Perched on Brisbane's inner-city outskirts for the past 141 years, the XXXX Brewery has become a bona fide landmark. It's the source of much of the beer drunk across town, a place to sip plenty of pints after seeing where the brewing magic happens, and — noticeably — the reason that the suburb of Milton often smells like yeast. This November, it'll also become Brissie's newest music venue, with the iconic spot hosting a festival with bands and brews for the first time ever. Knocking back cold ones while you're catching live tunes may be an everyday gig experience; however, usually when you're enjoying this combo, you're not hanging out in a huge brewery. XXXX Presents: Live at the Brewery will change that when it takes over the site from 2–9pm on Saturday, November 16. Not only is it the XXXX Brewery's first event of this kind — it's the first time it has opened its gates to the public, other than for tours or to patrons at the onsite Alehouse, for 26 years. While the music lineup won't be revealed until mid-September, Brisbanites can look forward to five local and interstate artists, who'll all perform at the base of the brewery's towering, logo-adorned silos. The folks at Jet Black Cat Music have been charged with picking the bill, building on their past work at the End Of The Line Festival and drawing upon the curatorial skills evident in their West End record store. As well as bands, XXXX Presents: Live at the Brewery will have food stalls, a post-fest shindig at the Alehouse and plenty of limited-edition merchandise — should you need a souvenir from your day spent drinking and partying at the home of the Milton Mango. And, while the festival is a once-off affair, attendees will get two chances to wander around the XXXX site, with each ticket also including a free return visit before June 30, 2020 for a brewery tour. XXXX Presents: Live at the Brewery takes place from 2–9pm on Saturday, November 16 at the XXXX Brewery, 185 Milton Road, Milton. Pre-sale tickets will be available from 9am on Monday, September 16 — sign up here for further details. We'll let you know when the lineup drops in mid-September.
Hundreds of movies grace Sydney Film Festival's lineup each and every year. Even if you're among the most dedicated of cinephiles, you can't see them all during the event's 12-day annual run. Here's something that you can do, however: add four extra days to your fest experience in 2025, plus a heap of flicks along with it, because SFF is sticking around after its official closing night. When Splitsville wraps up the festival's standard Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 dates for this year on Sunday, June 15, the Harbour City's major annual cinema celebration won't be saying farewell until 2026 just yet. Extending the movie-watching fun into the following week is a SFF tradition. So, it's adding 16 sessions at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. These screenings have been dubbed SFF 2025 Back By Popular Demand, which explains right there in the name why the films on the lineup have been picked. Putting on a bonus session of 2025 Palme d'Or-winner It Was Just an Accident from Iranian writer/director Jafar Panahi comes after the filmmaker was revealed as a surprise SFF 2025 guest at opening night. Also picking up new screenings after hitting Sydney straight from Cannes: The Mastermind, which sees Josh O'Connor (Challengers) and Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) in a 70s-set heist thriller for director Kelly Reichardt (Showing Up) — and Ari Aster's Eddington, starring his Beau Is Afraid lead Joaquin Phoenix (Joker: Folie à Deux) opposite Emma Stone (Kinds of Kindness ), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) and Austin Butler (The Bikeriders). Then there's The Secret Agent, as led by Wagner Moura (Dope Thief) for filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho (a Sydney Film Festival Prize-winner for Aquarius); Vie Privée with Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country); and Raoul Peck's (I Am Not Your Negro)'s Orwell: 2+2=5. The SFF 2025 Back By Popular Demand program also includes Berlin's Golden Bear-winner Dreams (Sex Love), the near-future Tokyo-set Happyend and Venice award-winning documentary Mistress Dispeller, alongside stepping inside the World Porridge Making Championship in The Golden Spurtle, exploring a music genre's origins via Move Ya Body: The Birth of House and Mr Nobody Against Putin's look at propaganda. Aussie effort Death of an Undertaker, the directorial debut of actor Christian Byers (Bump) — which uses an IRL Leichhardt funeral parlour as its setting — is among the titles scoring encore sessions, too. [caption id="attachment_1008444" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sundance Institute | photo by Vince Lawrence.[/caption] Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings hit Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. Sydney Film Festival 2025 takes place from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website.
Most filmmakers are considered prolific if they make a movie every two years. Since leaping onto the scene in 2005, Joe Swanberg has made 18. One of the leading figures of the mumblecore movement (an American indie film subgenre characterised by microscopic budgets and heavily improvised dialogue), Swanberg most recently earned plaudits for his charming romantic dramedy Drinking Buddies, starring Olivia Wilde and Anna Kendrick. We now know Drinking Buddies was scarcely in theatres before Swanberg began work on his next project, one that sees him re-team with Kendrick, along with New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey and Girls creator Lena Dunham. Shot in Swanberg's cosy Chicago home, Happy Christmas chronicles the rocky yuletide holidays of new parents Jeff and Kelly (Swanberg and Lynskey) after Jeff's irresponsible sister Jenny (Kendrick) comes to stay. As with most of Swanberg's movies, the film had almost no scripted dialogue, and relied instead on the improvisational talents of the cast. We chat to Swanberg about the origins of the story, as well as his decidedly laidback approach to feature filmmaking. Is it true that the original script for Happy Christmas was only 15 pages long? Yeah that's right. It was in paragraph form, sort of a breakdown of what I thought would happen in each scene. What is it about that approach to storytelling that you like? Well there's a couple of things. I really love the fact that as a writer, I'm not putting dialogue into character's mouths, and that I'm having the actors own their characters and bring all these different viewpoints to them. I also like showing up to work each day not sure what's going to happen, and having those scenes be a true collaboration between myself and the actors and my cinematographer and my producers ... having ten smart people solving a problem rather than me sitting at a laptop trying to write a screenplay. So where do your films tend to start, if not a full script? Sometimes it's a theme that I'm interested in, and other times it's a character, but either way I tend to cast pretty early in the process. I want to know who I'm going to be working with, and then that collaboration with the actor is there at the beginning of the process, and I can work with them to flesh out that character. By the time we get there to shoot the movie, I have a pretty good sense of the arc of it, but it's really all the nuances and all the personality that we find on set. If you were ever to look at one of my outlines, it would read like the finished movie, but missing everything that makes the movie good (laughs). https://youtube.com/watch?v=A3OhjYvyC0c And in the case of Happy Christmas, what was your creative inspiration? It was two things, actually, both of them autobiographical. It was my younger brother coming to live with my wife and I soon after my son was born, and the experience of starting my own family and having a sibling in the house, which was wonderful and terrible, depending on the day. So I kind of took that feeling and tried to put it in there. And then there were conversations I was having with my wife about motherhood and about her kind of identity crisis she was having as an artist and an independent person, wrapping her head around the idea of being a stay-at-home mum. Just circumstantially we found ourselves in these very conservative, classic gender roles of the bread winner and the stay-at-home mum, which is not something that we really identified with. So it was a weird period of time for us. And I didn't feel like I had seen that in a movie before. So I took these two life events that in reality happened a year apart from each other, and then just crashed them together into a movie. One of the things I really appreciated about the film, and about a lot of your films, is the attention given to female characters. Is that something you're particularly conscious of? Yeah, it's important for me. Just as a person, I feel like I know what it's like to be a man, whereas I have no idea what it's like to be a woman, so it's subject matter that I'm just drawn to through my own curiosity. And also it's just so underrepresented in the movies. It's sadly pretty rare to have interesting, strong female characters. I've always wanted to make movies in territory that's underexplored, and where there's still room for discovering. So I feel like again and again I keep getting drawn back there because there's so much undiscovered country. And it's a chance to work with great actresses who don't get offered leading roles all that often. Given how much improvisation happens in the your films, how much footage do you usually end up with? There have been movies where I've ended up with mountains of footage, and others where we shot almost everything in the movie. It really depends. With Happy Christmas we shot on 16 millimetre [film], so I budgeted a 4:1 shooting ratio, and I think we stuck pretty close to that. Certain scenes we only shot once or twice, other scenes we shot ten times. It ended up being not that much footage. I think when you shoot film you have to be smart about preplanning in a different kind of way. When I shoot video I'm a little more apt to just shoot a lot on set. On my previous film Drinking Buddies, I probably shot about thirty hours of stuff, and with Happy Christmas I probably shot five or six. It really just depends. And why did you shoot on film? I went to film school and my whole education was on 16mm, so I was excited to try that again in a professional context. And also I'll admit I was a little bit worried that film was going to disappear and that I was never going to shoot a full feature on film. So there was a bit of fear and nostalgia going into that decision. But it felt right for the project, and I think I was just waiting for the kind of movie that felt like it wanted that texture and that kind of visual look, so it all lined up. The Christmas season, and the fact that it focused on a family; I think I wanted that warm, grainy, old home movie look that only film can provide. Are you often surprised by what your cast improvises on set? Definitely. It's one of the fun things about working this way. In almost every scene there's some moment that I feel like I never could have written. It's too human and too spontaneous to have been generated in the screenplay process. That's kind of what keeps me going every day. I show up to set each morning hoping that we get something like that and that I'm surprised by what happens. I want to make sure that the movies are flexible enough that if something really exciting happens that wasn't in the outline, there's room to incorporate that, and that the movie can follow what's actually happening, rather than following some predetermined game plan. And in the case of Happy Christmas, what's one example of that kind of moment, something that got you excited to be there? I had this idea that I wanted the women to write this 50 Shades of Grey-style erotic novel, and so those are scenes in the outline where I didn't write anything other than 'the three women sit in the office and write the book', because I really wanted Anna and Melanie and Lena to improvise that stuff. I wanted to be surprised by the story they came up with, and how crude they got with it. So that stuff was really fun; it was all just totally playing around and letting them run wild. I was also really proud of and excited by this central conversation in the middle of the movie where again the three women are sitting down in the basement drinking beers together and talking about motherhood and responsibility. That was a really important scene for me because thematically it's a big shift moment in terms of the story we're telling, and also it was a big impetus for wanting to make the movie in the first place. I think they did such a great job, and I think those three actresses are so smart, and such great writers. You hope it's going to go that well, but it still feels really good when you finish at the end of the day and you feel like you actually got the thing that you were hoping to get. Happy Christmas is available now on DVD and digital download.
If you had to restrict your menu to just dough, and stuff you can make with dough, what would you serve? There's actually a fairly wide selection: bread, cakes, pastries, pizza and pasta. Everything a growing body needs. This is the general inspiration behind a new restaurant coming to Melbourne's CBD, dubbed ANTARA 128. It's the brainchild of Executive Chef and co-owner of Sunda and Aru, Khanh Nguyen, and it's set to rise in late 2023. While Nguyen's name alone is enough to get Melburnians excited, given the enormous splash that Sunda and Aru have made on Melbourne's dining scene — ANTARA 128 is also backed by the Halim Group, who oversaw the restoration of the Hotel Windsor. [caption id="attachment_825951" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Sunda, supplied[/caption] "With ANTARA, we wanted to look to the dining scene of Europe, but done in a Melbourne way," Group Director Adi Halim says. "I've always liked the feel of European brasseries, places that open from early to late which you can drop in at throughout the day." Details are still sketchy on ANTARA 128, but you can expect a mostly dough-fuelled menu. Fresh-baked bread and pastries each morning, strong coffee for commuters, soft mounds of pizza dough and ribbons of fresh-made pasta, with everything given a dusting of Nguyen's trademark spice. "Follow us as we slowly rise," reads the current website. "We will be bringing the sensibility of that to this venture and depart from our norm, with the food having a European focus with an Asian touch," says Halim. [caption id="attachment_837098" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Aru by Ari Hatzis[/caption] Keep an eye out for ANTARA 128 at 128 Exhibition Street in the CBD. We'll provide more details ahead of the launch. Top image: Khanh Nguyen by Ryan Noreiks.
Prince Charmings and glass slippers aren't all that easy to come by — but who needs 'em, right? Right now, you can experience your own Cinderella moment with a visit to the Westin's Lobby Lounge. From Friday, May 20–Sunday, July 17, the hotel is serving up another of its themed high teas, this time inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway musical Cinderella, to coincide with the show's run at the Regent Theatre. The Enchanted High Tea is every bit as whimsical as it sounds, featuring a selection of dainty sweet and savoury treats pretty enough to star on stage themselves. Expect bites like bolognese and pea arancini; ham and brie finger sandwiches with pear and fig chutney; two kinds of scone; and even candied pumpkin and brownie cake pops made in the image of Cinderella's iconic carriage. You've got a choice of four different drinks packages, ranging from bottomless coffee to free-flowing Chandon sparkling. And if you want to really kick into fairytale mode, there's the new menu of Cinderella-inspired 'Magical Cocktails', including the gin and rose Fairy Godmother blend, and the Glass Slipper, crafted with Malibu, blue curacao, vodka and coconut. The Enchanted High Tea is served daily from 11am–4pm.
In the ultimate girl-power move, Australia has just scored a new contemporary art gallery dedicated entirely to female and female-identifying artists. The groundbreaking Finkelstein Gallery has made its home in Windsor The brainchild of renowned art consultant and advocate Lisa Fehily, the gallery is set to showcase works from a broad bill of emerging and established artists, including the likes of Cigdem Aydemir, Louise Paramor, Deborah Kelly, Coady, Lisa Roet and Kate Baker. On the international lineup, you'll find names such as South Africa's Kim Lieberman and London-based visual artist Sonal Kantaria. Its creation was spurred by the underrepresentation of women across Australia's art collections. According to recent figures released by The Countess Report, a project and online resource on gender equality in the Australian art sector, show that national commercial galleries show just 40 percent women artists, while state museums are at an even lower 34 percent. It'll debut with all-woman exhibition Finkelstein Gallery presents, running from Thursday, August 29 until Saturday, September 28. "I have selected an exclusive group of talented female artists, whose unique voices combine their incredible insight into contemporary society, life as a female, cultural and historical understanding, together with extraordinary skills with concepts and mediums as artists," explained Fehily in a statement. Finkelstein Gallery is set to deliver a broad range of talent, from an array of disciplines. Catch playful pop culture from emerging artist Coady, some socially and politically engaging performance art pieces from the award-winning Cigdem Aydemir, and Lisa Roet's stunning visual exploration of the relationships between humans and primates, to name just a few. The gallery is only the second of its kind in Australia, and the only existing one, with Canberra's Australian Girls Own Gallery representing exclusively women artists from 1989 until it closed in 1998. Find Finkelstein Gallery at Basement 2, 1 Victoria Street, Windsor. Finkelstein Gallery presents will run from Thursday, August 29–Thursday, September 26.
The humble lamington has been given makeover after makeover by Tokyo Lamington — and the Sydney bakery is finally opening its doors in Melbourne. If you're new to the name, it's a big deal in lamington game, all thanks to Min Chai and Eddie Stewart. After starting life overseas, introducing places like Singapore and Tokyo to some innovative riffs on the humble lamington, the brand settled in Newtown and has been impressing Sydneysiders with its creative desserts ever since. And now, for the first time ever, it's setting up shop permanently in Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_774463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tokyo Lamington x Koko Black collaboration[/caption] Yes, Tokyo Lamington popped up in North Melbourne earlier in 2022, in a collaboration with Le Bajo, but that was only temporary. Come Tuesday, October 18, however, the dessert legends will open a permanent bricks-and-mortar Carlton location, pumping out those lamingtons with a cult following — and more. Sweet-toothed Melburnians are in for a proper treat on Elgin Street, with an extensive vegan cookies range also on offer. That said, Tokyo Lamington's Melbourne digs will serve up onigiri, pies, quiches and sausage rolls, too. For caffeine addicts, it'll be pumping out coffee from Single O seven days a week as well. Fingers crossed for some more local collabs. In the past, primarily in Sydney, Tokyo Lamington has teamed up with the likes of By George, Circa Espresso, Stitch Coffee, Koko Black and KitKat. For Chai and Stewart, who also founded N2 Extreme Gelato, there are clearly endless ways to transform the Aussie favourite into something new and exciting. Get your tastebuds ready for what they dream up next, right here in Melbourne. Find Tokyo Lamington at 258 Elgin Street, Carlton, from Tuesday, October 18 — open 7am–3pm daily.
We hate to jump on the bandwagon of retailers telling you to get onto your Christmas shopping early this year, but sometimes we all need a little push and one retailer knows just the thing. Gift problem solvers since 2005, Etsy are stepping into the real world to host a one-night only Christmas market. Thankfully, you (and that impossible-to-buy-for family member/partner/friend) are invited. If you're a regular Etsy trawler, you'll know that the rapidly growing host of online boutiques is home to many a talented designer and craft maker. Now, 35 of those excellent jewellers, artists, artisans, fashion and homewares designers are setting up shop at the Rose Street Artist's Market on Friday, November 28 from 6-10pm. Alongside the unique shops there will also be an Etsy photobooth (no doubt full of great crafty props), goodie bags and a bunch of food and drink options. Get ahead of the last-minute Myer stampedes and do your Christmas shopping in style.
