Jarno Smeets has always believed he could fly. Now he knows he can. On March 18, Smeets successfully flew using his pair of custom-built wings, controlled by video game controllers and an Android phone. The project, which took eight months of research and testing, was inspired by sketches by Smeets' grandfather depicting a futuristic flying bicycle. Smeets' grandfather spent much of his life working on the design, yet never completed the project; Smeets says that it has always been his dream to complete his grandfather's goal. While Smeets was studying engineering at Coventry University in England, he altered his grandfather's design and began working on a Leonardo Da Vinci-inspired set of flying wings. The idea was based on the mechanics involved with robotic prosthetics. Smeets' aim was to supplement his arm strength to enable his arms to carry his entire body while in flight. With the help of neuro-mechanic Bert Otten, the design eventually became a reality. The flight lasted 60 seconds, a "magical moment", according to Smeets. Of course, a video like this brings the skeptics out of the woodwork, and with the creator's CV not checking out, their case has been gaining momentum. Update: yep, it's a fake. https://youtube.com/watch?v=GYW5G2kbrKk [via Wired]
Before Barbenheimer became the biggest thing in cinema in 2023, moviegoers flocked to a film that featured a blonde wearing plenty of pink, and also clouds and mushrooms, all in the one flick. That feature: The Super Mario Bros Movie. It was a hit. It was a smash, in fact. At the global box office, the first-ever animated movie based on the Nintendo favourite came in right in the middle of both Barbie and Oppenheimer for the year — notching up more than $1.3 billion in takings. That an animated Mario movie would get audiences saying "let's go" to cinemas is hardly a surprise. Neither is the next piece of news: that a sequel to The Super Mario Bros Movie is on the way. The folks at Nintendo and animation studio Illumination are back doing the filmmaking equivalent of hitting blocks to unveil power-ups — aka crafting a second picture that's due to hit cinemas in 2026. The exact date in the US: April 3, 2026. Expect audiences in Australia and New Zealand to see the film at around the same time. Nintendo and Illumination announced the sequel as part of the annual MAR10 celebrations on March 10 — which would also make a great movie release date, but features don't usually hit the big screen on Tuesdays, which is when the occasion will fall in 2026. "By getting deeply involved in the movie production with the aim to put smiles on everyone's faces through entertainment, Nintendo will continue its efforts to produce unique entertainment and deliver it to as many people as possible," said the company in a statement. In a video, Shigeru Miyamoto from Nintendo and Chris Meledandri from Illumination also chatted about the news — but without going into much detail regarding what'll be in store in the film, other than the return trip to the Mushroom Kingdom. "This time, we're thinking about broadening Mario's world further, and it'll have a bright and fun story," said Miyamoto. The 2023 The Super Mario Bros Movie enlisted Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) to voice the Italian plumber, plus Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Luigi, Jack Black (Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) as Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu) as Princess Peach, Seth Rogen (Dumb Money) as Donkey Kong, Keegan- Michael Key (Wonka) as Toad and Fred Armisen (Wednesday) as Cranky Kong. Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go!, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) will return from the first film, as will screenwriter Matthew Fogel (Minions: The Rise of Gru). Check out the trailer forThe Super Mario Bros Movie below: The sequel to The Super Mario Bros Movie is set to release in cinemas in the US on April 3, 2026 — we'll update you with Down Under release dates when they're announced. Read our review of the first film.
Contemplating a renovation? Before you head to IKEA or the nearest op shop, stop right here. Why settle for standard seating, expected entranceways and simple staircases when you could be installing sandpits under work desks and doors that double as ping pong tables, slides and skate ramps? Interior design is one thing, but home hacking is quite another. Here are ten ways to turn an ordinary house into a carnival ground. Forms in Nature Light Sculpture Turn your room into a scene from Nightmare Before Christmas at the flick of a switch. Ernst Haeckel’s drawings are the inspiration behind this sculpture, created by Danish designers Thyra Hilden and Pio Diaz. A complex, unruly root system surrounds a bright light. "The shadows engulf the room and transforms the walls into unruly shadows of branches, bushes and gnarled trees," the designers explain. "Mirrorings are thrown out upon the walls and ceilings and provide weak Rorschach-like hints of faces, life and flow of consciousness. Dimming the lights transforms the installation and one senses a weak fire burning deep in the center of the forest." Image: Hilden and Diaz Surfing with the sand between my toes Why settle for working from home when you could, simultaneously, be working from the beach? This installation takes the freelancer's freedom to a whole new level. Created by artist Justin Kemp, who's based in Massachusetts (about thirty or so miles from the coast), 'Surfing with the sand between my toes' aims to blur the lines between work and play. "The sand is relaxing, but for me it's more a symbol of my permanent vacation," he explains. "It's the design of a lifestyle where 'work' becomes so satisfying that vacation and retirement become undesirable. It's a permanent state of chill." Image: Justin Kemp The Ping Pong Door Here's a way to create more space, get your daily exercise and maintain a healthy competitiveness with your roommates, especially if you're living in a teeny-tiny apartment: a door that turns into a ping pong table. It's the brainchild of Berlin-based designer Tobias Fraenzel. "Design can and should be fun," he says. "A product that generates positive emotions in people, that brings them together and gets used again and again, that is a good product!" Image: Marcel Koehler Bedroom-to-Pool Waterslide Where Professor Digory Kirke's wardrobe led to Narnia, the cupboard in this proposed country mansion reveals a water slide connected to a pool. Yet to be realised, the plans are the creation of Neil Collins Architects, who specialise in one-off homes. The slide would be part of a £2 million, three-bedroom, underground dwelling entered via a TARDIS-style elevator. Image: Neil Collins Bookshelf-Staircase-Slide Why waste time walking up and down the stairs when you could be sliding? This multifunctional staircase has something for everyone. Architecture firm Moon Hoon came up with it when commissioned to design the Panorama House, a spacious home for a six-piece Korean family. It's one amongst many staircase-slides that are injecting fun into the daily routine. Image: Namgoong Sun The Cloud Sofa If you've never recovered from Neverending Story, here, at long last, is the antidote. Spend a little part of every day floating on your own private cloud. A shiny silver oval on the floor is what makes the Cloud Sofa as magical as Falkor. Its mysterious magnetic force can keep both you and your softest-ever sofa hovering all night long. We have D.K. & Wei Design to thank. Image: D.K. Wei The Skateboard House Welcome to Bart Simpson's dream home. There's not a single surface — inside or outside — that can't be skated on. It's the vision of ex-world champion, pro-skater and CEO of Sole Technology Inc. Pierre Andre Senizergues. He approached architect Francois Perrin and designer-skateboarder Gil Lebon Delapoint to make it happen. La Gaite Lyrique Museum in Paris exhibited a wooden prototype in 2011. Real-life construction is underway in Malibu, California. Image: Pierre Andre Senizergues Pirate Ship Bedroom Do you have a belief, deep-down, that Walt Disney should've cast you, instead of Johnny Depp, in Pirates of the Caribbean? You could see a psychiatrist. But it might well be cheaper to install a pirate ship in your bedroom. Designed by Steve Kuhl, this suspended schooner is entered via rope bridge and exited via secret slide. For miscreants, there's a one-person jail cell. Image: Steve Kuhl Moss Bathroom Mat The ingenious thing about this is that, as long as you shower frequently-ish, you don't need to water it. A latex frame holds together 70 x 6cm pieces of foam, planted with three types of moss: ball, island and forest. Not only do they form a complex microcosmic forest, they also feel super-soft underfoot. It's the creation of Swiss designer Nguyen La Chanh. "The idea was to find a new way of having your plants inside," she explains. "Not only plants in pots quietly standing in the corner of a living room, but alive plants, evolving in the house." Image: Nguyen La Chanh DIY Grass Couch All you have to do is find a piece of furniture, pack the frame with soil, plant some seeds and let them grow. Of course, a regular mowing and trimming routine is part of the deal. Back in 2006, these popped up all over San Francisco as part of the Let's Green this City initiative.
In Fred Schepisi's new rom-com, the unimaginatively titled Words and Pictures, two antagonistic high school teachers argue the merits of images versus prose. It's a flimsy and vaguely pretentious premise for a movie, but one that, at the very least, feels well-suited to the medium. After all, what is cinema if not the marriage of sight and sound? The unfortunate irony of Schepisi's film is that it fails to make a very good case for either. Clive Owen plays Jack Marcus, an English teacher at the expensive Croydon Academy. A burnt-out poet with a puffed-up ego and a drinking problem, Marcus openly bemoans the ability of his students, despite it having been years since he wrote anything of significance himself. A few of Marcus's colleagues find his attempts at roughish charm amusing. The rest treat him with barely concealed contempt. One faculty member well and truly in the latter category is Juliette Binoche's art instructor, the icy Dina Delsanto. Like Marcus, she was once an in-demand artist, although rather than a pen, her tools were paint and canvas. But rheumatoid arthritis has stripped her of her dexterity and forced her to take up teaching. The pair could hardly be more different. So naturally, they're destined to fall in love. The catalyst for their romantic conflagration is a remark made by a student, that pictures are more powerful than words. Delsanto, being an art teacher, agrees, prompting Marcus to strike back in his own class. Soon the debate embroils the entire school — because after all, nothing gets young minds firing than the surly sexual tension between their professors. It's difficult to think of a supposed romantic comedy with two less sympathetic protagonists. That being said, Marcus is so actively unlikable that the humourless Delsanto seems positively charming by comparison. Rejoinders that are meant to be witty instead play as painfully smug, while his smarmy attempts at wooing cross well into the realm of harassment. As a teacher he's even more unbearable, dropping truth bombs on his students by explaining that haikus are, like, the original tweets. Say whaaaaaat? Schepisi's direction is uncharacteristically flat, the director putting up as poor a case for pictures as screenwriter Gerald Di Pego does for words. At least the contest is even that way, although frankly both mediums deserve better. For that matter, so do we. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1JX6NScig7M
Battery power: we all want it for those devices that are always in our hands, pockets or bags — and, we rarely have as much as we need. Carrying a charger or power pack around with you is just one of the joys of being a modern smartphone user. And then there's the cable side of things, whether you're carting them from place to place, or seeing them sprawling through your bedroom or living room. Wireless technology seemed to offer the solution to at least some of these #firstworldproblems; however, it's not quite the always-available, always-charging saviour we all want — yet. Enter Disney, their research team and a new room that'll juice up your phone, tablet and more, no strings attached. Given the name quasistatic cavity resonance, the entertainment company has created spaces that keep things buzzing while still remaining safe for people to enter. Aaah yes, that minor matter of not being adversely affected just so that you can keep posting on social media. The areas in question consist of aluminium panels lining the walls, floors and ceiling, plus a floor-to-ceiling electric pipe running through the centre — with a current surging through it and an electromagnetic field radiating from it. Unsurprisingly, the current design isn't much to look at, but who needs something pleasing to the eye when your phone is always charged? It makes sense, really — if Disney can resurrect Star Wars and actually make it great, shower our screens with superheroes for a decade and counting, and bring just about every fairy tale to the live-action realm, they can probably whip up a dose of non-movie magic to solve this annoying issue. Just what happens next is a watch-this-space kind of deal, but we're guessing that charging your phone at Disneyland might just be a whole lot easier in the future. Via: Mashable. Image: Disney Research.
