If there are two things university is good for it's an education and a free feed. Anyone familiar with campus life knows there are always an abundance of free club BBQs and cheeky union events where you can pick up free burgers and beers, but now the University of Sydney is going one step further: they're inviting anyone to come in and grab a free lunch. Here's the catch: you have to call back on some of that long lost education. Running until Saturday, November 1, Sydney Uni's Food for Thought Truck will be popping up around the city ready to dish you out an excellent feed. Focussed on the idea of leadership, the truck will be posing different topics of discussion each day. To score some food, all you have to do is engage in debate on social media with the hashtag #ithinkleadership. Some encouragement: the menu features slow-roasted pulled pork sandwiches and kale salad with chilli and pomegranate. Jumping in at the deep end, they kicked things off yesterday with the premise that 'It's time Australia's first people came first'. Today, they're following it up with an equally large topic: 'Leadership isn't a title'. The rest of the week will see debates on the ramifications of social media, whether women make better leaders and if Lady Gaga could solve the Ukraine crisis (spoiler: the answer's probably no). Of course, it being reliant on social media and all, the campaign isn't all about shared knowledge and meaningful philosophising. A good portion of those participating have been taking the piss. For instance when the university asked its followers "If you had to describe leadership in one word, what would it be?" the responses included "Leadership", "Dumbledore", and "shirtfront". Yes, yes, yes. Give those people a sandwich. #ithinkleadership is divesting from the industry that is wrecking our planet. @Sydney_Uni — Simon Copland (@SimonCopland) October 28, 2014 #ithinkleadership is being INSPIRED to support indigenous pathways into uni http://t.co/eI2NtugI7W — Kate Alexander (@kate_alexander) October 28, 2014 Free food for thought! Participate in @Sydney_Uni's #ithinkleadership conversation for a yummy feed! pic.twitter.com/Unktn18J95 — Crystal Choi (@crystalhchoi) October 28, 2014 Where you'll find the Food for Thought Truck this week: Tuesday, October 28 — The University of Sydney, 11am – 3pm Wednesday, October 29 — Parramatta Church Street Mall, 12pm – 4pm Thursday, October 30 — Wynyard Park, 11am – 3pm Friday, October 31 — Grosvenor Place, CBD, 11am – 4pm Saturday, November 1 — Bondi Farmers’ Markets, 9am – 1pm
It's been a while since the pop world has heard from controversial pop queen Lily Allen, but her new video proves that she's been listening in. Her newest song, 'Hard Out Here', is one that goes to town on quite a few facets of the pop world, including misogyny in music and fashion, unrealistic ideas of feminine beauty and, unsurprisingly, twerking. The accompanying music video pushes the envelope even further, tearing into the idea of 'thinness' as well as making a few sarcastic jibes at product placement and over-the-top sexualisation on our screens. As per the majority of Allen's music and videos, there is a strong flavour of humour about her latest offering, and it's not too hard to figure out what the megastar and mum of two is trying to say. In fact, she says it quite blatantly and repeatedly, especially in the throwaway line describing "a glass ceiling that needs breaking". With her slew of swears, constant crotch-grabbing and obvious confusion at the style of dancing favoured by some pop stars (Miley Cyrus will remain nameless), Allen's first musical offering in nearly four years has garnered over half a million hits in the last day. Which is quite a lot for what is essentially a great, big middle finger to the ego of the music industry. Good to have you back, Lily. https://youtube.com/watch?v=E0CazRHB0so
Set within an enchanting Balmain terrace, the Cottage is the kind of place every home entertainer dreams of showing off to their guests. Perhaps you'd begin the evening with some balmy summer drinks in the front courtyard, enjoying the cool breeze as it rustles gently through the trees and basking in the glow of the shimmering fairy lights. Or, on a cooler night, you might invite your friends to nestle into a cosy nook of the living or dining room, whetting their appetites with the scent of freshly baking bread from the nearby kitchen. The dream is a reality at the Cottage, only instead of doing the dishes afterwards, you can lounge back and indulge in another luscious cocktail: perhaps a Ron Pedro ($18), which makes old mates of Ron Zacapa and Pedro Ximenez and adds a little cottage-style charm with fresh strawberries and lemon juice. The dinner-party atmosphere has been captured flawlessly in the new autumn menu, which features creative sharing plates that will satiate appetites and stimulate conversations. Fleshy portobello mushrooms burst with barley, dried cranberries, fresh herbs and creamy chevre ($14), while the seared scallops ($18) are so uniquely plump and sweet that their source is carefully guarded by the kitchen team as a trade secret. Each dish on the menu boasts an attractive combination of rustic charm and modern finesse; roast chicken, for example, is served in careful slices over a pistachio-topped streak of yoghurt and accompanied by an elegant rice pilaf ($22). The drinks list is intriguing and international. Consider kicking things off with an organic Krinklewood Semillon ($10/$44) before moving onto an earthy Italian Nebbiolo, or familiarise yourself with the generous selection of interesting craft beers and ciders on offer. It's when it comes to dessert that the Cottage really starts to show off. The circus comes to town with the fairground plate ($16): whether you're munching away on maple-candied popcorn, tearing off pieces of rose-scented fairy floss or biting into a teeny-tiny toffee apple, you can't help but giggle with the nostalgia and share a tale about that time you ran away to the fair. Like all good dinner parties, you'll leave the Cottage well fed, pleasantly tipsy and still chuckling about something that was said four conversations ago. And the best part? At the drop of a hat, the charismatic Cottage team will be ready to welcome you back in and do it all again.
Fancy a Friday culture trip at a cocktail-appropriate time slot? MCA Late is a welcome offering for Sydneysiders looking to start their weekends early — and it's sticking around through May. With free entry, doors open til 9pm and a string of fresh music acts, talks, workshops and film screenings in tow, it's a true highlight of the Museum of Contemporary Art's event calendar. On Fridays throughout May, Sounds on the Terrace will take over the rooftop with a diverse lineup of music performances from incredible local acts. One week, the inimitable dancer and choreographer Fetu Taku will host Gemma Navarrete — a singer-songwriter from western Sydney producing poetic R&B tracks — and a DJ set by Worship Collective's Red Rey. Jonny Seymour will help you herald the funner end of the week spinning groove-ready tracks, while other local favourites Chela, Carolina Gasolina and OKENYO will bring killer sets to the intimate openair stage. Visit your favourites in the permanent collections after dark, or discover other enthralling pieces exhibiting at the MCA for a short time only. Catch the works of five young artists at Primavera 2021, dive deep into the 23rd Biennale of Sydney with rivus or check out Perspectives on Place, an examination of the multifaceted layers that form both our social and physical environments. If you want to get more hands-on, head to a clay-based workshop led by Ebony Russell or sign up for Sundown Sketch to explore the current works via a drawing class (with a glass of wine at hand, too). Scared you'll miss an opportunity to flex your own creative muscles? Sign up to the MCA Late mailing list. Get your fill with shimmering harbour views at the MCA Cafe while you sip on a standout Aussie vino (or perk up with a nighttime caffeine hit in the shape of a salted caramel espresso martini). Then, check in for retail therapy at the MCA Store. [caption id="attachment_806499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bianca De Marchi[/caption] MCA Late is the ideal way to shake up your after-dark activity rotation. Head to the website to check out the full program. Please note, some exhibitions are ticketed. Image credits: Bianca De Marchi, Anna Kucera, Lexi Laphor, David Collins
James Squire was a convict. He was also Australia's first brewer. While the man might have been responsible for an unknown crime, he was responsible for some good beer, too. And, many years on, his name adorns brewhouses all over the country. The Squire's Landing in Circular Quay is one of them: a two-storey restaurant and brewhouse with a microbrewery in residence, home to stunning panoramic views of Sydney Harbour. The venue will be capitalising on this come New Year's Eve. With front row seats for the fireworks display, there's a couple of different options for punters looking for a party on December 31. You can opt to spend the night in the exclusive Tower Room, with access to the Harbour Deck for the 9pm and 12am fireworks. With its floor-to-ceiling windows, it'll be serving you up a big dose of gobsmacking views, and the restaurant will serve you a five-course sharing menu and a drink on arrival. All this will set you back a cool $1000 but hey, it's New Year's — worry about your bank account next year. Or, you can head to the restaurant and make use of one of its long tables if you've got a big group with you. You'll also get to cop the fireworks from the Harbour Deck, and dine on the same five-course meal and drink, for the marginally lower $900. The menu features a luxe selection of bites including oysters, lobster and coffee-cured smoked duck. If you want to dial things back just a tad, you can head out into the Forecourt for $450 per person, which includes canapés from 6pm until 2am plus a drink on arrival. Three options to steer your night into smooth sailing party waters: James Squire was a man of opportunity. For more information and to purchase tickets to The Squire's Landing New Year's Eve bash, visit the website.
According to CP reader @misskra87, Now Yoga is "the most incredible, inclusive community yoga space in Rosebery". Studio owner Thy Monzo has been practicing yoga for over 15 years. Along with her team of certified teachers, Monzo offers an extensive timetable of yoga classes for all skill levels and interests. The signature Now session is a hatha-based yoga sequence in the main room, which is heated to 35 degrees using radiant heating panels. You can also try Now Flow, which is a vinyasa-based sequence in 33 degrees, or Flow in 31 degrees. Or, if you're not into heated classes, give the Zen or Now LIIT (low-intensity interval training) classes a go instead. A single drop-in class is $25, or get an unlimited membership for $70 a fortnight.
Greek street food fans have reason to throw down a solid jig in the inner west today, with the opening of Drummoyne's Zeus Street Greek. Founded by a patriotic team of first generation Hellenic Australians (a formidable collaboration between the team behind Crust Gourmet Pizza and Pony Dining Group), Zeus is modernising souvlaki for the contemporary Greek food lover. Armed with traditional recipes and cooking methods passed down through five generations, Zeus are set to serve up Mirool Creek lamb cooked ‘kontosouvli' — a traditional skewer-grilled Cypriot method resulting geared for a little tenderness. "The inspiration for Zeus was to give Sydneysiders an innovative food experience that incorporates the founders’ passion for Hellenic food, culture and tradition," say the Zeus team, who plan to open more instalments in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. "Zeus pays homage to the 'God of hospitality' and the Greek custom of filoxenia or 'showing hospitality to all'. Renowned in Greek culture filoxenia translates to everyone being welcome in a Hellenic house where there is always food and wine to be shared whether it’s with old friends or new." Savoury street-style splendour at Zeus comes dine-in, takeaway or delivered to your Drummoyne doorstep. The eponymous house specialty, The Zeus, is set to be a Greek street food staple worth crossing the city for — slow-cooked lamb with Aegean slaw, smoked eggplant, onion and parsley in fresh pita. Theres the Uncle 'Tzimmy' Classic, with chargrilled lamb, pork or chicken with tomato, tzatziki, onion, paprika in pita (with the all-important chips) and ancient grain salads and mezze dishes for vegetarians (think marinated olives, spanakopita and the salty, salty monarch of Greek food — halloumi). Then for dessert, smoosh your face into Zeus' fig and cinnamon rizogalo. Going hungry isn't an option at Zeus. "When a Greek family hosts you, you’re treated like a guest of honour whether they’ve known you your whole life or you’ve just met that day," says the Zeus team. "Greeks welcome everyone with open arms and make sure that you don’t go hungry while you’re a guest of theirs. It’s this feeling of being welcomed in to the extended family that is brought to life when people drop in to Zeus." So what's this about free food? To celebrate the cutting of the red ribbon, Zeus will be giving away free souvla this Saturday 14 June between 12 and 3pm to everyone who drops in. Free. Souvla. Plus, they'll donate $2 from every souvla given away to Father Chris O’Riley’s Youth Off The Streets charity. That's some feelgood free food we can get behind. Opa! Zeus Street Greek can be found at 189 Lyons Road, Drummoyne. 'I Love Souvla Saturdays' start Saturday 14 June from 12-3pm (every customer nabs themself a free souvla).
Plenty can happen in five years — and, across a time that saw a worldwide pandemic hit, shutdowns and lockdowns sweep the globe, life as everyone knew it change and then normality largely return, plenty did. Something that hasn't occurred Down Under since 2019, however, is music festival Rolling Loud. That'll change in 2024. The world's biggest hip hop fest has finally locked in a return trip to Australia, after debuting on our shores with a Future-led lineup in Sydney in pre-COVID-19 times. Obviously, the delay in coming back is understandable. In good news for festivalgoers, Rolling Loud is doubling its Aussie footprint when it makes it second trip, expanding to Melbourne as well. This is still a summer event, starting at Sydney's GIANTS Stadium on Friday, January 26 before hitting Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Saturday, January 27. As for who'll be on the bill, that news is coming on Wednesday, October 25. "We are hyped to come back to Australia for the first time in years," said Rolling Loud co-founders Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif, announcing the event's Aussie return. "The Sydney fans were so passionate in 2019, so we are eager to return Down Under, and bring Rolling Loud to more cities this time. The Aussie shows will be a unique Rolling Loud experience, and we're excited for everyone to see what's in store." Since its first outing in Miami back in 2015, Rolling Loud has expanded to Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, and also to Thailand, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands and Portugal as well. Past sell-out events have seen names like Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Post Malone and Migos all grace the festival's stage. At 2023's Miami event, Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti led the bill, with Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice and 21 Savage also on the roster — and Turnstile becoming the first-ever rock band to hit the fest. Whoever is on the Aussie 2024 lineup, they'll be part of a ten-year celebration for Rolling Loud — a period that's seen the brand also span streetwear and merchandise, as well as spreading fests across four continents. ROLLING LOUD AUSTRALIA 2024 DATES: Friday, January 26 — GIANTS Stadium, Sydney Saturday, January 27 — Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne Rolling Loud will return to Australia in January 2024. For more information — plus pre-sale tickets from 10am AEDT on Monday, October 23 and general tickets from 10am AEDT on Thursday, October 26, head to the festival's website. Images: Beth Saravo and Sebastian Rodriguez
This news isn't like rain on your wedding day. It doesn't resemble finding a black fly in your chardonnay. And it definitely isn't anything like hitting a traffic jam when you're already late, either. But, it will have you singing those lines — and it is news that you oughta know, too — because 15-time Tony Award-nominated musical Jagged Little Pill is heading to Australia. The acclaimed production is making its first trip beyond Broadway, in fact, when it hits the Theatre Royal Sydney in September. And, when the curtains are raised, it'll help mark another milestone, reopening the Theatre Royal five years after it closed its doors in 2016. Inspired by Alanis Morissette's 1995 album of the same name, Jagged Little Pill the Musical weaves a story around songs from that iconic record. So yes, it's a jukebox musical like Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Rock of Ages. Famed tracks 'Ironic', 'You Oughta Know', 'Hand in My Pocket', 'Head Over Feet' and 'You Learn' all feature, in a production that boasts music by Morissette and her album co-writer and producer Glen Ballard, lyrics by Morissette, and a book by Juno Oscar-winner Diablo Cody. And, songs such as 'Thank U', 'So Pure', 'That I Would Be Good', 'So Unsexy' and 'Hands Clean' all pop up as well, even though they hail from the musician's subsequent albums. [caption id="attachment_807910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jagged Little Pill the Musical original Broadway cast, Matthew Murphy.[/caption] Just who'll be starring in the show is yet to be revealed, along with the exact season dates. But, narrative-wise, Jagged Little Pill the Musical tells the tale of the Healy family. They struggle their seemingly idyllic suburban lives after a troubling event in their community. Expect to hear Morissette's tunes — including two new songs written just for the show — used in a tale about social issues relevant to today, but with an overall message of hope, healing and togetherness. Whether Jagged Little Pill the Musical will be a Tony-winner by the time it hits our shores, rather than just a nominee, isn't yet known. Its 15 nominations were all announced in 2020 for the pandemic-delayed 74th Tony Awards, which won't be held until Broadway reopens. Australians keen to see the musical can sign up for the ticket waitlist, and can look forward to watching it in a venue with quite the history. The 1100-seat Theatre Royal is one of Australia's oldest theatres, dating back to the 1870s. But most folks will know it in its current form, after it reopened in the 1970s with a design by famed Australian architect Harry Seidler as a replacement for the old theatre that was demolished when the MLC Centre was built. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh49oFfh1Bw Jagged Little Pill the Musical will play the Theatre Royal Sydney at 108 King Street, Sydney, from September — with exact season dates yet to be announced. For further details and to join the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website. Top image: Jagged Little Pill the Musical Broadway opening night curtain call, Bruce Glikas.
