With Richmond experiencing a bit of a rebirth in recent times, it's no wonder that cafe owners, retailers and barkeeps are zeroing in on the heightened demand for eating, drinking and shopping in the area. As a result of this renewed love for the northside suburb, we've put together a list of some of our favourites, including the newest places to have cropped up and a few of the stalwarts that make Richmond what it is today. Nutrition Bar For all those that walk along Swan Street during business hours, you would be forgiven for thinking that Richmond was home to the headquarters of every gym conglomerate the world had ever known. So, given the high amount of protein-laden, tight t-shirt wearing personal trainers in Richmond, it was no wonder Nutrition Bar honed in on this market and opened up shop. They've become the go-to Swan Street purveyors of all things containing quinoa, acai, chia seeds, kale and anything else society can find to put under the superfood umbrella. So pull up a stool, grab an acai bowl and a green smoothie, and before you know it you'll be eating cleaner than Gwyneth Paltrow. 121 Swan Street, Richmond, (03) 9995 4329, thenutritionbar.com.au Bar Economico In direct contrast to Nutrition Bar, Bar Economico is a place where getting liquored up is not only called for, but encouraged. Previously the home of Der Raum, where at one point you needed a swipe card to gain access, Bar Economico has moved in and become a far less stately affair. The ambience in this bar could be described as slum-like and disheveled, but it somehow remains inviting. With a menu that sways heavily towards the rum side of the spectrum, both pirates and bar hoppers will be equally impressed. 438 Church Street, Richmond, bareconomico.com.au Happy Kappa Run by the enigmatic, efficiency machine that is Katsu (yes, that is his name!), those who frequent Swan Street at lunchtime will know that there is no place else to get your katsu curry fix. It is rare to find a restaurant that manages to combine consistency and speed without fail, everyday, so much so that it is a common occurrence that your meal will arrive at your table before you do. It has long been said that Katsu is waiting for the day when he will need to take up his post as commander of the universe (and what a glorious universe it will be). But until then, he'll be serving up Japanese fare for the weariest of Richmond natives with a steaming hot side plate of bitterness because he knows he is above all of us. We know it too Katsu, we know it too. 4/85 Swan Street, Richmond, (03) 9428 8672 Nelson Brown Situated a little off the beaten track, 191 Swan Street is yet another charming store that manages to always have impeccably curated windows and shelves full of the best, locally crafted gifts and homewares that Melbourne has to offer. We're not entirely sure who Nelson Brown is, but he claims to be your new best friend — and from the moment you enter the store, owners Leigh and Sue will welcome you like one of theirs. Whether you're in the market for a gift for someone you barely know or are looking for the perfect multi-coloured hammock chair for your balcony, these guys have your back. 191 Swan Street, Richmond, 0437 847 746, nelsonbrown.com.au Touchwood Okay, so just in case you needed another cafe that has incredible coffee, amazing food, a great atmosphere and ridiculously attractive staff, Touchwood is the place for you. This place really needs no introduction, but if you are yet to go, make sure you add it to your list because this place ticks all the boxes. Touchwood is really the needle in the haystack that Bridge Rd was desperately looking for. They've managed to find a balance in giving customers some of the ultra-health conscious options like coconut water and dishes with 'superfoods' in them, but also whacked in things like peanut butter and jelly waffles and wagyu beef burgers. If you choose one thing from each column that cancels out the calories — right? 480 Bridge Rd, Richmond, (03) 9429 9347, touchwoodcafe.com Cheerio Being relatively new in the plethora of new places in the Swan Street precinct, Cheerio have formed a loyal following through great coffee and even better personalities. These guys are some of the friendliest faces in Richmond and are also particularly perky in the morning. When we're all stumbling to our 9-5's, these guys give us our coffee and make us feel a little happier about the world. The gypsy ham sandwich complete with bechamel sauce also deserves a mention here, as it is up there on the list of life changing sandwiches. And it'll only set you back $10 — it's really all the therapy you'll ever need! 323 Lennox Street, Richmond Hut 13 This store is really the first appearance in Richmond of what we like to call the 'Collingwood Effect': the opening of stores that stock lots of nice things that can be somewhat overpriced, but for some reason you find yourself wanting all of them anyway. Whether it be the lure of beautifully finished throw rugs made from the hair of a goat aged between 9 and 12 months or that insatiable desire for plant stands to house your myriad of succulents growing in hand painted, concrete pots, Hut 13 will have you covered. A great store for a casual peruse or buying a present for that person that is a pain to buy for, they sell rings in the form of Cheezels. If that's not something for the person that has everything, then we don't what is. 79 Swan Street , Richmond, (03) 9428 1750, facebook.com/HUT-13 Rowena Parade Corner Store Opened in 1956 and hidden away in one of the lesser-known pockets of Richmond, the Rowena Parade Corner Store is, without a doubt, one of Melbourne's better-kept secrets. As members of the old guard of Richmond's food scene, they have no shame in presenting their customers with such menu items as BELTAC's, SmERTAC's and decidedly 'outta this world' milkshakes; it's no wonder these guys stay relevant in a cafe scene that sees more change than a tip jar on a Saturday night. This charming cafe is incredibly popular with both Richmond locals and anyone else who knows about it, so keep it on the down low. 44 Rowena Parade, Richmond, (03) 9421 3262, rowenacornerstore.com Nutrition Bar image credit: Hamish Ward
MPavilion, Queen Victoria Gardens' pop-up building designed by Barcelona architect Carme Pinós, is hosting one of the year's largest collections of free events — 400 of 'em, to be exact. This year's bioluminescent-themed program is inspired by Pinós and will take over the gardens from October 9 to February 3 2019. Focusing on inclusion, women in leadership and the architecture of education, the four-month program spans live music, dance performances, talks, workshops and installations — all located inside Pinós' floating geometric structure. Many of these events aren't what you'd expect, either. Think dog walking adventures, fashion shows, regular morning yoga sessions, guided meditations and contemporary dance classes. Hands-on workshops include one with designer Vicky Featherston Tu, in which participants build a pedestrian-only city using origami techniques. A discussion on beekeeping and baking and a talk on building video game worlds and virtual reality experiences are on offer, too. Two massive parties will take over the space as well — first a Halloween ball on October 27, and then a marriage equality celebration on November 17 (featuring JOY 94.9 radio and the city's best queer DJs). There'll be plenty of local and international musicians on throughout the four months, including weekly gigs at Friday Night Fiestas. Other highlights include Hope St Radio's live broadcast on October 27, a performance by emerging Indigenous singer-songwriter Alice Skye on November 18, and a series of Bakehouse Studios' secret rehearsal sessions, with the artists announced the day before. Plus, Cuba's La Buena Vida Social Club will play three Sunday arvo sessions on October 14, November 11 and December 9, with special sangria served at the kiosk during these shows. If you're interested in the strictly architecture and design side of things, discussion topics include: 'the future is gender neutral design', 'how to start and sustain your creative project', 'perfectionism: pressure to be perfect' and the 'living closer together: symposium'. There'll also be five panel talks on Indigenous built environments with architecture forum BLAKitecture, including 'women's business' and 'Indigenising procurement'. To meet this year's MPavilion designer, you can catch a talk with Pinós on October 9, titled 'the land on which we stand'. For 2018, they've also signed on writer-in-residence Maddee Clark and artist-in-residence Esther Stewart, who will explore the intersection between architecture, writing and art. Stewart will also create a large-scale interactive installation that'll fit alongside Pinós pavilion, open from December 24–January 6. MPavilion will return to Queen Victoria Gardens from October 9–February 3, 2019. To check out the full program, head to the MPavilion website. Images: Bec Capp
Regina George would salute a rumour-fuelled US high school, with news of a gossip app running amok in classrooms in Connecticut. Creating havoc in the small town of Westport, the Yik Yak app functions like a Mean Girls meets Gossip Girl trolls-only Twitter: a stream of anonymously posted insults about the students of Staples High School. Developed under the tagline "spread the word, grow the herd," the Yik Yak app has been described by the unrelated developers as "acting like a local bulletin board for your area by showing the most recent posts from other users around you. It allows anyone to connect and share information with others without having to know them. News, funny experiences, shout outs, and jokes spread faster than ever through Yik Yak's tight-knit community". Nice idea, but in the hands of high school students, things have turned predictably nasty. Individuals can post 'yaks' anonymously and read horrible things about themselves in turn, as if high schools weren't already great stages for bullying and rumour mongering. In a candid, first-person account from current student Will Haskell, published in New York Magazine, he explains the cinematic reaction of the student body. "When you watch stupid movies about teenagers in high school, you roll your eyes at the classic fallout scene in which the hallways are filled with whispering students all gossiping about the same thing. This was exactly what Thursday afternoon looked like at Staples," he says. "In the course of a few periods, the most private, deplorable thoughts of the Staples student body had been put into writing. And the worst part was that no one knew who was writing this stuff — maybe the asshole you’d expect it from, or maybe the quiet girl in the back of Spanish class." Scrolling through the Yik Yak news feed, students could read and post anonymous comments about their classmates — inevitably resulting in a sea of racist, sexist and homophobic hogwash. "L. M. is affiliated with Al Qaeda." "The cheer team couldn’t get uglier." "Nobody is taking H. to prom because nobody has a forklift." Even the principal was targeted. Haskell hadn't taken his school for a gossip hive, although Snapchat sexting and Facebook cyber bullying had done a good job of making students uneasy about school-based online shenanigans. "It's a good, medium-sized public school in Westport, Connecticut. We don’t walk through metal detectors on our way to class, and the main job of our school "security force" is to hand out tickets when students' Jeeps and Audis park in staff parking spaces," he says. "I've found Staples to be a happy, functional, though complexly hierarchical place. The three most popular senior girl groups are the Bots, the Bedfords, and Acrimonious. There are Albone and the Rowdies, both popular senior boy groups. There are the Amigos (popular junior girls), the Cool Asians (none of whom are actually Asian), the Fairies (the soccer team, not the theater kids), the Players (the theater kids, not the soccer team), and many others." Haskell explains the Yik Yak app found its way to Staples from the neighbouring town of Fairfield, after students from both schools had come across the app on a trip to the Dominican Republic. Fairfield had already been hit hard by the app, now it was Staples' turn. "Yik Yak gave everyone a chance to take down enemies, reveal secrets, or make shit up in order to obliterate reputations," says Haskell. "You didn’t need internet popularity in order for your post to be seen; you just needed to be within a 1.5-mile radius of your target and your audience." Yik Yak has been available for download since November and has only now been blocked on Staples grounds after students began avoiding school to dodge the physical and online bullying barrage. But the app has also raised $1.5 million in funding and remains anonymous. For now, the Yik Yakkers on campus can take some advice: Via New York Magazine.
As the apple belt of Australia, Goulburn Valley may have a place in your heart for providing all that thirst-quenching apple juicy goodness, but it's about to be known for something else too. Mitchelton Winery, one of the region's prettiest winery destinations, is launching a $16 million luxury boutique hotel so now you can indulge in that second glass and stay overnight. The hotel is nestled in a crook of the Goulburn River and surrounded acres of fertile grape land. Against a lush background, the Mitchelton Hotel and Spa is a striking slice of minimalist heaven for people who like quality, not gaudy, luxury. As well as 58 rooms on offer, they also have a 20-metre infinity pool and spa. The hotel was designed by the good folk at Hecker Guthrie and they've gone hard on the natural textures — expect a lot of divine linen and exposed timber — and tied it all together with a dark, muted colour palette. With an in-room selection of the vineyard's finest drops, you may never want to leave your suite but you definitely should, to take a stroll through the stunning grounds. The experience doesn't stop there though, you can also indulge in the decadent in-house restaurant and cellar, and a chocolate café serving up couverture chocolates and cakes. The hotel is taking bookings for summer now so if you're all about wine, minimalist luxe and imported chocolate, well, hop to it. Mitchelton Winery will open on Friday, December 1 at 470 Mitchellstown Road, Nagambie. For more info or to book, visit mitchelton.com.au.
