When Paul Kelly has taken his Making Gravy tours across Australia around Christmas in past years, the gigs have proven a hot ticket. That shouldn't come as a surprise given how beloved 'How to Make Gravy' is, so much so that there's a movie inspired by it heading to streaming this festive season. But only the songwriting legend's 2025 tour will see him reach a huge milestone, playing his biggest-ever live shows not only at home but in New Zealand as well. The August and September tour will also feature Kelly's only gigs for the year, so consider them a chance to get excited about Gravy Day 2025 — which falls on December 21 — early. He's heading to nine cities, starting in Perth before hitting Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart, Adelaide and Melbourne in Australia, and then crossing the ditch to play Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. The Aussie icon will be celebrating his new album Fever Longing Still, which releases on Friday, November 1, 2024, but he'll also be busting out beloved tracks from his 40-year-plus career. Accordingly, expect to hear everything from 'Dumb Things', 'To Her Door', 'Before Too Long' and 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' through to 'Leaps and Bounds', 'From St Kilda to King's Cross' and 'When I First Met Your Ma'. It was back in 1981 that Kelly's first studio album Talk hit record stores — and the ARIA- and APRA-winner has been a mainstay of the Australian music scene ever since, whether unpacking the nation in his tunes, giving everyone a Christmas tradition, singing about well-known figures or anything in-between. Kelly is hitting the road with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit on his Australian shows, as well as Fanny Lumsden as the opening act on home soil and Reb Fountain doing the same in Aotearoa. And, of course, Kelly's band will be performing with him, with Peter Luscombe on drums, Bill McDonald on bass, Dan Kelly and Ash Naylor on guitar, Cameron Bruce on the keys and Jess Hitchcock contributing vocals. Paul Kelly Australia and New Zealand Tour 2025 Tuesday, August 26 — RAC Arena, Perth Friday, August 29 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, August 30 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Tuesday, September 2 — MyState Bank Arena, Hobart Thursday, September 4 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Saturday, September 6 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, September 9 — Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch Wednesday, September 10 — Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Friday, September 12 — Auckland Town Hall, Auckland Paul Kelly is touring Australia and New Zealand in August and September 2025. Ticket presales start from 3pm local time on Monday, October 28, 2024, with general sales from 3pm local time on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 — head to the tour website for more details. Top image: Mona Foma, Moshcam.
Melbourne is getting a gin festival. Or should we say: Melbourne is getting another gin festival. In a turn of events that could only be a problem in our fine city, Melbourne is all of the sudden faced with the happy problem of having not one, but two gin festivals on the cards for this year. You might remember the hugely successful Juniperlooza, a locally-organised festival which was held in November last year. Well, this new festival — confusingly called Junipalooza (yes, that's an 'a' instead of an 'er') — is coming to Melbourne by way of the UK, and will unsurprisingly be dedicated entirely to gin. The Melbourne version of the festival (the first to be held outside of the UK) will be a twin event to Junipalooza London, which started back in 2013. The event will be held over two days this October at North Melbourne's Meat Market. It'll be hosted by founders of the UK's Gin Foundry, Olivier and Emile Ward — so you know you're in good gin-pouring hands. The award-winning brothers live, breathe and drink gin, compiling all their knowledge onto their comprehensive online gin directory. It makes sense then that the pair have teamed up with local gin expert, The Gin Queen (aka Caroline Childerley) and gin makers Four Pillars, Archie Rose and Poor Toms Gin (just to name just a few) to celebrate the noble spirit in Melbourne. Junipalooza will feature sampling stations, cocktails and gin masterclasses with some of the world's best distillers. Over 26 distillers from around the globe will be in attendance, giving punters the chance to take a bottle or two of their favourite gin home. Tonic water specialists Capi will be on-hand as well to bring the T to your G&T. The festival will take place over the weekend of October 22-23, while Juniperlooza has locked in dates for November 19-20. We see a lot of gin drinking in your future. Junipalooza Melbourne will be held on October 22-23 at Meat Market, North Melbourne between 12-6pm. Early bird tickets are on sale now from ginfoundry.com.
The season for openair dance floors is almost upon us — and Melbourne's Boiler Room x Sugar Mountain fest has just unveiled a bumper lineup for its impending 2023 instalment to get you in the mood for all the balmy shape-throwing sessions to come. The party is set to return to the Seaworks Maritime Precinct on Saturday, January 21, with its legendary 360-degree stage in tow, as always. And gracing it this time around will be a roll-call of dance music legends from both near and far, with the bill headlined by Detroit's underground vinyl star DJ Bone and Catalan DJ John Talabot. Of course, with the likes of Boiler Room and Sugar Mountain in charge, you know the fun's not ending there. Also heading along to soundtrack the day's moves: Canadian DJ Darwin (aka Fallon MacWilliams), along with Melbourne's own Roza Terenzi and Colette, Gunai/Kurnai & Yorta Yorta artist DJ PGZ, and envelope-pushing Egyptian-Australian producer Moktar. The one-stage event promises to have you moving from early afternoon until the wee hours, making the most of its spacious waterfront home in Williamstown. You can nab early bird tickets to the festival from 2pm on Thursday, November 17. But be warned — if this month's sold-out November party Boiler Room: Melbourne (Naarm) is anything to go by, those tickets won't be sticking around for long. [caption id="attachment_878333" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mushroom Creative House[/caption] BOILER ROOM x SUGAR MOUNTAIN 2023 LINEUP: Colette Darwin DJ Bone DJ PGZ John Talabot Moktar Roza Terenzi [caption id="attachment_878339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DJ Bone[/caption] [caption id="attachment_878340" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Colette[/caption] Boiler Room x Sugar Mountain is happening at Seaworks Maritime Precinct on Saturday, January 22, 2023. Tickets go on sale online at 2pm AEDT on Thursday, November 17. Top Images: Ryan Achilles and Mushroom Creative House
When the term 'direct-to-video' was uttered in decades gone by, it was rarely used in a positive way. 'Direct-to-DVD' wasn't either, when the switch from VHS to discs hit — but shaking up the idea that a film that skips cinemas can't also be exceptional is one of the many consequences of the streaming era. Every week — every day, it sometimes seems — brand new movies join the seemingly endless array of streaming platforms. That's been especially handy during 2021, which saw us all spend more time at home than usual (yes, again), and also delivered plenty of straight-to-streaming highlights. Indeed, some of this year's finest movies didn't flicker across the silver screen. Some were meant to, others were never destined to, but they're all exceptional either way. Here are the 12 best films that should've made their way to your streaming queue in 2021 — and if you haven't watched them yet, you can remedy that at the click of a few buttons. THE GREEN KNIGHT Mesmerising and magnetic from its first moments till its last, The Green Knight is a moving musing on destiny, pride, virtue, choice, myths and sacrifice, all wrapped in a sublime spectacle. The medieval fantasy hums with haunting beauty and potency as it tells of Arthurian figure Gawain (Dev Patel, The Personal History of David Copperfield), nephew to the King (Sean Harris, Mission: Impossible — Fallout), and the only man who accepts a bold challenge when the eponymous figure (Ralph Ineson, Gunpowder Milkshake) — a mystical part-tree, part-knight — demands a duel one Christmas. The catch: whichever blows the eager-to-prove-himself Gawain inflicts on this towering interloper, he'll receive back in a year's time. So, when this initial altercation ends in a beheading (and with the Green Knight scooping up his noggin and riding off), Gawain faces a grim future. Twelve months later, that bargain inspires a quest, which The Green Knight treats as both a nightmare and a dream. There's an ethereal look and feel to every inch of this stunning movie, where the greenery is verdant, and the bloodshed and battlefield of skeletons just as prominent. Playing a man yearning for glory yet faced with life's stark realities, Patel is in career-best form — and the latter can also be said of writer/director/editor David Lowery. Every film he makes has proven a gem, from Ain't The Bodies Saints and Pete's Dragon to A Ghost Story and The Old Man and The Gun; however, The Green Knight is a startling and riveting feast of a feature that's as as contemplative as it is visionary. The Green Knight is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND Excellent filmmakers helming exceptional documentaries about music icons just might be 2021's best movie trend. It isn't new — see: Martin Scorsese's filmography as just one example — but any year that delivers both Edgar Wright's The Sparks Brothers and Todd Haynes' The Velvet Underground is a great year indeed. Both docos are made by clear fans of the bands they celebrate. Both films find creative and engaging ways to approach a tried-and-tested on-screen formula, too. And, both movies will make fans out of newcomers, all while delighting existing devotees. They each have killer soundtracks as well, obviously. They're each tailored to suit their subjects, rather than leaning on the standard music bio-doc template. As a result, they each prove the kind of rich, in-depth and electrifying features that only these two directors could've made. With The Velvet Underground and Haynes, none of this comes as a surprise. As well as the astonishing Carol and the just-as-devastating Dark Waters, he has experimental short Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, glam-rock portrait Velvet Goldmine and the Bob Dylan-focused I'm Not There on his resume, after all. Here, he makes two perceptive choices: splitting his screen Andy Warhol-style to show both archival materials and new interviews simultaneously, and avoiding the allure of giving the late, great Lou Reed all his attention. The result is an inventive, impassioned and wide-ranging doco that charts the band's story and impact; captures the time, place and attitudes that gave rise to them; and proves as dazzling as The Velvet Underground themselves. The Velvet Underground is available to stream via Apple TV+. PROCESSION For filmmaker Robert Greene, it started with a press conference, where six sexually abused men sought justice — and publicly so — for the horrors they endured at the hands of the Catholic Church. After reaching out to their lawyer Rebecca Randles, and also bringing drama therapist Monica Phinney onboard, Procession started to take shape — a film that tells their stories like no other documentary would've. Anyone who's seen Greene's also exceptional Kate Plays Christine and Bisbee '17 will know that he sifts through trauma via re-enactments, an approach used to interrogate dark incidents and abhorrent moments. Here, it's deployed as a healing technique, too. To watch Tom Viviano, Joe Eldred, Ed Gavagan, Michael Sandridge, Dan Laurine and Mike Foreman participate in Procession is to watch them not just grapple with what was done to them, but to try to undercut its power. Talking-head interviews still litter the documentary, but Procession is far more interested in the short films that Viviano, Eldred, Gavagan, Sandridge, Laurine and Foreman conceive and make — starring child actor Terrick Trobough as all of them — based on their own experiences. Greene captures the behind-the-scenes process, and also presents the finished product, both of which trawl through memories that none of his subjects will ever forget. Unsurprisingly, this isn't an easy movie to watch. It's essential and unforgettable viewing, though, examining heartbreakingly awful acts, the men who've spent a lifetime trying to cope, the cathartic nature of art and the resilience needed to soldier on. Procession is available to stream via Netflix. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI Pondering the conversations that might've occurred between four pivotal historical figures on one very real evening they spent in each other's company, One Night in Miami boasts the kind of talk-heavy concept that'd obviously work well on the stage. That's where it first began back in 2013 — but adapting theatre pieces for the cinema doesn't always end in success, especially when they primarily involve large swathes of dialogue exchanged in one setting. If Beale Street Could Talk Oscar-winner and Watchmen Emmy-winner Regina King doesn't make a single wrong move here, however. The actor's feature directorial debut proves a film not only of exceptional power and feeling, but of abundant texture and detail as well. It's a movie about people and ideas, including the role the former can play in both bolstering and counteracting the latter, and the Florida-set picture takes as much care with its quartet of protagonists as it does with the matters of race, politics and oppression they talk about. Given the folks involved on-screen, there's clearly much to discuss. The film takes place on February 25, 1964, which has become immortalised in history as the night that Cassius Clay (Eli Goree, Riverdale) won his first title fight. Before and after the bout, the future Muhammad Ali hangs out with his equally important pals — activist Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir, High Fidelity), footballer Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge, The Invisible Man) and musician Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr, Hamilton) — with this equally meticulous and moving Oscar-nominee ficitionalising their time together. One Night in Miami is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. NO SUDDEN MOVE Up until late August, No Sudden Move couldn't have sat on this list. The latest film from prolific director Steven Soderbergh (Unsane), it was scheduled to release in Australian cinemas; however, then lengthy lockdowns hit Sydney and Melbourne, and its theatrical run was sadly canned across the country. This crime thriller would've looked dazzling on a big screen, and for a plethora of reasons. Soderbergh is no stranger to helming capers — he has Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen on his jam-packed resume, plus both Out of Sight and Logan Lucky — and No Sudden Move is as energetic as the rest of his heist fare. Here, he also revels in period details, with this Ed Solomon (Bill & Ted Face the Music)-scripted tale unfurling in the 1950s. As he's known to do, Soderbergh both shot and edited the movie himself, too, and that exceptional craftsmanship is another of this playful neo-noir's many delights. Spinning an engaging story steeped in Detroit's crime scene, No Sudden Move has something to say as well. Don Cheadle (Space Jam: A New Legacy) in is career-best form as Curt Goynes, who gets out of prison, then gets enlisted for a job by a middleman known as Jones (Brendan Fraser, Trust). That gig? With two colleagues (The French Dispatch's Benicio Del Toro and Succession's Kieran Culkin), he's tasked with babysitting the Wertz family (Archenemy's Amy Seimetz, A Quiet Place Part II's Noah Jupe and debutant Lucy Holt), all so the Wertz patriarch (David Harbour, Black Widow) can steal a document from his work. There's no shortage of plot — No Sudden Move keeps twisting from there — but capitalism's worst consequences also bubble prominently underneath. Soderbergh and Solomon savvily tease out the details, though, keeping their audience guessing as much as their characters. No Sudden Movie is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. BO BURNHAM: INSIDE Watching Bo Burnham: Inside, a stunning fact becomes evident — a life-changing realisation, really. During a period when most people tried to make sourdough, pieced together jigsaws and spent too much time on Zoom, Bo Burnham created a comedy masterpiece. How does he ever top a special this raw, insightful, funny, clever and of the moment? How did he make it to begin with? How does anyone ever manage to capture every emotion that we've all felt about lockdowns — and about the world's general chaos, spending too much time on the internet, capitalism's exploitation and just the general hellscape that is our modern lives, too — in one 90-minute musical-comedy whirlwind? Filmed in one room of his house over several months (and with the growth of his hair and beard helping to mark the time), Inside unfurls via songs about being stuck indoors, video chats, today's performative society, sexting, ageing and mental health. Burnham sings and acts, and also wrote, directed, shot, edited and produced the whole thing, and there's not a moment, image or line that goes to waste. Being trapped in that room with the Promising Young Woman star and Eighth Grade filmmaker, and therefore being stuck inside the closest thing he can find to manifesting his mind outside his skull, becomes the best kind of rollercoaster ride. Just try getting Burnham's tunes out of your head afterwards, too, because this is an oh-so-relatable and insightful special that lingers. It's also the best thing that's been made about this pandemic yet, hands down. Bo Burnham: Inside is available to stream via Netflix. BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR Throughout 2021, on screens big and small, few films have been as fun as Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Nothing has been as ridiculously, hilariously, gleefully silly, either — as you'd expect of a movie about a titular twosome who obsess over culottes, and where Jamie Dornan (Synchronic) kicks sand on the beach while singing a prayer to seagulls. A talking crab features, too, as do dance remixes of Celine Dion tunes, because this is the delightfully entertaining comedy that has it all. The setup: middle-aged Soft Rock residents Barb (Annie Mumolo, Queenpins) and Star (Kristen Wiig, Wonder Woman 1984) head to Florida for a holiday, despite their apprehension to break up their routine, while nervous, lovesick henchman Edgar Pagét (Dornan) also makes the same trip, but to help nefarious villain Sharon Fisherman (also Wiig) with her plan to kill everyone. Wiig and Mumolo also wrote Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, as they did Bridesmaids. This time, though, they've piled in enough glorious absurdity to fill several beaches. From its throwaway gags to its big musical numbers — and including its character details — there's nothing too goofy for this infectious frolic. Sometimes the film is a Romy and Michele's High School Reunion-style ode to female friendship, sometimes it's a kooky world-domination comedy, and it's also a fish-out-of-water satire and a goofy holiday flick as well. It wouldn't work quite as well if its cast weren't so committed to their parts, and to the offbeat sense of humour — and if director Josh Greenbaum (New Girl) didn't ensure that every element of the movie goes all-in on every single joke. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. BURNING "This could be the new normal," a snippet from a news report comments early in Burning. The reason for the statement: Black Summer, the Australian bushfire season of 2019–20 that decimated large swathes of the country, sent smoke floating around the world and attracted international media attention. Australians don't need a documentary to confirm how horrific the situation was, and this is now the second in months — after the gripping first-person accounts in A Fire Inside — but this powerful film from Chasing Asylum's Eva Orner also lays bare all the factors that coalesced in the tragic events of just two years ago. Accordingly, this is a doco about inaction, government indifference to the point of failure, and the valuing of fossil fuels over their destruction of the environment. It's a movie about climate change as well, clearly, because any film telling this tale has to be. Orner, an Oscar-winner for producing 2007's Taxi to the Dark Side and an Emmy-winner for 2016's Out of Iraq, takes a three-pronged approach: providing context to the bushfires, including charting the Australian government's choices before and after; amassing expert and experienced testimonies, spanning activists and those on the ground alike; and bearing witness. Facts — such as the three billion animals killed — sit side by side with personal recollections and devastating images. The latter includes not only the fires and their ashy aftermath, but political arguing and Scott Morrison's Hawaiian holiday; all hit like a punch to the gut. The result is urgent, important and stunning — and absolutely essential viewing. Burning is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. I CARE A LOT She didn't end up with an Oscar for her efforts, but Rosamund Pike's Golden Globe win for I Care a Lot was thoroughly well-deserved. The Radioactive and Gone Girl star is stellar in a tricky part in a thorny film — because this dark comic-thriller isn't here to play nice. Pike plays Marla Grayson, a legal guardian to as many elderly Americans as she can convince the courts to send her way. She's more interested in the cash that comes with the job, however, rather than actually looking after her charges. Indeed, with her girlfriend and business partner Fran (Eiza González, Bloodshot), plus an unscrupulous doctor on her payroll, she specifically targets wealthy senior citizens with no family, gets them committed to her care, packs them off to retirement facilities and plunders their bank accounts. Then one such ploy catches the attention of gangster Roman Lunyov (Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones), who dispatches his minions to nudge Marla in a different direction. She isn't willing to acquiesce, though, sparking both a game of cat and mouse and a showdown. Dinklage makes the most of his role, too, but I Care a Lot is always the icy Pike's movie. Well, hers and writer/director J Blakeson's (The Disappearance of Alice Creed), with the latter crafting a takedown of capitalism that's savagely blunt but also blisteringly entertaining. I Care a Lot is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. CODA When CODA screened at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, it made history. Film distributors always clamour to snap up the event's big hits, and this four-time award-winner — which received the fest's US Grand Jury Prize, US Dramatic Audience Award, a Special Jury Ensemble Cast Award and Best Director — was picked up by Apple TV+ for US$25 million. Even though the sophomore feature from writer/director Sian Heder (Tallulah) remakes 2014 French hit La Famille Bélier, that's still a significant amount of money; however, thanks to its warmth, engaging performances and a welcome lack of cheesiness, it's easy to see why the streaming platform opened its wallet. Fans of the earlier movie will recognise the storyline, which sees 17-year-old Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones, Locke & Key) struggle to balance her family commitments with her dreams of attending music school. She's a talented singer, but she's only just discovered just how skilled she is because she's also the child of deaf adults (hence the film's title). At home, she also plays a key part in keeping the family's fishing business afloat, including by spending mornings before class out on the trawler wither her dad Frank (Troy Kotsur, No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie) and older brother Leo (Daniel Durant, Switched at Birth). Heder helms this still sweet and moving feature with a distinct lack of over-exaggeration, which plagued its predecessor. The fact that Kotsur, Durant and Marlee Matlin (Entangled), the latter as the Rossi matriarch, are all actors who are deaf playing characters who are deaf really couldn't be more important. Their portrayals are naturalistic and lived-in, as is much about this rousing but gentle crowd-pleaser — including tomboy Ruby's blossoming romance with fellow wannabe musician Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Sing Street). CODA is available to stream via Apple TV+. THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN If there's a real-life figure that needs to be brought to the screen, call Benedict Cumberbatch. He's done just that in The Imitation Game, The Current War and The Courier, and also in everything from The Other Boleyn Girl and Creation to 12 Years a Slave and The Fifth Estate as well. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain sees the British actor add another such role to his resume; however, while it steps through its eponymous artist's life and career, this biopic instantly stands out from the rest of the pack. The key: a fabulous decision by director Will Sharpe (Flowers) to style this poignant and lively film after its subject and his work. When he came to fame in the late 19th century, Wain was known for his surreal cat paintings, after all — and while this is a movie that also tracks his sorrows, as well as his struggles with his mental health, it does so with a winning mix of energy and sincerity. Indeed, it'll come as no surprise that The Electrical Life of Louis Wain was shot by Erik Wilson, the same cinematographer who added such a whimsical look to both Paddington and Paddington 2. Animals abound amidst these entrancing visuals, too, but none of the cats that Wain (Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog) becomes obsessed with eat marmalade. That feline fixation stems from a frowned-upon romance with Emily Richardson (Claire Foy, The Girl in the Spider's Web), the governess to his younger sisters — and it, just like Richardson, changes his life. Playing an eccentric artist who firmly took his own route, and was also just as fascinated with electricity as adorable mousers, Cumberbatch finds both the enchanting and the melancholy sides to Wain, while the rest of the stellar cast even includes Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter) on narration duties, plus Richard Ayoade, Taika Waititi and Nick Cave in cameos. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. SLAXX Ask any style guru for their opinion on denim, and they'll all likely give the same answer. Everyone needs a pair of killer jeans, after all — the type that fit perfectly, flatter every inch of your lower half, and that you just don't want to ever take off. In Slaxx, CCC is the store aiming to make all of the above happen. Already priding itself on its eco-friendly, sustainable, sweatshop-free threads, the chain is set to launch a new range of denim that moulds to the wearer's body, with the company's buzzword-spouting CEO (Stephen Bogaert, IT: Chapter Two) certain that they'll change the fashion industry. On the night before the jeans hit the shelves, employees at one store are tasked with making sure everything goes smoothly; however, as new hire Libby (Romane Denis, My Salinger Year), apathetic veteran employee Shruti (Sehar Bhojani, Sex & Ethnicity) and their over-eager boss Craig (Brett Donahue, Private Eyes) soon learn, these are killer jeans in a very literal sense. Quickly, the ravenous pants start stalking and slaying their way through the store. It's a concept that'd do Rubber's Quentin Dupieux proud and, in the hands of Canadian filmmaker Elza Kephart (Go in the Wilderness), the results are highly entertaining. Slaxx wears its equally silly and savage attitude like a second skin, smartly skewers consumerism and retail trends, and possesses stellar special effects that bring its denim to life — and, although never subtle (including in its performances), it's exactly as fun as a film about killer jeans should be. Slaxx is available to stream via Shudder. Looking for more viewing highlights? You can also check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. Plus, we picked ten standout new straight-to-streaming movies and specials in the middle of the year, too.
Tucked down Church Lane is Saving Grace, your friendly neighbourhood dive bar home to good brews, classic cocktails and banging burgers. Saving Grace rotates six seasonal taps with a lineup of largely local craft breweries on the list from the likes of Fixation, Hop Nation, Two Bays, and Hop Nation, as well as lagers from all over. When it comes to cocktails, Saving Grace has a considered collection of twists on classics. Fancy breakfast vibes at happy hour? Try the marmalade whisky sour, a take on a breakfast martini with marmalade, bourbon, lemon bitters, lemon sugar and wonderfoam for a frothy finish. Alternatively, you can chill out with a frozen slushy cocktail — just ask the staff what flavour is on for the night. Saving Grace is also where you'll find Burger Boys pumping out burgers, fried chicken and sides for the hungry drinkers at this lively dive and blues bar.
Hit the 'invite all' button on Facebook. Friends, Melburnians, countrymen — lend us your eyes. It's the time of year where parties can spill outdoors and nobody chips their front tooth on their beer from chattering molars in the cold. It's also the time for a whole bunch of annual occasions (Christmas, New Year's Eve, Uncle Steve's birthday) so it might just be that you're in need of a venue to fit you and your 30 or so other friends/Uncle Steve's bowling mates. We know there's nothing worse than organising a night out in a group only to have it foiled by lack of space and long queues for the loos. So, we thought we'd do you a solid and give you a list of places that will provide ample space for drinking bubbly and celebrating. In partnership with Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée, here's a list of roomy venues in Melbourne that you can look into booking out this silly season. THE WATER RAT HOTEL, SOUTH MELBOURNE The deck at The Water Rat might be your pick for warm nights this summer — head to South Melbourne's Moray Street to find a spacious gastropub with enough room outside (comfy enclosed deck) and in (big lounges scattered around) for all. Fairy lights outside and a fire roaring when it's colder make a big space feel cosy, so bring your mates and it'll be oysters ($3 a piece) and bubbly all round. THE PENNY BLACK, BRUNSWICK The fact that The Penny Black has an enormous beer garden with heaps of booths is the least of the reasons you should go there. There are also a couple of large rooms inside to house your party, VGPS's (Very Good Pizza Specials), and a photobooth if you want to attempt to jam your whole group in to commemorate your occasion. Located in a restored post office, The Penny Black also clocks gigs and nightlife (there's a regular R&B night on Saturdays called 'Swick, because Brunswick), so your beery afternoon celebration might become a music infused night — with plenty of room to dance it on out. FITZROY SOCIAL, FITZROY Excuse us, but frosé is $6 a pop on Thursdays at the Fitzroy Social. Don't walk, run. The Fitzroy Social is fairly new about town but it doesn't show its young age — its roomy layout and nice-but-not-too-noisy vibe make it a valid Brunswick Street option for you if you're wandering around with a big group in tow. Try the aforementioned frosé or some of their punchbowl drinks, perfect for big groups — and there's a full vegan menu alternative to suit trickier eating preferences too. GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL, CARLTON NORTH The Great Northern has long been the venue of choice for loose Sunday sesh goers hanging out in Carlton North looking for a place to drink, eat, and maybe even pat a dog out the front. A bottle shop also adjoining, the Great Northern has one of the biggest beer gardens in Melbourne — so there's plenty of room to move and celebrate. THE REVERENCE HOTEL, FOOTSCRAY The locals out west have a certain amount of reverence — as it is so named — for this trusty pub, and it's easy to see why. Stumble in at any hour with just yourself or a big group and you'll be taken care of, either inside or in their big beer garden. The Reverence hosts the popular Taco Tuesday where tacos are $3 from 6-9pm. Kick it whatever the day with the resident pool and foosball tables. THE LEVESON, NORTH MELBOURNE You can't spell the word 'pub' without 'parma'. Well, you can, but they don't advise it at The Leveson. Famous for its huge (but correct in ratio of toppings to chicken) parmas, The Leveson is a prime spot to bring a big group thanks to its big dining room indoors and grassy courtyard outside. There's space for whatever your party might need to do and then some. GARDEN STATE HOTEL, MELBOURNE The Garden State is a fairly swish addition to the CBD pub scene, boasting a pretty buzzed atmosphere come Friday and Saturday nights (or really any other night to be honest). A huge venue, Garden State is split over four levels and incorporates a real live garden into the middle of things, with a beer garden, saloon and grill all thrown into the mix too. You won't have to leave the party as toasties and chips can be self-ordered at a kiosk near the bar. You might however have to leave wherever you're situated in the Garden State to find the stragglers of the party as the place is so large. PALACE HOTEL, CAMBERWELL Perhaps somewhere a little off your beaten track could be an option for your 40-head stamp collecting group Christmas do, what say you? The Palace Hotel in Camberwell may not be in Chapel or Brunswick Streets, but it certainly has its own benefits. It's large, relaxed, and has a range of food specials, so your friends can be fed for cheap. There are also pool tables for when that mid-party competitive sports urge hits your group. Play fair. TOWN HALL HOTEL, NORTH MELBOURNE The Town Hall Hotel in North Melbourne is an A+ place to watch the sports, and an even A+-er place to bring your whole group of mates to celebrate at when your team manages to win the sports. Nestled in Errol Street, there's a lovely little beer garden out the back for hot days and cold bevvies, and their website says that they're open "eight days a week". Guess you can't lose. WOOLSHED PUB, DOCKLANDS Docklands normally might not be the most convenient option for fun times at night, but we urge you to spend the extra time getting there (or spring for a maxi taxi) and pop into The Woolshed. Once an old wool storage facility and now a beaut venue sitting right on the waterfront, it is a) large, and b) does $15 cocktails during their Sunday sessions. Closed now for repairs (there was a fire earlier this year), they'll hopefully be open early 2017 in time for you to make use of long summer nights around the January/February celebration period. Celebrate this season with Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée — available at your local supermarket or liquor store.
Mediterranean-inspired bars and restaurants are popping up all over the city. They're heroing minimalist design features with plenty of natural finishes. Spritz menus are now a thing. And classic Euro-centric bites — especially simply-prepared seafood — are everywhere. This kind of food is seen to be the best companion to the lighter and juicier wines (plus the beloved pet-nats) that are growing in popularity right now. We're not unhappy about this trend. The Mediterranean style of dining, which can go from light snacking and sipping on wines to full on feasting, is downright fabulous. The latest spot to capitalise on this is Lucia in South Melbourne. But it isn't simply jumping on the bandwagon. The crew here are already responsible for creating a handful of charming European wine bars and restaurants in Melbourne (Riserva, Baia Di Vino and San Lorenzo). Lucia seems like a very natural addition to the group. For this venture, owners Frank Ciorciari and Anthony Silvestre have brought on Jordan Clavaron (ex-Society, Cutler & Co) as Head Chef. Lucia's all-day menu is inspired by Claravon's travels around Spain, France and Italy, and there is a particularly strong seafood focus. That'll be pretty obvious once you walk in and see the impressive seafood bar and watch as waiters carry out the all-too-luxurious caviar service — another growing trend in the fine-dining Melbourne scene. Pasta, risotto, steaks and a decent selection of small snacking plates will also be available alongside a dedicated bar menu that includes the Lucia Burger — only available to diners at the bar. Head Sommelier Simone Garro is running the wine side of things at Lucia and has curated a 400-strong wine list that covers a range of prices, regions and grape varieties. For those wanting to try some rare drops without having to get a super spenny bottle, Garro has even made a few available by the glass by using a Coravin. Lucia's Bar Manager Efe Iseri (ex-Strato Bar, Kisumé) has also created some Euro-inspired cocktails and has stocked the bar with a hefty selection of digestives and aperitifs. Hospitality veteran Christian Janko (Entrecote, France-Soir) has been tasked with running the front of house. Having worked at two of the best French restaurants in Melbourne (famed for having exceptional old-school European service), you should expect to be well looked after. Even though this particular style of drinking and dining is all over Melbourne these days, Lucia has a team of hospo heavyweights ready to fight off the competition. You'll find Lucia at 11 Eastern Road, South Melbourne, open 12pm–late from Tuesday to Saturday. For more information, head to the restaurant's website.
The force is strong with this one — the Lego-building force, that is, with the largest collection of life-sized Lego Star Wars models ever assembled, as well as the biggest touring Lego exhibition, set to hit Australia in 2025. Earlier in 2024, news arrived that Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition was on its way in this very galaxy, world-premiering Down Under. Now, exactly when and where you'll be able to check it out has been revealed. Melbourne has locked in the first-ever Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition season — and yes, of course it'll open on Sunday, May 4. Melbourne Museum will be filled with more than eight-million bricks, all making models based on the George Lucas-created space saga. What music goes best with turning all that Lego into a Star Wars fan's dream? 'Luke's Theme', aka the franchise's main tune? 'The Imperial March' when things get tricky? 'Parade of the Ewoks', just because? That's a question for Ryan McNaught aka Brickman, who has indeed been spending time turning plastic rectangles, squares and other shapes into a recreation of a galaxy far, far away. The exhibition is set to take 25,000-plus hours of building, which is occurring at McNaught's headquarters in Tullamarine. Here's a question for attendees, too: which tunes will pair well with walking through this Lego Star Wars wonderland? You've got a few months to think about it, but you can start getting as excited as a Skywalker learning how to first use a lightsaber. The full list of models that'll feature hasn't been unveiled so far, but one will be life-sized — and that'll be a Lego Star Wars first. A huge 64,759 bricks are being used to craft the three-metre-high X-wing Red-5, taking 382 build hours. Attendees can also expect to see battle scenes between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, plus Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul duelling, and also Emperor Palpatine's throne flanked by two Royal Guards. If you're keen to check it out and you don't live in Melbourne, you'll need to head to the Victorian capital to wander through Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition. As well as the hosting the world-premiere season, which will run until Monday, January 26, 2026, the stint at Melbourne Museum is an Australian exclusive. While you're there, you won't just be looking at all things Star Wars in Lego — you'll be able to get building yourself. As it constructs an immersive experience and follows in the footsteps of the Jurassic World franchise, which has also scored the Lego treatment from Brickman, Star Wars: The Exhibition has plenty of material to draw upon. On-screen, the series spans the initial film trilogy that released from 1977–83, then the prequels from 1999–2005, then the sequels — including The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker — from 2015–2019. Rogue One, Solo, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, Ahsoka, The Acolyte: the list goes on across the big and small screens, including the wealth of animated efforts in the saga. "Building these iconic scenes and characters in Lego Star Wars form is an extremely complex task — taking the humble Lego brick and using it by the millions to translate into Star Wars builds and models at an epic scale the world has never seen before," said McNaught about Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition. "My team and I are super excited to launch this mind-blowing experience right here in Melbourne. My inner seven-year-old self still can't quite believe this is happening. I can't wait till May the Fourth next year to be able to share this incredible galaxy-first exhibition with the fans." Lego Star Wars: The Exhibition will make its world-premiere from Sunday, May 4, 2025, running until Monday, January 26, 2026 at Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton. Head to the exhibition's website for more details and to join the ticket waitlist. Exhibition images: Museums Victoria.
