New York punk rockers Skaters are a throwback to the sound that defined their home city decades ago. Blasting out tunes stripped back to their bare bones and exuding pure energy, it's no surprise that the band's debut album Manhattan is being critically acclaimed — especially with tracks like the uncontrollable-dance-inducing 'Miss Teen Massachusetts'. Thankfully, those good folk over at Splendour in the Grass convinced the American quartet to bring their sound to Australia. The lads have subsequently decided to take in the sights while they're here and you can catch them at their sideshow at The Corner Hotel in all of their pre-festival glory. No exhaustion, just pure, thrashing-about excitement. Joining Skaters are fellow Splendour band Darlia, who were last year described by BBC Radio 1's Nigel Harding as "the most exciting new guitar band in the UK" — and Harding knows his stuff. Having only been in the game for a year, the British trio have headlined for the impressive likes of The Libertines. Their sound has been described as the eclectic blend of flavoursome Britpop and Seattle nineties grunge. Nineteen-year-old lead singer, Nathan Day, says that he has been preparing music since the tender age of ten. In an interview with BBC he explained that he composed music with intimate venues in mind. He likens the endurance of rock music to that of mould. "The longer you look at mould and don't do anything about it… it will just get bigger." Weird, but we'll take it. Two hypeworthy acts for a bargain price? Right on. Words by Matt Watson and Natalie Freeland. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WSaPHFsZTZo
Both Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement will be present when Flight of the Conchords make a long-awaited, eagerly anticipated return to television — as part of a one-off live special filmed during the duo's recent sold-out tour. Announced earlier in 2018, Flight of the Conchords: Live at the London Apollo now not only has a US airdate but also an Australian one. The special will screen on HBO in America on Saturday, October 6, and on The Comedy Channel in Australia on Tuesday, October 9 at 8.30pm. As the name really does makes plain, it was recorded in the UK, where Flight of Conchords took their show on the road in March and then returned in late June and early July, following a forced break after McKenzie broke his hand. Yes, it'll be business time, Bowie will be in space and no one will have hurt feelings. Fans can expect to hear the classic tracks that everyone has had stuck in their heads since the folk parody pair's TV series aired between 2007 and 2009, of course, as well as a few new songs. It's also a case of Conchords almost coming full circle, with nabbing a spot on HBO's One Night Stand in the mid-00s one of their big breaks. Foxtel Now subscribers can stream the special live when it airs, but whether it'll be available on demand afterwards has yet to be revealed. In the interim, check out the trailer, as well as the initial HBO date announcement video featuring McKenzie and Clement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLZQfnFyelTBOQ15kmHSgEbdjzLMWzZpL7&v=xz_-9PlcouE
Next Wave Festival hasn't even started yet and we're already reaping the spoils. As part of their Emerging Curator's Program, Next Wave and the Centre for Contemporary Photography have teamed up to bring this young Sydney photographer's work to the fore, and we couldn't be happier about it. Raw, lo-fi and Tumblr-friendly, Mannix's photography is beautiful and relatable. Exploring his own life and those around him — a young couple, a sex worker, and numerous club kids — Mannix takes photographs that look like realistic American Apparel ads. While the subjects are all young and beautiful, there's something gritty and personal about the images that render them much more interesting. It's easy to imagine each in the collection of a past lover or close friend and as you stare at each, a shared intimacy is created. As the exhibition title would suggest, there's something precious to be savoured in the small art of the snapshot.
Over the past decade, Disney has made a hefty commitment to remaking its animated classics as live-action movies, as seen via the two Alice in Wonderland films, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and Aladdin, to name a few. The next to get the same treatment is 101 Dalmatians, and the Mouse House is going with the same approach it used with the Maleficent flicks. Yes, there'll be spotted dogs in Cruella, but this Emma Stone-starring spinoff is all about its villainous namesake. Set to release in May — and currently slated for cinemas, rather than making the move to Disney+ like Mulan did last year — Cruella focuses on Estella de Vil before she becomes the puppy-kidnapping figure that everyone already knows. It's the 70s, she's in London, and she's an outcast and a grifter. Estella is also desperate to become a fashion designer, and draws the attention of industry veteran Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson, Last Christmas). Obviously, Estella's relationship with the Baroness isn't going to end well. Even if you only have the faintest memories of 101 Dalmatians, Estella clearly has to morph into that tale's antagonist. And, based on the just-dropped first trailer for Cruella, she's going to do so in a movie that seems to have seen what Joker did — including the fact that it won Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar — and decided that's a good model to run with. As well as Stone, her two-tone hair and striking outfits — and Thompson, too — Cruella features Richard Jewell's Paul Walter Hauser, Outside the Wire's Emily Beacham, Yesterday's Joel Fry, The Good Place's Kirby Howell Baptiste and 1917's Mark Strong. The film marks a reunion between Hauser and director Craig Gillespie, after they worked together on I, Tonya, while the script is co-written by Isn't It Romantic's Dana Fox and The Great's Tony McNamara. If a live-action version of Cruella de Vil sounds familiar, that's because Disney has done it before. Back in 1996, Glenn Close took on the role in 101 Dalmatians, and then sported a heap of black and white again in 2000 sequel 102 Dalmatians. So, never one to leave its past works alone for too long, the Mouse House is following in its own footsteps in multiple ways with Cruella. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmRKv7n2If8 Cruella releases in Australian and New Zealand cinemas on May 27.
Frontmen rarely come as charismatic as Henry Wagons. A storytelling character and a half, the Melburnian native has returned from the dark desert highways of the US to reunite with his band and bring Wagons' shiny new album to the townspeople. Seeing music as a joyous occasion rather than a moment to wallow in your sorrows, Wagons' shows are downright shindiggerous in their approach. "'Music is a public activity — the very birth of music was designed to be joined in on,'' Wagons told SMH. ''The first music was played at celebrations. The insular emo songwriter in the bedroom is this recent offshoot of what music is at its core. Music for me is for other people. I write it alone, but with the idea of playing it for other people.'' Wagons have just released their latest single, 'Beer Barrel Bar', taken from brand new, sixth studio album Acid Rain and Sugar Cane and nabbing a four-star rating from Rolling Stone. With Mick Harvey (The Birthday Party/Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds) behind the mixing desk and Wagons himself bringing his US-inspired country stomping style to the plate, Acid Rain and Sugar Cane has quite the Nashville twang to it. Best enjoyed with a whiskey in hand and a soulmate far away, the LP is a natural evolution of Wagons' indie country blues into an Ameristralian tavern hootenanny. WAGONS AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES: Thurs May 22 – Pirie & Co Social Club, Adelaide Fri May 23 - Fly By Night, Fremantle Sat May 31 - Republic Bar, Hobart Fri June 6 - Barwon Club, Geelong Sat June 7 - The HiFi, Melbourne Sun June 8 - Karova Lounge, Ballarat Thurs June 12 - The Abbey, Canberra Fri June 13 – Rad (Yours & Owls), Wollongong Sat June 14 - Factory Theatre, Sydney Sun June 15 - Lizottes, Newcastle Fri June 20 - The Zoo, Brisbane Sat June 21 - Railway Hotel, Darwin Thanks to Spunk Records, we have three double passes to give away to Wagon's Acid Rain and Sugar Cane tour — one double pass each for the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane shows. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=WXoiX2bFPDY
Even without sourcing and quoting an exact number, it's obvious that an immense amount of people owe their lives to Marie and Pierre Curie's research on radioactivity. Without their work — Marie's passion project, which she reluctantly agreed to collaborate on with Pierre after they first crossed paths in Paris — cancer treatment would've likely been vastly different over the past century. The results for scores of cancer patients would've been as well. But the pair's discovery of two new elements, radium and polonium, also led to disturbing side effects and cataclysmic events that changed the course of history in other ways. Radioactive touches upon both, from life-saving oncology usage and the ability to conduct x-rays on World War I battlefields to the bombing of Hiroshima and Chernobyl's nuclear reactor meltdown. It might seem strange for a biopic about Marie to leap forward at different moments, jumping to years and decades past her death in 1934, all to show how the physicist and chemist's work made and continues to make a colossal impact upon the world. But that's the most interesting thing about Radioactive: its willingness to contemplate both the significant benefits and proven dangers of Marie (Rosamund Pike, an Oscar-nominee for Gone Girl) and Pierre's (Sam Riley, Rebecca) pioneering discoveries. The latter is tasked with vocalising this battle in his acceptance speech for their shared 1903 Nobel Prize in physics, acknowledging the struggle but opining that "mankind will derive more good than harm". The film doesn't simply take him at his word, however. It shows his radiation sickness, and Marie's. It touches upon the backlash when news of radioactivity's health effects started becoming widely known. And those aforementioned flash-forwards to both positive and negative applications of the Curies' research keep the same conversation going, because Radioactive doesn't try to offer a right or wrong answer. Instead, as directed by Marjane Satrapi (The Voices), Radioactive recognises how the efforts of an astonishing woman have led to a complex array of outcomes. The movie doesn't weigh up saving the cancer-afflicted against deaths contributed to nuclear atrocities, but shows how they're both consequences of her work — and that, even though she died before some of the events mentioned above, Marie grappled with the pros and cons of her discoveries herself. This is such a crucial part of this adaptation of Lauren Redniss' graphic novel about the Curies, in fact, that it stands out in multiple ways. Curie deserves all the praise and acclaim that have been showered upon her, and this is an affectionate film, but Radioactive isn't a glossy exercise in hero worship. That said, the movie's complications and probing stem primarily from its unconventional line of thinking; take out the clips in a 50s hospital, in Japan, in the Ukraine and at a nuclear bomb test in Nevada in 1961, and a far less thoughtful feature would result. After an opening glimpse of an elderly Marie collapsing in her Paris laboratory, Radioactive heads back to 1893, where she's one of few female scientists in the French city. Expectedly given the era, she's reviled by her male peers and the decision-making powers-that-be — but a goateed Pierre has already heard of her when they meet-cute in the streets over a microbiology book. Marie is adamant that she be judged on her own merits, and that of her work, so she's resistant to his early professional advances. But the fact that she's kicked out of her existing lab space on the day she initially makes her future husband's acquaintance sets obvious wheels in motion. Being seen as an equal is a fight she'll keep waging, even after not one but two Nobel Prizes come her way. Pierre never regards her otherwise, but altering the scientific establishment and society in general's minds is a far tougher job. By design, it's dismaying how familiar Marie's treatment feels; her work has changed the world, but engraining gender equality as a given sadly doesn't rank among her achievements. The same can be said about the race-based attacks she's forced to weather, with her Polish background used as an insult to a chilling degree in early 20th-century Europe. Satrapi has brought similar themes and experiences to the screen before, as evidenced in 2007's Persepolis. Based on her own autobiographical comics about growing up in Iran and Austria both during and after the Islamic Revolution, it unsurprisingly felt far more urgent and personal — two traits that Radioactive lacks. From fast-paced montages of Marie and Pierre's scientific experimentation to snippets of their home life as their family expands with their fame, the process of detailing the Curies' lives largely takes on a routine air, with much of Jack Thorne's (Dirt Music, Enola Holmes, The Secret Garden) script reading from the biopic playbook. Thankfully, Radioactive looks as textured as its best moments feel, and sometimes as bold as well. That it springs from an illustrated text, and that Satrapi has experience in the medium herself, comes across in stylised frames shot by cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (The Undoing) that could've leapt from a page. The film also benefits from not only Pike as Marie, but Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma) as the adult version of her eldest daughter Irène, another Nobel Prize-winner. There's a spiky determination to both — a willingness to forge on with doing the right thing despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles — that effortlessly links their performances. Of course, Radioactive also asks Pike to spend its first half asserting that Marie will never be defined by a man, then to spend its second struggling when Pierre is killed. That plays a little too neatly, but it's actually in tune with the many contrasts that sit at the film's core; something can be two things at once, after all, as Radioactive's rumination upon the Curies' discoveries firmly shows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtVe_8CS6vU
First, it was a popular 80s comedy starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Then, it became a five-season television sitcom led by Parton's real-life younger sister. In 2009, 9 to 5 made the leap to the stage too, because you just can't stop a good story about female empowerment in the workplace. Revived in the West End earlier this year, it's still a huge hit — and now, after an Australian premiere in Sydney was announced last year, we know that the latest version of the production is coming to Melbourne. Just by reading the show's title, we know that you already have Parton's catchy song of the same name stuck in your head. Pour yourself a cup of ambition, because that tune isn't going away anytime soon. Indeed, you'd best get ready to exclaim "what a way to make a living" more than once when 9 to 5 The Musical plays its local run at Her Majesty's Theatre from July 2020. It comes to Melbourne after its Australian premiere season in Sydney this April. Ahead of its time when it first reached cinemas, this tale of three women who take on their sexist, egotistical and all-round despicable male boss is obviously still highly relevant today. Before #TimesUp and #MeToo, workmates Doralee, Violet and Judy decided to turn the tables by kidnapping their supervisor and reforming their office. Expect the same story in 9 to 5 The Musical, as penned by the original film's screenwriter Patricia Resnick, just with more songs. With Parton herself writing the score — and earning Tony and Grammy nominations for her efforts — expect plenty of feel-good music as well. Although she doesn't appear on stage, the famous country star is still involved with the show, and with bringing it to Australia. While the show will premiere in Sydney, it's possible it'll head to other cities around the country after — cross your fingers and we'll let you know if more dates and locations are announced. While you're still singing 9 to 5 to yourself, check out Parton's announcement video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eLfds3BNk8 9 to 5 The Musical will hit Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre from July 2020, with tickets on sale on Friday, February 14. For more information, or to join the ticket waitlist, visit the musical's website.