What stars Selena Gomez (The Dead Don't Die), Steve Martin (It's Complicated), Martin Short (Schmigadoon!), the ageless Paul Rudd (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), and the one and only Meryl Streep (Don't Look Up)? What's arriving to add a bit of murder, a new mystery to solve and plenty of laughs to your winter? That'd be season three of Only Murders in the Building, which has locked in a date for its eagerly awaited premiere: Tuesday, August 8. "Is this really happening again?" asks Oliver Putnam (Short) in the first teaser trailer for the new batch of episodes. "Well, you know, who are we without a homicide?" replies his neighbour, fellow murder-mystery buff and co-podcaster Mabel Mora (Gomez). Clearly, this hit sleuthing comedy will be back doing what it's always done, and well, since season one made it one of the best new shows of 2021 and season two put it in the best returning category in 2022. This time around, Mabel, Oliver and Charles-Haden Savage's (Martin) will still be bantering while solving a murder. Given that season two ended with another big death, the latter won't come as a surprise — and neither will the victim. From the initial sneak peek so far, season three will devote a fair amount of its focus to working through the events leading up to that killing, piecing together what happened, why, how and who's behind it. Enter Rudd and Streep, because this series does love adding names to its on-screen roster. Over both season one and two, Tina Fey (Girls5eva) has been a significant presence, Sting and Amy Schumer have played themselves, and Cara Delevingne (Carnival Row) has also popped up. If you're yet to experience Only Murders in the Building's charms, it follows the odd trio of Charles-Haden, Oliver and the much-younger Mabel after they bond over two things: listening to a Serial-style podcast hosted by the show's own version of Sarah Koenig, aka Cinda Canning (Fey); and a death in their luxe abode. Of course, they did what everyone that's jumped on the true-crime bandwagon knows they would if they were ever in the same situation, starting their own audio series that's also called Only Murders in the Building. That's how season one kicked off — and continued, proving a warm, funny, smart and savvy series at every step along the way. In the show's second go-around, another death needed investigating. That time, it was someone the main trio were all known not to be that fond of, so suspicions kept pointing in their direction. Check out the first trailer for Only Murders in the Building season three below: Only Murders in the Building's third season will start streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+ from Tuesday, August 8. Season one and two are currently streaming. Read our full review of season two — and of the show's first season, too.
Break out the waffles: Amy Poehler is coming to Australia. If you're a Parks and Recreation fan, nothing less than eating breakfast foods non-stop between now and the end of May will do to celebrate. The actor behind Leslie Knope — and Saturday Night Live legend, and voice of Joy in both Inside Out and Inside Out 2 — has a date with Vivid Sydney, heading to the Harbour City for a just-announced in-conversation event that'll see her chat through her career. Inside Out 2 releases in cinemas in mid-June, so it'll receive plenty of focus when Poehler gets talking — so much so that the Sydney Opera House evening that'll be moderated by Zan Rowe will include a 30-minute first-look at the film. But her work spans far and wide beyond the animated Pixar franchise, including to films such as Baby Mama and Sisters, writing the hilarious Yes Please and unforgettable Golden Globe hosting gigs with Tina Fey. [caption id="attachment_793108" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC[/caption] "I'm really looking forward to taking part in Vivid Sydney this year, a place that welcomes Joy in every way," said Poehler about her impending session in the Harbour City. "I can't wait to share a little of Inside Out 2: a movie that lets Joy and Sadness, Anxiety and Envy all try to work together in hilarious and touching ways." [caption id="attachment_925839" align="alignnone" width="1920"] © 2023 Disney/Pixar.[/caption] Poehler's session will take place on Monday, May 27, making it one of the early highlights of the festival. It comes after 2023's Vivid Sydney also featured a massive screen-focused in-conversation session, welcoming The White Lotus' Jennifer Coolidge and Mike White. "Amy Poehler is comedy royalty and the perfect person to join us as part of Vivid Ideas for this year's Vivid Sydney. We're so proud to add her to the growing list of guests set to captivate visitors throughout 23 nights of the festival," said Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini. "Amy's new film Inside Out 2 ties in perfectly with the theme of this year's festival, humanity, with an accessible take on how the human mind makes decisions and processes emotions. Allowing audiences to have an insight to how one of the world's great writers and performers operates is sure to be a great thrill." Check out the trailer for Inside Out 2 below: In Conversation with Amy Poehler takes place on Monday, May 27, 2024 at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, with tickets on sale now. Vivid Sydney runs from Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15 at various locations around Sydney. Head to the festival website for further details and tickets.
When you're brainstorming places around the world to visit on a budget, the UK is probably not the first place that springs to mind. What it may lack in affordability department, it makes up for in pretty much every other aspect of an epic holiday — from poking around charming country villages and discovering the diverse cultures of the major cities to stumbling across a historical landmark at pretty much every turn of a corner. Oh, and it has a killer music scene. You can experience all of these UK wonders on a Contiki Sounds trip. With seven- or ten-day options, these whistlestop tours will take you to some of England's top spots, culminating with an unforgettable weekend of dancing, camping and partying at Reading Festival — one of the country's biggest annual music festivals. To get you ready for traipsing around the UK's south, we've put together a guide of some of the best things to do and see while you're there. And, to prove that you can still have a good time without blowing big bucks, we've also thrown in a few penny-pinching tips. Who said you couldn't have your bangers and mash and eat them too? [caption id="attachment_719139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Hudson via Flickr.[/caption] BIKE BETWEEN LONDON'S MARKETS Hire a set of wheels from the city's bike sharing service (nicknamed 'Boris bikes') for the weekend and visit some of London's best markets. Spend Friday near London Bridge at Borough Market, one of the largest and oldest food markets in London, and turn all of the free cheese and fudge tastings into a makeshift meal. Next up, on Saturday, is a stroll through Broadway Market, which runs from London Fields to the Regent's Canal in old Hackney. Then, on Sunday, cycle over to Columbia Road Flower Market. The street air is intense with the scent of flowers and the barrow boys will be hawking "everthin' for a fiiiver". [caption id="attachment_719140" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Towning via Flickr.[/caption] JUMP AROUND THE JURASSIC COAST Supposedly, the lady who 'sold seashells by the seashore' came from the Jurassic Coast. Too early for her time to be recognised as a palaeontologist by her peers, she was forced to sell her excess dino bones to tourists. The picturesque coast isn't just home to prehistoric beasts and tongue-twisting characters — it also boasts Durdle Door, an iconic limestone arch near Dorset. For the adventurous, try coasteering — a physically challenging activity which involves scaling cave networks, dodging tidal surges and completing ocean jumps. Broadchurch fans may recognise the Jurassic Coast's cliff faces from the hit British crime drama. [caption id="attachment_719154" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ed Webster via Flickr.[/caption] STROLL BRISTOL'S STOKES CROFT STREET ART AND ART GALLERIES Wander around the city and feast your eyes upon some of street artist Banksy's earliest works, then head over to Stokes Croft to ogle the local, ever-changing licks, sprays and splatters of paint. Then, counter your street-traipsing with some gallery time. Spike Island lies south of the river and features contemporary art, design and audio installations. An enormous old tea warehouse has been converted into three floors of contemporary art in all forms to make Arnolfini, Bristol's Centre for Contemporary Arts. Meanwhile, the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery has a huge collection, including Alfred — a stuffed silverback gorilla who was kidnapped in the 1950s by a jovial bunch and returned a whopping 54 years later. VISIT A HAUNTED PUB IN SALISBURY A pleasant 15-kilometre drive from Stonehenge will take you to Salisbury. The city is known for having some of England's finest historic houses, the Russian spy poisoning incident and, most recently, being named the best place to live in the UK. Satiate your inner historian (and thirst) with a visit to The Haunch of Venison. The haunted pub features oak beams that predate the building by several hundred years and are thought to come from early sailing vessels. Under the pub's fireplace, inside a former bread oven, lies a smoke-preserved mummified hand believed to be from an 18th-century demented whist player who lost it in a card game. The cheat's hand has been stolen a few times but is now securely locked away. [caption id="attachment_719156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alison Day via Flickr.[/caption] JUMP THE FENCE INTO CORFE CASTLE Things are impressive when they are mighty old and still standing. One such thing is Corfe Castle, a 1000-year-old royal abode that was built as an attempt to defend the area from marauding armies. This ruined castle dates back to the 11th century and rests within a heathland landscape that is undeniably picturesque. The area also inspired a number of Thomas Hardy's poems, novels and short stories. Skip the city for a beat, give yourself a history lesson and create your own tale of treachery and treason as you jump the fence into Corfe Castle. CATCH A PORTAL TO ANOTHER DIMENSION AT STONEHENGE Baffling burial mounds and rock formations surely must point to some kind of portal into parallel universes, right? Historians may very well be appalled by our lack of appreciation for their hard work that informs us the Badbury Rings are defences of a hillfort and Avebury Stone Circle is Europe's largest Neolithic stone circle. And let's not forget Stonehenge — arguably the world's most famous prehistoric monument. But alas, the mystery of their power still remains. We're told by locals that entering clockwise affords the best luck. Cut a lap around Stonehenge's circle that was built 5000 years ago — or take a peep through the fence, which works just as well for those on a budget or fearful of transporting too far. [caption id="attachment_719158" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gerrit Burrow via Flickr.[/caption] WALK THE SOUTHWEST FOOTPATHS The southwest of England is home to a variety of stunning trails. Venture to any beach along the area, turn left or right and you'll be on the 1000-kilometre South West Coast Path and on the edge of an eye-stretching experience. The paths were originally created by coastguards patrolling the southwest peninsula looking for smugglers. They legitimately had to check in every inlet, so the cliff top walks are well-worn. The sheer variety of scenery along the gorge-sliced cliff peaks and beach walks along with the unique history of the area make this an unforgettable experience. Remember to fill your playlist with all of your favourite bands from Reading and hit the tracks. Travel around the best spots in the UK with Contiki at Reading Festival. Unearth the UK's musical heritage, then experience an unforgettable party at one of the world's best and biggest music festivals. Contiki wants to take you there — all you have to do is choose from the 7- or 10-day trip. Plus, if you bring a mate, it'll give you both $200 off. Find out more here.
The morning work run could soon be a whole lot speedier for commuters across the city, as the Victorian Government starts work on both its hefty redevelopment of Flinders Street Station and multi-million dollar upgrades to the City Loop. To help stamp out congestion issues in the Elizabeth Street subway tunnel, the iconic station will score a new fully accessible entrance, running directly from Southbank's Riverside Walk onto Platform Ten. It's slated to open by April this year, with Acting Premier James Merlino saying that "Flinders Street is the heart of our train system and the heart of our city – we're restoring it and making it more accessible, safe and user friendly for passengers." Another project the government is forking out the big bucks for is a series of upgrades for the City Loop. It's investing $134 million on the 32-year-old rail circuit, which includes $70 million in much needed improvements to the City Loop's fire safety systems. The planned upgrades will also incorporate a new alarm system with extra CCTV cameras, which will give operators immediate notifications if anyone ventures onto the tracks. With over 111,000 people riding the City Loop each day, this upgrade alone is expected to reduce delays and help boost the network's reliability. This is in addition to the build of the new Metro Tunnel, which will see nine-kilometre twin tunnels and five underground train stations added to Melbourne's inner city. These new stations will create a new path into the city that doesn't rely on (but connects to) the City Loop. The idea is that it will ease congestion in the City Loop and allow more trains to be getting in and out of the city. Construction on all this is expected to be completed is 2026.
