UPDATE: MARCH 19, 2020 — Organisers have announced that So Pop 2020 will no longer go ahead "due to policies and measures put in place by the Australian and New Zealand Government regarding COVID-19 and the inability for large gathering events to proceed". Ticket holders will receive a full refund. 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. Pull out that old Discman, break out the cargo pants and start practising your smoothest early noughties dance moves — the pop tour of your wildest teenage dreams is hitting our shores this summer and it's got more stars than a TV Hits sticker collection. Next April and May, the second So Pop festival is set to deliver a huge serve of nostalgia to stadiums across Australia and New Zealand, pulling together an extra juicy lineup of old-school icons, headlined by some of the biggest teenage obsessions from the late 90s and early 2000s. Stages in Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Auckland and Christchurch will be transported back to the 90s and 00s for one glorious night each, playing host to the pop-drenched soundtrack of your youth. Heading up the show are female five-piece The Pussycat Dolls, who will come out of a hiatus to take you right back to dancing in your living room in front of the TV on a Saturday morning with pop hits 'Don't Cha', 'Buttons' and 'What I Grow Up'. It'll be the group's first visit Down Under since touring with Lady Gaga back in 2009. Joining them is British band Steps — so you'll need to start re-learning the line dancing moves to '5, 6, 7, 8' again — and the object of many a teenage girl's crush back in the day: Jesse McCartney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWq_E17pTHY Relive more So Fresh-era bangers with Smash Mouth — who gifted us with 1999 hit 'All Star' — and the lady that gave us 'Murder on the Dancefloor', Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Irish pop star Samantha Mumba ('Baby Come on Over'), Dutch dance group Alice DJ 'Better Off Alone') and Reel 2 Reel ('I Like to Move It') round out the throwback showdown. SO POP 2020 DATES Perth — RAC Arena on Wednesday, April 22 Brisbane — Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Friday, April 24 Sydney — Qudos Bank Arena on Saturday, April 25 Adelaide — Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Tuesday, April 28 Melbourne — Melbourne Arena on Thursday, April 30 Auckland — Spark Arena on Saturday, May 2 Christchurch — Horncastle Arena on Sunday, May 3 So Pop pre-sale tickets are up for grabs or 24 hours this Wednesday, December 4 on the Frontier Touring website. The rest will go on sale on Monday, December 9.
Every city has one: an area littered with the usual eateries, convenience stores and variety shops, with a slightly grimy, ripped-from-the-'70s pawnbrokers nestled smack bang in the middle. In Melbourne, the suburb of Footscray offers up just that — and provides Pawno with its setting. Indeed, actor-turned-filmmaker Paul Ireland doesn't just stroll the streets to make his directorial debut, but endeavours to bring the thriving locale to the big screen. A diverse Aussie drama is the end result, offering a lived-in slice of neighbourhood life, its ups and downs, and its multicultural populace. Unsurprisingly, the titular cash-for-goods establishment sits at the centre of the action. Run by the gruff but kindly Les Underwood (John Brumpton) and his lovesick offsider Danny (Damian Hill), it's the kind of place that all of the locals drop by during the course of the day. Over a 24-hour period, a number of shoppers, pals and others stop in or loiter around outside. Some, like transgender woman Paige (Daniel Frederiksen), are after quick cash. Others, such as visibly upset mother Jennifer (Kerry Armstrong), are trying to track down both goods and people. And then there's Kate (Maeve Dermody), who works in the nearby bookshop, needs help fixing her glasses, and happens to be the secret object of Danny's affection. In addition to playing Danny, Hill also provides the low-budget indie with its screenplay. Despite this, his character is just one of many. Pawno proves less concerned with charting one person's journey, and more interested in weaving snippets of stories into a textured tapestry of the community. Alas, that choice proves both a strength and a weakness. While the unassuming feature boasts variety and vibrancy, its episodic narrative lacks a sense of cohesion. Fortunately, the talented ensemble of performers — which includes Malcolm Kennard and Mark Coles Smith as a duo of homeless hangabouts, as well as Holding the Man's Tony Rickards as one of Les' pals — keep things intriguing, especially when the script goes down many an expected path. They might all be playing thinly written characters, but they each make their respective roles feel real. Thanks to their combined efforts, the ample amounts of Aussie slang and swearing aren't the only aspects of Pawno that come across as genuine. As clichéd as it sounds, the suburb of Footscray also helps ramp up Pawno's atmosphere of authenticity. The graffiti-strewn streets are as significant a presence as Les, Danny and company, with cinematographer Shelley Farthing-Dawe finding the right balance between gloss and grit. Of course, that's the combination the feature aims for overall: candid but caring. It's an ambitious mix for an ambitious feature, even if the patchwork package doesn't always convincingly come together.
Summer is almost here and that means it's getting time to whip out the sunscreen and shades and get on the group chat to organise some al fresco hangs in the sunshine. Whether you've got a huge backyard, a compact garden or a decked out balcony, there are lots of ways you can transform your openair space for parties. Think makeshift performance spaces, themed dining where everyone pitches in a plate, or active games to get everyone into the summer spirit. To help you make the most of your outdoor space, we've partnered with Jim Beam to bring you a guide to transforming your backyard for parties and hangouts to remember this summer. [caption id="attachment_789655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cottonbro[/caption] CREATE A MAKESHIFT OUTDOOR CINEMA Each summer brings with it a new selection of romance, comedy and holiday flicks to catch at the cinema, but when you're looking to entertain your friends at home, there's a lot to be said for the old classics that bring us together. Impress your friends by upping movie night and transforming your outdoor space with a makeshift outdoor cinema. All you need is a good projector — which you can buy online or at most tech stores — and then set it up to shine on a wall or vertical flat surface away from other light sources, such as streetlights. Then, grab a cold one and some popcorn, and settle in for a night of quote-alongs and nostalgia bonding. [caption id="attachment_786454" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] HOST AN AROUND-THE-WORLD FEAST Just because you can't travel around the world right now doesn't mean you can't transport yourself elsewhere through the medium of food. Host an 'around the world' picnic where each of your guests brings a dish based on world cuisine. Think bratwurst from Germany, lasagne from Italy, sushi from Japan, chow mein from China, barbecued meats from the US and dosas from India. Then set up the food in different areas around the outdoor space and 'travel' from place to place with your tastebuds. You can even take it a step further and bring drinks from different countries too — for the US, try a Jim Beam with peach iced tea and soda, for example. [caption id="attachment_789656" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jake Ryan[/caption] INVITE YOUR MUSO FRIENDS TO PERFORM Every friendship group has a mate who loves to show off their skills on the guitar and can play a steady rotation of Oasis, John Mayer and Jason Mraz numbers. So why not take advantage of your mates' talents and invite all your muso friends to perform some classic sing-a-longs? They could even show off some originals, if they're that good. String up some coloured lights and get the drinks flowing and it'll feel like a real gig (just like old times). And, because it's your backyard, you get to mingle with the main act afterwards. HOST A MINI OLYMPICS Make up for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and channel the spirit of our finest green-and-gold athletes by hosting a mini version in your backyard. Get each of your guests to bring over a variety of games, including solo sports and team games — such as frisbee, cricket, bocce, basketball, table tennis and putt-putt — and arrange a tournament in your yard. You can even set up an obstacle course if you're feeling super energetic. Don't forget to provide some snacks for fuel and some drinks for good measure — then, let the games begin. After all, who doesn't love healthy competition between friends? [caption id="attachment_790604" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] SET UP YOUR OWN TINY BAR There's no better summertime classic activity than getting the mates round for a drink or two. Now imagine upping the game and playing bartender to your pals in a decked out tiny bar in the backyard. To help out in this endeavour, the global bourbon brand Jim Beam is currently running a competition to give away a fully stocked Jim Beam Tiny Stillhouse, worth over $20,000. The stillhouse includes bluetooth speakers, a mini fridge, four bar stools, an esky, bar mats, a Jenga set, a case of Jim Beam and Cola and a bottle of Jim Beam White Label. Enter here before Sunday, November 22 to get the party going. Top image: Cottonbro via Pexels
It's been three years since Spanish-born civil engineer Santiago Seco-Pablos left his career to start a new food business dedicated to the classic bechamel croquetas of his homeland. La Croqueteria has been winning over local fans ever since — and now it's celebrating its third birthday with a one-day pop-up at South Melbourne Market's La Central Deli & Bodega. If hot cheese-filled morsels take your fancy, swing past from 11am on Saturday, April 15 to sink your teeth into some free tastings. La Croqueteria's ever-growing range currently includes varieties like jamon serrano, goat cheese and jalapeno, bacalao (salted cod), and a calamari number that's been dipped in squid ink. Once you've snacked on some samples and selected a few favourite flavours, you'll also find a selection of take-home packs (12-piece boxes and one-kilogram bags) available to buy and stock your freezer with. Deep-fry those croquetas until golden brown and you've got yourself some standout Spanish snacks. Sounds like it's time to start planning a tapas night at your place.
Welcome to Thornbury will accommodate both your stomach and your flaming sinuses in a two-day event that is the Hot Sauce and Chilli Festival. If spice is your mate and you think you can handle some of the hottest chilli situations Melbourne can throw at you, now's your time to prove your mettle. Some you'll even have to sign a waiver to taste, so you know they'll be life-affirming. There'll be sauce offerings from Melbourne Hot Sauce, Grumpy Gary's, Marley's Soul Sauce, Changz Hot Sauce and Señor Chilli. If you've come for the actual food side of things, you're in luck too — YOMG, Mr Burger, Roadrunner Fried Chicken, Yo India and Let's Waffle 'n' Shake will set up shop over the weekend, among others. And drinks? Well, the bar team will be serving 'hot pocket' shots. If you can drink it without sipping another drink to wash it down for two minutes post-shot, you get your photo on the wall (and eternal glory, we guess).
Back in 1976, author Anne Rice asked a simple question: if a vampire agreed to an interview about their bloodsucking life, what would they share? The answer to that query sparked a bestselling novel — the late writer's debut tome, in fact — and helped thrust her to fame. It also started a literary franchise, The Vampire Chronicles; was turned into a comic; hit the big screen in the 90s; and, soon, will play out as a streaming series as well. That book/comic/film/upcoming show: Interview with the Vampire. And yes, in its current leap from cinemas to the small screen, it follows in the footsteps of fellow undead fare Buffy the Vampire Slayer and What We Do in the Shadows. It also hops on a second trend that shows no signs of dying: reviving 90s movies as a series, as the new TV version of A League of Their Own also has recently (without the vampires, of course). Even if you haven't enjoyed Interview with the Vampire on the page or seen the 1994 flick, the concept is right there in the name — as both the initial teaser trailer back in July and the just-dropped full sneak peek make plain. "So, how long have you been dead?" probing interviewer Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian, Succession) asks Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson, aka Game of Thrones' Grey Worm), the New Orleans resident who can't resist the offer to live forever. Then, quite the tale unfurls. Naturally, if you're a vampire being interviewed, that's the kind of opening enquiry that's bound to come your way. More follow, but it's a helluva ice-breaker. Louis' story includes fellow vamp Lestat de Lioncourt (Australian actor Sam Reid, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), who he describes as "my murderer, my mentor, my lover and my maker" — and child vamp Claudia (Bailey Bass, Psycho Sweet 16), who joins their bloodthirsty family. How this new take on Interview with the Vampire will turn out will be revealed in October — in Australia via AMC+ from Sunday, October 2, with New Zealand details still to be announced. If you remember the movie — the film that helped push Dunst to fame as a child, well before she was an Oscar-nominee for The Power of the Dog — you'll know that it steps through its key undead trio's not-quite-lives (being eternally undead might be the better way to describe it), with tension oozing after Louis decides he doesn't want to kill. Check out the full Interview with the Vampire trailer below: Interview with the Vampire will start streaming in Australia via AMC+ from Sunday, October 2. We'll update you with New Zealand details when they become available. Images: Alfonso Bresciani/AMC.
