Artists might be born rather than made, and great art might be the product of all of life's experiences, but that doesn't mean the creatively inclined have to be in a hurry to put brush to canvas. Don't believe us? Well, late Bentinck Island artist and senior Kaiadilt woman Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori certainly wasn't. Gabori might be the subject of the National Gallery of Victoria's latest retrospective; however she only started painting in 2005 at the age of 81. Of course, every year of her existence infuses her bold, bright pieces — from large-scale collaborative works produced alongside other senior Kaiadilt women, to pieces on paper created toward the end of her life. Dulka Warngiid – Land of All showcases more than 30 of Gabori's efforts (on loan from the Queensland Art Gallery), as well as shining a light on the place — an island in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria, off northwestern Queensland, in northern Australia — she was linked to. For those keen to know more, a schedule of tours and talks dives deeper into the exhibition, and into a fascinating, late-in-life art career. Image: Mirdidingkingathi Juwurnda Sally Gabori et al, Makarrki - King Alfred's Country (2008), synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 200 x 600 cm, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane. Purchased 2009 with funds from Professor John Hay, AC, and Mrs Barbara Hay through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation (2009.195) © The artists. Licensed by Viscopy.
One day a year, each and every year, American football attracts fans around the world who don't watch any NFL games at any other time. The reason: the Super Bowl. Maybe you just check it out for the half-time show. Perhaps you're just keen on the film and TV trailers that drop during the match. Either way, there's no avoiding Super Bowl Monday, as it is in Australia, when it rolls around. The 2024 Super Bowl is different. The Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the San Francisco 49ers. Usher is doing the mid-game performance. But plenty of people watching will be hoping to say "yeah!" to a different music superstar. Everyone knows that Taylor Swift is dating Travis Kelce, who plays for the Chiefs. In fact, the NFL has already confirmed that Swift is on the ground in Las Vegas for the match. Taylor Swift is here with Ice Spice and Blake Lively! #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/0x4XIDRupW — NFL (@NFL) February 11, 2024 So, where can you watch in Australia? If you're streaming along from work or home, you have a few options. Via free-to-air TV, 7mate and 7plus are showing the game, which starts at 10.30am AEDT / 10am ACT / 9.30am AEST / 7.30am AWST, with coverage commencing half an hour earlier. Or, if you have Foxtel or Kayo, you can also stream the match there. The half-time show is expected to kick off at midday AEDT / 11.30am ADCT / 11am AEST / 9am AWST. [caption id="attachment_940494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] D.roller.saparena via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] While much of the focus has been on Swift, including if she'd make to Las Vegas after her Tokyo Eras gigs before heading to Australia for her Down Under tour leg, there's another reason for Aussies to be interested. Mitch Wishnowsky plays for the 49ers, and could become the first Australian to play in and win the Super Bowl if his team beats the Chiefs. Jesse Williams received a Super Bowl ring for the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, but didn't actually play in the match. The Chiefs also won 2023's Super Bowl, plus 2020's — against the the 49ers in the latter. [caption id="attachment_940492" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Accedie via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The 2024 Super Bowl takes place from 10am AEDT / 10am ACT / 9am AEST / 7.30am AWST on Monday, February 12 in Australia. Watch along via 7mate and 7plus, Foxtel or Kayo. Top image: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia via Wikimedia Commons.
From fine dining to boozy brunches, the past 18 months have seen plenty of classic culinary experiences turned on their heads and swiftly reimagined to suit the eating-at-home schtick. While hot and smoky Korean barbecue (fondly known as KBBQ) might seem like an ambitious couch experience at first, thanks to new local venture Kravin Korean — you can now enjoy this culinary endeavour with a click of a button. Just remember to open a window. Kravin Korean is the work of civil engineer David Le; and Korean restaurant owner and head chef Dong Hyuck Kim. The niche food delivery service was born out of nostalgia for the inimitable smoky KBBQ experience during last year's lockdown. "I remember talking to a friend during lockdown and we were asking each other, 'what is the first thing you would go [out to] eat when lockdown lifts?' — and we both said Korean BBQ," explains Le. "It was at that point I was thinking: 'Why can't we just bring KBBQ to [the people]?'" Since launching in February this year, Kravin Korean has been busy sating barbecue cravings by delivering its signature meal kits across Melbourne. The kits are designed to feed two or four diners, each stocked with four 'banchan' (side dishes), three different meat cuts, a trio of sauces and loads of veggies. If needed, you can even rent out a portable gas stove and grill, which you simply leave on your doorstep the next day for contactless collection. [caption id="attachment_824034" align="alignnone" width="1920"] By Jess Moses[/caption] On the menu, expect a curation of Korean classics; from ready-to-grill meats like pork belly and soy beef bulgogi, to sides including spicy fish cake and corn salad. House-made dipping sauces include a traditional ssamjang, sesame oil and a special soy creation. But of course, as fans will know, the KBBQ experience goes beyond just the food — and Le and Kim are keen to help diners recreate all those other key aspects, too. Each kit comes with a QR code that scans through to a series of how-to guides and videos showing you how to set up and prepare your Korean feast authentically. You'll get access to a curated K-Pop playlist to groove to while you eat, mirroring the bold tunes that would normally soundtrack a meal out at your local KBBQ restaurant. And those keen to really bump up the party vibes will find fun, easy-to-follow tutorials for a selection of popular Korean drinking games — stock up on some soju and make a night of it. There's an extra win here for the planet, too. Mindful of the mountains of waste and packaging that can often go hand-in-hand with food delivery services these days, Kravin Korean's owners have opted to use only sustainable biocompostable and reusable products to package their kits. Kravin Korean is delivering at-home KBBQ kits to a (growing) range of suburbs every weekend, with order cut-offs at 5pm each Thursday. Head to the website to learn more and place an order. Images: Jess Moses and Levi Andrew Momo
If life's got you feeling a little stressed of late, your good mates at KFC are here to help you out — albeit in a pretty unexpected way. You can turf your mindfulness phone apps and ditch that meditation class, because the global fried chicken chain has created a new online offering, where you can unwind to the soothing sounds of chicken frying. Launched to coincide with Mindfulness Day on September 12, KFChill is the fried chicken empire's new website offering its own cheeky spin on mindfulness practices, with a series of 'pink noises' that take the listener on a journey through a KFC kitchen. Click through the trio of hour-long sound files to unwind to the noise of chicken frying, gravy simmering or bacon sizzling away in a pan. No word on how effective this actually is for your relaxation levels, though we can guarantee some mad cravings for fried chicken once you're done.
The next time you go out dining and drinking and get that warm, fuzzy feeling, it might not be because you've had one too many. Hopefully, it'll be because the money you spent on your meal and beverage is being used to support an extremely important cause. That's one of the aims of Scarf's regular dinners, with the proceeds used to provide migrants with training, mentoring and employment in the hospitality industry. The social enterprise works to help refugees, asylum seekers and recent migrants find work by raising awareness and funding barriers to employment. To date, 208 young people have been supported through this program. Running on Tuesdays between March 26 and May 21, the series will, this time round, be held at Fitzroy's Rochester Hotel. Each dinner features a two-course set menu for $45 a head, designed by executive chef Mischa Tropp, who has drawn inspiration from his Keralan heritage to create dishes such as spiced roast pumpkin with mint chutney and roast chicken in tamarind and Kashmiri chilli curry. There'll also be a hefty lineup of sides, including flaky paratha, poppadoms, rice and green mango pickle. A dinner that is sure to inspire the community to do some good, this campaign by Scarf will leave you with a full stomach and heart. You can reserve your spot via the Scarf website.
For actress and model Sarah Stephens, fashion has never been about following the rules. Instead, it's about experimentation, performance, and storytelling. Between her auditions, acting roles, modelling and events, the multi-hyphenated Australian often switches between characters and identities. Whether she's on set or scouring stores, Sarah sees style as an extension of her identity and career — a way to experiment. "Clothes are costumes to me. My everyday look is quite classic and feminine, but I'm not tied to one particular look. I like to experiment depending on my mood, event or character." Sarah's fluid approach to fashion mirrors her layered career. After winning the Girlfriend Magazine model search competition in 2006, the young girl from Sydney jetted to the glamorous world of fashion and modelling. "I sort of stumbled into modelling without a clear direction for my life, and soon found myself completely immersed in the fashion industry," Sarah tells Concrete Playground. [caption id="attachment_1028485" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image by Declan May - Galaxy Z Flip7 is featured[/caption] From walking 14 shows at her debut New York Fashion Week to being photographed by famed German photographer Ellen Von Unwerth for Italian and Russian Vogue, Sarah hit dizzying international success early on in her career. In Europe, she was the face of Lacoste's Love of Pink campaign, and just a few months after her 18th birthday, the model walked a coveted international runway show. Reaching these milestones so quickly came at a cost, though. "It was all too much too soon. I burnt out. I couldn't cope with the loneliness and pressure," she reflects. "As a shy and conscientious kid thrown into a ruthless, cutthroat industry, you often find yourself vulnerable to mistreatment and abuse," says Sarah. "I often didn't question what photographers, agents or clients asked of me because I didn't want to seem rude or ungrateful." A young Sarah had to make a decision. Continue down the modelling route or head home and regroup. "I was struggling both physically and emotionally. Being far from home left me feeling incredibly lonely, and the constant pressure to maintain a certain size took a serious toll on my mental health." [caption id="attachment_1028486" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Image by Declan May[/caption] Sarah decided to head home to Australia and "reconnect with reality". It was during this time that Sarah stumbled upon another passion — acting. "I attended a summer course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and discovered a deep passion for acting. It felt therapeutic, and the structure kept me engaged, challenged, and energised." Sarah's acting break came in the form of A24 movie The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers. Her proudest acting achievement, however, was playing Mary in The Flood, a four-person play that ran Off-Broadway in New York and at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. Now, as the actress reaches her mid-thirties and returns to the acting industry post-COVID and U.S. writers' strike shutdowns, Sarah is leaning into her self-expression. She's just finished shooting an independent film in which she portrays an ASIO detective and is currently working on a short film with a friend. "I love how acting lets me step into entirely different lives. I have a deep passion for storytelling and the immersive nature of film." When it comes to styling herself, Sarah believes that having an everyday uniform is overrated. For the actress and model, a wardrobe full of vintage blazers, polkadots, Mary Janes, and puffy-sleeved blouses means she can transform into whichever character she's tapping into (both on and off screen). "Every outfit I put on that day dictates the role I play. It could be bold and cinematic, or it could be soft and intimate and feminine." But, it's statement pieces, she says, that make you feel the most powerful. When we met with Sarah while she was sourcing clothes from For Artists Only, UTURN Bondi and Ekoluv for an upcoming event, the actress shared how technology is instrumental for her day-to-day life, schedule and also style exploration. "For someone like me who plays with identity and storytelling, technology has become this amazing bridge between imagination and reality," Sarah says of devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7. Powered by Google Gemini*, it's a handy tool for the on-the-go person with multiple passions. As for what's going into the model and actress' schedule next, the acting world's Sarah's oyster. "Hopefully something in a period drama or maybe even a supervillain. Time will tell, and that's exactly what makes this career so exciting," Sarah shares. Explore more at Samsung. *Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. Available on select devices and select countries, languages, and to users 18+. Fees may apply to certain AI features at the end of 2025. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Requires internet connection and Google Account login. Works on compatible apps. Features may differ depending on subscription. Set up may be required for certain functions or apps. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. Editing with Generative Edit results in a resized photo up to 12MP. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. Results may vary per video depending on how sounds present in the video. Accuracy is not guaranteed. If you or anyone you know is experiencing emotional distress, please contact Lifeline (131 114) or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) for help and support.
Summer is here and with it the holy trinity of sun, sand and surf — and conveniently long days to enjoy them. But before you book your annual leave and leg it to the beach, plan your suncation. Now is the time to invest in sun safe essentials so you don't come out the other side of summer looking like a shrivelled raisin. And one of the most overlooked sun-safe accessories is a beach tent. "A beach tent?" you shriek. "Good grief, I'm not 85!" Well, hold up now. Yes, beach tents may have started as a gaudy, fluorescent nightmare dotting the shore but the logic behind them is sound. And they've evolved way past the beach tents we remember as kids and they're the best way to keep the sun off. We've found some super cute ones that won't ruin your beach cred while you avoid the UV. BYRON BAY BEACH LIFE As if those gorgeous, vintage tropical prints weren't sweet enough, these tents by Byron Bay Beachlife have clearly been designed by someone who spends a lot of time on the beach. How can we tell? They're designed to cast shade but also give you a clear, 360-degree view of the beach so you can stay out of the sun but keep track of any fire hotties that wander past. And isn't that the whole point of lazing on the beach? They've been designed to be assembled in a few different ways too, so you can customise your set-up. GINGER AND GILLIGAN If you're looking to spend big bucks on your beach swag (we're talking $249 each) and be voted 'Most Opulent Beach Goer 2016', look no further than Ginger and Gilligan. We recommend their tie-dyed beach tipi because it's just so damn pretty. It's also a bit more contained than most beach tents, giving you some privacy while ocean-side, just in case you need to change. Each tent is hand-dyed so you can guarantee no one else on the beach will have a tent like yours. LOVIN' SUMMER Minimalist beach tents look incredible. You can rig your beach set-up to look like it's straight out of a photoshoot. But how do minimalist beach tents hold up against the elements? Pretty well apparently. The gorgeous tents from Lovin' Summer are only minimalist in look. They block out 99 percent of UV protection and come with specially-made pegs that anchor deep in the sand. They've also been designed to be easily assembled by a solo beachgoer, making them genuinely 'pop-up'. SOMBRILLA BY HOLLIE AND HARRIE The Sombrilla tent by Hollie and Harrie, similar to the Byron Bay Beach Life design, lets you gaze over the whole beach while staying in the shade. They come in a variety of pop colours and designs, bringing to mind the famous beach boxes of Brighton Beach. And best of all, they're versatile — you can put it up in the standard symmetrical formation for shade coverage or set it up more like a windbreaker for when the sun dips low. They also sell windbreakers, for those days when you just can't have the wind up in your business. SUNNY JIM When we say Sunny Jim tents are designed to make #beachlife easy, we really mean it. They've thought of everything you could possibly need to execute the perfect beach tent seamlessly. The cute tents fold away into an easy yoga bag and/or handbag and they come with a mallet. A mallet! Useful not only for banging in pegs but also for passing official judgements on your friends. Best of all, the shade material is made from UPF50+, the highest shade rating available. The Sunny Jim really isn't messing around here. CANCER COUNCIL The range of tents available from the Cancer Council might be a bit more in line with your original ideas about beach tents. They're the classic beach pod, closed in on three sides (no sunlight getting in here, no sir) in bright blues and yellows. They each boast the highest UPF rating (50+) and very high nostalgia factor. We'd also like to give an honourable mention to the 'Sunshade Chair', a fully shaded chair, with a drink holder included. Now that's how you stay sun safe with raditude. SPORTBRELLA Now, here us out on this one. The Sportbrella might look a bit whack, being a Frankenstein combo of beach tent and beach umbrella, but it's actually pretty useful. It's rocking that UPF 50+ rating, so you know no UV is getting in. The Sportbrella (but feel free to use it for leisure) combines the sturdiness of the umbrella staked into the sand with the privacy of an enclosed beach tent. Plus they're huge, at 2.45 metres wide and perfect for big groups. Stay tuned for our wrap-up of the summer's best beach umbrellas, coming soon.
World Whisky Day is approaching and Starward Whisky is preparing for it in good form. The distillery is set to open its doors on Saturday, May 19 for a day of tastings, mini masterclasses and paired foods to match the whisky they'll have on offer. Nine various tasting stations will be hosted at Starward's base in Port Melbourne, celebrating some of the distillery's favourite drops and pairing them with food. Tropical pork tacos, pineapple whisky cocktails and a whisky-poached pear crème brûlée are all on the agenda, so you can be assured you'll be eating well — the team's even throwing in a sausage from Wvrst with your ticket so your stomach will be sufficiently primed for the whisky feast. Also included in the ticket price is a tour of parts of the distillery normally off-limits to the public, cocktail demos and a live DJ. Plus, you get to learn about how exactly the golden goodness is brewed and distilled, and how Starward manage to work a veritable buffet of flavours into their offerings — tropical fruit, cereal, caramel and vanilla are among them.
Bourke Street Mall's constant foot traffic probably won't be slowing down anytime in the near future, but it could soon be a little easier on the lungs to walk through the buzzy stretch, as Melbourne City Council considers a smoking ban for the area. The proposed smoke-free zone would be implemented between Russell Place and Elizabeth Street, covering all footpaths, roads and tramways. A report submitted to the Council's Future Melbourne Committee earlier this week has revealed there's strong support for the smoking ban. A month of community consultation earlier this year showed that 83 percent of over 3100 individual respondents and 169 businesses were keen to make the strip smoke-free. There was little opposition to the idea across the board — even from the smokers involved in the consultation — with 67 percent of smokers either for the ban, or neutral. The survey, which was undertaken by market research company Colmar Brunton, involved interviewing people on-site, as well as via online surveys and through social media. The City of Melbourne Council will vote on the ban at a meeting next Tuesday, September 17, with The Age reporting that it's tipped to get the green light. Lord Mayor Sally Capp told The Age, "If approved, the changes would help create a healthier, cleaner, more welcoming atmosphere for the 60,000 people who visit or work in Bourke Street Mall every day." If the ban is introduced, it's likely that there would be a period of education about the new smoke-free zone, then people could face a $100 fine. But, in an interview on ABC Radio Melbourne, the Lord Mayor revealed that vapers would be exempt from the ban, and subsequent fines, saying, "I think everybody is trying to catch up with vaping, it's not part of the policy at the moment". The City of Melbourne currently has ten smoke-free zones, including Howey Place, Block Place, Equitable Place, QV Melbourne, The Causeway, Fulham Place, Goldsbrough Lane, Collins Way, and the Tan and Princes Park running tracks. The Bourke Street smoking ban proposal comes just a couple of months after North Sydney made the move to become one of the first smoke-free CBDs in the country. Hobart and Brisbane also have designated smoke-free public places in their own CBDs. The Bourke Street Mall smoke-free zone will be voted on in a Council meeting on Tuesday, September 17. We'll let you know what the outcome is. Image: Josie Withers for Visit Victoria
At last, the gluten free gods have answered your prayers. The Gohil family — whose coeliac-friendly products have been gracing local supermarket shelves for 20 years — are making lives even easier, launching the country's first dedicated gluten free, ready-cooked meal delivery service. Just like the recently launched Freshara is doing for Australia's vegan contingent, The Gluten Free Meal Co is opening up the meal delivery game to a whole new group of foodies, with a collection of nourishing, ready-prepared dishes endorsed by Coeliac Australia. They've also done away with the whole subscription caper. Instead, users simply order by selecting from the lineup of $9.90 single-serve meals on The Gluten Free Meal Co's online menu. And, while there's a minimum spend of $65 for each order, you will score free delivery Australia-wide. All meals are whipped up in a state-of-the-art facility and undergo external gluten testing before arriving at your doorstep — although by the looks of that menu, they're designed to tempt taste buds just as much as any gluten-filled goodies. We're talking global-inspired main dishes like crumbed fish fillets and a country-style chicken pie, a solid range of vegetarian meals, and even a dessert selection featuring sweet treats like chocolate profiteroles. "The gluten free community deserves the same privilege of eating a wide variety of high-quality, nourishing food as everyone else," said Pran and Jitesh Gohil. "We're so excited that we can look after everyone with this fantastic range of delicious mains, finger foods and desserts that are indistinguishable from dishes everyone enjoys." For more information about The Gluten Free Meal Co visit www.gfmeals.com.au.
It's already Australia's largest shopping centre by a long shot, and yet Melbourne's Chadstone continues to grow, unveiling plans to incorporate a $130 million luxury hotel. Vicinity Centres, the property group behind the monster retail destination, has announced that work will begin on the MGallery by Sofitel hotel within a matter of months. Once completed, the site will be managed by the country's biggest hotel operator, Accor Hotels. It's no small project either, with the 13-storey hotel set to feature 250 rooms, a 400-capacity ballroom, two restaurants and a bar. With acclaimed Melbourne architects Bates Smart heading up the design, the aim is for this to be Australia's first five-star Green Star-rated hotel. Located close to Chadstone on the Princes Highway, the development will also boast views of the city skyline, and across to the Dandenong Ranges and Port Phillip Bay. According to Vicinity Centres' Executive General Manager of Development Carolyn Viney, the hotel will reap the benefits of Chadstone's annual 23 million visitor count, which is thought to include a huge 350,000 international tourists. "Importantly, the hotel will create new jobs and drive local tourism, further contributing to the economic and social viability of a new CBD hub for the Chadstone-Monash corridor," Viney said. MGallery by Sofitel is expected to open in Chadstone in late 2019.