Tucked away off a quiet patch of Russell Street is a thimble-sized bar spoken about in the whispers of whisky lovers Melbourne-wide. With a staggering 500 (yes, you read that correctly, five hundred!) different types of whisky on offer, lovers of the amber liquid will be spoilt for choice. But don't worry about being overwhelmed by the sheer variety on offer — the knowledgeable and unpretentious bartenders put in the hard yards testing each tipple, and are happy to guide the uninitiated towards the best drop for your palate. They even offer the occasional whisky masterclass for those who want to go that one step further in their appreciation of the spirit. Drop by for an introduction to whisky, an education on Islay whisky, or even a special class on Australian made whisky. It's the type of bar where you would expect suits to come for after work drinks, executives to hold a boozy meeting or couples to have a fancy date night. Though this whisky lounge bar seems like the last place you would go to get rowdy, it's definitely the place for a stiff drink. If you need a fast kick-start to a night out, try the amazing value for money Glaswegian Boilermaker: a shot of whisky and matched beer for just $10. The cocktail list is full of all the classics you would expect from a specialty bar. (Seriously, try the whisky sour.) If what you crave doesn't include a large chunk of ice in your tumbler, then make sure you try a mug of Hot Buttered Wine ($18). This warming brew is served nice and hot with ample amounts of Glendronach 12 year whisky, a splash of the thick, dark and sweet Pedro Ximinez wine and a luxurious lashing of butter, complete with a drop of maple syrup and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Don't feel up to whisky? There's a tight wine list and some really excellent beers, as well as the usual bar essentials. Lovers of whisky, though, need look no further than W&A. And if you're not yet converted, just have a word to the staff. You never know — they might just introduce you to your new favourite drink.
UK rocker Yungblud has announced he'll bring his Idols world tour to Australia next January, marking his biggest local shows to date. The Doncaster-born singer and songwriter — real name Dominic Harrison — will kick off the tour at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Saturday, January 10, before hitting Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rolling Stone AU/NZ (@rollingstoneaus) The run celebrates Yungblud's fourth studio album, Idols, which dropped in June and went straight to number one in the UK and number four in Australia. Known for his high-energy performances and fiercely loyal fan base, the tour promises the kind of chaotic, cathartic shows that have earned him global acclaim. Speaking to Rolling Stone AU/NZ earlier this year, Yungblud teased "massive plans" for the Australian leg of the tour and hinted that his self-created festival Bludfest — which launched in the UK last year — could eventually make its way Down Under. "I know the Australian festival market has been struggling," he said. "I really want to try my best to implement a new idea with Bludfest because it worked in the UK." Tickets go on sale from Tuesday, October 21, with pre-sales for Telstra Plus members opening Thursday, October 16 and Frontier Members from Monday, October 20. Yungblud's 2026 Australian tour kicks off in Sydney on January 10. Visit Frontier Touring for ticket details and dates.
Just like that, it's footy finals time again. It feels like yesterday we were excitedly kicking off the season. Now, the eight finalists are locked in, which means you need to start thinking about your game day plans across the 2025 Toyota AFL finals series. If you're contemplating hosting your own watch party, here are some tips for gathering the crew (without opening a packet of chips and calling it a day). Patricia Nahuelhual/ Getty Images Footy Colours If you're hosting a game day party, you've got to set the tone. Buy napkins and cups in the team's colours, hang streamers, and pull out your favourite AFL beanies and scarves (even if your team's not playing). We're not doing half measures here. By putting effort into the aesthetics, your guests are sure to appreciate your hosting abilities and crown it the "best game day party ever". [caption id="attachment_1019239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raquel Arocena Torres[/caption] Up The Food Ante Have you ever hosted a last-minute watch party and panic-bought $7 chips from the bottle-o? Us too. Consider this article your formal warning. Don't stress, though. Most of your mates will be there for the game rather than the hors d'oeuvres. Ensure your guests are well fed with a decent meal like homemade tacos, pizzas, or even a good old sausage sizzle. [caption id="attachment_1019273" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Maskot/ Getty Images[/caption] Stock The Bar Cart While most good house guests will BYO booze, ensure you have a wide range of mixers, non-alcoholic beverages, and a backup bottle of wine or carton of beers. No one wants to miss the goal of the match because they took one for the team and ducked into the bottle shop. If you have time, create an at-home bar space to make your guests feel like they're at the local pub (although that is another good watch option if you don't want the clean up). Mood Lighting While some AFL games kick off in the afternoon (including the Grand Final), the festivities can stretch well into the evening. No one wants to feel like they're under the floodlights at their local footy ground while watching the game. Once the sun dips, switch out the overhead glare for warm lamps or fairy lights — something that feels more cosy lounge bar than training oval. It'll keep the mood mellow and give your mates zero reason to call it a night early. [caption id="attachment_1019274" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Getty Images[/caption] Comfy Watching Spots No one wants to ride out four quarters on a wobbly plastic chair that feels one snack plate away from collapse. You don't need a massive lounge room or futon to make this happen. Pull in any spare armchairs from other rooms, throw a few comfy pillows and blankets onto the floor and let your mates sink in. The goal: make it feel less like a waiting room and more like your own private footy lounge. Afterparty Options The night doesn't have to end at the final kick. While some punters may be nursing their footy wounds post-game, others may be ready to head to the dancefloor. Scope out the bars and clubs running post-match parties so you've got somewhere to keep the good times rolling. It's the end of the season after all, and we need to farewell an epic match before doing it all over again in 2026. Still trying to find some grand final tickets? Test your Footy IQ and go in the draw to win tickets to the 2025 Toyota AFL Grand Final here. T&Cs Apply. Lead image: Getty Images
On a futuristic earth that's been rendered a frozen wasteland, a constantly hurtling train plays host to the world's only remaining people. Instead of banding together — it was humanity's attempts to combat climate change that caused their dire predicament, leaving the speeding locomotive as their only solution — the residents of the Snowpiercer have instead transported society's class structure into the carriages of their new home. That's the story that drives Bong Joon-ho's 2013 film Snowpiercer, which marked the acclaimed South Korean writer/director's first English-language film, and one of the movies that brought him to broader fame before Netflix's Okja and this year's Cannes Palme d'Or winner Parasite. As well as boasting a smart, immersive and all-too-timely concept — and unpacking its underlying idea in a thoroughly thrilling and involving manner — the flick proved a star-studded affair. Among the jam-packed cast: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Ed Harris and Bong's frequent collaborator Song Kang-ho. Given how great its premise is, it's hardly surprising that Snowpiercer has now been turned into a US TV series. First announced back in 2016, it'll finally speed across screens early in 2020. And while it doesn't feature any of the film's high-profile lineup, it does include a few big names of its own, such as Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly and Tony-winner Daveed Diggs. Alongside Frances Ha's Mickey Sumner, Slender Man's Annalise Basso and The Americans' Alison Wright, they inhabit Snowpiercer's new world order — the planet outside the titular train may be a dystopia with a temperature of -119 degrees celsius, but everyone from the wealthy to the poor have been put in their place inside. Of course, that's until matters such as class warfare, social injustice and the politics of trying to survive start to fester almost seven years into the circling vehicle looping journey. Watch the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lFMpmwn_hQ Snowpiercer will premiere on US TV network TBS in 2020, with airdates Down Under yet to be announced. We'll update you with further details when they come to hand.
Something delightful is happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu9wL8sDhXE SUPERINTELLIGENCE Playing a former couple who reconnect and reignite their spark, Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale have great chemistry together in Superintelligence. This isn't the first time they've featured in the same movie, thanks to 2015's Spy, but there's an energy to their work opposite each other here. She's Carol Peters, an ex-Yahoo executive who quit her job eight years ago with a dream of moving into philanthropy. He's George Churchill, a creative writing professor. Carol still thinks about George two years after their breakup and, when they re-meet-cute in a supermarket, he's happy to see her — although he is flying out to Ireland in three days to take up his dream academic job. There is enough to the concept just described to furnish a likeable albeit predictable rom-com that coasts by on McCarthy and Cannavale's charm and charismatic pairing. A film that simply followed the above story would be straightforward, but Superintelligence shows that it'd likely work. Alas, Superintelligence makes Carol and George's romantic antics the subplot in a movie that's actually about a sentient artificial intelligence that's trying to decide what to do about humanity, chooses Carol as an example of the most average person on earth, and pushes her to get back with George so it can observe, judge her actions and extrapolate what it might mean about people in general. Unsurprisingly, the tech side of the story crashes hard. As everything from Her and Ex Machina to the Terminator and Matrix franchises have shown, films about AI aren't new — and nor are movies about technology threatening to eradicate or enslave humanity — so a wealth of far better features have already traversed this territory. And while screenwriter Steve Mallory (The Boss) has come up with a twist on the idea that he seems to think is brilliant, it really isn't. How can it be when his killer concept just involves said artificial intelligence being voiced by James Corden, and that fact being recognised in the story because Carol is a big fan? If you're not as fond of Corden as she is (likely because you've seen Cats and The Prom), you won't be laughing. It wouldn't be funny even if you did like his work. It's a one-note gag, and a grating one at that. It also chews up far too much of Superintelligence's running time, when viewers would always rather be seeing McCarthy and Cannavale together without any silly gimmickry. The former's husband Ben Falcone directed the film, as he did with Tammy, The Boss and Life of the Party, but that can't explain why the movie squanders the best thing it has. McCarthy's career constantly swings from highs to lows (Can You Ever Forgive Me? and The Happytime Murders came out in the same year, for instance), but Superintelligence is both misguided and a missed opportunity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nmsIChFUCo DREAMLAND Back in 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street, Margot Robbie didn't simply hold her own against Leonardo DiCaprio. The Australian actor stole scenes from her then far-more-famous co-star — which, given that he put in a phenomenal performance, is no small task. Accordingly, the fact that she quickly rocketed from supporting player to the kind of lead that an entire film can hang from is hardly surprising. Her path from Suicide Squad to Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) illustrates it perfectly, in fact. Still, even Robbie's ability to lift a movie has its limits, which Dreamland tests. She's both luminous and textured in the Great Depression-set thriller. Playing a bank robber on the run, she's the most absorbing and intriguing part of the film. She's meant to be, because that's how and why her character of Allison Wells draws in Texan farm boy Eugene Evans (Finn Cole, TV's Animal Kingdom) and gets him to help her. And, Robbie is clearly invested in the movie both on- and off-screen, as she not only stars but also produces. That said, very little about Dreamland other than her performance proves anything more than standard, and noticeably so. Director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte (As You Are) aims to follow in the footsteps of Badlands and Ain't Them Bodies Saints — and brings Bonnie and Clyde to mind, too — but flails in comparison to both. Dreamland does boast a gorgeously hazy, woozy aesthetic — through the hues that cinematographer Lyle Vincent (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) splashes across the screen, primarily — that gives it an enticing look and feel. In quick square-framed shots inserted to represent flashes of dreams of a life that could possibly come if everything goes Allison and Eugene's way, the film couldn't be more alluring. But, alongside Robbie's performance, that isn't enough to boost the routine storyline. Indeed, at times the movie's visual style even augments and bolsters Dreamland's been-there, done -hat air. The narrative doesn't need much help, though, with screenwriter Nicolaas Zwart (Riverdale) hitting as many recognisable beats as the cops pursuing Allison fire off shots. She's wanted in general, but also because her last stick-up with her now-dead partner saw a little girl get killed. Eugene's stern stepfather George (Travis Fimmel, Lean on Pete) is one of the deputies on her trail, so the teen's decision to let her hole up in his family's barn is instantly risky. The young man is also desperate to flee himself, to find the dad that abandoned him and his mother (Kerry Condon, Better Call Saul) years earlier on their dustbowl property, so he doesn't need much convincing to assist Allison in this all-too-familiar affair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_xZGoYU1eg CROCK OF GOLD: A FEW ROUNDS WITH SHANE MACGOWAN Frontman for The Pogues since the early 80s, and a formidable music force in-between the Celtic punk band's stints together — until the 90s, and then from the early 00s to the mid 10s — Shane MacGowan is a rare beast in his chosen industry. He's a true individual that no one could ever emulate no matter how they tried. He's also a spikier, pricklier, far more recalcitrant figure than others who've earned that description (David Bowie and Prince, for example). He certainly has more stories to tell about smoking cigarettes and drinking booze as a child, then listening to his aunt teach him the gospels and sharing her religious fervour to such an extent that he even thought about turning his childhood beliefs into his life's work. Accordingly, to delve into MacGowan's existence beyond the easy-to-Google biographical details, the usual musician-worshipping documentary was never going to do him justice. So, seasoned director Julien Temple doesn't try to fit the usual mould. The filmmaker has ample experience in the genre, with Sex Pistols rockumentary The Filth and the Fury on his resume — plus Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten and Glastonbury, too — and he's just adept at finding the right approach for the right subject. In Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan, viewers hear the song that he's best known for more than once. The Pogues' 'Fairytale of New York' is an instrumental part of his story, after all. Although it was released in 1987, it's also the most popular Christmas song of the 21st century. Alongside the film's birth-to-now linear path, the use of well-known tune is the most standard part about this deep dive into MacGowan upbringing, fame and controversy. Case in point: MacGowan isn't an interviewee here in the traditional sense. Archival footage of him answering questions fits the expected mould, but in his more recent chats specifically for the doco, he talks with people he knows such as Johnny Depp, Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. It's a canny and compelling approach, likely by necessity, and just how MacGowan changes depending on his company doesn't escape attention. In the process, and amidst animated sequences, family photos and videos, and deftly deployed stock imagery, Temple lets his audience see first-hand how a man with such a strong presence and infamous reputation is still a rolling, rambling bag of contradictions and complications — although MacGowan's words, offered over more than a few drinks as the lively film's title makes plain, easily paint that picture themselves. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been throughout the year — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3 and December 10. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle, The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Antebellum, Miss Juneteenth, Savage, I Am Greta, Rebecca, Kajillionaire, Baby Done, Corpus Christi, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky and The Furnace. Images: Superintelligence, Hopper Stone; Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan, Andrew Caitlin.
There's never been more reason to dramatically point at a menu and shout "I CHOOSE YOU!" and not find yourself immediately kicked out. In a move that's about 15 years too late, Nintendo will be opening a brand new pop-up eatery in Tokyo entirely themed around that little sparky Pokemon legend, Pikachu. The inventively-named Pikachu Cafe will be open July 19 - August 31 to celebrate the opening of the exhibition Pokemon the Movie XY in Roppongi Hills in Tokyo. Decked out in Pikachu-inspired decor and serving up some pretty adorable Pikafoods, this new pop-up is so offensively cute we're enlisting known Charizards and Digletts to skip the airfares for us. Here's the Pikachu Curry: Pokeball Rice Thing with gravy: Pikachu Parfait (just terrifying): Pikachu Pancakes (yeah, might have lost some ideas with this one): And here's the Pokemon yoghurt drinks that come with SPECIAL COASTERS. Right? (Yeah, they pretty much just look like regular yoghurt drinks, whaddayagunnado.) If you're keen to get amongst the Pokemonstronsities, head to Roppongi Hills, Tokyo and hit the opening on July 19. This one's going to be the most 'grammable, nostalgic, web-friendly pop-up for miles. Via Eataku.