A Francophile is many things. They are passionate about France, bang on (and on) about French food, French wine and French country houses, and seem to know exactly how to piss everyone off with their incessant French-ness. It's enough to ruin friendships — except when it comes to Bastille Day. Commemorating the storming of the Bastille, the 14th of July is a celebration of everything French that everyone can get on board with, particularly foodies. And all you have to do its travel to Brunswick, not Bordeaux. This year Albert St Food & Wine is celebrating Bastille Day on the Sunday prior with a hunter's feast, inspired by chef Jason Rodwell's own travels through regional France. A wine-marinated boar (apple in mouth and all) will form the centrepiece of the feast, complete with Albert St's hors d’oeuvres and champagne. The evening will, of course, be topped off with dessert: L'Artisan's The Authentic cheese washed in-house with Chablis and poached pears and hazelnuts, with a warm waffle and salted caramel ice cream. You don't have to be a Francophile to appreciate this feast.
Step into ancient Rome with this new blockbuster exhibition at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, on loan from the British Museum. Running till February 3 and showing for only the second time internationally (and exclusively in Canberra), Rome: City and Empire presents a rare opportunity to view sculptures, jewellery, wall paintings, mosaics, ceramics and other precious objects from one of the most innovative and creative civilisations in history. Displaying more than 260 of the British Museum's most-admired Roman objects, the exhibition narrates the story of how the empire grew from an informal collection of villages to a great civilisation that once covered present-day Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Obviously, the sheer scale of the exhibition can be overwhelming — so many artefacts, so little time. So to help you out, we've curated a list of our top five must-see objects from the vast array of ancient artefacts on display. Grab your ticket, plan a trip to Canberra and dive headfirst into ancient Rome. COLOSSAL STATUE HEAD OF EMPRESS FAUSTINA I Empress Faustina I was a Princess Diana of ancient Rome, known for her charitable work. This colossal marble sculpture of Faustina the Elder has been one of the British Museum's most prominent pieces since its acquisition in 1936. Uncovered at the Temple of Artemis in Turkey, only a fragment of what must have been a monumental statue (potentially four metres high) remains — it's just the head, and it's a whopping 176 centimetres tall. A well-respected public figure throughout her lifetime, Faustina was the wife of Antoninus Pius, the Roman emperor from 138–161CE. Known for her charity work, she was particularly interested in assisting with the education of Roman orphans, specifically young girls. We know, what a woman. Following Faustina's unexpected death just two years into his reign, her devastated husband never remarried. Instead, the emperor turned her into a goddess and cast her portrait on thousands of gold coins — which are some of the most common coins from ancient Rome still in existence today. [caption id="attachment_690063" align="alignnone" width="1920"] National Museum of Australia.[/caption] MOSAIC PANEL Look for the face of Phobos, god of fear, who may have warned revellers against drinking too much. The affluent Romans took the well-established practice of mosaic making and turned it into an art form as seen in this mosaic panel. Once adorning the floor of an opulent Roman dining room in Turkey, this intricate 4th-century stone mosaic features coloured rosette petals surrounding a medallion depicting Phobos, the god of fear — potentially included as a way to deter over-imbibing. As a status symbol of sorts, the wealthy would decorate the floors of their villas with mosaics to add an ornamental element to their homes, a topic of conversation during dining and a way of keeping homes (and bare feet) cool during the hot summers. PORTRAIT BUST OF HADRIAN Hadrian was the first Roman emperor to sport a beard, and potentially, history's original hipster. Described as one of the 'five good emperors', Hadrian was somewhat of an outsider compared to many of his peers. He liked to travel and spent about half of his reign outside of Rome. He also had a particular interest in Greece, which was considered to be the centre of arts and culture. It was rumoured that he even sported a beard to look like Greek philosophers — or perhaps to cover acne scars. This particular bust of the emperor was found at Hadrian's picturesque villa in Tivoli, which today remains one of the finest ancient Roman sites to visit. Carved from marble, Hadrian appears here as a strong commander-in-chief of the military, but for the most part, Hadrian's reign as emperor of Rome was a peaceful one. BRACELET FROM THE HOXNE TREASURE This intricate bracelet (along with a whole chest of treasures) was discovered by a humble metal detectorist in 1992. Next time you see someone searching for hidden goods with a metal detector, don't judge; you never know what you might find. In 1992, farmer Eric Lawes went in search of a lost hammer but, instead, uncovered something much more valuable — the Hoxne Treasure. Yep, this literal treasure chest buried in Suffolk, England, held thousands of precious objects, including gold and silver coins, jewellery and dining materials. The find has been traced back to the early 5th century, a time when the Roman Empire's rule over current day Britain was beginning to collapse. During excavation, archaeologists discovered that the precious items were still carefully wrapped in their original fabric. Alongside its sizeable wealth, the Hoxne Treasure was also an important discovery because it reflected the universal concern of keeping our material possessions safe during times of uncertainty. FUNERARY RELIEF OF A WOMAN Funerary monuments were commonplace among the wealthy and often told the life stories of the entombed. Taking the shape of Herta, a woman from Palmyra, this limestone funerary relief juxtaposes Palmyrene and Roman cultures. Dressed in fine Syrian garments but shown in a Roman-style sculpture, Herta is prepared for the afterlife, decked out in ornate clothing and jewellery. In Palmyra, the aristocrats had their burial compartments sealed with portrait monuments, such as this, often accompanied with inscriptions about their lives. These tombs — including single-storey house tombs, extravagant multi-storey towers and those buried deep into the underground rock — were commonplace until about 270CE. Rome: City and Empire will run until Sunday, February 3, 2019. Tickets can be purchased via the NMA's website.
Are you the kind of person who starts plotting your next meal before you've even finished the last? Love eating more than anything else? Well, you can get right to the guts of our global food obsession when the Sydney Opera House streams its 2018 chat with culinary legend Nigella Lawson. Streaming at 3pm AEST on Sunday, April 19, the talk has a fitting topic of conversation: home cooking. Lawson's Aussie visit followed the publication of her book At My Table: A Celebration of Home Cooking, which celebrates the joys of comfort food. The famed cook will be in conversation with SBS Food Safari's Maeve O'Meara and they'll be discussing everything from frozen peas to food trends. One of the most successful food writers of all time, cooking up more than ten million book sales worldwide with her 11 culinary bibles, Lawson started out as a book reviewer and restaurant critic, going on to become the deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times. She is responsible for numerous award-winning books, including How to Eat, How to Be a Domestic Goddess, Nigella Bites and At My Table. The talk is part of the Sydney Opera House's three-month digital program From Our House to Yours, with free content streamed nightly from Wednesday–Sunday. While you wait for the full talk to stream on Sunday, you can watch some highlights below. https://youtu.be/P-Ua3wrT3o8
Everyone has an opinion on what makes a true Aussie burger. Beetroot? Yes, please. Fried egg? Sure. Pineapple? Stay away. But what about throwing on some of that iconic spread that lives in every household cupboard, regardless of whether you're a lover or a hater? Well, chef Neil Perry is putting it to the test with the release of a limited edition Vegemite burger. From today, Wednesday, January 17, this questionable concoction will be available at Burger Project stores across Australia (including the one that opened last week in Melbourne), as well as the current Australian Open pop-up in Melbourne. "Vegemite is synonymous with our Australian way of life," said Perry. "I'm excited to be given the opportunity to collaborate with such an iconic Australian brand." The spread will be paired with Burger Project's staple soft milk bun, grass-fed Tasmanian beef patty, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and onion. That distinctive salty tang of Vegemite is sure to add a salty flavour hit to the burger. It certainly appeals more than the creamy Vegemite icy poles which got a hard pass from us. The Vegemite Burger is available between January 17–28, 2018 at all Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane stores. For more info, visit burgerproject.com.au.
What's better than knowing that one of the biggest Australian movies of the past couple of years is getting a sequel? Adding that second effort to your must-watch pile for 2023. It's been four months since it was revealed that The Dry was scoring a big-screen follow-up, and it's now been confirmed that it'll start flickering across the big screen sometime next year. Exactly when in 2023 that Force of Nature will surface is yet to be revealed — but add it to your future cinema-going list anyway. And yes, to answer the crucial question, Eric Bana is returning as Detective Aaron Falk. [caption id="attachment_787502" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Dry[/caption] When it reached Aussie cinemas at the beginning of 2021 — making the leap from bookshelves to theatres, adapting the debut novel from author Jane Harper — The Dry became an enormous success. If you went to the movies at the start of last year, you likely saw it. It currently sits sixth at the box office among local titles over the past ten years, notching up more than $20 million in ticket sales. It also came in sixth in 2021 overall, after Spider-Man: No Way Home, No Time to Die, Godzilla vs Kong, Peter Rabbit 2 and Fast and Furious 9. That kind of response was always likely to spark a sequel (and it shouldn't escape attention that the five movies that made more cash in Australia last year were all either sequels themselves, or part of long-running franchises). Cue this new adaptation of Harper's second novel Force of Nature. This time, the focus is on a corporate hiking retreat attended by five women, after which only four return. So, alongside fellow federal agent Carmen Cooper (Jacqueline McKenzie, Ruby's Choice), Falk heads deep into Victoria's mountain ranges to try to find the missing hiker — who also happens to be a whistle-blowing informant — alive. [caption id="attachment_796115" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Dry[/caption] As The Dry was, Force of Nature is being written and directed by Robert Connolly (Paper Planes). Again, it'll boast quite the pair when it comes to Aussie crime cinema — with Connolly the producer of one of the best local crime movies ever made, aka 1998's unnerving The Boys, and Bana famously the star of the similarly excellent Chopper. Also featuring in Force of Nature, which'll have a powerhouse Aussie cast like its predecessor: Anna Torv (Mindhunter) as missing hiker Alice Russell, plus Deborra-Lee Furness (Jindabyne), Robin McLeavy (Homeland), Sisi Stringer (Mortal Kombat) and Lucy Ansell (Utopia). Richard Roxburgh (Elvis), Tony Briggs (Preppers) and Kenneth Radley (The Power of the Dog), too, while Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor (Sequin in a Blue Room) is back in the role of Erik Falk. Although the first image from the film has been released — see the header picture at the very top of this article — it's still too early for even a teaser clip. Until one arrives, check out the trailer for The Dry below: Force of Nature will release in Australian cinemas in 2023 — we'll update you when an exact release date is announced. Read our full review of The Dry.