Few individuals cut to the heart of American society with the same degree of wit or insight as author Gore Vidal. And for a man who once said, "there is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise," he didn't have much humility about it either. Highly outspoken on all the issues you're never meant to talk about — sex, politics, religion — and capable of savaging conservatives with either his pen or acid tongue, Vidal was one of America's foremost public intellectuals, until his passing in 2012 at the age of 86. A friend of Vidal's nephew, Burr Steers, Australian-born filmmaker Nicholas Wrathall first sat down to interview Vidal in 2005, laying the foundations for what would eventually become the documentary Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia. In anticipation of the film's release at Melbourne's Cinema Nova, we spoke with Wrathall about the making of the film and his impressions of the man himself. MEETING VIDAL "I really started to taking notice of Gore again after 9/11," says Wrathall. "I was living in New York, during that horrible chaos, and Gore was one of the only people in the media landscape who seemed to be speaking sensibly to how the US should be reacting, and speaking out against the drumbeats to war and the media propaganda and the Bush administration's rush into the Middle East." "Then a few years after that, in 2004, I had the opportunity to meet him in LA in a casual way with Burr and the family," Wrathall continues. "One of the first conversations I had with him was actually about Australian politics. He was very interested in an update in what was going on in Australia, and was asking me for an update on Bob Carr … I didn't realise at the time that he was actually friends with Bob, and also knew Gough Whitlam quite well. That was probably one of the bonding conversations where I gained his trust a little bit, in that it was something that I could actually speak intelligently to." Certainly, one wouldn't want to look stupid in front Vidal. "You can be quite out of your depth with Gore in a serious conversation," says Wrathall. "It can be very intimidating. He certainly doesn't suffer fools. But he's also very generous, and loves to inform, and share his knowledge and experience. So he's very kind, in my experience, especially to younger people... you wouldn't want to get into an argument with him though." MASTER OF THE MEDIA Famous for saying he never missed a chance "to have sex or appear on television," part of Gore's rise to prominence, Wrathall asserts, came from his ability to play to the camera. "He really knew how to work the media," says Wrathall. "He was always being interviewed and being invited on talk shows, and because of his humour and his wit, I think he was a great guest for someone like Johnny Carson or Dick Cavett to have on dick their show. "He loved to push the envelope, and say the things that other people might think, but wouldn't dare to say. He was very outspoken. I think you can see in a lot of the clips [in the film] from the 50s and 60s that many of the things that he said were ahead of their time … he was a great guest in the media landscape at the time, which was maybe less afraid, and less conservative than it is today, and was willing to have these sorts of public debates and issue-based conversations more openly." POLITICS AND POWER Vidal was never shy about his opinions, particularly when it came to politics. "I think he was very pragmatic," says Wrathall. "He was brought up a lot by his grandfather, who was a senator, and a great orator himself. He had people like [Senator] Huey Long coming to his house for dinner, and he'd see their conversations. And then he'd take his grandfather to the senate the next day, and he'd see the same speech that Huey had rehearsed at the dinner table on the senate floor. So he realised that there was a lot of showmanship, and a lot of strategy … He was very clued into that even as a teenager. He came to politics, and to writing about politics, in a very informed way. And that's really his power." Of the current administration, Wrathall believed Vidal had "great hope," but that he also "measured that hope," because "in reality, there are so many compromises that had to made to get to that position". Perhaps Vidal put it best himself when he said that "any American who is prepared to run for President should automatically, by definition, be disqualified from ever doing so." Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia opens at Cinema Nova on March 6.
After the mild let down of last year's supermoon, you could be forgiven for not engaging in the hype of major celestial movements. But last night's total solar eclipse didn't disappoint astronomers, token stargazers and brazen US presidents alike. The eclipse wasn't visible from our part of the world, instead passing over the the US — starting over Oregon in the west and finishing over South Carolina on the east coast. As the name suggests, a total eclipse is when the sun is completely obscured by the moon. This is a pretty rare event — Time and Date says that, on average, it takes about 375 years for a total solar eclipse to happen again in the same place — so, naturally, everyone turned out to catch a glimpse. NASA live streamed the event, The Weather Channel live tweeted the lead-up to totality, and even Donald Trump stepped out of the White House to look directly at the sun. Yes, he did that. Someone: don't look into the ec- Donald trump: pic.twitter.com/71wpDiwPr1 — sarah (@sarahburhans_) August 21, 2017 So while we wait for a solar eclipse to pass over Australia — the ABC reports that the next one will take place in 2028 and will pass directly over Sydney — here's some of the most epic images from last night's total solar eclipse. Only 11 years to go. A post shared by Getty Images (@gettyimages) on Aug 21, 2017 at 11:51am PDT A post shared by Reuters (@reuters) on Aug 21, 2017 at 1:44pm PDT A post shared by NASA (@nasa) on Aug 21, 2017 at 2:03pm PDT Amazing composite images capture the moon during a previous total solar eclipse, shot by Czech photographer Miloslav Druckmüller #Eclipse pic.twitter.com/LAHenYm2Qi — sobore (@sobore) August 21, 2017 PHOTO: TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 2017 from Green River Lake, WY. I truly think I had the most beautiful spot in the whole path. More photos soon. pic.twitter.com/jLDBMHJJU4 — Ben Cooper (@LaunchPhoto) August 21, 2017 Timelapse: Total solar eclipse brings darkness to Oregon. https://t.co/q3jBRYgob2 pic.twitter.com/MgESS6odoW — ABC News (@ABC) August 21, 2017 A post shared by NASA (@nasa) on Aug 21, 2017 at 3:57pm PDT Top image: Wikimedia Commons.
This post is presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan. There's plenty of fun to be had in this city each week, but there's only a small handful of truly fresh urban adventures to be had. We've partnered with Toyota to find the very best of these shiny-new experiences in Melbourne. Presented by the All New Toyota Corolla Sedan, these are our picks to put you on the road to a life of goodtimes. Now your only challenge is getting to them all. This week is all about the highest heights, the surreality of the animal kingdom, and the easiest, most delicious way to do good in the world. Eat: Feast of Merit When you find the coming together of good coffee and a good conscience, great things usually follow. Feast of Merit, the newest venture from youth social enterprise YGAP, proves this to be true. Not only does this place donate all their profits to youth education in Malawi, Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Australia, they also focus on seasonal produce, raw foods and locally sourced drinks. The breakfast menu caters to a range of tastes with the sweeter side of things looking like Bircher muesli, coconut water, apricot, pistachios, and hung yoghurt ($11.50) and the savoury path providing beetroot (pickled, raw and roasted) with wild rice, candied walnuts, salted ricotta and za'atar spice ($13.50). 117 Swan Street, Richmond Drink: Loop Roof Opening high above the city's favourite video bar, Loop, this new venue — officially named Loop Roof but affectionately dubbed Looptop (see what we did there) — is a new gem in Melbourne's rooftop crown. Looptop's drinks menu features a huge range of topnotch cocktails, but it's the hard iced tea selection that stands out. Our pick is the awkwardly named but delicious-tasting Sparkle Motion ($19), made with Wyborowa vodka, Pomme Verte, T2 Lychee Sunrise tea syrup, fresh lemon, grapefruit peel and an edible gold spray giving it the advertised sparkle. Each hand-crafted tea syrup is created in-house using tea from T2, and features a different ice cube full of delicious ingredients that are designed to melt and release more flavour into the drink as you go. Level 3, 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne See: Isabella Rossellini's Green Porno This playful stage show, based upon Isabella Rossellini's short film series and subsequent book of the same name, kookily explores mating in the natural world. The screen icon — who is currently studying animal behaviour at Hunter College in New York — says the show came naturally to her because she has always been interested in animal behaviour, and she "certainly knows a lot of people that are interested in sex". The actress dresses up in a variety of ridiculous insect and sea-creature costumes, while providing a storyline that is somehow both absurd and scientifically accurate. March 26; Arts Centre Playhouse, 100 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne Do: Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival The difficulty with VAMFF is always the same — where to begin? With countless runways that are set to dazzle, an exciting cultural program, and some serious networking opportunities for those in the business, there’s something for all who are fashionably inclined. If innovation is what you’re after, we recommend heading to either the National Graduate Showcase or Independent Runway. But if you're just heading along for a taste, get along to the Premium Runways. March 17-23; all around Melbourne
Drinking sessions at home just got a whole lot more stylish thanks to the arrival of Pord — a new company combining art and wine in a rather gorgeous way. Pord has pooled the talents of three female Australian artists and Victorian winemakers Mitchelton to create its first series of mini wine barrel masterpieces, designed to bring more art and beauty into your everyday life. Each artist has contributed a limited-edition and eye-catching work to grace one of Pord's three-litre barrels, which each hold a neat four bottles' worth of wine. Illustrator Filippa Edghill's monochromatic artwork, titled Ancient Lines, is inspired by nature's curves; Melbourne artist Hannah Nowlan has contributed The Last Resort II from her most recent exhibition; and designer Evi O.'s work Sorbet is a vibrant painting with bold colours and pastels. Customers can select their favourite design and have it filled with one of three Mitchelton wines from the 2017 and 2018 vintages: pinot grigio, shiraz or rosé. Unlike regular bottles of wine, your beautiful barrel will keep wine fresh for four to six weeks after opening — and it can be repurposed. Hand-signed and numbered by the artist, and teamed with a certificate of authenticity, it's the kind of statement piece destined to be the talk of your dinner parties for years to come. And there are plenty more exciting artist collaborations in the works for future Pords. A pre-sale for Pord's covetable launch series kicks off at midnight on Saturday, July 14, with the goods to be delivered in October. The limited-edition barrels will set you back $160 each. Images: Josie Mackerras
The last time I saw so many polygons so ingeniously fitted together was when I handed in my year six major geometry project. Except that they only amalgamated in my imagination, rather than according to the laws of mathematics. Lord (and advanced engineering) only knows how Frank Gehry got this thing to stand up and stay standing, but done it he has. Behold, ye faithful readers, BioMuseo. Its 4,000 square metres of exhibition space tells the story of the Isthmus of Panama — the curvy wisp of land that separates the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic and binds the mighty Americas as one (to the consternation of both North and South, more frequently than not). It’s also home to the tiny nation of Panama and the legendary Panama Canal. After a construction process that’s involved ten years and US$60 million plus, BioMuseo is soon expected to open its doors. The official ceremony date hasn’t yet been announced, but test visits are happening this month. Gehry’s mission was to design an icon that Panamanians could identify as their very own — in the way that Sydneysiders see the Opera House, Coffs Harbourians view the Big Banana and Goulburnians admire the Big Merino. The architect’s signature geometrical style blends with local aesthetics. Exhibition coordinator Darien Montanes describes BioMuseo as a “very loud and visible building, appropriate for Panama’s loud and visible culture”. Bright colours and the application of plaster to a concrete substrate reference native construction methods. Inside, an expansive central open-air atrium serves as the building’s heart. Eight Bruce Mau-designed galleries house permanent exhibitions, each worked out in conjunction with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. The interior design pursues an ongoing dialogue with each exhibition and the overarching story: how a 50km-wide strip of land that emerged 4.5 million years ago changed the world. Via designboom.
Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from the smallest inventions. A little over two weeks ago three Sydney-based butter enthusiasts launched a Kickstarter campaign for a butter knife with one slight design modification. Since then, they've raised over $220,000 in funding, attracted a steady flow of global media attention, and made hundreds of thousands of readers drool and slap their keyboards in excitable butter-loving anticipation. So, what's the deal? Humble though it may seem, this little piece of cutlery claims to solves one of humanity's age-old problems — how to evenly spread cold butter onto bread. "Say goodbye to hard clumps of butter ripping apart your morning toast," reads the product's Kickstarter page. The Stupendous Splendiferous ButterUp — yep, that's it's real name — "turns cold, hard butter into sumptuous easy to spread ribbons of dairy goodness." With a grater function incorporated into the knife's blade, the ButterUp slices up your unholy fridge butter and weirdly makes you feel like you're decorating your toast with cheese stringers. In case you can't fathom the enormity of this genius, here's a handy gif: Of course, this is a nice little invention. Anything that aids the consumption of butter generally gets a big fat thumbs up from us. But the response to the product has been truly staggering. Articles about the invention have been published by The Daily Mail, Wired, LostatEMinor, CBS, and Mashable. The project has ten days to go, and they've already surpassed their funding goal by over $180,000. "I have seldom previously had such a visceral reaction to something so simple," reads a comment on their Kickstarter page. "Too-hard butter has been a lifelong irritation and source of idle family chat as long as I can remember," said another supporter of the project. In fact, most responses from their nearly 9,000 backers have sounded a little like the actors from infomercials that seem to struggle with every daily tasks. Nevertheless, if you'd like to be part of the impending butter revolution, you can pledge money to ButterUp's Kickstarter campaign up until Wednesday, September 3. You can snag one for yourself for as little as $12 (or $15 if you want it delivered by Christmas). Either that or you can make like all of Europe and just leave your butter on the kitchen counter. For more information head to ButterUp's Kickstarter page.