Do you have eyes? Do you have eyes for what looks good? Are you the kind of person who knows their way around a camera, and how to use it well? Live in Sydney and love it with a passion? Then we might have an opportunity to tweak your interest. Concrete Playground and Olympus have teamed up to offer you the chance to score a particularly excellent PEN E-P1 camera with 17mm kit (valued at $599), and at the very same time land the chance to become a Concrete Playground photographic contributor. Our photographers document Sydney's cultural life minus the boring social snaps - we don't care what you're wearing, only that you're having a good time. Now we have a brand new galleries section, we're looking for someone with an incredible eye to help us share those moments that make this city the ever-changing, never-boring place it is to be. If you think you're the right person for the gig, shoot us an email over to hello@concreteplayground.com.au with a photo you've taken that you think captures something special about Sydney. We'll upload the best snaps to an album on our Facebook page, and invite people to vote for the picture they like best. If your photo gets the most 'likes', the camera and a place in the Concrete Playground family shall be yours. Entries close May 13, 2011 at 5pm.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week announced "Australians have earned an early mark" for the work they'd done containing COVID-19 and the announcement of some eased restrictions would take place on Friday, May 8. That day has come and we now know a little more about what Australia's road to recovery will look like. After a national cabinet meeting today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said "we're fighting this virus and we're winning", and he then outlined a three-step roadmap to a COVIDSafe Australia, with all three steps expected to be rolled out by July, 2020. Step one will "enable greater connection with friends and family", with the following allowed: Up to five visitors in your home, ten in businesses and public places Libraries, community centres, playgrounds and boot camps open Local and regional travel Shops, restaurants and cafes allowed to open, with a maximum of ten people at a time and one person per four square metres Step two, Morrison says, "will allow larger size gatherings up to 20 people, including for venues such as cinemas and galleries", ending with: "you'll be pleased to know, barre classes open once again." Gatherings of up to 20 people Gyms, beauty therapists, cinemas, theatres, amusement parks, galleries and museums open Caravan and camping grounds open Some interstate travel Step three, which will depend on the success of the previous steps, includes: Gatherings up to 100 people Nightclubs, food courts, saunas and bathhouses open All interstate travel Consider cross-Tasman, Pacific Island travel Those dreaming of an overseas jaunt will have noticed the roadmap does not include mention of international travel, except for to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. On travel to other countries, the Prime Minister has said, "there's nothing on our radar which would see us opening up international travel in the foreseeable future." On the other three steps, the Prime Minister said the intention is by July "we will have moved through the three steps", but movement from one step to the next will depend on three criteria: testing, tracing and trapping. If all goes to plan, it's expected the country will move to the next step every three weeks. But, he has also warned that as restrictions are eased, "there will be outbreaks, there will be more cases, there will be set-backs". As has been the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the roadmap is a guideline and it's now up to the individual states and territory leaders to implement the steps — and amend the state laws — as they see fit. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has already announced that no restrictions will be eased before Mother's Day and Queensland will ease some public gathering restrictions from this Sunday. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said no changes will be made until Monday. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Image: Kimberley Low
For much of the past six months, audiences worldwide have spent their movie dates watching Sydney on-screen. When two big Hollywood productions transform the Harbour City into their production playground and setting, as both Anyone But You and The Fall Guy did, cinema's spotlight shines bright and wide. Now, for 12 winter days between Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16, Sydney Film Festival patrons can turn the tables, watching the world via almost 200 flicks gracing local silver screens and fluttering before their eyes. Again curated by Festival Director Nashen Moodley as every fest since 2012 has been — which gives him that honour on 13 of the event's 71 festivals across its entire run so far, too — SFF's 2024 lineup also guides its gaze towards Sydney. Opening with a tribute to the power and the passion of Midnight Oil, with the band formed in the New South Wales capital more than half a century ago, is only one example. So, to be more accurate, this year's Sydney Film Festival continues a trend that started on Boxing Day 2023 as well as its usual annual tradition: surveying everywhere from Sydney itself to the edges of the earth, space and time. Maybe you're keen to keep a homegrown flavour to your SFF schedule this year. Perhaps you're eager to roam anywhere that you can from your cinema seat. Whether a dose of weirdness is your ideal film fest flavour, or you're buzzing to catch the latest titles that've been getting the international festival scene talking, they're all on the program. And, you'll also find all of the above among our 12 suggestions below to help you narrow down your choices. Kinds of Kindness Since winning the 2012 Sydney Film Festival prize with Alps, Yorgos Lanthimos has technically bid the Greek Weird Wave goodbye by making his movies in English. That's one clear trend among his five features after nabbing SFF's prestigious award in Moodley's first year at the helm. Another pattern applies to his last three flicks, and it's a killer move: teaming up with Emma Stone, a collaboration that scored her her second Best Actress Oscar earlier in 2024 for the Frankenstein-esque delight that is Poor Things. Kinds of Kindness isn't a Poor Things repeat, just as that wasn't a do-over of The Favourite. This time, Lanthimos and Stone have teamed up on a triptych fable that tells the tales of a man without choice, a policeman with a wife who returns after going missing and a woman on the hunt for a spiritual leader. In a feature that also stars Poor Things' Willem Dafoe (Asteroid City) and Margaret Qualley (Drive-Away Dolls), plus Hong Chau (The Menu), Joe Alwyn (Stars at Noon), Mamoudou Athie (The Burial) and Hunter Schafer (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), the picture's three-time creative partners are still making accolade-garnering magic, however, with Jesse Plemons (Killers of the Flower Moon) picking up 2024's Cannes Best Actor award. The Seed of the Sacred Fig The Seed of the Sacred Fig isn't merely another must-see SFF 2024 title, but also another new work by a Sydney Film Festival prizewinner. Mohammad Rasoulof's There Is No Evil took home the Berlinale's Golden Bear in 2020 before winning the Harbour City's ultimate movie gong in 2021 — and, as it told four stories connected to the use of the death penalty in Iran, it haunted and broke the hearts of everyone who saw it. Watching the Iranian writer/director's work has always been essential (including 2011's Goodbye, 2013's Manuscripts Don't Burn and 2017's A Man of Integrity), but more so since then. Even before playing to audiences in Sydney, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is impossible to forget due to the situation surrounding the picture off-screen. When the movie was selected by Cannes this year — where it won the Jury Special Award — Rasoulof was sentenced to a flogging and eight years in prison, sparking him to flee. On-screen, the film doesn't shy away from Iran's legal system or political unrest, following a Revolutionary Court investigator and his family amid protests sweeping the nation, and as fighting back against oppression isn't only on display on the country's streets. The Pool It's far too cold in Sydney in June for dive-in movies, but playing The Pool in its namesake location would've been a dream pairing of a film and its setting if the season had been right. SFF cinemagoers will instead get cosy indoors rather than splash around in their bathing costumes at Bondi Icebergs, but stepping through the swimming spot's history, allure and place in the Harbour City is on the itinerary regardless. Here's one guarantee: given how photogenic that the famous venue is anyway even just in everyday snaps, as everyone in Australian can instantly recognise, this documentary about it isn't going to be hard on the eyes. Filmmaker Ian Darling has a thing for chronicling Sydney icons in his two recent docos to wash across Sydney Film Festival's screens. The other: The Final Quarter, about Sydney Swans legend Adam Goodes and his treatment by the press and fans towards the end of his career, which earned a standing ovation at its State Theatre SFF world premiere in 2019. With The Pool, Darling switches from unfurling details through media clips to enlisting Icebergs regulars to share their recollections — and likely another warm hometown response beckons. Copa '71 SFF 2024 kicks off just two days after the Matildas took to the turf in Sydney to play their 14th soldout game in a row in Australia, notching up a 2–0 win over China in a friendly. It runs at the same time as Vivid is welcoming Mackenzie Arnold and Tony Gustavsson as speakers. And, it arrives almost a year after the Harbour City was one of the host spots for the 2023 Women's World Cup. So, the timing couldn't be better for Copa '71 to sit in the festival's program. This documentary jumps five decades back and heads to Mexico, to the 1971 Women's World Cup. If you think that you should know more about this event than you currently do, that's one of the movie's points as well. Filmmakers Rachel Ramsay (a producer earning her first directing credit) and James Erskine (Skandal! Bringing Down Wirecard) share the competition's story. They unpack how 100,000 fans can fill a stadium to support women's football but the tournament can fade into history, too. Also, the vast disparity between how men's soccer is managed, marketed, treated and regarded compared to women's is also on the doco's agenda. The Substance It was true of 2017's Revenge, her exceptional debut feature, and the word out of Cannes is that it's also true of her seven-years-later sophomore effort: French talent Coralie Fargeat is a helluva filmmaker. Matching style with substance and a feminist statement worked strikingly in her blood-soaked vengeance movie. Now, she's in sci-fi body-horror territory as a celebrity attempts to address the warring forces of time's inevitable passing and Hollywood's obsession with youth by opting for an experimental medical treatment. (Fargeat also just received the Cannes Best Screenplay award for her efforts.) Whether or not you've ever thought that Margaret Qualley, an actor with multiple appearances on SFF 2024's lineup, resembles not only her mother Andie MacDowell (her Maid co-star) but also Demi Moore (Feud), Fargeat draws the latter connection. Qualley is Sue, Moore is Elisabeth Sparkle, with one the younger version of the other. In a film that also enlists Dennis Quaid (Lawman: Bass Reeves) as a television executive — with the actor stepping in after Ray Liotta (Cocaine Bear), who was originally cast, passed away — messing with the natural order of things via a temporary clone has consequences. The Moogai Indigenous horror film The Moogai is making its Australian premiere at 2024's Sydney Film Festival, but the pair are no strangers to each other. Before writer/director Jon Bell, a creator of Cleverman and a scribe on the Mystery Road TV series, helmed his first feature with this name, he made a 2020 short of the same moniker that played SFF (and SXSW, and was nominated for an AACTA Award). It too starred Shari Sebbens (Her Dark Reflection) and Meyne Wyatt (Strife). Expanding that short film to full length, Bell's second take on The Moogai did the rounds of both Sundance and SXSW — the Austin version — earlier this year before heading home. In the two flicks, a malevolent spirit awaits and the trauma of the Stolen Generations fuels an eerie flick. Sebbens plays Sarah, a young mother who has just had her second child with Watt's Fergus when the movie's titular figure makes its presence known. The Moogai is also a contender for Sydney Film Festival's brand-new First Nations Award, which is offering a prize of $35,000 for the winning First Nations filmmaker, with ten flicks competing for that honour. The Outrun Since the 2020s arrived and her third decade as a actor began, Saoirse Ronan has played a young wife who falls in love with fossil collector Mary Anning in Ammonite, a showgirl in The French Dispatch, a police constable in See How They Run and a woman trying to find a path through a dystopian future in Foe. Variety has always been the spice of the Irish actor's on-screen life. In The Outrun, the four-time Oscar-nominee (for Atonement, Brooklyn, Lady Bird and Little Women) is Rona, who is trying to move past a history of addiction. Ronan's involvement in any film is enough to put it high on the must-watch list, but she isn't the only drawcard here. The Outrun adapts Amy Liptrot's 2017 memoir of the same name, about the Scottish author and journalist's experiences returning to the Orkney Islands. Liptrot also co-wrote the screenplay. Hitting the keyboard with her is director Nora Fingscheidt — who might've first followed up her excellent 2019 feature System Crasher with the mixed Sandra Bullock (Bullet Train) vehicle The Unforgivable, but is a helmer to watch nonetheless. The Contestant Films about people trapped in a sole space aren't rare. But no matter what Cube or Buried or Devil conjured up, or everything from Oldboy to Bodies Bodies Bodies as well, the scenario at the heart of The Contestant stands out because it actually happened. In 1998, Tomoaki Hamatsu aka Nasubi became a TV star by doing nothing more than existing in a single room alone and sans clothing on reality series Susunu! Denpa Shōnen. To survive, he had to win competitions to obtain the necessary supplies. Also, he had no idea that audiences were watching. Of course a documentary was eventually going to to chronicle this months-long ordeal, how it happened and the repercussions, with Clair Titley (One Born Every Minute) examining the reality of a situation that could've come straight from a horror movie in The Contestant. Nasubi became immensely famous in Japan for his role in the show — footage from which is included in the doco — but as a result of a Faustian bargain with a television producer that he didn't really know that he was making. If you're not already a fan of the format at its far less extreme, this film definitely won't change that. I Saw the TV Glow In Jane Schoenbrun's We're All Going to the World's Fair, a screen became a portal to another world when its teenage protagonist embraced an online trend by playing a virtual horror game. I Saw the TV Glow, the filmmaker's next feature, also gets young eyes trained at a small screen and plunging into what they find awaiting. If you've ever loved a television show so much that you felt like it completed you, saw you and understood you far more than anything flesh and blood around you ever could — and you also couldn't stomach that series coming to an end — then you'll understand Owen (Justice Smith, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) and Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine, Atypical) in one of the most-talked-about flicks out of 2024's Sundance and Berlinale film festivals. That pop culture, including the screen dreams that we eagerly insert ourselves into in our minds while watching, is an escape isn't a new revelation. But after exploring the digital allure in We're All Going to the World's Fair, Schoenbrun now brings their perspective to a tale of connection through the broadcast stories we take into our heads and hearts. The writer/director makes deeply layered films about the loneliness and isolation of growing up, and working out who you want to be, the relationships with screens that we all have, and gender dysphoria — and their latest has Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst (Y2K) among the cast, plus Emma Stone (The Curse) and her husband Dave McCary (Brigsby Bear) as producers. Dahomey 2024's Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear-winner shares a name with a West African kingdom that existed for three centuries, on land now situated within the Republic of Benin — a place that earned the great Werner Herzog's attention in 1987's Cobra Verde and also provided the setting for 2022's The Woman King. The focus of Dahomey for Both Sides of the Blade actor and Atlantics filmmaker Mati Diop in her latest directorial effort: 26 royal treasures taken from the country in the 1800s by French colonial troops, plus their journey home now. How do these statues and objects feel about their their path? One of Diop's creative touches is to give the artifacts a voice and turn them into characters, rather than keep them as mere items discussed by everyone else. It's a telling choice in a documentary that traces the treasures' repatriation and unpacks the bigger picture not just surrounding the contents of museums around the world, but the impact of colonialism, especially in North Africa — all within 67 minutes. All We Imagine as Light Love and hope flow within All We Imagine as Light, and also in nurse Prabha (Kani Kusruti, Poacher) and her roommate Anu (Divya Prabha, Family), who are each grappling with affairs of the heart in their own ways. So unfurls this sensual film that bases its characters in Mumbai, then takes them on the road to an otherworldly beach town. The romantic drama has earned love itself off-screen and proven a beacon of hope IRL as well, as writer/director Payal Kapadia makes her first fiction feature. Kapadia's full-length debut came via 2021 documentary A Night of Knowing Nothing, which premiered at that year's Cannes Film Festival in the Directors' Fortnight and picked up the Golden Eye for Best Documentary. Before that, her short Afternoon Clouds also played the fest. Kapadia's ties to the French event continue with All We Imagine as Light, which made history just by being selected in competition — a feat an Indian film hasn't achieved in three decades prior. And while it didn't take out the Palme d'Or, it came as close as anything could, earning the Grand Prix, the festival's next gong, which Oscar-winner The Zone of Interest received in 2023. Problemista It's currently a great time to be a Julio Torres fan. That's been true for almost a decade thanks to his work as a writer on Saturday Night Live — 2017's famous 'Papyrus' sketch with Ryan Gosling, which earned a sequel also starring the Barbie and The Fall Guy talent in 2024, was penned by him — and then due to two seasons of glorious HBO comedy Los Espookys in 2019 and 2022. 2024 brings two treats, however, and both at the same time if you're heading to Sydney Film Festival. On the big screen, Problemista sees Torres write, direct and star, making his feature debut as a helmer and acting opposite none other than Tilda Swinton (The Killer). On the small screen, his comedy series Fantasmas will debut on Binge on Saturday, June 8. Accordingly, after you watch Problemista you can start Fantasmas, or vice versa. With Torres' new movie, he plays a man who wants to design toys in New York, then loses his job and looks set to be deported, with a job working for Swinton's demanding art collector Elizabeth his possible lifeline. Wu-Tang Clan's RZA (Minions: Rise of Gru) also pops up. So does Past Lives star Greta Lee. And narrating the whole thing? The iconic Isabella Rossellini, who also appeared in Los Espookys, and hasn't been far from screens of late courtesy of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Cat Person, Julia, La Chimera and now this. Sydney Film Festival 2024 takes place from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information — and for tickets — head to the festival's website.