Tim Burton is back — and, regardless of how you feel about the filmmaker's output of late, that's a good thing. While indulging his love of all things weird and wonderful has seen the likes of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows annoy rather than endear, the director is still capable of crafting enchanting efforts when he finds just the right level of quirkiness. Sure, they were made decades ago, but Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and his two Batman movies all remain classics for a reason. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children mightn't quite take Burton back to his strange, spirited heights, however it shares much more in common with his earlier work than his more recent fare. Of course it helps that the source material couldn't be a better fit. Boasting a title that champions its oddness, a story filled with outsider characters embracing their individual traits, and an unusual journey through both dark and delightful territory, the first book in the three-strong young adult series by author Ransom Riggs feels like it was destined to end up in Burton's hands. 16-year-old Jake (Asa Butterfield) has heard about Miss Peregrine (Eva Green) and her unusual abode from his doting grandfather Abe (Terence Stamp) ever since he can remember — although as he grew up, he stopped believing that the fantastical tales were true. Then tragedy strikes, leaving Jake with many questions — which a trip to Wales to seek out the house from his childhood stories just might be able to answer. There, with the help of the lighter-than-air Emma (Ella Purnell), the fire-starting Olive (Lauren McCrostie), the necromantic Enoch (Finlay MacMillan) and many more, Jake discovers the other side of his reality. What would happen if Burton made a mashup of X-Men, Harry Potter and The Matrix? Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, that's what. In fact, screenwriter Jane Goldman worked on X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past, as well as Kingsman: The Secret Service. Once the 127-minute-long movie moves past its dragging, world-building first half, the director and scribe prove a well-matched pair, blending both eccentricity and adventure to mostly charming effect. And while the film follows a very familiar path and ponders recognisable themes, it does so with an ideal dose of Burton's distinctive sensibilities. Think visions of reanimated critters, gas mask-wearing kids, sunken ships and stalking monsters – to name but a few of the movie's more memorable sights. Crucially, however, the striking imagery doesn't overpower the narrative. Instead, it helps add depth and texture, and immerses viewers in the story. Cast-wise, the youthful talent proves uniformly up to the task, although if there's ever an actor that can convey Burton's bewitching brand, it's Green. Move over, Johnny Depp, there's a new muse in town.
I want to begin by saying I don't consider myself adventurous. Diving into a tank with fully grown sharks isn't something I would have chosen to do for most of my life. But you don't get many chances to take this kind of plunge. Shark Dive Xtreme takes place in the beloved Sydney SEA LIFE Aquarium, a truly historic landmark of our city. I spent many a school holiday afternoon running among its dark hallways and viewing windows, hypnotised by the aquatic wonders inside. If you've done the same, you might have witnessed a group of people clad in scuba gear stepping inside the shark tank. Years ago, one of those people was my dad, a typical thrill seeker and the common crowd for this activity. Me on the other hand? I never considered myself doing the same. And for the last two years, nobody could. This was one of the many experiences to close its doors at the height of the pandemic, but, as of December 2022, the sharks are once again inviting small groups of humans to hang out in their tank. I was starting to feel a little too comfortable in my comfort zone, so when given the opportunity to join a group, I said yes without even thinking it through. After gathering at the meeting point, my fellow divers and I enter the briefing room, where we go through the necessary red tape and learn the basics and house rules of the tank. I was surprised to learn that no previous scuba certification or experience is needed for this experience. I was a complete scuba rookie pre-dive, but newbies and pros alike spend an hour being briefed on all the essential details, including an overview of the gear, the dos and don'ts of swimming in a shark tank, and the basic hand signals you'll need to communicate with your instructors (walk, kneel, stop, shark, equalise, I'm okay, I'm not okay, etc). It's at this point that I'm at the peak of my nerves — my mind couldn't help but wander to where things could go wrong. Once we graduate from the classroom, it's time to get wet. We step into the changing rooms to put on our wetsuits and water boots, quickly pose for a pic, and then head behind the scenes. We step into a large space above the tank and all of a sudden, it feels very, very real. The sharks are within sight. [caption id="attachment_886392" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Andrew Howell[/caption] As I walk in, my eyes immediately lock onto a fin slicing through the water, like a beckoning wave. It's surreal, not only because this is behind the scenes of somewhere I've visited many times in my life, but because I'm now looking at a real life shark. That I'm about to swim with. Oddly enough, at this point I feel my nerves fading and my excitement increasing — though that could just be the adrenaline. But there's one more step before we hop in: the training tank. This is where you take the theory and put it into practice in a watery — but shark-free — environment. Andrew and Nick, our fabulous instructors, help us don the scuba gear and get used to it in chest-deep water. This is the only point I actually feel — albeit briefly — scared. Of the scuba, not the sharks. My leg cramps up and I lose my balance, suddenly tipping over like a sinking ship. Once upright and relaxed, we stand in the water for what feels like an hour, adjusting to our sole source of oxygen being a tube leading out of a tank on our backs. Once we can signal that we're calm and ready, it's go time. [caption id="attachment_885136" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Andrew Howells[/caption] A glass door slides open, and we're suddenly sharing the water with grey nurse sharks, port jackson sharks, wobbegongs, stingrays and all manner of fish. Out we step and down we go into the tank, where everything gets surprisingly calm. I don't feel panicked — I just focus on breathing and taking in my surroundings. Thankfully, I'd been able to convince three friends to come along to take photos for me, and I spot them just outside. Having familiar faces I can look at and mentally anchor to really helps to settle my nerves, so I recommend you invite yours too — they'll score discounted entry to the aquarium for their troubles. Down below, all I can hear is the sound of my own breath. I don't dare twist my head to look around at the risk of rupturing some critical element of my oxygen supply, so every time I turn, I move my entire body. If a shark doesn't pass into my peripheral vision, I wouldn't know it was there. Now, I have to confess: it's not so much swimming as it is shuffling. If, like me, you're a total novice at wearing a heavy oxygen tank and weight belt, it can be really tricky to hold your balance. So while the instructors and experienced divers in the group move with ease, I have to put a lot of effort into staying upright and glued to the floor. After all, we've been told that holding your breath makes you buoyant, and I have no intention of floating into the path of a shark. You drift down, sit on the floor for a while then slowly make your way over the tunnel and across to the other end of the tank. [caption id="attachment_885137" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Andrew Howells[/caption] With my friends on the dry side of the tunnel gleefully watching and filming, we set off, gracefully (awkwardly) swimming (shuffling) along the seafloor like true fish out of water. We make our way around the tank, from one end to the other, taking care not to poke or step on any of the residents. When not moving, we quietly lean against the tunnel, taking it all in. Each of the sharks comes over to inspect our dive group more than once, slowly approaching, getting a good look, then gently passing by and going for another lap. Despite their large frame and sharp teeth, I never feel threatened, even when they come close enough to touch me. After spending roughly 30 minutes in this underwater wonderland, it was time to say goodbye. Hoping nothing is nipping at my ankles, I climb the stairs and step back onto dry land, once again enjoying free oxygen and once again burdened by gravity. The scuba gear feels much heavier, but I feel like I'm on cloud nine. And just like that, it's over. We remove our gear, shower off the smell of salt and sealife and go about our days. I didn't lose any fingers and didn't see my life flash before my eyes. I was a guest in the home of these beautiful creatures, and they were excellent hosts. It seems terrifying, and it's easy to imagine the worst, but at Shark Dive Xtreme, you are in very safe hands — and fins.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we take you to the pristine beauty of Vava'u, Tonga and the lush Reef Resort. We love this place so much that we teamed up with the resort to offer an exclusive seven-night travel deal — including a discounted room rate, breakfast and lunch included and a magical five days of swimming with humpbacks. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? If you've found yourself in the tropical paradise of Vava'u, Tonga, you're already set for a spectacularly lush holiday. Pristine natural surrounds, crystal clear waters and perpetually warm temperatures: all the makings of a standout time. But, if you've also found yourself checking in to the understated luxury of Reef Resort, your time here is only going to get better. There's sprawling grounds, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and Polynesian fine dining with a Euro twist. The most special element here, though, is the chance to swim with mighty humpbacks. Big and gentle, the whales play right in front of the resort — pure magic. THE ROOMS There's only five fales (Tongan bungalows) in the resort so whenever you stay here you're guaranteed some secluded R&R. Each is self-contained and comes with a private deck — the ideal spot for a pre-whale stretch and early coffee in the morning light. There are four deluxe bungalows dotted over grounds — two on the beach and two a short walk up the hill. Each of these fales boasts sweeping vistas over the lagoon, a king bed complete with lofty canopy and enough room for three. Then, there's the Honeymoon Villa. Nearly twice the size of the deluxe fales, there's a bigger deck, a second bedroom and a more modern feel in this one (so if you're a lovebird, you'd be silly not to). FOOD AND DRINK The onsite restaurant at Reef Resort will have you savouring the earthy, spicy and fruity flavours of Polynesia. Rich coconut milk curries and ocean-fresh fish, the freshest of produce straight from the markets and sweet treats that hero the juiciest melons and papayas. The kitchen here is always helmed by an expert, with this season welcoming Chef Jürgen who is bringing a wealth of experience from time in fine-dining institutions throughout Germany, Italy and Switzerland. The restaurant and bar (pictured above) is easy breezy, with ocean views from every seat. You can expect a constantly rotating menu that features the likes of parrot fish, snapper and mahi mahi — all freshly plucked from the deep. It'll be here that you enjoy all your meals, including a three-course dinner to see out each day in the tropics. THE LOCAL AREA Vava'u isn't one island, but a group of 55. It's in this archipelago that underwater caves await for adventurous divers, pods of gentle giants swim alongside curious humans and nature-heads come to simply enjoy. Come and charter a sailing trip, go scuba diving, explore the abundant surrounds and hop from island to island before returning to your fale for a refreshing sleep in the tropics. THE EXTRAS In case lazing by the ocean under the shade of a palm isn't relaxing enough, the team's made sure there's plenty of places to plonk yourself when you want to hit the chill zone. There are hammocks and a communal sundeck — where cakes are baked fresh and served every day, and cocktails are served each day to farewell the sun. Although you won't find all-out day spas or a smorgasbord of places to refuel, you don't head to Vava'u to luxuriate in this way. Come to enjoy the untouched perfection of the area and the whales. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world.
Darlinghurst's much esteemed (and very, very tiny) corner of cafe culture, Bootsdarling, has drummed up quite the dedicated pack of coffee and fritters crazed Sydneysiders crowding around the door. Expect a rotating menu of hearty fare like vegetable pie with a creamy tomato sauce, organic grass-fed slow-cooked lamb with vegetable ratatouille and chili pumpkin cornbread, grilled cheese, Thai crab and fish burgers, quinoa salads — even the odd Friday gourmet sausage sizzle. But you'll also find insane sweet things like the salted caramel coconut slice and coffee experiments aplenty — they once brewed up a blueberry cold drip, so expect anything and everything. Image: Trent Van der jagt.
"Sitting on a bench in Wicks Park in Marrickville, reading a field report by The Lifted Brow's Sam Cooney, I madly looked around for a caramel door described in the text. There it was! As if the writer had put the doorway there himself! Of course, I knew he hadn't, but it was perfect — the exact kind of dark magic that all good writers and artists and musicians perform when their work seems to lift up walls behind walls behind walls and reveal something new and unexpected with great clarity. This is what digital literature can do and be! It's a revelation — experiential and immersive and immediate." This eerie literary experience, as described by Concrete Playground writer Lauren Carroll Harris, was made possible through the award-winning digital project The Silent History. A science-fiction novel that takes the form of an app, The Silent History tells the tale of a dystopian future where a mysterious epidemic has robbed children of the ability to develop language. From 2011 to 2043, readers watch on as these mute children — dubbed 'silents' — tear families apart, unnerve entire government sectors and generally freak people out. Part sci-fi thriller, part-real-life scavenger hunt, the app has been called "entirely revolutionary" by Wired magazine, while the LA Times declared it "a landmark project that illuminates a possible future for e-book novels." We spoke to its creator, ex-McSweeney's managing editor and publisher Eli Horowitz, in Australia for the Sydney Writers' Festival, about what it means to read an app and what writers are doing differently to entertain a digital audience. The Writer as a Prime Mover "The first thing I wanted was it to be a story that you could explore," says Horowitz, "because I have this thing, which I bet that a lot of people have, when you read a book you love or see a movie you love or whatever, you almost then want to keep on existing in that world. You want to see what's just off the page or off the screen, and keep on exploring and living in it." The tablet platform, with its promise of interactivity and updatability, was a natural fit. An app like The Silent History combines the familiar pleasures of a page-turning narrative with the gaming world's mechanics of exploration and investigation. "Once I had that then the plot needed to be kind of global and sprawling, the kind of essential premise that could play itself out a lot of different ways, so that's why it became kind of like a medical story, an epidemic story almost, that lends itself well to that." But that's just the beginning. Around this main story arc float hundreds of 'field reports', site-specific side narratives that readers can only access when they travel to the physical location where the report is set. These reports can be written by anyone, anywhere — in fact, there are already a bunch tucked away around Australia. And if you're feeling inspired, you are free to pen your own and submit it for approval from The Silent History's US editing team. The Writer as a team player Horowitz, begotten of a librarian and originally a carpenter ("not a very good one"), claims that the whole process featured very little in the way of creative genius and a whole lot of good ol' problem solving. He admits that the communal approach of the project — which is what has brought The Silent History so much attention — wasn't even originally part of the blueprint. "The collaborative aspect was not so much any kind of ideological belief about crowd-sourcing or wikis or whatever but more that I wanted these things to be all over the place and I couldn't put them all over the place," he explains, "The more people we had [writing] the more of a geographic spread we could have." It sounds simple enough. But creative genius or problem solver, Horowitz has been hailed as a literary revolutionary. He and his team, Ying, Horowitz & Quinn LLC, are considered trailblazers in e-storytelling, crafting a digital experience unlike any other. While e-books have been popping up on the App Store since the release of the iPad in 2010, none has received this level of fanfare. The Writer as a Coder "A lot of times [with] these projects, the downfall is that they're essentially a technology project and they find some writing to cram into it or it's essentially a literary project and then at the end they add the technological aspect and it's still kind of unsatisfied or clunky or buggy," says Horowitz, "so having it all work together was really important." For all the praise coming his way, though, the San Franciscan remains humble. During his eight years at Californian publishing house McSweeney's, he operated under the mantra that anything he printed had to "earn the page it's on". He says that he brought this same approach over to the app world, trying to create something that "earns the screen it's on". "I approach this in very much the same way that I would approach a book with McSweeney's or whatever else," he says. "Just to think about how form and content both can affect each other, and to think about the total experience of the project. I don't see this as a move away from print or anything, I see this as just another tool in our toolbox." Eli Horowitz will be appearing at the The Sydney Writer's Festival from May 24 to 26 at the events Reading in the E-Future, Festival Club Friday, The Silent History and Tales From the Editorial Front Line. He'll also pop into the Sydney Apple Store on May 28 as part of Vivid Sydney.
