Disney+'s live-action small-screen Star Wars empire started back in 2019 with The Mandalorian. Since then, everything from The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi to Ahsoka, The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew have followed, but it's Andor that's proven the best series in the space-set saga in this very galaxy. The good news: season two arrives in April 2025. The other news: you'd best savour it, because this will be the last of the prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. If you've seen that 2016 movie, you'll know why this the new 12-episode season is not just Andor's second but its final season — because you know where this tale is heading. But audiences being aware of what's coming didn't stop the show's first season from being riveting and thrilling. Based on both the first sneak peek at season two and the just-dropped new trailer, that doesn't look like it's changing from Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Down Under. "I came with you to be part of something". "It's a different kind of mission." "The Empire cannot win." These statements filter through the latest look at Andor's second season. The first trailer offered similar sentiments. "We're in a war. You wanna fight?", it noted, as the show treads the path to rebellion. If you missed the first season, Andor takes a favourite big-screen character and steps back into their story before the events that viewers have already seen — so, like Obi-Wan Kenobi. As its title makes plain, the series focuses on its namesake, Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna (La Máquina) reprising his Rogue One role. Star Wars fans have already seen him as a Rebel captain and intelligence agent, and also watched how his story wraps up, hence the show's need to jump backwards. The focus: following Andor as he discovers how he can play a part in battling the Empire. Indeed, charting the rebellion, and how people and planets joined in, is the series' whole remit. In season two, as the end we all know is coming gets closer, expect higher stakes — and also Ben Mendelsohn (The New Look) as his Rogue One character Orson Krennic, plus Alan Tudyk (Grimsburg) as K-2SO. The first season of Andor saw filmmaker Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Legacy) — who co-wrote the screenplay for Rogue One — rejoin the Star Wars franchise as the series' creator and showrunner. He's back for season two. On-screen, so are Stellan Skarsgård (Dune: Part Two), Genevieve O'Reilly (Tin Star), Denise Gough (Who Is Erin Carter?), Kyle Soller (Bodies), Adria Arjona (Blink Twice), Faye Marsay (Ten Pound Poms) and Forest Whitaker (Emperor of Ocean Park) . You'll be watching along via four chapters comprising of three episodes a piece, with a new chapter hitting your streaming queue each week. Check out the first trailer for Andor season two below: Andor season two streams via Disney+ from Wednesday, April 23, 2025 Down Under. Read our review of season one. Images:© 2025 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
If you've seen even the trailer for Hossein Amini's adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's The Two Faces of January, you've probably thrown out your mediocre wardrobe by now. Following the deep dark secrets of a highly affluent, fashion-savvy couple (Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst) and their newfound tour guide friend (Oscar Isaac) in 1962, Amini's wonderfully stylised, Hitchcockian thriller (based on Patricia Highsmith's post-The Talented Mr Ripley novel) is a bonafide feast for fashion enthusiasts and Lovers of Pretty Things alike. Vintage Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga — the old fashion houses of Paris literally line up on screen thanks to costume designer Steven Noble, the man who vintage shops with Kirsten Dunst. Finding a contemporary freshness in a '60s-set film through modern, bespoke costuming, Noble and Amini successfully create a realm where anachronistic detail actually captures the essence of a period more successfully than sticking to historic accuracy. With The Two Faces of January causing wardrobe envy in cinemas nationwide, we thought we'd get to the bottom of those disarmingly stylin' costumes with their Noble maker. Modernising the '60s Set in 1962, The Two Faces of January finds itself existing in an era brimming with elegant fashion icons; from Rita Hayworth to Audrey Hepburn. But Noble's designs don't seem like a fusty old historic costume, the characters look contemporary, feel modern and dress with a present-day fashionability. "It was something that Hoss said to me in the very beginning, that I tended to agree with. Obviously we wanted to keep an essence of the period, but we just wanted to make it look a little bit more contemporary for a younger, contemporary audience," says Noble. "So we've made something fresh to look at, but it still takes you back to Europe in 1962." Kirsten 'Well Media-Trained' Dunst ever-eloquently told Vogue that "the film looks like an old postcard that feels fresh." Back to the French Fashion Houses In his quest to find the perfect European aesthetic for the film, Noble looked to the dominant French fashion houses of the '60s — we're talking Chanel, Dior, Balenciaga, Nina Ricci; gang's all here. "I took inspiration from so many different genres and elements of the period, you know, the original holiday stuff, tourists. And then the magazines and films of the period — I watched the films of the late '50s early '60s." You can bet Roman Holiday was in the stack. Chanel forms a large part of the inspiration for Noble's bespoke creations, as well as his existing picks. Dunst's character Colette MacFarland dons some pretty ballin' pearls in a very tense dinner table scene; modern Chanel revisualisations of a late 1920s style. "With Kirsten's character, the backstory was that they'd been to Paris so Chester had bought her a new wardrobe," says Noble. "So that was all sort of, high end designers like Chanel and Nina Ricci and Dior and the designers at the time." Noble had a pretty high-stress responsibility on set: guard the treasure. "[There] was nearly half a million pounds of diamonds and pearls which we had to carry around with us," he says. "They either had to be on me personally at any time, or on Kirsten. If they weren't on Kirsten then they had to be in the safe." Vintage Shopping with Kirsten Dunst Dunst has led a long career of adorable costuming, prompting It Girl squeals press-wide over her lengthy Hollywood existence. The Two Faces of January is no exception, with the 32-year-old making every scene feel like a Vanity Fair shoot. Evoking every inch the Hitchcockian blonde Amini could ask for, Noble's costumes make an Eva Marie Saint of Dunst's character, Colette MacFarland, in a snap. "I guess I did take cues from the Tippi Hedrens of that period," says Noble. "Also with Daniel [Phillips], hair and make-up designer, they worked very closely together and obviously with Kirsten's input too, we'd come up with how she ends up in the film. It's a very organic process. "Patricia Highsmith in the book details the silhouette of Colette, wearing pencil skirts and she knows what she likes," he says. "With Kirsten we had a two-day trying on period at Elstree Studios and we just created this wonderful sort of vintage world in the dressing room. We pulled in clothes from around the world from all these different costume houses, and fabrics from all over the place and just had a really fun time trying things on." Dressing Hollywood Actors Noble tries to involve his actors as much as possible in the early planning stages of his costume development, with every piece for the three leads Dunst, Mortensen and Isaac made bespoke. "I find it a very organic process ... working closely with the actors and coming up with their character and the concept behind the scenes or characters through their clothing," says Noble. "All three of [the leads: Mortensen, Dunst and Isaac] were a dream to work with. I was allowed to lead them, and obviously if there was something they absolutely thought was completely wrong then if I felt strongly about it I would try to make them wear it in a diplomatic way. "It's very hard to say how much input they have. Because I'll have had an original idea when I first see the script — because it's my job — and then you sort of have a period of prep where you start designing, researching and sketching, fabrics and that sort of thing. You try to have a conversation [with the actors] very early on; if they're not available face-to-face then I'll try and get them on the phone as early as possible to talk about their character. Then it's just a matter of trying on." The contemporary Cary Grant Tailored and worthy of a Hitchcock hero, Mortensen's suits as the seemingly infallible Chester MacFarland are a Savile Row lover's dream. Paired against Isaac's fedora-wearing, polo shirt-preferring role as newfound acquaintance Rydal, Noble's male costumes transcend fifty shades of holiday beige. Noble doesn't separate techniques for designing male and female character costumes, seeing the art in both without consciously seeking a gendered difference. "You know, obviously there's different techniques involved, I mean, with the men's tailoring; it's quite an art," he says. "The people who made [Mortensen's] suits are incredibly talented. But I haven't really thought about it to be honest, it sort of just happens." From affluent to penny-pinching, ladylike to roguish romantic hero, The Two Faces of January fronts a unified aesthetic through basic thematic means, particularly in the opening scene of the film — the sunwashed, crumbling ruins of the Acropolis paired with Mortensen's cream three-piece suit, Isaac's beige polo get-up and Dunst in That Yellow Dress. Changing it Up, Keeping it Fresh Along with the classic, contemporary '60s pieces created for The Two Faces of January, Noble boasts an eclectic CV. Having already designed the costumes for 2010's multi-award winning sci-fi drama Never Let Me Go, the 2011 teen angst-fuelled 2011 adaptation of Wuthering Heights and Scarlett Johansson's 2013 sci-fi jaw-dropper Under the Skin, Noble's not one to pigeonhole his art. "Versatility is what keeps it exciting or fresh," he says. "You don't know what script you're going to get in next, where it's going to take you. You know, you'll do a period piece for one month and then six months later you're doing a space age thing. It's so diverse. Obviously the script's the main thing — we've all worked on some duds in our time. But the diversity and the challenges are what keep you surviving in the industry." So the final question on fashion fiend minds: does Noble get to keep the wardrobe? "The studio keeps everything," says Noble. "I will ask if I can keep certain key pieces, but in general it's the property of the studio so what happens to it I don't know — there's obviously some graveyard." Shovels at the ready. The Two Faces of January is now showing in selected cinemas.
Keep watching the skies, folks — drones are a-coming. They can ferry sushi, burgers, slurpees and pizza to your face. They can help you take killer selfies and spirit you away to places you can't get to. And, with Amazon and Australia Post among the companies trying to integrate them into their businesses, they're also shaping up to become the parcel delivery mechanism of the future. In Amazon's case, they want to take things a step further. From offering one-hour booze delivery to making the jump from their massive online operations to opening bricks-and-mortar stores — with their supermarkets rumoured to be headed to Australia — they're not known for doing things by halves, after all. After successfully completing their first fully autonomous drone delivery on December 7, 2016, they're thinking about where they're deploying their flying robotic helpers from. That's why they've filed a patent for flying warehouses that will house and dispatch drones. Known as "airborne fulfilment centres" or AFCs, and covered in an application first lodged in 2014, the vessels in question are zeppelin-like airships that will house a contingent of stock. From there, drones that can reach altitudes of 14,000 metres will glide down to deliver the goods in question to their intended destination. And to keep the AFCs' shelves filled and ready to go, shuttles will bring supplies, drones and possibly even people up from the ground below. Yep, some actual humans will probably need to work in the sky to help things run smoothly. https://twitter.com/zoe_leavitt/status/814212767041331202 Festivals and sporting events, aka activities that usually filled with people wanting to buy things but don't always boast the best access, were mentioned as potential sites for Amazon's AFC-dispatched drone deliveries. Sure, it's just an idea in a patent application for now, but keep watching this space (and the space above your head, of course). Via Tech Crunch / Dezeen.
Your bags are packed, you've caught the Airtrain and you've navigated the check-in process. All that's left is to sit and wait until your flight boards, and then your holiday will be underway. That's how most of us approach airports, admit it. But we've all been forgetting a very important piece of travel advice: your trip actually begins when you walk through the airport doors. Once you've collected your boarding pass, dropped off your bags and passed through security, you're basically on your way. So, you might as well enjoy it. Most of us are guilty of finding the nearest seat, pumping out a few last-minute emails and tapping our toes impatiently as we scroll through our newsfeeds for the 1000th time until it's time to hop on the plane. But Brisbane Airport offers a range of alternatives at its Domestic Terminal. Whether you're a local starting your trip or you're a visitor with a spare window between connecting flights, coffee, shopping, music and more await. GET YOUR CAFFEINE FIX Airports and coffee are one of life's essential pairings. Most of us can't even contemplate making our way through the building — let alone the flight — without a good caffeine hit. Of course, as every coffee fiend knows, there's a difference between an average takeaway brew and a proper coffee — and Fonzie Abbott is onsite at Brisbane Airport to deliver the latter. Open from 4.30am weekdays and 5am on weekends, the coffee roasters brew up flavoursome beans that are widely considered among the best in Brisbane. Otherwise, rich hot chocolates are on offer — if that's your preferred warm beverage. Pair your coffee or choccie with a muffin or slice of banana bread, and sit by the cafe's windows for a bit of plane-spotting. And, if you're worried about the coffee situation when you land, you can also grab a bag of beans to take with you. HIT THE SHOPS One of the best views in the Brisbane Airport isn't at any of the boarding lounges, it's in the Lorna Jane store. If you find yourself staring outside rather than rifling through the racks, that's understandable — although shoppers will find plenty to keep their attention. Those needing something comfy to wear on the flight will be in the right spot, but whatever you're after, you'll likely find it among the Domestic Terminal's mini mall. You'll find the usual shopping centre suspects including Witchery, Seed, Peter Alexander, Typo and Sunglass Hut — great for when you realise you left your sunnies on the kitchen bench. There's also a Mecca Maxima should you need some skincare to help you stay fresh on the plane. Finally, there are, of course, spots like Newslink, Watermark Books and News Travels, where you can pick up a book to really sink your teeth into on your long-haul. EAT A DECENT PRE-FLIGHT MEAL Kimchi-filled Korean-style chicken sandwiches, slider platters and a pie tasting plate might not sound like your usual airport fare, but they're all available at the Domestic Terminal's Glasshouse Bar. Named after the nearby mountains on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, the restaurant and watering hole places a particular emphasis on local produce. Expect to also find a Darling Downs rump steak and a caesar salad with soft-boiled Tamborine Mountain free-range eggs on the menu, plus a range of Queensland brews. Settling in by the mountain mural is a great, leisurely sit-down option, but if you only have time for a food court meal, you can still have something a few steps above the reheated and fried meals that can plague food courts. At the Qantas food court, you'll find Vietnamese joint Roll'd with an array of vegetable-stuffed rice paper rolls, pho and banh mi, and Sumo Salad serving an array of fresh salads, grain bowls and made-to-order wraps at the Virgin end of the terminal. RELAX OVER A PRE-DEPARTURE BEV You might not be heading from Brisbane Airport to Cairns, but you can still enjoy some of the tropical Queensland city's best brews at the onsite Great Northern Bar. Because it's always 5pm somewhere, the bar stays open from 5am until late, with the closing time depending on the flight schedule. Expect a hefty lineup of beers and other alcoholic beverages, plus pub-style food and a nice view out over the tarmac. GET YOUR TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER Arrived at the airport after a busy day at work with a phone battery that's fading fast? Want to get in a few episodes of your favourite Netflix show during your flight, but forgot to download them? Finished shopping, eating and drinking but still have a couple of emails to write? That's where Brisbane Airport's free wifi and free charging stations come in handy; let's face it, hopping on a plane staring at the red power meter on your phone is the stuff nightmares are made of. With wifi throughout the terminal, you can get your affairs in order while you browse or sit at the bar. And as for charging up, you'll find a number of outlets scattered throughout the terminal's two food courts. Next time you find yourself at Brisbane Airport, pass the time pre-flight eating, drinking and shopping your way through the terminal. Images: Atlanta Bell.