SXSW Sydney is still three months away (yes, we're counting), but the first-ever South by Southwest to be held outside of the US just keeps getting bigger and bigger. So far, the conference-slash-festival has dropped an initial round of speakers, a batch of music highlights and must-attend parties, and details of its gaming strand. Now, it has unveiled more fascinating folks who'll be chatting behind a microphone. The SXSW Sydney Screen Festival hasn't yet revealed what it'll be showing; however, SXSW's Sydney debut has just added a stellar session on First Nations storytelling with three impressive filmmakers on the bill. Leah Purcell (The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson), Kodie Bedford (Mystery Road: Origin) and Jub Clerc (Sweet As) will all take to the stage at The Next Gen Blak Storytellers, which is about Indigenous talents telling 'modern' Blak stories. On moderating duties: Brooke Boney. Also familiar from plenty of screens is Osher Günsberg, who'll be on the SXSW Sydney bill recording an episode of his podcast Better Than Yesterday with a yet-to-be-announced special guest. Hailing from behind the scenes, Gone Girl, The Nightingale, The Dry, Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers producer Bruna Papandrea joins the lineup as a featured speaker, as does Binge's Executive Director Alison Hurbert-Burns. And, the SXSW Sessions lineup now includes Silverchair's Ben Gillies talking about creating music videos with AI, plus other talks on video-game collecting at the National Film and Sound Archive, plus death and dying in video games. Another of SXSW Sydney's new high-profile names: Layne Beachley, with the seven-time World Surfing Champion discussing facing retirement at 36 and reinventing herself afterwards. Fellow just-announced speakers include Indonesian Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, plus Expedia Group Chief Technology Officer and President Rathi Murthy. Also joining the program: connecting our minds to hands-free digital devices, e-waste, AI in the workforce, Aussie startups, NFTs, the future of news media, protecting the oceans, swiping right, sessions on lab-grown meat and more. Obviously, all of the above names and sessions — plus others already announced — are still just the beginning of what's promising to be SXSW's massive Sydney arrival. The entire event will happen within a walkable precinct in the Sydney CBD, Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, Chippendale and more, with the fest's footprint operating as a huge hub. SXSW will also be packed with festivals within the bigger fest, exhibitions, talks, networking opportunities and streetside activations popping up everywhere. So far, venues named include Powerhouse Museum, ICC Sydney, UTS, Central Park Mall, the Goods Line Walk, The Abercrombie and Lansdowne Hotel. Attendees can hit up the SXSW Sydney Conference, which is where those keynotes, presentations, panels, workshops and mentor sessions come in — more than 400 of them. And, there's the SXSW Sydney Technology & Innovation Exhibitions, which is all about innovative and emerging tech and entertainment companies from across the Asia-Pacific region. Plus, at the Startup Village, up-and-comers from all industries and sectors will have space to meet, present and chat. SXSW's arts fests will span the SXSW Sydney 2023 Music Festival, which will be focused on live music venues in central Sydney — and the aforementioned SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival, complete with more than 100 local and international independent games to play at venues (alongside demonstrations, launches performances, exhibitions and social gatherings). Movie and TV lovers, get excited — because the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival isn't just a film fest. There'll be flicks to see, including at red-carpet premieres; episodic content; and digital, XR and social content. Expect Q&As and panel discussions with the folks behind them as well. SXSW Sydney will run from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues — head to the festival's website for further details. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
The makers of Melbourne's most decadent vegan cupcakes are about to cut the ribbon on their first permanent location. From November 4, Baking Bad Vegan Bakehouse will be doing a regular trade at Prahran Market Friday to Sunday each week, providing sugar fiends with a one stop shop for all their cruelty free treats. Just remember… vegan isn't necessarily the same as healthy. Previously restricted to online sales, pop-ups and special events, Baking Bad's permanent digs will mean more cupcakes, more often. Cupcakes like the Red Riding Hood, which combines a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and edible glitter; the Orange Is the New Chocolate, a chocolate cake smothered in Jaffa buttercream and chocolate sauce; and the Let's All Go to the Lobby, a chocolate cake with buttered popcorn frosting and salted popcorn on top. Alternatively, you could get the aptly named Nutella Donut, which is a chocolate cupcake with Nutella buttercream, garnished with a chocolate doughnut. Or is it a chocolate doughnut supported by a cupcake? Point is, it'll probably kill you, but at least you'll die with a smile on your face. Or if you're feeling truly absurd, why not try their Hamburgulars, which consist of a chocolate mud patty and fondant sandwiched between a vanilla cupcake bun. When you can't decide which flavour to get, just get one of each! Thanks for an awesome morning at the Thinkers and Makers market, Melbourne! If you missed out, don't fret... Our next stall will be at The St Kilda Esplanade market on October 16th, or you can order online at www.baking-bad.com.au 😊😍 #vegan #melbourne #chocolate #chocolatecake #mudcake #melbournefoodie #dairyfree #crueltyfree #bestofvegan #melbournevegan #baking #cakes #noveltycake #veganfood #foodporn #veganfoodshare #vegans #whatveganseat #veganlife #vegansofig #vegangirl #vegandessert #vegancommunity #vegansofinstagram #omgyum #veganeats #veganfoodie #vegantreats #veganfoodlovers #veganinmelbourne A photo posted by Baking Bad Vegan Bakehouse (@bakingbadveganbakehouse) on Sep 23, 2016 at 8:24pm PDT And it's not just cupcakes, although those are their specialty. Breaking Bad also do full size cakes, as well as macaroons, cookies, cinnamon scrolls and all manner of other tasty, tooth-rotting creations. The best thing is, you don't have to feel (entirely) guilty about stuffing your face, since a minimum of 10 percent of all sales made by Baking Bad is donated to various animal welfare charities, with a new beneficiary chosen every month. Baking Bad will operate at Prahran Market from 11.30am to 5pm on Fridays, 9am to 5pm Saturdays and 10am to 3pm Sundays. And if you can't be stuffed walking your cupcake-loving bum down to Prahran, don't stress — you can still order their frosted wares online, or through UberEats. For more information follow Baking Bad on Facebook and Instagram, or visit them at www.baking-bad.com.au.
Ryan Matthew Smith doesn't just cook and eat food - he spills its, throws it, sets it on fire and then shoots it with a sniper rifle to make sure. He's also a photographer, and has documented these sick culinary experiments in a 2,400 page tome on the subject, Modernist Cuisine: the Art and Science of Cooking. From collating several individual exposures for one delectable cutaway shot of hamburgers on a grill to shooting a lineup of eggs with a sniper rifle at 6200 frames per second, Smith shot 1,400 images for the cookbook/artwork. Despite little experience in studio work, Smith explains in an interview with Feature Shoot that his extensive portfolio of nature and architecture photography helped prepare him for the task. "Having a strong artistic sense towards photography in general can easily transfer through any of the disciplines from advertising all the way to fine art," he says. [via Coolhunting]
East Malvern's humble Central Park isn't quite as grand as the one in NYC, but it'll certainly be tastier with the East Malvern Food and Wine Festival coming to its green lawns on Sunday, November 17. The weather will (surely) be warming up by then and it'll be a wise call to spend a day in the park — especially when you add 20 Victorian wineries and a handful of breweries into the mix. Go along to taste vino from Bendigo, Rutherglen and Heathcote regions, beers from Cheltenham's Bad Shepherd Brewing Co, G&Ts from Great Ocean Road Gin and espresso martinis from Mr Black, and taste till your heart is content and you've forgotten tomorrow is Monday. Food-wise, there'll be snacks from 48h Pizza & Gnocchi Bar, Mishiki Dumplings, Nepal Dining, The Greek Shop, The Smoke Pit and an ice cream stall where you can really go all out and treat yourself. You'll be able to stock up on artisanal produce (including lots of cheese) and, if you or your mates have kids, you can send them to a magician masterclass. It's also dog-friendly, so bring along your fur babies, too. The event is free to attend — you'll just need to buy your food and wine as you go — but you can pre-buy wine-tasting packages if you're super keen. East Malvern Food and Wine Festival runs from 11am–5.30pm.
Pull out that old Discman, break out the cargo pants and start practising your smoothest early noughties dance moves — the pop tour of your wildest teenage dreams is hitting Aussie shores this summer and it's got more stars than a TV Hits sticker collection. This February, the inaugural So Pop festival is set to deliver a huge serve of nostalgia to stadiums across the country, pulling together an extra juicy lineup of old-school icons, headlined by none other than Aqua and Vengaboys. Melbourne Arena will be transported back to the 90s and 00s for one glorious night each, playing host to the pop-drenched soundtrack of your youth. Heading up the show are Danish group Aqua, who promise to leave tunes like 'Barbie Girl' and 'Doctor Jones' firmly wedged in your head, and from the Netherlands, Vengaboys, with party-starting smash hits like 'Boom Boom Boom Boom!!' and 'We Like to Party! (The Vengabus)' — and none other than Lou Bega with, of course, 'Mambo No.5'. Relive more of the glory days with sounds from Irish legends B*Witched — who gifted us with the likes of 'C'est La Vie' and 'Rollercoaster' — UK heroes Blue, of 'All Rise' fame. Italy's Eiffel 65, dance pop act Mr. President ('Coco Jambo'), the USA's Outhere Brothers and The Netherlands' 2 Unlimited ('No Limit', 'Get Ready') round out the throwback showdown.