Sydney's annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has sparked many a trip to the Harbour City. In recent years, it has also inspired themed flights to the New South Wales capital from New Zealand, Brisbane and Melbourne to enjoy the festivities. Partying in the sky on a pride flight on the way to Sydney's biggest pride party? That's a must for the diary. In 2023, however, all those mid-air shenanigans are levelling up. Next year, Sydney will host WorldPride, marking the huge LGBTQIA+ celebration's first-ever stint in the Southern Hemisphere. The plans for the event are massive — Kylie Minogue headlining the opening concert-level massive. And both Virgin and Qantas want to fly you there to enjoy everything from rainbows aplenty all around the city to a closing gig led by MUNA and G Flip. For Virgin, the pride flights will run for the third year, after first kicking off from Brisbane in 2021, then expanding to Melbourne in 2022. And, they'll add new departure points, letting folks from Adelaide and Perth also hop onboard — and running the airline's first-ever pride flight from the US to Australia, as flown by United Airlines, leaving from San Francisco. Tickets for Virgin's one-way pride trips are on sale now, and will include more than 1000 seats across five flights. From Australia, the flights depart on Friday, February 24, while the US service will leave on Wednesday, February 22 but touch down Down Under on Friday, February 24. The Aussie services will be hosted by RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under stars Coco Jumbo, Karen From Finance, Kween Kong and Maxi Shield, as well as top Australian drag talent like Barbie Q, Penny Tration, Philmah Bocks, Sexy Galexy and Tora Hymen. And, they'll include a pre-flight departure party featuring entertainment by local LGBTQIA+ venues (such as Fluffy, Sircuit, Mary's Poppin' and Connections Nightclub), alongside those mid-air drag performances, DJs and dancing — and bottomless beverages — while you're cruising at 30,000-plus feet There's also a pride flight landing party, too, taking place from 4.30–8.30pm on the Friday at The Beresford. It includes complimentary drinks and entertainment, and is covered by the pride flight tickets. And, $30 from the sale of each ticket will be donated to Australian charity Minus18, which works to improve the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth. For Qantas, you'll be soaring in from Los Angeles, because that's where the airline's first-ever pride flight is departing from. The Qantas WorldPride Flight will also take off on Wednesday, February 22, and will feature Joel Creasey as host. On this US–Australia trip, there'll be live inflight entertainment, food by chef Neil Perry (who is also Qantas' Director of Food, Beverage and Service), and free limited-edition 'rainbow roo' Qantas pyjamas that've been designed specifically for the flight. And, your Qantas ticket will also include general admission to the Live and Proud: Sydney WorldPride Opening Concert, where none other than Ms Minogue will take to the stage — a gig that's virtually sold-out otherwise. The one caveat on all of the above: passengers will have to organise their own far less glitter-filled flight home following the weekend's celebrations. Tickets for Virgin's past flights have always been snapped up quickly, so it's likely this batch from both airlines will do the same. And if you're a Sydneysider wanting to experience the one-way flights, you can always head to Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, San Francisco or LA prior if that suits your plans, then use the pride services to return home. Virgin Australia's pride flights will fly from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide to Sydney on Friday, February 24, while its San Francisco–Sydney flight will depart on Wednesday, February 22. Tickets are on sale now from the Virgin Australia website. Qantas' pride flight will take off on Wednesday, February 22, flying from Los Angeles to Sydney. Tickets are also on sale now via the Qantas website. Sydney WorldPride will run from February 17–March 5, 2023. For more information, head to the event's website. Thinking about attending Sydney WorldPride? Check out Concrete Playground Trips' Sydney WorldPride package. It includes tickets to the Domain Dance Party and Live and Proud: Opening Concert, plus three nights at the PARKROYAL Darling Harbour Sydney.
Cacti lovers, take note: Madrid is now on your must-visit list. While there's no shortage of reasons to head to the Spanish locale, those fond of spiky succulents will want to flock to Desert City, a massive biotechnology nursery dedicated to cultivating, researching and showcasing cacti and other xerophytic plants. Located 20 minutes out of the city at San Sebastián de los Reyes, and transforming a highway-adjacent spot that was once an industrial wasteland, the educational ecological complex features everything a site devoted to cacti should. That includes a huge greenhouse, a nursery for those keen to take some greenery home with them, exhibition space and a restaurant. And, yes, it also boasts plenty of the plant life in the spotlight — more than 400 xerophytic species across 16,000 square metres, with 5,000 square metres taken up by an experimental botanic garden. While many of the cacti within its garden are native to the area, Desert City also includes dedicated spaces for species from other continents, aka the equivalent of globe-hopping one succulent at a time. The entire place is also designed to put the principles of 'zerolandscaping' — low water, low maintenance gardening — into practice, creating sustainable gardens that optimise natural resources. Images: Desert City / ImagenSubliminal
Nearly 250 metres above street level sits Bangkok's newest attraction: the highest outdoor whisky bar in the world. Opening at The Tower Club at Lebua, Alfresco 64 takes sipping on Scotch to towering extremes — and pairs its tasty tipples with quite the killer view. Located on the 64th floor of the building immortalised in The Hangover Part II, the sky-high whisky haven isn't just about drinking any old beverage while taking in the city's scenic sights, though. Alfresco 64 was designed to showcase the hotel's very own drop, the Chivas Regal Exclusive Lebua Blend. Made from whiskies from 1985 and earlier, it's a limited and expensive drink, with each one of the 96 bottles made only available at the bar for a price of US$7ooo each. No wonder the whole 200-square-metre space is decked out like a luxury yacht, including the outdoor counter and indoor VIP room, which comes complete with a captain's seat. Alas, to hop inside, you have to part with enough money to buy a bottle. Don't worry — other varieties are available outside for those who can't part with such a huge chunk of cash for some whisky, i.e. most people. Via: Forbes. Images: Alfresco 64.
When it comes to spooking cinemagoers, A24 has a mighty fine track record. The Witch, Hereditary, Midsommar and In Fabric sit among its on-screen nightmares, and X, Bodies Bodies Bodies and Pearl as well. The latest film on the independent film and TV company's list is Talk to Me, which is clearly joining immensely impressive company. It also slips into another category: flicks that make it nerve-shreddingly plain that no one should ever mess with the dead. Whether they're zombies or vampires, or ghosts haunting various abodes, or spirits possessing people or dolls, little good ever seems to arise when someone — or, in this case a group of folks — decides not to let the deceased remain deceased. Of course, if people did heed this advice, we wouldn't have anywhere near as many scary flicks to watch, including this Australian effort. A24 has found its latest frightfest Down Under, with Talk to Me stemming from Adelaide-born twins Danny and Michael Philippou. They're also known as RackaRacka, which you might know from the YouTube channel, and this is their feature debut. A word of warning: if you're not a horror person — and, generally, you either are or you aren't — then neither the initial trailer nor the just-dropped new sneak peak is for you. Based on a concept by Bluey producer Daley Pearson, Talk to Me's premise is horror 101, but it doesn't feel like that for a second in its glimpses so far. This eerie affair is all about conjuring up spirits using an embalmed hand — because what else would you use a mummified appendage for? It starts as a game between friends, another scary-movie staple, then opens the door to the spirit world. Starring Sophie Wilde (The Portable Door), Miranda Otto (The Clearing), Zoe Terakes (Nine Perfect Strangers), Otis Dhanji (June Again), Chris Alosio (Millie Lies Low) and Alexandra Jensen (Joe vs Carole), Talk to Me enjoyed its world premiere at the 2022 Adelaide Film Festival, and has kept doing the rounds from there. Sundance, Berlin, SXSW, Overlook: it's scared them all since. The movie will hit general release on July 27 in Australia and New Zealand. The film's soundtrack is a drawcard, too, including New Zealand hip-hop collective SWIDIT — plus tracks from Lucianblomkamp, IJAE, Sia, Takara, ONEFOUR and The Kid Laroi. Composer Cornel Wilczek (Clickbait) takes care of the score. Check out the latest trailer for Talk to Me below: Talk to Me opens in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on July 27, 2023.
Amid wondering how everything and anything would cope with feelings — elements such as water, fire, air and earth being the current example — Pixar also enjoys venturing to infinity and beyond. The Disney-owned animation studio first became famous and beloved thanks to the Toy Story franchise, and a space ranger figurine who loved spouting an intergalactic catchphrase, but the company is no stranger to heading into the heavens in its movies. With 2022's Lightyear, Pixar left earth for obvious reasons. When you're making a film about said space ranger toy — well, about its inspiration, to be exact — space is part of the package. With 2024's upcoming Elio, the studio is instead playing with aliens and putting earth on trial. Oh, and hanging out with a kid who says he's the planet's leader. That child is the movie's namesake, who isn't short on imagination, but could never have dreamed up the adventure that awaits. In the feature's just-dropped first teaser trailer, Elio goes on an out-of-this-world journey when he's beamed up to the Communiverse. That's an interplanetary organisation that looks after galaxies far and wide — and it mistakes the kid for earth's ambassador. How does an otherwise ordinary child cope with being in space, meeting alien lifeforms and being put through a number of challenges? What does he learn about himself along the way? Cinemagoers will find out on February 29, 2024, with Pixar's next flick after Elemental arriving on leap day — a date that no one should forget. Adrian Molina, screenwriter and co-director of the gorgeous Coco, helms the movie, while the cast includes Yonas Kibreab (Sweet Tooth) as Elio, America Ferrera (Superstore) as Elio's mom Olga, Jameela Jamil (Poker Face) as Ambassador Questa and Brad Garrett (High Desert) as Ambassador Grigon. While 2023 will only see one Pixar movie hit screens, Elio is one of two slated for 2024. Also on the lineup next year: Inside Out 2. Check out the teaser trailer for Elio below: Elio will release in cinemas Down Under on February 29, 2024.
Whether you're travelling from Sydney to Canberra or Parramatta, Melbourne to Geelong, or Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, you'll soon be able to get there a whole lot quicker — or that's the plan, at least. Various government bodies have announced various high-speed transport proposals throughout 2018, all focused on journeying relatively short distances in as short a time as possible. But if a potential new transit network comes to fruition, Australians would be able to zip between many capital cities in less than an hour. One of several companies trying to build Elon Musk's Hyperloop vacuum-tube transport system, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has lodged a submission to the federal government's current parliamentary inquiry into automated mass transit. Its key feature: travelling at a top speed of 1223 kilometres per hour. At speeds that fast, you'd be able to zoom from Brisbane to Sydney in 37 minutes, and from Sydney to Melbourne in the same amount of time. Melbourne to Adelaide would take just 33 minutes, while a jaunt down from Sydney to Canberra would need a mere 14 minutes, and venturing from Canberra to Melbourne would be over in 23 minutes. The timings are just estimates for now; however each potential leg proves considerably quicker than the equivalent plane journey — and the longest outlined route, from Brisbane to Adelaide, would take one hour and 47 minutes. Zipping between the northern and southern ends of the country faster than you can watch a movie sounds incredibly enticing, as does simply popping over to another city for a day trip. Billed as "bringing aeroplane speeds to ground level", Hyperloop sends capsules along low-pressure tubes, with each capsule seating 38 passengers. That said, the system is still well and truly in the testing phase. In October, Hyperloop TT's first full-scale passenger capsule was revealed in Spain, with the company also building a 320-metre system in France. By next year, it intends to construct a one-kilometre system for further pilots. If Hyperloop does become a reality, Hyperloop TT's Aussie submission also suggests incorporating the Gold Coast, the Southern Highlands, Newcastle, Wollongong, Nowra, Port Macquarie and Orange into routes — further broadening the network's reach, reducing road congestion and decentralising the country away from major cities, all while using solar panels to power the system. There's no proposed timeframe in Hyperloop TT's proposal, so don't go dreaming about zooming across the country just yet. Also, this isn't the first time that Hyperloop has been proposed for Australia, with rival outfit Hyperloop One outlining plans for a Sydney to Melbourne route back in 2016. Via news.com.au. Images: Hyperloop TT.
Earlier this morning we reported that the NSW government was set to announce some pretty big reforms to the taxi industry, namely ones that would see Uber legalised throughout the state. Originally reported by The Daily Telegraph late last night, the news that the NSW government was stepping up to meet the ride sharing service halfway so soon after the New South Wales Road and Maritime Services effectively put the company on notice was surprising — and, it seems, not entirely accurate. As brought to our attention by ABC News, NSW Premier Mike Baird was quick to shoot down any claims that a final decision on Uber's legal-ness has been made. Speaking to Sydney radio station 2UE this morning, Baird said that the claims — which were picked up by The Guardian, 9 News and us — jumped the gun a little. "What we've agreed to do is to have this issue looked at, and Gary Sturgess, who's obviously well respected in public policy, has looked at this issue for us and prepared a report and made some recommendations," Baird told 2UE. "That report will be considered as part of the due process of government and it will go to Cabinet in good time, and when that is done we’ll have much more to say about it." Until then, Uber. Via ABC News.