UPDATE, SATURDAY, MAY 23: Snowpiercer, the series, will hit Netflix Down Under from Monday, May 25. The below article has been updated to reflect this. On a futuristic earth that's been rendered a frozen wasteland, a constantly hurtling train plays host to the world's only remaining people. Humanity's attempts to combat climate change caused their dire predicament, leaving the speeding locomotive as their only solution — and instead of banding together, the residents of the Snowpiercer have transported society's class structure into the carriages of their new home. That's the story that drives Bong Joon-ho's 2013 film Snowpiercer, which marked the acclaimed South Korean writer/director's first English-language film, and one of the movies that brought him to broader fame before Netflix's Okja and 2019's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning and Oscar-winning Parasite. As well as boasting a smart, immersive and all-too-timely concept — and unpacking its underlying idea in a thoroughly thrilling and involving manner — the flick was a star-studded affair. Among the jam-packed cast: Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, John Hurt, Ed Harris and Bong's frequent collaborator Song Kang-ho. Given how great its premise is, it's hardly surprising that Snowpiercer has now been turned into a US TV series. First announced back in 2016, it'll finally speed across screens in May 2020 — including Down Under, where it'll drop new episodes weekly from Monday, May 25. While Snowpiercer, the series, doesn't feature any of the film's high-profile lineup, it does include a few big names of its own, such as Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly and Tony-winner Daveed Diggs. Alongside Frances Ha's Mickey Sumner, Slender Man's Annalise Basso and The Americans' Alison Wright, they inhabit Snowpiercer's new world order. The planet outside the titular train may be a dystopia with a temperature of -119 degrees celsius, but everyone from the wealthy to the poor have been put in their place inside. Of course, that's until matters such as class warfare, social injustice and the politics of trying to survive start to fester almost seven years into the circling vehicle looping journey. Parasite is being turned into an American TV series, too, by HBO; however, that's a little further off — especially with film and TV production currently out of action during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the interim, revisiting the world of one of Bong's other excellent films will help fill the gap. And, if you need to watch or rewatch the original flick itself, Snowpiercer, the movie, is currently streaming on both Netflix and Stan. Watch the Snowpiercer series trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lFMpmwn_hQ Snowpiercer, the series, will hit Netflix Down Under from Monday, May 25, with new episodes airing weekly. An exact start date hasn't been revealed yet — we'll update you with further details when they come to hand. Images: Netflix.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odM92ap8_c0 GODZILLA VS KONG Given that neither of Godzilla vs Kong's towering titans are truly terrors, and therefore neither should really emerge victorious over the other, getting them to face off seems pointless. "They're both big, so they can't get along" is the simplistic concept. This isn't a new train of thought, or new to the American-made Monsterverse that's been nudging the beasts closer together for seven years. Thankfully, in the hands of You're Next and The Guest director Adam Wingard, Godzilla vs Kong has as much in common with its superior Japanese predecessors as it does with 2019's terrible Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The follow-up to 2017's Kong: Skull Island, too, this new battle of the behemoths doesn't remake the duo's first screen showdown in 1962's King Kong vs Godzilla. And, sadly, it hasn't ditched the current Hollywood flicks' love of unexciting human characters. But it crucially recognises that watching its titular creatures go claw-to-paw should be entertaining. It should be a spectacle, in fact. The film also realises that if you're not going to make a movie about this pair with much in the way of substance, then you should go all out on the action and fantasy fronts. In other words, Godzilla vs Kong feels like the product of a filmmaker who loves the Japanese Godzilla flicks and Kong's maiden appearance, knows he can't do them justice thematically, but is determined to get what he can right. Wingard is still saddled with a flimsy script with a tin ear for dialogue by screenwriters Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) and Max Borenstein (Kong: Skull Island), but his massive monster melees are a delight. Also welcome: Godzilla vs Kong's eagerness to lean into its genre. When it surrenders to its pixels, and to a tale that involves a journey to the centre of the earth, subterranean asteroids, altercations with giant flying lizards and an underground tunnel from Florida to Hong Kong, it's equal parts loopy and fun. That trip to the planet's interior is guided by Kong. Now kept in a dome that simulates the jungle, the jumbo primate is under the watch of researcher Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall, Tales from the Loop), and bonds with Jia (newcomer Kaylee Hottle), the orphan also in the doctor's care. But, after Godzilla surfaces for the first time in three years to attack tech corporation Apex's Miami base, CEO Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir, Chaos Walking) enlists geologist Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård, The Stand) on a mission. Testing the latter's hollow earth theory, they plan to track down an energy source that could be linked to both Zilly and Kong's existence — if Kong will lead them there. In a plot inclusion that'd do Scooby Doo proud, teenager Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown, returning from King of the Monsters) and her classmate Josh Valentine (Julian Dennison, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) are certain that Apex is up to no good and — with podcaster Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry, Superintelligence) — start meddling. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yJ4r7ON974 THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF Asked why he broke into Oslo's Gallery Nobel in 2015 and stole two large oil paintings in broad daylight, Karl-Bertil Nordland gives perhaps the most honest answer anyone could: "because they were beautiful". He isn't responding to the police or providing an excuse during his court appearance, but speaking to Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova, who wanted answers about the theft of her work. Captured on camera, the pilfering of Kysilkova's Swan Song and Chloe & Emma initially appeared to be a professional job. As the two pieces were removed from their frames in such an exacting manner, it was presumed that experts were behind the crime. But Nordland and his accomplice didn't plan their brazen heist, or have a background in purloining art. Thanks to the effect of illicit substances, Nordland can't even remember much about it, let alone recall what happened to the stolen works that Kysilkova desperately wants back. That said, as the thief tells the painter when she first talks with him, he does know that he walked past Gallery Nobel often. He's aware that he saw her photorealistic pieces — the first of a dead swan lying in reeds, the second of two girls sat side by side on a couch — many times, too. And, he's candid about the fact that he marvelled at and was moved by the two canvases long before he absconded with them. As a result, he doesn't seem surprised that his life led him to that juncture, and to snatching Kysilkova's creations. A victim confronts a perpetrator: that's The Painter and the Thief's five-word summary, and it's 100-percent accurate. But such a brief description can't convey how fascinating, thoughtful, moving and astonishing this documentary is as it unfurls a tale so layered and wild that it can only be true — a story that stretches far beyond what anyone could feasibly anticipate of such an altercation and its aftermath, in fact. Nordland was arrested and charged for his crime, with Kysilkova initially making contact with him at his trial. From there, the skilled carpenter and heavily tattooed addict unexpectedly gained a friend in the woman whose works he took. Kysilkova first asked to paint Nordland as part of her attempts to understand him, and he then became her muse. As all relationships do, especially ones forged under such unusual circumstances, their connection evolved, adapted and changed from there. As Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree (Magnus) pointed a camera in their direction for three years, the duo weathered their own ups, downs, twists and turns, as did their friendship. If Nordland's reply to Kysilkova feels disarmingly frank and unguarded, that's because it is. The same tone remains throughout The Painter and the Thief's entire duration. Absent the usual tropes and stylistic markers that true-crime documentaries are known for, the film eschews the standard mix of talking heads, re-enactments and explanatory narration in favour of truly observing and stepping inside its subjects' unique bond. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCw90xLvYPw THE LAST VERMEER Dutch artists Johannes Vermeer and Han van Meegeren picked up their brushes more than two centuries apart. Mention the latter, though, and you need to mention the former. Just why that's the case makes for a fascinating tale, as The Last Vermeer tells — one filled with twists, subterfuge, investigations, a trial and post-World War II efforts to punish anyone who conspired with the Nazis. Directed by producer turned first-time helmer Dan Friedkin (All the Money in the World, The Mule), and adapted from Jonathan Lopez's 2008 book The Man Who Made Vermeers, The Last Vermeer relays the Hollywood version of the story, of course. Big speeches and massaged details consequently abound. Attention-grabbing performances jump across this cinematic canvas, too, with Guy Pearce (Bloodshot) resembling Geoffrey Rush as van Meegeren and Claes Bang (Dracula) adding his third recent art-centric feature to his resume after The Square and The Burnt Orange Heresy. There's enough here to keep viewers interested, as there should be given the real-life basis, cast and handsome staging, but this is the type of film that's nicer to look at than to dive into. Its subject: art forgery, a topic that leaves an imprint beyond the movie's narrative. The Last Vermeer doesn't steal from elsewhere, but it also sinks into a well-populated list of other dramas about art and the war (see also: The Monuments Men and Woman in Gold ) far too easily and generically than a feature about this specific tale should. Bang plays Dutch Jewish officer Captain Joseph Piller, who is tasked with hunting down artworks illegally sold to the Nazis during the war and bringing everyone responsible to justice. That leads him to Christ and the Adulteress, a piece credited to Vermeer but found after his death — and to van Meegeren, the man who is suspected of selling it to key Nazi figure Hermann Göring in the world's biggest art sale at the time. Turning on the rakish charisma even when he's being interrogated by Piller and his offsider (Roland Møller, The Commuter), van Meegeren denies the accusation. Piller isn't convinced, but then police detective Alex De Klerks (August Diehl, A Hidden Life) tries to take over the case. Soon, van Meegeren has been secreted away, is painting while in hiding and, when eventually charged and brought to court, offers an astonishing theory. Also arising in The Last Vermeer: an exploration of the costs of and sacrifices involved in surviving wartime, although Friedkin and screenwriters John Orloff (Anonymous), Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (The Expanse) happily stick to the surface as they do elsewhere. As a mystery, the film suitably zigs and zags. As a courtroom drama, it boasts stirring moments. But, as well as wasting Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) in a thankless part, The Last Vermeer is never more than passable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GjskJIRyRA GOLDEN VOICES The year is 1990, the USSR has collapsed, and Victor (Vladimir Friedman, The Operative) and Raya Frenkel (Mariya Belkina, Into the Night) are among the hordes of Russia's Jewish citizens that decide to move to Israel in search of a fresh start. But relocating costs them their prolific and busy careers as dubbing artists, with the married pair spending the decades prior recording Russian dialogue tracks for every type of film imaginable — to the point of becoming minor celebrities, including among Israel's ex-pat community once they emigrate. For Victor, the lack of work in the same field is crushing. He delivers pamphlets instead, determined to finance their new life, but yearns to get behind a microphone. Willing to try a gig that puts her voice to use in a different way, Raya takes a job at an erotic phone line, although she tells Victor that she's selling perfume from a call centre. Films about relationships disrupted by sizeable changes and duos forced out of their comfort zones aren't rare. Nor are movies about late-in-life shifts and new developments, and the impact on seemingly solid nuptials. And yet, as directed, written and edited by Evgeny Ruman (The Damned), and co-scripted and shot by Ziv Berkovich (A Simple Wedding), the warm and engaging Golden Voices finds its own niche again and again. There's a thoughtfulness to Golden Voices that underscores almost every choice, including in the film's narrative. Features that wear their overwhelming affection for cinema on their sleeves aren't uncommon either (filmmakers love the medium they work with, obviously, and like to show it). Still, Victor's passion for the big screen and its wonders is steeped in his inability to explore the world physically under Soviet rule, with movies opening a door that he couldn't otherwise pass through. Similarly, the unexpected freedom that Raya finds in her new job is anchored by the same truth. Being able to genuinely be herself behind a veil of anonymity is a new experience, which she relishes, as she does the attention sent her way by a doting customer. These characters are truly approaching their lives afresh — sometimes by choice, sometimes not so — and Ruman and Berkovich find multiple ways to convey this in their screenplay. Also helping: the film's lived-in sense of Israel's expat Soviet Jewish community, Berkovich's eye for composition, the visual period detail and the nuanced yet potent performances by Friedman and Belkina. A sense of neatness can creep into Golden Voices at times, but never encroaches upon the work of its likeable and expressive leads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVBKyLqsS5k PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY Before a single Peter Rabbit movie had hopped into cinemas, the Paddington films got there first — and twice. The English franchise about everyone's favourite marmalade-eating bear has left big paw prints for its bunny-focused counterpart to follow in, too, but neither 2018's Peter Rabbit nor its new sequel Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway comes remotely close to filling them. While impressive photorealistic CGI brings the jacket-wearing Peter and his also partially clothed fellow animals to life, and such special effects wizardry blends seamlessly with the live-action settings and cast members as well, this series is cartoonish and anarchic from its first moments. Anyone who grew up reading Beatrix Potter's books, which date back nearly 120 years, will notice the distinct, stark and unwelcome change of tone. The farmland setting and all those cute rabbits look just as they should, but this is a family-friendly franchise that turned sticking a carrot down a man's pants into one of its big gags the first time around. Accordingly, expecting anything gentle and measured in The Runaway — and anything other than more of the same, just laced with some snarky commentary that acknowledges the criticisms directed the initial movie's way — is as foolish as most of Peter's chaotic adventures. Once again voiced by James Corden — as the all-knowing computer in Superintelligence was last year as well — Peter thinks of himself as a plucky rebel. After his long-time human surrogate mother Bea (Rose Byrne, Irresistible) marries his former nemesis Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson, Run), he tries not to cause trouble around the farm, but it seems that he's always seen in that light no matter what he does. As Bea's books about Peter, his sisters Flopsy (Margot Robbie, Dreamland), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki, Tenet) and Cottontail (Aimee Horne, Psychotown), and cousin Benjamin (Colin Moody, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries) attract the attention of a big-city publisher (David Oyelowo, Chaos Walking), Peter gets fed up with his bad reputation. And when he crosses paths with town-dwelling bunny Barnabus (Lennie James, Fear of the Walking Dead), he thinks he's found someone who likes him as he is. From here, returning director and co-writer Will Gluck (Annie) unleashes a heist film that's also a musing on identity, and both elements feel not just broad, messy and distractingly energetic, but also routine. Byrne, Gleeson and Oyelowo bring what they can to their flesh-and-blood roles; however, the overall movie is as about as charming as rabbit droppings. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; and March 4, March 11 and March 18. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters, The Little Things, Chaos Walking, Raya and the Last Dragon, Max Richter's Sleep, Judas and the Black Messiah, Girls Can't Surf, French Exit and Saint Maud.
