Since Samson & Delilah arrived in 2009, earned the Cannes Film Festival's prestigious Caméra d'Or for Best First Feature and proved an instant great of Australian cinema, every project from filmmaker Warwick Thornton has been a must-see. He got spooky with ghost-story anthology The Darkside, pondered the nation's relationship with the Southern Cross in documentary We Don't Need a Map and explored the country's race relations in blistering historical drama Sweet Country. Then, he co-directed the second season of the Mystery Road TV series, turned the camera on himself in meditative small-screen doco The Beach and was also behind vampires-in-the-outback show Firebite. Thornton is an Aussie icon. With his latest project, he has also joined forces with a fellow Aussie icon: Cate Blanchett. The Oscar-winning actor is following up her award-nominated role in Tár earlier in 2023 with Thornton's new film The New Boy — and playing a renegade nun in 1940s Australia, no less. As the just-dropped trailer shows, The New Boy heads to a remote monastery with a mission for Indigenous children, where Sister Eileen (Blanchett) is in charge. In a sneak peek filled with golden hues and bubbling with a thoughtful mood, her faith is tested when the titular child (newcomer Aswan Reid), a nine-year-old orphan, arrives and has his own experience with religion, which clashes with the mission's take on Christianity. Thornton writes and directs The New Boy, as he did with with Samson and Delilah and We Don't Need a Map. He also does triple duty as his own cinematographer, as he also has with the bulk of his filmography. And, on-screen, Deborah Mailman (Total Control) and Wayne Blair (Seriously Red) feature alongside Blanchett and Reid. Unsurprisingly given its helmer, star and the former's Cannes history, The New Boy premiered at the prestigious French film festival in May, and enjoys its first Aussie screening as the opening-night film at the Sydney Film Festival. After that, audiences Australia-wide will be able to check out the dream pairing of Thornton and Blanchett — and the movie debut of Reid — when The New Boy hits cinemas in general release on Thursday, July 6. Check out the trailer for The New Boy below: The New Boy opens in Australian cinemas on July 6.
Cherry blossom season in Japan is the stuff of dreams. From late March to early April, the air begins to warm, the cities transform into dreamy pink landscapes, and wherever you look, you'll feel like you've stepped right into a Studio Ghibli film. If you've ever dreamed of strolling under a canopy of cherry blossoms, Japan in cherry blossom season is a must. But with them only lasting a fleeting couple of weeks, making the most of your trip is all about good timing, great spots, and knowing what to do beyond just taking a few pretty photos. We've done the legwork and have found some ideas of how to do it right, from the best viewing locations to the ultimate cherry blossom-themed experiences, plus the perfect stays and special deals to top it all off. [caption id="attachment_997052" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Mauro Repossini via Getty Images[/caption] Hanami Viewing at Ueno Park One of Tokyo's most famous hanami (flower viewing) spots, Ueno Park is the heavyweight champion of cherry blossom season. With over 1,000 trees lining its wide paths, it's where locals and travellers alike gather to lay down their picnic blankets, crack open some sake and soak in the beauty of the season. If you're travelling with the family, it's got plenty of space for the kids to run around, with food stalls and even Ueno Zoo to keep everyone fed and entertained. For an overnight stay close to the action, MIMARU Tokyo Ueno East is just around the corner, offering modern apartment-style accommodation that's ideal for groups and families to unwind after a day of cherry blossom sightseeing. [caption id="attachment_997548" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] MIMARU SUITES Tokyo Asakusa[/caption] Cherry Blossom Scenery on Sumida River Prefer your blossoms with a view in the backdrop? The Sumida River is where you'll want to start exploring. Running right through the heart of Tokyo, it's lined with pink cherry blossom trees that contrast beautifully against the Tokyo skyline. Spend your day taking a leisurely riverside walk, hop on an hourly departing water bus, or take the scenic route back to your hotel to see the trees at night. Just minutes away, MIMARU SUITES Tokyo Asakusa puts you right in the thick of the riverside action, with spacious rooms and a prime location to explore the best of Tokyo's cherry blossoms. [caption id="attachment_997053" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Robert Holmes via Getty Images[/caption] Cherry Blossom Keepsakes From Tokyo Disney If you're travelling with kids (or just love a touch of nostalgia) then Tokyo Disney's cherry blossom experience is an ideal way to experience the serenity, but not compromise on excitement. Each year, Disney also releases a special cherry blossom-themed collection that makes the perfect keepsake for your trip. Think pastel pink plush toys of all your favourite Disney characters, merch, accessories and collectible figurines. [caption id="attachment_997055" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Flavia Morchetti via Getty Images[/caption] Cherry Blossom-Themed Treats at Various Visiting Japan in spring means one thing: cherry blossom everything. Our advice? Lean into it fully. Start your morning with a blossom-infused latte at MOSCA by Ginger Garden, grab some cherry blossom mochi from Muji, and if you're feeling indulgent, treat yourself to the stunning floral dessert collection at Haute Couture Cafe. Sweet, pink, and Instagram gold. Immersive Cherry Blossom Art at TeamLab Planets For something that feels straight out of a dream, check out TeamLab Planets and their popular 'Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers' exhibit. You'll find yourself completely immersed in a surreal world of cherry blossoms, creating the ultimate immersive hanami experience, one that you can't find anywhere else in the country. [caption id="attachment_997058" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Showkaku Sano via Getty Images[/caption] Explore Cherry Blossom-Coated Landscapes Around Tokyo If you're up for a little adventure beyond Tokyo, Mount Yoshino is the perfect change of pace. Home to over 30,000 cherry trees covering the slopes in every shade of pink, it's one of Japan's most breathtaking destinations year-round, but especially during the blossom season. Pair it with a day trip to Nara Park via a 90-minute express train ride from Mount Yoshino, where you can stroll among freely roaming deer under the trees. After a day of exploring, head back to MIMARU SUITES Kyoto Shijo. Smack bang in central Kyoto, it's a comfy base with easy rail access to both Nara Park (about an hour) and Mount Yoshino (around 90 minutes). Plus, you're within walking distance of Gion's many shopping and dining options. Where to Stay to Support Your Trip Cherry Blossom season is busy, and finding the right place to stay makes all the difference. Designed with families and groups in mind, MIMARU offers apartment-style stays with the space you need to relax after a long day of exploring. Tokyo's cherry trees typically bloom from late March to early April, but if you miss the peak, don't stress. MIMARU staff all speak English and are on hand to recommend alternative sightseeing spots so you can still get your fill of springtime magic no matter the month. Visit the APARTMENT HOTEL MIMARU website for more information and book your stay using the code mimaru_cp for an extra 5% off your stay. *Reservation period: Until May 31, 2025 *For stay period: until December 31, 2025 *Applicable to reservations for 2-6 nights *Pokémon rooms are excluded *Discounts other than the MIMARU Member Program discount will not be applied. By Jacque Kennedy
Rampant death. A destroyed world. When Cillian Murphy's (Small Things Like These) bicycle courier Jim awoke from a coma in a deserted British hospital 28 days after the rage virus leapt from chimpanzees in a biological weapons laboratory to spreading across the United Kingdom, that is what he found. The scenes of the Oppenheimer Oscar-winner's character wandering through an empty London in 2002's 28 Days Later — images that no one could fathom happening beyond the realm of cinema prior to the COVID-19 pandemic's earliest days — were stunning. So too was Danny Boyle (Yesterday) and Alex Garland's (Warfare) entire film, as Jim and the fellow survivors he stumbled across, including Naomie Harris' (Black Bag) Selena, Brendan Gleeson's (Joker: Folie à Deux) Frank and Megan Burns' (In2ruders) Hannah, tackled perhaps the most-important existential question there is: how does life go on? That query is again on Boyle and Garland's minds 23 years later for audiences, but closer to three decades on inside the narrative of their stellar horror franchise. 28 Days Later initially received a sequel in 2007, but Boyle didn't direct 28 Weeks Later, nor did Garland pen the film's script. For 2025's resurrection of the saga, they're now back in their OG roles — as they once were when Boyle only had Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary and the big-screen adaptation of Garland's 90s must-read novel The Beach on his resume, and also before Garland became the helmer of Ex Machina, Annihilation, Men, Civil War and Warfare. How life goes on interested this pair again in 2007 themselves, actually, but in a completely different movie. 2057-set sci-fi thriller Sunshine enlisted an impressively stacked ensemble — including Murphy again, another future Academy Award-winner in Michelle Yeoh (Wicked), 28 Weeks Later star Rose Byrne (Physical), plus Chris Evans (Materialists), his Marvel Cinematic Universe colleague Benedict Wong (Bad Genius), Hiroyuki Sanada (Shōgun) and Cliff Curtis (Kaos) — to portray astronauts attempting to save humanity from a dying sun. If Boyle and Garland had had their way, that would've sparked two more films. "Moonshine and Starshine. We never got to make them," Garland tells Concrete Playground. "So Sunshine was originally, there was this idea of it being a trilogy, but it didn't do very well. People like it a lot more now than they did on the day, or that's what it seems like, anyway," adds Boyle. Returning to 28 Days Later's infection-ravaged UK with 28 Years Later is no mere consolation prize in the wake of Sunshine's trilogy never soaring beyond a concept. This visit to a post-apocalyptic Britain is a spectacular event in its own right — and also the beginning of a new trio of movies. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has already been shot, with Candyman and The Marvels' Nia DaCosta directing a Garland script, Boyle producing, Murphy set to feature and a January 2026 release slated. Everyone that sees 28 Years Later will be counting down the days. A currently untitled third picture, and fifth in the saga, is planned after that, which Boyle will hop back behind the lens on. Existence endures in this franchise partly through human persistence in a Britain quarantined from the rest of the planet — and, for the community on Holy Island, through carving out a new normalcy. This northeast spot, which is only connected to the mainland via a sole causeway, is the only place that 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams, His Dark Materials) has ever known. But its people have a custom, taking its adolescents across the water to face the infected and prepare for an adulthood that requires venturing beyond the isle's walls for wood for fuel. The town has many traditions, in fact; however, this is where the film meets its protagonists, as Alfie sets off for a day trip with his dad Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nosferatu) while his ailing mother Isla (Jodie Comer, The Bikeriders) remains bedridden. Not only how life continues but how people manage to subsist without modern medicine, or don't, is among 28 Years Later's concerns. Boyle and Garland's latest collaboration has brains — and heart, too, as it relays an immensely relatable story about coping with sickness regardless of the zombie-like creatures prowling rewilded landscapes. "I wanted the illness to feel believable," Comer advises. 28 Years Later also ponders what the passing of three decades means for societal attitudes, for young minds that've only existed since the rage outbreak and also for the infected themselves, as nature always evolves. A family drama, a coming-of-age film and, yes, a horror movie: all are alive within its frames, as is Garland's penchant for fraying and fracturing status quos. Firmly remembering death is as much a part of 28 Years Later. Mortality has become utterly unavoidable for England's remaining inhabitants. Musing on it proves the same for the movie. Grief and loss, both everyday and on a mass scale, pulse through it, as does the distress of co-exisiting with uncertainty, and with death always surrounding you. Dr Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes, Conclave) helps give these themes an iodine-covered champion, assisting in the feature's balance of carnage with compassion in the process. "He sees the bigger picture," Fiennes tells us. Unsurprisingly, the actor adds to 28 Years Later's exceptional performances, with Williams and Comer among his clear company. While there's no desolate cities here, then, 28 Years Later's visuals are every bit as memorable, meaningful and masterful as those in the flick that started it all, and possess the same just-can't-escape intensity. Boyle and also-returning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (My Penguin Friend) — who claimed one of Slumdog Millionaire's eight Oscars, as Boyle did for directing — have conjured up a new array of striking and terrifying imagery, filled with greenery and gore and sky-high monuments made of bones (over 250,000 individual replicas and 5000-plus skulls). Our chat with Boyle, Garland, Comer and Fiennes spanned giving the new film its own look, too, plus whether there was a Sunshine-esque plan for more 28 Days Later entries 23 years ago, contemplating mortality, towers of bones, conceiving of rituals and routines for a post-outbreak way of being, and more. On If There Was an Initial Plan Back in 2002 for Boyle and Garland to Make More 28 Days Later Films — Like There Was with 2007's Sunshine Alex: "Danny and I had a crack at a 28 Years Later film quite soon before this one. We worked on a script and worked something up, but just didn't feel it was right. There were some issues. Basically, it was it was too generic as a story. And I think that, in a strange way, trying and failing was the last part of the puzzle towards coming up with this idea. And when this idea arrived, it just came in the form of a trilogy. And I think stories, you slightly discover stories more than invent them. They just arrive not exactly fully formed, but with the core of them formed. And the core of this was a trilogy — three separate but interrelated narratives that form an overall structure, because some characters will move through the films, basically." On the Importance of 28 Years Later, Regardless of the Rage Virus and the Infected, Telling a Relatable Family Story About Coping with Illness Jodie: "I think it was important to me in a sense. I wanted the illness to feel believable, though it was tricky — because she goes on such a journey, yet is so debilitated by her illness. And she's very fortunate that she has her son to guide her and nurture her through, who often plays the kind of parental role. But I would just say it was always very present within the script, so it was beautiful to explore, and trust and lean into Danny's direction, and hope that it felt believable — and that there were enough ebbs and flows and nuances throughout the time in which we spend with her." On Giving 28 Years Later Its Own Visual Approach, After 28 Days Later Proved Such a Striking-Looking Film Danny: "Rewilding is something that played into our hands, really — that we were able to find areas that looked like they hadn't been [impacted by humans]. There are lots of areas of Britain — as you can imagine, it's quite a small island — that have been agriculturalised, and you can see, either close or in the distance, the mark of man, really. But there's an area in the northeast that does remain untouched. It's not much good for anything, that's the opinion of people anyway, but it's perfect for filming. And so we wanted to take these smaller cameras there, so we keep a light footprint and not disturb it too much. But also the technology has moved on so much now that these smaller cameras do allow you to use a widescreen format. There's enough resolution. And it means that you can have a statement that says quite clearly right from the early on that this is not a deserted empty city — which people might be expecting, because if it was a direct reference to the first film. It's very much outside the cities. They stay — in fact, I think one of them says at one point 'we stay outside the cities and towns', implying that their safety is on this beautiful island, Holy Island. Which is a historic — it's where Christianity first arrived, I think, in the UK. And it supports the perfect-size population for this kind of existence, about 100–150 people — where you don't need a system to run it. They just trust each other. They appoint their own leaders, and everybody knows each other and trusts each other. And Harari [writer Yuval Noah] says it in the homo sapiens book [Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind], that when you get above about 150, you have to have a trust system to make everybody relate to something and trust through a system — which can be religion, or it can be money, or other values, for bartering." On the Room That Fiennes Had to Explore Thanks to the Film's Examination of Post-Apocalyptic Life and Death Without Modern Medicine Ralph: "That was a great angle, because immediately it presents me, as Kelson, with the man who's accepted the reality of death. He's living with death, his mortality. And that makes him rather like a seer or sage or — he's kind of like a bit of a priest, in a way. He sees the bigger picture. He talks about what the skulls had, that they were inhabited by the different souls — 'these eyes saw', 'these jaws spoke'. He's aware of the human soul. He's aware of the vitality of the human soul and the passing, how we pass from our earthly life into another life. I think he's — and this is what I projected onto him — he feels that we must mark the passing. We have been. We have graveyards. We have symbols of those we have lost. And he's created a big symbol in this Bone Temple. So I think he feels the need to acknowledge the lives that have gone. I think he's a bit like an artist or someone who's made this extraordinary installation in recognition of all the suffering that's gone on." On Imagining the Detail of How a Nation Would Start Again After an Apocalypse — and the New Way of Life, Routines, Rituals, Priorities and All, That'd be Carved Out Over Almost Three Decades Alex: "A lot of it just stemmed from the idea '28 years later'. So then, if you know it's 28 years after this strange viral outbreak, there's stuff that just logically flows from that. One of the things that logically flows is if you have communities that have stayed alive, well, they must have been able to defend themselves somehow. There's different ways you could defend yourself. It could be high walls, and it could be patrols and stuff. But there is this island that Danny was just talking about, Holy Island, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. So in high tide, it's separate, and there's only really one way you can get to the island across this across this road. And so that created a natural barrier where these people could live. But then past that, to be honest, I don't really develop that. I would write some characters and a story about a community where people are using bows and arrows, and there's a mum and a dad and a child, but the fleshing out of that community — like 'what is their relationship to churches? What livestock do they have? How have they divided up their roles?', and even little details like 'what have they made into their own folklore?', like, for example wearing masks that represent infected — that's really Danny, and then the people he's working with, production designers and costume and makeup and so on, everybody just coming together to inhabit those bare bones. I think a script is a blueprint. But then the rooms have to be filled with furniture and curtains are chosen, as it were. You can see the metaphor. And so it's not really my job, I suppose — just the superstructure." Danny: "But one of the pleasures of doing it, though, and I think for audiences watching it, is the world-building — that you have to make all those decisions about how would they have survived, fed themselves. Fuel was the big thing that we talked about. You'd need so much fuel, which is wood for them to burn. So they go over to the mainland and chop down trees. And England would basically slowly return to forest, which it was originally. And they would scavenge, they would bring that fuel back — which is one of the dangers they have, and why they have to train their boys. And it's very much a gender-separated society. They look back like that to an older era, to like the 50s. They train their boys, because they're going to have to go to the mainland to get fuel. And sometimes, maybe food — kill deer or whatever, because Britain would be overrun by deer, apparently. Because there's no natural predators." Alex: "It practically is right now. It is interesting. I think audiences detect logical consistency with these things, and also react against logical inconsistency. So, with world-building, it has to make sense. You have to believe in the interactions. They don't all have to be laid out, but you can make imaginative leaps between all the things. And when they don't make sense, people spot it — like they spot bad visual effects. They just know it somehow and pull back." Danny: "Something's not right, yeah." Alex: "And I do think this film has a lot of unseen consistency in the way of that world that Danny and the team put together." On the Energy That the Bone Temple Set with over 250,000 Individual Replica Bones and 5000-Plus Skulls — and the Film's Shooting Locations in General — Gave the Cast Jodie: "Well, it's funny, because the set felt so alive in many ways, in regards to the location and being right next to the running water. And there were lots of wind chimes made of bones, so there was just constantly this kind of music that was enveloping the space. I also came to that set at the end of the shoot, when we were shooting those moments. So it really felt like we've heard so much about this place and this doctor, and then we were able to do our scenes with Ralph and explore that part of the material. So it was really profound, actually. So much detail." Ralph: "Yes. It was a strong atmosphere. And the location itself, even with just as a location, even before the incredible Bone Temple, the location was beautiful. We shot it in North Yorkshire, and I was going to work every day driving over the moors. It's stunning. It's a stunning place. And I can see the other locations that Jodie and Alfie shot in are beautiful locations in the north of England." 28 Years Later released in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has been creating stylish storage solutions for our personal possessions for decades. As part of their latest marketing strategy, they've released a digital version of the Expedit shelving range to restore order to computer files. Hungarian advertising agency Laboratory Ideas developed the concept, saying "We prepared a useful, design-conscious and cost-effective way - true to IKEA's values - to organize and store your stuff even in your second home, your computer." One of my pet hates is that PCs don't allow for folder customisation. At least on Mac you can colour-code and highlight, though it's limited to seven shades. With its icon set of boxes, drawers and shelving in a range of colours and designs, IKEA's e-Folder set lets you say goodbye to stock-standard folders and furnish your computer so it feels like home. Download the set from IKEA online stores in Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, check out the installation instructions in English and get tidy! [Via NotCot]
It’s a hot Thursday night when we swing by Fitzroy's new late night venue for dinner, so when the bartender suggests margaritas, we don't need to be asked twice. Slinking into one of Glamorama's dark back corner booths gives us an excellent view of the entire space; the bar, saturated in red light, complements red booths and is matched with large black industrial lights hanging from the high ceilings. Even though it's only 8pm, this venue is suggestive of late night debauchery, and we dig it. We briefly consider the Botox pies — if not just for the novelty factor of squeezing sauce out of a syringe — but decide to go straight for the big guns. Going The Whole Hock ($22) consists of fried ham hock, crackling, and coleslaw on a bed of parsnip puree. The meat falls apart beautifully, and the crackling provides the delightful crunch you're presumably looking for. The parsnip puree is a great move away from traditional potato mash, keeping the dish light and accompanying the zesty coleslaw perfectly. The steak ($22) is an experimental choice; the kitchen doesn't close until 11pm, and we want to know how Glamorama stacks up in the late night steak game. Turns out, pretty good. The steak is spot on medium rare, served with chips and a side of green beans, vegan aioli and crispy shallots. The menu here is designed for sharing, and both dishes come pre-segmented to easily pass around the table. This is handy to know if you're planning on coming with a — because, let's be honest, no one wants to be in charge of splitting a steak. Feeling full but definitely not defeated, the dessert menu offers two intriguing, Australian-influenced options. While the Tim Tam trifle certainly is intriguing, it's the lamington fried ice cream ($14) with coconut-coated ice-cream, strawberry jam and chocolate toffee we go for. The strawberry jam is subtle throughout, but definitely gives the dessert that lamington-like quality we were hoping for. Like the other dishes, we certainly recommend splitting this one. The venue is well decked out for party times with their Funktion-One surround sound system, and a closing time of 3am on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 5am on Friday and Saturdays. If you're looking for a quiet spot for dinner, this may not be the ideal venue, as electronic music consistently cascades in the background. That's not to say Glamorama can’t be intimate; the booths are comfortable, the atmosphere is inviting, and the service is exceptional for a busy bar. We're keen to visit once their courtyard is completed — we'll be back to split a Paloma-Rama mezcal cocktail jug the next warm night we get.