With a snap of the fingers, the Marvel Cinematic Universe underwent a huge change back in Avengers: Infinity War, and its movies and TV shows have been dealing with the fallout ever since. But another snap might be coming — not within the ever-sprawling franchise's on-screen narratives, but thanks to a possible slowed-down pace when it comes to filling cinemas and streaming queues with Marvel's heroes. All Marvel all the time: that's seemed to be Disney's approach to building the MCU, and our eyeballs have been busy as a result. In 2021 and 2022 alone, seven films and eight television shows made their debuts, spanning everything from Black Widow, Eternals, Thor: Love and Thunder and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever through to WandaVision, Loki, Moon Knight and Ms Marvel. And, 2023 has already kicked off with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to come in May. Disney is reportedly thinking about easing the flow of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, however, and also getting better at curating it. Multiple recent reports and interviews, including in The Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly, have spoken about releasing fewer movies and shows each year, as well as ensuring there's more space between them. "The pace at which we're putting out the Disney+ shows will change so they can each get a chance to shine," Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told Entertainment Weekly. Just as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hit cinemas last week, Marvel pushed back its third big-screen release for 2023, The Marvels, from July 28 to November 9. It teams up Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman), but viewers will now have to wait a few more months to see the end result. That's one of a few shifts that the MCU has put in place since unveiling its huge phase five and phase six plans in mid-2022, with other dates moving back as well. Now in its multiverse saga, with a big focus on Jonathan Majors (The Harder They Fall) as new big bad Kang the Conqueror, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delayed the return of Blade — this time starring Moonlight and Green Book Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali — to September 5, 2024. It'll come after a new Captain America movie on May 2, 2024, called Captain America: New World Order, focusing on Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) with the cape and shield, plus Thunderbolts on July 25, 2023. 2024 will also see the next Deadpool flick arrive on November 7 co-starring Hugh Jackman, with The Son actor returning to the role of Wolverine, and both Deadpool and Wolverine entering the MCU. From there, expect yet another Fantastic Four film, which'll now release on February 14, 2025 (with no cast yet announced), plus Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars following on May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, respectively. While slight changes have already been made to the movie slate's dates, more may come in light of Feige's comments — and Disney CEO Bob Iger's own comments that the Mouse House must improve its curating skills with its content. And, the same may prove true of the MCU's small-screen lineup, none of which has set dates so far. 2023 is meant to see five shows arrive: the Samuel L Jackson-starring, Nick Fury-focused Secret Invasion, which was initially expected in autumn Down Under; Ironheart, which features the Dominique Thorne (Judas and the Black Messiah)-played character first seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; season two of Loki; Hawkeye spinoff Echo; and witchy WandaVision spinoff Agatha: Coven of Chaos. But, it's now reported that only Secret Invasion and Loki are certain to hit this year. After that, a new 18-episode Daredevil series starring Charlie Cox (King of Thieves) and Vincent D'Onofrio (The Unforgivable), this time called Daredevil: Born Again, is on the schedule for 2024. These films and series are all still on their way — so, while you might not be watching quite as many new Marvel movies and TV shows over the next few years after all, they're still coming, just better spread out. Maybe this far in, more breaks from the Marvel Cinematic Universe will make the heart grow fonder, especially if you've been feeling a bit of MCU fatigue. For more information about Marvel's upcoming slate of films and TV shows, head to the company's website. Via The Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly. Top image: Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2022 Marvel. All images: courtesy of Marvel.
If you're not fond of cooking every night of the week, chances are you've relied upon food delivery services a little more than usual in 2020. With heading out to eat off the cards during Australia's nationwide lockdown earlier in the year — and throughout Melbourne's current strict stay-at-home restrictions as well — being able to get meals brought to your door has been a key coping tool. You might not be able to physically go to your favourite eatery, but you can still tuck into its dishes. For three days next week — from 12.01am Tuesday, September 29–11.59pm Thursday, October 1 — you'll also be able to get those bites to eat without paying for delivery. Across that 72-hour period, Menulog is hosting its first Menulog Free Delivery Fest. And yes, it's all there in the name. You'll still have to pay for your food, obviously, but you won't have to fork out a single cent to get it delivered. And, the deal applies to every Menulog-delivered order except KFC, so you'll have plenty of dishes to choose from. To nab free delivery, you'll need to order between the above dates and times via the Menulog app and the Menulog website. Restaurants taking part will have a free delivery icon on their Menulog listing, too — with the Menulog Free Delivery Fest running in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. The Menulog Free Delivery Fest runs from 12.01am Tuesday, September 29–11.59pm Thursday, October 1 via the Menulog app and the Menulog website.
Melburnians are getting a nightmarish dose of Christmas spirit this festive season as Bar Humbug pops-up along North Melbourne's Queensberry Street this December. This is not your regular PG Christmas-themed installation — it's more like a bar from Bad Santa. Christmas tunes will be on loop as you wander through a range of themed rooms. You can sit on Santa's lap in the Grotty Christmas Grotto, kiss your loved one (or a stranger) in the Mistletoe Corner and sip on 'naughty' and 'nice' cocktails from the bar. Expect lots of (bad) singing along to Mariah Carey — as well as lots of tinsel, candy canes and shiny Christmas paper chains. Most importantly, there will be a full bar and dress-ups to take your Christmas debauchery up a notch. The bar will be open Thursday and Friday nights from 5pm, and from midday every Saturday and Sunday up until the weekend before Christmas. The bar is hosting a heap of Christmas functions, though — so best to check that it's not closed for one before you head along. If that's not enough festivity for you, you can also head along to the Bottomless Bubbles and Baubles on Saturday, December 14. For $59, you'll get two hours of endless prosecco and beers as well as all-you-can-eat pizza. These tickets will go quick, so snag one ASAP over here.
It's pretty ironic that a YouTube clip criticising internet culture is going viral. Nonetheless this parody of The Wolf of Wall Street made by Half Day Today is pitch perfect. In a remake of the film's trailer, the hedonistic tale of American conman Jordan Belfort is transposed to the life of Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti. Hilarity ensues. Everyone knows Buzzfeed is a bit of a black hole. You stumble across something in a Facebook newsfeed and suddenly you're falling into an internet-shaped abyss that no longer houses your study or work but only thousands of lists about Harry Styles, '90s cartoons and what '90s cartoons would looks like if they were recast with Harry Styles. This is your life now. And, while no one's saying it's directly Jonah Peretti's fault... it sure is nice to blame someone. "With these lists you can create a stupid GIF, write a nonsensical blob of text, and it will get retweeted millions of times without ever using an even number in your title," says the video's Peretti. Much like Jordan Belfort's dubious pathway to success using penny stocks, there seems to be something vaguely criminal about the Buzzfeed marketing strategy and it's somewhat confronting to see it played out in front of your eye. Still. We can't help ourselves. This is still 100 percent our reaction whenever we find a relatable listicle or a new viral video to share *coughcough*.
Op art, the playful successor to pop art, is reminiscent of the eye-fatiguing Magic Eye craze of the '90s. It never really took off in Australia, but one little-known Oz exponent of op art, John Vickery (1906-1983), was a major fan. He worked primarily as a commercial artist but in his spare time enjoyed the optical dazzle of alternating stripes and undulating patterns. A selection of Vickery's most optically outrageous paintings are on display at the Victorian College of the Arts until March. This is the person whose artistic legacy and altruistic bequest led in 2003 to the establishment of the John Vickery Scholarships, which provide two third-year students with financial support to assist in the often costly practice of producing work for final assessment. A man who created visual magic and is remembered through the act of helping struggling young artists make ends meet — surely, worth a look in. Go play with your own sensory perception and enjoy the oscillating black and white stripes as they come alive between your eyes.
It has won 11 Tony Awards. It's one of the Obamas' favourite musicals. A filmed version of its Broadway production was nominated for several Golden Globes. Now Lin-Manuel Miranda's game-changing musical Hamilton is finally making its way to Australia, with its Sydney Lyric Theatre season kicking off on March 17 — and, if you're as keen to attend as its namesake was about American politics in the 18th century, you just might be able to nab yourself a cheap ticket. As happened with The Book of Mormon before it — and is presently happening with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child's current Melbourne season, too — a ticket lottery is being held for Hamilton. And, this one is cheap. Very cheap, in fact. Via Today Tix, you can sign up for your chance to score a ticket for just $10. Yes, that figure is accurate. You won't want to throw away your shot to see the most talked-about musical of the decade for less than the price of a cocktail. To take part in the lottery, you will need to download the Today Tix app — which is available for iOS and Android — and submit your entry each Friday for the next week's performances. The lottery will go live at 12.01am every Friday morning, starting from March 5, with winners drawn between 1–6pm on the following Thursday. If your name is selected, you'll have an hour to claim your tickets from when you receive the good news. If you need a reminder, you can also sign up for lottery alerts via Today Tix, too. [caption id="attachment_731122" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joan Marcus[/caption] The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. As well as its 11 Tony Awards, which include Best Musical, it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. After hitting Broadway in 2015, then West End in 2017, Australians are finally getting their turn. Usually, tickets will set you back $70–250 a pop — so the $10 lottery really is an absolute bargain. There's no word yet on whether Hamilton will head to other Aussie cities later on. It's possible, as other big musicals, such as The Book of Mormons, have. But, if you don't want to risk it, those located interstate should to start planning a trip ASAP — we think it'll be more than worth it. Of course, if you're hoping to make the journey to NSW from elsewhere, you'll want to keep an eye on internal border requirements. This isn't Miranda's first musical to hit Australia, either, with his take on the classic 2000s film Bring It On: The Musical hitting Melbourne in 2018 and quadruple Tony Award-winning In The Heights playing a short season at the Sydney Opera House in 2019. In the meantime, you can watch the filmed version of Hamilton with the original Broadway cast on Disney+ — yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard. Hamilton will make its Australian premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from Wednesday, March 17–Sunday, September 5, 2021. To enter the Today Tix $10 lottery, download the company's iOS or Android app, and head to the company's website for more information — and to set up an alert. Images: Hamilton, Broadway. Photos by Joan Marcus.