It has been two short weeks since Banksy pulled what might be the artist's greatest prank yet — ripping one of his own paintings to shreds the very moment it was sold at auction. And if you just can't get enough of the stunt, Banksy has released a new extended video that peers behind the scenes as it all goes down. Called Shred the Love: The Director's Cut, the nearly three-minute clip is available on the artist's website, and reveals not only what went down when Banksy's Girl with Balloon artwork self-destructed as the hammer fell on the winning bid, but what was supposed to happen. Alongside the bidding at London's Sotheby's auction house, footage of someone pressing a button on a remote to start the shredding process, and the shocked mayhem afterwards, Banksy reveals that the entire painting was supposed to be cut to pieces. "In rehearsals it worked every time," the video notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxkwRNIZgdY Understandably, the stunt has sparked plenty of chatter both in the art world and in general over the past fortnight, including suggestions that the work has now gone up in value. The Telegraph reports that the collector with the winning £860,000 (AU$1.6 million) bid has decided to keep the piece, which has been retitled Love is in the Bin — although if Banksy had gotten his way, only torn strips of the painting would remain. The new video expands upon the original clip that Banksy posted in the immediate aftermath of the October 5 prank, showing a shredder being secretly built into the artwork, with an explanation that this was done a few years ago "in case it was ever put up for auction". Sotheby's has repeatedly advised that it had no knowledge of the prank before it happened. "It appears we just got Banksy-ed," Alex Branczik, head of contemporary art for Europe, told The Art Newspaper. Of course, whether Banksy is building the world's most depressing theme park, crafting a dark tourism ad for Gaza, opening a Bethlehem guesthouse with a view of the Israeli-Palestinian border or spray painting his pieces all over the globe, the artist's work tends to make a statement. The latest stunt certainly does continue Banksy's fascination with both creation and destruction, which has long been a theme at the centre of the street artist's work. Images: Olga Rozenbajgier, The Art of Banksy / Banksy.
This is a public service announcement for anyone who bakes, eats or lives and breathes cake. One of the biggest dessert shows in the country returns to Melbourne this October, featuring everything and anything in the world of baking and cake decorating. Running for three days from October 21-23 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event will include live demonstrations across a number of theatres, as well as shopping, challenges and — of course — lots and lots of epic, out-of-this-world cakes. From MasterChef 2016 winner Elena Duggan to international cake artist Danielle Gotheridge to Movida's Frank Camorra, the 2016 Cake Bake & Sweets Show will host a huge lineup of expert bakers. International chocolate sculptor Paul Joachim (known for his huge chocolate pieces, including a huge Harry Potter sculpture he made for J.K. Rowling's birthday) will be there too, teaching punters how to carve 15-kilogram blocks of chocolate into works of art. Visitors can make their way through the Producers' Marketplace, the temporary home to Victoria's best pastry, macaron, pie and cake makers. Visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase the latest and greatest in baking equipment, ingredients and tools. The show will run from 10am until 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets start from $28 for single-day general admission.
Lake Air is the fourth studio album to come from Sydney’s Dappled Cities. Dappled Cities have risen to prominence thanks to their brand of infectious dance-rock and their latest group of songs look to continue this trend of success. The album has received rave reviews since its release in early August and the lead single ‘Born at the Right Time’ has been a success as well. European electro-pop maestro, JAPE, will be joining the band on their national tour. JAPE’s lastest album Ocean Of Frequency recently won the Irish Album Of The Year, so you know that there will be some exceptional music on display. Be sure to get to the Corner Hotel to catch these guys - you won’t regret it.
A day out from December 25, the experts are forecasting some hot weather. And it looks like you'd better be prepared to embrace the sweats, with Australia's weather set to gift us with some very balmy Christmas Day temperatures across the board. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne will be turning on some pretty primo beach weather, with mostly sunny skies and a top of 26 degrees, shooting it past the monthly average of 24.2. With today set to hit 34 degrees, the temp will only get to a low of 17 — so you're probably going to want to make sure those Christmas beers are cold and a swimmable body of water isn't too far away. Sydney is slated to enjoy a similar situation, facing a maximum of 29 degrees, a whole stack of sunshine and lows of just 18 degrees. However, if you're going to be out west, you'll have to withstand a heatwave — Penrith will reach a top of 35 degrees Happily enough, it seems the city will have got the current sogginess out of its system, with a solid week of showers and storms drying up in time for Christmas Eve. As in Melbourne, Sydney's looking at a mere five percent chance of rain for December 25 — if that's not perfect barbecue weather, we don't know what is. Further north, Brisbane's Christmas Day forecast is surprisingly similar, despite the slew of sweaty mid-30s the city's copped in the lead-up. If you're up there for the big day, you can expect to unwrap those presents to a balmy top of 29 degrees — pretty much bang on the Queensland capital's December maximum average. Across the country, Perth punters are in for steamier festivities, with Christmas Day maxing out at 35 degrees and dipping to just 20. It's a little warmer than the city's December averages, but shouldn't come as too much of a shock to locals — December 25 runs off the back of five relentless days of mid-to-high 30s, scorching sunshine and pretty much zero rain. Best find yourself some air-con for the big day. Adelaide-bound folk are in for the same max of 35 degrees, following a string of mid-20s in the lead-up. Canberra's maxing out at a sunny, slightly breezy 33 degrees, while Darwin folk can prepare themselves for a dramatic combination of 34-degree maximums, a medium chance of showers and possible thunderstorms. If you're after a cool Christmas, it seems you'll have to venture down to good ol' Tassie to find it — Hobart's dishing up a partly cloudy day, with a manageable maximum of just 22 degrees. Updated: December 24, 2018.
Airbnb are giving four lucky, brave people the chance to spend a night in luxury amidst the snow-capped crescents of the French Alps. Ascend the mountain on chauffeured snowmobiles, feast on mulled wine and cheese fondue, and be the first to hit the slopes the following morning. There’s just one catch: your four person apartment is actually an alpine cable car, suspended 9000 feet in the air. The precarious lodgings hang atop Sommet de la Saulire — the highest mountain in the Courchevel — approximately 2,700 metres above sea level. Specially modified, the gondola includes two double beds and 360 degree views, but no bathroom — which frankly, when your guests are spending all night in abject terror, seems like the type of amenity that might be worth including. Then again, I can see how plumbing might be somewhat impracticable at that height. I suppose you can always just open the door and relieve yourself over the edge? Obviously, this particular giveaway is not for anyone who struggles with heights. To me, it sounds a lot like the setup of one of those ghost stories, where you inherit a fortune from an eccentric old uncle, but have to spend a night in a haunted house before you can collect. Those of you braver than I can enter the competition by heading on over to the Airbnb website, and letting them know in less than 100 words why you deserve to win — look, you're probably someone who lives in a house like this, right? Entries close on Wednesday February 25 for a stay on the evening of Friday March 6. The prize also includes a return airfare, if you survive. Via Fast Company.
Australia's film festival calendar is about to kick into gear for 2022, with fests dedicated to documentaries, European cinema, queer flicks and Japanese movies all among the events that've already announced their upcoming lineups. Another ace excuse to stare at the big screen in a darkened room that Aussie movie lovers can look forward to in the very near future: the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival, which is returning across March and April for its 33rd year. It's still a tad too early for AFFFF to reveal its full program, but it has confirmed a few details to get you in the French film-watching mood. First up, there's the fest's dates, with the event making its usual capital city stops. So, cinephiles in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart — and in Byron Bay and Parramatta, too — you can now start blocking out time in your diaries. Also unveiled early: AFFFF's first ten films from its 2022 lineup, including opening night's 19th-century Paris-set Lost Illusions. Starring an impressive cast that includes Benjamin Voisin (Summer of 85), Cécile de France (The French Dispatch), Vincent Lacoste (Sorry Angel) and Xavier Dolan (Matthias & Maxime) — the latter acting rather than directing — it follows a lower-class poet who falls in love with the baroness Louise de Bargeton. Other highlights span two movies that premiered at last year's Cannes Film Festival, with rom-com Love Songs for Tough Guys featuring Vanessa Paradis (Knife+Heart), set in Dunkirk and taking its cues from Cyrano de Bergerac, and La Traviata, My Brothers and I focusing on a 14-year-old who wants to become the new Luciano Pavarotti. There's also The Young Lovers, also led by the aforementioned Cécile de France; Waiting for Bojangles, a page-to-screen adaptation starring Virginie Efira (Bye Bye Morons) and Romain Duris (Eiffel); The Kitchen Brigade, which is set in the world of French gastronomy; Hear Me Out, a rom-com directed by and starring Pascal Elbé (The Swallows of Kabul); and the 60s-set Happening. Or, you can look forward to documentary The Velvet Queen, where photographer Vincent Munier and writer Sylvain Tesson head to the Tibetan highlands on a quest to find the snow leopard — or, from the retro program showcasing the work of actor and filmmaker Alain Delon, Purple Noon, which adapts Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr Ripley. The full festival lineup will be revealed on Thursday, February 3 — and you can check out the festival trailer below in the interim: ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: March 1–April 6, with encore screenings from April 7–10: Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Chauvel Cinema and Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, Sydney March 2–April 6, with encore screenings from April 7–10: Palace Electric, Canberra March 3–April 6, with encore screenings from April 7–10: Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Como. Palace Westgarth, Pentridge Cinema, The Kino and The Astor Theatre , Melbourne March 9–20: State Cinema, Hobart March 9–April 6, with encore screenings from April 7–10: Camelot Outdoor Cinema, Luna Leederville, Luna on SX, Palace Raine Square and Windsor Cinema, Perth March 16–April 13, with encore screenings from April 14–18: Palace Barracks and Palace James Street, Brisbane March 24–April 24, with encore screenings from April 25–26: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas, Adelaide, plus Victa Cinemas, Victor Harbor March 30–April 14, with encore screenings from April 15–16: Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay April 7–10: Parramatta Riverside Theatres, Parramatta The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from Tuesday, March 1–Tuesday, April 26. For more information, visit the AFFFF website.
Three weekends. 41 artists. Plenty of massive sculptures. That's whats's on the agenda when the Lorne Sculpture Biennial returns for 2018, with a new array of huge creations exploring the theme 'Landfall'. It's the sixth time that the fest has turned the Lorne foreshore and the surrounding areas on the Great Ocean Road into one amazing sculpture playground, with 65,000 folks checking out the results back in 2016. Attendees can expect sculptures and installations that focus on the intersection of nature, humanity and art, all for their viewing pleasure — and, for free as well. Highlights include a four-kilometre walking track between Erskine River to the St George River, featuring 25 artists and including many site-specific pieces. Or, there's the Sculpturescape trail, where nine artists reimagine the landscape in their own ways. And, four pieces will emerge victorious as part of LSB's annual awards. Of course, moseying on down for a stint of sculpture-viewing however you see fit is also on the agenda. The mammoth artworks will be on display 24 hours a day, seven days a week between March 17 and April 2. Image: Greg Johns, The Observers.
Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp and Beyonce and Jay Z have all done it — and now it’s your turn. To own your own island, that is. A slice of paradise off Tassie’s north coast has gone up for sale through Ray White Southern Tasmania. And offers of $5 million or more are most welcome. You’ll find this pristine utopia, called Waterhouse Island, just three kilometres north of the Waterhouse Conservation Area, which is just 30-kilometres from Bridport on the mainland. The island is about 4.5-kilometres long, one-kilometre wide, and spans about 710 acres. So there are thousands of metres of land, sea and surf for exploring, swimming, snorkelling, relaxing and fishing. Meanwhile, your accommodation is all taken care of thanks to a light, airy colonial home, with three bedrooms and an open plan kitchen-dining area. Your new home is set up to tread gently on the environment; both buildings are self-sufficient, with rainwater tanks and solar power. Reckon your mates might want to visit? Shack them up in the waterfront guest house, where there’s room for four sleepers. Or just build your dream home. You can do whatever the hell you want when you own an island. On top of all this gloriousness, Barnbougle Golf Course isn’t far away either. So, on weekends, you can jump in your private boat – or plane – and get working on your par. Flight time is just ten minutes, and you'll have your own airstrip on the island. Now, it’s just a matter of scraping together a lazy five mill. Images: Ray White Southern Tasmania
In 2022, Netflix asked a question: what happens when you take the Australian teen series of the 90s and update it to the 2020s, all while riding a huge wave of nostalgia for all things stemming from three decades back? The answer seemed obvious on paper, but there were no guarantees about the new Heartbreak High revival until it actually arrived. The answer, thankfully, was a worthy successor to the beloved 1994–99 hit that every 90s Aussie kid watched. No one said "rack off" to the Sydney-set show's latest run, clearly, or to its new batch of Hartley High teens, or their fresh dose of messy teen lives. Not Aussie audiences, with the series making Netflix's top ten TV shows in the country for the five weeks after its September 2022 release. And, not the streaming service itself, given that it promptly renewed the show for season two. That was last year's news — and, if you've been hanging out for Heartbreak High's return, Netflix has just started confirming season two details. Firstly, you'll be waiting until 2024 for school to be in session again. Secondly, there'll be a couple of new students. Sam Rechner (The Fabelmans) will play country boy and classic cinema fan Rowan Callaghan, and he's destined for a love triangle. Also, Kartanya Maynard (Deadloch) joins the Hartley crew as Zoe Clarke, who has big thoughts on celibacy — she's in favour — as part of a gang of Puriteens. Attention students! Next season, we'll be joined by some new members of the class... Please make them feel welcome at recess 💔 🏫 #HeartbreakHigh pic.twitter.com/jUNGrdb57N — Netflix ANZ (@NetflixANZ) July 7, 2023 On the returning crew, character-wise: Amerie (Ayesha Madon, The Moth Effect), Harper (Asher Yasbincek, How to Please a Woman), Darren (screen first-timer James Majoos), Quinni (Chloe Hayden, Jeremy the Dud), Dusty (Josh Heuston, Thor: Love and Thunder), Ca$h (Will McDonald, Home and Away), Malakai (Thomas Weatherall, Troppo), Spider (Bryn Chapman Parish, Mr Inbetween), Ant (debutant Brodie Townsend), Sasha (Gemma Chua-Tran, Mustangs FC) and Missy (fellow newcomer Sherry-Lee Watson). Season one started with Amerie becoming a pariah at Hartley after a big revelation — an "incest map" plotting out who's hooked up with who throughout the school — and also struggling with a sudden rift in her friendship with bestie Harper. Attempting to repair her reputation, she called on help from her new pals Quinni and Darren, all while working through her crush on Dusty and developing feelings for Malakai. And that's just the start of the Heartbreak High revival's season one story. In season two, everyone will back for a second term after doing some growing up over the holidays, and Hartley is now the lowest-ranking school in the district. Netflix is teasing that threesomes, chlamydia and burning cars will be distant memory for the gang — but there'll still be teen chaos, of course, or this wouldn't be Heartbreak High. It was back in 2020 that Netflix initially announced that it was bringing the series back — and yes, it sure is a 2020s-era take on the Aussie classic, including everything from friendship fights, yelling about vaginas from the top of a building and throwing dildos at walls through to consent, crime, drugs and police brutality. The original Heartbreak High was a massive deal, and was filled with now-familiar faces, including Alex Dimitriades, a pre-Home and Away Ada Nicodemou, and Avengers: Endgame and Mystery Road's Callan Mulvey as Drazic. It painted a multicultural picture of Australia that was unlike anything else on TV at the time. And, for its six-year run across two Aussie networks, the Sydney-shot show was must-see television — not bad for a series that started as a spinoff to the Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades-starring 1993 movie The Heartbreak Kid, too. Check out the trailer for the Heartbreak High revival's first season below: Heartbreak High season two will arrive sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact date is announced. The show's first season is available to stream now via Netflix. Read our full review.
If there's one thing Aussies love, it's taking the day off work and catching up with mates over a couple of beers, a bottle of wine, or a cocktail jug in celebration of not being in the office. So, there's absolutely no chance we Melburnians will let a public holiday such as Melbourne Cup Day pass by without some good celebration. As always, the problem isn't finding somewhere that's open on a public holiday, it's picking the best place on offer out of the many venues in our vibrant city. Ahead of the big one on Tuesday, November 5, we've put together a cheeky list of ways to get down on the day without blowing big bucks. Think bottomless brunches, high tea packages, three-course meals, a party hosted by drag queens and endless grazing stations. Make sure to get your best frocks out, as there are plenty of prizes up for grabs across the city for best (and worst) dressed.
This January, Melbourne's Federation Square will play host to a fun new addition in Arboria — a huge, blow-up sculpture featuring a walk-through labyrinth of winding tunnels and lofty domes. On exhibition from January 6–28, the inflatable structure takes its inspiration from the forest, incorporating tree-like spaces, stylised leaf patterns and a soundscape from Ecuador's Mindo cloud forest, to create an immersive, multi-sensory experience for visitors young and old. A maze of pods and domes leads to a stunning central space, where massive columns and soaring Gothic-style windows mirror those of Chapter House at the UK's York Minster cathedral. It's the work of world-renowned group Architects of Air, who've created and exhibited a whole series of these 'luminaria' structures across the globe. Arboria will be open from 10am–8pm daily between January 6 and 28. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for concession holders and $14 for kids, available soon from the Fed Square website. Image: Jesus Fernandez via Architects of Air.
Does this represent a work of genius, or has Frankenstein lost control of the monster? In the eyes of Harvey Moon, 'drawing machines' are fascinating, not only for the work they produce, but also for the processes involved in their acts of creation. 'That loss of communication and that failure for a machine to communicate properly is what I find exciting and the randomness in which it produces these results,' he told the creators' project last month. Made of motors and servomechanisms, Harvey's machines act according to algorithms. However, despite our expectations that robots follow logical sets of rules, the responses are not always reliable. Unpredictable artworks are often the result. With one particular machine, titled 'Bugs draw for me', Moon has taken the concept further, by adding a cricket to the mix. Yes, one of those lively, chirping, hopping creatures that you wouldn't invite to your picnic. As a camera records the insect's movements, the machine lays them down visually. Apart from enjoying the suspense involved, Moon has also developed an interest in what the machines reveal about human behaviour. 'It plays with a different way of producing work, where we don't have to rely on our own physical bodies to produce art,' he explains. 'We can extend our system beyond our own hands.' [via the creators' project]
So you thought you'd be cool with giving Parklife a miss this time around? Well if FOMO is already kicking in hard with a week or so still to go we've got a solution, and it doesn't involve drowning your sorrows in beer and lying to everyone that you really just want to stay home and relax anyway. That's right, thanks to Grill'd Healthy Burgers we here at Concrete Playground are giving away two VIP double passes to the first chapter of summer's already-way-above-average music festival calendar. In case you missed it when we almost wet ourselves over the first line-up back in June this means you'll be enjoying tunes from the likes of The Presets, Passion Pit, Justice, Tame Impala and breakthrough beatmaker Flume, with plenty more equally exciting acts permeating Centennial Park with musical goodness. It's so fully sick that even the Bondi Hipsters have put their usual weekend plans on hold to join the bill. And since it's not a spring weekend without something chargrilled and delicious, Grill'd will be giving you each a voucher you can swap for a nice fresh burger at their on-site Airstream trailer. For a chance to win, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name, postal address and preferred city to hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm Wednesday 26th September. What you're getting: 2 double VIP passes to Parklife in the city of your choice ($384 value) 2 Grill'd Burger vouchers ($25 value) Parklife 2012 Dates: Parklife Brisbane | Saturday 29th September at Riverstage and Botanic Gardens Parklife Sydney | Sunday 30th September at Centennial Park Parklife Perth | Monday 1st October at Wellington Square Parklife Melbourne | Saturday 6th October at Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Kings Domain Parklife Adelaide | Sunday 7th October at Botanic Park, Botanic Gardens of Adelaide
Take Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and add it to the rare list of sequels that transcend their predecessors. Picking up the story around ten years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the opening titles paint a bleak picture of a world brought to the brink of extinction via the so-called 'Simian Flu'. Brink of extinction for humanity, that is, because the apes, by contrast, have flourished. Under the strict yet compassionate leadership of Caesar (once again made inconceivably lifelike thanks to Andy Serkis's performance and the remarkable team at WETA), the apes have now adopted a number of human traits and habits: communication through sign language, horse riding, spear wielding and even the establishment of some rudimentary written rules — chief amongst which is: APE NOT KILL APE. Given the descent into murderous anarchy by the scattered human survivors of the virus, that proclamation is intended as a critical point of difference for Caesar, a mark of pride and proof of primate primacy. It's also, unfortunately, delusory, and it is in that realm of 'innocence lost' that Dawn spends most of its time. With rivalries and jealousies brewing between both father and son and leader and lieutenant, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is something of a modern-day Richard III. What makes it so compelling is that none of the villains — ape or human — are without their justifiable reservations and prejudices. Koba, for example, is Caesar's unfailingly loyal friend and bodyguard, yet he bares the scars of cruel human testing and holds no affection for the survivors. On the human side, the leader of the survivors' colony (Gary Oldman) sees only the faces of his dead wife and children whenever confronted by apes, and his determination to restore power to the city has no room for the kind of simian compassion shown by his lieutenant (Jason Clarke). Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is smaller in both scale and ambition than Rise yet feels so much bigger and more satisfying. It's an 'us and them' tale, a prelude to war where neither side is as unified as they might think. The direction by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) is technical and delicate, aided by sumptuous cinematography and special effects that are nothing short of exquisite, with even the most intense closeup failing to betray even the tiniest flaw in design. If anything, the CGI apes outperform the humans in almost every scene in which screen time is shared. Tender, tense, intelligent and morally complex, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is an outstanding film and a genuine contender for blockbuster of the year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3sHMCRaS3ao
Feeling a fraction frazzled? A bit bamboozled? A touch touchy? Every now and again, you've got to step out of the action and into some downtime. And here to give you a helping hand are the good folk at independent Australian company The Downtime Agenda. Started by entrepreneur Julie Haslam, The Downtime Agenda aims to help everyday folks actually take time for themselves — when was the last time you did? Really did? By enabling Aussies to maximise their valuable downtime and actively relaxing, Haslam intends to boost mindfulness and wellbeing with a range of deliverable products, gifts and services — "a place dedicated to the things we do when we're not doing things". To get you started on your high quality R&R quest, in partnership with TDA, we're giving away a whole lot of free time. The big prize up for grabs is a weekend camping experience for two people. Another great independent Australian startup, CampNow is a local service made for people who dream about camping, but never seem to find the time or the gear. To make it easy, the team turns up on your doorstep with everything you need — from air mattresses and pillows to head torches and first aid kits. So, you end up with a weekend of camping delivered, without the hassles of storage and cleaning. You can also ask CampNow to show you the way to secret camp spots. Two runners up will score $100 vouchers to spend at The Downtime Agenda. These can be used to enjoy one of TDA's relaxing experiences, including massages, meditation classes, yoga sessions, men's grooming, pizza-making master classes, stays in Thredbo and more. [competition]613765[/competition]
Let's go party, indeed: Barbie is here, filling Australian cinemas with pink-hued cheer, and slaying both the patriarchy and the Australian box office. Greta Gerwig's Margot Robbie-starring take on the famous doll packed picture palaces not just with every shade of not-quite-red it could, but with people, breaking a Malibu DreamHouse worth records in the process. If you noticed plenty of fellow filmgoers watching this trip to Barbie Land, then Los Angeles, then back with you last weekend, that was the experience mirrored around the country. In fact, Barbie notched up the biggest opening at the Australian box office for 2023 so far, raking in $21.5 million including preview screenings. The stats keep coming, but the best is truly historic: Barbie enjoyed the biggest opening weekend for a film directed by a female filmmaker. It earned that same huge opening weekend title for films with any of Robbie, Gerwig and Ryan Gosling (The Gray Man) involved. Now that's some Kenergy. Also, Barbie helped smash even more records as part of the double feature of 2023: Barbenheimer. Thanks to both Barbie and Christopher Nolan's vastly dissimilar atomic-bomb thriller Oppenheimer, the Aussie box office saw its biggest-ever Saturday and Sunday takings. On Saturday, July 22, $11.1 million spent bested the $10.3 million recorded in April 2019 when Avengers: Endgame released. On Sunday, July 23, the $10.5 million gross topped the $9.96 million taken in December 2105 — on the Boxing Day public holiday on December 27, in fact — as fuelled by Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, plus Boxing Day releases. Specific cinemas also broke past records. At Sydney's Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, the independent theatre scored its highest-grossing weekend in its 88-year history. Oppenheimer in 70mm notched up the cinema's highest-grossing opening ever, while Barbie now sits second in that same category. At Melbourne's Cinema Nova, the also-independent cinema looks set to earn its biggest box-office week of all time. If it does, it'll break the record set in January 2020, when Gerwig's Little Women was playing alongside films like Jojo Rabbit and Parasite. Barbie also took the opening-week record from Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, and might become the first film by a female filmmaker to hit the venue's top ten of all time list. As for Oppenheimer, it's in the top ten biggest opening weekends. It shouldn't be lost on anyone that Barbie and Oppenheimer's successes mean that two movies that aren't part of long-running franchises have audiences flocking in. Neither film comes in as the fifth or 11th or 17th or 31st entries in a long-running saga, and don't we all know and love it. Here's the big takeaway: more of that please, especially given that oh-so-much of what reaches the silver screen is a sequel, prequel or chapter in a sprawling universe these days. Check out the trailers for Barbie and Oppenheimer below: Barbie is showing in Australian cinemas now. Read our review. Oppenheimer is also showing in Australian cinemas now. Read our review, too.
