Step into your local arthouse theatre these days and you'd be hard pressed not to find a regional film festival going on. From established cinematic powerhouses like France, Germany and Japan, to less spotlighted industries such as Poland, Indonesia and Serbia, the sheer amount of world cinema on the cultural calendar means there's almost always an alternative to the latest blockbuster out of Hollywood. As long as you don't mind reading subtitles, that is. In 2014, the line-up is getting that little bit more crowded, with the inaugural edition of a brand new festival highlighting the films from Europe's frozen north. Covering Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, the first annual Scandinavian Film Festival is set to put the kvikmynd in kvikmyndahátíð. One area where contemporary Scandinavian cinema really seems to excel is the crime genre. Case in point, the Easy Money trilogy, starring Joel 'RoboCop' Kinnaman as a uni student turned drug runner. All three films will screen at the festival — see them before the scheduled US reboot featuring Zac Efron. From across the bridge in Denmark, meanwhile, comes police thriller The Keeper of Lost Causes, one the highest grossing films at the Danish box office last year. Continuing the dramatic thread, Metalhead, out of Iceland, tells the story of a pre-teen girl who copes with her brother's accidental death by taking on his identity. Sounds a little strange, sure, but the film has drawn rave reviews on the international festival circuit and scored a record-breaking 16 nominations at Iceland's prestigious Edda Awards. Thankfully, despite the region's chilly climate, not everything on the program is so severe. Finland's August Fools is a rom-com set against a Cold War era backdrop, while opening night features the informatively titled Swedish comedy The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. For more information about the Scandinavian Film Festival, visit their website. It's on at Palace Cinemas on the following dates: Canberra Tues 8 July - Sun 20 July Sydney Wed 9 July - Sun 27 July Melbourne Thu 10 July - Sun 27 July Brisbane Fri 11 July - Sun 20 July Adelaide Wed 23 July - Thurs 31 July Perth Thu 24 - Wed 30 July Byron Bay Fri 25 - Wed 30 July
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.
A new opera penned by Damon Albarn (frontman of Blur and Gorillaz) will premiere as part of the English National Opera's 2011/2012 season. Doctor Dee, Albarn's second opera, follows the life of 16th Century advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, John Dee, whose claim to fame includes dalliances with alchemy, astrology and espionage. Albarn's debut opera, Monkey: Journey To The West, was an adaption for the stage of a 16th Century Chinese novel. This year, despite a recent funding freeze from Arts Council England, the ENO is treating its audiences to 11 new productions, four of which are by living composers. https://youtube.com/watch?v=XT0tBKB2_PA
Is Renée Jeanne Falconetti's face the most haunting in cinema history? For almost a century, The Passion of Joan of Arc has made that case. Playing the titular role in Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 silent great, the French actress says everything with her eyes as she stares at the lens with deep and lingering soulfulness. Seeing the film means never being able to forget her. Watching The Passion of Joan of Arc on a big screen also usually involves being treated to a new experience each and every time. Among the silent films from almost 100 years back that keep scoring new cinema showings, this is a deservedly popular pick — and it keeps gaining new scores, too. Julia Holter is among those who've tried their hand, first performing her soundtrack for the movie in Los Angeles in 2017. In 2025, she's finally bringing it to Australia. Melbourne International Film Festival is presenting the cinema masterpiece with Holter's score played live, taking over Melbourne Recital Centre for two evenings across Monday, August 11–Tuesday, August 12. This is both an Australian premiere and Australian exclusive, with Holter taking to the stage with her band and The Consort of Melbourne choir — and with UK-based orchestrator and composer Hugh Brunt conducting. A film like no other, a performance to match, and a score by the musician that also left an imprint on the screen with her soundtrack for Never Rarely Sometimes Always: this will be a memorable movie-and-music presentation.
Filmmaker James Gray lays the American dream bare in his reserved but affecting period drama, The Immigrant. Set in New York City just a few years after the end of the First World War, the film begins with a shot of the Statue of Liberty peering through the fog. It's an image of hope and prosperity that on reflection holds a tragic kind of irony. The Immigrant is a bleak film, at times a little cold. But thanks to the magnificent work of Gray's cast, it's difficult to forget. Marion Cotillard plays Ewa, the immigrant of the title. Having fled war-torn Poland, she arrives on Ellis Island in search of a new life, only to face immediate deportation after her sister is quarantined with tuberculosis. Enter Bruno (Joaquin Phoenix), a well-connected stranger who intervenes on her behalf and arranges for her to be allowed into the city. A partner at a seedy burlesque theatre, Bruno offers Ewa a job as a seamstress, only to quickly coerce her into dancing and prostitution. Wracked with self-loathing but desperate to survive, the one ray of hope in Ewa's new life comes in the form of Bruno's charming cousin Orlando (Jeremy Renner), who promises to spirit her away. But Bruno won't part with his favourite dove so easily, and soon his jealousy and obsession threatens to boil over into violence. Gray could hardly have assembled a more talented trio of actors. Phoenix, of course, is magnetic as Bruno, a man who is simultaneously pitiable and vile. Although undoubtedly the villain of the piece, Gray allows Bruno genuine dimension, the kind that characters such as this are rarely given. Renner's cocksure charisma, meanwhile, lends energy and life to every scene he's in. Without him, the film might well have been too grim to bear. That said, neither Phoenix nor Renner can hold a candle to Cotillard, who may well be one of the most gifted actresses alive. Every indignity Ewa suffers is registered in her eyes, which stare accusingly out of the sepia-tinted frame. It's a haunting performance full of vulnerability, wounded pride and quiet strength. She's the heart and soul of the picture, and the single biggest reason to seek it out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ohVv5-rq-JY
Dear Concrete Playground Readers, With the growing concerns surrounding COVID-19, we wanted to take a moment to check in. Going out might not be at the top of your to-do list right now, but you can continue to support small, local businesses without leaving your apartment. These businesses have had a tough run of late — battling through the lockout laws in Sydney, the bushfires in regional areas and, now, coronavirus fears — and they need our support now more than ever. Buy from artists who've had their shows cancelled, order gift cards and merch from venues that are struggling or just book in a dinner for that birthday a few months away. Then, when we come out the other side — which we will — we'll be raring to get out there and hit up concerts, food festivals, comedy galas and charity raves once again. And we'll be there with you every step of the way. In the meantime, keep washing your hands — to the chorus of Lizzo's 'Truth Hurts', of course — and get in touch if you have any questions, concerns or just want to chat. Love, CP To stay up-to-date with the events postponed and cancelled in your city, head over here. 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.
Back in the 2000s, if you weren't listing to Interpol and Bloc Party, were you really in the 2000s? No, no you weren't. The former arrived out of Manhattan in the late 90s, then helped define the city's turn-of-the-century indie music scene with The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio and The National. Hailing from Britain and also coming together just before Y2K, the latter initially scored some hefty approval in 2003 via Franz Ferdinand's lead singer Alex Kaprano. From those beginnings, both bands became indie rock greats. Next, they're heading to Australia to remind music lovers why. Busting out everything from 'Slow Hands' to 'She's Hearing Voices', the two groups will share the same bill on a co-headlining tour of the country's east coast in November, including a show at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Thursday, November 16. For Interpol, it'll be their first visit Down Under since 2019, plus their debut chance to play 2022 album The Other Side of Make-Believe in Australia. Tracks from past records such as Turn on the Bright Lights, Antics and El Pintor will also feature. Bloc Party are making the trip after last rocking Aussie stages in 2018, and will perform songs from Silent Alarm, A Weekend in the City, Intimacy and 2022 LP Alpha Games. Bloc Party images: James Kellegher. Interpol image: Ebru Yildiz.
You would think that for a country girt by sea, comprising a shitload of bewilderingly great beaches and a population who love a good bevvy, we'd have more opportunities to drink by the ocean (you know, outside of a sneaky goon sack stroll down the shore on NYE). But we haven't, legally, until now. Fremantle's Bathers Beach House has been granted Australia's first liquor license for alfresco beach dining (and drinking). The WA establishment is currently the only place in Australia where you can (legally) drink on the beach. Of course, they've arranged sun lounges in their newly licensed sand and will be serving a range of food and drinks from their beachside menu, delivered straight to your sunbathing face. General erosion, gradual ecosystem destruction and environmental impact aside, generally speaking, it could be the impetus the rest of Australia needs to start amending the laws that forbid the pairing of our nation's two strongest assets: a hot beach and cold beers. The Gold Coast toyed with the idea in 2015 but to no avail. Come on local Australian councils, legalise beach beers. Think of the boom in sales of those fold-out chairs with in-built drink holders. We can't afford not to follow suit on this one. Via Hospitality Magazine.
If you're in Melbourne or Brisbane and Uluru has always been on your travel bucket list, getting to the world-famous large sandstone formation in Australia's Red Centre just got easier. Back in late 2023, Virgin announced that it was starting direct flights from the two cities to the Northern Territory landmark in June 2024 — and now those routes are taking off, complete with a sale slinging cheap fares to celebrate. People make their way Down Under from around the globe to see Uluru. Last year, it was even named one of the best places in the world to visit by The New York Times. For folks keen to head there from the Victorian capital, flights begin on Thursday, June 6, 2024. And for Queenslanders, you can take the trip from Friday, June 7, 2024. The new direct routes mark Virgin's first-ever legs to Uluru from Melbourne and Brisbane. The airline is flying between Melbourne and Uluru four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The carrier is zipping between Brisbane and Uluru three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Virgin has partnered with the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia — which runs Ayers Rock Resort — on the new services to get more people to the middle of the country. And it's aiming to send quite a few more tourists in that direction, with 62,000-plus seats a year on offer thanks to the two new legs. "To see Virgin Australia planes touching down in Uluṟu again is a huge thrill — this is a landmark moment that underscores the boundless appeal of the Red Centre," said Matt Cameron-Smith, CEO of Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. "We're excited to have even more visitors experience the wonders of Uluṟu, along with culturally immersive experiences like Sunrise Journeys and Wintjiri Wiru, through Virgin Australia's extensive network." If you're eager to book ASAP and score a bargain, Virgin's new flight sale is running until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Fares start at $119 one-way in economy, with dates varying across July–December 2024. For accommodation, Ayers Rock Resort is doing $230-per-night three-night stays as well. [caption id="attachment_905928" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Salty Travellers[/caption] [caption id="attachment_905930" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism NT and Sean Scott[/caption] Virgin's Melbourne–Uluru services commence on Thursday, June 6, 2024, and its Brisbane–Uluru services start on Friday, June 7, 2024. The airline's current sale on flights to Uluru is slinging fares from $119 until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, June 8, 2024 — head to the Virgin website for more details.