UPDATE, March 4, 2022: Crimson Peak is available to stream via Netflix, Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. "Beware of Crimson Peak," an eerie voice warns Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska). Thankfully, audiences need not heed the same warning. The gothic offering that shares its name with a crumbling mansion atop clay-filled heights is a dark delight that haunts with its unsettling mood and enchants with exquisite imagery. Coming from the mind of Guillermo del Toro, that shouldn't be surprising. In the writer/director's ninth and latest feature, as co-written with Don't Be Afraid of the Dark's Matthew Robbins, he dives further into all things scary and sublimely staged than he perhaps has before — and that's with the likes of vampire fare Cronos, ghost tale The Devil's Backbone and spellbinding fantasy Pan's Labyrinth on his resume. His protagonist, Edith, finds her way to the titular locale courtesy of tragedy and romance. In late 19th-century New York, British baronet Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) sweeps the aspiring author off her feet, much to the disapproval of her wealthy industrialist father, Carter (Jim Beaver). Kindly childhood pal, the smitten Dr Alan McMichael (Charlie Hunnam), also looks on in dismay, with neither the charming Thomas nor his terse sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) warmly welcomed. When Edith accompanies the siblings to their dilapidated home, only to be met by sinister happenings, their secrets start to be revealed. Crimson Peak is the type of slow-building, richly evocative effort that feels torn from the pages of literature, as it is designed to. That the dialogue namechecks Jane Austen, Mary Shelley and Arthur Conan Doyle gives a firm indication of the balance of elements del Toro aims for, combining romance, horror and mystery. Make no mistake, though, the movie is more than just the sum of his influences. From the atmospheric unease to the heaving themes of love and loss to the overt sensation of yearning, there's never any doubt that is del Toro's film through and through. He inspires an unrelenting sense of tension that bursts forward whenever something untoward graces the feature's frames, but never subsides even in quieter moments. He also conjures the type of devastating detail that demands to be seen on a big screen. Whether transitioning between scenes with iris wipes, looking down on snowy ground laced with scarlet footsteps, watching colour-coded ghostly entities peer around corners or enjoying a fast-paced waltz with a flickering candle in hand, the movie is a sight to behold. With Crimson Peak such an effective exercise in tone, texture and aesthetics, it certainly proves a relief that the story does more simply justify its look and feel, and that the cast do more than wander through sumptuous surroundings. The deep red hue of the film's name references both the blood that flies freely as well as the focus on the luminous Wasikowska and the enjoyably unnerving Chastain, resulting in an effort where jump scares are modest, surprises few and the characters' inner workings made apparent from the outset, yet emotions run as deep as narrative intrigue, and attention never wavers. Pacific Rim this ain't. Del Toro is at home once again making sensually charged, period-set, haunted house fare. Intimate and intricate in the best possible ways, Crimson Peak is something sumptuous, spooky and gorgeously gothic to savour — as is superbly complex leading man Hiddleston, who almost anyone would follow into such creepy surroundings.
The first time that Will Smith was nominated for an Oscar, it was for dramatising Muhammad Ali's story in Ali. It's much, much, much too early to say if he'll get the nod for his latest stint as a sporting figure — no one has even seen his upcoming movie King Richard yet, after all — but Smith sure looks to be angling to add a few shiny trophies for his mantle. He plays someone familiar with watching other people pick up silverware, in fact, given that he's playing Richard Williams — father of superstar tennis champions Serena and Venus. As the name makes plain, King Richard is all about the dad behind the ace-swinging duo, and his role in raising them, nurturing their talents and establishing their careers. When the girls first start showing their skills in Compton as children, neither Serena nor Venus nor Richard have any idea where their path will head. Viewers obviously do, but consider this the story behind the well-known story. The tone: persistent, moving and inspirational, at least based on the just-dropped trailer for King Richard, ahead of its release Down Under in November. From the sneak peek, Smith plays Richard as determined, confident and hardworking. Told that he might have the next Michael Jordan on his hands, he replies that he actually has the next two. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men), the biopic thankfully sees Smith in a completely different mode to his last big-screen appearance — in the abysmal, terrible and grating Bad Boys for Life. In King Richard, he's joined by Saniyaa Sidney (Fences) and Demi Singleton (Godfather of Harlem) stars as Venus and Serena, plus Aunjanue Ellis (Lovecraft Country) as their mother Oracene 'Brandi' Williams. Also among the familiar faces: Jon Bernthal (Those Who Wish Me Dead) as coach Rick Macci and Tony Goldwyn (Scandal) as coach Paul Cohen. Check out the trailer below: King Richard will release in Australian cinemas on November 18. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
UPDATE, March 8, 2021: Brazen Hussies is available to stream via ABC iView. Chatting to activists involved in Australia's women's liberation movement during the 60s and 70s, Brazen Hussies doesn't lack in witty and wise ladies making pivotal points. But it's filmmaker Margot Nash (The Silences) who offers one of this documentary's most telling observations, and the one that crystallises exactly why this movie had to be made. "History has to be told over and over again," she advises. She's a talking head in the film, rather than the writer or director behind it — those roles fall to first-timer Catherine Dwyer — but she couldn't encapsulate Brazen Hussies' purpose any better if she was the doco's driving force. As the feature explains, it's easy for people to overlook this chapter of history, and the fact that it all happened so recently. It's easy to forget that women's lives were drastically different, as was the way they were regarded by the world around them. It'd also be easy to keep using Nash's words, and those of her fellow activists, to demonstrate why Brazen Hussies is vital, too — as a record and a reminder, and as viewing in general. Dwyer has amassed a formidable array of ladies, all of which could fuel their own documentaries. In fact, many of her subjects could make them. Cinematographer and filmmaker Martha Ansara (Changing the Needle) explains how she realised as a teen that her future was supposed to involve finding the right man. Author and journalist Anne Summers recalls how, when she became the first woman in her family to go to university, it dawned on her that she'd still be paid less than her male counterparts when she graduated. And filmmaker and writer Jeni Thornley (For Love or Money) describes her experiences as a pregnant woman after the death of the man she would've likely married, and how she was treated as if the situation was her fault. The list goes on. Academic and critic Barbara Creed notes that the word 'lesbian' just wasn't something that was uttered in Australia at the time, for instance. The first Aboriginal Australian to earn a law degree, Pat O'Shane talks about the impact of race, and the gulf between the white women's movement and the plight of Indigenous women. Elizabeth Reid shares memories from her stint as the first Advisor on Women's Affairs to a head of government anywhere in the world — to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in the 70s — and steps through the way that the media responded to her position. Dwyer counts more than 25 women among her eponymous group, and their tales cover everything from tackling domestic violence and the victim-blaming that can go along with it, to the simple struggle to survive that single mothers faced. Indeed, Brazen Hussies packs not only a wealth of women into its frames, but a plethora of topics. There's a noticeable focus on Sydney and Melbourne over the rest of the country, and not every interviewee or issue is covered in-depth, but the film isn't short on breadth. Brazen Hussies' survey of all of the aforementioned matters — plus legal abortion, funding for childcare and society's abhorrence of female sexuality as well — happens in tandem with a historical recounting of Australia's actual fight for women's liberation. Inspired after working on 2014 documentary She's Beautiful When She's Angry, which did the same from a US perspective, Dwyer examines what drove these women to act and what they achieved, of course. At every moment, however, she's just as interested in how they battled for that change. Having access to a treasure trove of materials helps considerably. If the doco's talking-head lineup is impressive, it's bested only by the immense range of archival images and footage that Dwyer and editor Rosie Jones (director of The Family) splice together. With the rest of the filmmaking team, the pair sifted through more than 4000 photographs, journals, artworks and posters, and 800-plus news clips, documentaries and dramatic movies — and, unsurprisingly, Brazen Hussies is all the more detailed for it. All those pictures and and all that footage allows the film to show, not just tell. It also lets audiences witness key moments as they happened. Brisbanites should already know that the Regatta Hotel was once the site of an infamous 1965 protest by Merle Thornton and Rosalie Bogner, who chained themselves to the public bar to draw attention to the fact that women weren't legally allowed in. Still, seeing it occur is something else entirely. That also applies in Melbourne, with Zelda D'Aprano chaining herself to the city's Commonwealth building in 1971 to rally for equal pay. And the same feeling emanates from clips of author Kate Jennings addressing the crowd on the front lawn of Sydney University in 1970, too, which marked the first time that the male left had allowed a woman to speak at a public event. The impact of these specific actions, and of efforts big, small, headline-grabbing and routine by all the ladies seen in Brazen Hussies, is still being felt today. Paying tribute to these pioneering women is clearly another of the film's aims but, again, recognising and remembering what they did and how it echoes now couldn't be more crucial. Dwyer also serves up clips that contrast the present situation with the scenario a half-century ago, to put the bulk of the film in context for viewers. As everyone watching should already be well aware, much has changed for women since the documentary's subjects first started marching, protesting and pinching men's bums in the streets to show them how it feels; however, striving for progress remains an ongoing job. Not that any further motivation is needed, but Brazen Hussies is it: an engaging, informative and impassioned snapshot of a reality that's still so recent, and of the hard work that was required to even reach the current imperfect status quo. https://vimeo.com/451401547
When it comes to books, not everyone wants to 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 year, the Queen Victoria Market is launching a huge new weekly 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 secondhand vinyls will fill the market every Sunday. This should make for some very happy browsing and even happier reading later on. After briefly relocating to the Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne Book Market will make its home at the Queen Victoria Market for much of 2019, holding weekly Sunday markets from January 20 until April 14, and then again from May 12 until August 25 (with no markets held between April 21 and May 5). The Melbourne Book Market runs from 10am–4pm. Updated April 7.
Following the success of their previous hotel takeover in Byron Bay, the grand Clicquot Hotel is now heading to Queensland's Sunshine Beach — a hop, skip and jump from Noosa — for 10 days only. The French champagne house, Veuve Clicquot, has made the most extra luxury accommodation focused around premium experiences. Expect exclusive food and Champagne experiences, spa treatments, sunrise surfing lessons and yoga overlooking the coastline. And, of course, everything is adorned with the famous Veuve Yellow. But those offerings are just the cherries on top of the hyper lavish experience. Over two nights, you'll also have private access to Sunshine Beach and Noosa National Park, complimentary Veuve Clicquot champagne whenever the whim takes you (of course), a private sommelier and 24-hour concierge service, as well as chauffeured airport and local transfers. And, for a little extra cost, you can cruise on a chic mahogany speedboat – the Clicquot Dreamboat – along the Noosa River before having a curated picnic on the riverbank, served with chilled Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé, the champagne house's refined, full-bodied take on pink bubbles. These guys have gone all out — and then some. It's a stupid-cool pop-up hotel. Clicquot Hotel bookings are available from November 4-13 and you can book your stay here.
While Melbourne's got no shortage of great artisan markets happening across the city each weekend, the inner west has missed out on most of the action. But that's all set to change on June 18, when new monthly market Footscray Finds kicks off its first run in the carpark of Footscray Library. With a focus on the boutique, the unique and the handmade — and held in conjunction with Maribyrnong City Council — this event's got an offering to rival that of many of its more established, cross-town counterparts. Scheduled for the third Sunday of each month, it's set to showcase a stellar lineup of local producers and makers with a huge array of stalls covering everything from covetable vintage fashion and books, to vinyl, handcrafted homewares and fresh vegan produce. Meanwhile, a rotation of your favourite food trucks will be serving up easy eats, and local acts will be dropping all sorts of live sets, with June's debut market event set to feature retro-loving PBS legend, DJ Emma Peel. Anyone wanting to be a stallholder themselves can apply now for a car boot or marquee space, which clock in at $50 each. Footscray Finds will run from 8am-1pm, on the third Sunday of each month, in the carpark of the Footscray Library, 56 Paisley Street, Footscray. For more info or to book a stall, visit footscrayfinds.com.au.