St Kilda's Esplanade Hotel looks like it will finally reopen its doors some two years after the iconic live music venue was shuttered. According to The Age, the 139-year-old venue has been purchased by venue managers Sand Hill Road, who intend to restore the fading landmark to its former glory. "The deal is expected to be finalised this week," reported The Age on Tuesday afternoon. Quoting a "hospitality source", the paper said that The Espy's new owners want to restore the venue's status as one of Melbourne's preeminent live music spot. Apparently they're also planning "a major overhaul" of the space which might include a large beer garden near the entrance. Plans by earlier owners to add a rooftop terrace to the venue were stymied after locals expressed concerns about the noise. The Espy has been closed since May 2015. If Sand Hill Road has indeed bought the venue, we could see it undergo a big facelift — the hospitality group has bought and refurbished a number of prominent Melbourne pubs including the Terminus Hotel in Abbotsford, the Bridge Hotel in Richmond and the newest of the bunch, the Garden State Hotel on Flinders Lane. When contacted, co-founder Andy Mullins declined to make any comment at this stage. We'll update this story with more details as it develops. Via The Age. Image: Adam Carr via Wikimedia Commons.
Playing host to all-night, pizza-slinging sports bar Holy Moly, legendary party destination Untz Untz and a nifty 24-hour licence, the space at 660A Glenferrie Road is a hotbed of activity at the best of times. So just imagine the buzz it'll see when The Holy Weekender takes over on Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23, delivering a two-day celebration of street art, fashion, food and tunes. A vibrant mingling of the local art and design communities, the free event will feature live art installations from a collection of local graffiti artists and illustrators, a soundtrack courtesy of some of your favourite Melbourne tune-makers, and eats and drinks from the Holy Moly team. Plus, there will be a curation of market stalls, with a focus on local and international streetwear. It will run from 10 till 5pm on the Saturday and 10am till 4pm on the Sunday. Of course, this weekend of creative celebration will be wrapping up in style, too, with a thumping after-party kicking off upstairs at Untz Untz from 5pm on the Sunday.
Queer film festival season is well and truly underway in Australia, but, lucky for Melburnians, the best has arguably been saved until last. Now in its 27th year, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival is serving up 135 reasons to head to the cinema from March 16 to 27, with 47 features, 15 documentaries and 73 shorts from 30 countries on the 12-day lineup. The usual festival catch-all — that is, that there's something for everyone — definitely applies. The obligatory appearance of James Franco (not once but twice) does too. So block out the bulk of the month and prepare to spend plenty of time at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Kino Cinemas and Cinema Nova, ideally watching our must-see picks of the program. PULSE An Australian-made queer body-swapping sci-fi fantasy parable about sexuality, youth and disability? We're calling it: Pulse is officially the most interesting-sounding film in the MQFF lineup. It also has a premise worthy of smashing all of the aforementioned words together, with a disabled teenage boy undergoing a strange procedure that places him in the body of an able-bodied woman. It's all in the name of love — what else? — which is how you might feel about the end result. Screening in the high-profile festival centrepiece slot, Pulse also marks the debut of writer/actor Daniel Monks and director Stevie Cruz-Martin, which means it promises on-screen intrigue and off-screen talent galore. I, OLGA HEPNAROVA There's plenty that can be said about I, Olga Hepnarova. It tells a chilling true tale in an immersive, engaging and stylistically interesting way, for starters. Oh, yes it does. Tackling the eponymous 22-year-old's murder spree and eventual execution, it's also far from upbeat viewing — but, even though the Czech effort delves into a stunning real-life crime, it's also perceptive and never sensationalist. Perhaps the strongest thing we can tell you is that, as lead actress Michalina Olszanska draws you into the mind of a loner turned killer in a mesmerising fashion, you won't forget your viewing experience in a hurry. THE INTERVENTION If The Intervention sounds familiar, that's okay. We've been keen for this one for a while. After screening at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, Clea DuVall's directorial debut makes its way to Melbourne with a heap of familiar faces helping her riff on The Big Chill. With DuVall herself, Cobie Smulders, Alia Shawkat, Natasha Lyonne, Melanie Lynskey, Jason Ritter and Ben Schwartz along for the ride, that means a reunion is in the spotlight — and, as the title suggests, the kind of caring confrontation that doesn't always go down too well. If you need any more reasons to watch, and you shouldn't, Sara Quinn from Tegan and Sara provides the score. TAEKWONDO With Taekwondo, two Argentinian talents well-versed in telling screen tales of lust and longing come together. Expect the results to pack a punch. In a film directed by Marco Berger and Martín Farina, sparks fly when the shy Germán accepts an invitation from his taekwondo teammate Fernando to join him on a summer getaway. Fernando's friends make Germán feel like part of the gang, but romance lingers beneath the male bonding — as do plenty of long, yearning looks, as well as a sensitive and intimate drama. A DATE FOR MAD MARY You've seen one wedding-centric flick, you've seen them all, right? That's a line of thinking that's easy to slip into, but Irish bright light A Date for Mad Mary is here to prove otherwise. The titular Mad' Mary McArdle gets out of prison, heads home and gets bundled into being the maid-of-honour at her best friend's wedding, leaving her in need of a companion. A combination of heart and humour makes the finished product stand out, as does a star-making turn by Seána Kerslake. Keen for more MQFF recommendations? The list doesn't stop there. We were excited about King Cobra, Tomcat, Women Who Kill and Out of Iraq when they screened at Sydney's Mardi Gras Film Festival, and eager for AWOL, The Lives of Therese, The Nest, Rara and Out Run at the Brisbane Queer Film Festival. Or, check out Being 17, which is also doing the rounds at the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival. MQFF screens at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Kino Cinemas and Cinema Nova from March 16 to 27. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Snorkelling. Private jets. Quokkas. Go-getters Heineken and boutique experience cultivators MrAristotle are at it again, and this time with a prize so appealing, you’ll want to move to Perth just to enter. To mark the release of SPECTRE — the 24th film in the iconic James Bond franchise — Heineken is celebrating its long-term partnership with the Bond brand to offer a few lucky fans a series of unbelievable and exclusive luxury experiences. Throughout November and December, Heineken have been hosting exclusive SPECTRE 007 events that are so mysterious participants haven't known what’s in store until they’re suddenly whisked away and thrown right into the middle of the action right as it happens. Having already revealed their helicopter pub tour and personal stylist session prizes, Heineken and MrAristotle have now unveiled their latest prize. Forget packing into the stuffy car and spending hours looking for a park, this one’s for the high-flyers... literally. It's a pretty fancy trip to Rottnest Island for lucky Perth people — we're talking luxury private jets, snorkelling in coral gardens, gourmet lunches, quokkas, the works. So what type of mission are you up for? You'll just have to sign up to find out — it could be anything worthy of the world of James Bond. Sure, that could technically mean you have to infiltrate villain lairs and have various tuxedo scuba suits on hand for 24 hours, but we’re pretty confident it’s referring to the fun stuff: parties filled with glamour, prestige, special guests and VIP performances. To be in the running, fans need to sign up via the Heineken's The Catch website and have your mates locked, loaded and ready to move at a moment’s notice. High fashion and jet skis aren’t essential, but they’ll certainly come in handy... Image: Dollar Photo Club.
Each year, the team behind Vivid Sydney clearly asks itself a question: where else can we dazzle with lights next? Ranging from gardens and tunnels to buildings and bridges, the answers brighten up not only the festival's annual program, but the Harbour City. Letting a train lit up with an immersive glow and pumping techno tunes loose on the New South Wales capital's rails is a new answer for 2024, however. Meet Tekno Train. This isn't your ordinary, everyday, average commute — this is a 60-minute trip filled with lighting and music that changes to match the train's speed and the landscape outside. And the tunes? Like the event itself, they hail from Paul Mac. The result is a 23-night-only railway experience that's an Australian first, with its music newly composed specifically for what promises to be a helluva ride. Here's how it works: between Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15, you'll hop onboard a K-set train at Central Station, either opting for a scenic route to North Sydney and then Lavender Bay via a secret spur line (the slower, more family-friendly trip), or hitting up City Circle and South Sydney (which'll be the livelier and faster-paced journey). Whether you pick The Scenic Route or Tech Express, as the two choices have been named, you'll see Tekno Train's custom lighting beam and hear its electronic dance music soundtrack pulse through all of the locomotive's carriages. "Trains have always fascinated me. Their mix of rhythmic clicks and clacks, the screech of metal on metal, and the sound and smell of brakes are all interesting sensory experiences that everyone can relate to," said Paul Mac about the new addition to the Vivid Sydney 2024 lineup, which has been announced just days ahead of the fest's kickoff. "Tekno Train will take things one step further. It will drive the music and lights, turning a commuter journey into a sensory rollercoaster." If you're wondering how it links in with this year's Vivid theme of 'humanity', Tekno Train puts the power of music to unite — even when people are doing something that they don't normally think twice about — in the spotlight. It also celebrates public transport, mass transit and community. And, of course, it'll get you seeing riding the rails in a whole new light, literally. In 2024, other responses to the Vivid challenge to put lights anywhere and everywhere include the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, where Lightscape will again get radiant; the Sydney Opera House sails, the city's trusty large-scale canvas; facades including Customs House and the Museum of Contemporary Art; the Sydney Harbour Bridge; Barangaroo; and Sydney Tower, which will project a fan of 40-kilometre-long laser beams. And, for the second year running, Dark Spectrum will return to Wynyard's railway tunnels with a one-kilometre trail featuring eight chambers, 300 lasers and strobe lights, 500 lanterns, 250 search lights and 700 illuminated arrows. Tekno Train departs from Central Station, running for 23 nights during Vivid Sydney — which takes place from Friday, May 24–Saturday, June 15. Head to the festival website for further details and tickets. Images: Destination NSW.
