expertise." Bloomfield was also a fresh face behind the bar when he first came to Breakout. With a background in entertainment, he was more familiar with the escape room side of the business. "I got thrown straight into a Christmas hospitality period, which I had never experienced before. So it was very much the deep end," he says. A previously under-utilised space at Breakout will become the new Cocktail Lab, which will be fitted out with sleek prep benches and storage cages filled with bar equipment like centrifuges. With a little luck, Bloomfield says the Cocktail Lab should be open by March 2021. "We're familiar with the idea of Heston Blumenthal going very technical and science-y to try and do interesting things with ingredients," says Leppan Taylor. "At the end of the day, flavours, aromas and everything that goes into a drink is just a different series of chemical compounds," he says. When the lab opens, the pièce de résistance will be a rotary vacuum — a tool for redistilling liquids, which can infuse drinks with exciting new flavours. During the week, bartenders will be able to come in and use the space and equipment for research and development. "Or, to create ingredients they can take back to their own bars," says Leppan Taylor. However, for those who don't work in the industry and just want a fun, new place to go come Friday night, the public will be able to come to the Cocktail Lab for spirit tastings, cocktail classes and well-made tipples. "The goal is also to broaden the customers' vocabulary a little bit. So when they see something on a menu that has 'centrifuged' it doesn't look intimidating. It'll be something they're excited to try." The team hopes the venue will attract interest from bartenders further afield, too, as the local bar scene evolves. "There's a bit of an underdog mentality in the community," says Leppan Taylor. "Part of the reason we all like to support and help each other is because we have this feeling we're all in it together. We want to show we have the knowledge, expertise and experiences comparable to anywhere else in Australia." Top image: Mitch Bloomfield (left), Orion Leppan Taylor (right) in the new Cocktail Lab space in Wollongong.
We've seen some cool ideas for putting solar cells in novel places, and everyone agrees that being able to better harness the sun's energy would go a long way to solving our energy problems. But perhaps it's time we thought a bit bigger than solar-charging furniture... a lot bigger. Like, evil-scientist scheme big. It just so happens that scientists at Japan's Shimizu construction corporation (who aren't evil — probably) have been thinking big for us. They are proposing that we use the moon as a giant solar farm, laying the surface with a ring of photo-voltaic cells to capture some of the 13,000 terawatts of solar energy that hits the moon each day, then beaming it back to earth via laser or microwave. Although LUNA RING sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel, the technology required for such a project already exists. What keeps the project from becoming a reality immediately is the, pardon the pun, astronomical cost. Such a massive venture would have an incalculable benefit for the entire world, and would probably require the co-operation and support of the entire world. Given that the world can't organise a football tournament without a few problems, this might be one world-saving project that never gets off the ground. Which would be a great shame. [via geeksaresexy]
The 2011 Parklife lineup was finally revealed this morning on Triple J. The festival, which reaches Australian shores in September, is headlined by Santigold, Gossip, Lykke Li, the Naked and Famous, Digitalism and the Streets. The lineup is heavy on female and also on dubstep artists with Magnetic Man, Joker & MC Nomad and Flux Pavillion all playing this year. The full lineup for Parklife 2011 is as follows: Gossip Lykke Li Santigold Death From Above 1979 Duck Sauce Katy B The Naked and Famous Crystal Fighters Example Digitalism Adrian Lux The Streets Simian Mobile Disco Magnetic Man Nero SebastiAn Diplo Mstrkrft Sebastien Tellier Little Dragon Gold Fields Mylo Wolfgang Carter Joker & MC Nomad Feed Me Tensnake Kimbra The Aston Shuffle Flux Pavillion Yacht Club DJs Harvard Bass Tickets go on sale 12pm Thursday June 30. For pre-sale click here. The various festival dates: Melbourne on Saturday, September 25 Perth on Sunday, September 26 Brisbane - Saturday, October 1 Sydney - Sunday, October 2 Adelaide - Monday, October 3 https://youtube.com/watch?v=i8QxOEFzAXo