To promote season four of The Walking Dead, FOX Portugal came up with the simplest of concepts: if you want blood, folks, then you gotta give it. That's right, they opened a pop-up store in which blood serves as currency. It's the first of its kind in the world. All you have to do is walk in and bare your forearm. The attendant produces a needle, fills a vial and sends it to the Portugese National Blood Bank Institute. You walk away with brand new, uber-gory merch and someone, somewhere, gets a much-needed transfusion. The more blood you give, the more goods you score. The store attracted customers at the rate of a World War Z zombie swarm. Blood donations reportedly increased by 571 percent in comparison with last year, and 67 percent of those giving the needle the green light were first-time donors. At the same time, The Walking Dead enjoyed a 17 percent boost in ratings. Given such overwhelmingly successful statistics, additional incarnations of the store are now set to pop-up in nations all over the world, including The Netherlands, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and the United States. The Walking Dead Blood Store was created in conjunction with creative agency Torke + CC, whose motto reads "handcrafted ideas to rule the world." https://youtube.com/watch?v=Wf6ZXq71ujw Via PSFK.
Update Thursday, October 29: Stormzy has cancelled his Australian and New Zealand tours and will be replaced on the Spilt Milk lineup by Steve Lacy. This article has been updated to reflect this. Originally a flagship event in Canberra, Spilt Milk has now expanded to a three-show tour across Australia with stops in Ballarat and the Gold Coast — and it's finally making its return at the end of 2022. For its grand comeback, the festival has pulled together a world-class lineup geared towards heaving dance floors and big sing-a-longs. Leading the charge: Flume, Steve Lacy and The Wombats. Homegrown hitmaker Flume nabs one of the headliner slots fresh from playing Coachella, while California indie-pop singer-songwriter Steve Lacy has joined the lineup following a huge 2022. He's replacing Stormzy, who was originally on the lineup but has cancelled his entire run of Australian tour dates. Rounding out the headline slots in beloved British rockers The Wombats, who keep proving a hit on our shores — with 15 slots in Triple J's Hottest 100 over the years to prove it. Also on the bill: Ninajirachi, FISHER, G Flip, Genesis Owusu, Mallrat, Spacey Jane, A.GIRL and PEACH PRC, among others — and, from the art lineup, a heap of talent from long-running Spilt Milk partners Studio A. Also, because this fest is also about food, there'll be bites to eat from Firepop, Burger Head and more. Popping up in Victoria Park, Ballarat will be the second stop off on Spilt Milk's 2022 tour after kicking off in Canberra on Saturday, November 26. From there it'll be wrapping things up on Sunday, December 4 at Doug Jennings Park up in the Sunshine State. [caption id="attachment_851188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] SPILT MILK BALLARAT 2022 LINEUP: A.GIRL Beddy Rays Billy Xane Fisher Flume G Flip Genesis Owusu Hayden James King Stingray Kobie Dee Latifa Tee Little Fritter Mallrat Mansionair Ninajarachi PEACH PRC Spacey Jane Stand Atlantic Steve Lacy Telenova The Wombats YNG Martyr Young Franco 1300 Guilty Pleasures by DJ Levins Coastal Jam DJs Gangz Lashes Mason Flint Sweat Dreams DJs Food: Firepop Blackbear BBQ Birdman Burger Head Empire Pizza Ryan Gozleme and more Art by Studio A: Emily Crockford Greg Sindel Katrina Brennan Jaycee Kim Meagan Pelham Thom Roberts Top image: Jordan Munns
In the world of astronomy, 2018 is ending as it began. After kicking into gear with an extremely rare supermoon, the year is coming to a close with another impressive sky show: the comet 46P/Wirtanen. Given the festive time of year and the hurtling celestial object's green colour, 46P/Wirtanen has been dubbed the 'Christmas comet'. It's expected to be the brightest comet of 2018 and, while it's already a presence in the night sky, it'll be at its most vivid and glowing between December 14 and December 18. If you want to spy it at its absolute brightest — and on its closest approach to earth — NASA recommends looking up on Sunday, December 16 (in the evening down under, continuing through until the morning of Monday, December 17). If you're wondering how close it'll be, 46P/Wirtanen will be 11.7 million kilometres away, which equates to 30 times the distance to the moon. As for how vibrant it'll be, the comet should range between 3 and 7.5 on the naked-eye magnitude. At the upper end, that's dimmer than the brightest stars but still visible without binoculars or a telescope. At the lower end, you'll need one of the aforementioned pieces of equipment to help you see it. However you're choosing to take a gander, you'll be peering at a comet that was first discovered in 1948 by American astronomer Carl A. Wirtanen. It measures approximately 1.2 kilometres in diameter, and completes its orbit every 5.4 years, but it's not expected to venture this close to earth again for another 20 years. For the best view, the ABC advises looking north-east, and using either binoculars or a DSLR camera. You might also want help from an online chart to get you looking in the right spot, with The Comet Wirtanen Observing Campaign offering a guide. Heading as far away from city lights is also recommended, as it always is when the sky is putting on a spectacle. If you're thinking of camping out, you might want to consider making a weekend of it. 46P/Wirtanen's brightest spell comes two days after the impressive Geminids meteor shower, which is expected to be visible from late evening on Friday, December 14 through to the early morning on Saturday, December 15. The Virtual Telescope Project will also be streaming live images of 46P/Wirtanen between December 12 and 17. 46P/Wirtanen will be at its brightest during the night of on Sunday, December 16. Image: Stephen Rahn.
The beerhalls of Germany seem inconceivably distant from our cold Melburnian shores right now. Instead of a summery festival season clad in lederhosen with a cold beer in hand, Melbourne's forecast for the next few months calls for trench coats and a high chance of hot mulled cider. It's unfortunate, but we've accepted it. We've blocked all our friends' Instagram feeds who are visiting Europe, and we've become content with our sad state of affairs. That is until now. Say hello to Munich Brauhaus — a 900-seater German beerhall in the heart of South Wharf. Only just announced, this incredible slice of European joy is unfortunately scheduled to launch in mid-August; so you still have a while to wait. But that doesn't mean we can't start drooling over it now. To be fitted out in a repurposed space on Southwharf Promenade, Munich Brauhaus will boast all the trappings of a traditional Bavaraian bierhaus with a clean modern edge. But as we all know, the most important part of a beerhall is the beer — and this place does not disappoint. On tap you'll find a host of quality German brews such as Fürstenburg Premium Pils, Löwenbräu Original, and Stiegl Goldbräu (and really, if it has an umlaut, you know it's good). The kitchen will also be stocked with feasting favourites such as locally sourced suckling pig and charcoal spits, and the music will be just as you expect — oom-pa pah music with accordions aplenty. The only reason to be disappointed is if you're vegetarian, but even then you can't be too upset with great beer and warm pretzels. Of course any large venue in our city is exciting news, let alone a fully-fitted German beerhall. Melbourne is a town of laneway bars with labyrinthine entries; we tuck our hip venues under pedestrian bridges and watch helplessly as they flood. Munich Brauhaus will now join the leagues of Little Creatures Dining Hall, offering a southside option for lovers of hearty feasts and marathon drinking escapades. We may not get to enjoy the sunshine and mayhem of the European festival season, but at least we now have a glowing amber light to strive for at the end of our winter hibernation. BYO lederhosen.
What do you want the world to be? That question has always sat at the heart of design, and Melbourne Design Week knows it. Accordingly, for its eighth year, the National Gallery of Victoria-led event is going all in on the notion, with 2024's 300-plus exhibitions, installations, talks, tours and displays focused on the theme "design the world you want". The possibilities are virtually endless from that prompt, as Melburnians can discover around the city between Thursday, May 23–Sunday, June 2. The works, symposiums and chats within the program break down the theme further, contemplating design in relation to energy, ethics and ecology, plus how they can bring about change — covering the use of new technologies and renewables, reflecting society's values and working in harmony with nature, At the NGV alone, attendees are spoiled for choice. If you need some fuel for your Melbourne Design Week jaunt, the One-Stop Bug-Shop has you covered — it's a vending machine dispensing alternative snacks made from insects, including candied mealworms and corn chips made from crickets. Future foods are also one of the discussion topics, alongside Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo chatting about approaches to architecture in urban environments, a symposium in advance of the NGV's upcoming Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 exhibition, and talks from Design as an Attitude author Alice Rawsthorn and The Story of Art Without Men scribe Katy Hessel. And, for the 11-day duration of the festival, Melbourne Art Book Fair is also back. [caption id="attachment_957843" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tobias Titz[/caption] Elsewhere, the Melbourne Design Week Film Festival awaits, with flicks such as Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis, about the design studio behind some of the most-influential album cover art to ever grace record sleeves — and so does the Open House Melbourne-presented satellite program Design and Death, which considers the interplay between the two concepts right there in its name, including via touring Bunurong Memorial Park. Exhibitions galore, pet furniture with multiple functions that can be used in small spaces, a parkland reimagined through cake, mapping out Melbourne's coffee culture, a mobile garden roaming the streets, the work of First Nations glass artists, showcasing Japanese design from the 50s onwards: you'll find them all on the lineup as well. Exploring the interiors of toilets, the return of The Big Design Market and a chat with Universal Everything's Interactive Creative Director Joel Gethin Lewis about ACMI's Beings exhibition also sit on the clearly jam-packed program. And, if you need more highlights, you can hit up everything from a workshop on indie games and a panel at the Melbourne Planetarium about living beyond the earth through to The Huxleys diving into their work and Living Light immersing you in the glow from bioluminescent bacteria. [caption id="attachment_957842" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of 100 Circles, presented by Revival Projects, on display from 23 May–26 May at Warehouse 2, Revival Projects, in Melbourne Design Week 2024. Photo: Tim Carrafa.[/caption] Top image: Installation view of Squiggles and Cubes, presented by Meagan Streader and Billy Horn, on display from 23 May—2 June at The Tie Factory as part of Melbourne Design Week 2024. Photo: Sean Fennessy.
Since Euphoria last hit screens in 2022, 2023 added Saltburn to Jacob Elordi's resume, then 2024 Down Under brought Priscilla. In 2025, viewers will be watching the Australian star in The Narrow Road to the Deep North. The Australian-made five-part miniseries was initially announced a couple of years back, then unveiled a few sneak-peak images last year. Now, Prime Video has locked in the show's streaming debut for April. Put Friday, April 18, 2025 in your diary, and consider your Easter long-weekend viewing sorted. The Narrow Road to the Deep North will premiere at this year's Berlinale first, getting a rare cinema showing, before bringing its page-to-screen tale to streaming. Before all of the above projects, and also before the three Kissing Booth films helped boost his career first, Elordi scored his initial on-screen acting credit beyond short films in Aussie movie Swinging Safari. Since then, however, the Brisbane-born talent has largely focused on working overseas. So The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a rarity of late on his filmography, with the actor returning home to make the drama. The series adapts Richard Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. Also featuring among the show's starry lineup of talent: Olivia DeJonge (Elvis), her The Staircase co-star Odessa Young (My First Film), Limbo and Boy Swallows Universe's Simon Baker; Heartbreak High's Thomas Weatherall, Love Me's Heather Mitchell and Belfast's Ciarán Hinds — as well as Show Kasamatsu (Tokyo Vice), Charles An (Last King of the Cross), Essie Davis (One Day), William Lodder (Love Me), Eduard Geyl (Born to Spy) and Christian Byers (Bump) The project's impressive talent extend behind the camera, with The Narrow Road to the Deep North hailing from Snowtown, True History of the Kelly Gang and Nitram collaborators Justin Kurzel and Shaun Grant. Kurzel directs, while Grant is on adaptation duties — and both are also executive producing. [caption id="attachment_927127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic for HBO via Getty Images, supplied by Prime Video.[/caption] Elordi shares the role of Dorrigo Evans with Hinds, playing the younger version of the character in a tale that jumps between different time periods. The Narrow Road to the Deep North's protagonist is a Lieutenant who becomes a prisoner of war on the Thailand-Burma Railway. His story encompasses becoming a surgeon and war hero, and a life-changing stint of falling in love with Amy Mulvaney (Young). DeJonge and Baker feature with Elordi and Young in the show's 40s-set segments, where World War II obviously casts a shadow. Hinds hops in when the series gets to the 80s, which is where Mitchell, Weatherall, Kasamatsu and An will pop up as well. [caption id="attachment_947836" align="alignnone" width="1920"] HBO[/caption] [caption id="attachment_919075" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saltburn[/caption] The Narrow Road to the Deep North will stream via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025. Images: Prime Video.
