After a post-silly season stretch session that takes full advantage of Melbourne's primo summer weather? The crew at Downtown Yoga & Pilates is dishing up the goods, with a series of free rooftop yoga mornings. The final three sessions — happening on January 19, February 2 and March 2 — will see participants getting bendy through a series of vinyasa and yin-style moves, while soaking up the sun-drenched surrounds on top of Rooftop Bar. Expert yogi Olivia Hanus will lead you through a flow class, backed by tunes from top local selectors, like Merve, Jen Loveless and Alex Kovac. And of course, some pretty special views of the city skyline. Afterwards, you can cruise into the weekend with a coffee, chai, or even a cocktail, or get stuck into a lively brunch menu of treats like 'shroom burgers, granola bowls and acai bowls.
James Klapanis of Eastern Grace Group (St. Cloud Eating House and Young's Wine Rooms) recently brought on Matteo Tine (ex-Grossi Florentino, Bar Carolina, Tetto di Carolina and Pixie) as the restaurant group's Executive Chef and Creative Director — and they're already working on some big plans. Tine first assembled a new team at Young's Wine Room to reinvigorate the Hawthorn wine bar. But the duo's main focus right now is on Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar Orlo, slated to open in late June. Set within the old Dyason Cordial Factory in Collingwood, the Oxford Street venue will have a heap of distinct drinking and dining areas split across multiple levels. In the main restaurant, Tine is leaning heavily into his Sicilian roots, plating up contemporary Italian eats influenced by a smattering of other European cuisines. Tine is all over the food, but the duo has brought on a couple hospo heavyweights to dream up the drinks menus. When it comes to wine, Grossi Group's Carlo Grossi has curated a list of vinos that pair well with Tine's Med-inspired dishes. He's been tasked with making these fun, bright and accessible, meaning you don't have to spend the big bucks when ordering a few bottles for the table. And when it comes to cocktails, the Orlo crew has enlisted none other than Joe Jones (Purple Pit) to work his magic. We're huge fans of his Purple Pit libations, so can't wait to see what he does at Orlo. Here, he has designed a few signature sips, including seasonal cordials that'll be served in old cordial bottles as a fun nod to the building. We're sure the best place to find these bevs will be in Orlo's downstairs bar Cordial Club. The 1880s red brick factory has been revived by the team at McCluskey Studio, who've made sure to keep plenty of its original features while glamming it up a little. They've also worked with Klapanis to use his collection of reclaimed materials and vintage furniture throughout the site. Klapanis and Tine have gone all out with Orlo, and it's hard not to have high expectations. Orlo will open at 44 Oxford Street, Collingwood, this June, and be open every day of the week from 12pm–late. For more information on the new opening, visit the venue's website.
NAIDOC Week is always a special occasion on the cultural calendar. But in 2025, the event takes on even more significance, as it reaches its 50-year milestone as a week-long extravaganza. Though the seeds of this event stretch back much further — usually pinned to 1938, when Indigenous activists held the Day of Mourning — NAIDOC Week has grown into a national movement, offering up a thriving annual event filled with rewarding experiences. Each year, NAIDOC Week has a unique theme. In 2025, it speaks to a promising path — 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy'. Celebrating the achievements of the past while stepping into tomorrow, expect a nationwide event grounded in community, where culinary experiences, cultural encounters and kid-friendly activities build towards a bright future. Ready to get involved? Here's what you can't miss during NAIDOC Week 2025. KOORIE HERITAGE TRUST NAIDOC WEEK MARKET — MELBOURNE Fed Square bursts to life with NAIDOC Week each year, with cultural non-profit Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) central to the action. This year, the organisation is hosting the KHT NAIDOC Week Market – a free celebration featuring 20 Indigenous-run stalls that showcase the creativity of Victorian First Peoples makers. Stock up on fashion from Clothing the Gaps, discover handmade jewellery at Haus of Dizzy, or make your home smell better than ever with Mob Melts candles. Held from 1–6pm on Friday, July 11, the market coincides with the free 'NAIDOC in the City' concert, where artists like Electric Fields, Isaiah Firebrace and Scott Darlow take over the stage. NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR — SYDNEY Returning to the Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks for its sixth edition from Saturday, July 5–Sunday, July 6, the National Indigenous Art Fair (NIAF) highlights almost 100 Indigenous artists from 30 of Australia's most remote communities. Most prominently, this year's event features the work of Regina Pilawuk Wilson, an internationally renowned Ngan'gikurrungurr creative and cultural leader behind the Northern Territory's Durrmu Arts. Plus, guests can get immersed in live performances, discussions, bush tucker tastings, celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, interactive weaving circles and more. Entry is $3, with proceeds supporting the artists attending the event. LITTLE MOBS AT THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART FAIR — SYDNEY Getting down to the National Indigenous Art Fair? Don't leave the kids behind. Just in time for the first weekend of the school holidays, the NIAF presents Little Mobs — a cultural activity program for children guided by First Nations artists. Young visitors are invited to get hands-on with art, nature, movement and culture, with activities such as ochre painting, gumnut jewellery-making, shellwork and more. Meanwhile, inclusive dance workshops led by renowned Indigenous organisations make for an even more interactive encounter. Activities at NIAF are free, with entry to the fair costing $3 per adult and free for kids under 12. '50 YEARS OF NAIDOC' AT THE AYERS ROCK RESORT — NORTHERN TERRITORY The Ayers Rock Resort has gone big for its '50 Years of NAIDOC' feast for the senses, with renowned chef Mark Olive, aka 'The Black Olive', transforming its Arnguli Grill & Restaurant with a set menu teeming with bush food and Indigenous wines. Meanwhile, Olive will also host an intimate dinner on Wednesday, July 9, recounting fascinating stories and insight behind the ingredients. The resort also brings numerous art experiences and cultural activities to the celebration. Aṉangu artists Billy and Lulu Cooley present wood carvings in the Town Square Circle of Sand, while the Sunrise Journeys encounter sees guests connect to Country at dawn through an absorbing combination of laser projection, music and the natural environment. FIRST NATIONS FILM FESTIVAL — NATIONAL There are few better mediums for reflection, celebration and storytelling than film. That means catching a movie or two is ripe for making the most of NAIDOC Week, as online streaming platform FanForce offers the First Nations Film Festival 2025 from Sunday, July 6–Wednesday, August 6. With the Reconciliation Week Collection now extended to Wednesday, August 6, the platform is adding the NAIDOC Collection too, featuring four more features and seven short films. Highlighting cultural strength, connection to Country and intergenerational resilience, the flicks include Warwick Thornton's We Don't Need a Map and Beck Cole's Here I Am. Each collection is available to stream for $38. DOCPLAY NAIDOC WEEK 2025 — NATIONAL Need even more content to stream? DocPlay celebrates Indigenous storytelling by making 11 incredible documentaries free to watch throughout NAIDOC Week. Covering a wide range of topics, from sport and the education system to Canberra's long-standing Aboriginal Tent Embassy, some of the biggest highlights include the Adam Goodes-focused The Australian Dream and You Can Go Now — an examination of influential Australian Aboriginal artist and activist, Richard Bell. With this collection of stories offering rich insight into the community and culture, expect deep dives into remarkable achievements and complex challenges on the road to a brighter future. 'BLING MY HOODY' AT THE HAUS OF DIZZY — MELBOURNE Guided by self-proclaimed Queen of Bling and Wiradjuri designer Kristy Dickinson, 'Bling My Hoodie' is a fun two-hour session made for engaging with First Nations peoples, culture and community. Held at Fitzroy's Haus of Dizzy from 11am on Saturday, July 5, this hands-on lesson invites kids aged six and up to test their eye for design. Customising a blank hoodie using various techniques, Dickinson will teach guests the ins and outs of direct-to-film transfers, iron-on patches and heat-pressed decals to make their piece resonate with big colours and powerful messages. Tickets are $99 and include your hoodie. NAIDOC WEEK AT OPERA BAR — SYDNEY Perched on Sydney Harbour, Opera Bar has a scenic dining experience that will level up your NAIDOC Week adventure from Sunday, July 6–Sunday, July 13. Crafted by a First Nations culinary team, expect four innovative takes on native ingredients, including kangaroo salami pizzetta and lamb sliders with bush tomatoes. Dessert is also unskippable, as a wattle seed pavlova with poached quince and crème fraîche delivers a rousing finish. Plus, the experience also extends to the drinks, with a signature cocktail duo highlighting foraged plants, like mountain pepper and samphire. Rounding out this delicious encounter are stunning visuals created by Indigenous artist Kyara Fernando, which adorn the menus.
As the end of the year ramps up, the thought of spending your precious free time in the kitchen isn't so appealing. Fortunately, DoorDash is helping out as we close in on the silly season, launching one of its biggest giveaways ever. Running from Wednesday, November 26–Saturday, November 29, you can make more space in your calendar with 60,000 free items up for grabs. Kicking off at 4pm AEST daily, 15,000 burgers, burritos, pizzas and meal deals are available on consecutive days. While the complete list of included restaurants won't be revealed under the promo launches, just know that much-loved local and national brands like Guzman Y Gomez, Betty's Burgers and Grill'd are getting in on the action. Open to both new and existing DoorDash customers via the app, service and delivery fees still apply to orders. However, this time- and money-saving deal is sure to give you the fuel to brave the shops or adorn your lawn with festive decorations.
It's no secret that Jerome Borazio is an ideas man, and a pretty good one at that. Not only is he the mind behind the 18-year-old Laneway Festival, he sold us all on the concept of camping in the CBD with his award-winning rooftop glamping set-up. The latter closed in April this year, but, come Friday, October 26, that same sky-high space above Melbourne Central will be activated again — this time as a rooftop pool, bar and leisure club dubbed The Reunion Island Pool Club. Initially launching for private bookings only ahead of its full opening, the project plays to Melbourne's love of the outdoors and will be kitted out with palm trees and design elements of a public pool. While it won't be the CBD's only rooftop pool bar (see: The Adelphi), it will be the only one to offer classes, a sauna and spa offerings. Plus, those private parties will take place ten temperature-controlled plunge pools. Set to run through to April 2019, the oasis will kick off each day at 7am as a leisure club, tempting early morning punters with a holistic offering of rooftop yoga, pilates and massages. Later in the day and evening, you'll be able to stop by for a splash, or just some poolside socialising and a well-earned after-work rooftop tipple right up until 11pm. Basically, prepare to spend many a steamy Melbourne evening up here. Price-wise, your sky-high waterside party will start from $10 for regular entry only. For entry and a splash, that'll set you back $18. Limited shower and changeroom facilities will be available, and you can rent a locker for $5. And as for classes, they'll commence from $20 per person, and will run day and night. If you're feeling cashed up, private options are available for between four and six, eight and ten, and ten and 12 people, starting at $100 for four — including a beverage — for an hour. You can extend your stay from $60 per hour, include a sauna session for $5 or nab a Turkish towel, visor or stubby holder. The food and drink selection will include a six-month pop-up poolside snack kiosk from Jimmy Hurlston, Superfluid slinging juice and tonic and a Gintonica garden — with everything from club sandwiches, pizzas and burgers, to vegetarian options, to cocktails, Kirin Ichiban brews and Pimms on tap on offer. The Reunion Island Pool Club will also feature a General Store, showcasing a heap of the venue's fashion partners. The Reunion Island Pool Club will open at Level 3/271 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne on Friday, October 26. Private bookings are now available from $100 for an hour for two-to-four people, while regular entry prices will start at $10.
It has been almost two weeks since Melbourne entered its current lockdown, and those stay-at-home conditions have already been extended once so far. Sadly, the city's sixth lockdown won't be ending this week either, with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announcing today, Monday, August 16, that Melbourne's stay-at-home restrictions will remain in place until at least 11.59pm on Thursday, September 2. The new fortnight-long extension will see the Victorian capital stay in this lockdown for four weeks minimum, all in response to the city's latest COVID-19 outbreak. As Melburnians are well aware, this stint of stay-at-home rules started just nine days after the last lockdown ended, with the city also asked to remain at home in February and May this year before that. "We see too many cases. We see too many mystery cases. We now have 12 or 13 different chains of transmission. The origins of some are unknown to us," said the Premier in Victoria's daily COVID-19 press conference today. "That means that this is spreading in an undetected way across the community. We are at a tipping point. There is simply no option today but to further strengthen this lockdown and to, on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, extend it for a further two weeks." On the advice of the Chief Health Officer, we will introduce additional measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in Victoria. pic.twitter.com/iCo6gzKFEs — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) August 16, 2021 As well as continuing lockdown until the beginning of September, new rules will apply from 11.59pm tonight, Monday, August 16. Melbourne's curfew will return, and will apply from 9pm–5am. Just like last year's lengthy lockdown, you won't be permitted to leave your house after curfew except in very limited circumstances — which'll include authorised work. Speaking of authorised work, from 11.59pm on Tuesday, August 17, permits will come back into effect. If you need to leave your home at all and at any hour for authorised work, you will have to get a permit to do so — again, just like in 2020. Also changing: the closure of playgrounds, basketball hoops, skate parks and outdoor exercise equipment. So, if they've been a part of your out-of-the-house workout routine, they won't be anymore. And, you can now only exercise with one other person, plus any dependents you both have, even if you live in a larger household. The two-hour exercise time limit remains the same, though. Mask rules are tightening, too, so you can't take off your mask to drink alcohol outdoors. This change — and many of the others — came in response to reports over the weekend of flouting lockdown restrictions with venue crawls and big outdoor gatherings. The rest of the stay-at-home rules currently in place will remain in effect for the extended lockdown. So, the city's residents are still only permitted to leave home for five reasons: shopping for what you need, when you need it; caregiving and compassionate reasons; essential work or permitted eduction that can't be done from home; exercise; and getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Victorians must also stay within five kilometres of their homes, unless you're leaving for permitted work or shopping for essentials if there are no shops in your radius. Masks are mandatory everywhere outside of your home — and private gatherings are banned, as are public gatherings. While you can't have any visitors enter your home in general, there are single bubbles, and intimate partner visits are allowed. So, if you live alone, you can form a bubble with another person or see your other half. Weddings are not permitted, unless on compassionate grounds, while funerals are limited to ten. Hairdressing and beauty services, indoor physical recreation and sport venues, swimming pools, community facilities including libraries, entertainment venues and non-essential retail venues remain closed — and hospitality venues have reverted back to takeaway-only. Supermarkets, bottle shops and pharmacies are still open, however. Reported yesterday: 22 new local cases and 0 new cases acquired overseas. - 19,880 vaccine doses were administered - 29,986 test results were received More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/q70bSom9HK — VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 15, 2021 Victoria currently has 205 active COVID-19 cases, including 22 new locally acquired cases identified in the 24 hours to midnight last night. As always, Melburnians can keep an eye on the local list of exposure sites at the Department of Health website — it will keep being updated if and when more sites are identified. For those looking to get tested, you can find a list of testing sites including regularly updated waiting times also on the Department of Health website. And, has remained the case throughout the pandemic, Melburnians should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste, symptoms-wise. Melbourne will remain in lockdown until at least 11.59pm on Thursday, September 2. A nighttime curfew will apply from 9pm–5am. For more information about the rules in place at the moment, head to the Victorian Department of Health website.
Change is brewing in Prahran — or simmering, perhaps. Italian espresso bar Officine Zero is preparing to unveil its new identity: Officina Gastronomica Italiana, or OGI for short. Relaunching sometime this spring, OGI will operate in a space twice the size of Officine Zero, creating more room for culinary exploration. But the real game changer is the addition of a dinner menu. If you're worried about suffering caffeine withdrawal though, don't be — Officine Zero is still operating in its espresso bar and deli capacity for breakfast and lunch. It will close briefly before reopening mid-spring with dinner service under its new moniker. Owner and Emilia-Romagna native Claudio Casoni leads an all-Italian headline act, with OGI set to serve handmade pasta by Turin-born chef Gabriele Coniglio and artisan wines selected by front-of-house manager Armando Al Khatib, who hails from Florence. The menu at OGI will be a tribute to locally sourced seasonal ingredients. And those wines? They'll span a carefully curated selection of Italian vino to match. The heart of OGI is its central bar, a versatile space where patrons can start their day with a caffeine jolt, transition into a laidback afternoon with a glass of wine and conclude the evening with a relaxing dinner. The bar will also feature a tempting array of small plates, ideal for sharing. "When I originally opened Officine Zero in 2014, I always planned for it to be more than an espresso bar," said Casoni, announcing OGI. "I wanted to share my passion for Italian artisans, commitment to sustainable producers and good old-fashioned hospitality with the local community. Now, with the opportunity to expand our footprint and relaunch Officina Gastronimica Italiana, I have my chance." Officine Zero will relaunch as Officina Gastronomica Italiana in mid-spring 2023 at 532/534 Malvern Road, Prahran — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
If seeing a flick at an Alamo Drafthouse cinema across the US, or at Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn, has always been on your film-watching to-do list, you'll soon be able to enjoy a similar experience without the overseas trip. Australia is set to welcome the homegrown FoMo Cinemas, which takes its cues from those two cult-favourite American names in the movie theatre business, has a December opening locked in and will set up shop at East Brunswick Village in Melbourne. When the Angelika Film Centre launched in Brisbane earlier in 2023, it brought a New York-born American arthouse cinema chain to Australia. Now, when FoMo Cinemas starts welcoming in patrons, it'll take its cues from US picture palaces, too. The concept: seeing films, of course, but making in-theatre eats as much as a drawcard. So, you'll watch blockbusters and retro titles, and you'll have a meal from a specialty menu brought to you. Barry Peak and Natalie Miller AO are behind FoMo Cinemas, with both boasting Carlton's Cinema Nova on their resumes. With this new independent venture, combining film and food is firmly the focus — and not just via popcorn and choc tops. Think of it as dinner and a movie all in one place, as the flick plays, in a cinema that's devoted to the concept. A chef will design the menu, with dishes made onsite and able to be ordered on-demand to be brought directly to your seat. Also a highlight: a 20-minute pre-show presentation. Alamo Drafthouse is particularly known for the latter, as specifically curated to suit its movies — and featuring clips sourced far and wide. Exactly what bites and sips will be available hasn't been revealed, and neither has the exact opening date or the on-screen lineup, but the latter will show latest releases, classics and curated picks. Cost-wise, movie tickets will be standard prices, the venue's website advises. When it starts its projectors whirring in East Brunswick Village, which is also newly opened itself, FoMo Cinemas is aiming to be a cinema experience rather than just another place to see a film. Melburnians, you'll have a new movie-worshipping spot to head to. Tourists from elsewhere, you'll have another entry on your next Melbourne itinerary. The Victorian capital will gain not one but two new cinemas in December, with Palace's latest Melbourne cinema in Moonee Ponds also launching the same month. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FoMo Cinemas (@fomocinemas) Find FoMo Cinemas at East Brunswick Village, 133 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick from December 2023 — we'll update you with an exact opening date when one is announced.
Melbourne has proved its love for fried chook will probably never die, with new chicken joints opening up all over town. But there's a new kid on the block you're going to want to take notice of and its name is Pelicana Chicken. A fresh face for Australia, but by no means a youngster, the brand is one of the original masters of Korean-style fried chicken, having launched in the country back in 1982. Currently, there are over 2000 Pelicana stores across South Korea, with another 1000 iterations taking the rest of the world by storm. And, now, the famed brand has landed Down Under, opening its flagship Aussie restaurant on Franklin Street in the CBD. Bringing some bold new flavours to the game, Pelicana's dishing up 11 different fried chicken varieties, from a wasabi and honey butter dusting to the signature sweet, savoury and spicy combination, called 'Pelicana Marinated'. All the chicken is marinated for 24 hours before it's cooked. You can grab a half or full chicken, in either boneless or bone-in pieces, slathered in your choice of coating. Adventurous diners might even be tempted to leave it all to fate, with the 'mystery sauce' option. Other menu favourites include fried chicken wraps, burgers, and a marinated chicken, chips and salad combo dubbed The Aussie Chop. A fiery kimchi soup and tteok-bokki — stir-fried Korean rice cakes — lean a little more traditional. Hold tight for Pelicana's booze list to launch (hopefully) in April and you'll be able to calm those spicier sauces with something a little stronger than kombucha and coconut grape juice. Think, buckets of imported Cass beer, Mountain Goat and Asahi on tap — and a tidy range of Korean soju, too.