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols should never be far from anyone's ears — but there's listening to the iconic 1977 punk album, the only studio record from Sex Pistols, and then there's hearing it played live in full. Down Under in 2025, Australian and New Zealand music lovers will be treated to that very experience, with the group locking in a tour. Band members Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock are heading this way in April, as part of a project dubbed Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter. As the band's moniker makes plain, this is a case of punk figures joining punk figures, as first happened back in August 2024 for fundraiser gigs in London. Clearly the setup worked. This will be Sex Pistols' first trip this way in almost 30 years, since 1996 — this time pairing drummer Cook, guitarist Jones and bassist Matlock with Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes alum Carter on vocals. The group have announced seven stops, starting in Auckland in Christchurch in Aotearoa, before playing Aussie gigs in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle. John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, the band's well-known former lead vocalist, was last part of their lineup in 2008 — which is when Sex Pistols last toured before 2024. Hearing Never Mind the Bollocks live and in full almost five decades since its original release means hearing 'Anarchy in the UK', 'God Save the Queen', 'Pretty Vacant', 'Bodies', 'Holidays in the Sun' and more. If this feels like an incredibly rare chance to experience a slice of music greatness, that's because it is — and if you need any more motivation, Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter's UK gigs earned rave reviews. [caption id="attachment_986909" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Henry Ruggeri[/caption] Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter 2025 Australia and New Zealand Tour Wednesday, April 2 — Town Hall, Auckland Thursday, April 3 — Town Hall, Christchurch Saturday, April 5 — Festival Hall, Melbourne Sunday, April 6 — Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide Tuesday, April 8 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Wednesday, April 9 — Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Friday, April 11 — Fremantle Prison, Fremantle Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter are touring Australia and New Zealand in April 2025, with ticket presales from 11am on Tuesday, January 21 and general sales from 12pm on Thursday, January 23. Head to the Australia and New Zealand tour websites for more details.
We've all been there — determined to stretch that bank account until payday by eating lentil bolognese for dinner five days in a row. You swear you won't dip into your savings account this fortnight. But on day six of toasted sandwiches made from dumpster-dived bread, it's time to say enough is enough, and treat yourself to a satisfying dinner. You deserve it. Thankfully, Melbourne is brimming with hospitality legends pumping out delicious and nutritious food for less than what a trip to the supermarket will set you back. With a little help from American Express, we've put together a list of spots around town where you can fill your tummy without bankrupting yourself before payday. When leftovers just won't cut it, these small businesses have you covered, and will let you pay using your American Express Card.
Back in 2019, Sydney fine-dining institution NEL introduced tastebuds to a whole new culinary world: a decadent Once Upon a Time degustation inspired by all things Disney. Unsurprisingly, it provided a magical meal and proved a massive hit, returning in 2020 and 2022 with themed dishes created by the Surry Hills' restaurant's created by Executive Chef and namesake Nelly Robinson. Come winter 2023, it'll be back again for a fourth chapter. Amid NEL's creative spreads, this one now feels like a tasty tale as old as time — repeatedly popping up amid KFC-inspired dinners, Moulin Rouge!-themed and Christmas degustations, and one heroing native Australian ingredients as well. But whenever it unleashes its 11 courses upon plates, the Once Upon a Time serves up new and fresh dishes riffing on the Mouse House's favourites. Accordingly, even if you've been before, you haven't feasted your way through the latest menu. An alfredo linguini that nods to Ratatouille? Yes, that twist on the classic dish — and flick — featuring a lasagne-style structure layered with confit vegetables, pasta sheets, béchamel, mozzarella cheese foam and basil dust is on the lineup. So is The Tugley Wood, which combines mushrooms and fresh Australian truffle to nod to Alice in Wonderland. And when things get sweet, there's a honey-soaked sponge with a nest of honey curd topped with bee pollen, then served in a honey pot, that Winnie-the-Pooh would clearly covet. As for what else will be bothering your appetite in the best possible way, discovering the full range is part of the fun of heading along — no matter whether you're a Sydneysider with more than a few nights' experience tucking into Robinson's creations or a Disney fan keen to make a date on a future interstate trip. NEL doesn't need a reason to bring back the Once Upon a Time menu again and again — it was always going to be popular — but Robinson still keeps finding plenty of inspiration in the Disney theme. "The team and I had a blast creating and curating this one. It was so much fun to create a whole new menu around some of my favourite films and we have carefully crafted dishes to bring out each diners' inner child. Indeed, we paired it with fun cocktails and some sensational wines, too," he explains. The Once Upon a Time menu's fourth chapter will start serving on Tuesday, May 30 and run for eight weeks only, with bookings available now. Price-wise, this childhood-inspired feast will require an adult salary, costing $185 per person, with beverages matched for an extra $165. Reserving a spot ASAP for dinner Tuesday–Saturday from 5.15pm is recommended — this unsurprisingly always books out. NEL's Once Upon A Time (Chapter Four) degustation is on offer for eight weeks from Tuesday, May 30 at 75 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. For more information or to book, head to the NEL website.
Australia's toast game just levelled up with a little help from our neighbours across the ditch. If you're a fan of slathering nut butters across slices of heated bread, then you've likely heard of cult-favourite Wellington brand Fix & Fogg — and instead of stuffing your suitcases with their products when you're coming back from a New Zealand holiday, you can now head to Woolworths to pick up ten different types. Woolies already stocked two Fix & Fogg products: Everything Butter, which combines a bit of everything as the name suggests (aka hemp, chia, sesame, sunflower, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and almonds), plus granola butter (which is made with toasted South Island oats, cashew nuts, coconut, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and peanuts). Joining them are multiple types and sizes of peanut butter, plus a range of other creative flavours. Peanut butter and jelly in a jar, anyone? If you're all about the OG peanut butter by itself, you can go smooth or crunchy in either 375-gram and 750-gram jars. Or, there's the chilli and paprika-spiced Smoke and Fire peanut butter in 275-gram containers, as well as choc berry and almond-heavy versions of the Everything Butter. In Australia, you'll now find the ten Fix & Fogg varieties at all 990 Woolies locations nationwide from today, Monday, August 15. For folks new to Fix & Fogg, it makes the type of nut butters that you'll easily want to eat by the spoonful, sans toast — which is one of the reasons that the company has evolved from selling its wares at Wellington markets to picking up a huge homegrown and now international following. Fix & Fogg's expanded presence at Woolies comes after the brand hit the US in a big way in 2021, getting stocked at 3500 Whole Foods stores around the country. Find ten of Fix & Fogg's nut butters on Woolworths shelves from Monday, August 15.
If 2020 has reminded us of anything, it's that some surprises are truly terrible. But at least there's plenty of the other, nicer kind of surprise to even things out. Like the brand-new Quiet XPA from emerging brewery Heaps Normal, which just happens to be both full-flavoured and surprisingly alcohol-free. Now gracing bottle shop shelves across the country, the unfiltered booze-free ale is Heaps Normal's debut creation, with more non-alcoholic releases planned for the not-too-distant future. It has been carefully brewed to stand up against its more traditional indie craft counterparts, while also promising the glorious gift of zero hangovers. As far as the beery stuff goes, it's got tropical, citrus aromas, backed by a balanced bitterness and just a hint of sweetness from the malt. And, in another win for the health-conscious, the XPA is rocking less calories than the average full-strength beer, plus it's made with less sugar than many alcohol-free alternatives. [caption id="attachment_782993" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Heaps Normal co-founders Andy Miller, Ben Holdstock and Peter Brennan[/caption] Heaps Normal is the brainchild of four mates — Andy Miller, Ben Holdstock, Peter Brennan and Jordy Smith — who each had various reasons for wanting to cut down the booze and are now on a mission to help normalise mindful drinking. And it's clear they're not alone, with results from last year's Australia Talks National Survey suggesting 90 percent of Aussies see drug and alcohol abuse as one of the biggest issues facing our country. In fact, according to a recent Neilsen survey, around two-thirds of Australian drinkers between the ages of 21 and 34 are making an effort to minimise their alcohol consumption. And that's data from before a global pandemic swooped in, cooped us all up at home and saw many folks quaffing a little more than usual. Now, expect to see plenty more booze-free options on offer at bars and bottle shops, as brands like Heaps Normal respond to a growing call for non-alcoholic drinks that taste legit. If you indulged a little more than usual over lockdown and are looking to cut down, you might just be surprised with what guilt-free goodies are out there. Find out more and order your Quiet XPA at the Heaps Normal website.
No matter how gorgeous the surroundings, how lavish the place you're staying and how blissful everyone wants things to be, life's chaos doesn't magically disappear just because you're on holidays. That's one of The White Lotus' key ideas, which it played out to spectacular results in the show's Hawaii-set first season — making it the best new show on TV in 2021, in fact — and which it is currently unpacking again in its Sicily-set second season. Get ready for that concept to get a third go-around as well. In unsurprising but still extremely welcome news, HBO has just announced that it is bringing The White Lotus back for season three — news it revealed just three episodes into season two. Once again, it'll be a case of new year, new vacation season, new gorgeous destination, new cast, keeping the series' anthology format. "Reflecting on The White Lotus' humble, run-and-gun origin as a contained pandemic production, it's impossible not to be awestruck by how Mike [White, the series' creator] orchestrated one of the buzziest and most critically acclaimed shows," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, announcing the series' season-three renewal. "And yet, he's only continued to reach new heights in season two, which is the ultimate testament to Mike's raw, unparalleled vision. His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humor and buoyant directing style, have us all dreaming of more vacation days at the resort we've come to adore. We couldn't be more thrilled to get the chance to collaborate on a third season together." The news comes after The White Lotus hit an all-time ratings high in the US with its third episode of season three — although, given how ace the series is, and how widely loved by both viewers and critics (season one picked up a swag of Emmys just a month before season two premiered), bringing it back for more was always highly likely. HBO and creator/writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) haven't announced if any of the current characters — or season one's — might return in season three, as Jennifer Coolidge's Tanya McQuoid-Hunt has across its first two batches of episodes. Obviously, before any familiar faces can check into another White Lotus property somewhere else in the world (the location of which also hasn't yet been unveiled), we'll need to see who survives season two first. The show's second season is currently diving into plenty of drama in a stunning setting, with Tanya travelling to the White Lotus hotel in Sicily with her husband Greg (Jon Gries, Dream Corp LLC) and assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson, After Yang) — however the former isn't happy that the latter is with them. Plus, Tanya thinks that Greg might be cheating. Also checking in for season two's biting satire of the one percent and class divides: F Murray Abraham (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities), Michael Imperioli (The Many Saints of Newark) and Adam DiMarco (The Order) as three generations of Di Grasso men, who are on a family holiday to connect with their roots; Aubrey Plaza (Best Sellers) and Will Sharpe (Defending the Guilty) as newly wealthy couple Harper and Ethan, who are vacationing with pals Cameron (Theo James, The Time Traveller's Wife) and Daphne (Meghann Fahy, The Bold Type); and Tom Hollander (The King's Man) as English expat Quentin, who's away with his nephew Jack (Leo Woodall, Cherry). And, there's also Beatrice Grannò (Security) and Simona Tabasco (The Ties) as locals Mia and Lucia; plus Sabrina Impacciatore (Across the River and Into the Trees) as this White Lotus' manager Valentina. There's obviously no trailer yet for The White Lotus season three, but you can check out the trailer for season two below: The White Lotus' third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. The second season of The White Lotus is currently streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, dropping new episodes weekly. Read our full review.
If you, like us, have binged every episode of the renowned crime podcast Serial, are still following the news roller-coaster on Adnan Syed's case from season one and are counting down the days until the HBO series airs — take a deep breath, because there's finally more where that came from. Serial will return for its third season on September 20, having been dormant since season two aired back in 2015. Season three will focus on the entire criminal justice system in the US — more specifically on the inconsistencies and failures of the courts in Cleveland, Ohio. "What does season one tell us about the criminal justice system?" asks host Sarah Koenig in the season's trailer. She concludes that instead of using Syed's extraordinary case to examine the system from the inside, she must use many ordinary cases. Koenig and her crew spent one year in the Cleveland courts, where they recorded not only in courtrooms but also in judge's chambers, prosecutors office and back hallways, plus outside the courthouse in family member's houses, streets and prisons. In the season three trailer, Koenig mentions one case in particular — that of Greg Rucker, whose prison recordings include an admission of guilt. Yet, in just this one trial, Koenig is witness to an onslaught of court offences, including extra charges, pressure to plead guilty, shabby police work, "eleventh hour" evidence, dozing jurors and judge — all ending with an outsized prison sentence. But, since Rucker is guilty, should we even care? This is a question that Serial will explore throughout the season. Again, the story will unfold week-by-week. To listen to the season three trailer or catch up on past seasons, check out the Serial website. The first two episodes of Serial season 3 will be released on the morning of Thursday, September 20 — Eastern Daylight Time (New York). No exact time has been announced, but past Serial episodes have dropped around 9.30am EDT, which corresponds to about 11.30pm in Australia and 1.30am in New Zealand. So, you can either stay up late on Thursday and listen, or wait until your Friday morning commute to work. One new episode will be released each Thursday thereafter. Image: Moth Studio, mural by Adam Maida
One of Melbourne's most famous tourist attractions has been given an unauthorised makeover — and it's left plenty of people fuming. A group of masked artists descended on the street art-filled stretch of Hosier Lane over the weekend, dousing the walls with paint and covering up a good chunk of its existing artworks. Bystanders caught Saturday night's incident on camera and have shared it across social media. Footage shows a crew of people with their faces covered spraying the legendary laneway using paint-filled fire extinguishers. Their efforts look to have been concentrated up the northern end of Hosier Lane, destroying recent murals like the one of comedian Celeste Barber and another featuring Lizzo outside the Culture Kings store. https://twitter.com/Isk137/status/1226634797914542080 Lord Mayor Sally Capp confirmed the City of Melbourne was aware of the incident and has reported it to Victoria Police, saying in a statement, "this is unacceptable and is not in keeping with the spirit of Hosier Lane". As well as covering artworks, the "vandals" left significant paint mess on the pavement and cobblestones, which had to be cleaned today by council contractors. https://twitter.com/LordMayorMelb/status/1226701430460841984 While Mayor Capp condemned the group's actions, she also went on to say that "the very nature of street art is that it is temporary, ephemeral and forever changing." It's a sentiment that seems to be shared by supporters of the unknown artists and many in the wider street art community, who are questioning the growing commercialisation of Hosier Lane's art precinct. Advocates have taken to social media to give this recent refresh a thumbs up, reminding punters that essentially, no street art is ever meant to stick around forever. https://twitter.com/BknSocContract/status/1226668247585476610
When Skrillex and Four Tet took to the Coachella stage back in April, they did so to help plug a gap left by Frank Ocean dropping out of the Californian festival's second weekend. When they make the trip Down Under this spring, however, they won't be filling in for anyone, headlining 2023's lineup for electronic-meets-hip hop festival Listen Out. Back for another year — after 2022 marked its first gigs since 2019 — this fest will do the rounds throughout September, including hitting up Caribbean Gardens in Melbourne on Friday, September 29. This is the first time that Skrillex will play gigs in Australia since Listen Out 2018 and, as well as Four Tet, the DJ and producer will have plenty of company. [caption id="attachment_900829" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josef W[/caption] Also on the bill: Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Piri, venbee, Mallrat and Jyoty, as well as Marc Rebillet, Metro Boomin and Kenny Beats, with Ebony Boadu will be on hosting duties. 2023's fests around Australia mark Listen Out's tenth birthday, and will bring curated stages to its four stops. So, The Atari Stage is primarily about hip hop artists, while 909 Stage features major dance acts. Then, over on the Prophet Stage, you'll enjoy cutting-edge electronic and house acts. LISTEN OUT 2023 LINEUP: Arrdee Coi Leray Four Tet Friction Ice Spice Jbee Jpegmafia Jyoty Kenny Beats Lil Uzi Vert Mallrat Marc Rebillet Metro Boomin Piri Skrillex Spinall Venbee Wongo B2B Little Fritter Young Franco Yunè Pinku Ebony Boadu as host 1TBSP Ayebatonye Donatachi Handsome Kobie Dee VV Pete Willo Plus triple j Unearthed artists to be announced + more Top image: Leo K.
Queen Victoria Market is set to welcome a diverse spread of culinary styles and talents when its new Queen's Food Hall opens in November. Taking a stroll to the corner of Victoria and Queen Streets will soon reward Melburnians and tourists alike with a whole new world of eats, replacing the once-familiar food court. The new food go-to, reimagined as part of the City of Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal program, aims to not only tickle your tastebuds with delectable fare but to also present an enticing place to hang out, sporting upgraded seating, plus a roster of cafes and eateries open from day to night. Bellboy Coffee Bar will invite caffeine seekers and late-night sippers to its cool corner, promising to deliver an exciting mix of coffee, beer, wine and cocktails, as well as the heavenly allure of crumpets and sweet tidbits. Meanwhile, The Happy Mexican plans to sprinkle some zesty vibes into the mix, drawing from fresh, seasonal produce directly from the market to make its tacos, burritos and nachos. For seafood lovers, oyster bar and sushi joint Saltwater will hero the ocean's bounty with a live oyster-shucking station and flame-torched lobster rolls. Pair those with a sophisticated selection of local vinos and you're off to the races. The journey doesn't stop there. El Rincon will thrust you into the heart of Spain with its tapas, while patisserie Le Consulat promises a Parisian escapade via a delicious range of sweet and savoury French fare. The American dream of grilled ribs and brisket burgers is a reality at Rubens Grill, while Drums will serve up traditional Sri Lankan curries and hoppers. Finally, Canton Malay will re-emerge with beloved favourites and traditional dishes, maintaining its reign as a haven for noodle enthusiasts. In a nutshell, it's all happening, and it's all in one place. Imagine a world where a stroll through the market could seamlessly transition from a casual coffee catch-up to a fun evening of sushi, oysters and a cheeky cocktail (or two). Well, that'll be reality come November. See you there. Queen's Food Hall opens in November, replacing the food court at the corner of Victoria and Queen Street, Melbourne — head to the QVM website for further details.