Melbourne's northern suburb of Reservoir is now home to a brand new craft brewery — and it's doing things a little differently. Future Mountain Brewing and Blending is focused on creating farmhouse-style brews, inspired by the old world taprooms of Europe and a growing trend in the States. Expect wild fermentation ales and barrel-aged sours on offer in small batches here. Co-owners Ian Jones and Shane Ferguson have five years' experience in the field, having met at Boatrocker Brews — which is also known for its wild and sour ales. Their partners Elisa Jones and Kara Rasmanis (respectively) have joined them in this new venture, too. Apart from using wild yeast and bacterial strains, the team has also partnered with local Yarra Valley fruit growers, wineries and coffee roasters to create truly seasonal brews. At the moment, the venue's 12 taps are pouring apricot, cherry and peach sour beers, along with a white ale, a golden sour blend, two German-style pilsners and two farmhouse ales. Upcoming beers include a hoppy saison, raspberry barrel-aged sour and a bourbon barrel-aged oatmeal stout for the winter months. The taproom is set amid stainless steal tanks and oak barrels. For food, there are pides, flatbreads and pies available in house, along with delivery from neighbouring pizza joint Unique Gourmet Pizza Bar and all the Uber Eats you fancy. Wild ales and European-style farmhouse brews are becoming increasingly popular in Australia, with Sydney also home to Wildflower Brewing and Blending and plenty of breweries starting up barrel-aged programs around the country. Future Mountain Brewing and Blending is now open at 703–707 Plenty Road, Reservoir. Opening hours are Friday 4–11pm, Saturday noon–11pm and Sunday noon–8pm.
First, murder-mysteries kept filling streaming queues. Now, while that's still happening, everyone second whodunnit is a comedy as well. It worked for Only Murders in the Building, which will drop its third season this year. It's a treat in new Australian series Deadloch. And it also went down smoothly in the first season of Apple TV+'s The Afterparty, which is also about to release new episodes. Back when The Afterparty was picked up for another run in 2022, it was announced that season two would focus on Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish, The Card Counter), given that the first season already wrapped up its self-contained stint of sleuthing. But she isn't the only character making a comeback with Aniq (Sam Richardson, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson) and Zoe (Zoe Chao, Party Down) also returning. As the just-dropped trailer shows, the couple attend a wedding, the groom Edgar (Zach Woods, Avenue 5) ends up dead, and questions start being asked — including of the bride Grace (Poppy Liu, Dead Ringers), who is Zoe's sister. While season one also featured Ben Schwartz (Space Force), Zoe Chao (Love Life), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project), Dave Franco (If Beale Street Could Talk), Jamie Demetriou (The Great) and John Early (Search Party), this new case will bring in Elizabeth Perkins (Barry), Paul Walter Hauser (Bupkis), Anna Konkle (PEN15), Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise), Vivian Wu (Irma Vep), John Cho (Cowboy Bebop) and Ken Jeong (Community) when it starts streaming from Wednesday, July 12. To get to the bottom of the case, Danner and Aniq team up to interrogate all the guests, which sees the show cycle through a range of film genres as it tells each person's tale. "Hit me with that Aniq rom-com sequel," demands Danner — and, with season two spanning ten episodes, that'll only be the beginning. Wes Anderson flicks, period romances and black-and-white gumshoe noirs all get a look-in in the sneak peek. Of course, while the settings change, and the motley crew of figures involved as well, plenty of whodunnits share the same premise. Take a ragtag group of folks, pop them all in the same spot, kill one off and then start asking questions — that's it, that's the formula. It works for board game Cluedo, it worked for Agatha Christie and her lengthy list of Hercule Poirot novels and stories, and it's also been behind everything from the Knives Out movies and The Translators to See How They Run and more in the past few years. So, letting The Afterparty have another run at it should be easy for creators Chris Miller and Phil Lord (The Lego Movie). Indeed, if season two lives up to the first season, viewers can look forward to another batch of episodes that twist in its their own directions, tell their tale with flair and approach the show's overall idea with a savvy sense of humour. Check out the trailer for season two of The Afterparty below: Season two of The Afterparty will stream via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, July 12. Read our full review of season one.
Despite having a smorgasbord of activities and events at your fingertips, it's surprisingly easy to find yourself stuck in an after-hours rut with you and your mates kicking back at the same old after-work haunts, week in and week out. Enjoyable, though it won't exactly win you huge points for a sense of adventure. Luckily, if you are looking to shake up your after-work routine, you don't have to hunt very hard at all. To get you off to a cracking start, we've teamed up with Hahn to scout out a bunch of non-boring, new ideas for your next group activities. [caption id="attachment_631811" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Katje Ford.[/caption] SELF-GUIDED STREET ART TOUR No matter how long you've called yourself a local, we bet there's a truckload of corners and laneways you're yet to discover. So, round up the squad for some intrepid exploration, and gain a fresh perspective on that concrete jungle as you set off on a self-guided street art tour. The internet's chock full of printable tour maps curated by urban experts and art-lovers alike, directing you towards all the best art-focused walks in your area. Shake off the work day as you cruise the city at your own pace, unearthing public art gems left, right and centre. And once you've had your fill of art, head to the pub for a beer and a chat about the best, worst and most unusual sights you've seen. Where? Search 'street art' on Concrete Playground and find some of the works you should be seeing in your city, and if you're in Sydney, you can book into one of Culture Scouts tours if you need a bit more guidance. PASTA-MAKING WORKSHOP This gloomy stretch of winter will feel like way more of success if you come out at the end of it with something useful — you know, some visible gym results, a decent love life or, the most impressive of all, the knowledge of how to make a killer bowl of handmade pasta. Luckily from Brisbane to Sydney to Melbourne, we've been gifted with a delicious array of classes on making the best comfort food out there. So, if you really want to set yourself up for culinary success and a whole lot of praise, book the crew in for a post-work pasta-making class where you'll learn to create pure magic with just three simple ingredients: flour, eggs and water. And once you've learned how to make pasta, you can then study up on how to pair some beers with your creations. Just think of all those future dinner parties. Where? Learn to craft some epic noodles at Pasta Emilia in Sydney, The Craft & Co. in Melbourne and at The Pasta Company in Brisbane. LAWN BOWLS For the ultimate group bonding exercise, you can't go past the joy of kicking another team's butt in some form of organised sport. But who really wants to run the risk of a bung ankle, wrist or hammy going into summer? This year, hone your teamwork skills and sharpen that competitive edge while keeping the big hits to a minimum — join the lawn bowls revolution. Outside of the summer season, a session at most bowling clubs will cost you mere pocket change, including access to all the proper gear, a guide to get you started off on the right foot and maybe a couple post-work pitchers. What's more, after a few weeks of practice, just imagine how you and your mates will dominate against all those less practiced suckers during summer's social barefoot bowls sessions. Where? Practice your bowl at one of these greens in Sydney, at the City of Melbourne Bowls Club and one of these lawns in Brisbane. YOGA WITH A TWIST A regular ol' vinyasa may not be everyone's cup of tea. So if you want to up the ante, throw in a twist to make things a bit more intriguing. Studios across the country are taking the concept of yoga to some rather wild territory, with classes that offer the ultimate mash-up of exercise and fun. Prefer your workout tunes to have some oomph? Head along to a hip hop yoga class and get bendy to a soundtrack of fresh beats. Or, if you fancy making some new feline friends, team that stretch session with a few kitty cuddles at cat yoga. There's even a variety of aerial yoga styles which'll find you nailing those poses while suspended gracefully in mid-air. Where? Stretch it out with some kitties at Catmosphere's cat yoga in Sydney, groove into your downward dog at hip hop yoga in Melbourne and defy gravity at Brissie's aerial yoga. THEMED TRIVIA Got a swag of random knowledge just waiting to be put to good use? Round up your post-work posse for some fun of the cerebral variety: showing off your pop cultural prowess with a rousing session of themed trivia. A more focused version of the classic pub quiz, these events provide the perfect opportunity to unleash your random stash of Harry Potter facts and, if we're honest, a brilliant excuse to go back and 'revise' your favourite TV shows, cult movies and long-forgotten pop music. What's more, on any given week, there's usually a plethora of themed trivia sessions to choose from. Gather your crew and bond over not-so useless facts, a few beers and a good ol' pub parma. Where? Test your music knowledge at The Toxteth's Tuesday Night Music Trivia in Glebe, dig up some old memories at Throwback Thursdays trivia at Island Somewhere in Melbourne and dive head first into Simpsons, Seinfeld or Harry Potter trivia at Man vs Bear's trivia nights held at various bars around Brisbane. Round up the troops and head out for a new after-work activity this week, topped off with a cheeky Hahn or two.
If you're anything like us, you have an endless list of places you want to visit and things you want to do when you're there: have a whiskey in the Park Hyatt Tokyo, float along Venice's canals, get into Berghain in Berlin, eat fresh seafood on the beach in Sri Lanka (just to name a few). But, sometimes, your bank balance won't allow it. We understand, and we've teamed up with Intrepid Travel so you can tick one off your list — for free. The long-time purveyor of taking you off the beaten track, putting you outside of your comfort zone and providing A-plus travel stories, Intrepid Travel is giving you a chance to win an (almost) all-expenses-paid trip to Sri Lanka. As well as return airfares for two, you and your chosen loved one will also get to join a 15-day extensive tour of the country. Get ready to tell some cracking travel yarns in the future. The Circle Sri Lanka trip will take you from Negombo, in the east and will travel clockwise all the way round to the island nation's capital, Colombo. Throughout the two weeks, you'll have the chance to explore ruins, climb Sigiriya Lion Rock, learn to cook traditional Sri Lankan fare, explore bustling bazaars and trek through tea plantations. And all accommodation, ten brekkies (and some lunches and dinners) are included, as well as more activities than you can count on your two hands. The island is full of vibrant culture, incredible food, ancient citadels and idyllic beaches on all sides. Regardless of whether you're the lucky winner, it should be high up on your travel bucket list anyway. To enter, see details below. [competition]669353[/competition] Top image: Sigiriya Lion Rock
It's the season of must-see TV we've known was coming since way back in 2020, and it finally has a release date. That'd be The Handmaid's Tale's fifth batch of episodes, which'll return this spring. The words you're looking for: praise be. With this hit series, blessed be the dystopian dramas, which is exactly what The Handmaid's Tale has been serving up since 2017 now. Of course, on the page, this bleak look at a potential oppressive existence has been drawing in fans since the 1985, when Margaret Atwood's book first hit shelves. A film followed in 1990, and opera in 2000 — plus a sequel novel in 2019, too. Yes, there have been many ways to dive into The Handmaid's Tale over the years, but only one keeps winning small-screen awards and stars a phenomenal Elisabeth Moss (Shining Girls). Thankfully, the wait between the show's fourth and fifth seasons is shorter than the gap between its third and fourth — a year rather than two. The date to mark in your diary: September 15, given that the show will return in the US on September 14. Down Under, episodes usually air weekly on SBS in Australia, and stream via SBS On Demand — and hit Neon in New Zealand — at the same time as in America. There's no trailer just yet, but The Handmaid's Tale's fifth season will arrive with two episodes to start with, then drop new instalments weekly afterwards. And, story-wise, it'll step back into June's (Moss) life after season four's climactic events. Accordingly, that also means watching Serena (Yvonne Strahovski, Stateless) try to raise her profile in Toronto, with season five seeing Gilead's influence creeps into Canada. Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford, Tick, Tick... Boom!) and Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd, Rebecca) endeavour to reform Gilead, too. And June, Luke (O-T Fagbenle, Black Widow) and Moira (Samira Wiley, Breaking News in Yuba County) will keep fighting the totalitarian regime. Also returning among the cast: Max Minghella (Spiral: From the Book of Saw), Madeline Brewer (Hustlers), Amanda Brugel (Snowpiercer) and Sam Jaeger (The Eyes of Tammy Faye). The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale will hit start airing in Australia and New Zealand in September — on SBS TV, and to stream via SBS On Demand and Neon, with new episodes arriving weekly.