When the latest version of Mulan starts its story, it does so with a crucial piece of narration that clearly signals the movie's intentions. "There have been many tales of the great warrior Mulan, but ancestors, this one is mine," Hua Mulan's father Zhou (Tzi Ma, The Farewell) advises the audience. Most viewers know the titular character's name from Disney's 1998 animated musical. The Mouse House is behind this new film, too, as part of its growing stable of live-action remakes of its own past hits (see: everything from Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast to Aladdin and The Lion King). But Mulan circa 2020 isn't interested in slavishly recreating the company's last take on the tale frame by frame, just with flesh and blood rather than illustrations — instead, it's smartly interested in retelling the Chinese legend in a rousing and vibrant way. As first transcribed in the Ballad of Mulan in the sixth century, the story of Hua Mulan holds a considerable place in history — and it is easy to understand why. When her elderly and ailing father is conscripted to serve in the Imperial Army, with no son of an acceptable age to take his place, Mulan steals his armour and sneaks off to join the forces for him. To do so, she disguises herself as a man, which none of her colleagues or superiors suspect. The fact that she has considerable martial arts, swordplay and archery skills assists, of course, but Mulan's kindly subterfuge sees her become a formidable and respected warrior who helps save her kingdom. With Whale Rider and The Zookeeper's Wife's Niki Caro in the director's chair, Mulan covers the expected tale; it wouldn't be a Mulan movie otherwise. But this story first fought its way across the big screen in a 1927 silent film, and has been no stranger to the page, stage or cinema over the past 93 years — so just repeating the 1998 movie really would've been the laziest option. Accordingly, the feature's four writers (Jurassic World's Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, plus Christmas Perfection's Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek) aren't afraid to wrangle their own version of the narrative, and Caro doesn't shy away from imparting a specific tone and focus either. Where its animated predecessor played the situation in a lighthearted but still respectful manner (think: talking dragons, cricket sidekicks and lively songs about arranged marriage), this iteration adopts a weightier mood, stressing the significance of its protagonist's journey at every turn. Cue details both familiar and new, including ditching the aforementioned Eddie Murphy-voiced dragon for a symbolism-laden (and mute) phoenix, scrapping the romantic subplot with Mulan's commander and delving into the treatment of women in multiple ways. As the Emperor's (Jet Li) military battles invading northerners led by the revenge-seeking Böri Khan (Jason Scott Lee, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny), Mulan (Liu Yifei, Once Upon a Time) not only fights alongside her peers and tries to keep her secret from her mentor (Donnie Yen, the IP Man franchise) and her rival (Yoson An, Mortal Engines), but also comes up against shapeshifting sorceress Xianniang (Gong Li, Memoirs of a Geisha). Mulan isn't very subtle about juxtaposing the two women's plights — nuance is rarely Disney's specialty — but the comparison is always moving. And, with Liu serving up a quieter, more stoic performance and Gong getting a showier part as the outcast on the other side, they offer something that the company's movies aren't always known for: multiple visions of femininity, even in a story that literally tasks its lead with pretending to be male. As a result, Mulan feels like it's forging its own path even when it does hit recognisable notes, either from the 1998 film or from general cinematic tropes. Its central figure is given an almost superhero-esque origin story, involving her innate ability, or qi, because Disney is also the home of Marvel and Star Wars — but in charting her quest to succeed, the film never merely drums to the requisite beats. This version of Mulan was always going to heighten the inspirational angle, too, to rightly reflect today's attitudes; however the emotions it earns are genuine. When a coming-of-age story about a determined young woman defying the shackles of her gender and her culture in a groundbreaking way is treated thoughtfully and intelligently, it's always going to evoke a reaction. While viewers will be watching Mulan on a small-screen — after the feature was originally scheduled to play in cinemas in March, had its date delayed several times until July and August due to COVID-19, then opted for a streaming release via Disney+ instead — there's no missing the movie's visible spectacle, too. Australian cinematographer Mandy Walker (The Mountain Between Us, Hidden Figures) delivers a sweeping feast of lush imagery across a plethora of landscapes, and lenses energetic wuxia-inspired combat action as well. Indeed, this is one of Disney's most sumptuous-looking remakes, and one of its better examples in general anyway. The chasm between the company's best do-overs (Pete's Dragon, The Jungle Book) and its worst (Alice in Wonderland, particularly) is considerable, but this big-hearted, captivating and striking film easily falls into the first category. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK8FHdFluOQ Mulan is available to stream via Disney+ from Friday, September 4, for an extra price of AU$34.99/NZD$39.99 on top of your regular Disney+ subscription. It'll join the service for no extra fee from December 4. Top image: Jasin Boland. © 2019 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Yarra Valley is known and loved for its cooler-climate wines, celebrated vineyards and attractive sites that lure many visitors to the area. But off the beaten wine trail, northeast of the Yarra and away from the crowds, you'll find the 'Little Italy' of Australian wine production: King Valley. It's the epicentre of Italian farming and grape growing in Australia, and the resulting wine varieties, along with the surrounding Italian heritage, make the region a top spot to visit. Sangiovese and prosecco are the key players here, thanks to the strong Italian influence. With all this Italian epicurean culture around, it's incredibly easy to find a delicious meal to pair with these local wines. One winery you should call into is the famed Brown Brothers and its fine dining restaurant Patricia's Table. Making wine since 1889, the family-run Brown Brothers Winery produces everything from King Valley staples like prosecco and pinot grigio to light and fruity moscatos, a big, bold shiraz and a hearty durif. Based on the philosophy that nobody should leave empty handed, it's all about experimentation, innovation and a dedication to making wines for all tastes. Each year Brown Brothers harvests over 18,000 tonnes of grapes to make 100-plus different wines, with about 20 trial wines currently in the works, too.
We've only just put another frosty winter to bed, but already Melbourne's thoughts are on those sweet summertime vibes to come, helped along by the launch of new rooftop drinking destination, Top Yard. Taking over the sky-high level above Geddes Lane nightclub Inflation, the bar and club is the brainchild of local chef Adam Inglis, who has set out to create a space for after-work drinks and laidback weekend visits alike. Open for good times from Thursday through Sunday each week, Top Yard boasts impressive 360-degree views across the city, to be enjoyed alongside an offering of cocktails, burgers and DJ-fuelled dance floor sessions. It's a playful, Astroturfed space that riffs on the classic Aussie backyard, decked out with vibrant umbrellas, festoon lights and a lively colour palette that pays homage to acclaimed local artist Howard Arkley. Sticking to the Australiana theme, the cocktail list comes courtesy of Will Cabantong (Bond, Baroq House), loaded with recognisable flavours in Nan-worthy iterations, like The Lamington and Iced Vovo. Those wishing to relive their early 20s can also buy a Passion Pop Punch. If not, you'll find a an approachable wine program, focused on solid local drops that won't break the bank. To match, there's a banging burger offering, run by a couple of ex-Tuck Shop Take Away chefs. You'll find cheekily named creations like the Mia Wallace, loaded with Swiss cheese and truffle mayo, the Beatrix Kiddo, and the Not Cho' Cheese — rocking two beef patties, bacon, chipotle mayo and Doritos. As for the entertainment, expect a high-energy music program by Melbourne DJ Tom Evans, with a calendar of day parties and Sunday sessions set to launch once the mercury heats up. Find Top Yard at Geddes Lane, Melbourne.
Bush doofs don't come much bigger, or more colourful, than the annual Rainbow Serpent Festival. Launched in 1998 in the dusty fields surrounding Lexton, this hedonistic playground presents a global showcase of electronic music, ranging from psytrance to minimal techno. With the pandemic and bushfires quashing recent years, a return is on the cards for Easter 2023. Alongside the mind-melting tunes and sparkling outfits, the festival invites you to explore your spiritual side through immersive art installations, workshops and otherworldly experiences. If that sounds up your alley, get your pals together for a metaphysical reawakening. Just be sure to take a few days off to guarantee your recovery. If you can't wait til then for a trippy dose of fun, Rainbox Reunion is the event for you. The lively spirit of the Rainbow Serpent Festival is heading to Melbourne Pavilion on the Sunday, April 17, for one day of music, dance, markets and glitter. Keep an eye on the website for 2023 tickets to be released, or nab a ticket to Rainbow Reunion and get ready for the good times to roll. Images: Francesco Vicenzi, Flickr
You know that feeling after you've just had a haircut and you're feelin' slick, stylish and on top of the world? Well, Razor Smiths has just the thing to help release some of the energy and newfound confidence: a pinball machine. If that's not enough of a reason to visit this old-school barbershop on Smith Street for your grooming needs, then the whisky cart and expertise of the barbers should seal the deal. Razor Smiths' signature service is the traditional razor blade shave ($55), which, of course, will include hot towels and a mini facial. If you want to combine it with a chop off the top, you can get The Full Works — a style or clipper cut and shave — for $89.
Champagne, cognac and caviar. This is what Melburnians can expect from a new cocktail bar that's headed for the CBD next month named Nick & Nora's. Originally slated for March 27, the cocktail bar's opening was stalled by COVID–19 lockdowns (a familiar story). But now it's ready to unveil its incredibly opulent digs on Thursday, July 2. How do we know it will be opulent? Well, the bar is brainchild of the Speakeasy Group — the owners of cocktail classic Eau de Vie, Viking luxe bar Mjolner and whisky-serving Boilermaker House — for one. Secondly, like Mjolner, Nick & Nora's will be a Sydney import — the group opened its first Nick & Nora's in Sydney in October 2018 Like its Sydney counterpart, the venue is inspired by Dashiell Hammett's novel The Thin Man and its fictional crime-solving team Nick and Nora Charles. If you're not familiar with the book, expect a roaring 30s vibe befitting a most glamorous party — the sprawling venue will have five distinct spaces (a main bar, salon, champagne parlour and a VIP lounge), three balconies, green marble, gold and dark wood finishes and a whopping 400 bottles of champagne on display. The latter will be housed in a five-metre-long climate-controlled display case and feature rare vintages alongside bubbles by the glass. For cocktails, the manual is organised by taste — a Speakeasy Group signature — but with venue-themed list names like The Femme Fatal, The Hollywood Starlet and The Snitch. Think martinis, champagne cocktails and sours aplenty. Nick & Nora's will be located in the high-end restaurant precinct within the 80 Collins Street building. It's shaping up to house some big hospitality names, with a highly anticipated new venue from Sepia's Vicki Wild and Martin Benn and a rooftop restaurant and urban farm from Pastuso's Alejandro Saravia already locked in. The giant 80 Collins development is going up on the site of the heritage-listed Le Louvre building, on the corner of Collins and Exhibition Streets. The high-rise, along with a newly refurbished commercial tower on the same block, will boast a futuristic new office tower, a 255-room boutique hotel and a luxury retail offering alongside the hospitality precinct. The Speakeasy Group — led by owners Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson — is also doing things a little differently this time around. Instead of raising equity for future venues through private investors, the group started a Birchal crowdfunding campaign for public investors — and raised over $1.3 million. Nick & Nora's Melbourne will open at 11 Benson Walk (enter via Little Collins Street), 80 Collins Street, Melbourne on July 2. It'll be open from 5pm–1am Wednesday–Saturday.
Overwater dining, meals and sips with a waterside view, taking dinner and drinks up a few levels: around Brisbane, none of these are new experiences. That said, grabbing a bite or a beverage at a restaurant that's not only perched over the water — ten metres above the Brisbane River, in fact — but is also part of one of the city's bridges is something that the Queensland capital has never seen before. Meet Stilts, which is now open on the Kangaroo Point Bridge. The modern-Australian eatery is not just Brisbane's first-ever restaurant on a bridge, but also Queensland's first of its kind — even if it's the second that hospitality company Tassis Group has launched with ties to the River city's newest river crossing. Mulga Bill's Kitchen & Bar, which is sat at the foot of the structure on the Alice Street side, opened before it. Where that venue is a casual all-day diner, Stilts is all about an elevated experience (including literally) in unique surroundings. "Stilts is more than just a restaurant — it's a destination in itself, where guests can experience firsthand the things that make our city so unique. I wanted to create a place where every last detail celebrated the spirit of our community, from the people, culture and lifestyle to our access to some absolutely incredible produce," said Tassis Group's Michael Tassis. "Not only is it raised to capture the stunning views, it's designed to share with loved ones, create memories, and to enjoy the best produce and talent Queensland has to offer." If the 100-seater restaurant's design looks familiar, that's because it takes inspiration from a Sunshine State staple: Queenslander homes. Of course, most such structures around Brisbane don't boast a 180-degree vantage peering out over the Story Bridge, Kangaroo Point Cliffs and Brisbane City Botanical Gardens, including through floor-to-ceiling windows. Also key elements of Stilts: an alfresco balcony, a casual bar area and an indoor dining room that allows ample light in, as well as a 12-person private dining room. Under Head Chef Dan Hernandez (formerly of fellow Tassis venture Fosh, and also ex-Restaurant Dan Arnold and Agnes), the Queensland-focused menu starts with beef tartare in cannelloni shells and potato pavé, serves up caviar three ways — in blinis and beef tartlets among them — and then spans everything from Australian wagyu dumplings and Moreton Bay bug linguine to pistachio gelato and yuzu curd. If you're keen on a surf-and-turf option, Stilts' version features 28-day aged sirloin and swordfish steak, and will set you back $135. Diners can also treat themselves to angus and wagyu steaks from the grill, charcoal or miso-yuzo glazed lobster, and a wagyu tasting experience with three cuts of meat. For those feeling spoiled for choice, three different banquets will make your picks for you, ranging from $155–240 in price — the latter with the three caviar options. Drinks-wise, more than 180 drops are on the wine list, alongside beer, spirits and non-boozy sips. As well as Mulga Bill's, Stilts joins Tassis Group's growing lineup of Brisbane restaurants; see also: Opa Bar + Mezze, Yamas Greek + Drink, Massimo Restaurant and Bar, Longwang, Fatcow on James St, Fosh Portside, Rich & Rare, Pompette and Dark Shepherd. Find Stilts Dining at 147E Alice Street, Brisbane CBD, on the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge — open from 11am–9.30am Sunday–Thursday and 11am–10pm Friday–Saturday. Head to the venue's website for more details. Images: Allo Creative / Markus Ravik / Brisbane City Council.
The days are getting longer, the weather is improving, and Melbourne bars are stocking up on Aperol. This can only mean one thing: Melbourne rooftop season is fast approaching. Stacks of venues are preparing for the onslaught of people searching for rooftop hangs. Johnny's Green Room is reopening its rooftop soon, and Brick Lane Brewing's new wrap-around terrace overlooking the Queen Vic Market will open to the public in a couple of weeks. But those who want to drink in the sun right now can hit Skinny Dog Hotel's new rooftop space — it's already open to lovers of sunshine and summertime cocktails. The 400-capacity rooftop bar includes a light-filled atrium full of hanging plants and an openair terrace where you can soak up all the sun during a long day of drinking and eating. Nothing much has changed downstairs. The pub still serves classic parmas, pizzas and weekly specials — think Monday burger deals and Tuesday steak nights. Upstairs, dishes are somewhat more refined. Coconut chilli prawns, tofu chips and charcuterie tasting boards kick things off. A selection of gourmet pizzas, house-made pasta, a few roasts and plenty of seafood dishes round out the savoury dining options. The drinks on the Skinny Dog Hotel's new rooftop are also a step above those found downstairs. The extensive wine list features stacks of Aussie and New Zealand drops, and the team has dreamt up a few new signature cocktails. Beers, ciders and ginger beer are all on tap, plus plenty of fruity seltzers come in can form. It's ticking all the right boxes. From Friday to Sunday, the team hosts live music gigs and DJs up on the roof, transforming the space into more of a party destination as the sun goes down. The new rooftop at Skinny Dog Hotel, found at 155 High Street in Kew, is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30am–late. Check the venue's website for more details.
Up-and-coming craft brewery Fury & Son opened the doors to its on-site taproom in early 2018. It was a much-anticipated move for the label, which set up shop in Keilor Park back in 2016, and has been winning fans and busting onto beer lists ever since. Now, punters are able to get an insight into the team behind the brews, as they sample beers like the pale ale and the IPA fresh from the source. It's open every Friday, serving an eight-strong tap list featuring six house creations alongside a couple of rotating guest beers. It's also be the number one spot for fans to get their hands on Fury & Son's special-edition releases, with the first keg of any new seasonal beer pouring here for free. Taking care of the food side of things is the team from Houston's BBQ, armed with a rotating menu of treats cooked low 'n' slow. Expect everything from US-style hot dogs, chicken wings and pulled pork burgers, plus veggie dishes like smoked cauliflower and capsicum. Working to the motto of "welcome to the family", it's the kind of joint that'll feel like coming home.
How would you like to be in pictures? Screen Australia and YouTube have teamed up to map the Australian summer, and need your films and footage to do it. You can submit footage of your Aussie summer to the YouTube Map My Summer channel but it must have been filmed since December 1 2010. Inspired by Ridley Scott's Life in a Day project, Screen Australia have selected Dr George Miller, of Mad Max, Babe and Happy Feet fame, and short film maker Amy Gebhardt to create a film that captures the essence of Australian summer from all the public submissions. Gebhardt won the right to work alongside Miller thanks to her film Into the Sun, a dreamy, symbolic expression of our relationship with summer. Given the summer Australia has just had, the finished work could end up being anything from a disaster movie to a Jaws remake. Five contributors whose footage is used in the final film will be invited to attend the Sydney Film Festival premiere in June, where the crowd-sourced film will be screened, so get your summery, sub-three-minute video uploaded by the end of March and be a part of it! https://youtube.com/watch?v=QlIfgRqTB7M
The Sydney-born social enterprise Welcome Merchant has been supporting small businesses run by refugees and asylum seekers in Australia for four years now. The wonderful organisation has provided people in need with a platform and space to sell their goods while also teaching them a heap of business skills. To mark its fourth birthday and showcase the great talent worth discovering, the team is taking over Melbourne CBD's Section 8 on Saturday, March 23 with a heap of market stalls. Aheda's Kitchen will be pumping out Palestinian eats, and Sweet Cora will sell its huge range of Filipino sweet treats in the beer garden throughout the afternoon. Handmade ceramics from Liew Ceramics, African fashion and accessories from Akos Creative, skincare from Akira Grateful, gin and wine from Bandesh Wine & Spirits and stacks of other wares will be up for grabs as well. The Harmony Market brings together entrepreneurs from a diverse range of cultures, who'll be selling all kinds of unique goods. Who knows, you might just find your next go-to beauty brand or local artist on Tattersalls Lane. Get down from 12–5pm to support these local businesses, grab some drinks from Section 8's bar and groove to some live tunes. A good time for a good cause.