It has played host to a staggering array of gigs and been the backdrop for countless different live music memories, but we reckon you've never seen the Sidney Myer Music Bowl quite like this. From Wednesday, June 1–Sunday, June 19, citywide arts festival Rising will see the iconic precinct transformed into a multi-sensory supernatural forest, inviting punters to immerse themselves in a captivating fusion of ice, art, sound and light. Held Tuesday to Sunday throughout the festival's duration (and a little beyond), The Wilds is set to deliver an interactive feast for all the senses. Traipse through its bamboo structures, marvel at large-scale inflatable sculptures and mesmerising video works, and trip yourself out through mazes of mirrored illusions. All while bathing in the sonic delights of sound artists Mark Mitchell and Pascal Babare, plus vinyl tunes from the 1800 Lasagne DJs. In a nod to winter's past, the stage itself will once again become a working ice-skating rink (yes, that really was a thing), where visitors can glide around to 80s and 90s tunes sung by a real choir. And when the appetite's piqued, you'll find a slew of pop-ups serving a menu of snacks and bevs to enjoy fireside, under the stars. Expect treats from Smith & Daughters, 1800 Lasagne, San Telmo and Hoy Pinoy, alongside three special dessert collaborations by Piccolina. Pop-up atrium bistro The Lighthouse is making a comeback, too. Yep, it's quite the lineup — organisers are recommending you set aside at least 90 minutes in order to properly experience the whole thing. General entry to The Wilds will set you back $12–22, with tickets to Rinky Dink and The Lighthouse available to add on. [caption id="attachment_856288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eugene Hyland[/caption] Images: Eugene Hyland
When Netflix first revived The Addams Family via Wednesday back in 2022, it did so with help from a familiar face that knows more than a little about pop culture's creepiest, kookiest, most mysterious and spookiest family: Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets). She doesn't play the show's namesake, of course — enter: Jenna Ortega (Scream VI) with the black attire and bleak attitude — but her presence was both felt and welcome. And when season two hits, she won't be the only cast member from the 90s films that's been a part of this series. Wednesday was renewed for a second season in early 2023 — Netflix is so keen on the show that there's talk of an Uncle Fester-focused spinoff, too — and now, post-last year's strikes, production has commenced. Along with that development, the streaming platform has announced which actors will be joining the series this time around. One of them, as a guest star: Christopher Lloyd. [caption id="attachment_954276" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Helen Sloan/Netflix © 2024[/caption] Adding to a recent resume that includes Hacks, Knuckles, Self Reliance and The Mandalorian, Lloyd won't be reprising his work as Uncle Fester from The Addams Family and Addams Family Values given that Fred Armisen (Fallout) is Wednesday's take on the character. Still, the Tim Burton (Dumbo)-executive produced series continues to throw love at past iterations of the residents of Cemetery Lane. Season two of Wednesday doesn't have a release date as yet, but it will also feature more of Catherine Zeta-Jones (National Treasure: Edge of History) as Morticia, Luis Guzmán (Justified: City Primeval) as Gomez, Isaac Ordonez (Color Box) as Pugsley and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo (How to Date Billy Walsh) as Deputy Ritchie Santiago, all getting meatier parts than in season one. New to the cast are Steve Buscemi (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Billie Piper (Scoop), Evie Templeton (Criminal Record), Owen Painter (Tiny Beautiful Things) and Noah Taylor (Foundation), as well as Joanna Lumley (Fool Me Once), Thandiwe Newton (Big Mouth), Frances O'Connor (Erotic Stories), Haley Joel Osment (What We Do in the Shadows), Heather Matarazzo (Wish) and Joonas Suotamo (Willow) joining Lloyd as special guests. In season one, Wednesday's titular figure had been terrorising her way through various educational facilities, hopping through eight of them in five years. That's how she ended up at Nevermore Academy, where her mother introduced her with an apology: "please excuse Wednesday, she's allergic to colour". Morticia actually met Gomez at the school, and thought that their eldest would love it there as they did, but Wednesday's storyline was never going to be that straightforward. With Burton behind the scenes, and also sitting in the director's chair for the first four episodes — in the job the Frankenweenie, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands filmmaker was clearly born to have — cue high-school chaos, a monstrous murder spree to stop and a supernatural mystery linked to Wednesday's parents a quarter-century ago to solve. Oh, and a killer goth wardrobe, naturally. Wednesday unsurprisingly proved a smash, breaking the Netflix record for most hours viewed in a single week, then doing so again — notching up 341.23-million hours viewed in its first week, then 411.29-million hours viewed in its second. All things Addams Family have always found an audience, with the Ricci-led 90s films beloved for decades for good reason, and the 1960s TV show and 1930s The New Yorker comics before that. Check out the season two cast announcement video for Wednesday below: Wednesday streams via Netflix, with season one available now and season two arriving at a yet-to-be-announced date. We'll update you with further details about season two when they're revealed. Read our full review of Wednesday season one. Images: Netflix.
It may well be time for chauffeurs around the world to come up with a backup plan. With every new insight, it seems that Google's self-driving car could have the potential to put them out of business. The above photo illustrates exactly what the Knight Rider-esque invention can see. As deducible from the orange concentric circles, it's capable of 360 degree vision, which is kind of like having someone with four heads in the driver's seat. Moreover, according to Bill Gross, who first Tweeted the image in late April, the car processes a whole gigabyte of information every second. So far, Google's prototypes have successfully covered 400,000 miles of road. Even though it has long been thought that self-driving vehicles wouldn't go public for another twenty years, it's now looking as though they'll be widely available within five. The law has yet to catch up, however - driverless cars are illegal in every state in the U.S., with the exception of Nevada, California and Florida. Of course, the enforcement of road rules becomes a tricky issue when there's no one behind the wheel. According to Google, the future promises less traffic and fuel consumption, as well as increased mobility and safety. Those incapable of driving can start looking forward to some new-found freedom. [VIA boing boing]
For more than two years, everyone has been asking the same two questions — everyone that's a fan of Stranger Things, that is. They're obvious queries but, if you've been hooked to the 80s-set Netflix sci-fi series since it first debuted in 2016, they're important. Question one: what happens next? Question two: when will we see what happens next? Indeed, when July 2021 came and went, it marked two years since Stranger Things last graced our streaming queues. So, you've been wondering what's become of all the series' characters — especially Hawkins' beloved police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour, Black Widow) — for quite some time. You'll be pondering into next year as well, because the streaming platform already announced that the show won't be returning till 2022; however, it does keep dropping sneak peeks. Back in February 2020, Netflix provided an initial clip. Yes, that now seems like a lifetime ago. It also dropped a couple more teasers in May this year, and released another one back in August. Need more? The streamer has just unveiled yet another teaser trailer, this time focusing on a spooky spot called Creel House. First, we see it years ago — and then, we see it being explored in its abandoned, dusty and eerie guise by Steve (Joe Keery, Spree), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo, The Angry Birds Movie 2), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin, Concrete Cowboy) and Max (Sadie Sink, The Last Castle). When you're hanging out for anything and everything related to the show's fourth season, each trailer and teaser drop is exciting — and they all keep threading together pieces that are bound to prove important when new episodes actually hit. Indeed, we already know what happened after season three's big cliffhanger and Russian-set post-script — when Hopper, the mind flayer, the Russian lab below Starcourt Mall and that pesky gate to the Upside Down all had a run-in. And, we know that Hawkins Laboratory is going to feature again moving forward, thanks to clips focusing on Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, Godzilla vs Kong) and Dr Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine, Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal). Now, with this latest teaser, we know a little bit more as well. Of course, it's worth remembering that when Netflix announced the show's renewal for a fourth season back in 2019, it did so with the catchphrase "we're not in Hawkins anymore". Naturally, we'll have to wait to see what that really means for its full cast of characters — including Joyce (Winona Ryder, The Plot Against America), Will (Noah Schnapp, Hubie Halloween), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton, The New Mutants) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer, Things Seen & Heard). Check out the new Stranger Things season four sneak peek below: Stranger Things season four will be able to stream via Netflix sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
Lyndon Kubis and Mark Nelson have proven they can really deliver when it comes to the wine bar-bottle shop concept, having nailed the formula at the likes of Toorak Wine Cellars and Milton Wine Shop. But this pair's also not afraid to break the mould a little, as you'll discover at their latest venture The Moon. Setting up shop at the bottom of a Collingwood apartment building, this marks the duo's first foray into the northside bar scene, the result a touch moodier and a little more refined. The wine offering, though, is as good as any of them, with a focus on small producers across the board and a curation that that reflects places and regions, rather than processes and technique. A hefty by-the-glass selection celebrates locals and foreign finds in equal measure, alongside two craft beer tap options and a rotating bottled range of boutique brews. There's a serious retail collection sitting pretty along one wall — you can grab a bottle to enjoy then and there, or pick something up on your way home. Foodwise, the menu's all about things you can feast on with just one hand. Keep the other firmly on that glass of Patrick Sullivan 'Gypsy Juice' Pinot Noir, while you tuck into a brisket and jalapeño toastie, chilli-doused pork ribs, or your pick of cheese and charcuterie. The north might be, as Nelson says, "a hard nut to crack", but it sure looks like The Moon is up to the challenge. The Moon is located at 28 Stanley Street, Collingwood and is open daily. For more info, visit themooninmelbourne.com.
It has been three months since Queensland closed its borders to Greater Sydney, making the Sunshine State off limits to residents of specific local government areas in the New South Wales capital. Over that period, the status of Queensland's borders has changed multiple times — as it has throughout much of 2020 — including shutting out all of NSW, then reopening to all of NSW except Greater Sydney. But, finally, Sydneysiders will be able to make the journey north from Tuesday, December 1. Today, Tuesday, November 24, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that Queensland will reopen its border to all of NSW, including Sydney, from the first of next month — which is just seven days away. The Premier said Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young was now "satisfied" that NSW was safe as it had reached more than 28 days of no unlinked community transmission. The state is also set to open its border to Victoria from December 1, as long as the southern state does not record a new case tomorrow. Victoria has had 25 consecutive days with zero new cases and has today hit the milestone of zero active COVID-19 cases for the first time since February. "I hope this is welcome news," the Queensland Premier said at the announcement. "I think it's great news in the lead-up to Christmas, but, once again, that timely reminder for everybody — we need to make sure that we continue to keep up our social distancing." https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1331015192155541507 This is also good news if you're a Queenslander now keen on a southern getaway, as you'll be able to head to Sydney or Melbourne (if all goes well in the next 24 hours) and not have to worry about quarantining on return. The Sunshine State will continue to keep its borders closed to 20 South Australian LGAs for the foreseeable future. Whichever way you're heading, though, you will still need a border pass. It isn't required to leave the state, but you'll need one to enter, regardless of whether you're a tourist or returning resident. To obtain a pass, you'll need to apply online, with each one valid for seven days. For more information about Queensland's border policies, head to the Queensland Government website.