Our knowledge sector is responsible for new ideas, technology and Game of Thrones — i.e. all the important things. And now it's the time of year to give them a comprehensive look-in, check out what they've been up to and exercise our frontal lobes with the arrival of Melbourne Knowledge Week. Running over the first week of May, there'll be more than 70 different events on the agenda full of movers, shakers and thinkers under the themes of urban living, food, community sandbox, the body, future work and startups. Attend a rescue dinner using only food about to be discarded, witness a conversation about art by Indigenous people, for Indigenous people, or attend a #shehacks bootcamp especially for women entering startups and hackathons. If you've got a best-thing-since-sliced-bread kind of idea, throw it into the rink at the Melbourne Silicon Beach Pitch Night. Or find The Playground, an interactive treasure hunt-like art project created by artist Betty Sargeant — you can hunt for sculpture pieces scattered around the State Library and then use them to contribute to a community-created piece of art. And that's just the start of it. So do some lunges to warm up and peruse the program until you find something you've always wanted to know more about — those rusty bits of your brain will thank you. Image: Elleni Toumpas.
Ebay's Museum of Authentics, a three-day extravaganza dedicated to the world's rarest sneaks, is headed for Melbourne this weekend. Running from Friday, April 29 until Sunday, May 1 at Neon Parc in Brunswick, this free exhibition will give sneakerheads a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the most coveted sneakers in the world — as well as mingle with like-minded fans, of course. Attendees will be able to get up close and personal with the very Air Jordans worn by Michael Jordan during games in the 80, worth an estimated AU$745,000. Also on the lineup are an extremely limited edition Back to the Future-themed pair signed by the late Kobe Bryant, a sneaker collab between Pharrel, Chanel and NMDs from 2017, and the College Dropout Bapestas that Kanye West designed in 2007 before Yeezys were even a thing. And if you're a sucker for that 'just out of the box' smell, you'll want to be one of the first 100 visitors in line. That will see you gifted a candle developed to smell like brand new sneakers (supposedly), with notes of "soft leather" and "a touch of glue". Doors open daily at 10am, but if sneaker shop queues are anything to go by, we'd recommend getting up a little earlier.
Killing Them Softly is the third movie by Australian writer-director Andrew Dominik, and as with his two previous films (Chopper and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), it focuses almost entirely on the criminal underworld and those who inhabit it. Set in 2008, it follows hitman Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) as he's hired by the mob to track down and execute a trio of small-time hoods for sticking up one of their illegal card games (Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, and Vincent Curatola). Pitt absolutely excels as the shrewd, no-nonsense killer dutifully dispatching the mob's condemned subject to two important caveats: he won't kill people he knows, and he won't kill people up close. Not because it's ethically troubling or offensive to his sense of honour, but because it's awkward and a humiliating seeing old acquaintances beg and cry before they die. Cogan's preference is instead to "kill them softly", at least until he grabs the shotgun, and under Dominik's direction the violence (of which there's quite a bit) combines the graphic brutality of Casino with the stylised cinematography of Drive. It's at once horrific and mesmerising, most notably during a supremely slow-motion assassination between two cars stopped at some traffic lights. The story is largely based on Cogan's Trade, a 1974 novel by author and former assistant US attorney George V Higgins. Higgins was perhaps best known for his use of hyper-realistic dialogue, lending his stories a theatrical quality that Dominik was wise to preserve. His screenplay crackles with fantastic exchanges and wonderful one-liners ranging from the droll observations of the mob's lawyer (Richard Jenkins) to the menace of Pitt's casually veiled threats. It's a fantastic and accomplished offering, with the only heavy hand coming by way of the film's laboured political overtones. Killing Them Softly opens on the boarded storefronts and destitution of an unnamed but neglected city set against billboards from the 2008 presidential campaign and excerpts of Obama's convention speech extolling the virtues of America's promise. Later, we hear President Bush justifying the bank bailout over shots of those disenfranchised and indigent who would ultimately foot the bill. America's promise has failed, we're told again and again — empty words and empty undertakings in a world where corporatisation has transformed the country for the worse. Calvin Coolidge once remarked that the chief business of the American people was business. Crap, says Cogan. America is the business, and the American people are just trying to get one up on everybody else. It's do or be done — and if you’re doing, make sure you're damned well paid for it.