A group of 88 writers and editors, including The Slap author Christos Tsiolkas, Nobel Prize winner JM Coetzee, Miles Franklin award-winning author Anna Funder, The Family Law writer Benjamin Law and Meanjin editor Zora Sanders, have written an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Treasurer Joe Hockey and Minister for the Arts George Brandis published in The Guardian, outlining their "dismay" at "the many proposed changes to health, education and welfare support announced in the 2014 budget" and their objections to "the reduction in arts funding". On May 13, Hockey revealed a $28.2 million cut to Australia Council funding, a $38 million cut to the Screen Australia budget and a $120 million cut to the ABC and the SBS over the next four years. "This decrease in federal support will be devastating to those who make art of any kind in this country," the letter states. "Many important works, works that would inform national debate and expand the horizons of Australia and its citizens, will simply never be made. Ultimately, these cuts will impoverish Australian culture and society." However, the argument doesn’t stop at moral, emotional and intellectual wealth. The writers point out that in 2008-09, the arts were responsible for adding 7% (or $86 billion) to the national GDP, and in 2011 cultural industries kept 531,000 individuals employed, while creating another 3.7 million jobs. Meanwhile, "it is worth noting that the mining sector only provides $121bn to the GDP, and employs fewer workers (187,400 directly, 599,680 indirectly), yet receives far more government financial support at federal and state levels." Moreover, they continue, the budget not only affects major organisations such as Australian Ballet (which has actually seen a hefty $1 million top up from the government for its budget) but also the threatened international touring capacity of regional companies like Bangarra Dance Theatre. Also affected will be the ability of "decades-old publications continue to foster a love of literature, finding and supporting new writers who will become tomorrow’s great Australian authors." "The loss of funding will devastate these smaller organisations and practitioners, robbing Australia of a whole generation of artists, writers, publishers, editors, theatre makers, actors, dancers and thinkers," they conclude. "Crucially, it will deprive people, particularly in rural and regional areas and in remote communities, of the opportunity to create, educate, learn and collaborate. These proposed funding cuts endanger us intellectually, artistically and severely damage our reputation internationally. Moreover, we fear the prospect of a world of culture and art that is unaffordable to the majority of Australians." Read the full letter here. Via The Guardian.
In a provocative move usually found in the realms of contemporary art, Austrian men's magazine Vangardist has just printed 3000 copies of their latest edition with blood-infused ink from people with HIV. A new project with Saatchi & Saatchi Switzerland, Vangardist's #HIVHeroes issue aims to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS, trigger discussion around the attached social stigmas and raise funds — all profits from this edition go to charity foundations fighting the stigma of HIV/AIDS. The blood-infused ink comes from three HIV-positive donors: a wife and mother, a heterosexual man and a homosexual man. The #HIVHeroes issue comes sealed in plastic, encouraging readers to face their HIV contact fears when physically opening the magazine. According to Dezeen, Vangardist followed Harvard and Innsbruck-produced guidelines to ensure handling of the magazine had no risk of infection. Vangardist describes the plastic-sealed issue as "100% safe", a provocative nod to the prevailing social fear attached to HIV/AIDS and the people who live with it every day. "Although people with HIV can live a normal life in countries with good medical care, they are still faced with a hard social stigma of exclusion," says the Vangardist team. "Most conceal their illness for fear of losing their friends, their job or their partners or even to find a partner. Because still there are still too many people who are afraid to touch a person with HIV, to embrace or kiss. "No matter how one learns of the issue, whether one hears about in the news or reading the newspaper about it, everyone is wondering: "Would I attack this magazine? In any case, anyone who buys one of the limited edition of 3000 pieces is inevitably faced, when opening the special packaging, with its own fears and discomfort. If these are overcome, the next contact with an HIV positive person is very natural run." Vangardist's blood-printed issue is being launched to coincide with Vienna's Life Ball, one of the globe's biggest AIDS charity events. The magazine is only distributed in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, although you can contact their customer service if you want to get your hands on a copy. Via Dezeen. Images: Julian Behrenbeck.
Cinemas may be closed around the world at present but, thanks to the proliferation of streaming platforms over the past few years, film buffs can still get their movie fix from the comfort of their own couches. If you're a fan of going to your local picture palace for more than just the flicks, though, you might be currently missing some of the other elements that come with heading out to see a movie — enjoying the communal viewing experience, attending premieres and listening to Q&A sessions afterwards, for example. Enter FanForce TV, the new streaming offshoot of theatrical distributor FanForce, which usually organises screenings of new films as driven by community demand. If you're part of a local group looking to screen a particular movie to support a specific cause, it also helps you host your own sessions. Like plenty of other businesses, FanForce has been forced to adapt to the current COVID-19 situation — so it's now shifting its setup online. Just launched — and available not just Down Under, but globally — FanForce TV lets you rent movies you'd like to watch on a pay-per-view basis. So far, so standard; however the streaming platform will also live stream Q&As, complete with live chats so you can join in from home. You'll be able to talk to fellow viewers, and direct your questions at filmmakers and expert panellists — and, if you're still eager to host your own virtual screening of a specific flick for a particular group, you can do so via FanForce TV's 'Home Premiere' function. Film-wise, the current FanForce TV range includes Oscar-winner Parasite, eco-conscious documentaries 2040 and The Biggest Little Farm, and Aussie music flicks Mystify: Michael Hutchence and Gurrumul — plus Adam Goodes-focused doco The Australian Dream, the puppy-fuelled Pick of the Litter, eerie true-crime tale Ghosthunter and even Banksy's Exit Through the Gift Shop. The list goes on, spanning docos on college sexual assault The Hunting Ground, organ transplant Dying to Live and outback dirt-racing Finke: There and Back as well, among other titles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmahNqD3Dvw More films are set to join the service, too, such as Sydney-shot comedy Standing Up for Sunny, whales in captivity documentary Blackfish and — with accompanying Q&A sessions — moving Aussie doco In My Blood It Runs. If you not only like watching movies, but recommending them, FanForce TV also boasts an affiliate program that'll pay customers cash for directing their friends to watch a particular film. For further details — or to stream a movie or organise your own online community screening — visit the FanForce TV website.
Gaze into the night sky and marvel at the cosmos, at a new exhibition at the ARC One Gallery in the CBD. Cherry Springs is the latest solo show from New York-based Australian photo artist Sam Shmith, who has captured thousands of images of the starlit expanses about Pennsylvania's beautiful Cherry Springs State Park. Appearing at ARC One from November 3 until December 5, the exhibition draws inspiration from a wide variety of artists, including writers Adam Gopnik and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, photographers Wolfgang Tillmans and Paul Graham, and Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Shmith was also influenced by the testimonies of astronauts and high altitude pilots, who have ventured to the edge of the Earth and beyond.
With 15 months and a massive 300,000 rounds of mini golf under its belt, Melbourne's putt putt club-cocktail bar hybrid Holey Moley has scored an ambitious revamp. The Little Bourke Street space will reopen its doors today, sporting nine brand new themed holes, on top of the current 18-hole course that's been enjoyed by around 5,000 punters each week since it first launched. The supercharged offering includes fun additions like Zappy Go Larry, referencing the board game Operation, a curly situation dubbed These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirstee, and film-inspired hole, Ferris Wheeler's Day Off. The 18 holes on the venue's second level have remained the same. Holey Moley's ground-floor cocktail bar has also been given a hefty face lift, unveiling a new look and a new pun-filled lineup of libations to match. That post-putting drinks session now include sips like the Cherry Ripe for the Picking — featuring chocolate and cherry liqueurs, coconut rum, milk, whipped cream and a Cherry Ripe garnish — and the Austin Sours, crafted on Aperol and vanilla vodka. The Holey Moley stable currently includes ten venues across four states, with the next set to open in Wollongong, NSW, next month. Images: Eugene Hyland
Melbourne, take a bow — you've just made one little yellow dwarf star very happy. Well, the Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D'Ambrosio has, anyway, by announcing that the tram network will soon be powered entirely by solar power (pan out to the sun high-fiving itself). D'Ambrosio announced this morning that Victoria's first large-scale solar plant will be operational by the end of 2018 and half the output (around 35 megawatts) will go towards running the tram system. The plant will also create 300 jobs in Melbourne's north-west. It's a part of the master plan to bring Victoria's emissions down to net-zero in 2050. To be clear, though, the current plan is to offset the electricity used by trams with renewable energy certificates, not to directly power the trams with solar power. Hooray investment in solar energy, not hooray for ambiguous, bureaucratic offset plans that don't directly use our fine, home-made solar energy. So, while there's still room for improvement we're definitely getting there. If any of you happen to specialise in building large-scale solar plants, today is your lucky day, because they're accepting tenders in early 2017. Get on it. Via The Age. Image: Liam Davies.
When it comes to Mother's Day, Melbourne is spoilt for choice this year. If bubbles are high on the agenda, check out our list of champagne-fuelled adventures – from bottomless sessions to three-course lunches and a rooftop picnic. Plus, over here, you'll find a slew of standout restaurants, bars and cafes. But are you looking for something a bit different? Funlab has come to your rescue. It's the name behind some of Melbourne's most entertaining venues — and, this Mother's Day, it wants to treat your mum to the free adventure she deserves. That might be a round of mini golf at Holey Moley while sipping on colourful cocktails, a game of ten-pin bowling at Strike or Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, or even a session in a challenge room at Hijinx Hotel. All you have to do is book an activity for a minimum of two people on Sunday, May 11, and make your reservation online with the code MUMFREE.