If you've always wanted to follow in the footsteps of Rasputin, but just couldn't find the right Contiki tour, we're here to help. There's a certain stigma that, in order to travel through Russia, you need to simultaneously wield a knife and be prepared to denounce democracy at any moment. There's some weird idea that it's filled lunatics, haters of English-speakers and that every street peddler possesses a stare of death. Well, take it from our experience — that's a total load of rot. Russia is home to some of the world's most incredible architecture, highest fashion and interesting people, and flights are on par with the cost of a trip to London. English isn't widely spoken — and you might have to adopt a diet of carrot cake and Cornettos to avoid attempting the language — but if you're chasing great experience over a great tan, lock in Russia for your summer vacay. [caption id="attachment_554510" align="alignnone" width="1280"] farhad sadykov via Flickr[/caption] WHERE TO GO If it's your first time in Russia and you're strapped for time, stick to the Western side — that is, St Petersburg, Moscow and Sochi. St Petersburg is an artist's dream, Sochi is the adventurer's city and Moscow is the New York of Russia (though they'd never admit it). Each city has every scene you can imagine — dive bars, high-end food precincts, live music venues, and a cathedral on every corner. If you want to experience a less hectic and clustered Russia — but still want to survive as an outsider — travel around the small towns outside Moscow, commonly known as the Golden Ring. It's a great route if you're chasing the peaceful life in the Russian province, beautiful countryside views and ancient architecture. [caption id="attachment_554526" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Kyle Taylor via Flickr[/caption] HOW TO GET A VISA Nothing great comes without at least one hurdle — and this one is a toughy. You're going to have to print some forms, post them off and pay some cash money for a little piece of paper to stick in your passport. Normally you have to apply for a Russian visa in person, but the Sydney consulate kindly allows you to post your application in. Check out their guidelines here. On your application form, you'll have to make sure you list every single country you've visited before. Seriously, if you forget that brief stopover you had once in Singapore, there'll be no visa for you. Oh, and you'll need an invitation from the hotel or hostel you're staying at during your stay in Russia. If you're Airbnb-ing it, you will have to obtain an invitation online. Stress Free Visas is a reliable, UK-based company that will help you obtain an invitation compatible with your visa within a day (for $40). [caption id="attachment_554509" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Chao Mama Hostel[/caption] WHERE TO STAY Hostels in Russia are seemingly some of the cleanest and cheapest in the world, but, of course, you're always at risk of getting a flea-ridden dud. In St Petersburg, Chao Mama hostel should be your go-to — seriously, work your trip around their availability so you can stay here. Its location is walking distance to St Isaac's Cathedral and a bed in a six-bed dorm is around a stupidly affordable $9AUD a night. They have homemade Belgian waffles for breakfast and the entire place is slick, clean and modern. If you're willing to empty your bank account on a luxe stay, then W Hotel is by far the trendiest, most convenient stay this side of the Baltic. In Moscow, just Airbnb it. The best hostels are on Airbnb anyway, and there are truly some pretty remarkable, not-too pricey views you could be waking up to. It's pretty easy to sort the reliable hosts from those looking to lend their dirty couch out for some quick cash. Use your know-how and, for God's sake, don't take a chance on a place that only shows one pixelated photo of a kettle. And if the listing is written in Cyrillic, steer clear — purely because making contact is going to be more hassle than it's worth. [caption id="attachment_550676" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Severyanin[/caption] WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK Unfortunately, not all Russian cuisine isn't something to get excited over. It seems all the time they spent building cathedrals, museums and invading different countries meant they simply forgot to forge an interesting cuisine. Most meals are meat and potato based, and farm-fresh fruit and vegetables are somewhat of a myth. So you can either eat cheap Chinese (of which there is plenty of) or take our advice on where to find meat and potatoes done not so bad. The traditional, must-try Russian dishes are stroganoff, borsch (beetroot soup), meat dumplings and honey cake. You can order delicious interpretations of these meals in St Petersburg's Severyanin. Their honey cake is famous (with good reason), and every Sunday from 2-5pm they host a Russian tea ceremony, complete with the homemade pies, jams, bagels and sweets pictured above. Other great restaurants in the area include Zoom Cafe (for breakfast), Pelmenya (for dumplings) and Macarena (for seafood). [caption id="attachment_550687" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Cafe Pushkin[/caption] In Moscow, head to the Novokuznetskaya District for a great bite. You can grab anything from a Japanese curry from Tanuki to a croque madame from Paul French Bakery — and of course there's some great Russian restaurants around too. Cafe Pushkin is one of the more famous, pricey restaurants in Moscow with renowned borsch, a dining room as posh as a museum and service that will have you feeling as royal as Catherine II. They're open from breakfast for dinner, and we recommend booking a table a few days in advance. On the drinks front, here's a serious don't: don't drink homemade vodka. If you're a traveller that has a tendency to make friends with locals and hence accept their invitation for a meal in their cabin in the woods, then this is your hot tip. Stay away from the moonshine. It'll probably kill ya. Just stick to the store-bought spirits, beers, illegally-imported Moldovan wine and rooftop bars (of which, there are many). [caption id="attachment_554517" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Larry Koester via Flickr[/caption] WHAT TO DO St Petersburg is a marvel of a city, made of more colours than Faber Castell HQ. Its architecture is incredible — the kind of exotic avant-garde structures, alien sensibilities, and strict Stalin-era designs you really won't find in any other country. St Isaac's Cathedral, The State Hermitage Museum and The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood are all must-sees. You could easily stay here a week and still not have done everything in and around St Petersburg, but the necessary out of town stops include heading to Pushkin to visit Catherine Palace and Peterhof State Museum Preserve. If you're a solo traveller, make a hearty attempt at catching public transport there, but if you're in a group of three or more, a taxi is affordable (and makes the trip a lot easier). [caption id="attachment_554524" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ana Paula Hirama via Flickr[/caption] In Moscow, allocate a good, sunny day to Gorky Park (pictured). Then another good, sunny day to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War. Hire skates or a bike (not a Segway) at both places as each are enormous and almost impossible to see properly without a set of wheels. If you're looking for more galleries and museum, The State Tretyakov Gallery, Tsarytsyno Open-Air History and Architectural Museum and Lenin's Mausoleum (where you can see Lenin's embalmed body) all deserve top rungs on the to-do list. [caption id="attachment_550679" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Adam Baker via Flickr[/caption] OTHER TIPS Bite the bullet, and learn to read Cyrillic as well as basic phrases and words.This isn't Bali. Most everyone speaks Russian exclusively, with perhaps a smidgen of German or English. Spa-see-ba is thank you. Stras-voot-yeah is hello. Make sure you have the Google Maps app on your phone. It gives the correct metro lines and stopovers right down to the minute. Use Uber, and always put your address in before you head out in case you don't have internet — it's much easier to have the address stored than having to pronounce a Russian street name. You might find yourself in a traffic jam with an Uber driver who is about to crack it because he's being dolled by the mile, not the minute. That's a good time to say spa-see-ba. He'll probably call you a prostituka. Don't lose your passport. That visa inside is the most important thing you have in Russia. If you lose it, you'll be detained in our embassy, promptly kicked out of the country and dished out a five-year ban from returning. No ifs, no buts — and don't even bother with the waterworks. These guys have dealt with more international disputes than you have Instagram followers. The empathy card is about as useless as a Georgian flag in South Ossetia. There's so much to see and do in Russia, and this is really only a snapshot of what this country has on show. It's a place everyone should venture to at least once — and there's no riskier/better time then now. Here's some Boney M to get the ball rolling. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yTVWXYctoY[/embed] Top image: haylee via Flickr
We're all going on a summer holiday: as long as you're keen to take your a vacation within Australia, Qantas has cheap flights on offer to help make your next getaway a reality for cheap. For a week, the Australian airline is slinging over one-million discounted fares to locations around the country. Byron Bay, Uluru and Hamilton Island, here you come. Maybe you've changed your computer backdrop to a picture of The Whitsundays. Perhaps you keep perusing snaps from a past Tasmania stay on your phone. Don't just think about your previous jaunts or the ones you want to take, however — here's the motivation that you need to book in your next one. Qantas has dropped the price on flights to over 60 Aussie destinations, with fares starting at $109 and 30-plus routes on sale for under $150 one-way. The cheapest cost will get you from Sydney to either Byron Bay or the Gold Coast. Other options include Melbourne to Launceston from $119 or Adelaide from $159, and Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $129 — and to Hamilton Island from $169. The list of destinations and departure points also spans Cairns, Townsville, Kangaroo Island, Perth, Mackay, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Toowoomba, Albury, Hobart, Port Macquarie, the Fraser Coast, Darwin, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Mildura, Broken Hill, Bundaberg, Whyalla, Longreach, Emerald, Mount Isa, Broome and more. You'll be able to travel between November 2024–June 2025 — so, you can also have an autumn or early-winter holiday — although the specifics vary per destination. If you're keen, you'll need to get in before 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. And yes, the usual caveat applies: if fares sell out earlier, you'll miss out. Inclusions-wise, the sale covers fares with checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, wifi and seat selection. Qantas' Red Tail sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world. Top image: hypergurl via iStock.
How many bricks of Lego does it take to build a bar? It probably wasn't the first Lego-related question we were going to ask (or test for ourselves) but The Brick Bar is proof that there are tangible answers to life's most ambitious questions. According to the creators of Australia's first bar made entirely out of Lego, it's a million bricks. And we'll actually be able to visit it when it opens in four cities around Australia — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth — in autumn this year. It's early days so we haven't yet been able to find out where these bars will be located (will the roof be made of Lego?), what drinks they'll serve (surely these won't be Lego?), or who actually counted a million Lego bricks (is this even possible?), but we do know that when it opens there'll be DJs all day and elaborate Lego sculptures placed around the adults-only space. Punters will also be able to make use of a huge pile of surplus bricks to fashion their own Lego creations, in public, with no shame at all. Just watch out for sharp corners. Legobar opens in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth this autumn. Tickets will be given on a first come, first served basis. Register on the The Brick Bar website for further updates. UPDATE FEBRUARY 12, 2018: Due to a trademark infringement, the pop-up bar previously named Legobar is now the Brick Bar.
They headed Down Under to give the town of Yass a makeover. They toured their first-ever standup show our way back in early 2020, too. Now, to make 2022 a whole lot more fabulous, Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness is again venturing to Australia and New Zealand — bringing their latest live show Imaginary Living Room Olympian to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland in September and October. On the agenda: not just tales from the Emmy Award-nominated television personality, hit podcaster and hairstylist to the stars' life, which'll definitely be included, but also gymnastics as well. Their last tour was inspired by a lifelong goal of becoming a figure-skating prodigy in time for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, after all. Clearly, that's not something you shake easily, and Van Ness has a gymnastics routine to show audiences this time around. The overarching theme of the show: that's it's not about the destination, but the journey. That might sound like standard advice, but fans of the rebooted Queer Eye know that no nugget of wisdom sounds average or cliched when delivered by Van Ness. The Imaginary Living Room Olympian tour comes after a big few years for Van Ness, including not only Queer Eye — which has notched up six seasons already — but this year's fellow Netflix series Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, which is based on their podcast of the same name. And, there's Van Ness' publishing career, too, courtesy of 2019's Over The Top: My Story and this year's Love That Story: Observations from a Gorgeously Queer Life (plus children's picture book Peanut Goes for the Gold, about a gender non-binary guinea pig). Expect Van Ness' new shows to be popular — their last tour, which played 40 cities worldwide, sold out theatres in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) JONATHAN VAN NESS' IMAGINARY LIVING ROOM OLYMPIAN TOUR 2022 DATES: Friday, September 23 — Riverside Theatre, Perth Sunday, September 25 — AEC Theatre, Adelaide Wednesday, September 28 — Plenary, Melbourne Thursday, September 29 — Aware Super Theatre, ICC Sydney Friday, September 30 — Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane Sunday, October 2 — Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland Jonathan Van Ness' Imaginary Living Room Olympian tour heads to Australia and New Zealand September and October 2022. For more information or to buy tickets from 2pm local time on Friday, May 13, head to the tour website.
Disney didn't need to add a new take on Peter Pan to its 2023 slate to tell audiences what we already know: the huge entertainment company doesn't want anyone to grow up. For further evidence, see its long list of live-action remakes of its animated hits, aka the films that filled our childhoods — a trend that will also see The Little Mermaid swim back into cinemas this year. Come May, the Mouse House's latest actor-led remake (see also: Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, Aladdin, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan, Pinocchio) will get Halle Bailey (Grown-ish) slipping into Ariel's scales and tail, and take a dip into the story of a mermaid pining for a different life. And, after dropping two sneak peeks before — one in 2022, one earlier in 2023 — the upcoming flick has finally unveiled its full trailer. Given that viewers already know and adore the original 1989 movie — there's a reason that The Little Mermaid-themed events such as screenings with live orchestral scores and cocktail experiences at aquariums keep proving popular — then we are all well aware how this tale goes. Ariel dreams of being human, and is willing to make a deal with a sea witch to see her wishes come true. That involves a trade, though: giving up her voice to get legs in return, which'll allow her to live above the water. Accordingly, as well as Bailey as Ariel, this new version of The Little Mermaid features Jonah Hauer-King (The Flatshare) as Eric, the human prince that Ariel falls for; Javier Bardem (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) as King Triton, Ariel's protective and unimpressed father; and Melissa McCarthy (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Ursula, said sea witch. Also among the cast, on voice duties: Daveed Diggs (Snowpiercer) as Sebastian the crab, Jacob Tremblay (Doctor Sleep) as Flounder and Awkwafina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Scuttle. Based on all three trailers so far, this take on The Little Mermaid from filmmaker Rob Marshall (Chicago, Nine, Into the Woods and Mary Poppins Returns) — and not Sofia Coppola — promises vivid underwater realms, glowing light shining down from above, mermaid dances, bright coral, friendly fish and floating jellyfish. Also included: the flick's star singing 'Part of Your World'. As for the tunes, they come courtesy of Alan Menken — returning from the original movie, as do all those old songs — and recent Australia visitor Lin-Manuel Miranda. Check out the full trailer for The Little Mermaid below: The Little Mermaid will release in cinemas Down Under on May 25. Images: Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Dream musical double alert: this winter in Australia, you can make a theatre date to see both Hamilton and In the Heights. Sydney is hosting the only Aussie return season for Lin-Manuel Miranda's second big Tony Award-winning show from late July — and now it's also welcoming his debut smash, too. Sydney Opera House will turn into New York City's Washington Heights for a six-week season of In the Heights, also kicking off the same month. Initially staged in 2005, then leaping to off-Broadway in 2007, then playing Broadway from 2008–11 (which is where it nabbed those 13 Tony nominations and four wins), Miranda's first stage sensation spends its time with Usnavi, a bodega owner from the Dominican Republic who dreams of going back — and who also sports a crush on Vanessa, who aspires to move out of the neighbourhood. Miranda himself originated the role of Usnavi, scoring a Tony nomination for his efforts. In Australia this winter, Ryan Gonzalez (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) will step into the part. When the show's Sydney Opera House run spans Saturday, July 20–Sunday, August 25, fellow Moulin Rouge! The Musical alum Olivia Vásquez will play Vanessa. Alongside Gonzalez, she'll be joined by Richard Valdez (All Together Now — The 100) as the Piragua Guy — another character that Miranda has brought to life personally, this time in the 2021 film version of In the Heights. On the stage and on-screen, the production not only follows Usnavi and Vanessa's connection, and their respective hopes for the future, but also the residents of Washington Heights, their family ties across multiple generations and their friendships. And the soundtrack — which helped In the Heights win Best Musical and Best Original Score Tonys — as well as the vibe and mood bring together salsa, soul, rap, hip hip, merengue and street dance. "In the Heights is an uplifting musical that celebrates collective joy in a truly genuine and spirited way. Community, culture, connection and colour explode on-stage in a vibrant setting, as we are enveloped into the lives of characters holding fast to their history and creating new traditions," said Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Performance Ebony Bott, announcing the season. If you're keen to watch the movie — or rewatch — in the interim, it stars Anthony Ramos (Dumb Money) as Usnavi and Melissa Barrera (Abigail) as Vanessa, as well as Leslie Grace (In the Summers), Corey Hawkins (The Color Purple), Jimmy Smits (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Stephanie Beatriz (Twisted Metal) and Olga Merediz (Somebody I Used to Know). Check out the trailer for the film below: In the Heights will play Sydney Opera House's Drama Theatre from Saturday, July 20–Sunday, August 25, 2024, with ticket presales from 9am on Tuesday, May 7 and general sales from 9am on Friday, May 10 — head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Daniel Boud.