Parking in Sydney is, well, a bit of a nightmare. There are some 10,483 council parking spaces available to share between a population of over 4 million. The average price for the privilege of plonking your vehicle in the CBD for two-hours is up around the $40 mark. That's if you even manage to find a spot. It's double that for a parking infringement, unless of course you avoid getting caught thanks to geo-location app Park Patrol. Other cities resort to stacking cars vertically, while privately-owned spaces can be crowd-sourced on sites like YourParkingSpace. Perhaps we should take a leaf from San Francisco's book. Recently launched SFPark is a website and mobile app which uses sensors, new meters, and real-time parking data to improve parking in eight test neighbourhoods in the inner city. Around 7,000 of San Fran's 28,800 metered spaces and 12,250 public garage spaces are covered in the program. Accessing real-time information about the availability of parking, drivers can quickly zip into open spaces. Parking meter pricing gets adjusted according to supply and demand, which helps balance availability of popular spaces while subtly encouraging commuters to opt for more sustainable travel options, like a bike or a bus. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bzUGs02Zy40 [Via Fast Company]
Not once, not twice, but at least 17 times, Robert Pattinson (The Batman) dies in Mickey 17. In the just-dropped full trailer for the new science-fiction film, his character is not too happy about it, either. But when you've signed up to be an 'expendable', as Mickey has in this adaptation of Edward Ashton's book Mickey 7, you've agreed to kick the bucket over and over and over for a living. On the page, the lead character is the seventh version — thank human printing — working as part of an effort to to colonise an ice world and soon finding himself trying to fend off the eighth. Mickey 17 has clearly upped that to the 17th version of its lead character. And, with Korean director Bong Joon-ho writing and directing, making his long-awaited first feature since Parasite, it's leaning heavily on comedy as well. Mickey 17 has been in the works for years, even dropping an initial teaser trailer at the end of 2022. Back then, the flick was targeting a March 2024 release date; however, that changed early this year, with the movie now hitting cinemas in January 2025. Thanks to everything that the last few years have served up, 2019, when the Palme d'Or-, Sydney Film Festival Prize- and Oscar-winning Parasite released, seems like a lifetime ago. So, waiting for anything since that innocent pre-pandemic time feels like waiting forever. But a new Bong movie has always been worth it so far, as his impressive cinematic resume attests. He's also the filmmaker behind stunning crime procedural Memories of Murder, creature feature The Host, dystopian thriller Snowpiercer and the offbeat Okja, after all. Mickey 17 looks set to mark the filmmaker's third movie mostly in English after Snowpiercer and Okja, with Pattinson leading a cast that also includes Steven Yeun (Beef), Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody), Toni Collette (Mafia Mamma) and Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things). Science-fiction fans will spot that the premise alone gives off big Moon, Sunshine and Voyagers vibes — and brings High Life, RPatz's last exceptional sci-fi flick, to mind. That said, Bong isn't a filmmaker to follow in anyone else's footsteps. How he makes this concept his own already looks like a treat to see based on the two sneak peeks so far. Mickey 17 is a return for Pattinson, too, given that he hasn't been seen on-screen since his debut turn as Bruce Wayne — although he could be heard in the English-language version of Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron, adding a movie by another iconic director to his filmography. Check out the full trailer for Mickey 17 below: Mickey 17 releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
Another year coming to a close, another batch of relaxing COVID-19 restrictions. That's the case in 2021, just as it was in 2020, as different parts of the country ease out of their latest lockdowns again. So, as also occurred last year, border rules around the nation are changing once more — with New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and now Tasmania announcing plans for visitors from elsewhere. Today, Friday, October 22, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein revealed that the Apple Isle will reopen to all non-Tassie residents who've had two COVID-19 jabs — travellers from interstate and international destinations — on Wednesday, December 15. That's when the state is expected to have reached the 90-percent double-vaccinated threshold, if you're wondering what motivated that choice. And, yes, that's when the double-vaxxed from Australia and around the world alike will be able to enter without quarantining. "At the 90-percent fully vaccinated target for 12 years and over, anyone will be able to enter Tasmania from anywhere within Australia, subject to being fully vaccinated," the Gutwein advised. "That's if they've had a negative test result within 72 hours of travelling. The testing requirement will remain in place for up to four weeks subject to review." "Now, at the 90-percent vaccination mark as well, no quarantine for fully vaccinated overseas arrivals. It will be the same rules for everyone. If you're coming from overseas and you're coming to Tasmania, you'll have the same rules if you're coming out of Sydney or Melbourne or South Australia or Queensland," the Premier continued. That testing requirement is exactly what Victoria has just announced, too, for international arrivals — however, in Tasmania, it'll apply to both Aussie and overseas visitors. The Premier also noted that the only exemption to this will be for Tasmanians that return from a short trip to the mainland. "So, if you want to go shopping in Melbourne... if you're away for a couple of days, you'll be able to return, so long as you're fully vaccinated, without needing to meet the 72-hour test rule. So, if you travel and the travel is less than seven days, you'll be able to return," Gutwein said. The news comes just two days after Tassie hit the 70-percent double-vaxxed milestone among residents aged 16 years and over. For potential visitors who aren't double-jabbed or refuse to take a test before heading to Tasmania, there'll still be quarantine and testing requirements from Wednesday, December 15. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Tasmania, and the state's corresponding restrictions, visit its online COVID-19 hub.
Just like their killer villains, some horror franchises never seem to die. In 2021, two big recent sagas have released their latest instalments, with Spiral: From the Book of Saw and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It keeping their respective spook-filled realms going. Alas, neither movie was anywhere near either series' best, but the fact that both Saw and Conjuring flicks are still reaching screens is a great testament to James Wan. The Australian filmmaker has been a key figure behind both franchises, directing their early instalments and still earning executive producer credits now — as he's followed the tried-and-tested path from horror movies to Hollywood blockbusters. Wan mightn't have been behind the lens of Spiral and The Devil Made Me Do It, but he is returning to his favourite genre this year — after detouring into action with Fast & Furious 7, Aquaman and the upcoming Aquaman 2. His latest flick Malignant will hit cinemas in September, marking his first horror film that isn't attached to an existing franchise since the initial Conjuring movie released back in 2013. This time around, he's playing with nightmares — but of the daylight variety. Malignant's protagonist Madison (Annabelle Wallis, Boss Level) keeps having visions of disturbing murders, only to find out that they aren't just figments of her imagination. Also complicating matters, as seen in the just-dropped trailer: the fact that, as a kid, she told people that she was speaking to the devil. The suitably moody and dark-hued trailer teases out this exact scenario, throws in a few bumps and jumps, but obviously leaves the key details for horror fans to discover when the film hits the big screen. Wan co-wrote the story behind the movie, with screenwriter Akela Cooper (upcoming Conjuring Universe sequel The Nun 2) penning the script. And, cast-wise, Maddie Hasson (Mr Mercedes), George Young (Containment), Michole Briana White (Songbird), Jacqueline McKenzie (Palm Beach), Jake Abel (Son of the South) and Ingrid Bisu (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) all co-star. Check out the trailer for Malignant below: Malignant opens in Australian cinemas on September 7.
School is back in session. Next week, tens of thousands of uni students will be on campus for orientation, and ASOS will be there with them. The online clothing retailer is setting up pop-up stands at universities around the country, to help you make sure you're looking your best when you rock up for your first day of class. You can find the ASOS stands at Monash Clayton (Feb 22-24), University of Melbourne (Feb 23, 25-26), University of NSW (Feb 22-25), University of Sydney (Feb 24-26) and University of Queensland (Feb 24). Swing by and sign up for a free bag of goodies. They'll also be running a photo competition, in which the best Instagram and Twitter snaps of each day score a $200 ASOS voucher. If you can't make it to one of the pop-ups, students can still sign up to ASOS via their website to get 10 percent off all full price items all year-round, and be kept up to date with all the shiny new things. While you're there, watch out for the latest news from the ASOS On Campus Hub, where a team of student insiders will be keeping tabs on campus life and style.
The much anticipated Graphic Festival at the Sydney Opera House is nearly upon us. A whole weekend dedicated to anime and animation, live performances, innovative visuals, inspiring talks and, no doubt a substantial dose of fun. And Silent Comics, a mini festival within the festival, is set to be one of its highlights. Silent Comics aims to celebrate the illustrated works in their purest form, where the narrative of the comic is entirely visually driven — no captions, no text, no words. And to add to your sensory pleasure, they have asked some seriously talented local and international musicians to come to the party too. Comics by artists such as Robert Crumb (Fritz the Cat), Jim Woodring (Frank), Peter Kuper (Spy vs Spy) and Nathan Jurevisius (Scarygirl), will be accompanied by ten minute sets of brand new music by Gotye, Plaid, Seekae, FourPlay, Captain Matchbox and Darth Vegas, in what is sure to be Sunday afternoon of visual and auditory goodness. For a chance to win one of five double passes to Silent Comic, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
2024 started with Donald Glover on-screen in the TV remake of Mr & Mrs Smith. 2025 Down Under will begin with Childish Gambino returning to Australia and New Zealand on his The New World tour. The rapper and hip hop star has announced five dates across the two countries, starting in January and running into February, on what will be his first trip to these shores since 2019. On the agenda, then: summertime magic, when the musician/actor/writer/director plays not just his latest album Atavista — the finished version of 2020's 3.15.20 — but tracks from a career behind the microphone that dates back to 2011. Accordingly, expect to hear 'This Is America', 'Redbone', 'Sweatpants' and other songs from his past records Camp, Because the Internet and Awaken, My Love!. The Down Under leg of the tour will kick off at Spark Arena in Auckland, Gambino's only Aotearoa show. From there, he's hitting up the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena, Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena and RAC Arena in Perth. When he last headed this way — complete with a headline spot at Splendour in the Grass — it was after initially announcing a 2018 Australian tour, then cancelling it due to an ongoing injury. Before that, he performed at Falls Festival in 2016. [caption id="attachment_955317" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eli Watson via Flickr.[/caption] Gambino mightn't have been on Aussie and NZ stages for a spell, but Glover had the final two seasons of Atlanta — both in 2022 — reach screens since he was last Down Under. Voice work on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, producing TV series Swarm, the aforementioned Mr & Mrs Smith: they've all joined his resume as well. He'll also be heard as Simba again in Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to 2019's photorealistic version of The Lion King, before 2024 is out. On all Australian and New Zealand shows, Gambino will be supported by Amaarae. Childish Gambino 'The New World' Tour 2025 Australia and New Zealand Dates Tuesday, January 28 — Spark Arena, Auckland Saturday, February 1 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Tuesday, February 4 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Friday, February 7 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, February 11 — RAC Arena, Perth Childish Gambino is touring Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025 — with ticket presales from Thursday, May 16, 2024 at staggered times, and general sales from Monday, May 20, 2024 at staggered times. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Eli Watson via Flickr.
If you go to sleep thinking of cuddling baby animals in the hope you'll wake up next to one, your dreams might be about to come true. Sydney's Taronga Zoo have released their plans to build a new 58-room "eco-resort" right in the middle of the zoo. Evidently building off the success of the zoo's Roar and Snore — a pretty amazing overnight stay at the zoo, which involves camping in tents and seeing the animals after dark and early in the morning — this new initiative, the Taronga Wildlife Retreat, will create a new immersive overnight experience for visitors to the zoo. They'll stay in "luxury pods" within the proposed Australian Habitat section of the zoo, which will supposedly be surrounded by native fauna and animals. There will be koalas, wallabies and platypus. I repeat: koalas, wallabies, platypus. The plans for the retreat, which have just been lodged with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, look set to cost upwards of $44 million. And while the aim is to support conservation by educating and inspiring visitors (many of whom will be international), critics are questioning whether that money wouldn't be better spent on improving conditions for the animals at the zoo. An environmental impact statement still has to be put together, so we'll see how this plays out. Via The Sydney Morning Herald
Not content with mastering what he believes to be the perfect burger recipe, Ralph Rashid — owner of Beatbox Kitchen and Taco Truck — turned his attention to sweets with the opening of All Day Donuts. Although it's not open 24-hours, it has extended its hours to seven days a week, selling doughies from the morning until sold out. There are five flavours a day — including lime brûlée and strawberry cheesecake — but our recommendation is the jaffa. Need something savoury to follow these bad boys up? The space also houses Juanita Peaches for post- or pre- doughnut fried chicken.