Let's face it: finding the perfect plans for New Year's Eve is stressful. With all the parties, festivals, ticketed venues and firework displays on offer in our cities, sometimes it feels like new year planning — which you're expected to start now, mind you — is more trouble than its worth. But if you're looking to ring in 2019 by getting away from it all, we've got you covered with some top-notch alternatives to your usual New Year's happenings. Here's our top picks for getting out-of-town this year — which we're bringing to you early so you can get a head-start on booking, too. TASTE ALL THAT TASMANIA HAS TO OFFER Each year, revellers make their way down to Tassie for Falls Festival at Marion Bay. But, if you want to avoid the chaos of navigating stages and finding your tent in the dark, we have a festival of another kind that's worth the trip. Food lovers can indulge in the best of Tasmania's culinary scene as The Taste of Tasmania food festival returns to Hobart's Princes Wharf from December 28 to January 3. Entry is free, but the range of masterclasses are ticketed and run by some of the best chefs in the region — think cheese making with Analiese Gregory (Franklin and ex-Sydney's Bar Brosé) and sausage making with Rodney Dunn (Tassie eatery The Agrarian Kitchen), plus a long-lunch hosted by Alice Chugg and Vladimir Panevin (local bar Ettie's). And that's just three of the 15 events on offer. Apart from the eats, there will also be 120 live bands and circus, cabaret and dance performances, along with a twilight cinema. For more information and to book masterclass tickets, head to the Taste of Tasmania website. This will require flights and accomodation, so you might need to book this ASAP. CLEAR YOUR MIND WITH A YOGA OR DETOX RETREAT If you're looking to enter the new year with a clear mind, there's still time to book into a full on retreat. Billabong Retreat offers an annual new year's yoga getaway, for either five or seven nights, spanning from December 26 to January 2. The eco resort is located 45 minutes northwest of Sydney and the program features twice-daily yoga, nighttime meditation, daily wellness workshops and tranquil treehouse accommodation. Plus, two New Year-specific ceremonies: a letting go ceremony on New Year's Eve and a setting intentions ceremony on New Year's Day. If you're looking to be closer to Queensland, another retreat option is the Gwinganna new year detox, which is a seven-night spa getaway just south of the Gold Coast, taking place from December 27 to January 3. It's no doubt pricey, but includes massages, facials, all organic meals, evening meditation sessions and a wellness consultation, along with a $100 therapy credit. [caption id="attachment_695264" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ray and Lystra Bisschop[/caption] TAKE AN EPIC OVERNIGHT HIKE (WITHOUT BOOKING A THING) Australia is home to some of the most stunning national parks and coastlines in the world, with many of the best hiking tracks taking more than a day to complete. One of the best is the Six Foot Track in NSW's Blue Mountains, which spans a 45-kilometre distance from Katoomba's famous Explorers Tree to the stunning Jenolan Caves. This challenging hike is most comfortably done in three days and two nights. Luckily, the overnights are free and don't need to be booked ahead of time, thanks to the easily accessible campsites along the route at Coxs River and Black Range. Another booking-free option up in Queensland is the newly completed Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, which offers free overnight camping at several spots along its 161-kilometre trail, including outside Fernvale, Toogoolaawah, Harlin, Moore, Linville and Benarkin. There are plenty of coffee stops along the way too, so you don't need to plan (and lug around) all your meals. CAMP OUT AT ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST STUNNING BEACHES Spending New Year's at the ocean is as Australian as it gets, and some of the country's best spots across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland offer top-notch beachside camping that will truly take your breath away. If you really want to go all out this new year, our pick is Mesa Camp at Cape Range National Park in Western Australia. You'll have to spend a pretty penny on flights to Exmouth, but the site is set overlooking a secluded bay within the UNESCO Heritage-listed Ningaloo Coast and is perfect for canoeing, kayaking, snorkelling or swimming holidays. Booking ahead is a must, but prices are set at an incredibly reasonable $11 per adult per night. For more information and to book Mesa, head over here — but it's best to book in advance, as there are only 23 campsites available and they'll likely book out fast. If you're looking for even more options, check out our list of the top beach camping sites around Australia. [caption id="attachment_660068" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Berry Springs[/caption] FINALLY TAKE THAT TRIP TO DARWIN If a trip to Darwin has been on your list for a while now, heading up north over New Year is an ideal time to see the Northern Territory capital in full swing. Explore the George Brown Botanic Gardens, go for a swim at Berry Springs or be the ultimate tourist and cuddle a crocodile at Crocosaurus Cove. For New Year's specific entertainment, The Darwin Waterfront hosts an annual New Year's Eve party with live music, entertainment, food stalls and the requisite fireworks at 9pm and midnight — all for free. Picnics, beach blankets, lawn chairs and booze-filled eskies (no glass, though) are all encouraged and there's plenty of space for the masses. The event continues into New Year's Day, when another free live concert will take place. [caption id="attachment_693452" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Pickthall[/caption] CHECK ULURU OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST Uluru is on the bucket list of most Australians, and what better time to finally take the trek to this sacred site than at the start of a new year. Once you've got flights to Alice Springs, you can easily organise your own trip. Of course, you'll want to cop an eyeful of Uluru and learn about its history and that of Arrernte country (as it's known to the traditional custodians of the land). Make sure you see the landscape lit-up by visiting Field of Light at night, stop in at the Kangaroo Sanctuary and go for a swim at Ormiston Gorge. We've got a few other ideas here. If you really can't be bothered, Intrepid Travel hosts a three-day, two nights Uluru adventure from December 30–January 1 — and for a relatively reasonable $695 per person. Your group will be honoured to have a Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guide, who will explain the spiritual significance of this ancient site while you hike to Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta and Uluru. Transport, meals and tent accommodation is all included, so you can just focus on being in complete awe of your incredible surrounds.
Drinking a few brews and accidentally getting beer splashed on your shoes is a problem we've all experienced, particularly if you've indulged in a few steins at Oktoberfest. When people amass for a big, boozy shindig, steins start dripping and so does your footwear — and, as often happens when folks enjoy a few too many cold beverages, a stray drop of beer or several isn't the only unpleasantness threatening your kicks. Enter Adidas' new Originals München 'Oktoberfest' sneakers, aka the brand's solution to errant alcohol, its after-effects and its potential for stained shoes during the annual celebration. Made in Germany and available for a limited time from retailer 43einhalb, they're designed to withstand brews and vomit thanks to "durable puke and beer repellent" coating over their leather surface. Just how that works hasn't been revealed, but we're guessing you still shouldn't try pouring a whole pint over them. Selling for almost AU$300 (€199.95), the shoes also cater for the less messy parts of Oktoberfest, because the yearly booze fest is all in the name of fun. Accordingly, they're decked out with embroidery designed to match your lederhosen, have "prost" (aka cheers in German) stitched into the side, and come with a custom beer mug. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkMQyAEpyuk Via Munchies. Images:43einhalb/Adidas.
Back in 1988, when John Waters wrote and directed Hairspray, he couldn't have known what'd follow. The cult filmmaker's flick was a modest hit to begin with, but really became a sensation on home video in the early 90s. The film's star Ricki Lake, who made her big-screen debut playing 60s teen Tracy Turnblad, also became one of the decade's big talkshow hosts. That's a wild path for any movie to take, but Hairspray's story doesn't end there. A theatre adaptation followed in 2002, as did eight Tony Awards. Then came a new 2007 movie based on that stage musical. Yes, Hairspray has lived many lives — and in its latest, it's heading to Melbourne. In its on-stage, all-singing, all-dancing guise, it'll spin the dance-loving Turnblad's tale of teen dreams and making a difference at Melbourne's Regent Theatre from August. Turnblad has one specific fantasy, actually: to dance on The Corny Collins Show. And when she makes it, it changes her life — but she has more change to fight for, too. The story unfolds in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, where racial discrimination is an everyday part of life. So, Turnblad uses her newfound fame to advocate for a different future for everyone. When Hairspray plays Melbourne — with its exact August premiere date yet to be revealed — it'll do so with a local staging of the original Broadway production, and with director Jack O'Brien (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots) guiding show. Only one cast member has been announced so far: Shane Jacobson. He'll swap Kenny's overalls, his numerous TV hosting gigs and appearing in seemingly every Australian movie made over the past decade for the role of Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother, which was played by the inimitable Divine in Waters' movie, Harvey Fierstein on Broadway and John Travolta in the 2007 film. When tickets will go on sale hasn't been announced yet either, but you can check out a clip from the US tour below in the interim: Hairspray will open at the Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne, in August — we'll update you with exact dates when they're announced. In the interim, you can join the show's ticket waitlist by heading to its website. Top image: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic via Getty Images.
Melbourne has its fair share of arts and culture events — but none of them are quite like Vivid. Sydney's annual festival, which takes over the city's CBD in a flurry of vibrant light installations, live music, talks and design, is one everyone should experience at least once in their life. So, we want to help you get there. We've teamed up with the folks from The Streets of Barangaroo to give away a pretty amazing trip for two up to Sydney during the big event, featuring luxe dinners, shopping sprees and more — because if you're going to do Vivid, you should do it in style. As the lucky winner, you and a mate will be flown from Melbourne to Sydney on Friday, May 31 and return Sunday, June 2, courtesy of Flight Centre Barangaroo. For the duration of your stint, you'll be set up at West Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, located in the heart of the CBD. But the treats don't end there — you'll enjoy immersive dinner at 12-Micron on Friday and brunch at Wild Sage on Saturday. Prepare to then be whisked away on a harbour cruise that night to soak up Vivid's famous light projections in all their sparkling splendour. Oh, and you'll be frocked up for the occasion, too. You'll enjoy a luxury shopping experience at David Jones Barangaroo, including a glass of Veuve Clicquot on arrival, one-hour personal styling session, a beauty consultation and mini makeup application, plus a $500 David Jones gift card to spend instore on the day. For your chance to be dazzled by the world's largest outdoor art gallery in style, enter your details below. [competition]718939[/competition]
If The BFG had been written in the 21st century, Swedish fashion retailer Brothers’ vintage trunk is the suitcase he’d likely have carried. Not only is it enormous, it is filled with Brothers’ newest line of clothing. Titled ‘Travel’, the line boasts a combination of modern comfort and old-fashioned elegance hitherto outside of the jet setter’s experience. The suitcase is actually a pop-up shop. Built by expert prop-maker, Jean-Louis von Dardel, it opens to look like a closet, with compartments and drawers for every type of garment imaginable. Brothers has been moving the trunk all over Sweden, from airport to airport and station to station, displaying their wares for just a few days in each place. The clothing line features suits and business shirts that are not only well cut and stylish, but also soft and stretchable – gentle enough that wearers can relax during their flight, yet formal enough that they can head to a business meeting directly after landing, without the hassle of changing mid-journey. Brothers asked filmmaker Emil Klang to document the suitcase’s creation. Given the freedom to choose his team, Klang opted for composer Ola Tappert from Underton and animator Oskar Gullstrand from Naïve. The resulting film features on the landing page of the Brothers’ site.
This year has been a bit of a disruptive one for Melbourne's train network, with train closures in January, April and July — and we're not over it yet. As construction continues on the the Metro Tunnel, the Victorian Government has announced that sections of three Melbourne train lines (and six V/Line services) will be closed at some point between September 21 and October 27. What does that mean? Replacement buses. If you travel on the Sunbury, Cranbourne or Pakenham lines, you'll most likely have to switch from the train to a bus at some point on your commute. If you travel on the Sunbury line, you'll be the most affected as buses will replace trains between Flagstaff and Sunshine for almost two weeks. The Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will have five days of interruptions. Here's what we know so far about what's happening on each of the affected lines. Sunbury: Buses will replace trains between Flagstaff and Sunshine stations from September 29 – October 11. Cranbourne and Pakenham: Buses will replace trains between Westall and Cranbourne/Pakenham stations on the weekend of September 21–22, and between Dandenong and Cranbourne/Pakenham stations from September 23–25. Plus, V/Line services will be affected as well. Coaches will replace trains on the Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Warrnambool, Traralgon and Bairnsdale lines at various points throughout September and October. Something to take into account before you make any big weekend plans. The line closures this time round will see platforms extended at all stations between Footscray and Sunshine, as well as new cabling and signalling installed. For up-to-date info, your best bet is to check the disruptions map on the government's Big Build website.