We could all use a bit of a mood boost and if there's one surefire way to up those dopamine levels, it's a weekend spent lazing by the harbour, soaking up a taste of that luxe waterfront lifestyle. A holiday from reality, featuring sunshine, water vistas and maybe even a private pool. Well, dotted all around Sydney, you'll find chic harbourside retreats and beachfront villas you can call your own for a couple of nights, offering exclusive addresses and hard-to-match views. We've done the hard work for you and rounded up Sydney's most exclusive harbourside stays you can book right now. Choose a favourite, pack those bags and get ready to live your best-ever holiday life. Stylish Apartment, Pyrmont Taste the high life with a stay at this next-level apartment, kitted out with luxury features and boasting sweeping harbour views. From $1410 a night, sleeps six. Cloudbreak, Mosman This sprawling hillside home makes for one luxurious group getaway, complete with smart styling, an infinity pool and absolute water frontage. From $385 a night, sleeps two. The Boathouse, Kurraba Point Set right on the shoreline of Kurraba Point, this roomy retreat features both a sunny waterfront lawn and a boat shed-turned-entertaining space. From $1833 a night, sleeps six. Harbour Hideaway, Clontarf A bright, breezy coastal escape for two, set right on the shores of Clontarf. Enjoy barbecues on the spacious balcony, overlooking the beach. From $499 a night, sleeps two. Camp Cove Tropical Retreat, Watsons Bay Your own tropical oasis, set just metres from Camp Cove Beach, featuring modern styling, a pool and leafy private garden. From $300 a night, sleeps three. Postcard View, Kirribilli A spectacular apartment on the water edge with direct view of the iconic Opera house and Sydney Harbour Bridge. With ideal views and luxe furnishings, this is the perfect stay for immersing yourself in the Harbour city. From $491 a night, sleeps four. Manly Beach Views, Manly Centrally located with a two minute walk from Manly Beach and Corso shopping strip, you'll have easy access to everything Manly has to offer - stunning views included. From $260 a night, sleeps two. Luxury Yacht Overnight Stay, Rose Bay Indulge yourself in a night of romance on board your own private French built Beneteau yacht moored in Rose Bay. On the waterfront with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House in the background, it will be a stay to remember. From $517 a night, sleeps two. Balmoral Beach Beauty, Mosman This stunning absolute beachfront apartment offers magnificent views of Middle Harbour and Balmoral Beach. From $330 a night, sleeps two. Magnificent Waterfront Living, Double Bay Step into your own peaceful harbourside sanctuary complete with it's own private ten metre marina berth, when you stay in this chic Double Bay apartment. From $1008 a night, sleeps five. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: courtesy of Airbnb
If your favourite way to dine involves artfully plated dishes swanning past your place setting on a conveyor belt, then QT Melbourne's newest culinary offering is sure to fire up those tastebuds. Making its home in the hotel's new event space Premiere until Monday, May 1 is The Singleton's Delicious Discoveries: an interactive dining experience by celebrated MasterChef alum Poh Ling Yeow and whisky label The Singleton. Marking Poh's first-ever in-restaurant residency, the pop-up diner is here to celebrate a fresh way of sipping and snacking once aperitivo hour rolls around. The space itself is splashed with plenty of the single malt brand's signature teal, with a central high-top sporting an in-built conveyor belt that showcases Poh's eight-strong menu of sweet and savoury plates. Designed to accentuate the nutty, fruity flavours of drinks list's star single malt, the lineup includes dishes like fries with anchovy cream sauce; fluffy bao cradling fried chicken, kewpie mayo and kimchi; and apple miso caramel turnovers matched with vanilla crème fraîche. "I ignored the sensible and embraced the playful," Poh says of her approach, labelling the end result "a dining experience that is bursting with colour and taste". Meanwhile, The Singleton is showcasing the approachability of its whisky with eight paired cocktails, each working to the label's Plus Two formula — blending single malt with a still mixer and a sparkling mixer in three equal parts. Expect crowd-pleasing tipples like the Mediterranean — made on The Singleton 12 Year Old, lemon tonic and apricot nectar — and the Tropical, which boasts a fusion of guava juice and grapefruit soda. If you're feeling creative, you can even get bartenders to whip you up an off-menu Plus Two, customised with your choice of mixers. Find The Singleton's Delicious Discoveries at Premiere, QT Melbourne, 133 Russell Street, Melbourne, until Monday, May 1. It's running Thursday to Sunday each week, with sittings at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm, and bookings available online. Images: Griffin Simm.
If a luxury getaway is on the cards this summer, NSW has a stunning new outback accommodation option to add to your wish-list. Set on a 9000-acre family-run, third generation beef and sheep property near Warialda in the state's north (about seven hours from Sydney and five from Brisbane), the newly launched Faraway Domes promises a luxury secluded escape, with the added bonus of a minimal carbon footprint thanks to an off-grid power supply. Designed to be able to create its own natural heating and cooling, the self-contained geodesic dome structure fits two and is kitted out in style. You're sure to feel right at home with the luxury four-poster king size bed, a proper bathroom, open-plan living area with TV and, if you choose, a full kitchen stocked with your choice of gourmet eats and ingredients. Meanwhile, a surrounding elevated deck (complete with an outdoor bath) takes full advantage of those sweeping rural views, ideal for nights spent sipping wine under the stars. When you're not living it up in your gorgeous temporary home, you'll find plenty nearby to keep you entertained — Macintyre Falls, Copeton Dam, Cranky Rock Nature Reserve and the Ceramic Break Sculpture Park are located all within an hour's drive of the dome. Faraway Domes currently just has one dome on the property, with plans to construct more in the future. Faraway Domes opens for bookings today with a one-night stay priced at $372. You'll find it at 405 Munsies Road, Warialda, NSW.
Bars where you can do more than just sit around and drink are really having a moment in Melbourne, and it's mainly thanks to the ever-expanding empire of Funlab. The company is in charge of the ever-popular Holey Moley, Strike Bowling and Sydney's Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq (which is set to open in the Docklands soon, too). Now, it has just launched its latest brainchild: B. Lucky & Sons. It's a kidult-friendly bar-meets-arcade with some actually good pawn-shop prizes, instead of the usual plastic crap you get. Think vintage Chanel bags, classic cameras and rare vinyls, plus a Nintendo 64 in its original box and Tune Squad swag from the 1996 cult classic, Space Jam. Yup, they're going real old school with this one. The bar is also hidden behind the facade of an old pawn shop and decked out with eclectic furnishings, from old-world casino chandeliers to neon-lit red octagonal booths. This East-meets-West fit-out extends to the food, where pizzas are topped with the likes of crispy wonton wrappers and bonito flakes or sausage, gravy and potato crisps. For drinks, the bar is slinging canned cocktails and alcoholic bubble teas — like the Taro Bang (Frangelico, rum and taro with blueberry pearls and jellies) and the Passion Crackle (vodka, passion fruit and peach teas with apple flavoured pearls and jellies). Not to mention punch bowls served with floral tea cups, a gold-rimmed espresso martini and one with a side of toast and raspberry jam. The games themselves are clear throwbacks for the millennial generation — featuring everything from Mario Kart and Space Invaders to NBA Hoops and a Dance Dance Revolution knock-off. While the venue is open to littluns during the day, it's strictly adults-only at night, so you don't have to worry about being laughed at by a ten-year-old when you fall off Rainbow Road for the fourteenth time. Find B.Lucky & Sons at Melbourne Central, Level 3, 211 LaTrobe Street, Melbourne. Opening hours are Sunday–Thursday from noon–midnight and Friday–Saturday from noon–3am. Images: Zennieshia Photography
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from May's haul. Brand-New Stuff You Can Watch From Start to Finish Now Hacks Sometimes you need to wait for the things you love. In Hacks, that's true off- and on-screen. It's been two years since the HBO comedy last dropped new episodes, after its first season was one of the best new shows of 2021 and its second one of the best returning series of 2022 — a delay first sparked by star Jean Smart (Babylon) requiring heart surgery, and then by 2023's Hollywood strikes. But this Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner returns better than ever in season three as it charts Smart's Deborah Vance finally getting a shot at a job that she's been waiting her entire career for. After scoring a huge hit with her recent comedy special, which was a product of hiring twentysomething writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder, Julia), the Las Vegas mainstay has a new chance at nabbing a late-night hosting gig. (Yes, fictional takes on after-dark talk shows are having a moment, thanks to Late Night with the Devil and now this.) At times, some in Deborah's orbit might be tempted to borrow the Australian horror movie's title to describe to assisting her pitch for a post-primetime chair. That'd be a harsh comment, but savage humour has always been part of this showbiz comedy about people who tell jokes for a living. While Deborah gets roasted in this season, spikiness is Hacks' long-established baseline — and also the armour with which its behind-the-mic lead protects herself from life's and the industry's pain, disappointments and unfairness. Barbs can also be Deborah's love language, as seen in her banter with Ava. When season two ended, their tumultuous professional relationship had come to an end again via Deborah, who let her writer go to find bigger opportunities. A year has now passed when season three kicks off. Ava is a staff writer on a Last Week Tonight with John Oliver-type series in Los Angeles and thriving, but she's also not over being fired. Back in Vanceland , everything is gleaming — but Deborah isn't prepared for being a phenomenon. She wants it. She's worked for years for it. It's taken until her 70s to get it. But her presence alone being cause for frenzy, rather than the scrapping she's done to stay in the spotlight, isn't an easy adjustment. Hacks streams via Stan. Read our full review. Bodkin When podcasting grasped onto IRL mysteries and the world listened, it started a 21st-century circle of true crime obsessions. First, the audio format dived into the genre. Next, screens big and small gave it renewed attention, not that either ever shirked reality's bleakest details. Now, movies and TV shows are known to spin stories around folks investigating such cases to make podcasts, turning detective as they press record. And, as Only Murders in the Building did, sometimes there's also a podcast venturing behind the scenes of a fictional affair about podcasters sleuthing a case. While Bodkin mightn't come with an accompanying digital audio series stepping into its minutiae, it does take its fellow murder-mystery comedy's lead otherwise. Swaps are made — West Cork is in, New York is out; deaths pile up in an Irish village, not an apartment building; three chalk-and-cheese neighbours give way to a trio of mismatched journalists — but the shared format is as plain to see as blood splatter. Call that part of the 21st-century circle of true crime obsessions, too, as one hit inspires more. Bodkin is easy to get hooked on as well, even if it's not as guaranteed to return for additional seasons. Siobhán Cullen (The Dry), Will Forte (Strays) and Robyn Cara (Mixtape) give this seven-part series its investigating threesome: Irishwoman-in-London Dove Maloney, a hard-nosed reporter who just lost a source on a big story; American Gilbert Power, who capitalised upon his wife's cancer for his first podcast hit; and enthusiastic researcher Emmy Sizergh, who wants to be Dove and, much to her idol's dismay, is fine with following Gilbert's lead to get there. They're thrown together in the show's titular town not by Dove's choice, but because she's bundled off by her editor. Gilbert and Emmy are well-aware that she's not there willingly — Dove isn't the type to hide her disdain for anything, be it her latest assignment, Gilbert's medium of choice and his approach, and Emmy's eagerness. Bodkin beckons courtesy of a cold case from a quarter-century back when the village gathered for its then-annual Samhain festival (an influence upon Halloween). Three people disappeared, which Gilbert is certain is a killer hook for the next big hit he desperately needs for the sake of both his reputation and his finances; however, Dove is adamant that there's much more going on than the narrative that Gilbert has already decided to tell. Bodkin streams via Netflix. Read our full review. Outer Range It was true of season one of Outer Range and it doesn't stop proving the case in season two: thinking about Twin Peaks, Yellowstone, Lost, The X-Files, The Twilight Zone and primetime melodramas while you're watching this sci-fi western series is unavoidable. In its second go-around, throw in Dark, too, and also True Detective. Here, an eerie void on a Wyoming cattle ranch sends people hurtling through time, rather than a cave beneath a nuclear power plant — and that concept, time, is dubbed a river instead of a flat circle. The idea behind Outer Range, as conjured up creator Brian Watkins for its debut season in 2022, has always been intriguing: what if a tunnel of blackness topped by a mist of floating energy suddenly opened up in the earth? Also, where would this otherworldly chasm lead? What would be the consequences of taking a tumble into its inky expanse? What does it mean? It isn't literally a mystery box Dark Matter-style, but it also still is in everything but shape — while contemplating what effect such a phenomena has on a rancher family that's worked the land that the ethereal cavern appears on for generations, as well as upon the broader small-town community of Wabang. Getting trippy came with the territory in season one, in an entrancing blend of the out-there and the earthy. Season two doubles down, dives in deeper and gallops across its chosen soil — a mix of the surreal and the soapy as well — with even more gusto. Just like with a vacuum that materialises on an otherwise ordinary-seeming paddock, no one should be leaping into Outer Range's second season unprepared. This isn't a series to jump into with no prior knowledge, or to just pick up along the way. It isn't simply the premise that Outer Range takes its time to reveal in all of its intricacy, a process that remains ongoing in season two; the characters, including Abbott patriarch Royal (Josh Brolin, Dune: Part Two), his wife Cecilia (Lili Taylor, Manhunt), their sons Perry (Tom Pelphrey, Love & Death) and Rhett (Lewis Pullman, Lessons in Chemistry), and stranger-in-their-midst Autumn (Imogen Poots, The Teacher), receive the same treatment. Outer Range streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. Jim Henson Idea Man Making a documentary about Jim Henson can't be a difficult task. He's the man who created The Muppets, co-created Sesame Street, co-helmed The Dark Crystal and directed Labyrinth — and stepping through all four, complete with footage from them and behind-the-scenes clips as well, could fuel several portraits of the iconic puppeteer. Jim Henson Idea Man features plenty from that key Henson quartet, all teeming with insights. When viewers aren't getting a peek at The Muppet Show being made, they're exploring the technical trickery behind Kermit singing 'Rainbow Connection' in the swamp in The Muppet Movie. Or, if you're not hearing about how the Bert and Ernie dynamic was fuelled by Henson and Frank Oz's real-life personalities, you're being taken through the first version of The Dark Crystal where little was in any known language, then hearing from Jennifer Connelly (Dark Matter) about the picture that made "dance, magic dance" one of the most-famous lines from a movie song. Ron Howard (Thirteen Lives) has a dream job, then. He also makes the most of everything that a tribute to Henson needs. But, affectionate as it was always going to be — Henson is that rightly beloved, and always will be — his doco also dives deeper. Talking heads, including Oz (Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), other colleagues and Henson's four surviving children, are on hand to chat through the man behind the on-screen magic amid the treasure trove of material. Again, this Cannes-premiering documentary is a tribute and an authorised one, but it also examines the impact of its subject's devotion to his work on his marriage, as well as on his wife and fellow puppeteer Jane's career. Howard and screenwriter Mark Monroe (The Beach Boys) are loving but clear-eyed in their approach — and wide-spanning in their range for anyone who hasn't delved into much of Henson's work beyond The Muppets, Sesame Street, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. As it hops through a birth-to-death timeline, the attention given to Henson's experimental films is essential and a delight. For 1965's Time Piece, he was nominated for an Academy Award, with the short held up here as a key to understanding the inner Henson beyond his public persona. Getting viewers discovering or rediscovering that piece, and what it conveys about its creator, is high among Jim Henson Idea Man's many gifts. Jim Henson Idea Man streams via Disney+. Eric In the space of a mere two days to close out May, two tales of two puppeteers have popped up on streaming. Eric is pure fiction, but it's impossible not to think about Jim Henson while watching it, regardless of whether you also have a small-screen date with Jim Henson Idea Man. Creator and writer Abi Morgan — who has previously penned the likes of Shame, The Iron Lady, The Invisible Woman, Suffragette, River and The Split — puts a Henson-esque figure with his own hit TV show for kids at the core of her six-part miniseries. Played by Benedict Cumberbatch (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) in a performance that's bound to receive awards attention, Vincent Anderson even physically resembles the man behind The Muppets and Sesame Street, but he definitely isn't Henson. Firstly, Anderson is an abusive alcoholic. Secondly, his nine-year-old son Edgar (debutant Ivan Morris Howe) goes missing one morning on his walk to school. And thirdly, the eponymous Eric is a seven-foot-tall monster muppet who his boy scribbled to life on the page and then starts following Vincent as his mental health struggles after Edgar disappears. As a series, the 1985-set Eric is ambitious — and, as well as exceptionally acted, also instantly involving and deeply layered as it ponders how a sunny world can turn unkind, cruel and corrupt. It's an ordinary day when Edgar trundles out his New York City door alone, and routine even in the fact that Vincent and his wife Cassie (Gaby Hoffmann, C'mon C'mon) have been fighting. But soon the Anderson family is plunged into crisis. As he frays visibly, Vincent still can't tear himself away from work, becoming obsessed with turning Eric into his show's newest character. Cassie is certain that reward money from her husband's rich parents, who he's estranged from, will help rustle up information on her son's whereabouts. At the NYPD, detective Michael Ledroit (McKinley Belcher III, One Piece) is working the case while handling his own baggage. He's still trying to find another missing kid from 11 months ago, too, but with far less support because that child is Black. Ledroit is also a closeted gay Black man in a workplace and at a time that's hardly welcoming, with a dying partner at home. Eric streams via Netflix. Read our full review. The Veil It's simple to glean how and why Elisabeth Moss (Next Goal Wins) was cast as