The summer of 2019 in the US was unofficially dubbed 'White Claw Summer'. The hard seltzer (an alcoholic carbonated water) was as popular as frosé was the summer before — and now it's set to make a splash Down Under when it launches here in October. So, Aussies, it's time to prepare for your own summer of sippin' Claws. Lion Australia has partnered up with Mark Anthony Brands International, the makers of White Claw, to import and distribute the sparkling beverage from mid-spring. To start, it'll be selling the company's three most popular flavours — mango, natural lime and ruby grapefruit — but expects to launch more of the expansive range over time. White Claw comes in white cans and is named after the supposed legend of the "white claw wave": when three perfect crests come together to create the perfect wave. As well as being a little like an alcoholic version of the already extremely popular La Croix drinks, White Claw gained popularity for its relatively low calories (100 a pop), low sugar content (two grams of carbohydrates a can) and catchy unofficial slogan: "Ain't no laws when you're drinking Claws". As American police departments were quick to point out, however, there are still in fact laws when you're drinking Claws. https://www.facebook.com/BathTownshipPolice/posts/2450523918365166 Australia's own police departments are known for publishing many tongue-in-cheek social posts, so expect plenty of Claw references when the drink lands here. White Claw isn't the only hard seltzer you'll find on bottle shop shelves this summer, either. Aussie-brewed Fellr and sugar-free Good Tides are both already available at BWS and Dan Murphy's, and Lion launched Quincy last year, which it dubbed the "first alcoholic seltzer in Australia". White Claw is set to hit Aussie bottle-o shelves this October. We'll let you know when more details are announced.
Considered Brisbane's Banksy by many, famed Australian artist Anthony Lister is at it again. This time, he has launched a ten-year anniversary show in Kings Cross — and it's free to the public. Culture Is Over pays homage to the bygone era of Kings Cross as the once thriving cultural hub of our city. The exhibition marks ten years since Lister's pop-up event No Win Sitch, which helped the artist gain international recognition. It took place in the now-closed Porky's Nite Spot — a notorious Darlinghurst Road strip club that closed its doors in 2018 after 30 years in operation. Fittingly, Culture is Over has also taken over the old Porky's digs, and is happening on the exact same date ten years later, no less. It's an exploration of just how much Sydney has changed in the past ten years. [caption id="attachment_732179" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Proved All The Boring Girls Just That' by Anthony Lister. Image: Billy Zammit Photography[/caption] This latest exhibition is inspired by Lister's arguably most-famous artwork Moloch of Luna Park, which depicts the unidentified horned man that is said to have terrorised Luna Park guests back in 1979. Expect paranormal and mythical themes in a mix of painting, sculpture and video installation — all of which track how, according to Lister, our city has "lost its soul", thanks to the lockout laws. The exhibition showcases 59 of Lister's works across two levels. As you explore the old strip club, you'll encounter works such as My Gentle Struggle, No Eye Contact (Is In The Cross), So Long For Knowing And Short Of Cares, Proved All The Boring Girls Just That, Spit In My Face, Never To Be Seen Again, The Witch Of Kings Cross and Passive Casual Judgement. [caption id="attachment_732188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Culture is Over' by Anthony Lister. Image: Myles Kalus Photography[/caption] The first level is a neon-lit, darkened room, with black walls and large-scale paintings throughout — as well as crumbling sculptures at the front and back of the space. This is Lister's way of "turning the neon lights back on in the strip" and returning to the rebellion of the old Kings Cross. The second level is then a bright white room, filled with video installations, prints, sculptures and paintings. "This new body of works and subsequent show is an exploration into a mysterious subject which has been kept relatively quiet for nearly 40 years," says Lister in a statement. "The focus of these artworks exists somewhere between paranormal investigation and the findings of private detective obsessions, grounded in the facts of myth and the horror of reality." [caption id="attachment_732183" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'Culture is Over' by Anthony Lister. Image: Myles Kalus Photography[/caption] The free exhibition runs for just one week, ending on Wednesday, July 24. For serious collectors (and serious fans with some cash to splash), some of Lister's artwork will be available to purchase, too — with originals priced at a cool $5000 to $18,000 bucks, and prints at a more reasonable $200. Over 30 have already sold, so, if you're interested, get on it. Culture Is Over is open to the public from July 19–24 at Porky's Nite Spot, 77 Darlinghurst Road, Potts Point. Opening hours are Monday–Friday between 11am–3pm. Images: Myles Kalus Photography and Billy Zammit Photography
Sydney's Taronga Zoo hasn't been humming with crowds over the past three months, given that it's been closed during the city's ongoing lockdown. It'll be roaring a little louder in its lion enclosure from now on, though. Back on Thursday, August 12, the zoo welcomed five African lion cubs — three females and two males — and this quintet of cuteness actually marks the first lion cubs to be born at the venue in more than 18 years. These little balls of fluff were born to experienced mum Maya and first-time dad Ato, and they've grown from weighing around 1.5 kilograms at birth to hitting the scales at between five and six kilograms now. As they've been growing, Taronga's staff have been keeping an eye on them via the zoo's CCTV cameras. And, if that sounds like a great way to spend your own day, you can now join them via a new 24/7 live-stream. Taronga already lets you fill your time staring at capybaras, seals, meerkats, otters, sumatran tigers, lions and elephants, all without leaving your home, thanks to its online TV channel. All those animals are all well and good. They're great, and they're very easy to spend too much time staring at, actually. But, because we all grew up watching The Lion King, we all have an extra fondness for lion cubs. The zoo's cub cam is doing things a little differently, however. This time, you'll need to make a tax-deductible donation of $7 to access the all-day camera footage. Your cash will then help support Taronga, its ongoing research and conservation programs, and its work to save African lions — and if you're able to, you can donate more if you like. There's your background viewing sorted. Popping the stream on in the background while you work from home suits these kinds of feeds, in fact, because sometimes the critters in the spotlight aren't in view. Or, in this case, those cubs like to sleep between 12–20 hours per day. Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo started their online streams in 2020, and they're back now for obvious reasons. Taronga is also releasing regular videos across its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels, and making keeper talks and other clips available online as well. To subscribe to Taronga Zoo's cub cam, head to the zoo's website. To check out Taronga TV, head to the channel's website — or keep an eye on its videos on its Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages.
Crack open a bottle of wine, get comfy and prepare for a twisty binge — and to wrap up a series that's always loved vino, chaos, murder cover-ups, unpacking grief and finding solace in complicated friendships. For the third and last time, Dead to Me is heading to Netflix, with the Christina Applegate (Bad Moms 2), Linda Cardellini (Hawkeye) and James Marsden (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)-starring hit ending with this upcoming season. Since 2019, the show has contemplated farewells — starting with a just-widowed woman trying to cope with losing her husband in a hit-and-run incident. Taking a few cues from 2018 film A Simple Favour, the mourning-fuelled dark comedy has weaved its way through plenty of mess and mayhem from there, including via the unlikely camaraderie at its centre; however, the fact that everything comes to a conclusion sooner or later has always hung over the show. When it returns for season three on Thursday, November 17, that notion will remain given that this is Dead to Me's big goodbye. Back in 2020, after the second season aired, it was revealed that the show would finish after a third and final run. So, get ready for your last swim through its murders, mysteries and cover-ups. The premise, if you missed Dead to Me when it premiered three years back: two women meet, become friends despite seemingly having very little in common, and help each other with their daily existence. But they find themselves immersed in more than a little murky business, and with more than a few connections they didn't both realise. Applegate plays Jen Harding, whose husband has just died, while Cardellini's Judy Hale is the positive-thinking free spirit that breezes into her life. They initially cross paths at a grief counselling session, sparking a definite odd-couple situation — which has evolved to feature secrets, lies, complications and cliffhangers galore across the show's two seasons thus far. Season two ended with a big car crash, in fact, which sets the scene for an eventful third go-around. In both the newly dropped full trailer for season three, the cops and the feds are circling, corpses are causing trouble and the show's two protagonists even come up with outlaw names: Bitch Cassidy and Judy Five Fingers. Created by 2 Broke Girls writer Liz Feldman, Dead to Me marked Applegate's first lead TV role since 2011-12 sitcom Up All Night when it debuted. For Cardellini, it saw a return to Netflix after starring on the streaming platform's drama Bloodline — and she also featured in A Simple Favour, too. Check out the full trailer for Dead to Me's third season below: Dead to Me's third season will hit Netflix on Thursday, November 17. Images: Saeed Adyani / Netflix.
There's no one quite like Frank, the person, and there's nothing quite like Frank, the film. The former, as played by Michael Fassbender while wearing a papier mache mask, is a soul seemingly eccentric but really just looking for the essence of creation and contentment. The latter is quirky by design but beautifully bittersweet by execution, revelling in all life's failures and flaws. Frank leads an experimental rock band with the fittingly unpronounceable name of The Soronprfbs, and that's exactly where Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) finds him. Downtrodden in his dismal everyday routine, Jon wants desperately to be a musician but lacks the opportunity and the ability to extend himself. His unlikely encounter with his new friend with the obscured face brings both, one fruitful, the other less so. As the reconfigured group ventures from the Irish wilderness to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in search of musical fulfilment, the solace they find comes from internal, not external, forces. Written by journalist turned screenwriter Jon Ronson (of The Men Who Stare at Goats fame), Frank is inspired by Frank Sidebottom, the comic persona of musician Chris Sievey. Read our full review here. Frank is in cinemas on June 19, and thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have ten double in-season passes to give away in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=IblHV2x64f8
Addicted to the grind? We understand. You may not be taking as many trips to your local cafe for barista-made flat whites for the next week, but there are ways to stay keen for the bean, while staying safely at home for as long as it takes for the wave to pass. During the peak of lockdown in 2020, several roasters had to reduce their cafe operations, but they kept roasting, grinding and shipping coffee to customers — with some offering free delivery. Many roasters offer subscriptions for those plunging more at-home brews than ever before, some have online stores of equipment so you can up your home brewing game, and a few have sample packs and isolation gift boxes (as well as cute merch) so that we can make the most of this temporary shift in our daily habits. Here are 12 of the best roasters delivering the goods. If you choose to pick up your beans, make sure you follow the government's latest advice on social distancing. [caption id="attachment_693510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tom Ross[/caption] EVERYDAY COFFEE The Melbourne-based micro roaster delivers espresso, filter and decaf blends, as well as your requisite brewing gear — filter papers, pour-over cones, AeroPress kits and more. If you're familiar with Everyday Coffee's cafe blends, order a bag of All Day Espresso ($16), which goes well with milky coffees for a dark chocolate and caramel flavour, or a sweet and malty black coffee. Add your grind instructions at checkout and you should have your beans via Express Post within two-to-four days. In it for the long haul? Everyday offers subscriptions to deliver freshly roasted beans to your door. Select how you make your coffee and your preferred quantity, with prices starting at $20 for 250 grams. [caption id="attachment_813753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Abigail Varney[/caption] MARKET LANE Prefer your beans with an aesthetically pleasing Pantone-esque packaging design? Market Lane not only offers free standard shipping for all orders over $40 within Australia but also make your kitchen shelf look excellent. The coffee retailer sells beans roasted for all filter brew methods, including pour over and plunger and, right now, all their shops are open for takeaways during their usual operating hours. For the bean fiends among you, Market Lane's vending machine is on 126 Weston Street, Brunswick East and is switched on 24/7 so you'll never go empty handed. Those further afield will get theirs via Australia Post, allowing up to five days for shipping. Fond of commitment? Join the Coffee Club, which ships beans every two weeks for $20 (for 250 grams). SAMPLE COFFEE Pacemaker is Sample Coffee's year-round house blend that has a Cherry Ripe-style flavour profile and goes well with milk. The Sydney roaster has subscription services for a range of blends, delivered across the country and ground to your preference, every week, fortnight or month. A 250-gram bag is between $15.80–23.80 per delivery and quantities go up to four kilograms. The online shop also has eight single origin blends, with bags starting from $16.20, plus brewing gear like cold brew pots, mini grinders and speciality kettles, but note delivery costs are calculated based on weight and distance. LOGGERHEAD Small scale Sydney roaster Loggerhead takes delivery orders up until Tuesday, 3pm, for its weekly Wednesday roast. Its online shop has Nespresso-compatible capsules from $10 a box (of ten), and a selection of roasted blends that start at $13 for 200 grams. So if you'd rather save those essential trips out for the supermarket you can select size, roast and grind preference online. To quote the words on the Loggerhead website: rip in. MECCA COFFEE Mecca Coffee, roasted in Alexandria, Sydney, serves up its orange, honeycomb and chocolatey house blend along with six other options through the website. It's offering ten-percent off all coffee and equipment, too, as well as free shipping on all orders over $30. Just as you can for any coffee order, you can select how your beans are ground if you'd like to skip the arm workout. Sydney deliveries take 1-2 business days and for Melbourne (along with Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra) orders should arrive within 3-5 business days via Australia Post. Looking for a longer term relationship? The Blend Subscription will set up within fortnightly deliveries, making sure you'll never have to worry about a caffeine shortage. ONA COFFEE If you want to geek out, Canberra-based Ona Coffee has an extensive online shop with merch — including winter-appropriate beanies and sweats — and some serious brew gear. There's also milky coffee blends Raspberry Candy, Black Betty, The Founder and The Hitman, which you can order to your brewing style. Filter fiends get some serious Central American single origins to choose from and specialty espresso roasts. Shipping is $10 or free when you spend over $75, and deliveries to Melbourne will reach you in 2-3 days. [caption id="attachment_635510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alana Dimou[/caption] SINGLE O In Botany Bay, Sydney's Single O is roasting and packing orders of its seasonal blends, single-source coffee and equipment. Order before 2pm and your coffee (ground to your liking or in whole bean form) is dispatched the next working day. And right now they're offering free standard shipping. Single O has equipment starting from $7, T-shirts and other merch, gift vouchers and coffee subscriptions that are well worth a browse to complement a short- or long-term working from home arrangement. ST ALI South Melbourne's St Ali has been roasting the good stuff for 15 years. Its online shop has ethically sourced Feels Good organic espresso beans, the rich and butterscotch Wide Awake espresso blend, dark roast Italo Disco and apricot and orange sweet single origins. But St Ali doesn't stop there. You can pick up Nespresso compatible capsules filled with its two house blends from $65 for 60 pods. Need a restock of your hand sanitiser? St Ali makes its own formulation in good-looking bottles, along with a collection of products all about keeping you safe and