There's little that's normal about 2020 so far, and that includes film festivals. Many of the biggest cinema showcases on the annual international calendar have been forced to cancel, postpone or rethink their plans for this year — spanning heavy hitters such as Tribeca Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival, and even Australia's very own Sydney Film Festival. At present, we can't all gather in a darkened room and watch movie magic light up the silver screen. That doesn't mean that there isn't anything to watch, though. In fact, thanks to We Are One: A Global Film Festival, you can still enjoy a festival experience — one curated by some of the best big-screen events in the world, too — all while sitting on your couch. For ten days between Thursday, May 29–Sunday, June 7, 20 of the globe's standout film fests are joining forces to program a free online festival, which'll show features, shorts, documentaries and more via YouTube. More than 100 films will screen at set times, including 13 world premieres. That means that you can look forward to films such as Ricky Powell: The Individualist, about the eponymous street photographer; Eeb Allay Ooo!, a satire about monkey repellers in India; and Crazy World, an OTT action flick out of Uganda's Wakaliwood. There's also Australia's own Mystery Road and Mabo, Japanese rom-com Tremble All You Want and documentary The Iron Hammer, the latter of which follows Chinese volleyball star "Jenny" Lang Ping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stttLXh7yu4 If you're after something more than just watching a movie, a range of archived talks will also screen, alongside new, festival-exclusive content. Listen to chats by Jackie Chan, The Shape of Water filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and Rogue One: A Star War Story's Diego Luna, or watch Tessa Thompson talk with director Jane Campion, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Soderbergh discuss Apocalypse Now, Viggo Mortensen and David Cronenberg explore Crash, and Ang Lee and Kore-eda Hirokazu delve into their thoughts on filmmaking today. Selecting the program is a who's who of the film festival game, with Tribeca, Cannes and Sydney joined by the Berlinale, Sundance, Toronto International Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, New York Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival and Annecy International Animation Film Festival — and fests in Guadalajara, Macao, Jerusalem, Mumbai, Karlovy Vary, Locarno, Marrakech, San Sebastian, Sarajevo and Tokyo, too. [caption id="attachment_768770" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Berlinale, Jan Windszus[/caption] While cinephiles don't have to spend a cent to watch along, We Are One: A Global Film Festival is encouraging donations to the World Health Organisation, as well its partners in each region. Top image: Sydney Film Festival, Luke Latty. Updated May 27.
Clear your calendars, art lovers. Melbourne's largest queer arts and culture bash, the Midsumma Festival has showcased the talents of local creatives from within the city's LGBTIQ community every year since 1988 — and its 2016 program is due to kick off this Sunday, January 17. Running for three straight weeks, Midsumma 2016 will be spread across more than 80 different venues, and will cover everything from visual art and performance to community events and parties. As has become tradition, the festival's centrepiece event will be the annual Pride March along Fitzroy Street in St Kilda. This year, the march will put an emphasis on the fight for marriage equality. The Pride March is one of three major flagship events on this year's program. The Midsumma Carnival and TDance will once again kick off the festival with a five-hour lineup of free live music and entertainment in Alexandra Gardens. We'll also see the launch of the first ever National Water Polo League Pride Cup at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, in which the Victorian Seals National League will take on the Brisbane KFC Breakers. The night will also feature an exhibition grudge match between Australia's only LGBTIQ clubs, the Melbourne Surge and the Sydney Stingers. Carn the Surge! Other standout events on the program include the DRAGNATION drag competition, the Lesbian Comedy Gala and the Yass Pride! party at Luna Park. A performance from award winning cabaret singer Michael Griffiths looks set to be pretty great and the premiere of a new multimedia art exhibition Company of Men is another of our must-see events. For more information about the festival including the full program guide, visit midsumma.org.au
When David Fincher does crime, glorious things happen. From Se7en to Zodiac, plus The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl and Mindhunter as well, the filmmaker loves the genre — and audiences have rightly adored and downright obsessed over the end results. So, making an assassin thriller sounds like Fincher 101. Of course, as the just-dropped first trailer for his new movie The Killer demonstrates, there's no such thing as a standard project from the Fight Club, The Social Network and Mank director. Back in January when Netflix unveiled its new slate of films for 2023, The Killer was the number-one most-anticipated title on the list — and the sneak-peek footage that was revealed then now has company in this newly released glimpse. Michael Fassbender stars in the titular role, marking his first movie since 2019's X-Men: Dark Phoenix. And the murderer-for-hire he's playing has a ruthless approach to his work, and also a new battle. Story-wise, the film tells of its namesake facing off against his employers after a near-miss, sparking an international manhunt. The Killer hails from the French graphic novel series of the same name by Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon, and comes to the screen with Fincher's Se7ven screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker scripting — and the pair collaborating for the first time since that serial-killer masterpiece. Doing the score, as viewers can instantly guess from the very moment that it kicks in during the trailer: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, of course, as they also did on Fincher's The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl and Mank. Will this team up earn them another Oscar, like The Social Network did? Or even a nomination, as Mank delivered? The Killer does have a perfect awards-season release date, hitting cinemas in October, then streaming via Netflix from Friday, November 10. The film will premiere at the 2023 Venice International Film Festival in September first, before arriving on the big screen elsewhere and streaming queues everywhere. As well as Fassbender, The Killer stars Tilda Swinton (Asteroid City), Charles Parnell (Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One), Arliss Howard (a Mank alumni) and Sophie Charlotte (All the Flowers). Check out the first teaser trailer for The Killer below: The Killer will release in select cinemas in October, then stream via Netflix from Friday, November 10. Images: Netflix © 2023.
Working from home may have its perks, like having more snacks on-hand and wearing your comfiest clothes, but it also has a couple of downsides — one of which is all the video calls. While chatting to your family and mates on your laptop is a good way to socialise in these current times, many of us are doing multiple calls a day for work, too. So, the endless streams of virtual faces can get a bit repetitive. To break it up, Silicon Valley non-profit animal sanctuary Sweet Farm has launched Goat 2 Meeting, which lets you bring a furry friend to the call. Whether you need to bring some joy to your work meetings or just show your mum a llama's fresh haircut, you now can via video conference platform Zoom. While you have to pay to get a four-legged team member on the line, the money will go towards the farm, which in normal circumstances is partly funded by in-person tours. As Sweet Farm aims to take in animals — and has saved over 125 so far — and educate people on the the global impacts of factory farming across animals, the plants and the planet, your money will be supporting a good cause. No matter where you are in the world, Sweet Farm is putting its animals on video so get your daily dose of serotonin. For $65 USD ($98 AUD) you can get a 20-minute private virtual tour with up to six people, where you'll meet a few of the farm's animals — such as Paco the llama and Juno the goat. For a donation of $100 USD ($161 AUD) you can get a 10-minute corporate meeting cameo, with no limit on persons on the call. Or, if you want more face-to-face time with your new bud, you opt for a 25-minute call for $250 USD ($405 AUD). For virtual school trips, Sweet Farm is offering animal airtime for free. To organise a session, head to the Goat 2 Meeting site and fill out the form, including your details, a requested call date and your time zone. Keep in mind that time differences will effect availability. At the moment, California is 17 hours behind Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and 19 hours behind Auckland and Wellington. So, it's most likely an early morning meeting will be your best bet. Sweet Farm's Goat 2 Meeting initiative is available across the world. To request a time for your next video call with an animal in tow, head here.
By their very nature, festivals are a choose-your-own-adventure experience. Event organisers carefully curate their top picks, audiences head along to whatever suits them best and few folks follow the exact same fest path. South by Southwest embraces the concept a little heartier than most, however. When you're putting on not just one festival, but several within that broader festival, audiences can hop between them, mix and match here and there, or choose the one that aligns with their favourite interests. Making its debut in October, SXSW Sydney is keeping the format that's served the event so well in its OG Austin home, where it has always been held — and only been held — until now. That's been clear from the lineup announcements so far, including in its first batch of speakers and musicians back in February, more music highlights and must-attend parties in May, details of its gaming strand in June, then two more rounds of speakers in July. Up now: the first nine movies that'll be playing at SXSW Sydney's Screen Festival. [caption id="attachment_911084" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jane Greer[/caption] Among its recent news, SXSW's Down Under premiere revealed that Queer Eye star Tan France would be among its speakers, plus Indigenous filmmakers Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road: Origin) and Jub Clerc (Sweet As). They fall into under Screen Festival, too. Also included: Osher Günsberg, who'll be on the SXSW Sydney bill recording an episode of his podcast Better Than Yesterday with a yet-to-be-announced special guest; Gone Girl, The Nightingale, The Dry, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers producer Bruna Papandrea; and Binge's Executive Director Alison Hurbert-Burns. Film lovers love watching films, though. The SXSW Sydney Screen Festival isn't just about big-screen fare, covering both movies and TV — but its first round of titles are all features. In a varied bunch, one stars an Indonesian rapper, another is about Tokyo Uber Eats rider and yet another features viral Chinese dance crazes. American film Jamojaya is the flick led by Indonesian rap star Brian Imanuel, aka Rich Brian, enlisting him as an up-and-coming musician — and with Blue Bayou's Justin Chon directing. It's obvious what Tokyo Uber Blues is about, with the Japanese documentary's riding being done by a graduate film student with debts to pay. And Gagaland is responsible for that dancing in the street, and on social media feeds, which backdrops a boy-meets-girl tale. Also on the list: doco Anita, focusing on German Italian actor Anita Pallenberg, who was also a muse to The Rolling Stones; Cypher, a pseudo-documentary about rapper Tierra Whack; and The Last Year of Darkness, which dives into China's underground party scene with ample bass and neon. Rounding out the list so far: Japan's Plastic, which sees two teens go in search of psychedelic rock band Exne Kedy; France's Knit's Island, which is shot entirely in the DayZ video game (and from 963 hours spent in it); and Australia's You'll Never Find Me, about a caravan resident, a surprise visitor and a thunderstorm. Most of SXSW Sydney Screen Festival's announced titles have the tick of approval from other fests around the world, whether by screening at Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca, Sheffield DocFest in the UK, International Film Festival Rotterdam in The Netherlands, CPH:DOX in Denmark, Visions du Réel in Switzerland or elsewhere. As well as getting viewers watching movies and TV shows, with more titles to come — including First Nations Screen Festival programming by Winda Film Festival founder Pauline Clague — the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival will feature red-carpet premieres; digital and social content; an XR showcase; Q&As and panel discussions; parties and mentoring; and a screen market for industry deals. Free outdoor screenings are also slated, alongside indoor sessions at The ICC's Darling Theatre, Palace Cinemas Central and other yet-to-be-revealed venues. SXSW Sydney will run from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues, with the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival running from Sunday, October 15–Saturday, October 21 at The ICC's Darling Theatre, Palace Cinemas Central and more venues to be announced. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs. It can take you a while to get your head around it. But although it seemed unlikely, there's actually a decent physical resemblance, and word is Kutcher pulls it off. Although it opens with Jobs showing off the iPod to his staff, the film Jobs soon reverts back to the early days of Apple, pre-black skivvies, though with Steve firmly in the lead. It documents the ups and downs of the '70s, '80s and '90s. Though his inventions are obsessively loved, Jobs is a character not without controversy, and the film will have you feeling sorry for him, then hating him, then loving him again and rooting for him, while at the same time shaking your head and saying to yourself 'Oh Steve'. Jobs is worth a watch if you are a fan of Apple products, his company and what he created, or a fan of biography that isn't about putting its subject on a pedestal. Jobs is in cinemas on August 29, and to celebrate we have 15 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 hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3rOiXeKaUUM
After a little something to brighten your mood? How does a vibrant bouquet of bright yellow blooms sound? This year, Cancer Council Victoria's Daffodil Day celebrations will spreading lots more of that brightly-hued cheer as they once again transform the Rialto Melbourne's Piazza into a sea of 20,000 flowers. For its 37th annual edition, the famed fundraising appeal is set to sell thousands of daffodils at this CBD pop-up across Wednesday, August 30 and Thursday, August 31. To jump aboard an excellent cause and buy a bouquet for yourself or someone else in need of some bright blooms, head along from 8am. Both small jars and large bunches are available, with prices starting from $10. "Cancer takes so much — from all of us. It takes from our friends, neighbours, colleagues, and our family. By giving this Daffodil Day, we can help stop cancer from taking so much. Consider giving for all the people who've been affected by a cancer diagnosis, whether that's you, or someone close to you. Giving money, a bunch of daffodils, your time, a hug, giving hope, that's what Daffodil Day is all about," Cancer Council Victoria's Head of Fundraising, Lyrian Fleming-Parsley says. Proceeds from all flowers sold will go to support Cancer Council Victoria's life-saving work in the field of cancer research. Images: supplied.