Whether you're a wizard or a muggle, the moment most people discover that something is forbidden, they feel a need to check it out. Harry Potter certainly did when it came to the forest surrounding Hogwarts, and now enchanted fans can follow in his footsteps as part of Warner Bros' London studio tour. From March 31, the film studio will unveil a new recreation of the area deemed off limits by Professor Dumbledore, complete with the greenery and creatures that helped it gets its name. As you walk through the Forbidden Forest with lantern in hand, you'll tread beneath 19 trees that each boast a diameter of almost four metres, see one of Hagrid's costumes — and even control the forest's weather. With the attraction designed and built by many of the crew members who worked on the films, the wonder doesn't stop there. Visitors will also spy a full-sized model of Buckbeak the hippogriff, and cross paths with the giant spider that is Aragog in all his glory (his leg span ranges beyond five metres, so don't venture near if you're arachnophobic). You'll feel as though Harry, Ron and Hermione are right there beside you, really. The Forbidden Forest is just the latest way the Warner Bros' London tour is going potty for all things Potter as part of its Making of Harry Potter section. A selection of outfits from the movies are on display until September, while current attendees can also find out how Dobby came to life until the end of March. In the lead up to Valentine's Day, eager diners can enjoy a love potion and a meal in the great hall, while a showcase of the dark arts — including a walk down Diagon Alley — is coming in October, followed by the return of the festive favourite Hogwarts in the Snow in November. Yes, it's totally okay if you're now looking up flights to London. For more information about the Warner Bros London studio tour and the Making of Harry Potter, visit the studio tour website.
Classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) earlier this week, COVID-19 is clearly no laughing matter. And with the Australian Government announcing a ban on non-essential events and mass gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday, March 16 in an effort to reduce the coronavirus' spread across Australia, there'll be no giggling or guffawing at this year's now-cancelled Melbourne International Comedy Festival. "With great sadness we must announce that following the Prime Minister's statement about non-essential mass gatherings, the 2020 Melbourne International Comedy Festival will not go ahead," MICF organisers revealed in a statement. "Cancelling the Festival is heartbreaking but the only decision possible to support the community's efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19)." This year's festival was due to kick off on Wednesday, March 25, running through until Sunday, April 19 — with the likes of Mark Watson, Jason Byrne, the Lucas Brothers, Anne Edmonds, Adam Hills, Becky Lucas and Zoe Coombs Marr on the bill. https://www.facebook.com/melbournecomedy/photos/a.169679626410783/3062822803763103/?type=3&theater MICF is considered one of the largest three comedy festivals in the world, alongside Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival. First kicking off in 1977, it attracts more than 770,000 comedy-loving punters each year. Ticket holders will receive refunds, and will be notified about the next steps in the coming days. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival joins a growing list of cancelled events and closed venues, with large swathes of cinemas shutting in China, Iran, South Korea, Japan and across Europe, and theme parks doing the same in Asia, Europe and the US. We've also seen the cancellation of Texan music and film festival South by Southwest and postponement of Coachella. More locally, Tasmania's Dark Mofo, the Grand Prix in Melbourne and the Sydney Royal Easter Show have all been cancelled. The 2020 Melbourne International Comedy Festival will no longer take place from Wednesday, March 25–Sunday, April 19. For more information, visit the festival's website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Everyone has one: a hangover story that's burned into your brain so strongly, it has become your own personal legend. Simply thinking about it brings back all the vivid memories — including the sights, smells, sounds and tastes; just how rotten you were feeling; and the shenanigans that ensured this wasn't just a normal morning after. Hangovers are humbling experiences, but celebrating them — or willingly reliving your hangover stories — isn't done all that often. Until now, that is, with Croatia's new Museum of Hangovers showing the love for the bleary, blurry, head-pounding results of a big, boozy night out. Now open seven days a week, the site is designed to recreate a drunken stumble home after a bender. You'll walk through different rooms just as if you were walking back from a bar or pub. Along the way, you'll peruse a collection of objects from real hangover tales, all on display alongside the stories behind them. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5lFw56nt96/ Created by Rino Dubokovic and co-founder Roberta Mikelic — based on real-life experience, naturally — the Zagreb museum features everything from a big board where visitors can detail their own tales while they're there to a mini-exhibition that shows what different forms of alcohol look like under a microscope. Portraits of seedy looking folks line the walls, and bottles of 'hangover wine' are also on sale. Plus, you can win free admission if you don some 'beer goggles', play darts at score a bullseye. And, because chronicling actual hangover experiences is what the museum is all about, it wants everyone to contribute — whether you're visiting Croatia anytime soon or not. Just head to the venue's website, type out your tale (anonymously, of course) and it could end up in the museum's collection. Find The Museum of Hangovers at Preradovićeva 8, Zagreb, Croatia, or visit its website for further details.
When a solar flare hits Europe, life changes instantly. Power grids go down, much of Britain is left without electricity, supply routes are threatened, vigilantes come out in force and chaos unsurprisingly ensues. That's the setup in COBRA, the high-stakes drama series that combines a disaster scenario with political intrigue, and tasks Prime Minister Robert Sutherland (Robert Carlyle) with deciding how to cope under such intense circumstances. If you're wondering about the show's name, no, snakes aren't involved. But meeting to discuss important matters is a firm part of COBRA, which takes its moniker from the nickname for the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) in London — and, as you might know from news during the past year, from the group of top-ranking British Government leaders who come together in times of crisis to respond to national emergencies.
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If truth is stranger than fiction, then prepare to attend the oddest film festival around. There's nothing unusual about Hot Docs at Palace Cinemas itself; indeed, given that the brand new film fest is an Aussie offshoot of Canada's renowned documentary showcase, has been curated by former Brisbane and Melbourne International Film Festival director Richard Moore, and takes over Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney from June 14 to July 3, it's exciting for the most typical of reasons. But the real life tales the festival's features promise to tell — well, they're another matter. You just can't make this stuff up may as well be Hot Docs' catchphrase as it explores the extraordinary, uplifting, awe-inspiring and heartbreaking sides of life — and everything in between as well. In its first ever Australian edition, the festival boasts 24 films from 15 countries, which means that getting your true story fix just got a whole lot easier. If you don't know where to jump in, we've selected five must-see Hot Docs flicks as a starting point. CHUCK NORRIS VERSUS COMMUNISM We don't recommend judging a film by its title, but when it comes to Chuck Norris Versus Communism, that might be an impossible task. Years of memes and jokes about the actor and martial artist's prowess will do that. But as much as the movie's name might indicate otherwise, they're not the subject of this documentary. Instead, it explores the impact Chuck's action flicks had on Romanian viewers. When everything but propaganda was banned throughout the nation in the oppressive period that was the '80s, it was actually smuggled VHS tapes of Norris and his fellow fist-flinging heroes that helped give people hope. RAVING IRAN Whether you love it or hate it, you probably can't imagine a world without electronic dance music. Neither can aspiring Iranian DJs Anoosh and Arash — even though they're supposed to be living in one. Raving Iran charts the duo's attempts to chase their dreams and keep Tehran's underground techno scene alive in a country that punishes their chosen art form with imprisonment. Their secret raves have to stay a literal secret, but their struggle isn't just about spinning decks, scratching records and throwing all-night parties — it's about fighting for freedom. DIVING INTO THE UNKNOWN A word of warning: if you're claustrophobic, not so fond of caves or don't like spending much time in the ocean's depths, then Diving Into the Unknown mightn't be comfortable viewing. In fact, even if small underwater spaces don't usually freak you out, this account of a group of Finnish divers in a five-kilometre-long, 130-metre-deep Norwegian cave might just do the trick. It's the stuff that nightmares are made of as the team gets into life-or-death trouble under the icy surface. It's also the type of psychologically intense true tale that's bound to get made into a fictional feature — although in this case, we're betting that nothing beats the real deal. JIM: THE JAMES FOLEY STORY In a better world, no one would know Jim Foley's name — or if they did, it wouldn't be because of his kidnapping in Syria and subsequent public execution. In the Sundance audience award-winning doco Jim: The James Foley Story, Foley's childhood friend Brian Oakes shares the American photojournalist's story beyond the heartbreaking headlines and horrific video footage. Family, friends and fellow journalists explore the man behind the tragedy, and former hostages offer accounts of his courage in captivity. And then there's the footage that Foley shot himself, which offers an insider's view into one of the most awful ordeals imaginable. T-REX Forget Rocky, Creed and every other big screen boxing underdog — there's a new contender in town. In fact, saying that Claressa 'T–Rex' Shields fought her way from the streets of Michigan to the US Olympic boxing team isn't an exaggeration. Directors Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari chart her battle to get to the top of her chosen sport, both in and out of the ring. Sure, you've seen boxing films before, but you haven't seen one as raw, resonant and real as this. Hot Docs at Palace Cinemas screens at Sydney's Palace Verona from June 21 to July 3, Melbourne's Palace Westgarth and Cinema Como from June 14 to 29. Check out the full program by visiting the festival's website and Facebook page.
Directed by Joe Carnahan (The A Team) and produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, The Grey tells the story of a group of oil-rig workers who find themselves stranded on the freezing Alaskan tundra after their plane home crashes. John Ottoway (Liam Neeson) is forced to lead a group of roughneck men in their fight for survival when the men come under attack by a pack of vicious, aggressive wolves. The wolves are on the hunt for these stranded humans as they see them as intruders in their territory who must be killed. The Grey is a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat in the fight between man versus nature. The film is based on the short story Ghost Walker by Ian MacKenzie Jeffers. To win one of five double passes to see The Grey, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au
The gin-making superstars at Four Pillars are at it again, this month unveiling their first new creation to hit shelves since 2016. The latest addition to the Yarra Valley distillery's much-lauded barrel-aged program is the Sherry Cask Gin, which has just spent over a year in former sherry barrels, to lend a rich, intense character to the final drop. It's rounded out with notes of crushed coriander, pine needles and star anise, and infused with a small amount of Amontillado sherry to give some length and sweetness. According to the experts who made it, this one works well neat, or with sherry and orange bitters in a classic Tuxedo cocktail. Also launching this month is the 2018 edition of Four Pillars' Chardonnay Barrel Gin, which used to go by the name of Barrel-Aged Gin. This time around, the spirit's enjoyed a full 12 months in chardonnay barrels, giving characters of ginger and spice, and an oak-driven sweetness. The Four Pillars team is recommending this one over ice, or with a sprig of rosemary and a drop of honey. Both gins are available online or at selected independent retailers.
2023 ain't nuthing ta f' wit: it's the year that Wu-Tang Clan are returning Down Under, after all. After the hip hop legends kicked off their NY State of Mind tour with Nas in 2022, they're bringing the 2023 leg to Australia and New Zealand — and it's still a joint affair. Two of the biggest names in the business since the 90s — with Wu-Tang Clan first making a splash with their 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), and Nas doing the same with 1994's Illmatic — will play four shows in total on their Aussie and Aotearoa visit. They're the first gigs in the 2023 tour, too, and all in May, kicking off in Auckland before hopping across the ditch for stops in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The 2022 leg hit up more than 25 cities, and 2023's is just as epic — after its stint Down Under, it heads through Europe and then back to the US. Along the way, fans can enjoy Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Cappadonna taking to the stage three decades after they first came to fame — and Nas sharing the mic as well. Over that time, Wu-Tang Clan have dropped seven further albums from a fill discography that, including solo records by its members, notches up more than 85 full-length releases. Their tours pull from the whole lot, as set against that ever-present Wu-Tang 'W' — and honours the deceased Ol' Dirty Bastard as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wu Tang Clan (@wutangclan) WU-TANG CLAN AND NAS 'NY STATE OF MIND' TOUR 2023: Tuesday, May 9 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, May 12 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, May 13 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Sunday, May 14 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Wu-Tang Clan and Nas tour Australia and New Zealand in May 2023, with pre-sales from 11am local time on Friday, March 3, and general sales from 12pm local time on Monday, March 6. Head to the Live Nation website for tickets and further details.
Cue giggles galore when the Melbourne International Comedy Festival descends on the city from Wednesday, March 29–Sunday, April 23, dishing up more than 600 shows for its 2023 instalment. Big-ticket program highlights include the national grand final of esteemed open mic competition RAW Comedy; Upfront's one-night showcase of stereotype-smashing female and non-binary comics; and the Deadly Funny National Grand Final, which spotlights the country's funniest First Nations talent. As always, MICF will see comedic heroes flying in from all corners of the globe, taking the stage for sidesplitting solo shows and special events alike. Among them are celebrated British stars like Paul Foot, Carl Donnelly and Rosie Jones, plus Irish funnymen David O'Doherty and Dylan Moran, Emmy Award-winning US artist Sara Schaefer and Icelandic icon Ari Edljárn. Homegrown heroes pack out the program, with big-name guests aplenty — Tripod, Claire Hooper, Lawrence Mooney, Kirsty Webeck, Wil Anderson, Alex Ward and Rhys Nicholson are all there, along with the likes of Lano & Woodley, Osher Günsberg doing Night Time News Network National News, Dave Thornton, Diana Nguyen and stacks more. The rising stars of Aussie comedy will also get a huge look-in. Check out the next generation of comic geniuses with a show at Comedy Zone, or stick closer to home and get your comedy kicks at one of the famed Neighbourhood Sessions. Meanwhile, Best of Comedy Zone Asia will deliver a lineup of emerging and celebrated talent from across Malaysia, India, Singapore and more. And, Headliners is set to dish up a hilarious taste of the US comedy circuit, featuring The Lucas Brothers, Patti Harrison, Sheng Wang and Shalewa Sharpe. [caption id="attachment_806196" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jim Lee[/caption] Top image: Jim Lee.