What do Picnic at Hanging Rock, Romper Stomper, Wake in Fright, Puberty Blues, The Devil's Playground and Mystery Road all have in common? As well as being exceptional Australian movies, they've all made the jump to the small screen, too. Television shows based on all of these great flicks have reached TVs over the past decade, in fact — and now a series inspired by 1999 classic Two Hands looks set to join them. Screen Australia, the country's screen development, production and promotion support agency, has just announced that it's providing funding for the new TV version of Two Hands. At the moment, the series has the same working title as the Heath Ledger- and Rose Byrne-starring hit flick, and also boasts the same creative driving force, with writer/director Gregor Jordan (Dirt Music) working on developing his stellar crime film into a television show. Like the movie, the series will be an action-charged comic revenge thriller. Obviously, it can't star Ledger, who catapulted to fame thanks to his iconic role. Whether any other original cast members might pop up, if the show will link in with the feature or be set in the same world, or if it'll act as a small-screen remake — these are all questions that it's too early to answer. The same goes for whether Powderfinger's 'These Days' will feature on the soundtrack, and then get stuck in everyone's heads for years again afterwards. Jordan is developing the series with help from writers Melissa Bubnic (Shameless), Gretel Vella (The Great), Sarah Bassiuoni (The Heights), Greg Haddrick (Pine Gap) and Meyne Wyatt (play City of Gold), as well as producers Justin Davies (Psychoville) and Marian Macgowan (The Great), plus executive producers Tim White (The Luminaries) and Chris Oliver-Taylor (Glitch). Need a refresher on the original movie? Haven't seen it yet, somehow? As well as starring a fresh-faced Ledger and Byrne, it's one the best Australian films of the 90s, and one of the best Aussie movies in general, too. It follows Jimmy (the one and only Ledger), an ex-street kid and strip-club bouncer who is charged with delivering some cash for his boss (Bryan Brown, Hungry Ghosts). That doesn't turn out as planned, so soon he's on the run — alongside Alex (Byrne, worlds away from her recent role in Physical), the girl of his dreams. If you're suddenly and understandably now keen to watch Two Hands, the movie, it's currently streaming via Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Binge, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Check out the trailer for the film below: The Two Hands TV series has just received development funding from Screen Australia, so it doesn't yet have an airdate — but we'll update you with further details as they come to hand.
Many would agree that it was Mamasita, opening her doors back in 2010, that led Melbourne's still-simmering Mexican charge. Now, six years, a couple of family additions, and plenty of location hunting later, owners Matt Lane and Nick Peters are at it again, having launched their second venue. The hotly anticipated Hotel Jesus has set up shop in the iconic Collingwood Post Office building, with the lofty, light-filled space now setting the scene for Smith Street's own Mexican fiesta. As a casual tostaderia, Hotel Jesus eschews Mamasita's well-loved restaurant formula in favour of a more easy-going drinking and dining affair. Here, you can drop by for house-made tostadas, cocktails on tap, and Mexican beers, served straight from a supersized ice trough behind the bar. With Yasser Garcia on the pans, expect a food menu that's authentic, lively and mostly familiar, running from ceviche and seafood, to tacos and those tostadas. Meanwhile, a "tacowey" (that's their way of saying takeaway) section has a more experimental edge, dabbling in a looser interpretation of Mexican cuisine. Those looking to jump on the mescal bandwagon will find plenty of opportunity to do so here. Peters is Australia's only Master Mezcalier (it's a thing), and the drinks list he's created provides a solid introduction to the agave spirit — which comes just in time for summer. Backing that up, there's an expectedly great tequila lineup, a tight selection of natural wines, and plenty of easy-drinking, imported brews. UPDATE JUNE 29, 2017: Because tacos taste even better when they're dirt cheap, Hotel Jesus has introduced $2 Taco Tuesdaze. Every Tuesday, they'll be whipping up $2 vego, chicken and beef tacos from 5–9pm. Book a table or rock up early. Images: Thomas Friml and Carmen Zammit.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. BODIES BODIES BODIES The internet couldn't have stacked Bodies Bodies Bodies better if it tried, not that that's how the slasher-whodunnit-comedy came about. Pete Davidson (The Suicide Squad) waves a machete around, and his big dick energy, while literally boasting about how he looks like he fucks. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Oscar-nominee Maria Bakalova plays the cautious outsider among rich-kid college grads, who plan to ride out a big storm with drinks and drugs (and drama) in one of their parents' mansions. The Hunger Games and The Hate U Give alum Amandla Stenberg leads the show as the gang's black sheep, turning up unannounced to zero fanfare from her supposed besties, while the rest of the cast spans Shiva Baby's Rachel Sennott, Generation's Chase Sui Wonders and Industry's Myha'la Herrold, plus Pushing Daisies and The Hobbit favourite Lee Pace as a two-decades-older interloper. And the Agatha Christie-but-Gen Z screenplay? It's drawn from a spec script by Kristen Roupenian, the writer of 2017 viral New Yorker short story Cat Person. All of the above is a lot. Bodies Bodies Bodies is a lot — 100-percent on purpose. It's a puzzle about a party game, as savage a hangout film as they come, and a satire about Gen Z, for starters. It carves into toxic friendships, ignored class clashes, self-obsessed obliviousness, passive aggression and playing the victim. It skewers today's always-online world and the fact that everyone has a podcast — and lets psychological warfare and paranoia simmer, fester and explode. Want more? It serves up another reminder after The Resort, Palm Springs and co that kicking back isn't always cocktails and carefree days. It's an eat-the-rich affair alongside Squid Game and The White Lotus. Swirling that all together like its characters' self-medicating diets, this wildly entertaining horror flick is a phenomenal calling card for debut screenwriter Sarah DeLappe and Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn (Instinct), too — and it's hilarious, ridiculous, brutal and satisfying. Forgetting how it ends is also utterly impossible. The palatial compound where Bodies Bodies Bodies unfurls belongs to David's (Davidson) family, but it's hurricane-party central when the film begins. That said, no one — not David, his actor girlfriend Emma (Wonders), the no-nonsense Jordan (Herrold) or needy podcaster Alice (Sennott), and definitely not Greg (Pace), the latter's swipe-right older boyfriend of barely weeks — expects Sophie (Stenberg) to show as they're swigging tequila poolside. She hasn't responded to the group chat, despite claiming otherwise when she arrives. She certainly hasn't told them, not even her childhood ride-or-die David, that she's bringing her new girlfriend Bee (Bakalova) along. And Sophie hasn't prepared Bee for their attitudes, all entitlement, years of taken-for-granted comfort and just as much mouldering baggage, as conveyed in bickering that's barely disguised as banter. When the weather turns bad as forecast, a game is soon afoot inside the sprawling abode. Sharing the movie's title, the fake murder-mystery lark is this crew's go-to — but, even with a hefty supply of glow sticks (handy in the inevitable power outage), it doesn't mix too well with booze, coke and Xanax. The essentials: pieces of paper, one crossed with a X; everyone picking a scrap, with whoever gets the marked sliver deemed the perpetrator; and switching off the lights while said killer offs their victim, which happens just by touching them. Then, it's time to guess who the culprit is. That's when the mood plummets quickly, because accusing your friends of being faux murderers by publicly checking off all their shady traits will do that. It gets worse, of course, when those bodies bodies bodies soon become literal and everyone's a suspect. Read our full review. MOONAGE DAYDREAM Ground control to major masterpiece: Moonage Daydream, Brett Morgen's kaleidoscopic collage-style documentary about the one and only David Bowie, really makes the grade. Its protein pills? A dazzling dream of archival materials, each piece as essential and energising as the next, woven into an electrifying experience that eclipses the standard music doco format. Its helmet? The soothing-yet-mischievous tones of Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane/The Thin White Duke/Jareth the Goblin King himself, the only protective presence a film about Bowie could and should ever need and want. The songs that bop through viewers heads? An immense playlist covering the obvious — early hit 'Space Oddity', the hooky glam-rock titular track, Berlin-penned anthem 'Heroes', the seductive 80s sounds of 'Let's Dance' and the Pet Shop Boys-remixed 90s industrial gem 'Hallo Spaceboy', to name a few — as well as deeper cuts. The end result? Floating through a cinematic reverie in a most spectacular way. When Bowie came to fame in the 60s, then kept reinventing himself from the 70s until his gone-too-soon death in 2016, the stars did look very different — he did, constantly. How do you capture that persistent shapeshifting, gender-bending, personal and creative experimentation, and all-round boundary-pushing in a single feature? How do you distill a chameleonic icon and musical pioneer into any one piece of art, even a movie that cherishes each of its 135 minutes? In the first film officially sanctioned by Bowie's family and estate, Morgen knows what everyone that's fallen under the legend's spell knows: that the man born David Jones, who'd be 75 as this doco hits screens if he was still alive, can, must and always has spoken for himself. The task, then, is the same as the director had with the also-excellent Cobain: Montage of Heck and Jane Goodall-focused Jane: getting to the essence of his subject and conveying what made him such a wonder by using the figure himself as a template. Nothing about Bowie earns an easy description. Nothing about Bowie, other than his stardom, brilliance and impact, sat or even stood still for too long. Driven by themes and moods rather than a linear birth-to-death chronology, Moonage Daydream leaps forward with that same drive to ch-ch-change, the same yearning to keep playing and unpacking, and the same quest for artistry as well. Taking its aesthetic approach from its centre of attention means peppering in psychedelic pops, bursts of colour, neon hues, and mirrored and tiled images — because it really means making a movie that washes over all who behold its dance, magic, dance. That's the reaction that Bowie always sparked, enchanting and entrancing for more than half a century. In successfully aping that feat, Morgen's film is as immersive as an art installation. Exhibition David Bowie Is has already toured the world, including a 2015 stint Down Under in Melbourne; Moonage Daydream sits partway between that and a Bowie concert. This gift of sound and vision is as glorious as that gig-meets-art concept sounds — and yes, live footage beams and gleams throughout the documentary. Among the snippets of interviews, smattering of music videos, melange of clips from cinema touchstones that reverberate on Bowie's wavelength in one way or another, and scenes from his own acting career on-screen and onstage, how could it not? During his five years, fittingly, spent making Moonage Daydream, Morgen had access to the original concert masters, from which he spliced together his own mixes using alternative angles. Zooming back to the androgynous space-alien Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars tour is exhilarating, including when the feature's eponymous song explodes. Jumps to the 90s, to the Outside and Earthling tours, resonate with awe of a more grounded but no less vibrant kind. The Serious Moonlight segments, hailing from the 80s and all about pale suits and glistening blonde hair, see Bowie relaxing into entertainer mode — and, amid discussions about his wariness about making upbeat tunes, mastering that like everything else. Read our full review. TICKET TO PARADISE Here we go again indeed: with the George Clooney- and Julia Roberts-starring Ticket to Paradise, a heavy been-there-done-that air sweeps through, thick with the Queensland-standing-in-for-Bali breeze. The film's big-name stars have bounced off each other in Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Money Monster before now. Director Ol Parker has already sent multiple groups of famous faces to far-flung places — far-flung from the UK or the US, that is — as the writer of the Best Exotic Marigold flicks and helmer of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Enough destination wedding rom-coms exist that one of the undersung better ones, with Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder, is even called Destination Wedding. And, there's plenty of romantic comedies about trying to foil nuptials, too, with My Best Friend's Wedding and Runaway Bride on Roberts' resume since the 90s. Hurriedly throw all of the above into a suitcase — because your twentysomething daughter has suddenly announced she's marrying a seaweed farmer she just met in Indonesia, if you're Clooney and Roberts' long-divorced couple here — and that's firmly Ticket to Paradise. As The Lost City already was earlier in 2022, it too is a star-driven throwback, endeavouring to make the kind of easy, glossy, screwball banter-filled popcorn fare that doesn't reach screens with frequency lately. It isn't as entertaining as that flick, and it certainly isn't winking, nodding and having fun with its formula; sticking dispiritingly to the basics is all that's on Parker's itinerary with his first-timer co-scribe Daniel Pipski. But alongside picturesque vistas, Ticket to Paradise shares something crucial with The Lost City: it gets a whole lot of mileage out of its stars' charisma. A quarter-century back, David (Clooney, The Midnight Sky) and Georgia (Roberts, Gaslit) were the instantly besotted couple impulsively tying the knot (if Ticket to Paradise is successful enough to spawn more movies, a prequel about the pair's younger years will likely be on the list). Alas, when this film begins, they can't stand to be anywhere near each other — room, city or state — after splitting two decades back. With their only child Lily (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick) graduating from college, they're forced to play faux nice for a few hours, but squabble over the armrest, then get publicly competitive about who loves their daughter more. This wouldn't be a rom-com led by Clooney and Roberts if schoolyard teasing logic didn't apply, though: they fight because sparks still fly deep down. And they keep verbally sparring when Lily announces a month later that she's met Bali local Gede (Maxime Bouttier, Unknown) on a getaway before she's supposed to put her law degree to its intended use, and that she'll be hitched within days. If another template that Ticket to Paradise happily follows is to be believed, parents don't respond well to their kids plunging into matrimony, especially without notice. David and Georgia are no different, desperately wanting to stop Lily from repeating their own mistakes and willing to zip halfway around the world to do so — hence the feature's airfare moniker. They attempt to unite over sabotaging the wedding, but old habits die hard amid tussling with biting dolphins, stealing rings and putting up with Paul (Lucas Bravo, Emily in Paris), Georgia's younger, deeply infatuated boyfriend. Amid drunken beer pong matches and daggy dances to 90s tracks, plus getting stuck in the Balinese jungle overnight as well, older feelings die harder still, of course — and a ticket to surprises or fresh material, this clearly isn't. Read our full review. CLEAN "It's a shock to the system. It's a change to the everyday, regular routine. It's where the unhappy gene comes out — and it's a sign of the times today." That's the gloriously candid and empathetic Sandra Pankhurst on trauma, a topic she has literally made her business. Later in Clean, the documentary that tells her tale, she describes herself as a "busy nose and a voyeur"; however, that's not what saw her set up Melbourne's Specialised Trauma Cleaning. For three decades now, her company has assisted with "all the shitty jobs that no one really wants to do," as she characterises it: crime-scene cleanups, including after homicides, suicides and overdoses; deceased estates, such as bodies found some time after their passing; and homes in squalor, to name a few examples. As she explains in the film, Pankhurst is eager to provide such cleaning services because everyone deserves that help — and because we're all just a couple of unfortunate turns away from needing it. The 2008 movie Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen) and Emily Blunt (Jungle Cruise) fictionalised the trauma-cleaning realm; if that's your touchstone at the outset of Clean, prepare for far less gloss, for starters. Prepare for much more than a look at a fascinating but largely ignored industry, too, because filmmaker Lachlan Mcleod (Big in Japan) is as rightly interested in Pankhurst as he is in her line of work. Everything she says hangs in the air with meaning, even as it all bounces lightly from her lips ("life can be very fragile", "every dog has its day, and a mongrel has two" and "life dishes you out a good story and then life dishes you out a shit one" are some such utterances). Everything feels matter of fact and yet also immensely caring through her eyes, regardless of the situation that her Frankston-headquartered employees are attending to. Sometimes, STC does confront harrowing and grimy messes that could be ripped straight out of a crime drama, but ensuring that the families don't have to swab up themselves after a gory incident is a point of pride. Sometimes, it aids people with disability or illness by playing housekeeper when they can't, or sorts through a lifetime of possessions when someone has turned to hoarding. There's no judgement directed anyone's way, not by Pankhurst or the crew of committed cleaners who've formed a family-like bond under her watch. It takes a particular sort of person to do this gig, everyone notes, and the group is as sensitive and considerate as their boss because most have experienced their own hardships. They can also see what she sees: "everyone's got trauma; it's not the demographic, it's the circumstance". Pankhurst's company and tale isn't new to the public eye, thanks to Sarah Krasnostein's award-winning 2018 book The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life in the Business of Death, Decay and Disaster — and both there and here, the role she has played and the fortitude she has displayed while sifting through her own personal traumas earns merited attention. Mcleod keeps his focus on STC for the film's first third, aided by Pankhurst's frank insights, but the many layers to the business, its workers and its clients are paralleled in her own multifaceted story. Clean takes her lead, though; never within its frames does Pankhurst offer up a simple assessment of herself, other than saying she'd liked to be remembered "as a kind human being — nothing more, nothing less". As a transgender woman who was adopted at birth, grew up in an abusive household, married and had a family, performed as a drag queen, undertook sex work, survived rape and drugs, transitioned, and became one of Australia's first female funeral directors, nothing about her can be deduced to a few mere words. Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23 and June 30; and July 7, July 14, July 21 and July 28; August 4, August 11, August 18 and August 25; and September 1 and September 8. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear, Men, Elvis, Lost Illusions, Nude Tuesday, Ali & Ava, Thor: Love and Thunder, Compartment No. 6, Sundown, The Gray Man, The Phantom of the Open, The Black Phone, Where the Crawdads Sing, Official Competition, The Forgiven, Full Time, Murder Party, Bullet Train, Nope, The Princess, 6 Festivals, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Crimes of the Future, Bosch & Rockit, Fire of Love, Beast, Blaze, Hit the Road, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Orphan: First Kill, The Quiet Girl and Flux Gourmet.