In The Virgin Suicides, in a role for Sofia Coppola that he'll always be known for, Josh Hartnett played the dreamy high schooler who had Kirsten Dunst swooning. A quarter-century later, as his then-director is fresh from a Priscilla Presley biopic and his former co-star just snapped America's divisiveness at its potential worst as a photojournalist in Civil War, he's now jumped from Trip Fontaine to Trap, still with his appearance and its impact upon others a key factor. Cooper Adams, Hartnett's latest character, likely was a teen heartthrob, too. Now he's a kindly firefighter who dotes on his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue, Wolf Like Me) to the extent that he's her chaperone at the Taylor Swift-esque Lady Raven's (first-timer Saleka Night Shyamalan) Philadelphia concert. His politeness wins over people quickly, such as the merchandise-slinging Jamie (Jonathan Langdon, Run the Burbs), who's soon doing him a favour. But Trip wasn't completely the charmer that he seemed, and Cooper isn't just a nice dad doing parenting well — he's Trap's killer. It was true in The Sixth Sense of Bruce Willis (Assassin), in Unbreakable with Samuel L Jackson (Argylle), of James McAvoy (His Dark Materials) in Split and with Dave Bautista (Dune: Part Two) in Knock at the Cabin: M Night Shyamalan knows how to draw a gripping turn out of his leads. With well-known names in front of his lens, including Hartnett (The Bear), he's just as aware of how to riff on existing audience understanding and expectations. Not everyone who acts for the Glass, The Visit and Old filmmaker receives the same treatment — but when the approach works, it's worth building an entire movie around. Trap is one such flick, clueing viewers in early that Hartnett has taken a Dexter-esque step into a murderer's shoes. Then, it observes the disconnect between the perceptions of everyone around Cooper and his homicidal urges, all as the cops stage a sting at the gig to catch someone they know solely as The Butcher. When he arrives at the stadium with Riley, Cooper has no idea that attempting to capture him will be the real production of the day. He promised his giddily excited kid that she'd see her favourite singer if she earned good grades and he's delivered; that she's fallen out with her friends and needs something a distraction also factors in. Then Shyamalan, who writes and directs, draws attention to the hordes of police filtering in, plus the profiler (Hayley Mills, Death in Paradise) calling the shots. Cooper equally notices. It's all a ploy, Jamie shares without realising who he's talking to, and there's only one route out. Already juggling checking on his current detainee (Mark Bacolcol, Night Is Limpid) via webcam and being drawn into the schoolyard feud by a fellow parent (Marnie McPhail, Dream Scenario) with ensuring that Riley is having the time of her life, he's now desperately trying to stop his normal-guy facade from crumbling. The famously twist-loving Shyamalan isn't bashful about Cooper's lethal tendencies. Accordingly, that isn't among the movie's surprises. As Trap's protagonist endeavours to stay ahead of his pursuers in a cat-and-mouse game — they've no idea what he looks like, which assists immensely — and reassure Riley when she starts thinking that he's acting weird, plot shocks remain in store, but so does convenience. Frequently staring intimately at Harnett's face especially when it's wearing a loaded smile, the film aligns its perspective with Cooper's whatever-it-takes efforts to stay avoid handcuffs, yet luck has as much as sway on his path as smarts. As he does with dad jokes and awkwardness, Harnett sells every clever choice and stroke of fortune alike, and compellingly gets audiences into the killer's head, though, in a standout role for the Penny Dreadful, Wrath of Man, Black Mirror and Oppenheimer actor; Trap would struggle without his transfixing commitment. Even with opportune turns constantly coming Cooper's way, Shyamalan doesn't have a tension problem, in no small part because watching one of his films means inherently being on edge for the next twist, then the next, then the next again — and he gleefully toys with that fact. But he does have a third-act issue, especially when he branches beyond his solid setup. While that choice brings in a welcome supporting performance from Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) as Cooper's wife and Riley's mother Rachel, it plunges the feature into Lord of the Rings-style too-many-endings territory. Also too often, Trap's decisions feel like Shyamalan simply thinking that something would be nifty. Enlisting Mills given her The Parent Trap background, Kid Cudi's (Silent Night) winking cameo, giving Saleka such prominence: some hit the target, others wish they did. What lengths will a dad go to for his daughter? That's one of this picture's threads on- and off-screen. In a year that's seen Trap's filmmaker produce the directorial debut of one of his children, with Ishana Night Shyamalan's The Watchers reaching cinemas mere months before his own latest release, he's now penned and helmed a flick that features another of his kids as a pop sensation and has the real-life singer's own music weaved in prominently. As he has long enjoyed doing in his own movies, the Shyamalan patriarch also pops up on camera, this time to praise Saleka's Lady Raven. He's pitched Trap as a Swift gig meets The Silence of the Lambs, but it's as much about wanting to give your children everything, build them up and, when you've got other demands on your focus, still doing your best to be there for them. Aided by cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (who shot Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria and Challengers for Luca Guadagnino, plus Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and Memoria for Apichatpong Weerasethakul) alongside editor Noemi Katharina Preiswerk (Knock at the Cabin, Servant), Shyamalan doesn't take his gift to Saleka lightly. The concert-film elements aren't window dressing. He revels in them, sometimes savvily juxtaposing the show's massive scale with Cooper's life-or-death predicament, sometimes with the indulgence of a dad giving his kid a vehicle for her dreams. The Eras tour boasts many things, a date with screens among them, but it isn't also a psychological thriller; mix that with Grand Piano and Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation's opera scene, and that's Trap's template as well. When Hartnett sings, albeit not literally, so does the film. Donoghue also does her utmost and leaves an impression. But, while engrossing, the picture they're in often plays like a warmup for a big gig that hasn't pulled off everything that it wants to.
Yogyakarta, Indonesia produces all sorts of interesting art. The price of entry is usually a plane ticket across the Timor Sea, but over summer the NGV is home-delivering some of Yogyakarta’s burgeoning creative scene. RALLY: Contemporary Indonesian Art highlights two Yogyakarta artists: Eko Nugroho, whose figures lurk, menace and observe with a not unfriendly eye, and Jompet Kuswidananto whose exploration of his own “gray nation” tends to express itself in installations often featuring highly articulate, invisible figures in uniform. A mural by Nugroho will sit also behind the NGV waterwall and Kuswidananto’s the Commoners will be suspended at back of the Gallery in the stain-glass-ceilinged Federation Court. The artists themselves will talk about art and politics this Saturday for the opening event Rally at the NGV. Image: Eko Nugroho Threat As A Flavour installation view, ARNDT, Berlin, 2012. Courtesy of the artist and ARNDT, Berlin. © Eko Nugroho. Photo: Bernd Borchardt
It's true of every great arts festival lineup: pick three highlights from the program at random and a clear snapshot of the event's diverse array of experiences emerges. For a trio of picks from Sydney Festival's just-announced 2025 bill that does exactly that, turning the Harbour City's Town Hall into the wild west, exploring a true-crime case in an IRL courthouse, then getting Avatar, Titanic, The Terminator and Aliens filmmaker James Cameron chatting about shipwrecks all paint a clear picture. As it has done for 49 years now, this fest adores having something for everyone on offer. Just two years after Sydney Town Hall became an indoor beach complete with 26 tonnes of sand for the festival, the venue will transform into a pioneer settlement for Dark Noon, which builds its setting in real time as the audience watches on. A hit at Edinburgh Fringe, playing Australia exclusive to Sydney Festival and heading Down Under after a run in New York, the production from Danish director Tue Biering explores the power dynamics, race relations and colonial impacts inherent in its chosen chapter of history, all by subverting the wild west tropes established by cinema over the years — and with a South African cast. [caption id="attachment_977489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Teddy Wolff[/caption] Also a standout on the full program, which'll pack Sydney with more than 130 shows and events from Saturday, January 4–Sunday, January 26, 2025: A Model Murder at the Darlinghurst Courthouse. Playwright Melanie Tait (The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race) and director Sheridan Harbridge (44 Sex Acts in One Week) aren't just recreating model Shirley Beiger's trial for shooting her cheating boyfriend — they're staging it at the same spot where it took place seven decades ago. For something completely different, one of the biggest names in blockbuster cinema is also on the Sydney Festival lineup, with James Cameron's experience in the water — including diving to earth's deepest point — the topic of conversation on the talks section of the bill. Or, still thinking about the sea, a giant whale is popping up in Bondi, courtesy of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre. The fest's 23-day run has a date with 43 different locations around town, ensuring that every corner of Sydney gets in on the action. One such location: Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, where The Thirsty Mile is returning as a hub featuring much to see by day and night. Think: free live music across 12 evenings, yoga classes, a heap of productions, public art and, for a beverage, the Moonshine Bar, where artist Telly Tuita is decking out the joint — as he's also doing with the SS John Oxley and via ten-room 'Tongpop' installation Colour Maze. Blak Out joins the favourites making a comeback, this time with Sydney Festival's Creative Artist in Residence Jake Nash curating the program. With Barangaroo Reserve as its base, this pivotal part of the fest includes Belvoir Theatre's Jacky, album launches for DOBBY and Radical Son, a woven canopy that'll host conversations, a celebration of Redfern's 70s-era National Black Theatre and more. [caption id="attachment_977492" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tashi Hall[/caption] From there, the world premiere of Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera, Sophocles' Antigone reimagined on the edge of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and a twist on Shakespeare via Cliff Cardinal's As You Like It or The Land Acknowledgement should get your eyes glued to the stage. Also in the same category: Back to Back Theatre's Multiple Bad Things at Sydney Opera House, Opera Australia taking on Cendrillon (Cinderella), Christie Whelan Browne exploring her childhood. First Nations drag performer Miss Ellaneous honouring a simply-the-best icon with Tina — A Tropical Love Story and Greek mythology-inspired dance piece AFTERWORLD. Elsewhere on the bill, Rufus Wainwright is heading to town, William Yang's Milestone marks his 80th birthday, Katie Noonan is paying tribute to Jeff Buckley's Grace for its 30th anniversary, Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden is hosting five gigs, the Future Frequencies bill is all about music up and comers such as Yaya Bey and Cash Savage and The Last Drinks, Sydney Symphony Under the Stars is back and audiences can take part in interactive dance piece Cowboy. [caption id="attachment_977485" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dahlia Katz[/caption] "Sydney Festival has long held summer's cultural pulse and this year is quite the heartbeat. Stories of Oceania, destiny and what we leave behind through to bold explorations of utopia and dystopia, Sydney Festival 2025 promises an exhilarating and thought-provoking journey through the arts with exceptional talent at the reins," said Festival Director Olivia Ansell, announcing her fourth — and final — program. "This January, immerse yourself in a summer of unforgettable performances, groundbreaking new works, and exclusive experiences that reimagine the world around us." There's clearly a wealth of reasons to head along, whether you're a Sydneysider making the most of your own town or you're planning an interstate trip to kick off 2025 — and the fact that the fest is also doing $49 early-bird tickets across the entire program until early December is yet another. [caption id="attachment_977488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Lindberg[/caption] [caption id="attachment_977486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeff Busby[/caption] [caption id="attachment_977487" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bill Cooper / Royal Opera House / ArenaPAL[/caption] Sydney Festival 2025 runs from Saturday, January 4–Sunday, January 26 at venues across the city. For further details and to buy tickets from 9am AEDT on Wednesday, October 30, visit the Sydney Festival website.
Playing ice hockey isn't a regular part of growing up Down Under, but watching a ragtag team of underdogs try their best on the ice has been a childhood staple since the 90s. The reason: the Mighty Ducks franchise. The three Emilio Estevez and Joshua Jackson-starring films hit screens between 1992–6, and have remained nostalgic favourites ever since. The trio of movies also spanned an animated show back in 1996; however, that's not the franchise's only leap into television. Because everything old is new again — including making that observation, because it just keeps proving relevant — Disney+ is bringing Mighty Ducks back courtesy of new series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers. If Karate Kid can live on via the small screen, then so can this other beloved sports-focused saga, it seems. And like Cobra Kai, Game Changers is bringing back a familiar face when it debuts its ten-episode first season on Friday, March 26. That'd be Estevez, who reprises his role as Coach Gordon Bombay. Sadly, Jackson isn't involved this time around — but Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham will feature as the mother of a hockey-loving boy who helps him create his own team. Aimed at all ages — so at kids just discovering Mighty Ducks for the first time, and adults with fond memories — the show looks set to follow the underdog formula established in the films, as both its first teaser trailer and its just-dropped full trailer illustrates. The series is set in Minnesota, where the Mighty Ducks are now a big deal, 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Brady Noon) gets cut from the team, and he and his mom (Graham) bring together their own crew in response — with the help of Bombay, of course. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZTouNvgPCM&feature=youtu.be The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers starts airing on Disney+ from Friday, March 26. Top image: Disney+.