If Docklands is still a suburb you seldom set foot in, its next addition could be the thing to finally change that. In news that was announced this morning, the harbourside area is set to get a brand new permanent food hall. It'll transform the ground and mezzanine floors of the seven-storey East Car Park at The District Docklands (formerly Harbour Town), and mark the next phase of a huge $150 million redevelopment for the area. Ambitiously, the precinct is taking its cues from internationally famed market halls like New York's Chelsea Markets. Once finished in mid-2019, it'll play host to a sprawling artisan market offering, featuring a collection of 25 specialty retailers with a uniquely Melbourne edge. Think, cafes and coffee roasters, restaurants, butchers, delis, bakeries and other fresh food vendors, all under the one roof. It's been designed by NH Architecture and Esquisse, combining historical elements and street art to create a warm, yet industrial feel. Next door to The Market will be some not-so artisan offerings, including a 3800-square-metre Woolworths shopping centre, along with a Dan Murphy's bottle shop, a large-scale Asian grocer and a pharmacy. The plans will complement The District Docklands Entertainment Precinct, which is on track to launch this September. It'll boast an eight-auditorium Hoyts Cinema, an Asian hawker restaurant from 8Eight Street, a venue called Urban Alley Brewery, and a Melbourne edition of Archie Brothers Electric Circus (from the same crew behind Holey Moley Golf Clubs). The Market will open in mid-2019 at The District Docklands, Docklands Drive, Docklands. We'll keep you updated on any new developments.
From 11.59pm on Wednesday, July 1, until at least Wednesday, July 29, stay-at-home orders have been reintroduced in ten Melbourne postcodes, which means their residents can only leave for one of four reasons: work or school, care or care giving, daily exercise or food and other essentials. For more information, head to the DHHS website. While Melburnians are encouraged to continue working from home if possible, the City of Melbourne is getting ready for residents to start hitting the road once again. To help make it a little easier to get to and from work in the near future, the Council is constructing 40 kilometres of new protected bike lanes in and around the CBD. Part of the previously announced ten-year Transport Strategy 2030, the bike lanes' construction is being fast tracked so that Melburnians will be able to more safely travel around the city. "By fast-tracking the delivery of bike lanes on key routes, we're creating streets that people can feel confident riding along, which in turn will free up space on our roads, buses, trams and trains," Lord Mayor Sally Capp said in a statement. The bike lanes will help better connect Carlton, East Melbourne, North Melbourne, Brunswick and West Melbourne with the CBD and will be rolled out in two stages. The first stage, slated for completion in late 2020 or early 2021, features the following five routes: Exhibition Street stage one (Flinders Street to Bourke Street) Rathdowne Street (Victoria Street to Faraday Street) William Street (Dudley Street to Flinders Street) Abbotsford Street (Flemington Road to Queensberry Street) Swanston Street (Grattan Street to Cemetery Road) [caption id="attachment_773090" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Click to enlarge[/caption] The protected bike lanes will be physically separated from cars and constructed using a combination of plastics, rubber and recycled materials. To construct the lanes, 228 car parking spots will need to be removed, according to The Age, but the Council is expecting this to have a "minimal impact" as it's a fraction of its total 23,500 metered and unmetered spaces on the streets. Between the hectic traffic, overcrowded tram stops, the clogged-up footpaths and all the construction going on at the moment, Melbourne's CBD can sometimes feel like a big pile of stress. But things are (hopefully) changing. As well as the Transport Strategy 2030, and the new bike lanes, the city is getting ready to welcome the new Metro Tunnel project, which will be finished by 2025, bringing a new underground line and five new stations to help people get in and out of the CBD. For more information about the City of Melbourne's new planned bike lanes and Transport Strategy 2030, head to the council website.
The funniest ladies in the country, together on a single stage. The Lesbian Comedy Gala has quickly become a staple of the Midsumma Festival calendar — and with damn good reason. This year's lineup includes Hannah Gadsby, Cal Wilson, Anne Edmonds, Sal Upton, Lori Bell and Geraldine Hickey. Doors open at 6pm for a 7.30pm start, giving you ample time to grab something to eat from Greek pop-up cafe Angela's Kitchen. Your ticket also gets you entry into the afterparty, featuring DJ Geraldine Quinn and dance tracks galore.
If you live in Australia and you love French cinema, then you already have a hefty chunk of autumn blocked out in your 2023 diary. To help cap off 2022, the annual Alliance Française French Film Festival locked in its dates for the year ahead, when it'll take its movie-adoring show on the road throughout March and April. What's even better? Unveiling the initial 15 titles that'll be gracing its big screens in Aussie capitals, and also a heap of regional locations. Among the first titles revealed, both variety and high-profile names feature heavily. Among the latter, there's a big focus on France's leading ladies, such as Juliette Binoche (The Staircase), Marion Cotillard (Annette), Virginie Efira (Benedetta), Léa Seydoux (Crimes of the Future), Laure Calamy (Call My Agent!), Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire), Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) and Isabelle Adjani (The World Is Yours). And, AFFFF already boasts its usual smattering of homegrown box-office sensations and up-and-comers, aka already-proven hits and the talents who'll be making them in years to come. Get ready for zombies, comedies, Cannes titles, acclaimed filmmakers, Oscar contenders and more. One big highlight: Final Cut, a French remake of Japanese cult hit One Cut of the Dead from The Artist director Michel Hazanavicius, starring Bejo and Romain Duris (Eiffel), and a movie that is playful with that whole setup. If you missed the original, it follows a film crew making a zombie special that's being broadcast live — but then things get real. Selected as France's submission to this year's Oscars, in the Best International Feature category — and already named on the Academy's shortlist — Alice Diop's Saint Omer is another absolute must-see. The documentarian draws from true events to craft a drama about a young Parisian journalist and novelist attending murder trial, then wading through the complexities it surfaces within her own family history. Acting icon Adjani is part of the cast for Masquerade, which has the honour of opening this year's AFFFF. Directed by La Belle Époque's Nicolas Bedos, and playing at last year's Cannes Film Festival, it tells of glitz, glamour and a far-less-glossy underbelly in the Côte d'Azur, as led by Pierre Niney (Yves Saint Laurent). Or, film fans can also look forward to One Fine Morning, the latest film by Bergman Island's Mia Hansen-Løve, this time a family drama starring Seydoux; The Innocent, as written and directed by, and starring, Louis Garrel (A Faithful Man), based on his own experiences and featuring Merlant; and Other People's Children, an Efira-led effort about being a stepmother that's also inspired by director Rebecca Zlotowski's (Planetarium) own life. And, Efira pops up again in Paris Memories, which is set in the aftermath of Paris' November 2015 terrorist attacks, and is helmed by Proxima director and Mustang screenwriter Alice Winocour. Binoche features in Winter Boy, the new film from Sorry Angel's Christophe Honoré, an autobiographical drama focusing on 17-year-old Lucas (newcomer Paul Kircher). As for Cotillard, she's part of the cast of Brother and Sister, playing a stage actor and sibling to Melvil Poupaud (Summer of 85). And, after proving so astounding in 2022's Full Time, Calamy appears in two of AFFFF's 2023 titles: Two Tickets to Greece, a comedy about estranged childhood friends heading off the eponymous country, as hailing from fellow Call My Agent! alum Marc Fitoussi and also starring Kristin Scott Thomas (Slow Horses); and the 1974-set Annie's Fire, which follows a working-class mother of two who unexpectedly falls pregnant at a time when abortion isn't legally accessible. Rounding out this first drop of titles: November, one of the biggest French box-office hits of 2022, with Jean Dujardin (Deerskin) playing the lead anti-terrorist squad investigator into the Paris 2015 attacks; Notre-Dame on Fire, about the 2019 blaze; Everybody Loves Jeanne, a comedy about self-doubt; and Lie with Me, as based on Philippe Besson's award-winning autobiographical novel. Notching up its whopping 34th year, AFFFF will play Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart — plus Byron Bay, Parramatta, Victor Harbour, Bendigo, the Gold Coast and Margaret River. ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2023 DATES: March 7–April 5: Sydney, NSW March 8–April 5: Melbourne, VIC March 8–April 5: Perth, WA March 9–19: Hobart, TAS March 9–April 5: Canberra, ACT March 15–April 12: Brisbane, QLD March 16–April 5: Byron Bay, NSW March 23–April 19: Adelaide, SA March 29–April 2: Parramatta, NSW March 29–April 16: Gold Coast, QLD March 31–April 2: Margaret River, WA April 3 and 10: Victor Harbour, SA April 21–23: Bendigo, VIC + encore dates in some cities The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from Tuesday, March 7–Tuesday, April 25, 2023. For more information, visit the AFFFF website. Check back here on Wednesday, February 1 for the full program.
Well, it's happening. After months of hostility from taxi drivers and general confusion about what the future of the taxi industry should look like, the NSW government looks set to announce some pretty big state reforms — which, according to reports, will legalise the much loved and lauded ride sharing, ice cream delivery, kitten appreciation service, Uber. The Daily Telegraph last night reported that, in reforms to be announced today, Uber drivers would be required to pay a licence fee for the first time, and would be subject to criminal record checks and vehicle inspections. Basically, they'd be forced to operate under same regulations as regular taxi drivers. In an attempt to compensate regular cab drivers for suddenly losing their monopoly over the market, the cost of taxi plates would become significantly cheaper. They'd also retain the sole right to use taxi ranks and be hailed on the street. How exactly existing drivers will be compensated for the drop in value of their plates is not yet known, and would be decided by Cabinet next month. The decision to legalise Uber seems like it was inevitable, if not a little surprising — especially considering the New South Wales Road and Maritime Services effectively put the company on notice in September. It comes two months after the ACT made the move to legalise and regulate Uber and its drivers, and if the same does indeed happen in Sydney and NSW, it will surely see the rest of the country look towards integrating the ride sharing service into their taxi system. Via The Daily Telegraph.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next escape. In this instalment, we go to The Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart, Tasmania, where you'll encounter hundreds of artworks adorning the walls, views of the harbour and boutique interiors with exposed timber beams and walls of hand-cut stone that nod to the building's former life as a waterfront jam factory. Stay here as part of one of our curated itineraries on Concrete Playground Trips that includes a four-nights stay with daily breakfast included, scenic flights for two over Wineglass Bay, and Posh Pit tickets to MONA. Book it now. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Located in the Hunter Street precinct, this building is one of the oldest waterfront warehouses in Hobart named for the one-time building owner who started working in the former jam factory as a 12-year-old kid, working his way up the ranks until he eventually took over the business and ultimately made the jam trade his bitch. While art hotels are no longer new-news, the Henry Jones does has the claim to fame as Australia's first dedicated art hotel and the extensive collection of works and ongoing artist in residence program upholds its place as a leader within the onslaught of art-devoted stays that has followed. There are some 400 artworks throughout the property with a strong representation of emerging Tasmanian artists. Stroll the hallways, guest rooms, drinking and dinings options and public spaces, including The Packing Room Gallery, which hosts a roster of themed exhibitions. THE ROOMS At the Henry Jones Art Hotel no two rooms are the same. Organic materials, tones and polished timber meets rich accents of primary colours and thoughtfully curated decor in each of the hotel's lodgings. In many rooms, large harbour-facing windows let in natural light to show off sleek contemporary design elements amid the building's original features. Like much of Hobart, it's a collision of old and new influences. As for the details: luxurious bedding, original artworks and beautifully-appointed modern bathrooms complete with ample fluffy white towels. There's also the requisite free wifi and in-room coffee machine, and in some rooms you'll find an ultra-deep Kohler bath tub for soaking between strolls and sampling the sensational local dining scene. FOOD AND DRINK Speaking of dining, the in-house offering is a step above your usual hotel lobby bar. There's the IXL Long Bar, for innovative cocktails and snacks. At the front of the hotel is the Landscape Restaurant and Grill with a menu by Head Chef Nathaniel Embrey designed around the Asado grill and inspired by the region's exceptional local produce and artworks of legendary landscape artist John Glover that surrounds diners. Then there's the hero of the lineup: Peacock & Jones. Culinary Curator Ben Milbourne (chef and former Masterchef Australia contestant) and Head Chef Julian Volkmer (MONA) have crafted a menu that celebrates the very best of seasonal Tasmanian produce from sea urchin to truffles. And, of course, the drinks program showcases a carefully considered selection of Tasmanian wines, whiskies and spirits. [caption id="attachment_869996" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maria Island[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA It's no secret that we are serious devotees to all that Tasmania's got on offer. Here's a quick guide to some of our Hobart favourites, and a more comprehensive exploration of all the flavours of Tassie can be found here. Head to The Henry Jones Art Hotel website to book a stay or, if you'd rather we sort your itinerary for you, book our curated Bucket-List Hobart Getaway here.