The Veil's Imogen Salter, the MI6 agent whose speciality is complex undercover gigs, even if the part in this six-episode miniseries initially seems like the opposite of her recent work. In The Handmaid's Tale, Shining Girls and The Invisible Man, trauma and abuse came her characters' ways — but the flipside, of course, is persisting, enduring and fighting back. The inner steeliness that it takes to survive dystopian subjugation, domestic violence and an assault isn't far removed from the outward resolve that Imogen wears like a second skin. The more that The Veil goes on, the more that the show and Moss unpack why its key intelligence agent sports such armour, plus the emotional underpinning that's definitely familiar territory for the actor. The role by the end of the series screams her name, in fact, but the cool, calm, collected and ass-kicking Imogen does as well. Watching Moss as a top-of-her-game spy who puts everyone in their place is the kind of idea that should always get an immediate green light. The Veil is gripping from start to finish, and also a better show because it has Moss at its centre. Imogen isn't her character's real name, a detail that's par for the course in espionage antics and also symbolic of someone trying to construct a new facade atop pain that won't fade. Her latest gig puts Adilah El Idrissi (Yumna Marwan, The Stranger's Case) in her sights, a woman who similarly mightn't be who she says she is. At a snowy refugee camp (Australian Wakefield actor Dan Wyllie plays its man in charge) on the border of Turkey and Syria, the latter is attacked for her purported ties to ISIS — not just as an operative but as a mastermind, which she denies. Working with French DGES agent Malik Amar (Dali Benssalah, Street Flow 2) and American CIA agent Max Peterson (Josh Charles, The Power), Imogen's task is to obtain the truth out of Adilah, who says that she just wants to get back to her young daughter. It's also plain to see why creator and writer Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, SAS Rogue Heroes), plus directors Daina Reid (a Shining Girls and The Handmaid's Tale alum) and Damon Thomas (The Big Cigar), put Moss and the also-excellent Marwan together for much of the series. The Veil streams via Disney+. The Idea of You He's just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him. The Idea of You doesn't use specific those words, aka a gender-flipped version of the Notting Hill quote that became entrenched in popular consciousness a quarter century ago, but it follows the same broad tale and conveys that exact sentiment. He is Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine, Mary & George), the twentysomething pop idol who fronts British boy band August Moon. She is divorcee Solène Marchand (Anne Hathaway, Armageddon Time), an art dealer hitting her 40s who's a mother to teenage Izzy (Ella Rubin, Masters of the Air). And as they meet-cute — not at a bookstore but at Coachella, where Solène is escorting her daughter and her friends to see August Moon, including a VIP meet-and-greet with Hayes and his bandmates backstage — there's no avoiding thinking about Hugh Grant (Unfrosted) and Julia Roberts (Leave the World Behind). Thanks to the internet, although author Robinne Lee has rebuffed the idea that she wrote the novel The Idea of You as fan fiction, there's no escaping Harry Styles popping into your head, either. Actor-turned-writer Lee (Kaleidoscope) knows a thing or two about fanfic: she featured in the movie adaptations of the Fifty Shades books. But the potential Styles of it all doesn't matter when the style of the tale, especially on-screen, is a rom-com about a woman being seen at a time in her life when traditionally the opposite happens. There shouldn't be an air of wish fulfilment to this story in a perfect world, or a race to join the dots to connect it to a celebrity and make that the crux of the narrative's importance. Writer/director Michael Showalter (Spoiler Alert) and co-screenwriter Jennifer Westfeldt (The First Lady), both of whom are actors themselves, thankfully don't opt for that path. Instead, while the movie's characters could've used more flesh in the script and cliches remain apparent, The Idea of You gets layered performances out of Hathaway and Galitzine to make its setup feel emotionally authentic. The details: that cute meeting, her reluctance, his perseverance, chasing their hearts on August Moon's tour of Europe, then navigating the reality behind the fantasy. The Idea of You streams via Prime Video. The Tattooist of Auschwitz How do you bring a tale of the holocaust's horrors and the human spirit's tenacity to the screen when it's as complicated as The Tattooist of Auschwitz? Many of complexities surrounding Heather Morris' book aren't on the page, but rather in the story's dialogue between truth and fiction — with the narrative based on a real-life concentration camp survivor's recollections, but questions raised about inaccuracies in the text's account. As a six-part miniseries, The Tattooist of Auschwitz confronts the queries surrounding its contents, which reached shelves in 2018, by constantly noting how unreliable that memories can be. Each episode opens with "based on the memories of holocaust survivor Lali Sokolov" before sections of the phrase fades, leaving just "the memories of Lali Sokolov" lingering. Backtracking as the elderly Lali (Harvey Keitel, Paradox Effect) recounts his time at Auschwitz to probe how true the specifics are, offer different versions, revise the minutiae and sway the perspective is also an element of the show, as are other figures — such as Stefan Baretzki (Jonas Nay, Concordia), an SS officer overseeing the younger Lali (Jonah Hauer-King, The Little Mermaid) — appearing like ghosts to put forward another viewpoint. Screenwriters Jacquelin Perske (Fires), Gabbie Asher (Sanctuary) and Evan Placey (Soulmates) — and also director Tali Shalom-Ezer (The Psychologist), who helms the entire miniseries — frame The Tattooist of Auschwitz as a portrait of a man looking back at his life and an examination of the fact that every recounting is always guided by storytelling choices. It's a canny move, recognising that Lali's experiences as a Slovakian Jewish prisoner during World War II can only be filtered through his eyes, especially as gutwrenching horror surrounds him but love still springs. Being enlisted with the titular job, which brings a sliver of benefits and freedoms within the camp; falling for fellow detainee Gita (Anna Próchniak, Unmoored) while he's inking; the fraught nature of their fight to be together in such grim circumstances; the reality of death everywhere around them; his relationship with the volatile Baretzki: as Lali at age 87 chats through it with aspiring writer Morris (Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets), that this is his journey and that his recounting isn't infallible remain constantly in mind. Keitel is particularly excellent, but the most haunting element of the compelling series, unsurprisingly, is the moments that it spends with the dead — moments where there's no possibility of different perceptions — who stare straight to camera when they pass. The Tattooist of Auschwitz streams via Stan. New and Returning Shows to Check Out Week by Week Colin From Accounts When Colin From Accounts arrived for its first season in 2022 with a nipple flash, a dog and strangers committing to take care of a cute injured pooch together, it also began with a "will they, won't they?" story. Ashley (Harriet Dyer, The Invisible Man) and Gordon (Patrick Brammall, Evil) crossed paths in the street in Sydney when she gave him a random peek, then he was distracted behind the wheel. Thanks to the titular pet, the pair were soon intricately involved in each other's lives — and a delightful small-screen Aussie rom-com was the end result as they endeavoured to work out what that actually meant. In season two, which picks up after the duo gave Colin From Accounts to new owners and then immediately regretted the decision, a couple of things are different from the outset: Gordon and Ashley are on a quest to get their pup back and they'll stop at almost nothing for their family to be reunited, and this award-winning series is now in "should've they or should've they not?" territory about its central romance. Falling in love is easy. Being in the honeymoon period, whether or not you've actually tied the knot — Colin From Accounts' protagonists haven't — is clearcut, too. Taking a relationship further means peeling away the rosy and glowing surface, however, which is where the series follows its medical student and microbrewery owner in its second season. Accordingly, through surprising news, meeting family members, historical baggage and more, Ashley and Gordon are still trying to navigate the reality of intertwining their lives, and also who they are as a couple. Creators, writers and stars Dyer and Brammall keep performing their parts to perfection; given they're married IRL and no strangers to working together (see: No Activity), the chemistry and naturalism isn't hard to maintain, but they're not just playing themselves. They're also particularly gifted with dialogue, ensuring that everything that the show's characters are saying — be it amusing, heartfelt, acerbic, insightful or all of the above — always feels authentic. Colin From Accounts streams via Binge. Read our full review. Dark Matter When an Australian actor makes it big, it can feel as if there's more than one of them. Joel Edgerton, who has been on local screens for almost three decades and made the leap to Hollywood with the Australian-shot Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones, is such a talent. He's usually everywhere and in almost everything (such as The Stranger, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Thirteen Lives, Master Gardener, I'm a Virgo, The Boys in the Boat and Bluey in just the past two years), and viewers would follow him anywhere. Dark Matter wasn't written to capitalise upon that idea. Rather, it hails from the page of Blake Crouch's 2016 novel, with the author also creating the new nine-part sci-fi series that it's based on. But the show's lead casting leans into the notion that you can never have too much Edgerton by multiplying him in the multiverse. For the characters in Dark Matter, however, the fact that there's more than a single Jason Dessen causes considerable issues. The series' protagonist is a former experimental physics genius-turned-professor in Chicago. He's married to artist-turned-gallerist Daniela (Jennifer Connelly, Bad Behaviour), a father to teenager Charlie (Oakes Fegley, The Fabelmans) and the best friend of award-winning college pal Ryan Holder (Jimmi Simpson, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). And, he's been happy living the quiet family life, although pangs of envy quietly arise when he's celebrating Ryan's prestigious new accolade. Then, when another Jason pops up to pull off a kidnapping and doppelgänger plot, he's soon navigating a cross between Sliding Doors and Everything Everywhere All At Once. Everything is a multiverse tale of late, but Dark Matter is also a soul-searching "what if?" drama, exploring the human need to wonder what might've been if just one choice — sometimes big, sometimes small — had veered in a different direction. While a box is pivotal mode of transport like this is Doctor Who, as are all manner of worlds to visit, this is high-concept sci-fi at its most grounded. Neither version of Jason wants to hop through parallel worlds in the name of adventure or exploration — they're simply chasing their idea of everyday perfection. Dark Matter streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. Excellent Recent Films You Might've Missed on the Big Screen Anatomy of a Fall A calypso instrumental cover of 50 Cent's 'P.I.M.P.' isn't the only thing that Anatomy of a Fall's audience won't be able to dislodge from their heads after watching 2023's deserving Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner. A film that's thorny, knotty and defiantly unwilling to give any easy answers, this legal, psychological and emotional thriller about a woman on trial for her husband's death is unshakeable in as many ways as someone can have doubts about another person: so, a myriad. The scenario conjured up by writer/director Justine Triet (Sibyl) is haunting, asking not only if her protagonist committed murder, as the on-screen investigation and courtroom proceedings interrogate, but digging into what it means to be forced to choose between whether someone did the worst or is innocent — or if either matters. While the Gallic legal system provides the backdrop for much of the movie, the real person doing the real picking isn't there in a professional capacity, or on a jury. Rather, it's the 11-year-old boy who loved his dad, finds him lying in the snow with a head injury outside their French Alps home on an otherwise ordinary day, then becomes the key witness in his mum's case. Also impossible to forget: the performances that are so crucial in telling this tale of marital and parental bonds, especially from one of German's current best actors and the up-and-coming French talent playing her son. With her similarly astonishing portrayal in The Zone of Interest, Toni Erdmann and I'm Your Man's Sandra Hüller is two for two in movies that initially debuted globally in 2023; here, she steps into the icy and complicated Sandra Voyter's shoes with the same kind of surgical precision that Triet applies to unpacking the character's home life. As Daniel, who couldn't be more conflicted about the nightmare situation he's been thrust into, Milo Machado Graner (Alex Hugo) is a revelation — frequently via his expressive face and posture alone. If Scenes From a Marriage met Kramer vs Kramer, plus 1959's Anatomy of a Murder that patently influences Anatomy of a Fall's name, this would be the gripping end result — as fittingly written by Triet with her IRL partner Arthur Harari (Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle). Anatomy of a Fall streams via Stan. Read our full review. May December A line about not having enough hot dogs might be one of its first, but the Julianne Moore (Sharper)-, Natalie Portman (Thor: Love and Thunder)- and Charles Melton (Riverdale)-starring May December is a movie of mirrors and butterflies. In the literal sense, director Todd Haynes wastes few chances to put either in his frames. The Velvet Goldmine, Carol and Dark Waters filmmaker doesn't shy away from symbolism, knowing two truths that stare back at his audience from his latest masterpiece: that what we see when we peer at ourselves in a looking glass isn't what the rest of the world observes, and that life's journey is always one of transformation. Inspired by the real-life Mary Kay Letourneau scandal, May December probes both of these facts as intently as anyone scrutinising their own reflection. Haynes asks viewers to do the same. Unpacking appearance and perception, and also their construction and performance, gazes from this potently thorny — and downright potent — film. That not all metamorphoses end with a beautiful flutter flickers through just as strongly. May December's basis springs from events that received ample press attention in the 90s: schoolteacher Letourneau's sexual relationship with her sixth-grade student Vili Fualaau. She was 34, he was 12. First-time screenwriter Samy Burch changes names and details in her Oscar-nominated script — for Best Original Screenplay, which is somehow the film's only nod by the Academy — but there's no doubting that it takes its cues from this case of grooming, which saw Letourneau arrested, give birth to the couple's two daughters in prison, then the pair eventually marry. 2000 TV movie All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story used the recreation route; however, that was never going to be a Haynes-helmed feature's approach. The comic mention of hot dogs isn't indicative of May December's overall vibe, either: this a savvily piercing film that sees the agonising impact upon the situation's victim, the story its perpetrator has spun around herself, and the relentless, ravenous way that people's lives and tragedies are consumed by the media and public. May December streams via Binge and Prime Video. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March and April this year, and also from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2023. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream shows from last year as well — and our best 15 new shows of 2023, 15 newcomers you might've missed, top 15 returning shows of the year, 15 best films, 15 top movies you likely didn't see, 15 best straight-to-streaming flicks and 30 movies worth catching up on over the summer. Top image: Christine Tamalet / FX.
Renowned for its martinis, late night snacks and popularity with both insomniacs and Melbourne's hospitality crowd, it's a great location to bag a bartender after a long shift. Rich, luxurious and flush with cushioned surfaces and secretive enclaves, it almost begs for a sneaky pash on a dim corner lounge. Ever better, escape with your date to the hidden, fairy-light-lit den that links the venue to Bar Ampere next door...
The centrepiece of Melbourne's alcohol stocked skyline, Rooftop Bar retains its position as the city's most popular — despite the seven flights of stairs needed to scale before you reach it. Open from 11am it is the ideal place to spend a lazy afternoon shaded by an umbrella and fanned by a sky-high breeze. In the evening, rooftop is the pinnacle of elevated recreation: drinks, dancing, views, burgers, deckchairs and cinema. Its popularity is not without merit. Its reputation, however, can often mean overcrowding and long lines for the bar. Booking a ticket for the season's Rooftop Cinema and having exclusive access after sundown is definitely the way to play it. Check out our full list of the ten best rooftop bars in Melbourne. Images: Giulia Morlando.
In 2023, for the 11th time, the wondrous cinematic world of Wes Anderson will expand. The beloved filmmaker's latest release Asteroid City is set to zoom into Melbourne picture palaces midyear, complete with all of the writer/director's trademarks — a star-studded cast, a quirky setup, symmetry aplenty and pastel hues all accounted for. And, it arrives just two years after The French Dispatch finally made it to screens in 2021. So, that's Anderson's new movie, plus his most recent one before now — aka what you're next eager to see from him, and likely what you last watched from his filmography. Because you can never have too much of a good thing from this filmmaker, 2023 is also delivering a retrospective of his work at Palace Westgarth: In Focus: Wes Anderson. On Thursday nights from Thursday, May 4–Thursday, June 22, cinema lovers can enjoy Anderson's distinctive visual stylings, compelling soundtracks and roster of familiar faces, with the venue playing seven of his flicks across the program's run. First up, catch the Jason Schwartzman-led hit Rushmore, then dive into the family dramas of The Royal Tenenbaums and wear matching tracksuits to The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. There's also the stop-motion animation delights that are both Fantastic Mr Fox and Isle of Dogs, because no one does animated cute critters like Anderson. And, The Darjeeling Limited is here with its chaotic train trip, too, plus the exceptionally cast The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch as well. Each session starts at 8pm, with tickets costing $10 for Palace Movie Club members and $15 otherwise.
Australia's 'royal family' seems to have it all — money, power, love. But scratch the incredibly shiny surface and dark secrets abound and the knives are out. Dangerously charismatic patriarch and political kingpin John calls his clan together at the family homestead, and against the backdrop of a terrible storm, the Gleasons fight it out for a slice of the empire in Stephen Sewell's Hate. The family fortune becomes the least of anyone's worries as personal and political machinations are violent, fierce, and cruel in a battle which sees Gleason pitted against Gleason. The perfect facade crumbles and terrible secrets, shielded for years by enormous wealth, finally come to light in the 25th anniversary performance of the play, which was originally commissioned for the Australian bicentennial in 1988.