Just like a picture is worth a thousand words, a good gift can speak volumes. And when it comes to your nearest and dearest, it's worth forking out the big bucks to make them feel suitably special. Socks and undies simply will not do, you need to up the ante and pick out a present that is nuanced, thoughtful and unequivocally them. We know it can be tough; you may feel as though you've exhausted all your options. There's only so many times you can buy their favourite necklace, after all. To give you some fresh gift ideas, we've partnered with Australia Post and pulled together some real humdingers for the super important people in your life. From retro turntables to limited edition RMs, these pressies keep your key peeps smiling. Moreover, they can all be ordered online and conveniently delivered to your nearby Parcel Locker so you don't even have to go to the shops. Let your fingers do the walking, forgo the crazy Christmas crowds and rest easy knowing your parcel is stored securely till you're ready to collect. Happy shopping, Santas. PORD WINE BARREL If you've got a legit wine lover on your list, go beyond a bottle of primo vino or even a stylish decanter, and blow their socks off with one of these mini wine barrel masterpieces. The three-litre barrels are covered in art by three eclectic artists — Filippa Edghill, Hannah Nowlan and Evi O. — and filled with top-notch Mitchelton drops from the 2017 and 2018 vintages. Choose the design and the wine — pinot grigio, shiraz or rose — and get ready to be praised for your awesome gift. Each barrel holds a neat four bottles' worth of wine and will keep it fresh for up to six weeks. They can also be repurposed once empty. Cheers to that. How much? $160 CUSTOM HABBOT SHOES There's nothing better than a pair of comfy shoes. Wait, we take that back, there's nothing better than a pair of comfy and stylish shoes. Treat your special someone to a pair of custom Habbot shoes — they're super chic but have Hush Puppies-level comfort. The Aussie-designed and Italian-made footwear company has a great online customisation tool that lets you pick and choose everything, from the shoe type — classic derby, micro-sole derby, point pump or mid-heel sandal — to the material, colour and laces. So, you can design one-of-a-kind kicks for your numero uno that'll stand out from the crowd. How much? From $405 EVERY EDITION OF TRUTH, LOVE & CLEAN CUTLERY If your nearest and dearest is both an eco-warrior and a food lover — congrats, they sound awesome — surprise them with every edition of Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery. Basically the A to Z of sustainable eating, these guidebooks feature more than 1300 organic, ethical and sustainable restaurants from around the world. To take the gift up a notch, let your loved one pick out a few of their favourite restaurants and treat them to a night of ethical fare. Hey, it's a present for you, too. How much? $145 for all four books RM WILLIAMS EXCLUSIVE BOOTS These boots were made for walking and showing off, the limited edition metallic RMs are the shoe of the season and the perfect gift for any Carrie Bradshaw-status shoe fiends. At $545 a pop, they're not cheap — but the RM brand is renowned for its rock-solid craftsmanship and the kicks will last a lifetime. Luckily, silver is seldom out of style and goes perfectly with tinsel. But if silver is a bit too flash for your giftee, there's also the more subdued limited edition high-shine black boot. No matter your choice, each pair is crafted out of a single piece of leather and is made to order, so expect a two-week delivery timeframe. They're worth the wait, trust us. How much? $545 GOOGLE HOME HUB Hey, Google. Tell us how many hugs we're going to get for this kick-ass gift? Forget it, we already know it's going to be a heap. Yep, anyone who receives a Google Home Hub for Christmas is going to be over the moon. They're basically getting their very own assistant to set alarms, turn off lights, read out cooking instructions, organise daily routines, play music, take photos... the list goes on. They might even get a new lover if they're anything like Joaquin Phoenix's character in Her. Now that's a gift. How much? $219 FUJIFILM INSTAX SQUARE SQ6 INSTANT CAMERA Remember when Polaroid cameras were so big and bulky they basically required their own carry bag? While the promise of pretty photos (in an instant) was enticing, nobody wanted to lug around a brick. Thankfully, those days are long gone and you can now gift a nice, compact FujiFilm Instant Camera to your number one. The clever square format means your pal won't waste time choosing between portrait or landscape, they can just pick up the camera and take the snap. It's kind of like Instagram in real life. Plus, its small size means it can be carried around with ease. How much? $199 RETRO-LOOKING TURNTABLE If you've got a bigtime muso in your inner circle, there's a good chance you've heard them rabbiting on about the beauty of vinyl before — how records sound so much better than CDs or MP3. Something about audio data and lossy formats? Anyway, treat them to this Thomson 3 Speed Retro Look Turntable with built-in speakers and get them spinning their favourite tracks. The turntable's sleek, vintage design makes it a nice addition to any home — even a muso's dark and dingy lair. If you want to add a personalised touch, pick out a vinyl to gift with the turntable — it's a combo that's guaranteed to make their head spin like, well, a record. How much? $99 NOKIA STEEL HR WATCH This one's for the fitness fanatics in your life who also appreciate a bit of style. The Nokia Steel HR Watch is a watch-activity tracker hybrid that's both aesthetically pleasing and hella practical. The watch monitors your heart rate during workouts and can assess your overall performance, then deliver a personalised in-app report directly to your smartphone. The intuitive gadget makes your fitness goals that little bit easier to achieve, which means it's also a thoughtful gift for somebody you know is keen to get fit in the new year. How much? From $299 MODERNIST BREAD BOOK SET Bread, glorious bread. You'd be hard pressed to find a person who doesn't love it. But if you've got a special person who's particularly fond of baked goods, this is the book set for them. Modernist Bread: The Art and Science is a deep-dive into one of the most important staples of the human diet; it's the most in-depth look at bread to date. The five-volume set, housed in a sleek stainless steel case, contains more than 1500 recipes and breadmaking techniques. The best part? You can sample all their tasty dough-based creations. Forget cake, let them eat bread. How much? $700 HP SPROCKET PHOTO PRINTER A gift for the selfie enthusiasts, the HP Sprocket Photo Printer allows you to instantly print photos straight from your smartphone quicker than you can say 'duck face'. The printer has an ultracompact design — it's small enough to carry on the go — so it's also a great gift for budding photographers or designers as they can quickly print their snaps. The printer uses Bluetooth technology, which means there are no annoying cords and each photograph can be edited (hello, filters) before printing via the HP Sprocket app. Also, the special adhesive photo paper means you can easily stick your photos into albums or journals. How much? $159 Christmas shopping has never been so simple — order online, ship to a Parcel Locker and avoid the hectic shops with Australia Post.
In excellent news for your forthcoming silly season travel plans, local brewery Stomping Ground has relaunched its pop-up beer garden at Melbourne Airport, bigger and better than before. Dubbed Terminal 3 ½, the venue's located between Terminal 3 (Virgin flights) and the newer Terminal 4 (Tiger and Jetstar flights), slinging a hefty range of craft brews on tap and coffee by Proud Mary, alongside a rotation of some of the city's most legendary food trucks. Big screens throughout are set to show all of the season's major sports events, while others will feature more useful airport info, like up-to-date gate information to help avoid any missed flight mishaps. There are deck chairs for maximum pre-flight relaxation, and even a fridge filled with takeaway tinnies. Meanwhile, a vibrant look comes courtesy of local illustrator and muralist Justine McAllister, who's collaborated on a series of cheery artworks for the space, including colourful designs referencing the brewing process. You might almost forget you're about to endure the tedious process that is air travel. Melbourne Airport's about to enter its busiest time of the year, so a few craft brews should help ease at least some of the stress of dealing with all those other passengers. Stomping Ground's Terminal 3 ½ beer garden is located between terminals three and four at Melbourne Airport, and is open daily from 7.30am for the near future.
In Mark Wahlberg's performances, men are patriotic heroes and fun-loving dads. With his Funky Bunch and Boogie Nights days long behind him, that's the image he's been cultivating on-screen of late. The actor's resume has become littered with gung-ho action and family-friendly comedies — Patriot's Day, Mile 22 and Transformers sequels on one side; a pair of Daddy's Home movies and now Instant Family on the other. As different as the two might seem, both types of film basically allow him to play the same character. He doesn't disappear into his roles or make every part feel distinctive, but simply adds to his particular portrait of masculinity. While Wahlberg might hunt down terrorists in one flick, battle shape-shifting robots in another and then face the challenges of being a father in the next, he's really just painting the same picture one movie at a time. Instant Family, Wahlberg's latest all-ages affair, slides seamlessly into his recent filmography. As for the actor, he steps into the shoes of Pete Wagner, a take-charge kind of guy who renovates and sells houses for a profit with his wife Ellie (Rose Byrne). The couple's life is comfortable and happy, but they've fallen into a rut. So, being at the age where everyone comments about their lack of kids, they start thinking about helping children in need. Approaching becoming foster parents like they're remodelling a rundown home, the pair considers their new task a spiritual and emotional revamp. And the arrival of teenager Lizzy (Isabela Moner) and her siblings Juan (Gustavo Quiroz) and Lita (Julianna Gamiz) goes smoothly at first; in fact, Pete and Ellie are initially pretty pleased with themselves. It's easy to see why Instant Family appealed to Wahlberg, who gets to play another tough but tender everyman facing a challenge, looking out for his family and doing what his type of guy does. That said, there's more to this specific story, with the film inspired by the life of director and foster parent Sean Anders. There's an evident ring of truth to many of the movie's scenes — the awkwardness of adoption fairs, where potential caregivers browse for kids like they might a new pet, coo over cute tykes and steer clear of teenagers, provides just one example. Anders hasn't come up with an offbeat scenario solely for laughs, and it shows in the script penned with his regular co-writer John Morris. Certainly, the authentic side of Instant Family shines through on occasion. It definitely shines brighter than the picture's unremarkable imagery. But Anders also wrote and directed the broad, formulaic Daddy's Home and its equally grating follow-up, and he's not giving up his by-the-numbers ways yet. As a result, Instant Family is a movie with its heart firmly in the right spot, yet it doesn't trust that audiences will buy in without the expected array of physical mishaps, kids saying the darnedest things and adults getting frustrated in the usual cliched manner. It's a film that feels caught between what it wants to say and what it needs to be — and while supporting actors Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro bring genuine comedic chops to the more overt comic moments, the movie just can't reconcile its various parts. Think the Bad Neighbours flicks, but pitting new parents against actual children in a kid-friendly fashion. Think the aforementioned Daddy's Home duo, too, but much less stale and more sincere. Instant Family is never as entertaining as the first set of films or as excruciating as the second, and if you prefer the former to the latter, Byrne is obviously here to help. Like her co-lead, she's doing something that she's done before, however the Aussie actor never makes her character feel like a stock-standard part. That she manages such a feat while being saddled with some of the movie's most routine material — playing a thirty-something woman who suddenly gets maternal and regrets her life decisions, namely — confirms why she's one of today's great, often underrated comedic performers. When it comes to enlivening an otherwise run-of-the-mill role, Wahlberg might want to take note. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCWHr6AUxwI
A young British soldier gets separated from his regiment and has to make his way back to safe terrain amid the height of the Troubles in Belfast. That’s the basic set-up of war-time thriller '71, a film that epitomises the murkiness of the conflict that it depicts. Performance, character, cinematography and story are cloaked in an air of uncertainty and mistrust, with people on both sides of the camera keeping their cards held close to their chests. The result is a film that’s heavy on atmosphere but never quite comes together as a compelling whole. The movie begins with a squad of British soldiers being dispatched to the Northern Irish capital. Their assignment is to help quell growing unrest in the city, where clashes between Protestant loyalists, Catholic nationalist and various factions of the IRA have transformed entire neighbourhoods into war zones. The magnitude of the conflict is made clear on the platoon’s first mission, when a house search sparks a riot. In a hasty retreat, Private Gary Hook (Jack O’Connell) is accidentally left behind — trapped in dangerous territory and surrounded by people who want him dead. Director Yann Demange does great work establishing the look and feel of Belfast circa 1971. The empty grey streets leave you feeling queasy during daylight hours, and hum with danger at night. It’s a quality reminiscent of John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, a comparison driven home by David Holmes’ pounding score. Handheld camerawork further enforces the sense of immediacy, particularly during the film’s sudden, unflinching moments of brutal violence. Unfortunately, the docudrama approach comes at cost. O’Connell, recently seen in Unbroken, does a lot with very little dialogue, but ultimately we know almost nothing about his character. That goes double for the people hunting him, and triple for the double agents and soldiers trying to coordinate his rescue. For the most part, the ancillary characters — the reluctant young revolutionary, the unscrupulous spy — feel more like archetypes than they do real people. Screenwriter Gregory Burke hints at more complex plot machinations concerning people further up the food chain, but it never amounts to anything of substance. So the film fluctuates between gripping and strangely uninspiring — commanding your attention during certain key sequences, but leaving very little impression after the fact.
What's better than watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music? Watching them do all of the above while answering questions, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. That's the concept behind ABC TV show Spicks and Specks, which took a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, pit Aussie musos and comedians against each other, and has proven a hit several times over. It was a weekly favourite when it first aired between 2005–2011 — and it will be again this year. As fans will already know, Spicks and Specks just keeps coming back; however, that has meant different things over the years. When the program was first revived back in 2014, it did so with a new host and team captains, for instance. And when it started to make a return with its original lineup of Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough, it first did so via a one-off reunion special. That 2018 comeback proved more than a little popular. It became the ABC's most-watched show of that year, in fact. So, the broadcaster then decided to drop four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20 and, for 2021, to bring back Spicks and Specks in its regular format. As first announced last year, the show is returning for a full season — and, as the broadcaster has just revealed, it'll kick off on Sunday, April 18 at 7.40pm. You'll be able to watch it on TV when it airs, or stream it via iView afterwards. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ABC TV + iview (@abctv) Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough are all settling back into their old chairs, obviously; however, who'll be joining them as guests hasn't been revealed. Still, you can add playing along with the show from your couch to your end-of-weekend plans from next month. Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV for a regular full season from 7.40pm on Sunday, April 18. You'll also be able to stream the series via ABC iView.