Not all travel has to include wild adventuring. Sometimes, we want to go an easy holiday that doesn't include hours behind the wheel of a car or pushing our bodies to their limits. Instead, we can explore a new city (or our own) at whatever speed we like — staying in a luxurious hotel, taking things at a stroll and taking in the best of local culture. This is what a city break is all about. To help you find the perfect one, our team of editors has curated these travel packages. Whether you're on the lookout for a city staycation or vacation, find your favourite option and book it through Concrete Playground Trips now. [caption id="attachment_683983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Western Australia[/caption] STAYCATION IN PERTH AND ITS SURROUNDS Perth, glorious Perth. It's hard not to fall in love with this city when visiting. In fact, the whole state is a treasure trove of bewitching riches. Head to Western Australia's capital to find a thriving city full of great food and culture, surrounded by gorgeous natural landscapes that every Australian must see. And our Perth travel deal will take you to the best bits. We'll put you up in the Adina Apartment Hotel at Perth Barrack Plaza — in the heart of the city — and let you explore the local area at your own pace. We've also organised a day trip to Rottnest Island (friendly quokkas, pristine white sand beaches and clear blue water await) and a tour around The Pinnacles. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_890077" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Devang Sahani (Unsplash)[/caption] A LUXE BEACHSIDE BREAK IN ADELAIDE Adelaide's beachside burb of Glenelg is seriously underrated. Found just a 20-minute drive from the city centre, this area is home to long beaches lined with great restaurants and boutique stores. It's so close to the city but boasts the laid-back culture and energy of the best Aussie coastal towns. Our Adelaide city break takes you to this part of South Australia, with the Stamford Grand Adelaide hosting you for three nights. During this time, guests can explore Glenelg at their own leisure — potentially catching a tram into the CBD, too. The highlight of this trip that takes it from great getaway to something seriously special is the four-hour wild dolphin swimming tour run by a team of marine biologists. Jump in the waters — they'll have wetsuits for you — and get right up and close with these ultra-curious ocean mammals. It's an unforgettable experience. BOOK IT NOW. THE ULTIMATE HOBART FOOD, WINE AND ADVENTURE HOLIDAY There is so much to see and do when visiting Hobart, but we have somehow managed to pack a heap of its top experiences into one exclusive five-day holiday. Our trip will have you gliding over Wineglass Bay in a scenic flight that drops you off on Maria Island where you'll go on a guided wildlife tour, then feast on a gourmet lunch. On another day, you'll visit the one and only MONA. Slowly explore the museum, get a private tour (with tastings) at the onsite winery and have a lazy long lunch with even more vino included. It's a truly epic way to see the iconic museum and its grounds. You'll also get a couple days to wander around Hobart, checking out galleries, boutique stores and a heap of the city's brilliant restaurants and bars. BOOK IT NOW. A LUXURIOUS SYDNEY STAY You can easily do Sydney on a budget and have a wicked time. But sometimes you really want to treat yourself. That's when you book our opulent Sydney getaway. For two nights, two guests will stay at the five-star Crown Towers Sydney. Enjoy unbeatable views across the bay, taking in all the sites from day to night — either from your room, the rooftop pool or one of the seriously impressive on-site restaurants. With this deal, you'll also get $100 credit to spend however you like within the Crown Towers Sydney. Did someone say, 'massage time'? BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Steven Groeneveld (Unsplash)
Cool. Cool cool cool. If you were to ask Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi, Mythic Quest) his thoughts on the latest Community news, that might be his response. It should certainly be yours — because the six-seasons-and-a-movie prophecy is officially coming true, with American streaming service Peacock just announcing that a Community film is in the works. Abed shouted that "six seasons and a movie" line in the community college-set comedy, in fact, and the character will indeed return for the new flick. Variety reports that Joel McHale (The Bear), Alison Brie (Happiest Season), Gillian Jacobs (Minx), Jim Rash (Home Sweet Home Alone) and Ken Jeong (The Pentaverate) will also star, meaning that Jeff Winger, Annie Edison, Britta Perry, Dean Pelton and Ben Chang will all grace your screen again. There's no word yet on whether Donald Glover (Atlanta) will be singing "Troy and Abed in the morning once more, though — or if Yvette Nicole Brown (Big Shot) will also make a comeback. Ordered 🤝 #sixseasonsandamovieOnPeacock pic.twitter.com/IrxVYSHT9n — Peacock (@peacock) September 30, 2022 this hits a little different today...doesn't it? https://t.co/QUbbDXX3oS — IT'S HAPPENING! SIX SEASONS AND A MOVIE! (@CommunityTV) September 30, 2022 Exactly when the Community movie will drop — and where it'll be able to be seen Down Under — hasn't yet been revealed either, but perhaps this isn't the darkest timeline after all. When the series wrapped up after 110 episodes in 2015, it only achieved the first part of its six-seasons-and-a-movie goal; however, fans have held out hope of seeing the Greendale gang again ever since. In 2020, that did happen in another way — during an early-pandemic virtual table read of season-five episode 'Cooperative Polygraphy'. .@alisonbrie @kenjeong @dannypudi @YNB @donaldglover @GillianA @peacock @SonyTV @CommunityTV pic.twitter.com/ynVqgaPuQD — Joel McHale (@joelmchale) September 30, 2022 Community creator (and Rick and Morty co-creator) Dan Harmon will be back for the movie, too, as a writer and executive producer, but exactly what it'll cover hasn't yet been announced. If you're now in the mood to binge your way through the beloved show's past antics in excitement (and anticipation), all six seasons of the series are available to stream via Netflix Down Under — and on Stan in Australia. Check out the Community season one trailer below: Exactly when the Community movie will arrive, and how it'll be available Down Under, are yet to be reavaled — we'll update you when further details are announced. Via Variety. Image: Netflix.
Some films are just fun. They don’t have to be particularly good, and can even be so enjoyably bad as to become 'guilty pleasures'. Consider 2012’s Battleship. It’s an unbelievably stupid movie, so devoid of plot that the two-page instruction manual for the board game contains better exposition, but if it’s on, you can bet I’ll end up watching it. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is almost one of these films. It’s fun, definitely, but not quite enough to feel like it will satisfy the ‘re-watchability test'. Like Mission Impossible, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is based on a '60s television spy series, and in fact owes several of its key characters to Ian Fleming (who only withdrew from production once EON became worried it might impact upon his Bond films). The concept revolved around two agents, one an American named Napoleon Solo (played here by Man of Steel’s Henry Cavill) and the other a Russian named Illya Kuryakin (The Social Network’s Armie Hammer), who together took on the amusingly named T.H.R.U.S.H. Organisation. The forced partnership of antipodes has often proved a fertile device in storytelling, from Lethal Weapon's pairing of a black cop with a white one in 1980s LA during a period of tense race relations to that of a male spy with a female one in 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me. The original Man From U.N.C.L.E. debuted less than two years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, making the undercurrent of Cold War cooperation both radical and remarkably progressive, as well as contributing significantly to its combined critical and popular success. Today, it carries a lot less weight, meaning The Man From U.N.C.L.E. feels particularly low in chemistry and tension, especially since the East/West clash is scarcely addressed. After some early (and excellent) bickering between Solo and Kuryakin, the unwilling companions never again wrangle over anything more substantial than the use of pet names for each other — ‘Cowboy' and 'Red Peril' — robbing the film of perhaps its only source of weighty antagonism. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is, of course, just the latest in a series of, well, series that have been adapted for the big screen, only in this case there are two key distinctions. For one, it remains in the era of its progenitor, meaning the film is every bit swinging '60s, with its swanky costumes and groovy soundtrack matched by direction from Guy Ritchie that makes frequent use of split screens and transition wipes. Secondly, it’s not a parody. There are no in-jokes or tips of the hat to the original series, as per other recent offerings such as The A-Team, 21 Jump Street or Charlie’s Angels. That The Man From U.N.C.L.E. plays it straight makes for a refreshing change, but — just as was the case with 1998’s The Avengers and 2013’s The Lone Ranger — its attempt to recapture the charm of the original series unfortunately falls short of the mark, and its US-PG status renders it a particularly tame outing for someone like Ritchie at the helm. It feels more like Ritchie doing Soderbergh doing Mad Men, and while that may make it more child-friendly, it dulls the film for anyone who might actually remember the TV show. The cast, too, while aesthetically perfect, somehow fails to quite hit the mark. Cavill looks and sounds impossibly smooth (think Patrick Bateman minus the psychosis), while Hammer sports a cartoonish Russian accent and plays it with all the charisma of a turnip. Alongside them, Alicia Vikander somehow feels absent despite loads of screen time, Australian Elizabeth Debicki has fun as the unflappable villain, and Hugh Grant puts in the film’s best performance, making his cameo a tempting substitute for the lead should the film ever actually progress to the sequel it unashamedly sets up at its close.
For artist Sarah McCloskey, there was never really a question whether or not she would pursue a career in art. "There's never been another thing that I've been interested in," she says. Growing up in Perth, McCloskey explains that she "always, always had a pencil in [her] hand". After graduating from high school, she completely immersed herself in that world. She worked part-time in an art gallery and started a university degree in fine art, all while steadily honing her craft. In February 2019, she moved to Sydney to pursue being an artist full-time. It was one of several choices that McCloskey has made over the last decade in a bid to shape her career and find her unique creative voice. This year, McCloskey joins a slew of visionary creatives collaborating with Miller Design Lab — the home of creativity and self-expression built by Australia's leading minds in design, art, technology and fashion. The platform is a celebration of our nightlife and its impact on culture to deliver exceptional moments to you and your home. Here, we speak to McCloskey about seeking new challenges that shape her creative voice and finding inspiration. There's something that's really clear when talking to McCloskey: she isn't afraid of facing a challenge. In fact, she welcomes it. "I think the things I feel most proud of come from throwing myself into something new and giving it my best shot," she says. Although the bulk of her current work is painting murals, it's a relatively new medium for her after concentrating on graphite illustrations for the first part of her career. Explaining how she fell into the medium, she says, "I just was lucky enough to be working in a space and surrounded by some people who had been painting walls for decades." Since then, McCloskey's painted murals for several arts festivals, including Wonderwalls Festival in Port Kembla. But there are plenty of tricky aspects of it. "They were some of my largest walls and had tight timeframes. I learned a lot and was super proud. I do love painting murals, but I definitely feel it afterwards. Especially if I'm painting something really big in a short amount of time in the sun or the rain.....It is pretty physically taxing." Acknowledging that she can't continue with murals long-term, she started "dipping her toe" into yet another new challenge last year: oil painting. And she began with what she describes as "a pretty vulnerable choice to paint a sad selfie". Now, rather than seeing the cancellation of much of her upcoming mural work at festival and events (due to COVID-19) as a setback, McCloskey's taking it as an opportunity to keep forging ahead in her career path. "I'm in the studio constantly and actually putting time into some oil paintings that I've had sitting here waiting for me to finish. I want to build up a body of work with a view to have an exhibition." One of the most recent oil paintings that McCloskey has produced was for Miller Design Lab, which she describes as "pretty true to my style... which is very much portrait-based. I do have an interest in strong colour palettes, so I chose neon to be my light source, which is something I hadn't done before." Delving further, McCloskey explains how customisation plays a role in her process. "Through the years, I would take a photo reference [from Pinterest or Instagram] and tweak it to make it my own... I like to keep the realistic aspects and the things that make it recognisable, especially if it's a face, but turn it into something that doesn't really exist in this world. Through painting, especially murals, that's something I do using colour and other botanical elements." It's no surprise then that McCloskey considers nature a huge source of inspiration. She mentions the Royal Botanic Garden and Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden as two of her favourite places in Sydney to visit. And, when the sun goes down, the inspiration keeps flowing. "The nightlife of the city is that perfect time at the end of the day when everybody gets to go out and connect with people. Whole creative industries exist in the night for our pleasure and entertainment, and being able to get out amongst that is an amazing way to recharge." For Sarah, that means tracking down live music. "I'm always that person who is trying to drag all my friends to some gig. That's the perfect place to see a bunch of other creative people in their element on a stage. I always feel pretty motivated by that — seeing people smash it in their own creative field. I'm not a musician at all but seeing one is like 'Fuck yeah, I'm going to go and be good at my thing now'." For more, check out Sarah McCloskey's collaboration with Miller Genuine Draft here. For more ways to celebrate your city's nightlife and recreate its energy in your own space, head this way. Images: Reuben Gibbes
The Queen Victoria Market is about to become a haven for all things Portuguese when Taste of Portugal rolls into town on Sunday, June 9. Expect the country's food, craftsmanship, art and culture to come together in an all-day festival that features influence from several Portuguese-speaking communities, which includes not only Portugal, but Brazil and East Timor, too. To start, there will be heaps of Portuguese and Brazilian street food and drinks on offer, including those gooey custard tarts the former is known for. Chorizo making workshops will be on as well, and we're betting you'll be able to find some sardines and feijoada (a Brazilian stew) to top it all off. Apart from all the eats, visitors can purchase artisan goods, ceramics and homewares from local and international makers. Art exhibitions and maker demonstrations will run throughout the day, and Brazilian samba classes will accompany a full lineup of traditional music and dance. Entry is absolutely free and the festival will run from 10am–4pm, so there's plenty of time to get in on the action. Image: City Foodsters via Flickr.