It's Easter. Time to stuff yourself with baby animal-shaped chocolates and cross-covered baked goods while feeling absolutely zero shame. To help you make the most of it, here are all the best grown-up holiday treats you should be hunting for this Easter. FRENCH TOAST HOT CROSS BUN AT RUSTICA SOURDOUGH What better excuse than the Easter long weekend to go completely nuts at brunch? And who better to help you do it, than the much-loved pastry masters at Rustica Sourdough? To celebrate Easter, these guys have thrown together a few of your favourite things to create this supercharged sensation, available only at the Rustica Fitzroy store. Here, slices of the bakery's award-winning hot cross buns are given the french toast treatment, sandwiched around croissant-infused ice cream, and teamed with thick-cut bacon, salted pretzel, and some fresh fruit for good measure. TRIPLE CHOCOLATE HOT X BUNS AT MÖRK Normally we'd be more inclined to stick to traditional fruit hot cross buns, but we'd be absolutely bonkers to turn down one of Mörk's more adventurous versions. These triple chocolate bad boys (pictured here straight from the oven) are made on a chocolate bread base, studded with Madagascan chocolate pieces, candied orange, and sour cherries, and amped up with a soft chocolate ganache centre. We repeat: a chocolate ganache centre. Order yours here and pick up a four-pack of Mörk's chocolate eggs while you're at it. CARAMEL LAVA EGG AT PANA CHOCOLATE If there's anything more satisfying than biting into a gooey, chocolatey Caramello egg, it's biting into one that isn't even bad for you in the slightest. Pana's epic raw, vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free caramel lava egg is making its annual Easter appearance, and cult followers couldn't be more ecstatic. We have no idea what's actually in it, but reccommend you order online for pick-up from their Richmond store to guarantee your guilt-free fix and avoid disappointment. EGG IN THE NEST AT DANIEL'S DONUTS If you're the kind of sweet-tooth who prefers your choccy eggs attached to big, fluffy doughnuts, then this seasonal creation from Daniel's Donuts is surely your ideal Easter fling. As with the rest of the Springvale store's much-hyped treats, this one's heavy on the trimmings, featuring one of those signature Daniel's doughnuts, a gloriously thick layer of Nutella, and old-school sprinkles, all topped off with a Cadbury milk choc egg. The best part? Daniel's is open 24-hours for all your late-night snacking needs. DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE CAKE AT ADRIANO ZUMBO Adriano Zumbo's patisserie takes the cake for the most creative and varied range of Easter treats in Melbourne, with this year's collection a mix of old favourites and clever new additions. Alongside the cult classic Hot X Bun Zumbarons, the salted caramel-filled truffles, and the mesmerising multi-tiered Easter Cake, you'll find an extravagant number called Down The Rabbit Hole. Falling into the "almost too pretty to eat" category, this one's a lavish assembly of carrot cake, cream cheese mousse, ginger lemon cream, carrot lychee gel, and a hazelnut sable glaze, finished with chocolate carrots, mini Zumbarons, and even more carrot cake. EGGS IN VERJUICE AT DINNER BY HESTON Those looking to really indulge this Easter will find the ultimate dessert situation at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. This sweet stunner is known as Eggs in Verjuice and it's the same dish that had competitors sweating during last year's Masterchef finale — an intricate eggshell design that's hiding coconut panna cotta, verjuice, coffee parfait, and a citrus yolk inside. This weekend, it's being served up by Blumenthal's right-hand man, chef Ashley Palmer-Watts, as part of a five-course Easter degustation on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The lunch will set you back $160 per person and you can book your place here. VEGAN HOT CROSS BUNS AT SMITH & DELI Easter hasn't always been a fun time for treat-seeking vegans, but since the arrival of plant-based livesaver Smith & Deli, it's now a whole lot easier for them to experience the joy of tucking into a hot cross bun. If last year's buzz is anything to go by, these beauties are set to sell like, well, vegan hot cross buns. They'll be flying from the oven all week, but won't last long, so so keep an eye on Smith & Deli's Instagram and be ready to get down to their Fitzroy deli at a moment's notice. LUXBITE HOT CROSS BUN GELATO AT PICCOLINA GELATERIA Summer might be over, but we're of the school that it's always gelato weather. If you're more interested in licking your Easter treats than chewing them, Piccolina Gelateria's limited edition hot cross bun gelato will be right up your alley. This year, the Hawthorn gelateria has teamed up with its mates over at LuxBite bakery, creating a special cream-based gelato that's loaded with spices, citrus, and buttery pieces of hot cross bun. You can grab one in-store, or delivered to your door by Uber Eats, up until April 23. HOT CROSS DOUGHNUTS AT SHORTSTOP These drool-worthy rings of spiced, doughy goodness are the latest creations from the ever-baking doughnuteers at Shortstop Coffee and Donuts. Brandy-soaked dried fruit is mixed through a sweet and spiced yeast-raised dough, before being fried, dunked in a honey glaze, and striped with a cinnamon sugar cross. You can pick one up at their CBD store or pre-order online up until April 17. If that's not an Easter miracle, what is? EGGCEPTION AT KAKAWA The Sydney-based chocolatiers at Kakawa have drawn inspiration from a certain mind-bending DiCaprio film for their special Easter treat, a masterpiece of chocolate layers fittingly dubbed Eggception. This one's a fully edible babushka doll situation, that might just keep you going the whole Easter long weekend. It features one of Kakawa's signature tiny 'quail' eggs, nestled inside a medium choccy egg, sitting within a larger egg, with the whole exterior covered in a delicate hand-made chocolate hay. Melbourne sweet tooths can get their hands on one here.
In Melbourne, the long winter can really take a toll. As spring rolls around and you realise that you've barely left the house for six months, it's time for some excitement. But don't reach for your passport just yet. Consider this, you probably haven't explored every intriguing corner of Melbourne. And, even if you have, new corners pop up every other day. It's time to make better friends with the city you live in. When you're surrounded by so much vibrancy every damn day, you can unintentionally take it for granted. But as the days get longer and warmer, you might find yourself venturing out with adventure on your mind. To help you out, we've teamed up with Mitsubishi in celebration of the new Eclipse Cross and curated a list of experiences to shake up your week. Try something new every day this week and get reacquainted with our great city. MONDAY, OCTOBER 8: ART TO START Begin the week with a wander through some stunning architecture. Get out of the office, and head to MPavilion in the Queen Victoria Gardens, just across from the National Gallery of Victoria. Today, the commissioned work by Barcelona-based architect Carme Pinos will be unveiled. For those of you who don't know, the MPavilion is a public design space that shows the works of prominent designers and architects. It's always a delight to wander through the exhibitions, and this year, it's particularly special. To contextualise just how special, Pinos is a renowned European architect, with her work spanning public architecture, social housing, urban refurbishment, furniture and object design. She's also won prizes for her work on gender advancement in the architectural field. Pinos' structure will be displayed from today until February 3, 2019. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9: QUEER TALK Celebrate the launch of Queer History month and attend a free panel discussion. Head to the Wheeler Centre on Swanston Street, and get ready for a history lesson they (sadly) don't teach in school. To celebrate the launch of Queer History month, the Wheeler Centre is hosting a free panel discussion, Past, Present and Future Queer Australia. The panel consists of academics, writers, and performers including Daniel Marshall, Dennis Altman, Laniyuk Garcon and Sally Goldner, who will discuss the contributions of Australians that have helped shape queer communities. It's a great way to show support for the LGBTQI+ movement and learn a thing or two at the same time. The event is free, but make sure you book your tickets to save a spot. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10: BACKSTAGE BALLET Tour the Australian Ballet's production centre to see props and sets from the past 50 years. Try something a little different this Wednesday. Book a tour of the Australian Ballet Production Centre. Located in Southbank, the centre is bursting with costumes, lace and colour. It contains stage pieces from 50 years worth of productions and is a veritable treasure trove of fancy things that will make you gush "oh" and "ah". A town car will pick you up and take you to the centre for the intimate tour. Groups are capped at 12 so you won't be shoulder to shoulder and can take it all in. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11: LUNCHTIME NGV Check out the International 50th Anniversary exhibition at the NGV. Break free of your lunchtime routine and head to the NGV for a quiet stroll through the exhibitions, cleverly avoiding the hordes of weekenders. On display at the moment: a show that documents the life of the NGV gallery itself. The building was completed in 1968 and has since had some major embellishments added by artists and architects alike. Peruse relics from the first ever NGV exhibition, a gorgeous — now quite retro — exhibition named The Field. The exhibition was all about colour field painting and abstract sculpture and was considered hyper-contemporary and rather controversial at the time. How things change, huh? FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12: THE ORIGINAL BLADE RUNNER Welcome the weekend with baby-faced Harrison Ford. If Blade Runner 2049 left you yearning for the original, treat yourself to a night at the Astor. Tonight, the cinema is going back to the 80s and playing the original Blade Runner, complete with a young Harrison Ford and kick-ass soundtrack. The viewing starts at 7.30pm, and you better strap in because it's the final cut. In 2007, for the 25th anniversary of the original release, Ridley Scott edited and released another cut of the film that he had complete artistic license over. The resulting masterpiece is right at home in the regal confines of the Astor. Once it's over, head to Chapel Street for a bite to ponder the question that will puzzle us forever: was Deckard a replicant? SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13: CANNOLI FEAST Start with a walk, then treat yourself to some magical Sicilian desserts. Kick your Saturday off right with a walk around the Maribyrnong. There are plenty of walking paths to suit whatever mood you're in, from a lazy Saturday stroll (try the Cruickshank Park loop at just 1.1 kilometres) to something more vigorous (the Chifley Drive and rowing club loop at 4.2 kilometres). Once you've worked up a light sweat, it's time to reward yourself with ridiculous treats. Head to the Cannoli Bar in Avondale Heights. Yes, that's right. It's an entire venue dedicated to the delicious cannoli. You can't really go wrong with ordering here, just ask the staff to keep 'em coming and relish every guilt-free mouthful. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14: MARKET FINDS Snag a Sunday bargain at the Round She Goes markets. Melbourne has so many incredible markets that permanently reside or pop-up around the place, it's hard to keep track. Some are ideal for a long morning of foraging, but if you want a market where it's all gold, head to Round She Goes in Coburg. It's been running in Melbourne for about a decade and features 60 stalls of incredible, curated vintage fashion. There's no need to forage here, every table is weighed down with gems at reasonable prices. Entry is $2 (so bring your spare change) and if you're already yearning, check out the website for an online store that sells the same great pieces 24/7. Where to next? Make the most of every week with Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and navigate to your next destination here. Top image: Julia Sansone.
Every December, the Geminids meteor shower lights up our skies. Considered to be the most spectacular meteor shower of the year, it's caused by a stream of debris, left by an asteroid dubbed the 3200 Phaethon, burning up in Earth's atmosphere. The 2021 shower kicked off on Saturday, December 4, but it really is just getting started. While the Geminids runs through until Monday, December 20 this year, it's expected to be at its peak in Australia overnight between Tuesday, December 14–Wednesday, December 15. Christmas lights aren't the only spectacle worth peering at this month, clearly. If you fancy a stint of stargazing, you'll want to look up on Tuesday, December 14 from around 9pm in Brisbane, 10pm in Perth, 11pm in Sydney, 11.30pm in Adelaide and 12am in Melbourne. The best time to catch an eyeful will be after midnight, when the moon has set and its light will not interfere, but before sunrise. Australia is also expected to get a great vantage on the on the evening of Monday, December 13, if you'd like to double your viewing. Some years, you can catch as many as 150 meteors every 60 minutes, so this definitely isn't just any old meteor shower. [caption id="attachment_699423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Jeff Dai.[/caption] For your best chances, it's worth getting as far away from bright lights as possible. This could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. To see the meteors, you'll need to give your eyes around 15–30 minutes to adapt to the dark (so try to avoid checking your phone) and look to the northeast. The shower's name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Gemini. So that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. To locate Gemini, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky (and is a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night). If you're more into specifics, Time and Date also has a table that shows the direction and altitude of the Geminids. The Geminids meteor shower runs from Saturday, December 4–Monday, December 20, and will be at its peak during the night on Tuesday, December 14–Wednesday, December 15. For further details, head to Time and Date. Top image: A composite of 163 photos taken over 90 minutes during the Geminids by Jeff Smallwood for Flickr.
The past couple of years have seen Aussies moving out of the cities in droves. The pandemic has undeniably played a part, particularly thanks to the flexibility for some that comes with working from home. It has also caused a lot of us to start re-evaluating our lifestyles, and it now seems everyone is considering a seachange — or a treechange. House prices in our major cities — especially Sydney and Melbourne — are skyrocketing, making big city living less appealing (and less achievable) for anyone trying to take a step onto the property ladder. And no, smashed avo is not to blame. Sure, we love the metropolitan buzz, the convenience of public transport and the proximity to our mates. But, if you're considering moving, indulge us. We've teamed up with Great Southern Bank to round up ten underrated gems that offer affordable house and unit prices (comparatively, anyway). Plus, these booming regional towns offer lifestyle shifts that won't make you feel like you've given your life up. Considering buying a place in one of these up-and-coming towns? Great Southern Bank has a range of clever tools to help you hit your savings goals faster — like The Vault which lets you hide your house deposit funds from sight, so you can't easily dip into them. If you're already there and are now at the serious point — the getting a home loan part — then check out Great Southern Bank's home loan options, which offer many ways to help manage your loan including unlimited fee-free extra repayments on all variable loans, free redraw to access any additional repayments and flexible repayment options to suit your budget. [caption id="attachment_831263" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Taste Orange[/caption] ORANGE, NEW SOUTH WALES When you think of Orange, you think wine. And, yes, that's a good enough reason to move there. But there's more to this picturesque town of 40,000-plus people than the nectar of the grapes. For one, Orange has a burgeoning food scene with a thriving community of growers, producers and restaurateurs. You can grab a coffee from the local roastery, sit down to lunch at one of the many restaurants and cafes, do your weekly shop at an artisanal grocer and call into a cellar door on your way home all in one day. There are also historic surrounding villages, countless beautiful walking tracks and a growing population of artists and musicians now calling Orange home. Less than a four-hour drive from Sydney, Orange is the ideal location for those seeking the sweet spot between rural idyll and having plenty to do — and eat. Median house price: $611,000 Median unit price: $391,250 [caption id="attachment_831340" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria/ Robert Blackburn[/caption] WARRNAMBOOL, VICTORIA Located at the western end of the Great Ocean Road, Warrnambool has long been known for its coastal views, whale watching tours and shipwrecks. As a place to call home, it's ideally positioned for day trips to tourist destinations like Port Fairy and the Twelve Apostles, but this family-friendly locale is more than just a base from which to explore. Warrnambool has a growing street art scene and an incredible laneway art trail, as well as tons of hikes, playgrounds, galleries and museums. And, of course, it's coastal, so surfers and beach bums will feel right at home. The local council has a grand plan to forge economic links with China, so get in now before Warrnambool becomes even more popular (and pricier). Median house price: $505,000 Median unit price: $375,000 [caption id="attachment_831266" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism & Events Queensland[/caption] CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND You'll most likely know it as a base for visits to the Great Barrier Reef, but Cairns has more going for it than just yacht cruises and coral (although these are great perks). The Tropical North Queensland city combines laidback everyday living with outdoor fun galore, plus top-notch restaurants and craft breweries for catch-ups with mates. You're only a short hop to the paradise that is Fitzroy Island, and you've got numerous adventures close by, such as swimming holes and stunning beaches. Thanks to its affordable living, crystal-clear waters, surrounding rainforest and tropical climate, Cairns will make every day feel like a holiday should you decide to live here. Median house price: $522,500 Median unit price: $260,000 [caption id="attachment_677921" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] WOY WOY, NEW SOUTH WALES Sydneysiders will already know the appeal of the Central Coast for day trips and convenient weekends away. But, following months of COVID-enforced working from home, the area has seen an influx of people move here permanently. While the house prices have certainly gone up, the suburb of Woy Woy is still a whole lot cheaper than inner Sydney. It's also just a bit over a one-hour train ride (or drive) away from the bustling CBD, so you can easily commute. It's got a more laidback way of life than the Harbour City, but still has plenty going for it — enough so that you won't miss nights out or a quality cup of coffee. Plus, you've got Brisbane Waters and Bouddi National Parks on your doorstep, as well as pristine beaches and easy access to neighbouring towns. Median house price: $900,000 Median unit price: $620,000 [caption id="attachment_831323" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill via Tourism Tasmania[/caption] LAUNCESTON, TASMANIA Tasmania's second-most-populous city, Lonnie is a real up-and-comer. Its location in the Tamar Valley means there's a wealth of incredible produce, and this is reflected in the city's foodie scene. Top eateries include Italian aperitivo bar and restaurant Geronimo and the award-winning Stillwater, which is housed in an old flour mill perched right on the water. There are also ample pubs, bars, breweries, distilleries and wineries to boot. More into nature? Almost half of Tasmania is national parkland, meaning the Apple Isle has some of the cleanest air in the world. So, it's no wonder Launceston residents take advantage of an outdoor lifestyle. Launceston is more affordable than Hobart but has a growing economy and plenty else to woo you, including decent transport links (there's even an airport). Median house price: $665,000 Median unit price: $495,000 [caption id="attachment_831273" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria / Robert Blackburn[/caption] BALLARAT, VICTORIA If you want the culture, art and food of Melbourne without the hustle and bustle (and for a lower price), then Ballarat could be just the ticket. The famous gold rush town is steeped in history and offers an ideal mix of galleries, restaurants and outdoor experiences, with beautiful bushwalking opportunities readily accessible. Small enough to feel like a community but large enough to have all the amenities you need, Ballarat also has some more obscure places such as Kryal Castle, a medieval theme park where you can watch re-enactments of knights jousting alongside court jester shows and a potion-making school. Yep, Ballarat practically has it all. Median house price: $691,000 Median unit price: $310,000 [caption id="attachment_831356" align="alignnone" width="1920"] RemyBrand195[/caption] PORT MACQUARIE, NEW SOUTH WALES If you're looking for an east coast town on the rise, then consider Port Macquarie. Long derided for its reputation as a haven for retirees, its welcoming climate and numerous beaches have attracted a younger demographic in recent years. For the outdoorsy people, there's surrounding hinterland and the ocean as your playground. For those still wanting a bit of buzz, Port — as it's known locally — boasts nightlife, a few breweries, a solid dining offering and plenty of family-friendly activities. It's also home to more esoteric attractions, such as beach camel rides, the world's first koala hospital and an offshore inflatable water obstacle course. While it's a fair way from Sydney, it's less than three hours north of Newcastle, and comparable as a more chilled version of the popular city. Median house price: $775,000 Median unit price: $515,000 [caption id="attachment_831260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] CALOUNDRA, QUEENSLAND It may only have a population just over 50,000, but Caloundra's location in the Sunshine Coast region means it's an ideal place to lay down some roots — or even buy your first investment property. Less than 100 kilometres from Brisbane, the area is a beach lover's mecca. It was primarily known as a place for retirees before an influx of youngsters wised up and wanted in on the lifestyle. In Caloundra, you get the benefit of living a dreamy beach lifestyle without the eye-watering cost you'd find in other stretches along the coast. Median house price: $745,000 Median unit price: $599,000 [caption id="attachment_831268" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Australia[/caption] DUNSBOROUGH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA The remoteness of Western Australia can feel like another world entirely, and if you want to escape the grind, there's nowhere really like it. Situated 250 kilometres southwest of Perth lies Dunsborough, a small coastal town with a strong sense of community and a love for the outdoors. Like many places on this list, Dunsborough is your opportunity to live the beach lifestyle and have the ocean a stone's throw away — without breaking the bank. But here, you get the added bonus of having one of Australia's most-loved wine regions — the Margaret River — just down the road. Once more of a holiday-house town, Dunsborough is seeing more and more people settle there full time resulting in a surge of cafes, restaurants and shops. Median house price: $695,000 Median unit price: $540,000 [caption id="attachment_831352" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fotovision[/caption] MOUNT BARKER, SOUTH AUSTRALIA Mount Barker may be the largest town in the Adelaide Hills region, but it's still a huge shift from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It's got a family-friendly vibe and an expanding infrastructure, but its real drawcard is its proximity to both a renowned wine region and the city — Adelaide is just a half-hour drive away. The beauty of living in the Adelaide Hills is you're never far from a great walking track, beautiful panoramic views or an array of local wildlife — and, of course, A-class vino. Of all the places on this list, Mount Barker is perhaps the best pick for those who want a quieter, more affordable life while still wishing to commute into the city. Median house price: $475,000 Median unit price: $363,000 Great Southern Bank is empowering Aussies to get clever with their banking. Whether you want to stick to your savings goals with The Boost or hide your house deposit fund from yourself with The Vault, Great Southern Bank helps you get there. For more information on savings tools and home loan options, head to the Great Southern Bank website. Top image: Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie, Lindsay Moller Productions *All median house and unit prices were sourced from realestate.com.au and were correct at time of publication.
The 'Share a Coke' campaign has succeeded tremendously in Australia by allowing consumers to search for a can of Coca-Cola with their name on it. However, American company UFlavor has not only allowed customers to design their own soft drink labels with whatever name they choose, but also determine the taste of the beverage by choosing from 42 different ingredients, including everything from blueberry to pure sugar cane. Online users change the percentages of whatever ingredients they choose to go into the drink, and can further determine the drink's colour, name and label. It is then shipped to them directly. Other users can then purchase and rate the flavour combination, with a slice of the profits going to the drink's creator. Therefore UFlavor have not only given you the opportunity to make your dream soft drink, but you also might make some spare coin if you hit the right recipe. With this much discretion left in your hands, the possibilities are literally endless. UFlavor users have already begun adding their own unique touches to their creations, as the website shows that drinks have already been named 'Juicy Love Soda' and 'Cerebral Asylum'. Sounds refreshing. There are plans to expand their ingredients in the near future, as well as install UFlavor vending machines where drinks can be made and delivered on the spot. Get creative and make your own ideal soft drink. If you don't fancy yourself as a mixing connoisseur, you might just want to stick with a solid can of Mountain Dew. https://youtube.com/watch?v=d9U9VUfgkPc [via PSFK]
If you're a dog person, being surrounded by wagging tails and beaming pooch faces is one of the happiest feelings in the world. Here's another: doing your part to assist animals in need. Each year — a pandemic hiatus aside — the RSPCA's Million Paws Walk combines the two, asking Melburnians and their puppers to go for a stroll to help raise funds for an obviously extremely worth cause. Come Sunday, May 28, this endorphin-sparking mosey returns for 2023, taking over the Pelican Lawn at Albert Park Lake. Whether you're keen to dress up for the occasion — in a matching outfit to your four-legged bestie, of course — or just pop on your sneakers and usual workout attire, you can join in from 11am (with registrations from 9am). Entry costs $35 for adults and $30 for concessions, with the money raised going towards RSPCA Victoria's work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals. In addition to the exercise, you and Rover can browse a heap stalls and exhibits, grab a bite from food trucks and listen to live tunes. There's also dog competitions, including 'waggiest tail'. Can't make it to Albert Park Lake? Check out the full list of venues around Victoria. Images: Call of the Wild Pet Photography.