Future Totoros and Ponyos may not eventuate; Studio Ghibli have announced a hiatus to their animation feature film department. Surrounded by rumours of an outright closure, Studio Ghibli's general manager, Toshio Suzuki, announced the movements on Japanese television today as a "brief pause". Responsible for the likes of Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo and My Neighbour Totoro among many, many other beloved tales, the animation studio is reassessing its filmic future. The news comes just under a year after legendary, Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement in September 2013 and released his final film The Wind Rises in February this year. Differing translations of Suzuki's announcement caused minor havoc online (notably fuelled by so-called Ghibli insiders at Japanese website News Cafe and subsequently quashed by Kotaku). Although most thought the studio was closing its doors for good, newer, more accurate translations cleared things up. "On what to do with Studio Ghibli’s future, it is by no means impossible to keep producing [movies] forever," said Suzuki on the TBS program Jonetsu Tairiku. "However, we will take a brief pause to consider where to go from here." Producer and co-founder Suzuki stepped into Miyazaki's shoes and became general manager when the director retired from Ghibli last year, joining forces with other Studio half, director Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies). So why is Ghibli shutting up shop? It seems to be a matter of money, a fair reason to reassess in a Michael Bay-peppered, box office landscape. According to Anime News Network, Studio Ghibli's latest film,When Marnie Was There opened at number three over the first weekend (July 19 - 20) with 378,790,697 yen (US$3,721,297) on 461 screens. That seems like a whole bunch, but the international market isn't so kind to arthouse-designated Ghibli. Marnie is set to hit US cinemas some time next year, with Australian release dates still TBC. Ghibli haven't covered up their financial struggle, most notably considering 2013's The Tale of Princess Kaguya a flop with tiny box office numbers (a huge step down from 2002's Acadamy Award-winning hit Spirited Away, which took US$274,925,095 worldwide). Suzuki said the studio is considering "housecleaning" or restructuring internally. While this doesn't entirely rule out a future shutdown, it seems the pause is centred around rebuilding the studio, managing copyrights and trademarks and possibly freelancing out projects — a good sign for Ghibli fans. But Kotaku has assured fans that Studio Ghibli is not dead yet, so we'll keep those good vibes delivered via Kiki and keep fingers crossed. Via Anime News Network, Kotaku and Hypable.
Last last year, US Tex-Mex chain Taco Bell quietly opened a test store in Annerley, Brisbane. Now, it's planning to rapidly expand across Australia with a slew of new stores. Taco Bell's parent company Collins Foods, which also operates 28 Aussie KFC restaurants and the 13 remaining Sizzler venues, announced last week that after receiving positive feedback from its test store, it would be opening more Taco Bell outposts before the end of the year. Managing Director and CEO Graham Maxwell suggested locals have embraced the brand wholeheartedly. "We are pleased with the acceptance of the Taco Bell brand by Australian consumers," he explained. This is, however, Taco Bell's third attempted foray into the Australian market. The chain tried to launch here in 1981 (and was then taken to court by Sydney store Taco Bell's Casa) and again in 1997 — but both attempts were unsuccessful and the brand withdrew. As part of Collins Foods' expansion, Real Commercial reported that the company would be rebranding its Sizzler restaurants as Taco Bells, as the US fast food giant makes its most-recent attempt at taking on the Aussie market. In the company's end-of-financial-year summary, it reported that its Sizzler restaurants were underperforming and one more had closed. Currently, you'll find 13 Sizzler restaurants across Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales, though it's unclear how many of these could soon be swapping the salad bar and cheese toast, for burritos and quesadillas.
When the French city of Toulouse gets its first skyscraper in 2022, it won't just see 40 floors of of shining glass, concrete and steel join its skyline. It'll also gain its tallest garden — and one of the world's as well. A "continuous vertical landscape" will spiral around the outside of the building like a ribbon of greenery, lined with trees and reaching all of the way up to the top level. Called the Occitanie Tower after the administrative region of France that Toulouse falls within, the structure will measure 150 metres in height and boast 11,000 square metres of offices, as well as a Hilton hotel, up to 120 apartments, plus space for retail and hospitality outlets. The latter will feature a restaurant with panoramic views, including towards the Pyrenees mountain range less than 100 kilometres away; however there's no mistaking it's eye-catching vertical garden that'll be the centre of attention. Designed by the New York and Zurich-based Studio Liebskind — aka the folks behind everything from Berlin's zigzag-shaped Jewish Museum to the World Trade Centre Master Plan development to a Swarovski chess set modelled after iconic buildings — the Occitanie Tower is slated to start construction in 2018. While it'll certainly give the area a new landmark, and weave in nicely with the vertical garden trend that just keeps growing, it won't be quite as tall as Australia's addition to the lofty fold. That'd be 166-metre-high, 250-species-filled One Central Park in Sydney's Chippendale. Via dezeen. Images via Morph / Luxigon.
In his time playing Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe did many things. He didn't cut like a surgeon, get himself an egg and beat it, or lose on Jeopardy, though. And, he certainly didn't don the curliest of wigs, swan around in Hawaiian shirts with his chest hair flapping in the breeze or pick up an accordion, either — but something magical is making all of the above happen. Starring Radcliffe as the musician behind 'My Bologna', 'Another One Rides the Bus', 'Like a Surgeon', 'Eat It', 'Smells Like Nirvana' and 'Amish Paradise' — and parodies of pretty much every other big song of the past four-plus decades that you can think of — Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is exactly what it sounds like. It sounds wonderful, too, obviously. Radcliffe sports wire-framed glasses, those shirts, that hair and Yankovic's instantly recognisable moustache in the music biopic, which feels like it was cast by the internet. Made for the Roku Channel in the US — with no details yet dropping about where it'll air Down Under, or when, sadly — this is 100-percent an authorised bio. Yankovic is one of the screenwriters, in fact, alongside director Eric Appel (a TV sitcom veteran with Happy Endings, New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and top-notch cop-show parody NTSF:SD:SUV on this resume). If the man in the spotlight's career has taught us all anything apart from the wrong words to pop hits, however, it's that he doesn't take a single thing, including himself, seriously. In the just-dropped first teaser trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, everyone is clearly having fun — The Lost City and Guns Akimbo's Radcliffe most of all, naturally. He swigs booze onstage, dances around in scrubs while satirising Madonna, and asks a very important question: "anyone got an accordion?". Also set to feature: Yankovic's rise to fame, oh-so-many tracks, everything from "his torrid celebrity love affairs" to his "famously depraved lifestyle", and a story that follows his journey "from gifted child prodigy to the greatest musical legend of all time" — at least according to the original press release revealing the flick, which sports a healthy sense of humour. When the film was announced, Yankovic gave his input too, of course. "When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I'm very happy to say we're on schedule," he said. "And I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for." Check out the trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story below: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when further details are announced.
Mondays are the blurst, we know. But that's not to say that they can't be improved with some yummy food, good wine and interesting conversation — at least, that's what two young Melbourne chefs are out to prove. Jordon Garcia and Daniel Sullivan are out to make Monday nights a thing with their pop-up dining series, The Assembly. Held on the first Monday of August, September and October, The Assembly will takeover the kitchens of Mister Jennings, Hobba and The Boatbuilders Yard to serve a six-course degustation matched with local Victorian wines. Cutting their teeth in the kitchens of Mister Jennings, Red Spice Road and Susie Wong, the guys have taken on an ambitious menu that's set to change each month with the produce available. And at $94 for six dishes and matched wines, it's one of the more affordable degustations out there. But it's not just Monday's potential that they're out to prove — both Jordon and Daniel are only in their early 20s, and as emerging chefs, they're here to prove you don't have to be established to show people a good food, and a good time.
Hong Kong's T'ang Court restaurant has earned itself an impressive reputation, becoming a must-eat mainstay in the city's culinary scene, and also boasting three Michelin stars for seven consecutive years since 2016. For Australians keen to give its Cantonese menu a try, there's now another option — and it's easier than hopping on an international flight. Adding to T'ang Court's outposts overseas, The Langham hotel chain has opened an Aussie venue in its luxe new Gold Coast site. The Langham Gold Coast hotel itself launched back in June, after first revealing that it was in the works in May — and T'ang Court making the jump to southeast Queensland was announced then as well. But the restaurant was always set to launch later, in spring. It clearly took that opening date seriously, welcoming in patrons from Thursday, September 1. The fine-dining chain's name comes from the Tang Dynasty, with the restaurant taking a luxe approach to both its surroundings and its culinary spread. The decor pairs bold pops of colour with neutrals, including bespoke abstract art pieces by Australian Chinese artist Lindi Li. As for the food range, it spans perennial favourites and seasonal delicacies, including across both a la carte dishes and three set menus. A big drawcard at T'ang Court's first Australian location: a three-part tribute to Cantonese duck, which features duck pancakes with hoi sin sauce, duck buns with lychee and raspberry sauce (and caviar), and sliced duck breast and leg paired with with plum sauce. Or, the menu also includes sauteed pearl meat with ginger, shallots and Asian greens, plus spicy black tiger prawns with roasted garlic. "Our first Australian T'ang Court restaurant marks a significant leap forward for the local dining landscape. Authentic, traditional Cantonese fine dining is comparatively rare in Australia, so we're thrilled to bring this unique experience to life for locals and travellers, from other states and even internationally," said Howard Lam, Director of Chinese Cuisine for Langham Hospitality Group. "Diners at T'ang Court on the Gold Coast will be able to indulge in the same golden age Cantonese flavours that have earned T'ang Court at The Langham Hong Kong three Michelin stars and seen its many other award-winning sister restaurants across the world become highly-sought-after dining destinations." Located indoors on level three at The Langham, and seating 80, T'ang Court is serving lunch from 12–3pm and dinner from 5.30–11pm five days a week — operating from Wednesday–Sunday. If you're a keen to book in a visit from out of town, then stay the night afterwards, The Langham also boasts 339 rooms and suites, direct beachfront access, a pool bar you can swim up to while still staring at that ocean view, a number of other eateries and a wellness centre. Find T'ang Court at The Langham Gold Coast on level three, 38 Old Burleigh Road, Surfers Paradise — serving lunch from 12–3pm and dinner from 5.30–11pm from Wednesday–Sunday.
Our knowledge sector is responsible for new ideas, technology and Game of Thrones — i.e. all the important things. And now it's the time of year to give them a comprehensive look-in, check out what they've been up to and exercise our frontal lobes with the arrival of Melbourne Knowledge Week. Running over the first week of May, there'll be more than 70 different events on the agenda full of movers, shakers and thinkers under the themes of urban living, food, community sandbox, the body, future work and startups. Attend a rescue dinner using only food about to be discarded, witness a conversation about art by Indigenous people, for Indigenous people, or attend a #shehacks bootcamp especially for women entering startups and hackathons. If you've got a best-thing-since-sliced-bread kind of idea, throw it into the rink at the Melbourne Silicon Beach Pitch Night. Or find The Playground, an interactive treasure hunt-like art project created by artist Betty Sargeant — you can hunt for sculpture pieces scattered around the State Library and then use them to contribute to a community-created piece of art. And that's just the start of it. So do some lunges to warm up and peruse the program until you find something you've always wanted to know more about — those rusty bits of your brain will thank you. Image: Elleni Toumpas.