If you're a fan of Mariah Carey, then this is a vision of love and also a sweet, sweet fantasy come true, baby: 11 years after she last toured Australia, the iconic singer is returning in 2025 to headline Fridayz Live. First, the festival announced its big comeback this year, plus its dates and venues. Now comes the lineup, led by the music megastar. If all you wanted for an early Christmas is this, it's quite the gift. Mariah is celebrating 20 years since her 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi released — and based on recent set lists, get ready to hear everything from 'Emotions', 'Dreamlover' and 'Hero' to 'Without You', 'Always Be My Baby', 'Honey' and 'Heartbreaker'. She'll have company on the Fridayz Live bill, because this event's blend of R&B, hip hop and nostalgia always brings a heap of big names our way. For 2025, Pitbull, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Jon, Eve, Tinie Tempah and Jordin Sparks are also on the lineup. 'Give Me Everything', 'Timber', 'Fireball', 'Black and Yellow', 'See You Again', 'Young, Wild and Free', 'Get Low', 'Turn Down for What', 'Let Me Blow Ya Mind', 'Who's That Girl', 'Girls Like', 'Miami 2 Ibiza', 'No Air', 'One Step at a Time': expect to hear them all too, then. Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are on the fest's itinerary in 2025. This year's Fridayz Live run will kick off on Friday, October 17 at Brisbane Showgrounds, then head to Sydney's ENGIE Stadium on Saturday, October 18. The following weekend, Perth's Langley Park will welcome the fest on Friday, October 24. The final stop: Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Saturday, October 25. The last time that Fridayz Live was on the concert calendar Down Under, it also went to Adelaide; however, a visit to the South Australian capital hasn't been announced for 2025. [caption id="attachment_1005605" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Kelly[/caption] Fridayz Live 2025 Lineup Mariah Carey Pitbull Wiz Khalifa Lil Jon Eve Tinie Tempah Jordin Sparks Fridayz Live 2025 Dates Friday, October 17 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane Saturday, October 18 — ENGIE Stadium, Sydney Friday, October 24 — Langley Park, Perth Saturday, October 25 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Fridayz Live is touring Australia in October 2025, with ticket presales from Monday, May 26 and general sales from Monday, June 2. Head to the festival's website for more information. Mariah Carey images: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Drinking some of the finest brews on the Mornington Peninsula while sitting inside the reclaimed stable of a champion racehorse may sound like an odd pairing, but at St Andrews Beach Brewery you can do just that. The brewery has been constructed inside a former racehorse training centre. In 2017, the 92-acre property became a fully functioning brewery, with the 1200-metre race track replaced by 8000 apple and pear cider trees. The training facility-turned-brewery was previously owned by the Freedman family and ran as the Markdel Thoroughbred Complex, which produced hundreds of winning racehorses. Now it's owned by Andrew Purchase, who returned home to the Mornington Peninsula after co-founding a successful brewery in France. So far, it has created a slew of award-winning beers — with appropriately equestrian names, such as the Race Day Czech pilsner and 6 Furlongs US pale ale — which are packaged on site with with facility's own kegging and bottling line. In addition to a variety of beers there is also a diverse menu with pizzas, seafood, salads and desserts with dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. St Andrews Beach has live music every weekend, too. You can walk in and grab a brew or book a stall table for a group of six or more here.
Concrete Playground recently caught up with David Stewart, one of England's most respected photographers. He started off capturing punk bands like The Clash and The Ramones, as well as the colourful characters of Morecambe Promenade, from which he developed a distinctive style of portraiture. Often eerie, funny, creepy and touching (sometimes at the same time), his photos incite curiosity at what imagines to be a fascinating back story. He also directed and produced a film in 1995 called 'Cabbage' with a series of surrealist photographic images to accompany in homage to the often misunderstood vegetable. He is currently working on a series called 'Teenage Pre-occupation' about what teenagers go through growing up, and will have some new work on show in Australia as part of an Olympus ad campaign. Fingers crossed an exhibition of his will travel down under soon. How did your time growing up as a child and teenager in Lancaster influence your work? Growing up in the North of England definitely gives you a different view on life and maybe it is this that causes me to see things with the sense of humour. Northern people are very funny and straight to the point. There is an element of telling it how it is. You started photographing famous rock bands, which for some photographers is a topic they stick with for their whole career. What made you decide to stop photographing people in the music industry? The band photography was what got me interested in photography but, when I was at college, I realised I was more interested in constructing images from scratch which gave me the opportunity to put forward a thought or point of view of my own. The band thing was something that could not be controlled and so, after a while, became routine. What does camouflage symbolise to you? Hiding and trying to fit in while there may be a more sinister message. When looking at your photos, I am sometimes torn between laughing and feeling extremely uncomfortable. Why do you use humour in the depiction of very dark scenes? Humour acts as a way of grabbing people's attention and then, in turn, leads them to a thought if they stay with the image long enough. It's like music where you like the tune but you're unaware the lyrics are telling a darker story. Do you think your characters are representative of the real folk of England? Are the characters who seem threatening or malicious actually harmless or are your exposing their true nature? I think the characters do represent real people – everyday people or situations you might be familiar with - but when presented as photography, the character or situation becomes heightened. There is an element of exposing the true nature of people to provoke a thought. Can you tell me about the upcoming series 'Teenage Pre-occupation?' How did you choose your subjects? The series again draws on observations I have made. The changes that the digital age have created, especially with regards to young people, is very relevant at the moment. The subjects in 'Teenage Pre-occupation' are all chosen as they portray something I have noticed about being a teenager in the current cultural climate. Again, this becomes more noticeable when presented as a piece of photography.
With its Cheap Trick-sung opening theme tune, 90s and 00s sitcom favourite That '70s Show described its setup perfectly: hangin' out down the street, the same old thing we did last week. The decade clearly changes in sequel series That '90s Show, and viewers don't yet know if the introductory track does as well, but the same idea will still ring true in the new Netflix sitcom — based on its just-dropped full trailer, at least. Prepare for nostalgia on plenty of levels — including for the OG series itself, and for the 90s era that this follow-up is set in. Helping the former: the fact that the bulk of the initial comedy series' cast is back this time around, although they're not the focus. Instead, teenager Leia Forman (Callie Haverda, The Lost Husband) is. So, while Topher Grace (Home Economics), Laura Prepon (Orange Is the New Black), Mila Kunis (Luckiest Girl Alive), Ashton Kutcher (Vengeance) and Wilmer Valderrama (NCIS) all pop up, returning to the characters of Eric Forman, Donna Forman, Jackie Burkhart, Michael Kelso and Fez — and Debra Jo Rupp (WandaVision) and Kurtwood Smith (The Dropout) are also back as Eric's parents Kitty and Red — a new group of high schoolers will be hanging out both down the street and in the Forman family basement. In his typical cantankerous manner, Red is hardly thrilled about it. Kitty, though, revels having more kids to look after. If you're keen on That '90s Show for the returning old faves, take note: the new crew is firmly in the spotlight in this sneak peek. But all of those aforementioned original characters do indeed make an appearance in the trailer, and make it feel like no time has passed at all. That '90s Show hits Netflix on Thursday, January 19, with the 1995-set series revisiting Point Place, Wisconsin during Leia's summer trip to see her grandparents. Hardly popular at school, she finally feels like she belongs with Kitty and Red's rebellious teen neighbour Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide, Four Kids and It), her brother Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan, Gabby Duran & The Unsittables), his girlfriend Nikki (Sam Morelos, Forgetting Nobody), and their pals Ozzie (Reyn Doi, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) and Jay (Mace Coronel, Colin in Black & White). As well as nostalgia, expect déjà vu to strike amid the familiar sets — clearly by design. Behind the scenes, creators Bonnie and Terry Turner are back, also with their daughter Lindsey Turner. Yes, the multi-generational vibe flows on- and off-screen. In fact, in front of the camera, that even includes Tommy Chong (Color Out of Space) returning as Leo. Check out the trailer for That '90s Show below: That '90s Show will hit Netflix on Thursday, January 19, 2022. Images: Patrick Wymore/Netflix © 2022.
Hear it on the grapevine in the Victoria this November. For one day only, Mickleham's Grapevine Estate is pairing some great drops with a music lineup that'll make your head spin. Irish indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club and Aussie electro duo Flight Facilities are two of the big acts tapped for Grapevine Gathering 2019, the latest shindig from the team behind Hot Dub Wine Machine. They'll be joined on the winery stage by Crooked Colours, Mallrat, Jack River, Touch Sensitive, Late Night Tuff Guy, Kira Puru, Lovebirds and Big Words. It's going to be a big day of tunes, folks. In addition to the tunes, punters will have access to an array of first-rate food options, including gourmet burgers, woodfired pizzas and slow-cooked smoked treats. And that's to say nothing of the drinks list, which will feature craft beers, cocktails and summery beverages. Oh, and a heap of wines, of course. The gates open at midday, and to help make commuting to-and-from Mickleham a little easier, the festival has organised return buses from Federation Square, Ringwood, Frankston and Geelong. You'll just need to add a (slightly pricey) bus pass to your ticket. Pre-sale tickets drop at 6pm on Tuesday, June 11 (you can sign-up for those here) with general tickets going on sale at midday on Wednesday, June 12.
The FIM World Supercross Championship is heading down under in November — and this is your chance to win free tickets. On Saturday, November 29, round four of the Australian GP will take place in Robina, Queensland, at the CBUS Super Stadium. With a variety of ticket options still available, plus family and fan zones to make a day of it, the FIM World Supercross Championship is an adrenaline-filled way to kick off your summer season. From pre- and post-race live entertainment to the thrill-seeking riders carving it up, the WSX has something for everyone. [caption id="attachment_1031891" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] There's a packed lineup of riders making the trip down under, with reigning World Supercross 450 Champion and two-time AMA Supercross 450 Champion Eli Tomac returning to the tracks. Two-time German World Supercross 450 Champion Ken Roczen will also be taking part, while three-time AMA Supercross 450 Champion Cooper Webb is making his World Supercross debut. [caption id="attachment_1031892" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] It's set to be a night of pure adrenaline and thrills for all ages and fans. Keen to hit the track yourself? In partnership with the World Supercross Championship, we're giving away four Premium Reserved Seating Tickets, each valued at $874.92. There are also four World Supercross Championship hoodies up for grabs, each valued at $140, so you can get 'fitted out before you hit the tracks at CBUS Stadium. To be in with a chance to win, all you have to do is tell us, in 25 words or less, what would your dream adrenaline-filled day would look like? Whether it's getting on a motorbike yourself or bungee jumping off a cliff post-energy drink, your answer may help you score a coveted seat at the World Supercross Championship. [competition]1031904[/competition] [caption id="attachment_1031900" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] If you want to be guaranteed a seat (and a thrilling day out), you can buy your own tickets ahead of the World Supercross Championship on Saturday, November 29. Get tickets here. Lead image: FIM World Supercross Championship
It was true in 2023 and it's set to prove the case again in 2024: if you can't find something on the SXSW Sydney lineup for you, you aren't looking hard enough. Want to enjoy the massive tech, innovation, screen, music, games and culture festival, but saving your pennies? That's where its free Tumbalong Park hub comes in — and it too is returning for another year. When SXSW Sydney runs its second fest across Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20, it'll also host its second public program at Darling Harbour. Here, it doesn't matter if you're also heading to the music festival or the screen festival, trying to catch as much of the entire event as possible or aren't paying for any SXSW tickets at all. Whichever fits, you can check out more than 60 hours of free entertainment, including tunes, talks and movies. [caption id="attachment_953722" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] Just-announced highlights include Silverchair's Ben Gillies teaming up with songwriter Tushar Apte and futurist Johannes Saam, which ticks both the music and tech boxes; a 60th-anniversary screening of iconic surfing film The Endless Summer, hailing from the screen portion of the program and including an after party; and a day-long showcase of Indian creativity to wrap up the fest, with +91 Calling! featuring an array of different music genres. Attendees can also catch Bush Shorts, a selection of short films by Australia's First Nations and Indigenous talents; conference talents getting chatting at Meet the Speaker sessions; an innovation showcase that's all about rockets, robotics and more; and a Fortnite competition for high schools. On top of all of this, there will also be food trucks, plus pop-up activations from a range of brands — and yes, the Suntory -196 Extreme Vending Machine will be back. [caption id="attachment_953715" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] SXSW Sydney's lineup drops are in full swing, after a first batch came in May, then a second round in June. In July, the fest revealed not one, not two, but three rounds of additions to its 2024 program. Also on the bill across the rest of the fest beyond the free Tumbalong Park hub: Australian The New Boy filmmaker Warwick Thornton, The Babadook composer Jed Kurzel, the UK's Jorja Smith on the 'Be Honest' musician's Australian tour, human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, author Johann Hari, Australian race car driver Molly Taylor, pianist Chad Lawson, Westworld's Luke Hemsworth hosting a session about the Tasmanian tiger and Aussie astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg. Or, get excited about Heartbreak High star Ayesha Madon, cricketer David Warner, Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid, TikTok marketing head Sofia Hernandez and documentary Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts, about the new uses of former Pizza Hut buildings across America. There's still more where they came from, plus more to come. [caption id="attachment_953724" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953717" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul McMillan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_923290" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] SXSW Sydney 2024 will run from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues, including Tumbalong Park, 11 Harbour Street, Sydney. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Top image: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney.
In 1993, for the first time ever, Triple J asked Australian music lovers to pick their their favourite songs from the year prior. The ABC radio station had run Hottest 100s before, but focusing on all-time faves. With a small but significant tweak, an annual national icon was born — and it's still going three decades later. Over the last 30 years, Triple J listeners have voted en masse. They've had strong thoughts about which tunes were the best of the best, whether picking their choices via pen and paper back in the poll's early days, or with a few quick clicks today. And, they've chosen thousands of songs as the cream of the crop over that period — and more in the broadcaster's other Hottest 100s, including the Hottest 100 of All Time countdowns, the 2011 Hottest 100 of Australian Albums, the Hottest 100 of the Decade (which focused on the 2010s) and the upcoming Hottest 100 of Like a Version. That's a hefty amount of tracks, and quite the playlist. It's also exactly what'll be pumping 24/7 on Triple J Hottest. The broadcaster is launching another new station to sit alongside Triple J, Double J and Triple J Unearthed, this time only giving tunes that've ranked in a Hottest 100 sometime a spin. Denis Leary's 'Asshole', which came in at number one back in 1993? Yes, that's eligible for the playlist. 2022 winner 'Elephant' by The Wiggles? That is as well. Tracks that catapulted their artists to bigger fame, songs you've completely forgotten existed, all-time classics, novelty tunes: if it ranked in a Hottest 100, as all of the above have, then it'll get a whirl. Just looking at the top tens from the past three decades, there's a wealth of tunes in store. Think: Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing in the Name', Silverchair's 'Tomorrow', both '(He'll Never Be An) Ol' Man River' and 'Greg! The Stop Sign!!' by TISM, Coolio's 'Gangsta's Paradise' and '! (The Song Formerly Known As)' by Regurgitator, plus Weezer's 'Island in the Sun', Spiderbait's 'Black Betty' cover, so many songs by Powderfinger and Flume, 'Lonely Boy' by The Black Keys, and even 'Chandelier' by Sia. Kendrick Lamar's 'Humble' and 'King Kunta', Childish Gambino's 'Red Bone' and 'This Is America', Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's 'WAP': they're just some of the other songs that've enjoyed some Hottest 100 love, and will now hit Triple J Hottest. Launching at 9.30am AEST on Monday, July 17 — meaning that it can include the picks from the Hottest 100 of Like a Version, which airs on Triple J and Double J from 12pm on Saturday, July 15 — Triple J Hottest will also feature archival interviews with Hottest 100-ranking acts, a heap of Hottest 100 history, and other relevant stories about the poll. It's a digital-only station, so you'll be listening 24 hours a day, seven days a week either via the Js' website, the Triple J app or the ABC listen app. And yes, obviously this station will add 100 new tracks to its rotation every year — another perk for tunes that make each year's Hottest 100. Triple J Hottest launches at 9.30am AEST on Monday, July 17 — head to the Triple J website for further details. Top image: Flume, M Drummond.