If you've been making plans to revamp your style, but haven't been able to rustle up the coin or are sick of online shopping, here's your chance. Hugo Boss is hosting a mega sale at its outlet stores. You'll be able to score a further 30 percent off menswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories. Whether you're after a suit for a special occasion later in the year or looking to level up your work wardrobe stat, Hugo Boss's mid-season outlet sale will have you sorted for a fraction of the fashion label's usual prices. You'll have to get in quick to score though, with the sale running from Saturday, April 3 until Sunday, April 18 (or until stocks last). In Melbourne, you can head to the Boss Outlet in Preston and DFO Essendon to get these quality threads for such a steal. Current opening hours at Preston are 10am–6pm Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm on Saturdays and 11am–5pm on Sundays. DFO Essendon is open from 10am–6pm daily. Hugo Boss mid-season outlet sale will run from Saturday, April 3 till Sunday, April 18, or until stocks last (excludes new season stock). To find your closest outlet, visit the website.
2023 marks 65 years since Australia's film and television industry first started recognising its best work of the year with accolades. Back then, the gongs were called the AFI Awards. When the Australian Film Institute created the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts in 2011, the awards changed names to the AACTAs. The country's standout flicks and TV highlights are still rewarded with shiny trophies, though — and, since making the switch in monikers in 2012, the big winners paint quite the picture of Australia's screen output. Red Dog, The Sapphires, The Great Gatsby, The Babadook, The Water Diviner, Mad Max: Fury Road, Hacksaw Ridge, Lion, Sweet Country, The Nightingale, Babyteeth, Nitram and Elvis have all been anointed Australia's top movie. Among the small-screen recipients, Best Drama has gone to East West 101, Puberty Blues, Redfern Now, The Code, Glitch, Wentworth, Top of the Lake: China Girl, Mystery Road, Total Control, The Newsreader and Mystery Road: Origin. They all now have company, with the 2024 awards looking back on 2023's highlights announced on Saturday, February 10. Talk to Me was named Best Film, while The Newsreader claimed Best Drama again. The AACTAs are known to concentrate the love towards a few titles each year. 2024 is different, however. The list of winners goes on, and makes an ace must-see lineup of top-notch Aussie movies and TV shows to catch up on or revisit from the past year. Here's 13 that you can watch now: Movie Must-Sees Talk to Me An embalmed hand can't click its fingers, not even when it's the spirit-conducing appendage at the heart of Talk to Me. This is an absolute finger snap of a horror film, however, and a fist pump of a debut by Australian twins Danny and Michael Philippou. As RackaRacka, the Adelaide-born pair have racked up six-million-plus subscribers on YouTube via viral comedy, horror and action combos. As feature filmmakers, they're just as energetic, eager and assured, not to mention intense about giving their all. Talk to Me opens with a party that's soon blighted by both a stabbing and a suicide. It segues swiftly into a Sia sing-along, then the violent loss of one half of the Aussie coat of arms. A breakout hit at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it sparked a distribution bidding war won by indie favourite A24, it's constantly clicking, snapping and ensuring that viewers are paying attention — with terror-inducing imagery, a savvy sense of humour, both nerve and the keenness to unnerve, and a helluva scary-movie premise that's exceptionally well-executed. The picture's outstretched mitt is the Philippous' Ouija board. That withered and scribbled-on paw is also a wildly unconventional way to get high. In a screenplay penned by Danny with fellow first-timer Bill Hinzman, but based on Bluey and Content executive producer Daley Pearson's short-film concept — yes, that Bluey — shaking hands with the distinctive meat hook is a party trick and dare as well. When the living are palm to palm with this dead duke, in flows a conjuring. A candle is lit, "talk to me" must be uttered, then "I let you in". Once heads are kicking back and the voices start, no one should grasp on for more than 90 seconds, as Hayley (Zoe Terakes, Nine Perfect Strangers) and Joss (Chris Alosio, Millie Lies Low) explain. But, as she navigates the anniversary of her mother's death, Mia (Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe) is up for going as far as she can. Here, being consumed by sinister spirits, not consuming booze, is an escape. That, and filming whatever twisted chaos happens when you connect with the otherworldly. It isn't all fun and frights and games, though; when her best friend Jade's (Alexandra Jensen, Joe vs Carole) 14-year-old brother Riley (Joe Bird, First Day) takes part, traumatic consequences spring. AACTAs Won: Best Film, Best Direction (Danny and Michael Philippou), Best Lead Actress (Sophie Wilde), Best Editing, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Screenplay, Best Sound. Where to watch it: Talk to Me streams via Netflix, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Danny Philippou. Limbo When Ivan Sen sent a police detective chasing a murdered girl and a missing woman in the Australian outback in 2013's Mystery Road and its 2016 sequel Goldstone, he saw the country's dusty, rust-hued expanse in sun-bleached and eye-scorching colour. In the process, the writer, director, co-producer, cinematographer, editor and composer used his first two Aussie noir films and their immaculately shot sights to call attention to how the nation treats people of colour — historically since its colonial days and still now well over two centuries later. Seven years after the last Jay Swan movie, following a period that's seen that character make the leap to the small screen in three television seasons, Sen returned with a disappearance, a cop, all that inimitable terrain and the crimes against its Indigenous inhabitants that nothing can hide. Amid evident similarities, there's a plethora of differences between the Mystery Road franchise and Limbo; however, one of its simplest is also one of its most glaring and powerful: shooting Australia's ochre-toned landscape in black and white. Limbo's setting: Coober Pedy, the globally famous "opal capital of the world" that's known for its underground dwellings beneath the blazing South Australian earth, but reimagined as the fictional locale that shares the film's name — a place unmistakably sporting an otherworldly topography dotted by dugouts to avoid the baking heat, and that hasn't been able to overcome the murder of a local Indigenous girl two decades earlier. The title is symbolic several times over, including to the visiting Travis Hurley (Simon Baker, Boy Swallows Universe), whose first task upon arrival is checking into his subterranean hotel, rolling up his sleeves and indulging his heroin addiction. Later, he'll be told that he looks more like a drug dealer than a police officer — but, long before then, it's obvious that his line of work and the sorrows he surveys along the way have kept him hovering in a void. While he'll also unburden a few biographical details about mistakes made and regrets held before the film comes to an end, such as while talking to the missing Charlotte Hayes' brother Charlie (Rob Collins, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) and sister Emma (Natasha Wanganeen, The Survival of Kindness), this tattooed cop with wings inked onto his back is already in limbo before he's literally in Limbo talking. AACTAs Won: Best Indie Film. Where to watch it: Limbo streams via iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Ivan Sen and Simon Baker. The New Boy Warwick Thornton, Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis: name a better Australian quintet. The director of Samson & Delilah and Sweet Country, the two-time Oscar-winner and Tár tour de force, the local screen mainstay, and the Bad Seeds bandmates and seasoned film composers all combine not for the ultimate Aussie dinner party, but for The New Boy. None are debuting in their jobs. All are exceptional. They're each made better, however, by the luminous and entrancing Aswan Reid. As well as playing the titular part, the 11-year-old first-time actor lives it among such a wealth of acclaimed and experienced talent — and he's such a find in such excellent company, while saying little in words but everything in every other way, that Thornton's third fictional feature owes him as much of a debt as its applauded and awarded household names. There's a spark to Reid from the moment that he's first spied grappling with outback law enforcement under blazing rays as Cave and Ellis' (This Much I Know to Be True) latest rousing score plays. His sun-bleached hair couldn't be more fitting, or symbolic, but it's the confident way in which he holds himself as New Boy, plus the determined look on his face, that sears. Wily and wiry, the feature's eponymous figure is toppled by a boomerang, then bagged up and transported to the remote Catholic orphanage doted on by Sister Eileen (Blanchett, Nightmare Alley) in the 1940s. The cop doing the escorting notes that the kid is a bolter, but the nun is just as fast in her kindness. She sees what Thornton wants his audience to see: a boy that beams with his presence and through his sense of self, even though he's been snatched up, taken from his Country and forced into a Christian institution against his will. Sister Eileen is as drawn to him as the movie, but — and not just due to the red wine she likes sipping and the subterfuge she's keeping up about the resident father's absence — she isn't as certain about what to do. AACTAs Won: Best Lead Actor in Film (Aswan Reid), Best Supporting Actress (Deborah Mailman), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design. Where to watch it: The New Boy streams via Binge, Prime Video, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review, and our interview with Warwick Thornton. John Farnham: Finding the Voice There's no need to try to understand it: John Farnham's 1986 anthem 'You're the Voice' is an instant barnstormer of a tune. An earworm then, now and for eternity, it was the Australian song of the 80s. With its layered beats, swelling force and rousing emotion, all recorded in a garage studio, it's as much of a delight when it's soundtracking comedy films like the Andy Samberg-starring Hot Rod and the Steve Coogan-led Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa as it is echoing out of every Aussie pub's jukebox. Making a noise and making it clear, 'You're the Voice' is also one of the reasons that Farnham's 1986 album Whispering Jack remains the best-selling homegrown release ever nearing four decades since it first dropped. But, as John Farnham: Finding the Voice tells, this iconic match of track and talent — this career-catapulting hit for a singer who'd initially tasted fame as a teen pop idol two decades prior — almost didn't happen. Whispering Jack also almost didn't come to fruition at all, a revelation so immense that imagining Australia without that album is like entering Back to the Future Part II's alternative 80s. Writer/director Poppy Stockwell (Scrum, Nepal Quake: Terror on Everest) and her co-scribe Paul Clarke (a co-creator of Spicks and Specks) know this, smartly dedicating a significant portion of Finding the Voice to that record and its first single. The titbits and behind-the-scenes anecdotes flow, giving context to a song almost every Aussie alive since it arrived knows in their bones. Gaynor Wheatley, the wife of Farnham's late best friend and manager Glenn, talks about how they mortgaged their house to fund the release when no label would touch the former 'Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)' crooner. Chris Thompson, the English-born, New Zealand-raised Manfred Mann's Earth Band musician who co-penned 'You're the Voice', chats about initially declining Farnham's request to turn the tune into a single after the latter fell for it via a demo. AACTAs Won: Best Documentary. Where to watch it: John Farnham: Finding the Voice streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Shayda Whether or not Noora Niasari was ever explicitly told to write what she knew, the Iranian Australian filmmaker has taken that advice to heart. Her mother listened to the same guidance first, even if it was never spoken to her, either. The latter penned a memoir that has gone unpublished, but helped form the basis of the powerful and affecting Shayda. This account of a mum and her daughter attempting to start anew in a women's shelter doesn't entirely stick to the facts that writer/director Niasari and her mother lived through. The Sundance-premiering, Melbourne International Film Festival-opening, Oscars-entered feature — it was Australia's contender for Best International Feature Film at the 2024 Academy Awards, but wasn't nominated — isn't afraid to fictionalise details in search of the best screen story. Still, the tale that's told of courage, resilience, rebuilding lives and finding a new community is deeply and patently personal. Perhaps even better, it's inescapably authentic. Niasari peers back at being barely of primary-school age and making a new home. Fleeing to a women's shelter is the only option that the film's eponymous figure (Zar Amir Ebrahimi, 2022's Cannes Best Actress-winner for Holy Spider) has to get away from the abusive Hossein (Osamah Sami, Savage River), whose controlling nature is matched by that of their patriarchal culture. So, Shayda leaves with six-year-old Mona (debutant Selina Zahednia). As she waits for her divorce proceedings to go through — a complicated task under Iranian law and customs — she seeks refuge at a secret site overseen by the caring Joyce (Leah Purcell, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart). Even surrounded by kindness and filled with desperation for a better future, every iota of Shayda's decision is fraught and tense; Niasari starts the film with Mona at an airport being told what to do if she's ever there with her father, should he try to take her not only away from her mum but also back to Iran. AACTAs Won: Best Casting. Where to watch it: Shayda streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Noora Niasari. Carmen Breaking down a classic tale best known as an opera, rebuilding it as a lovers-on-the-run drama set across the US–Mexico border and making every moment burst with emotion, Benjamin Millepied's Carmen is a movie that moves. While its director is a feature debutant, his background as a dancer and choreographer — he did both on Black Swan, the latter on Vox Lux as well, then designed the latest Dune films' sandwalk — perhaps means that the former New York City Ballet principal and Paris Opera Ballet Director of Dance was fated to helm rhythmic, fluid and rousing cinema. His loose take on Georges Bizet's singing-driven show and Prosper Mérimée's novella before it, plus Alexander Pushkin's poem The Gypsies that the first is thought to be based on, is evocative and sensual. It's sumptuous and a swirl of feelings, too, as aided in no small part by its penchant for dance. And, it pirouettes with swoon-inducing strength with help from its stunningly cast leads: Scream queen and In the Heights star Melissa Barrera, plus Normal People breakout and Aftersun Oscar-nominee Paul Mescal. When Mescal earned the world's attention in streaming's initial Sally Rooney adaptation, he had viewers dreaming of fleeing somewhere — Ireland or anywhere — with him. Carmen's namesake (Barrera) absconds first, then has PTSD-afflicted Marine Aidan (Mescal) join her attempt to escape to Los Angeles. Carmen runs after her mother Zilah (flamenco dancer Marina Tamayo) greets the cartel with thunderous footwork, but can't stave off their violence. Aidan enters the story once Carmen is smuggled stateside, where he's a reluctant volunteer border guard in Texas alongside the trigger-happy Mike (Benedict Hardie, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson). As the picture's central pair soon hurtle towards California, to Zilah's lifelong friend Masilda's (Rossy de Palma, Parallel Mothers) bar, they try to fly to whatever safety and security they can find. That may be fleeting, however, and might also be in each other's arms. AACTAs Won: Best Costume Design. Where to watch it: Carmen streams via Stan, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Benjamin Millepied. The Giants Nature documentaries rarely simply spy the earth's wonders, point cameras that way and let the planet itself do the talking. Instead, films such as 2017's The Ancient Woods are by far the exception rather than the rule. And yet, the best footage within any movie about our pale blue dot makes viewers wish that more favoured the "a picture is worth a thousand words" approach. Take The Giants, for instance. When it includes talk, which is often, it's no lesser a feature. The conversation and commentary offered is illuminating, in fact. But when it wanders through Tasmania's colossal foliage within the Styx Valley, Southern Forests and the Tarkine, which is also regularly, it feels like it barely needs to utter a single thing. This isn't merely a factual affair about flora, with environmental campaigner and pioneering former Greens senator Bob Brown firmly at its core, but The Giants knows that paying tribute to both is best done by staring at leafy surroundings as much as it can. It's no everyday feat to get a movie-watching audience admiring the natural world while peering at a screen, even if the frequency with which David Attenborough's docos arrive has helped everyone both think and expect otherwise. Indeed, notching up that achievement is a mammoth accomplishment on the part of The Giants' filmmakers Laurence Billiet (Freeman) and Rachel Antony, plus cinematographer Sherwin Akbarzadeh (Carbon — The Unauthorised Biography). Crucially, it assists what was always going to be a fascinating ode to bloom as much as any plant that it waters with attention. When you're crafting a documentary that intertwines a love letter to Australia's ancient native forests and their ecosystems with a powerful portrait of a hefty figure who has devoted much of his life to fighting for them, showing all the green splendour it possibly can is equally a must and a masterstroke. AACTAs Won: Best Cinematography in a Documentary. Where to watch it: The Giants streams via DocPlay, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story Post-viewing soundtrack, sorted: to watch Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story is to take a trip down memory lane with the Australian music industry and hear homegrown standouts from the past five decades along the way. Unsurprisingly, this documentary already has an album to go with it, a stacked release which'd instantly do its eponymous figure proud. His tick of approval wouldn't just stem from the artists surveyed, but because Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story's accompanying tunes comprise a three-disc number like Mushroom Records' first-ever drop, a 1973 Sunbury Festival live LP. To tell the tale of Gudinski, the record executive and promoter who became a household name, is to tell of Skyhooks, Split Enz, Hunters & Collectors, Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Kylie Minogue, Archie Roach, Yothu Yindi, Bliss n Esso, The Temper Trap, Gordi and Vance Joy, too — and to listen to them. Need this on-screen tribute to give you some kind of sign that the Gudinski and Mushroom story spans a heap of genres? Both the film and the album alike include Peter Andre. Any journey through Michael Gudinski's life and career, from his childhood entrepreneurship selling car parks on his family's vacant lot to his years and years getting Aussie music to the masses — and, on the touring side, bringing massively popular overseas artists to Aussies — needs to also be an ode to the industry that he adored. The man and scene are inseparable. But perhaps Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story plays as such an overt love letter to Australian music because it's an unashamed hagiography of Gudinski. Although the movie doesn't deliver wall-to-wall praise, it comes close. When it begins to hint at any traces of arrogance, moodiness or ruthlessness, it quickly does the doco equivalent of skipping to the next track. Australian Rules and Suburban Mayhem director Paul Goldman, a seasoned hand at music videos as well, has called his feature Ego and there's no doubting his subject had one; however, the takeaway in this highly authorised biography is that anything that doesn't gleam was simply part of his natural mischievousness and eager push for success. AACTAs Won: Best Sound in a Documentary. Where to watch it: Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story streams via YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Small-Screen Standouts Deadloch Trust Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan, Australia's favourite Kates and funniest double act, to make a killer TV show about chasing a killer that's the perfect sum of two excellent halves. Given their individual and shared backgrounds, including creating and starring in cooking show sendup The Katering Show and morning television spoof Get Krack!n, the pair unsurprisingly add another reason to get chuckling to their resumes; however, with Deadloch, they also turn their attention to crime procedurals. The Kates already know how to make viewers laugh. They've established their talents as brilliant satirists and lovers of the absurd in the process. Now, splashing around those skills in Deadloch's exceptional eight-episode first season lead by Kate Box (Stateless) and Madeleine Sami (The Breaker Upperers), they've also crafted a dead-set stellar murder-mystery series that ranks among The Kates' best work in almost every way. The only time that it doesn't? Not putting the tremendous pair on-screen themselves. Taking place in a sleepy small town, commencing with a body on a beach, and following both the local cop trying to solve the case and the gung-ho blow-in from a big city leading the enquiries, Deadloch has all the crime genre basics covered from the get-go. The Tasmanian spot scandalised by the death is a sitcom-esque quirky community, another television staple that McCartney and McLennan nail. Parody requires deep knowledge and understanding; you can't comically rip into and riff on something if you aren't familiar with its every in and out. That said, Deadloch isn't in the business of simply mining well-worn TV setups and their myriad of conventions for giggles, although it does that expertly. With whip-smart writing, the Australian series is intelligent, hilarious, and all-round cracking as a whodunnit-style noir drama and as a comedy alike — and, as Box's by-the-book Senior Sergeant Dulcie Collins and Sami's loose and chaotic Darwin blow-in Eddie Redcliffe are forced to team up, it's also one of the streaming highlights of the past year. AACTAs Won: Best Acting in a Comedy (Kate Box), Best Casting in Television, Best Editing in Television, Best Original Score in Television, Best Screenplay in Television. Where to watch it: Deadloch streams via Prime Video. Read our full review, and our interview with Kate McCartney and Kate McLennan. The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart In The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, blooms are rarely out of sight and petals never evade attention. Adapted from Holly Ringland's 2018 novel, the seven-part Australian miniseries is set on a farm that cultivates native flora. It dubs the women who tend to them, an ensemble from various backgrounds largely seeking refuge from abusive pasts, "flowers" as well. Whether stem by stem or in bunches, its characters use florets as their own secret language. And yet, as much as bouquets linger, getting all things floral on the mind, star Sigourney Weaver burns rather than blossoms. Fire is another of the show's strong recurring motifs, so it's still fitting that its biggest name is as all-consuming as a blaze. She needs to be that scorching: this is a story about endeavouring to survive while weathering woes that ignite everything in their path. Weaver also draws upon almost five decades of thriving before the camera, often playing steely, smart and sometimes-raging women. Her on-screen career began sparking with Alien, the film that made her an instant icon. Since then, everyone has heard her performances scream — and, in The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, she's again dazzling. Flowers frequently surround Weaver's June Hart far and wide. With a carefully selected cutting, the shotgun-toting matriarch of Thornfield Flower Farm can say all she needs to. That's what the eponymous Alice (Ayla Browne, Nine Perfect Strangers) quickly learns about her grandmother when she arrives at the property following a tragedy, becoming one of the farm's flowers after losing her pregnant mother Agnes (Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Hotel Mumbai) and violent father Clem (Charlie Vickers, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power). The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart is a tale about traumas, secrets and lies that lurk as deeply as the earth — about the choices and cycles that take root in such fraught soil, too. When nine-year-old Alice relocates fresh from hospital, the determined June, her doting partner Twig (Leah Purcell, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) and their adopted daughter Candy Blue (Frankie Adams, The Expanse) aim to shower the girl with sunlight to blaze away her horrors. You can't just bury problems, however, then hope that something vivid and colourful will grow over the top. Dedicating its first half to Alice's childhood and its second to 14 years later, when she's in her early twenties (Alycia Debnam-Carey, Fear the Walking Dead), The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart understands this immutable fact in its core. AACTAs Won: Best Miniseries, Best Cinematography in Television, Best Production Design in Television, Best Sound in Television. Where to watch it: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. Colin From Accounts A girl, a guy and a meet-cute over an adorable animal: that's the delightful and very funny Colin From Accounts' underlying formula. When medical student Ashley (Harriet Dyer, The Invisible Man) and microbrewery owner Gordon (Patrick Brammall, Evil) cross paths in the street one otherwise standard Sydney morning, they literally come to an impasse. He lets her go first, she flashes her nipple as thanks, then he's so distracted that he hits a stray dog with his car. As these circumstances demonstrate, Colin From Accounts isn't afraid to get awkward, much to the benefit of audiences. There's a syrupy way to proceed from the show's debut moments, intertwining sparks flying with idyllic dates, plus zero doubts of a happy ending for humans and pooches alike. If this was a movie, that's how it'd happen. Then there's Dyer and Brammall's way, with the duo creating and writing the series as well as starring in it, and focusing as much on ordinary existential mayhem — working out who you want to be, navigating complex relationships and learning to appreciate the simple pleasure of someone else's company, for example — as pushing its leads together. Just like in the Hollywood versions of this kind of tale, romance does blossom. That Dyer and Brammall are behind Colin From Accounts, their past chemistry on fellow Aussie comedy No Activity and the fact that they're married IRL means that pairing them up as more than new pals was always going to be on the show's agenda. It's how the series fleshes out each character and their baggage — including those who-am-I questions, Ash's difficult dynamic with her attention-seeking mother Lynelle (Helen Thomson, Elvis), and the responsibility that running your own business and committing to care for other people each bring — that helps give it depth. Colin From Accounts lets Ash and Gordon unfurl their woes and wishes, and also lets them grow. Sometimes, that happens by peeing and pooping in the wrong place, because that's also the type of comedy this is. Sometimes, it's because the show's central couple have taken a risk, or faced their struggles, or genuinely found solace in each other. Always, this Aussie gem is breezy and weighty — and instantly bingeable. AACTAs Won: Best Narrative Comedy Series. Where to watch it: Colin From Accounts streams via Binge. Read our full review. The Newsreader Aspiring Australian actors, take note: modelling your career after Anna Torv's so far is highly recommended. She's among the lengthy list of Aussies to call The Secret Life of Us one of her launch pads (another: Joel Edgerton). For five seasons and 100 episodes, she led fantastic US sci-fi series Fringe opposite Joshua Jackson (Fatal Attraction). The Daughter and Force of Nature: The Dry 2 in cinemas, plus Secret City, Mindhunter and The Last of Us on TV: they're also on her resume, which boasts both Hollywood and homegrown standouts. In the latter category, so is The Newsreader. Debuting with a six-episode first season in 2021, returning for the same stretch in 2023 and with another half-dozen on the way in 2024, it casts Torv as Helen Norville, News at Six's first-ever female newsreader. With the show set in the 80s, that gig isn't easy as misogyny and sexism run rife in the media industry — and as major real-life events, including the Challenger explosion, the Azaria Chamberlain case, Chernobyl and the 1987 federal election, are weaved in, all requiring news coverage. Torv is unsurprisingly excellent as Helen, and also in great company. As Dale Jennings, who starts the series as a budding reporter, Sam Reid is every bit up to the task. (He'a also someone whose own filmography is impressive both at home and abroad, thanks to past parts in The Railway Man, Belle, '71, Prime Suspect 1973, Lambs of God, The Drover's Wife the Legend of Molly Johnson and the Interview with the Vampire TV series.) The Newsreader isn't just anchored by two stellar leads, however, or guided by a cast that also includes Robert Taylor (Scrublands), William McInnes (NCIS: Sydney), Michelle Lim Davidson (After the Trial), Marg Downey (Jones Family Christmas), Chum Ehelepola (Preppers) and Stephen Peacocke (Five Bedrooms). It's textured at the character level, and also enthralling in its newsroom antics and glance backwards at Australia's past. Indeed, it's no wonder that more seasons keep coming. AACTAs Won: Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actress in a Drama (Anna Torv), Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (Hunter Page-Lochard), Best Costume Design in Television, Best Direction in Drama or Comedy. Where to watch it: The Newsreader streams via ABC iView. Love Me Add Love Me to the list of Aussie dramas set in Melbourne and featuring starry casts, alongside The Secret Life of Us, Tangle and Offspring. In this one, which first arrived in 2021, then returned in 2023, the ensemble runs deep — starting with Hugo Weaving (The Royal Hotel) and Bojana Novakovic (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)). Bob Morley (In Limbo), Celia Pacquola (Utopia), Heather Mitchell (Jones Family Christmas), William Lodder (Bali 2002) and Shalom Brune-Franklin (The Tourist) also feature. Kim Gyngell (The Artful Dodger), Eryn Jean Norvill (Preppers) and Frank Woodley (The Ex-PM) each pop up as well. Given that this is a series about a family and their complicated romantic relationships, the who's who-esque roster of familiar Aussie talent is particularly fitting. The show steps inside the Mathieson clan's amorous ups and downs, in this Aussie adaptation of Sweden's Älska mig, and with such superb casting instantly creating a sense of intimacy in an effort that marked Binge's first local series when it initially debuted. Weaving's Glenn is the father of Novakovic's Clara and Lodder's Aaron. They quickly have death to deal with, as well as love; that life is messy thrums through the series from the outset. What stands out isn't always every minute detail in the plot, as universal and relatable as the storylines are, but the folks navigating it. That, again, is a testament to such savvy casting. Of course, putting Weaving is anything is usually reason enough to press play, especially when he's in thoughtful and layered mode as an everyman grappling with the fact that existence brings pain as well as joy. Amid the scenic vision of Melbourne roved over by helmers Emma Freeman (The Newsreader) and Bonnie Moir (Foe's second-unit director), this series brings characters to the screen with deeply engaging performances that feel layered and lived-in, and worth spending time with. AACTAs Won: Best Lead Actor in a Drama (Hugo Weaving), Best Supporting Actress in a Drama (Heather Mitchell). Where to watch it: Love Me streams via Binge.