Since 2016's Suicide Squad, the DC Extended Universe has tasked Viola Davis with corralling super-powered folks, including villains forced to do the state's bidding (as also seen in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker) and regular world-saving superheroes (the just-released Black Adam). In The Woman King, however, she's more formidable, powerful and magnificent than any spandex-wearing character she's ever shared a frame with — or ever will in that comic-to-screen realm. Here, she plays the dedicated and determined General Nanisca, leader of the Agojie circa 1823. This is an "inspired by true events" tale, and the all-female warrior troupe was very much real, protecting the now-defunct west African kingdom of Dahomey during its existence in what's now modern-day Benin. Suddenly thinking about a different superhero domain and its own redoubtable women-only army, aka the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Dora Milaje in Wakanda? Yes, Black Panther took inspiration from the Agojie. If you're thinking about Wonder Woman's Amazons, too, the Agojie obviously pre-dates them as well. Links to two huge franchises in various fashions aren't anywhere near The Woman King's main attraction, of course. Davis and her fellow exceptional cast members, such as Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die), Thuso Mbedu and Sheila Atim (both co-stars in The Underground Railroad); The Old Guard filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood and her grand and kinetic direction, especially in fight scenes; stunningly detailed costumes and production design that's both vibrant and textured; a story that still boasts humour and heart: they all rank far higher among this feature's drawcards. So does the fact that this is a lavish historical epic in the Braveheart and Gladiator mould, but about ass-kicking Black women badged "the bloodiest bitches in Africa". Also, while serving up an empowering vision, The Woman King also openly grapples with many difficulties inherent in Dahomey's IRL history (albeit in a mass consumption-friendly, picking-and-choosing manner). It's under the cover of night that Nanisca and the stealthy, feline-quick Agojie first show The Woman King's audience exactly what they're capable of, as camped-out male slavers from the rival Oyo Empire are swiftly and brutally dispensed with during a mission to free abducted Dahomean women. From that vivid opening, the female-led The Woman King on- and off-screen lets viewers know what it, Davis, Prince-Bythewood and their collaborators are capable of, too. Potent, ferocious, mighty: they all fit. When it comes to the film's protagonist, she's fierceness personified, yet also always nuanced. In a role that'll likely garner her award nominations at the very least, to go along with past Oscar nods for Doubt, The Help and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — and her win for Fences — Davis is tremendous in the part, in battle and otherwise, exuding world-weariness, raw strength, and the kind of resilience that's only forged by navigating deep horrors. After the film's initial rescue gambit, the Agojie are down in number. Abandoned to Dahomey's King Ghezo (John Boyega, Small Axe) because she won't marry men who beat her, headstrong Nawi (Mbedu) becomes a new recruit. As the teen trains to become permanently accepted among them, including by the resolute and mischievous Izogie (Lynch) and Amenza (Atim), Nanisca endeavours to bend the ruler's ear about future battles and policies. The Oyo will keep attacking, and keep trying to trade Dahomey's populace into slavery. A Portuguese-Brazilian aristocrat (Hero Fiennes Tiffin, After Ever Happy) knows that he can profit off the Dahomey-Oyo tensions, and gain slaves to hawk along the way. Also, Dahomey itself isn't above selling Africans into subservience themselves. Nanisca has other concerns, too: getting revenge over a heartbreaking chapter of her past, the pain and sacrifice she still bears as a result, and instilling the Agojie's brand of sisterhood in Nawi. The Woman King's title isn't just another way to say 'queen'. Rather, it's a label given by Dahomey's male leader to the woman he sees as his equal in their lands. His preferred wife Shante (Jayme Lawson, The Batman) wants the designation in a firmly regal sense, but the conventions of storytelling and filmmaking mean there's zero doubt that Nanisca deserves the status. Bestowing the moniker is hardly the chief concern to her, Prince-Bythewood or screenwriter Dana Stevens (Fatherhood) — who also shares a story credit with actress Maria Bello (NCIS) — though. Nanisca is still the force to be reckoned with either way, and a compelling figure worthy of the movie's appreciation. So, in a feature about striving for freedom, fairness, parity, progress and justice, as well as countering misogyny, colonialism and greed, and also surviving trauma, consider that title a reminder about the fight for equality, and how female power is perceived and treated — two centuries ago and also now. Slavishly devoted to every single fact, Prince-Bythewood, Stevens and their film aren't. First and foremost, they're committed to their aims, themes and ideas — to being a rousing action flick about the Agojie, primarily; to delving into all that represents; to celebrating strong and skilled women; and to making a movie that truly doesn't otherwise exist — so thinking of its take on the truth as akin to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's is wise. The Woman King doesn't hide this, given that it finds time for long-lost family connections that could've sprung straight from a soap opera, and for a romance between Nawi and the often-shirtless half-Dahomey slaver associate Malik (Jordan Bolger, Tom & Jerry). When everything else in the movie is so stirring, getting loose with reality and throwing in pure emotion-swelling Hollywood inclusions never drags The Woman King down. Indeed, not that they have to here, but the phenomenal quartet that is Davis, Lynch, Mbedu and Atim could lift any material. For all the mastery that ripples from Davis, she's in astonishing company, with all three of her key co-stars turning in weighty, resonant and career-cementing portrayals — Lynch with perceptiveness, Mbedu with volatility, and Atim with both wisdom and comfort. Not that they have to either, but Prince-Bythewood, cinematographer Polly Morgan (Where the Crawdads Sing) and the former's regular editor Terilyn A Shropshire (dating right back to 2000's Love & Basketball) could improve any fray-filled picture as well. When it's in full fight mode, with radiant lighting that adores its cast, plus sharp, visceral, muscular and balletic action choreography, The Woman King is not just electrifying but spectacular. That won't be a surprise to fans of The Old Guard, another riveting feature that saw Prince-Bythewood take on a familiar template, give it a female focus and reinvigorate it. That's a warrior's skill, too, and she's terrific at it.
No matter where you are in Australia, you've probably spent the majority of the year in your own state (if not the majority of the year in your own bedroom), with many states and territories keeping their borders firmly closed. But, the last of the interstate restrictions are starting to ease. With the exceptions of WA (which has flagged easing its hard border restrictions from tomorrow), Sydneysiders not being able to visit Queensland and Victorians being restricted to intrastate travel for the moment (but interstate travel to NSW and Tasmania is set to be allowed later this month), Australians can pretty much visit anywhere in the country without quarantining. To celebrate, Virgin Australia is selling over half-a-million fares to destinations around the country, starting from just $75 a pop. Hang on, Virgin? Yes. The same airline that, just months ago, entered voluntary administration. It has since been sold to US private investment firm Bain Capital, launched a comeback sale in early July and its voluntary administration is set to officially end on Tuesday, November 17. The domestic flight sale kicks off at 8.30am today and runs until midnight on Friday, November 20, or sold out. In the sale, you'll find cheap flights on more than 52 routes to destinations across the country, with travel dates between December 1 and June 23, 2021. If you've been waiting to book Christmas flights home — or a summer getaway — now might be the time. Discounted flights are economy and include seat selection and a 23-kilogram baggage allowance. Some of the routes on offer include Sydney to Ballina from $75, Melbourne to Launceston from $79, Brisbane to Hobart from $139, Adelaide to Sydney from $119, and Melbourne to Perth from $169. [caption id="attachment_743607" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitsunday Beach by Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] The discounted flights are part of Virgin's new travel campaign, 'You Can't Keep a Good Thing Down' celebrating both the company's return and the country's reopening. As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers (but wearing them is not mandatory). Virgin is also waiving change fees and allowed unlimited booking changes between now and January 31, 2020. You can read more about its new flexible options over here. Virgin's 'Go You Good Thing' domestic sale runs from Friday, November 13 until 11.59pm AEDT Friday, November 20, or until sold out. Find out more about current interstate border restrictions over here.
In news that everyone already knew, no one will be dancing in North Byron Parklands this winter, with Splendour in the Grass moving to November this year instead. Thanks to New South Wales' current COVID-19 outbreak, the lockdown to prevent its spread and the growing number of cases in other Australian states, no one will be making shapes in Sydney this July, either. That's when the fest was planning to host Splendour in the City, a nine-day Sydney pop-up slated for SITG's usual midwinter spot — but organisers have announced that the event has now been cancelled. In a statement on Monday, June 28, the festival's team pulled the plug on the mini fest, which was set to take place at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal from Saturday, July 10–Sunday, July 18. "With Greater Sydney currently in lockdown until 9 July and COVID-19 outbreaks now evolving in other states, it has become impossible to progress with plans to move artists and staff around the country, and also to build the event in Sydney," the Splendour crew noted. "Organisers also acknowledge the health and safety of staff, volunteers and ticketholders is the foremost consideration in line with the health advice from authorities." Splendour in the City has been completely cancelled, rather than rescheduled, too — a decision made due to "uncertainty around venue and artist availability in coming months, and IRL Splendour in the Grass scheduled for November." Ticketholders will start receiving refunds automatically via Moshtix from today, Tuesday, June 29. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Splendour in the Grass (@splendourinthegrass) Splendour's virtual festival Splendour XR will still run online across the weekend of Saturday, July 24–Sunday, July 25 — and, at this stage, Splendour in the Grass itself is slated for Friday, November 19–Sunday, November 21. It's been a rough year or so for the music and events industry, for festivals in New South Wales and for Splendour. 2020's SITG was postponed from July until October, then completely scrapped. Also, plans to proceed in July 2021 as usual were pushed back, leading to the current November date. Splendour in the City was planning to host an array of beloved Australian artists such as SITG mainstays like Violent Soho, Illy, Vera Blue, Dune Rats and Tash Sultana, as well as two stacked nights of stand-up comedy and a whole heap of extras — all aiming to recreate as much of the OG Splendour experience as possible. If the full-sized Byron Bay edition of SITG goes ahead in November, it's set to do so with headliners Tyler, The Creator, The Strokes and Gorillaz; however, that's obviously all reliant upon COVID-19 restrictions allowing the event to take place. Splendour in the City will no longer run from Saturday, July 10–Sunday, July 18 at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal. Ticketholders will start receiving refunds automatically via Moshtix from Tuesday, June 29.
Their first joint venture Bar Liberty is a widely-acclaimed Fitzroy wine bar. Now, owners Banjo Harris Plane, Michael Bascetta, Manu Potoi and Casey Wall are joining forces again, this time to open a modern Italian bar and restaurant in Carlton. Taking over The Beaufort's former digs on Rathdowne Street, the team has swapped the red neon and divey feel for a space that's warm and fresh. Here, terrazzo tile floors and Art Deco fixtures prove a fitting backdrop for a largely Italian offering, that's spiked with influence from Australia and the USA. Set to open its doors on August 15, Capitano will be serving up Chef Wall's modern take on Italian fare, centred around top local ingredients. Expect rotating selections of pasta and pizzas, a range of dry-aged steaks, a share-friendly lasagne dish and a fun lineup of desserts, headlined by a classic tiramisu. Enjoy your feed alongside a beer at the bar, book a table to really settle in, or fly by to grab something from the take-away menu. Head Chef Blake Giblet will be heading up the kitchen and bringing co-owner Wall's menu to life, while Sam Rogers takes the reins front-of-house also lending his international DJ experience to the soundtrack of new wave Italo-disco. And the bar itself has plenty to offer, from revamped classic Italian cocktails and a sprawling collection of amari, to Harris Plane's expert wine list, packed with fun Italian varietals from overseas and closer to home, as well as a few of those harder-to-find drops. Find Capitano at 421 Rathdowne Street, Carlton, from Wednesday, August 15.