As of 2pm on Sunday, August 18, D.O.C Espresso in Carlton is shutting its doors and starting some long-awaited renovations. This dining institution has led the way in modernising Melbourne's Italian dining landscape ever since it opened in 1997, and it's about time the site got a proper refresh. D.O.C hopes to reopen the Lygon Street diner at the end of October, revealing a brand-new look that's said to complement the team's new concept menus. Most of the work will centre around updating the kitchen, increasing the number of bar seats, and adding in new banquette booths with marble tabletops. But the outdoor area will also get some love. D.O.C's back courtyard will be transformed with terrazzo finishes and the footpath dining area on Lygon Street will also get a "timeless" makeover. "This renovation has been coming for a long time, and it's incredible to see our vision come to life. The renovation will involve major work to support D.O.C Espresso's transition from a cafeteria and all-day diner to a lunch, aperitivi and evening affair, with an elegant menu to match," says Michael Costanzo, D.O.C Group Director. Thankfully, fans of the Melbourne pasta joint won't be left without a spot to go for great Italian eats, as all of its other venues remain open, including the neighbouring D.O.C Delicatessen. What's more, during renovations, the deli will run a small coffee and morning trade, plus the team will serve up some D.O.C classics for lunch. Loyal regulars won't have to totally go without for the next few months. D.O.C Espresso on Lygon Street will close for renovations on Sunday, August 18, and plans to reopen at the end of October. For more details, visit the venue's website.
Calling all sneakerheads: you can get your kicks while looking at kicks at Australia's new Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street exhibition. Making its debut Down Under, this wide-ranging showcase has arrived at Gold Coast's HOTA Gallery, where it's making its only Aussie stop. It's always a good idea to wear trainers when you're walking around a gallery, but they're obviously the only footwear that'll do here. First staged by The Design Museum in London, Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street pays tribute to the footwear's origins and evolution — through sports to fashion, surveying iconic brands and names, and obviously touching upon basketballers Chuck Taylor and Michael Jordan's relationships with the shoes. In total, more than 200 sneakers are on display at exhibition's six-level Australian base, with HOTA giving over its walls and halls to shoes, shoes and more shoes for the summer of 2023–24. Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street started on on Saturday, November 25, and marks the site's first major design exhibition since opening in 2021. While a hefty amount of trainers feature, the entire showcase includes 400-plus items. The other objects at Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street span photos, videos, posters, artworks and process material, all helping to explore the journey that the footwear style has taken in its design and culturally. Attendees can learn more about sneakers that were initially made specifically for getting sweaty, which is where the Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars and Nike Airs come in (and, with the latter, to add to a year that's already seen the movie Air step through the story behind them). Also featuring: the shoes that've become cultural symbols (such as the Vans Half Cab and Reebok InstaPump Fury), future advancements in making kicks (as seen with Biorealize for Puma) and big-name collaborations (Jordan, of course, plus Run-DMC and more). From there, visitors can check out sneakers that've made a splash on the runway (Comme des Carçons and A-Cold-Wall*, for instance), find out more about plant-based sneakers (such as Veja and Native Shoes) and customisable kicks (as Helen Kirkum and Alexander Taylor are doing), and dive into celebrity endorsements (Travis Scott with Nike, Pharell for Adidas and the like). Laid out in chapters called 'STYLE' and 'PERFORMANCE', the exhibition's first part goes big on aesthetics and its second on the act of making the best trainers — covering Chuck Taylor's basketball clinics, sneaker culture in New York City and everything that's happened since. Also, Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street's Aussie run isn't forgetting its location, adding rare homegrown shoes and collaborations to the mix. Remember the Nike Air Presto that the Australian Olympic team wore at Sydney 2000? You'll see it here. The same with the New Balance 997.5 Tassie Tiger and BespokeIND's Melbourne Rules, with the latter made for the 2016 AFL grand final. Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street is the Gold Coast venue's second huge Australian-exclusive in 2023, following Pop Masters: Art From the Mugrabi Collection, New York and its focus on Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring from February–June. In 2024, the site will welcome Italian Renaissance Alive, the latest multi-sensory art experience from the folks behind Van Gogh Alive and Monet in Paris, giving both locals and tourists alike plenty of reasons to drop by. Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street opened on Saturday, November 25 at HOTA Gallery, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise Gold Coast — head to the exhibition's website for further details and tickets. Images: Milk and Honey Creative.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures will do that, and so will plenty of people staying home because they aren't well — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Perhaps you've been under the weather. Given the hefty amount of titles now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 11 that you can watch right now at home. SALTBURN Sharp, savage and skewering, plus twisted in narrative and the incisive use of genre tropes alike: as a filmmaker, Emerald Fennell certainly has a type. With the Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman and now Saltburn, the Barbie and The Crown actor-turned-writer/director takes aim, blazes away giddily and blasts apart everything that she can. When she made a blisteringly memorable feature debut behind the lens — giving audiences one of 2021's's best Down Under releases, in fact, and deservingly earning a place among the Academy Awards' rare female Best Director nominees in the process — she honed in on the absolute worst that a patriarchal society affords women. Now, after also pointing out the protection provided to the wealthy in that first effort as a helmer, Fennell has class warfare so firmly in her gaze that Saltburn is named after a sprawling English manor. With both flicks, the end result is daringly unforgettable. This pair of pictures would make a killer double, too, although they enjoy neighbouring estates rather than frolic across the same exact turf. On her leaps from one side of the camera to the other, Fennell also keeps filling her features with such spectacular casts that other filmmakers might hope to fall into her good graces to bask in their glow — a fate that sits at the heart of Saltburn, albeit beyond the movie world. Fresh from nabbing his own Oscar nomination for The Banshees of Inisherin, Barry Keoghan adds yet another beguiling and astonishing performance to a resume that's virtually collecting them (see also: The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dunkirk, American Animals, The Green Knight and Calm with Horses), proving mesmerisingly slippery as scholarship student Oliver Quick. Usually standing in his sights, Euphoria's Jacob Elordi perfects the part of Felix Catton, aka that effortlessly charismatic friend that everyone wishes they could spend all of their time with. And as Felix's mother Elspeth, father Sir James and "poor dear" family pal Pamela, Rosamund Pike (The Wheel of Time), Richard E Grant (Persuasion) and Carey Mulligan (Fennell's Promising Young Woman star, also an Academy Award nominee for her work) couldn't give more delicious line readings or portraits of the insular but shambolic well-to-do. Saltburn streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Death comes to Killers of the Flower Moon quickly. Death comes to Killers of the Flower Moon often. While Martin Scorsese will later briefly fill the film's frames with a fiery orange vision — with what almost appears to be a lake of flames deep in oil country, as dotted with silhouettes of men — death blazes through his 26th feature from the moment that the picture starts rolling. Adapted from journalist David Grann's 2017 non-fiction novel Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, with the filmmaker himself and Dune's Eric Roth penning the screenplay, this is a masterpiece of a movie about a heartbreakingly horrible spate of deaths sparked by pure and unapologetic greed and persecution a century back. Scorsese's two favourite actors in Leonardo DiCaprio (Don't Look Up) and Robert De Niro (Amsterdam) are its stars, alongside hopefully his next go-to in Lily Gladstone (Reservation Dogs), but murder and genocide are as much at this bold and brilliant, epic yet intimate, ambitious and absorbing film's centre — all in a tale that's devastatingly true. As Mollie Kyle, a member of the Osage Nation in Grey Horse, Oklahoma, incomparable Certain Women standout Gladstone talks through some of the movie's homicides early. Before her character meets DiCaprio's World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart — nephew to De Niro's cattle rancher and self-proclaimed 'king of the Osage' William King Hale — she notes that several Indigenous Americans that have been killed, with Mollie mentioning a mere few to meet untimely ends. There's nothing easy about this list, nor is there meant to be. Some are found dead, others seen laid out for their eternal rest, and each one delivers a difficult image. But a gun fired at a young mother pushing a pram inspires a shock befitting a horror film. The genre fits here, in its way, as do many others as Killers of the Flower Moon follows Burkhart's arrival in town, his deeds under his uncle's guidance, his romance with Mollie and the tragedies that keep springing: American crime saga, aka the realm that Scorsese has virtually made his own, as well as romance, relationship drama, western, true crime and crime procedural. Killers of the Flower Moon streams via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Martin Scorsese. THE ROYAL HOTEL Anyone who has spent time in an outback Australian pub will recognise The Royal Hotel's namesake watering hole, even if they've never seen this particular bar before. The filming location itself doesn't matter. Neither do the IRL details of the actual establishment that stands in for the movie's fictional boozer. What scorches itself into memory like the blistering sun beating down on the middle-of-nowhere saloon's surroundings, then, is the look and the feel of this quintessentially Aussie beer haven. From the dim lighting inside and weather-beaten facade outside to the almost exclusively male swarm of barflies that can't wait to getting sipping come quittin' time, this feature's setting could be any tavern. It could be all of them. That fact is meant to linger as filmmaker Kitty Green crafts another masterclass in tension, microagressions and the ever-looming threats that women live with daily — swapping The Assistant's Hollywood backdrop and Harvey Weinstein shadow for a remote mining town and toxic testosterone-fuelled treatment of female bartenders. Making her second fictional feature after that 2019 standout, and her fourth film overall thanks to 2013 documentary Ukraine Is Not a Brothel and 2017's Casting JonBenet before that, Green has kept as much as she's substituted between her two most recent movies. Julia Garner stars in both, albeit without breaking out an Inventing Anna-style drawl in either — although comically parroting the Aussie accent does earn a brief workout. Green's focus remains living while female. Her preferred tone is still as unsettling as any scary movie. The Royal Hotel is another of her horror films, but an inescapable villain here, as it was in The Assistant, is a world that makes existing as a woman this innately unnerving. This taut and deeply intelligent picture's sources of anxiety and danger aren't simply society; however, what it means to weather the constant possibility of peril for nothing more than your sex chromosomes is this flick's far-as-the-eye-can-see burnt earth. The Royal Hotel streams via Binge. Read our full review, and our interview with Kitty Green. MAESTRO When a composer pens music, it's the tune that they want the world to enjoy, not the marks on a page scribbling it into existence. When a conductor oversees an orchestra, the performance echoing rather than their own with baton in hand and arms waving is their gift. In Maestro, Bradley Cooper (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) is seen as Leonard Bernstein in both modes. His portrayal, especially in an unbroken take as the American great conducts Mahler's Resurrection Symphony at England's Ely Cathedral in 1973, is so richly textured and deeply complex that it's the career-best kind of astonishing. But Cooper as this movie's helmer, co-writer and one of its producers wants Maestro's audience to revel in the end result, not just in his exceptional on-screen contribution to bringing this virtuoso feature to fruition. And if he wants the love showered anyone's way first, it's towards Carey Mulligan (Saltburn), who the second-time director (and second-time director of a music-fuelled film, since his debut behind the lens was A Star Is Born) gives top billing for stepping so astoundingly into Felicia Montealegre Bernstein's shoes. Symphonies should erupt for Mulligan's awards-worthy turn, which deserves to claim her third Oscar nomination (after 2010's for An Education and 2021's for Promising Young Woman) at a minimum. As the Costa Rican actor — a talent herself, of the stage and small screen — hers is similarly a never-better performance. It's a chalk-and-cheese partner to Cooper's, too; his is all about playing someone whose entire reason for earning a biopic is his effort and what it wrought, while she makes everything from the screwball-esque early sparks of connection to soul-aching pain feel natural. When she says "you don't even know how much you need me, do you?", the words melt, and the moment with it. When she beams by Cooper's side during a TV interview about Leonard's achievements, the practicalities of spending your life with someone have rarely felt as giddying. When Maestro's main pair quarrel on Thanksgiving, away from their family and as the parade trots along outside the window, each word is a cut. Every scene with Mulligan lays its emotions bare so thoroughly, yet never forcefully or showily, that she virtually spirits the audience into Felicia's footwear with her. Maestro streams via Netflix. Read our full review. LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND Call it the one with Julia Roberts playing the mother of a Friends-obsessed 13-year-old girl who hasn't clocked that someone closely resembling her mum pops up in the sitcom's second season. Call it writer/director Sam Esmail still ruing humanity's technological reliance and seeing only dystopian outcomes after Mr Robot became such a small-screen success. Call Leave the World Behind an effectively unnerving psychological thriller about a mysterious communications blackout striking while one New York family holidays at another's palatial Long Island vacation home, too. Down Under, badging it the horror version of Australia's November 2023 Optus outage also fits — just with a home-invasion angle that can be read two ways; Hitchcockian suspense, sharp writing and baked-in bleakness; Barack and Michelle Obama as executive producers; and Roberts (Ticket to Paradise) starring alongside Ethan Hawke (Reservation Dogs), Mahershala Ali (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Myha'la Herrold (Dumb Money) and Kevin Bacon (The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special). In her second chaotic getaway in two successive movies, Roberts plays Amanda Sandford, an advertising executive who prides herself on being able to read people and situations. But her professor husband Clay (Hawke) is surprised to awaken one morning to news that their brood is going away for a few days, thanks to a humanity-escaping misanthropic urge and a last-minute online booking. He and the couple's kids — the older Archie (Charlie Evans, Everything's Gonna Be Okay) and younger Rose (Farrah Mackenzie, United States of Al) — aren't complaining about the break, though. Then problems after eerie problems occur. First, an oil tanker runs ashore on the beach. Next comes the late-night knock at the door from their holiday home's owner GH Scott (Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Herrold), who've driven in all dressed up from a night at the symphony. In a movie that isn't afraid of M Night Shyamalan-esque setups on its route to potential societal collapse, a power, phone and internet outage follows, plus oddly behaving wildlife and disquieting developments from above. Leave the World Behind streams via Netflix. Read our full review. TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR Just like a great music documentary, an excellent concert film isn't solely about existing fans. That's still true when a movie arrives in a sea of friendship bracelets, focuses on one of the biggest current singers in the world, and perhaps the largest and most devoted fandom there is can be seen screaming, dancing and crying joyfully in its frames in a 70,000-plus drove. As the shows that it lenses were, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour was a financial success before any Swifties experienced their version of heaven. Swift's onstage journey through 17 years of tunes sparked ticketing mayhem both as a concert and a cinema release that captures close to every moment. The Eras tour is a billion-dollar entity, with the self-produced film that's spreading it further than packed stadiums a box-office bonanza since it was announced. The 169-minute-long movie is also a dazzling spectacle that neither dedicated Swifties nor casual viewers will be able to easily shake off. When Swift told the world that she never misses a beat and she's lightning on her feet in possibly her best-known pop song, everyone should've believed her. Long before 2014 earworm 'Shake It Off' gets a spin in the 1989 segment of The Eras Tour, she's proven those words true in an indefatigable onstage effort. "Can't stop, won't stop moving" describes her efforts and the film, which is as energetically directed by Sam Wrench (Billie Eilish Live at the O2) and edited by a six-person team (with Max Richter's Sleep's Dom Whitworth as its lead) as it is performed. And, for anyone that's sat through Valentine's Day and Cats and found them hardly purring, it gives Swift the screen presence that she's been trying to amass here and there — The Giver and Amsterdam are also on her resume — for over than a decade. Watching The Eras Tour doesn't just feel like watching a concert, but a musical spectacular in its vast grandeur, complete with the lead to match. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour streams via Google Play, YouTube Movies, Apple TV and Prime Video. Read our full review. DUMB MONEY It couldn't have been hard to cast Pete Davidson as a stoner in Dumb Money, but getting the Bupkis star playing a part that barely feels like a part on paper is perfect in this ripped-from-the-headlines film. He doesn't give the movie's top performance, which goes to lead Paul Dano (The Fabelmans), but he's satisfyingly great as the DoorDash driver who's often trolling his brother online and in-person. He's also an example in Cruella and I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie's entertaining feature of one of the ideas that this true tale heartily disproves. Viewers know what they're going to get from Davidson, and he delivers. Wall Street thought it knew what it was in for when small-time investors splashed their cash on stock for US video-game store chain GameStop, too, but the frenzy that resulted demonstrated otherwise. It was in 2019 IRL when DeepFuckingValue aka Roaring Kitty aka Keith Gill first posted on subreddit r/wallstreetbets that he'd bought stock in GameStop, the Texas-born brand that had been struggling but he thought was undervalued. Dumb Money tells this story from Keith's digital enthusiasm through to the impact upon the financial markets, plus the worldwide attention that followed. In 2021, the GameStop situation wasn't just news. It was a phenomenon, and one of the great modern-day David-versus-Goliath scenarios. There's a reason that this recent chapter of history been turned into a movie, and not just because it's an easy candidate to try to emulate The Big Short: the big end of town kept pulling its usual strings, the 99 percent played their own game instead and the status quo was upended — temporarily. Dumb Money streams via Google Play, YouTube Movies, Apple TV and Prime Video. Read our full review. THEATER CAMP If you've ever wanted to turn your childhood into a movie, Theater Camp is the latest film that understands. It's also happy to laugh. Unlike Minari, Belfast, The Fabelmans, Aftersun and Past Lives, this isn't a drama, with Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Noah Galvin and Nick Lieberman making a sidesplittingly funny mockumentary about a place that's near and dear to them. What happens when four friends reflect upon their formative years, when they all fell in love with putting on a show? Theater Camp is the pitch-perfect answer. Looking backwards can be earnest and nostalgic, as Gordon and company know and embrace. Going for Wet Hot American Summer meets Waiting for Guffman and A Mighty Wind, they're just as aware that it can be utterly hilarious. Watching Theater Camp means stepping into Gordon, Platt, Galvin and Lieberman's reality. None are currently camp counsellors, but the realm that they parody genuinely is personal. The film's core quartet initially came into each other's lives via youth theatre. With Gordon and Platt, the picture even boasts the receipts — aka IRL footage of the pair performing as kids — from a time when they were appearing together in Fiddler on the Roof at age four and in How to Succeed in Business at five. This team was first driven to bring their shared experiences to the screen in an improvised 2020 short also called Theater Camp. Now, they flesh out that bite-sized flick to full length as enthusiastically as any wannabe actor has ever monologued. All four co-write, while Booksmart and The Bear star Gordon directs with fellow first-time feature helmer Lieberman. Gordon, Dear Evan Hansen stage and screen lead Platt, plus Galvin — who similarly portrayed that Broadway hit's title role — act as well, playing three of the adults at AdirondACTS. Theater Camp streams via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, Apple TV and Prime Video. Read our full review. HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES When children from Panem's first 12 districts are chosen to fight to the death, each year's unlucky kids conscripted into the bloodthirsty fray that gives The Hunger Games franchise its title, they aren't simply battling for survival. In this dystopian saga stemming from Suzanne Collins' novels, they're brawling to entertain the wealthy residents of the ruling Capitol — they're forced to submit to a display of power and control, too, and to demonstrate humanity's innate cruelty — all while waging war against perishing into nothingness. Arriving eight years after the series' last page-to-screen adaptation, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is a swung sword, flung spear, hurled hatchet and jabbed knife in the same type of skirmish. This is a blockbuster franchise, but 2012's The Hunger Games, 2013's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, 2014's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 and 2015's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 have long faded from the big screen, which virtually means no longer existing to Tinseltown, other than as fuel to relight the flame. So kicks in the "sequels, prequels, spinoffs, continuations, TV shows, remakes, reboots, reimaginings or perish" motto that may as well be etched onto the Hollywood sign. Why The Hunger Games' battle royales exist, and what their purpose and substance are, prove topics of conversation more than once in The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. A tale that features the person who created the games and the mind overseeing them — that'd be Dean Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage, Cyrano) and Dr Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis, Air) — ought to ponder such notions. A jump back in time in a now five-entry franchise, and a chapter that runs for 157 minutes at that, couldn't leave it out. But a sense of nothingness still swirls around this Tom Blyth (Billy the Kid)- and Rachel Zegler (Shazam! Fury of the Gods)-led picture about Coriolanus Snow's origin story, even if Collins did actually write a novel with a plot that justifies the movie's existence (unlike comparable shenanigans over in the Wizarding World, aka the Fantastic Beasts films). There's an insignificant air to this return trip to YA bleakness, as smacking of chasing cash and keeping IP bubbling in the popular consciousness was bound to inspire; this doesn't feel like a return or a bonus, but an optional extra. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes streams via Google Play, YouTube Movies, Apple TV and Prime Video. Read our full review. FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S Nicolas Cage is sorely missed in Five Nights at Freddy's, not that he was ever on the film's cast list. He starred in 2021's Willy's Wonderland, however, which clearly took its cues from the video-game franchise that this attempt to start a corresponding movie series now officially adapts. Willy's Wonderland wasn't great, but a near-silent Cage battling demonic animatronics was always going to be worth seeing. Unsurprisingly, he's mesmerising. In comparison, the actual Five Nights at Freddy's feature stars Josh Hutcherson (Futureman) deep in his older brother phase, bringing weary charm to a by-the-numbers horror flick that's as routine as they come no matter whether you've ever mashed buttons along with its inspiration — which first dropped in 2014 and now spans nine main games, a tenth on the way and five spinoffs — or seen everyone's favourite Renfield, Pig and Color Out of Space actor give an unlicensed take a go. Writer/director Emma Tammi (The Wind), the game's creator Scott Cawthon (Scooby Doo, Where Are You? In... SPRINGTRAPPED!) and co-screenwriter Seth Cuddeback's (Mateo) movie iteration of Five Nights at Freddy's doesn't just arrive after a Cage film got there first; it hits after season 16 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia wreaked havoc on a comparable setting already in 2023. If you're looking for a pitch-black comedic skewering of eateries in the style of Chuck E Cheese, the IRL pizzeria-meets-arcade chain that Freddy Fazbear's Pizza is patently based on, that's the best of the year. So, the Five Nights at Freddy film lingers in multiple shadows. There's symmetry on- and off-screen as result: shining a torchlight around in the movie uncovers sights that its characters would rather not see, and peering even just slightly through recent pop culture shows that this picture isn't alone, either. Five Nights at Freddy's streams via Google Play, YouTube Movies, Apple TV and Prime Video. Read our full review. THANKSGIVING Edgar Wright's Don't and Rob Zombie's Werewolf Women of the SS must be on their way to the big screen soon. With Thanksgiving's arrival, three of the five films teased as trailers in 2007's Grindhouse — and at the time only conceived to exist as those faux trailers — have come to full-length feature fruition. So, the double of Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof didn't just give the world biochemical zombies and a murdering stuntman, but Machete, Hobo with a Shotgun and now Eli Roth's turkey-holiday slasher horror. In this first stint behind the lens since 2021 documentary Fin, plus 2018's vastly dissimilar Death Wish and The House with a Clock in Its Walls before that, the Cabin Fever and Hostel filmmaker knows the right mood: when you're plating up a film that began as a gag ad, leaning into both tropes and a knowing vibe is the best choice for carving a path forward. There's a downside to the joke beginning and happy winking now, though: Thanksgiving sure does love sticking to a tried-and-tested recipe. Roth and screenwriter Jeff Rendell, both returning from 16 years back and sharing a story credit, have taken to the whole "Halloween but Thanksgiving" approach with the utmost dedication — because it's as plain as a roasted bird centrepiece that that's what they've purposely cooked up. The mood, the nods, the derivation: they don't add up to a new masterpiece, however, genre-defining, cult or otherwise. But there's something to be said for a film that commits to its bit with this much relish, so bluntly and openly, and with the tongue-in-cheek attitude that was baked into the Grindhouse package slathered on thick. And yes, the image that no one has forgotten for almost two decades returns, alongside other signature shots from Thanksgiving's proof-of-concept sneak peek. Thanksgiving streams via Apple TV and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and fast-tracked highlights from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November, too. We've kept a running list of must-stream TV from across the year, complete with full reviews. We also rounded up 2023's 15 best films, 15 best straight-to-streaming movies, 15 top flicks hardly anyone saw, 15 best new TV series of 2023, another 15 excellent new TV shows that you might've missed and 15 best returning shows as well.
Oh god, it's happened. We knew it would. Ever since we first tried to make a 'beer spider' by heaping some vanilla bean into our third or fourth pint, we knew it was a possibility. The method just needed some work. Unsurprisingly, adding dairy to beer was never the answer. Now the Japanese legends at Kirin have perfected the recipe for the ultimate beer slushie, and are selling a home version of the machine that makes it. Here's the kicker: the drink is actually super tasty. The slushie portion of this frozen treat is made with frozen beer instead of ice cream so instead of clogging your brew with curdled milk, it just keeps the whole thing freezing cold. The machine has been floating around as a promo tool in Japan and the USA since 2012, but — because it's basically a pure form of liquid happiness — it's stuck around until now. The machine is currently available for purchase via the Japan Trend Shop online, however it does come with some drawbacks. For instance, although the initial cost of the product is only US$67, you'll have to add another US$47 on for shipping. Also, it only runs off C batteries (for some reason) and all of the instructions are in Japanese. Eek. Of course this won't stop the hardcore enthusiasts, but if you consider yourself a more casual beer slushie drinker, head out to Harajuku Gyoza to try it first. The Japanese gyoza and beer restaurant in Potts Point and Fortitude Valley are currently one of the only (if not the only) place serving it in Australia. Bon appétit! Via Thrillist and Hospitality Magazine. Images via Kirin USA Facebook.
UPDATE, April 19, 20201 The Invisible Man is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video, Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play and YouTube Movies. In the latest version of The Invisible Man, Universal unwraps the bandages from one of its iconic horror figures in an astute, unnerving and thrillingly contemporary fashion. But it almost didn't happen, with the studio originally pursuing completely different plans. Let's all take a moment to thank the cinema gods that Tom Cruise's stint as The Mummy didn't work out. If his time dallying with Egyptian spirits had been a success, we'd now be watching Johnny Depp as The Invisible Man instead. That's what Universal's 'dark universe' — aka the studio's modern-day remakes of its old 1930s monster movies — had in store. Then the 2017 version of The Mummy proved a flop, forcing the company to change course. Suddenly, Depp's slated film disappeared into thin air just like the imperceptible man he was supposed to play. So too did an Angelina Jolie and Javier Bardem-starring take on The Bride of Frankenstein. And that left Universal with a gap — which Australian writer/director and Saw co-creator Leigh Whannell fills grippingly and convincingly with his top-notch update of cinema's most famous see-through character. In the Upgrade filmmaker's hands, The Invisible Man has been through some significant changes since HG Wells' 1897 novel and James Whale's 1933 first film adaptation. In fact, this movie doesn't really tell the eponymous figure's story, but that of the woman terrorised by the unseen guy. After years of suffering through an abusive relationship with hotshot optics pioneer Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) works up the courage to leave him. Fleeing from his remote mansion in the middle of the night with the help of her sister (Harriet Dyer), she's petrified that he'll track her down and retaliate. But, as she hides out with a cop friend (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid), word arrives that Adrian has committed suicide — although when strange things start happening around Cecelia, she's convinced that he's still somehow messing with her. To not only make The Invisible Man today, but set it in today's world too, two areas needed to be addressed. The first is technology, recognising that turning a person invisible is far more plausible than it once was — and that being involved in someone's life without being physically present isn't just possible these days, but commonplace. The second is gender politics. Watching a man terrorise a woman sight unseen has very different connotations in the 21st century, as does the stalking and gaslighting that comes with it. Crucially, Whannell embraces the complexities of both areas in this thoroughly modern take on the tale, switching focus from villain to victim, and bolstering his narrative by pondering the underhanded capabilities of technology as well as the ongoing problem that is domestic violence. Accordingly, this slow-building version of The Invisible Man isn't an account of a scientist corrupted by his latest discovery, as seen in its predecessors. Rather, it's a portrait of a woman at the mercy of a man who'll do anything and use any means to get what he wants. The end result: psychological horror mixed with futuristic science-fiction and layered with a piercing societal statement, and it's as effective as it sounds. Of course, anyone who saw Upgrade will realise that this is the only interpretation of The Invisible Man that Whannell could've made. The Aussie filmmaker continues his fascination with body modification and tech-enabled surveillance, as well as his fondness for hyper-kinetic action, a pervasive mood of dread and tension, and a sparse, sleek look — plus his interrogation of the kind of society that, with not too many imaginative tweaks needed, we just might be headed for. Forgetting the terrible Insidious: Chapter 3, the only blip on his directorial resume to date, Whannell is swiftly establishing a reputation as a genre filmmaker with smarts, style and something to say — as well as the skill to combine all of the above into a thrilling, harrowing and engaging package. He also has canny casting instincts, with The Invisible Man as much Moss' movie as Whannell's. The Handmaid's Tale and Her Smell actor has had more than a little practice in this terrain of late — aka battling insidious enemies, navigating persecution, and devolving into distress, distrust and paranoia — and she draws upon that experience here. Indeed, watching someone face off against an unsighted foe can play as hokey or unintentionally comic, but not with Moss and her haunted yet determined stare taking centre stage. This definitely isn't the movie that Universal imagined when, high on dreams of building its own megastar-studded, monster-fuelled universe, the studio announced its now-defunct Depp-led project. That's something else to continue to thank the movie gods for — because no one needed Depp's usual daffy schtick wrapped in gauze, but cinema definitely does need Whannell's savvy, unsettling, spirited and refreshing The Invisible Man remake. Great horror movies have always reflected and responded to the times they're made in and, in the same vein as Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us, The Invisible Man helps lead the charge as the 21st century reaches its third decade. This is a socially conscious, savagely creepy, supremely clever reinterpretation of a classic scarefest that takes every part of that equation seriously. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY
Before Michael Crichton conjured up an island theme park filled with cloned dinosaurs as seen in Jurassic Park, he took audiences to a different but just as eerie attraction. The year was 1973. The film was Westworld. And it was not only written by the author, but it was also directed by him as well. That's where HBO's futuristic show of the same name starring Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Wright, Liam Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson and Aaron Paul first started. Yes, life really does find a way. Series creators Jonathan Nolan (brother of Christopher Nolan) and Lisa Joy have taken the central idea and expanded it, though, as Westworld's first three gripping TV seasons have shown since 2016. When it comes to tales about a technologically advanced amusement park where people pay to experience Wild West times, and where androids play the park's roles but don't realise that they aren't human, there are oh-so-many stories to tell, after all.
FBi Social, the Sydney radio station's first ever pop-up live music venue, opened its doors last week. Housed on the second level of the refurbished Kings Cross Hotel, in stumbling distance of the Coca Cola sign, FBi is hoping to use the space to further their ever evolving mission of helping emerging local bands break through to larger audiences. With a 200-person capacity and a 24/7 license, and the aim of taking Kings Cross back to it's live music/dive bar roots, it's sure to be a very exciting couple of months. Rarely can you make me go to Kings Cross. The place evokes memories of dangerously high heels, bogan's blaring bad music from their souped up cars and being hit on by drug dealers. But FBi Social will be enough to get me, and many like me, to venture to the end of William Street. And perhaps the biggest perk is that no longer will you have to catch two buses and a train to a shoddy warehouse at the back of Marrickville to see emerging live music. It all kicks off this weekend, with Friday night's Socially Acceptable bringing you FBi's favourite emerging DJ's to assist you in all manner of hand-clapping, toe-tapping and hip-thrusting. The lineup of bands kick off on Saturday night with Dance To The Radio, featuring The Preachers, Underlights and Sister Jane. Gigs over the next two months include Ernest Ellis, Pikelet and Guineafowl, and will sit side by side with nights devoted to genres such as folk, hip hip and experimental music.
Melbourne is already home to one of the world's best restaurants, and it's set to score a few more notable additions when a high-end food precinct opens at the enormous new development currently being built at 80 Collins Street. The lineup already reads like a roll-call of Australia's best culinary talent with multi-level fine-diners and rooftop restaurants in the works. Perhaps the most anticipated resident will be the next iteration of Vicki Wild and Martin Benn's world-renowned Sydney restaurant Sepia, which closed its doors in the Harbour City last year after the twop announced they would be moving to Melbourne in 2017. They're teaming up with Melbourne restaurant heavyweight Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Kisume, Hawker Hall) to create 80 Collins' headline food offering, with plans for some boldly creative hospitality venues destined to put the development firmly on the map. Exactly what the team is planning to do with the new restaurant has been kept under wraps, but, given the luxury nature of the $800 million development, it's going to be a big deal. The venue will take up 2000 square metres over multiple levels within the building and boast terraces and sweeping views over the city. [caption id="attachment_711870" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christ Lucas, Martin Benn and Vicki Wild.[/caption] And today it has been announced that acclaimed Pastuso chef-owner Alejandro Saravia will also be joining the precinct, with a paddock-to-plate restaurant named Farmer's Daughters. This one if also going to be big — it'll take up three levels, including a casual deli on the ground floor, a formal restaurant on the first, and a rooftop diner and urban farm. Here, you'll be able to eat from a mostly preserved and fermented menu among the venue's herb gardens and greenhouses. Born of Saravia's passion for the Gippsland region — he's the area's 'official food and beverage ambassador' — the eatery's set to be a showcase of its finest offerings, from fresh produce to award-winning wines. This one will be an all-day affair, serving morning lattes right through to late-night libations. The giant 80 Collins development is going up on the site of the heritage-listed Le Louvre building, on the corner of Collins and Exhibition Streets. The high-rise, along with a newly refurbished commercial tower on the same block, will boast a futuristic new office tower, a 255-room boutique hotel and a luxury retail offering alongside the hospitality precinct. It's set for completion in 2020.