sanitised. For Australia-wide deliveries of its coffees, there's free shipping on orders over $99 so go big or go home. SENSORY LAB Sensory Lab's coffee and subscriptions can be sent anywhere in Australia either weekly, fortnightly or monthly - and shipping is free, Australia wide (with no minimum order!). Packs of whole beans start at $14 for 250 grams, and you can dive into a selection of blends or single origin beans. From the sweet red apple and caramel notes of the excellently titled Kiorero Washing Station to the chocolaty palette of the Steadfast Espresso Blend, you're guaranteed to find your flavour. It also has a limited range of mugs, totes and equipment worth a look in. PROUD MARY Proud Mary roasts its coffee in Collingwood, where you've likely eaten at its two cafes, Aunty Peg's and the eponymous Proud Mary. Founder Nolan Hirte is considered a leader in Australia's specialty coffee industry, and his mission is bridging the gap between farmers and coffee drinkers — so now's as good a time as any to support that mission through Proud Mary's $24 coffee subscription. A fortnightly run of single origin filter is shipped on Wednesdays, which gets you around 16 cups-worth. Add a single bag to your cart from $15 for a blend, and up to $22 for a single-o and in 1–4 days you'll be treated to the candy-coloured surrealist cartoons of Proud Mary's packaging in the mail. SMALL BATCH North Melbourne's socially responsible Small Batch has been roasting exceptional coffee since 2009. The juicy Golden Ticket filter is a blend from two producers, from Ethiopia and Colombia, and you can see how many pesos per carga each producer was paid by Small Batch when you select your quantity and grind. Transparency in the supply chain is Small Batch's bag, and as you're enjoying a Candyman Espresso Blend, which has a malted milk and macadamia flavour when taken with milk, you can be sure of the fact that all four producers who farmed the coffee in the blend were paid above Fairtrade prices. Standard shipping is $8 across Australia and typically takes 2–3 days, while the $13 premium rate should get your beans to you the next day. [caption id="attachment_712131" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Industry Beans[/caption] AND MORE! In Adelaide, Monastery Coffee has free shipping on coffee orders over 250 grams with single origins starting at $16, and Elementary Coffee is shipping country-wide when you spend more than $30 (get the Young Street Blend used daily in its cafes). In Brisbane, Wolff Coffee Roasters has Australian International Coffee Awards-winning filter Hummingbird Vol 3 ready to ship for those after a fruity, gooseberry-driven flavour for $16. Industry Beans has espresso blends named for its cafe locations in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with prices starting at $15. Melbourne's Code Black Coffee is offering free shipping Australia-wide for orders over $25, which means you could grab two bags of its signature 3056 blend (named for the postcode of the roastery) for $30. Then there's Axil Coffee, Black Market Roasters, Coffee Cartel and Reuben Hills all offering subscriptions. And, Edition Coffee Roasters is delivering Australia-wide with free delivery on orders over $50. So there really is no excuse for drinking bad coffee. Top image: Single O by Alana Dimou
New outpost and Seoul sister of Balmain's popular (and now-closed) Mabasa, Sáng by Mabasa trades up the barbecued short rib and vats of melted cheese for plates that are delicate and well-balanced — and unlike those found at any other Korean restaurant in Sydney. Established and run by a Korean family, the tiny, pared back restaurant seats just 22, with counter seating to the right, and two wide communal tables that let you spill your food down the middle. In the open kitchen you'll find self-taught chefs, Seung Kee Son and Jin Sun Son, who have barricaded themselves behind glass jars of pickles, while their son Kenny Yong-Soo Son and his partner Youmee Jeon, run the front of house and floor. The clean, minimalist space reveals a tasteful aesthetic, thanks to artful objects in deliberate places and rustic clusters of native branches. It's little surprise, really, with Kenny also the owner (and maker) of contemporary design studio Studiokyss. Open for both lunch and dinner, Sáng's menu is a lineup of classic Korean dishes, but those on the hunt for lesser-known flavours will make plenty of new friends, too. Perhaps not too adventurous, but still highly rewarding, are the kun mandu ($14). Crisp and golden to the pleats, each pan-fried purse contains a steaming treasure chest of pork mince, glass noodles and crumbled tofu, with a pickled soy and sesame sauce that's electrifyingly good. While you may already know bibimbap quite well, Sáng's menu also includes a dolsot version ($20), which is served in a hot stone bowl and left to fry away on the table. Listening to the delicious hissing can be torturous at times; however, the reward for your patience is a crisp rice crust that adds texture to the raw tumble of egg yolk and slippery veg. Other delights include the pig's trotters ($28), soft and jellied in a saline-sweet sauce, and the tender joints of Korean fried chicken ($28), encased in a thick, pancake-y batter, like an old-school pluto pup. More than just artistic dots and dashes on the plate, a serve of buttery, nutty, yak gwa ($15), honey cookies, on black pools of sesame and seed cream, manage to be both gourmet and Gorman. The drinks list is small, but don't sweat it, there's still good stuff here. Sáng hasn't included any of the more watery Korean lagers, like Cass and Hite, but the rich and malty Kloud does make the cut. It's also BYO wine for an entirely reasonable $4 a bottle — not that you needed another reason to drop by. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
Situated between Collaroy Point and the northern base of Long Reef Point Headland is Fishermans Beach, a quiet and picturesque spot largely sheltered from the wind. Fishermen have used the beach since the 18th century, and while line fishing is permitted at the beach, these days most fishers use the boat ramp to launch and head out to the nearby reefs. Head here to tuck into crunchy fish and chips by the ocean and go for a wander to explore the sea life — the area forms part of an aquatic reserve. And, if you've got time, venture up to the top of Long Reef Headland and take in the panoramic coastal views. Fishermans Beach is unpatrolled, so if you'd like to go for a swim but prefer to do so safely, it's best to head to nearby Collaroy. Image: Mel Koutchavlis
David Attenborough may have turned 94 in 2020; however the acclaimed broadcaster and natural historian isn't slowing down anytime soon. Fresh from narrating and presenting two new TV series in 2019 (Our Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet), appearing at Glastonbury and recently joining Instagram, he's now bringing his latest movie-length documentary to your screen. Called David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the film sees Attenborough look back on his more than nine decades on earth, the sights he has seen and the changes he has witnessed. Specifically, he reflects upon humanity's enormous and damaging impact on the natural world — and, when it hits Netflix on Sunday, October 4, it servers up quite the powerful viewing experience. Since the early 50s, Attenborough's stunningly shot documentaries have been awash with revelatory sights and detailed insights from across the planet, sharing the kind of wonders that eager audiences would be unlikely to see or discover themselves otherwise. Now, after becoming a constant, respected and beloved presence in the field, his passionate and vibrant work has earned its place in history several times over. But it might also become a record of a world, and of natural history, that's lost due to climate change. It's this possibility that's behind A Life On Our Planet — that, and the great broadcaster's efforts to motivate a response to combat both global warming and the catastrophic loss of biodiversity blighting the environment. On offer here is an urgent and far-ranging exploration of how our pale blue dot evolved to its current state, what might be in store if we continue down this path, and how and why things could and should change. Determined in his tone, Attenborough calls the documentary his witness statement several times within its frames, and it's as potent and devastating as intended. Bookended by scenes in Chernobyl that are initially designed to illustrate what can happen ecologically when bad planning and human error combine — a situation that, Attenborough posits, applies to climate change as well — A Life On Our Planet is both broad and intricate, and personal and political too. Cycling through the earth's life to-date to provide a snapshot of the planet's predicament, it delivers a comprehensive overview, a raft of telling facts and figures, and a plethora of reflections from its central figure. It also features the now-requisite array of eye-catching footage that Attenborough's hefty body of work has long become known for, served up here to not only revel in its glory and showcase his exceptional career, but to demonstrate what's fading away due to humanity's impact upon the globe. Accordingly, it's impossible not to be moved by the film. If viewers won't listen to Attenborough on this topic, and as he explains what he's seen and where he sees things heading, then they probably won't listen to anyone. In the documentary's latter third, A Life On Our Planet follows in the footsteps of Australian doco 2040, too, by pondering how the world might adapt for the better. Produced by wildlife filmmakers Silverback Films and global environmental organisation WWF, A Life On Our Planet was originally slated to play in cinemas in April — but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release was postponed. It's currently showing on the big screen Down Under now (except Victoria), with the film paired with an exclusive cinema-only conversation between Attenborough and Michael Palin, if you'd rather see its vivid and impassioned sights in a larger format. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64R2MYUt394 David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet hits Netflix on Sunday, October 4, at 5pm AEST / 6pm ADST. It's also currently screening in Australian and New Zealand cinemas.
We've all tried to soundtrack our lives, whether by creating an iTunes playlist reminding us of that excellent birthday party or by listening to those annual So Fresh CDs that commemorate each individual year of our childhood. Now media artist Brian House has taken it to the next level by literally recording an entire year of his life and etching it onto a playable vinyl record, the Quotidian Record. House tracked his location using an app called OpenPaths for 365 days, assigned each place he visited a certain point on the musical scale and designated each city a key. He then ordered each location by how much time he spent there as well as the regularity of his visits. Whilst there was a distinct repetitiveness as in all daily routines — home, work, the daily commute — the changes offered by daily life, such as travel, provided House with musical creativity. "The more common places were generally given more consonant harmonies, so throughout most of the piece you get a major third repeating, which is basically me sleeping at home," House says to Fast Co.Create. "As I’m moving around more, it gets more complex.” This complexity can be seen on the vinyl itself as it is marked with dates and places so that House and other listeners can jump ahead and experience an exact moment in time. Neatly, an entire day can be heard in just one full revolution of the record, meaning a full year can be musically manifested in 11 minutes. However, despite the data-centric focus of the project and his endeavour to prove that all data is qualitative, House just wants his personal rhythmic signature to be felt like all other music. “It's a framework for a set of memories,” he says. “I hear my commute and my travels through a lens of expectation. I love the sound of my trip into the Colorado wildness, in particular. I re-enact that when I listen, and it’s especially meaningful to me". Due to House wanting to preserve the sanctity of the work on vinyl, you cannot hear the full recording online. However, he has provided a teaser of his year, and despite the unconventional method of composition, it is surprisingly catchy. [Via Fast Co.Create.]
What has Wade Wilson's (Ryan Reynolds, Ghosted) wisecracks, Logan's (Hugh Jackman, Faraway Downs) surliness, Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' and "let's fucking go!" exclaimed several times? The full trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine, which follows on from the movie's 2024 Super Bowl teaser — which became the most-watched movie trailer of all time — by bringing its namesake frenemies together and giving viewers a bigger look at what's in store. The 34th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the only one arriving in 2024, is gifting the sprawling pop-culture franchise a few things that fans have been waiting for for years. Deadpool officially enters the MCU. So does X-Men hero Wolverine. The end result, which was initially announced in 2022, hits cinemas this July. After the film's debut sneak peek had Deadpool calling himself "Marvel Jesus" when he's brought into the Marvel fold by the Time Variance Authority — and the Merc with a Mouth declaring that "your little cinematic universe is about to change forever" while he's at it — the latest glimpse gets him dubbing Wolverine "the X-Man". Wade is endeavouring to enlist Logan to help save the world. Sometimes he does so by sticking a gun in his face, but often it's by talking, aka one of Deadpool's go-to traits. One won't stop nattering. The other prefers to say as little as possible. Naturally, they're becoming the Marvel Cinematic Universe's favourite big-screen odd couple. Reynolds has been playing Deadpool since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, so this isn't the first time that him and Jackman are teaming up as their famous characters — but, again, it is the first time in the MCU. Before now, Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swansong in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education, Reminiscence and The Son, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. That Deadpool & Wolverine falls into the MCU, the comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end, isn't a minor detail. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool & Wolverine arrives six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It also marks a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. Also featuring on-screen in the new trailer: Emma Corrin (A Murder at the End of the World) as Cassandra Nova, the X-Men supervillain that's also Deadpool & Wolverine's big bad. Check out the full Deadpool & Wolverine trailer below: Deadpool & Wolverine releases in cinemas Down Under on July 25, 2024. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.
A big Friends reunion just hit streaming. Sex and the City is getting a television sequel. Saved by the Bell returned to the screen last year, too. Yes, it's still 2021 — and no, you haven't hopped in a Delorean or phone booth and ventured back to the past. Based on plenty of recent and upcoming TV and streaming options, though, you'd be forgiven for looking at your viewing choices and wondering if a bit of time-travel trickery was afoot. The latest revived series heading to your streaming queue won't dispel that notion, but you know you'll love it anyway. Come Thursday, July 8 on Binge, you'll be saying XOXO to Gossip Girl once again. The new series has been billed as both a reimagining and an extension — which means that it will take place in the same world, but with different characters. Gossip Girl circa 2021 is set nine years after the eponymous and anonymous blog went dark. As the just-dropped first teaser trailer makes plain, it's obviously back in some shape or form — otherwise the series wouldn't have a premise. This time, a new bunch of private school-attending teenagers are at the ever-present, seemingly all-knowing gossip blogger's mercy, all while they navigate New York's Upper East Side and its non-stop dramas. Whether any familiar faces will pop up is yet to be revealed; however, in the most important news there is regarding this revival, Kristen Bell is returning to voice the titular figure. She's already revisited Veronica Mars a couple of times now, so bringing back another of her famous characters fits the trend. Bell will narrate the comings and goings of a group played Jordan Alexander (Sacred Lies), Eli Brown (Wrath of Man), Thomas Doherty (High Fidelity), Tavi Gevinson (Halston), Emily Alyn Lind (Every Breath You Take), Evan Mock, Zion Moreno (Control Z), Whitney Peak (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Savannah Lee Smith. The cast has changed, but the social-climbing chaos is bound to be familiar. And, if you were a particular fan of the threads worn by Blake Lively, Leighton Meester and company during Gossip Girl's original 2007–12 run, you'll be pleased to know that costume designer Eric Daman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) is back for a second go-around. The creators of the initial show, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (The OC), have nabbed executive producer credits on the revival — so they'll have a hand in yet another adaptation of Cecily von Ziegesar's books. And the new series' showrunner, Josh Safran (Smash), was a writer and executive producer on the original series. Check out the new Gossip Girl trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reiGW6LTLok Gossip Girl will start streaming via Binge from Thursday, July 8.