"Justin Bieber is the future of rock music." Iggy Pop It may sound like the start of a Tui billboard is actually part of a new Amnesty International Belgium anti-torturing campaign featuring Karl Lagerfield, the Dalai Lama and Iggy Pop. Stop Torture quotes these celebrities saying the unlikeliest statements of their careers while looking like they've just been 240/242d pretty badly. Amnesty International Belgium director Philippe Hensmans explains, "For us it was a quirky but not sloppy way to attract public attention to [the] tragic reality [of torture], which often happens in the greatest secrecy." In addition to being inhumane, torture is also ineffective. "The history has shown that tortured people are often willing to say anything for the pain to stop – the whole truth, only a part or its opposite... Torture a man and you can get him to say anything." The UN adopted the Convention Against Torture in 1984, but many governments like the US, Mexico, North Korea, Philippines and Nigeria are still torturing today. "Governments around the world are two-faced on torture - prohibiting it in law, but facilitating it in practice" says Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's Secretary General. Check out the campaign posters below. "The summit of elegance is a hawaiian shirt with jandals." Karl Lagerfield "The future of rock and roll is Justin Bieber." Iggy Pop "A man who doesn't own a Rolex watch by the time he's 50 has failed in life." Dalai Lama Article via The Independent
Some people collect stamps; others are passionate about coins; but we think if you're going to spend so much time thinking about one thing, it should be extraordinary. It should be something prolific and inspired — something that has the capacity to change the course of people's lives. For Ryan Beitz this something is VHS copies of the timeless 1994 Keanu Reeves classic, Speed. That may not be his exact reasoning, but regardless of motivation this guy now has upwards of 500 copies in his collection. What started out as a bizarre bulk buy from the op shop has now led to Beitz founding The World Speed Project, a group whose end goal is to collect every copy in existence. "The World Speed Project is satisfied by a compulsion to repeat [things]," said Beitz in an interview with VICE. "When you get one, you want to get another! And another! And another! Like the bus in Speed, we collectively cannot — and will not — stop." The group don't stop there, either. The WSP also want to take their message to the streets. Launching a Kickstarter campaign to fund it, they hope to convert an existing van into a small sized replica of the bus from their favourite film, and travel around the country while building their collection. Asking for a mere $2,500, WSP want to not only change their vehicle cosmetically, they also crucially need to fix the speedometer. Because how else will they avoid the 50mph marker, duh? Faced with increasing media scrutiny, Beitz is increasingly optimistic about his mission. "I think the World Speed Project is awesome in the truest sense of the word," he said. "It's larger than life. Imagine all of [the tapes] in one place! It’s uncompromising." If you share his unbridled joy, or maybe just have a morbid curiosity, you can donate to the bus fund here or send your VHS tapes to the address below (assuming you're willing to part with your most cherished possession). Chairman Ryan Beitz, The World Speed Project, 20204 SR 195 Pullman, WA 99163 USA Via Vice.
It's been five years since Taylor Square's rainbow crossing was removed in the middle of the night, without a word of warning. But the future's looking a whole lot brighter, with the City of Sydney announcing the installation's return, just days out from the 40th anniversary of the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. With the support of NSW Roads and the RMS, the colourful crossing is set to grace the corner of Bourke and Campbell streets, with construction due to kick off in October. Lord Mayor Clover Moore has applauded the move, calling it "a powerful acknowledgement of the importance of our LGBTQI community and history". The original rainbow crossing was installed in February 2013, but was removed two months later by the NSW Roads Minister amidst safety concerns. Residents have since spent years petitioning for it to be reinstated — this Change.org petition got over 16,000 signatures — so this is undoubtedly welcome news to the LGBTIQ+ community and commuters that pass through Taylor Square each day. The new installation, which will also incorporate a local street upgrade and coincide with "a trial to prioritise pedestrian movements ahead of vehicular movements", will be in place for six months, before a safety review is undertaken by the RMS. If it ticks all the boxes, this rainbow icon will be sticking around permanently.
Each of Australia's capital cities has a different shtick. Melbourne's just happens to be a 24-hour culture — or, at least, the closest Australia has to it. It's got all-night public transport on weekends, late-night opening hours for the National Gallery of Victoria's new Triennial and the city's White Night festival will return for its annual all-nighter in 2018. If you haven't been down to White Night before, here's how it works. From 7pm, much of Melbourne's CBD is closed to cars. From then on, the streets give way to pedestrians, who are free to wander between temporary installations, live music and on-street projections — as well as in and out of galleries and cultural institutions — up until the sun comes up at 7am the next day. It's the Australian version of Nuit Blanche, which was founded in France in the 80s. Next year's festival — which will shut down the city for 12 hours on the evening of Saturday, February 17 — features work from a tonne of both local and international artists. Expect to see neon pups, two Burning Man installations and one laneway covered in snow. There are far too many works to list, but here are a few highlights you'll want to look out for. A giant shimming silver net that will hover above Federation Square for White Night (and two weeks afterwards). Drag queens singing from balconies above Collins Street. A laneway filled with virtual neon 'dogs' and another filled with falling 'snow'. A tree that lets you write temporary messages on it with the light from your phone Two installations straight from Burning Man: a fire-breathing serpent outside Melbourne Museum and a giant mechanical insect that doubles at a DJ booth. Mini gigs performed from multiple balconies above Swanston Street. A 360-degree dome in Alexandra Gardens that will feature mesmerising projections. Stories from Australian detention centres projected onto the NGV's façade. White Night will also head out to Victoria's regional centres. It will return to Ballarat on March 17 for a second year, and will take to the streets of Bendigo and Geelong for the first time later in 2018. White Night 2018 will take over Melbourne from 7pm on Saturday, February 17 until 7am on the morning on Sunday, February 18. For more information, visit whitenight.com.au/melbourne.
What makes for a great speaker at a music conference? Experience and insight, obviously, and also plenty of stories from their time in one of the most exciting creative industries there is. Unveiling the first folks that'll grace its stage in 2023, BIGSOUND knows this. When you enlist ROC Nation's Omar Grant, who was once the road manager for Destiny's Child and now shares the President role at Jay-Z's entertainment agency — and also helped Rihanna's album ANTI become the smash it is — you're after a whole heap of wisdom and tales. Brisbanites and music obsessives hitting the Sunshine State capital between Tuesday, September 5–Friday, September 8 can look forward to Grant's chat, which means listening to one of the top names in the American music industry. And if you're keen to show off your own musical talents, he will indeed be looking for new discoveries. "Australia is at an exciting place right now musically and I can't wait to head down under to discover some great new artists," said Grant. "Some of the most innovative artistry in the world comes from Australia — and in an industry that's often so caught up online these days, getting in a room with passionate music people and discovering real talent performing live is a true privilege." While the full speaker roster hasn't yet been revealed, let alone the music bill, Grant has company in this debut drop. Also coming to Brisbane: Michele Ronzon from Interscope/Geffen/A&M Records, Hazel Savage from Soundcloud, Flighthouse's Ash Stahl and JKBX's Scott Cohen. Ronzon has overseen talent including Machine Gun Kelly, YUNGBLUD and Alesso; the Australian-born Savage was behind music AI company Musiio; Stahl is CEO of quite the hefty TikTok agency; and with Cohen, BIGSOUND is bringing in a royalties technology expert. In what'll be its 22nd year, the event has also started revealing some of the decision makers visiting the River City in search of deals. On the list: Netflix's Manager for Soundtracks, Strategy and Operations Andy Kalyvas, who heads to the fest fresh from working on Oscar-winner All Quiet on the Western Front; Paramount Television Studios' Vice President of Music Vanessa Palmer; and Downtown Music Publishing's Director of Sync and A&R Cabrea Casey. [caption id="attachment_851422" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lachlan Douglas[/caption] In total, BIGSOUND 2023 expects to welcome in over 100 international and national buyers, agents, music supervisors, bookers and other industry decision makers, all taking over Fortitude Valley as the event always does. And yes, deals are firmly in the fest's spotlight. "We approached this year's BIGSOUND with a singular vision: deals mean meals," advises programmer Tom Larkin. "Every person we are bringing to Australia can further an artist's career immeasurably. Whether that's formalising a global partnership or simply giving them a piece of advice that could transform their ability to create a sustainable career, BIGSOUND 's focus is to provide real results for Australian artists." Elsewhere, the huge music-fuelled celebration will keep doing what it always does: showcasing impressive acts, artists and bands, which usually sees more than 150 talents hit its stages at 20-plus Brisbane venues. If you're a BIGSOUND regular, you'll know that this entails filling as many spaces as possible with musos, industry folks and music-loving punters, all enjoying the latest and greatest tunes and talent the country has to offer. Past events have showcased everyone from Gang of Youths, Flume, Thelma Plum, Tash Sultana, Sampa the Great, Courtney Barnett and Cub Sport to San Cisco, Violent Soho, Baker Boy, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Methyl Ethel, Tones and I, Spacey Jane and The Jungle Giants, so BIGSOUND's program is usually a very reliable bellwether. If your spring routine usually involves bar-hopping around Brisbane while listening to bands — whether you're a local or you head north for the event — mark your calendars accordingly. And if you're an artist looking to take part in the event in general, applications are now open until Tuesday, May 2. BIGSOUND 2023 will take place between Tuesday, September 5–Friday, September 8 in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For more information — or to apply to take part if you're an artist — visit bigsound.org.au. Images: Lachlan Douglas / Bianca Holderness.
If you like your spirits dark and your booze collection could use a top-up, then we know an excellent Aussie choice to add to that shopping list. Melbourne distiller The Gospel just cleaned up in the 2023 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) earlier this week. The Brunswick-based producer took out a gold medal in the prestigious awards, earning a score of 96 points from the judges for its signature Straight Rye Whiskey. That impressive effort resulted in the sip being the highest-awarded Aussie whiskey in the entire competition. But wait, there's more. The Gospel's score also saw it become the equal second highest ranked rye whisky in the world. Not too shabby for a small distillery located in the backstreets of Melbourne's inner north. Judges described the drop as being "decadent and complex", noting: "the palate is harmonious and well-balanced, leading to a memorable finish." And it wasn't the only Gospel creation that impressed, with the team's Solera Rye Whiskey nabbing its own silver medal at the awards. This year's IWSC pulled more than 4100 entries from across the world, with more than 250 expert judges tasked with sipping, critiquing and awarding them. Thought to be Australia's only dedicated rye whiskey distillery, The Gospel crafts its booze using unmalted rye from just one farmer, who's located in South Australia's Murray Mallee region. It's helmed by Ian Thorn, the first maker in Australia to score Master Distiller accreditation. If you're keen to sample more of the distillery's work, The Gospel's also just dropped a new limited-edition cacao husk liqueur for Easter, made in collaboration with the chocolate masters at Mork. The Gospel Straight Rye Whiskey is available to buy from the website, as well as at select bottle shops across Australia.
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.
Instead of masses of birthday cake and party hats, Hawthorn's Lido Cinemas is celebrating its fourth birthday with seven days of $7 move tickets. The eight-screen theatre, which opened in 2015, is known for its unique programming, featuring cult classics, lots of Australian hits and lesser-known international films. It also has a rooftop cinema, a hidden jazz room and a slew of left-of-centre special events, like its current Keanu Reeves-A-Thon. But, back to the birthday. From December 12–18, you'll be able to treat your bestie, mum or date to a film for just $7 each — or splash out and go to one every night (at least its cool inside). Some of the films you'll be able to catch during the week include star-studded whodunnit Knives Out, festive rom-com Last Christmas and Oscar contender Marriage Story. The cheap tix are not available for special events or Lido on the Roof sessions. [caption id="attachment_752811" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Knives Out[/caption] If you're a Movie Club member (or happy to sign up for $21 a year), you'll also get access to a week of daily-changing food and drink deals. On Thursday there are $3 choc tops, Friday has $4 shooners and you can grab popcorn for just $3 on Monday. You can check out the rest of them over here. We suggest you book in quick, as the films expected to sell out.
Do you remember how Nokia got us feeling all nostalgic by re-releasing its iconic 3310 handset earlier this year, only to crush our dreams by making it available only in 2G? Well now owner HMD is righting its wrongs, last night relaunching the much-loved phone in 3G, complete with the device's hit game, Snake. That's right, the best-selling handset is set to make a proper comeback, Snake and all. It will be released in Australia from mid-October. A new-school riff on a handset first released back in 2000, this little guy comes in two distinct matte colours (azure and charcoal), retails at just $89.95 and boasts a six-and-a-half-hour talk time. It also features a new-and-improved customisable user interface, with an online browser that has Facebook and Twitter capabilities. Best of all, it's got an extra long battery life — just like they used to make 'em back in the day. So you'll be able to text your mates and play Snake all night. The reborn Nokia 3310 3G will be available this October from JB-Hi Fi, Harvey Norman and on pre-paid through Vodafone and select Optus retailers. For more info visit nokia.com.