2024 will mark three decades since a certain music and ideas festival added film to its lineup. It'll celebrate the same period since every movie lover added an annual visit to Austin, Texas to their wishlist, too. A year shy of that milestone anniversary, South by Southwest is notching up a new occasion worth celebrating: the inaugural SXSW outside of its hometown and the US, taking place in Sydney from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 — and, as a result, the debut SXSW Sydney Screen Festival from Sunday, October 15–Saturday, October 21. There's no film in this event's title, because that's not the only screen medium worth celebrating. Movies, TV shows, music videos, XR: they all have a place at this fest. So do glitzy premieres, free outdoor screenings, homegrown highlights and gems from SXSWs gone by in Austin, plus talks featuring everyone from Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker to Australia's own Nicole Kidman. How does such a landmark screen fest kick off? With the local premiere of Kitty Green's next collaboration with Julia Garner (Ozark) after The Assistant. Taking its cues from Aussie documentary Hotel Coolgardie as it follows two US backpackers working in an outback pub, The Royal Hotel gives the Australian writer/director another tense and powerful stunner about existing while female — and started SXSW Sydney in exceptional style. From there, the rest of the lineup isn't short on fellow highlights. Here's 12 must-sees for a film- and TV-packed week. BOTTOMS Three years after Shiva Baby premiered at 2020's SXSW Austin and wowed audiences, writer/director Emma Seligman and actor Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies) have reteamed for Bottoms. Their latest comedy also premiered at SXSW in the US, of course, with the pair collaborating on the script this time around — and bringing in The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, a friend from their student days, to co-star. The setup: Sennott and Edebiri play PJ and Josie, who return to Rockbridge Falls High School after summer break desperate to finally turn their crushes on the popular Isabel (Havana Rose Liu, No Exit) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber, Babylon) into sex and romance. When the semester starts with the best friends still stuck as outcasts, they jump onto the idea of starting a fight club in the name of female solidarity, but mostly to get laid. Cue a queer and gleefully OTT take on high school-set chaos that's both deadpan and surreal, and a stellar addition to a canon that includes Heathers and But I'm a Cheerleader. HOT POTATO: THE STORY OF THE WIGGLES Nostalgia alert: The Wiggles aren't missing this lineup. As announced in 2022, the famous Australian entertainers, skivvy fans, Hottest 100 winners, Big Red Car drivers, and Mardi Gras and Falls Festival performers have scored the documentary treatment with Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles — and the behind-the-scenes look at the globally famous group is world-premiering at the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival. Sure, Dorothy the Dinosaur mightn't need an origin story, but OG Wiggles Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt are getting one, with Sally Aitken (Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks, David Stratton: A Cinematic Life) directing. How did four friends become one of the biggest names in Aussie music and TV? This is the tale that this doco promises via lively to-camera chats and plenty of backstage footage, charting The Wiggles' career from their beginnings through to the new levels of fame and popularity that 2022 sent their way. RYUICHI SAKAMOTO: OPUS A festival about technology, ideas, music, games and screens, SXSW has long been known for loving the space where its areas of focus combine. Of course movies about music are big on its lineup, then — but nothing is likely more moving than Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus, a concert film featuring the iconic Japanese composer in his last performances before his death in March 2023, as directed by his son Neo Sora. Sora was also the cinematographer on 2017's Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda, which was framed around Sakamoto's cancer diagnosis. Here, however, the man behind the scores for The Revenant, The Last Emperor, Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence and more lets his work at the piano do the talking. Twenty carefully selected pieces feature, including from when he was with Yellow Magic Orchestra right through to his last solo album 12, which released in January. STOP MAKING SENSE The best concert movie ever made will dance across screens in 2023 — and no, it isn't Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour. Instead, it's Talking Heads' Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs)-directed Stop Making Sense, which first released before SXSW ever existed and now returns in a completely restored 4K version. Just imagine how crisp David Byrne's big suit looks. Making its Aussie premiere at SXSW Sydney after debuting in general at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, this is an iconic film made even better. So, no it isn't the same as it ever was. Stop Making Sense famously starts with Byrne walking out onto a Hollywood stage with a tape deck, pressing play and, while standing there solo, beginning to sing 'Psycho Killer'. From that point, he puts on one helluva show with Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and Jerry Harrison — with a lineup of hits, a playful approach and, while watching the movie, the feeling that you're virtually in the room. KNIT'S ISLAND Move over movies and music — with Knit's Island, SXSW Sydney blends games, tech and the screen. This French documentary from writer/directors Ekiem Barbier, Guilhem Causse and Quentin L'helgoualc'h (all collaborators on the short Marlowe Drive) has been shot entirely in the DayZ zombie-horror video game, and from 963 hours spent in it among players attempting to survive in a post-apocalyptic realm. The filmmakers adopt their own DayZ avatars, too, to spend time in this online space — and contemplate how commonplace that willingly losing yourself to the virtual unknown is becoming, and could keep doing so from here. Also on their list: exploring who's playing, why, what people hope to find while they're hopping into cyberspace to slaughter the undead, what they're revealing about their offline existences and the community that's formed within the game's frames. SLEEP Before Jason Yu made his first feature Sleep, he worked with two Korea's filmmaking greats. For Bong Joon-ho, he was an assistant director on Okja. For Lee Chang-dong, he had a gig writing the English subtitles for Burning. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that his full-length debut bowed at Critics' Week at this year's Cannes Film Festival — or that it stars Parasite's Lee Sun-kyun. Domestic unrest also sits at the heart of Sleep, but of the somnambulant type. Lee plays one half of a just-married couple (with Train to Busan's Jung Yu-mi), who starts uttering "someone's inside" while he's slumbering. Also unsurprisingly, that's an eerie occurrence, especially for Jung's pregnant Soo-jin. Things that go bump in the night are no stranger to cinema, and neither are night terrors, but Yu gives the well-used concept his own distinctive spin. BLACK BARBIE Barbie's time on-screen isn't over for 2023. As well as featuring in Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie's massive pink-hued flick — the biggest box office hit of 2023 so far, in fact, and the 11th biggest in history (which might even be higher by the time the year is out) — the Mattel doll is in the spotlight in documentary Black Barbie. The focus: the 1980 release of the first Black Barbie doll, with the toy arriving more than two decades years after its white counterpart. Premiering at SXSW Austin, this step back into the doll's history is not only timely, but personal for filmmaker Lagueria Davis (The Exchange). Her aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell worked at Mattel for 45 years and, now in her 80s, shares a wealth of insights. In addition, Black Barbie dives into the impact of the toy upon girls who were finally able to play with a Barbie that looked like them. SALTBURN After making one of the absolute best films to reach Australian cinema screens in 2021, Promising Young Woman director Emerald Fennell is back with Saltburn, her new Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin)- and Jacob Elordi (Euphoria)-starring thriller. Swapping the US dating scene for Britain's upper class, it features the former as a new Oxford student who's invited to the eponymous estate for the summer by a wealthy classmate played by the latter. Fennell won a rightly deserved Oscar for her Promising Young Woman script, and reteams with Carey Mulligan (She Said) again here. Also demonstrating the actor (The Crown)-turned-filmmaker's knack for casting: 2023 Academy Award-nominee Keoghan, aka one of the screen's most interesting rising stars, plus Elordi, Rosamund Pike (The Wheel of Time), Richard E Grant (Persuasion) and Lolly Adefope (Miracle Workers). THE INVISIBLE FIGHT Kung fu, metal and Orthodox monks combine in Estonia's The Invisible Fight. What a combination. Also joining forces: 70s-set antics, the music of Black Sabbath, dreams of becoming a warrior, the USSR-China border and filmmaker Rainer Sarnet (November), all for a film about a guard on a mission. No, the above mix of words hasn't ever been written together about another movie. Of course this is on the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival's Midnighters lineup. For fans of the type of weird, wild and wonderful discoveries that film fests are all about, the event's genre program has been delivering in Austin. In 2023, Michael and Danny Philippou's Talk to Me was on the bill, for instance. In 2022, Ti West's X and Aussie effort Sissy made the cut. Now Midnighters makes its way Down Under with quite the inimitable martial arts comedy. UPROAR The Taika Waititi school of acting gave Julian Dennison one of his first-ever roles in Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and James Rolleston his debut in Boy. Seven years after the former and 13 since the latter, the two play brothers in another coming-of-age effort: Uproar. That cheerworthy casting is joined by Our Flag Means Death co-stars Rhys Darby and Minnie Driver in a film that's not only warmhearted, but always feels as if it's practising one of the messages that it's preaching. Set amid 1981's infamous Springbok tour of New Zealand — with South Africa's rugby union team playing games across the nation, and inspiring protests against both apartheid and Aotearoa's treatment of its Māori population as it went — this is a movie by Hamish Bennett (Bellbird) and Paul Middleditch (Rapture-Palooza) about a cultural awakening, and about finding and embracing community. Read our full review. DIVINITY As a director, the ever-prolific Steven Soderbergh has already given viewers big-screen release Magic Mike's Last Dance, TV miniseries Full Circle and web series Command Z in 2023. As a producer, Divinity also sits on his list for the year. Joining filmmaker Eddie Alcazar's resume after 2018's Perfect, it takes its name from a serum that might cure mortality. And no, the writer/helmer's own moniker isn't one of Soderbergh's many pseudonyms. A mainstay on the film festival circuit this year with screenings at Sundance, Fantastic Fest, Sitges and Fantasia before SXSW Sydney, this black-and-white mind-bender features Quantum Leap's Scott Bakula as the scientist chasing eternal life and True Detective's Stephen Dorff as his son. Saying that Divinity is trippy is an understatement. It boasts music to match, courtesy of Cypress Hill member DJ Muggs and Twin Peaks season three's music supervisor Dean Hurley. FARAWAY DOWNS We know how you start an event like SXSW Sydney Screen Festival. Again, The Royal Hotel was an exceptional choice. How do you end it? With Baz Luhrmann revisiting the one movie that doesn't live up to Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby and Elvis on his resume: 2008's Australia, which he's reworked into a TV show by drawing upon two-million-plus feet of film from the original shoot. That's Faraway Downs, which still stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. If you need a refresher on Australia's plot — and therefore the new six-part version's plot, too — it follows English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman, The Northman) after she comes into possession of an Aussie cattle ranch. To save it from cattle barons, she enlists the help of a drover (Jackman, The Son). That's just the overall gist, however, given that the sprawling movie also spans World War II and its impact, as well as the country's historical treatment of Indigenous Australians. SXSW Sydney runs from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22, and SXSW Sydney Screen Festival from Sunday, October 15–Saturday, October 21. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
Oh, what a day. What a lovely day! Why? Because the first trailer for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has just zipped into existence. Get ready for Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros Movie) in the title role, Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) co-starring and iconic Australian director George Miller steering the show for the fifth instalment in his dystopian Mad Max franchise. When Furiosa hits cinemas in May 2024, it will have been nine years since Mad Max: Fury Road did the same and became the best action movie of this century so far — and the best Australian flick of the same period, too. That delay means nothing given that there was a 30-gap between 1985's not-so-great Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road's triumphant arrival in 2015, however. More Miller extending his passion project is always worth waiting for. Shot in Australia, Furiosa also arrives after Mad Max: Fury Road proved a six-time Oscar-winning hit, but will add a standalone tale to the saga this time. Yes, it's an origin story. Yes, it dives into the background of the character so memorably played in Fury Road by Charlize Theron (Fast X). Yes, enlisting Taylor-Joy is another casting masterstroke. Furiosa's storyline follows the younger Furiosa as she's taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers, ends up with a biker horde led by Warlord Dementus, and then gets caught in the middle of a war being waged with the Citadel's Immortan Joe — all while trying to escape and get back home. And, as the just-dropped first sneak peek shows, the look and feel is all classic Mad Max. Miller not only directs but co-writes with Mad Max: Fury Road co-scribe Nico Lathouris, while Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and Tom Burke (Living) are also among the movie's stars. A heap of Miller's other behind-the-scenes collaborators are back, including production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, all Fury Road Oscar-winners. Check out the trailer for Furiosa below: Furiosa releases in cinemas Down Under on May 23, 2024.
If you've been making an effort to be kinder to the planet, chances are your daily coffee habits have had a bit of a shakeup of late. Maybe you've said farewell to your last takeaway coffee cup, switched to drinking only fair-trade beans, ditched environmentally harmful coffee pods, or all of the above. Well, now local company Pod & Parcel could just see you change up your coffee game once again. The start-up is the brainchild of three Melbourne business consultants, Ben Goodman, Elliott Haralambous and Jai Felinksi, who wanted to combine the ease of a coffee pod with the quality of specialty coffee — without leaving a nasty impact on the planet. The trio developed a special plant-based pod that is fully biodegradable and compostable, taking just six months to break down, as opposed to the 500 years of its competitors. With an estimated two-to-three million coffee pods consumed daily in Australia alone, that's a whole lot of reasons to switch. Another is the coffee itself. Far from skimping on quality, the trio has collaborated with local coffee roasters to develop its product, so you can enjoy that cafe-level cuppa from the comfort of your home. Choose from a single-origin Guatemalan — with notes of creamy vanilla and blood orange — or a toffee-noted blend of Colombian and Tanzanian beans, among many others. Because it's specialty-grade arabica coffee, it has a back-story, too. Consumers can find out where it came from, how it travelled and exactly when it was roasted. Consider this a budget-friendly alternative to those exxy brews from your local specialty coffee shop, that also challenges big name pod manufacturers like Nespresso. Pod & Parcel's creations come in a swag of different flavours and intensities, available online from around 86 cents per pod. If you fancy saving even more, you can sign up to its Coffee Club, which delivers pods straight to your door.