Jacob Elordi returning to Australia. Snowtown, True History of the Kelly Gang and Nitram director Justin Kurzel and screenwriter Shaun Grant reteaming. Richard Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel making the leap to the screen. A cast that also includes Belfast's Ciarán Hinds, Olivia DeJonge (Elvis) and her The Staircase co-star Odessa Young (My First Film), Limbo and Boy Swallows Universe's Simon Baker, Heartbreak High's Thomas Weatherall, Love Me's Heather Mitchell and Tokyo Vice's Show Kasamatsu. Combine all of the above and Prime Video's five-part miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North is the end result — and if you hadn't already scheduled it in for a couch date in April, you will after watching its just-dropped trailer. "Are you a gambling man?" Elordi's Dorrigo Evans is asked at the beginning of the series' sneak peek. "Occasionally, yeah" is his response — before wagering on the chances of making it through the year alive. Set to hit your streaming queue on Friday, April 18, 2025, The Narrow Road to the Deep North tells a tale of love and war, and of Evans' journey from a prisoner of war as a Lieutenant in World War II, working on the Thailand-Burma Railway, to becoming an acclaimed surgeon. Elordi shares the show's lead role with Hinds, playing the younger version of the character in a tale that jumps between different time periods — and includes a life-changing stint of falling in love with Amy Mulvaney (Young). DeJonge and Baker feature with Elordi and Young, plus Weatherall and Kasamatsu, in the show's 40s-era timeline, while Hinds hops in when the series gets to the 80s, which is where Mitchell pops up as well. Initially announced a couple of years back, then premiering at this year's Berlinale, The Narrow Road to the Deep North brings its star back to the small screen three years after the second season of Euphoria in 2022 — and a likely a year before the HBO favourite's third season arrives. He's been busy on the big screen since, though, courtesy of Saltburn, Priscilla, Deep Water, The Sweet East, Oh, Canada and On Swift Horses, before what's set to be prime Easter long-weekend viewing drops. Prior to all of the above projects, and also before the three Kissing Booth films helped boost his career first, Elordi scored his first on-screen acting credit beyond short films in Aussie movie Swinging Safari. Since then, however, the Brisbane-born talent has largely focused on working overseas. So The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a rarity of late on his filmography, with the actor heading home to make the drama. Charles An (Last King of the Cross), Essie Davis (One Day), William Lodder (Love Me), Eduard Geyl (Born to Spy) and Christian Byers (Bump) are also among the cast. Check out the trailer for The Narrow Road to the Deep North below: The Narrow Road to the Deep North will stream via Prime Video from Friday, April 18, 2025. Images: Prime Video.
The Meat and Wine Co has three outlets across town — one in the CBD, one in South Yarra, and one in Hawthorn — so you need not miss out when it comes to hump day lunches. If you've beer and meat in your sights, head in for their lunch special: two courses ($39) or three ($49) which includes a glass of wine, beer, or soft drink. Or, just pick an animal and go to town with ribs, steak and chicken breast all available. Images: Giulia Morlando.
Somehow, entirely inexplicably, we're already thinking about Christmas. This year, skip the typical department stores and instead pick out unique gifts for your family and friends at The Big Design Market. Coming to Melbourne for the eight time on the first weekend of summer, the three-day independent designer extravaganza features over 250 stallholders selling furniture, fashion, homewares, textiles, and much more. With such a wide range of products, you're sure to find something for even the pickiest people on your list. The Big Design Market always commissions an impressive installation, and this year illustrator Marc Martin will fill the Exhibition Building with a flock of colourful birds. You can also expect a smorgasbord of food options from local favourites like Gelato Messina, All Day Donuts, Q le Baker and 5 & Dime Bagels, plus cocktails from Sydney gin distillery Archie Rose and bottled negronis from The Everleigh. Each year the market also puts together a showbag of goodies from some of Melbourne and Sydney's best designers, including Erika Harder Jewellery, Kester Black, Danica Studio and Leif. A limited number will be available to purchase for $25 ($120 value). So prepare your bank account, and get ready to have your Christmas shopping done earlier than you ever have before. The market will be open from 10am–9pm on Friday, 10am–7pm on Saturday and 10am–5pm on Sunday.
From a National Trust-recognised Victorian mansion, Linden New Art showcases — as its name suggests — new, contemporary works by mid-career artists. The gallery, located on Acland Street's leafy residential stretch, also supports artists through mentorship programs and residencies, and it retains ties to the local creative community through its regular series of events. In 2019, the gallery launched Linden Arts Space, a separate exhibition space available for hire to create showcase opportunities for local artists and curators.
You might already know that this year marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' last tour of Australia. Maybe you attended the recent exhibition in honour of the event, you might have spun a bit of Sgt. Pepper in an act of solidarity, or perhaps you've been copping an earful from older relatives reliving their days as hapless groupies. Either way, any of your tributes pale in comparison to that of the legends who live in Holbrook, New South Wales. In what's being hailed as the country's largest ever yarn bomb, thousands of eager knitters have this week coated a decommissioned Navy submarine in yellow crocheted wool. Organised by Murray Arts, the project has been six months in the making and features a crazy amount of work by the local community. Outside of Holbrook, contributions for the project came from as far across the globe as Scotland, where family members of those that had served on the submarine kindly offered their efforts too. At a whopping 90 metres in length, this yellow submarine now stands as beautiful tribute to the eponymous Beatles' classic (and also uncannily makes the vessel look like a prop from a Wes Anderson film). The yarn bomb will stay in place until July 12, when the blankets will be cut down and donated to an animal shelter. Good vibes all 'round. Via ABC. All images via the Holbrook Submarine Facebook.
Pink hues, beach-themed decor, a roller rink, desserts served in toy convertibles: you'll find them all at the Malibu Barbie Cafe. After popping up across the US — with New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Miami, Austin and Houston all welcoming the venue — this ode to Barbiecore has made its Australian debut. Come on Aussies, let's go party in Melbourne. Being a Barbie girl in a Barbie world wasn't just a 2023 trend, back when Greta Gerwig's (Little Women) Margot Robbie (Asteroid City)-starring — and Oscar-nominated — film became one of the biggest and pinkest movies to ever hit cinemas. The 2025 way to get your fix Down Under has arrived, and it's hanging around until summer 2026. Hitting up the Malibu Barbie Cafe at The Social Quarter at Chadstone Shopping Centre in the Victorian capital means not only enjoying ice cream floats dished up in a pink Barbie car, but also frequenting the Ken Kabana bar for fairy floss-topped cocktails and putting your skates on. Initially announced in mid-June and open since Friday, June 27, this is the cafe's debut stop beyond America. It's also Melbourne's second temporary big-name pop culture-themed addition this winter, after Melbourne Museum's Star Wars Galactic Cafe opened its doors in early June. Kicking it back to the 1970s, when Malibu Barbie initially debuted, is on the agenda, too. When you're hitting the rink, so is skating surrounded by artwork of palm trees. A life-sized Barbie box? An installation that celebrates how Barbie as a brand has changed over the years? That's all on offer at the Malibu Barbie Cafe as well, alongside merchandise that you won't find anywhere else. Ken's job isn't just beach here, given that his name adorns the cocktail-slinging upstairs bar in the two-storey site. On the drinks menu: that gin and lemonade concoction with spun sugar on top; themed takes on mojitos, margaritas, cosmopolitans, espresso martinis and old fashioneds; and more. If you're keen on a booze-free version, some of the tipples are available as mocktails. There's also a snack range, including fries with pink mayo, prawn cocktails, sushi and baked brie. Downstairs, Malibu Barbie Cafe's menu is an all-ages-friendly affair, with that ice cream float just one option. Sticking with sweets means choosing from doughnuts, pink cookies, cupcakes, ice cream sundaes, fruit and marshmallows. If you can't decide, the dessert sampler dishes up a mix of picks on a Barbie boat for between four and eight people. Savoury dishes span the same small bites as at the Ken Kabana, plus burgers, poke, garlic prawn linguine, beer-battered fish tacos, club sandwiches, grilled cheese, mac 'n' cheese and salads. Or, tuck into avocado toast, açai bowls, bacon and eggs, parfait or pancakes from the all-day brunch selection. Then, to drink, milkshakes, pink lemonade and pink lattes are among the options. If you're thinking "come on Barbie, let's go party", party packages are indeed a feature — including three-hour adults-only private-dining experiences from 6.30pm Thursday–Sunday. Find Mattel's Malibu Barbie Cafe at The Social Quarter at Chadstone Shopping Centre, 1341 Dandenong Road, Malvern East, Melbourne, until summer 2026 — open from 10am–6pm Monday–Wednesday, 10am–10pm Thursday–Friday, 9am–10pm Saturday and 9am–8pm Sunday. Head to the cafe's website for more details.
A piece of history is making history in Australia. Until October 2024, Melbourne Museum has a must-see sight on display for everyone interested in dinosaurs — so, everyone — courtesy of its Victoria the T. rex exhibition. The titular fossil isn't any old Tyrannosaurus rex, not that such a description ever fits the first kind of dino that always comes to mind when anyone thinks about dinos. This one happens to be one of the world's largest and most-complete T. rex skeletons, and also the biggest and most-complete specimen ever to display Down Under. Showing until Sunday, October 20, 2024, Victoria's fossil has made Aussie debut in the state with the absolute best name for the occasion. In the process, it also marks the first time that a real T. rex has ever been on display in Victoria. And it isn't small: found in South Dakota in 2013 but dating back 66 million years, Victoria is comprised of 199 bones, including a skull that weighs 139 kilograms. The fossil reaches 12 metres in length and 3.6 metres in height. And, because the skull is so heavy, it has to be displayed separately as it can't be mounted upon Victoria's body. The Victoria the T. rex exhibition also features interactive elements, such as multi-sensory installations that let you experience how the Tyrannosaurus rex saw and smelled, plus dioramas and a section where you can make your own customised 3D T. rex. Welcome to... the cretaceous period, then. The informative side of the showcase steps through recent palaeontological findings, so that you can get an idea of what Victoria's life was like all that time ago — and also find out what brought about her end. If that's not enough dino action to make you feel like David Attenborough — or his brother Richard in Jurassic Park and The Lost World — Victoria the T. rex is displaying alongside Triceratops: Fate of the Dinosaurs, which has been open at Melbourne Museum since 2022. The latter permanently features Horridus, the world's most complete Triceratops fossil, and entry to both exhibitions is included in one ticket. At IMAX Melbourne, 45-minute documentary T.REX 3D is also be showing, complete with footage of Horridus. "Victoria the T. rex is a monumental addition to our world-class exhibition lineup. Melbourne Museum is the home of dinosaurs in Australia, and currently the only place on earth where visitors can see two of the finest examples of a real T. rex and a real Triceratops under one roof." said CEO and Director of Museums Victoria Lynley Crosswell. As Museums Victoria Research Institute senior curator of vertebrate palaeontology Dr Thomas Rich explains, there's another highlight, too. "Not only can visitors to Melbourne Museum see one of the world's finest examples of a T. rex; they can also see a related and extremely rare fossil cared for in the State Collection: Timimus hermani, one of the state of Victoria's most unique dinosaurs and possibly a great-great-great grandfather of T. rex. This 105-million-year-old fossil is an example of the only undoubted tyrannosauroid from the southern hemisphere and is on public display in the exhibition 600 Million Years." Victoria the T. rex is on display from Friday, June 28–Sunday, October 20, 2024 at Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street, Carlton. Head to the museum's website for tickets and further information. Images: Eugene Hyland.
Mediterranean-inspired bars and restaurants are opening across the city. They're heroing minimalist design features with plenty of natural finishes. Spritz menus are now a thing. And classic Euro-centric bites — especially simply-prepared seafood — are everywhere. This kind of food is considered a fabulous companion to lighter, juicier wines (plus beloved pét-nats), which are increasingly popular. We're not unhappy about this trend. The Mediterranean style of dining, which can range from light snacking and sipping wine to full-on feasting, is excellent. And Lucia in South Melbourne certainly capitalises on this trend. But it isn't simply jumping on the bandwagon. The owners, Frank Ciorciari and Anthony Silvestre, are already responsible for creating a handful of charming European wine bars and restaurants in Melbourne, including Riserva and Baia Di Vino, and the beautiful bakery Breadcetera in Malvern East. The luxurious menu features numerous seafood specialties. Cold dishes from the bar include oysters with yuzu and lemon-thyme mignonette, a lobster taco with citrus and chive dressing, and snapper crudo with pickled green papaya. Sample warm seafood snacks such as prawns in brick pastry with finger lime mayo or scallops with peas and pancetta. Pasta, risotto, and proteins are also available, such as four cheese agnolotti, lamb rack with polenta and duck with apricot and orange. Head Sommelier Simone Garro oversees the wine program at Lucia and has curated a 400-strong wine list that spans a range of price points, regions, and grape varieties. For those wanting to try rare drops without having to get a super expensive bottle, Garro has even made a few available by the glass using a Coravin. There are also Euro-inspired cocktails and a hefty selection of digestives and aperitifs. In addition to the leisurely dining room, Via Lucia Mercato, a casual takeaway extension of the restaurant, has opened to offer gourmet grab-and-go options for locals and visitors to the area. With its own dedicated access off Eastern Road, the mercato has been designed for morning coffees, healthy takeaway lunches, and a place to pop in and grab a convenient and tasty dinner. Ciorciari says, "With Breadcetera, we saw how much people value being able to pick up good food that feels thoughtful but easy. In South Melbourne, we felt there was room for something similar to Lucia — somewhere you could grab a coffee, build a proper lunch, or take something home for dinner without it feeling formal. Via Lucia Mercato grew from that." Via Lucia serves simple, quality staples, including pastries (from Austro), coffee (from Lavazza), paninis, seasonal vegetables, and fresh salads, with rotating proteins such as chicken schnitzel. "We wanted it to feel useful to the neighbourhood. Good food, made properly, that you can take with you. It's connected to Lucia, but it stands on its own as a more casual, flexible way to eat," says Silvestre. Taking cues from Breadcetera, Via Lucia functions as a neighbourhood pantry offering gourmet staples and an elevated range of everyday items. Find shelves stocked with Tarralinga Estate olive oil, Lello pasta, and wines from both European and Australian producers. Images: Michael Pham.
Finally, the ultimate place to read a book whilst waiting for friends. Sig. Enzo is a sneeze away from the main drag and run by the Mazzone family: a daughter-father duo that make you feel most at home. Small bites mean fried stuffed olives and arancini, while a larger plate of burrata will satiate the beast. Make sure to nab the booth under the 1950s-style lights (not dissimilar to the Pixar lamp for the uninitiated) which offer enough illumination for page-turning affairs that don't detract from the classy bar you've found yourself in. Beers are from WA's Gage Roads and make an easy happy hour choice. Finish off your pre-evening with a grappa. And if you're around on a Sunday arvo, the bar does aperitivo hour from 1.30pm. It's just $20 for a drink (choose a beer, wine or spritz) and permission to graze on the snacks on the bar all afternoon.
Recently, a wave of international hotel chains have been choosing Melbourne as the first spot to drop their luxury accommodations in Australia — Lanson Place and The StandardX. And the latest to join the fold is 1 Hotels, which is preparing to open a luxury hotel at the newly revitalised Northbank Precinct in May 2025. Located right on the Yarra River, the pet-friendly hotel will be home to 277 guest rooms and 114 hotel-branded residences, a slew of drinking and dining destinations, a resident-only rooftop and a lavish day spa. The level-five spa will have a large sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and swimming pool, plus its own gym with in-house trainers. As with 1 Hotels in London, Hollywood and New York, this Melbourne site will include swathes of reclaimed and recycled materials as well as stacks of plants and other natural elements. All in all, you'll find over 2000 plants scattered throughout 1 Hotel Melbourne, plus there'll be direct access to a 3500-square-metre riverside park. This park is part of the new Seafarers Rest precinct, which sits within the broader Northbank Precinct. This oft-forgotten wedge of land between Flinders Street and the river — located opposite Southbank and accessed via the Seafarers Bridge — is preparing for a massive glow-up. And 1 Hotel will be one of its main attractions. 1 Hotel Melbourne is slated to open in May 2025, and will be found at 9 Maritime Place, Melbourne. For more information, you can check out the hotel's website.
Icy poles and booze — they're the two staples of a long, hot Aussie summer. And now they've come together as one, in the form of Calippo-style Champagne icy poles. They're the genius creation of POPS, a UK brand that has been keeping folks stylishly cool since 2014, when it launched its first frozen Champagne treat — apparently supermodels like Kate Moss and Bella Hadid are on board, if that's something to sway you. The Champagne pop (called The Classic) contains half a glass of Champers (wahee!), and the range has since expanded to include another grown-ups-only creation: the Bellini, which blends hibiscus flowers, blood orange juice, peach Schnapps, and half a glass of Prosecco. Plus, there are a couple of all-ages products too, which see the alcohol swapped out for real fruit. The frozen delights are arriving in our eskies just in time to be eaten in front of the fan (or, y'know, in the sun) this summer. They'll launch in Melbourne first, with a series of pop-up events, and festival appearances aplenty. No word yet if you'll be able to buy a box for the freezer, but let's hope. POPS will launch in Melbourne soon. For more info, visit wearepops.com.
One of the quintessential works of ancient Greek theatre is a getting a contemporary update courtesy of the team at Malthouse Theatre. Beginning Friday, August 21, the company will stage Sophocles' Antigone, a devastating portrait of grief, duty and civil disobedience that, like all the best works from the period, retains an emotional and social resonance nearly two-and-a-half thousand years after it was first performed. Rising star Emily Milledge appears as the eponymous character, a young woman caught in a bitter battle with her community leaders over her right to bury her traitor brother. Adapted by writer and actor Jane Montgomery Griffiths and director Adena Jacobs, the Malthouse production will transport the material to a dystopian present day, eschewing Sophocles' questionable representation of gender in favour of a more timely examination of political fear-mongering and social control.