Have you ever, ever had the theme tune from a 90s Australian television show lodged in your brain for decades? For anyone who watched the first two seasons of Round the Twist when they originally aired — or anytime afterwards, or the third and fourth seasons in the early 2000s as well — the answer is always yes. Audiences have author Paul Jennings to thank for the series, which initially adapted stories from his novels Unreal!, Unbelievable!, Uncanny and more. Musician Andrew Duffield also deserves gratitude, given that he composed the earworm of a main song. In 2024, Paul Hodge and Simon Phillips join the list, too, but for Round the Twist as no one has ever seen it before: as a stage musical. Hodge understands the power of that catchy theme. It's one of the influences, unsurprisingly, for the sound of the stage production from Queensland Theatre and Queensland Performing Arts Centre that's enjoying its world-premiere season at QPAC in Brisbane until Sunday, December 8, 2024. He also knows how deeply that the tune has burrowed into an entire generation of 90s kids' minds. "I said to Andrew Duffield, who wrote it, I said to him just before the rehearsal period 'how do you feel to know that you can just penetrate people's minds simply by them hearing 'have you ever…' and then it's stuck in their head for the rest of the day?" he tells Concrete Playground. "He was like 'oh yeah, it's fun. It's great'." Before he had musical-comedies Clinton the Musical and Joh for PM on his resume — and opera Riot as well — Hodge grew up as a fan of the lighthouse-dwelling Twist family and their supernatural-tinged adventures. If he hadn't, the idea to pen the musical of Round the Twist wouldn't have sprung for the writer and composer, who was inspired by randomly recalling a line from season-two episode 'Smelly Feet'. Phillips describes himself as too old to have known anything about the television series at the time, but helms yet another 90s Aussie classic making the leap from the screen to the stage. Previously, he's directed stage versions of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Muriel's Wedding. "I'm churlish that I missed out on Strictly Ballroom," he jokes. Fans have had since 2021 to look forward to the result of Hodge and Phillips' efforts with Round the Twist, when the musical was initially announced. This wasn't the first time that someone had approached Jennings and the Australian Children's Television Foundation, which produced the TV series, about bringing the Twists to the stage with tunes — but it was the first time that they gave the tick of approval. Hodges credits Jennings' stories first and foremost, including for having fun making the musical, and for a production that he hopes will be both entertaining and moving for theatregoers. "I think what Paul is really good at is that, as well as obviously his stories are fun and silly and bizarre, he understands what it's like to be a kid," Hodges advises. "There's this story of this kid coming to him at one of his book signings saying 'how do you know what it's like to be me?'. And I think that he understands also the not-so-fun parts of being a kid — what it feels like when you're embarrassed or you're scared, and things like first kisses and those kind of things. He looks at those moments and milestones of growing up, and portrays them in a very fun and silly and bizarre way. Because he has that understanding, his stories have a lot of heart in them, and that's what I've tried to maintain in the musical." How did Hodge approach his task as a fan of both Round the Twist and Jennings? "As a kid, I read Paul's short stories and then I watched the TV show, and it's fun going back and doing that again as an adult. The musical is based on the first two seasons, which were the ones that Paul wrote, and so I have now watched those — rewatched them — so many times now," he shares. "If there was any kind of Round the Twist trivia, I'm sure I could win them for the first two seasons." For Phillips, he looked at his perspective as bringing fresh eyes to something so adored by so many. "Initially, it was a long time before I watched the TV programs. I tried to read the script as if it was a fresh new work that no one had ever seen before, which indeed of course it was, but that didn't have the references. And then at a certain point you go 'I'm not quite sure why this is there', and the answer is 'because it's one of the most-beloved moments in the TV program' — and that's a good enough reason," he says. "But it also went through the process of gradually having a few of the favourite moments from the TV program getting lost in the storytelling. Because we realised that for this story to feel coherent, it just couldn't have everyone's favourite bit from the TV program, or it would have been a) four hours long and b) have no individual plot of its own." There were essentials that Hodge absolutely had to include, however. "I think I always knew that the 'Smelly Feet' episode, "up the pong!", would have to be in there, because that was the origin of it. It's interesting that for each of the Twist kids, I knew there was an episode that I felt had to be in there. For Bronson, it was 'Smelly Feet'. For Pete, it was 'Without My Pants'. And for Linda, it was 'Nails'. Those were the ones that had really stood out for me as a kid for each of the Twist kids." Hodge and Phillips also chatted with us about the musical's origin story, getting the green light from Jennings, the adaptation process, whether taking on something with decades of affection behind it was daunting, why Round the Twist endures and introducing it to a new generation — and more. On How Round the Twist The Musical Finally Came About Paul: "Apparently I wasn't the first to have the idea, but the Children's Television Foundation has said no previously. But the way it came about was that I had been trying to think of something that I could write for my whole family to come to, because I have a lot of nieces and nephews, and I wanted something that all the generations of the family could come to — my parents and my siblings and nieces and nephews. There's an episode of Round the Twist where Bronson, the youngest Twist kid, he's trying to save up the smell of his feet, basically, for six months, to then try to use it as a weapon. And when whenever he uses this power — he's using it for a good purpose — then he says 'up the pong!'. About eight years ago, my mum was changing my nephew's nappy one day, and she said 'ohh, that's a pongy nappy'. And my brain immediately went 'up the pong!'. Which, I think, also shows the enduring power of Paul Jennings' stories, for something from my childhood to come back to me in adulthood like that. When happened, then I went 'oh, Round the Twist, that's the thing that I should do'. And so then I then approached the Children's Television Foundation and Paul Jennings about adapting it, and the Children's Television Foundation said 'we've been approached before and said no, but we're going to say yes to you'. I feel very privileged and humbled that Paul and Jenny Buckland of the ACTF and Andrew Duffield, who wrote theme song, have placed their trust in me to tell these stories." Simon: "My analysis would be that it took someone, i.e. Paul Hodge, who had been the right age to watch the show to grow up and sufficiently develop the skillsets to write the musical. Because it was so of its time and of its audience. The 90s was its heyday, and so I feel that both in the writing of it and in the audience space for it, it's great that there's something that is there for the mid-30s to mid-40s generation who grew up on Round the Twist. But I, of course, didn't really know anything about the TV series, because I'm too old. And I think that's another reason why it took a while for the show to find producers — because the people who were in a position to support it financially probably also slightly missed the show, and didn't view it with the same affection as the generation who had really grown up on it. And so I started merely talking to Paul during COVID, who I'd met a couple of times before, when everyone was locked down — and I started really talking to him about the shape of the show and reading it for him and giving him some feedback. Then it started to find its feet after COVID. And indeed, with some fantastic assistance from the RISE funding, which got its workshopping process, that's what managed to get it up from the page to something that we could start really rehearsing on the stage proper." On Getting the Green Light From Paul Jennings and the Australian Children's Television Foundation Paul: "I think it was partly grasping why Paul's stories are so great. I think it was also that I could give a reason of why it should be a musical — not just coming in and going 'ohh, anything can be a musical'. Because I think with any story, the first question you have to ask if you're adapting something into a musical is 'why does this story sing?'. Lots of stories can sing — it's just people need to find the way to make that happen. To me, why I said this story sang was because in the way that Round the Twist works, all the episodes are kind of unrelated, because they're all each based on a Paul Jennings short story. But, over the course of a season, generally there's a thin thread that goes through the season and then pays off in the final episode of the season. In the first season, that thread is that they are hearing mysterious music that's coming from the top of the lighthouse, and then that pays off in the final episode. And in that final episode, they end up singing to resolve the plot. So I said that to me, already this story sang. Music was already a part of it, and singing was an incredibly important part of that finale of the first season. I think that was one of the reasons of why, to me, this story sang — and was one of the reasons that they gave it the green light." On Starting the Adaptation Process — By Watching Round the Twist, Of Course Paul: "I watched and continued to rewatch the show many times. And then, because there's 26 episodes in the first two seasons, it was a decision of going 'okay, what episodes am I going to include in the musical?'. So that was a process of partly going ' well, the finale episodes of the first two seasons are the ones that have an overarching arc to them, and the first episode of the series is obviously important in setting everyone up', so I assumed that I would be incorporating those. The I worked out my own thing of going 'what were my favourite episodes as a kid?'. Also, I trawled the internet to see if my episodes checked out as the same as other people's, what their favourites were. Then it was then trying to work out how to put all those together. And the thing that is holding the other important part of the music side of the musical —also of the TV show — is the theme song. So in the musical, the nursery-rhyme lyrics to the theme song are riddles that the Twist kids are trying to solve — and they are related to the different plots. So that's the thing that's holding these different episodes together as they're trying to work out this mystery. Over the process of writing, it's been a process of pulling all these disparate episodes together and shaving away each of the episode stories to its core element, and then merging different things together. When I sent the first treatment to Paul, then we had a conversation where I was saying 'well, in this episode there's a ghost that haunts a toilet, which is the first episode, Skeleton on the Dunny', and then there's this episode also where there's a ghost that haunts the toilet — and I've merged those two into one, and I've merged them also with this other idea'. And Paul was saying to me, 'well, that's the exact same type of thing that I was doing when I was adapting the books into the TV show'. So it was good to know that we were following the same process." On How to Tackle Directing a Musical with Such Adored Source Material Simon: "You essentially have to approach it in its own terms, based on its own musculature. You have to say 'what is this that we're making?', but you also fly in the face of certain elements from the original show at your peril. And this is that weird combo, because it's been books and a TV show, but the way that people relate to it, the characters have been semi-formed in people's minds via the TV show. Sometimes, I think when you're doing an adaptation of a film or something that has originated in celluloid, and you're putting it on stage, the ghosts of the people who originally played it is very strong in your audience's minds. I guess we have the advantage from the TV show that people also read it in book form and got their own individual images. And the casting changed inside the TV series anyway, so there's no single person where you could say 'that actor is in our minds Pete Twist' because he was a few different actors. So that helps us." On Not Being Daunted by Round the Twist's Page-to-Screen-to-Stage Path — and Huge Fandom Paul: "I think I'm more excited about it. I approach it from the point of view of a fan. Like, I am a huge fan of Round the Twist and that's how I've been writing it. It's as a fan and going 'if I was seeing a Round the Twist musical, what would I want to see on stage as a fan?'. So it's more been a process of going like 'ohh, people are going to love this bit'. It's been fun. And it's been important to me that it maintains the spirit of the original TV show. That's why I wanted to make sure that Paul and the ACTF and Andrew Duffield have been involved in the process as we've gone along." Simon: "It's more a great wave to surf — that you actually feel supported by the energy that its origins give you. And indeed, this is why so very many musicals that are made are adaptations of existing work: it gives the musical a launching pad, it gets it off the starting blocks with a little bit of an advantage, I think." On the Inspiration for the Musical's Songs Beyond the Iconic Theme Paul: "The theme song was the touchstone for the sound of the show in general. I wanted it to feel like it was all one whole and the theme song didn't feel separate from the rest of the score. So I used the feeling of the music in the TV show also a touchstone. And I wanted it to be definitively Australian, so I was listening to a lot of Australian pop and rock music, and I was listening to a lot of Triple J. I remember going back through the Hottest 100 one year, and going 'okay, these songs feel like they're the vibe of what I'm looking for'. I would just be listening to a lot of Australian music to try to make sure that the music in the show felt Australian." On Taking the Audience on a Tonal Rollercoaster Ride, as the TV Show Did Simon: "Part of the challenge, actually an interesting challenge of it, is that its tones are multifarious. So that's a balance, although music always helps with getting those maybe slightly illogical or over-sudden mood shifts that are required in a piece like this. Music is a fantastic tool in terms of immediately changing the audience's emotional sensibility depending on how the music's telling them to feel. In the end, the story is really quite moving, I think. It ends up having a big message about healing and restoring and mending the past. It's kind of a madcap farce in its first half in many ways, and then it becomes quite strong with heartfelt family elements to it in the second half of the show." On Why Round the Twist Struck Such a Chord with Audiences When It First Aired — and Since Simon: "I did have an opinion about that. I've been trying to articulate it a bit. I think there are, as always, many reasons, but I feel like it's very strongly to do with Paul Jennings' particular genius for identifying the inner hopes, fears and ambitions of children and teenagers, and speaking to those things in a way which was uncensored on behalf of saying the right thing for their parents. And so really quite often, the episodes of Round the Twist the TV series are dealing with really quite, in a way, risque or what would now be quite inappropriate ideas. But they're exactly the things that are going through teenagers' heads. And whatever you say, you can't stop teenagers having those anxieties and wishes and hopes, because they're teenagers, and their lives are changing, their bodies are changing. That was part of the real secret of the success, that it dared to be irresponsible about a whole number of different, quite erratic things. And then the other side is the imaginative — you can't help feeling that in another time and another place someone would have said 'but this doesn't make sense'. That was never an issue for Paul Jennings or the people who put his stories into TV. They were perfectly happy for it to have its own sense, its own illogical sense of logic, and stand or fall on that. I feel that was its secret ingredient in a way." On Conveying the Idea That Strange Things Do Happen — and It's Okay for Life to Be Strange, and for You to Be Strange Paul: "That's very important. And that was one of the things that I said to Paul when I was first approaching him and the ACTF about adapting the TV series, I said like that I feel like his stories are all 'weird things happen and it's okay to be weird. It's okay to be different'. One of the other main parts of the musical is, because sometimes it was quite scary in the TV show, there's this idea that I think is quite important that as well as it's okay to be weird, it's okay to be scared. Everyone gets scared. Even adults get scared." On Introducing Round the Twist to a New Generation Paul: "I am very excited by it. I always designed it as something that the whole family could come to, and that's why I think what is exciting to me is that the generation that grew up watching it will now be able to bring their kids and introduce their kids to the musical. So it's very, very exciting to me to have it for a new generation. And I think it shows the importance of telling Australian stories, and that they are good and they are worthwhile, and they should be supported and told — because these stories started out as books, and then they've become a TV show and now a musical. It shows the enduring power of those stories and how they were each passed down into different generations. Now I'm very excited that the new generation's going to get to experience these stories." Simon: "It pains one to say it, but you never really know what you've got as a show until you put it in front of that audience, however much your fingers may be crossed. You've honed it. This is the frustration of anyone who's worked on making a new musical, including the people whose musicals we see coming in from Broadway, fully honed and perfectly resolved — behind every one of those great musicals are three failed musicals and a lot of blood, sweat and tears. I think that you put a musical up there and our hope is that, this coming back to what we're talking about before, my job of trying to think about it as something that people who know nothing about Round the Twist might be coming to see — it has to have an energy and its own compelling narrative that takes them on a new and exciting, and hopefully equally eccentric, ride, as the TV series originally did." Round the Twist The Musical plays the QPAC Playhouse, Cultural Precinct, corner of Grey and Melbourne streets, South Bank, Brisbane until Sunday, December 8, 2024. Head to the Queensland Theatre and QPAC websites for tickets and further details.
Hosting your own craft beer-tasting event is a great way to discover the breadth and variety of the good stuff in a fun and highly convivial situation. Plus, you'll appreciate your casual Friday tipple more than ever. If you're a fan of the James Squire craft beer range, chances are you enjoy talking the ears off of your buds about your favourite type and why you think they should try them. Alternatively, you may be a devotee of one or two beers in the range and are now ready to explore a little further, with a mate or two coming along to keep you company on your journey. Either way, we've got all your home-hosted beer tasting ingredients right here. Friends Don't look at us like that. Obviously you're going to invite buds, this is a beer tasting. Four or five would be a good number for a tasting, this ain't a keg party. Food You don’t have to serve up a Michelin-starred degustation menu, but snacks provide the dual purpose of keeping alcohol levels lower and cleansing the palate between tastings. Make sure you don't choose food that could overshadow the taste of the beer. Having water on hand is also a good idea. Beer You could say this is somewhat a crucial element. You could go full throttle and sample the full range of nine James Squire craft beers and two James Squire Orchard Crush ciders or maybe you'd prefer to taste just a handful. Depending on which approach you choose, you could consider buying some of the beers (One Fifty Lashes Pale Ale, Nine Tales Amber Ale and The Chancer Golden Ale) in 568mL Friendship Pint format rather than six packs of the standard 345mL bottles. To keep costs down, you could suggest that each guest/participant/contestant/buddy ol' pal supplies one of the beers. Glasses The aim of the night is to taste rather than scull, meaning proper beer tasting glasses would be ideal. However, if you don't have any of these to hand (and since you don't live in James Squire Brewbar, that’s hardly surprising) any glass will do. You'll earn bonus craft beer cred points for having the 'right glass' for each style of beer (have a look over JS's Guide to Glassware Etiquette), but it's not the end of the world if you don't. Pour about three fingers worth into each glass, allowing the aroma to fill the rest of the space. Remember, the night is about tasting the beer, not simply drinking it and gettin' crunk. Materials You’ll need to provide pencils or pens, along with paper or notecards. If you’re a particularly efficient and overly-excited host, you could create a print a simple tasting score sheet with spaces for notes on appearance, aroma, flavour, mouth feel, overall impression and final total score. Guidelines Each beer should be judged in the same way, as follows: - On pouring, immediately sniff the beer to detect initial aromas. Write these down in the 'Aroma' section of the score sheet – e.g., 'nutty malt' or 'citrusy hops'. - Note the beer's appearance, particularly its colour (golden, copper, etc.), clarity (cloudy, clear, etc.) and head characteristic. - Taste the beer by taking a sip and keeping it in the mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. Note both the immediate finish and aftertaste, the malts and hops and the balance. - Assess the mouth feel — this includes body, carbonation level and alcoholic warmth. - Write down your overall impression and give a final score for each beer. For more detailed judging information, head over here. Now there's nothing left to do except begin the tasting — and enjoy. Image credits: *vlad* via photopin cc, oskay via photopin cc, nahlinse via photopin cc, Fixed in Silver via photopin cc.
Lena Dunham had her debut hosting gig on Saturday Night Live last night and — because she's Lena Dunham and a camera was present — she got naked. For a debate that was once so fiercely alive in the media, it seems to have reached tipping point and become a joke in and of itself. Like your distant cousin who always gets naked to play in the sprinkler and is maybe, sort of, kind of, a little too old for it. At some point, you just let them run free. All in all, the show has been touted as a success. A visibly nervous Dunham centred her monologue on Girls, its nudity, and the problems she faces when everyone brings their sex problems to her. As the show's preview suggested earlier in the week, breasts and feminism were top priority, and culminated in skits deriding men's rights activists and making pubescent girls seem like the most terrifying thing in the world. Tragically though, there was no sign of Blerta. Haters of her Girls character Hannah Horvath will be both elated and annoyed by the stand-out skit of the night. In a bit titled Girl, Dunham plays Eve in the Garden of Eden as a version of her show's alter-ego. Alongside Taran Killam as Adam (also playing a spot-on version of her on-screen boyfriend Adam), Dunham takes Horvath's grating self-obsession to the extreme with lines like "I may have committed original sin, but at least it's original and I think I deserve credit for that." This is good news for Horvath haters because hey, at least she can laugh at herself. But it's also bad news because you still had to listen to that whiny voice for an extra two-and-a-half minutes of your life.
Birds chirp, rainbows form and the sun shines a little brighter when the Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival comes around. And in 2023, it's returning for another year of pats, licks and parades on the weekend of Friday, October 13–Sunday, October 15. Once again, it'll take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre — and yes, the dedicated puppy cuddle zone is returning. The Melbourne Dog Lovers Festival will see thousands of dedicated pooch fans celebrating the noble four-legged monarch of human companionship. There'll be dozens of furry friends available for adoption from dozens rescue groups across Victoria in the adoption zone, where you can learn up on what's actually involved with the process. Plus, DockDogs will be back, featuring a competitive long jump and high jump for talented dogs who want to flop into a pool of water. Dogs, amiright? But hold up — you came here to cuddle pooches. We're getting there. Punters can make their way to the Pat-a-Pooch zone to cuddle up to a wide range of Australia's most loveable and popular breeds from puppy to adult dogs — we're talking uppity dachshunds to fluffball samoyeds. This has undeniably been the main attraction of previous year's events, and gives kitten cafes a run for their money. There's plenty more happening over the two days of furry friended fun, including appearances from celebrity vet Dr Katrina Warren. Not sure which type of pooch is perfect for you? Sign up to find your pawfect match, at sessions where you'll be paired with your ultimate dog breed. Already found your tail-waggin' soulmate? Get some expert tips on training, behaviour, first-aid and nutrition in handy seminars.