With the government announcing that non-essential indoor venues must close, everyone arriving from overseas must self-isolate for 14 days and encouraging social distancing, delivery services are more important than ever. Many of Melbourne's best are offering same-day delivery, too — and we're not just talking about food, either. Natural wine? Check. Indoor plants? Check. Belgian chocolate? Check. Designer threads for your pup? Yep, those too. Household items and zero-contact deliveries are also on the docket. Whatever you're stocking up on, these same-day delivery services will have you covered in just a few hours (or less). WINE, SPIRITS AND COCKTAILS FROM MAGNUM + QUEENS No matter what your self-isolation tipple of choice, this online booze store probably has it in stock and can have it to your doorstep, pronto. In addition to its renowned wine subscription service, Magnum + Queens boasts a wide-ranging curation of spirits, vino, wine packs and cocktail gift packs — with instructions — to see you through. Indulge your obsession for minimal intervention drops, hook yourself up with all the fixings for a weekend of spritz, or go for a ready-to-mix cocktail pack like the all-Aussie 'Negroni Nights' trio. If you want it all in your hot little hands sooner rather than later (and you live within five kilometres of the CBD), there's a $25 same-day delivery flat rate, for orders placed before 10am. Magnum + Queens' same-day delivery is available across Melbourne for orders placed before 10am Monday–Friday. It'll cost you $25 flat-rate. To order, head to the website. INDOOR PLANTS AND CARE PACKAGES FROM HELLO BOTANICAL If you're going to be spending all that time at home, you might as well have your space looking schmick. And Hello Botanical has a premium selection of easy-care plants that'll help you do just that. The online store is stocked with a hefty range of greenery, that can be delivered to your doorstep in custom-made planter pouches and with nifty care instructions attached. While you're shopping, check out the accompanying lineup of gifts, green thumb accessories, candles and care packages — the 'Self Care' curation sounds especially well-timed for the current climate of craziness. Best of all, Hello Botanical's $15 same-day delivery service is available across a heap of Melbourne suburbs, as long as you order before 12.30pm. Hello Botanical's same-day delivery is available across Melbourne for orders placed before 12.30pm Monday–Friday. It's a $15 flat rate, or free if you spend over $150. To order, head to the website. LUXE BELGIAN CHOCOLATE FROM GODIVA With an offering that's as indulgent as its name suggests, this Belgian-born chocolate maker not only boasts three Melbourne stores, but also an extensive online shop. And, as a former official chocolatier to the Royal Court of Belgium, you just know it's got some serious sweet street cred. Here, you'll find a solid collection, running from cookies, truffles and bars, to the luxurious signature drinking chocolate, all available to be wrapped up and shipped straight to your door. And if that chocolate craving's extra ferocious, you're in luck — Godiva offers a cheeky four-hour delivery service to locations near its Melbourne CBD, Doncaster and Chadstone stores, every day of the week. Godiva's four-hour delivery is available across a range of Melbourne suburbs for orders placed between 11am and 4pm daily. The price varies from $16-27, depending on the postcode. To order, head to the website. HOUSEHOLD AND KITCHEN ITEMS FROM DELIVEROO Even before the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic earlier this week — and before the Australian government banned non-essential events with more than 500 people — visiting an Australia supermarket to buy groceries had become a rather fraught affair. To help — and to help you stay home if you're social distancing or self-isolating — Deliveroo announced that it has added kitchen and household products to its delivery range. You can now order from local stores and supermarkets, and basic supplies dispatched to your door via the service. Deliveroo has also implemented a 'no-contact' drop-off service, which lets you request that your rider leaves your order on your doorstep. To order via Deliveroo, visit the service's app or website. ALCOHOL IN 30 MINUTES FROM JIMMY BRINGS If you're avoiding that midweek bottle shop run, you can still rely on 30-minute alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings. It's been a go-to for its range of wine, beer and spirits since way back in 2011. Here, you can nab organic drops, wine bundles and party packs, plus mixers and other extras — like chocolates, bags of crisps, Panadol, Berocca and condoms. The online bottle-o takes 'same-day service' to the next level, with door-to-door averaging at just 24 minutes. Jimmy Brings delivers seven days per week until late, too. Jimmy Brings delivery hours Monday through Saturday from 11.30am–midnight and Sunday from 11.30am–11pm. Order via Jimmy Brings via the app or website. CHEAP-AS PIZZAS WITH NO-CONTACT DELIVERY FROM DOMINO'S Our fair city obviously has plenty of pizza options that we'd recommend over Domino's. But, when it feel like the world around you is crumbling, sometimes all you want is a filthy thin-crust barbecue meatlovers. Not to mention: it's just so damn cheap. Right now you can nab any large pizza from $15 and any three pizzas for $32.95. Cheesy garlic bread, popcorn chicken and vegan pizzas are also on the menu.In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Domino's is also now offering zero contact delivery — choose this option (on the app or the website) and the delivery person will leave your pizza on your doorstep. Order Domino's via the app or online. CLOTHES FOR YOU AND YOUR POOCH FROM THE ICONIC Sure, designer threads may not feel like an express necessity at the moment. But a little online shopping can help improve your mood drastically, and we could all use a little pick-me-up right now. For Melburnians who welcome the distraction, online fashion hub The Iconic is here. Any items that are shipped directly by the brand will be delivered to the Melbourne Metro area within 5.30–9.30pm hours when ordered before 10.30am, Monday through Friday — and there's no minimum purchase for this same-day service, either. Choose from men's and women's apparel and accessories, with over 20,000 products on the virtual shelf. Expect a special 15-percent discount for runway inspired looks post Fashion Week, too. And The Iconic has also just launched a stylish pet fashion range this month, so you and your pup can both look good from home. The Iconic same-day delivery hours are Monday through Friday from 7am–5pm and 6pm–10pm. Place your order online here. ON-DEMAND FOOD DELIVERY FROM DOORDASH The US's biggest on-demand food platform for door-to-door delivery from a bunch of Melbourne restaurants, including Betty's Burgers and Nando's, along with a diverse spread of well-loved local eateries like Red Sparrow Pizza, Le Bon Ton, Huxtaburger. Yes, that means dinnertime decision-making just got a little more interesting. Which can't be a bad thing, given that stats show a lot of us — two million of us to be exact — use meal delivery services at lease once every three months. And even more so now. During the COVID-19 pandemic, DoorDash is waiving delivery fees for a heap of restaurants, so they can generate a little more money in these uncertain times. Order via DoorDash's app or website. Image: Huxtaburger Top image: Magnum + Queens Kirsten Dickie FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Melbourne rooftop bar Blossom is celebrating its first birthday with a huge three-day pizza party in February. From Friday, February 9–Sunday, February 11, the sky-high bar will combine its birthday celebration with World Pizza Day, slinging woodfired pizzas, shucking fresh oysters, running mini gin masterclasses and hosting a heap of DJs. For the pizzas, the Blossom Rooftop Bar team is using its massive woodfired oven that was shipped over from Italy and will be pumping out a heap of different gourmet options to punters. Live oysters will also be shucked to order, adding some luxe theatrics to the whole affair. Some reps from Malfy Gin will also be setting up a space for gin masterclasses, teaching guests a little bit about the brand's flavoured gins while turning them into a few bespoke cocktails. A welcome Malfy and Fever-Tree spritz will even be included in the $10 ticket price. For a little extra fun, those who attend Blossom's World Pizza Day party will also have the chance to win some prizes. We don't know what these are, but who doesn't love free stuff?
Following the success of last year's Pokémon Go craze, the latest smartphone foray into augmented reality sees the launch of Snapchat's art lens, which will again see people wandering around using their smartphone to locate 'virtual objects' all across the globe. This time though you can claim a cultural pull, because instead of hunting collectable monsters, you'll be scouting out three-storey-high digital sculptures by acclaimed American artist Jeff Koons. Having dabbled plenty in AR with its face-morphing selfie filters and World Lens feature, Snapchat's now dropped a series of Lenses that will let users view a selection of Koons's colourful installations in specific locations worldwide. Right now, the series includes a shiny gold balloon dog in New York's Central Park, a rainbow playdough sculpture on Brazil's Copacabana Beach and a monumental likeness of Popeye at Sydney Opera House. Each sculpture will remain virtually in one place for a few weeks, before moving to a new location. If you're hooked up with the latest version of Snapchat, the app will give you the option of using the art lens when you're within 300 metres of one of the sculptures. The sculptures will appear on your screen once you're nearby — you can't miss them. Snapchat's also put the call out for other artists to jump aboard their virtual global art exhibition — here's hoping some local works are added to the mix.
Keeping your emotions in check won't be easy as the next instalment of the Renegades Derby turns up the heat in the Big Bash League. As cross-town rivals Melbourne Renegades take on Melbourne Stars, these long-standing foes have gone toe-to-toe since the league's foundation. With bragging rights up for grabs and live music from Australian DJ Cyril, the Sunday, January 12 match is the best time to attend as the bowling gets faster and the swinging harder when local pride gets put on the line.
The team behind Merrymen cafe in Hampton launched into the sandwich game with its latest bayside venture Robin's Deli. Here, only eight stacked sandwiches are up for grabs (plus fries and hash browns for good measure). But don't let the small menu fool you. Robin's Deli isn't playing it safe — nor is it making things simple and easy for itself. The limited menu and smaller site give Chef Cristina Kelly the opportunity to be super creative, abandoning classic sanga combos and opting for far more fun creations. The options are divided into brekkie baps, fresh sandwiches and toasties. For an easy $10, locals can nab the breakfast muffin loaded with pork sausage, a fried egg, American cheese, chilli jam and Robin's secret sauce. Or they can start the day with a souped-up Vegemite toastie made with mozzarella, gruyere, cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Praise the cheese gods. The fresh offerings lean more into the healthy side of things, with the salad sandwich chock-full of local veg and a punchy green sauce, while the roasted chicken option is kept more classic with just a herbed aioli, pickled onion and shredded lettuce. Then we get to the four toasties. These are for those wanting a more gluttonous lunch. There's the mortadella toastie that's also filled with stracciatella, sundried tomato pesto, fermented hot honey and pistachios. And the meatball sub consists of a baguette stuffed with pork and beef meatballs, Napoli sauce, honey cumin yoghurt and chimichurri. We could go on with listing the whole menu or you could just head down to Robin's Deli in Cheltenham yourself. If you drop by for lunch, beers will be on offer. But you can also get around classic cafe staples like coffee courtesy of Inglewood Coffee Roasters, chai, juices and sodas. Bevs are kept simple at Robin's Deli. It's the sangas that really shine.
Is your wardrobe overflowing with clothes that you don't wear? We've all been there, and we've all been too busy to do anything about it. Through its op shops, Australian Red Cross finds a new home for your pre-loved outfits, shoes and accessories, with proceeds going towards its charity efforts — but we all know that wanting to donate your old threads is one thing and finding the time to do it is another. That's why Australian Red Cross has once again partnered with Uber for its annual Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive. When it launched in 2018, it collected over 43,500 kilograms of clothing in that first year alone, which saw clothing items worth an estimated $800,000 donated. And you'd best take the drive part literally, as the ride-sharing service will actually drive to your house, pick up your unwanted clothes and accessories, and deliver them to Red Cross Shops. Even better: it's not only super easy to take part, but it's free as well. Melburnians just make sure you're ready between 10am–4pm on Saturday, November 19. Once you've bagged up all of your old bits and pieces (items you'd happily give your best friend, and no toys, books, furniture or electrical objects) into a bundle that weighs no more than 20 kilograms, it's all incredibly simple. Open the Uber app during that six-hour window, then find the 'package' option. After that, you need to click 'send a package', enter "Red Cross Clothing Drive" as the destination, and select one of the Red Cross Clothing Drive locations displayed An Uber driver will then stop outside your house, meaning that you just need to take your preloved goods out to their car. Voila, you've cleared out your closet and you've helped folks in need, all with the tap of a button.
Between clean eating and superfoods, who would have thought fried chicken would be the craze that stuck around? And if you're one of many seeking out the best battered chook in the city, it's hard to go past Belles Hot Chicken, where their sole focus is just that. Formerly Belles Diner, chefs and co-owners Aaron Turner and Morgan McGlone have converted the space on Gertrude Street into their own, while leaving most of the original interior in tact. Brown booths keep it casual without crossing the line to kitsch, and tables are lined with dishes inspired by Nashville, Tennessee, where they've both just spent the better part of recent times. Let's be honest, if you find yourself at Belles, there's a good chance you're there for the chicken, but — just in case you're not — there are fish and mushroom alternatives too. The menu is laconic, but once you step up to the counter to order, there are more choices to make than you may first think. Which cut of chicken do you want: wings, tenders or dark meat? And which level of spice can you handle? Mild, medium, hot, really hot — or are you daring enough for the really f**king hot chicken? No matter your selection, the crunchy, golden coating gives way to juicy, tender meat and the heat has certainly got a bit of kick to it. It's served with pickles and your choice of a side on top of a slice of bread to soak up the oozing spices, which will set you back $16. For an extra $2, choose from three sauces to combat the fire in your mouth. The sides ($5), such as mixed pickles and mac and cheese, could do with a bit more spunk, but the star of the show shines. Wait until the weekend for the chicken and waffles special ($18). Yep, you have not lived until you've tried the sugary sweet leavened dough drowning in maple syrup, and coupled with the savoury pieces of poultry. There's American beer, there's wine, there's whiskey, there's a record player blaring in the background and staff are sometimes inclined to dance around the restaurant. It's fun. Sure, it's a little more expensive than good old KFC, but it comes without the stain of the fast food stigma. It's a hell of a lot tastier and it's so on-trend.
Squid Game is finally returning for season two, and Heartbreak High as well. A new take on Tom Ripley is also on the way. They aren't the only things that you'll be watching on Netflix in 2024. As it does to begin every year, the streaming platform has unveiled a teaser video for the TV shows — returning and new — and movies that'll be added to its catalogue over the coming 11 months, while also dropping a heap of details. Get ready for plenty of time spent glued to the small screen. The sheer number of series and films that the service releases each year is always massive (see: 2022's and 2023's lists of features). 2024 is set to be no different. Starting with episodic fare, more Bridgerton will arrive in May, season three of hilarious girl group comedy Girls5eva is due in March and That '90s Show will be back by midyear. Also among the returning shows: Mo, Heartstopper, The Diplomat, Emily in Paris, Monsters, The Night Agent, Outer Banks, Sweet Tooth, Cobra Kai, Drive to Survive, Unstable and The Umbrella Academy. [caption id="attachment_938940" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Emily V Aragones/Netflix © 2023[/caption] More than a few of Netflix's new series additions in 2024 have been announced previously, but that doesn't make them any less exciting. Sci-fi thriller 3 Body Problem brings the book of the same name to the screen; Avatar: The Last Airbender turns the beloved animated effort into live-action; and The Gentlemen takes its cues from the Guy Ritchie movie of the same name — with Theo James (The White Lotus), Kaya Scodelario (The King's Daughter), Vinnie Jones (Bullet Proof) and Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul) among the cast, and Ritchie producing. That said, you mightn't have already heard about Black Doves, starring Keira Knightley (Boston Strangler) as the spy wife of a UK politician; Eric, with Benedict Cumberbatch (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) as a father searching for his missing nine-year-old son; or No Good Deed, about two families trying to buy the same house, and with Lisa Kudrow (Space Force), Ray Romano (Bupkis), Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me), Luke Wilson (Fingernails), Teyonah Parris (The Marvels) and Abbi Jacobson (A League of Their Own) starring. The Perfect Couple is Nicole Kidman's (Expats) next small-screen stint and Terminator: The Anime Series battles Skynet in animation. The Good Place's Ted Danson and Mike Schur are also reteaming on a new comedy series that's based on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Mole Agent, Gabriel García Márquez's iconic novel One Hundred Years of Solitude is scoring an adaptation, and Senna dramatises Ayrton Senna's life. Movie fans, there's no shortage of highlights for you, too — including Spaceman, Damsel, Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story and Hit Man. The first sees filmmaker Johan Renck (Chernobyl) take Adam Sandler (Leo) to space, while the second riffs on fairy tale and fantasy stories with Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things) in the lead. As for the third, it marks Jerry Seinfeld's film directorial debut, and tells exactly the tale that its title makes plain. And the fourth is Richard Linklater's (Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood) latest, with Glen Powell (Anyone But You) co-writing and starring. From there, on a roster that goes on — as its television counterpart also does — His Three Daughters boasts spectacular casting thanks to Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Elizabeth Olsen (Love & Death) and Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face); Japanese animation The Imaginary hails from Studio Ponoc (Mary and the Witch's Flower); Irish Wish and Our Little Secret both feature Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls); and the Thomasin McKenzie (Totally Completely Fine)-, James Norton (Happy Valley)- and Bill Nighy (Role Play)-starring Joy is about the world's first test-tube baby. [caption id="attachment_938943" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John P. Johnson / Netflix © 2024.[/caption] The Beverley Hills Cop franchise returns in the new Eddie Murphy (Candy Cane Lane)-starring instalment that's aptly subtitled Axel F; Atlas pits Jennifer Lopez (The Mother) against AI, and Back in Action sees Jamie Foxx (The Burial) and Cameron Diaz (in her first film since 2014's Annie) as married spies brought back into the espionage fold. A Family Affair has Joey King (Bullet Train) playing a woman who works for a movie star (Zac Efron, The Iron Claw), Laura Dern (The Son) is a novelist who has an affair with a younger man (Liam Hemsworth, Land of Bad) in Lonely Planet, and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie joins the SpongeBob SquarePants world. Or, there's Scoop, which goes behind the scenes on Prince Andrew's Newsnight interview, and features Gillian Anderson (Sex Education), Keeley Hawes (Orphan Black: Echo), Billie Piper (I Hate Suzie) and Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat); Shirley, the Regina King (The Harder They Fall)-led flick about the first Black congresswoman; That Christmas, a family-friendly festive effort based on the books by Love Actually filmmaker Richard Curtis; and Thelma the Unicorn, by directors Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and Lynn Wang (Unikitty!). Anna Kendrick (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) helms and leads Woman of the Hour, about an aspiring actor and a serial killer; French fare Family Hour werewolves battles werewolves; Spanish horror hit The Platform gets a sequel; and South Korea's Uprising is produced and co-written by Decision to Leave's Park Chan-wook. We hope your couch is comfy — because you're going to be spending quite a bit of time on it. Check out Netflix's trailer for its 2024 slate below: New movies and TV shows will hit Netflix throughout 2024 — head to the streaming platform for its current catalogue. Top image:
Who says Australian winters can't be romantic? The Yarra Valley will see a majestic winter market, bringing that European Christmas feel on Saturday, July 8. The Fireside Winter Twilight Market will showcase local food from the region's finest producers, all coming together at the historic Yarra Valley Railway in Healesville. Soak in the rustic ambience of an Aussie-style winter wonderland, complete with toasty fire pits to keep you warm. The Market will be an 18+ event, so leave the kids at home and reignite that romantic spark. Sample the flavours of Yarra Valley with some tasty winter treats that you can wash down with a selection of local wines, beers, and ciders. Sip and savour from names like Balgownie Estate, St Huberts, Rob Dolan Wines and more. Don't miss out on this enchanting evening, tickets are available now for $45 which includes a Bettercup to take home, wine tastings, and a glass of wine, beer, or cider — a bargain. You can buy as much additional food and drinks as your heart desires throughout the evening. Secure your limited ticket before Wednesday, July 5. After that, tickets will be available at the gate for $55. The Fireside Winter Twilight Market runs on Saturday, July 8 from 4–8pm. For more information and to get your tickets, visit the website.