Clear your diary, grab your sneakers and prepare to get busy, boombastic and nostalgic — Shaggy and Sean Paul are heading on a tour of Australia this summer. It was revealed earlier this year that the two reggae stars would be headlining Southeast Queensland's inaugural One Love Festival, and, now, it has just been announced that they'll also be hitting up Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in January and February. Yes, the shows will be taking place in the summertime, but if there is a storm, we're sure Sean Paul will be able to shelter you. Enough of the song puns, though, you know the hits and you probably already have them stuck in your head. If not, we suggest you listen to (and get ready to relive), Shaggy's 'Luv Me, Luv Me' and 'It Wasn't Me', and Sean Paul's 'Get Busy' and 'No Lie'. The two 90s and 00s stars will be supported by US reggae-pop singer Josh Wawa White, too. So get ready for a full evening of reggae come summer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W5pq4bIzIw SEAN PAUL AND SHAGGY AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2020 DATES Melbourne — Wednesday, January 29, Sidney Myer Music Bowl Sydney — Friday, January 31, Hordern Pavilion Brisbane — One Love Festival, Saturday, February 1 (Sold Out) Perth — Sunday, February 2, Perth Convention Centre Tickets go on sale at 7pm on Wednesday, October 23 via mjrpresents.com. Top image: Jonathan Mannion
Head north from the city towards Thornbury and, burrowed along High Street, you'll find Joanie's Baretto, an Italian wine bar and restaurant. Start with an Aperol or Campari spritz and then dive right into the Italian-style snacks. We recommend the veal and pork meatballs cooked in a Napoli sauce, perhaps followed by its rich veal ragu or broccoli orecchiette. Gluten-free pasta is available, too. On the first Sunday of each month, the bar does aperitivo afternoon where, for $20, you'll get a drink and a selection of cicchetti. Grab a seat at the bar, a table under the softly-lit yellow lights or in the spacious back courtyard. This place delivers on its food and drink and is all about having a good time in a relaxed atmosphere. Perfect for weekend drinks.
What do you get when you cross two current Melbourne obsessions, being chargrilled chicken shops, and lively Greek restaurants? You get, Kokoras. A new no-fuss Greek-inspired chicken shop, from the owner of beloved Tzaki. Alex Xinis (formerly of Hellenic Republic and The Press Club) brought his ode to Athens, Tzaki, all the way to Yarraville last year. The small space (with seating for up to 16 indoors, and 15 outdoors) found big fame. Whether it's Yarraville locals or visitors who have made their first visit to the inner West, just for a taste of Tzaki's charry flatbread, there is always a bum waiting to fill a seat. So Xinis decided Yarraville deserved more, and opened Kokoras on Ballarat Street, next door to Tzaki. Tinged with nostalgia, the takeaway shop tucked behind a plastic fly curtain blends the old-school charm of takeaway chicken joints with modern Greek flavours. "Everyone has a chicken shop memory. We wanted to take that feeling and give it a modern, healthier twist, something you can enjoy a few nights a week, not just as an indulgent treat," says Xinis. Spatchcocked lemon-oregano chicken is taken to the edge of grilled charry goodness and served alongside fresh, vibrant salads such as Greek-style coleslaw (sans mayo), smashed cucumber and dill salad, and cumin roasted carrot grain salad. In terms of carbs, you'll have to double up, because both the wood-roasted lemon potatoes and the blistered flatbread are musts. Images: Supplied.
It's hard to find a soul out there who isn't a fan of the humble sandwich in Melbourne. Invented by the fourth Earl of Sandwich in the 18th century, the convenient 'meat between two slices of bread' has come a very long way in that time. Today, cafes and delis across Melbourne are paying worthy homage to this iconic dish, plating up riffs on global favourites, reinvented classics and everything in between. Whether you've got a penchant for panino, you cherish a good ciabatta, or you're mad for meatball subs — this city's got a standout sandwich joint to suit. We've done the hard work for you and hunted down eight Melbourne sandwich spots that are simply smashing it in the sandwich department. All that's left is to decide which one you'll try first. Recommended reads: The Best Burgers in Melbourne The Best Cafes in Melbourne The Best Restaurants in Melbourne The Best Ramen in Melbourne
If you're keen to treat yourself to a nice glass of wine and a good feed, head to Inverloch Esplanade Hotel (or the Invy Espy as the locals call it). Established in 1896, the seaside pub has been owned and operated by the Cook and Clark families for more than two decades. It's got space aplenty, with an al fresco dining area with ocean views, a family-friendly bistro, a sports bar and a beer garden, plus a drive-thru bottle shop. If you feel like a classic pub feed, the Invy Espy serves up chicken parma ($27), scotch fillet ($38), burgers, fish of the day, a beef and Guinness pie ($26) and, on Sundays, a hearty roast ($26). Want something beyond standard pub fare? Head upstairs to the Captain's Lounge, which is open Thursday through Sunday, for split king prawns with chimichurri, roasted chicken with maple brussels sprouts or pan-seared mackerel. Images: Nicky Cawood, courtesy of the Inverloch Esplanade Hotel.
If there was an image in your head of the perfect winter bar, with dark wood furniture, candle-lit tables, cosy nooks, an open fire and plenty of warming red wines on offer, you'd probably be thinking of The Alderman. It provides all of that wintry magic, and even offers the option to order some authentic and delicious Sicilian food from the ever-popular Bar Idda next door (you won't regret trying the arancino filled with cheese and mushrooms, I promise). The space is incredibly homely — in fact, the room behind the main bar must have been a living room in a former life — and really does feel like you're sitting in a friend's home being offered a glass from their private wine collection before you settle in to a friendly game of Scrabble (or not so friendly, if you're as competitive as this writer). East Brunswick residents lean on this place whenever they need the comfort of an old friend, and it gives them exactly what they need. There is a large courtyard out the back, decorated quaintly with fairy lights, that really comes to the fore in the warmer months, and surprisingly still gets fair attention on the dark, damp days. As for the drinks, there are some craft beers by the bottle, and the standards on tap. The one-page wine list offers enough choice (including many local varieties) without being overwhelming, and the prices on everything are extremely reasonable (glasses of wine start at $7.50). It's a solid offering all around, without trying to be fancy or progressive, and that's kind of perfect. Open since 2006, The Alderman feels like the East Brunswick of old; in a patch that really hasn't changed too much, owing mostly to the staying power of all the great businesses that surround it, including the aforementioned Bar Idda, Atticus Finch on the opposite side of the street, Middle Eastern delight Rumi and local stalwart Sugardough up the road. When the recent flux of new bars and cafes around Melbourne might be feeling a little 'same-same-but-kinda-different', The Alderman shows just what you can achieve when you dispense with pretense and fashion to favour comfort, charm and warmth instead. A local favourite in the truest sense. Image courtesy of essjayspensa via Instagram.
Biannual art and design market The Finders Keepers is returning to the Royal Exhibition Building for its winter iteration, bringing shoppers the latest and greatest from its stellar lineup of Australia's most creative makers. From Friday, July 12–Sunday, July 14, the 270+ stalls, including 50 debut sellers, will be joined by a tasty range of food and beverage offerings as well as DJs playing throughout — all the makings of a prime opportunity to get out, chat with local artisans and support the creative industry. At the core of the conscious shopping space is a focus on helping you discover and connect with the next wave of independent and emerging artisans — specifically, local designers. So, you can expect to find everything from jewellery, fashion and ceramics to leather goods and body products. This seasons's Indigenous Program recipient is Bangerang Country-based Ochre Dough, which will be showcasing its natural playdough made from native bush tucker. Six other First Nations creative small businesses — including Narrm-based social enterprise Clothing The Gaps and contemporary artists Luruk-In and Alejandro Lauren — will also be showcasing their wares. Consider this a reminder that the market is completely cashless, so check (then check again) that you've got your digital (or plastic) payment methods at the ready — it would be a travesty to leave empty-handed.
Renowned Sydney-born gallery Sullivan+Strumpf launched its debut Melbourne outpost last spring, where it continues to do what it does best: championing the best of the contemporary art scene. And next up, that means throwing the spotlight on one of its regular muses, acclaimed Sydney-based Sri Lankan-born artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran. GQ Artist of the Year for 2022, Nithiyendran is hitting Sullivan+Strumpf's converted warehouse in Collingwood for his first solo Melbourne show since 2016. Undergod will run from Thursday, March 16–Saturday, April 22, showcasing twenty new sculptures — building on the artist's long-held fascination with multiplicity, plurality and the portrayal of deities. [caption id="attachment_892884" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Bi Warrior Figure', 2022, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran[/caption] It's a broad-ranging collection of new and recent works that embrace various concepts of the mythological being. You'll find moveable figures, a series of large-scale bronze warrior sculptures and unglazed terracotta miniatures, alongside plenty of the boldly-hued ceramic pieces that have become Nithiyendran's signature. The artist guides audiences on a thought-provoking, yet often playful musing of the diverse histories of iconoclasm, with works displayed beneath colourful LEDS on plinths throughout the space. [caption id="attachment_892885" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Works by Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran. Installation view courtesy of the artists and Sullivan+Strumpf.[/caption] Top images: Mark Pokorny
Father's Day is around the corner (Sunday, September 7), and it's time to get a little creative this year. You can do better than another pair of socks and a run-of-the-mill brunch to celebrate your dad, granddad, uncle, brother, or other father figure in your life. We've rounded up the best things to do this Father's Day, whether it's a cooking class with the kids, a barbecue among furry friends, a free haircut accompanied by a cold beer, or an all-you-can-eat yum cha feast. If you're looking for more, check out Melbourne's best set menus under $100, top spots to BYO, or venues that are perfect for group bookings. Whatever you choose, be sure to make Father's Day a memorable one this year. Recommended reads: The Best Restaurants in Melbourne The Best Wine Bars in Melbourne The Best Pubs in Melbourne The Best Yum Cha in Melbourne [caption id="attachment_945738" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David's Prahran[/caption] For a Bottomless Feed: David's Yum Cha Head to David's (in Prahran or the CBD) this Father's Day to treat the family to bottomless yum cha, which includes a selection of more than 16 dim sum dishes. Think san choi bao, peking duck pancakes, spring rolls, shu mai, fried chicken and pork buns. The easy part is not having to choose because you can taste it all. The hard part is trying not to get full too quickly so you can get your money's worth. Hot tip: Always save room for the white chocolate dumplings. [caption id="attachment_801858" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Queen Victoria Market[/caption] For an Interactive Activity with the Kids: a Cooking Class at Queen Victoria Market If you're looking for a way to get the kids to spend some quality time with the father figure in their life this Father's Day, give a hands-on cooking class at the Queen Victoria Market a go. Chef Tobie Puttock and his daughter will guide participants (suitable for kids ages ten and above) through a cooking class that focuses on a zero-waste philosopy. The class will take place in the Moving Feast Kitchen, an initiative led by social enterprise STREAT. This program aims to drastically reduce the amount of produce that goes to waste each year at the market. Over three tonnes of food have been saved since May 2024, and initiatives such as the Father's Day cooking class will contribute to improving this already impressive statistic. For an Italian Party: Marameo If you're looking to kick off your shoes this Father's Day, head to Marameo's one-off Sunday session this September. Doors will open at noon, and bookings are available until 3:45 pm. Marameo prides itself on being Italian-born but Melbourne-bred. It boasts a bold menu with dishes such as Italo disco lamb ribs, wagyu tartare cannoli and pork cotoletta with chilli salsa verde. Special mention must be made of the coveted cacio e pepe pasta with black truffles and the 10-cheese lasagna with mushrooms. Dine à la carte or go for Head Chef Geoff Martin's Father's Day set menu. For a Spot of Shopping: the Makers & Shakers Market If you're looking for something different to do this Father's Day, why not head to the Makers & Shakers Market at the Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building for a spot of retail therapy. The market is proudly made up of all-Australian stallholders, with more than 180 makers, designers and producers showing off their goods. It's a good thing the market is running from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, September 6, and Sunday, September 7, as there is much to see and do. Try the newly crowned winner of Ballarat's Best Pie, head to Awkward Portraits for a family photo, get creative at a collage workshop, drop the littles off at the Kids Zone, join an hour-long guided spirits tasting session and treat yourself to a hot Italian sub from Rocco's Bologna Discoteca. For Gourmet Catering at Home: Ruben's Deli If you plan to stay in this Father's Day but want to take the stress out of entertaining, let Ruben's Deli do the hard work for you with their gourmet catering options. Signature boxes include the pastrami box, toasted Reuben sandwich box, bagel box, roast chicken box, blini box, antipasti box and smoked fish box. There are also a variety of mains, sides and desserts to choose from, such as Ruben's famous cinnamon babkas and chiffon cakes. Catering orders should be confirmed at least 36 hours before pick up, however, if you are more of a last-minute host, the Armadale store is stocked daily with their gourmet goodies. For a Vegan Feast: Lona Misa For the modern dad who has moved beyond meat and three veg, head to Lona Misa this Father's Day for an all-out vegan feast. The Latin-leaning set menu curated for Father's Day includes the likes of watermelon ceviche, chargrilled shiitake mushroom skewers with aji amarillo and fried sweet potato, and Peruvian-style chicken a la brasa. Lona Misa's signature punny cocktails will take your celebrations up a notch. Try the Panic at the Pisco! with vermouth, passionfruit and lime, or the Rye, Rye, Miss American Chai with rye whiskey, chai syrup and Aztec chocolate bitters. The four-course tasting menu is available from 2–6 September. For a Sunday Roast and Free Pint of Guinness: the Ganley Group Pubs You can't go wrong with a Sunday Roast and a pint of Guinness for Father's Day. Especially when said pint is free. This Father's Day, head to the Bay Hotel Mornington, the Fifth Province or the Windsor Castle (all of Ganley Group) for a special King Island Roast Beef Sirloin served with all the trimmings. Liam Ganley, Director of the Ganley Group, says that their "venues are built on creating moments that matter, and Father's Day is the perfect chance to gather around the table, share a great meal, and show appreciation in the most classic way possible." Sounds pretty good to us. The complimentary Guinness is on offer for all pre-booked Father's Day reservations, so go ahead and make your booking now. For Great Beer and Free Haircuts: Pirate Life Brewery The much-loved Father's Day celebration returns to Pirate Life in South Melbourne this September. The crew at Pirate Life are going the extra mile to make the father figure in your life feel like a legend this Father's Day. There will be a pop-up barber shop offering free cuts and trims, a free can cooler given away with Dad's first pint, and complimentary four-packs handed out to tables booked in advance. We don't have to tell you that the beer will be cold and flowing generously, and the food will be hearty and plentiful. For a Wholesome Family Outing: Father's Day Barbecue at Healesville Sanctuary Tickets are on sale now for the fluffiest, most wholesome Father's Day barbecue at the Healesville Sanctuary. You can expect a buffet lunch, live music, face painting, lawn games and other activities designed to make this a memorable family day out. Kids will be enticed with marshmallow roasting stations, and dads will be rewarded with a complimentary beer on arrival. For Sunday Roasts and Steins of Beer: Molly Rose There are stacks of restaurants that cater for big groups, but Molly Rose is gunning for the top spot this year with its pork knuckle lunch special. The Father's Day set menu is packed with hearty roast favourites such as gravy, roast potatoes and cabbage salad. And as this is a brewery, you best expect a few cheeky beer deals. First off, you and your dad can get $22 steins of the team's Lager #3 throughout the day, and they'll even throw in a free Michelada for dad. With a kids' menu and vegetarian and vegan options, the whole family will be well looked after. [caption id="attachment_966939" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Suxzie Q[/caption] For Set Menu Deals: MAMAS Dining Group MAMAS Dining Group (Hochi Mama, Straight Outta Saigon, Kiss and Tell, Windsor Wine Room and Suzie Q) is getting on the Father's Day banquet train this year, offering special set menus at all six of its venues. Head to Hochi Mama for snapper sashimi and massaman curry, Windor Wine Room for chilli crab spaghetti and tiramisu, Straight Outta Saigon for lamb skewers and pork belly, or Suzie Q for barbecue pork buns and black sesame cheesecake. So many options, so little time. For a Special Sweet Treat: Pidapipo Pidapipo welcomes back their viral Papamisu dessert to make Father's Day extra sweet this year. The tub of tiramisu is filled with layers of mascarpone gelato, Savoiardi biscuits, espresso and sweet cherry syrup, gianduja ganache and chocolate shavings. Head in store to grab one before they are all gone, or try your luck on Uber Eats or Doordash. Top image: Ashley Ludkin
Wine tasting just turned fierce with Into The Vines' upcoming event 'Taste of Origin' — a cheeky nod to State of Origin. This Aussie winetasting showdown features six nationwide emerging producers. In the courtyard, spectators sip top-tier exciting (and elusive) small-batch releases while they chat to the people who made them. But the second floor is where things really heat up. Upstairs, grab a front-row seat to the tasting ring. Sommelier and founder of Carlton Wine Room, Jay Bessell, will go up against wine writer and judge, Jane Faulkner. The two will taste, assess, and argue over their pick of the six wines. The audience tastes along while munching on pub snacks from The Rochey, and the winner is decided through a People's Choice vote. Tickets for the masterclass cost slightly more, but you get to see how the experts do it. The list of winemakers includes: Werkstatt Wines (Victoria), a practice run by Young Gun of Wine Best New Act winner Bridget Mac; Knucklehead Wines (QLD), where Young Gun of Wine finalist Kyle Goodwin produces adventurous minimal-intervention wine; Intrepidus Wines (NSW), Chrissie Smith's one-acre vineyard in Canberra, specialising in small-scale production; Forage Supply Co (SA), a socially-conscious vineyard from former AFL player Justin Westhoff and his best mate Scotty Rogasch; YEAH Wines (WA), a family-owned winery in Margaret River that focuses on single-vineyard wines and Tasmania's Peco Wines, specialising in wild-fermented from the Tamar Valley.