Ikea products are notoriously frustrating to assemble, and the lack of words in their assemble instructions doesn't make it any easier. While their commitment to sustainability and not wasting paper is admirable, surely a few words here and there wouldn't kill too many more extra trees. But have you ever been tempted to just throw the instructions out and see what happens? Italian design firm Teste Di Legno did just that, although more out of curiosity than frustration. While assembling some new office furniture, they came up with the idea of "enriching" one piece of furniture with bits of another, which led to the creation of their 'Lato B' collection — four pieces of multipurpose Franken-furniture made entirely out of reimagined Ikea products. For instance, their 'Unacucina' ('one kitchen') piece combines a coffee table, toy storage and flower pots with an island bench to create a quirky, one-off piece of furniture that even has space for a herb garden. On Teste di Legno's website, they describe the process of making the collection as being "like moving around a body to discover the less visible parts (from side A to side B), or illuminating with a ray of light the dark part — not of the moon — which forces a design to have a fixed, rigid, defined identity: a table is a table." Although 'Ikea hacking' is not a new idea, this is definitely among the more creative attempts we've seen. Via PSFK.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from July's haul of newbies. (Yes, we're assuming you've watched Black Widow already.) BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON Coffin flops, sloppy steaks and babies that know you used to be a piece of shit: they're just some of the absurdist and hilarious gems that the second season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson serves up. Also making an appearance: a secret excuse to help men explain away pee stains on their pants, quite the loud and lurid shirt, and a daggy hat. Back in 2019, the sketch comedy's first season was Netflix's best new show of the year, and easily. History is repeating itself with the series' next batch of episodes, with all of the above inclusions resulting in side-splitting chuckles. To put it simply, absolutely no one excavates, explores and satirises social awkwardness with the gusto, commitment and left-of-centre viewpoint of Robinson. His skits dive headfirst into uncomfortable and excruciating situations, dwell there, and let them fester. He's a mastermind at ensuring that gags go for exactly as long as they need to — whether they're brief or prolonged — and the only criticism that can be found with I Think You Should Leave is that its short 15–17-minute episodes zoom by, so you'll probably watch all six new instalments in one 90-minute sitting. That's perhaps the best hour and a half you could spend staring at the TV right now. Robinson's flexible face is a constant source of surprises, and humour, and his outlook upon the world is both savage and brutally relatable. Binge his gags, then binge them again; that's how savvy this show is, and how addictive. If we can't have more Detroiters, the sublime sitcom that Robinson made after his time on Saturday Night Live, thank goodness we now have this. The second season of I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is available to stream via Netflix. THE PURSUIT OF LOVE Bolters and stickers. They're the two labels given to women in The Pursuit of Love, a lavish, effervescent and also impeccably shrewd new three-part miniseries adaptation of Nancy Milford's 1945 novel of the same name. Befitting its source material's timing, the storyline leads into the Second World War, all as chalk-and-cheese cousins Linda Radlett (Lily James, The Dig) and Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham, Little Joe) grow from teens into women — and the former, the impulsive and passionate daughter of a Lord (Dominic West, Stateless) who doesn't believe in educating girls and hates foreigners, chases romance at all costs. Fanny narrates the story, detailing Linda's ups and downs alongside her own. Her own mother (Emily Mortimer, Relic) is purely known as "the Bolter", having left Fanny with her sister (Annabel Mullion, Patrick Melrose) as she too sought love again and again. It's a label that Linda despises when it's applied to her, though. Whether having her eyes opened to the world by her bohemian neighbour (Andrew Scott, His Dark Materials), falling for the first arrogant boy (Freddie Fox, Fanny Lye Deliver'd) she spends any real time with, or later crossing paths with a motivated Communist (James Frecheville, The Dry) and a French duke (Assaad Bouab, Call My Agent!), she does keep leaping forward, however. In contrast, Fanny literally bumps into Oxford academic (Shazad Latif, Profile) and settles into domestic bliss, all while worrying about her cousin. Mortimer also makes her directorial debut with this swiftly engaging look at well-to-do lives, and unpacking of the way women are perceived — and it's the latter, the vivid staging and cinematography, and the vibrant performances that make this a must-see. The Pursuit of Love is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. THIS WAY UP Another month, another season of stellar comedy This Way Up. That's not how it aired in Britain, but it's basically how it has panned out for Australian viewers. And, that's a great thing — not only because this smartly written, astute, insightful and delightfully acerbic series about London-based Irish siblings Áine (Aisling Bea, Living With Yourself) and Shona (Sharon Horgan, Catastrophe) keeps viewers hooked episode after episode, but because binging your way through it immerses you wholeheartedly in their chaotic lives and headspace. As the first season established, English teacher Áine is riding the ups and downs of a mental health journey that saw her spend some time receiving in-patient treatment, and has left Shona, the high-powered overachiever of the pair, perennially worried. Even as COVID-19 approaches and begins to affect their lives, that dynamic is still in place. But Áine is now embarking upon a relationship with Richard (Tobias Menzies, The Crown), the father of a French boy (Dorian Grover, The White Princess) she tutors, all while trying to hide it from her bosses and said kid. Shona is the least-fussed bride-to-be there is as she prepares to get married to her long-term boyfriend and ex-colleague Vish (Aasif Mandvi, Evil), and also navigates more than a little awkwardness with her friend and new business partner Charlotte (Indira Varma, Official Secrets). The heart of this series is the push and pull between this sisters, and how they try to weather everything that life throws their way — and it remains firmly intact this time around. The second season of This Way Up is available to stream via Stan. FEAR STREET Maya Hawke. A mall. Retro clothes and tunes aplenty. Combine the three, and that's how Fear Street Part 1: 1994 opens. Yes, that's familiar, because all of the above played a significant part in the third season of Stranger Things, too. But while Hawke is still popping up on Netflix here, she isn't in Hawkins, Indiana anymore. Instead, her character Heather is working at a mall in Shadyside, Ohio. The year is obviously 1994, Heather is doing the closing shift at a book store, and viewers first see her gushing over an eerie title, only for the customer that's buying it to proclaim: "it's trash; lowbrow horror". Fear Street Part 1: 1994 might begin with a wink to its RL Stine-penned source material, but that isn't the only nod it serves up. Directed and co-written by Leigh Janiak (Honeymoon), this slasher flick splashes its debts to everything from Halloween to Scream across every frame. That's part of the package, as is plenty of blood, gore, bumps and jumps. The end result is unmistakably formulaic, but aptly so; every novel in Stine's series also earned the same description, as did every Goosebumps book as well. From this scene-setting opening, there's a masked killer on the loose, more deaths and chaos follows, and a witch's curse pops up. Then, two more movies keep spinning the story. Fear Street Part 2: 1978 takes its cues from Friday the 13th by heading to a summer camp in its titular year, and Fear Street Part 3: 1666 ponders the origins of Shadyside's curse in the 1600s — and binging all three at once is immensely easy. All three Fear Street movies are available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review of Fear Street Part 1: 1994. DR DEATH Cliffhangers aren't a new creation, but Dr Death deploys the tactic masterfully. When each episode of this true-crime series ends, you want more. That's a product of the show's structure as it jumps between different years in neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch's life, and also a result of the stressful story itself. As played by Joshua Jackson (Little Fires Everywhere), Duntsch is full of charm when he's trying to encourage folks with spinal pain and neck injuries into his operating theatre — or when he's attempting to convince hospitals, particularly in Texas, to hire him. But again and again, those surgeries end horrendously. And if he's not endeavouring to sweet talk someone to get what he wants, and maintain the reputation and lifestyle he demands, his charisma melts into pure arrogance, including when he's dealing with his patients post-surgery and/or their loved ones. That's the narrative that Dr Death charts, all based on Duntsch's real-life tale, with the series following The Case Against Adnan Syed and the first and second seasons of Dirty John in jumping to the small screen from podcasts. If you've heard the Wondery release that shares Dr Death's name, you'll know that this tale is pure nightmare fuel, and the well-acted, well-shot and rightly angry drama plays that way on the screen. The longer he's allowed to operate, the bleaker Duntsch's story gets, all while fellow Texas surgeons Randall Kirby (Christian Slater, Dirty John) and Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin, Pixie) do whatever they can to bring his misdeeds to light. Dr Death is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE WHITE LOTUS With Enlightened, his excellent two-season Laura Dern-starring comedy-drama from 2011–13, writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) followed an executive who broke down at work. When she stepped back into her life, she found herself wanting something completely different not just for herself, but for and from the world. It isn't linked, narrative-wise, to White's latest TV miniseries The White Lotus. Here, wealthy Americans holiday at a luxe Hawaiian resort, which is managed by Australian Armond (Murray Bartlett, Tales of the City) — folks like business star Nicole (Connie Britton, Bombshell), her husband Mark (Steve Zahn, Where'd You Go, Bernadette), and the teenage trio of Olivia (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria), Paula (Brittany O'Grady, Little Voice) and Quinn (Fred Hechinger, Fear Street); newlyweds Rachel (Alexandra Daddario, Songbird) and Shane (Jake Lacy, Mrs America); and the recently bereaved Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge, Promising Young Woman). From the outset, when the opening scene shows Shane accompanying a body on the way home, viewers know this'll end with a death; however, as each episode unfurls, it's clear that these characters are reassessing what they want out of life as well. Here, a glam and glossy getaway becomes a hellish trap, magnifying glass and mirror, with everyone's issues and problems only augmented by their time at the eponymous location. In terms of sinking its claws into the affluent, eat the rich-style, this perceptive, alluring and excellently cast drama also pairs nicely with the White-penned Beatriz at Dinner, especially as it examines the differences between the resort's guests and staff. The first three episodes of The White Lotus are available to stream via Binge, with new episodes dropping weekly. TED LASSO A sports-centric sitcom that's like a big warm hug, Ted Lasso belongs in the camp of comedies that focus on nice and caring people doing nice and caring things. Parks and Recreation is the ultimate recent example of this subgenre, as well as fellow Michael Schur-created favourite Brooklyn Nine-Nine — shows that celebrate people supporting and being there for each other, and the bonds that spring between them, to not just an entertaining but to a soul-replenishing degree. As played by Jason Sudeikis (Booksmart), the series' namesake is all positivity, all the time. A small-time US college football coach, he scored an unlikely job as manager of British soccer team AFC Richmond in the show's first season, a job that came with struggles. The ravenous media wrote him off instantly, the club was hardly doing its best, owner Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham, Sex Education) had just taken over the organisation as part of her divorce settlement, and veteran champion Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein, Uncle) and current hotshot Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster, Judy) refused to get along. Ted's upbeat attitude does wonders, though. In the second season, however, he finds new team psychologist Dr Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles, I May Destroy You) an unsettling presence. You definitely don't need to love soccer or even sport to fall for this show's ongoing charms, to adore its heartwarming determination to value banding together and looking on the bright side, and to love its depiction of both male tenderness and supportive female friendships (which is where Maleficent: Mistress of Evil's Juno Temple comes in). In fact, this is the best sitcom currently in production. The first two episodes of Ted Lasso's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes dropping weekly. MONSTERS AT WORK Some of the best films leave you pondering a simple question: what happened next? Sequels don't always answer that query, though, because often you're wondering what literally followed mere moments after the exact events you've just watched — which isn't necessarily where follow-ups head. Cue Monsters at Work, Pixar's latest addition to its Monsters, Inc franchise. That smart and sweet 2001 movie saw seasoned scarer Sulley (John Goodman, The Righteous Gemstones) and his offsider Mike (Billy Crystal, Untogether) upend their titular employer's setup, their city of Monstropolis and their whole monster-filled world, all by realising that the children they're tasked with frightening would be much happier laughing. 2013 prequel Monsters University then joined them back at that eponymous spot; however, if you've always wanted to know what happened after Sulley and Mike switched to eliciting giggles, that's where this new Disney+ TV series comes in. The pair everyone already knows and loves is adjusting to the new status quo, because the ten-part animated show picks up the very next day after the film that started it all. Also thrown askew: Tylor Tuskmon (Ben Feldman, Mad Men) a horned scarer who just graduated, is all set to spook kids, but finds himself working in maintenance instead. Even as it explores the fallout of Pixar's beloved 20-year-old delight, this series doesn't really need to exist, but it nonetheless delivers an enjoyable extended stint in this creature-filled world. Also entertaining: voice work from Mindy Kaling (Locked Down) and Henry Winkler (Barry) as Tylor's new colleagues. The first five episodes of Monsters at Work are available to stream via Disney+, with new episodes dropping weekly. MIRACLE WORKERS: THE OREGON TRAIL In the first season of Miracle Workers, which hit screens back in 2019, the one and only, always-great Steve Buscemi (The King of Staten Island) played god. It was a stroke-of-genius piece of exceptional casting in an eccentric comedy about heavenly bureaucrats subjected to the supposed Almighty's whims while still trying to keep earth running — and attempting to save it from the deity's destructive tendencies — but the storyline wrapped up in one season. Thankfully, the series still returned in 2020; however, this time it went back to the Dark Ages. Buscemi's role: Eddie Shitshoveler. Yes, that name does indeed describe the character's occupation, and many hilarious hijinks ensued in that addition to this ongoing anthology. Again, the tale ran for a single season, but that wasn't the end of the show either. Now that Miracle Workers has returned once more, it has the subtitle The Oregon Trail. Buscemi is Benny the Teen, an outlaw in pioneer era-America who ends up leading townsfolk from a fading rural locale along the titular track and hopefully to a better life. All of his now three-time co-stars are back as well, with Daniel Radcliffe (Guns Akimbo) playing a priest, Geraldine Viswanathan (The Broken Hearts Gallery) as the unhappy wife of Jon Bass' (Baywatch) snobbish villager, and Karan Soni (Superintelligence) as another gunslinger. Like its predecessors, this season is delightfully absurd, filled with intriguing characters and benefits from committed comic performances, all while parodying its new setting. The first three episodes of Miracle Workers: The Oregon Trail are available to stream via Stan, with new episodes dropping weekly. CLASSICS TO WATCH AND REWATCH THE SPY KIDS FRANCHISE Here's the thing about the best family-friendly movies: if they're great and they truly live up to their genre, then they really are not just suitable for but entertaining to audiences of all ages. Most films that overtly endeavour to entice children's eyeballs do also attempt to keep adults engaged as well — but oh-so-many fail. Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids franchise is one of the rare examples that works for everyone. It's goofy enough to play as an espionage comedy for viewers young and old, and even its flatter moments are better and have more personality than the bulk of its genre cohorts. Given the cast, which includes Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory), Carla Gugino (Gunpowder Milkshake), Alan Cumming (Battle of the Sexes), Cheech Marin (The War with Grandpa), Danny Trejo (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run), Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers: The Oregon Trail; see above) and Salma Hayek (The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard), as well as Daryl Sabara (The Green Inferno) and Alexa Vega (Nashville) as the central kids, there was always going to be plenty to love here. Nostalgia might keep drawing you back to this series, but that's not the only thing that'll keep you interested. The frenetic and kinetic pace, the candy-coloured visuals and the all-round offbeat approach all filter through not only the first three flicks in the franchise, aka 2001's Spy Kids, 2002's Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, and 2003's Spy Kids 3: Game Over, but also 2011's Spy Kids: All the Time in the World as well. Spy Kids, Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3: Game Over are available to stream via Binge, and all four films are also available on Stan. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May and June this year — and our top straight-to-streaming movies and specials from 2021 so far, and our list of the best new TV shows released this year so far as well.
Utes are as ubiquitously Australian as Vegemite, meat pies and nicknames abbreviated to capitulate in the letter O. This is what makes a trip to the legendary Deni Ute Muster a perfect excursion for those keen to experience a classic Australian road trip. The annual event held in the NSW Riverina town of Deniliquin (a 3.5-hour drive from Melbourne) is a celebration of the iconic vehicle. But you don't need to be a rev-head or even own your own ute to get amongst this uniquely Australian shindig. Parked between the Commodores and Falcons, Rangers and Hiluxes, will be a lineup of some of the country's biggest names in music, tasty food pop-ups and the opportunity to do two nights of camping on Friday, 29 and Saturday, 30 September. Expect to spot Jess Mauboy, John Williamson, Missy Higgins and Lee Kernaghan belting out hits over the weekend. Off-stage, entertainment will be provided courtesy of activities like an ice skating rink, Bogan Bingo, camel rides, monster truck rides and a muster sandpit. Tickets start at $310 which also covers camping, so you can bring your own tent or caravan — or simply roll out a swag in the back of your ute. Deni Ute Muster is on from Friday, September 29 to Saturday, September 30 2023. For further details, head to the website.
Since you're reading this, we bet you love sippin' a cheeky marg — on a hot day, after a long day at work or when you're celebrating something special. It's a classic for a reason. But, like when reading a good crime fiction novel or watching the latest bingeable TV show, we love an unexpected twist from time to time. So, to celebrate International Margarita Day on February 22, we've teamed up with Patrón tequila to share these three recipes that'll help you mix things up. Whether you want to make the most of seasonal produce or test your tolerance for chilli, these tipples will do the trick. Want to leave it to the pros? Patrón is also giving away complimentary margaritas for the entire month of February at a bunch of bars around the city. Head here to claim your free tipple. PINEAPPLE MARGARITA Have your plans to escape to a tropical oasis been thwarted by border closures? We get it. But there's no need to cry — that's how you get sunscreen in your eyes. Instead, conjure those island vibes with this sweet concoction. Ingredients 45ml Patrón Silver 25ml Dekuyper Triple Sec 20ml lime juice Three cubes of fresh pineapple Method Muddle pineapple in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add all other ingredients in and add ice. Shake hard and double-strain into a chilled coupette. Garnish with a wedge of pineapple. SPICY MARGARITA We all know how well a classic margarita pairs with spicy food. Perhaps that's why we have two hands, so we can hold a margarita in one and a taco in the other. Here, you can cut out the middle man and get the spicy kick straight from your drink. Just don't use that free hand to text your ex. Ingredients 45ml jalapeño-infused Patrón Silver (see note) 15ml fruit or vegetable puree (blood orange, mango or fresh beet) 90ml lime juice Salt Lime wedge and sliced jalapeño to garnish Method Combine infused Patrón Silver with your choice of flavour puree and lime juice over ice in a shaker. Shake and strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Note: To make the jalapeño-infused Patrón Silver, add two whole jalapeños cut down the middle and deseeded into one bottle of Patrón Silver. Let rest for 12 hours. WATERMELON BASIL MARGARITA Lucky us. We get to celebrate International Margarita Day in the heart of summer, so we have excellent seasonal produce at our disposal, including watermelons, to jazz up our cocktails. Shake this sweet and colourful tipple up on the next sunny day and try not to boast too much to your poor mates shivering away in the northern hemisphere winter. Ingredients 45ml Patrón Reposado 30ml fresh watermelon juice or puree 30ml fresh lime juice 30ml agave nectar Three basil leaves (or basil simple syrup) Watermelon wedge or dehydrated lime wheel for garnish Method Combine all ingredients (except the watermelon wedge/lime wheel) in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain onto fresh ice in a glass. Garnish with a basil leaf and wedge of watermelon or a dehydrated lime wheel. To score a complimentary margarita courtesy of Patrón throughout the month of February, head over here.
If you're a fan of dance music, fond of getting nostalgic, and reside in Australia or New Zealand, then you're living in booming times for the intersection of all three. Ministry of Sound is one of the reasons. When it's not throwing massive 90s and 00s parties that nod back to raves three decades back and club nights at the turn of the century, it's busting out Ministry of Sound Classical, the orchestral tour that gives bangers from the past 30 years a new live spin. Separate to the similar Synthony, Ministry of Sound Classical has been popping up Down Under for a few years now. Before 2024 comes to a close, folks in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Auckland will get another chance to attend. The tour has locked in dates in all four cities for prime party season — aka November and December. The brand that started as a London club night back in 1991 won't just get the Ministry of Sound Orchestra led by Vanessa Perica taking to the stage. Joining the fun this time around is DJ Groove Terminator, while the vocal lineup includes Reigan, Karina Chavez, Rudy, Lady Lyric and Luke Antony. Ministry of Sound Classical will head to Spark Arena first, with Tall Paul and General Lee in support. After that, it's Sidney Myer Music Bowl's turn, as accompanied by Tall Paul, John Course, Sunshine & Disco Faith Choir and Piero. Brisbane Riverstage is the next stop, which is where Stafford Brothers, Sgt Slick, Vinyl Slingers and Rousey will pop up. And at Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth, Stanton Warriors, Sgt Slick and Micah will feature. As it surveys tunes that've filled dance floors over the past three decades, the event provides the answer to a question you didn't know you had: what do classical renditions of Basement Jaxx, Darude, Röyksopp, Robin, Underworld, Moby, Fisher and more sound like played by an orchestra? And again, yes, it all sounds a lot like Synthony, which does the same thing — but who doesn't love getting multiple opportunities to hear dance-floor fillers given a classical spin? Ministry of Sound Classical Australian and New Zealand 2024 Dates: Saturday, November 9 — Spark Arena, Auckland, supported by Tall Paul and General Lee Saturday, November 16 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, supported by Tall Paul, John Course, Sunshine & Disco Faith Choir and Piero Saturday, November 30 — Riverstage, Brisbane, supported by Stafford Brothers, Sgt Slick, Vinyl Slingers and Rousey Friday, December 13 — Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth, supported by Stanton Warriors, Sgt Slick and Micah 2024's Ministry of Sound Classical tour will pop up across November and December. For further details and tickets — with presales from Wednesday, July 3 at 12pm AEST/10am WST/12pm NZST, then general sales from Thursday, July 4 at the same times — head to the tour website. Images: Ruby Boland.
If a sunny north Queensland holiday sounds like your kind of bliss at the moment, you're not alone. Spring is here, a toasty summer beckons and Australia's tropical region is mighty enticing all year round anyway. So, whether you're a Brisbanite eager to relax at the other end of the state, or you live elsewhere around the country, Tourism Tropical North Queensland has launched a new tour voucher giveaway that'll give you an extra reason to head to the area. Under the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef Travel Bonus scheme, 8000 vouchers worth $250 each are up for grabs for folks spending their holidays in Queensland's tropical north. You will need to fork out at least $1000 on your trip anyway. But, if you do, you can nab a voucher to use on tours while you're there. The scheme is open all through the warmest parts of the year, too, ending on April 20, 2022. And, unlike previous Queensland travel incentives that've been run at the state government level, these vouchers are open to all Aussies. That said, obviously folks in locked-down parts of New South Wales and Victoria won't be able to head north until the rules in their respective areas allow it, and Queensland's border restrictions as well. To take advantage of the deal, you'll need to book through one of Tourism Tropical North Queensland's travel partners, which includes Viva Holidays, My Queensland and Flight Centre. And yes, you can add the scheme to the list of incentives enticing Aussies to make the most of everything the nation has to offer — when and where they're allowed to, of course — with the Northern Territory doing a tourism giveaway this summer as well. Tourism Tropical North Queensland's Cairns & Great Barrier Reef Travel Bonus scheme runs until April 20, 2022. For more information, head to the $250 Tropical Travel Bonus website.