Netflix's algorithm has clearly figured out one of the most obvious facts about humankind: we all really love dogs. That was obviously the idea behind the streaming platform's 2018 canine-centric documentary series — and the show sent viewers so barking mad that it's coming back for another season. Called Dogs, the thoroughly feel-good series follows different puppers in different places around the world, as well as the two-legged folks who care for, groom, dress and even fish with them. Of course, the adorable balls of fluff are the real drawcards. The six-episode first season dedicated its frames to canines in Syria, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy and the US, each with their own stories to tell. One episode explores life in a dog sanctuary in the Costa Rican rainforest, and another relays the tale of a Siberian Husky trapped in Syria after his owner was able to flee to German. Yet another jumps into Japan's love of cute pooches — dog strollers are a common sight on the streets of Tokyo, after all. In a statement provided to Variety about the show's renewal, executive producers Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil) and Glen Zipper (The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man) championed Dogs' human impact — especially "the ability to explore some of the most important human stories through relationships with our best friends". They continued: "it's been amazing to see how much these episodes have touched audiences and critics across the globe. Most importantly, our fans have become part of our extended family and we are honoured to bring them a fresh set of stories that will allow us to connect with them yet again." Check out the first season trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pLCmLgjiJ8 If you can't get enough when it comes to cute canines, you won't be complaining about the show's impending return — although when it'll drop, and how many episodes the second season will span, hasn't yet been revealed. And if you have your own pooch who deserves some Netflix attention, the series is also on the lookout for canine talent. Just hit up the show via Twitter or Instagram. Australia and New Zealand didn't feature the first time around, after all. Dogs' first season is now available on Netflix. Via Variety. Images: Netflix.
We all like to feel like a rockstar every once in a while. It's why we suit up to head to the theatre, to that new restaurant, or for a night out with your favourites. But true rockstars also live the lifestyle at home, not just in the VIP room of a nightclub. With help from our partner Moët & Chandon, we've come up with seven creative ways to lift your hosting game at your next dinner party or take your chilled out night on the couch to absolute baller status. Just think of us as your personal assistant, which is very Mick Jagger of you. [caption id="attachment_657569" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jadt[/caption] ORDER IN, BUT MAKE IT GOURMET A low-key night at home bingeing the latest season of Peaky Blinders or Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (no judgement here) doesn't have to mean a microwaved dinner and a $7 bottle of wine. When you're living it up, the world is your oyster — or your perfectly cut rectangle of raw tuna. Order a sushi or sashimi platter, edamame and all, from your favourite Japanese joint (check out our picks of the best ones in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne), and instead of pairing it with a beer, pop open a bottle of Moët & Chandon Rosé Champagne. The minerality and acidity of the wine pairs well with the freshness of the fish. To make the night extra special, hook up one of those little projectors to your laptop and, voila, you have your own in-house cinema. [caption id="attachment_758794" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daria Shevtsova[/caption] DIY YOUR NEXT BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH Bottomless brunches are all the rage right now. It seems like every bar or cafe offers a similar deal, but instead of arranging to meet your mates in the city we're betting you can do it one better at home. Invite your crew around for a feast with stacks of fluffy pancakes, bowls of fresh fruit, sticky maple syrup and bottles of rosé champagne. Keep the pancakes warm and fresh by covering them with a clean tea towel and popping them in a 90-degree oven until you're ready to eat. Keep the bubbles on ice and don't forget the strawberries for your pancakes. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX1tyCD9QhIWF[/embed] GET SOME SWAG TUNES GOING Whether you're having people round for brekkie, lunch, dinner or wine and cheese, it's crucial to pick the right tracks to create the right mood. Put together your own list of tunes, or have a scroll through Spotify. There really is something for every occasion — like this selection of bossa nova covers for your next dinner soiree, or these summer jazz jams ideal for when you're sipping bubbles on your balcony on a warm afternoon. For something a little louder, there's a poolside party mix, all of rock's biggest legends in one playlist, and these bangers (above) that'll make you feel like a boss. Don't be shy with the soundsystem and crank up the music. [caption id="attachment_758750" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erik Dungan[/caption] TAKE YOUR CHARCUTERIE PLATTER TO THE NEXT LEVEL The high life is about having the best of the best, so head to your local deli for some proper charcuterie — try La Parisienne Pates in Melbourne, Omeio Artisanal Deli in Sydney and Brisbane's Rosalie Gourmet Market. Moët & Chandon Rosé Champagne pairs remarkably well with cheese and red meat, as it's made by mixing pinot noir and meunier grapes the flavour combinations work with mortadella, jamon and prosciutto, as much as they would with strawberries, olives and a fragrant goat's cheese. [caption id="attachment_758779" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rene Asmussen[/caption] HIRE A PRIVATE CHEF Save yourself from a cooking disaster and hire a professional to get the job done. Do you think Post Malone, Lizzo or the guys from Metallica do their own cooking when hosting a dinner party? Definitely not. There are plenty of services around Australia that will help you find a personal chef for your occasion, and the prices often match what you'd spend on a meal at restaurant — except this time there's no reason to rush you through your courses. Plus, you have the benefit of looking like a rockstar to all your guests. Check out At Your Table or Take A Chef, who operate around the country, or Intertain, which is available in Sydney and Melbourne only. [caption id="attachment_734878" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mud Australia[/caption] GO OTT WITH YOUR TABLE SETTING It's not enough to hire a private chef and pick the perfect playlist if you're going to serve food on a mismatched selection of op-shop plates. Start with a dark linen tablecloth, cloth napkins and personalised place cards, so your guests feel like rockstars too. Make sure you have matching crockery — you can get some gorgeous sets to suit all budgets from places like Kmart and Ikea, but when you want to invest in quality tableware we suggest shopping at Made In Japan or Mud Australia. Finish it off with candles, metallic cutlery, fresh-cut blooms and, if you're dining al fresco, Moët & Chandon rosé goblets. [caption id="attachment_758791" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bruce Mars[/caption] TURN LEFTOVERS INTO A MIDNIGHT SNACK FIT FOR A KING Nothing makes you feel like a grub quite like snacking straight from the fridge in the middle of the night. It's time to give midnight snacking the respect it deserves. It doesn't have to be a three-course meal, but you can easily revamp your leftovers by reheating them in the oven (never the microwave), throwing together an omelette, casserole or salad — or just sticking with cold pizza. Whatever you come up with, do yourself a favour — set the table, pop on some tunes, use a plate and pour yourself a glass of rosé champagne (if you didn't already polish off the bottle). Moët & Chandon's Rosé Impérial is a fruity and elegant champagne with gooseberry, raspberry and wild strawberry notes. Find out more here.
She’s the star of her own ABC show, a recent addition to the cast of Please Like Me and a mainstay of the Aussie festival circuit since winning Raw Comedy back in 2006. On paper it would seem like Hannah Gadsby has got plenty to be happy about. But of course, you wouldn’t know it from her stand-up. With her signature brand of awkward honesty and self-deprecation, Gadsby’s latest show tackles the latest in a series of medical issues, namely her recent diagnoses with ADHD. She’ll also flaunt her real-life art history degree at a separate engagement at the NGV, where she’s giving a lecture on Picasso. Seriously.