Mornington Peninsula is home to stacks of world-class day spas and bathing spots, but the Surfcoast has long lagged behind. Fortunately, things are looking up for this side of Victoria's coast, thanks to the recent opening of About Time — a luxe day spa and bathhouse located in Torquay, right at the start of the Great Ocean Road. It comes from the folks who created Little Company (champions of slow, pared-back facials and LED lightroom therapy) and STILL Beauty (massage experts), so you're sure to get some damn good wellness treatments at About Time. The Torquay spa is also fully equipped for all your luxury bathing needs within its brutalist building. Inside, it has a magnesium pool, cold plunge pool, traditional sauna and steam room, plus private infrared saunas and ice baths that can be booked for groups of up to eight people. Step outside to the garden surrounded by towering gum trees, and you'll find hot and cold magnesium pools that are tailor-made for social bathing with mates. You're free to chat out here, but it seems like the indoor bathhouse is more of a quiet self-care space. With so little competition out this way, About Time is set to be incredibly popular with locals and day-trippers alike — be sure to book well ahead. You'll find About Time at 27 Baines Crescent, Torquay. For more information and to book a spot at the spa, check out the venue's website.
Semi-anonymous street artist JR has won the 2011 TED Award (we highly suggest listening to him speak here), and is appealing to you, the public, to help him turn the world inside out using street art as a medium for social and political change. Appreciating that the world is sometimes an ugly, always volatile place, JR believes in the power of the public — 'the curators', who walk past his iconic images on a daily basis — as a vehicle for worldwide upheaval. For JR, "that is where we realise the power of paper and glue." JR's mission is simple, and it's based on his existing body of work — "we didn't push the limit, we just showed that it was further than anyone thought." Now, JR is asking you to explore the boundaries of limit in order to imprint your better world upon the flawed one we already have. While the artist doesn't believe that art can change the world in a tangible sense, he holds firmly to the philosophy that art can be harnessed to change perceptions. The Inside-Out project urges you to "stand up for what you care about, by participating in a global art project... Because when we act together, the whole thing is more than the sum of its parts." Inside-Out asks participants to have their photo taken in this travelling booth (rumoured to hit New York next), or upload their picture to the projects website. JR's team will then mail you a giant poster that you'll paste up within your community. Both the romanticism and the practicality of the Inside-Out project is inspiring, with a certain poignancy bred from the physical joining together of people from across the world for a common cause.
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on. After months of anticipation, the highly acclaimed David Bowie is exhibition has arrived at ACMI. Created by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the exhibition is a Bowiephile’s dream — an unprecedented collection of over 50 stage costumes alongside handwritten set lists and lyric sheets, rare live and interview videos, musical scores and diary entries, photographs and album artwork. The exhibition comes to Australia under a furious amount of buzz — its world premiere last March in London became V&A’s fastest selling exhibition ever, recording record numbers of over 311,000 visitors. And as the exclusive venue for David Bowie is, ACMI have crafted a specially-curated program of talks, screenings, live performances and special events to pair with the Major Tom-a-thon. Basically, if you’re a Bowie fan, this is next level squealworthy material. For more information visit www.acmi.net.au/bowie
For the past few months, Australia's pandemic-era rules and restrictions around travelling have been easing — covering both heading interstate and venturing abroad. If spending more time at home over the last two years has left you with a hefty case of wanderlust, you've likely noticed another big trend, too: flight sales aiming to make your next getaway far more affordable. Just after New Zealand announced that it'd be letting Aussies head across the Tasman for holidays earlier than expected, Virgin has started a sale that'll help you scratch that ditch-crossing itch. Actually, with 1.5 million fares up for grabs to both Aussie and international destinations, it'll help you get flying to wherever your next vacation spot may be. So, whether you're keen to see your mates interstate or head overseas for some rest and relaxation, you've got options. Among the domestic routes, one-way fares start at $45, which'll get you from Sydney to Ballina. Other sale flights include Melbourne–Hobart from $55, Brisbane–Whitsunday Coast from $59, Sydney–Sunshine Coast from $65 and Melbourne–Adelaide from $89. And if you're wondering when you'll need to travel, you can book trips between July 27–December 14, 2022. Internationally, one-way fares cover getaways to Bali, Fiji and Queenstown — including from Sydney (from $269 to Bali, $229 to Fiji and $289 to Queenstown), Melbourne ($269 / $259 / $279) and Brisbane ($239 / $249 / $309). Again, that means you've got choices, including if multiple getaways to different spots are in your ideal future. As always when it comes to flight sales, you'll need to get in quick. Virgin's discounted fares are now on offer until midnight AEST on Monday, April 4 or sold out, whichever arrives first. In a bonus for anyone travelling with kids, Virgin is also taking an extra 25 percent off sale fares booked for children between the ages of 2 and 11. Across all of its sale flights, only some fares cover seat selection and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing last year that it is now splitting its economy range into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. Also, depending on where you're travelling to internationally, you'll obviously need to check border restrictions and any entry requirements. Virgin's Back to Holidays sale runs from until Monday, April 4 — or until sold out. Find out more about current Australian border rules via the Australian Government's Health Direct website and its Smart Traveller website.
It's little surprise New Year's Eve celebrations are set to look a little different for 2020, thanks to a certain global pandemic. But if you've got a thing for good food, you're sure to be pretty chuffed with the brand-new event helping Melburnians wrap up the year in style. Descending on popular dining precincts across the CBD and beyond on Thursday, December 31 and Friday, January 1, is the inaugural New Year Street Feasts. The event is a collaborative effort between the City of Melbourne, the Victorian Government and Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF), which was itself postponed and then cancelled this year due to COVID-19. Featuring offerings from dozens of local bars and restaurants, it promises to help you make up for lost time on the wining and dining front. [caption id="attachment_791281" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jake Roden[/caption] Eleven outdoor dining precincts will be created for the festival, appearing in top culinary spots like Flinders Lane, Little Bourke Street and Domain Road. Nearby venues from each precinct will be on board, serving up a jam-packed program of special menus and feasting experiences. Pulling inspiration from the famed piazzas of Europe, the pop-up outdoor dining set-ups will see thousands more restaurant seats added to Melbourne's streets for the occasion. You might find yourself tucking into a six-course unauthentic Indian feast at Jessi Singh's Daughter in Law, a Spanish-inspired Bomba dinner complete with heirloom tomato gazpacho and buttermilk-braised lamb shoulder, or perhaps a Bar Margaux soiree featuring champagne cocktails and roast duck. Though, with a wide lineup of venues involved, including everyone from Pellegrini's to Sunda, you might find it hard to pick just one feed. Stock up on stretchy pants and dive right in. Image: Bar Margaux, Kate Shanasy
One of Melbourne's favourite ride-by cafes, bars and restaurants, Green Park, may have called it a day, but a new eatery has arisen in its place. Owner and restaurateur Jesse Gerner has relaunched the Carlton North space as Park Street, forming somewhat of culinary supergroup in the process. Gerner has brought in team members from his other Melbourne venues as co-owners of the new venue — Kelly O'Loghlen, chef Andrew Fisk and Shane Barrett are involved with Bomba and bottle shop Samuel Pepys (with Barrett also in on the newest opening, Nómada). Russell Hall — who's currently head chef at Añada — comes in to head up Park Street's food offering, and Harry Fishman of neighbouring Velo Cycles is in on the action too. Reopening on September 11, the eatery — which is situated on the section of the Capital City Trail that runs parallel to Park Street in Carlton North — has undergone a noticeable change in menu, rather than concept. Gerner, Hall and Fisk continue to use locally-grown produce, including veggies grown in Park Street's own garden, but have switched focus to Italian bites. Specifically on offer is a changing array of cicchetti and handmade pastas from Wednesday to Sunday. Highlights include wood-grilled sardines wrapped in pancetta and poached veal crostini, plus the likes of braised duck rotolo with wood-grilled radicchio and prawn agnolotti with shellfish bisque. From the main selection, expect roasted barramundi fillet with braised clams, and wood-grilled O'Connor flank steak with salsa verde. With a focus on small producers, the idea is to offer a place for family dinners, a quick bite on the way home, or somewhere to share snacks with friends. Capital Coffee Roasters blends are still on offer for caffeine fiends, while baking in-house pastries and breads continues daily. Anyone after breakfast or lunch will find meals such as waffles filled with braised beef cheek and cavolo nero, and suckling pig rolls with kale slaw. Drinks-wise, Park Street also boasts a range of wines from Italy, Southern France, Greece and Croatia, as well as a by-the-glass lineup that shines a spotlight on innovative, small-scale wineries alongside classic producers and varietals. The interiors have also experienced a refresh, lightening and brightening the room with white walls, mirrors, tan leather couches, indoor plants and an open kitchen to expand the space visually. Find Green Park at 815 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. For further details, head to their website. By Sophie Goulopoulos and Sarah Ward.
Since 2015, winter Down Under has brought bloody excellent news. That's when Four Pillars introduced the world to its now cult-favourite Bloody Shiraz Gin, which is made by steeping shiraz grapes in its OG Rare Dry Gin for eight weeks, then pressing the fruit and blending it with the gin. When the tipple returns for 2024, you'll be able to add the Healesville-based distillery's ninth bloody vintage to your gin shrine. While 2023 gave the world a Bloody Pinot Noir Gin, too, Four Pillars is sticking with shiraz in 2024. There's a reason that this is one of the most coveted tipples of the year, however: this limited-edition wine-infused concoction is bloody tasty. Spirits fiends familiar with past vintages will already know that this is a delicious drop — and that the infusion of shiraz grapes gives it its cerise hue. The grapes also provide sweet undertones, but mean that the gin avoids a higher sugar content. It is boozier, though, with an alcoholic content of 37.8 percent (compared to an average 25 percent in regular sloe gin). Initially it came about when Four Pillars came into possession of 250 kilograms of Yarra Valley shiraz grapes, then did some experimenting. 2024's Bloody Shiraz Gin uses fruit from both the Yarra Valley and Faraday, which is near Bendigo. The end result features notes of citrus and raspberry — and expect to taste spice as well. Whether you're keen for a single bottle or several, the 2024 gin goes on sale on Saturday, June 8 for $84 at the brand's website, and from Wednesday, May 29 if you're a Four Pillars subscriber. If you have a date with the Four Pillars Healesville Distillery and Four Pillars Sydney Lab in your future, you'll find it there as well. Bloody Shiraz Gin fans over the years will also be aware that it always comes in a limited-edition bottle, with year's featuring a tablescape artwork by Kris Leombruni. And the best way to drink it? Four Pillars recommends using it in G&Ts, with just tonic, a squeeze of lemon and a lemon slice as a garnish. The 2024 Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin will go on sale around the country on Saturday, June 8, or on Wednesday, May 29 if you're a Four Pillars subscriber. Head to the Four Pillars website to make a purchase — or hit up the Four Pillars Distillery at Healesville, Victoria and the Four Pillars Lab in Surry Hills, Sydney. Four Pillars bloody range images: Benito Martin.