Attention aestheticians, minimalists and lovers of Tumblr, this is a public service announcement: there's Pantone-themed café just opened in Monaco and it’s fifty shades of beautiful. The eatery, named Pantone Cafe (keepin’ it simple, classic Pantone), has been set up on Avenue Princesse Grace overlooking the Côte d'Azur and against the vibrant backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. They'll be serving up treats and drinks that perfectly match Pantone’s famed hues. You know what this means, people. Bring your goddamn cameras. Everything at Pantone Cafe has been matched to a Pantone shade — even the staff uniforms. The menu reads like summer incarnate: ice creams, eclairs, granitas, soft drinks, 'fruit alcohol', cold sandwiches and juice. Try the in-vogue Pantone 13-0221 Pistachio Green éclair or the Pantone 13-2804 Parfait Pink ham sandie. A ham sandie has never been so lux. In case you hadn't guessed from the Côte d'Azur/Mediterranean location, Pantone Cafe has a summer theme and is therefore only open for the summer months until September 9. That is still ample time to quit your job, leave your family, bail to Monaco and really focus on your Tumblr aesthetic. But you better crack your piggy bank wide open because according to 2014 stats from the World Bank, the Monegasque are the richest people on earth. A Pantone 15-5534 green salad will set you back $13, so all you poor colourphiles might have to stick with a $3 croissant instead. Find the Pantone Café at Grimaldi Forum, 10 Av. Princesse Grace. Open from 10am-8pm daily, until September 9. Images: Pantone Cafe.
You've now got a tasty new excuse to make that Yarra Valley road trip, with the arrival of Graceburn Bistro — a weekend-only dinner offering from local winemaking legend Mac Forbes and chef Erik Koel. It's a new direction for the Healesville venue, which has been operating for the past three years as a daytime wine bar and cellar door. "We have this fantastic wall of wine, a chef who we've successfully collaborated with on special events in the past and a beautiful little space in the centre of town," explains Forbes. "I think both locals and visitors are going to love our take on an intimate, modern bistro." In the kitchen, Koel is celebrating simplicity with a one-page menu of unpretentious fare. It's seasonal, produce-driven and made to be shared. Forbes' own award-winning drops will headline the wine list, joined by a curated selection of bottles from both overseas and closer to home. The space itself is intimate, with room for just over 30 diners, though it packs a punch in the design department at the hands of architect Zenta Tanaka (whose work you've seen at the likes of CIBI and Mina.no.ie). Graceburn Bistro is open for dinner from 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays and from 11am for Sunday lunch at 11a Green Street, Healesville. Images: Lizzie Halloran. Updated: July 29, 2018.
If you like new wave R&B, Souled Out is your next must-attend festival — especially if you're keen on seeing Summer Walker, PartyNextDoor and Tinashe live. This event's 2024 lineup also includes Bryson Tiller, Majid Jordan, Smino, Lucky Daye, Libianca and more, as part of a roster that balances well-known names, up-and-coming talent and local acts. As you might've spotted, variety is a big focus among its tunes, with the fest's array of talent not just playing the same styles of R&B. As they hit the stage, they'll be playing tracks that span subgenres such as neo soul, trap soul and Afrobeats. Walker's place on the bill is big news, given that it will be her first trip to Australia. As for PartyNextDoor, aka Jahron Anthony Brathwaite, his resume includes writing 'Work' for Rihanna. Along with the rest of the lineup, Walker and PartyNextDoor will get behind the microphone on Friday, March 29 at Caribbean Gardens in Melbourne. Also on the bill: DJs Joe Kay, Andre Power and Sasha Marie, who'll be spinning tracks away from the fest's main stage that work in 90s R&B favourites. Souled Out 2024 Lineup: Summer Walker PartyNextDoor Bryson Tiller Majid Jordan Smino Tinashe Lucky Daye Libianca Umi Thuy Will Singe Lara Andallo Joe Kay Sasha Marie Mistah Cee Andre Power
Keeping you up-to-date with the best and most unique happenings in art, culture, design and technology is what makes us tick. And now we want to celebrate some of the people making these exceptional things happen — so we've partnered with Miller Genuine Draft to create the Miller Design Lab. Across six special nights, the Miller Design Lab will showcase projects from a bunch of creatives at Chapel Street's SoHigh Gallery, with food, Miller Genuine Draft and live music also on offer — and it's all completely complimentary. On Saturday, March 23, Sydney-based designers Dreamcatchersdreamtime will transform the Miller Design Lab into a colourful and experimental spectacle. The team thrives off exploring novel ideas and collaborations with like-minded designers to create unique clothing and accessories awash with vibrant colour. And for this showcase, Dreamcatchersdreamtime has teamed up with Think Positive Prints, a direct to fabric textile design company that specialises in colour and design. Together they've developed two large-scale textile pieces that will be integrated into the immersive SoHigh Gallery space. These works will bring the gallery to life alongside light projections and music for an evening of 'heightened simulation'. DJ Nick Murray, one-half of Melbourne duo Otologic, will be on hand to provide the soundtrack, while Dreamcatchersdreamtime's George Barnes will also perform his own funky set. The Miller Design Lab x Dreamcatchersdreamtime will run from 7–10pm on Saturday, March 23. To RSVP for complimentary tickets for you and three mates, enter your details below. And if you want to check out the rest of the Miller Design Lab events, head this way. [competition]709913[/competition] Follow @millergenuinedraftaus for more details. Images: Kitti Gould.
Had enough of public transport? Too tired to cycle? How about cruising from A to B by waterslide? Last Sunday May 4, UK artist Luke Jerram turned every kid’s dream into an adult reality when he set up a 90-metre water slide on Park Street, Bristol. Titled Park and Slide, the project playfully suggested new ways of navigating our clogged up city streets — part of the Bristol Art Weekender and Make Sundays Special programmes. A whopping 96, 573 individuals registered for a ‘ticket to slide’, but only 360 got lucky. Showing good sportsmanship and a furious need to Instagram, a crowd of over 65,000 locals turned out to watch the fortunate make their soapy descents. Based on video footage, average speed was calculated at 18km/hr and the age of sliders varied from 5 to 73. “This massive urban slide transforms the street and asks people to take a fresh look at the potential of their city and the possibilities for transformation,” reads Jerram’s site. “Imagine if there were permanent slides right across cities.” Jerram was offered significant corporate sponsorship for Park and Slide, but rejected it, deciding instead to stick with local support networks. "[It] was not an opportunity to advertise fizzy drinks, swimming trunks or holidays to anyone," the artist pointed out on his site. Unfortunately, there are no plans for an international tour of Park and Slide. But Jerram will soon be publicly posting instructions, enabling communities around the world to DIY 'urban slide'. For updates, you can follow him on Twitter. Via Inhabitat. Images by Colin Rayner and Luke Jerram.
If you didn't have a great time watching some of cinema's many sequels, remakes and riffs on well-known characters in 2023, you weren't alone: franchise fare and flicks linked to familiar figures scored big among the nominations for the 44th Golden Raspberry Awards. These annual accolades include a specific category for Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel, but perusing its current list of contenders means seeing titles that continue sagas and the like everywhere — including all five movies vying for Worst Picture. Up for the award: The Exorcist: Believer, Expend4bles, Meg 2: The Trench, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey. Among the rest of the fields, they have company from Fast X, Magic Mike's Last Dance, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania and Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny. As everyone already knows, last year was a great year to be Barbenheimer, which showed that films that weren't follow-ups could amass a massive audience. The same can't be said for movies that arrived with a been-there-done-that vibe already baked in. Obviously, not all flicks can be excellent. Some are, and gongs like the Golden Globes and Oscars reward them accordingly. For those that aren't, the Razzies make its choices — and from 2023's releases, Expend4bles leads the way with seven nominations, including for Worst Supporting Actor (Sylvester Stallone), Worst Supporting Actress (Megan Fox), Worst Screen Couple (for any two "merciless mercenaries"), Worst Director (Scott Waugh), the aforementioned Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel, and Worst Screenplay. If you're wondering where Fast X was recognised, Vin Diesel received a Worst Actor nod. Magic Mike's Last Dance picked up nominations for Worst Actress (Salma Hayek) and Worst Screen Couple (Hayek with Channing Tatum). Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania has two contenders for Worst Supporting Actor in Michael Douglas and Bill Murray — plus director and sequel — and Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny pops up in the sequel and screenplay camps. Among the other big-name actors, Chris Evans and Ana de Armas are on the list for action-comedy Ghosted, and so is Russell Crowe for The Pope's Exorcist (exorcism movies were big in 2023, and with the Razzies). Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu got the nod for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Jennifer Lopez for The Mother and Jason Statham for Meg 2: The Trench, while Megan Fox picked up a second nomination for Johnny & Clyde. Sometimes, films receiving the Razzies' attention also earn some Oscars love, as Elvis and Blonde did last year. That seems less likely in 2024, but the Golden Raspberry Awards are always timed to make the comparison. Its nominations drop the day before the Oscars do the same and, when it anoints its winners on Sunday, March 10, Australian and New Zealand time, it'll also do so the day before the Academy Awards ceremony. Check out the full list of Razzie nominees below: Golden Raspberry Nominees 2023: Worst Picture: The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Meg 2: The Trench Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Actor: Russell Crowe, The Pope's Exorcist Vin Diesel, Fast X Chris Evans, Ghosted Jason Statham, Meg 2: The Trench Jon Voight, Mercy Worst Actress: Ana de Armas, Ghosted Megan Fox, Johnny & Clyde Salma Hayek, Magic Mike's Last Dance Jennifer Lopez, The Mother Helen Mirren, Shazam! Fury of the Gods Worst Supporting Actor: Michael Douglas, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Mel Gibson, Confidential Informant Bill Murray, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Franco Nero (as The Pope), The Pope's Exorcist Sylvester Stallone, Expend4ables Worst Supporting Actress: Kim Cattrall, About My Father Megan Fox, Expend4bles Bai Ling, Johnny & Clyde Lucy Liu, Shazam! Fury of the Gods Mary Stuart Masterson, Five Nights at Freddy's Worst Screen Couple: Any two "merciless mercenaries", Expend4bles Any two money-grubbing investors who donated to the $400 million for remake rights to The Exorcist Ana de Armas and Chris Evans (who flunked screen chemistry), Ghosted Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum, Magic Mike's Last Dance Pooh and Piglet as blood-thirsty slasher/killers in Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Director: Rhys Frake-Waterfield, Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey David Gordon Green, The Exorcist: Believer Peyton Reed, Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Scott Waugh, Expend4bles Ben Wheatley, Meg 2: The Trench Worst Remake, Ripoff or Sequel: Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Screenplay: The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood & Honey The Golden Raspberry Awards will be announced on Sunday, March 10, Australian and New Zealand time. For further details, head to the awards' website.