Sunny summer days and the new year are (unfortunately) still a fair while away, but you don't need the clichéd calendar date to set some new goals. In fact, if the global pandemic has thrown a bit of a spanner in your routine, now may be just time to get back into gear. As they say, there's no time like the present — there you go, another cliché to follow instead. But rather than focusing on a singular aspect like diet or exercise, why not look at your health holistically? Yep, we're talking 'healthy living' and, no, it's not just for Byron Bay dwellers and yoga lovers (not that we're jealous or anything). Simply put, it's about balance — from what you eat right down to getting enough sleep. To help you kick-start — or restart — your health resolutions, we've teamed up with the folks at nutritious ready-made meal delivery service Macros to bring you six simple lifestyle changes. Because we all know healthy habits don't happen overnight. SIGN UP TO A SUBSCRIPTION-STYLE MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE First things first: food. No one's saying all those takeaway dishes and baked treats over lockdown weren't delicious, but, by now, you may be craving something more nourishing. Food is what fuels us, so changing your diet is one of the biggest hacks to the so-called healthy life. It may be obvious, but there's a reason it can be tricky. Not all of us have MasterChef-like skills and meal prepping takes time. Not to mention how pricey clean eating can be if you don't know where to begin. One way to cut out the guesswork and set yourself up with a fridge full of dietitian-designed and super-tasty dishes is by signing up to a meal delivery service. Macros, for example, ensures every meal is prepared by chefs and delivered fresh, not frozen, so you can simply pop it in the microwave when you're ready to eat. Think the likes of massaman beef curry, cottage pie, spaghetti bolognese and herb-crusted salmon, ready in a matter of minutes. Macros has seven different plans to cater to your goals, too. If you don't live at the gym, then Macros' 'Weight Loss' plan, with low-carb meals that have less than 350 calories (if you're counting), is a solid option. Otherwise, the 'Balanced' plan is great for those looking to switch to a cleaner diet, without shedding kilos. You can also tailor your plan to suit your dietary needs, be it plant-based, dairy-free, low-carb or paleo. And, to top it off, it's a pretty affordable option, with meals starting from $8.70. Right now, you can also nab $50 off your first order, too — just sign up here. GIVE MINDFULNESS A GO If you consider mindfulness a bogus pastime, think again. From simply soaking in the tub to daily meditation, taking time to clear your head and reduce stress is a solid base for a healthier lifestyle. Think of it like this: if food is your body's fuel, then mindfulness is your mind's tonic. And, to really achieve a healthy lifestyle, you need both, on top of physical exercise, of course. Plus, amid COVID-19, we're increasingly realising what it means to keep calm during a crisis. So, where to start? Mindfulness and meditation apps are both beginner-friendly and convenient — and these days there are plenty to pick from. Headspace is one of the better-known ones and for good reason; it makes mediation accessible, even if you're a bit of a novice. Or, you can be guided by neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris with his app Waking Up. If getting enough shut-eye is an issue, try Calm, which includes meditation sessions, audio snippets of Bob Ross's The Joy of Painting and stories narrated by none other than Matthew McConaughey. Practices such as tai chi and yoga can help improve mental clarity, too, by combining meditation with movement — so, if you find sitting still hard, maybe give these a try. You can even add adorable animals into the equation and get bendy with baby goats, or your pooch as you downward dog in your living room, both of which are a surefire way to get a quick serotonin hit. GET PICKLING Feel bloated or sluggish? It could be your gut telling you something — literally. While everyone's body is different, fermented foods can be great for most people's gut health and keeping everything regular. The age-old preserving technique naturally ferments food, creating healthy probiotics that help strengthen your gut microbiome. It's a good way of extending food's shelf life, too. Instead of raiding the health food store and splashing some serious cash, you can make your own with everyday fridge and pantry items. Beets, beans, cucumbers, onion, fennel, cabbage, zucchini, carrots... you