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 and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've been under the weather. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films 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 12 that you can watch right now at home. ELVIS Making a biopic about the king of rock 'n' roll, trust Baz Luhrmann to take his subject's words to heart: a little less conversation, a little more action. The Australian filmmaker's Elvis, his first feature since 2013's The Great Gatsby, isn't short on chatter. It's even narrated by Tom Hanks (Finch) as Colonel Tom Parker, the carnival barker who thrust Presley to fame (and, as Luhrmann likes to say, the man who was never a Colonel, never a Tom and never a Parker). But this chronology of an icon's life is at its best when it's showing rather than telling. That's when it sparkles brighter than a rhinestone on all-white attire, and gleams with more shine than all the lights in Las Vegas. That's when Elvis is electrifying, due to its treasure trove of recreated concert scenes — where Austin Butler (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) slides into Presley's blue suede shoes and lifetime's supply of jumpsuits like he's the man himself. Butler is that hypnotic as Presley. Elvis is his biggest role to-date after starting out on Hannah Montana, sliding through other TV shows including Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries, and also featuring in Yoga Hosers and The Dead Don't Die — and he's exceptional. Thanks to his blistering on-stage performance, shaken hips and all, the movie's gig sequences feel like Elvis hasn't ever left the building. Close your eyes and you'll think you were listening to the real thing. (In some cases, you are: the film's songs span Butler's vocals, Presley's and sometimes a mix of both). And yet it's how the concert footage looks, feels, lives, breathes, and places viewers in those excited and seduced crowds that's Elvis' true gem. It's meant to make movie-goers understand what it was like to be there, and why Presley became such a sensation. Aided by dazzling cinematography, editing and just all-round visual choreography, these parts of the picture — of which there's many, understandably — leave audiences as all shook up as a 1950s teenager or 1970s Vegas visitor. Elvis is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. MOTHERING SUNDAY Is there anything more intimate than wandering around someone's home when they're not there, gently rifling through their things, and — literally or not, your choice — spending a few minutes standing in their shoes? Yes, but there's still an intoxicating sense of closeness that comes with the territory; moseying curiously in another's house without their company, after they've entrusted their most personal space to you alone, will understandably do that. In Mothering Sunday, Jane Fairchild (Odessa Young, The Staircase) finds herself in this very situation. She's naked, and as comfortable as she's ever been anywhere. After her lover Paul Sheringham (Josh O'Connor, Emma) leaves her in a state of postcoital bliss, she makes the most of his family's large abode in the English countryside, the paintings and books that fill its walls and shelves, and the pie and beer tempting her tastebuds in the kitchen. The result: some of this 1920s-set British drama's most evocative and remarkable moments. In a page-to-screen affair adapted by screenwriter Alice Birch (Conversations with Friends) from Graham Swift's 2016 novel for French filmmaker Eva Husson (Girls of the Sun), Jane is used to such lofty spaces, but rarely as a carefree resident. As played with quiet potency and radiance by Young, she's an aspiring writer, an orphan and the help; he's firmly from money. She works as a maid for the Sheringhams' neighbours, the also-wealthy Godfrey (Colin Firth, Operation Mincemeat) and Clarrie Niven (Olivia Colman, Heartstopper), and she's ventured next door while everyone except Paul is out. This rare day off is the occasion that gives the stately but still highly moving film its name as well — Mother's Day, but initially designed to honour mother churches, aka where one was baptised — and the well-to-do crowd are all lunching to celebrate Paul's impending nuptials to fiancée Emma Hobday (Emma D'Arcy, Misbehaviour). He made excuses to arrive late, though, in order to steal some time with Jane, as they've both been doing for years. Of course, he can't completely shirk his own party. Also, the day won't end as joyfully as it started. Mothering Sunday is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. LIGHTYEAR In the realm of franchise filmmaking, "to infinity and beyond" isn't just a catchphrase exclaimed by an animated plaything — it's how far and long Hollywood hopes every hit big-screen saga will extend. With that in mind, has a Pixar movie ever felt as inevitable as Lightyear? Given the main Toy Story plot wrapped up in 2019's Toy Story 4, and did so charmingly, keeping this series going by jumping backwards was always bound to happen. So it is that space ranger figurine Buzz Lightyear gets an origin story. That said, the trinket's history is covered immediately and quickly in this film's opening splash of text on-screen. Back in the OG Toy Story, Andy was excited to receive a new Buzz Lightyear action figure because — as this feature tells us — he'd just seen and loved a sci-fi movie featuring fictional character Buzz Lightyear. In this franchise's world, the likeable-enough Lightyear from director Angus MacLane (Finding Dory) is that picture. Buzz the live-action film hero — flesh and blood to in-franchise viewers like Andy, that is, but animated to us — goes on an all-too-familiar journey in Lightyear. Voiced by Chris Evans (Knives Out) to distinguish the movie Buzz from toy Buzz (where he's voiced by Last Man Standing's Tim Allen), the Star Command space ranger is so convinced that he's the biggest hero there is, and him alone, that teamwork isn't anywhere near his strength. Then, as happens to the figurine version in Toy Story, that illusion gets a reality check. To survive being marooned on T'Kani Prime, a planet 4.2 million light-years from earth filled with attacking vines and giant flying insects, the egotistical and stubborn Buzz needs to learn to play nice with others. For someone who hates rookies, as well as using autopilot, realising he can only succeed with help takes time. Lightyear is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BENEDICTION To write notable things, does someone need to live a notable life? No, but sometimes they do anyway. To truly capture the bone-chilling, soul-crushing, gut-wrenching atrocities of war, does someone need to experience it for themselves? In the case of Siegfried Sassoon, his anti-combat verse could've only sprung from someone who had been there, deep in the trenches of the Western Front during World War I, and witnessed its harrowing horrors. If you only know one thing about the Military Cross-winner and poet going into Benediction, you're likely already aware that he's famed for his biting work about his time in uniform. There's obviously more to his story and his life, though, as there is to the film that tells his tale. But British writer/director Terence Davies (Sunset Song) never forgets the traumatic ordeal, and the response to it, that frequently follows his subject's name as effortlessly as breathing. Indeed, being unable to ever banish it from one's memory, including Sassoon's own, is a crucial part of this precisely crafted, immensely affecting and deeply resonant movie. If you only know two things about Sassoon before seeing Benediction, you may have also heard of the war hero-turned-conscientious objector's connection to fellow poet Wilfred Owen. Author of Anthem for Damned Youth, he fought in the same fray but didn't make it back. That too earns Davies' attention, with Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) as Sassoon and Matthew Tennyson (Making Noise Quietly) as his fellow wordsmith, soldier and patient at Craiglockhart War Hospital — both for shell shock. Benediction doesn't solely devote its frames to this chapter in its central figure's existence, either, but the film also knows that it couldn't be more pivotal in explaining who Sassoon was, and why, and how war forever changed him (as also seen in his later guise, when he's played by The Suicide Squad's Peter Capaldi). Sassoon and Owen were friends, and also shared a mutual infatuation. They were particularly inspired during their times at Craiglockhart as well. In fact, Sassoon mentored the younger Owen, and championed his work after he was killed in 1918, exactly one week before before Armistice Day. Benediction is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION When Jurassic World Dominion was being written, three words must've come up often. No, they're not Neill, Dern, Goldblum. Those beloved actors reunite here, the trio appearing in the same Jurassic Park flick for the first time since the 1993 original, but the crucial terms are actually "but with dinosaurs". Returning Jurassic World writer/director Colin Trevorrow mightn't have uttered that phrase aloud; however, when Dominion stalks into a dingy underground cantina populated by people and prehistoric creatures, Star Wars but with dinosaurs instantly springs to mind. The same proves true when the third entry in this Jurassic Park sequel trilogy also includes high-stakes flights in a rundown aircraft that's piloted by a no-nonsense maverick. These nods aren't only confined to a galaxy far, far away — a realm that Trevorrow was meant to join as a filmmaker after the first Jurassic World, only to be replaced on Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker — and, yes, they just keep on coming. There's the speedy chase that zooms through alleys in Malta, giving the Bond franchise more than a few nods — but with dinosaurs, naturally. There's the plot about a kidnapped daughter, with Taken but with dinosaurs becoming a reality as well. That Trevorrow, co-scribe Emily Carmichael (Pacific Rim Uprising) and his usual writing collaborator Derek Connolly (Safety Not Guaranteed) have seen other big-name flicks is never in doubt. Indeed, as a Mark Zuckerberg-esque entrepreneur (Campbell Scott, WeCrashed) tries to take over all things dino, and ex-Jurassic World velociraptor whisperer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt, The Tomorrow War) and his boss-turned-girlfriend Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard, Rocketman) get drawn back into the creatures' realm, too much of Dominion feels like an attempt to actively make viewers wish they were watching other movies. Bourne but with dinosaurs rears its head via a rooftop chase involving, yes, dinos. Also, two different Stanley Kubrick masterpieces get cribbed so blatantly that royalties must be due, including when an ancient critter busts through a door as Jack Nicholson once did, and the exact same shot — but with dinosaurs — hits the screen. Jurassic World Dominion is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE KITCHEN BRIGADE When a chef sticks to a tried-and-tested recipe, it can be for two reasons: ease and excellence. Whipping up an already-proven dish means cooking up something that you already know works — something sublime, perhaps — and giving yourself the opportunity to better it. That process isn't solely the domain of culinary maestros, though, as French filmmaker Louis-Julien Petit makes plain in his latest feature The Kitchen Brigade. The writer/director behind 2018's Invisibles returns to what he knows and does well, and to a formula that keeps enticing audiences on the big screen, too. With the former, he whisks together another socially conscious mix of drama and comedy centring on faces and folks that are often overlooked. With the latter, he bakes a feel-good affair about finding yourself, seizing opportunities and making a difference through food. Returning from Invisibles as well, Audrey Lamy (Little Nicholas' Treasure) plays Cathy, a 40-year-old sous chef with big dreams and just as sizeable struggles. Instead of running her own restaurant, she's stuck in the shadow of TV-famous culinary celebrity Lyna Deletto (Chloé Astor, Delicious) — a boss hungry for not just fame but glory, including by dismissing Cathy's kitchen instincts or claiming her dishes as her own. Reaching boiling point early in the film, Cathy decides to finally go it alone, but cash makes that a problem. So, to make ends meet, she takes the only job she can find: overseeing the food in a shelter for migrants, where manager Lorenzo (François Cluzet, We'll End Up Together) and his assistant Sabine (Chantal Neuwirth, Patrick Melrose) have been understandably too busy with the day-to-day business of helping their residents to worry about putting on a fancy spread. The Kitchen Brigade is available to stream via, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU What's yellow, round, inescapably silly and also just flat-out inescapable? Since 2010, when the first Despicable Me film reached screens, Minions have been the answer. The golden-hued, nonsense-babbling critters were designed as the ultimate sidekicks. They've remained henchman to malevolent figures in all five of their movie outings so far, and in the 15 shorts that've also kept telling their tale. But, as much as super-villain Gru (Steve Carrell, Space Force) would disagree — he'd be immensely insulted at the idea, in fact — Minions have long been the true drawcards. Children haven't been spotted carrying around and obsessing over Gru toys in the same number. The saga's key evil-doer doesn't have people spouting the same gibberish, either. And his likeness hasn't become as ubiquitous as Santa, although Minions aren't considered a gift by everyone. At their best, these lemon-coloured creatures are today's equivalent of slapstick silent film stars. At their worst, they're calculatingly cute vehicles for selling merchandise and movie tickets. In Minions: The Rise of Gru, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, Otto and company (all voiced by Pierre Coffin, also the director of the three Despicable Me features so far, as well as the first Minions) fall somewhere in the middle. Their Minion mayhem is the most entertaining and well-developed part of the flick, but as an 11-year-old Gru tries to live out his nefarious boyhood dreams in 1976, it's also pushed to the side by director Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3), co-helmers Brad Ableson (Legends of Chamberlain Heights) and Jonathan del Val (The Secret Life of Pets 2), and screenwriter Matthew Fogel (The Lego Movie 2). There's a reason that this isn't just called Minions 2 — and another that it hasn't been badged Despicable Me: The Rise of Gru, although it should've. The Minion name gets wallets opening and young audiences excited, the Rise of Gru reflects the main focus of the story, and anyone who's older than ten can see the strings being pulled at the corporate level among the by-the-numbers slapstick hijinks. Minions: The Rise of Gru is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. AFTER BLUE (DIRTY PARADISE) In his 2017 feature debut, French writer/director Bertrand Mandico took to the sea, following five teens who were punished for a crime by being sent to a mysterious island. Sensual and lurid at every turn, The Wild Boys was never as straightforward as any description might intimate, however — and it proved both a tempest of influences as varied as Jean Cocteau, John Carpenter and David Lynch, and an onslaught of surreal and subversive experimentation several times over. Much of the same traits shine through in the filmmaker's second feature After Blue (Dirty Paradise), including an erotic tone that's even more pivotal than the movie's narrative. Mandico makes features about bodies and flesh, about landscapes filled with the odd and alluring, and where feeling like you've tumbled into a dream most wonderful and strange is the instant response. Tinted pink, teeming with glitter, scored by synth, as psychedelic as bathing in acid and gleefully queer, the fantastical realm that fills After Blue's frames is the titular planet, where humanity have fled after ruining earth. As teenager Roxy (debutant Paula-Luna Breitenfelder), who is nicknamed Toxic by her peers, tells the camera, only ovary-bearers can survive here — with men dying out thanks to their hair growing internally. In this brave new world, nationalities cling together in sparse communities, with roving around frowned upon. But that's what Roxy and her hairdresser mother Zora (Elina Löwensohn, Mandico's frequent star) are forced to do when the former meets and saves a criminal called Kate Bush (Agata Buzek, High Life), who she finds buried in sand, and are then tasked by their fellow French denizens with tracking her down and dispensing with her to fix that mistake. After Blue (Dirty Paradise) is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SUNDOWN In Sundown's holiday porn-style opening scenes, a clearly wealthy British family enjoys the most indulgent kind of Acapulco getaway that anyone possibly can. Beneath the blazing blue Mexican sky, at a resort that visibly costs a pretty penny, Alice Bennett (Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Snowman), her brother Neil (Tim Roth, Bergman Island), and her teenage children Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan, A Very British Scandal) and Colin (Samuel Bottomley, Everybody's Talking About Jamie) swim and lounge and sip, with margaritas, massages and moneyed bliss flowing freely. For many, it'd be a dream vacation. For Alice and her kids, it's routine, but they're still enjoying themselves. The look on Neil's passive face says everything, however. It's the picture of apathy — even though, as the film soon shows, he flat-out refuses to be anywhere else. The last time that a Michel Franco-written and -directed movie reached screens, it came courtesy of the Mexican filmmaker's savage class warfare drama New Order, which didn't hold back in ripping into the vast chasm between the ridiculously rich and everyone else. Sundown is equally as brutal, but it isn't quite Franco's take on The White Lotus or Nine Perfect Strangers, either. Rather, it's primarily a slippery and sinewy character study about a man with everything as well as nothing. Much happens within the feature's brief 82-minute running time. Slowly, enough is unveiled about the Bennett family's background, and why their extravagant jaunt abroad couldn't be a more ordinary event in their lavish lives. Still, that indifferent expression adorning Neil's dial rarely falters, whether grief, violence, trauma, lust, love, wins or losses cast a shadow over or brighten up his poolside and seaside stints knocking back drinks in the sunshine. Sundown is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE REEF: STALKED In the crowded waters of cinema's shark-attack genre, which first took a hefty bite out of the box office with mega hit Jaws and then spawned plenty of imitators since, a low-budget Australian effort held its own back in 2010. The second movie from writer/director Andrew Traucki after his crocodile-attack flick Black Water, The Reef wasn't ever going to rake in enough takings to threaten the larger fish, but the stripped-back survival-thriller was grippingly effective. As Black Water did with 2020's Black Water: Abyss, the creature-feature helmer's shark film has now be given a sequel — and like Traucki's other franchise, this followup is a routine splash. The filmmaker keeps most of the basics the same, casting out a remakequel, aka a movie about basically the same scenario but with different faces. No, Traucki isn't seeking a bigger boat, or even to rock the one he has. The Reef: Stalked does make one curious new choice, however, stemming from its nine-months-earlier prologue. The film's opening sequences set up a harrowing source of trauma for protagonist Nic (Teressa Liane, The Vampire Diaries), and also clumsily equate domestic violence with the ocean's predators in the process. The aim is to show how Nic and her youngest sister Annie (debutant Saskia Archer) refuse to become victims after their other sibling Cathy (Bridget Burt, Camp-Off) is stalked and savaged in a different way, fatally so, at the hands of her partner Greg (Tim Ross, Dive Club). After finding Cathy herself, Nic is so understandably distressed that she heads as far away as she can, but returns from overseas for a big diving and kayaking trip that was important to her sister. With friends Jodie (Ann Truong, Cowboy Bebop) and Lisa (Kate Lister, Clickbait), plus Annie, they embark on a multi-day paddle — but it isn't long until a different sinister force terrorises their getaway, even if you don't already know what "the man in the grey suit" refers to in surfer slang. The Reef: Stalked is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE PRINCESS Finding a moment or statement from The Princess to sum up The Princess is easy. Unlike the powerful documentary's subject in almost all aspects of her life from meeting the future King of England onwards, viewers have the luxury of choice. Working solely with archival materials, writer/director Ed Perkins (Tell Me Who I Am) doesn't lack in chances to demonstrate how distressing it was to be Diana, Princess of Wales — and the fact that his film can even exist also underscores that point. While both The Crown and Spencer have dramatised Diana's struggles with applauded results, The Princess tells the same tale as it was incessantly chronicled in the media between 1981–1997. The portrait that emanates from this collage of news footage, tabloid snaps and TV clips borders on dystopian. It's certainly disturbing. What kind tormented world gives rise to this type of treatment just because someone is famous? The one we all live in, sadly. Perkins begins The Princess with shaky visuals from late in August 1997, in Paris, when Diana and Dodi Fayed were fleeing the paparazzi on what would be the pair's last evening. The random voice behind the camera is excited at the crowds and commotion, not knowing how fatefully the night would end. That's telling, haunting and unsettling, and so is the clip that immediately follows. The filmmaker jumps back to 1981, to a then 19-year-old Diana being accosted as she steps into the street. Reporters demand answers on whether an engagement will be announced, as though extracting private details from a teenager because she's dating Prince Charles is a right. The Princess continues in the same fashion, with editors Jinx Godfrey (Chernobyl) and Daniel Lapira (The Boat) stitching together example after example of a woman forced to be a commodity and expected to be a spectacle, all to be devoured and consumed. The Princess is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube Movies. Read our full review. 6 FESTIVALS Three friends, a huge music festival worth making a mega mission to get to and an essential bag of goon: if you didn't experience that exact combination growing up in Australia, did you really grow up in Australia? That's the mix that starts 6 Festivals, too, with the Aussie feature throwing in a few other instantly familiar inclusions to set the scene. Powderfinger sing-alongs, scenic surroundings and sun-dappled moments have all filled plenty of teenage fest trips, and so has an anything-it-takes mentality — and for the film's central trio of Maxie (Rasmus King, Barons), Summer (Yasmin Honeychurch, Back of the Net) and James (Rory Potter, Ruby's Choice), they're part of their trip to Utopia Valley. But amid dancing to Lime Cordiale and Running Touch, then missing out on Peking Duk's stroke-of-midnight New Year's Eve set after a run-in with security, a shattering piece of news drops. Suddenly these festival-loving friends have a new quest: catching as much live music as they can to help James cope with cancer. The first narrative feature by Bra Boys and Fighting Fear director Macario De Souza, 6 Festivals follows Maxie, Summer and James' efforts to tour their way along the east coast festival circuit. No, there are no prizes for guessing how many gigs are on their list, with the Big Pineapple Music Festival, Yours and Owls and Lunar Electric among the events on their itinerary. Largely road-tripping between real fests, and also showcasing real sets by artists spanning Dune Rats, Bliss n Eso, G Flip, B Wise, Ruby Fields, Dope Lemon, Stace Cadet and more, 6 Festivals dances into the mud, sweat and buzz — the crowds, cheeky beers and dalliances with other substances that help form this coming-of-age rite-of-passage, aka cramming in as many festivals as you possibly can from the moment your parents will let you, as well. This is also a cancer drama, however, which makes for an unsurprisingly tricky balancing act, especially after fellow Aussie movie Babyteeth tackled the latter so devastatingly well so recently. 6 Festivals is available to stream via Paramount+. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows — and our best new TV shows, returning TV shows and straight-to-streaming movies from the first half of 2022. Or, check out the movies that were fast-tracked to digital in January, February, March, April, May, June and July.
No matter how you feel about the Super Bowl, American football's night of nights for 2023 is a dream for Vin Diesel fans. Before and during the big game each year, film studios unleash their latest sneak peeks at some of the upcoming year's huge movies. And this year, that's included a first trailer for Fast X in the days leading up to the match, plus a mid-game new look at Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. If a franchise features Diesel, does it have to go heavy on family and last rides? According to both glimpses at both films, yes, yes it does. When Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 soars into cinemas in May, it's poised as a hefty farewell for Marvel Cinematic Universe's ragtag space-hopping superhero — and the current trailer makes that plain. When this threequel arrives, it will have been six years since 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, although they popped up in Thor: Love and Thunder and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in 2022. Here, Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Chris Pratt, Jurassic World Dominion), Mantis (Pom Klementieff, Westworld), Drax (Dave Bautista, Knock at the Cabin), Groot (Vin Diesel, Fast & Furious 9), Nebula (Karen Gillan, Dual) and Rocket (Bradley Cooper, Nightmare Alley) have been settling into life in Knowhere, but then Rocket's past upends their fresh status quo. There's no Kevin Bacon in either the new trailer or 2022's first sneak peek, or likely in the movie, but there is the return of another familiar face — Gamora (Zoe Saldana, Avatar: The Way of Water) — because Vol. 3 is serious about getting the team back together. Off-screen, that includes usual writer/director James Gunn (The Suicide Squad), after a chaotic few years that saw him fired by Marvel, then make the switch to the DC Extended Universe, where he's now actually co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios. Gunn returned to the MCU, however, for the holiday special and Vol. 3. The new film picks up after the festive episode, after the rest of the MCU's mayhem over the past few years, and with Quill still coping with big events. Even with Gamora (Zoe Saldana, Avatar: The Way of Water) back, that isn't as straightforward as it sounds. Also returning is Sean Gunn (The Terminal List) as Kraglin, while Bodies Bodies Bodies and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan's Maria Bakalova voices Cosmo the Spacedog as she did in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Plus, Will Poulter (Dopesick) joins the cast as Adam Warlock — and Chukwudi Iwuji (Peacemaker) as The High Evolutionary. Check out the latest trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 below: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 releases in cinemas Down Under on May 4, 2023. Images: Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Mount Buller's après-ski scene is about to become more vibrant than ever, as renowned hospitality group Tommy Collins heads to the slopes for a four-weekend season. Presented across exclusive dining events and gastronomic street parties, several Melbourne-based culinary hotshots will bring a little more warmth to the snow, taking over the beloved mountainside venues, Villager and Little Villager. Transporting their pots and pans to the summit, Grant Smillie (Marmont), Jason Jones (Entrecôte) and Frank Camorra (MoVida) will host a series of intimate, ticketed dinners, with each restaurant moving into the venue for a one-weekend-only dinner. Expect each session to ease into the evening with canapes and cocktails on The Villager Deck from 5.30pm. Then, the soiree moves inside for a seated feast guided by alpine flair, top-tier drinks and curated live entertainment that takes the mountainside ambience up a notch. With more dates to be announced, the festivities kick off on Thursday, June 5–Saturday, June 7, with Grant Smillie's California-inspired Marmont, featuring winter-warming dishes like slow-cooked lamb shoulder and a chocolate chip cookie with cognac ice cream. Next, MoVida takes over with innovative Spanish cuisine from Friday, August 1–Saturday, August 2, serving an expansive menu including smoked Skull Island prawns, roasted suckling pig and, of course, hot churros dipped in rich chocolate sauce. Finally, Prahran's Entrecôte arrives on Friday, August 15–Saturday, August 16, with its legendary steak frites, profiteroles au chocolat and all-around chic Parisian cuisine. With more to be revealed, each dinner is limited to just 120 guests per night, while diverse beverage programs will showcase standout wines, signature serves and cheeky surprises. With the owners of these restaurants a surprisingly musical bunch, you might just catch Jones tickling the ivories and Smillie in the DJ booth. Yet dinner is only one part of the reason to head to the alps. Après-Ski Street Parties will also shut down Mount Buller's Bourke Street every Thursday for an open-air celebration of cocktails, culture and connection. Think boozy sessions featuring curated drinks and icy alpine shooters set against world-class DJs spinning tunes from midday to golden hour. Slide into stylish outdoor lounges, soak up the open-air mountainside mood and break out your most glamorous après-ski outfit, as 200 revellers heat up the slopes. For those keen to get their winter started in the best way possible, Tommy Collins has put together the free but ticketed 'Party for the People' over the King's Birthday long weekend. Presented by Grant Smillie and friends, the snowfields will become a private playground from 1pm–5pm on Thursday, June 5, as this all-out alpine celebration combines live DJs with California-style eats and pyro-led performances. Tommy Collins' Mount Buller series kicks off on Thursday, June 5. Head to the website for more information.