Whether you regularly take advantage of its open spaces, simply rush across it while you're walking through the city or just occasionally frequent some of its sites, if you're a Melburnian, you probably have some thoughts on Federation Square. The Flinders Street spot has become a significant part of the city since it first opened back in 2002 — and, as it nears the end of its second decade, the Victorian Government is asking for input about the space's future. As part of a review that was launched earlier this year, interested parties can supply their thoughts, wants, hopes and dreams for Fed Square during the now-open community consultation process. And, given recent events, it's likely that plenty of folks have some pretty strong views. It was only back in April that the site's planned big revamp — the controversial construction of Apple's first Australian flagship store, which would've involved the demolition of the Yarra Building — was canned after vocal backlash. [caption id="attachment_685146" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Federation Square[/caption] Fed Square will still be undergoing a significant change anyway, thanks to the $11 billion Metro Tunnel. One of the project's new stations, at Town Hall, will include an entrance at Fed Square's northwest corner — as well as an underground pedestrian connection to the site and Flinders Street Station. Taking planned developments into consideration, the current review is seeking specific feedback on how Federation Square functions as a public space and meeting place. The government is pondering opening the site up with more public space, as well as providing a better connection to the Yarra River. If you have a burning idea, you have until the end of September to complete the Federation Square Review online survey.
If anyone is heading over to Europe in June — or is looking for an excuse to — check out this new arrival on the festival circuit: FOR, presented by Australian music label Modular. FOR 2013 will take up residence on the Croatian party island of Hvar, from which it takes its name, on June 21 for a three-day, three-venue intimate showcase of some of the world's premier acts to a mere 2000 attendees. Things just got boutique. Perth psychedelic-rock darlings Tame Impala will continue their career far from Aussie shores as they take on headlining, and trunk shaking, duties. Baby-Beyoncé Solange, LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy and the near-veteran electro duo Bag Raiders, along with a host of others, will also be making their way to the Adriatic for a swim and a sing. Not necessarily in that order. FOR has done well to lock down some of Hvar's more notorious party spots for the event, including (Prince Harry’s favourite swimming spot) Veneranda, and the best-named beach in the world, Carpe Diem. Apparently, its pretty pretty to boot. Tickets will go on sale next Tuesday, but the super-keen can pre-register on the website and reduced accommodation rates for festival-goers will be available.
Getting married just after meeting, grappling for power, bloody coups, assassination plots: welcome to supposed wedded bliss The Great-style. For two seasons now, the nuptials between Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning, The Girl From Plainville) as Catherine and Peter III (Nicholas Hoult, The Menu) have been anything but ordinary in this historical satire, and rarely worth exclaiming "huzzah!" about (although viewers know how much the series loves saying that very word). So, it should come as no surprise that the royal couple have enlisted professional help in the just-dropped trailer for the show's upcoming third season. The Great was renewed for season three after its second batch of episodes streamed late in 2021, and will arrive Down Under on Saturday, May 13. This time around, after season two threw everything from attempted murders to mass imprisonments at the pair — and kept disrupting their dynamic as Catherine continued to work towards the name that's a part of history, and also inspires the show's title — its main duo is trying to make things work. Hence the couples therapy, but obviously resolving all of their issues won't be quite that simple. So, expect more of Peter figuring out what it means to play First Husband, and Catherine expanding her influence and reputation beyond just Russia. That, and visions of Peter's late father (Jason Isaacs, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris), life lessons, attempts to build a new country and the usual scheming. The show's all killer, no filler concept since season one: following Catherine's rise and reign, with a heavy focus on what that means for her marriage to Peter. It does so with only the slightest regard for the actual facts and with a big reliance upon hilarious wit, which is one of the reasons that it's such a delicious watch. While The Great has always been supremely confident in its blend of handsome period staging, the loosest of historical realities and that savage sense of humour (it does spring from Oscar-nominated The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, after all), it felt even more comfortable in its skin during its second season. And smoother, too, yet just as biting. So, hopefully that will remain the case in season three as well, all while it keeps seesawing tonally and proving as sharp as a shot of vodka — or several. Fanning and Hoult will be joined by returning co-stars Phoebe Fox (The Aeronauts), Adam Godley (Lodge 49), Gwilym Lee (Top End Wedding), Charity Wakefield (Bounty Hunters), Douglas Hodge (I Hate Suzie Too), Sacha Dhawan (The Prince), Bayo Gbadamosi (War of the Worlds) and Belinda Bromilow (Doctor Doctor), too, because this is a show with a phenomenally great cast. Check out the trailer for The Great season three below: The Great season three will be available to stream in Australia via Stan and in New Zealand via Neon from Saturday, May 13.
At festivals all over the UK this summer, Vodafone has been trialling the new 'Power Pocket'. Built into either a 'Recharge' sleeping bag or a pair of 'Power' denim shorts, the device draws on body heat to charge mobile phones. Vodafone developed the Power Pocket in conjunction with the University of Southampton's Department of Electronics and Computer Science. 'We've been working on printed smart material since the late 1980s,' Professor Stephen Beeby explains on the company's blog. 'But that was high-temperature stuff designed to be used on ceramics. We got into the topic of energy harvesting in the late 1990s, and we brought the two together to make smart materials for harvesting energy. We started on thermoelectric materials in 2003, but our printed thermoelectric material work has only been the last few years.' The smart material is made up of 'thermocouples', a whole bunch of which form a 'thermoelectric module'. One side of this is cold and the other is hot. The introduction of heat creates both a voltage and a current, which, in unison, give rise to electric power. In other words, the warmth generated by sleeping or dancing contrasts with the external cold air. Technically, this reaction is known as the 'Seebeck Effect'. At the moment, eight hours' time in the sleeping bag produces enough energy for 24 minutes of talking and 11 hours on stand-by, while a day's worth of activity in the shorts provides four hours of smartphone charge. [via Inhabitat]
Catharsis is crucial in filmmaking, as Jon Favreau (Iron Man) clearly knows. The writer, director and star emerges from big-budget cinema to return to the smaller side of Hollywood, seemingly purging his demons and addressing his disappointments in the process. In Chef, Carl Casper (Favreau) has toiled from humble beginnings to become Los Angeles' premier culinary artist, but a decade working for a profit-focused restaurateur (Dustin Hoffman) sees his menus branded safe, not daring. A scathing review by a prominent food blogger (Oliver Platt) calls out his creative malaise, swirling into a storm of negative press and social media that ushers him out of a job. At first, Carl resists the encouragement of his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara) to start his own food van. Soon, he's rediscovering his passion for cooking and reconnecting with his ten-year-old son, Percy (Emjay Anthony), in a road trip across the continent. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PZ6e51-ie7w Favreau's offering proves appetising in the undemanding manner of the food trucks it covets — and repeatedly invites the comparison. Fine ingredients abound, including finessed visuals of enticing meals on par with the best food-centric efforts; however, poise and polish are swapped for a handmade feel and celebratory outcome. Chef (Film © Sous Chef, LLC. All Rights Reserved) is out on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital with Ultraviolet on September 4, and thanks to Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and the release of Chef, you could win one of two Bodum EILEEN coffee press pack to deck out your kitchen. Included are: 1x Bodum 8 Cup Coffee Press 2x Bodum Pavina Glasses 1x Bodum Travel Press 1x Bodum Battery Operated Milk Frother 1x Bodum Vacum Travel Press 1x copy of Chef on DVD In addition, ten runners up will get copies of the Chef DVD. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review of the movie here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
If you're a Stranger Things fan, you probably already have plans for October 27 onwards. If you're a Sydney-based Stranger Things fan, you might've even scored tickets to get a sneak peek of the '80s-set sci-fi/horror series' second season before it drops on Netflix. Either way, it's safe to say that excitement for the show's next chapter is as strong as Eleven's (Millie Bobby Brown) love for Eggos — and the just-released final trailer isn't going to change that. With the first season proving everyone's new favourite TV program — and leaving viewers with plenty of questions — that's completely understandable. Indeed, when the last trailer offered a 'Thriller'-scored glimpse of things to come, we all started wondering what awaits Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and his pals, how tall Steve's (Joe Keery) hair will be and how many time Barb (Shannon Purser) will get a mention. The latest trailer still keeps audiences guessing, but it does reveal more than we've seen to date — particularly when it comes to the monster terrorising the town of Hawkins. Watch it and keep counting down the days until the full series hits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=R1ZXOOLMJ8s
We've all been living through the sweats and the naps, the lying in front of the fan and the UberEats-ing ice cream. Summer isn't kind sometimes, and even the most motivated among us find it easy to come up with excuses to not exercise during the hottest months (e.g., it's a million degrees outside and you'll die = valid). What we've decided is that finding fairly active pursuits to spend your time on counts just as much; as long as your blood is pumping and you're schvitzing a bit, you've ticked the box and can sit down to a nice cold beer(s). Have a go at some of these this summer — your morning jogs are a thing of the past. ROWBOATING Rowboating is A+ for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to, upper arm strength, teamwork, enjoying the water and re-enacting scenes from The Notebook or Bridget Jones Diary. It's also very accessible, with boats available to hire all over Melbourne and Sydney, and a nice alternative to land-based activities this summer. Take a picnic in with you and when your arms tire, hang up your oars and drift around eating cheese and sinking a few cold ones. Up north in Brisbane, the waters are more friendly for kayaking, which is also a perfect shenanigan for two — and everyone looks great in a yellow life jacket. Where? Lane Cove Boatshed in North Ryde, Sydney; Fairfield Park Boathouse in Melbourne; and Kayak Hire Brisbane, in Scarborough. DANCE CLASS The broadness of this one means you'll be able to tickle your fancy no matter what floats your dancing boat. Dancing is one of the most effective forms of fitness out there, mostly because you're often having so much fun you don't even realise that you're exercising your coordination, strength and flexibility, as well as hiking up your energy levels and mood. Take a salsa class with your significant other, a contemporary class to flail around to Sia like you've always wanted or get yourself into a street dance situation if it's Step Up feels you're after. There are studios around Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane which offer all these choices and more. They say "dance like nobody's watching" and even if there are people watching, it's chill — you're doing a noble thing by being active in the first place. Where? Sydney Dance Company in Walsh Bay, Sydney; The Space in Prahran, Melbourne; and Mad Dance House in Brisbane. CIRCUS FIT Circus Fit has been marketed as the new gym class for people who hate gym classes, and as such it's something a little bit different: it's a combo of both strength and flexibility training, with a healthy dose of aerial work thrown in there, too. Just head along and jump on your trapeze (low-hanging, luckily) and after a warm-up, you'll work through a variety of exercises that target core strength and stability — and, you'll have a whole bunch of fun doing it too. Try it at Fitness Playground in Sydney, but in Melbourne and Brisbane, you can head along to a short course in aerials at NICA or Flipside Circus, respectively. If you've ever had that urge in you to run away and join the circus, well, you probably can't because of life responsibilities and the fact that it's hard to touch your toes and all that, but you can feel like it isn't such a distant possibility for 60 minutes during class. Where? Fitness Playground in Marrickville, Newtown and Surry Hills, Sydney; NICA in Prahran, Melbourne; and Flipside Circus in Alderley, Brisbane. ROCK CLIMBING Rock climbing may not seem like the ideal hot weather sport at first — but you can easily avoid the elements by just heading to an (air-conditioned) indoor climbing centre where you can climb to your heart's content and not get overheated or intense sunburn. It's a win/win. Go on a date because rock climbing is the perfect duo activity: one person climbs while the other belays (holds the rope beneath them) so it's all romantic because your date's life is in your hands — nothing says 'second date' more than not letting someone fall off a really high rock wall, right? If you're flying solo or don't quite trust your entire life with that special someone, bouldering is an excellent alternative — no ropes necessary and no extreme heights either. Notoriously good for upper-body and arm strength, a climb up one of the numerous rock climbing centres around the country is definitely a valid option for those wanting to remain active this summer but who turn their noses up at high energy circuit training. Where? 9 Degrees in Alexandria, Sydney; Cliffhanger Climbing Gym in Altona North, Melbourne; and Urban Climb in West End, Milton and Newstead in Brisbane. ULTIMATE FRISBEE The thing about throwing a Frisbee around is that it's actually very difficult to catch (and often, throw smoothly). A game of Ultimate Frisbee could easily lull you into a false sense of security before you realise your calves are burning and you're sweating up a storm; miles have been run trotting around after that thing as it catches the wrong wind and ends up in someone else's picnic. Before you even notice, you've had a medium to hectic workout and it's time for a bit of a sit-down and a cold brew. Game-wise, the rules of Ultimate Frisbee are simply that you have to pass the Frisbee to a teammate at the opposite end zone of play and that — similarly to netball — you can't step while holding the disc. Pick a nice quiet beach and you can cool off in the water once you're done too (plus running on sand makes for an extra workout). Where? Collins Flat Beach in Manly, Sydney; Elwood Beach in Elwood, Melbourne; and Flinders Beach on North Stradbroke Island. Forgo the trip to the gym and get your exercise in a new way, then reward your workout success with a ice cold Hahn, because you deserve it.