If you're a fan of true-crime stories, then you'll know a disturbing truth: that there's no shortage of real-life tragedies that films and series in the genre can draw upon. White House Farm's inspiration comes from the notorious killings known as the White House Farm murders, which took place outside an Essex village and saw five members of the Bamber-Caffell family lose their lives, and continued to garner headlines intermittently in the decades since as appeals were lodged and reviews took place. Across six episodes, the show not only heads back to August 6, 1985, but also follows the investigation into the case. Feeling tense is part of the package, even if you're already familiar with the details. Cast-wise, Snatch's Stephen Graham and Game of Thrones' Mark Addy play the detectives trying to get to the bottom of the traumatic and complex situation — and fellow GoT alum Alfie Allen also pops up.
Kumiko (Rinko Kikuchi) is a superfan. Joel and Ethan Coen's Fargo is the object of her excessive attention, and she doesn't just fixate over it, she believes it. In particular, she believes there's a briefcase filled with money buried in the Minnesota snow. To understand why she's so intent on thinking the movie is more than fiction is to understand her largely solitary existence in Tokyo. Kumiko is 29 years old and still working as an office lady, a position her boss thinks she should've well and truly outgrown. Her mother only calls to scold her about her dismal personal life, and her only friend is her pet rabbit, Bunzo. So when she happens across a VHS copy of Fargo, embracing its tall tale as truth adds purpose to her days, and trekking across America to find the stack of cash it tells of becomes her destiny. Filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner delve into an urban legend that sprang up around the death of a Japanese woman in the US, first chronicled in 2003 documentary This Is a True Story. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter makes its own fable out of diving into the strangeness that can stem from both truth and fiction, as well as the tenuous relationship between the two. Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter is in select cinemas on April 29, and thanks to Palace Films, we have 15 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Read our full Kumiko review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
I'm no kidnapper. I've never tried and, unless this film critic thing really falls through, I hopefully never will. That said, were I to give it a crack, I can't help but think the overarching guideline for a successful 'grab' must be that my victim isn't dead by the time I get him. But look, I'm getting ahead of myself here. To the movie... In 2013 the world found itself subject to a ridiculous 'White House Being Taken Over By Terrorists Only To Be Saved By One Gritty Muscled Dude' genre battle between Olympus Has Fallen and the far superior White House Down. Now, three years later, we get London Has Fallen – the sequel to the former nobody was calling for. Starring Gerard Butler as Secret Service agent Mike Banning, London Has Fallen chronicles a devastating series of attacks throughout London on the morning of a state funeral, with the goal of assassinating world leaders and kidnapping the US President (Aaron Eckhart). Ah. There we are again. Kidnapping. I guess I'm just saying I'd be reluctant to use explosives near my target because of the potential for hurting him. I probably wouldn't, for example, instruct one of my generic 'international terrorist' henchmen to spend several minutes simply lobbing rocket-propelled grenades directly at the President's car. Or his hiding spot. Or his face. Anyway, minor side point. London Has Fallen boasts arguably the most outstanding supporting cast of Academy Award winners and nominees asked to do nothing but stare at a screen. Morgan Freeman, Jackie Earle Haley, Melissa Leo and Angela Bassett all shine for the several seconds that they're given in the White House Situation Room, and... Sorry. Not to get sidetracked again, it's just – they shoot his helicopter down. The President's helicopter. While he's in it. From an aviation safety standpoint alone, statistically that's a huge risk to take when you want to capture him alive. It's like using a nuke to get the toy out of a Kinder Surprise. As for the script, the terrorists speak in advertising slogans like "Vengeance must always be profound, and absolute", while Butler's hero Banning consistently spouts racist gems like "why don't you go back to Fuckheadistan or wherever it is you came from?" In fact, London Has Fallen is so astoundingly jingoistic and overtly xenophobic, you half-expect the credits to conclude with "Paid for by Trump 4 President". Plus...they just shoot at the President all the time. Especially when he's in cars. And then they ram those cars with garbage trucks, even before they know whether or not he's wearing a seatbelt. And it's not as though seatbelts are a guarantee of survival in a major collision... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AsOdX7NcJs
In one of her most memorable performances of the past decade, Nicole Kidman turned villainous, playing a not-so-friendly taxidermist who'd like to add a certain marmalade-loving bear to her collection. That was in the delightful Paddington, and she has stepped into plenty of other parts over the last ten years, too — in Stoker, Grace of Monaco, Lion, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Beguiled, Destroyer, Boy Erased, Aquaman and Bombshell, just to name a few — but it seems that the Australian actor is getting a little creepy again in her next miniseries role. As the just-dropped first teaser trailer shows, Nine Perfect Strangers casts Kidman as a wellness guru. She's unlikely to leave anyone feeling relaxed, though. Her character Masha oversees a resort that promises to transform nine city dwellers — but, although the sneak peek so far is brief, you can bet that things aren't going to turn out as planned for the show's titular figures. If the name sounds familiar, there are two reasons for that. Firstly, Nine Perfect Strangers is based on a 2018 novel of the same title, which was penned by Liane Moriarty. She also wrote Big Little Lies, which was also turned into a Kidman-starring TV series. Secondly, Nine Perfect Strangers was filmed in Byron Bay in the latter half of 2020, and received plenty of attention over that period given its star-studded lineup. Also set to feature in the new eight-part series: Melissa McCarthy (Thunder Force), Michael Shannon (Knives Out), Luke Evans (Crisis), Bobby Cannavale (Superintelligence), Regina Hall (Little), Samara Weaving (Bill & Ted Face the Music), Melvin Gregg (The United States vs Billie Holiday), Asher Keddie (Rams), Grace Van Patten (Under the Silver Lake), Tiffany Boone (The Midnight Sky) and Manny Jacinto (The Good Place). As with Big Little Lies — and with The Undoing, too, another of Kidman's recent projects — David E Kelley (LA Law, Ally McBeal, Mr Mercedes) is leading the charge behind the scenes. He's the show's co-writer and co-showrunner, with Long Shot's Jonathan Levine directing every episode. Exactly when Nine Perfect Strangers will start airing is yet to be revealed, but it'll stream via Hulu in the US — with details of how folks will be able to watch it Down Under also yet to be advised. And yes, Byron Bay seems to be quite the TV hub at the moment, given that Stan's upcoming mystery-drama series Eden also shot in the area, and that Netflix is working on a docu-soap about Byron Bay influencers. Check out the teaser trailer for Nine Perfect Strangers below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4nwFSSTUZc Nine Perfect Strangers doesn't yet have an air date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
Slow living and handmade craft has metamorphosed from bewitching alternative trend to a totally plausible way of life. In what seems to be some kind of conscious resistance to the speed and churn of internet culture, mass production and memes, there's an uptake in the kind of hands-on activities all about a quality time investment and a quality result at the end. Think sourdough starter, knitting, home ceramics kits... hell, even elaborate cocktail-making all fall into this category. Nonna's Grocer, an online concept store that popped up this year is the brainchild of Wollongong-based designer, Madeleine Hoy, and it's all about embracing the 'perfectly imperfect' principles of hand made. Right now, the hero produce on Nonna's Grocer's virtual shelves is a range of beautiful candles made the size, shape and appearance of the fruit and vegetables from your local fruit shop. Lemons, oranges and a family of heirloom tomatoes look so realistically juicy you'd be forgiven for being duped into taking a bite (Madeleine told us that no one's admitted doing that yet). For her next addition to the store, she's teamed up with Marrickville-based studio Defy Design on a fresh product line made from recycled plastic. Tell us a bit about the inspiration behind Nonna's Grocer and the ethos behind the store. Nonna's Grocer evolved about a year and a half ago, the day I learned that my Great Grandparents ran a grocery store in Daylesford Victoria. My dad was showing me these beautiful images of my Great grandfather Giuseppe in front of his shop and I was so inspired by this moment in time, and couldn't believe I hadn't known about it sooner. I immediately began thinking about a way I could combine my design background (I was a set designer) with this beautiful business that was a part of my family history. Thus Nonna's Grocer was born, a conceptual studio where I develop designs that harness the era of a simpler time with a modern twist. A 'Perfectly imperfect' handmade aesthetic is my focus, as well as creating special pieces for humans to encourage them to slowww it down. Whether that's having a bath, a dinner date with your dog, or stretching a hammy, light a candle and enjoy the moment. Your current range is a selection of incredibly true-to-life fruit shaped candles. How do you make them look so life-like? I found a maker in Sydney who casts objects for sculptures and pitched the idea of getting them to cast fruit. We were a bit unsure at the time how well it would work as fruits decompose quickly when encased, so we had to be smart about which fruits could work well. (Turns out peeled fruits don't work well, just so you know). I then started hitting the supermarkets (back in the day when one could tread slowly) and would study 100 lemons at a time to find the perfect one, and my range grew from there. I've got to ask: have you encountered any instances of people accidentally taking a bite? Oh ha, look no one has informed me they have tried to eat one as of yet, but is that really something you would tell people if you accidentally ate a candle? What kind of shopper do you want Nonna's Grocer to appeal to? I like to think Nonna's Grocer appeals to anyone that is interested in quality produce and a slower paced lifestyle. Particularly people that appreciate craftsmanship, design, and looking for creative ways to make their day more playful. What are the craftspeople, brands or concept retailers that you admire and take inspiration from? Oh dear, I love homeware stores that scream 'good quality'. The Provider Store in Surry Hills is pretty special as it celebrates the history and craftsmanship of Japan. Delicious! The New Zealand store KauKau [based in Wellington] is also beautiful, highly recommend checking them out. I am a big fan of designers like Sabine Marcelis and Gustaf Westman who design various pieces in their own aesthetic, never following a trend. I take inspiration from a million different places, but Stephanie Stamatis the art director began styling food in a way that really resonated, and the interior designers from Paris called Studio Classico have a lovely touch when it comes to materials. Oh, and the cheese shop Formaje in Madrid, their packaging and cheese selection is to die for... Honestly, I could go on and on. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Stephanie Stamatova (@stephanie_somebody) You've started with fruit but you've hinted at 'more to come'. What else can we expect to see hit the virtual shelves of your store? I am so excited to share with you what is coming next, but they are all at the back end of development so I am not quite ready to spill the cannellini beans just yet. I can give you a sneaky hint though: one of my pieces will be manufactured at Defy Design in Marrickville, who collect local plastic waste, hand separate them by colour, and then melt them down into new objects. I'm very excited! Discover more about Nonna's Grocer and have a browse at the website or follow on Instagram.
Melbourne's arts calendar never fails to keep us busy, however, it's always had a bit of a lull in winter before Melbourne International Arts Festival and Melbourne Music Week take over the city in spring. But, from next year, that's all set change. The Victorian Government has this morning announced that it will launch a huge new citywide arts festival in the winter of 2020. It's a big shake-up to the Melbourne arts calendar as the new festival will merge the aforementioned Melbourne Festival and arts all-nighter White Night and move them into a winter timeslot. Since its inception, White Night has been held on a hot February night — however, in September last year, it was announced that it would move to August for 2019. Melbourne Fest, which was established in 1986, is usually held in October. [caption id="attachment_650235" align="alignnone" width="1920"] White Night Melbourne[/caption] Exact timings and details are yet to be revealed, but the new "global" festival — as it's being billed by the Andrews Government — will take over the city for several weeks, much like Melbourne Festival usually does in October. While it will no doubt combine the best bits of the two existing festivals, a new creative team will come on to develop a new program and vision. We're told the the 2020 program will feature a "diverse program of visual and performing arts" coupled with with "large-scale takeovers of precincts" after-dark. Hopefully that means more immersive installations like last year's Fire Garden at Melbourne Festival. The inaugural festival — which is yet to be named — will kick off with a 'transitional' year in the winter of 2020. It's set to support Melbourne's tourism and hospitality industries in the quieter months and, no doubt, provide a Melbourne equivalent to Sydney's popular Vivid festival, which kicks off this month. Both White Night and the Melbourne International Arts Festival will go ahead as planned this year, on the weekend of August 22–24 and October 2–20, respectively. The new winter festival will hit Melbourne in winter 2020. We'll keep you updated when new details or dates are announced. Image: Fire Garden from Melbourne International Arts Festival 2018, by Vincent Muteau.