There's a reason Japanese food is the universally agreed-upon Best Food Ever. In choosing the cuisine you don't have to sacrifice dumplings for ramen, and you certainly don't have to choose fresh fish in favour of deep fried deliciousness. No, the Japanese love deep fried foods as much as the rest of us — and their national dishes include many a greasy, gritty dish. Matt Goulding knows this better than most, having downed many a Panko-crumbed morsel while traversing Japan's best (and greasiest) eateries for his new book Rice, Noodle, Fish. From convenience store korokke to Michelin-starred tempura temples, these are the fried foods you gotta try on your next trip to Japan. KOROKKE Filled with everything from mashed potatoes and mince meat to curry and cream of crab. Like a Spanish croquette but executed with Japanese precision. KARAAGE Chicken thighs marinated in soy, garlic, and ginger, then floured and fried. Also made with shrimp, octopus, and other sea creatures. KUSHIKATSU Fried meat on a stick eaten elbow-to-elbow at a bar and washed down with rivers of cold beer. What's not to love? Osaka invented the form, but you’ll find it everywhere. TONKATSU Panko-breaded pork loins fried to a greaseless crisp, served with hot mustard, sweet Worcestershire, steamed rice, and shredded cabbage. The best is made with kurobuta (black foot) pork. TEMPURA Shokunin dedicate entire lives to tempura, turning battering and frying into a high art form. For the full experience, go to a tempura-only restaurant and order the omakase: the chef's tasting menu. DEEP-FRIED DEPACHIKA Japanese department stores (called depachika) — wondrous centres of gastronomic greatness — trade in the entire spectrum of fried specialties. A fine place for korokke, katsu or tempura. (Be on high alert for free samples of each.) This is an edited extract from Rice, Noodle, Fish, written by Matt Goulding and published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $45. The book is available in stores nationally.
On Wednesday, January 15, New South Wales was hammered by massive thunderstorms that stretched from Glen Innes in the state's north down to Eden, 1000 kilometres away on the Sapphire Coast near the Victorian border. In Sydney's CBD, 40 millimetres of rain fell between 8-30pm–11.30pm, flooding Town Hall station. Elsewhere in NSW, even heavier downpours inundated places like Eurobodalla on the South Coast, where more than 63 millimetres of rain fell in just one hour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Places to Roam Australia (@places_to_roam) Damaging winds were also recorded across the state, with gusts as strong as 107 kilometres per hour destroying property and crops in places like Wagga Wagga. Power outages impacted as many as 150,000 homes in Sydney's satellite suburbs and north of the city near Newcastle, with some areas still without power at the time of publishing this report. Sydney airport, where 100 kilometres-per-hour winds were recorded, also suspended flights temporarily. Sydneysiders flocked to social media to share hundreds of dramatic images of lightning strikes in the heart of the city. Some of the most striking captures depict multiple lightning forks striking the CBD simultaneously. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ᴘʜɪʟɪᴘᴘ (@philipps.world.of.photography) The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned that yet more storms are likely to roll across NSW on Thursday, 16 January and Friday, 17 January, with strong winds and heavy rains forecast. The State of Emergency Service has called for people on the Sapphire Coast in the state's far south to remain indoors until further tempests have passed. The BOM also issued a warning for surfers to be aware of "large and powerful" conditions up and down the eastern seaboard as high winds continue to lash the NSW coast. However, it also lifted its extreme weather warning on Sydney, stating that the worst of the storms have now passed the city. View this post on Instagram A post shared by My Life Experience (@herlifeexperience) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rebecca Frost (@msrebeccafrost) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ᴘʜɪʟɪᴘᴘ (@philipps.world.of.photography) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicole McInnes (@wideeyedgirl) View this post on Instagram A post shared by ᴘʜɪʟɪᴘᴘ (@philipps.world.of.photography) For further details of Sydney's weather forecast, visit the BOM website. Top image: Charles Miller
Have you ever wanted to send something suggestive in the mail, but thought a bag of penis-shaped gummy lollies was just a little too on the nose? In that case, we might have just the service for you. Inspired by everybody's (apparently) favourite vegetable emoji, Eggplants Express lets users mail an eggplant to anywhere in the country. You can send it anonymously, or with a personalised greeting scrawled right onto the aubergine itself. "It's real," founder Anthony Daniel tells Concrete Playground, when we call to inquire whether the whole thing is a sham. Apparently he had the idea after forgetting to arrange a gift for his girlfriend on their anniversary. "I didn't want it to be flowers again," explains Daniel. "We always joke about the eggplant emoji, which is how I came up with the idea of an anonymous eggplant." How, uh, romantic? Asked who he saw as the target audience for his service (which is very similar to Eggplant Mail in the US), Daniel admits it's probably best suited to folks who are in on the joke. "It's for people that understand the emoji," he says. "If I sent it to my father, he probably wouldn't get it." He also asks that you refrain from using their service to harass people (come to think of it, having an eggplant show up on your doorstep does seem vaguely ominous). Although Daniel sources his produce fresh from Sydney Markets in Flemington, a disclaimer on the website warns against actually eating them. Which brings up the bigger issue of food waste — is the joke worth wasting a fine bounty of perfectly-edible eggplants? We're not so sure. If we're going to receive an eggplant in the mail, we at least want to be able to eat it for dinner. For more information visit eggplantsexpress.com.au. Image: Lufa Farms via Wikimedia Commons.
Queensland has just cracked a moon shot — the state has won the right to host the 2027 Women's Softball World Cup Finals. Taking over the City of Moreton Bay, it'll be the first time Australia has hosted the event since its inaugural edition back in 1965. On that occasion in Melbourne, our national women's team, aka the Aussie Spirit, triumphed over the USA to score themselves the gold medal. Now, over 60 years later, the event is returning to where it all began, as eight of the world's best women's teams descend on Talobilla Park in Redcliffe from Monday, April 5–Sunday, April 11, 2027. Just 45 minutes north of Brisbane, this coastal spot will be the ideal setting for locals and international visitors to soak up the action. View this post on Instagram A post shared by YIAGA (@yiaga.au) While every Women's Softball World Cup is a special occasion, the next instalment will take on even greater significance. That's because it will serve as the qualifying event for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Marking softball's return to the Games after not being included in the 2024 edition, the World Cup Finals will set the tone for what takes place on one of sport's most significant stages. "We're thrilled with the announcement of Redcliffe as host of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2027, the flagship event of international women's softball," says WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari. "Held one year before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and five years until the Brisbane 2032 Games, this tournament will highlight Australia's strong passion for softball and the deep roots the sport has in the country's sporting community." The announcement arrives on the back of solid support for women's sport in Australia, with the federal government clocking home run bids for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023, the Women's Asian Cup in 2026, the Netball World Cup in 2027 and the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2029. So, pencil in your trip to Redcliffe to get behind the Aussie Spirit as they face off against the sport's heaviest hitters on the diamond. "The return of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup to Australian soil is a powerful opportunity to inspire the next generation with Olympic dreams, boost grassroots participation and deliver lasting benefits to local communities," says Softball Australia CEO Sarah Loh. The Women's Softball World Cup Finals 2027 will be held at Talobilla Park in Redcliffe from Monday, April 5–Sunday, April 11, 2027. Head to the website for more information.
Cinephiles of Sydney, the city's biggest film event of the year isn't just here — it's well and truly underway. And while the 2018 Sydney Film Festival has now reached its official midway mark (not including the fest's just-announced three days of encores), don't think of it as halfway over. Instead, think of the rest of the week as the second act in a wonderful, fortnight-long cinema celebration. Given the huge array of ace titles still to come, there's no other way to look at it. Still got some room left on your flexipass? Have a few gaps to fill in your schedule? If you're wondering what to see, we're here to help once again. We've been busy spending our days, nights and every waking moment in the State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street and SFF's other venues, watching as many movies as we can get in front of our eyes. From our viewing so far, here's ten recommendations that are still playing across the remainder of the fest. Crucially, they're all excellent flicks — and you can still nab tickets for every one of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URZ8WZMXP-0 COLD WAR When Cold War won the Best Director Prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival, it really didn't come as a surprise, even to those who hadn't seen it. Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski's last movie was the meticulously shot, Oscar-winning Ida, so expecting another piece of sumptuous black-and-white mastery was a fairly safe bet. And the writer/director hasn't just delivered on those expectations — he has blown them out of the water. Set over 15 years and taking inspiration from his own parents' relationship, this sweeping European romance proves an utterly devastating exploration of love, loyalty, politics and survival set against the backdrop of its titular period. While the feature looks astonishing in every perfectly-lit frame, it also boasts exceptional performances from stars Tomasz Kot and Joanna Kulig, with the latter radiant even in moments of deep sorrow. Cold War is screening at the Hayden Orpheum Cremorne this Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUb_GE1trBE&feature=youtu.be FILMWORKER Whether you're a film tragic or just a casual festival goer, everyone has heard of Stanley Kubrick, the visionary behind such masterpieces as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut. His righthand man for 30 years, Leon Vitali, doesn't enjoy the same recognition — a fate Filmworker aims to redress. The documentary's title gives an indication of the many roles its subject played in Kubrick's life, with Vitali inspired to work with the filmmaker after seeing A Clockwork Orange, then scoring a pivotal acting part in Barry Lyndon, and finally taking on any task he could to assist his mentor over the rest of Kubrick's career. The many behind-the-scenes clips on the likes of The Shining are a joy to behold, but it's Vitali frank recollections of his time spent helping someone else's genius that makes this movie such an astonishing film about filmmaking. Filmworker is screening at the State Theatre this Wednesday, June 13 and Event Cinemas George Street on Saturday, June 16. You can book tickets here. THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST We'd say that the second time is the charm for filmmaker Desiree Akhavan, but the first time was too. After her fantastic comedy Appropriate Behavior proved a breakout hit back in 2014, the writer-director won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for her next effort — and deservedly so. Set inside a gay conversion camp, the feature examines the struggles faced by the teenagers forced to attend the facility. That might sound like an excuse for a standard coming-of-age tale, just within unusual confines, but the movie's insight and emotion runs much deeper than that. Plus, Chloë Grace Moretz has never been better than playing the eponymous 16-year-old, a girl torn in multiple directions by her feelings yet still refuses to give in to anyone else's ideas about her sexuality or identity, while American Honey's Sasha Lane reminds you why she should be in more films. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is screening at the Randwick Ritz this Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKUtJlvYrHo&feature=youtu.be TERROR NULLIUS The best Australian film of 2018 might just be a 54-minute mashup of almost every other Aussie film ever made. Commissioned by Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image and now doing the rounds of local festivals across the rest of the country, Terror Nullius is the latest effort by Soda_Jerk, which should give you an indication of the kind of ride you're in for. The two-person artistic collective don't just smash together everything from Fury Road to Picnic at Hanging Rock to Please Like Me to BMX Bandits — with Tony Abbott's speeches, Mel Gibson's infamous hate-filled phone call and Aussie bicentennial celebrations from 1988 — but mix it all up to convey a forceful message about the current state of the nation. From the moment you hear the iconic Rage intro echoing from the screen, you'll be hooked. In the words of that Iggy Pop tune, it's a real wild child. An extra screening of Terror Nullius has been scheduled at Dendy Newtown this Monday, June 18. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkhYyW1pd18&feature=youtu.be THE BREAKER UPPERERS When the cast of The Breaker Uppers walked on stage during SFF's opening night proceedings, they instantly had the crowd in stitches. When the film started, the laughter only got louder... and louder... and louder. And, thinking back on the film now, we're still laughing. Written, directed by and starring New Zealand comedians Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami, and executive produced by Taika Waititi, the flick is a crowdpleaser in all of the best ways, with a hilarious script, committed performances and a smart insight into the expectation that we all just want to find love and live happily after. A movie about two besties who break up unhappy couples for cash will do that, after all — and it also throws a Celine Dion music video in for good measure. An extra screening of The Breaker Upperers has been scheduled at Dendy Newtown this Tuesday, June 19. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD_LxrE9vVA&feature=youtu.be THE HEIRESSES A rich, resonant and deeply textured performance sits at the centre of this Paraguayan feature, all thanks to lead Ana Brun. A first-timer, she actually won the Berlinale's best actress prize for her portrayal of a woman suddenly faced with fending for herself when her long-term girlfriend is incarcerated for their mounting debts. Accustomed to a life of wealth and privilege, albeit one that's been slowly waning, the quiet Chela volunteers to drive the neighbourhood's ladies around, even though she doesn't have a license. When she falls for the daughter of one of her clients, writer/director Marcelo Martinessi takes the opportunity to expose the inequities of his country in a variety of ways, while also dissecting the struggles of a woman who has always had everything — other than control over her future. The Heiresses is screening at the State Theatre this Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. PIERCING You can't accuse Piercing of not knowing what it wants to be. A psychosexual drama about a man (Christopher Abbott) who wants to kill, the sex worker (Mia Wasikowska) he hires to be his unwitting victim and the kinks they end up indulging and testing together, this is a film with its own sense of style and personality right from the outset. Writer/director Nicolas Pesce might be adapting Ryū Murakami's 1994 novel, but the same distinctive flair that served his first effort, The Eyes of My Mother, so well is also evident here — just in a vastly different manner. Wasikowska particularly shines in a complex role, while the film's colourful visuals and intoxicating score add to its irresistible allure. Piercing is screening at Dendy Newtown this Wednesday, June 13. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d81IM0loH7o&feature=youtu.be THE WIFE She has played everything from a bunny boiler to a calculating legal whiz to a woman living as a man during the 19th century across her lengthy career; however, in The Wife, Glenn Close is as great as she's ever been. In fact, she might even be better than that. As the movie's moniker suggests, the star takes on the role of a dutiful partner to an acclaimed writer who has just won the Nobel Prize for literature — but there's more to their story than the official version, as a reporter (Christian Slater) is eager to uncover. Every moment that Close is on screen, she offers a devastating dissection of a woman sidelined for male glory, in what proves an all-too-recognisable situation. That said, her co-star Annie Starke also impresses as the younger version of the character. The Wife is screening at the Hayden Orpheum this Wednesday, June 13 and the State Theatre on Thursday, June 14. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbUrdCXa4g YOU WERE NEVER REALLY HERE We included You Were Never Really here on our pre-festival must-see list, but we're including it again because it's just that good. After screening at Cannes in 2017 — and deservedly winning Joaquin Phoenix the festival's best actor award for his gut-wrenching performance — it has taken some time for You Were Never Really Here to make it to our shores. Don't worry, this exceptional film is completely worth the wait. It's also one of the best movies of this or any other year. The highly anticipated latest feature from We Need to Talk About Kevin's Lynne Ramsay, the dark effort follows Phoenix's Joe, an ex-soldier and FBI agent turned hitman who rescues children from sex trafficking rings. Unsurprisingly, it's a tense, bleak dive through the mindset of a man coping with several layers of trauma; however neither Ramsay or Phoenix put a foot wrong in a feature that dials up its intense revenge thrills to astounding levels. You Were Never Really Here is screening at Event Cinemas George Street this Sunday, June 17. You can book tickets here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLqxfubzHYc DAUGHTER OF MINE Another title we've already enthused over, this time at Berlinale, Daughter of Mine is one of the top picks of this year's Sydney Film Festival competition. In 2015, Italian filmmaker Laura Bispuri and actress Alba Rohrwacher teamed up for Sworn Virgin, a compelling, moving film about an Albanian woman who vows to live life in the mountains, without sex and as a man rather than adhere to traditional views about female subservience — and their second collaboration also explores ideas of femininity, but in a vastly different way. It's also excellent, and exceptionally acted. As the title suggests, motherhood is in the spotlight as Rohrwacher's strong-willed Angelica and Valeria Golino's more traditionally maternal Tina grapple not only with each other, but over what's best for ten-year-old Vittoria (Sara Casu). As a Sardinian summer rolls by, the secret that connects the trio is thrust out into the open, as is a tussle between nature and nurture that shapes a young girl's journey of discovery. Daughter of Mine is screening at the State Theatre this Thursday, June 14 and Friday, June 15. You can book tickets here. For more Sydney Film Festival picks, check out our list of ten must-see films at the fest — and our excitement over Sundance flicks Kusama: Infinity, Leave No Trace and The Guilty; our Berlinale selections such as Aga and Transit; and our Cannes standouts including Burning, Climax and Shoplifters.