It's becoming a trend these days for music festivals to make a big song and dance (pun, hoy!) about their food lineup — and, frankly, we couldn’t we couldn't be happier about it. Melbourne's Sugar Mountain Festival is stepping it up with an immersive 'sensory' restaurant, and St Jerome's Laneway Festival has announced a tight little food sched for their upcoming spots along the east coast. And it looks like it's going to be as good and as varied as the music. Here's what's going to be in your gob while you get down to Grimes in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. SYDNEY It's a real meaty affair in Sydney with LP’s Quality Meats on the smoker, Mary's doing their signature burgers, Porteno firing up the Argentinian barbecue, and Mexican snacks from Playa Takeria. Stuff from the sea will be provided by Oysters Unplugged and Zetland's Salmon and Bear. It's not all animals through; vegos and vegans can chow down on Yulli's cuisine. Of course, Gelato Messina will be there, alongside Knafeh, who'll be serving up their sweet and cheesy (and totally delish) Jerusalem street desserts. Plus, there'll be ice-cold Young Henrys and Stone & Wood on-hand to wash it all down with. MELBOURNE Melbourne Laneway is going to be a bonanza of classic Melbourne eats. Japanese food wizards Mr Miyagi (who are the feature restaurant partner of 2016) will be doing their nori tacos, Beatbox Kitchen will be pumping out those burgers, and beef short ribs will come by way of Burn City Smokers. You may have trouble choosing though, as they'll be joined by an army of food options, including Taco Truck, Slice Girls West, Gelato Messina, Gyoza Records, Juanita Peaches, Nuoc Mama's, Rice and Dice (for vegan dumplings!) and more. Beer-wise, it's going to be a choice between Byron's Stone & Wood, Sydney's Young Henrys, and local breweries, Footcray's West City and Brunswick East's Temple. Wear loose clothing. BRISBANE Punters at Brisbane Laneway will enjoy incredibly diverse food options from some classic Brissie establishments. Good luck trying to choose between homemade Greek food by Greek Street Grill, pizza by Pizzantica, and German sausages by Brat Haus. Or weigh up between vego fare by the legendary Govinda's, nachos by Sweethearts and Venezuelan by Fiery Deli. Throw Phatboys Food Truck, Puerto Taco and Mangia! Mangia! into the mix and it's going to be a tough choice. One decision is easy though: don't go past a local brew from Newstead Brewing Co. To check out the full Laneway food lineup (or the real lineup), go to their website.
Anytime's a good time for oysters, but there's only one occasion where it's perfectly acceptable to gorge on them to the point of no return — and that is the Oyster Frenzy. You must have heard of the Oyster Frenzy by now: a night where abandon is left at the door, and Melbourne's biggest oyster lovers converge to eat as many of the molluscs as they can humanly handle. It's at the same time the fanciest and the messiest buffet we can imagine. Oyster Frenzy #11 will go down at The Deck at The Prince on Thursday 23 July. As well as all-you-can-eat freshly shucked oysters — yes, all-you-can-eat — there will also be other fancy seafood canapes such as hot oysters, clams, mussels, prawn rolls and barramundi hot dogs. Plus, all the required beer, wine and cider to wash it down. April's Frenzy saw 22,032 oysters shucked and swallowed, so do what you need to prepare. And maybe try and get Friday off work.
When you're sitting at a bar, sipping a cocktail and enjoying its delicious flavours, you're usually just thinking about how great it tastes. Something you're probably not pondering is what happens to the fruit that makes your beverage so zesty. Once you're done drinking, what's next for those slices of lemon, wedges of orange and other edible cocktail ingredients and garnishes? Wonder no more, cocktail lovers — New Zealand-based vodka company 42BELOW can not only answer that question, but they're helping make your favourite concoctions more sustainable. Rounding up many a lemon, piece of fruit and even a few olives, they're turning yesterday's cocktail waste into today's hand washing liquid. Prepare to lather up with 42BELOW Recycled Cocktail Lemons Eco Soap, aka the world's first hand soap made from recycled cocktail fruit. The initiative first launched in December last year, with 13 venues in Sydney, two places in Melbourne and a further two on the Gold Coast jumping on board. Fast forward two months and drinkers at the likes of Darlinghurst's This Must be The Place, Melbourne CBD's The Carlton, Surfer's Paradise's elsewhere and Auckland's Mea Culpa, your cocktail habit is now environmentally friendly. To date, they've already collected 400 kilograms of fruit waste, then transformed those discarded morsels then into soap. In just a few weeks, 20,000 sachets and 400 bottles of liquid soap have been created — or 3200 cocktails, because that's everyone's preferred method of measurement. 42BELOW is in the process of signing up more bars around Australia and New Zealand, with those that join the fold then receiving their soapy goodness for free. Yes, pubs, watering holes and boozy hangouts can recycle their fruit wastage and keep patrons' hands lemony-fresh for zilch, while everyone downing cocktails can feel extra great about ordering their next fruity beverage.
After crushing the hopes of literally tens of thousands of people when they slammed the brakes on multiple planned games of store-wide hide and seek, the fun police at IKEA have come up with a strange new promotion to try and win back community support. Starting today, the blue and yellow furniture leviathan is offering people in Sydney (Melbourne, you're probably next) the chance to help get its new Marsden Park location ready for opening, creating what they're calling the world's first Customer Built IKEA. Sounds fun right? After all, who doesn't want to work at IKEA? Roles up for grabs include IKEA Ball Pit Tester and IKEA Meatball Taster, both of which will presumably require rigorous, hardcore on-the-job training. We're sure it'll look just terrific on your resume though. You can also apply to be an Ultimate IKEA Assembler, as outlined in this kind of funny but also kind of cringeworthy promotional video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zhSa22FLu8&feature=youtu.be Look, it may not sound as fun as playing hidey with 30,000 friends, but you've got to give the Australian IKEA team credit for trying. They've also pledged their support to a number of volunteer programs in the local area, in order "to give back to the community." Besides, who are you to turn down a year's supply of free meatballs? They've even got a vegetarian option, with the launch of their new Gronsaksbullar veggie ball. Almost forgiven, but not yet forgotten, IKEA. For the chance to participate in IKEA's indentured servitude program fun new activity, find the Customer Built Store tab on their Facebook page.
Canned sundaes. Could be a trap. Sounds a little too dreamy. Seems the man who gave the world Cronuts has another trick up his sleeve, tailormade for the hardworking holidayers of the Hamptons. The latest experiment from award-winning pastry chef Dominique Ansel, canned sundaes are making their way to New York's Hamptons this weekend to be sold in a fancy ol' truck outside Lisa Perry's East Hampton boutique. One-off Ansel desserts, Lisa Perry boutique. HAMPTONS REPRESENT. "Dominique was a perfect match for this collaboration, as both of our brands celebrate art, pop culture and fun," said Perry. "He infuses each of his confections with creativity and imagination and the end result is always a treat in more ways than one." Somewhat fancier than Burger King's bacon sundae and channelling the same respect for showstopping dessert flavours as Messina, Ansel has created quite the gourmet canned good in this want-now dessert. Inspired by Warhol's cans, the mash-up sundaes are based on the classic root beer float (apparently Perry's favourite) — with root beer-flavoured ice cream, stracciatella ice cream (vanilla and chocolate chips) macerated cherries and mascarpone semifreddo and toasted marshmallow hanging out in the can. On top, Ansel's tiny signature 'Mini Me' meringues. You could say it's the most decadent thing someone's put in a can since the Candwich (canned sandwich, obviously). Meant for sharing, the sundaes will set Hamptonites back $15 and have enough canned goodness for two dessert fiends. Ansel will only be serving up 500 of these babies, so watch the 'grams for bragging rights. But before you get all Gossip Girl hater over this decadent dessert stunt, it's for a good cause. Ansel is giving 20 percent of sales from his fancy, fancy treat to City Harvest. Whattaguy. Via Grub Street. Image: Courtesy of Dominique Ansel Bakery
Unlike the movie, we'll keep this short and to the point. A Million Ways To Die In The West is not a good film. Not unless, that is, you're a 15-year-old boy, in which case, it's the best goddam movie you've ever goddam seen! Consider the ingredients. This is 116 minutes of hot girls talking about sex and their 'great tits', fart sound effects aplenty, semen finding its way onto faces, characters swearing like it's going out of style and Neil Patrick Harris's character emptying his gastro-afflicted bowels into a stranger's hat for a full 45 seconds, before then farting some more and repeating the deed into another man's hat. Soiler Alert: he then kicks it over so that you get to see the liquid faeces in all its comedic glory. The man behind it all is Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, whose voice is the median strip between Brian and Peter Griffin, and whose last (and first) film Ted was a surprise hit. Here, he's upped his involvement. A lot. MacFarlane wrote, directed, produced and starred in A Million Ways To Die in the West, and to say he's overreaching is beyond generous. This is pure self-indulgence, particularly given the extraordinary amount of screen time he occupies despite having a top-shelf cast around him (Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Amanda Seyfried and, of course, Doogie). The most frustrating thing is that scattered throughout the film are pockets of oustanding comedy. Early on, MacFarlane and Ribisi 'assume the position' and pretend to fight during a bar brawl so as to discourage anyone else from coming their way in what is a terrific moment, and a recurring gag about nobody smiling in the newly invented 'photo' experience is as amusing as it is astute. The problem is, these moments are so scarce than can be counted on one hand. Like, a leprous hand...with two fingers, and maybe a thumb stub. There's no denying MacFarlane's talents, but here they were stretched beyond their means. The supporting cast does its best to do exactly that, but can do only so much with so little screen time and a script that requires more cursing than acting. Again, this is not a good film. Save your money — even if you're a 15-year-old boy. https://youtube.com/watch?v=2sOa-2EhbTU
The year 2015 has come and gone, and the kind of microwave-rehydrating instant pizzas featured in Back to the Future Part II haven't yet come to fruition. Neither has a holographic 19th Jaws film. However, something just as great is on its way to becoming a reality thanks to a Danish brewery — and it'd go mighty well with Marty McFly Jr's favourite food. Copenhagen-based outfit To Øl has invented something many a yeasty beverage fan has dreamed of: instant craft beer. It comes in powdered form, ready to be mixed with some of the original alcohol and sparkling water. Add the three together, and voila, you've got some fresh booze ready for drinking. Basically, the gypsy brewers — aka two beer-loving pals who don't have their own facilities, but work out of others with spare capacity — figured out how to freeze-dry their tipples, and also how to then transform it back into the drinkable form (thanks, science!). According to Tobias Emil Jensen & Tore Gynther's post on online food culture platform Aorta, they were motivated by "wanting to provide quality beers in situations which normally doesn't encourages it due to the natural physics of beer," such as climbing a mountain or transporting beverages by plane. Four of their brews have undergone the freeze-drying treatment so far: "a heavy deep beer brewed with coffee, a fruity IPA brewed with different tropical fruits, a Wild Yeast hop forward IPAs and a fairly dry pilsner". No word yet as if or when To Øl will ever release their new concoctions to the public, so we'll all just dream of these futuristic bevs until more news come to hand.