At the beginning of each year, many of us vow to be more health-conscious and eco-friendly, but life gets in the way and it's often too tempting to pick up additive-laden, mass-produced snacks without thinking about the consequences. Ever since the industrial age, convenience has been put above the environment. Not to mention the popularisation of quick 'n' easy foods in the 40s and 50s, with the likes of McDonald's, Spam and TV dinners. But now, with increasing awareness of how our diets impact the planet, it's time to shake up our snack habits for the better. That's why we've teamed up with the folks at Glad and its Glad to be Green range to come up with some oh-so-convenient — and sustainable — snack hacks, so you can better look after yourself and the planet. [caption id="attachment_742407" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] BUY IN BULK When you're at the supermarket, it's all too easy to just buy what you feel like eating that evening. But, this is a surefire way to spend half your life trudging the aisles looking for inspiration. If you plan out what you need for the week, you only need to make one trip rather than several (which, you know, is also good for the environment), and you'll also reduce waste by planning a schedule that makes optimal use of your food. Even better, head on over to an environmentally conscious, waste-free outlet, such as The Source Bulk Foods stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, to get the exact volume of pantry staples you need. MEAL PREP LIKE A PRO This one might not seem like a timesaver when you're doing it, but we guarantee you it is — and you'll be thankful that you took the time for days afterward. Cooking multiple portions of food doesn't necessarily mean it takes more time than preparing for just one dish. It also means you will have midweek meals prepped and ready for a quick reheat on those busy days when time seems to get away from you. Also, some dishes can taste better a couple of days later — think curries, stews and soups — so it's a win-win. And, for any baking you're doing, be sure to make the switch to Glad's compostable baking paper. It's certified home compostable, and it even breaks down in a worm farm. PALM OFF PALM OIL Due to its versatility and the relatively low cost of its production, palm oil's use skyrocketed in the 20th century. However, such a quick expansion has been at a huge environmental cost, with native forests in the tropics bulldozed and burned to make way for new plantations. The knock-on effect is huge, with everything from loss of animal habitats to the warming of the atmosphere and the violation of indigenous land rights all attributed to palm oil's so-called popularity. It's an ingredient found in plenty of ready-made food, so, if you care about the environment, you may want to rethink that choccy bar. Thankfully, it's quick and simple to make your own planet-savvy, palm oil-free bites. Think bliss balls, granola bars, savoury muffins, veggie chips — you name it, there are plenty of recipes out there. And, think of the bragging rights when you bring your own homemade snacks to work. SAY HELLO TO SMOOTHIES We've all been down to our local cafe and bought our favourite smoothie or juice without giving a second thought to how easily we can make them at home. Not only do we usually spend too much money on store-bought smoothies, but we're letting all those browning apples, wilted kale bunches and slightly bruised avos go to waste. Instead, save your pennies and throw in any bruised and browned fruit and veg in a blender. Smoothies and juices take no time at all to make, and you'll have a tasty, healthy and filling snack (or brekkie). And, if you're really keen, you can pre-chop your fruit and veg, pop them in Glad's plant-based sandwich bags and throw them in the freezer for those mornings when you hit snooze too many times. TRY OUT ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES Australia is a country concerned about over-farming and the environmental impact of agriculture — according to Animals Australia, about 12.1 percent of us are now eating a fully or mostly vegetarian diet, which is up from less than ten percent in 2012. So, if you want to steer clear of the industry while still getting your protein fix, there are plenty of alternatives — from lentil patties and vegetarian sausages to bush tucker. And you can incorporate this ethos into your morning flat white, too. All alternative milks are better for the planet than dairy, with oat milk widely considered the best of the bunch from an environmental impact standpoint. SOUPER SUNDAYS Weekends are great — we get to sink into the sofa, catch up with friends and get to tick off some of the fun things on our to-do lists. But, Sundays always roll around too quickly, with Monday looming ever-closer. Didn't make it to the shops or local farmers market this weekend? We get it, sometimes living your best life gets in the way of chores. But, you probably do still have some food in your fridge and cupboard that needs to be used, and you need lunch for the week. This is where soup is your friend. Get your biggest pot, put all your veg in, add water, stock, herbs, spices and whatever else you fancy and, bingo, you've got a cheap, waste-free meal. Plus, Glad to be Green's, plant-based bags — which are made with 50 percent sugarcane (a renewable resource) and have a smaller carbon footprint — are great for when you want to split your soup into portions and freeze for later. Not only that, but they also have a handy space to date and name the contents to avoid any mix-ups (and potential sore tummies). Go green and visit the Glad website for more tips and tricks.
By August, winter can begin to feel as though it's been dragging on forever. Some of us, like migratory birds, make an annual pilgrimage to our favourite Northern Hemisphere destination, avoiding the darker months altogether. Others dig in like grizzly bears, travelling no further than is necessary to obtain food and money. Fortunately, one of Australia's geographical benefits is its proximity to an abundance of eternally sun-kissed destinations. Whether you prefer the seemingly boundless expanse of the Pacific Ocean, or the monsoonal mystery of the Indian Ocean - the warmest ocean in the world - you're only ever a a few hours' flight time away from winterless climes. So, if you're feeling as though you'd like a quick preview of summer before December ushers in the main act, here are ten destinations that could well have you digging out your long lost swimmers. Eratap, Vanuatu If you happen to be sitting at an airport on the eastern seaboard of Australia right now, this view is just three hours and twenty minutes' travelling time away. That's a three hour flight to Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, and a twenty minute drive to the pier pictured above. Even though the exclusive resort of Eratap is comprised of just twelve villas, all located on the waterfront, it occupies an entire peninsula, incorporating eight acres of lush gardens and three lonely beaches. Plus, the resort's gardeners will drop you to one of several surf breaks just off the beach should you feel the inclination. Semara Luxury Villa Resort, Bali If you like your rooms over-sized, your ocean views panoramic and your gardens perfectly manicured, Semara is likely to tick all your boxes. Located on Bali's southernmost point, this resort features seven commodious, architect-designed villas, which overlook the Indian ocean from the spectacular heights of Uluwatu's stunning white limestone cliffs. Zeavola, Phi Phi, Thailand Encompassing an unspoiled stretch of too-white-to-be-true sand on Phi Phi Don Island's northern tip, Zeavola promises an indulgent experience based on sensual pleasure. The accommodation, modelled on island-style housing, is built of hand-hewn teak, and the landscaping features quiet gardens, romantic outdoor showers and hand-painted murals. Wayalailai Ecohaven Resort, Fiji One of the few 100% locally owned resorts in the Pacific Islands, Wayalailai offers a beach-side break in the heavenly Yasawa Islands that isn't quite as devastating on the wallet as other, more luxurious options. Run by nearby villages, Wayalailai features traditional-style bures (both doubles and dorms) and enables the visitor to experience Fijian society and culture as it occurs on a daily basis, rather than as a construction for the purpose of tourist entertainment. Prices start at $70, inclusive of three meals, and you can even pitch a tent for $55. All profits go to improving living standards and increasing access to education in local communities. Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa, Cook Islands Many a well-seasoned traveller has concluded that Aitutaki Lagoon is the most beautiful in the world. 'No artist's palette could ever conceive of a more perfect, more luminous turquoise,' Steve Daley wrote in Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die. The only resort in the Cook Islands to occupy its own private island, the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa, perched on the lagoon's edge, is renowned for its intimate, Polynesian-style over water bungalows. Te Tiare Beach Resort, French Polynesia Te Tiare Beach Resort - one of the smallest and most intimate in French Polynesia - is located on Huahine, one of the less visited and most tranquil of the country's islands. There's a local farmer's market, a strong traditional fishing culture and an abundance of fertile plantations and orchards - vanilla, noni fruit, taro, watermelon, mango, papaya, banana and breadfruit are all made for the South Seas. You can choose your bungalow according to your tastes - garden, premium garden, beach, lagoon overwater or deep overwater. L'Escapade Island Resort, New Caledonia Like French Polynesia, New Caledonia offers a little European je-ne-sais-quoi without the pain of a gruelling long-haul flight. In fact, it's less than three hours' time in the air from Sydney. Similarly to the Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa, L'Escapade inhabits its very own private island, twenty minutes' boat ride from Noumea. Access to both inner and outer lagoon areas enables an array of sun-blessed activities, from swimming and snorkelling to windsurfing and kayaking. 69 bungalows - both over water and terrestrial - comprise the accommodation. Fregate Island, Seychelles With 2000 free-roaming Giant Aldabra Tortoises, hundreds of Hawksbill Turtles' nest and an indigenous forest rehabilitation plantation, Fregate Island is not just one of the world's most prestigious holiday destinations, it's also an important conservation project. Visitors can rent one of 16 spacious private pool residencies, a five-building estate or an entire island. Niyama, Maldives The world's first underwater live music club and a 24-hour spa mean that Niyama offers more than your regular beachside vacation. Located forty minutes by seaplane from Male, it features over water pavilions and stand alone studios with unimpeded views of the horizon. The onsite restaurant serves meals just five hundred metres from the water's edge. Sila Evason Hideaway and Spa, Thailand Found on the northern tip of Koh Samui, Sila Evason is famous for is its 41 pool villas, each of which comes with its own private infinity edge pool. They're set in twenty acres of native forest, on a sloping headland, and offer panoramic views of the ocean and surrounding scenery. There's also a Six Senses Spa on the premises.
Tucked away on a quiet street in Collingwood, Loose Leaf is the dream project of Wona Bae and Charlie Lawler. With a combined portfolio that includes backgrounds in horticulture, permaculture and design, the pair harmonise creativity with a deep-rooted connection to the natural environment in their multi-use space. Loose Leaf operates as a thoughtful retail space for flowers and plants, as well as a studio for Wona to bring to life her organic sculptural practice and teach seasonal workshop classes. “We want people to use the space in a non-retail sense as well," she explains. “If we could make it like an indoor park that people might want to hang out in, that would be pretty cool.” The minimal aesthetic of the white-walled, high-ceilinged warehouse space is balanced by an abundance of natural life. Plants thrive in every corner, hang from the ceiling (almost as though levitating) and climb the walls. An ever-changing offering of seasonal flora fills the front of the space, where Wona creates and sells her masterful bouquets and arrangements. While the botanical haven is certainly an aesthetic delight, Charlie and Wona believe strongly in the greater therapeutic benefits connecting with nature can provide. “There are physical health benefits of having plants in your house," Charlie explains. "They can filter the air by taking out gases and chemicals so it’s healthier to breathe, but there’s also research to show that they can improve mental health”. “I’ve always been interested in horticulture therapy,” Wona adds, “When something is dying and you can bring it back to life, it makes you feel so good. It’s beautiful to watch the life cycle of something.” You need only step off the street into their bright space to feel the benefits; it might even work its magic when you're standing across the road. Despite the location only a hop, skip and a jump away from the hubbub of Smith Street, the air feels cleaner upon entering Loose Leaf. The incredible internal landscape combined with Wona and Charlie’s genuine desire to share their passion for “reconnecting with nature” allows their space to feel warm and welcoming. Sharing a cup of tea with the pair amongst their plants seems to be the perfect antidote to the stress of the daily grind. As well as the physical environment, Loose Leaf will be releasing a publication as a continuation of the voice of the space. “For the first year we plan to do a series of single theme based publications,” Charlie tells me. “We like the idea of connecting creativity and nature together, and letting each one inspire themselves." After making more than one trip to Loose Leaf to hang out with the always helpful and humble couple, Concrete Playground asked Charlie and Wona for a few ideas on how to be the best plant owner you can be ahead of the indoor season. Know Your Ability to Commit As far as picking your perfect plant friends, like any relationship, a lot depends on how much you are willing to give. With both high and low maintenance options for any environment, there’s no need to fear keeping something alive other than yourself. In fact, some plants prefer to be left alone. “One plant we’ve got is called the Zanzibar Gem, and the marketing is that it ‘thrives on neglect’,” Wona assures me. “It can deal with low light conditions and not much water." The Zanzibar Gem is added to my mental greenhouse. “We’ve spent a few years researching what works and doesn’t for us from our perspective," she says. "A lot of our plants we’ve picked because they are easy to care for and have actual signs of when they need to be watered or when they need fertilising." Of the choices in their home, she says, “[the plants] will start to talk you in very obvious ways … for example with Devil’s Ivy, the leaves will start to get droopy when it needs water. They can deal with a little more neglect … although we don’t encourage people to neglect their plants!” Location, Location, Location Equally as important as choosing a level of care you’re willing to commit to is the area and conditions your plants will be living in. “It really depends on what room they’re in”, says Charlie. “If you think about it in an outside sense, you get plants growing in the canopy of a jungle with very low light, or you can get plants growing in the desert with lots of sun and not much water”. He adds, “We have microclimates all around our house … the north of your house might feel a bit like Spain, but on the southern side it might be a bit more like Hobart. You can pick the right plant for each microclimate." Give a Little Lovin' In terms of caring for your greenery, things like fertilising and repotting can help extend the life and size of your plant. It's important that you look after your little guy (or don't, if it's a Zanzibar Gem). “Potted plants need fertilising because they’re not getting the nutrients replenished like they do nature, like when it rains or when trees drop their leaves," Charlie told me. "Inside plants obviously don’t get that so you need to give them some plant food. “By growing the size of the pot you’ll allow the roots to get bigger, and … there’s normally a direct reflection with what’s above the soil from what’s below” I admitted I had never repotted a plant. “Massage at the edge of the pot to help the plant come out more easily," he says. "You can massage the roots a little bit to help loosen them, put the plant in the new pot with the new soil.” Charlie and Wona's excitement for sharing the Loose Leaf love is tangible and inspiring. And while I may not be ready to commit to maintaining the exotic indoor jungle I envision just yet, I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to bring the pot plants in my bedroom back to life.
Play music, make calls, take photos, open doors and share your location – all with the flick of a single switch. That's the idea behind Flic, a new wireless, portable button developed by a group of Swedish entrepreneurs that can be programmed to work with just about any smart device that you please. The 28mm diametre button works in conjunction with a smartphone app that allows you to assign it a particular function – such as snoozing your alarm, dialing pre-set phone numbers or switching on the lights in your smart home. Each button can be programmed with up to three different functions (single click, double click and hold) and has a reusable adhesive back so it can be fastened wherever is convenient. The creators of the device offer up a few more potential applications in the promotional video, below. Be warned though: the cheese factor is pretty high. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDsjBh2xOgQ While we're still not entirely convinced that getting your phone out of your pocket is really all that strenuous, this little button does look pretty cool. According to the specs listed on their website, the button's silicon overmould means that it is able to withstand weather and dust, and can be used both indoors and out. It also comes in a number of different colours, and operates on a replaceable coin battery that lasts up to five years. You can currently preorder a Flic button for US$34 plus $5 shipping. You can also get discounts if you order more than one – just in case you were planning on decking out your house like the inside of a spaceship.
This cheery new Brunswick East brunch destination has proved a hit with humans and pooches alike, winning over fans with its all-day bagel menu, house-roasted coffee and one of the most dog-friendly outdoor dining spaces around. Against a dapper backdrop of white tile and navy blue accents, Bellboy is plating up an offering of contemporary cafe gems, running from the scrambled eggs cacio e pepe ($17), to a prawn and crab brioche roll laced with spicy mayo ($20). Meanwhile, a dedicated bagel lineup features crafty fillings like wood-smoked pastrami with cheese and sauerkraut ($15), vegan salad with cashew cream cheese ($13), and a classic muffuletta ($15), all served with house-cut chips. Former Golden Bean winner and coffee legend Mark Leo is roasting two signature coffee blends on site, for espresso and filter options, or you can try your caffeine married with soda water and a hit of orange in the cold brew spritzer ($8). There's also free-flowing sparkling water ($1.50), house-pressed juices ($6.50) and signature cocktails like the apple-infused elderflower gin blossom ($13). As for four-legged guests, they'll be pretty chuffed with the dedicated menu of Bender& Friends doggy treats, the custom Frank & Friends Design 'check-in' kennel and the oh-so-chic ceramic bowls by Houndsome Dog. Images: Julian Lallo
It's time for another madcap, star-studded, pastel-hued adventure with Wes Anderson. Hooray! The follow-up to Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel follows Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a manager at the swanky eponymous establishment and his devoted lobby boy, Zero Moustafa. The suave Gustave is a hit with the mature lady guests, and when one of them dies, he is suspected of murder and theft. So he and his precious sidekick make a run for it, and the story unfolds into the whirlwind of adventure, mystery, romance and, of course, comedy that captivate us with Anderson's films. It looks like Anderson won't be abandoning his colourful, dreamy sets; dry, poker-faced humour; and eccentric characters anytime soon. The usual suspects in the cast include Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman. Tilda Swinton, Jude Law and Saoirse Ronan are also thrown in, making The Grand Budapest Hotel one Anderson's most dynamically cast films yet. The Grand Budapest Hotel is is in cinemas on Thursday, April 10, and thanks to Twentieth Century Fox, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=1Fg5iWmQjwk
When Betty's Burgers and Concrete Co started dishing up burgs, fries and shakes, it gave hungry (and grateful) Australian tastebuds a Shake Shack-style burger experience. The chain has done well with that approach, unsurprisingly, expanding from its Noosa beginnings to now boast joints in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth — and a trio of ex-staff members are aiming for the same success with new venture Slim's Quality Burger. There's plenty that's familiar about Slim's template, in fact. Swap out the Shake Shack nods, substitute in a 50s and 60s-inspired setup that takes its cues from American diner culture, and that's the concept. Once again, the focus is on classic-style burgs rather than OTT numbers in this new spot from Michael Tripp, Nik Rollison and Betty's founder David Hales; however, the burgers here are paired with old-school ice cream sundaes instead of Betty's frozen custard 'concretes'. Now open in Marrickville in Sydney, with other stores set to come around the country — details of which haven't yet been revealed — Slim's is all about a lean menu of options made with simple but quality ingredients. Burger-wise, customers can choose between original, cheeseburger, deluxe cheeseburger and 'the works' burgs all made with angus beef, plus five different chicken varieties — including with crispy fried or grilled chook — and a veggie option using a plant-based patty. Sides focus on fries either with sea salt, loaded with cheese and grilled onion, or also featuring maple-smoked bacon. As for those sundaes, they come in hot fudge, salted caramel and strawberry flavours. And to wash it all down, there are spiders — because plonking a scoop of ice cream in some soft drink never gets old — plus post-mix from the fountain, and chocolate, vanilla and strawberry thickshakes. And with its vibrant red bench seating, the same hue beaming up from the chequerboard-tiled floor and a curved order counter — in the Marrickville setup at least — the decor clearly takes Slim's chosen retro aesthetic seriously. Also a feature in Sydney: outdoor dining, plus a blast from the past-meets-modern overall feel. Slim's Quality Burger has opened its first store at 20 Smidmore Street, Marrickville, with more locations to come across Australia — we'll update you when new sites are announced.