Festive decorations have started popping up around Melbourne, but it'll soon look like Christmas in a big way when the city's annual festival celebrating the jolliest time of the year returns for 2023. No matter whether you like staring at luminous lights and dazzling sights, hitting up every single festive market around town or soaking in as many Christmas-themed activities as you can find — including Christmas rollerskating, a Christmas maze and a Christmas cinema — that'll all be on the agenda from Friday, November 24. Once again, the city will have an array of methods to get merry this festive season, with the annual Melbourne Christmas Festival running for an entire month until Monday, December 25. If you weren't aware before, you will be now: Christmas in this city doesn't just mean buying gifts and roasting turkeys. Accordingly, from the end of November, you can make a date with spectacular projections and a whole heap of excuses to get shopping, among other festivities. Those nightly Christmas lights are a clear drawcard, and they'll beam across Melbourne Town Hall and and the State Library of Victoria. You'll also be bathed in seasonal vibes when you hang out at Federation Square's Christmas Square, where a 17.5-metre LED Christmas tree will take pride of place. And, a new river show will get Southbank all aglow ever evening. Other standouts around town include the Christmas-themed roller-skating rink making a comeback Carlton's Argyle Square; the Christmas maze at Docklands, which is also a returning favourite; and an 11-day Christmas carnival at Birrarung Marr with dodgems and a ferris wheel. [caption id="attachment_925585" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ray Reyes[/caption] Like Christmas movies? The Capitol Theatre is joining in with screenings of Elf, The Polar Express, The Grinch, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and The Santa Clause — all for $5 each. Or, Fed Square is showing movies for free outdoors, with Elf, The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life on its lineup. Elsewhere, you'll be able to take part in Christmas scavenger hunt and a treasure hunt, mosey along a festive walk that's all about knowing how best to mark the occasion in Melbourne, enjoy a comedic holiday pantomime show, see lights and lasers illuminate the Yarra, hear choirs sing carols and go cruising on a busking boat. If all the merriment makes you hungry and thirsty, you can also partake in a packed stocking's worth of food- and booze-focused Chrissie events. One highlight: Christmas on Afloat. Another: Chinatown's Christmas festival. Ice skating — not just roller skating — is on offer as well. And if nothing says Christmas to you like getting a snap of your pet all dressed up for the occasion, pictures with Santa are also part of the fun. Plus, from a clearly heaving lineup, market and festival devotees can take their pick, with boho, vegan, makers, German, Korean, Japanese and wine options. There's also the Koorie Krismas Market, selling arts and crafts from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 'Tis the season to spend a month feeling the Christmas spirit all throughout the City of Melbourne, obviously, because there's more where all of the above came from, too. Melbourne Christmas Festival runs from Friday, November 24–Monday, December 25. For further information, head to the City of Melbourne website.
Gambling sites are so often accused of being scummy. Confined to the cracked iPhone screens of sweaty middle-aged men watching the races, or nestled up against a footy fanatic's much-pounded Tinder app, these sites don't often conjure up images of class. But for this year's FIFA World Cup, Sportsbet have pulled out the big guns. They've called upon the classiest dude bro they could think of. They've let Jesus loose upon our skies. In a marketing stunt that seeks to mimic Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer, Sportsbet have created a hot air balloon in an arguably sacrilegious image of Jesus Christ. They've encapsulated his transcendent essence in 46 metres of gassy latex, slapped a hashtagged Socceroos jersey on him and launched him off into the atmosphere because culture or sports or betting or something. It's a move that's understandably enraged Melbourne's religious community. Director of the Australian Christian Lobby Dan Flynn has spoken out against the stunt on 3AW saying Jesus has been co-opted into endorsing gambling. "Jesus was very much for the poor and we know the effect of gambling on the poor, they take the biggest brunt of that," he said. The balloon has also been condemned by Deputy Premier Peter Ryan, the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce, and the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne. However, Sportsbet's representatives claim the balloon is nothing more than a morale booster to get people behind the Socceroos this week. "Let’s be honest — the Socceroos need divine intervention to progress past their three group games, so the message we’re aiming to get across is that for all Aussies to keep the faith in [them]," PR manager Shaun Anderson told the Herald Sun. Sportsbet also claim they haven't received any complaints from religious groups directly. Spokesperson Matthew Campbell even went so far as to reassure readers at the Sydney Morning Herald: "We certainly don’t believe we’re being insensitive to anyone’s religious beliefs." This isn't the first time Sportsbet have been accused of insensitivity. In fact, their last controversy came only one year ago with this charming piece of good ol' Aussie animal porn. Any of the @QantasWallabies see this little guy upon landing in Melbourne today? #rootingforoz pic.twitter.com/NOei58MFNv — Sportsbet.com.au (@sportsbetcomau) June 23, 2013 Though today marks just the second day of flight for the holy balloon, it's already received a huge amount of attention. Not only has it faced scrutiny from those religious groups mentioned above, it's featured on the front page of mX, and made an appearance on both the Daily Mail and Wall Street Journal. How embarrassment. Despite all this, Sportsbet claim the only thing that could bring down our ever-present lord is the weather. The betting site intend to keep him airborne over Melbourne for the next couple of days before a national tour starting next week. If you weren't already having moral dilemmas with this year's World Cup, you sure as hell will now. Via Herald Sun and The Sydney Morning Herald. Photos via Sportsbet.
When Reservation Dogs first breezed into streaming queues in 2021 — including via Binge in Australia and Disney+ in New Zealand — it did so with heart, style and purpose, delivering a rarity in the current TV landscape. Authentic depictions of life for Indigenous North Americans are scarce on the small screen, or any screen. Such shows that riff on a Quentin Tarantino movie with their moniker, start with a brazen and entertaining heist, unfurl their stories through creative cinematography, serve up a stunningly thoughtful coming-of-age tale and survey an entire community obviously are, too. And a series that does the above with Taika Waititi's (Thor: Love and Thunder) brand of deadpan humour, befitting his role as co-creator and executive producer, as well as co-writing the very first episode — doing so alongside showrunner and Seminole Nation filmmaker Sterlin Harjo (Mekko) — is genuinely unclaimed territory. In Reservation Dogs' first season, the end result was one of the best new TV shows of 2021. This year, its second season is one of the best and most moving returning shows of 2022. This gloriously heartfelt and perceptive series is dedicated to diving deep into the Indigenous North American experience today — as a teenager, primarily, but constantly broadening its focus to the parents, elders and spirits so instrumental and influential in its central foursome's life in Oklahoma's Muscogee Nation. It's no wonder that season one earned a Peabody Award, which celebrates US media's most powerful, enlightening and invigorating stories. It's no wonder, either, that the show has been picked up for a third run as well. Bear (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Beans), Elora (Devery Jacobs, Rutherford Falls), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis, Ghostbusters: Afterlife) and Cheese (debutant Lane Factor) are those restless adolescents at the heart of Reservation Dogs, and they've shared a California dream since the series' very first episode. But when the debut season wrapped up with a tornado, plus a figurative storm of hard truths and buried feelings, the gang's relocation fantasy didn't play out as expected. The lure of family and culture remained strong, as did holding onto a past that's brought happiness as well as hurt. While losing one of their best friends, Daniel (first-timer Dalton Cramer), to suicide was big motivation for wanting to head away — it was also his plan, too — actually following through proved a far trickier prospect when it became tangible. In season two, the more things change, the more they stay the same — until they don't. Elora still attempted to go west anyway to close out season one, but being on the road with enemy-turned-travelling companion Jackie (Elva Guerra, Dark Winds) gets tumultuous. For Bear, Willie Jack and Cheese, staying on the reservation requires facing life on the reservation and all that it entails, including the pain that no one wants to shoulder and plotting out a future that no one ever thought would exist without Daniel. Bear tries by getting a job in roofing, which ends up being beside Daniel's dad (Michael Spears, 1883). Willie Jack and Cheese feel like the group is cursed, and turn to town elder Uncle Brownie (Gary Farmer, First Cow) for assistance. Elora is called back, confronting loss, tradition and the friends she left behind. Reservation Dogs can be a series of side-splitting comedy. The lines that the writers find for Spirit aka William Knifeman (Dallas Goldtooth, Rutherford Falls), the warrior who died at (but not in) the Battle of Little Big Horn and is quick to dispense advice Bear's way, are comic gold every time he's on-screen. (Wanting him to get his own spinoff comes easily.) It's also a show filled with goofy capers, from the opening Flaming Flamers chip-truck heist through to a hilarious late season-two episode where lighthorseman Officer Big (Zahn McClarnon, Westworld) unwittingly takes acid, then stumbles upon a racist land-grabbing conspiracy that's fuelled a local myth, all with salvage yard owner Kenny Boy (Kirk Fox, Parks and Recreation) by his side. This is and always has been a sitcom about home, though, a term that's oh-so-loaded in a First Nations context. What does it mean to want to flee land that's been taken from Indigenous communities from centuries? That was one of the first season's key questions. What does it mean to rediscover that homeland, even knowing how much heartache lingers? That's a pivotal consideration in the second season. California — the oasis it represents, including fresh scenery, leaving everyday troubles behind and seeing the ocean for the first time — still can't be shaken, however. Sometimes, the only way to weather life's ups and downs is to realise how much you'd miss what you already have if it was gone, too. Made with such an evident commitment to minutiae, and to feeling lived-in at every moment, Reservation Dogs spins both its episodic stories and its long-running arcs, themes and emotions into something wonderful and insightful again and again. One season-two episode departs to the yearly Indian Health Summit with the Aunties, including Bear's mother Rita (Sarah Podemski, Resident Alien), who get their own time away. Another follows Cheese to a group home run by the misguided Gene (Marc Maron, Respect), where he's sent through no fault of his own — while yet another goes to prison, where Willie Jack visits Hokti (Lily Gladstone, Certain Women), her aunt and Daniel's mother. From the engaging cast and complex narrative to the incisive examination of everything it means to be an Indigenous North American right now, plus the crucial commitment to telling Indigenous stories with Indigenous on- and off-screen talent (every writer, director and series regular is Indigenous), Harjo deserves all the kudos that can be showered his way for this gem of a show. Seeing where each episode heads, what surprises are in store, and how it keeps giving the USA's First Nations people on-screen representation and a voice, is a continual and rewarding delight. Seeing how Reservation Dogs values both personal tales and fleshing out a community portrait, and excels equally in realistic and magical storytelling, is as much of a highlight. As for Waititi, his way with sitcoms shouldn't be astonishing. The Eagle vs Shark, Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople helmer is three for three in America — including not only this, but also Our Flag Means Death, which will return for a second season after 2022's debut run; and the What We Do in the Shadows TV spinoff, which just aired its fourth season and has a fifth and sixth on the way. Indeed, while there are many reasons to be thankful for the New Zealand filmmaker as his resume keeps attesting, using his fame to help bring the gift that is Reservation Dogs into the world is firmly one of them. Check out the trailer for Reservation Dogs season two below: Reservation Dogs streams via Binge in Australia and Disney+ in New Zealand. Images: Shane Brown / FX.
It feels so long ago that we were all asking each other, "what's your Roman Empire?" We had all sorts of answers, but for a lot of people, the answer was right there: the Roman Empire. For a civilisation that ended over 1500 years ago, it has a lot of staying power. The latest retrospective into the root of Western civilisation is coming to Melbourne Museum in April 2026. ROME: Empire, Power, People is a Melbourne-exclusive exploration of the rise, rule and legacy of the empire that, at its peak, stretched from the British Isles all the way to Africa and West Asia. At the centre of the experience is 150 objects dated from the Imperial period of 1st Century CE to the 3rd Century CE, each offering glimpses into the politics, culture and social lives of Rome's rulers and citizens. Each object has never been in Melbourne before, and the collection includes statues, mosaics, frescoes, jewellery and everyday objects. With these artefacts, visitors will be able to chart the history of Rome from the death of Julius Caesar to the rise, and eventual collapse, of the empire that would span across the continents — exploring everything from the luxury of the imperial court to the spectacle of the gladiator arena and down to the humble markets of Rome's cities. Beyond artefacts, the exhibition will incorporate scenography and multimedia to really bring the images of Rome to life. The experience is designed by Melbourne Museum in collaboration with curators from two of Italy's most prestigious museums — Museo Nazionale Romano and Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze, and presented with the support of Ministero della Cultura, Dipartimento per la valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale and Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Toscana. "This exhibition offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stand before treasures nearly 2000 years old and feel the pulse of a civilisation that shaped the world. Don't miss this extraordinary journey; experience the grandeur and humanity of Rome right here at Melbourne Museum," said Lynley Crosswell, CEO & Director of Museums Victoria. Federica Montani, Head of Exhibitions at Contemporanea Progetti, said: "This exhibition is the result of an exceptional collaboration between Australia and Italy. Our goal was to craft an exhibition that allows visitors to step into the heart of Ancient Rome — to create an experience that reveals not only the Empire's grandeur, but also the humanity of the people who shaped its history." [caption id="attachment_1051393" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Museo Nazionale di Firenze[/caption] Alongside the exhibition, Melbourne Museum will serve a wide variety of regional Italian cuisine at its eateries, the Museums Victoria store will sell exclusive retail items, and IMAX Melbourne will screen a series of classic Italian films throughout the exhibition period. 'ROME: Empire, People, Power' opens at Melbourne Museum on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website. Images supplied by Museums Victoria.
Lately, there have been enough new venues opening — or planning to open — in iconic hospitality sites to make it something of a trend. Think, Nomad Melbourne, Fitzroy's Kewpie and, soon, Cucina Povera. Well, here's another one to add to the list. Launched last week, Bar Bambi is the plush new venture from Nick and Daniel Russian (founders of Eve Bar), taking over the revered rock 'n roll site that once housed the original Cherry Bar. You can push aside all thoughts of the four-legged Disney character — the venue's in fact named after and inspired by a bar the duo's Nonno owned in Trieste, Italy, 80 years ago. Here on AC/DC Lane, they're paying homage to their heritage while delivering a dazzling late-night joint that aims to help reignite Melbourne's party spirit. [caption id="attachment_833174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Roper[/caption] It's a sumptuous lounge bar with design nods to the drinking dens of both LA and Europe, celebrating glam vintage touches throughout. Step through the door and into a space filled with curved banquettes and staircases, and sporting a healthy appreciation for the colour pink; all the work of awarded designer David Hicks. Italian share plates rule the menu, with finely-tuned familiar favourites interspersed with contemporary surprises. A loaded carbonara toastie and a tiramisu cannoli fall into the latter group. Elsewhere, you'll find the likes of rigatoni done with wagyu bolognese, a spicy vodka pasta, calamari fritti and a hefty pork cotoletta on the bone, Meanwhile, the antipasti lineup includes bites like mortadella, burrata caprese, nduja and polpette, which you can match with serves of Italian flatbread. [caption id="attachment_833177" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Roper[/caption] A well-matched drinks offering has a soft spot for spritzes and negronis, with a multitude of options and large-format serves available for each. If you're game, try yours by the one-litre carafe; or really impress that group booking by arranging your own negroni fountain ($2200). They're backed by a slew of other classic Euro cocktails, a healthy spread of Italian and Aussie wines, and a cheeky after-dinner bottle service. And, since entertainment is every bit as important as the wining and dining action here at Bar Bambi, expect a diverse program of extra fun running into the wee hours — from DJs, to piano singers, to live performances gracing the front stage. Find Bar Bambi at AC/DC Lane (near corner of 103 Flinders Lane), Melbourne. It's open 5pm–late Wednesday–Friday and from 5pm–5am Saturdays. Sunday sessions will launch shortly, running 12pm–late and showcasing the new Bambi Brunch. Images: Mark Roper
It might be best known as Melbourne's fashion capital, but Chadstone Shopping Centre has upped the ante in its culinary department with its latest culinary offering. Taking over the two-level space most recently home to the Louis Vuitton Time Capsule exhibition, the project is now home to two different dining offerings: a second outpost of restaurant-to-retail concept Calia downstairs and a Chinese yum cha restaurant, Yu Kitchen, above. This next iteration of Calia comes two years after the original launched within Melbourne Emporium, boasting a larger, 120-seat capacity space, complete with retail area, dining space and dedicated section for wine and whisky tastings. Chef Francisco Araya (from Spain's Michelin-starred elBulli and Mugaritz) is plating up a luxurious, yet affordable menu, crafted around quality ingredients that are also available to buy in the adjoining retail space. Expect Japanese-inspired dishes such as chirashi bowls, sushi and sashimi platters, Tasmanian sea urchin bowls, king crab legs and fresh truffle fries, showcasing goodies from the likes of Yarra Valley Caviar, San Pellegrino, Robbins Island Wagyu, LMVH and Bibelot. The multi-faceted space will also play host to a program of interactive masterclasses and events led by renowned chefs. Meanwhile, Yu Kitchen is launching in partnership with Malaysia's famed Ruyi & Lyn restaurant, boasting a crafty pan-Asian menu by Chen Kentaro — chef-owner of Singapore's two Michelin-starred Shisen Hanten and son of Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi. The kitchen is whipping up dishes like foie gras crab roll soup, sweet and sour Kurobuta pork, and roasted chicken stuffed with foie gras, plus there'll be regular masterclasses and banquet events to add to your calendar. The new dining precinct is only part of Chadstone Shopping Centre's plans for the future. The centre is also set to gain a $130 million luxury hotel, called MGallery by Sofitel, which is slated to open in late 2019. Calia and Yu Kitchen are now open at Chadstone Shopping Centre from 9am–5.30pm Monday to Wednesday, 9am–9pm Thursday to Saturday and 10am–7pm Sunday.
After a massive, six-month refurbishment, the Mornington Peninsula's beloved T'Gallant Vineyard is officially back in business. The renovations were carried out by Melbourne-based interior design crew, Bergman & Co, who handle a lot of the city's big gastro pub makeovers (Mt Erica Hotel, The Orrong Hotel, Chancery Lane etc). This time, though, they've gone continental, turning T'Gallant into a Tuscan-inspired cellar door and restaurant. Hanging plants everywhere, rustic timber furniture, lots of outdoor seating and communal tables. T'Gallant has always been an affordable, family-friendly venue and that hasn't changed. The new-look menu still has plenty for the kids, and the wood-fired rectangular pizzas haven't gone anywhere. Take a seat in one of the three relaxed dining spaces, or find a barrel in the outdoor courtyard. There's also a beautiful cellar door, where you can sample T'Gallant's signature Pinot Gris. You have to bring your A-Game to make it on the Mornington Peninsula. Vineyard competition is tough down here. But with the new renovations, and new management running the show, T'Gallant is still one of the best, family-friendly wineries in Victoria. Image: Kate Shanasy.