UPDATE, February 12, 2021: Portrait of a Lady on Fire is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. In Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Celine Sciamma tasks audiences with literally watching paint dry — and it's riveting. Viewers don't merely stare as the pigment settles, and they don't devote the whole film to glaring at a canvas. Still, in this sumptuous, striking romance, observing artist Marianne (Noémie Merlant) as she gazes at her latest creation couldn't be more crucial. She agonises over every brush stroke as if her soul depends on it, because it does, in a way. Her heart does at the very least. On an island in Brittany near the end of the 18th century, Marianne has been commissioned to paint a portrait of the betrothed Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). But how does anyone do justice to the face of the woman they've fallen hopelessly in love with? Hardly a blushing bride-to-be, Héloïse doesn't want to get married to an Italian man that she has never met, and she certainly doesn't want to sit for an artwork marking the occasion. She has previously refused to comply for another artist, making painting her traditional wedding portrait a tricky prospect. Accordingly, Marianne is enlisted by Héloïse's Countess mother (Valeria Golino) to be her daughter's new companion, to scrutinise her closely every chance she can, and then to craft the picture from memory in secret. As the women spend time together, walking by the sea as the wind swirls and slowly sharing aspects of their lives, their feelings simmer, then bubble, then boil heatedly. When Portrait of a Lady on Fire depicts Marianne peering obsessively at her picture of Héloïse — even wiping off the paint and beginning again when she's discontent with what's staring back — it shows her lost in thought and swept up in the throes of affection. And, because Sciamma is a gifted visual storyteller and Merlant a great actor, the film makes clear the significance of these moments without overplaying a single element. Watching paint dry is important, because every speck solidifies into a permanent token of how Marianne feels about Héloïse. Naturally, she's determined to convey those feelings in as precise and perfect a way as possible. Given the period, place, prevailing societal attitudes and expectations placed upon women, this portrait is the only enduring way that she can immortalise their love — and the weight of that truth is always heartbreakingly apparent. Equally beautiful and bold, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a film that balances the reality of impossible circumstances with otherwise hopeful glimmers, as has become the French writer/director's custom. It's that dynamic that made Sciamma's last feature, girl-gang movie Girlhood, simultaneously perceptive, exuberant and emotionally raw, traits that are essential here, too. The solace that Marianne and Héloïse find in each other's arms in stolen blissful moments proves both tender and sizzling. Their yearning, inner awakenings, and struggle to contain their infatuation within such restrictive confines is palpable. And the fact that their lives aren't their own to decide — no matter how fiercely independent Marianne is, and encourages the more pragmatic Héloïse to be — constantly tints their restrained romance with an unflinchingly bittersweet hue. Bringing all of the above to life in a movie that's the epitome of slow-burning — pun intended, although a portrait of a lady does indeed catch on fire in the film — Merlant and Haenel are a dream duo. Their performances are so measured yet still so heaving with feeling, and their interplay so exacting yet still so quietly expressive, that they could escape the entire feature without saying a word. Writing and directing, Sciamma has penned intricate dialogue for them to speak, though. They say much without uttering a thing, and they also swap meaty exchanges about classic tales, memories and harsh truths. Sciamma won this year's Cannes Film Festival Best Screenplay award for her efforts, as well as acclaim and applause since; however her exceptional script wouldn't burn as brightly without her two leads. Thematically, narratively and emotionally, this could never just be a lush romantic drama brimming with uncomplicated passion and desire. In her first period-set tale, Sciamma was always going to confront the minutiae of life for women of the era — it's pivotal to understanding how the requirements placed upon her characters are so incompatible with their happiness, and why they must relish what brief joy they can. That said, Portrait of a Lady on Fire always looks like a lush romantic drama, whether its gorgeous imagery is watching paint dry, enjoying the scenery, or getting as lost in Marianne and Héloïse as they are in each other. Befitting a movie about a painter and a portrait, every frame could be hung on a wall. An exquisite piece in every way and one of the year's very best, this film earns all of the obvious fiery terms, because it sparks, blazes and simply sets the screen alight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn_-YoG69Sw
We've scored giant slip 'n' slides, trampoline gyms and bouncing castle obstacle courses. Now, it's time to get on board the latest kidult craze to hit our shores, as Australia's biggest game of hide and seek takes over a cruise ship on Sydney Harbour next month. That's right: hiding and seeking is no longer just child's play. In fact, Australia's even got its own national hide and seek adults team, the Nascondingos, who took out eighth place at the most recent world championships, which are a thing. And on Sunday, February 18, these guys will be honing their finding skills, playing a team of 'seekers' as locals of all ages hide onboard one of the world's biggest cruise ships, Ovation of The Seas. It's thought to be the largest official game of hide and seek ever played at sea — and, yeah, it probably is. Applications to compete in the game are open to just about everyone, with one game for kids aged 8–14 and another for adults aged over 15. There's a solid prize pool, too, with the last person to be found in the adult's game taking home a cool $10,000 and a cruise. Of course, it's all part of a huge promo for Royal Caribbean, but that shouldn't stop it being a bit of fun. If you fancy yourself a hide and seek pro, don't be shy about it — enter here by February 5.
Memes might not be the first thing that spring to mind when you're thinking of ways to stage a hard-hitting political protest (you know, those times when you do that). But this unassuming cultural phenomenon, initially reserved for LOLcats, has spent over a decade mutating into a medium that netizens now actively use as a form of direct political expression. Straightforward and effective in their output, memes usually consist of a simple (or roughly photoshopped) image accompanied by some witty text using the IMPACT font. Memes are more and more becoming the people's answer to the realm of government-issued propaganda, distilling an issue down to its core message and dispersing it far and wide. Here are five of the best political memes that have recently infected social and mainstream media. CHINA: Free CGC So it would be super-embarrassing if one of the world's largest and most powerful military and security powers let an activist escape house arrest, right? And even more so if he was blind, right? Well this is what happened in April last year, when blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng escaped from house arrest right under the noses of officials. In an effort to keep word from spreading, search terms including his name, as well as related terms like 'CGC' and 'the blind man' were quickly blocked by Chinese online censors. But many web-savvy internet users and Chen supporters came up with creative ways to spread the message and to show their support. 'Free CGC' became a slogan attached to this appropriated KFC ad, which features Chen in his signature sunglasses, looking like the archetypal Western hero, Colonel Sanders. The meme proved a powerful way of dodging The Great Firewall, as images, unlike words are not easily searchable (for similar reasons, our favourite giant rubber duck became a subversive symbol this year). It soon went viral on Weibo (China's Twitter) and everybody found out about what happened. Here's the punchline: Chen sought protection from the US Embassy in Beijing, who allowed him to then seek asylum in the US. Ironic, as whistleblower Edward Snowden recently travelled to Hong Kong to seek asylum from US prosecution for similar offences. Bonus Snowden Meme: TURKEY: The Standing Man Throughout June, a protest movement formed in opposition to Turkey's ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party), who announced plans to redevelop the secularly symbolic Gezi Park located in Taksim Square with an Ottoman-era barracks and a mosque. The initial small-scale protest snowballed into nation-wide anti-government demonstrations after a heavy-handed police response left many seriously injured. But following a wave of arrests in an effort to clear out Taksim Square, performance artist Erdem Gunduz, now known as 'the Standing Man', staged an eight-hour silent vigil where he stood in Taksim Square facing a portrait of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern, secular Turkey. This simple symbolism inspired hundreds to join him, and has generated "the standing man" meme on social media. It's kind of like planking's cool vertical brother. Some of the images that best illustrate the development of this meme are collected in this Atlantic article. https://youtube.com/watch?v=QMjK0nmwzKU EGYPT: Harlem Shake In February, an Australian teen known on YouTube as TheSunnyCoastSkate, uploaded this averagely amusing 'Harlem Shake' video, triggering a mass of imitation uploads. Within two weeks, YouTube reported around 12,000 Harlem Shake videos had been posted, amassing more than 44 million views. Whilst the vast majority of these videos are by bored university students in need of an excuse to get krunk and semi-naked in their bedrooms, the video meme has also served as an avenue for political expression in Egypt. In March, protestors in Cairo staged a 400-strong flash mob-style Harlem Shake in front of the main office of the Islamic Brotherhood in what has been dubbed a "satiric revolutionary struggle", sending a powerful anti-conservative message not just to president Mohammed Morsi but also reinvigorating the country's weary press-corps. #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist Disappointment high among Kenyans as electoral body denies them chance to rig elections. #KOT — Major Mouz (@mosesmuya) March 4, 2013 KENYA: #tweetlikeaforeignjournalist In 2007, foreign journalists were accused of misreporting the Kenyan elections, exaggerating and presenting inaccurate information for the sake of dramatic narrative. So what did those savvy Kenyans do to combat the threat of misrepresentation in this year's March General elections? They used the hashtag #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist on Twitter to generate satirical election news. The meme spread rapidly amongst Kenya's 12 million Twitter users, with the groundswell catching out the global media to force more balanced reporting. #TweetLikeaForeignJournalist: Peace erupts in various parts of Kenya. The government is asking the international community to assist. — Vicarius Filli Dei (@Vicarius) March 7, 2013 #TweetLikeAForeignJournalist several foreign journalists reported dead from boredom across the country. — Miss Kibui (@rouzieroze) March 7, 2013 AUSTRALIA: Kevin Rudd wins at Game of Thrones Everyone's saying it, Australian politics is the new Game of Thrones, which is sad for Julia Gillard because she used to like Game of Thrones. But let's face it, K-Rudd has returned to the throne. And with him has arrived a slew of punchy memes, cutting through the onslaught of media babble surrounding the spill, poking fun at the ridiculous state of Australian politics. What with all the recent frontbench backbench slaying, we're just glad nobody's memed it with Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Yet. We'll leave you with these.
There's no time like Easter for embracing your inner child, and there's no place better to do it than at Luna Park. The beloved Melbourne theme park will be open all long weekend, and is celebrating the holidays with a spectacular chocolate egg hunt. An astounding 15,000 Darrell Lea eggs will be hidden around the park. Are they behind the Ghost Train? In the Pharaoh's Curse? Atop the Great Scenic Railway? Visitors to the park can participate in exchange for a gold coin donation, or gain free entry with an unlimited ride ticket to find out. Now, back off kids — that chocolate is ours!