From Friday, May 1, 2020 a maximum of two adult Sydneysiders can visit a second household, so you can start planning small dinner parties. Remember, though, that you need to continue to follow the rest of the social distancing and public gathering restrictions. If, like us, you've suddenly realised that you go to bed before 10pm, enjoy a fair slosh of milk in your tea and your ankles crack inexplicably when you stand up or sit down, you might be feeling like you're getting too old for places like 'the club'. Well, we say embrace it; start doing grown-up things like having dinner parties instead. Trust us, you're probably not the only one in your crew who'd much rather be at home on the couch, sipping G&Ts with mates and in bed by a wholesome hour. The days of nice cheese, top-shelf (or close to) alcohol, decent home cooking and adult conversations about the state of the world (you'll need the drinks for this) have arrived. So your dinner party is as successful as it can be, here are some tips. Start by buying some matching crockery, teach yourself to make a good roast and move on down this list. [caption id="attachment_731075" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] THE APERITIF Luckily this one is easy. Well, it can be. You can throw together a refreshing G&T — this timeless combination of gin and tonic water isn't to be sneered at — whip up a spritz or get fancy with something slightly more complicated, like a negroni (which is just equal parts Campari, gin and sweet vermouth). If you want go even fancier, we've wrapped up some recipes for run tipples, such as sangria, a basil collins and le grand fizz — over here. [caption id="attachment_689382" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould.[/caption] THE NIBBLES Proven over the centuries, the Italians know what to do with their savoury pre-dinner snacks. So, get your head, heart and stomach around the bellissimo antipasti game. Head to a proper Italian food store to stock up on the goods, because if there's something worth spending most of your week's pay on it's a really, really good pecorino and some deluxe salumi. Try the truly hallowed halls of Mediterranean Wholesalers in Melbourne's Brunswick, the storied Paesanella Food Emporium in Sydney's Marrickville or New Farm Deli in Brisbane's New Farm, which has been operating since 1975. You can also check out our Gin List for some recipe ideas for your pre-dinner eats — and what's more, each one comes with a gin cocktail pairing to try. You're welcome. THE TABLE SETTING Being an adult is all about putting in the effort — think making bread from scratch, remembering to send birthday cards or, you know, finally graduating from the sharehouse vibes and hanging art on the walls. The same thing goes for when you're hosting a dinner party: why not put in just a smidge more effort? Look up how to properly set a table, invest in some cloth serviettes (it's an eco-friendly decision, too) and make place cards for your guests. (Pinterest has approximately 200 million ideas to inspire you.) For the final touch, find every candle and candleholder you may own and scatter them across the table. Just no scented candles, please. You don't want those Glasshouse fragrances clashing with the meal you've thoughtfully prepared. THE LIGHTING Nothing can make a dinner party more uncomfortable than glaring fluorescent lights or the sun setting mid-meal making it almost impossible to see the food on your plate. Ease your way into the darkening evening with soft, warm lighting a la the candle collection above— or just throw a scarf over a lamp and call it décor. Whatever floats your lantern. If you're sitting outside for the evening, set up some candles early on to light once the sun dips beneath the horizon. Oh, and a string or two of fairy lights never goes amiss. THE MEAL It's the pièce de résistance of the evening, the opportunity to impress your friends with your cooking prowess (be it newly learned or well-honed). What you'll serve to eat should come with careful decision. Do any of your guests have dietary requirements? How much time do you have to prep and cook? Does your current salary afford a full roast to feed ten guests? When you've considered all these factors, then it's time to scour Google for the best-rated recipes. We've also delved into our archives to find you some past recipes we've scored from the likes of Sydney's Thievery, Porteño, Big Poppa's and Three Blue Ducks. THE PLAYLIST The first knock or ring of your doorbell may alert you of the fact that you have no music playing yet. Your mind has been kept busy prepping and cooking and primping that the evening's soundtrack hasn't even yet registered. Don't panic — we're here to help. Grab your phone and just chuck this smooth dinner party playlist on for the evening. Erykah Badu and Toto will help you chase away the nerves and comfortably settle into the evening (G&T in hand — you deserve it). https://open.spotify.com/user/concreteplayground/playlist/6SBK5b5pwaqhyGo8scJnQl
When a movie premieres at the Cannes Film Festival, the literal applause it receives makes headlines. It happens every year — and at fellow major international film fests such as Berlin and Venice, too — with reports detailing the number of minutes that the audience put their hands together for while on their feet. Back in May 2024, The Apprentice was no different. While the time spent clapping varied depending on the source, this was still a story. But there was also another tale that followed swiftly after the feature's debut, as it was likely always bound to: the response from its subject to this unofficial biopic, or at least from his campaign, including a cease-and-desist letter attempting to stop anyone else from seeing it. The Apprentice's title tells everyone the who and the why of this situation. Before he was America's 45th president, Donald Trump spent over a decade hosting the reality-TV series that shares its moniker with Ali Abbasi's new film. This isn't a chronicle of Trump's time on the show, or in the Oval Office afterwards, however. It isn't just an unsanctioned big-screen Trump biography, either. Making his first English-language feature after 2016 Danish horror film Shelley, the Oscar-submitted 2018 Swedish standout Border and 2022's Persian-language serial-killer thriller Holy Spider, Copenhagen-based Iranian Danish filmmaker Abbasi also doesn't simply step through Trump's origin story in the 70s and 80s — although it chronicles his start in real estate, his relationship with his father and his marriage to Ivana. The movie's pitch-perfect name hones in on the most-crucial element of the picture: that this is a portrait of chasing power seen through a mentor-protege relationship. Trump is the apprentice. His guide: New York City attorney and political fixer Roy Cohn, who first came to fame in the 50s investigating suspected Communists with Senator Joseph McCarthy. Abbasi digs into how Cohn helped shape Trump, including the three rules of winning passed down from the former to the latter. Those tenets: first, attack, attack, attack. Then, admit nothing and deny everything. And lastly, claim victory while never ever admitting defeat. It's impossible to watch these rules outlined in The Apprentice — or even read them on the page — and not spot how they still dictate Trump's actions today. That's one of the film's many astute moves. Another: casting Sebastian Stan (Dumb Money), who gives one of his two phenomenal performances for 2024 alongside A Different Man, as Donald Trump. Seeing him anchor the familiar Trump mannerisms, speech patterns, talking points and attitudes — details that anyone who has even just spotted the IRL figure on the news across his political career in passing will instantly recognise — in the younger version of the man, an iteration brought to the screen with complexity, is both haunting and uncanny. Equally exceptional: a can't-look-away Jeremy Strong in his first post-Succession part as Cohn, in another of the film's performances that demands awards attention. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Oscar-nominee and Bodies Bodies Bodies star Maria Bakalova also leaves an impression as Ivana. And Abbasi remains one of the most-exciting directors working today in every choice that he makes throughout The Apprentice, including deploying a visual approach that scrapes away any gleam from his take on Trump at every moment. "I think we've been quite restrained," Abbasi tells Concrete Playground about the movie, talking about the instant backlash and the complicated response he knows it will continued to receive. "If we wanted to be controversial, we have ample, ample opportunities to be so." We also chatted with the director about the quest to get the film made and seen, building a portrait of someone that everyone in the world has an opinion of, why he wanted to bring this tale to the screen, getting Stan onboard, and the importance of diving into Trump and Cohn's relationship. On the Diverse Responses to the Film's Premiere, Including the Cannes Standing Ovation and the Trump Campaign's Reaction "It's sort of the same in a way. What do they say, you have to grab a compliment whenever, wherever you find it, whichever way you find it, in whatever form you find it? I think if the Trump campaign thinks that this is the worst — they have an actually really funny formulation, they're saying this is 'pure fictionalised trash'. And I'm like, that's a very general sentence you can basically write in the beginning of every feature film. It's pure fictionalised trash — that's a punk-rock way of saying 'this is the movie'. And look, I think we've been quite restrained. I think this is a quite a restrained movie. I do not understand where people talk about controversy, controversial. If we wanted to be controversial, we have ample, ample opportunities to be so and to do so, and include stuff. I mean, with this guy, the sky is the limit, right. And therefore it's a little bit difficult for me to understand. Of course, we're the underdogs in this game. We just want to get the movie released. So any help, any publicity is appreciated. I don't mind. But on the intellectual level, when people talk about this as being controversial, provocative and the Trump campaign bashing us, I'm like 'have you actually seen the movie? You know, you come out, I would say, much better than you might have'." On Building a Complex, Three-Dimensional Portrait of Someone That Everyone in the World Has an Opinion Of "There's this fable about this father and son, and they have this donkey and they want to go over a river or something like that. They try one way and then someone comes and says 'no, no you can't tie the donkey like that. You have to do it upside down'. And they do it upside down and they say 'no, no, it if you do it upside down, it's going to drown and die in water. You have to do it from the side'. And anyway, it ends up that the donkey goes in the water anyway and drowns. It's a little bit like this movie. It's impossible to get that balance because everyone has an opinion about this donkey. And especially, I think, I really see this acutely in the US. Because I feel like it's impossible, almost, for the Americans — at least, for the critics — to see this as a movie. They either hate the idea of a Trump movie or they think it's not enough — or they think there's nothing new about him that they couldn't read about. So it's a vicious cycle. It feeds itself. And in in reality, I think the only balance that matters is the balance of three dimensionality of character and the authenticity of character. Do I deeply care if we hurt Donald Trump? No, I don't give a fuck, you know. He doesn't care. Why would I care? But I do care about what I feel is fairness. I don't want us to either work for him or work against him. Everyone has different agendas around him and around this sort of political minefield we're living in, and I'm this one guy who actually does not have an agenda either way for against. My agenda is a humanist agenda. I think it's interesting to investigate these people, and the time and the political apparatuses which they're part of." On What Appealed About Bringing This Story to the Screen After Abbasi's Past Films Shelley, Border and Holy Spider "I think what was exciting about this project was the fact that it it's not an American movie — it's about America. And as someone who grew up in Iran, I have this really special relationship to America. I mean, Iran was an American colony until 79. And then after that, we became the archenemy and America became the great satan. And we had this very tense relationship. I think that if you grow up in the Middle East, you have a different view of American politics. You don't really see the difference between Democrats and Republicans in the same way. The outcome is the same. The outcome would end up being a bomb on your head anyway. So I think this this sort of tension and fascination got me curious about American politics, obviously, and the American political system, and this social Darwinism that sort of runs through a lot of things in in American society — this sportifying of everything, so to speak. Even the debates, I don't know if anyone can come up with any single substantive point from the last Trump-versus-Harris debate, but everyone was like 'who won? By what margin did they win?'. But I think there's also something more, there is another complexity in in this story — it's not a Trump movie. It's about this very formative relationship, which Trump is obviously part of. But it's also equally about Roy Cohn, who's as colourful character and as exciting a character, and not as in plain sight as Trump is. And how through this relationship, Trump becomes the person he is. In that way, again, it's also my chance of studying or investigating the system they're operating." On Finding the Right Actor to Play Donald Trump — and Getting Sebastian Stan Onboard "I think for me, casting is like 80 percent of my job. That's also why I am really, really picky and it takes very long time for me to cast my movies, because really once you cast someone, there is not a whole lot you can do about that choice on set either way. And I meant this in a sincere way. It's not a criticism, it's not a problem, but it's something — it's a commitment, I guess. That's a good way of putting it. And that commitment was something that Sebastian definitely paid to this. We start talking about this 2019. And then movie evolved and fell apart few times. It fell apart right after January 6, I remember, as an example of the times. And I think in a way, it is a difficult part to prepare for — not only on a technical level, not only in terms of research and all that, but also mentally. I think I went through a version of this with Holy Spider myself. I was like, the movie itself is one thing, the consequences of making the movie is something else. So I had to mentally prepare to do Holy Spider for many years before I actually made it. I think it's the same for Sebastian. I think maybe the one good thing that came out of all these years of waiting and rebuilding the project was he had time to mentally prepare for the fact that he is doing this person who's extremely polarising — and the aftermath, which is also going to be polarising — and it hasn't even started yet. I think we're going to see the real reactions when the movie comes out. It's different for me. I'm an outsider to this political system, to the US. I can't say I'm an outsider to Hollywood anymore, because now I'm part of it. But I have a sort of a safety distance. If everything goes wrong, if shit hits the fan, I'm still in Copenhagen — and that's not the case for Sebastian. That's not the case for Amy [executive producer Baer, Purple Hearts] and Gabe [screenwriter Gabriel Sherman, Alaska Daily], who started the project. These are people who are taking real risks with this. As much as I don't understand the controversiality and the risk of it, I do know that I'm not the audience. I'm not the masses — that would be seen very differently." On The Apprentice Living Up to Its Name by Unpacking Roy Cohn's Influence on Donald Trump "It's a little bit of a Frankenstein story in a way, like how the monster is created by the master. But in that case, I think politically speaking, I think it's very wrong to refer to Donald as a monster. Because that would also imply that there's a monster in town and there are some other innocent people who are not. And in fact, that's really not the case. I think anything that the opponents are accusing Trump of doing, they have done themselves in some degree, one way or the other. The argument is here is not that 'oh, there are some fine people on both sides' or everything is relative. I don't think it's relative. I think there's some stuff, like when he comes and says 'people are eating dogs', that's a despicable, stupid, racist, fascist thing to say. That's not relative. That's black and white. But in terms of the dynamics of it, back to Roy Cohn, I think that in the movie as in reality, he had an outsized influence on how Donald became the person he is, and how he learned to navigate and pull the levers of power. And also, most importantly, maybe, how to deal with media. Once you know the rules, you can see how he's on a daily basis using those rules. And there's something interesting about these characters, because in a way, they are pretty punk rock. Punk rock is not something you associate with the right that much — mostly anarchist leftwing, that vibe of it. But when you look at these people, they do what the fuck they want. They establish rules. They tear the rule book. They're colourful. They don't care. And I think that maybe in terms of mentality, that was maybe also a big contribution from Roy. You know, you don't have to give a shit about people. If you say something wrong in an interview, double down, triple down, quadruple down. Who cares? Fuck them, you know?" The Apprentice opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 11, 2024.
UPDATE, November 25, 2020: The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, SBS On Demand, Google Play and YouTube Movies. Has there ever been a filmmaker more suited to a story than Terry Gilliam and Don Quixote? In trying to get his adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes' 16th-century novel off the ground for three decades, the Monty Python alum shares many a trait with the literary hero — they're both dreamers driven to persevere, and to see the world as they choose, regardless of the factors stacked against them. Given that Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote has been in and out of production since 1989, the odds were rarely in the film's favour. Given that he turned a past failed shoot into making-of documentary Lost in La Mancha, it seemed like this movie would never come to fruition. But Gilliam kept toiling as funding came and went, and cast members too. Everyone from Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor and Jack O'Connell to Jean Rochefort, Robert Duvall, Michael Palin and John Hurt have been attached to the project at various points. Starring Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote now definitely exists, as if Gilliam willed it into being with the sheer force of his undying dedication. If you still feel like you need to see the film with your own two eyes to believe that it has finally been unleashed onto the world, that's perfectly understandable. Awaiting in this comic adventure is an obvious passion project — the clear product of a single-minded talent with a specific vision, boundless enthusiasm and the willingness to devote a big chunk of his life to a particular cause. It's also gleefully anarchic, a missive on both making and being transformed by movies, and a romantic ode to the unflinching combination of fantasy and fortitude. A straightforward version of the tale, this isn't. Instead, Gilliam steeps his filmmaker protagonist, Toby Grisoni (Driver), in several layers of Don Quixote connections. (If you're wondering how much humour the writer-director brings to the movie, he co-wrote the screenplay with his Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas scribe Tony Grisoni, who, yes, has an immensely similar name to The Man Who Killed Don Quixote's main character.) In Spain shooting a Quixote-themed commercial and sleeping with his boss' (Stellan Skarsgård) wife (Olga Kurylenko), Toby is reminded of his last visit to La Mancha, when he made a black-and-white version of the classic story for his student film. Alas, journeying down memory lane, and reuniting with shoemaker-turned-leading man Javier (Pryce), has repercussions. As Toby discovers, Javier has spent the past decade or so thinking that he really is the chivalrous knight. Spying the director's familiar face doesn't snap him out of it; rather, he believes that Toby is his squire and sidekick Sancho Panza. When Pryce's Javier bellows "you think you can hide from me?" while immersing Toby in his fanciful quest, it doubles as The Man Who Killed Don Quixote's statement of intent. This flick spent so many years eluding audiences, and now it's determined not only to exist, but to go forth and prosper on its own terms. Go forth, Gilliam does — with the feverish inventiveness that made his early greats such as Brazil and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen such delights, and with a sense of spectacle and occasion to go with it. But there's no mistaking that the filmmaker has much in common with the movie's cynical on-screen filmmaker, too. He knows the reality of his chosen business, and how difficult and convoluted it can be. He also knows what's at stake when you don't follow your dreams. Perhaps that's why The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is so joyous, even when it's ambling about and feeling more than a little shambolic in sections. The film is the product of a guiding hand who's pursuing his passion, is aware of the costs and challenges, and knows that anything worth having is worth working and fighting for. More than that, he's decided that the fruits of his sacrifice and labour are worth sharing as well. As a result, every frame, whether rollicking across dusty plains or literally tilting at windmills, is infused with a can-do, must-do, never-say-die attitude. And while they mightn't have been the director's original choices, Driver and Pryce's intensely committed performances possess the same spirit. After spending so long lost in La Mancha, Gilliam has found his way out, and he's in great company. The twist: even when this loony labour of love proves unsurprisingly indulgent, audiences will still want to get lost in the madcap epic along with him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pf17xRtthc
There's no official Wes Anderson Cinematic Universe. That label isn't bandied across his trailers and posters to describe connections between his movies, storylines don't continue from one film to the next and characters from past flicks aren't popping up in the writer/director's new works. Fan theories can speculate otherwise however they like; however, rather than any overarching narrative tidbits, it's the inimitable auteur's distinctive style, recurrent themes and familiar troupe of actors that connect Anderson's movies — delightfully so 13 full-length titles into his resume (if you count 2023 shorts The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Swan, The Rat Catcher and Poison as one charming anthology). Still, being a part of one of the Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs' helmer's features is akin to entering a specific realm for his cast. Starring in an Anderson picture means working with a filmmaker with a precise aesthetic and meticulous direction, the results of which then get splashed across the screen for audiences to cherish in elaborate detail. In The Phoenician Scheme, Benicio del Toro (Reptile) and Michael Cera (Sacramento) are two such players. They're each either relative or literal newcomers to Anderson's world — del Toro first collaborated with him on The French Dispatch, while Cera was slated to be in Asteroid City but the birth of his son understandably took precedence — and they're loving it. Nothing is accidental in the making of a Wes Anderson film. Nothing is anything but intricately planned and orchestrated, in fact. Accordingly, it should come as zero surprise that del Toro and Cera weren't merely cast in the 50s-set The Phoenician Scheme — they're the only actors that Anderson had in mind for the roles of European business magnate Anatole 'Zsa-zsa' Korda and Norwegian tutor/entomologist Bjorn, respectively. Chatting with Concrete Playground, they both use the same word to describe that situation. "It's a hell of a gift," del Toro advises with a smile. "It was really a treat and a gift," says Cera. Zsa-zsa is The Phoenician Scheme's protagonist. The plan that gives the flick its name — as stored in shoeboxes, and involving a range of business partners spread far and wide (as portrayed by Here's Tom Hanks, The Studio's Bryan Cranston, Relay's Riz Ahmed, A Private Life's Mathieu Almaric, The Last of Us' Jeffrey Wright and Fly Me to the Moon's Scarlett Johansson) — is all his. Brought to life by one of Oscar-winner del Toro's greatest performances, he's also wealthy, charismatic, cut-throat in his professional endeavours and, after surviving his sixth plane crash, keen to get reacquainted with Liesl (Mia Threapleton, The Buccaneers), the nun in training that's also his estranged daughter and preferred heir. As for Bjorn, he's enlisted to teach Zsa-zsa about insects, but finds himself acting more as a personal assistant while getting close to Liesl — who is expectedly wary about her father and his endeavours — as they jet around attempting to lock in The Korda Land and Sea Phoenician Infrastructure Scheme. Cera is stellar, too, as well as a seamless fit into Anderson's repertory cast; his work here ranks up there with Arrested Development's George Michael Bluth, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World's eponymous figure, Twin Peaks' Wally Brando and Barbie's Allan among his most-memorable characters. [caption id="attachment_1006881" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Giulia Parmigiani[/caption] For co-stars, del Toro, Cera, Threapleton and the fellow talents listed above also have everyone from Richard Ayoade (Dream Productions), Benedict Cumberbatch (Eric), Rupert Friend (Companion) and Hope Davis (Succession) to Willem Dafoe (Nosferatu), Stephen Park (Death of a Unicorn), Charlotte Gainsbourg (Étoile) and Bill Murray (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire) for company. And for plot specifics, the ensemble has "disrupting, obstructing, impeding" bureaucrats, the price of bashable rivets, lie detectors, suspicious uncles, locomotives, basketball shots, terrorists, freighters, marriages, grand hotels and heaven to navigate. They're stepping into a redemption story, and also a complex family dynamic with deep emotional resonance. This group is in another Anderson gem, then. Ask del Toro how he approaches plying his skills for Anderson, a filmmaker who is giving him rare comic parts — so much so that the actor was astonished the very first time that the director called — and he speaks about his commitment to telling the truth no matter the role. Ask Cera about conveying complicated bonds for the helmer, and also about the path that's brought him to Bjorn after more than a quarter of a century of acting, and he's all about the people around him. For both, trust and faith in Anderson are pivotal to them giving their all, and the results are on the screen. "You trust him and you try to be as honest as you can, even when you're lying," del Toro notes. On Digging Into a Wes Anderson-Penned Redemption Story That's Characteristically Both Comic and Has Emotional Depth Benicio: "I think I do what I do in every movie — I try to tell the truth. Wes and Roman Coppola, together they wrote this incredible script. You just draw from it. You know, I'm not known to do comedy — and one thing that we tried to keep in mind was 'don't try to be funny'. If the laughs come, good. If not, it's good. Don't try to make the laugh happen. Let the laughs follow. So try to tell the truth. And for me, it's just like what I do in other movies. I mean, this time I have to do it verbally, and there's a lot of dialogue. So for that, you just have to get ready and practice that dialogue. But the bottom line for me is basically what you said — it's the depth of this arc of this character. But also those dream sequences or heaven sequences, that is his subconscious also talking. It just added for the actor to know what was the arc about. It helped. It was like having your psychiatrist explaining the character as well. It's like having the psychiatrist explaining who the character is. Those dreams fed a lot of information to me of where we were on this story — also where was his emotional arc of that particular moment in the story." Michael: "I think the material and the writing takes care of a great deal of that for you. If it's able to get you invested in the story — which, it's just such strong writing — you feel it when you read the script. You feel and you know completely — you know where the feeling is going to come from and how you know it needs to be rendered. But even so, I found the movie much more moving in the end than I even expected, even after having shot it. I find it to be very moving." On How del Toro, Cera and Mia Threapleton Worked Together to Convey Their Characters' Deepening Bond Across the Film Michael: "We did have a little bit of a rehearsal period, fortunately, with the three of us and with Wes. And we just really worked, the four of us privately, for a couple of weeks — like two weeks or so. And it's a great thing to be able to do. It makes you get ahead of things a little bit. It allows you to come up with some observations and ideas that that later can feed into the work. And it also, but most importantly I think, just creates a strong sense of a team and comfort and trust with each other. And that carries into the work, I think. But we discovered, also I think, in reading it, discovered the dynamics and the emotions that these characters feel toward each other. And what it feels like for to be betrayed, when there are betrayals that happen. It was nice to get ahead of all of that and find the specific way in, and what was specific about it — because I love the way it's played. Things are salvaged even though there's a major betrayal. And there's an emotional bond that helps them all pull through that even, which is really nice. A really nice turn, I think." On the Significance of Anderson Writing Specific Parts for Del Toro and Cera Benicio: "Well, it's a hell of a gift. I think that we never talked about anything. 