Dystopian life isn't something that's easily or quickly shaken. Exploring what it means to survive and endure in the aftermath of global devastation isn't a fast process, either. Due to that fact, as well as the huge success of HBO's big game-to-TV hit show about that topic, it should come as no surprise that The Last of Us will be officially returning for season three. There might only be two The Last of Us video games so far (plus expansion packs and remasters), but there'll be at least a trio of seasons of the Pedro Pascal (The Wild Robot)- and Bella Ramsey (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget)-starring hit television series. The news comes before season two even arrives, and means that viewers can watch the new seven-episode run safe in the knowledge that the story isn't ending there. "We approached season two with the goal of creating something we could be proud of. The end results have exceeded even our most-ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew. We look forward to continuing the story of The Last of Us with season three," said Craig Mazin (Chernobyl), creator, executive producer, writer and director of the TV adaptation. "To see The Last of Us brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans' enthusiastic and overwhelming support. Much of that success is thanks to my partner in crime Craig Mazin, our partnership with HBO and our team at PlayStation Productions. On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity. We're thrilled to bring you more of The Last of Us," added Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also penned and directed The Last of Us games. There's no details yet regarding when the third season of The Last of Us will drop, how many episodes will be in it or the cast, but season two's arrival from Monday, April 14, 2025 Down Under will help distract you from those questions for now. Streaming via HBO's own platform Max in Australia — fresh from its late-March launch — and Neon in New Zealand, the second season takes place five years after the events of season one. As well as a time jump, audiences should prepare for a guitar, hordes of infected, flames, sirens and flares, plus a stern warning. "There are just some things everyone agrees are just wrong," one of the season's teasers advises. In the first season, set 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes, Joel (Pascal) and Ellie (Ramsey) didn't always get along; however, their best chance for survival was together. In season two, as the full trailer for the HBO hit's long-awaited return shows, that may no longer be the case. Amid warnings about monsters — and scenes showing why those cautions are so important — the most-haunting moment of the sneak peek arrives with two words: "you swore". When The Last of Us initially made the leap from video games to TV in 2023, it was swiftly renewed after proving a massive smash instantly. The series gave HBO its most-watched debut season of a show ever — and its first episode was also the network's second-largest debut of all time. Back then, locking in a second season was also hardly unexpected because the 2013 game inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel. There's obviously no trailer for The Last of Us season three yet, but check out the full trailer for season two below: The Last of Us season three doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. The Last of Us season two streams from Monday, April 14, 2025 Down Under, via Max in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of the first season. Images: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Melbourne's outer suburb of Werribee is set to score a brand-new 24-hour arts festival filled with music, performances, live art and film. Taking over Chirnside Park from 6pm on Saturday, May 6 to 6pm on Sunday, May 7, the inaugural edition of 24 will be an all-ages affair that's free to explore, with a jam-packed program of happenings to keep you entertained non-stop for 1440 minutes straight. The Riverside Stage will play host to a broad-ranging lineup of acts, including all-female Wurundjeri dance outfit Djirri Djirri, reggae singer-songwriter Nhatty Man, and Amadou Suso & Friends Band, showing off those legendary skills on the kora (a West African stringed instrument). Tarabeat and MzRizk will treat audiences to a fusion of classic and contemporary Arabic tunes, while Halo Vocal Ensemble delivers their signature RnB-soaked sound. [caption id="attachment_895390" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Halo Vocal Ensemble[/caption] The multi-sensory fun continues off-stage, with a slew of giant installations and live art performances. You'll spy the massive tune-spinning robotic insect UKI, plus pop-up dance performances by Janette Hoe and a colourful cast of roving entertainers weaving through the night. You can unleash your own creativity with a couple of large-scale interactive works by Slow Art Collection, wander through a luminous garden maze made from recycled plastics, and see artist and designer Callum Preston (set builder for RONE's Time) transform a beat-up car into a neon masterpiece live in front of your eyes. There's a giant interactive kaleidoscope, games of glow-in-the-dark tennis and a silent disco that'll have you bopping from 11pm until 7am. You can even put your feet up, pop on some headphones and catch a flick, thanks to the 24-Hour Outdoor Cinema, which'll be screening back-to-back classics right through the festival. [caption id="attachment_895393" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'UKI', by John Palmer[/caption] Top image: 'Chromatica' by David Beach
If you're a fan of Pedro Pascal (Gladiator II), 2025 is a busy year. The Last of Us is back for its long-awaited second season. Thanks to Materialists, he's in a rom-com from Past Lives' Celine Song. With Eddington, he's battling Joaquin Phoenix for Beau Is Afraid director Ari Aster. Then there's Pascal's leap into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The latter film arrives Down Under on Thursday, July 24, 2025, and sees the MCU finally get fantastic as it speeds towards notching up two decades of superhero movies and TV shows. As both the initial teaser trailer and just-dropped full sneak peek show, First Steps explores Mister Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, The Thing and The Human Torch's beginnings in the 1960s — family dinners, big life changes, the worries that come with that, facing stresses together and world-threatening foes all included. Slipping into Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm's shoes in First Steps: Pascal as stretchy group leader Richards; Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), who is bending light as one of the Storm siblings; Joseph Quinn (Gladiator II) proving fiery as the other; and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), who is no one's cousin here, instead getting huge, rocky and super strong. Directed by WandaVision, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Succession's Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps pits Pascal, Kirby, Quinn and Moss-Bachrach against Ralph Ineson (Nosferatu) as space god Galactus and Julia Garner (Wolf Man) as the Silver Surfer — both of which pop up in the latest trailer. Also co-starring in the film: Paul Walter Hauser (Cobra Kai), John Malkovich (Ripley), Natasha Lyonne (Fantasmas) and Sarah Niles (Fallen). Pascal, Kirby, Quinn and Moss-Bachrach's characters aren't new to cinemas. Before there was a MCU, there were Fantastic Four movies. The first two to earn a big-screen release arrived in 2005 and 2007, with the latter hitting the year before Iron Man kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As Deadpool and Wolverine did 2024's Deadpool and Wolverine, the Stan Lee- and Jack Kirby-created superhero quartet now join the list of characters who are being brought into the MCU fold, as has been on the cards ever since Disney bought 20th Century Fox. Pascal and company are taking over from two batches of past film takes on the superhero team. In the 2005 and 2007 flicks, Ioan Gruffudd (Bad Boys: Ride or Die), Jessica Alba (Trigger Warning), a pre-Captain America Chris Evans (Red One) and Michael Chiklis (Accused) starred. Then, in 2015, Chronicle filmmaker Josh Trank gave the group a spin — still outside of the MCU — with Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick), Kate Mara (Friendship), a pre-Black Panther Michael B Jordan (Sinners) and Jamie Bell (All of Us Strangers). Check out the full trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps below: The Fantastic Four: First Steps releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Images: courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and 2025 MARVEL.
The year was 2005. The album: Hold Your Colour. That's when Pendulum hit the big time, and also why. The Perth-born drum-and-bass group not only became a homegrown sensation with their debut record and its tracks 'Slam', 'Tarantula' and 'Fasten Your Seatbelts', but made it into the UK Top 40 Singles Chart as well. Now, the year is 2023. Almost two decades after that breakout album, the Perth-born electronic favourites have just announced their latest Down Under tour. Five stops, two countries, plenty of echoing arenas: that's what's in store when Pendulum play Australia and New Zealand in October. This'll be the first time that the band has performed across either country since 2021, with dates booked in Auckland, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney. At each show, Pendulum won't just be giving Hold Your Colour's tunes a whirl, but also songs from 2008's In Silico and 2010's Immersion. Expect to hear new single 'Halo' featuring Bullet for My Valentine singer Matt Tuck get a spin, too. Currently comprised of Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillien, Peredur ap Gwynedd and KJ Sawka, Pendulum heads home with experience playing huge overseas festivals such as Glastonbury, Creamfields, Coachella, Rock Am Ring, Reading and Leeds, and also recently headlining Ultra Miami. The band went on hiatus from early 2012, with Swire and McGrillien focusing on side project Knife Party, before starting to reunite in 2015. Joining Pendulum on their latest Aussie and Aotearoa tour: fellow Perth-bred drum and bass talent ShockOne, aka Karl Thomas. PENDULUM 2023 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR: Friday, October 6 — Spark Arena, Auckland Saturday, October 7 — John Cain Arena, Melbourne Sunday, October 8 — RAC Arena, Perth Thursday, October 12 — Riverstage, Brisbane Friday, October 13 — Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Pendulum is touring Australia and New Zealand in October 2023 — head to the tour website for pre-sale tickets from Friday, August 4 (at 11am local time for Australian shows and 1pm NZST for Auckland), or from 11am local time on Monday, August 7 for general sales. Images: Luke Dyson.
Winter might be long, but it has its advantages — from beers by the fireside to dog sledding and snowshoeing. Then there are the whales. Between May and October, thousands of the mighty beasts swim north from the Antarctic to warmer waters to have babies. And, if you're anywhere on the Australian East Coast, you're likely to see them. But if you're on Phillip Island, you'll get even better views. To celebrate this fact, the island hosts an annual whale festival. For three happy days from Friday, July 11–Sunday, July 13, you can escape the city to gaze at humpbacks while soaking up films, talks, art and live music. This year, the heart of the event is the Festival Hub, where you can go on a scavenger hunt through interactive installations, explore underwater via virtual reality, hear from whale researchers, and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of a marine world. Beyond the hub, there'll be a pop-up art show at Clay & Co Studio, a creative arts station at Phillip Island Gallery (from where you can set off on an artists' trail), the 2025 Ocean Film Festival at Berninneit Theatre and, of course, plenty of chances to go whale watching — on land and at sea. Images: Island Whales
The team behind Merrymen cafe in Hampton launched into the sandwich game with its latest bayside venture Robin's Deli. Here, only eight stacked sandwiches are up for grabs (plus fries and hash browns for good measure). But don't let the small menu fool you. Robin's Deli isn't playing it safe — nor is it making things simple and easy for itself. The limited menu and smaller site give Chef Cristina Kelly the opportunity to be super creative, abandoning classic sanga combos and opting for far more fun creations. The options are divided into brekkie baps, fresh sandwiches and toasties. For an easy $10, locals can nab the breakfast muffin loaded with pork sausage, a fried egg, American cheese, chilli jam and Robin's secret sauce. Or they can start the day with a souped-up Vegemite toastie made with mozzarella, gruyere, cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Praise the cheese gods. The fresh offerings lean more into the healthy side of things, with the salad sandwich chock-full of local veg and a punchy green sauce, while the roasted chicken option is kept more classic with just a herbed aioli, pickled onion and shredded lettuce. Then we get to the four toasties. These are for those wanting a more gluttonous lunch. There's the mortadella toastie that's also filled with stracciatella, sundried tomato pesto, fermented hot honey and pistachios. And the meatball sub consists of a baguette stuffed with pork and beef meatballs, Napoli sauce, honey cumin yoghurt and chimichurri. We could go on with listing the whole menu or you could just head down to Robin's Deli in Cheltenham yourself. If you drop by for lunch, beers will be on offer. But you can also get around classic cafe staples like coffee courtesy of Inglewood Coffee Roasters, chai, juices and sodas. Bevs are kept simple at Robin's Deli. It's the sangas that really shine.
Ready to serve up some summer fun? The Canadian Club Racquet Club (CCRC) is back in full swing at Birrarung Marr for this year's Australian Open. The club will be running throughout the entire duration of the tournament and it's all free. You don't even need to book, just walk right up and enjoy the immaculate Melbourne summer vibes on the banks of our great Yarra. Celebrating a decade-long partnership with the Australian Open, Canadian Club knows a thing or two about creating a solid go-to spot for catching the matches. So go ahead and pull up a chair, relax, grab a drink, and take in the party atmosphere and stunning views. Doesn't get much better on a sunny summer arvo. This year will see the introduction of the Canadian Club AO Padel Court to the AO Hilltop at Birrarung Marr. For the uninitiated, think of padel as an off-the-wall spin on tennis and squash, played in doubles on an enclosed court. This is the first year it's open to anyone and absolutely free to participate, so if you fancy a game, hit the court at CCRC between 12pm–9pm daily. Now, let's talk launch party. On Sunday, January 14, from 5pm–9pm, the CCRC is hosting a bash with DJ Gazman on the decks. It's the perfect scene for a cheeky Sunday session with your mates. Mark it in your cal. Canadian Club Racquet Club is the place to soak in the Aus Open atmosphere free of charge. Have a hit of padel, enjoy a drink among the misting fans, chill out in the comfy bean bags, and bask in the electricity of one of the planet's biggest sporting events, right here on our doorstep.
Preston Market is back with its beloved Greek Festival in celebration of Greek Day. On Sunday, April 7, the northside market's usual facade makes way for a lively Greek-themed atmosphere. From 10am–3pm, the Manasis School of Greek Dance will present live music and dance performances featuring traditional moves paired with authentic folk costumes. Of course, specialty food stalls and merch pop-ups, including St.Gerry's Greek Donuts, Twista Bros Potato Twists and more, will also be around to further immerse you in the Greek culture. If you're planning on bringing the little ones, there will be a selection of fun activities from 11am–1pm, such as pot decorating and seed planting. The event aims to bring the community together for a day of cultural immersion and enjoyment. Preston Market has been championing multicultural communities since 1970 and extends a warm invitation to all this Sunday, April 7.
Another week, another new streaming service — or that's the way it feels, at least. By now, we all know that plenty of online platforms are constantly vying for our eyeballs, and that new ones will keep joining the fold. But, even as the list of streamers just keeps growing, we all love having options, too. We like knowing we have oh-so-many things to choose from, all at the touch of a button — because settling in for a binge-watching marathon is taking up a hefty amount of our leisure time these days. So, the fact that Australia has just scored a new streaming service — and that said platform, Paramount+, features 20,000 episodes and films — is obviously welcome news. But if you're now wondering what to watch and what'll help you fill your hours at home (whether you're in lockdown or under other COVID-19 restrictions), that's understandable. If you need some assistance, we've picked ten new and classic shows you can start binging right now. ANNE BOLEYN As an actor, Jodie Turner-Smith's resume isn't all that lengthy yet — but it will be. So far, ever since first popping up on-screen in the likes of True Blood and The Neon Demon, she has gravitated to roles that make the utmost of her presence. See: Queen & Slim, one of 2020's standout movies, and now miniseries Anne Boleyn. In the latter, Turner-Smith plays the titular character, and does so with a clear understanding of just how precarious the famed historical figure's place in her marriage to Henry VIII was. We all know how this story ends, of course. Even if you don't know that chapter of England's past inside out, this tale has played out in films and TV shows before, and will keep doing so. But Anne Boleyn's specific take on the tale draws plenty of power from its central casting, and pairs its formidable lead performance with sumptuous period details across its three-episode run. DARIA Eventually, Daria is set to get a spinoff series, focusing on the eponymous sardonic teen's classmate Jodie and following her post-college life. Until that arrives — or even once it does — the OG show is still a treasure. That'll never stop being the case, especially if you grew up watching it in the late 90s and early 00s. And, even if you didn't, it's never too late to give it a whirl. Nostalgia isn't the only reason that Daria still has a devoted following, because this a supremely savvy animated exploration of being a teenager. A high-school outsider who doesn't ever care about fitting in, and is comfortable with her sarcastic view on the world, Daria, the character, has become an icon for being herself and never wanting to be anyone else. The series overall fits the same description, and spent five seasons combining relatable adolescent angst and spot-on social satire. TWO WEEKS TO LIVE When Two Weeks to Live begins, it does so with a twenty-something woman getting into an altercation with an unpleasant stranger, and refusing to merely grin and bear it. That main character is played by Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams, so it all feels familiar, but this six-part miniseries doesn't just ask its star to follow in her own footsteps. Instead, the show's protagonist Kim Noakes has been raised to be able to fend for herself, because she has also been brought up to believe that the end is near. Most of her life has been spent off the grid with her mother Tina (Sian Clifford, Fleabag), in fact, until she decides to experience the world before it all grinds to a halt. Then, after a chance meeting in a pub, she's told by a couple of strangers that everything really is about to go kaput. That's a prank, but it sets off quite the chain of events — and lets Williams turn in a stellar performance. DETROITERS Netflix's I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is only two seasons in, but it has already proven itself as one of most bizarre and brilliant comedies there is. It's one of the easiest to binge in one sitting, then start rewatching again straight away, too. The sketch show isn't Robinson's first amusing outing, however. He also spent a couple of seasons on Saturday Night Live, and co-starred in (and co-created and co-produced) the hilarious sitcom Detroiters. Featuring opposite Veep's Sam Richardson, Robinson plays a Detroit advertising agency creative with more than a few out-there ideas — but that term encompasses his life working beside his best pal anyway. It only spans two seasons, but the show will never stop being sidesplittingly funny. And, it also includes guest stars such as a pre-Ted Lasso Jason Sudeikis and the always-welcome Keegan-Michael Key. THE REN & STIMPY SHOW It's aimed at kids, it's just as entertaining for adults and, as it celebrates its absorbent, yellow and porous hero, it's one of the most anarchic and eccentric shows there is. We're talking about SpongeBob SquarePants and everything it has spawned — movies and musicals included — but it wouldn't exist if it wasn't for 90s cult favourite The Ren & Stimpy Show. The latter definitely isn't for very young viewers, as everyone who sat up late to watch it back when they were kids knows. That's obvious from its animation style alone, and from its gags and rich vein of all-round dark humour. In fact, plenty of the adult-friendly animated series that've graced screens over the past 30 years owe an enormous debt to this iconic effort about a chihuahua and a cat, their constant fighting, their differing emotional and mental states, and the mania of their exaggerated, acerbic and always absurd lives. KEY & PEELE These days, Jordan Peele has an Oscar to his name for Get Out, while Keegan Michael-Key has his own sitcom thanks to Schmigadoon!. But they'll always be known for their 2012–15 sketch comedy series Key & Peele, which won them some Emmys, showcased their considerable talents as comedians, actors and writers, and constantly delivered clever and ridiculously funny skits episode after episode — bits that weren't just amusing, or commented on popular culture, but tackled race relations in a perceptive and impassioned way as well. The highlights are too many to mention, although you've likely already seen the sublime aerobics sketch that's one of the very best things that hit screens of any size in the past decade. It's always worth watching again, as are all of Key & Peele's skits — from the gushing over "Liam Neesons" to President Obama's anger translator Luther. PENNY DREADFUL If you're going to make a TV series that mixes some of horror fiction's best-known and most iconic characters into the same tale, you need to do three things. Firstly, you need to treat those figures with respect and complexity, because there's a reason that the likes of Frankenstein's monster, Dorian Gray and Count Dracula have stood the test of time. Secondly, you need to embrace a gothic vibe, as that's the era that gave birth to these stories. And, you need to cast every part exceptionally well — including when you're working other characters into the tale as well. Across its initial three-season run, Penny Dreadful ticked all these boxes masterfully. It did so in an intoxicatingly lavish and smart manner, in fact. And, in its 19th-century London-set story, it gifted the world one of the great Eva Green's very best performances, plus also-excellent work from Timothy Dalton and Josh Hartnett. TWIN PEAKS It's the mind-bending small-town mystery-drama that comes with its own menu — and with plenty of thrills, laughs and weirdness. Whether you're watching Twin Peaks for the first or 31st time, you'll want to do so with plenty of damn fine coffee, fresh-made cherry pie and cinnamon-covered doughnuts to fuel your journey to this place most wonderful and strange. And, of course, David Lynch and Mark Frost's seminal TV series doesn't just serve up 90s-era oddness centred around the tragic murder of popular high-schooler Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), but returned for a mesmerising third season back in 2017 as well. There's simply never been anything on television like Twin Peaks, because no one can make movies and TV shows like Lynch. No one can play a kind and quirky FBI boss like Lynch either, or a dedicated agent like Kyle MacLachlan as Dale Cooper. THE TWILIGHT ZONE When The Twilight Zone made a return back in 2019, it did so in the best possible hands. After wowing horror movie lovers with Get Out and Us, Jordan Peele took on the task of presenting, narrating and redeveloping the legendary sci-fi anthology show for the 21st century, and did it well. Picking up where Rod Serling's original five-season 50s and 60s show left off (and short-lived versions in 1985 and 2002, too), the two season revival series blends the old with the new — both remaking previous episodes and coming up with fresh, thrilling stories. It's as entertaining as you'd rightfully expect, complete with a cast that features everyone from Adam Scott and Kumail Nanjiani to Steven Yeun and Zazie Beetz. And, because the 20 episodes might not be enough, Paramount+ is also streaming both the 50s/60s and the 80s iteration of the iconic science fiction series as well. OZ Before The Sopranos, the show that everyone thinks of when they think of HBO's early big-name dramas — and before The Wire, the other seminal series that made the US cable network a must-watch destination — there was Oz. Talk about starting out as you mean to go on, because this prison-set show is phenomenal. It's as grim as it is gripping, though, as you'd expect of a drama set inside a maximum-security state penitentiary. Across six seasons, the series follows the daily ups and downs in Oswald State Correctional Facility, spending time with prison newcomers struggling with life inside and hardened crims who've behind bars for years. The end result is an acting powerhouse, too, complete with a sea of familiar faces. If you think JK Simmons well and truly earned his Oscar for his formidable performance in Whiplash, you're right, but his work here is next-level.