There's nothing small about Dark Mofo, the wintry music and arts festival hosted by the Museum of Old and New Art. With everything from rainbows to the Chernobyl score played live in an immersive industrial setting on its initial 2022 program — a doll house, The Kid LAROI, tunes from Candyman, Jónsi from Sigur Rós and 100 artists from 30 countries, too — that's definitely the case this year. But its hefty lineup so far just wasn't enough, it seems, so the fest has gone and added a slew of new shows. Among the newly announced additions: an afterparty following the Reclamation Walk on opening night, headlined by Briggs and Emma Donovan & The Putbacks; Japanese quartet Chai, busting out euphoric live tunes neo kawaii-style; queer dance party Club Mince, which'll take over two floors at Hobart's Altar; and three-night dance party Night Garden at the fest's In The Hanging Garden venue. [caption id="attachment_854706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image courtesy of the artist, and Dark Mofo 2022.[/caption] Or, there's also a special tribute gig focusing on Ukraine — called With Ukraine, in fact — by musician and Mona's resident composer Dean Stevenson with his Arco Set Orchestra. It'll commit commit $10,000 of proceeds from the performance to charity Voices of Children, which assists Ukrainian children and families affected by the Russian invasion. And, the aforementioned Chernobyl score performances will also donate funds to the people of Ukraine, too. Other new highlights on the bill span more Mona Up Late, rapper Birdz sharing the stage with DENNI and her synth-driven hip hop, Shady Nasty with 208L Containers and Threats, and Import Export: The Dark Sessions — a showcase of Tassie talent presented by Ben Salter. [caption id="attachment_800593" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford[/caption] Arriving unexpectedly — think of it as Dark Mofo bonus — this is the third batch of program announcements for the fest, after it dropped the first highlights for this year's fest back in March. Accordingly, all of the above also joins the previously announced Kim Gordon, who'll bust out songs from her 2019 solo release No Home Record; Berlin-based composer and producer Nils Frahm playing Music For Hobart; and Spiritualized, Deafheaven and American multi-instrumentalist Lingua Ignota. And yes, that's just a taste of what awaits at the Tasmanian festival. Dark Mofo will run from Wednesday, June 8–Wednesday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the festival website. Top image: DarkLab/Jesse Hunniford, 2019. Image Courtesy DarkLab, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Even though, officially, Apple continues to remain tight-lipped on precisely what will be revealed at its unveiling next Tuesday, September 9, a confident New York Times report suggests that we can expect two iPhones with bigger, better screens and Apple's first wearable computer, which journos and techies the world over have dubbed the iWatch. The smartwatch will be the first brand new product to have hit the Apple shelves since Timothy D. Cook took the reins following Steve Jobs' death in October 2011. Industry experts are predicting the wearable Mac will be available in two sizes, feature a flexible screen protected by tough-as-nails sapphire crystal and perform miracles via a teeny-tiny, stamp-sized circuit board. Okay, not exactly miracles, but similar tasks like displaying maps and measuring bodily movements (such as heart rate and footsteps) with frightening accuracy. What's more, speculation is rife that both the iWatch and the iPhones will take us one step closer to a cashless society: forget fumbling with cards and coins, you'll just flash your wrist at the register and your bill will be taken care of. So you’ll be able to pick up bread and milk on the way home from your morning marathon session without jingling for the whole run. This will work using what’s known as 'near-field communication', technology that powers devices within proximity to swap info wirelessly. It also looks like the iWatch (and possibly the iPhones) will be capable of wireless charging. Beyond this, most of the hype surrounding the iPhones is around the old 'size matters' adage. We’re pretty sure that, like the iWatches, they’ll come in two sizes — one at 4.7 inches and the other at 5.5. Edges are highly likely to take on the tapered design that gives iPads such a sleek look and feel. Of course, this possibility has led busy urban types to ask the big question: how will we text with just one hand? Unsurprisingly, Apple has preempted the concern and made changes to the software interface. Apparently, there'll be two different modes on offer — one that you can make work with one hand while the other's clinging to your coffee; the other requiring the commitment of both paws. You can switch from one to the other as you please. The potentially less exciting news is that you might have to get your Guns 'N' Roses on and practise a little patience. While the iPhones should be retailing within the next few weeks, the chances are that you won’t be able to buy your very own iWatch until 2015. You might as well enjoy your exercise sessions multi-tasking free in the meantime. Via New York Times. Image credit: iWatch concept based on the Nike Fuelband by Todd Hamilton.
Fried chicken lovers: start drooling. KFC is set to unveil a brand new burger inspired by the flavours in Peking duck, but there's a catch: the only place you can get your hands on it will be at their new music festival on Cockatoo Island. The Colonel will throw the music festival in the iconic Sydney Harbour spot with an all-star local lineup on Sunday, March 13, and yes, all tickets include free KFC Peking Cluk burgers. You lucky ducks. The Peking Cluk burger has been created in collaboration with local TikTok sensation Dimsimlim and is made from Original Recipe fried chicken coated in a hoisin glaze sauce with a healthy topping of dry spring onions, cucumber and cabbage slaw. As for the headliners at the festival — it's Peking Duk, of course. The rowdy DJ duo are stepping up to help the Colonel as KFC's official burger spokespeople, and will be performing at the festival alongside beloved Yolngu rapper Baker Boy and Sydney favourite Thandi Phoenix. Attendees will be treated to Peking Duk's brand-new live show that they created over the last two years. The show has only been seen a few times at the likes of Field Day and features big party energy, remixes of previous material and plenty of synthesisers. "We've been in the bunker making the live set totally different, totally unique. It's going to be fun and it's going to be an experience that nobody's had before," Peking Duk's Reuben Styles told Concrete Playground. Adam Hyde of the duo put it more succinctly: "Get clucked, go cluck yourself, cluck off and have a clucking great time on Cockatoo Island with the boys." [caption id="attachment_753774" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cockatoo Island[/caption] Cockatoo Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has hosted iconic musicians including The Wailers, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Skrillex and Lorde. "We've never done Cockatoo Island and that's such an iconic spot for gigs. So many epic artists have come through and done shows there," said Styles. "We didn't expect our first time playing there to be a KFC collab, but god damn it's going to be so fun." The festival will mark one of very few gigs the pair have been able to play since the start of the pandemic. "Anytime a gig goes ahead now it feels like a huge relief that we actually get to put on a party and play a set for people," Styles continued. "It's so hard to pump people up about a gig when you know there's such a high chance it won't go ahead. Doing more intimate shows like the KFC one is so great for the interim because you can say, 'Hey, here's a show, it's going to go ahead, let's all get excited.'" Style and Hyde, alongside festival buddy Thandi Phoenix and a heap of Aussie musicians took a stand last month against the NSW Government's restrictions on live music and religious gatherings. The group of musicians labelled themselves Thrillsong after it was revealed that Hillsong hosted a large youth event with many similarities to a music festival during a time when festivals were unable to go ahead. "I think it was a great thing," Styles proclaims about Hillsong's gathering. "It shined a light on how stupid the government's rules were to allow religious events to go down but no any other form of musical events." If you want to catch Peking Duk's new set and get your hands on the Peking Cluk burger, tickets to KFC's Cockatoo Island music festival are available via Moshtix now for $50, but be quick as they're sure to be snatched up quickly. There's no word yet whether the Peking Cluk burger will be on offer more widely in KFC stores. [caption id="attachment_636228" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Baker Boy by Bec Taylor.[/caption] KFC's Cockatoo Island music festival will be on Sunday, March 13 featuring Peking Duk, Bakery Boy, Thandi Phoenix and plenty of burgers. Tickets are on sale now. Top image: Peking Duk at Sunset Piazza, DNSW
Where would we be without movies in 2020? While we'd usually say that there's no such thing as a bad year for the filmic medium, this year has been something else. Yes, cinemas have been closed for a hefty portion of the year, and have closed again in Melbourne. Yes, plenty of big blockbusters have shifted their release dates or ditched their in-cinema release for streaming instead. But the joy and escapism that watching a flick provides — even when you're in lockdown, quarantining or isolating at home — has been particularly cathartic in 2020. Still keen to queue up a big heap of movies, and a hefty dose of couch time? Enter Movie Frenzy, the week-long online film rental sale. Until Thursday, August 13, it's serving up a sizeable lineup of popular flicks from the past year, all at $3 or less per movie. On the lineup: the murder-mystery thrills of Knives Out, standout horror remake The Invisible Man, the war-torn tension of 1917 and a candy-hued take on comic book mayhem in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). You can also spend some time with Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit or Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen, watch Daniel Radcliffe with weapons nailed to his hands in Guns Akimbo, and see Kristen Stewart get scared under the sea's surface in Underwater. Jumanji: The Next Level, Sonic the Hedgehog, Just Mercy and Midway are also on offer, as are Like a Boss, Dolittle, Bloodshot and Bad Boys for Life — and while some are more worth your attention than others, we'll let you do the choosing. You can nab the cheap flicks via your digital rental platform of choice, including Apple TV, Fetch, Google Play, Microsoft Store, PlayStation Store, Amazon Prime Video, Telstra TV Box Office and YouTube — although just what's available, and the price, will vary depending on the service. And you won't need a subscription, unless you decide to join in the fun via the Foxtel Store. Movie Frenzy runs until Thursday, August 13 — with film rental costing up to $3 per movie.
Becky with the good hair gets a shoutout in Swarm. Facial bites do as well, complete with a Love & Basketball reference when the culprit flees. This seven-part series about a global pop sensation and her buzzing fans and stans also has its music icon unexpectedly drop a stunner of a visual album, ride a white horse, be married to a well-known rapper, become a mum to twins and see said husband fight with her sister in an elevator. Her sibling is also a singer, and plenty of folks contend she's the more interesting of the two. Still, Swarm's object of fascination — protagonist Dre's (Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah) undying obsession — sells out tours, breaks Ticketmaster and headlines one of the biggest music festivals there is. And, while they call themselves the titular term rather than a hive, her devotees are zealous and then some, especially humming around on social media. Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, the show's creators and past colleagues on Glover's exceptional, now-finished Atlanta — Nabers also worked on Watchmen, too — couldn't be more upfront about who they're referring to. No one says Beyoncé's name, however, but Swarm's Houston-born music megastar is the former Destiny's Child singer in everything except moniker. In case anyone watching thinks that this series is trading in coincidences and déjà vu, or just failing to be subtle when it comes to Ni'Jah (Nirine S Brown, Ruthless), the Prime Video newcomer keeps making an overt opening declaration. "This is not a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is intentional," it announces before each episode, all of which stream from Friday, March 17. Ni'Jah is Swarm's sun, radiating her vastly popular glow upon all who choose to bask, and upon the world in general anyway. Always orbiting her from a distance, Dre is the show's earth. This is the latter's tale, as she starts the series as a twentysomething in 2016 who still adores her childhood idol with the same passion she did as a teen and, instalment by instalment, shows how far she's willing to go to prove it. Swarm's debut scene features Dre excitedly tearing open an envelope containing the credit card she needs to buy expensive Ni'Jah tickets she can't afford, which she's purchasing as a birthday present for her best friend and housemate Marissa (Chloe Bailey, Grown-ish). Alas, before the first set of closing credits run, that concert-going dream will be tainted by tragedy and murder, sending Dre across the country to chase her hero, confront Ni'Jah naysayers and work out if she's anyone beyond a stan. Thoroughly unrelated fellow 2023 arrival Poker Face commences in a similar fashion — not with pop goddesses and the people who are crazy, drunk and sometimes dangerously in love them, but with a friendship fractured and a road trip springing in the aftermath. While Swarm isn't a mystery-of-the-week series, it does see Dre head to different places, take up various jobs and befriend an array of people, and lets each chapter unfurl as a largely self-contained narrative. It's also anchored by a compelling lead performance, and one that's calibrated to make a statement. As Dre, Fishback is commanding. She stings with vulnerability and fierceness alike, and floats between the two expertly. Crucially, while she's ferocious, she's purposefully the opposite — or near enough — of Ni'Jah's Queen Bey-esque vision of perfect Black womanhood. Even if Swarm wasn't in formation with the star who runs many fans' worlds, Dre would remain a character rarely seen on-screen. From The King of Comedy through to its own ardent admirer Joker, and including Misery in-between, pop culture isn't lacking in ultra-dedicated enthusiasts who've sipped more than lemonade and can't stop worshipping — but they're never Black women. As Atlanta did before it and so gloriously, Swarm unpacks stereotypical representation. It tears into fame and its costs and consequences as well, plus true-crime and its formula, and it's clearly unafraid of real-world parallels. Surging with the surreal and savage, too, it whirrs and fizzes on a heightened plane (that Swarm's episodes could slot easily into Atlanta is an immense compliment). Awkward to the point of barely speaking at the outset — she lights up in Marissa's presence, then withdraws whenever Khalid (Damson Idris, Snowfall), Marissa's boyfriend, is around — Dre is the type of protagonist that audiences can't look away from even at her worst. Journeying from strip-club gigs to communes, she traverses a coming-of-age story, but a brutal one. Fishback's resume has ample highlights, such as a BAFTA nomination for Judas and the Black Messiah, and also-excellent work in Show Me a Hero, The Hate U Give and The Deuce, but she turns in the TV equivalent to Mia Goth's phenomenal recent work in Pearl here. Both tell of young women who don't feel like they belong, want more than their lot than life, and sport hopes and dreams they're constantly told are pure fantasies. Both won't simply accept that reality, either, no matter who or what gets in their way. There's a particular potency to Glover, aka Childish Gambino, helping to tell Swarm's toxic showbiz fandom tale. Again, the series leans into letting art blatantly imitate and riff on life — not with references to his own career, but in nudges to IRL fame wherever it can. Bailey is one half of Chloe x Halle, a singer and star, and even a former Beyoncé co-star and protege. Popping up as an erotic dancer, Paris Jackson (Gringo) is the daughter of Michael Jackson and, yes, has an album as well. When Dre finds herself with a NXIVM-inspired group, Billie Eilish plays its leader Eva. Brother to Macaulay and Succession's Kieran, Rory Culkin (Under the Banner of Heaven) also features. So does Glover's own sibling Stephen. And, among Swarm's staff writers is Malia Obama, credited as Malia Ann. Winking and nodding serves Swarm nicely, filtering down to its co-director Ibra Ake, who held the same position with Beyoncé's The Lion King visual album Black Is King — a movie where Donald Glover voiced Simba and Beyoncé voiced Nala. Top-notch craft that's as immersive and textured as Atlanta always was, all while veering more prominently into psychological horror-meets-satire territory, proves as important and deftly executed (with the Glovers and Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul's Adamma Ebo also behind the lens). Indeed, Swarm is a gripping series to look at and listen to, and a feat in aesthetics and sound; often grainy and saturated with red, and also literally buzzing whenever Dre's deeds are about to get violent, it's meticulous at plunging viewers into its headspace. Getting obsessed is easy — which, like any pop hit and its hooks, is aptly and knowingly all by design. Check out the trailer for Swarm below: Swarm streams via Prime Video.