'Hey, did you write this for me? Am I your second choice?'. I never really questioned that. He called me up. He sent me the first 20 pages. I have to go back and explain to you that when I got The French Dispatch and he first called me, I was super elated. It was hard to believe that Wes Anderson was calling me to be in one of his films, because most of the movies I do, even though they're fiction, they tilt towards documentaries. Wes movies, they're fiction but they tilt more to theatrics — to the theatre, let's put it that way. When he called me up the first time, I was a little bit like 'wow, is he, is he really?'. I immediately thought 'wow, he's thinking outside the box, he's going against stereotypes'. Because there's many actors that do comedy better than me, and he could have gone to those actors. But for some reason, he pulled me into that world, his world. And I was really elated by it. When I read the part of The French Dispatch, it was like it was so good, and then I realised that it came to an end and another story happened and that was it — and it was like 'wump, wump, wump'. I was little bit like 'oh, wow, I could really get into this character, the painter Moses'. And so then that happened. I did the film. I had a blast working with him. When you work with Wes, you have to let the kid in you, you've got to let them out, the imagination. You have to play. It's a lot of fun. It reminded me — I was trained in the theatre, so it was kind of like back to the future, in a way. It was like I had travelled back in time to my beginnings, studying with Stella Adler and being on the theatre. And then come to this, when he sent the first 20 pages, I was like 'oh wow, this is amazing'. But I thought that might be it. And then he sent the next 20 pages and I'm still in the movie. And then the next 20 pages — and then I'm going 'oh my god, now this is going to be hard work'. So it was kind of like one of those, and I was really excited — and it's a gift from Wes. But at the same time, you had to really put on, strap on your boots and get to work, because there was a lot of work to do." Michael: "I didn't know that really, to be honest. So I'm not sure — like I don't know exactly what his process was with that or when I came into his mind for it. But obviously just so happy to be considered and invited. Wes had offered me one role once before, in Asteroid City, and I ended up not being able to do it because of the birth of my son interfering with the dates. So I was so disappointed. I mean, obviously it was the most-important kind of life event for me. So it was all good, but it was just horrible timing. I was like 'oh no, I finally got offered by Wes to come along and be a part of his one of his productions and I can't go'. It was heartbreaking. But this more than redeemed it. So I was just happy that he was still thinking of me, and then so delighted to read it and to discover this character — and so caught, really, by surprise by how involved of a role it was too in the whole story, and in the whole play of everything. I didn't expect to be given such an opportunity by him. So it was really a treat and a gift." On Cera's Knack for Taking on Distinctive, Specific Characters That Aren't Going to Be Mistaken for Any Others, Including in Arrested Development and Twin Peaks Michael: "It's the greatest thing when you get a piece that's exciting to read and an amazing opportunity as an actor. I remember reading the script for Arrested Development when I was like 14 or 13, and really, it was very clear how special it was. I don't know — I think there are things that you just gravitate toward and you just want in. There are a lot of things that I have felt that about that I didn't have a chance to work on, too, but you're just like 'oh, I need this. I want this. I get this. I love this world. I love the people making it'. So when you are lucky enough to get onto the ones that you feel that way about, it's the greatest." [caption id="attachment_1006861" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Roger Do Minh/TPS Productions/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.[/caption] On How Working with a Filmmaker with Such a Precise Visual Style Influences the Way an Actor Approaches a Role Benicio: "Well, you know his movies are handmade. There's nothing there that is — let's say CGI, very little. You might have to use something but very little is CGI. Everything is built. Everything is put together. Everything is really — you can touch it. So my approach to it was the same way I approach any movie: is just try to tell the truth unless, and trust Wes that if I do what I do, he will take it to the finish line. He will do his thing and take it to the finish line. And, like any actor, you try to tell the truth — even when you lie. So that's what you do in a Wes Anderson movie as that's an actor. You trust him and you try to be as honest as you can, even when you're lying. That's what I did. Hey, there might be other ways, but everybody's different." Michael: "Well, you have a lot of faith in him. You have a lot of trust in Wes, because you know that he's across every inch of the movie and he's not going to let something get through that breaks the spell or destroys the nuance of what he's creating. So you just feel you're in incredibly good hands and he's going to make you shine — and make you look better than what you did, even. So working with someone on that level, it makes you feel very confident. And then you can you can try things and you can work with confidence. That feeling is not always there, and sometimes you have the opposite feeling, and it's really hard to really put yourself out there as an actor when you have that, when you have doubts." On What Cera Makes of His Journey as an Actor Over More Than a Quarter of a Century, Leading Him to The Phoenician Scheme Michael: "I feel really lucky to be doing this for a living and doing what I was attracted to from that age. When I was a kid, it wasn't like a career. It was just something I loved. And then it turned into something that was kind of a job, but I loved that, too. It's an interesting life. I've had a very positive experience of coming up as a child actor and turning into an adult person who's acting. There are obviously the famously unfortunate versions of that. But for me, I was always just around great people. [caption id="attachment_1006880" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Giulia Parmigiani[/caption] It was exciting to be nine years old and having colleagues that were grown people that you admire and that took care of me and showed me how to do it. Even first assistant directors and things, when I didn't even know what I was doing. I didn't know where I was supposed to go, what I was supposed to, what I was supposed to say — and people helped me. So I feel very lucky. I've had a very good road to be where I am now. And it's really nothing but good luck that made it that way. I just have had really good people around me." The Phoenician Scheme opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Film stills: courtesy of Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
UPDATE: July 17, 2020: Wild Rose is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Beneath her shock of red hair, Americana-themed clothing and fringed white leather jacket, a string of words adorns Rose-Lynn Harlan's (Jessie Buckley) arm. Her tattoo hails back to her real-life namesake, veteran US songwriter Harlan Howard, who coined an eloquent and evocative phrase to explain country music. "Three chords and the truth" isn't just the definition of a great song in the genre, however. It's the mantra that Rose-Lynn lives by in Wild Rose — and an apt way to describe the film itself. A music-driven movie in the same vein as A Star Is Born, this rousing picture plays plenty of familiar notes. But it also pairs them with such a rich and resonant spring of honesty that the screen lights up like an emotional symphony. Rose-Lynn believes in country music. She listens to it, croons it, loves it and is firmly convinced that it's her gateway to a better future. Feeling as if she was born in the wrong part of the world, the spirited Glaswegian has visions of Nashville in her eyes, as well as a melodic voice that could take her there. Alas, the twenty-something has just been released from a year-long prison sentence, and has two children that she had when she was still a child herself. Her ankle monitor and daily curfew are hardly conducive to chasing star-studded dreams, or for getting her singing job back at Scotland's version of the Grand Ole Oprey. Nor is her concerned mother Marion (Julie Walters), who wants her to do the right thing by her kids, or the daily cleaning gig for the wealthy Susannah (Sophie Okonedo) that Rose-Lynn needs in order to prove that she can be responsible. More than once throughout Wild Rose, its wayward songstress is asked if she writes her own songs — if she's belting out her own truth, or borrowing someone else's. While the script by first-time feature writer Nicole Taylor takes Rose-Lynn down a recognisable path that's part kitchen-sink drama, part stars-in-their-eyes quest for fame, this recurring question is a savvy touch in a film that's all about being true to yourself. That's the reality at the heart of many of the aching ballads that country music is known for; these songs aren't just about love, sorrow, longing, affairs of the heart and everyday problems, but about discovering, understanding and accepting one's place in the world. Indeed, more than simply charting Rose-Lynn's efforts to shake off her troubled life and warble her way to success, Wild Rose follows a lost young soul discovering who she really is one heartfelt tune and performance at a time. With that in mind, perhaps the film could've been called A Person Is Born. Actually it shouldn't because that's an awful title, but the underlying idea remains valid. While director Tom Harper (TV's War & Peace) has the misfortune of unfurling Wild Rose in A Star Is Born's celebrated slipstream, his is a different movie. If the Lady Gaga vehicle was a case of watching both fantasies and tragedies come true, this is a minutiae-filled chronicle of life lived in the shadow of a dream. Narrative details aside, Wild Rose's many differences are evident just from looking at it, with cinematographer George Steel (another War & Peace alumni) giving every frame a quiet, gritty, gloss-free sheen. The movie also boasts moments of expressive, subjective beauty, conveyed in intimate close-ups of Buckley's radiant face, red-lit scenes that channel her inner fire and the striking sight of her taking to the stage — although there's no mistaking that they're the exception, not the rule. No one is being swept off their feet by a rockstar, getting picked up in limousines, playing huge festivals and releasing pop songs about butts here. Of course, were Buckley to croon a peppy tune about attractive derrieres as Lady Gaga did, there's no doubt that she'd similarly do a stellar job. It'd be easy to call the actor a revelation, except that she's been consistently fantastic across her evolving screen career to date, including in TV series War & Peace, Taboo and Chernobyl, as well as the excellent 2018 crime drama Beast. It's fitting, too, that her off-screen story actually began in a not-too-dissimilar fashion to Wild Rose's charismatic, cheeky protagonist. Just over a decade ago, Buckley unleashed her pipes on British competitive TV show I'll Do Anything, singing her way not only to a second-place spot, but into acting studies. The classes paid off, as she demonstrates in a series of disarmingly intimate scenes with both Walters and Okonedo. Her vocal talents pay dividends as well, including in the moving finale. But like the woman she's playing, there's a spark to Buckley that's infectious, inimitable and irrepressible. The title Wild Rose, conjuring up visions of sprawling, messy, rebellious splendour, proves pitch-perfect for a plethora of reasons. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke_OYBAc7J4
On most days of the year, a film festival is in full swing somewhere in Australia. In plenty of places at plenty of times, more than one is competing for cinephiles' eyeballs and spoiling movie buffs for choice. But there's nothing quite like the Melbourne International Film Festival. In terms of duration, it's the country's longest, treating film fans to 18 cinema-filled days of big-screen gems. Naturally, it boasts the biggest program as a result — a lineup that, in 2019, spanned everything from powerful documentaries about racism in Australia, to Oscar-winners fighting zombies, to huge Sundance hits. It's the kind of festival that couldn't be more immersive — whether you're camping out in one theatre, enjoying the comfortable chairs and giant screen, for as long as you can; or rushing around the inner-city between multiple venues day-in, day-out. And, it's the type of fest that's full of surprises too, with many of its highlights lurking beyond its best-known names. As always, we went, we watched and we survived. Now, we're here to report back. After many, many hours spent feasting on films, here are our picks of the bunch. If they weren't on your viewing list before MIFF, add 'em to your pile to chase down whenever and wherever they next pop up. BEST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td0oBCWO_I4 THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE The streets aren't safe for accountant Casey Evans (Jesse Eisenberg) and, in Riley Stearns' caustically funny satire The Art of Self-Defence, toxic masculinity isn't safe either. Leaning into machismo in order to tear it apart in a devastatingly dark, effective and hilarious fashion, this offbeat gem charts the aftermath of an eventful stroll to the corner store, with its mild-mannered protagonist — who already feels out of place amongst his constantly posturing male colleagues — brutally attacked while walking home one night. So, he does what plenty of folks might, enrolling in a karate class overseen by a charismatic sensei (Alessandro Nivola) and formidable second-in-charge (Imogen Poots). Taking to his subject with zero mercy, Stearns' blows prove as sharp as they are savage, with a knowing Eisenberg oh-so-instrumental in making it all work. And, work it does. LES MISERABLES Lady Ly's crime-thriller takes its name from a very obvious source, and its Montfermeil setting and exploration of class clashes as well. In the process, it openly invites comparisons to Victor Hugo's famous, much-adapted work, all while twisting its various components into its own compelling and confronting piece of cinema. Taking to the banlieues of Paris, Les Misérables spends its time flitting between cops, kids and gangs, as tensions between all three reach boiling point — over the usual prejudices, long-held beefs, stolen lions, a wrongful shooting and some highly sought-after drone footage. Unrelentingly terse, deftly choreographed and unafraid to filter real-world unrest through every frame, it's not always subtle; however, given the complicated terrain that it traverses, Ly's film needn't be. What it occasionally lacks in nuance, it feverishly makes up for both emotional and visceral power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoncL357qsA LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT One of cinema's most polarising inventions, 3D movies have always proven a mixed bag. When they work, they're astonishing. When they don't, they can instantly turn you off the entire gimmick. When Chinese director Bi Gan deploys the technique in Long Day's Journey Into Night, however, it's a sight not only to behold, but to luxuriate in. The poet-turned-filmmaker ends his contemplative drama with a 3D scene that's also a 55-minute single take, and it couldn't be more glorious. The rest of the movie, which traces a man's return to China's Guizhou province to search for the woman he loves, is just as entrancing in its patient narrative and striking images. Both otherworldly and dreamlike, it demonstrates that Gan's debut Kaili Blues was hardly a one-off — but watching the feature's protagonist roam around his hometown, and following the camera along with him, is truly a 3D cinema experience that isn't easily forgotten. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO5Q6MiUdPI A BROTHER'S LOVE Amusing, delightful, awkward and relatable all at once, A Brother's Love doesn't just understand the state of existential turmoil that bears down on most of us — it happily, savvily dwells in it. Sophia (Anne-Élisabeth Bossé) has hit her mid-30s, has just received a PhD that won't get her a job, and has no choice but to move in with her older brother Karim (Patrick Hivon), whose life is as orderly as hers is chaotic. When he starts dating her gynaecologist, Sophia goes into freefall. Well, she plummets further. The pair have always been close, but this new development completely unsettles her sense of self. Writing as well as directing, French-Canadian actor-turned-filmmaker Monia Chokri clearly learned a thing or two from featuring in Xavier Dolan's breakout hit Heartbeats. In her first stint behind the lens, she blends spot-on insights with an energetic style (not to mention an outstanding performance by Bossé), resulting in a film that always feels both unique and universal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hz_I_Y1Hus BEANPOLE Picking up two prizes in the Un Certain Regard section at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Beanpole delves into the minds and lives of two women trying to find their place in post-World War II Russia. Nothing is easy in Leningrad in 1945, but for nurse Iya (Viktoria Miroshnichenko) and returning soldier Masha (Vasilisa Perelygina), everything is fraught with danger and complexity. That proves true whether the noticeably tall Iya is trying to cope with the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder, or endeavouring to raise an orphaned baby — and when they're both attempting to negotiate a city and a society that's been blown apart as well. Possessing talent, wisdom and a meticulous approach to the art of filmmaking that ranges beyond his age, 28-year-old Russian director Kantemir Balagov crafts a drama that's equally heart-wrenching and exquisite, descriptions that also apply to the movie's exacting visuals and stunning performances. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXl1vjK4040 THEM THAT FOLLOW Matters of faith sit at the heart of Them That Follow, a superbly acted exploration of expectations and opportunities in a mountainside religious community. Overseeing his Appalachian flock, pastor Lemuel Childs (Walton Goggins) devoutly adheres to his Pentecostal beliefs, which focus on worshipping and handling snakes. But, caught between the man she loves (Thomas Mann) and the one she's supposed to marry (Lewis Pullman), preacher's daughter Mara (Alice Englert) begins to question their way of life and its strict requirements, especially when it comes to her own agency, as well as matters of living and dying. In their feature debut, writer/directors Britt Poulton and Dan Madison Savage balance slow-burning thrills with an exceptional handling of mood and an intimate devotion to their characters — with assistance not only from the stellar Goggins and Englert, but from Oscar-winner Olivia Colman and Booksmart star Kaitlyn Dever, too. WEIRDEST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9KCx60RMB8 VIOLENCE VOYAGER The result of one Japanese filmmaker's determined and distinctive vision, Violence Voyager is a movie like few others. Writer/director/cinematographer/editor Ujicha spins a story about two school kids who wander into a seemingly abandoned theme park, only to discover human-like robots wandering around doing nefarious deeds, as well an evil scientist plotting, scheming and experimenting behind the scenes. That might sound fairly familiar; however this mixture of sci-fi and body horror comes to life via seemingly innocent, innocuous-looking paper puppetry — aka intricate 2D animation — with more than a few spurts of real liquids and fumes added for good measure. It's inventive, entertaining and best watched late, in a darkened room, with an audience in the exact right mood for its weird and wonderful delights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FsaTqbGR7A VIVARIUM Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots join forces again. In fact, they get stuck together. Playing a young couple trying to navigate the housing market and buy their first home, the pair are strong-armed into checking out a new suburban development by an immensely odd salesman (Jonathan Aris). Once they tour the place — and rightfully find its template-like design creepy, as well as its exact resemblance to every other house in the estate — they then realise that they can't leave. Where writer/director Lorcan Finnegan takes his characters from there is best discovered by watching, but it's an imaginative, madcap ride that has plenty to say about the kinds of supposedly perfect lives society pushes us towards. If you think settling down in a bland street, devoting your life to the next generation and getting caught in a repetitive routine is the stuff of nightmares, Vivarium knows the feeling. Never overplaying its hand, this impressive, economical genre piece also benefits from excellent performances from its two stars. MOST SURPRISING THE GRAND BIZARRE A vibrant collage of stop-motion imagery that's wholly focused on textiles, The Grand Bizarre trades in immersion. Each of its 16mm frames bursts with colour and texture, as first-time feature director Jodie Mack follows swathes of fabric around the world — and, while time is spent in factories where said materials are fashioned by machines but designed to look handmade, this isn't a standard documentary. Rather, the film twists its visuals into a sensory piece of art, and does the same with its assemblage of beat-fuelled tracks and everyday sounds as well. This is cinema at its most experimental and hypnotising, while also asking viewers to confront the ins and outs of the global fabric trade, and reassess and recontextualise items so instrumental in our lives but often given so little thought or attention. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSALRP1mZNQ THE BEACH BUM Matthew McConaughey plays a perennially stoned poet. Harmony Korine makes his first film since Spring Breakers. Yes, it's quite the match. Charting the Florida-set misadventures of bedraggled slacker Moondog, The Beach Bum works to the strengths of both its star and its director, following its roguish protagonist as he tries to get by — and rendering his rebellious, anarchic exploits in the vivid hues and expressive visuals that Korine used so well in his last movie. The filmmaker gets ample help from his returning director of photography, Benoît Debie, with the pair at their most indulgent here. So is McConaughey, in a role that he was clearly born to inhabit. And yet, even as The Beach Bum ebbs and flows, weaving through a narrative that's purposefully unfocused, it remains perceptive and effective in probing and satirising the hedonism and materialism it gleefully steeps itself in. If your favourite film isn't on our list, that could be because we've raved about it before. Before the fest, we saw and loved Monos, Memory — The Origins of Alien, I Was At Home, But, Extra Ordinary and Los Reyes — and Share made our streaming recommendations for last month as well. From our rundown of Australian titles to check out this year, The Nightingale and Emu Runner both screened at MIFF. And, from our Berlinale highlights, so did The Souvenir, Amazing Grace, Ghost Town Anthology, Skin and Buoyancy as well. Back at the Sydney Film Festival, we couldn't recommend In My Blood It Runs, In Fabric, Scheme Birds and Happy New Year, Colin Burstead highly enough. Once that fest was over, we also added Pain and Glory, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Judy and Punch, Ray & Liz, Bacurau, Come to Daddy, Dirty God and The Dead Don't Die to our picks.