Everyone has a favourite kind of chocolate. Everyone also has a favourite kind of chocolate that doesn't actually exist. You know what we're talking about — you've fantasised about a bar of cocoa goodness that includes all your wildest, weirdest additions, and you've been cripplingly saddened every time you've looked for your crazy concoction in the supermarket. Keep dreaming deliciously big, because new Australian online retailer Chocolab is in the business of granting chocolate wishes. Whether milk, white or dark is your jam, and whether you like to find confectionery, spices, fruit, nuts, biscuits, cereal, coffee, popcorn or pretzels hidden within, your dream choccy could be an actual, eatable thing. In the company's online creation lab, you can add up to five possible bits and pieces to your 100-gram block of Belgium's finest. The lengthy list of ingredients currently includes sour gummy worms, Ovalteenies, Nerds, caramel fudge, Nutella, Fruit Tingles, sherbet, acai berries, Tiny Teddies, brownie bites, Cornflakes and more, with new options added regularly. If you don't see an add-in you like, you can even suggest your own. A block starts at $6.50, with add-ins ranging from 70c to $2. Once you've settled on your picks, your concoction is handcrafted by Chocolab's professional chocolatiers, then shipped to you as soon as possible — and yes, there's an express delivery option, because no one likes waiting for the food of the gods. Postage starts at $4 per block, so while it's not the cheapest block of chocolate in town, it's certainly the most happily indulgent. Chocolab recommends eating the finished product with a month or two, and we celebrate their optimism and judgement-free attitude. We all know your dream bar won't last that long. To find out more about Chocolab, or to design your own block of chocolate, visit their website.
Social media can get you anywhere, or so the story behind Marvel's latest movie and the actor playing its eponymous character demonstrates. Back in 2014, Simu Liu tweeted at the comic book company-turned-filmmaking powerhouse, asking "how about an Asian American hero?". In 2018, after Black Panther's success, he tweeted again — querying "are we gonna talk or what?" with the #ShangChi hashtag. Now, the Kim's Convenience star leads the Marvel Cinematic Universe's 25th feature, and the first to focus on a hero of Asian descent in its 13-year run to-date. He's the face of the franchise's latest step forward, both in terms of inclusion and representation, and in keeping the MCU's ongoing narrative forever hurtling onwards. Liu anchors a film about history and destiny, too — one that's about breaking free from the past and committing to the future — and he heartily embraces the occasion. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings itself flits between offering up a lively picture that strives to carve out its own space in the series, and simply serving up more of the usual Marvel template but in enticing packaging, however. Liu first graces the screen as Shaun, a San Francisco valet who's happy parking cars with his best pal Katy (Awkwafina, Breaking News in Yuba County), even though they both know they could follow other paths. While the film shows Katy's family decrying her lack of ambition, Shaun has a keener awareness of what he isn't doing — because he's really Shang-Chi, the son of centuries-old warlord Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung, The Grandmaster), who leads the shadowy Ten Rings criminal organisation and wears the mystical bracelets it's named after. Shang-Chi also has the otherworldly Jiang Li (Fala Chen, The Undoing), the former guardian of an enchanted village filled with dutiful warriors and mythical creatures, for a mother. But when she died when he was a child, his life changed. After the grief-stricken Wenwu obsessively trained him to become an assassin and see vengeance, Shang-Chi fled for the US, where he's lived since. Then, initially via a postcard from his Macau-based, underground fight club-running sister Xu Xialing (debutant Meng'er Zhang), and then thanks a violent visit from his dad's henchmen, he's forced into a family reunion that puts the fate of the universe at stake. It's telling that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actually begins by honing in on Wenwu, laying out his backstory and pushing glorious Hong Kong cinema legend Leung — a star with seven Wong Kar-wai films, such as In the Mood for Love and 2046, to his name — firmly to the fore. Marvel has loved daddy issues since Iron Man launched the MCU in 2008. It also adores complicated histories, and stressing the idea that heroes are forged from such complexity. And, it likes anchoring its sprawling on-screen world in as much lore and as many links to the past as it can. That's all accounted for in Shang-Chi's opening move, but so is pure movie-star physics. Leung is never less than magnetic in every feature he's in, including here. He's an actor with breathtaking presence, which has seen him prove one of cinema's most commanding figures for four-plus decades. The power and texture he brings to conflicted characters improves any film and, even with Liu handling his leading role with all the charisma and energy demanded, Leung is always the biggest highlight of every scene he's in. In other words, writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy, Short Term 12) has cast two essential roles devastatingly well — and maybe better than he intended in one case. Liu remains the star of the show, and the movie sets him up for more MCU appearances, of course. He crosses paths with other faces from the franchise, there's zero doubt that he'll be a key part of the saga moving forward and, based on this likeable-enough debut outing, audiences will want to spend more time in his company. But watching Leung constantly leads to yearning for more of Leung. The same applies when the great Michelle Yeoh (Gunpowder Milkshake) also pops up after Shang-Chi openly nods towards Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Marvel's decision to add a martial arts movie to its roster, and to populate it with Asian cinema superstars, can just remind viewers of all the exceptional works that the genre and those talents already made long before Hollywood blockbusters paid them notice, in fact. Shang-Chi brings other films to mind repeatedly, including via valet hijinks that ride in Ferris Bueller's Day Off's tyre treads, and a phenomenal bus scene — the movie's standout, and the beneficiary of dazzling fight choreography — that's more than a little like Speed-meets-Nobody. When a franchise spans 25 instalments and shows no signs of stopping, seeing echoes of past flicks comes with the territory as well, with Shang-Chi boasting the focus on character that makes the better MCU entries stand out, but also remaining happy to descend into the overblown CGI that's always been one of the series' worst impulses. It doesn't quite possess Black Panther's world-building flair, but it wants to. It can't exactly make its genre fit as well as Black Widow did with the spy realm, either. And, sometimes it feels like it's doing the bare minimum that Marvel thinks is necessary with this titular figure, and with committing to an Asian hero, as Captain Marvel illustrated before it with the saga's first solo female lead. When Shang-Chi soars — when Liu and especially Leung shine, the wuxia-inspired action choreography does the same and building engaging characters is the film's main motivation — it makes for vivid viewing. When it finds genuine emotion in Shang-Chi and Wenwu's thorny relationship, and celebrates the MCU's latest otherwise-overlooked sister (with Xialing joining Black Panther's Shuri and Black Widow's Yelena), it beats with heart, too. When it breaks out a sense of humour, which happens often in Cretton, Dave Callaham (Mortal Kombat) and Andrew Lanham's (Just Mercy) screenplay, it mostly mines an entertainingly goofy vibe (although it does lean a little too heavily on Awkwafina doing her Crazy Rich Asians sidekick schtick). That's the film's first two-thirds. When Shang-Chi regurgitates the standard formula, complete with a special-effects onslaught of a finale that favours pixels more than the fantasy flicks it's trying to ape, it surrenders a better movie to an average one. Here's hoping that Liu's tweets ultimately give rise to something more as the MCU keeps on keeping on.
If heaving steins of frothy, golden beers paired with generously proportioned, hearty schnitzels or freshly baked pretzels are your idea of a good time, you're probably a big fan of Oktoberfest. The German folk festival has been adopted worldwide, bringing its music, food and drinks aplenty to the masses. Melbourne's unofficial home of the festival is Hofbräuhaus, where the celebrations are returning for the 56th year in 2024. The special offering will run from Saturday, September 21, to Saturday, October 26. That's six weeks of celebrations, kicking off with an opening night party. The activities run most of the day, and you'll get the most action from 6.30pm from Thursday to Sunday, but the party starts as early as 12.30 on Saturdays, with imported German Biers poured (and tapped directly from the keg) and crumbed-to-order schnitzels plated to live music. If the bands are in full swing, guests can also take part in Stein-carrying competitions. The prize? A year of free beer, of course. Those activities and menu items will be available on a varying schedule for the entire six-week period, with more competitions (yodelling, anyone?) and over 16 exclusive German Biers imported for the event, singalongs in English and German and the promise of a fully immersive Oktoberfest experience. Prost! Oktoberfest celebrations will run at Hofbräuhaus from Saturday, September 21, to October 26. For more information, visit the website.
Holgate Brewhouse is one of the most popular craft breweries to come out of Victoria and its brewhouse is the spot to taste their award winning brews. Situated in the village of Woodend (about an hour our of the city), the brewery has been around since 1999 and was set up in Paul and Natasha Holgate's backyard. The bar is very much a country corner pub, with eight taps, classic pub grub and live music every Friday night. If you've overindulged, no worries — grab a room upstairs for the night, with a dinner and beer tasting package while you're at it. Image: David Hannah/Visit Victoria.
Much-loved travelling wine festival Pinot Palooza is making its anticipated return this October. But since last year's postponement left us all waiting an extra long time between drinks, the fest's organisers have a little surprise to tide over Australia's pinot-lovers until spring. The all-new Pinot Palooza Unplugged Sunday sessions are set to heat up winter with a trio of chilled-out tasting parties dedicated to everyone's favourite cool climate red. Taking over the Timber Yard on May 30, July 4 and July 25, each five-hour event will hero a different one of Victoria's leading pinot-producing regions: the Mornington Peninsula, Gippsland and Geelong, respectively. A $35 ticket gets you entry to your session of choice, a Revel wine glass to keep, and all of your day's wine tastings. In-between sips, you'll get to chat to the producers — think, Quealy, Pt Leo, Montalto and Red Hill Estate kicking things off for the Mornington Peninsula. And, as always, there'll be plenty of great food and tunes to keep you entertained on the day.
The theme of this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival is 'Eat Your Art Out', which sees most of the 470-plus events explore the relationship between food and art. You'll be invited to join interactive dinners, cook at pop-up barbecues and drop by the weekly Fringe Flavours Night Market. Every Wednesday evening from September 18–October 16, Queen Vic Market will play host to food stalls, bars, local artisan shops and heaps of Fringe performances. You can tuck into Polich dumplings from Pierogi, Pierogi, handmade pasta from La Trafila, a huge selection of tacos from the Le Mano, Korean corn rice from Oksusu and fluffy souffles from the Tokyoki Souffle team. There'll also be three separate bars running each night. One will serve up a selection of berry-infused cocktails, another will shake up nothing but margaritas, and the third will be run by the Fringe Night Market itself — serving beer, wine, spiced rum and gin and tonics. When it comes to entertainment, you're absolutely spoilt for choice. Tash York will perform their wine-filled cabaret show, Throw Catch Collective will run a food-themed juggling act, Bettie Bombshell and Ruby Sklippers will perform family-friendly versions of their burlesque shows, and Boyd Kelly will be DJing most nights — bringing soul and funk beats to the Fringe Flavours Night Market. You can, of course, look up who is performing in advance and go along for their free show at the market, but we love to be surprised by Melbourne Fringe Festival events — simply rocking up and hoping for the best. That's kind of the of the point of the Fringe. Discover a new artist at the spring night market series, and if you really love them, pay for tickets to their main Fringe show. The Fringe Flavours Night Market is running every Wednesday from 5-10pm from September 18–October 16. For more details, head to the venue's website.