She's already sporting a diverse lineup of eateries, a program of live tunes, art installations and even a boutique bottle shop. Now, Melbourne's new CBD food and entertainment precinct Ella has added to the family again, this time with a venue that's sure to impress the city's cocktail aficionados. Cocktail bar Byrdi is the latest venture and first Aussie project for Luke Whearty and Aki Nishikura — the bartending masterminds responsible for Singapore's multi award-winning Operation Dagger. Given the venue has claimed a spot among the World's 50 Best Bars for four years running (and currently sits at number 30), we're expecting Byrdi to bring some pretty exciting things to the party. At the bar, seasonality and locality aren't just passing flings — they're at the heart of absolutely everything Whearty and Nishikura do. Expect a constantly evolving cocktail list that showcases local ingredients sourced at their peak, with no two visits to be the same. Native botanicals are set to star throughout, while the 40-seat space itself heroes sustainable materials like bluestone and coconut husk flooring. [caption id="attachment_748355" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kate Shanasy[/caption] Right now, you'll find sips like the In Bloome — a mix of freshly hand-picked jasmine, gin, Applewood's Red Okar, lavender tincture, mandarin vinegar and a house-made pear blossom liqueur. There's a handful of house-fermented creations, too, including a take on the much-loved Weis Bar with fermented Northern Territory mango, Gippsland cream and mango vinegar — along with highballs and a tight rotation of local craft beers and wines. The funky drops get plenty of airtime here, as do ingredients like strawberry gum and smoked davidson plum. The food lineup is concise, but clever, also built around local, seasonal goodies. Find the likes of tempura salt and vinegar green beans, grilled tiger prawns teamed with finger lime and broccolini matched with a fortified macadamia cream. Tired of decisions? Settle in with the three-course ($75) or five-course ($120) food and drink pairing menu. Byrdi joins Ella's ever-growing collection of food and drink haunts, alongside the likes of Chilli Everest, Lomah, Sam Sam and Reverie. Find Byrdi at Ella, corner Elizabeth and La Trobe streets, Melbourne. It's open from 10am–1am daily. Images: Kate Shanasy
Finding an effective way to cope with the ever-growing issue of urban density isn't easy. The more that big cities expand, the more crowded that they become. In a place like Tokyo that crams more than 37 million people into its metro area, it requires savvy thinking — such as a building that's also a vending machine, printing out the homes within its walls onsite and to order, perhaps? Designed by architecture student Haseef Rafiei, the pod vending machine house-dispensing skyscraper dispatches new, customisable, affordable pods that are chosen by its residents. After deciding upon size and inclusions — if you don't want a kitchen, you don't need to get one, for example — each modular dwelling is made there and then, and then added to the building. The printer sits on top, and will get higher it adds more apartments to the structure; aka, it grows as the need for more housing grows. It's just a proposal at this stage, but it sounds impressive. Expanding your home, or using the pods for offices, is also mooted. Basically, Rafiei has taken a busy city, 3D printing and tiny apartments, and thrown them into a futuristic blender to conceive the ultimate mashup. Taking inspiration from the avant-garde capsule structures proposed by Japan's Metabolist Movement in the '60s, his concept earned an honourable mention in architecture and design journal eVolo's 2017 Skyscraper Competition. The innovative skyscraper offers an addition to Tokyo's skyline, provides a potential solution to the city's cramped housing situation and reflects its penchant for robotics and technology; however if you've ever been to the Japanese capital, you'll recognise that it nods to another important facet of everyday living in the bustling locale. That'd be its love of vending machines. Spotting them on every corner, even in residential areas, is just part of walking through the city. Maybe one day, spotting buildings that double as apartment-printing vending machines will be as well. Image: eVolo.
In April this year, we were mightily impressed by one American couple’s scheme to cover every asphalt surface on the planet with solar panels. As they continue to execute their master plan, one car park at a time, a crew on the other side of the Atlantic is preparing to launch the world's first solar-powered cycle way: SolaRoad. Set to open in Amsterdam on Wednesday, November 12, the path will initially serve a 70-metre stretch between the city's northern suburbs of Krommenie and Wormerveer. About 2,000 cyclists use the route each day. Of course, 70 metres doesn’t sound like enough length to power anything much, but it's just a pilot. The development team, which hails from the Netherlands' Research Institute for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), estimates that every 100 metres of SolaRoad will, ultimately, generate sufficient energy for two or three houses. Applied nationwide, it could cover anywhere between 400 and 500 square kilometres. The cycleway is made up of concrete slabs, which are topped up with crystalline silicon solar cells and protected by tempered glass. The cells are connected directly to the grid, and extensive testing has demonstrated that the glass is tough enough to handle being pounded with steel balls. Meanwhile, a special coating ensures that cyclists won't be sent skidding all over the place, even when the weather's giving it its best shot. The only catch is that SolaRoad won’t be the cheapest gift that Amsterdam's getting this festive season. A cheeky $3.75 million went into creating the pilot. That said, the cost is likely to drop once production gets into full swing. Via Gizmag.
Music is used in every given scenario: weddings, birthdays, parties. Now, thanks to a pair of intuitive electrical engineering students, the power of bass can be used in a more practical way - dousing flames. Seth Robertson and Viet Tran from George Mason University in Virginia have invented a fire extinguisher that uses low-frequency sound waves to engulf a blaze. Instead of an air tank spewing out foam, water and chemicals, the device uses has a loudspeaker the size of subwoofer to pump out sound waves. It produces a low hum like a regular blast of air, that when pointed in the right direction, will make flames vanish. As well as of being an everyday utility, the extinguisher has the potential to be used in outerspace, where sound waves can be directed without gravity, in comparison to normal extinguishers that would spread chemicals in a disorderly fashion and possibly damage equipment. Despite initial doubt from classmates and professors, the pair now have a preliminary patent application and backing from the university.
Samsara provides a great counterpoint to the usual summer blockbusters at cinemas. For those who are overfed on the sugar and fat of blockbusters, prepare to cleanse your mind and heart with another kind of richness. This latest film by director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson (previously partnered in 1992's Baraka) is a non-verbal meditation on our planet and the billions who share it with us, and while only 99 minutes long, Samsara stares you in the eye for longer than most find comfortable. Casually moonlighting as the name of an exotic scent or clothing range, samsara is Sanskrit for "the ever-turning wheel of life", and it is this motif that led Fricke and Magidson through a five-year shoot in twenty-five countries on five continents. Samsara is the wheel of life, death and rebirth, but it is also the grinding wheels of commercial labour, of fickle trends, and of the literal vehicles that the production crew commandeered in their often gruelling efforts to obtain 70mm footage for a few seconds of screen time. This herculean dedication to cinematography has certainly returned great wonders. Samsara flows from one luscious image to the next, carried by intuitive editing rather than plot, and is supported by an original score. Concrete Playground has five in-season double passes to give away to Samsara. To be in the running, make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. You can read our full review of the film here. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qp967YAAdNk
Bel Ami is the adaptation of a nineteenth century French novel by Guy de Maupassant. And before you get all judgey about nineteenth century novels, you should keep in mind that while the Victorians were drinking tea and worrying about exposing their ankles, the French were all about sex, drugs, alcohol and general decadence, in their fiction at least. So you're in for a far more salacious film than you might be expecting. The story follows the rise into high society of George Duroy, aka Bel Ami (Robert Pattinson). Handsome, smart and resourceful he uses his job as a journalist on one of France's premier newspapers to manipulate his was into the very best that Paris has to offer. Surrounded by colleagues, financiers and mistresses with barely a moral to bless themselves with, Bel Ami quickly becomes an adept blackmailer and seducer of just about every woman in town. In some ways your heart does ache for the cast of Twilight: actors who might otherwise have been perfectly respectable will be tainted forever by, well, Twilight. Frankly it's hard to see Robert Pattinson as anything other than a pallid, lovesick vampire who sparkles in sunlight. But he's trying to break the mould, and you have to give him credit for that. Bel Ami sees Pattinson break some new ground in a period drama, and also sees him hook but with not only Christina Ricci, but Kristin Scott Thomas and Uma Thurman as well. Taunting aside, Bel Ami looks set to be a fantastic film, and an old-school French one at that. Concrete Playground has five double passes to giveaway. To go in the running to win tickets to Bel Ami, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Held back in 1990, Apple’s first ever WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) saw a mere 1300 developers get together to shoot the breeze about System 7. These super brains have kept chatting, tinkering and growing in numbers over the decades and this year 1000 Apple engineers and 5000 developers have converged on San Francisco to talk about two different platforms — iOS and OS X, plus a whole bunch of whiz-bang Apple developments. So what's new? New fonts, schwanky icons and smooth notifications in OS X 10.10 Yosemite First up, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi unveiled the new OS X 10.10, dubbed Yosemite. It’ll be hitting Australia this spring. The operating system's makeover has resulted in a slick new look with a different font, see-through sidebars and redesigned icons, as well as a 'dark mode' option (think a black dock and black toolbars to match). An improved notification centre incorporates iOS 7’s 'Today' view, while Spotlight now features an enlarged toolbar smack bang in the middle of your screen. Oooo. Among the brand spanking new features are iCloud Drive and Mail Drop. The former lets you access all of your iWork documents on all of your devices — including Windows. The latter enables you to store and send large mail attachments via iCloud. But perhaps the most important word of the OS X 10.0 section of the speech was ‘Continuity’. You can now use Airdrop to connect Mac and iOS, meaning that all of your documents and photos will sync without you having to touch a thing. Predictive searching and smoother messaging with iOS 8 Next was the official announcement of iOS 8. When it comes to searching, you’ll find that Spotlight now covers a lot more ground, including contacts, business details, film listings and recommendations for Apple stores (of course). Most other major changes were relevant to messaging and email. You can record video or voice and send it super easily via iMessage. A new predictive text feature called QuickType takes into account the context of your conversations and responds to questions. You also have more power when partaking in threads — give each thread a name, while removing yourself and silencing other participants freely (kind of like Facebook Messenger with a Twitter mute button). In addition, choose your ten favourite chat buddies and pin them to your main screen so you can call your mum in a moment (call your mum in a moment. Do it.). Monitor your heart rate and turn off our house lights with your iPhone Perhaps the freakiest announcements were those dubbed HealthKit and HomeKit. The first can monitor individual health statistics, like heart rate and blood pressure, and collate the data for organisations such as the Mayo Clinic. Yep, your iPhone can track your heartbeat. What. The second allows your iPhone to control, well, your whole house (kind of). You're snuggled into bed, ready for sleep. Instead of lumbering out of those bodywarmed sheets, ask Siri to close and lock the garage. You’ll soon hear the door rolling and all your dimmers down. Kind of Simpsons Ultrahouse-like. But what inspired perhaps the loudest applause of the talk was the announcement of a new programming language, called ‘Swift’. As the crowd screamed and cheered Federighi described it as "Objective C without the baggage" and claimed that it "crushes Python". It's a programmer's world.
Reunions aren't always joyful occasions. In Another Simple Favour, that looks set to prove true for Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick, Woman of the Hour) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively, It Ends with Us), after the latter surprises the former with an unexpected return, as well as a request. For audiences, however, this sequel to 2018's A Simple Favour can't arrive fast enough and couldn't be more welcome. Until it hits streaming queues on Thursday, May 1, 2025, Prime Video has dropped the film's full trailer to tide viewers over. As well as stars Kendrick and Lively, filmmaker Paul Feig also returns in this long-awaited follow-up to a movie delight, and to a deliciously engaging and entertaining mystery. This time, as both the first teaser and the new sneak peek show, the frenemy antics are heading to Italy for a wedding filled with murder and betrayal. Out of prison and about to get married to a wealthy businessman, Emily crashes Stephanie's book reading to task her with being her maid of honour, but it might just be a revenge plot. Using the Italian island of Capri as a backdrop, Another Simple Favour not only boasts Feig (Jackpot!) back behind the lens, but also Andrew Rannells (Girls5eva), Bashir Salahuddin (How to Die Alone) and Henry Golding (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) returning alongside Kendrick and Lively among the cast. Equally part of this big comeback: more secrets, as little is ever as it seems with Stephanie's glamorous and mysterious friend. While the first film released in cinemas, this seven-years-later sequel is heading to Prime Video, hitting streaming queues on Thursday, May 1, 2025. It did have a date with the silver screen first, but only at this year's SXSW in Austin, where it was the opening-night movie at the event's Film and TV Festival. If you missed the initial picture — which was adapted from Darcey Bell's 2017 novel of the same name — it followed a widowed mum who is also a vlogger and becomes friends with a fashion executive. Then Emily asks Stephanie to do her a simple favour, changing everything. Screenwriter Jessica Sharzer (Nine Perfect Strangers), who penned the first film, is also among Another Simple Favour's returnees — this time penning the follow-up's script with Laeta Kalogridis (Altered Carbon). Check out the full trailer for Another Simple Favour below: Another Simple Favour will stream via Prime Video from Thursday, May 1, 2025.