The life and times of 20th century music and cultural icon, Bob Marley, are explored through the deeply raw and poignant documentary, Marley. Kevin Macdonald directed the film in an attempt to allow audiences to get to know the man behind the myth a little better. The two and a half hour documentary features never before seen footage and photos from Marley's early life and final years; from his years as a mixed-race farm boy, Marley's time on the streets in Kingston's Trenchtown, his worldwide fame, through to his cancer diagnosis and slow subsequent demise. Marley reinforces the cultural significance of this Jamaican hero, who still resonates in music lovers' hearts all over the world almost 30 years after his death. Commentary is provided by the family members and friends who knew him best, and the film includes concert footage of four previously unseen songs. All of this is woven together in a seamless stream of revelations to sate the appetites of even the most ardent, die-hard Marley fans. Macdonald and Marley's children and grandchildren also wished to preserve Marley's legacy through the documentary and highlight his driven and ambitious work ethic, whilst quelling the notion that his marijuana smoking led him to lead a slow-paced or lazy lifestyle. The film powerfully captures the quirkiness of the Marley clan as well as providing a musical journey that outlines the development of the sub-culture of reggae and the instrumental role Marley had in this. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Marley. To go in the running to win tickets, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
The cinnamonny college-tastic whisky known as Fireball is under fire (#sorrynotsorry) this week after some pretty unwanted materials were discovered in a European shipment of the good stuff. According to The Daily Beast, it was revealed that Fireball whisky was being recalled in Finland, Norway and Sweden because the batch contains propylene glycol. Yep, that's a casual compound starring prominently in a little ol' thing called antifreeze. ANTIFREEZE. The chemical that helps protects your car's radiator and de-ices aircraft carriers. You won't be so quick to make a GoPro wedding video downing the spicy stuff now huh? European recipients of the batch in question were understandably unimpressed when the delivery rocked up; apparently the Fireball recipe with high levels of propylene glycol is aiiiight for America though. According to Huffington Post the propylene glycol is used to enhance flavour by absorbing water and is "generally recognized as safe" for use in food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But European (and Australian) regulations for food and drink ingredients are apparently tighter than the US — DB reminded us of the time Subway was all geared up to remove azodicarbonamide from its Australian and European bread (yeah, that's chemical commonly used in yoga mats, no biggie). Not in the States though, thing are more lax in the Yoo Ess of Ay. So, Fireball owners Sazerac are legally allowed to put more propylene glycol in their US/Canada bevvies. But don't grab your torches and pitchforks just yet. Sazerac were quick to make embers of this week's uproar, releasing a statement pointing out that propylene glycol is given the a-OK by the FDA in amounts up to 50 grams per kilogram — apparently that's about eight times the amount Fireball has hidden away in its party-starting belly. "Most people consume PG every day in soft drinks, sweeteners, some foods or alcoholic beverages," said the Fireball team, adding that "all Fireball formulas are absolutely safe to drink." "Unfortunately, Fireball shipped its North American formula to Europe and found that one ingredient is out of compliance with European regulations. Finland, Sweden and Norway have asked to recall those specific batches, which is what the brand is doing." Australian batches seem fine for now. Shots anyone? No? Fireball whiskey has antifreeze chemicals in it? So it tastes great and I won't freeze? Make mine a double! — Maddox (@maddoxrules) October 29, 2014 Via The Daily Beast and Huffington Post.
In the Yarra Valley? Looking for a homey place to sleep? Warburton Motel is for you, dear traveller. Penned as the spot for "the adventurers, the readers, the tree huggers, the romantics and the fireside talkers", it's set to offer something delightful for all. Affectionately referred to as The Warby, there's a room with mountain views and a suite with a spa, plus a fire pit perched above a valley for late-night chats and star gazing. These family-run digs have warm wooden accents welcoming you throughout, and the feel of being immersed in nature even when you're tucked up in bed (courtesy of the lush greenery out every window). The mini bar is stocked with beers from local microbreweries, and you're only a minute's drive from dining spots and provisions stores in the small town nearby. Don't miss out on adventuring and take advantage of the complimentary hybrid bike hire, or skip the bikes and head straight to local wineries only a short 20-minute drive from The Warburton Motel. Images: Warburton Motel Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
It's official: after a dream of a first season, Rose Matafeo's delightful rom-com sitcom Starstruck is back to make you fall head over heels for its firmly 21st-century take on dating a famous actor all over again. It's also official for Matafeo's (Baby Done) on-screen alter ego Jessie and Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral), the celebrity she had a one-night stand with on New Year's Eve, then navigated an awkward will-they-won't-they dance around every time they ran into each other in London. Once the show's newly arrived second season gets a few episodes in — it's now streaming in full via ABC iView in Australia and TVNZ OnDemand in New Zealand — they're officially dating. Starstruck's debut run ended with a glorious jump in Jessie and Tom's relationship. She was set to leave the UK to return home to New Zealand, but he showed up at just the right moment to inspire her to stay. Indeed, when the season came to a close, they sat on the backseat of a bus, blissful smiles slowly slipping as they each internally grabbled with what'd just happened, like they were were Dustin Hoffman and Katharine Ross 55 years back. That nod to The Graduate couldn't have been more knowing, just like the show's entire narrative arc across its first season. Co-writing the series as well as starring — and playing a movie-loving cinema employee at that — Matafeo and co-scribes Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson recognise that the best way to create a smart, savvy, affectionate and heartfelt entry in such a well-populated, often schmaltzy and cheesy genre is to call out all of the conventions and tropes. And, to play with and twist them, then layer them with truth, wit and depth. Indeed, rom-com self-awareness has always been one of Starstruck's big assets — it basically takes Notting Hill's setup and fast-forward two-plus decades, after all — and that hasn't changed in season two. This next batch of six episodes has a key question in mind, however: once you've enjoyed the wild meet-cute, ridden the courtship rollercoaster and been bowled over by a grand romantic gesture, what comes next? It's the stuff that rom-com sequels might cover, except that for all of Hollywood's eagerness to rinse and repeat its most popular fare, the romantic-comedy genre is comparatively sparse in the follow-up department. It's easy to understand why everything from Pretty Woman to Amelie hasn't sparked on-screen continuations — or the likes of Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You and, yes Notting Hill, too. Getting to live happily ever after is always the point, as well as the end point. Thankfully, merely recharting that familiar path wasn't ever going to be enough for Starstruck, as wonderful a job as it did of doing just that in its first season. As a result, season two picks up exactly where its predecessor left off. Jessie and Tom's bus ride segues into a WTF realisation, as in "WTF do we do now?". That's a query that Jessie isn't ready to answer, even though she's made the big leap and missed her flight home. So, she avoids even tackling the situation, instead dragging Tom along to play tourist for the day. He's meant to be flying off to Ireland for a new film shoot and delays leaving for Jessie, so her decision to simply ignore what they've both just done affects them both in multiple ways. The mess of any and every relationship, which rom-coms don't typically show when they end with that happily-ever-after moment, fuels Starstruck's new episodes. Like everyone, Jessie and Tom have plenty. They both have pasts and exes, which shapes how they approach romance now. They know they want to be together, but Jessie isn't as committed to putting in the effort that an ordinary, everyday, long-term relationship requires. Tom has a judgemental brother Vinay (Parth Thakerar, Vigil), too, who doesn't make a great first impression. Plus, Jessie's last boyfriend Ben (Edward Easton, Porters) reappears in her life, much to her devoted best friend and roommate Kate's (Emma Sidi, Pls Like) dismay. Starstruck wades through all of this chaos, and through the inescapable fact that getting what we want can also spark a spiral of self-sabotage one throwaway comment, pointless disagreement and lie of omission at a time. The show's second season is light but also deep, the exact opposite of one of its key watery settings, and remains a rom-com that's as aware of what relationships in 2022 are really alike as it is about how romance is typically portrayed in its genre. Matafeo, Sneddon and Sampson (who also plays Jessie's fellow Kiwi-in-the-UK pal Steve) still keep the screwball vibe alive, and the dialogue sharp and relatable, of course. They keep the fellow rom-com references weaved in as well (Love Actually and Bridget Jones' Diary fans, prepare to feel seen). There's no morning-after stride of pride to the sounds of 'Return of the Mack' this time, but everything else that made Starstruck's first season such a gem is accounted for. Matafeo is still a multi-layered marvel as Jessie, especially as the series wades through more of her tumultuous choices. Patel keeps finding the ideal balance of charisma and earthiness while playing a well-known actor who knows the trappings of his work, what he values and what he wants out of a relationship. The supporting cast — the returning Minnie Driver (Cinderella) as Tom's Agent and Russell Tovey (Years and Years) as the director of his latest project included — remains top-notch, and the direction is breezy but never fluffy or frothy. Yes, Marry Me is now flirting with the same concept on the big screen, but Starstruck is the clever and charming rom-com to truly swoon over. Check out the trailer for Starstruck's second season below: Starstruck's second season is available to stream in Australia via ABC iView and in New Zealand via TVNZ OnDemand. Read our full review of Starstruck's first season.
If a pizza delivery guy was to accidentally wander into a cryogenic chamber back in July 2013, get stuck frozen inside for ten years, then wake up in July 2023, plenty that he knows about the world will have changed. But one thing would remain a constant: Futurama. Back then, the Matt Groening-created show about life in the 31st century was still on-screen — and this winter, it'll finally be defrosted after a decade off the air. Good news, everyone! — it's back, baby, after US streaming platform Hulu first announced plans to go back to the future in 2022. When that welcome revelation hit, Futurama was renewed for a 20-episode run. Now, the platform has revealed that the first ten new instalments will arrive from Monday, July 24 in the US. Down Under, Disney+ will be reteaming with the 20th-century's Philip J Fry (voiced by Billy West), distant uncle to Planet Express cargo company Professor Hubert J Farnsworth (also voiced by West), plus the rest of the outfit's crew. Yes, that means more antics with one-eyed ship captain Turanga Leela (Katey Sagal); fellow employees Hermes Conrad (Phil LaMarr), Amy Wong (Lauren Tom) and Zoidberg (also West); and everyone from self-obsessed starship captain Zapp Brannigan (West again) and his amphibious 4th Lieutenant Kif Kroker (Maurice LaMarche) through to scheming corporation owner Mom (Tress MacNeille). And, yes, it Bender Bending Rodríguez will be causing chaos, with John DiMaggio also back with the cast. When the revival was first announced, that wasn't the case — but it wouldn't be Futurama without its constantly sauced robot exclaiming "bite my shiny metal ass!". You can put a beloved animated series into stasis, but someone is going to thaw it out one day — and more than once. Initially airing from 1999–2003, the futuristic animated series then returned from 2008–2013, before now being given another run. Hulu is calling this comeback season 11, even though Futurama spans a past seven seasons and four direct-to-DVD movies so far. As for what it'll be about, other than satirising life in the year 3000 and beyond, the streaming service is promising more about Fry and Leela's love story, what's in Nibbler's litter box, evil Robot Santa's secret history, and Kif and Amy's tadpoles. That, and a pandemic, plus gags about the future of vaccines, bitcoin, cancel culture and streaming TV. Check out the first teaser trailer below: Futurama's latest season will return on Hulu on Monday, July 24 Down Under — we'll update you with Australian and New Zealand specifics via Disney+ when they're announced.
How many times have you walked through Federation Square, whether rushing to Flinders Street Station, hopping on or off a tram, checking out a sporting event on the site's big screen or hitting up a nearby venue? How well do you know the public space in your mind, then? It's up there with the MCG as one of the first places that anyone thinks of when they think about Melbourne, but both locals and visitors alike will see it as they've never seen it before when June hits and RISING 2024 arrives. The Victorian capital's annual winter arts festival — because Vivid Sydney doesn't have a monopoly on citywide cultural celebrations at this time of year — will run from Saturday, June 1–Sunday, June 16. One of its centrepieces is a spot that everyone is bound to go to anyway, but turning Fed Square into a showcase of First Peoples' art and politics. The free exhibition and public program is called The Blak Infinite, and will boast Richard Bell's EMBASSY as its centrepiece. Inside the work, which is inspired by the original Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in the 70s, talks will be held every Saturday, while films will screen daily. Make sure that you spend time looking up at Fed Square during RISING 2024, too; each evening, projections will take to the heavens, telling tales of Sky Country and the cosmos. On the site's big screen, Ellen Van Neerven's speculative fiction will feature. And keep an eye out for Kait James and Tony Albert's contributions, with one digging into and subverting souvenirs via collage, and the other going big and colourful with large-scale installations. The Blak Infinite leads the highlights on RISING's full program for this year, which has been unveiled after a couple of past announcements for the June fest. So, audiences should already be excited about Counting and Cracking and Communitas. The first brings the acclaimed Sri Lankan-Australian stage saga to Melbourne finally, and the second involves 'Love Tonight' talents SHOUSE throwing a music party that'll fill Melbourne's St Paul's Cathedral with hundreds of people making tunes as part of a choir. There's 105 events featuring 480-plus artists all up — including 23 newly commissioned works, plus six that are making their world premiere — with tunes also at the heart of the newly revealed Day Tripper, a festival within the broader festival over the King's Birthday long weekend. Melbourne Town Hall will be its hub, but the event will take over an entire block, including the Capitol Theatre and Max Watt's. And, you'll only need one ticket to hit it all up. Music-wise, Yasiin Bey, who was formerly known as Mos Def, leads the Day Tripper bill with a tribute to MF Doom. The rest of the lineup includes almost every genre that you can think of from hip hop and disco to post-punk and acid house. There'll be dance works, video pieces and brass bands as well — and Bar Italia, Asha Puthli, HTRK, Richard Youngs and more taking part. Love music films? Make a date with 24 Hour Rock Show, which British Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller first staged in Finland in 2015. It'll play rock documentaries back to back for a whole day and night, and for free. If you're up for it, catching the full 24 hours will be a wild cinema endurance test. Bey isn't only appearing at Day Tripper, but also at PICA to perform his 2009 album The Ecstatic. On the rest of RISING's music roster, ONEFOUR, Fever Ray, The Dirty Three playing their home town for the first time in 14 years, Sky Ferreira, Tirzah, Blonde Redhead, Snoh Aalegra and Moktar also pop up. For trance fans, UK producer Evian Christ has an exclusive show for the festival — and, for something complete different, Deller's Acid Brass is staging free public concerts. Once more linking tunes with the big screen, Hear My Eyes is back with a screening of Hellraiser. Hieroglyphic Being aka Jamal Moss is doing an all-new score for the horror classic, while visual artist Robin Fox will add a live laser performance. RISING attendees will also be able to enjoy The First Bad Man by Ireland's Pan Pan Theatre, which is based around Miranda July's novel and described as "a performative book club" — and ILBIJERRI Theatre Company's Big Name No Blankets, which dives into the Warumpi Band's history. Or, there's the first chapter of The Cadela Força Trilogy, examining sexual violence in art history; First Peoples' futuristic drag show ECLIPSE; inclusive club night CRIP RAVE THEORY; and eight hours of 8/8/8: REST, the second part in a triptych that began at RISING 2022 with 8/8/8: WORK. At a festival that's all about showing folks something that they won't see every day, SONG HISTOIRE(S) DU THÉ TRE IV certainly fits, too: as conjured up by Flemish artist Miet Warlop, it involves musicians playing just one song over and over, all while partaking in an obstacle course featuring trampolines, treadmills and balance beams. So does FOOD, which is set at an illusionist's dinner party, and has audiences sat around the stage-sized table to dive into the history of its namesake. Also on the program: the return of The Rivers Sing, the Melbourne Art Trams unveiling their latest First Peoples' works, Bell's Pay the Rent making a Melbourne comeback over a decade since debuting in the city, plus nightly social club Night Trade. [caption id="attachment_945445" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brett Boardman[/caption] RISING 2024 runs from Saturday, June 1–Sunday, June 16 across Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for further information and tickets, with latter on sale from 12pm on Tuesday, March 12 for subscribers and 12pm on Thursday, March 14 otherwise. Top image: Damian Raggatt.