Have you ever promised yourself an ice-cold beer at the pub as motivation to workout? Well, the minds behind The Beer Run are on the same wavelength. They are quite literally combining brews with a five-kilometre fun run that stops at five Melbourne breweries along the way. The run will kick off at noon on Sunday, July 29, starting at Richmond's Burnley Brewing, continuing on to Mountain Goat, Moon Dog, and Craft and Co, then ending up at Collingwood's The Mill Brewery. Punters will enjoy a beer at each location before running on to the next, with the whole event expected to take around two hours. The $55 ticket price includes the five brews, a presumably beer-related goody bag and a numbered bib for the run. General ticket sales start next Wednesday, March 21, but some pre-release tickets are available now.
When it made the leap to the big screen in the movie that's currently in cinemas, Downton Abbey brought in a couple of very special guests. But the King and Queen aren't the only new folks staying at TV's favourite stately manor. Come November, you could be walking through the site's lavish halls, wandering through its 300-plus rooms and even bunking down for the night. In a move that's clearly timed to promote the film, Airbnb is giving two people the chance to spend the evening of Tuesday, November 26 at Highclere Castle — the 19th-century country house in Hampshire, England, where Downton Abbey filmed each of its six seasons, as well as the movie. It's a place with a considerable past, and not just because of the famous show. The act that led to the founding of Canada was drafted there; however, before the current abode was build there in the 19th century, remodelling an existing structure, it was also the site of a medieval palace. Of course, it's Downton Abbey's history that the two chosen guests will be most interested in. They'll explore the spaces made famous by the show, such as the drawing room and the library, via a private tour. Then, they'll sip cocktails in the saloon, and eat dinner in the state dining room with the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon — with the site sitting in their family since the 17th century. The visitors will also sleep in a gallery bedroom with views over 1000 acres of parkland, and be waited on by the castle's butler. [caption id="attachment_742688" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Airbnb[/caption] If you're eager to stay and pretend you're a member of Downton's Crawley family, you'll need to have a verified Airbnb profile filled with positive reviews, and be passionate about the series. You'll also need to hop online to make your request to stay at 9pm on Tuesday, October 1, Australian Eastern Standard Time (12pm British Summer Time the same day). Just how the lucky guests will be selected hasn't been revealed, but you will still need to pay just like any other Airbnb booking. The one-night stay will set the winner back £150, or around AU$270. For further information, visit Highclere Castle's Airbnb listing. The service will start accepting requests to stay at the venue from 9pm on Tuesday, October 1, Australian Eastern Standard Time (12pm British Summer Time the same day). Top image: Downton Abbey, Focus Features LLC.
After taking home awards at the Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, Cat Jones' relentless play Glory Dazed, about the long-term psychological effects of warfare, will enjoy a month-long engagement at the Red Stitch Actors Theatre. Fuelled by a series of interviews the playwright conducted with former British servicemen now serving time in person, the show combines harrowing drama with moments of acerbic black comedy, following an unstable veteran — played here Andre de Vanny — as he forces his way into a pub in an attempt to win back his ex-wife. The Red Stitch production is directed by company regular Greg Carroll, and represents the theatre's second consecutive show to explore the theme of post-war trauma, after George Brant's Grounded scored rave reviews last month. Early impressions suggest the reaction to Jones's work may be similarly strong.
What has happened to that once glorious Hollywood staple, the romantic comedy? Even at its most saccharine, it was a dependable genre, the type that left you in a kind of terrible movie heaven of enjoyably unlikely plot premises, clueslessly fated lovers, and fairytale endings. Trashy, sure, but reliably trashy — carefree and frothy and silly. Beautiful people, overcoming mindlessly familiar cinematic hurdles and falling in love — it's comforting stuff for hopeless romantics. But a genre that focuses more on seduction and courtship and the happily-ever-after, bridal magazine moments eventually leaves viewers craving something a little more substantial. After all, anyone who lives in the real world knows that the real work in relationships begins at the point where rom coms usually end: the kiss, the wedding, the honeymoon period, the beginning. I Give It a Year goes some way towards reclaiming the rom com genre in favour of the reality and ridiculousness and complexity of relationships and sex and romance. British director Dan Mazer has styled it as a renovated, thinking-person's rom com, one that starts at the wedding and explores the difficulty of staying in love. Rose Byrnes' highly strung Nat and Rafe Spall's man-boy Josh are not meant to be — they marry too quickly and are obviously more suited to the two supporting characters, played by Simon Baker and Anna Faris. Concrete Playground has 10 double passes to give away to see I Give It a Year. To be in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email us with your name and postal address at hello@concreteplayground.com.au. Read our full review here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3UgPWKPDlvA
Each year we anticipate the arrival of December 25. Because of the day off, the promise of an afternoon spent dozing in a hammock — and the arrival of Messina's annual Christmas cake. And while the gelato chain last year went for a festive response to Sydney's lockout laws in the form of Santa trying to fit down a chimney, it's decided to take on a quintessential Australian dessert for 2017: the trifle. Enter The Christmas Coma. This epic ice cream creation will feature layer upon layer of everything that is good about Christmas — but instead of being soggy and slightly regrettable, this one will have you licking the glass bowl. So what's in it? The trifle will be layered with — here we go — vanilla custard gelato, whipped cream, peach jellies, raspberry marsala jelly, raspberry meringue, sherry-soaked jam rolls and bloody peach sorbet. Plus, it'll be garnished with white chocolate and cherry truffles and come with Messina brandy custard and chocolate-coated nuts to douse all over the mess. The trifle, which serves 18–20 (or less if you really commit), costs $120 and can be ordered for pickup between December 22 and Christmas Eve. In Sydney you can pick one up from Rosebery, Darlinghurst, Bondi, Miranda, Penrith, Tramsheds and Parramatta. If you're in Melbourne, you can get one from the Fitzroy or Windsor outposts — and the South Brisbane store will be making them too. Hopefully nan won't take it personally. The Christmas Coma is available to order at gelatomessina.com from 9am on Tuesday, December 5.
Keanu Reeves is one of cinema's treasures, and should never be far away from our screens. Since the mid-1980s, across a career that's spanned everything from the Bill & Ted movies and stone-cold masterpiece Point Break through to The Neon Demon and Always Be My Maybe, he thankfully rarely has been. And, seeing him in lean, slick, no-nonsense action-star mode, dispensing with whatever troubles and struggles come his way via impressively choreographed displays, is one of the biggest movie-watching pleasures there is. But only two film franchises have served up just that again and again: The Matrix and John Wick. In the film saga where Keanu knows kung fu, viewers have already been treated to four instalments. In the movies where he plays the hitman that other hitmen fear, the fourth flick is on its way. During San Diego Comic-Con, John Wick: Chapter 4 just dropped its first trailer, in fact. Yes, we're thinking that the assassin is back — again. As all John Wick movies have so far — the first in 2014, John Wick: Chapter 2 in 2017 and John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum all included — this one will follow the formidable killer as he takes on his ever-growing list of adversaries. There's still a huge bounty on his head, and plenty of foes want to collect. That hasn't stopped Wick yet, though, after he got dragged back into the assassin life when a past batch of enemies messed with his dog. If you're thinking that Wick's luck might run out at some point, the new film — which is set to hit cinemas Down Under in March 2023 — understands. "No one, not even you, can kill everyone," Wick is told. But proving that wrong has always been at the heart of this stunt-filled saga. Well, that and increasingly upping the ante on all those action scenes, with Reeves' former stunt double-turned-filmmaker Chad Stahelski at the helm. In the first sneak peek at John Wick: Chapter 4, both Reeves and Stahelski keep doing what they do best, and spectacularly so. That includes hopping around the globe, with Wick seen walking through Paris in winter with the Eiffel Tower looming large, and also getting into sword fights in Japan — and the film also heading to New York and Berlin. On-screen, Reeves is joined by a roster of returning and new John Wick faces. Fellow franchise mainstays Ian McShane (American Gods) and Lance Reddick (Godzilla vs Kong) are back, and so is Reeves' The Matrix co-star Laurence Fishburne after appearing in the past two movies. And, Donnie Yen (Mulan), Bill Skarsgård (Eternals), Hiroyuki Sanada (Mortal Kombat), Shamier Anderson (Son of the South), Rina Sawayama (Turn Up Charlie) and Scott Adkins (Triple Threat) are all set to feature as well. In also excellent news, a fifth John Wick movie is already in the works, because more ass-kicking Keanu is always a great thing. Check out the first trailer for John Wick: Chapter 4 below: John Wick: Chapter 4 will release Down Under on March 23, 2023.
Old-growth forests in Victoria's Yarra Valley provide the breathtaking backdrop for an impressive new arthouse drama. The debut feature from award winning short form and music video director Kasimir Burgess, the fable-like Fell tells the interlocking stories of two devoted Australian fathers whose lives are rocked by unexpected tragedy. Clumsy plot mechanics as well as some freshman affectations count as marks against the movie early on. But Burgess hits his stride in the picture's magnificent second half, delivering a tense and thoughtful look at guilt, obsession and revenge. Fell begins after a young girl on a camping trip wanders fatally into the path of a semitrailer. The driver, a day-labouring lumberjack named Luke (Daniel Henshall), succumbs to panic and flees the scene, a mistake that eventually earns him a five year stint in prison and leaves his own unborn daughter Madeline without a dad. Meanwhile, the dead girl's father Thomas (ex-rugby league player Matthew Nable) retreats into the forest, where his all-consuming grief slowly festers into a plan for revenge. Emerging under an alias, he takes a job with Luke's old logging crew. And then, for five long years, he waits. As much as there is to like about Fell, the set-up leaves a lot to be desired. Nable's performance is brimming with palpable anguish, yet you can't help but feel as though there are a couple of major steps missing in his descent into cabin-dwelling seclusion. Natasha Pincus' screenplay is intentionally light on dialogue, and does little to sell such an extreme transformation. The same is true of Thomas' decision to join up with the loggers, a fairly integral plot point that never really manages to convince. But the movie improves dramatically with Luke's release from prison. After convincing his old boss to let him have his job back, Luke finds himself working closely with Thomas, of whose true identity he remains totally unaware. There's an incredible tension to every scene in which the two are alone together, with the sense that every breath Luke takes could very well be his last. Yet as Thomas becomes an increasingly bigger part of Luke's life, he's forced to confront the reality of what taking the man's life would mean. The ambiguous atmosphere is heightened by the beautiful locale. Lush green foliage and thick clouds of mist give the film an almost dreamlike quality which is then further enhanced by moments of imagined violence. An indulgence in empty nature shots suggests that Burgess, like a lot of first-time directors, is a little too enamoured with the work of Terrence Malick. Even so, it's hard to deny the extent of talent on display.