SpaceCraft is both a homewares store and a studio space. Expect to see a wide array of vibrant bedding, eclectic fashion and surprising artworks, all of which show off the talents of both the in-house designers and the artists they've chosen to collaborate with. Inspired by Fitzroy's lively selection of exhibition halls, bars, cafes and clubs, SpaceCraft also hosts artist talks and exhibitions so you can keep in touch with the creative pulse of the city. Image: Emily Godfrey.
Alright chinas, we need to have a rabbit and pork about Guy Ritchie's new $175 million rattle and clank buster: Kin Arfur: Jackanory of the Drum and Fife – an altogether pony and trap reimagining of the classic weep and wail that's light on the brass tacks, sore on the mince pies and pretty much tom tit. If you struggled to understand that, consider it our version of the "you must be this tall to get on the ride" sign for Guy Ritchie's calamitous take on the famous Arthurian tale. As with every Ritchie flick (see: Snatch, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes, among others), cockney banter flies thick and fast between Arthur's merry band of streetwise vagabonds, all of whom sport names like Goose-fat Bill, Wet Stick, Back Lack and Chinese George. Unlike Ritchie's previous outings, however, there's little wit or charm to back up the slang. Instead, we're given in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword a CGI-heavy romp that moves at such a frantic and disjointed pace that simply keeping up with the story feels like a greater test of character and strength than actually pulling Excalibur from the stone. Worse still, there's nothing new about any of it. Between the giant elephants (Return of the King), the 'bullet-time' slow motion (The Matrix) and an enormous killer snake (Harry Potter), it's all far too much like a video game we've played many times before and know exactly how to beat. There are, at least, a few notable highlights. Charlie Hunnam and Jude Law both put in commendable performances as Arthur and his evil uncle Vortigern, with Law in particular ensnaring the eye for every second he's on screen. Villainy suits the actor, whose charm and cheekiness take on a decidedly darker turn when given the right material with which to play. There's also a neat little twist on the sword/stone component itself, which – at least for a time – raises King Arthur: Legend of the Sword to a level worthy of its storied subject matter. Unfortunately, there's far too much style and not nearly enough substance to hold the film's loose narrative threads together. Snap cuts and fancy editing helped put Guy Ritchie on the map, but in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword there's no duck and diving the fact that it's all gone proper pete and tong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIM4-HLtUM0
When it comes to agave spirits, the crew behind local Mexican eateries Mamasita and Hotel Jesus sure know their stuff — as you'll know if you've ever caught a glimpse of either restaurant's back-bar. And now, to the delight of Melbourne's agave aficionados, they're channelling all that expertise into the long-awaited third instalment of their Mezcal Mini-Fest. Taking over the Collingwood taqueria on Saturday, October 22, this one-day tasting fiesta is set to pour more than 40 different drops from 15 leading mezcal brands — including Cinco Sentidos, Derrumbes, Koch el Mezcal, De Leyenda, Oaxaca's Ilegal and more. [caption id="attachment_628272" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hotel Jesus, by Thomas Friml[/caption] Guests will get to chat to the mezcaliers while sampling their smoky sips and diving into the drink's history. Hotel Jesus will be whipping up Mexican classics like tacos and quesadillas to enjoy in between tastings — including an off-menu taco starring ox tongue and a mezcal crema. Tickets clock in at $15 online and $20 on the door, each of which'll get you entry, plus a couple of tacos.
Luke Mangan already has an impressive portfolio of Sydney restaurants under his belt, but he's making a long-awaited homecoming by setting up a new restaurant in his hometown of Melbourne this June. Located on the corner of Flinders Lane and Spencer Street — a somewhat neglected corner of the CBD — Bistrot Bisou will be serving up contemporary takes on classic French fare. It's no secret that the local hospitality industry is struggling right now, so sticking to a tried-and-tested restaurant formula — the French bistro — makes a whole lot of sense. It's a relatively safe bet, plus Managan really knows his way around French cuisine. He trained under renowned Chef Michel Roux at Michelin-starred London restaurant Waterside Inn and has several successful French eateries in the Harbour City. At Bistrot Bisou, diners can expect to find classics like steak frites, twice-baked gruyere souffle and apple tartin alongside plenty of dishes cooked over the woodfired grill — slow-burning ironbark and hardwood charcoal will be used to add depth and a little smokiness to the whole affair. "Melbourne has a real European feel to it — especially as we come into the cooler months — and French fare is having a moment, so I can't wait to share my take with diners," Mangan says. All of this will be executed and managed by Bistrot Bisou's Head Chef Rory Kennedy (ex-Vex Dining and Bar Romantica), who you'll see running things from the open kitchen's pass. An international wine list will complement the food offering, focusing on Aussie and French varietals. Cocktails will also be on the docket, an there are plans in the works for a cocktail hour for local workers. Guests can drop by for drinks and snacks at the Parisian-style front bar or stick around for longer sessions in the main dining room. Bistrot Bisou is slated to open in early June in Hotel Indigo, 575 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. It will open for lunch from Wednesday to Friday, and for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. For more details, head to the venue's website.
nThere really is a festival for everything, and come July at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image, that includes television. Not content to let film monopolise the big screen fest space, ACMI is playing host to the world's biggest TV festival, with Series Mania heading to Australia for the first time. With a name that could also describe humanity's reaction each and every time a new season of a TV show hits a streaming platform, Series Mania comes to Melbourne from July 20 to 24 for five days of television-focused fun. The program won't be announced until July 3, but you can expect it to include more than 40 screenings of premiere seasons of some of the best new drama, narrative comedy and web-based series from around the world. Workshops, panel discussions, masterclasses and Q&A sessions will also be on the agenda, with the fest catering for both industry and the public. In case you're wondering just how exciting this is, Series Mania's Paris festival gives a great indication of what might be in store. In 2016, it attracted more than 40,000 attendees to see 80 shows from 20 countries, and has previously showcased Aussie efforts such as The Kettering Incident, Cleverman, The Family Law and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The 2017 fest — aka season eight of the event — takes place from April 13 to 23. It's set to include discussions with Lost and The Leftovers writer/producer Damon Lindelof, and The Good Wife's Julianna Margulies; a tribute to Buffy the Vampire Slayer; a marathon on new TV comedies from the UK, US, Canada and Australia; and the world premiere of the Melbourne-made drama Seven Types of Ambiguity, which stars Hugo Weaving, Xavier Samuel and Suzie Porter. "We are experiencing a golden age of television around the world right now, as this medium rapidly expands into new platforms," says ACMI CEO and Director Katrina Sedgwick. "We're delighted to partner with Film Victoria to bring Series Mania to Melbourne. Our audiences will preview some of the best series coming to our screens in the year to come — and discover stunning international TV that we might not ever see otherwise." If that all sounds like your idea of a great way to spend a day or several, then prepare for an epic binge session, but out of the house and not in your pyjamas. In even better news, Series Mania will be free. Image: Nathalie Prèbende.
Sweet tooths, assemble. Pastry chef Pierre Roelofs and his team of wicked enablers are resurrecting their legendary dessert evenings, shattering our halfhearted plans to cut down on the sweet stuff. Oops. After five years at Cafe Rosamond in Fitzroy and a few pop-ups around the traps last year, Roelofs' dessert extravaganzas are making a return to Collingwood's Mina-no-ie in 2018. The cafe will turn all things sweet for three nights in February — which are all sold out — and three nights in May. Luckily, there's still spots left for the latter. If you haven't been to an evening before, you can expect a four-course degustation — the catch being that all four courses are dessert. The menu is top secret and changes every time. We can tell you that previous evenings have involved ridiculous concoctions of mascarpone, strawberry, honey, orange, cardamom and speculaas, as well as a deconstructed bread and butter pudding served in one of Roelofs' famed dessert test tubes.
Is it possible to make a heist movie that's inspired by detective fiction but takes some cues from reality, including riffing on the director's own mother's experiences and her work as a filmmaker? Then, can such a flick become a charming crime caper that's effortlessly fresh and oh-so French, and yet also could've been made during both the French New Wave and American cinema's glorious 70s era? With his latest feature The Innocent, consider actor, writer and helmer Louis Garrel 100-percent guilty. Consider the film itself an utter delight, too. And, consider it gorgeously shot (by César-nominated Les Misérables cinematographer Julien Poupard), smartly penned (by Garrel, gumshoe novelist Tanguy Viel and Garrel's The Crusade co-screenwriter Naïla Guiguet) and winningly cast, with the latter including Little Women's Garrel himself opposite Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Noémie Merlant, plus Roschdy Zem (Other People's Children) and Anouk Grinberg (The Night of the 12th). Actually, in his fourth stint as an actor-turned-filmmaker following 2015's Two Friends, 2018's A Faithful Man and 2021's The Crusade, Garrel hasn't just assembled a stellar core quartet of actors. In addition to that, he has them anchoring a movie that overtly explores the role of acting in everyday life. Sylvie Lefranc (Grinberg) is a theatre thespian and teacher, as initially observed showing imprisoned men the tricks of the board-treading trade. In her class is Michel Ferrand (Zem), who she swiftly marries — with Sylvie's thirtysomething son Abel in attendance but hardly approving, especially because this isn't her first set of jailhouse nuptials. He's worried about his mom and suspicious about his new stepdad, which gives him a distraction from grieving for his recently deceased wife and hearing about her best friend Clémence Genièvre's (Merlant) tumultuous love life. He knows that Sylvie's head-over-heels infatuation isn't a performance, but is the just-released Michel's claim that he's now on the straight and narrow all for show? To answer that question, Abel gets a-tailing throughout Lyon with the game and eager Clémence's help. This couldn't be a heist film if they found nothing amiss, of course, with ex-con Michel's plans linked in with the cute little florist shop he's opened to make Sylvie's dreams come true — claiming that a friend had rented them the space for free, which is obviously far too good to be accurate. So, Abel is faced with his own spate of acting to protect his mum. Michel can't do the job without assistance from him and Clémence playing decoys, and his mother will suffer if he doesn't aid and abet an armed robbery pilfering lucrative Iranian caviar. Yes, as well as being a heist movie, a romance, and a drama about parents, children, love, loss, moving on and second chances all in one, The Innocent is a delicious and hilarious farce. There's a clear contrast at the heart of The Innocent: women who love quickly and deeply, as Sylvie and Clémence do, and men who are hesitant and guarded, as Abel and Michel prove. In much lesser hands, that juxtaposition might be dated and cliched, not to mention needlessly and gratingly stereotypical. Thankfully, adding to the lengthy list of things that The Innocent manages to be, and breezily, it's also an intelligent, textured and savvily scripted character study. Even when they're overtly acting a part — for work, for each other and, in the widowed Abel's case, often with himself — Sylvie, Abel, Michel and Clémence are each lived in to the point of seeming ready to walk right off the screen. Crucially, every move they make is steeped in their fleshed-out stories and backgrounds, rather than mere convenience, too. Garrel, Viel and Guiguet have penned these characters with nuance, intricacy, and realistic emotions and motivations. Thoughtful touches abound around The Innocent's stars; see: Abel's job as a marine biologist at a local aquarium, where Clémence also works, which nicely stresses the difference between analysing and diving in — and also provides a dazzling setting for pivotal scenes and shots. The film makes wonderful use of Sylvie and Michel's florist in a comparable way, the space literally blooming with colour and life but its roots not what they seem. The Innocent's casting can't be underestimated, though, as particularly seen in Grinberg, Merlant and Zem's efforts. Grinberg steps into Garrel's IRL mother Brigitte Sy's shoes, given she too is an actor who got married in prison, and does so with a gregarious and yearning spark. With a sense of lightness here, Merlant keeps showing her exceptional range, boosting a growing resume that also includes Jumbo, Paris, 13th District and Tár. And Zem, a director himself — including of 2011's Oscar-shortlisted Omar Killed Me and 2016's Monsieur Chocolat — is sincere, determined and charismatic, and also helps turn a bit with a bowtie into something special. As for Garrel, he enlists himself for the fourth time as the fourth character called Abel (although in A Faithful Man and The Crusade, they're the same figure), and he's again ace under his own direction. When your godfather is Jean-Pierre Léaud, one of the faces of the French New Wave ever since starring in the movement's seminal film The 400 Blows, perhaps being drawn to spirited and soulful movies about emotional chaos just comes with the territory. Garrel keeps writing, directing and performing in them, with The Innocent his most entertaining instance yet. Cinema was always in his blood as well as his orbit, seeing that his father is French filmmaker Philippe Garrel, whose pictures he often features in (such as 2013's excellent Jealousy); Sy clearly has an acting history (including 2018's Invisibles); his sister Esther also pops up on-screen (as seen in Call Me By Your Name); and his grandfather is the late actor Maurice Garrel (César-nominated for La Discrète and Kings and Queen) — and it shows. As conveyed in celluloid dreams, heists, crime capers, mysteries and noirs frequently involve throwing an array of moving parts together in high-stakes circumstances, then seeing what fits, sticks, struggles and leaks. French greats Rififi and Bob Le Flambeur, both of which The Innocent feels tied to, knew this. US highlights The Long Goodbye and The Last of Sheila, which it similarly brings to mind, capitalised upon it as well. In all of their many guises, these narrative setups and mainstays strike a chord because they so vividly reflect life's mess, just in heightened circumstances — and Garrel is equally well-aware of that. The Innocent's French pop-synth soundtrack gifts the already fast-paced film with a marvellous sense of bounce, but also reflects exactly what the movie is: a supremely finessed, funny, endearing and engaging flick that echoes for everyone.