Think about geomagnetic storms and you might think about disaster movies. If you were in a part of Australia where the Aurora Australis was visible over the weekend of Friday, May 10–Sunday, May 12, 2024, the term will now always be synonymous with a stunning sky show. Thanks to extreme planetary conditions, as per the Bureau of Meteorology, aurora sightings lit up the heavens — and widely, including not just in Tasmania, but also in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and even Queensland. If there's ever been a reason to look at the night sky, this was it — and look, plenty of people did. So, whether you slept through the bursts of colour, couldn't see the Aurora Australis in your part of the country or are keen for another glimpse, there's ample photographic proof that inky black heavens gave way to psychedelic hues. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Luke Tscharke | Tasmania (@tscharke) Missed all the details, too? The Bureau first issued a warning for a G4 geomagnetic storm on Friday, May 10, noting that the event — which sees the earth's magnetic field experience fluctuations — could arrive that night. The G4 grading is the second-highest on the G-scale, with G1 considered minor and G5 extreme. The Bureau also advised that a few things can happen, such as disrupting power grids and satellite services, and also creating vivid auroras — including the latter in places normally considered dark-sky locations. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sean O' Riordan | Ireland (@seanorphoto) Then, on Saturday, May 11, the organisation revealed that the geomagnetic storm was a G5 event — the first since 2003 — and that the conditions would continue that day. On Sunday, May 12, it advised that the storm had shifted down to G3, but aurora sightings would still be possible. Cue social-media feeds filled with spectacular snaps — some of which we've compiled above and below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ela / Australia (@sea.of.lights1) Aurora Australis last night at Mentone Beach, Victoria, Australia #AuroraAustralis #aurora pic.twitter.com/0Gb9zEnsEB — Findlay Ferguson (@Findlaybf) May 12, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eliza Sum 沈韪嫦 (@elizasum) I lived in Finland for 6 years and never thought that the best Aurora in my life I'd see in Melbourne 😳#AuroraAustralis pic.twitter.com/nZ4ulfrHaF — Maria Ermakova (@mary_in_vivo) May 11, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brent Martin (@brent_martin_photography) I lived in Finland for 6 years and never thought that the best Aurora in my life I'd see in Melbourne 😳#AuroraAustralis pic.twitter.com/nZ4ulfrHaF — Maria Ermakova (@mary_in_vivo) May 11, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lachlan Gardiner (@lachlan_gardiner) Visible with the naked eye from the far southwest of Western Australia! ⭐️💥⭐️#AuroraAustralis pic.twitter.com/PpsJVE2gbo — Jinni Wilson (@earthseastar) May 11, 2024 View this post on Instagram A post shared by George Berg (@george_berg_photography) For more information about the geomagnetic storm and Aurora Australis, head to the Bureau of Meteorology website. Top image: patrickkavanagh via Flickr.
Neon Parlour is a High Street gallery space and artist studios dedicated to showcasing contemporary, cross-discipline art. The expansive former beauty parlour houses Neon Parlour Gallery, which hosts an ongoing roster of contemporary art shows by local creatives, and Neon Parlour Studios — spaces custom-designed for artists and makers to create works thereby encouraging collaboration across discipline and subject matter. There's also a large communal area for workshops and events. Image: Zoe Harriet
Aussie hospo mainstay Maurice Terzini (Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, RE and Jackson on George) has teamed up with Joe Jones to open a sleek new bar in Melbourne's CBD. Opening in early December, the duo will take over the underground space at Queens and Collins, where Reine & La Rue recently opened to huge acclaim. Here, Euro-centric cocktails and "champagne food" will be served within a lavish brutalist space where post-punk tunes will be booming late into the night. So what exactly is "champagne food"? For Terzini and Jones it's small aperitivo-style dishes and luxe late-night bites that you want to nosh on while sipping on fine wine and cocktails. This will include house-made calzones filled with either mortadella, ricotta and fermented chilli or a playful take on the Big Mac flavours. You can also get around the tomato tartare brushed with shiko koki and a tuna loin that's made specifically to be paired with a dry martini. Speaking of martinis, Jones has decided to go balls-to-the-wall decadent with his Ticket to Ride creation. It will include a half-serve of martini taken right from the freezer and a 90ml glass of champagne, paired with a cheeky bump of caviar and kochu crème fraiche. This will glide over to you on a silver tray, effortlessly oozing luxurious cool. If Purple Pit is anything like its upstairs neighbour or any of Terzini's other ventures, it'll quickly rise to be one of Melbourne CBD's top bars. Purple Pit will open in early December at 376–390 Collins Street, Melbourne. It will be open Tuesday–Saturday, from 3pm–1am. For more details, check out the venue's website. Top image: Queens and Collins building courtesy of Reine & La Rue
Like karaoke? Fond of singing along to well-known songs, whether you're solo or in a group? Happy to belt out a tune from your couch? If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then it's time to up your crooning game during Australia's Biggest Singalong. If you love singing when you're in a pub with a beer in your hand, too, then you'll want to join in as well. Since early 2017 in Brisbane, Pub Choir has been amassing brew-loving music fans in venues around the city. The regular event asks its attendees to learn a particular song in three-part harmonies, with talented professionals on hand each time to show everyone the ropes and lead the way. Every evening then culminates in a big boozy singing session, with the event making its way to bigger Brissie locations over the years, as well venturing around the country. Now, it's heading to television. Set to air on SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand at 8.30pm AEST on Saturday, June 5, Australia's Biggest Singalong transports the Pub Choir format to TV — with a few adjustments, obviously. While still feeling like a far more organised version of exactly what happens whenever someone puts 'Wonderwall' or 'Weather With You' on the pub jukebox, it'll have big-name hosts in Julia Zemiro and Miranda Tapsell — and it's asking for viewers at home to record their own videos in advance, upload them and hope they'll be screened during the two-hour-long special. Multiple songs will be covered, but Hunters and Collectors' 'Throw You Arms Around Me' is the big track that eager crooners can film themselves singing in advance. Entries close on Monday, May 17, with all of the details available on the Couch Choir website — which belongs to Pub Choir's pandemic-era spinoff from last year, as you might already be aware. Hunters and Collectors lead singer Mark Seymour will be part of the broadcast, and Pub Choir co-founder and choirmaster Astrid Jorgensen will be guiding the singing, too. So, you just need to decide whether you're fine to take part from home while pouring yourself something cold from your own fridge, or if you'd rather head to the pub and sing with your mates during the show. Pub Choir's IRL events are mighty popular, with tickets getting snapped up very quickly each time, so that's something you don't have to worry about in this format. Australia's Biggest Singalong will screen on SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand at 8.30pm AEST on Saturday, June 5, Australia's Biggest Singalong. For more information, head to the SBS website. To upload your own video before Monday, May 17, visit the Couch Choir website. Images: Jacob Morrison.
Two decades ago, the live-action Scooby-Doo movie was one of the Gold Coast's big claims to fame. While it was shooting, it was also the reason that plenty of Queenslanders tried to spot Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr and Linda Cardellini IRL, too. And if it also made you wish that you could drive around in a multi-coloured van with your mates — and dog — while solving crimes, you definitely weren't alone. In great news for meddling kids everywhere — well, former meddling kids who are now nostalgic meddling adults — hitting the road in the iconic Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine is actually a real thing that you can currently do. You'll need to swap Australia for a vanning holiday in Southern California, though, and you'll even be hosted by Lillard. In its latest pop culture-themed experience after the Bluey house and the Moulin Rouge! windmill already this year, Airbnb has listed the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine for stays, all to mark the movie's 20th anniversary. The word you're looking for is zoinks, obviously. Having a talking pooch to bunker down with you is optional. Like all of Airbnb's themed stays, this one is only available for a limited time — and by booking in a specific way. It'll be open for three three individual one-night reservations, for two guests per night, from June 24–26. And it'll only cost you AU$28 (US$20), but only if you're lucky enough to score a booking by hopping online from 3am AEST on Friday, June 17. Basically, you'll probably already want to be in the US over those dates anyway — or you'll need to be able to drop everything and make plans faster than Shaggy can pull off some scheming criminal's mask (because there's always a mask). If you do nab a booking, you'll be living like Shaggy and Scooby for a night, including listening to Sugar Ray on a portable CD player, lighting up the van with a lava lamp, soaking in plenty of 70s-style decor and wearing a puka shell necklace. Also included: a virtual greeting from Lillard upon your arrival, all-you-can-eat snacks, a dinner of Shaggy and Scooby faves such as hot dogs and eggplant burgers, and an outdoor lounge hangout area with a hammock. And yes, watching Scooby-Doo is also on the agenda, complete with popcorn, candy and bottomless Scooby Snacks. You'll also play mystery games, of course, because it wouldn't really me a night in the Mystery Machine without a bit of whodunnit action. "I've been channelling Shaggy since the live-action adaptation in 2002, and he's been a part of me ever since," said Lillard. "I can't wait to welcome guests into the world of the Mystery Inc gang as their Airbnb host and give them a summer vacation they'll never forget... monsters not included!" That AU$28 (US$20) price doesn't include getting to and from Southern California, so you'll also need to stump up for flights. While Airbnb has Lillard on the books, if it wanted to get him to host a Scream-themed stay, too — scary movies and all — we'd sign up for that as well. For more information about the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 3am AEST on Friday, June 17, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Hogwash Studios/Ja Tescon.
Open Gardens Victoria is celebrating its tenth anniversary by inviting you to a hand-picked selection of off-the-radar landscapes — from Emerald's dramatic two-acre cactus garden and sweeping hilltop views at Telopea to the airy wildflower paddocks and hydrangea-lined pool garden at Little Steading on the Mornington Peninsula. This September, these exclusive gardens (that normally stay hidden behind private gates) will welcome visitors for just one magical weekend each. This year's lineup takes you from the coastal backroads of the Bellarine Peninsula to the rolling hills of the Macedon Ranges, with each property offering a unique horticultural escape. Visitors can expect self-guided tours, expert talks, plant sales and the odd food truck or coffee cart — perfect for picnics on the lawn, photo ops in golden light and time to linger with fellow plant lovers. In Banyule, Farm Raiser & Bellfield Community Garden turns urban plots into a celebration of sustainability, complete with veggie patches, pizza ovens and pop-up workshops. Over in the Yarra Valley, Ridgefield's 500-strong rose collection and on-site perfumery create a fragrant haven, while Bentwood's handmade rock walls and flower paddocks offer panoramic views of the Kinglake Ranges. Little Steading on the Mornington Peninsula brings hydrangea-lined pool gardens and wildflower meadows to life, and Gherang Gardenalia in the Surf Coast Hinterland pairs native plantings with salvaged garden art — plus CWA-fresh scones. These special openings are part of Open Gardens Victoria's tenth anniversary, with a handful of crowd-favourite gardens from the festival's early days also returning for one-time-only visits. Every ticket sold supports community grants and mental-health initiatives across the state; once each garden's weekend passes, the gates close again — so don't miss your opportunity to explore these hidden landscapes. Check out the full Open Gardens Victoria lineup and start planning your spring weekends. Images: supplied by Open Gardens Victoria
Whenever a public holiday with a religious history rolls around, it means different things to different people. Easter is one of them — a four-day period filled with bunnies for some, oh-so-many chocolate eggs for most, and a relaxing break from work for many. That makes finding the perfect Easter viewing a bit trickier than most occasions. Unlike Christmas movies, paschal flicks haven't become their own category. Unlike Halloween and horror films, there's not an existing genre to tap into, either. And, when a movie has clearly been made with Easter in mind, it tends to fall into one of two camps: religious-themed epics and rabbit-filled, kid-focused family fare. If you're keen to mark the occasion through cinema — and eager to find something to watch while you're binge-eating all of those hot cross buns — don't worry. No, you don't have to settle for the obvious. Instead, fill your long weekend with everything from Timothée Chalamet as a young Willy Wonka and Keanu Reeves as humanity's saviour to Jordan Peele's take on bunnies, all thanks to our 16 classic and eclectic Easter streaming options. Donnie Darko The creepiest rabbit in cinema belongs to one movie: Richard Kelly's (The Box) 2001 sci-fi thriller Donnie Darko. Once you've met Frank, as the eponymous teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal, Road House) does while he's sleepwalking one night, then you can be forgiven for feeling more than a little unnerved. Making quite the bold, striking and memorable filmmaking debut, Kelly's film saddles Donnie with plenty of other worries, too. Doomsday visions, wormholes and time loops; hosting a Halloween party; general adolescent angst — they're all included. So is Patrick Swayze (whose footsteps Gyllenhaal follows in in the Road House remake) as an unsettling motivational speaker, Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Deuce) playing her real-life brother's on-screen sister, and a mind-bending movie that proves both ominous and dreamy all at once (and boasts a great 80s-themed soundtrack). Donnie Darko streams via Stan, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Wonka In 2023, the world was gifted a new sweet treat. Casting Bones and All, Call Me By Your Name, Dune and A Complete Unknown favourite Timothée Chalamet as a young Willy Wonka in a film directed by Paddington and Paddington 2's Paul King was always going to get the film-loving world's attention. Wonka thankfully proved a delight, too. Your best Easter viewing, then? Pairing it with the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which is also still a gem. It's a magical ticket of a book-to-screen adaptation, thanks in no small part to the inimitable Gene Wilder. We all know the tale by now, which follows a poverty-stricken child who wins a chocolate contest and gets a super-exclusive tour of the eponymous figure's sweets-making outfit, and it keeps standing the test of time for great reason. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory streams via Binge, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Wonka streams via Netflix, Binge, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Who Framed Roger Rabbit It's the part live-action, part animated film that's really not for kids, and it's still a delight more than three decades later. Who Framed Roger Rabbit steps back to 1947, plays with both neo-noir and comedy, and creates a world where humans and cartoons — or Toons as they're called — co-exist. A who's who of Hollywood's late-80s best and brightest were all considered for the part of private detective Eddie Valiant (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny's Harrison Ford, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire's Bill Murray and Candy Cane Lane's Eddie Murphy among them), but Bob Hoskins is pitch-perfect in the role. Also working a charm is the film's dark but funny tone, its exceptional special effects, and the reteaming of Robert Zemeckis (Pinocchio) and Christopher Lloyd (The Mandalorian) after Back to the Future. Oh, and the fact that this always-entertaining PI tale is basically an oddball take on all-time classic Chinatown. Who Framed Roger Rabbit streams via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions and The Matrix Resurrections In one of the biggest sci-fi franchises of the past two decades, one man is chosen to save humanity, with the anointed hero navigating difficult trials and tribulations in the process. While the original trilogy of The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions are all jam-packed with futuristic imagery and dystopian drama, writer/director siblings Lana and Lilly Wachowski (Sense8) spin a story that's also laden with spiritual symbolism — so much so that a religion called Matrixism even popped up. Obviously, who wouldn't want to worship Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Chapter 4) as Neo? These movies did the first time around, and repeated the feat with Lana Wachowski's solo effort The Matrix Resurrections as well. The middle two flicks are nowhere near as impressive and entertaining as the first or latest, but The Matrix franchise always makes for thrilling piece of science fiction. The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions stream via Stan, Prime Video, YouTube Movies and iTunes. The Matrix Resurrections streams via Stan, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Us As a director using genre to lay bare society's oppressive ills — and to entertain audiences with audacious and ambitious horror stories in the process — Jordan Peele is three for three on the big screen. Nope was a 2022 standout. Before that, back in 2017, Get Out felt like a breath of fresh air with its smart and savage tale of racial alienation. And, that feeling coursed through 2019's Us, too, a film that simultaneously splashes in the same thematic pool and rides its own narrative wave. Focusing on a family of four, a summer vacation to Santa Cruz and sinister lookalikes who start stalking their every move, Peele finds a new way to ponder America's divisive reality both historically and at present, all while making an immensely unnerving addition to an already unsettling genre: the doppelgänger movie. Playing dual roles, Lupita Nyong'o (A Quiet Place: Day One) puts in a phenomenal performance as the matriarch doing whatever it takes to fight for both her family and her freedom, while many of the film's meticulously crafted visuals — and plethora of rabbits — are pure nightmare fodder. Us streams via Netflix, Binge, Paramount+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Cool Hand Luke "Nobody can eat 50 eggs", Lucas Jackson (the late, great Paul Newman) is told in 1967 prison drama Cool Hand Luke. If that sounds like a challenge you're willing to take up, you're in good company. Naturally, you're currently thinking about chocolate eggs; however, Newman's famous character endeavours to eat 50 of the real deal. Even locked up in a Florida chain gang for vandalising parking metres, that's the kind of rule-breaking, authority-defying guy he is. Nominated for four Oscars and winning one (for Best Supporting Actor for George Kennedy), this is one of cinema's anti-establishment standouts, tracking the penal system's repeated attempts to put Luke in his place, and his continued determination to flout every restriction that's thrown at him. Cool Hand Luke is also layered with religious symbolism in its narrative and in its imagery — as you'd expect in a tale of a man repeatedly persecuted for remaining faithful to his true nature. Cool Hand Luke streams via SBS On Demand, Max, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Con Air Whatever occasion happens to be upon us, there's a Nicolas Cage movie for it. The Family Man and Trapped in Paradise are set around Christmas, for example; Moonstruck and Wild at Heart are pitch-perfect Valentine's Day viewing; and you can choose from the likes of Mandy, Vampire's Kiss and Color Out of Space at Halloween. For Easter, Con Air fits the bill. It is the movie that has Cage exclaim "put the bunny back in the box," after all. Here, he plays a former army ranger-turned-paroled convict who's trying to head home when his prison flight is hijacked by fellow criminals. And it's particularly apt viewing after Cage played Cage in meta comedy The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent recently, and Con Air played a pivotal part in it. Con Air streams via Disney+, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Easter Parade Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Easter, and a dazzling array of singing and dancing? Blend them all together, and that's Easter Parade. A huge box-office hit upon its initial 1948 release, this lively musical understandably makes the most of its stars — who act, croon and show off their fancy footwork opposite each other in their only cinematic collaboration. Astaire plays Broadway hotshot Don Hewes, who's far from happy when his dance partner breaks off their pairing. Emotionally wounded, he vows he'll catapult the next dancer he meets to fame. That'd be Garland's Hannah Brown, although the path to success (and to romance) is hardly straightforward. As Easter Parade charts the ups and downs of Don and Hannah's new arrangement, though, it's obviously absolutely overflowing with show-stopping song-and-dance numbers. Easter Parade streams via Max, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Aardman has enjoyed an enviable track record over the stop-motion animation studio's 50-year career, as well as its two-plus decades making movies. But while the OG Chicken Run is great and the delightful Shaun the Sheep flicks aren't just for kids, Wallace and Gromit hold a soft spot in everyone's hearts. That makes their first full-length movie outing Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit extra special. Parodying monster movies, including old-school Hammer horror films, it tasks a certain cheese fiend and his canine sidekick with trying to rid a village suddenly plagued by bunnies. An Oscar-winner for Best Animated Feature, the result is an amusing, offbeat and energetic adventure with clever sight gags, an eccentric vibe, an array of intelligently used pop culture references, and guest voice work from Helena Bonham Carter (One Life) and Ralph Fiennes (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar). Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit streams via Binge, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Celia Australian cinema is filled with stellar classic titles — films that engage, enthral, say something about our country and showcase the depth of our filmmaking talent. Sadly, the almost-forgotten Celia isn't cited among such company enough, although it deserves to be celebrated as one of the best features that we've ever had to offer. Set in 1957, its tale is dark, ominous and oh-so-telling as it blends small-town prejudices with fearful childhood imaginings. Written and directed by Ann Turner, the film focuses on an unhappy, grieving nine-year-old school girl (Rebecca Smart, Skin Deep) surrounded by a community that's paranoid about communists and unwelcoming to pet rabbits. Yes, there's that Easter-appropriate link — and this is kind of coming-of-age horror effort Australia rarely makes. Celia streams via Brollie, YouTube Movies and iTunes. The Last Temptation of Christ If you're going to watch one serious film about the obvious religious figure this Easter, make it Martin Scorsese's (Killers of the Flower Moon) The Last Temptation of Christ. Faith is one of the great veteran filmmaker's favourite themes and, here, he tackles it with his trademark smarts and depth, all while presenting Jesus not as a revered icon but as a person. Willem Dafoe (Nosferatu) plays the Judean carpenter in the spotlight, turning in one of his reliably fantastic performances. Also popping up among the cast: Harvey Keitel (Paradox Effect), Barbara Hershey (Beacon 23), and Twin Peaks alumni Harry Dean Stanton and David Bowie. Like many a movie that's dared to take a provocative approach to this tale, the 1988 film earned protests, censorship and bans when it originally hit cinemas — and nabbed Scorsese an Academy Award nomination for Best Director as well. The Last Temptation of Christ streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Monty Python's Life of Brian When famed comedy troupe Monty Python turned their attention to religion, they didn't take the obvious route. Instead, their satirical comedy follows Brian Cohen (Graham Chapman), a Jewish man who happens to be born on Christmas right next door to Jesus, and gets mistaken for his neighbour as a result. As one well-known line of dialogue has told us all for decades, "he's not the Messiah — he's a very naughty boy". Eventually, he'll be trying to look on the bright side of life as well. Written by the whole group, and starring them as well, Monty Python's Life of Brian is the silliest, most irreverent biblical-related flick you're ever likely to see. Unsurprisingly, when it was released back in 1979, it was accused of blasphemy. Monty Python's Life of Brian streams via SBS On Demand, YouTube Movies and Prime Video.