If you think that climbing Mount Everest is a massive endeavour, then wait until you hear about the latest venture from ex-Noma chef James Sharman. As part of his One Star House Party project, he's taking 15 adventurous diners on a 14-day trek of the mammoth Himalayan mountain, complete with a pop-up fine-dining restaurant. Participants will hike to base camp for the meal of a lifetime, setting off on December 10 and returning on December 23. Just what Sharman will whip up when they get there is yet to be revealed; however, given that his roving culinary party aims to showcase the cuisines of each country that he visits and make meals out of ingredients he discovers along the way, inventive takes on Nepalese fare is more than likely. Now that's how you celebrate scaling the world's highest peak above sea level — but, of course, the catch is that attendees have to do the hard work to get there first. And it doesn't come cheap, unsurprisingly. The eager climbers each pay US$1050 per person, which includes accommodation in guest houses along the way and other necessities for the trip. Nepal marks Sharman's fourth stop in his 20-month plan to host 20 restaurants in 20 countries, after starting in Beijing in September, then visiting Ho Chi Minh in October and Bangkok in November. Mumbai is next on the agenda, with the delicious escapade also touching everywhere from Nairobi, Berlin and Reykjavik to Santiago, Vancouver and Kyoto. Yes, Australia is included, with a Tasmanian stopover slated for June 2018. For more information about One Star House Party, visit www.onestarhouseparty.com. Image: Nick Taz.
Filmed like a play but choreographed like a dance, Birdman is cinematic ballet where the way the story is presented is just as critical to its telling as the story itself. That's because the film features one remarkable, continuous shot that goes for 119 minutes and is called Birdman. Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is a washed-up movie star whose career faded into obscurity after turning down the lead in ‘Birdman 3’ (allusions to Keaton’s career post Batmans 1 and 2 are clearly — and gleefully — embraced by all). Thomson has gambled everything on one final shot at restoring his credibility: a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver story that he has singlehandedly adapted, directed and is starring in. There's a matryoshka doll feeling to it all: the movie, filmed like a play, about the movie star putting on a play. The effect is at once mesmerising and unbalanced, neatly reflecting Thomson’s own tortured subconscious. With a supporting cast including Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, Birdman is a tantalisingly original black comedy that belongs on everyone’s must-see list for 2015. Birdman is in cinemas nationally on January 15. Thanks to Twentieth Century Fox, we're giving away one collectable, money-can’t-buy talking Birdman figurine (only 50 in Australia), along with a Birdman double in-season pass. Ten runners up will also get double in-season passes. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Boaz Yakin's 'Safe' follows the two-headed mission of former special forces operative Luke Wright (Jason Stratham) as he sets out to outwit Chinese Triads and the Russian Mafia. 12-year old Mei (Catherine Chan) is Wright's unlikely sidekick: a girl who holds potentially deadly knowledge. Mei has been gifted with mathematical genius, a skill which enables her to memorise the code to a coveted safe containing $30 million. Her secret cannot remain under wraps for long, however. Once word gets out that Mei is the only person who knows the safe's code, the underbelly of the crime world comes clamouring. Wright must protect Mei as together they attempt to outwit the Triads, corrupt NYC officials, and Russian Mafia. From the producer of 'Kill Bill' and 'Inglourious Bastards', this breakneck-speed crime thriller will keep you on-edge, hoping that Wright can successfully complete his trickiest and most important mission yet: to keep Mei safe. To win one of ten double passes to see Safe, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address through to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=Mv2VZi5RD6c
Fresh from scoring plenty of attention in Australia's sporting circles after hosting the AFL's first-ever Gather Round, Adelaide is giving locals and visitors alike another reason to enjoy the City of Churches. Art, music and culture lovers, get ready for the South Australian dream that is Illuminate Adelaide, which debuted in 2021, then backed up its dazzling first year in 2022 — and has just dropped an impressive 2023 lineup, too. Illuminate's third month-long event will run from Wednesday, June 28–Sunday, July 30, putting it in prime winter festival season following Vivid Sydney, RISING Melbourne and Dark Mofo in Tasmania. Spending the country's colder months travelling between all four fests sounds positively heavenly; however, if you can only hit up one, SA's addition to the fold makes a strong case. Topping the music bill are Yothu Yindi, Oneohtrix Point Never and Tourist, giving Illuminate both Australian icons and electronic must-sees from overseas. With the former, the iconic Indigenous rock band play for one night only to celebrate NAIDOC Week. As for the latter, the Brooklyn-based Oneohtrix Point Never (who is responsible for the intoxicating scores to films Good Time and Uncut Gems) and English electronic musician and producer Tourist (aka William Phillip) will also bring their respective tunes to the Hindley Street Music Hall during the fest. After making its Aussie debut at last year's Illuminate, concert series KLASSIK underground will return, once again pairing classical music with live visuals. So too will experimental and electronic music celebration Unsound Adelaide. And, the roster of tunes also spans Murrawarri and Ngemba talent DOBBY, Space Afrika's dub-techno sounds, Sofie Birch and Antonina Nowacka teaming up, rapper bbymutha and Guatemalan experimental cellist Mabe Fratti. [caption id="attachment_897498" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jack Fenby[/caption] That's what festival attendees will be listening to. The arts and light part of the program is just as impressive — and literally vibrant. UK creatives Architects of Air will hit Illuminate with Arborialis luminarium, which will take over East End in Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka with 1000 square metres of inflatable mazes. Even better: running for three weeks, it's basically a labyrinth of colour and light, and you can head along by both day and by night. Mirror Mirror is another standout, harking from multimedia studio Moment Factory and coming to Adelaide fresh from premiering in Montreal. An interactive and immersive experience that'll take over its own purpose-built structure on Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, it gets attendees wandering their way through unique art installations — and yes, a hall of mirrors is included. The same outfit is also behind Resonate, which takes over from 2021 and 2022's Light Cycle in lighting up a 1.7-kilometre trail nightly through the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. [caption id="attachment_897495" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Owens[/caption] Keeping with the 2023 festival's radiant side, Illuminate will welcome back some of its past big luminous drawcards for a third time, because they're just that impressive and popular. That includes Light Creatures at the Adelaide Zoo, which means even more glowing animal installations. This year, it'll feature returning panda, skink, underwater and tiger favourites, plus a golden falcon, crabs and a projection that travels through time. Also worth looking out for (not at you can miss it) is the City Lights program, which makes a comeback to again feature more 40 free site-specific works over 17 days. A sculptural floral field, CoolShit getting into stare mode with large-scale art installation The Eyes, a touch-sensitive light and sound piece, an exhibition of works by the multi-talented Poh Ling Yeow, Amanda Parer's towering and inflatable Man: they're all included. So too is Augmented Revolution, which dives into augmented reality featuring works by First Nations artists. Elsewhere, you can make a date with pop-up bar and eatery hub Base Camp in its third year; the also-returning New Light, which commissions new screen works from Aboriginal talents; Make|Shift @ The Mill, aka projection art by six SA multidisciplinary artists; and the world premiere of Restless Dance Theatre's new Shifting Perspectives. Looking for more things to do around South Australia at the time? Concrete Playground Trips has a four-day wellness escape in the Adelaide Hills available to book in July as well. [caption id="attachment_897500" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moment Factory[/caption] Illuminate Adelaide 2023 runs from Wednesday, June 28–Sunday, July 30. Check out the festival's website for the full program and to grab tickets. Top images: Sam Wong, Amigo and Amigo, Frankie the Creative, Moment Factory and Rami Saarikorpi. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
"What is this kind of film?" This question is not, as one might expect, asked by a journalist following a screening of Trance, or by a member of the public curious about the billboards currently filling London. Rather, it is asked by Vincent Cassel, one of the film's leads, to a room of six reviewers, including myself. None of us are able to answer him. Trance is the latest Danny Boyle film and, as such, one must approach it with very few specific expectations. Boyle has treated his career like a pick-n-mix, filling his directorial bag with genres as diverse as black comedy (Shallow Grave, 1994), Bollywood-inspired coming of age (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008) and zombie flick (28 Days Later, 2002). So what has he attempted this time? When asked, Boyle is vague. "You tend to talk in genres when you're doing publicity but it's not really something we think about." This seems unlikely and yet the three core cast — James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and Cassel — agree. Trance defies easy categorisation. The film's opening minutes feel like a classic heist movie, as a high-priced work of art is stolen from the London auction house where McAvoy's character, Simon, works. It very quickly descends into violent gangster flick as Cassel's Franck, a French crime boss, enters the story. And just as quickly, it makes the switch to psychological thriller with the introduction of Elizabeth, played by Dawson — a hypnotherapist with the apparent ability to not only see into Simon's mind but to completely control it. These rapid direction changes are disorienting but one suspects that is entirely intentional. In a film in which motivations are revealed in increments, it helps to have the audience as misdirected as the characters. Boyle says that even the artwork at the centre of the criminals' plot is a part of this tactic. Witches in the Air by Goya "introduces a slightly surreal element into the film to prepare you". Depending on your viewpoint, the use of hypnotherapy as the plot's driving force might add to this sense of the surreal. In a film more bound up in realism, it would be laughable to posit the possibility of mind control through hypnotherapy, but it's easier to swallow in the hypercolour confusion of Trance. The film's actors are split on this issue. Dawson says she had a very intense experience in a hypnosis centre in California which convinced her that "it's not a parlour trick or a gimmick." It didn't work on McAvoy, but he still believes "it has a place and a power, even if that power is placebo. Placebo is a powerful drug for some people." Cassel's response is the most revealing. While he was resistant to being hypnotised, he thinks he knows why the subject fascinates his director. "Danny Boyle is a control freak. Maybe he wanted to talk about that. It's a personal problem for him and that's what makes it so interesting." Control freak he may be, but he's a prolific one. Boyle managed to pull off two completely different projects concurrent with the production of Trance: directing the 2011 theatrical production of Frankenstein and acting as artistic director for the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. The pressure on an Olympic opening ceremony is huge, with each country attempting to top the last. But when Boyle is asked if he felt that pressure he hesitates slightly before responding. "Well ... no, to be honest. People say were you nervous on the night, and I wasn't nervous at all." The relaxed attitude extends to his advice for the next opening ceremony, to be held in Rio De Janeiro in 2016. "I think Brazil has such personality. Provided they just reflect that personality, they'll be fine." With all this so recently behind him, one might expect Boyle to take a break. But this doesn't seem to be in his nature. He's currently working on two period films — another new genre for him — and is keen to develop an original musical. Excitingly for fans, there are also preliminary plans for a sequel to his 1996 hit, Trainspotting, about drug culture in Edinburgh. He confirms that "We're trying to make a Trainspotting 2 — T2," adding that he doesn't know what James Cameron will think of that title. The variety of work Boyle produces makes it tempting to try to tie down Trance, to figure out where it fits in his ever expanding portfolio. But Cassel feels this would be a mistake. "Any genre movie made by a good director becomes that director's movie and nothing else. It's a Danny Boyle movie." And as his other leading man, McAvoy, reminds us: "He's not making obscure art. He's making proper entertainment." On that front, the deliriously paced, lushly shot and brilliantly acted Trance certainly delivers. Trance is in cinemas across Australia from April 4. Read our review here.