At last, there may be a way to put your otherwise life-crippling Facebook addiction to good use. Japan Tourism Agency is looking to hook up 10,000 ‘highly influential blogger-types, and others’ - aka social media junkies - with a free trip to Japan. All they require in return is that the lucky recipients do what they do best, and share their experience in cyber land. The tsunami-triggered nuclear disaster of March this year delivered a mighty suckerpunch to Japan’s tourism industry. The agency is prepared to spend 1.5 billion yen on their plan to kick start tourism with the round-trip tickets, once approved by Japan’s lawmakers. The plan could well pay off, with first-hand accounts offering a personal touch to sooth the security fears of would-be travelers unsettled by heavy media coverage of the 80,000 locals still displaced by radiation. But it also invests a lot of trust in their temporary marketers to document a positive experience. Fingers crossed they don't get food poisoning from too much raw fish or attacked by the notoriously-aggressive snow monkeys - whatever you do, don't look them in the eye - along the way. Golden ticket bearers will have to pay for their own accommodation and meals, but will save at least a grand on airline expenses. So if Facebook owes you one for all the hours it has robbed from you that could have been spent having real-life experiences, keep an eye out for the launch of a website by the Japan Tourism Agency to lodge your application once the Japanese government approves the initiative.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe will likely never end, and Disney shows no signs of wanting it to — but if it ever does, every Marvel character you can think of will get their own Disney+ series first. Already, plenty have; see: WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, Ms Marvel and She-Hulk. The next one to join them: Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury, aka the Director of SHIELD and creator of the Avengers Initiative who acted as the connective tissue between most of the MCU's early instalments. (If Jackson didn't show up in a Marvel movie back then, was it really a Marvel movie?) Fifteen years after first appearing in the post-credits scene of the original Iron Man, the film that started it all, Fury will placed front and centre in Secret Invasion — a show that was announced back in 2020, but won't hit streaming until autumn 2023 Down Under. As seen in the just-dropped first trailer for the six-episode series, a war is looming with the shapeshifting Skrulls, and Fury can't keep ignoring the pleas from Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders, How I Met Your Mother) for help. Plenty of other familiar faces pop up, too: Australia's own Ben Mendelsohn (Cyrano) returning as Talos after Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years) as War Machine and Martin Freeman (Breeders) as the CIA's Everett Ross. Will their characters really show up? Or will we really be seeing Skrull impersonators? Obviously, that'll only be answered when Secret Invasion arrives. Because every actor ever has to fit into the MCU at some point, the above cast is joined by a few other huge names as well: Olivia Colman (Mothering Sunday), Emilia Clarke (Last Christmas) and Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami). The story clearly ties into Captain Marvel, which is proving a launching pad for more than a few recent and upcoming MCU chapters, such as streaming's Ms Marvel and big-screen release The Marvels — which teams up Captain Marvel (Brie Larson, Just Mercy), Ms Marvel (Iman Vellani) and WandaVision's Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, Candyman), and also arrives in 2023. Fury, and therefore Jackson, did appear in two episodes of the Agents of SHIELD TV show in 2013 and 2014, so this won't be the character's first small-screen outing. Behind the scenes, Kyle Bradstreet (Mr Robot) created Secret Invasion, and writes and executive produces. Check out the trailer for Secret Invasion below: Secret Invasion will stream via Disney+ in autumn 2023 — we'll update you with an exact release date when one is announced. Images: Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Over the past few months, with COVID-19 cases remaining low, New South Wales has been loosening its coronavirus restrictions. But, due to the new northern beaches cluster, the state is now tightening up its rules in an effort to contain the spread. That has seen quite a few things change rather rapidly since Friday, December 18 — including today, Sunday, December 20, with Premier Gladys Berejiklian announcing new restrictions for Greater Sydney. Presently, the northern beaches local government area is in lockdown until 11.59pm on Wednesday, December 23 — and residents of the rest of the city have been asked to avoid non-essential activities across the same period. Now, Premier Berejiklian has advised that new public health orders are coming into effect from 11.59pm tonight, Sunday, December 20, regarding at-home gatherings and hospitality venues. Yes, they'll cap how many people can be in either type of space. And, they'll be in place for the Greater Sydney area, including the Blue Mountains and Central Coast. First, the news that might change your festive celebrations. If you're keen to have folks over to your house, that's being capped at ten people — and runs through until midnight on Wednesday. So, if you're getting merry in someone's home in the lead up to Christmas, you'll now need to scale down your plans. At all other indoor settings other than the family home — which includes hospitality venues — the one-person-per-four-square-metre rule is back in effect until further notice. That's changing from one person per two square metres, so it's basically halving the amount of people who can be inside in a venue. Also, a cap of 300 people will apply, even if a large space can hold more than that and still abide by the density requirement. Singing and chanting are also off the cards at indoors venues. Obviously, that's going to affect Christmas festivities, too. And, dance floors have been nixed again — other than at weddings, where a maximum of 20 people from the bridal party can still cut a rug. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1340451514741972992 The restrictions are being put back in place as New South Wales reports 30 new local cases — including 28 that have already been directly linked to the Avalon cluster — plus six acquired from overseas. The aim of the new caps is to limit the spread of COVID-19 across Sydney, including via further seeding events as folks spend more time together indoors in the lead up to Christmas. Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited over the past week — and, if you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days after your visit. In terms of symptoms, Sydneysiders should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Top image: Stix, Cassandra Hannagan.
If your favourite kind of art is the stuff that's contemporary, independent and far from boring, your collection could soon be in for a boost. The Other Art Fair is bringing its boundary-pushing exhibit to The Cutaway from Thursday, July 21 to Sunday, July 24. What's in tow? Accessible art (read: affordable, starting at just $100) and good-time vibes (courtesy of live DJs, diverse street eats and a fully stocked bar). A far cry from the pretentious art fairs of old, Saatchi Art's touring event will this year showcase works from 120 contemporary artists, with the supporting program covering everything from live tattooing to drawing classes and curator-led tours. If you fancy browsing artworks with a drink in hand, you'll have plenty of options. A pop-up bar is set to pour exclusive sips and there'll be an array of food stalls to choose from, too. Whether your love of art is long-held and you've curated a collection to rival the best, or you simply appreciate artistic expression and are looking to discover emerging and independent artists (and perhaps procure your first forever-piece), The Other Art Fair will have thousands (literally) of impressive pieces for you to discover. The Other Art Fair will hit The Cutaway from Thursday, July 21 to Sunday, July 24. To secure your tickets, head to the website.
After eight seasons, a massive body count and an enormous wait for winter, Game of Thrones is coming to an end, with the final season kicking off this week. But that doesn't mean saying goodbye to the world first created by author George R.R. Martin — not only thanks to the author's books, whenever The Winds of Winter finally hits shelves, or even simply due to the planned prequel series. In addition, fans will soon be able to visit a heap of new GoT tourist attractions. After shooting much of the show in Northern Ireland for the past decade, last year HBO announced that it's teaming up with Tourism NI to open a number of sets and sites to the public for the first time. If you've ever dreamed about walking around Westeros, this will be your chance. Winterfell, The Wall, King's Landing and Dragonstone are among the iconic spots that'll feature in what's being called Game of Thrones Legacy. Now, further details have been revealed, so prepare to be happier than Arya Stark crossing a name off of her infamous list. The first part of Game of Thrones Legacy will be a huge Game of Thrones studio tour within Linen Mill Studios, which is where plenty of she show has been filmed. Yes, this is where you'll find the ancestral home of House Stark, the headquarters of the Night's Watch and the capital of the seven kingdoms. When it launches as a tourist site, it'll be filled with original set pieces, costumes, props and weapons across a hefty 110,000-square-feet. The tour has been dubbed an 'interactive experience', although exactly how you'll be able to interact with these GoT items — other than training your peepers towards them — hasn't yet been unveiled. You will definitely wander through fully dressed sets, walk "in the very footsteps of Westeros's most prominent residents", relive "key moments from the series" and stand "right where they took place" as part of the immersive attraction, according to the press release. There'll also be informative displays highlighting the production spaces, as well as the craftsmanship and artistry that goes into bringing something as epic as GoT to life. Plus, you'll also be able to play around at an interactive costume department station, as well as sections dedicated to the show's make-up, prosthetics and armoury. Also set to go on display: art files, models and other production materials, as well as accompanying digital content and interactive materials highlighting GoT's digital effects. If you're now contemplating a trip to Northern Ireland, the entire Game of Thrones Legacy setup will comprise the largest authentic public display of GoT artifacts in the world, should that stoke your excitement. More details are set to come and, after originally touting a 2019 opening date, the tour looks slated to open around this time in 2020 (spring in Northern Ireland) instead. By then, you'll certainly know whether Jon Snow really does know nothing — and then you can head to Northern Ireland to visit many of his haunts. Images: Home Box Office, Inc.
Are you a cat person or a dog person? Alongside whether or not you're a fan of pineapple on pizza, pet preference is one of humanity's great dividing factors. Some folks love the unconditional affection that a barking bestie brings. Others thrive on the contented purrs of a meowing mouser sitting on their lap. Whichever camp you fall into, here's something that even the most-avid pup proponents and feline fanciers can agree on: that an exhibition dedicated to both cats and dogs, charting their place in art, design and human history, is a delightful must-see. Cats & Dogs is that showcase, giving NGV Australia in Melbourne's Federation Square one of its big summer highlights. It's a great time to be an art lover in the Victorian capital, or visiting the city, with all things Yayoi Kusama taking over NGV International and beyond — and also this thoughtful and adorable exhibition bringing joy via more than 250 cat- and dog-focused works at the Ian Potter Centre until Sunday, July 20, 2025. If your camera roll demonstrates your firm belief that there's no such thing as too many pet pictures, consider this the wide-ranging display that understands, then illustrates that idea — literally — via art. Pieces by Rembrandt van Rijn, Francisco de Goya, Pierre Bonnard, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, Hulda Guzmán, Atong Atem, Charles Blackman, Grace Cossington Smith and Nora Heysen are among the works featured, spanning both international and Australian artists. And yes, because cats and dogs don't always get along, the exhibition places dog pieces on one side and cats on the other. For plenty of pet lovers, you could hang all the pictures in the world of cats and dogs in a gallery and it'd instantly become a cherished art experience, but NGV International has arranged its showcase thematically to dig into what these two types of cute creatures mean to us. Using works from the NGV Collection, it explores subjects such as working dogs and cats, how the two pets feature in mythology and the occult, and their significance in religion and spirituality. So, expect cattle dogs, superstition-inspiring black cats and everything in-between, Also included in a display that ranges from ancient history to today: a survey of cats in popular culture. And if thinking about moggies and art gets you thinking about Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen's 1896 Chat Noir art nouveau poster, the recent acquisition by the NGV is part of the exhibition. Paintings of cats and dogs, prints of cats and dogs, drawings of cats and dogs, photos of cats and dogs, sculptures of cats and dogs, fashion featuring cats and dogs: they're all covered, as are textiles and decorative arts heroing the two critters. Other specific highlights include Atomicus, the surrealist photography by Philippe Halsman with Salvador Dalí pictured next to flying cats; Thomas Gainsborough's two-metre-high oil painting Richard St George Mansergh-St George, focusing on a soldier and his hound; Atong Atem's 2022 self-portrait Maria of Mars, complete with a lapdog earning atttention; pieces by First Nations artists, such as wooden carvings of camp dogs by Far North Queensland's Aurukun artists; and fashion by Alexander McQueen, Romance Was Born and others. Do you know in your bones that your own cat or dog belongs in the same company? There's a pet portrait gallery, too, where attendees can share images of their own pets. "People have shared domestic life with cats and dogs for thousands of years. Through more than 250 works from the NGV Collection, this exhibition explores our close-knit relationships with these animals with both critical rigour and a sense of humour. Whether a self-proclaimed dog person or cat lover, there is something for visitors of all inclinations to appreciate and enjoy," said NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM. Cats & Dogs displays at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Federation Square, Melbourne, until Sunday, July 20, 2025. Head to the venue's website for tickets and more details. Images: Installation view of Cats & Dogs at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia from 1 November 2024 to 20 July 2025. Photos: Eugene Hyland and Tom Ross.