"So, how long have you been dead?" If you're a vampire being interviewed, that's the kind of opening question that's bound to come your way. More queries obviously have to follow, but it's a helluva ice-breaker — and, in the new Interview with a Vampire TV series, it's slung Louis de Pointe du Lac's way. Set to arrive in October — in Australia via AMC+ from Sunday, October 2, with New Zealand details still to be announced — this new small-screen adaptation of Anne Rice's 1976 gothic horror novel of the same name sparks plenty of questions itself, too. No, Brad Pitt doesn't play Louis, as he did almost 30 years ago in the 1994 movie. No, Tom Cruise doesn't play fellow vamp Lestat de Lioncourt again either. And you can guess the answers to your next two queries: no, Kirsten Dunst isn't back as Claudia, and neither is Christian Slater as the interviewer. All those characters feature here, though, with the Interview with a Vampire series retelling Louis, Lestat and Claudia's tale. If you remember the flick — the film that helped push Dunst to fame as a child, well before she was an Oscar-nominee for The Power of the Dog — you'll know that it steps through the undead trio's not-quite-lives (being eternally undead might be the better way to describe it). This time, Jacob Anderson — aka Game of Thrones' Grey Worm — is the New Orleans resident who can't resist the offer to live forever. Playing Lestat to his Louis is Australian actor Sam Reid (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson). As for child vampire Claudia, Bailey Bass (Psycho Sweet 16) does the honours, with the always-welcome Eric Bogosian (Succession) as probing interviewer Daniel Molloy. Like plenty of other upcoming movies and TV shows did — such as The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, House of the Dragon, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, John Wick: Chapter 4 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Interview with the Vampire dropped its first sneak peek at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. With Louis' story starting in the 1900s, it's big on period details and costuming, plus a sweeping mood. And yes, reviving 90s movies as a series is a trend that shows no signs of dying — like interviewed vampires — given that Interview with the Vampire will hit streaming queues less than two months after the new TV version of A League of Their Own does the same. Also, Interview with the Vampire joins the film-to-TV vampire ranks, too, alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer and What We Do in the Shadows. Check out the Interview with the Vampire trailer below: Interview with the Vampire will start streaming in Australia viaAMC+ from Sunday, October 2. We'll update you with New Zealand details when they become available. Images: Alfonso Bresciani/AMC.
Based on Leslye Headland's play, Bachelorette is a comedy that tells the story of three best friends from high school turn bridesmaids. Their less-attractive friend, Becky (Rebel Wilson), is getting married, and the competitive Regan (Kirsten Dunst) accepts her role as maid of honour. Gena (Lizzy Caplan) is on a mission to confront her high school ex after he left her bitter with a broken heart, whilst Katie (Isla Fisher), the last of the bridesmaids, adds some extra laughs with her sometimes ditzy personality and impulsive sass. Bachelorette combines humour, drunken romance and the dynamic of female relationships in a raunchy and intoxicated weekend that these women will certainly never forget. The film will be released in cinemas November 1. Thanks to Hopscotch, Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway. To go in the running just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
UPDATE, October 30, 2020: Melbourne's outdoor cinemas are now reopening — including the Coburg Drive-In, and the Lido, Classic and Cameo outdoor cinemas. If an early 20th-century Jewish immigrant found himself walking around in 2019, what would he think of the world? That question comes with a flipside, of course, because it's equally valid to wonder how today's folks would react in response. With Seth Rogen starring as a ditch-digging, rat-catching new arrival from Eastern Europe to Brooklyn, these are a couple of the queries pondered by An American Pickle. It's the latest in a long line of comedies that trifle with time while doubling as time capsules, and it falls firmly from a familiar mould. Some such flicks send teens to the past via Deloreans and phone booths, as seen in the Back to the Future and Bill & Ted franchises. Others focus on people from another era grappling with modern living, as the likes of Encino Man and Blast From the Past demonstrated. Yes, these concepts were particularly popular in the 80s and 90s — but no matter when they flicker across our screens, they do two things: serve up a snapshot of the attitudes and norms prevalent when they're made, and explore how current perspectives intersect with those gone by. That's true of An American Pickle, and overtly so, with seeing, examining and giggling at the contrast between century-old ways and contemporary ideas a considerable part of the film. Not only that, but this Simon Rich-penned adaptation of his own short story Sell Out does all of the above broadly and blatantly — pointing out that big, bushy beards have become hipster beacons, for example, and that much has progressed since the 1900s. Consequently, there's no avoiding just how slight An American Pickle is. Its protagonist might fall into a vat of brine, get sealed in, then emerge in a new millennium, but this movie isn't diving deep. Thankfully, mixed up with all the obvious jokes are two thoughtful performances, both by Rogen, that help the film interrogate the push and pull between the past and the present in a moving fashion. Rogen plays Herschel Greenbaum, a new arrival to US with his wife Sarah (Succession's Sarah Snook), after the pair leave their home of Schlupsk to escape Russian Cossacks and chase a better life. Rogen also steps into the shoes of app developer Ben Greenbaum, Herschel's great-grandson and only living descendant when he awakens in his preserved (and presumably extra salty) state. The two men are the same age, and look alike. That said, they sport differences beyond Herschel's facial hair and Ben's technological know-how. It's the usual generational divide, as instantly recognisable to everyone watching. The elder Greenbaum is devoted to his family and faith, and is horrified that his sole remaining relative doesn't appear as fussed about either, while Ben gets increasingly frustrated with his great-grandpa's know-it-all-approach, bluntness and incessant meddling. Rich gives the two men more reasons to argue, and for Ben to start plotting Herschel's downfall. An app that rates companies on their ethics, an artisanal pickle business that becomes a viral hit and a towering billboard for vodka all factor into their feud. So too does Ben's willingness to capitalise upon Herschel's inherent ignorance of 21st-century minutiae, and the proud and stubborn Herschel's insistence upon staying set in his ways. The details are almost superfluous and, as the narrative keeps picking low-hanging comic fruit, they feel that way in the movie as well. Herschel upends Ben's business plans with some unethical behaviour, and Ben tricks Herschel into spouting his dated and offensive opinions on social media, but there's never any doubt that it'll all eventually work out. As a result, even though An American Pickle delivers plenty of conflict, there's no real drama here — and no real investment in Herschel and Ben's spat. Instead, the movie deploys over-the-top clashes in the service of clearcut gags and satirical observations, and to drum up easy laughs. Well that, and a product placement-driven fondness for Soda Stream that's the one thing Herschel and Ben always agree on. But, despite how straightforward it all proves, the film still boasts heart, sweetness, and an understanding of how the past always leaves an imprint, the future needn't fastidiously be chained to tradition, and that everything old and all things new have a symbiotic relationship. Yes, watching Rogen battle with himself manages to convey those notions. Luckily, too, given that the latest feature from The FP's Brandon Trost is rather standard otherwise. Generally, everything about An American Pickle takes the expected option — including switching aspect ratios to distinguish between 1919 and 2019, and using varying colour palettes to differentiate between Eastern Europe and America — but that description doesn't fit Rogen. If you've seen him in everything from Freaks and Geeks and Knocked Up to the Bad Neighbours movies and Long Shot, you've probably started predicting how he plays his parts here. And yet Herschel and Ben feel grounded and textured in a way that little else in this flick does. Rogen offers up two convincingly melancholy visions of two men cartoonishly wrapped up in their own needs and ideas, and his dual performances are consistently anchored in relatable emotions instead of merely self-evident jokes. And, in an affable but also mostly forgettable film, he's the only aspect that doesn't feel like it's been pulled straight from a jar that's been sitting on the shelf for quite some time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC2dsAGvGy0 Top image: Hopper Stone. © 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Juniper has come a long way — from curing stomach pains and repelling snakes to burning sprigs to ward off the plague, and on to its most common use today in our beloved gin. To dig deep into the history of the botanical tipple, we spoke to master distiller Joanne Moore from Greenall's Gin (produced at England's oldest gin distillery — G&J Distillers) for advice on bluffing our way through junipers and genevers to get to the good stuff: gin. WHY DOES GIN HAVE AN EMOTIONAL REPUTATION? There are two sorts of people who drink gin: one, that after a touch grazing the lips, starts to bare their heart and soul and drags you into a D&M, and the latter, a shark-fresh-outta-water sort who can sink snooker balls like it ain't nobody's business. So what's the deal, Joanne? "I think this stems from the poor reputation of gin following the gin craze of the early 18th-century when there was no regulation around making it. The result was a lot of 'gins' of dubious quality being drunk, which was immortalised by William Hogarth's infamous painting of Gin Lane. There's nothing in gin that would make you cry any more than if you drank the same quantity of another product with the same alcohol level." [caption id="attachment_663983" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] THE TASTE OF A GOOD GIN First up, genevers. We know this to be the drink that begat gin; the older Dutch spirit cousin you might say. But what else should bluffers know about gin to charm all their mates? "London dry gins, such as Greenall's original, are traditionally distilled white spirits, made from three building blocks: grain spirit (in Greenall's case, English wheat), botanicals and water. The only botanical we have to use to be legally defined as a gin is juniper berries, and for london dry, this should be the predominant aroma. "A good gin should have recognisable juniper notes — after all, that's what legally defines a gin — so, it should be dry, not overtly sweet, balanced and have a good soft mouthfeel. It shouldn't be too harsh or burning to the taste. "Much like wine tasting, gin tasting uses the same basic principles. Aerate your glass and nose the aromas, as your sense of smell signals to your brain what you are going to taste. There's no need to hold the spirit in your mouth like you do with wine though, just sip and enjoy," says Joanne. [caption id="attachment_638855" align="alignnone" width="1620"] Brook James.[/caption] A PERFECT TIME AND PLACE Like rosé to spring, red to winter and white to summer, is there a best time to drink gin? "That's a difficult one to answer as it all depends on the individual, how they feel and what sort of day they have had — do they want a long drink like a refreshing G&T, a cocktail or a short drink? For me, that's the real beauty behind gin. It's so versatile that you can drink it responsibly in lots of places," says Joanne. AN OPTIMAL VESSEL Now we know when we should be drinking gin, but what about how we should be drinking it? Are there certain vessels that are better than others? "It could be argued that for the optimum drinking experience, you need a glass with a narrow neck to allow the concentration of aromas to be appreciated. Plus, glass as a material is better suited than say, plastic, as it doesn't contain any elements that could potentially react with your spirit and leach into your drink." [caption id="attachment_663977" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT G&T A classic gin and tonic can be traced back to when colonial Britain spread its tentacles across the world and the English encountered a whole range of new tropical diseases, including malaria. To try to combat the disease, troops in India were given rations of the very bitter cinchona bark, which contains quinine, a treatment for malaria. And from there, these wily soldiers mixed their rations with sugar, soda water and gin to make it more palatable. Now, when mates come over to celebrate being malaria free — or really for any occasion — we tend to go for a splash mighty enough to fill half a glass. What's the best way to mix up a good ol' G&T? "Gin is best served chilled with a good quality mixer and appropriate garnish to bring out the key flavours. For mixing a classic G&T with Greenall's gin, we recommend using some good quality tonic such as Fever Tree, lots of ice and a wedge of lime to bring out the rounded juniper notes, warm earthy spice and mature citrus notes of our Greenall's Original gin recipe. "It's also important to mix the gin and tonic to avoid layering flavours. Mixing allows the two to marry together and complement each other." WHAT'S TRENDING? Throughout gin's long life many trends have come and gone. There have been gins made with ants and seaweed, gins bottled with flecks of gold and turkey-flavoured gin (yes, really). Luckily, the latest trend is a bit more palatable (or, if we may, palette-able). While gin may traditionally be clear, that's no longer the hard-and-fast rule. And gin's colour of the moment is pink. Was it inspired by Regina George's midweek mantra? The millennial colour of the moment? A certain animated feline detective? We don't know. But we do know that it certainly adds an extra shade to your G&T. And, in the case of Greenall's Wild Berry gin, it tastes good too. This variation of the pink libation is made with natural blackberry and raspberry flavouring. As you'd expect, it has berry notes (on the nose and tongue) but the combination with juniper botanicals gives the drink a warming spice and slightly peppery after tones. [caption id="attachment_663980" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida.[/caption] AND FINALLY, SHAKEN, STIRRED OR THROWN? The martini is the quintessential gin cocktail, a blend of gin and vermouth mixed to the drinker's exact specifications. But when you order a martini should you ask for it shaken, stirred or thrown? Many people will tell you there is a definitive answer, but the only difference is that the ice breaks into smaller chips and waters down the martini when you shake the cocktail. Joanne say, "too much ice doesn't dilute gin, but it does keep it chilled, dulling the effect of the alcohol in the mouth and making for a more pleasant drink." So tosh to them; drink it how you like, we say. Grab a bottle of Greenall's, throw that dry martini, aerate until it breaks into tiny droplets, serve in a chilled glass and don't let anyone tell you you're doing it wrong. Header image: Brook James.