Are you planning a fancy weekend away in 2016? Forget glamping (seriously forget it, let’s pretend it never happened), we suspect 2016 is going to the year of the gallery getaway. This is a wonderfully alliterative way of saying that 2016 is shaping up to be an amazing year for Australian galleries and you owe it to yourself to spend a few glamorous and very grown-up weekends out of town taking in the exhibitions. To help you get started, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Museum of Contemporary Art have a slam dunk of a prize pack to giveaway to a lucky couple (platonic or otherwise) which is designed to bequeath unto you a weekend spent enjoying the cornucopia of art and culture available in Sydney right now. The full prize will include return flights for two (economy from Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart or Melbourne), a night’s accommodation in the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth and two art passes which grant you entry into The Greats: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career at the Museum of Contemporary Art. If you need to bone up on the ins n outs of the current exhibitions, let us help you out: a review of Grayson Perry can be found here and a review of The Greats here. As if that wasn’t enough, they’ll also throw in a feasting voucher (glory of the gods!) for dinner at Matt Moran's Chiswick at the Gallery and drink vouchers for MCA's pretty, pretty Gin Garden. So if you win you can bank on two days of art, boozing, and artful boozing which pretty much sounds like the perfect weekend. Now go forth and enter the contest! Thanks to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and the Sydney International Art Series, we have one trip for two to Sydney from Melbourne or Brisbane up for grabs. The prize includes two return economy flights to Sydney, one night accommodation at Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, two Art Passes (provides entry into The Greats at AGNSW and Grayson Perry at MCA), one dining voucher for CHISWICK at the Gallery, drink vouchers for the Gin Garden at MCA. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter by January 18 and then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. The winner will be notified by January 19. See competition Terms and Conditions.
A cracking view is usually pretty high on the priorities list when booking a sweet holiday pad, but you probably don't go into it expecting one quite like what Oman's newest accommodation has to offer. Luxury hospo and hotel group Anantara has just opened the doors to an epic new five-star resort, Al Jabal Al Akhdar — and, boy, does it have views. Sitting at a lofty 2000 metres above sea level on the edge of a canyon in Oman's mountainous north (about four hours from Dubai), it's the Middle East's highest retreat. It towers over the Saiq Plateau in a way that's sure to cause a few goosebumps on the drive up. Just look at it. Basically the height of luxury, Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is definitely worthy of a spot on the old if money was no object bucket list — the designer interiors reflect that eye-poppingly rugged terrain and each of the 115 luxury rooms lay claim to panoramic views. Of course, there's a price to pay for such luxury — rooms start at around 720 AUD a night and go up to 4000 AUD. Along with the rooms, there's six different restaurants and lounges, and the culinary situation sounds as interesting as the location. You can even get the best of both at Dining by Design, which sits on a cliff-edge platform named Diana's Point, after its most famous royal visitor. And if a peek from your room's window, or your dinner table, doesn't provide enough of an adrenaline rush, the resort also offers a 'via ferrata' climbing route, where you can boss up and actually scale the side of the cliff. If that's too much, you can always just take a dip in the canyon infinity pool, go mountain biking or get one of the hotel's 'mountain gurus' to take you on a hike of the area. Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is located in the Al Hajar mountains, about 30 minutes from the ancient city of Nizwa in Oman. For more information on the hotel, visit jabal-akhdar.anantara.com.
Mondays are the blurst, we know. But that's not to say that they can't be improved with some yummy food, good wine and interesting conversation — at least, that's what two young Melbourne chefs are out to prove. Jordon Garcia and Daniel Sullivan are out to make Monday nights a thing with their pop-up dining series, The Assembly. Held on the first Monday of August, September and October, The Assembly will takeover the kitchens of Mister Jennings, Hobba and The Boatbuilders Yard to serve a six-course degustation matched with local Victorian wines. Cutting their teeth in the kitchens of Mister Jennings, Red Spice Road and Susie Wong, the guys have taken on an ambitious menu that's set to change each month with the produce available. And at $94 for six dishes and matched wines, it's one of the more affordable degustations out there. But it's not just Monday's potential that they're out to prove — both Jordon and Daniel are only in their early 20s, and as emerging chefs, they're here to prove you don't have to be established to show people a good food, and a good time.
Can't stop, addicted to the shindig? Then you'll be excited about the latest huge music tour heading Down Under. Get ready to give it away, give it away, give it away now, too — your money, obviously, to see Red Hot Chili Peppers when they hit up Australia and New Zealand in early 2023. The Los Angeles-based rockers have announced that they're bringing their new global stadium tour our way, making six stops across both countries. First up, Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante will hit up Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium and Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium in January, plus Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. Then, in February, they'll be singing songs to you beneath the marquee at Sydney's Accor Stadium, Melbourne's Marvel Stadium and Perth's Optus Stadium. The band's dreams of Californication are zipping around the planet as part of a hefty tour that kicked off in June in Spain, and will also make its way to London, Paris, Dublin, LA, Chicago, New York and more alongside its Down Under stops. And yes, the Chili Peppers have a record to plug in the process, aka Unlimited Love — their 12th studio album, which dropped back in April. [caption id="attachment_859838" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Clara Balzary[/caption] Both Unlimited Love and the tour mark the return of guitarist Frusciante, who left the Chilis back in 2009, then rejoined the band in 2019. And, the tour will see the group head to this part of the world for the first time since 2019, too — and playing plenty of hits from their almost four-decade run so far, obviously. There's a hefty number of songs to choose from. Since their self-titled first EP in 1984, the band has sold more than 80 million albums, won six Grammys and entered the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. They've also released tracks spanning 'Under the Bridge', 'Scar Tissue', 'Breaking the Girl', 'By the Way' and 'The Zephyr Song', as well as 'Otherside', 'Soul to Squeeze', 'Around the World', 'My Friends' and 'Suck My Kiss'. Red Hot Chili Peppers will be joined Down Under by someone else who's sold just as many records: Post Malone. Yes, it's a two-for-the-price-of-one kind of tour — two massive music names, that is. Post Malone heads our way fresh from releasing his fourth studio album Twelve Carat Toothache in June. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 2023 DOWN UNDER TOUR DATES — WITH POST MALONE: Saturday, January 21 — Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland Thursday, January 26 — Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin Sunday, January 29 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Thursday, February 2 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Tuesday, February 7 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Sunday, February 12 — Optus Stadium, Perth Red Hot Chili Peppers and Post Malone are touring Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2023. Tickets for Australian shows go on sale online on Monday, July 11 — at 12pm in Brisbane, 1pm in Melbourne and Perth, and 2pm in Sydney, with pre-sales via Telstra from Wednesday, July 6 and from Live Nation on Friday, July 8. For more information, head to the tour website. Tickets for New Zealand shows go on sale online at 12pm on Monday, July 11, with pre-sales via Vodaphone from Wednesday, July 6 and from Live Nation on Friday, July 8. For more information, head to the tour website. Images: Pavel Suslov / Clara Balzary.
The beloved Cameo Cinema will once again showcase some of the summer's most talked-about films on its magnificent outdoor movie screen under the stars. From December 1, 2017 until April 2018, audiences will get the chance to nestle down in deckchairs and beanbags, with craft beer, homemade choc-tops and freshly popped popcorn in hand. If that's not worth the drive out to Belgrave, then we just don't know what is. The Cameo Outdoor Cinema summer program has us pretty excited — with February to April titles set to be revealed at a later date. The season might get into the swing of things a couple of weeks before Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi releases, but it'll celebrate the occasion with a midnight, moonlight screening — and 11 days of sessions afterwards. Remember: if you don't come dressed as a jedi or wookiee, you're doing it wrong. Other titles include predicted Oscar contenders Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Shape of Water, Guy Pearce and Kylie Minogue in Swinging Safari, ace Aussie western Sweet Country, Meryl Street and Tom Hanks teaming up in Steven Spielberg's The Post, and what's certain to prove an impromptu sing-along session or three of Pitch Perfect 3. Animal lovers will also be pleased with a pair of Bring Your Pet showings, of Paddington 2 and Coco. And for those after a little retro fun, Garden State, Labyrinth, Muriel's Wedding, The Lion King, The Goonies and A Night at the Roxbury are also on the bill. It doesn't hurt that the Cameo concessions are a cut above what you'll find at your local shopping centre multiplex. They've got craft beer and boutique wines, edamame, and lollies from The Sassafras Sweet Co., to name but a few. Alternatively, you can bring a picnic of your own — this is one cinema where you won't have ushers pestering you about bringing in outside food.
Paris and Abu Dhabi might seem worlds apart in many ways, but come November they'll share a pretty significant cultural bond, as the Louvre Abu Dhabi opens its doors to the public. Set to launch on November 11, the museum will be unlike any other in the United Arab Emirates, pitched as "a universal museum that focuses on shared human stories across civilisations and cultures." It's a stunner, too, designed by acclaimed French architect Lean Nouvel and boasting a 7500-tonne, 180-metre high dome ceiling, set with close to 8000 metal stars. The intergovernmental project is globally significant, pulling together a diverse, 600-strong collection of artworks and artefacts from 13 of France's top cultural institutions, spanning prehistoric times to the present day. In a forward-thinking move, they'll be displayed chronologically, rather than with a focus on place, shining a spotlight on cross-cultural interconnectedness. According to the museum's director, Manuel Rabaté, the goal was to create "a place where visitors can come to understand their own and others' cultures. Its ground-breaking architecture complements a presentation of exceptional treasures that represent a snapshot of humanity's creativity, and paves the way for new discussions." Images: Mohamed Somji.
That The Boys-shaped hole in your viewing is about to be filled, and not just by college-set spinoff Gen V. Viewers had the latter to get their sinister superhero fix in 2023, but 2024 will deliver more of the show behind it — and, unsurprisingly to viewers of 201-9's first season, 2020's second effort and 2022's third go-around, utter mayhem is on the way. When The Boys returns, it'll see the world dealing with Homelander (Antony Starr, Guy Ritchie's The Covenant)-versus-Starlight (Erin Moriarty, Captain Fantastic) factionalism, and just being ready to tear itself apart in general. Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) is getting closer to the Oval Office, too, with Homelander pulling the strings. It's no wonder that the just-dropped first trailer for season four is filled with utter chaos. Also on the way: no-nonsense Brit Billy Butcher (Karl Urban, Thor: Ragnarok) dealing with the fact that he's only got months left, and that he's no longer leading The Boys — aka the eponymous ragtag team intent on bringing down Vought International, Homelander, and the company's caped-crusader industry and dominance. And, there's a new face, with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) joining the cast, adding another Supernatural link after Jensen Ackles did the same in season three. Back in 2019 when The Boys first hit streaming, sufferers of superhero fatigue understandably rejoiced. Yes, it focuses on a group of caped crusaders just like seemingly every second blockbuster movie (and, these days, every third TV show or so as well); however, in a world where viewers have been conditioned to lap up narratives about powerful folks who are supposedly better than most, this series both satirises and questions that very idea. Here, superheroes work for Vought. They're still the main form of entertainment, but they're real, the most famous celebrities there are and inescapable in daily life, too. The absolute top talent is known as The Seven, but most are hardly role models when the public isn't looking. That has made quite the change from the usual cinematic universes as the Prime Video show has kept notching up the seasons, all coming to the small screen after being adapted from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comic book series of the same name. Exactly when The Boys will bring back its gleefully darker-than-dark tone, a pervasive bleakness that refuses to be shaken, plus oh-so-much blood, gore and guts hasn't been revealed other than sometime in 2024. As well as Starr, Moriarty, Doumit and Urban, Jack Quaid (Oppenheimer), Jessie T Usher (Smile), Laz Alonso (Wrath of Man), Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Tomer Capone (One on One), Karen Fukuhara (Bullet Train), Colby Minifie (I'm Thinking of Ending Things) and Cameron Crovetti (Goodnight Mommy) will all return — with Susan Heyward (Hello Tomorrow!) and Valorie Curry (The Lost Symbol) also set to be season four newcomers. Check out the first trailer for The Boys season four below: The fourth season of The Boys will start streaming via Prime Video sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced. Read our reviews of The Boys season three and Gen V.