It has finally happened, Melburnians. After two prolonged periods spent empty this year, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Melbourne picture palaces are back in business. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made over the past three months, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer from this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSfX-nrg-lI MANK In 2010's The Social Network, David Fincher surveyed the story of an outsider and upstart who would become a business magnate, wield significant influence and have an immense impact upon the world. The applauded and astute film tells the tale of Mark Zuckerberg and of Facebook's development — but it's also the perfect precursor to Fincher's latest movie, Mank. This time around, the filmmaker focuses on a man who once spun a similar narrative. A drama critic turned screenwriter, Herman J Mankiewicz scored the gig of his lifetime when he was hired to pen Orson Welles' first feature, and he drew upon someone from his own life to do so. Citizen Kane is famous for many things, but its central character of Charles Foster Kane is also famously partially based on US media mogul William Randolph Hearst, who Mankiewicz knew personally. Accordingly, Mank sees Fincher step behind the scenes of an iconic movie that his own work has already paralleled — to ponder how fact influences fiction, how stories that blaze across screens silver and small respond to the world around them, and how one man's best-known achievement speaks volumes about both in a plethora of ways. Mank is a slice-of-life biopic about Mankiewicz's (Gary Oldman) time writing Citizen Kane's screenplay, as well as his career around it. It's catnip for the iconic feature's multitudes of fans, in fact. But it also peers at a bigger picture, because that's classic Fincher. When the film introduces its eponymous scribe, it's 1940, and he's recovering from a car accident. In a cast and confined to bed due to a broken leg, he has been dispatched to a Mojave Desert ranch by Welles (Tom Burke, The Souvenir) and his colleague John Houseman (Sam Troughton, Chernobyl), all so he can work his word-slinging mastery. As Mankiewicz toils, the movie wanders back to times, places and people that inspire his prose, especially from the decade prior. Dictating his text to British secretary Rita Alexander (Lily Collins), he draws upon his friendships with Hearst (Charles Dance, Game of Thrones) and the news baron's starlet mistress Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried) in particular. And yes, as anyone who has seen Citizen Kane will spot, Mank's nonlinear structure apes the script that Mankiewicz pens. Many of the latter film's glimmering black-and-white shots do as well, although you won't spot a sled called Rosebud here. In a script by Jack Fincher — father of David, who wrote the screenplay in the 90s before passing away in 2003 — Mank suggests other factors that made Mankiewicz the person he was, and that shaped Citizen Kane's script as well. Combine all of the above, and a dense and detailed movie results. That's Fincher's wheelhouse, after all. Mank is also visually ravishing and textured, and tonally cutting and icy — which, along with weighty performances, are all Fincher hallmarks. But there's both depth and distance to Mank. It peers in and pokes about, but it never wholly lures the audience in. Watching Oldman and Seyfried's rich scenes together, viewers will wish it did, though. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETK0fOKwJNQ MONSOON Home may mean different things to different people but, in Monsoon, Vietnam doesn't mean home to Kit (Henry Golding). He was born there, in the aftermath of the war. He spent his earliest years in the Asian nation, with his parents caught up in the aftermath of the conflict. But when he was still a child, his family left for a refugee camp in Hong Kong and then moved permanently to London. Now, as an adult who has lived the bulk of his existence far away, he returns for the first time to bring back his mother's and father's ashes. He's instantly thrown off balance upon his arrival, whether he's driving through moped-filled streets or walking around crowded markets. Little of what he remembers is the same — his old house and his neighbourhood stomping grounds, particularly — and he doesn't recall as much as his childhood best friend Lee (David Tran), who stayed behind, would clearly like. Of what he does recollect, some crucial details clash with Lee's versions, too. Consequently, as Kit roves around Saigon and then Hanoi (his place of birth and his parents' original home, respectively), he's searching for a connection. He'll make one, but not in the way he expects. Monsoon tells a noticeably slight tale, but Cambodian-born Chinese British writer/director Hong Khaou (Lilting) is keenly and overwhelmingly aware that a sense of belonging doesn't simply come with one's birth certificate. He's also a minimalistic filmmaker, in a sense. He delves into straightforward scenarios, and knows that he needn't layer them with too many external complicating factors. In other words, he's cognisant that merely examining how a person copes — even in a very commonplace situation — can deliver several lifetimes worth of complexity without a wealth of other narrative roadblocks or setbacks. As a result, both Khaou and Monsoon ask a significant amount of Golding; they demand more than his previous charisma-driven roles in Crazy Rich Asians, A Simple Favour and Last Christmas have combined, actually. Viewers of those three films already know that he can radiate charm like few other actors currently appearing on-screen, but Monsoon requires Golding's soulful best. At every moment, he's tasked with conveying the potent thoughts and jumbled emotions swelling inside Kit, and with doing so largely without dialogue. It's a quietly powerful performance, and it's one that the movie steadfastly needs. It's one that Monsoon depends upon, kin fact. Thanks in no small part to his efforts, Monsoon feels comfortable and intimate and eye-opening and new all at once — and proves immensely affecting viewing. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq1F1opr_FE&t=2s ELLIE AND ABBIE (AND ELLIE'S DEAD AUNT) As a teen rom-com about two high schoolers working through their attraction for each other as they're also trying to work out what to do with their lives and how to simply be themselves, there's a strong sense of familiarity about Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt). That isn't a sign of laziness, however, because first-time feature writer/director Monica Zanetti wants you to register how much her film resembles other entries in its genre — and to notice what it's doing differently. There's a purposeful sense of clumsiness about the Sydney-set movie, too. Again, that's by design. Studious school captain Ellie (Sophie Hawkshaw, Love Child) has a simmering crush on the far cooler, calmer and more collected Abbie (Zoe Terakes, Janet King), but is struggling to stump up the courage to ask her to the school formal. When the pair do slowly start becoming closer, Ellie doesn't know exactly what to do, or what's expected, or how to be the person she wants to be in her first relationship. Complicating matters is the distance she feels from her mother, Erica (Marta Dusseldorp, Stateless), as she navigates such new emotional terrain — oh, and the fact that, as the title gives away, Ellie's dead aunt Tara (Julia Billington) suddenly starts hovering around and dispensing advice about following her feelings. So far, so sweet. Of course, unfurling a queer romance within such well-worn confines shouldn't be such a remarkable act (and an Australian teen queer romance at that), but it still currently is. Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt) isn't just entertaining and understanding, cute and creative with its teen romance, and proudly celebratory of LGBTQIA+ perspectives, though. It's all those things, but Zanetti's decision to open the door to a deeper contemplation of Australia's historical treatment of the queer community gives considerable depth and weight to a movie that mightn't have earned those terms otherwise. The brightly shot feature has a strong sense of place, but without including all of the usual landmark shots that make many features feel like tourism campaigns. More importantly, it has a clear understanding of what LGBTQIA+ Sydneysiders have weathered in past decades. That activism is layered throughout the film in an overt subplot and, while it's hardly treated with nuance (an observation that applies to much of the picture), it's a powerful inclusion. Simply by reaching local cinema screens, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt) makes a statement, but it also pays tribute to all the statements made in big and bold ways — and with tragic and painful outcomes, too — to get to this point in Australian queer history. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rIcXgMx7hU PINOCCHIO It has been 80 years since Disney's Pinocchio unleashed a wooden puppet and the woodcarver who made him upon animation-loving audiences, adapting Carlo Collodi's 1883 Italian children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio in the process. And, over that period, that film has remained the version of record. Indeed, it's the reason that generations of viewers are familiar with the story. Matteo Garrone's (Gomorrah) new live-action movie of the same name earns a place alongside it, however. It's one of three new and upcoming features tackling the narrative, ahead of a stop-motion flick co-directed by The Shape of Water's Guillermo del Toro that's due to hit Netflix next year and Disney's own flesh-and-blood iteration that's slated to be helmed by The Witches' Robert Zemeckis — and it serves up a tender and sumptuous take on the fairytale. In relaying how the kindly Geppetto (Life Is Beautiful Oscar-winner Roberto Benigni) shaped a lively log into a boy-sized puppet (Federico Ielapi), who then decides to see the world and strive to become a real child, it also hews far closer to the source material than its animated predecessor. This is a movie clearly made with an abundance of affection for its inspiration, too, and that love and devotion shines through in every frame. In fact, the feature's visuals prove its strongest element, including in bringing Pinocchio to life. He's a detailed marvel who appears oh-so realistic and yet also looks uncanny as well, as intended, and the decision to use a child actor wearing prosthetics rather than relying heavily upon CGI works a charm. The world that Garrone spins around the eponymous puppet is similarly rich and fantastical — and whimsical, although the latter is overdone. Pinocchio is far more resonant when it's letting its central figure discover that being human involves weathering all the cruelties that the earth's population has in store for each other, and watching him learn that Geppetto's unconditional fondness and acceptance is sadly rare. It's much less involving when it's leaning overtly into quirkiness, although that should probably be expected with Benigni involved. Where eccentricity is concerned, this tale already has plenty baked in, as the Fox (Massimo Ceccherini), the Cat (Rocco Papaleo) and the Fairy with Turquoise Hair (Marine Vacth, If You Saw His Heart) all make plain. But even if the whole movie is a little overstated, Garrone has still made a beautiful movie — and one that feels like the natural next step after 2015's Tale of Tales and even 2018's Dogman. https://vimeo.com/469681168 LOVE OPERA Australia's performing arts scene has been shuttered for much of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But documentary Love Opera lets viewers peer behind the scenes of a production that hit the stage long before anyone had ever heard of the novel coronavirus that changed life as we know it this year — and to spend time with the talented folks who toiled to make the show in question happen, too. The opera: Carmen. The bodies responsible: the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Program (LGNOP) and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. The year: 2017. Established by internationally renowned Australian soprano Lisa Gasteen, the intensive program trains Australian and New Zealand opera singers, and has put on a semi-staged production at the end of each year since 2017. Accordingly, Love Opera follows LGNOP's first attempt to do just that, from the casting through until the final product. Gasteen features prominently, understandably, chatting not just about the show at hand and the process of bringing it to fruition, but also running through her career, its ups and downs, the reality of getting to the top of the industry and her decisions for embarking upon her current path. Also lending the film their thoughts, feelings and observations are the program's cofounder Nancy Underhill, plus conductors Alondra de la Parra and Simone Young, as well as singers such as Rachel Pines and Morgan England-Jones. There's much to cover, as filmmaker Liselle Mei recognises, with the film quickly flitting through a wealth of material — and touching upon a plethora of topics in the process. The physicality required to be an opera singer, the passion that drives it, the difficulty of being a younger talent when many roles are written for older characters, the way the art form has been changing over the years, the treatment of queer creatives: all of this earns the documentary's attention, and each could've received more screen time if there wasn't so much to cover. But Love Opera never feels slight on any area of interest. It doesn't break the behind-the-scenes doco mould, either, but it delivers a broad rather than shallow snapshot of everything required to make the LGNOP's version of Carmen happen. Brisbanites will notice all of the drone shots of the movie's setting, which can border on intrusive; however, both opera lovers and newcomers alike receive an insightful glimpse at the ins and outs of the medium, its homegrown stars both established and emerging, and the hard work behind crooning its tunes in such a resonant fashion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK3eDfkXBzg SAVAGE Tattoos covering his cheeks, nose and forehead, a scowl affixed almost as permanently, but raw sorrow lurking in his eyes, Jake Ryan cuts a striking sight in Savage. He's a walking, drinking, growling, hammer-swinging advertisement for toxic masculinity — how it looks at its most stereotypical extreme, and how it often masks pain and struggle — and the performance is the clear highlight of the Home and Away, Wolf Creek and Underbelly actor's resume to-date. Playing a character named Danny but also known as Damage, Ryan's efforts also perfectly epitomise the New Zealand gang drama he's in, which similarly wraps in-your-face packaging around a softer, richer core. Savage's protagonist and plot have had plenty of predecessors over the years in various ways, from Once Were Warriors' exploration of violence, to Mean Streets' chronicle of crime-driven youth, plus the bikie warfare of Sons of Anarchy and even Aussie film 1%, but there's a weightiness on display here that can't just be wrung from a formula. That said, although written and directed by feature debutant Sam Kelly based on true tales from NZ's real-life gangs spanning three decades, Savage does noticeably follow a predictable narrative path. Viewers first meet Danny in 1989, when he's the second-in-charge of the Savages, which is overseen by his lifelong best friend Moses (John Tui, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw, Solo: A Star Wars Story). The film also jumps back to two prior periods in his life, in 1965 and 1972, to explain why Danny is in his current situation physically, mentally and emotionally. Aided by suitably gritty and restless camerawork that mirrors its protagonist's inner turmoil, Savage packs a punch when it lets that unease fester in quiet moments. It's also particularly astute when honing in on Danny and Moses's complicated friendship, and how pivotal it is throughout their constantly marginalised lives. There's never any doubting that Savage is a movie about family, including the traumas they can inflict, the hurt that comes with being torn away from loved ones at a young age, the kinship found in understanding pals and the concept of brotherhood in gangs, and the feature is at its most affecting when it lets these truths emanate naturally. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Vm7cpQX80 HOPE GAP If you're going to watch a couple navigate the waning days of their decades-long marriage, and watch as their adult son tries to cope with the fallout, too, then you might as well be directing your eyeballs at Annette Bening, Bill Nighy, and God's Own Country and The Crown star Josh O'Connor. They play Grace, Edward and Jamie, respectively, with their family rocked by the revelation that mild-mannered, history-obsessed teacher Edward is leaving after 29 years because he's fallen in love with another woman. Usually the shining light and driving force in their modest house in a seaside town, Grace doesn't take the news well. Jamie, who lives in the city and doesn't generally come home as often as anyone would like, swiftly becomes his mother's main source of a support and a go-between with his father. As written and directed by second-time filmmaker William Nicholson (1997 feature Firelight) based on his 1999 play The Retreat from Moscow, little in Hope Gap's narrative offers surprises — especially if you've seen other movies about marital breakdowns, such as 2019's far meatier Marriage Story — but the British drama benefits considerably from its central trio of talent and their performances. While the plot plays out as anticipated, one aspect of Hope Gap does veer from the expected formula — and that'd be O'Connor. That he's an exceptional actor isn't new news, but he's firmly the heart of this wordy drama about the yearning and breaking hearts of his character's parents. He's also the most soulful part of the film; however, that isn't a criticism of Bening and Nighy. In spiky but still vulnerable mode, Bening may struggle with an unconvincing English accent, but she cuts to the core of Grace's bravado and pain. Nighy plays his part in a far softer, gentler, more nervous register, and helps make it plain just how Grace and Edward's marriage has gotten to this fracturing point. In a handsomely shot movie that intertwines picturesque glimpses of the coast with tense domestic scenes — and uses poetry verses to help convey emotion as well — they all demand the viewers' attention. But without the especially tender and thoughtful O'Connor, Hope Gap would've felt like just another average portrait of a longstanding relationship imploding, even with Bening and Nigh's impressive work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS9AYlUfp0A FATMAN When a film or TV show fills one of its roles in a gimmicky way that's obviously designed to garner publicity, it's called stunt casting. The term wholeheartedly applies to Fatman, a flimsy action-comedy that features Mel Gibson as Santa (and delivers his second big-screen release of 2020 after the abysmal Force of Nature). Even just reading about the premise, you can probably see the light bulbs going off in casting executives and other filmmaking powers-that-be's heads when they came up with the idea — because enlisting the American-born, Australian-raised actor as the symbol of all things wholesome and jolly sits in stark contrast to the far-from-jovial string of controversies that have popped up in his personal life, especially over the past decade. But a movie needs more than a blatant stunt to actually serve up something worth watching. And as far as shameless attempts to grab attention go, getting Gibson to play the red-suited figure just proves ill-advised and uncomfortable rather than provocative. Writer/directors Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms (Small Town Crime) must feel otherwise, though, because there's very little else to this festive-themed movie. 'Tis the season for dull and muddled movies that aren't anywhere near as edgy as its makers think, and aren't funny or entertaining at all, it seems. Three male characters drive Fatman's narrative, starting with Chris Cringle (Gibson), who oversees a Canadian workshop that's forced to take a military contract to get by. Kids just aren't behaving themselves enough these days, so he's delivering more lumps of coal than presents — and the stipend he receives from the US government to cover the elf-made gifts has decreased as a result. One of those bratty children, 12-year-old rich kid Billy Wenan (Chance Hurstfield, Good Boys), decides he isn't happy with his haul one Christmas. His solution: enlisting an assassin to bump off Santa as payback. Said hitman, who is just called Skinny Man (Walton Goggins), has been harbouring a lifelong grudge against the titular character anyway and doesn't take much convincing. Ant-Man and the Wasp and Them That Follow star Goggins is the best thing about a movie that has very little going for it, which speaks volumes about the one-note plot points. But given the distinct lack of jokes, the clumsy attempts to satirise today's supposedly uncaring times and the routine feel that infuses even its frenzied scenes of violence, he can't turn the film into a gift for anyone. Fatman wants to be an action-packed take on a Bad Santa-esque comedy, but ends up faring even worse than that beloved movie's awful sequel Bad Santa 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdce40rfRbk ALL MY LIFE No one with cancer would wish for their experience with the horrific disease to be turned into a schmaltzy movie about how hard their illness was for their partner. Based on the true story of digital marketer-turned-chef Solomon Chau and his psychology masters student girlfriend and later wife Jennifer Carter, that's what All My Life serves up — and while it feigns to focus on both of them, this overt attempt at tugging on viewers' heartstrings makes it clear that it's really about the latter. The title refers to Jenn (Jessica Rothe, Happy Death Day) and the 'make every moment count' wisdom she discovers watching Sol (Harry Shum Jr, Crazy Rich Asians) battle liver cancer. Over and over again, especially in tough and devastating situations, the film's visuals focus on her rather than him, too. It cuts away from him when he's explaining how difficult it all is, to follow her anger about their changed wedding plans instead. It literally foregrounds her in a shot when he's just received a big blow, and is understandably failing to cope. And it gives her time to scream in anguish in her car after yet more unpleasant news comes his way, in case viewers weren't certain who the movie thinks is the real victim. All My Life may be shot in the soft and sunny hues of a trite Nicholas Sparks-penned romance — and clearly aspire to sit in their company — but it's insidious in the way it uses one real-life person's sickness to make its preferred protagonist seem more interesting. It's a gender-flipped, illness-driven variation on the dead wife trope, as seen in the likes of Inception and Shutter Island, where the male lead is given a sob story to make his tale more dramatic. It's firmly in line with the way that cinema routinely sidelines those dealing with cancer over those standing by their sides, as seen far too often (when a movie about cancer or featuring a cancer-stricken character doesn't stick to the template, such as Babyteeth earlier this year, it stands out). The narrative details that All My Life chronicles may stem from reality, but they're ground down to a formula: girl meets boy, sparks fly, their future sprawls out before them, then cancer gets in the way and she can't have her dream nuptials. There's also never any doubt that this movie wouldn't exist if the GoFundMe campaign set up for Sol and Jenn's initially postponed wedding didn't garner significant media attention, as if some level of fame makes one cancer story more important than the rest. But it's the choice of focus that transforms this film from an expectedly cliched addition to the weepie genre and into overt slush. Director Marc Meyers' My Friend Dahmer also struggled with a similar approach, also choosing to spin a story around someone other than the obvious point of interest — and the fact that Shum puts in All My Life's best performance makes the tactic all the more galling and grating here. If you're wondering what else is currently screening around Melbourne, we've also picked the 12 best flicks that started gracing the city's silver screens when indoor cinemas were given the green light to reopen. When outdoor cinemas relaunched before that, we outlined the films showing under the stars, too. And, we've run through all the pictures that opened in the city on November 12 as well. You can also read our full reviews of The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Les Misérables, Bill & Ted Face the Music, An American Pickle, On the Rocks, Antebellum, Kajillionaire, The Craft: Legacy, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies and Freaky, all of which are presently showing in Melbourne. And, you can check out our rundowns of the new films that released in other cities over the past few months — on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5 — as a number of those movies are now showing in Melbourne as well. Top image: Mank, Nikolai Loveikis/Netflix; Monsoon, Dat Vu.