A down-to-earth offering on Victoria Street, Factory Cafe Bar is a quiet, unpretentious eatery that'll welcome you in with the lure of very comfortable couches, and keep you with the promise of home-cooked lasagne (why don't more cafes serve lasagne?). A family affair, the owner and his mother can often be found serving together, and the quirky vintage decor will have you feeling even more at home. The food menu is simple, homely cafe fare and it's all cheap as chips. You'll find ricotta hotcakes ($13, plus $2 for extras like honeycomb butter, fruit or ice cream), classic sandwich options (which start from $11 and cap out at $16), and a heap of breakfast dishes served all day. If you're looking for somewhere to pull up a perch and get some work done, this is a good one. Enjoy the free internet and the home-baked treats, and see if you can nab the squishiest couch in the window. Images: Will Afonczenko.
Since 2024, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Awards doesn't just give out awards when its annual ceremony celebrating the best of the year's big- and small-screen output rolls around. When the accolades moved its night of nights to the Gold Coast, it turned the whole event into a festival, getting the folks behind — and starring in — Aussie movies and TV shows, plus homegrown talents enjoying success overseas, chatting at sessions open to the public. That's the AACTA Festival setup — and when the nation's screen academy promised that the fest would be bigger this year, it meant it. The lineup for the event from Wednesday, February 5–Sunday, February 9, 2025 has just expanded again, after the initial program details were revealed in November 2024, then more highlights were added in December. One impressive new inclusion is Oscar-winning Memoir of a Snail animator Adam Elliot talking about his work and career, including his latest delight (which, fingers crossed, could be an Academy Award-nominee by then, too). Another is the return of Talk to Me filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou after they were involved in 2024, this time with ONEFOUR to discuss challenging stereotypes via both horror and drill music. AACTA Festival is also hosting Actor on Actor talks, first teaming up Lee Tiger Halley from Boy Swallows Universe with Alyla Browne from Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Sting, then getting Better Man and How to Make Gravy co-stars Kate Mulvany and Damon Herriman talking. [caption id="attachment_986977" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jono Searle/Getty Images for AFI[/caption] If you're keen to find out more about Binge's upcoming The Last Anniversary, which is based on a novel from Big Little Lies author Liane Moriarty and stars Teresa Palmer (The Fall Guy), the latter will be in attendance with some of the show's team — including director John Polson (Law & Order: Organised Crime) — to dig into the adaptation. Heard about snake-movie remake The Anaconda with Jack Black (Dear Santa) and Paul Rudd (Only Murders in the Building) that's being shot in Queensland?. US film producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (A Quiet Place: Day One) are heading along to dive into it, and the topic of bringing making blockbuster films in general. Aussie acting icon Jack Thompson (Runt) is also on the lineup, with 1975 classic Sunday Too Far Away celebrating its 50th anniversary. Thomas Horton, the VFX producer/supervisor on House of the Dragon, will explore bringing Westeros to life as well. And, as part of the screening program — and giving some love to film and TV successes in general — Wicked is receiving a free outdoor showing. The current additions join already-revealed sessions with The Invisible Man and Wolf Man writer/director Leigh Whannell, Better Man and The Greatest Showman filmmaker Michael Gracey, a live How to Make Gravy concert featuring Paul Kelly, Colin and Cameron Cairnes talking Late Night with the Devil and a behind-the-scenes look at Netflix's ripped-from-the-headlines Aussie series Apple Cider Vinegar. In still-huge news, the Working Dog team, aka Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy, Michael Hirsh and Rob Sitch, are coming together for an in-conversation session that's bound to touch upon everything from The Castle, Frontline, Thank God You're Here and Utopia to The Dish, The Hollowmen and Have You Been Paying Attention?. The Dish is also the screening program, and the Working Dog team will receive the prestigious AACTA Longford Lyell Award. Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser, who won an Oscar for Dune and is highly tipped for another one for Dune: Part Two, is another significant inclusion, chatting about his Hollywood work. Also in the same category: John Seale, who took home an Academy Award for The English Patient, and was nominated for Witness, Rain Man, Cold Mountain and Mad Max: Fury Road. Everyone can also look forward to authors Trent Dalton and Holly Ringland returning from 2024's lineup, talking about Boy Swallows Universe and The Lost Flowers of Alice on the small screen, respectively; a dive into the Heartbreak High soundtrack; a panel on queer storytelling with RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under season two winner Spankie Jackzon and Deadloch's Nina Oyama; and a session with First Nations filmmakers. And if you're keen to watch movies, Gettin' Square followup Spit will enjoy its Queensland premiere, complete with star David Wenham (Fake) diving into the feature's journey; Looney Tunes: The Day The Earth Blew Up will make its Australian debut, at Movie World, of course; and upcoming action film Homeward with Nathan Phillips (Kid Snow) and Jake Ryan (Territory) will take viewers behind the scenes. [caption id="attachment_926549" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Moshcam[/caption] [caption id="attachment_985262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Netflix © 2024[/caption] AACTA Festival will run from Wednesday, February 5–Sunday, February 9, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast. For further details, head to the fest's website.
There are plenty of ways to mark a movie milestone. Whenever one of your favourite flicks notches up five, ten, 20, 30 or more years since first hitting screens, watching it is the easiest way to celebrate, of course. That's definitely in order when the original animated version of The Lion King — not the recent live-action take — hits three decades in 2024. How to truly do justice to the Disney smash that spawned a musical, ample sequels and oh-so-much enduring affection? Seeing it show at an in-concert session with a live orchestra playing its songs and score. Yes, The Lion King in Concert is coming to Australia, with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra doing the honours. The blockbuster movie-and-music performance was announced as part of MSO's just-unveiled 2024 season, and will take over The Plenary at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, February 3. This is an Aussie premiere, too, featuring Hans Zimmer's score and Elton John and Tim Rice's songs performed live as the movie once again graces a silver screen. As Nicholas Buc conducts, audiences will be feeling the love that night — and day, thanks to both 1pm and 7.30pm sessions — and celebrating the circle of life as well. Just can't wait to commemorate 30 years since the film debuted, instantly becoming an all-ages favourite? Add this chance to revisit Simba's journey to your calendar. Both John and Rice's tunes, and Zimmer's music, won Oscars. The former were nominated three times in the same field, in fact, with 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight?' winning out over 'Circle of Life' and 'Hakuna Matata'. So, yes, seeing any film as its score is played live is a rousing experience, but this one will feel particularly powerful. There's no word yet whether The Lion King in Concert will be a Melbourne exclusive in addition to being an Aussie premiere, or if it'll make the rounds of other city-based symphony orchestras. Some such shows hop around the country, as Star Wars, Harry Potter and Zimmer-focused gigs have. Others have stuck to one place, as seen with past The Princess Bride, Home Alone and Toy Story performances, and the upcoming Black Panther. Sydneysiders, Brisbanites and folks elsewhere, perhaps cross your fingers while you channel a "hakuna matata" mindset. You can always stream the sing-along version while you wait for local dates. Check out the trailer for The Lion King below: The Lion King in Concert will play The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, on Saturday, February 3, 2024. Head to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra website for further details, and tickets from Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
Since Melbourne's earliest days, St Kilda is somewhere people have flocked to for a day of leisure or a night out. And for good reason — as you won't find anything like Luna Park, St Kilda Beach and the sea baths anywhere else in the city. While the suburb is not quite the same bohemian wonderland it was known as in the 60s and 70s, you'll still find a host of trendy restaurants, cafes, fashion boutiques and live music venues that continue on its tradition as one of Melbourne's liveliest areas. Highlighting many of St Kilda's greatest independent businesses, we've teamed up with American Express to give you a handy destination guide for when you next head to Melbourne's busiest coastal suburb and want to shop small. Come armed with your American Express Card and get ready to come away with not only sand between your toes, but some St Kilda souvenirs, too.
Getting excited about 2025's Melt Festival has been easy for a few months now. First, the Brisbane LGBTQIA+ event announced that Broadway icon Bernadette Peters was making the River City her only Australian stop just for the fest. Then, it also confirmed that the River Pride Parade would float its boats for another year. After that came news of 1000 Voices, uniting singers from queer and pride choirs en masse. Need more? Melt is still over four months away, but it just unveiled its initial big program drop. Reuben Kaye, the Miss First Nation drag contest, a queer wrestle party, Femme Follies Burlesque: they're all on the lineup so far as well. Whether you're a Brisbanite or keen to hit the Sunshine State for the spring queer fling, pop Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9 in your diary and get ready to be spoilt for choice. [caption id="attachment_1007544" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claudio Raschella[/caption] Kaye is heading to the fest to give his cabaret show enGORGEd, which'll feature Camerata — Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, its Sunshine State premiere. Shining the spotlight on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag queens, Miss First Nation is also making a date with Brisbane for the first time, bringing the finale to the city after putting on state heats around the nation in the lead-up. The Tivoli is your go-to for Melt's high-energy queer wrestle-party, while Femme Follies Burlesque will bring its sapphic moves to The Wickham. Or, you can catch The Lucky Country, a new musical about what it means to be Australian — and the myths and contradictions that come with it — in 2025. Malacañang Made Us and Whitefella Yella Tree are also treading the boards, the first about the Filipino Australian experience and the second telling a love story. [caption id="attachment_1007548" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Kelly[/caption] There's also a queer boat party on floating venue Oasis; the return of Queer PowerPoint; and a drag Scream Queen shindig with Naomi Smalls and Yvie Oddly, plus Drag Race UK's Kyran Thrax. Or, check out a heap of instruments and performers suspended by rope to pay tribute to Brisbane's punk history, Gerwyn Davies' series of portraits in collaboration with Open Doors Youth Service's trans and gender-diverse young people, and Instagram imagery given a new life in Micah Rustichelli's Demon Rhythm. Melt has more program news on the way, because this fringe-style celebration of queer arts and culture goes huge as it fills Brisbane Powerhouse and spreads further across the city. In 2024, more than 120 events popped up in 70-plus venues across southeast Queensland, complete with a Wicked-themed Halloween ball, a pool party and plenty more. [caption id="attachment_1007543" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Hickey[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007545" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Ravik[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1007547" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gregory Lorenzutti[/caption] Melt Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. Head to the festival website for more details.
"We are the smartest men in America. We literally have the resources to take over the world." When four tech billionaires on a snowy getaway in a sprawling mansion start talking that way, as the characters in Mountainhead do in the new film's just-dropped full trailer, no one else is likely to benefit. Other than audiences, that is, because this is the latest project from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong — and it marks his return to the screen after that huge HBO hit wrapped up in 2023. Here, the world is in chaos. Violent confrontations, atrocities, nations teetering both politically and economically: that's the situation. On a luxe weekend in icy climes, four titans of tech watch on. What could the US President have to say when he calls, then? "That your platform's inflamed a volatile situation, circulating unfalsifiable deepfakes, massive fraud, market instability" is one prediction that Mountainhead's sneak peeks have been teasing. Armstrong both writes and directs — and is still clearly in eat-the-rich mode as the ultra-wealthy quartet at the centre of his new movie respond, or don't, to an international crisis perhaps of their making. Steve Carell (Despicable Me 4), Jason Schwartzman (The Last Showgirl), Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night) and Ramy Youssef (Poor Things) play the cashed-up crew, aka Randall, Souper, Venis and Jeff, who aren't above shouting about their supposed greatness from mountaintops and writing their net-worth figures on their bare chests. Mountainhead might be Armstrong's first feature as a director, but it's a straight-to-streaming flick, hitting HBO Max in Australia on Sunday, 1 June, 2025. Co-starring alongside Carell, Schwartzman, Smith and Youssef: Hadley Robinson (Anyone But You), Andy Daly (Night Court), Ali Kinkade (Lessons in Chemistry), Daniel Oreskes (A Real Pain), David Thompson (It's What's Inside), Ami MacKenzie (Pulse) and Ava Kostia (Love Across Time). Although Armstrong is best-known for Succession — understandably so given that it has earned him seven Emmys — he's an Oscar-nominee for In the Loop's screenplay, also co-created Peep Show, was a writer on The Thick of It and Veep, co-penned Four Lions and wrote a season-one episode of Black Mirror, among other credits. Check out the full trailer for Mountainhead below: Mountainhead streams via HBO Max from Sunday, June 1, 2025. Images: Macall Polay/HBO.
It happened with The Nutcracker, Mary Poppins Returns, Aladdin, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Frozen II, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, just to name a few past Disney movies, and it's occurring again for Snow White: to immerse everyone in the world of the Mouse House's new film beyond cinemas, The Grounds of Alexandria in Sydney has given itself a temporary makeover. Expect social media feeds to be filled with snaps of this enchanted garden, plus the themed dishes now on the menu for the next couple of months — and expect Harbour City locals and visitors alike to flock in. How have all things Snow White taken over? With scenery that looks like it's been transported out of the film — greenery aplenty, plus woodland creatures as well — and everything from red apple mocktails to sweet treats inspired by the movie on offer. Yes, there's a magic mirror on the wall. And also yes, you'll spot more than a few apples. You've got until Sunday, May 25, 2025 to head by, and to sip that Evil to the Core drink (made with red apple, raspberry and citrus) at The Cafe, The Garden and The Potting Shed at The Grounds of Alexandria. Food-wise, Waiting on a Wish (a toasted almond sponge with pear cream and blackberry compote) is on the menu in The Cafe and the Poison Apple for two (spiced caramelised apple, dulcey crèmeux and mascarpone cream) is available in The Potting Shed over the same period. The film in the spotlight releases in cinemas on Thursday, March 20, starring Rachel Zegler (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) as Snow White and Gal Gadot (Heart of Stone) as her evil stepmother. Marc Webb (The Only Living Boy in New York, Gifted, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2: Rise of Electro) is behind the lens. Remaking Disney's 1937 animated hit, Snow White joins list of the company's cartoon classics given a live-action or photorealistic do-over. See also: The Jungle Book, Maleficent and its sequel, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, Aladdin, The Lion King, Lady and the Tramp, Mulan, Pinocchio, Peter Pan & Wendy and The Little Mermaid so far, with Lilo & Stitch and Moana also to come. It's been a great time to be a pop-culture fan in Down Under of late, and to take that love beyond the screen, following multiple Squid Game pop-ups, plus a Stranger Things experience on the way. Snow White at The Grounds runs at The Grounds of Alexandria, Building 7A, 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria, Sydney until Sunday, May 25, 2025 — head to The Grounds of Alexandria's website for further details. Images: Scott & Co.
Most visitors to Fitzroy's Vegie Bar would be more than familiar with the eatery's luscious sweet creations, which beckon from that cabinet beside the till every time you go to pay. Well, now those treats have become the stars of their own show, with owners Mark Price and Laki Papadopoulos launching a new dessert bar in the adjoining Brunswick Street space. Plant-based goodness is the name of the game at this sweet-tooth haven, with the menu at Girls & Boys full of vegan delights running from the virtuous to the downright decadent, and offering a hearty array of gluten- and refined sugar-free options. You'll be ready to beat the summer heat when shlepping up Brunswick Street with a range of house-spiced mylks, smoothies, thickshakes, and cold-pressed juices, alongside an impressive rotation of vegan desserts. With gems like a matcha almond tart, a maca fudge bar, and the signature Caramisu, we can't imagine you'll be missing those animal products in the slightest. They're also doing a slew of vegan gelato flavours, including blood orange and yuzu, and caramel and miso, along with a pretty epic vegan baklava soft serve. With both Vegie Bar and Transformer next door and Smith & Deli just down the road, to say vegans are well-catered for in Fitzroy is an understatement.
Quietly emerging out of the city's latest lockdown, Sarah Sands Hotel wasted no time in throwing open its doors on Saturday, June 12. The latest new watering hole on Sydney Road has been reimagined by the Australian Venue Co (The Smith, State of Grace, Fargo & Co) as part of a $3 million makeover. While the building has been reunited with its original name from 1854, its interiors have been pulled into a whole new era. Local architects Studio Y have created a contemporary space infused with nostalgic touches. The familiar corner site was once home to Brunswick's Bridie O'Reilly's, but now, timber panelling and exposed brick walls are played against brass accents and leafy greenery. Downstairs is home to a modern public bar, restaurant space and private dining room, or you can head one floor up to find a second bar and sunny atrium decorated with a bold mural by Loretta Lizzio. The kitchen delivers a new-school riff on the classic local pub offering, complete with a strong spread of vegetarian options and native ingredients incorporated throughout the menu. After-work pints will be matched by snacks like pink pepper calamari with smoked paprika mayo and saltbush, and buttermilk fried chicken finished with native mountain pepper and tamarind yoghurt. There's a trio of steaks, and a slew of pizzas featuring toppings like kipflers with rosemary and blue cheese. Meanwhile, a lineup of counter meals includes the likes of a beetroot and goat cheese salad, steak and ale pie with mushy peas, a cheeseburger, and classic chicken and eggplant parmas. In a nod to the good old pub days, you'll find weekly food specials, happy hours and trivia nights (kicking off from July 1), as well as a revamped meat tray raffle gifting one lucky winner a fresh fruit and veg box every Friday. All ticket proceeds will be heading to support local not-for-profit QueerSpace, with the first edition drawn on June 18. At the bar, a 10-strong tap list will be backed by a hefty range of tinnies and bottles sourced from near and far. And classic cocktails sit alongside a run of fruity spritzes and signature sips; from the Davidson Plum Sour made on Four Pillars Shiraz Gin, to a wattleseed-infused espresso martini. The Sarah Sands Hotel is welcoming new locals and regulars with a series of tasty Welcome Weekend specials from June 25–June 27. Head in from 5–7pm to enjoy complimentary snacks with your first drink purchase, and book a table of four or more for dinner to receive a round of desserts on the house. Find the Sarah Sands Hotel at 29 Sydney Road, Brunswick, from June 12. It'll open 12–11pm Sunday to Thursday, and from 12pm–late on Fridays and Saturdays.
Planning a trip to the Red Centre for NAIDOC Week? The Ayers Rock Resort celebrates the occasion with '50 Years of NAIDOC' — a feast for the senses, where vibrant cuisine and captivating storytelling combine with art, culture and more. Running from Sunday, July 6–Sunday, July 13, Indigenous chef Mark Olive, aka 'The Black Olive', headlines the experience, taking over the resort's Arnguli Grill & Restaurant with a three-course set menu brimming with native bush foods and Indigenous wines. Olive will also host an intimate dinner on Wednesday, July 9, with guests invited to enjoy the exclusive menu sat alongside Olive, who'll recount stories and insights behind each dish and the ingredients' significance. Meanwhile, Olive will also present a complimentary Bushfood Masterclass, where culinary tradition, technique and storytelling blend across various sessions in the Gallery of Central Australia's outdoor amphitheatre. Beyond these gastronomic encounters, the Ayers Rock Resort has also produced a series of art experiences and cultural activities. Aṉangu artists Billy and Lulu Cooley will present their wood-carving talent in the Town Square Circle of Sand. Plus, the Sunrise Journeys encounter sees guests connect to Country at dawn, as three local Aṉangu artists bring the desert landscape to life each day using laser projection, music and the natural environment. On Wednesday, July 9, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's Cultural Centre Inma Ground offers insight into traditional working tools and ceremonial song and dance, while the Town Square Lawns features the NAIDOC Markets, teeming with community, culture and cuisine on Sunday, July 6. For cinephiles, the Arkani Theatre will host the Indigenous Film Festival, screening free films throughout the week, including Charlie's Country and Bran Nue Day. Images: Carly Earl / Matt Lambley.
One of the stranger reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic was the panic buying of toilet paper. If you didn't stock up early, you were probably left scouring the shelves for the last roll of TP — and never want to be that person again. Luckily, you don't have to be. How We Roll is delivering bulk boxes of toilet paper to homes across Australia, so you can finally lay your TP nightmares to rest. And the company is worth supporting for less selfish reasons, too. How We Roll offers 100 percent biodegradable and recycled TP — so it's good for the planet, not just good for you (and your pipes). If you haven't yet jumped on the recycled TP train yet, it's time to get on it. Regular toilet paper production sees a whopping 27,000 trees cut down daily. Plus, the How We Roll partners with One Tree Planted, a non-profit which has planted over 15-million trees to date. For every box of How We Roll TP sold, one tree is planted in an Australian bushfire-affected area. During the devastating bushfires that ravaged the country earlier this year, 12.6 million hectares were burned — so regrowing the country's flora is important. At How We Roll, you have two TP options: first there are the three-ply, double-length classic rolls, made from 100 percent recycled paper pulp; then, there's the luxe bamboo rolls, which are sustainably sourced, naturally hypoallergenic, antibacterial and stronger than paper. You can bulk order 24 or 48 rolls ($28–58) and get them delivered to you in as little as one-to-two business days. Along with all that TP, you can also add compostable bin liners, paper towels and tissues to your order. If you subscribe — to fortnightly, monthly, six-week or three-month deliveries — you'll save 10 percent, too. To find out more about How We Roll and purchase some sustainable bog roll, head over over here.