get the idea. Most pickling involves vinegar (white or apple cider), salt, a bit of sugar, spices and the veg of your choosing. Alternatively, get yourself a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) and some black tea and try making your own kombucha. If you'd rather learn from the pickling pros, Sydney-based cafe and picklery Cornersmith runs a bunch of hands-on and, at the moment, live Zoom classes, where you can pick up tips on how to ferment, pickle and preserve pretty much anything. HAVE FUN WITH YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE No one said exercise had to be boring. You may have your go-to activity, but, sometimes, getting out of the bed in the morning or hitting up the gym after work can be a struggle. We get it, life gets in the way. However, to avoid fitness fatigue, why not inject some fun into your routine? Feel like a big kid again and bounce non-stop at an indoor trampoline park, or scale to new heights at a rock climbing gym. For the latter, you'll need a partner in crime, so you can socialise while you sweat, otherwise, for a more solitary climb, try bouldering. Martial arts is another great way to train, from karate to jiu-jitsu, taekwondo and krav maga, all of which have become increasingly popular over recent years. Keen to improve your rhythm? Dancing is a great way to get your heart pumping, as well as tone muscle, whether it's ballet, salsa, ballroom or hip-hop dancing. You can even get your groove on in your living room with 80s-style aerobics by way of Retrosweat or Aerobics Oz Style. And, if you're lucky enough to live near the ocean, stand-up paddle boarding is great for your core, or you could give surfing lessons a crack. Basically, there's no end to the fun you can have while also training and conditioning your body. GET OUTDOORS AND HIT THE TRAILS It's hard to beat a vigorous bushwalk or long-distance run along the coastline, with the sun shining, the wind in your hair and stunning surrounds to distract from your own panting. Plus, it leaves you feeling pretty rejuvenated. While, yes, the physical exercise plays a massive part, being outdoors is undeniably good for the soul. And, after spending more time indoors this year, many of us have a new appreciation for being surrounded by nature. So, next time you're thinking of jumping on the treadmill, why not run in your local park? Or, if you can, take a hike in a national park, do laps in an ocean pool, kayak down a river or head out on a scenic bike ride. If you're after something a bit more restorative, forest bathing or shinrin-yoku (nature therapy) is another way to get a dose of vitamin D, just with less cardio. You simply spend time in nature, whether it's taking a stroll in any natural environment or finding a lush and peaceful spot in which to meditate. The physiological and psychological activity has benefits such as improving your immune and nervous systems, reducing blood pressure and heart rate, and improving mental health, energy levels and sleep patterns. Combining mindfulness with nature, the Japanese practice is the perfect antidote to our tech-filled and often sedentary lifestyles. TREAT YOURSELF While pampering may seem a tad extra, giving your body a little TLC is also called self care. So, treat your body like the temple it is and give it a rest every now and again. From beauty therapies to relaxing remedies, there are plenty of ways you can look after your body — outside and in. Feeling a bit lacklustre? Mani-pedis, haircuts and facials are sure to give you a boost. Then there are massages, of course, with benefits including reduced blood pressure, easing migraines and headaches, aiding pain relief and stiffness, and lowering stress levels. But, different styles address different issues, so it's important to listen to your body. Swedish and aromatherapy massages, for example, are great if you're stressed out; whereas lymphatic ones help rid your body of toxins by draining your lymphs. If you've been upping your exercise or have muscular pain, then consider deep tissue, sports, reflexology or Thai-style massages, which will help alleviate aches, increase flexibility and reduce recovery time. A healthy lifestyle starts with the food that fuels you. To help make that part easy and fuss-free, Macros delivers nutrition-packed meals straight to your door. And, if you need to, you can also pause or skip a week of your subscription at no extra cost. Better yet, Macros is currently offering $50 off your first four deliveries. So, start your health kick ASAP and sign up here.