South Yarra scores a new neighbourhood hangout, with Bar Yarra setting up shop in the space formerly housing Ovolo Hotel's Lona Misa. The day-to-night diner offers everything from brekkie and lunch (from February), to coffee and snacks, to cheeky evening nightcaps. "Bar Yarra is designed to be a place people can drop into at any point in the day – whether that's for a quick coffee, a long lunch or a drink that turns into dinner," says Christos Pavlidis, General Manager of Ovolo Hotel South Yarra. "It's relaxed, approachable and very much about creating a genuine local for the community." Head chef Santiago Ospina's menu is simple and refined, built to share, and showcases staple dishes shaped from local ingredients. For breakfast, try Scandinavian plates like smoked salmon and pickled veg, or cross continents and taste Middle Eastern shakshuka with whipped feta. If you're enjoying a visit or staycation at Ovolo Hotel, make it a real celebration with Bloody Marys or sparkling mimosas. Come evening, snack on snappy fresh crudites or crisp fried calamari, and make the tough choice between the likes of striploin steak frites, the Yarra Smash Burger with dirty mayo, or pumpkin ravioli with miso butter. Perfect for a post-work pop-in, Bar Yarra's happy hour from 5 to 7pm features $8 wines, $10 spirits and pints, $15 cocktails, and $10 snacks. Throwback Thursdays will see DJs spinning nostalgic vinyl, set to become a neighbourhood weekly ritual. Pavlidis says, "Bar Yarra is about opening the space up to everyone. It's approachable, energetic and built around great food, great drinks and good times. We're excited to welcome the neighbourhood in and see the venue take on a whole new life." Following a recent trend of chef-in-residency programs popping up around town, Bar Yarra will welcome its first residency, Auto Greek, from the end of February until the end of March. Led by none other than George Calombaris, the pop-up will showcase Calombaris' signature Greek fare, inspired by his recent trip to Athens. "The term 'Auto' comes from the Greek word for 'always on', and represents one of my favourite things about Greek hospitality: it never falters. Bar Yarra is the perfect home for the pop-up — a genuine local that people can drop into at any point of the day and for whatever they need, whether a quick coffee, a long lunch, or an apero that turns into dinner." The all-day menu is simple, approachable, and reasonably priced, with many dishes under $30, making it easy to drop in after work or for a quick lunch. For breakfast, enjoy a light start with Greek yoghurt, honey and walnuts alongside a frappe, or go big with the Big Greek Breakfast. A standout item is sure to be Calombaris' tuna gyros, sitting alongside vibrant dishes such as deviled egg avgolemono, chicken paidakia, crunchy slaw and pasticcio with braised kangaroo tail. And the benefit of being conveniently located within Ovolo Hotel means you can turn dinner into an overnight stay with the Greek Getaway Package. With rates starting at $350 per night, enjoy a feed me menu, a cocktail on arrival, and breakfast for two the following morning. "We are thrilled to have our long-time friend George Calombaris at Bar Yarra for its first residency. With the excitement for Greek food in Australia ever-growing, we couldn't think of a better fit than both the Auto Greek concept, and George himself, for this first residency, as one of the first chefs who spearheaded Greek cuisine in this country," says Christos Pavlidis, General Manager of Ovolo Melbourne. Images: Ashley Ludkin.
Can a pair of glasses really help a world-renowned superhero become unrecognisable? If you've always queried that detail in Superman's story, rest assured that James Gunn has thoughts, too — as the full trailer for the writer/director and DC Studios co-CEO and co-Chairman's Superman makes plain. The latest sneak peek, following an initial teaser late in 2024 and an almost five-minute glimpse earlier in 2025, begins with an interrogation. Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel) is doing the questioning, and a normally close-kept secret is clearly not a factor in this take on the Kryptonian. As Lois and the Man of Steel (David Corenswet, Lady in the Lake) dig into what makes a hero — and how accountable they need to be — the just-dropped trailer also offers looks at Superman's other battles. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult, Nosferatu) features, naturally. So do Superman's efforts to stop wars and save everyday folks, and take on other villains. The new sneak peek has arrived just two months before the film hits cinemas, racing onto the big screen Down Under on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Gunn has penned, helmed and produced Superman. In his DC roles, he's also overseeing the new DC Universe. His picture will be followed by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow in 2026, as directed by Dumb Money's Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) — after she also plays the part in Superman. Clayface will release in the same year as well, working with a script from Doctor Sleep and The Fall of the House of Usher's Mike Flanagan. Alongside Corenswet, Brosnahan, Hoult and Alcock, Superman features Gunn regular Nathan Fillion (Deadpool & Wolverine) as Green Lantern and Anthony Carrigan (Barry) as Metamorpho, plus Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Frank Grillo (Tulsa King), Skyler Gisondo (The Righteous Gemstones) and Wendell Pierce (Elsbeth). As always in the Super, The Suicide Squad, and three-time Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker's work, Gunn's brother Sean (Creature Commandos) is among the ensemble. An angle for this Superman: Gunn's take on the character is a superhero who believes in humanity's goodness — even if presumably Lex Luthor tests that idea, and even if he draws queries about why he does what he does. If it feels like Superman has been missing for cinemas for a while — well, in these superhero movie-heavy days, that is — that's because it's been eight years, since Justice League. That's when Zack Snyder's film initially arrived in its theatrical version (Zack Snyder's Justice League, aka the Snyder Cut, debuted on streaming in 2021). Check out the new Superman trailer below: Superman releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Read James Gunn's thoughts on the initial trailer.
Art exhibitions are fleeting, gracing walls and halls for just days, weeks or months at a time, then moving elsewhere or never being seen again. The Lume, Melbourne's multi-sensory digital art gallery, is also set to be a brief addition to Australia's cultural scene. The venue opened in 2021, and has now announced that it will shut its doors in 2026, after deciding not to extend its lease at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Whether you're an art lover based in the Victorian capital or elsewhere around the country, you've now got just over a year — before January 2026 — to head by. Until early December 2024, Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius is filling The Lume with a tribute to the iconic artist. Then, come Boxing Day 2024, the site is bringing back its Vincent van Gogh exhibition, complete with The Starry Night projected large, taking over an entire room; the immersive Sunflower room, where golden petals stretch as far as the eye can see; an immersive cafe inspired by the artist's Café Terrace at Night; and more. "The Lume Melbourne's lease at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre was up for renewal in January 2026, and we have made the decision to not extend the lease beyond that time. This decision, made in alignment with our parent company Grande Experiences, reflects our ambition to explore new directions and technologies that build on our success here in Melbourne," said the team behind the gallery in a statement. "Since opening in November 2021, The Lume Melbourne has become a beloved cultural destination, inviting audiences to experience art in an inclusive, accessible and engaging way. We are incredibly proud of what's been achieved over the past three years." "Looking forward, The Lume is excited to embrace new technologies that deepen connections with our audiences and will transform the way visitors engage with art and culture. This evolution will guide us toward opportunities best suited to support these creative possibilities," the crew continued. "We look forward to an unforgettable final year at MCEC and to sharing this exciting new chapter of The Lume as we continue to push the boundaries of how technology can bring art and culture to life." When it initially opened, The Lume launched with its immersive van Gogh showcase — making the exhibition's return a full-circle moment. Also wowing audiences at the gallery: a celebration of Monet and his contemporaries, a huge showcase dedicated to First Nations artists and, since early 2024, all things da Vinci. The Lume Melbourne is set to close at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, in January 2026. Leonardo da Vinci — 500 Years of Genius displays until Sunday, December 8, 2024. Van Gogh at The Lume opens on Thursday, December 26, 2024. Head to the venue's website for tickets and further information. Images: Morgan Sette / Miles Noel Photography / Grande Experiences.
Listen up: Listen Out is back for its 11th year and it isn't slouching on the lineup front. The bill for the touring festival boasts 21 Savage, Skepta, Tyla and Flo Milli among its hip hop and R&B names. On the electronic side, John Summit and Sub Focus feature. Yes, the list goes on from there. Fans of 21 Savage, Tyla and Flo Milli — and of Teezo Touchdown, Jessie Reyez and Jazzy, too — should be especially excited. When they each take to Listen Out's stages at Caribbean Gardens in Melbourne on Friday, September 27, they'll be hitting the country for the first time. Among their company, Lil Tjay, Lithe, Folamour, The Blessed Madonna, Cassian and Disco Lines are just some of the fellow acts that'll have festivalgoers dancing. 2023's fest was Listen Out's most successful in terms of ticket sales ever, and the crew behind it are hoping to continue that trajectory. Something that might help: turning the fest into a 16-plus event, age-wise, which is a first for 2024. As the roster of names on the lineup demonstrates, the festival's focus is staying true to its niche, filling its stages on electronic and hip hop artists — both international and local talents, too. Listen Out 2024 Lineup: 21 Savage Skepta Lil Tjay Tyla Flo Milli Jessie Reyez Teezo Touchdown Lithe John Summit Sub Focus Folamour The Blessed Madonna Cassian Disco Lines Jazzy Koven Conducta A Little Sound Ben Gerrans AK Sports Foura B2B Tom Santa Miss Kaninna Djanaba Soju Gang Melbourne only: Yo! Mafia Sixten Kelly T J-OK Top images: Jordan Munns and Sam Venn.
If you're looking for one of the top pools with a view, then it has to be The Langham's. From atop one of Melbourne's best hotels, you have uninterrupted views across the Yarra River, over Flinders Street Station and the rest of Melbourne's cityscape. Swim a few laps, laze on the balcony and have the staff attend to your every need. It's pure cosmopolitan luxury. The Langham is also home to one of Melbourne's best spas. The massage menu heroes traditional Chinese techniques, while multi-treatment options combine things like body wraps, plumping facials and mud masks. You can even take their online quiz to determine which of their five core elements you resonate most with, which can then be applied to your Chuan treatment. Our element is wood, in case you were asking. But it isn't all about the pool and spa. Each of the 387 rooms are old-school opulent and offer up a range of views – our pick being over the river, of course. And if you're looking to go all out, try one of their balcony suites — then you'll discover what true luxury really looks like. And lastly, no stay at The Langham is complete without feasting at Melba, their all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant. Appears in: The Best Hotels in Melbourne
Determined to maximise the sunny season and wrap up each of these balmy summer weeks in style? Get into the groove each weekend with Whitehart Bar's new Sunday sessions, which are serving up a healthy dose of musical goodness right through until the end of summer. Running from 3pm every Sunday from January 8 until February 26, the Hartbeats Sunset Series will see an impressive lineup of Melbourne artists descend on the laneway each week to deliver a genre-hopping smorgasbord of sound. Head down Whitehart Lane, grab a bev and settle in to enjoy tunes from the likes of Chiara Kickdrum, Sadar Bahar, Now Here This, Teymori and Mandarin Dreams, plus a whole stack of special supporting guests. The music is set to cover everything from hip hop and house, to afro and electro; while the talented Simbiotic Vison will be taking care of the visuals. And, with drink specials courtesy of Starward, Bodriggy, Olmeca Altos tequila and more, you can bet no one's going thirsty on that dance floor. Images: Duncographic
Perfect for a nature-filled long weekend, Grampians National Park boasts some of Victoria's best mountain views, waterfalls, and wildlife. For those looking to temporarily ditch the hustle and bustle of city life, or are after a secluded getaway surrounded by lush greenery, visitors to Halls Gap and surrounding areas can hike to famous mountain lookouts including the Pinnacle, explore the town's food and drink options, or just stay in, light a fire and take in the scenery. That sounds relaxing. In order to keep it relaxing, we did the research and found some of the best stays in the area to rest, relax and enjoy great views. These are some of the region's best Airbnbs for your next kangaroo-and-cockatoo-filled weekend getaway. Recommended reads: The Best Hotels in Melbourne The Best Places to Go Glamping in Victoria The Best Dog-Friendly Stays in Victoria The Best Places to Stay on the Great Ocean Road Blue Ridge Retreat, Halls Gap After a day of exploring Grampians National Park's bushland, pour yourself a glass of wine and settle into this property's spa bath with leafy outlooks from all angles. From $370 a night, sleeps five. Hemley House, Halls Gap Take in the picturesque view of the Grampians' notable wildlife against the backdrop of the mountains from your seat in this property's heated jacuzzi. From $368 a night, sleeps eight. Wine Down, Halls Gap Within walking distance to Halls Gap town centre, this cosy spot offers plenty of activity options. Explore the town's food and drink options, walk any of the several nearby nature trails, or light a fire and unwind in the outdoor kitchen area. From $210 a night, sleeps four. School House Villa, Halls Gap Nestled amongst the trees not far from Halls Gap town centre, visitors of this cottage can enjoy the best of both worlds: the creature comforts of town and the rugged charm of the bushland. From $190 a night, sleeps two. Aztec Escape, Halls Gap Light a fire and ease into a bottle of wine in property's picturesque living area, or step outside and relax on either of its patio areas. From $240 a night, sleeps four. Awonga Cabins, Halls Gap Rent out one of these six cabins for their proximity to an easy 1.3 km walking path to Main Street or to enjoy an evening BBQ on the deck. From $180 a night, sleeps two. The Escarpment, Halls Gap What better way to end a day than by relaxing in the outdoor hanging chair of this treetop-level home with sandstone cliff views — plus, this particular stay is kid-friendly with highchairs and cots provided. From $180 a night, sleeps six. Mountain Hideaway, Halls Gap Enjoy views of the Pinnacle from this property's front verandah or take the 20 minute stroll along the path into Halls Gap for an evening in town. From $205 a night, sleeps six. Heath House, Halls Gap You'd be hard-pressed to find better panoramic mountain views than from the floor-to-ceiling windows of Heath House. From $514 a night, sleeps eight. Redgum Log Cottage, Halls Gap Trade out your usual address for this rustic log cabin with epic mountain views and you might be personally greeted by the local emus, kangaroos, birdlife, and the property's free-ranging chooks. From $289 a night, sleeps six. Halls Gap Cottages Couples Retreat, Halls Gap Under the famous Pinnacle, lay out on this property's outdoor sectional and enjoy the fresh mountain air, views and nearby wildlife. From $317 a night, sleeps two. Hillrise Cottage, Moyston If you're willing to venture a little further, this remote cottage is the perfect base for the explorer. And, if you happen to overheat during your adventures, you can cool off in the nearby dam. From $250 a night, sleeps five. Ironstone, Hills Gap If you want to splurge, check out Ironstone. Designed to be the ultimate couples' retreat, this home's best asset is its spectacular mountain views from the living area, bathroom and bedroom. From $524 a night, sleeps two. Views at Pomonal, Pomonal Settle onto this home's front porch that is the epitome of rural single-level Australiana living with a drink in hand and watch as sunsets colour the skies. From $175 a night, sleeps five. Bush Lodge Retreat, Halls Gap Centrally located in Halls Gap, this cosy holiday home has all you need to relax indoors or out. From $317 a night, sleeps four. Romantic Tiny Home, Halls Gap If you're looking to see if the tiny house craze is for you, this tiny home is compact without sacrificing comfort. However, it also has easy access to trails into the mountains and to town just in case you decide you need to temporarily escape the close quarters. From $177 a night, sleeps three. Dacelo, Halls Gap If you're seeking out an eco-friendly option, there are many places to take in the mountain views in this two-storey home, although the soaker tub might be hard to beat. From $310 a night, sleeps eight. Mount Ida View, Halls Gap Hang out with the visiting cockatoos and kangaroos and take in the scenery on this home's shaded back deck. Or, enjoy a short stroll to the town of Halls Gap and explore the area. From $220 a night, sleeps six. Top image: Redgum Log Cottage courtesy of Airbnb. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Disney is getting into the streaming game, and it's unleashing its new platform upon Australian and New Zealand audiences this year. Called Disney+, the service was first revealed in 2018, but just when it'd hit local screens had remained a mystery. Now, anyone eager to watch new Star Wars and Marvel TV shows — plus all of Disney's animated movies — should mark November 19 in their diaries. It's great news for folks Down Under. The Mouse House announced the service's US launch date a few months back, but had left things vague otherwise, explaining that it "plans to be in nearly all major regions of the world within the next two years". While Disney+ was expected to be operational in Australia and New Zealand sometime in 2020, locals will only be left waiting a week after the service's American debut. With Disney recently merging with competitor Fox, Disney+'s range is hefty, spanning Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic. During its first year of operation, it's due to release more than 25 original series and ten original films, documentaries and specials — including five Marvel series (Loki, WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Hawkeye and Marvel's What If), and two Star Wars shows (The Mandalorian from The Lion King director Jon Favreau, plus a spinoff from Rogue One about Diego Luna's Rebel spy Cassian Andor). Two new Toy Story projects, as well as science series The World According to Jeff Goldblum, are also on Disney+'s lineup. Going big when it comes to bringing the company's well-known properties to the new streaming platform, a High School Musical TV series, another show based on Monsters, Inc. and a live-action Lady and the Tramp movie will be on the bill, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrXNtj84owc Price-wise, subscriptions will cost AU$8.99 and NZ$9.99 per month (or AU$89.99 and NZ$99.99 per year). Disney has also unveiled the devices that'll feature Disney+, which will be available both HD and 4K. Viewers will be able to access the service via Apple products (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple TV), Google devices (Android phones, Android TV devices, Google Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices), Roku, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and all Android-based Sony TVs. Disney+ will launch in Australia New Zealand on November 19. To sign up for further updates, visit the streaming platform's website. Top image: The Mandalorian.