When summer starts to scorch, we'll do anything to cool down. And while we'd like to be able to fling ourselves into the ocean at every 30-degree-plus opportunity, that's not always an option. That's when we usually turn to air conditioning. But while it might be a convenient way to keep your cool, it has its drawbacks — from its dehydrating effects and potential to spread bacteria to its massive energy consumption (which is both a drain on your wallet and the planet). And of course, some of us are living in stuffy rental properties where clicking on that air con remote isn't even an option. So, now that summer's here with a vengeance, we thought we'd bring you a few simple hacks for avoiding air con — or just surviving without it. You'll need ice, water and — if you're really keen — some trees. Go nuts. HACK YOUR FAN On scorching days, fans can be rudely ineffective, seeming to do little more than blow more hot air into your face. But a quick hack can work some magic. Find a big bowl, fill it with ice and place it between your fan and you. The propellers will work on the now-cooled air, sending it straight your way, transforming your fan into what feels like an air conditioner. Another option is to hang a bag of ice (or bottles of frozen water) directly in front of the fan. You can also place a wet, cool towel over the fan itself, which should get you an hour or so of extra crisp air. MAKE CLEVER COLD DRINKS Just carried the beer in from the car? Wrap each bottle in a soaked (but not dripping) paper towel and pop it in the freezer. The moisture will evaporate and cool speedily, and within 15 minutes, you'll be sipping on an ice-cold brew. You can swap your hot caffeine hit for an iced one by turning just-made coffee into ice cubes — for something different, make it Vietnamese-style by adding a dash of condensed milk. Or, if you're kicking all the habits this summer, add frozen berries to a glass of water, which cools down your drink while upping the taste factor. APPLY COLD THINGS TO YOUR PULSE POINTS Anyone who's ever spent term four in an Aussie primary school should already know this trick, but just in cased you missed out: the easiest way to cool down quickly is by applying a source of cold to your pulse points. Start by holding your wrists under running water for at least three minutes. Afterwards, apply an ice pack (or equivalent; heck, some frozen peas will do) to your wrists, neck, back of knees and/or ankles. These strategies cool the blood running through your veins and decrease your body temperature. MIST-IFY YOURSELF Got an empty spray bottle lying around? Give it a good, thorough clean and fill it with cold — or icy — water. Then, whenever you feel your temperature start to rise, spray yourself and everyone else in your vicinity. It's a basic trick, but an easy one. If possible, keep the bottle in the refrigerator or freezer (for short periods only – don't let the water turn into ice). Otherwise, just re-fill that baby as often as you can. PUT PLANTS IN FRONT OF YOUR WINDOWS Got pot plants? Got windows that let in lots of light? Well, there's an energy-saving match, right there. Use said plants to block said windows. The taller and leafier the better (consider that your permission to stock up on even more plant babies). In fact, if you're serious about keeping cool, it's worth investing in some dense trees or even vines, as long as you have a way to hang them from the windows. Not only will plants reduce the light and heat entering your home, they'll also provide you with cleaner air. Go for lemon trees you'll get some fruit out of it, too. FREEZE YOUR PILLOWS AND SHEETS One of the biggest challenges of an air con-free summer is getting to sleep. To produce the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, your body needs to reduce its core temperature. But once the thermometer hits 25 degrees, this becomes a tough task. To make it easier, stick your pillows and sheets in a plastic bag and shove them in the freezer for 30 minutes, before making and hopping into your bed. As the night wears on and you start to warm up, you might find yourself waking up — if you're really committed, keep a spare set of PJs in the freezer, so you can do a quick switcheroo. CLOSE ALL THE WINDOWS Up to a third of heat inside a house comes in through open windows and doors. So, go on a closing rampage — and tell your family or housemates all about it so they can get on board. While you're there, cover windows as effectively as possible by drawing blinds and curtains, and shutting shutters. If nighttime brings any relief, open them up again. And, to increase the effect of any cooler air, hang wet sheets in front of the windows. As the evening breeze blows through, the moisture will drop the temperature even further. Just don't forget to close everything again in the morning before it heats back up. GIVE YOUR FEET A COLD BATH When you need to sit in one spot for a while — maybe you're getting some work done or watching a flick — fill a container with cold water (and ice, if you can hack it) and stick your feet in. Immerse your ankles if you can — they're pulse points, so when they're cool your whole body temperature tends to drop. Should this work for you, go one further with a bath or shower. Or, if you'd rather avoid hanging around in the bathroom all day, invest in a kiddy pool to use either indoors or outside. TURN OFF YOUR APPLIANCES You'll be surprised how much heat is generated by your appliances. The obvious one is your oven. Even a seemingly harmless spurt of baking can give the thermometer a major surge. If you've got people coming over for dinner, an outdoor barbie is the best solution. Beyond the oven, there are loads of other heat-creating suspects, including your microwave, electric jug, television, bedside lamps, dishwasher, washing machine and computers. Whenever possible, switch them all off and unplug them — it'll help you stay cool and save energy. SPICE IT UP There's a good reason why spicy food is so popular in steamy parts of the world like India and Bangladesh. When you ingest all that chilli, your body starts to sweat and, as you know, sweating cools you down. Make your meal hot enough and you'll be so deep in the sweats you won't know what season it is. What's more, spicy food comes with a heap of potential health benefits, from increasing life expectancy to preventing cancer.
Filling your stomach with warm, toasty things to get you through the cold months is a tried and true method for surviving winter. We're talking veggie soup and ramen right through to hot chips and cheesy bowls of pasta. And not to mention booze — spirits like rum are often a good call for your cold bones, particularly they have a bit of wintry spice to it. As such, The Kraken Black Spiced Rum isn't too shabby a choice to liven things up and make you feel warm and cosy on your insides. At a recent Christmas in July event in Sydney, Kraken whipped out a a selection of dark wintry cocktails made to warm even the most cold-blooded, all made with its signature Black Spiced Rum. We learnt the tricks to some new fancy spiced rum cocktails that may just be our lifeblood until the sun comes around again — and we've nabbed the recipes. Here are four recipes to get you playing along at home. SPICED EGG FOGG A twist on the standard Christmas classic, this eggnog is much more appropriate for winter. Too often you've got the summer (and meat) sweats on Christmas Day, so this Egg Fogg might be the perfect way to warm up to Christmas in July — Kraken Black Spiced Rum provides the kick needed. Ingredients 700ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 24 egg yolks 12 egg whites 3 cups of sugar 2 litres of milk 2 litres of cream 1 tablespoons of orange marmalade 3 cloves 4 star anise 2 cinnamon quills 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon nutmeg Method Combine cream, milk, marmalade and all spices in large pot over heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl, slowly adding the rum bit by bit. When it's all mixed in, add the cream and milk mixture, then serve into rocks glasses. To finish, mix egg whites until they've formed soft peaks and top the eggnog mixture with the peaks. If you want to go the whole hog and just happen to have a kitchen blowtorch lying around, toast the tops of the peaks. Garnish with a star anise and serve (maybe while wearing a Christmas jumper). SUCKER PUNCH The Sucker Punch has more of a fruity vibe, with orange liqueur, lime juice and fresh pineapple on the go for one big hit of vitamin C. Along with The Kraken Black Spiced Rum, this one straddles that very important cocktail line of sweet vs sour, and will have you forgetting you're not on a tropical holiday. Ingredients 30ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 15ml of Italian bitter orange liqueur 15ml of fresh pressed lime juice 15ml of demerara sugar syrup or agave syrup 60ml of fresh pressed pineapple juice Method This one's simple: chuck all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a Nick and Nora glass, or any cocktail glass that makes you feel fancy. SEA SPECTOR The Sea Spector is one of those 'the simpler the better' cocktails, with just three ingredients and a lemon peel garnish. Using falernum — a Caribbean syrup made of sugar cane syrup, lime, almond and cloves — the Sea Spector is a bit of a taste of the ocean (just without all the salt). Ingredients 30ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 10ml of falernum syrup 3 dashes Creole bitters 1 swathe of lemon peel Method Stir all ingredients over ice in a glass then strain straight over ice into a frosty rocks glass fresh from the freezer. Pop the lemon peel in and wham, bam, thank you ma'am you've a pretty civilised cocktail on your hands. KRAKEN ESPRESSO MARTINI Of course, no cocktail menu is complete without the requisite espresso martini — and this one's a corker. Give yourself a treat in the form of a rum cocktail that will also wake you up and have you raring for the rest of the night with the coffee, chocolate bitters in a glass rimmed with coffee beans and salt. Ingredients 30ml of The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 15ml of coffee liqueur 60ml of espresso coffee 15ml of agave syrup 2 dashes chocolate bitters A mix of smashed coffee beans and salt Method Grab a coupette glass, wet the rim, and coat with a mix of smashed coffee beans and salt. Combine all ingredients and shake with ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into the glass, sip through the caffeinated rim and enjoy that sweet, sweet kick.
The full bloom of television should come as no surprise to pop culture junkies. TV isn't the new film. It's just TV — a mature medium capable of developing its own conventions and arcs. Just like film, the quality of the 2013 offering inevitably ranged from abysmal (Two Broke Girls) and 'meh' (Sex Box) to polarising (Girls) and breathtaking (Top of the Lake). But where the major movie studios indulged in a catalogue of cinematic idiocy in the form of sequels, threequels and movie-park adaptations, home viewers were part of the beautifully conceived conclusion of Breaking Bad and the continued excellence of Mad Men, Enlightened, Rake, Puberty Blues and Boardwalk Empire. After all, when were stories ever wholly defined by the medium of their communication — they're all just stories, and they're beamed via digital transit onto small screens as well as projected into cinemas. David Lynch and Michael Frost knew that a whole two decades ago, as did those who grieved for Laura Palmer and loved all the freaks of Twin Peaks. The existential angst of Travis Bickle lives on in Don Draper, the maudlin chaos of Woody Allen in Michael Bluth, and the bleak search for optimism of Lester Burnham in Louie. Hopefully we can start looking forward to full-blooded, cinematically conceptualised feature films that merely debut on TV, with the respect and glory of Steven Soderbergh's HBO work Behind the Candelabra, which scarcely fits the old-school notion of a 'telemovie'. It's 2014, and everything's up for grabs. Here's what looks good in 2014 from the vantage point of January. Gracepoint Although the human race is already surely inundated with gratuitous US remakes, the fact that original lead actor David Tennant is also starring in the American version is a good sign of what's to come. The British original, Broadchurch, has received cultish worship and critical adoration for its exploration of a beachside community in the aftermath of a boy's mysterious murder. How and Why Film's transportation to the medium of television may be well and truly complete with Charlie Kaufman's new FX comedy series. Starring Michael Cera (perfect!), and telling the "story of a man who can explain how and why a nuclear reactor works, but is clueless about life", the longform series could be the peak vehicle for the funny, deadpan, melancholic musings we know from Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. https://youtube.com/watch?v=dunRvRJIm18 Believe Mexican super-director Alfonso Cuaron and The Forgotten's Mark Friedman are writing and steering this sci-fi mystery, executive producing with Lost's J.J. Abrams. The ingredients for profound awesomeness are all there: behind-the-scenes talent, obligatory supernatural child character, potential alien subplots, a solid trailer. In the wake of Gravity's impact on Earth, let's hope Believe will showcase the same science-fiction combo of smart visual effects and big ideas (what are we doing here?!). Jonah Takalua This is a controversial one, given the division in opinion around this year's relentless Ja'mie: Private School Girl. But Jonah was always Chris Lilley's most rounded and interesting character — a disadvantaged, endearing ratbag with a foul mouth and a lost-boy need for affection (from his violent father and Gumnut Cottage remedial teacher, Jan Palmer). Jonah let Lilley flesh out the best and the worst aspects of high school: the boredom, the institution's carelessness, the ill-equipped teachers' frustration, the kids' inflamed sense of injustice and their diehard devotion to their friends. Lilley clearly hasn't forgotten that young people's problems (their social cliques, family, love affairs) are just as real and important to them as adults' problems (rent, career, social cliques, family, love affairs) are to adults. Jonah will be vital viewing. Sense8 More film heavyweights defect to television — in fact, internet television (Netflix)! Matrix directors Andy and Lana Wachowski's ability to create complex longform narratives, engaging characters, surprising cinematic visual worlds and innovative special effects (remember when 'bullet time' didn't even exist?) will be stretched by their ten-episode science-fiction drama, Sense8. A mass of ostensibly disparate characters are linked by a shared and violent vision (of the past, future, or another world?). After the confusing and disappointing narrative experimentation of the duo's last feature, Cloud Atlas, perhaps television will afford them the slow-unfolding freedom they need to realise their filmic aspirations. Also on our radar Better Call Saul (A Breaking Bad spinoff centring on Walter White's crooked lawyer Saul Goodman); the animated and clearly shambolic BoJack Horseman (voiced by Will Arnett with Aaron Paul aka Jesse Pinkman of Breaking Bad); The Secret River, an ABC adaptation of the landmark Australian novel and play; Utopia, a satire from the guys from Frontline that "explores that moment when bureaucracy and grand dreams collide"; and two (two!) untitled Tina Fey Projects to air on Fox and NBC and quench the hollowness in our post-30 Rock lives.
UPDATE, March 8, 2021: Brazen Hussies is available to stream via ABC iView. Chatting to activists involved in Australia's women's liberation movement during the 60s and 70s, Brazen Hussies doesn't lack in witty and wise ladies making pivotal points. But it's filmmaker Margot Nash (The Silences) who offers one of this documentary's most telling observations, and the one that crystallises exactly why this movie had to be made. "History has to be told over and over again," she advises. She's a talking head in the film, rather than the writer or director behind it — those roles fall to first-timer Catherine Dwyer — but she couldn't encapsulate Brazen Hussies' purpose any better if she was the doco's driving force. As the feature explains, it's easy for people to overlook this chapter of history, and the fact that it all happened so recently. It's easy to forget that women's lives were drastically different, as was the way they were regarded by the world around them. It'd also be easy to keep using Nash's words, and those of her fellow activists, to demonstrate why Brazen Hussies is vital, too — as a record and a reminder, and as viewing in general. Dwyer has amassed a formidable array of ladies, all of which could fuel their own documentaries. In fact, many of her subjects could make them. Cinematographer and filmmaker Martha Ansara (Changing the Needle) explains how she realised as a teen that her future was supposed to involve finding the right man. Author and journalist Anne Summers recalls how, when she became the first woman in her family to go to university, it dawned on her that she'd still be paid less than her male counterparts when she graduated. And filmmaker and writer Jeni Thornley (For Love or Money) describes her experiences as a pregnant woman after the death of the man she would've likely married, and how she was treated as if the situation was her fault. The list goes on. Academic and critic Barbara Creed notes that the word 'lesbian' just wasn't something that was uttered in Australia at the time, for instance. The first Aboriginal Australian to earn a law degree, Pat O'Shane talks about the impact of race, and the gulf between the white women's movement and the plight of Indigenous women. Elizabeth Reid shares memories from her stint as the first Advisor on Women's Affairs to a head of government anywhere in the world — to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in the 70s — and steps through the way that the media responded to her position. Dwyer counts more than 25 women among her eponymous group, and their tales cover everything from tackling domestic violence and the victim-blaming that can go along with it, to the simple struggle to survive that single mothers faced. Indeed, Brazen Hussies packs not only a wealth of women into its frames, but a plethora of topics. There's a noticeable focus on Sydney and Melbourne over the rest of the country, and not every interviewee or issue is covered in-depth, but the film isn't short on breadth. Brazen Hussies' survey of all of the aforementioned matters — plus legal abortion, funding for childcare and society's abhorrence of female sexuality as well — happens in tandem with a historical recounting of Australia's actual fight for women's liberation. Inspired after working on 2014 documentary She's Beautiful When She's Angry, which did the same from a US perspective, Dwyer examines what drove these women to act and what they achieved, of course. At every moment, however, she's just as interested in how they battled for that change. Having access to a treasure trove of materials helps considerably. If the doco's talking-head lineup is impressive, it's bested only by the immense range of archival images and footage that Dwyer and editor Rosie Jones (director of The Family) splice together. With the rest of the filmmaking team, the pair sifted through more than 4000 photographs, journals, artworks and posters, and 800-plus news clips, documentaries and dramatic movies — and, unsurprisingly, Brazen Hussies is all the more detailed for it. All those pictures and and all that footage allows the film to show, not just tell. It also lets audiences witness key moments as they happened. Brisbanites should already know that the Regatta Hotel was once the site of an infamous 1965 protest by Merle Thornton and Rosalie Bogner, who chained themselves to the public bar to draw attention to the fact that women weren't legally allowed in. Still, seeing it occur is something else entirely. That also applies in Melbourne, with Zelda D'Aprano chaining herself to the city's Commonwealth building in 1971 to rally for equal pay. And the same feeling emanates from clips of author Kate Jennings addressing the crowd on the front lawn of Sydney University in 1970, too, which marked the first time that the male left had allowed a woman to speak at a public event. The impact of these specific actions, and of efforts big, small, headline-grabbing and routine by all the ladies seen in Brazen Hussies, is still being felt today. Paying tribute to these pioneering women is clearly another of the film's aims but, again, recognising and remembering what they did and how it echoes now couldn't be more crucial. Dwyer also serves up clips that contrast the present situation with the scenario a half-century ago, to put the bulk of the film in context for viewers. As everyone watching should already be well aware, much has changed for women since the documentary's subjects first started marching, protesting and pinching men's bums in the streets to show them how it feels; however, striving for progress remains an ongoing job. Not that any further motivation is needed, but Brazen Hussies is it: an engaging, informative and impassioned snapshot of a reality that's still so recent, and of the hard work that was required to even reach the current imperfect status quo. https://vimeo.com/451401547
A cucumber is more or less responsible for Andrew Mowbray's obsession with the gourd. Wandering around his garden one fateful morning, he made a rather unusual discovery. Between his fence and a tree, a cucumber was growing, but as a result of being squashed on both sides, it looked more like a hard, green pancake - 'pressed flat with rounded edges and completely trapped'. Finding the form 'formally interesting' and 'architecturally amazing', he started thinking about how he might be able to re-create it in a manner that would not be threatened by decomposition. Research led him to the Lagenaria gourd, which won't come as a surprise to those acquainted with the robust plant. When people initially came up with the idea of cultivating plants, the Lagenaria gourd was one of the first with which they experimented. Once dried, it becomes as tough as wood, making for a trusty container, bottle, ladle or birdhouse. The West Africans were the first to transform it into an instrument, and the concept soon spread through Asia, the Americas, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. The gourd is one of the few plants that we grow for aesthetic and practical purposes, rather than to feed ourselves. Now, Mowbray is taking its functionality to new heights, by transforming the gourd into a building block. He grows each one in an acrylic container, which is cubic, with semi-circular depressions enabling the development of 'nubs or buttons'. A modular unit' can be created by locking several of them together. At the same time, he is exploring the sculptural potential of the gourd's form, through emulation with plaster, cement and other materials. [VIA Inhabitat]