When warm weather arrives, the Snowy Mountains transform into an adventurer's playground. Lakes you wouldn't dip a toe into during winter become dazzling, sun-kissed visions, perfect for windsurfing, sailing and fishing. Walking, cycling and horse riding trails buried in snow thaw out, allowing you to wander through twisted snow gum forests, across wildflower meadows and along majestic mountain ridges, surrounded by incredible panoramas. Here are ten ways to spend time in the Snowies during the warmer months — from paddling the legendary Snowy River to catching trout in Lake Eucumbene to camping by tranquil Thredbo River. [caption id="attachment_659671" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW.[/caption] WINDSURFING AND SAILING ON LAKE JINDABYNE Whether you're completely new to windsurfing or a seasoned expert, peaceful Lake Jindabyne, one of the highest lakes in Australia, offers escapades a-plenty. Winds are pretty steady (yet gentle) and there's not too much traffic, so you don't have to continually stress about bumping into someone else. What's more, the mountainous scenery is stunning. There's a bunch of windsurfer hire spots about, including Sacred Ride and Snowy Mountains Holidays. Alternatively, you could consider a sailboat. If you're looking for fellow sailors, check out Lake Jindabyne Sailing Club, which runs a busy program from November to March. [caption id="attachment_659673" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jon Armstrong / Destination NSW.[/caption] PADDLING THE SNOWY RIVER Starting on Mount Kosciuszko's slopes and flowing into the Bass Strait in Victoria, the Snowy River's 352 kilometres provide ample opportunities for paddling. That said, there are rapids and tight spots a-plenty, so, unless you're experienced, it could be a good idea to find a guide. Alpine River Adventures runs adventurous, yet suitable for newbies day trips and multi-day expeditions through the ancient Byadbo Wilderness. Expect to meet platypuses and brumbies, to journey through steep gorges and to rush down grade-three rapids. [caption id="attachment_661863" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] HORSE RIDING IN THREDBO VALLEY Unencumbered by snow, Thredbo Valley is a picturesque garden of pretty snow gums, towering mountain gums and open plains, with the wild Thredbo River running through. To find out what The Man from Snowy River was all about, experience it from a horse's back. Thredbo Valley Horse Riding has been running trail rides since 1993. For a taster, book a one or two-hour ride, or to spend a bit longer in the saddle, go for a half-day adventure. All rides include gear and basic instruction. If you're interested in a multi-day trip, get in touch with Cochran Horse Treks. CAMPING ON THREDBO RIVER It is, of course, possible to camp in the snow, but you've got to be tough and well-prepared. In the warmer months, pitching a tent is a lot more comfortable. There are stacks of stunning campgrounds in the Snowies and one of the loveliest is Thredbo Diggings. Perched right on Thredbo River, this gorgeous spot surrounds you with snow gums, backdropped by mountain ranges. Spend your days lazing about, going for dips, trying your luck at fly fishing and strolling or cycling on the Thredbo Valley Track. If you're in need of a nightcap, Wild Brumby distillery's warming schnapps, made with local fruit, are just up the road. Another camping option along Thredbo River is Ngargio Campground. [caption id="attachment_661864" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] TROUT FISHING AT LAKE EUCUMBENE You won't have any trouble finding a spot to throw in a line at Lake Eucumbene; it's the biggest lake of the many created by the Snowy Hydro scheme. At full capacity, it's nine times the size of Sydney Harbour and 30 metres deep on average. Plus, a total of 145 kilometres of shoreline gives you lots of room to explore. Before getting started, be sure to pick up a NSW Recreational Fishing Licence, usually available at servos and caravan parks. If you don't feel confident fishing on your own, then consider a visit to Eucumbene Trout Farm, where gear and guidance are provided, as is a barbecue for a post-fishing feast. VISITING A WATERFALL There are several waterfalls in the Snowies that'll capture your imagination. One of the easiest to access is found along a walking track that leaves from Kosciuszko Education Centre, about 12 kilometres west of Jindabyne. The six-kilometre loop passes through an impressive diversity of scenery, from heathland dotted with wildflowers to giant granite boulders to mature gum trees. Keep an eye out for echidnas, wallabies and kangaroos along the way. When you reach the waterfall, be sure to wander onto the viewing platform for some beautiful sights. [caption id="attachment_659669" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Sinclair / Destination NSW.[/caption] CYCLING COOMA TRAILS On the outskirts of Cooma lie 80 hectares of land known as North Ridge Reserve. Speckled with granite boulders, basket grass and bright wildflowers, including native bluebells, everlasting daisies and black anther flax lilies, it's a great spot for mountain bike riding. There's a variety of trails, offering something for everyone, from beginners to pros. And, if you're not keen on cycling, you can always walk. Whichever way you travel, the views are breathtaking — over Cooma, east towards the coast and west towards the Snowy Mountains. If you're looking for a coffee or a bite to eat in Cooma afterwards, head to The Lott Food Store. [caption id="attachment_659675" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW.[/caption] WALKING THROUGH YARRANGOBILLY CAVES The oldest of these limestone spectacles, found in the northern section of Kosciuszko National Park, was formed millions of years ago. Several are accessible by self-guided tour, including the biggest, South Glory, where a 500-metre trail passes vast chambers like the dazzling white Ice Age Chamber, stunning rock formations and a natural skylight 55 metres above the ground. Other caves to check out include Jillabenan, covered in delicate cave coral, stalactites and helictites, as well as Jersey Cave, whose extraordinary grey and black flowstone was created by bushfires thousands of years ago. Round out your visit with a swim in Yarrangobilly thermal pool, which is a toasty 27 degree celsius all year round. [caption id="attachment_658614" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Facebook / Heli Fun.[/caption] TAKING A SCENIC FLIGHT IN A HELICOPTER Regardless of whether you've skied, snowboarded, hiked, cycled or paddled the Snowy Mountains, a scenic flight will give you a whole new perspective. Heli Fun will take you soaring above Australia's highest peaks, including Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Townsend and the Ramshead Ranges — make sure you look out for wild brumbies and familiar landmarks, such as Thredbo ski fields as you're flying high. Choose between 30-minute and 60-minute trips or a speedy ten-minute swoop over Lake Jindabyne. For an even more exciting adventure, book a wilderness picnic. Your pilot will take you on a one-hour jaunt, before leaving you in the middle of nowhere with a gourmet picnic and bottle of sparkling. [caption id="attachment_659674" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW.[/caption] GOING WINE (AND BEER AND SCHNAPPS) TASTING The Snowies' wines might not be as well known as those of the Yarra Valley or McLaren Vale, but there's no shortage of decent drops to try. If you're into beer, get started at Kosciuszko Brewery at the Banjo Paterson Inn in Jindabyne. From there, head to Snowy Vineyard Estate in Dalgety, where Dalgety Brewing Company serves up a variety of ales, including pale, golden and red, as well as a selection of wines. On the other side of the mountain lies Tumbarumba cool climate wine region, which specialises in chardonnay and pinot noir. It's easy to spend an afternoon in the lush, Italy-inspired grounds of Tumbarumba Wine Escape and Courabyra is worth a visit, too. Discover all that the Snowy Mountains has to offer outside of winter months, from jam-packed adventures to culinary excursions and so much more.
Promoters Live Nation have been forced to postpone tonight's Sydney instalment of Janelle Monae and Kimbra's Golden Electric tour, due to Monae coming down with a sudden illness. The Grammy-nominated singer had to step out of the first show of the tour in Melbourne on Saturday and will hang back in the Victorian capital today — Live Nation issued a statement saying Monae "has been required to remain in Melbourne under medical supervision to assess her recovery." The postponement of the Sydney Opera House show comes at an unfortunate time for moving things around, as the rescheduled show would have to land before Friday when Vivid LIVE takes control of the House for the next few weeks. After the tour-commencing Perth show was already cancelled, it seems The Golden Electric tour is in need of a few lucky rabbit feet. Live Nation are set to make an announcement tomorrow, recommending ticket holders sit tight and hang on to their stubs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SyqltX5lRhQ Via TheMusic.com.au.
In case you needed a reminder the chain was still around and going strong, Victoria is home to eight TGI Fridays, with the American eatery located in Chadstone, the CBD, Doncaster, Eastland and more. The chain's mozzarella sticks and potato twisters have probably always been at the top of your must-eat list, which is understandable — but until Friday, March 29, it's the $5 margaritas that'll likely tempt you to make a trip. No matter what time of day you drop by, you'll only have to hand over a prawn — and you'll nab a cocktail in your choice of four flavours in return. Classic margs are available, of course; however, your tastebuds can also sip down mango, blood orange, and strawberry and coconut varieties. You will need to sign up to TGI Friday's rewards program to score the super-cheap price, which you can do by downloading the app (for iOS or android). Otherwise, those vivid margaritas will set you back $10. TGI Friday has eight Victoria locations: Chadstone, Doncaster, Eastland, Epping, Fountain Gate, Melbourne Central, Southbank and Southland.