It has been 87 years since Perry Mason first started sleuthing his way across the page, 86 since the defence attorney character initially hit the big screen, 77 since he made the leap to radio serials and 63 since he made his TV debut. In other words, this is a fictional figure with more than a little history — but 2020's version, starring Matthew Rhys, just might be the best yet. Brooding, moody, slinky, and making the most of thematically fitting, visually stunning inky black tones and lingering shadows, the HBO series heads back to 1932, when Los Angeles and the US in general are struggling with the Great Depression. Traumatised from World War I and grappling with a tough divorce, Mason is struggling as well. Then he's hired on a missing-child case as a private detective, and this star-filled series — think: John Lithgow, Robert Patrick and Tatiana Maslany, among others — kicks into quite the compelling gear.
Mecca, aka the Melbourne-born beauty and cosmetics chain that has won fans the country over since it launched in the 90s, has been opening stores around Australia for the last 20 years. And it's currently hosting a huge online sale with 50 percent off a heap of products. That's good news for everyone, including your bank balance. If you haven't jumped on the Mecca bandwagon yet, then prepare to nab all those prestigious international brands you can't get elsewhere — as well as its own line of products. It's a makeup mecca, and more than a 100 different products are currently on sale. You can nab half-price Urban Decay highlighter, Nars eyeshadow, Too Faced concealer and Bare Minerals products — just to name a few of the items on sale. If this is the excuse you needed to boost your makeup bag, the sale runs online — on both Mecca Australia and Mecca NZ websites — from 7am on Tuesday, June 30 until 6.59am on Tuesday, July 14 (or till stocks last).
Vivid is one of the best times of the year to be in Sydney — and also one of the most crowded. The festival of light, music and ideas has returned for 23 days from May 25 to June 16, and its tenth-anniversary program is sure to draw the biggest crowds yet. Want to see all of those glorious Sydney CBD light shows without packing into the streets like sardines? We know the best spots where you can get in on all the Vivid action — drink in one hand, phone in the other snapping shots from a unique vantage point. We've also partnered with our mates at Samsung to ensure we've selected bars with the primest of views, so you can use that new Galaxy S9 and S9+ with its specially developed low light camera to snap the best evening shots. So whether you're into DJ sets with a front row seat to the new Luna Park installations or glowing gin cocktails with rooftop panoramas of those illuminated Opera House sails, we've picked out five of the best spots to hit for epic Vivid sights. MCA ROOFTOP BAR The MCA Cafe's rooftop boasts quite possibly the best Vivid vantage point the city has to offer — sans the heaving crowds. Panoramic sights of nearly all the festival highlights are visible from here (apart from the MCA itself, of course), so it's an ideal spot for snapping wide-angle pics. This year, Bombay Sapphire will be running the pop-up bar, which is open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 5–9pm during the festival. Here, you can sip on glowing gin cocktails while taking in unobstructed views of the Opera House light show. The MCA has also extended its Lights on Later program to coincide with the Vivid hours; so in between drinks up at the bar, you can catch the last days of its 21st Biennale exhibition, running until Monday, June 11. THE GLENMORE Since being refurbished back in 2012, The Glenmore terrace has become one of our go-to spots all year 'round — especially during Vivid. The heritage-listed pub's rooftop offers 180-degree views over Sydney Harbour, featuring up-close sights of the Harbour Bridge light show. Tuck into some pub grub favourites and raise a glass to snagging one of Sydney's very best views of the festival. Our tip? Get in early (pre-sunset) so you can get a front row seat to all the glowing action come sundown. SMOKE No matter what you decide to snack on, this is really food with a view, as Smoke at Barangaroo House was designed to lead the eye out over the harbour. Thanks to Vivid Sydney, it's a prime location for a little light spotting. Barangaroo becomes a magical bushland of lights with The Liminal Hour, featuring the fiery six-metre high Marri Dyin, Eora for 'great woman'. You'll also surely catch a glimpse of the Australian National Maritime Museum rooftop, which will be projecting the underwater delights of BBC Earth and David Attenborough's Blue Planet II. Between sips of an Autumn Spritz — which blends Martini Riserva Abrato with pink grapefruit, St Germain elderflower liqueur, juniper and prosecco — you'll also be able to aim your lens at floating light boats and the beams of Skylark, an interactive custom-built laser, controlled out of nearby Pier 8. GOLDIE'S MUSIC HALL AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Along with the Sydney Opera House's massive Vivid lineup comes its annual pop-up bar. This year, Goldie's Music Hall has taken over the northern foyer — brought to you by the team from Newtown's The Midnight Special. Themed 60s and 70s, the bar features a black and gold fit-out complete with beaded lampshades, plush furnishings and peacock chairs. DJs including Gonz, Mama Disquo and Rusty and Boonge will be spinning playlists of funk, soul and R&B, while you relax with signature cocktails like the Golden Years (a boozy concoction of cognac, rye whiskey and amaretto with whisky barrel bitters and orange zest), plus craft beers from The Grifter and Young Henrys, liquor from Poor Toms and Archie Rose and decadent small bites. Of course, you also get prime viewing of the Harbour and can snap all the waterside shots you want from the comfort of the bar. Goldie's is open daily from 6pm–late and runs until Monday, June 4. BLU BAR AT SHANGRI-LA Set on the 36th floor and fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, the Shangri-La Hotel's Blu Bar boasts sky-high panoramas of the Harbour. So, if you want some sprawling overhead shots of Vivid, this is the place to be. From here, the technicolour lights dance below while you enjoy the late-night menu with an extensive cocktail list, featuring both classics and inventive signatures (like the chamomile sour or a yuzu-thyme vodka concoction), plus refined bar snacks that you can nibble on while watching the show below. Escape the crowds, opt for exclusive sights from some of the best bars with Vivid views and snap some seriously professional-looking shots on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, designed especially for low light. Images: Cole Bennetts.
It's no surprise that many of us are looking to upgrade our home comfort level at the moment. Aussie furniture brand Koala is keen to help you do just that with its Boxing Day sale where you can nab up to 20 percent off mattresses, sheets, sofas, desks and armchairs to help you upgrade your pad or improve your night's sleep. A heap of products from across the brand's range are on sale from Thursday, December 24 to Sunday, January 3 including the popular Koala mattress. Also on offer in the sale is the WFH desk, which is made in Ballarat from hand-sanded timber, easy to assemble and designed with home office use in mind. If you've found yourself working from home a lot more this year, you can pick up the desk for a sweet 15 percent off. Comfy Koala sofa beds, TV units, pillows, bed bases and more are going with a 20 percent discount, too, so you can give your whole house a makeover. And everything comes with a 120-night trial — though, it might be hard to give any of these up after four-months of comfort. 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.
For a week each year, the town of Maryborough honours one of its most famous former residents: Pamela Lyndon Travers, the author of the Mary Poppins books. The week-long Mary Poppins Festival celebrates Travers and her works with unusual activities that bring her beloved characters to life. Think chimney sweep challenges, kite flying competitions, costume parades and, of course, the Great Nanny Race, during which 20th century-dressed 'English nannies' push prams to the finish line. The festival kicks off with a steampunk afternoon tea and a good old fashioned street party, and culminates a week later in a community day in the park, complete with carnival rides, roving performers, sidewalk artists, workshops, activities and a grand parade. Next year's festivities will take place in July, leaving plenty of time to plan your trip to the Fraser Coast region — complete with a visit to Fraser Island and a dip in the pristine waters of Hervey Bay. We'll let you know when the exact dates are confirmed.
International travel might be off the cards for the next little while, but that means it's time to soak up all the goodness in your own backyard. Australia and New Zealand are chock full of world-class travel opportunities, with lush rainforests, dazzling coastline, pristine outback and more, just waiting to be explored. And one lucky local will get to hit the road and see part of it for free, thanks to a bumper new competition from Surf Stitch. The fashion retailer has joined forces with campervan hire crew Travellers Autobarn to give away a two-week road-tripping adventure of a lifetime. The winner will score 14-day van hire — with the chance to go cruising around either New Zealand or Australia with their besties, kicking off from a location of their choice — as well as a $1500 wardrobe worth of fresh threads from Surf Stitch, to keep you all looking extra good on tour. Where and when your adventure will unfold, is entirely up to you — and COVID-19 restrictions, of course. At the moment, there are restrictions on travelling between states and territories in Australia, all of Victoria is in lockdown and you can't fly between Australia and NZ — so, if you do win, be sure to check the laws before heading off on your adventure. Restrictions aside, you could go tripping along NSW's north coast, splitting your time between sandy beach and rainforest. Touring the untouched wilderness of Tassie. Or maybe gallivanting your way around the famed Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound on New Zealand's south island. Whatever your local travel bucket-list looks like, this prize is sure to help you tick off a few gems, while giving that holiday itch a good scratch. To be in with a shot at winning your ultimate road trip, simply jump on the competition website and enter your details. Then, decide just which part of this grand old backyard is calling to you the loudest. You can enter the competition by filling in your details over at the Surf Stitch website. Entries close at 11.59pm AEST on Friday, August 14. The competition is open to citizens and permanent residents of Australia and NZ. 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.
At skate parks around the world — and on consoles in lounge rooms, too — many an hour has been spent kickflipping and ollieing because of Tony Hawk. He's the professional skateboarder who became a household name, and the man whose licensed video game series had everyone sliding and grinding just by furiously mashing buttons. And, come 2024, he's coming to Australia to chat about his career. The skater icon is taking part in a talkfest aptly called An Evening with Tony Hawk. If you've ever wondered how he landed his famous '900', becoming the first skateboarder to complete two-and-a-half mid-air revolutions — or if you just want to know why Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, its sequels and spinoffs are so damn addictive — head along to The Athenaeum in Melbourne on Monday, January 22 to find out. [caption id="attachment_924147" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joshua Cutillo[/caption] In the chat, Hawk will discuss life, turning skating into a job, career highlights, his pop culture prominence and other topics, and maybe even his on-screen appearances in everything from the first xXx movie to Sharknado 5: Global Swarming. He'll also be joined by Birdman: Or the Unexpected Virtue of a Tony Hawk Pro Skater Cover Band. Setting the vibe through tunes from the games, their setlist includes Rage Against the Machine, Millencolin, Goldfinger and more.
If an epic new live music venue was on your Christmas wish-list this year, then Santa — well, the team at boutique music agency Novel — has delivered. The group's announced plans to launch a 5000-capacity late-night event space in the CBD, due for completion in 2018. Dubbed B3, the venue will host just three events each year and feature only big name acts, as organisers look to create something a bit special for the city's nightlife scene. "We appreciate the value that exciting and new venues can add to deliver a unique experience," explains Novel Director Daniel Teuma. "One aspect sorely lacking in Melbourne's nightlife is an inner-city location suitable for large-scale, indoor events." And Novel's bringing in the big guns to make it happen. Full Throttle, whose work you've heard at the likes of Strawberry Fields, Rainbow Serpent and Let Them Eat Cake, will be heading up the sound, while lighting and installations will come courtesy of Colourblind (Flume, Flight Facilities) and John Fish (Freedom Time, Melbourne Music Week). What's more, B3's production and programming will be handled by the same minds behind Pitch and Let Them Eat Cake, so you know to expect one hell of a tight operation. Stay tuned and we'll let you know the location as soon as it's announced on January 9. In the meantime you can sign up for news here.