Long before we were all forced to indulge our international wanderlust through a screen — and only though a screen — the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival was projecting France's wonders into Australian cinemas. For the past 31 years, the annual event has let Aussie movie buffs see the European nation's newest, best and brightest flicks. And when you're watching French features, you're often watching films set against Paris' busy streets, the country's greenery-filled countryside or along its scenic coastline. As it always does, the 2021 festival traverses plenty of France through its big-screen lineup. City-set dramas, suburban comedies, beachside romances: they're all on this year's bill. In total, 37 films are hitting cinemas Down Under throughout March and April, in a touring program that's making its way around the nation. Wondering what to check out? We've planned your movie-watching itinerary for you, all thanks to our ten must-see picks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYCyYJofeEE SUMMER OF 85 Nothing is ever simple in a film by François Ozon, as the likes of 8 Women, Swimming Pool, In the House and By the Grace of God has already made plain across his 19-feature resume. So, when Summer of 85 makes viewers swoon over its blossoming seaside love story — and makes teenager Alexis (Félix Lefebvre, School's Out) fall for the slightly older David (Benjamin Voisin, Moving On) when the latter rescues the former after capsizing in a sailboat — no one should get comfortable or cosy, or think that a complication-free romance will float easily and effortlessly across the screen. Alexis falls hard for his new friend, who is one of the only people he has connected with since moving to Normandy. But, unfolding across two timelines as the 16-year-old looks back on his time with David, this becomes a knotty tale of love, heartbreak and forging one's identity out of defining moments. Writing as well as directing, Ozon adapts Aidan Chambers' 1982 novel Dance on My Grave with his usual swelling mood and command of detail — and from the pitch-perfect period fashions to the coastal setting, Summer of 85 catches the eye as much as it demands the audience's emotional investment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7GvHwRzjz0 SKIES OF LEBANON Heartfelt and hauntingly evocative, Skies of Lebanon starts its story in the 50s, when Alice (Alba Rohrwacher, Happy as Lazzaro) departs Switzerland for Beirut. Never feeling as if she belongs in her homeland, she jumps at the chance to work abroad, where she quickly meets, falls for and starts a family with astrophysicist Joseph (Wajdi Mouawad, Still Burning). That part of the tale happens quickly, because this isn't the kind of romance where a couple simply lives happily ever after. Indeed, once the Lebanese Civil War begins, the ebbs and flows of Alice and Joseph's existence are wholly dictated by the combat, which instantly changes the mood of the entire city. Making a stunningly affecting feature debut, writer/director Chloé Mazlo plunges into the reality of having everything you hold dear touched by conflict, with her narrative drawn from her grandmother's recollections from the time. The always-exceptional Rohrwacher conveys Alice's internal struggle in a quietly expressive performance, while Mazlo's jumps into playful animation and striking use of stylised sets gives the film the air of a memory, helping an already moving feature to keep landing stirring blows. THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN Back in 2017, when The Square clawed through the commercialisation and commodification of the art world, it won the Cannes Film Festival's coveted Palme d'Or for its efforts. Fellow satire The Man Who Sold His Skin doesn't have the same accolade to its name, but it's just as savagely entertaining as it rips into the same topic. The man of the movie's title is Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni, Opium). A Syrian refugee in Lebanon, he accepts a strange offer from an acclaimed, controversy-provoking artist (Koen De Bouw, Torpedo) to have Europe's Schengen visa tattooed on his back. He'll also receive assistance to obtain the real thing, as long as he agrees to sit in art galleries as a living exhibition whenever he's asked. If that last part sounds familiar, Wim Delvoye's Tim, which is live-streaming at Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art, provided writer/director Kaouther Ben Hania (Beauty And The Dogs) with inspiration for The Man Who Sold His Skin. That said, this whip-smart and wild movie takes its own ride. The great Monica Bellucci (Twin Peaks) also pops up, but a film this vivid, clever and ferocious about art, money, freedom, borders and the way the world treats asylum seekers doesn't need a star to stand out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM3J6INVpcw THE GODMOTHER With the inimitable Isabelle Huppert at its centre, and a premise that owes a debt to Weeds and Breaking Bad, The Godmother strikes a crafty balance between comedy, drama and thrills. The Greta and Happy End star (and Elle Oscar-nominee) plays Patience Portefeux, a translator who works with the Paris police on narcotics cases. During a routine job listening to wiretapped phones, she decides to prevent the big bust that'd make her boyfriend Philippe's (Hippolyte Girardot, Marseille) career, steal the enormous stash of hash after redirecting the cops' attention and take up a side hustle as a wholesaler to street-level dealers. Her motivation: money, with the long-widowed mother of two attempting to secure her financial future in a world that's hardly accommodating to single, middle-aged women. Adapted from Hannelore Cayre's book of the same name by the author with director Jean-Paul Salomé (Playing Dead, Female Agents), The Godmother is unsurprisingly lifted by Huppert, as everything she stars in is. Still, this lively and engaging crime caper is helmed with a light touch, as well as a keen awareness of the material's deeper moments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puzzh3wowd8 DELETE HISTORY Following three French suburbanites who are each intensely unimpressed with today's always-online times, Delete History is a satire for anyone that's ever felt tired of social media's hold on their lives; of the likes, favourites and ratings that now dictate much of human interaction; and of the fact that every word, text, video and action can last forever in the digital world. All residents of the same masterplanned community, the recently separated Marie (Blanche Gardin, #Iamhere) is being blackmailed over a sex tape she can't remember starring in, widower Bertrand (Denis Podalydes, La Belle Époque) keeps writing letters to Facebook over his teenage daughter's cyberbullying, and ride share driver Christine (Corinne Masiero, Invisibles) can't seem to amass more than a single star from her customers. Banding together in a film that's always purposefully odd and absurd, and yet also clearly grounded in relatable situations and emotions as well, this trio decide to take matters into their own hands in increasingly offbeat ways. Writer/director duo Benoit Delepine and Gustave Kervern (I Feel Good) don't deliver an earth-shattering insights about modern-day life, but in a quickly memorable movie, they do serve up a wealth of wry laughs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqEjJW059TA IBRAHIM An on-screen presence in everything from TV's Spiral and The Returned to films such as In the Name of the Land and The Transporter Refuelled, actor Samir Guesmi makes his feature directing and screenwriting debut with the sensitive and moving Ibrahim. He also co-stars, playing waiter and single father Ahmed Bougaoui; however, the movie's real point of focus is the titular teenager (Abdel Bendaher, How to Make Out), his character's son. After sliding into shoplifting with his friend Achille (Rabah Nait Oufella, Nocturama), getting caught and leaving his dad with a sizeable debt, Ibrahim is torn in two directions. He's determined to make things right for his already-struggling father, even if that means further flirting with crime. With Ahmed sternly condemning of Ibrahim's new direction, the latter is also a ball of pain, uncertainty and unhappiness. Both Guesmi and Bendaher turn in exquisitely layered performances as a father and son weighed down by life's disappointments but, despite their hurt and heated feelings, always tied together. And, as a filmmaker, Guesmi tackles the coming-of-age genre with naturalistic flair — visually, and in exploring his intricate characters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuSlIPZZFRc CALAMITY, A CHILDHOOD OF MARTHA JANE CANNARY If you've ever watched Deadwood, as everyone should've, then you've already seen one version of Martha Jane Cannary on-screen. The American frontierswoman better known as Calamity Jane has been immortalised on television and in film many times, including in the 1950s Doris Day-starring musical that shares her nickname — but Calamity, A Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary steps back to the real-life figure's formative years. While telling her tale through gorgeous minimalistic animation filled with deep and vibrant blues, greens and purples (and with breathtaking renderings of America's sprawling landscape, too), this all-ages gem does't pretend to stick to the facts. Instead, it spins Cannary's youth into an 1860s-era adventure set on and around the Oregon Trail. Director and co-writer Rémi Chayé already has 2015's Long Way North to his name, and also worked on 2009's The Secret Life Of Kells, so he's no stranger to eye-catching animation. Here, he teams spectacular imagery with a spirited narrative, and the delightful end result won him the Best Feature Film award at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z56cG1ULGi0 NIGHT SHIFT In Lupin, playing the titular master thief, Omar Sy continually skirts the law. In Night Shift, he stands on the other side, as one of three cops assigned to escort asylum-seeker Tohirov (Payman Maadi, The Night Of) to the airport — to be deported back to Tajikistan, where further torture and worse likely await. A tense drama that delves into topical subject matter, Night Shift splits its attention between Sy's Aristide and his fellow officers Virginie (Virginie Efira, Bye Bye Morons) and Erik (Grégory Gadebois, An Officer and a Spy). Each has their own story, took their own path to their present situation and deals with the demands of the job in their own fashion. With their current task, and the fate their prisoner is expected to face, each copes in their own way as well. Adapting Hugo Boris' novel Police, it's a testament to director and co-writer Anne Fontaine (The Innocents) that little here feels as straightforward as it sounds, even if it primarily remains in familiar territory. The top-notch cast assist considerably, with Efira pushed to the fore in a rare cop movie that noticeably values a female perspective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij-SxVU5P3g MISS When Misbehaviour thrust beauty pageants into the cinematic spotlight in 2020, it recreated real-life events from 1970 to call attention to the fight for equality — a battle that became worldwide news half a century ago, as covered in the film, but still hasn't been won in the 21st century. Because movies on similar themes often arrive in pairs, Miss also explores the industry, this time pondering gender identity and the norms that society has long ascribed to femininity. Since childhood, Alex (Alexandre Wetter, Emily in Paris) has dreamed of becoming Miss France. Uttering that goal as a boy earned laughs, and pursuing it as a twentysomething requires navigating a wealth of expectations, preconceptions and judgement. Playing a character that's confident in their heart but still learning to show the same assurance externally, Wetter brings grace, poise, texture and complexity to the central part, while filmmaker Ruben Alves (The Gilded Cage) ensures that Miss is rousing, charming and never as by-the-numbers as its feel-good premise signals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRGs--e32Sc MANDIBLES In Mandibles, friends Manu (Grégoire Ludig, Bye Bye Morons) and Jean-Gab (David Marsais, The Nobodies) stumble across a giant fly. Freeing it from a car boot, they decide that they can train it, then profit. Yes, that's what this OTT film is about. Yes, it comes straight from the mind of Quentin Dupieux, because it really couldn't spring from anywhere else. The French filmmaker has already made movies about psychotic tyres and alluring jackets — in 2010's Rubber and 2019's Deerskin, respectively — so adding a big insect flick to his resume hardly comes as a surprise. His sense of humour is that absurd and distinctive and, if the film-viewing world is lucky, he'll keep reminding us of that fact with every new movie he makes. Dupieux's work isn't to everyone's taste, as you've either gathered by watching or just by reading the above right now; however, if you're on his out-there, surreal and often incredibly silly yet also disarmingly astute wavelength, it's a delight. And sure, multiple versions of The Fly already exist, but they're bound to look positively sensible compared to this. The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from March 2–April 22, screening at Sydney's Palace Central, Palace Verona, Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema and Hayden Orpheum Cremorne from March 2–April 5; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Astor Theatre, The Kino and Pentridge Cinema from March 3–April 5; Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Windsor Cinema, Luna on SX and Camelot Outdoor Cinema from March 10–April 11; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from March 17–April 15; and Adelaide's Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas from March 23–April 22. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the AFFFF website.
Pizza fiends will find a lot to love about this debut restaurant venture from Paul Kasten (Host Dining), Kate Paterson (Good Beer Week), Kyle Campbell (Beermash) and Rasmus Gundel, but they're certainly not the only ones. Located just off Brunswick Street, Deep End Pizza is proving it's got more than a few tricks up its sleeve — pizza might be the headliner, but it's supported by a primo menu of snacks and share plates, and one heck of a craft beer lineup. Three different styles of pizza feature a slew of classic and creative toppings between them. There's a New York-inspired thin-crust number — perhaps crowned with artichoke, roast capsicum and gorgonzola ($28), or whole clams and bacon ($40) — and a Detroit-style square pizza akin to a puffy focaccia with crispy cheese rim (from $26). Meanwhile, the huge Chicago-style stuffed deep dish creation treads the line between pizza, pie and lasagne (from $42). There's a 30-minute bake time on one of these bad boys and you'll need a crew of mates to help you conquer it. Kasten's fine dining background is even more apparent in the offering of clever small plates — think, saucy limoncello chicken wings ($16), whipped taleggio with charred spring onion ($18) and roasted marrow served in the bone ($15). There's a caesar salad reimagined with miso dressing ($15) and a chicken liver parfait brulée ($18). Local craft beer rules the drinks list, featuring the likes of Deeds' hazy pale ($10) and a farmhouse sour from Molly Rose ($13). Or, you can team your pizza with an interesting vino or signature cocktail like the Lion's Tail, made on bourbon and an allspice dram ($20). Deep End also boasts a lunch-only pizza window, slinging those Detroit-style pies by the slice.
From Maha's elegant cocktail bar Bar Jayda comes a desert oasis-inspired night of live music and performances. For one night only, you can delight in the spice-infused cocktails and snacks that Bar Jayda is known for, while being entertained by a live band, roaming belly dancers and henna artists. Tucked away on Bond Street in Melbourne's CBD, the cocktail bar features European cigar lounges with plush velvet sofas and low tables. Sitting underneath the glowing lights, it won't take much to convince you that you're in a desert dream. Try duck and apricot kibbeh, slow-roasted lamb with green olive tabouleh, and aged basmati pilaf with cashew and parsley. Then, finish with Turkish delight donuts, dark chocolate, pomegranate and mint cake. Pair these bites with the Golden Bazaar cocktail, infused with cachaça, spiced calamansi sherbert, apricot and ginger. Or, tantalise your palate with the Marksman, made with Maker's Mark bourbon, Christian Drouin calvados, arak and applewood. Bar Jayda is one of Shane Delia's many restaurants, bars and eateries that have taken over Melbourne. Since the launch of Maha in 2008, Delia has introduced Middle Eastern and Maltese flavours to the city's fine-dining scene. Oasis After Dark is open for intimate sittings from 5pm, so make sure to book ahead for this multi-sensory dining experience.
Any chance to see Yayoi Kusama's work in Australia is huge news, and reason to make a date — including travel plans, if needed — to get immersed in the Japanese icon's infinity rooms, and also be surrounded by pumpkins and dots. So when the National Gallery of Victoria announced that its big summer 2024–25 showcase would be dedicated to the artist, that was enough to make the resulting exhibition a firm must-see. Adding Friday-night parties to the mix is the cherry on top, then. How many ways can Melbourne go dotty for Kusama? It's time to find out from the exhibition's opening on Sunday, December 15, 2024, although answers have been arriving in advance. Kusama's five-metre-tall dot-covered Dancing Pumpkin sculpture has made NGV International's Federation Court its home first. Then came the revelation that the showcase will feature a world record-breaking number of infinity rooms and other immersive installations. And, outside the gallery on St Kilda Road, Kusama's Ascension of Polka Dots on the Trees has wrapped the trunks of more than 60 trees in pink-and-white polka-dotted material. NGV Friday Nights often forms part of the venue's high-profile exhibitions, so it should come as no surprise that the event series is back for Yayoi Kusama. The after-hours parties kick off on Friday, December 20, 2024 for some pre-Christmas fun, then run for 18 weeks until Friday, April 18, 2025. Come quittin' time for the week, Melburnians can add spots to their late-night shenanigans. If you're making a visit from interstate, you'll want to ensure you time it to hit one of the soirees on your trip. Seeing art is obviously on the NGV Friday Nights itinerary, but so is music and culinary experiences. The NGV's Great Hall will welcome live DJ sets, including from Dijok, Small FRY, Elle Shimada, Tanzer and more. In the NGV Garden Restaurant, acclaimed chefs Martin Benn is doing a residency for the exhibition's duration, serving up Asian-inspired dishes using Australian produce, Attendees can also look forward to other dining and drinking options, such as the Moët & Chandon champagne bar, Four Pillars gin bar, Yering Station wine bar and Häagen-Dazs ice cream cart — so there's sparkling, G&Ts, wine flights and frozen treats covered — plus a Japanese-inspired menu from the Great Hall and Gallery Kitchen. Gracing NGV International's walls until Monday, April 21, 2025, Yayoi Kusama features over 180 works, in the largest Kusama retrospective that Australia has ever seen — as well as one of the most-comprehensive retrospectives devoted to the artist to be staged globally, not to mention the closest that you'll get to experiencing her Tokyo museum without leaving the country. Images: Michael Pham / Tobias Titz.
Once known as New Buffalo, Sally Seltmann's collaborated with Feist, Beth Orton, Jim White (Dirty Three), Holly Throsby, Sarah Blasko and hubby Darren Seltmann (The Avalanches). And now the singer-songwriter can add another feat to her CV — her fourth full-length album. Out on February 28 through Caroline Label Services, Hey Daydreamer will coincide with a round of Australian tour dates. The intimate performances will see the Sydney muso return from her new home in LA to play alongside multi-instrumentalist Bree van Reyk, and opening act Wintercoats, Melbourne's orchestral pop pedlars. Check out the mesmerising animated video for 'Catch of the Day', the first single from Hey Daydreamer, below. Running all through April, Seltmann's tour will reach Kincumber, Sydney, Katoomba, Brisbane and Melbourne. Tickets available through each venue. Sally Seltmann's 2014 Tour Dates: Thursday April 3 – Lizottes, Kincumber Friday April 4 – The Vanguard, Sydney Saturday April 5 – The Clarendon Hotel, Katoomba Thursday April 10 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane Friday April 11 – Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh, Melbourne Sunday April 13 – Kelvin Club, Melbourne https://youtube.com/watch?v=aeYWAuHsMEQ
Team bonding aside, the EOFY is the perfect excuse to reflect on the year that was and celebrate all those hard-earned wins with a couple of bevvies. And what could make this better than hitting a pub with no minimum spend for your function? If you work in the Melbourne CBD or nearby, we've narrowed down the top CBD and inner city spots where you can book EOFY drinks. And, each venue we've chosen has no minimum spend for EOFY functions, so you can celebrate the way you like without the stress of blowing a budget on bookings alone. With a little help from The Pass, an app that allows you to order food and drinks, earn points and redeem rewards at over 190 pubs, bars and restaurants, we're here to help make sure you and the team have a good night. Garden State Hotel, Flinders Lane The EOFY will be going off at the Garden State Hotel. You'll find a mix of different spaces at this classic greenery-packed Melbourne pub. With a beer garden, an observatory with stunning city views, and a Rose Garden, there's a spot for every type of team. Simply take your pick and celebrate your team's wins with a beverage or two. The Duke of Wellington, Flinders Street If your team follows the 'work hard, play hard' mentality, then a trip to The Duke in Melbourne's CBD will not go amiss. This historic pub offers a range of private and semi-private spaces, plus a rooftop with views of the Forum, Fed Square and Flinders Street. 'Nuff said. Imperial Bourke St Do EOFY right at the Imperial Bourke Street. Offering equal parts city views and good vibes in the heart of Melbourne, hosting your team here is a no-brainer. Depending on the mood, choose from an intimate team lunch, casual after-work cocktails or a full-blown rooftop party. There are also customisable function packages to make the whole process even more seamless. Melbourne Public, South Wharf Melbourne Public offers a range of event spaces perfect for an EOFY blow-out. From intimate dining rooms to a stunning open terrace, the pub delivers fully serviced events featuring a seasonal menu and delicious drinks. Its prime location near the edge of the Yarra River's scenery in the heart of South Wharf is the cherry on top. State of Grace, King Street Got a whole host of completed KPIs to say cheers to this end of financial year? Do it at State of Grace. Located on King Street, the luxe spot gives hidden speakeasy vibes. This means it's the perfect backdrop for all the kinds of out-of-office antics to be expected at EOFY drinks. The bar offers tailored packages, bespoke cocktails, and a range of spaces. Public House, Richmond Perhaps the most well-known rooftop in Richmond, Public House offers good food, great vibes, and plenty of different spaces — and the best bit? No minimum spend on group bookings. Choose from the rooftop garden, VIP lounges and outdoor courtyards. The options are endless. This is an inner city spot where you can book EOFY drinks for the whole team and feel confident you will have a good time. Prince Alfred, Richmond With a range of private and semi-private function spaces, Prince Alfred is one of Richmond's most sought-after function venues. Whether you're planning an intimate celebration or an all-out blowout with the team, Prince Alfred has you sorted. You can book the elegant function room for an air of sensibility or settle in the beer garden with a pint for a more casual vibe. Yarra Botanica, Southbank Fancy celebrating the EOFY at a two-level floating bar and eatery on the Yarra River? The Yarra Botanica is just that: it serves up a seasonal food and drink menu, local produce, and unbeatable city views. Plus, the riverside spot has a range of flexible packages to suit every kind of team. The Prince, St Kilda At The Prince, EOFY bevvies never looked so good. The much-loved art deco hotel is a popular go-to for events and functions in Melbourne. And for good reason, too. With ample space, floor-to-ceiling windows and a large timber deck to soak up the sea breeze and panoramic views, we can't think of a much better backdrop for EOFY celebrations. The Espy, St Kilda Just a stone's throw away is the Hotel Esplanade in St Kilda, more fondly known as The Espy, another great CBD and inner city spot where you can book EOFY drinks for the whole team. With six levels and a range of unique spaces to choose from, you can opt for the sunroom, the balcony bar, a Cantonese-inspired dining room, a private bar with a baby piano or Louey's Bar & Kitchen, The Espy's main dining venue, perfect for casual gatherings. Enquire now at https://thepassapp.com.au/. Images: Supplied.