Ah, Sriracha. Possibly the only condiment with a true cult following. From ramen to lollies, it can be used on and in anything, literally. Devotes can’t live without that so hot but so good burn that leaves mouths on fire, noses runny and eyes watery. Well, people, there’s some bad news. The major Sriracha factory in California is partially shutting down. All because the citizens of Irwindale couldn’t take a little heat. Residents complained of heartburn, inflamed asthma and even nosebleeds that were caused by a "spicy odour" coming from the factory. They took Huy Fong Foods to court, where a local judge ordered the manufacturer to stop doing, er, whatever they were doing to cause the stench. The ruling does not order the company to stop operating entirely, nor specify the types of actions that are required. Basically, they can go back to making their spicy sauce once they get that damn smell under wraps. The best part: the judge conceded to the "lack of credible evidence" linking the apparent health problems to the odour, but said that it seems to be "extremely annoying, irritating and offensive to the senses warranting consideration as a public nuisance." Weeeak. So what does this mean for Sriracha lovers? Well, because Huy Fong uses only the freshest chillies in its secret recipe, the fiery little guys must be ground within days of harvest. This process, which happens only two or three months out of the year, has fortunately been completed. The bottling process goes on year round, but a partial shutdown of this factory, the largest of two, could leave the sauce to spoil. Since the company already struggles to keep up with its growing global demand, this is no bueno. Huy Fong’s founder, David Tran, claims he’s never raised the wholesale price for the sauce in over 30 years, but that might have to change. So you might want to think about making a supermarket trip or two, like soon. Image via ilovememphis. Story via Quartz.
Don’t pack away your Halloween get-up so fast; Melbourne’s 10th annual Zombie Shuffle is right around the corner, and they’re coming for your brains. Starting at Treasury Gardens at 1pm, zombies will shuffle for an hour to wind up at Alexandra Gardens skate park. If you want to see the exact route, hit up their Facebook page. Despite the fact that zombies are often considered to be a lawless bunch, there are a few rules to abide by at this year’s shuffle. It may seem obvious, but this is a ZOMBIE shuffle, so don’t come dressed up as anything other than dead. Also, zombies don’t (often) use weapons during an apocalypse, and it’s requested you don’t bring any either, no matter how fake they are. Finally, respect your fellow zombies and non-zombies you might run into in the street; there is a no dickhead policy and road rules need to be adhered to. The best thing about the Zombie Shuffle every year is that people go all out, so embrace your inner undead and shuffle through the city like it’s the end of days.
Thanks to a certain chest-bursting franchise that first hit screens more than four decades ago, Ridley Scott has long been synonymous with science fiction. So when the veteran filmmaker jumps onboard a sci-fi TV series — featuring androids again, but no aliens this time around — it's definitely something worth paying attention to. That show is Raised by Wolves, which is set in a dystopian future in the 22nd century, when the earth has been destroyed by war. Two androids, known only as Mother and Father, head to the planet Kepler-22b with two human embryos in their care, with the obvious aim of restarting civilisation. While it's immediately apparent that little will go as planned — that's just not human nature — don't go thinking that you'll be able to pick this striking, big-thinking series' every twist and turn.
The National Gallery of Victoria has hosted some of Australia's biggest contemporary art exhibitions in recent memory. There was the Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei blockbuster that paired the works of two of the most significant artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, the huge debut of the NGV Triennial late last year and, next week, the Melbourne gallery will unveil a collection of works from New York City's MoMA. But, in the coming years, all these exhibitions could be moved to a new location, as the Victorian Government has today announced plans for a brand new contemporary art gallery to be built nearby. This is a pretty big deal. The new gallery — dubbed NGV Contemporary (NGVC) — will be part of a major redevelopment of the Southbank arts precinct and, according to the Victorian Government, will be the biggest contemporary art gallery in the country. While it will be part of the NGV, it'll be a standalone gallery, and will be built around the corner on the site of the old Carlton & United Breweries building on Southbank Boulevard. It sounds like the NGV's permanent collection will stay at NGV International, while NGVC will focus purely on contemporary art and design. As well as the gallery itself, the redevelopment will also add 18,000 square metres of public space to the area, theatre upgrades and new facilities in an attempt to turn 1 City Road into Melbourne's arts hub. The State Government will invest $208 million for the first two years of the project — this will allow the NGV to start planning and raise philanthropic funds. Premier Daniel Andrews is calling the redevelopment a "once-in-a-generation" project, and thinks it will be a "game-changer" for the city. Once completed, we think it's safe to assume that the NGV will be able to pull even more big names for its blockbuster exhibitions.
If furniture could talk, the couch from Friends would have plenty to say. For a decade up until 2004, the orange-hued lounge played a pivotal on everyone's favourite 90s sitcom, as Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe whiled away the hours in Central Perk, reclined upon the sofa's comfortable-looking cushions, drank copious amounts of coffee and nattered non-stop about their lives. As far as on-screen seats go, it's up there with the most famous. And Australian streaming platform Stan bringing it Down Under. The current home of Friends in Australia, the service is celebrating the show's 25th anniversary — and while it can't bring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer to our shores to mark the occasion, it can whip up a replica of the couch they plonked their butts on for ten seasons. Keen to sit where your TV besties once did (or on a settee that resembles the one they sat on, to be precise)? Then you can do just that between Thursday, August 29 and Sunday, September 22. Stan's couch pop-up is touring Aussie shopping centres during that period, spending different weekends in various spots in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia. We can't promise that the sofa will always be empty, like it magically was whenever Monica, Rachel and the gang wanted to grab a caffeine hit, but you will be able to see and touch the replica either way. An adjacent coffee cart will also serve up drinks, an acoustic performer will set the mood by playing 90s covers (including Phoebe's memorable ditties) and there'll be themed merchandise on offer, naturally. There's not much more to the promotion, other than showering Friends fans in nostalgia, letting everyone snap a selfie on the sofa and serving up a reminder that the show is available to stream. That said, if you take a pic, post it to your social media network of choice and tag Stan, you can win prizes, including a trip to New York City. COUCH DATES AND LOCATIONS Melbourne Central, Vic — Thursday, August 29 (10–9pm); Friday, August 30–Sunday, September 1 (12–5pm) Robina Town Centre, Qld — Thursday, September 5 (3–9pm); Friday, September 6–Sunday, September 8 (11–4pm) Westfield Tuggerah, NSW— Saturday, September 7–Sunday, September 8 (11–4pm) Westfield Chatswood, NSW — Saturday, September 7–Sunday, September 8 (11–4pm) Burnside Village, SA — Saturday, September 14–Sunday, September 15 (12–5pm) Westfield Southland, Vic — Saturday, September 21–Sunday, September 22 (12–5pm) Broadway Shopping Centre, NSW — Saturday, September 21–Sunday, September 22 (12–5pm) The Friends couch is touring the country between Thursday, August 29 and Sunday, September 22. Visit the Stan Facebook event for further details.
Australians, it's time to pack away your gumboots for the year and completely forget about dancing in a field this spring — because music lovers won't be descending upon North Byron Bay Parkland in November. For the second year in a row, Splendour in the Grass has been forced to change its plans due to the pandemic. Like fellow Byron Bay festival Bluesfest, the event will now sit out 2021 completely due to the COVID-19 situation in New South Wales, and will instead reclaim its usual winter slot in 2022. The dates to mark in your diary: Friday, July 22–Sunday, July 24, 2022, as that's when the fest will now celebrate its 20th-anniversary event. And, in a welcome development, festival organisers have confirmed that already-announced headliners Gorillaz, The Strokes and Tyler, The Creator will all still play next year. "With vaccine rollout progressing more slowly than anticipated, we have made the decision to move the 20th-anniversary edition of the festival to July 2022," said Splendour in the Grass co-founders Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco in a statement. "We are confident that moving the festival to July 2022 will finally see us enjoying Splendour in the Grass in all its glory. More of the population will be vaccinated, international talent will have the ability to enter the country more freely and we'll be able to deliver the Splendour in the Grass that you know and love." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Splendour in the Grass (@splendourinthegrass) The news is hardly unexpected; Bluesfest made the same announcement just two days ago, on Wednesday, August 18. Also, Splendour had already ditched its usual July 2021 plans in favour of a move to November, and also scrapped a planned pop-up event in Sydney in July as well. One Splendour-related event has gone off without a hitch this year, though: Splendour XR, the event's online-only fest. Who else will join Gorillaz, The Strokes and Tyler, The Creator onstage hasn't yet been revealed, but the festival now has plenty of time to finalise its lineup given that Splendour's new dates are 11 months away. If you have already purchased a ticket for SITG 2020 or 2021, you'll be happy to know that they're still valid for the 2022 edition. And if you don't have a ticket yet, you can head to the festival's website to nab a pre-loved ticket now. Splendour in the Grass has been postponed again and will now take over North Byron Bay Parkland from Friday, July 22–Sunday, July 24, 2022. All 2020 and 2021 tickets are valid for the new dates, with pre-loved tickets currently available via splendourinthegrass.com. Top image: Charlie Hardy.
When Heston Blumenthal announced that Fat Duck was coming to Melbourne for six months in 2015, he was overwhelmed with interest at the rate of 40,000 requests within the first few days. So, to make matters manageable and, he hoped, fair, he set up a ballot. Of the 89,000 entries received, only 14,000 were lucky enough to win a spot. But, as it turns out, luck wasn’t the only factor in determining success. In an exclusive published today, Fairfax Media's Good Food has revealed that the Fat Duck ballot was hijacked by fat cat corporate scalpers. According to the report, three groups are involved. The first is a trio of financial professionals, based in Collins Street, Melbourne. Apparently they employed an IT expert to cook up a computer programme that enabled them to apply as many times as they liked. "We looked at the source code for the booking site and noted that it didn’t record IP address, just email address and phone details," Fairfax was told. "From that moment we realised it was going to be pretty easy to book multiple tables." After putting in 800 applications, they managed to score more than fifty tables, which they’re planning on giving away and selling. The report states that a second group used a similar strategy to bag just over forty tables. They're intending to sell places at $500 a head (that’s on top of the Fat Duck’s $525). And Fairfax Media also believes that 'a third party, which brings in gambling tourists from Asia' has also failed to play fair. Crown Resorts certainly aren't happy about the whole affair. They've got their legal team on the job, trying to overturn some of the counterfeit bookings. Executive general manager of hotels, food and beverage, Peter Crinis, told Fairfax, "Crown Melbourne is committed to upholding the integrity of the ballot process and has flagged a small number of reservations for further investigation. The on-selling of reservations is prohibited by the ballot terms and conditions and internal measures have been put in place to ensure this process remains fair and equitable for all Fat Duck diners." The restaurant does have the power to cancel reservations but, at the end of the day, the scalpers don’t seem to have broken any particular laws. MEANWHILE, AT GORDON RAMSAY'S NEW DIGS... In other bad news for the high-end dining scene, Gordon Ramsay's brand new restaurant, Heddon Street Kitchen, had its opening night undermined by an unknown prankster, who made 100 or so fake reservations. Even though the 140-strong establishment was 'booked out', two-thirds of tables remained empty. "I think there’s all that level of envy," Ramsay said on the Jonathan Ross Show. "Saturday was our first big day; we had 140 on the books and we had a 100 no show. So someone would have been on a computer... It's bad spirit. You see the staff and they are down and frustrated. I was there to pick them up and make sure we stay focused... Now we’re going to reconfirm every table." Via Good Food.