If you've ever landed overseas only to be slapped with eye-watering roaming charges, Holafly wants to make your next trip a whole lot easier. The global travel tech company has just launched its unlimited data eSIMs for Australian travellers, offering affordable access across more than 200 destinations. According to Holafly, many Australians still pay up to $10 a day for international roaming. Well, Holafly has done the maths, and that means $70 for a week in Bali or $300 for a month in Europe. Not to mention, this often comes with frustrating data caps and speed restrictions, too. Holafly's digital eSIM helps cut that cost by as much as 60 percent. Travellers can activate a local plan before flying out, connect instantly upon landing and avoid bill shock altogether. No SIM swaps, no surprise charges and unlimited data wherever you go. Founded in 2018, Holafly has already connected more than ten million travellers worldwide. Its eSIMs are delivered instantly by email, with activation taking just a couple of minutes. From there, you've got unlimited data at maximum speeds, plus round-the-clock customer support. Coverage spans more than 200 destinations, including Japan, the United States, Canada, Singapore, South Korea, the UK and much of Europe, with 5G available in select countries. Plans run up to 90 days, making them ideal for long-haul escapes and extended stays. You can grab a plan directly through Holafly's website or mobile app before you fly.
When something on HBO proves a huge hit, the US cable network goes all in. One case in point: all things Game of Thrones, including the just-arrived House of the Dragon, plus the hefty list of other spinoffs also in the works. Another example: Euphoria, with creator Sam Levinson now behind another HBO series that's filled with parties, drugs, attractive actors and plenty of drama — aka The Idol, which keeps dropping teaser trailers. The show itself doesn't have a release date yet, but it has just released its second sneak peek after first giving viewers a glimpse back in July. This time around, the teaser builds on the music industry-set show's suitably wild vibe and spells out the cast list. With both, it isn't holding back. Levinson teams up with Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye on the series, with the latter co-creating The Idol and starring in it. The focus: a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, played by the musician, as well as the up-and-coming pop idol (Lily-Rose Depp, Voyagers that he starts a complicated relationship with. From the two trailers so far, Depp's character clearly gets thrust into a heady new world — and here, as gets mentioned in the latest clip, sex definitely sells. For viewers, a cast that includes Red Rocket's Suzanna Son, Boy Erased's Troye Sivan, Schitt's Creek's Dan Levy, singer-songwriter Moses Sumney, BLACKPINK's Jennie Kim, Only Murders in the Building's Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Hacks' Jane Adams, Bodies Bodies Bodies' Rachel Sennott and Inglourious Basterds' Eli Roth should be a definite selling point, too. Also set to pop up in the series: Hank Azaria (The Simpsons), Hari Nef (The Marvellous Mrs Maisel), Steve Zissis (Happy Death Day 2U), Melanie Liburd (This Is Us), Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story), Elizabeth Berkley Lauren (Saved By the Bell) and Nico Hiraga (Booksmart), plus Anne Heche (All Rise) in what'll be one of her last performances. When it was originally announced in November 2021, The Idol was set to span six episodes, all filmed in Los Angeles — with She Dies Tomorrow's Amy Seimetz directing every single one. But back in April this year, it was revealed that Seimetz had left the project and reshoots were underway as a result. How that'll impact the end product is obviously yet to be seen — but the teasers so far should have you intrigued anyway. Check out the latest teaser trailer for The Idol below: The Idol doesn't yet have a release date, including Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced.
Everybody loves condiments, but it's hard to imagine sitting down to a 33-minute documentary about one. Until, perhaps, we reveal that the condiment of choice is Sriracha, the punchy hot sauce that inspires cult-like levels of devotion the globe over. Sriracha is a Kickstarter-funded documentary by Griffin Hammond that follows the rise of the ubiquitous 'rooster sauce' in America after a Vietnamese refugee named David Tran decided to make his own version of the sauce, which originated in Thailand but is also popular in Vietnam as a condiment for pho. Tran founded Huy Fong Foods in 1980, and since then the company's revenues have grown by at least 20 percent every year — amazingly, without advertising. The documentary mainly consists of interviews with Tran, as well as several die-hard Sriracha fans. According to reviews, there's some interesting trivia in there and it does give you an insight into the company and its founder. But it's also been described as "one long Sriracha commercial" due to its lack of non-Sriracha-loving subjects. There's some anxiety among Sriracha lovers following the recent partial shutdown of the main Huy Fong factory in California. Combined with a new 30-day freeze on shipment, it's looking like a short-term shortage may be a reality. Have fortitude, heat fiends. You can watch the trailer for Sriracha below. The full documentary is available on Vimeo for $5. Via the NPR blog.
A soundtrack of wall-to-wall floor-filler classics will echo across Australia this autumn, featuring tunes by Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers and Groove Armada — but not exactly as you know them. Joining the dance-meets-symphony trend is the just-announced Alive Garden Party, which has enlisted the UK's Club Symphony to head Down Under to give the country another event in the style of Synthony and Ministry of Sound Classical. The setup: having a symphony orchestra play tracks normally known for getting clubs pumping, not concert halls. The concept isn't new; however, it is popular. Australia's latest instance is heading to outdoor venues, including some wineries — taking queues from A Day on the Green and Grapevine Gathering as well. Songs by Faithless, Swedish House Mafia and Eric Prydz will also feature when Alive Garden Party debuts in South Australia at the end of March, then tours to Moss Vale Showgrounds in New South Wales' Southern Highlands, Swan Valley's Oakover Grounds in Western Australia, the Gold Coast in Queensland and Rochford Wines in Yarra Valley in Victoria. The lineup will expand as well, beyond the Steve Anderson-, Dave Seaman- and Cliff Masterson-led Club Symphony, including vocalists. Attendees aren't just in for a treat for the ears, but also for the eyes and tastebuds. With the latter, the focus will be on gourmet local produce that you can enjoy while picnicking the afternoon away — plus drinks, of course — before getting dancing beneath the stars when night hits. Bringing your own blanket to sprawl out on is encouraged, as is relaxing on the grass. If you'd like the VIP experience, it includes express entry, premium viewing and a bar with an expanded range. [caption id="attachment_936463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Hildebrand[/caption] "This will be a visual and audible show that leaves audiences elated," said Jaylee Osborne on behalf of Alive Garden Party's organisers. "Alive Garden Party was born because music festivals aren't for everyone and concerts sometimes don't quite hit the spot. So we created a highly bespoke, beautiful and comfortable experience for every concertgoer." [caption id="attachment_936464" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Perry McLaughlan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_936462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Hildebrand[/caption] ALIVE GARDEN PARTY 2024 DATES: Saturday, March 30 — TBC, Adelaide, South Australia Sunday, March 31 — Moss Vale Showgrounds, Southern Highlands, New South Wales Saturday, April 6 — Oakover Grounds, Swan Valley, Western Australia Saturday, April 13 — TBC, Gold Coast, Queensland Saturday, April 20 — Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley, Victoria Alive Garden Party will tour Australia in March and April 2024, with tickets on-sale now — head to the event website for further details.
Cheeky, fanciful and adorned with luxury designer touches, W Melbourne knows exactly who she is. While Melbourne has no shortage of hotels whether you are looking for a celebratory staycation or a weekend getaway, none are quite as trendy as W Hotel group's first Victorian outpost. Designed by local architect and interior design firm Hachem, the stay is a study in opulence across 264 guest rooms and 29 suites. Modern comforts include W bathrobes, Davines amenities, smart TVs, deep soaking tubs, free wifi and glowing Marilyn Monroe murals. The crown jewel of the hotel is the indulgent 'Extreme Wow Suite', boasting a jukebox, cocktail bar and private 40-square-metre balcony with river views. Venture beyond your room and you'll find W Melbourne's sky-high, gold-embellished pool, which turns into an adults-only space every evening. A well-equipped gym, 27/4 concierge, in-room dining service and four onsite hospitality venues round out the excellent offering. Plus, every Sunday from 2pm, W Melbourne's weekly indoor pool party WET Sessions kicks off with a poolside bar, panoramic views of the city's skyline and a fresh DJ taking over the decks each month. Tickets will set you back $46.35 (including the booking fee). That gets you entry, a drink on arrival and roving snacks to keep you going throughout the afternoon — whether that's to keep you energised for swimming some laps or just to have a poolside dance, it's up to you. Finally, if you want to live it up and spend a weekday by W Melbourne's glam 14th-floor pool, you can get access via W Melbourne's Swim Club which includes 12-hour access to the luxurious pool zone, including its steam room and gym, without having to book a room. Appears in: The Best Hotels in Melbourne
"Think about how screwed up we would be if we had survived a plane crash, only to end up eating other." That's Yellowjackets in a nutshell, as Christina Ricci (Wednesday) so perfectly describes in the just-dropped full trailer for the show's third season. In store this time around is more then-and-now glimpses of exactly how a New Jersey high school's girls soccer team remained alive — well, some of them — after being stranded in the wilderness following a plane crash, and also what it took to endure and, of course, what the experience did to them. Yellowjackets wants viewers to be its bloody Valentine this year — and more cannibalism, more haunting secrets, more fights to persist and more hunting are set to fill the series' third go-around, as both the first glimpse and initial trailer in 2024, and now a bigger sneak peek, all illustrate. Again, the action is split between two periods, following its characters both in the immediate aftermath of their traumatic accident and also when the past keeps intruding upon their present after decades have gone by. As viewers discovered when it debuted in 2021 and became one of the best new shows of that year, the instantly intriguing (and excellent) series hops between the 90s and 25 years later. Across two seasons until now, life and friendship have proven complex for Yellowjackets' core quartet of Shauna (The Tattooist of Auschwitz's Melanie Lynskey as an adult, and also No Return's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager), Natalie (I'm a Virgo's Juliette Lewis, plus Heretic's Sophie Thatcher), Taissa (Law & Order's Tawny Cypress, and also Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Misty (Ricci, and also Atlas' Samantha Hanratty). The trailers for season three also put it this way: "once upon a time, a bunch of teenage girls got stranded in the wilderness ... and they went completely nuts." The full setup: back in 1996, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private aircraft, Shauna, Natalie, Taissa, Misty and the rest of their teammates entered Lost territory. The accident saw everyone who walked away stuck in the forest — and those who then made it through that ordeal stuck out there for 19 months, living their worst Alive-meets-Lord of the Flies lives. After swiftly getting picked up for a second season because its first was that ace, Yellowjackets was then renewed for a third season before that second group of episodes even aired. In Australia, viewers can watch via Paramount+. In New Zealand, the series streams via Neon. In season three, the returning cast — which includes Simone Kessell (Muru) as the older Lottie and Lauren Ambrose (Servant) as the older Van, characters played in their younger guises by Australian actors Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Liv Hewson (Party Down) — will be joined by Hilary Swank (Ordinary Angels) and Joel McHale (The Bear). And from season two, Elijah Wood (Bookworm) is also back. Check out the full trailer for Yellowjackets season three below: Yellowjackets season three will start streaming from Friday, February 14, 2025 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of season one and review of season two, plus our interview with Melanie Lynskey.
When The Simpsons first found its way into viewers' hearts, it also made its way to the top of the charts. Yes, back in 1991, 'Do the Bartman' hit number one in Australia. Both before and since, the hit animated sitcom hasn't shied away from crooning a tune or two — and if you've now got "Dr Zaius, Dr Zaius, ohhhhh Dr Zaius" or "Who holds back the electric car? Who made Steve Guttenburg a star?" stuck in your head, then you know what we're talking about. The show has sung many a song, and also released many an album — and it's 1997's Songs in The Key of Springfield that's in the spotlight at this Melbourne show of the same name. One night. One huge record. So many catchy songs. That's what's on the agenda from 8pm on Saturday, September 28. Sing along to everything from 'Can I Borrow a Feeling?' to 'See My Vest' to 'We Put The Spring in Springfield' as they're performed live by Boadz. Tickets cost $15 online, with the tunes going down at The Toff in Town.
If you're going to treat yo'self to some high-flying fare like lobster, you might as well go all out, right? Well, Melbourne's luxe seafood restaurant Pinchy's is dialling up the indulgence levels and bringing back one of its most OTT dishes: Australia's biggest lobster roll. This time, though, as Melburnians are limited to visiting restaurants within five kilometres of their homes under the stage four lockdown, the giant crustacean roll is heading on a five-week tour of Melbourne, hitting up a different suburb every Friday and Saturday. Called Made By Sea Tour, it'll land at The Old Garage in Camberwell on August 21–22, then Bentleigh's Wolfe & Molone on August 28–29, followed by Mr Jackson in Mornington and Windsor's Oppen Cafe on September 4–5 and 11–12 respectively. The tour's final hurrah will go down at Johnny's Emporium in Yarraville on September 18–19. You can check out the exact times and locations below. While the super-sized version of Pinchy's signature Maine to Melbourne lobster roll — rocking three times as much crustacean as the original, stuffed into a foot-long bun — will be the menu highlight (and most expensive item at $40), it won't be the only dish heading on tour. You'll also be able to snag a classic lobster roll ($22), crab tacos ($7), truffle fries ($10), mussel chowder ($14) and snapper croquettes ($10). To get your mitts on a big lobster roll — or anything on the menu for that matter — you must pre-order over at the website. And you'll need to move quick as some dates are already starting to sell out. MADE BY SEA TOUR The Old Garage, 2A Glen Iris Road, Camberwell — 4–8pm on Friday, August 21 and 12-8pm on Saturday, August 22 Wolfe & Molone, 282 Centre Road, Bentleigh — 4–8pm on Friday, August 28 and 12–8pm on Saturday, August 29 Mr Jackson, 1/45 Main Street, Mornington — 4–8pm on Friday, September 4 and 12–8pm on Saturday, September 5 Oppen Cafe, 20/2 Maddock Street, Windsor — 4–8pm on Friday, September 11 and 12–8pm on Saturday, September 12 Johnny's Emporium, 18A Anderson Street, Yarraville — 4–8pm on Friday, September 18 and 12–8pm on Saturday, September 19
The Bastille Day French Festival is back, meaning it's time for budding Francophiles to don their best blue, white and red outfit for the occasion. Taking over Queen Victoria Market's C and D sheds once more, this celebratory winter event is happening on Saturday, July 12–Sunday, July 13, featuring a bustling program of top-notch cuisine, live music and masterclasses. French flavours are a natural focus, with a host of local businesses bringing their wares to the market. Renowned baker Quentin Berthonneau from Oji House will serve his incredible sourdough, spanning baguettes, brioche vendéenne, buttery croissants, and jambon-beurre and cheese sandwiches. Meanwhile, iconic French cheese producer Fromager d'Affinois will offer super-smooth double-cream and triple-cream cheeses. You can't have a French market without macarons, so MD Royale Bakes is serving bright, bite-sized treats handcrafted to perfection. Beyond cuisine, the market will also feature a host of France-forward shops, like the Language International Bookshop, with hand-drawn illustrations by artist Susan Kerian depicting the streets of Paris. Forming part of the cultural program, this year's Bastille Festival also includes Les Lumieres Talks – a series of events focused on French history and current events, from the political legacy of street art to the latest tech innovations in sport. There are also fascinating masterclasses to explore, where guests are invited to learn how to pair cheese and wine, create stencil art, and appreciate the ins and outs of the nation's haute fragrance houses.