Any great trip to New Zealand's South Island should include at least one stay in accommodation with a fantastic view. Luckily, in this stunning part of the world, that's not hard to do. To help you plan, we've put together some of our favourite South Island offerings with views of the island's stunning mountains, valleys and coastlines — and even the night sky. From rugged secluded cottages to luxurious retreats, here's where to soak up incredible views of the South Island's world-famous natural beauty. Recommended reads: The Best Places to Go Glamping in New Zealand The Best Places to Go Glamping in Australia The Most Unique Stays You Can Book Around New Zealand The Most Unique Stays with Breathtaking Views of New Zealand's South Island Remarkable Views, Queenstown After a day of hiking, skiing, or exploring Queenstown, return to this gem you'll find less than a ten-minute walk from town. The combination of the stunning mountain views from the deck alongside a convenient location makes this truly a one-of-a-kind find. From $360 AUD per night, sleeps four. Woodpecker Bay Bach, West Coast This rustic bach is located only steps from the water but half an hour away from the nearest shops, making it the very definition of a secluded getaway. There are lots of gorgeous outdoor attractions near the cabin to explore — that is, if you ever want to leave the beautiful bathtub with stunning water views. From $226 SUD per night, sleeps two. Tawhitnui House, Elaine Bay This remote rental features unobstructed ocean views — and a solar-heated infinity pool from which to enjoy them. Because of its remote location, guests can enjoy a true immersion into local flora and fauna and see the stars in a pollution-free night sky. From $294 AUD per night, sleeps six. Kiwi Bach, Canterbury Located in the small beach community of Te Onepoto/Taylor's Mistake, this 1920s bach is the perfect surfer's vacation rental. Watch the waves roll in beneath rolling green hills from the cabin's windows or outdoor areas, or walk directly down to the beach to see them up close. From $117 AUD per night, sleeps two. Rocky Point Hut, Nelson The 90-minute trek to this hut is worth it for the panoramic views alone. Situated on its own portion of Pepin Island, this rental has complete privacy. Explore, relax, and gaze out to the Abel Tasman sea from this cabin's solar-heated outdoor bathtub. From $290 AUD per night, sleeps two. Romantic Remote Chalet, Collingwood Nestled into the beautiful rocky shoreline of a coastal farm, this cosy chalet and nearby sleep-out is a ten-minute walk from the sea. Both buildings, which are about 30 metres apart, can be included in the booking, bringing the total capacity to six people. From $217 AUD per night, sleeps four. Stargazer's Luxury Retreat, Lake Tekapo This aptly named cabin is, indeed, luxurious. With a king-sized bed and wood-fired hot tub, this Airbnb is intended to be cosy. If stargazing up at the Milky Way from this hot tub is not on your trip agenda, you're doing it wrong. From $524 AUD per night, sleeps two. Skylark Cabin, Twizel This luxurious cabin is located in a stunning, sun-soaked valley in backcountry Ben Ohau. The star of the house is a circular window in the roof, which allows guests to stargaze from the warmth and comfort of their king-sized bed. From $723 AUD per night, sleeps two. High Country Cabin, Canterbury Whether you're seeking adventure on the nearest hiking trail or curling up by the fire in this rustic cabin, the Southern Alps will make the seclusion-seeking traveller feel at peace. You'll just have to put up with the "neighbours": grazing sheep and other local wildlife. From $406 AUD per night, sleeps five. Takahopa Bay Retreat, Otago This secluded home in the Catlins offers sweeping views of the surrounding forest and ocean. Although it's fully off the grid, this home is powered by an emission-free hydro system that gives it all the conveniences of city life — with significantly fewer neighbours. If you're lucky, you may even see Aurora Australis from your back porch. From $357 AUD per night, sleeps four. Lake Ohau Escape, Lake Ohau This three-bedroom home boasts waterfront views and a toasty indoor fireplace — the perfect getaway for any time of year. If you're looking for outdoor activities, there are many close by — including an A2O cycle trail or a ski field that's 15 minutes away — or you can choose to stay in for the stunning mountain-range views, best enjoyed from the outdoor spa. From $563 AUD per night, sleeps seven. Luxury Wilderness Cabin, Waiau Nestled in the absolute wilderness, this off-grid eco-cabin on the edge of a small lake is just a three-minute drive from Waiau Glacier village. The lake is fed by a pristine mountain stream and offers views of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and Unser Fritz Falls that you can experience from an outdoor stone bath. Within the cabin, enjoy a king bed and cedar barrel sauna. From $496 AUD per night, sleeps two. Wanaka Couples Escape, Luggate This converted shipping container is a private oasis equipped with modern luxuries and natural beauty. Relax in this an outdoor bath or the deck under the stars with an unending view of the night sky. What's there not to love about this cosy hideaway in the country. From $248 AUD per night, sleeps two. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: courtesy of Airbnb.
If one particular Bee Gees song was ever the answer on Heardle, the music intro spinoff from Wordle, every Australian would guess it instantly. That tune: 'Spicks and Specks', which has been gracing the ABC's music quiz show of the same name since 2005 — whenever the show has been on the air, that is. It'll start echoing from your television again from Sunday, August 7, too, which is when the national broadcaster is bringing back the beloved series. Back in June, the network announced that the show would return this year for ten episodes, but now it has revealed the actual date. Adam Hills, Myf Warhurst and Alan Brough will be back as well, hosting and taking on team captain roles respectively, while this new season also boasts an impressive list of guests. Hamish Blake, Denise Scott, Dave O'Neil, Luke McGregor, Rhys Nicholson, Nath Valvo and Zoe Coombs Marr will all return, while Casey Donovan, Montaigne, Emma Watkins, Dylan Alcott and Mama Alto will make their Spicks and Specks debut. And, that doesn't include the lineup of bands performing. If you're somehow new to the ABC hit, it answers an easy question. What's better than watching a heap of top Australian talent sit around and talk about music? Watching them do all of the above while flinging around trivia, competing for points and just generally being funny, too. From there, taking a few cues from the UK's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Spicks and Specks throws plenty of queries at its star-studded teams — pitting Aussie musos and comedians against each other. Yes, it's no wonder that the show has proven a hit several times over, and that it keeps coming back. It was a first weekly favourite when it initially aired between 2005–2011. Then, it was revived back in 2014, but with a new host and team captains. Finally, it started gathering its original lineup of Hills, Warhurst and Brough back together, first via a one-off reunion special, then with four new Spicks and Specks specials across 2019–20, and then in its regular format since 2021. Obviously, Spicks and Specks has been enjoying more comebacks than John Farnham of late. For its 2022 run, it's also dropping clues to a new game in each episode. To play The Secret Song, you'll need to watch out to cryptic clues uttered by Hills during the regular questions and games, which Warhurst and Brough also need to pick up on — and doing just that could mean the difference between winning and losing. Until August 7 arrives, check out a sneak peek at Spicks and Specks' new season below: Spicks and Specks will return to ABC TV and ABC iView from 7.40pm on Sunday, August 7.
The heritage shops of Camberwell and its surrounding areas might make it seem like you're stepping into the past, but hidden among the businesses that have stood the test of time are a selection of shops that showcase the emerging modern side of things. While there are still plenty of places to pick up some venerable antiques, nowadays you'll also come across a wealth of small businesses that offer the latest in fashion, cycling goods and homewares that'll add some modern flair to your home. With a wonderful array of independent stores making up the hotspots of Maling and Burke roads, we've come together with American Express to bring you a selection of local traders that makes it abundantly clear why you should always strive to shop small. These 10 businesses — which will all accept your American Express Card — demonstrate exactly why Camberwell remains such an alluring part of town.
Melbourne's Park Hyatt may not have had a large-scale refurb in quite some time, but the five-star hotel still oozes luxury. From the moment you enter the timber- and marble-clad lobby and circle around the balcony looking down on the grand spaces below, you can see why this has been one of the city's most luxurious hotels for decades. But it's not just all the old-school art deco features and double vaulted ceilings that make this place feel grand. The service is also next-level — especially the hyper-personalised concierge team that will open doors to parts of Melbourne that most locals will never enter. Even Mr Walker, the resident blonde labrador retriever who's been trained by Guide Dogs Victoria, will greet guests on most days. The rooms, while a bit outdated, still have that luxe feel to them — it seems as if timber and marble never go out of fashion — and come with all the luxury hotel trimmings. The views across St. Patrick's Cathedral and Fitzroy Gardens also just get better with age. Beyond that, it is also home to one of the best day spas in Melbourne, where guests can enjoy a range of treatments, swim in the long lap pool and sweat it out in the steam rooms and saunas. Keen for an extra dose of treat-yourself energy? Book the spa and afternoon tea package to experience all of the hotel's best bits without having to get a room.
This article is sponsored by our partners, lastminute.com.au. The Barossa Valley may produce a wide selection of mighty fine drops, but it's also one of the world's friendliest wine regions in the world. Wine makers will happily stop for a chat to let you in on a few of their techniques; cellar door staff don't mind helping you to distinguish your chocolate tones from your blackberry ones; and there's every chance your bed and breakfast hosts will feel like a homely aunt and uncle. What's more, the area is really accessible. Though it seems a world away, it's less than an hour's drive from Adelaide. And, to make it even easier, many of its 80 cellar doors and 150 wineries are grouped in clusters. So, in the absence of a designated driver, you can walk or cycle from one to the other without too much effort. The wine, of course, is the main attraction of the area. But the Barossa also has a range of other events and festivals. Here are five that are well worth the road trip. Barossa Film Festival For three days each spring, the Valley's wine cellars, brewery lawns and bars are transformed into mini cinemas. But don't expect your everyday blockbusters and rom coms. The Barossa Film Festival focuses on unconventional flicks: the too-often ignored yet totally brilliant creations of independent, underground and emerging filmmakers. And they're all screened free of charge. If you haven't booked your flight/train/camel yet, you'd better do so quick smart. November 28-30, Various venues in the Barossa Valley, FREE. Barossa Gourmet Weekend Held smack-bang in the middle of winter, the Barossa Gourmet Weekend is one sure-fire way to get through the colder months. Every third weekend in August, the valley is overtaken with all manner of food and wine adventures: from cooking lessons and wine masterclasses to long lunches and even longer dinners. As the weather's still nice and sunny, you'll have a while to wait for the program. Details are to be announced in mid-June. August 14-16, Various locations in the Barossa Valley, TBA. Barossa Vintage Festival Of all the wine festivals in Australia, Barossa Vintage is the biggest and longest-running. The event was first held in 1947 to celebrate the end of the grape harvest as well as the end of WWII. Since then it's become tradition; it's been around for nearly six decades. The next incarnation is promising all kinds of surprises, following the appointment of new festival manager Andrew Dundon. Adelaide Fringe-goers should know him well: he's been taking care of artists and venues there since 2011. Look out for the program announcement on December 9. April 15-19, Tanunda, FREE. Shakespeare in the Vines Quirky Melbourne theatre company Essential Theatre takes the bard on the road every year. Their tour of Australia's most beautiful gardens and wineries includes the Barossa Valley's Seppeltsfield Road, where Shakespeare in the Vines occurs on the Saturday of the Australia Day long weekend. Macbeth will be the next work to get the outdoor treatment in 2015, on January 24, 2015. Tickets are always limited to 400, so it's a good idea to book well in advance. January 24, Seppeltsfield Road, TBA. SALA Festival Even though SALA (South Australian Living Artists) Festival is a state-wide event, it takes on an especially vibrant presence in the Barossa. Sculptures, paintings, mosaics and installations are scattered around the area's rolling hills and vineyards; and there's plenty of opportunities to kick back at a gig with a nice drop of wine. SALA runs throughout August every year, so if you make it along to Barossa Gourmet Weekend, be sure to leave yourself a day or two to take in the culture. August 1-24, Various locations across South Australia, TBA. Now you've got your itinerary, book your getaway to the Barossa Valley now with lastminute.com.au.
If you've ever dreamed of your reality aligning a little more closely with that of, say, late-'70's rock band The Runaways or old-school Aussie indie act The Sunset Strip, consider Collingwood's FeeFee's Bar your new happy place. Gracing that eastern stretch of Johnston Street between Wellington and Hoddle, this newcomer clocks in on the glamorous side of grunge, with the spirit of rock 'n' roll coursing through its veins. For owner Fiona Meiklejohn, FeeFee's is the upscale, music-focused bar the area was missing — it's Melbourne's answer to iconic, rock-tinged haunts like London's Crobar, Le Fanfaron in Paris and The Burgundy Room in Hollywood. "It's a place for people to come, sit in a beautiful environment and enjoy a cocktail, whilst soaking up the rock vibes,"" she explains. "A haven for those who love real music." To that end, expect a complete departure from sticky carpets and dive bar shabbiness. Instead, Meiklejohn and partner Jonas Schöfer have gone for what they describe as a '1970s Scandinavian après-ski vibe', with a rock 'n' roll influence. It's a space that speaks to a bygone era of music-inspired revelry, all flocked wallpaper, sexy lighting, and framed portraits of rock gods and goddesses lining the walls. Meanwhile, the bar's slinging crafty cocktails and top-shelf gins alongside all your favourite tinnies, and the soundtrack changes focus throughout the week, gearing up to weekend DJ sets of disco, funk, and old-school rock.
The Alliance Francaise French Film Festival is back for its 26th year and with 49 feature films to be screened at cinemas across eight cities, you'd best prepare yourself for everything from the flirting, whimsy, mishaps and misunderstandings that come with French comedy to the passion, ennui, coming-of-age rebellion, thrilling crime and non-conformist romance that come with French drama. Highlights include: gala opening night feature Gemma Bovery, an endearing comedy starring Gemma Arterton that drops the characters of Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary into a small Normandy town; the Saint Laurent biopic exploring the inspirations and struggles of the acclaimed designer Yves Saint Laurent at the height of his career; and Samba, starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and star of The Intouchables Omar Sy in a cross-cultural romance that looks at the hardships faced by French immigrants. See more of our highlights in this list of top five films to see at the French Film Festival. Read our top five picks of the French Film Festival here.
Penélope Cruz didn't score an Oscar this year for Parallel Mothers. Her husband Javier Bardem didn't win one for Being the Ricardos, either. And, just a couple of years ago, Antonio Banderas also didn't nab a shiny Academy Award for Pain and Glory — but the three acclaimed actors are all winners at the 2022 Spanish Film Festival. The annual cinema showcase spotlights not just Spanish but also Latin American cinema, and it's back for another Aussie tour throughout April and May — hitting up Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Byron Bay. On the bill: 34 movies that hail from both regions, or tie into them in one way or another, including several with Cruz, Bardem and or Banderas at their centre. Kickstarting this year's Spanish Film Festival with the Cruz- and Banderas-starring Official Competition must've been the easiest programming choice in the fest's history. A filmmaking satire, it casts Cruz as a famous director entrusted to bring a Nobel Prize-winning novel about sibling rivalry to the screen, and enlists Banderas as a Hollywood heartthrob. Throw all of that together and it's clearly film festival catnip, as the movie's berths at overseas fests such as Venice, Toronto and San Sebastián have already shown — and it'll enjoy its Australia premiere as the Spanish Film Festival's opening night pick. The aforementioned — and sublime — Parallel Mothers is also on the lineup after releasing in Aussie cinemas earlier this year, if you missed it then. And, so are two Cruz-Bardem collaborations: Jamón Jamón, the pair's first film together, which marks its 30th anniversary in 2022, and 2017's Loving Pablo, which sees Bardem play Pablo Escobar. Of course, the Spanish Film Festival spans plenty of movies that don't star Spanish cinema's best-known acting names, too — with 2022 Goya-winning political drama Maixabel, fellow Goya-recipient Mediterráneo: The Law of the Sea, psychological horror flick The House of Snails, road-movie comedy Carpoolers, and the coming-of-age-focused Once Upon a Time in Euskadi also on the program. Or, there's Girlfriends, about childhood pals reuniting; dramatic thriller The Daughter, which hones in on a pregnant teen; mother-daughter drama Ama; the Himalayas-set Beyond the Summit; and The Cover, about a pop star impersonator. From the Cine Latino strand, ten films hail from the likes of Argentina, Mexico, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic — including rom-com The Big Love Picture, thriller Immersion, the footballer-centric 9 and Goya-winner (yes, another one) Forgotten We'll Be. Plus, the lineup also includes Language Lessons, which is directed by and starring Natalie Morales (The Little Things), and also features Mark Duplass (Bombshell) — with the pair navigating an online setup to play a Spanish teacher and her student. And, there's sessions of the Spanish-language version of Disney's Encanto as well. SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL 2022 DATES: April 19–May 15: Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinema, Sydney April 20–May 15: Palace Electric, Canberra April 21–May 15: The Astor Theatre, Palace Cinema Como, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, The Kino, Palace Balwyn and Pentridge Cinema, Melbourne April 27–May 18: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Adelaide April 27–May 18: Palace Raine Square Cinemas, Luna Leederville and Luna on SX., Perth April 28–May 18: Palace Barracks and Palace James Street, Brisbane April 29–May 15: Palace Byron Bay, Byron Bay The Spanish Film Festival tours Australia from Tuesday, April 19–Wednesday, May 18. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the festival's website.