Only 12 women have won the Archibald Prize, Australia's coveted award for portraiture, in the accolade's 103-year history. Laura Jones is now one of them. For the second year running, a female artist has taken out the prestigious gong, with four-time finalist Jones receiving the prize for her likeness of Australian author Tim Winton. She was inspired to commit his image to canvas after meeting him at an environmental advocacy event, then taking part in a 2016 artist residency that focused on studying the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef. Even with artists winning the award twice, this is still just the 14th time that a woman has taken home the accolade — an honour that the Greater Western Sydney-based Jones has called "a life-changing moment". "There is an array of brilliant finalists for the 2024 Archibald Prize. I am shocked and humbled to be chosen as the winner," said the artist, who paints, draws, sculpts and makes prints with a focus on the connection between humans and the environment, in a statement announcing the winner of this year's award. "I would like to thank my sitter, Tim Winton. Tim is one of the world's greatest novelists and also a tireless advocate for the environment. He is an inspiration to me as both an artist and as a human being." [caption id="attachment_961081" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.[/caption] As unveiled on Friday, June 7, 2024, Jones emerged victorious from a 2024 lineup of 57 finalists for the Archibald Prize, which was whittled down from 1005 entries. One such fellow contender: Matt Adnate's Rhythms of heritage, a portrait of Baker Boy that received this year's Packing Room Prize on Thursday, May 30. Other works in the running included Caroline Zilinsky's portrait of Saltburn and Priscilla's Jacob Elordi, Mia Boe's of Tony Armstrong, Jessie Bourke's of Heartbreak High star Chloé Hayden, Paul de Zubicaray's of Jaguar Jonze and Angus McDonald's likeness of Professor Marcia Langton. Also on the list: Drew Bickford's portrait of Hello Dankness filmmakers Dan and Dominique Angeloro, aka Soda Jerk; Camellia Morris' of Anthony Field from The Wiggles; Tim Owers' of Matildas player Cortnee Vine; and Nick Stathopoulos' of film critic David Stratton. [caption id="attachment_961086" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] Jones' $100,000-winning piece came about after she contacted the Perth-based writer with 30 books to his name — Breath, Dirt Music, Cloudstreet, The Turning and Blueback included — and showed him her work. "I wrote Tim a letter and sent him a book of my reef paintings, and we seemed to really connect on our interest in climate activism. I was amazed by the humility of this great novelist, who has enchanted generations of Australian readers," explained Jones. "Last year, I watched his ABC documentary Ningaloo Nyinggulu, about the fight to save Ningaloo Reef. It was beautiful and terrifying... I was stunned to discover a portrait of Tim had never been a finalist in the Archibald Prize." [caption id="attachment_961082" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Wynne Prize 2024, Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu 'Nyalala gurmilili', natural pigments on bark, 263 x 154 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] AGNSW pairs the Archibald Prize with two other awards: the similarly coveted Wynne and Sulman prizes. The Wynne received 738 entries in 2024, with 41 named as finalists, while the Sulman received 628 entries, naming 40 as final contenders. 2024's $50,000 Wynne Prize, which recognises the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture, has been awarded to Yolŋu elder and artist Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu, who hails from Yirrkala in the Northern Territory. The first-time finalists's bark painting Nyalala gurmilili earned her the award. Depicting the miwatj or "sunrise side" in Yolŋu Matha, it's one of the largest bark paintings ever made. The $40,000 Sir John Sulman Prize is presented to the best mural, subject or genre painting, with Naomi Kantjuriny, an Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) community elder, doing the honours in 2024. Her winning piece: Minyma mamu tjuta, in which mamu — aka spirits both good and bad — feature. Also a first-time finalist for the award, she's also the third Indigenous Australian artist to win the Sulman. [caption id="attachment_961085" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Sulman Prize 2024, Naomi Kantjuriny 'Minyma mamu tjuta', synthetic polymer paint on linen, 197 x 153.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] If you'd like to see all of the above, plus the rest of 2024's finalists across the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes, they'll all be on display at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney from Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024. Don't agree with the judges? You can cast your own vote for People's Choice, which will be announced on Thursday, August 8. Jones' win adds to a diverse recent history for the Archibald. In 2020, Vincent Namatjira's portrait of Adam Goodes did the honours, and also marked the first time the award has gone to an Indigenous artist. In 2021, Peter Wegner's portrait of fellow artist Guy Warren nabbed the gong. In 2022, it was Blak Douglas' portrait of artist Karla Dickens in the Lismore floods that came out on top, while 2023's accolade went to Julia Gutman for a portrait of Montaigne. [caption id="attachment_961087" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] Archibald Prize 2024 Dates: Saturday, June 8–Sunday, September 8, 2024 — Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, NSW Friday, September 20–Sunday, November 17, 2024 — Orange Regional Gallery Saturday, November 30, 2024–Sunday, January 26, 2025 — Ngununggula, Southern Highlands Regional Gallery Friday, February 7–Sunday, April 6, 2025 — Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Thursday, April 24–Sunday, June 15, 2025 — Araluen Arts Centre, Northern Territory Friday, July 4–Sunday, August 31, 2025 — Lismore Regional Gallery [caption id="attachment_961089" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. [/caption] [caption id="attachment_961088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view, 'Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2024', Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.[/caption] 2024's Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prize-winners will display at various locations around the country from Saturday, June 8, 2024. If you can't make it to any of the above exhibition dates, you can check out the winners and finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes on the Art Gallery of NSW website. Top image: excerpt of the winner Archibald Prize 2024, Laura Jones 'Tim Winton', oil on linen, 198 x 152.5 cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter: Tim Winton.
Plastic shopping bags might seem to last forever, but Australian's reliance upon the pesky, flimsy carriers has an expiration date — and it's finally here. In a massive move for the industry — and a huge hug for the environment — the country's supermarkets are ditching single-use plastic bags from this week. Last July, three of the country's biggest grocery chains announced that they'll be banning the bag: Woolworths, Coles and the New South Wales-based Harris Farm. Harris Farm stopping stocking bags at the start of the year, and now it's time for the big two to do the same. Coles will pull the plug on Sunday, July 1, while Woolies — which also includes Big W and BWS — will get in first and remove the bags from checkout from this Wednesday, June 20. The move will impact Woolworths and Coles locations around the country — bringing New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia into line with South Australia, ACT, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, where state-wide plastic bans are already in place. So, without the bags, what are your options? Well, you'll still be able to get plastic bags at the checkout at both supermarkets fro 15 cents each. These ones are apparently thicker, more durable and are made from 80 percent recycled plastic — but, even though they're meant to be more reusable, it's hard to say if people will use them any differently to the way they use single-use bags now. Woolworths will also be offering another fold-up 99-cent bag option, as well as the regular, bulkier green bags. If you get your groceries delivered, you'll be able to choose a no-bag option. Queensland will flat-out ban single-use plastic bags from July 1, and Victoria is set to do the same later this year. NSW is the only state that hasn't committed to banning them. Getting rid the ever-present items everyone has too many of is the latest example of Aussie businesses putting the planet first. Bars around the country have banned plastic straws, Closed Loop has been trialling ways to recycle takeaway coffee cups, and reusable coffee cups have been gaining popularity all over the place — with some cafes offering discounts, and others banning disposable containers completely.
The eighth movie in the Mission: Impossible comes with a loaded title: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. The film's trailers, both the first teaser in 2024 and the just-dropped full sneak peek now, also play up the idea that everything has been leading to this. Does Tom Cruise (Top Gun: Maverick) only have one more stint in Ethan Hunt's shoes left in him? That's the vibe that the promotional campaign for The Final Reckoning is aiming for. Whether or not that actually proves accurate, its star is doing what he always his in this action-packed spy franchise, ever since he stepped into it almost three decades ago: testing his limits through death-defying stunts. Initially, this new chapter was called called Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two, given that it directly follows on from 2023's Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. But then the film was delayed during Hollywood's strikes, pushing back its release by almost 12 months. Now, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is getting ready for potentially seeing the last of Cruise as Hunt come May. The feature's two trailers so far traverse everywhere from snow and sky-high heights to under the sea and frozen in ice — and, as always, include plenty of Cruise running. Story details are sparse, however, but of course the film's star is seen hanging off of a plane. Another focus: that everything that happens to us, and Hunt, is the truly sum of our choices. Indeed, the franchise's protagonist isn't just sighted in the trailer, but discussed at length. Viewers can expect more world-hopping intrigue, explosions, chases and fights, though, as regularly occurs when Ethan Hunt and his Impossible Missions Force team return. Also back: a cast including Simon Pegg (The Boys), Ving Rhames (The Wild Robot) and Hayley Atwell (Heartstopper), Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), Esai Morales (Crescent City), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Henry Czerny (Zombie Town), Angela Bassett (9-1-1) and Shea Whigham (Lawmen: Bass Reeves) — and, behind the camera, director Christopher McQuarrie helms again after doing the same on Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible — Fallout and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. On-screen, Holt McCallany (The Lincoln Lawyer), Janet McTeer (The Old Man), Nick Offerman (Civil War) and Hannah Waddingham (The Fall Guy) feature, too. Check out the full trailer for Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning below: Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning will release in cinemas Down Under on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Read our review of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. Images: Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
If you were planning to fly with Bonza today, Tuesday, April 30, your travel plans have changed. The budget Australian airline has suspended its flights across the country — a move that the carrier says is short-term while it works out a plan to stay operational. In a statement, Bonza CEO Tim Jordan advised that "Bonza has temporarily suspended services due to be operated today, as discussions are currently underway regarding the ongoing viability of the business". "We apologise to our customers who are impacted by this and we're working as quickly as possible to determine a way forward that ensures there is ongoing competition in the Australian domestic aviation market," the statement continues. When it launched in 2023 with the backing of US private investment firm 777 Partners, which also has a hand in Canada's Flair Airlines and the Southeast Asian-based Value Alliance, Bonza gave Aussies a new option for flying. Its angle: a low-cost carrier with a particular focus on opening up routes to more of the country's regional destinations. It was in January last year that Jordan announced that the airline received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). "This is an historic moment for Australian aviation as we get ready to launch the first high-capacity airline in more than 15 years, and the country's only independent low-cost carrier," said Jordan at the time. "With the approval from CASA, 2023 is set to be the year of seeing more of your own backyard for less." Since then, on planes given names as Aussie as the airline's itself — aka Bazza, Shazza, Sheila, Malc, Matilda and Bruce — Bonza has serviced locations such as Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and the Whitsundays in Queensland; Albury, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Port Macquarie in New South Wales; and Melbourne, Avalon and Mildura in Victoria. It operates out of two bases: the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport. Onboard, patrons tuck into an all-Australian in-flight menu, spanning both food and craft beer. While Jordan's statement on Tuesday, April 30 only references suspending flights for that specific date, there's no word yet when the carrier will be back in the air. At the time of writing, the brand's website currently includes the same message. For more information about Bonza, head to the airline's website.
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=6ivHf4ODMi4 JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH The last time that Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield appeared in the same film, Get Out was the end result. Their shared scene in Jordan Peele's Oscar-winning horror movie isn't easily forgotten (if you've seen the feature, it will have instantly popped into your head while you're reading this), and neither is Judas and the Black Messiah, their next exceptional collaboration. With Kaluuya starring as the Black Panther Party's Illinois Chairman Fred Hampton and Stanfield playing William O'Neal, the man who infiltrated his inner circle as an informant for the FBI, the pair is still tackling race relations. Here, though, the duo does so in a ferocious historical drama set in the late 60s. The fact that O'Neal betrays Hampton isn't a spoiler; it's a matter of fact, and the lens through which writer/director Shaka King (Newlyweeds) and his co-scribes Kenneth Lucas, Keith Lucas (actors on Lady Dynamite) and Will Berson (Scrubs) view the last period of Hampton's life. The magnetic Kaluuya has already won a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for his performance, and is bound to be nominated for and likely win an Oscar as well — and if he wants to keep acting opposite Stanfield in movies this invigorating, ardent, resonant and essential, audiences won't complain. It's 1966 when O'Neal falls afoul of the law for trying to impersonate an FBI agent to steal a vehicle. With J Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen, Grace and Frankie) directing his employees to "prevent the rise of a 'messiah' who could unify and electrify the militant black nationalist movement" — his real-life words — the car thief is offered a deal by actual FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons, I'm Thinking of Ending Things). If O'Neal cosies up to Hampton, then reports back on his comings, goings, political moves and general plans, he'll avoid jail. Initially apprehensive, he acquiesces to keep his freedom. With Hampton's raging speeches earning him a firm following, and his charisma and canny strategies broadening the crowds hanging on his words, O'Neal's task isn't minor. And the further he ingratiates himself into Hampton's confidence, becoming his head of security, the more he's torn about keeping tabs and doing the government's increasingly nefarious bidding. This isn't just a story about one young Black man coerced into bringing down a rising leader and revolutionary, however. It's also a tale about the figure who mobilised the masses as Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X had, until he was shot while he slept at the age of just 21. And, it's an account of the powers-that-be's abject fear of progress, equality, and the crusaders willing to put their lives on the line to fight for justice and a better world. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBjcbZla2cA GIRLS CAN'T SURF Exploring the gender imbalance in professional surfing, especially during the 80s and 90s as women in the sport were starting to attract the world's attention, Girls Can't Surf feels like a floodgates-bursting documentary. Watching female stars of the era talk about their experiences, including the vast disparity in prize money between men and women and how that affected their efforts to make a living, it's easy to see this candid and detailed film setting a template for a wealth of other movies. As fans of any type of women's sport well and truly know, differing treatment, pay, sponsorship and levels of respect aren't restricted to hitting the waves. Indeed, as the doco's high-profile parade of talking heads offer their thoughts and recollections — such as former world champions Frieda Zamba, Wendy Botha, Pam Burridge, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen and Layne Beachley — many of their words could be uttered by any number of female athletes in a wide range of fields. That truth doesn't undercut the doco's power, or downplay what women surfers have been through. Rather, it underscores the importance of continually shining a light on the way the sporting arena has routinely sidelined, undermined and devalued anyone who isn't male. "If you can't see it, you can't be it" is one of Girls Can't Surf's resonant and universal sound bites, and it's easily applicable far beyond the film's specific stories and the sport in focus. Indeed, when Beachley talks about how she used to mill around surfing contests as a teen starting out in the field, and annoy the ladies she'd soon be competing against, you can see those words in action; if earlier generations of women hadn't already been hanging ten, Australia's seven-time champ wouldn't have had any footsteps to follow in. The film is filled with astute insights and telling connections such as these. It all leads to the well-publicised recent development, only back in 2018, of equal winnings for men and women being mandated by the World Surf League from 2019 onwards. That happy ending benefits today's stars, such as Stephanie Gilmore, Tyler Wright and Carissa Moore, but it came too late for Girls Can't Surf's interviewees. Once again, knowing that significant change has finally come to the sport doesn't diminish the potency of hearing about the horrors, struggles and rampant sexism that female surfers endured for decades — with two-time feature surf documentarian Christopher Nelius (Storm Surfers 3D) smartly bringing those tales to the fore, and the people sharing them as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb9PBr7Qhec MAX RICHTER'S SLEEP Since first opening its doors back in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has played host to a wealth of performances, spanning far further in genre than just the art form that gives the venue its name. But it was only during Vivid Live 2016 that the iconic locale serenaded visitors into an evening-long slumber, all as part of Max Richter's live recital of his eight-and-a-half hour work Sleep. Across 31 tracks comprised of 204 movements, the German-born British composer's concept album unfurls music based on the neuroscience of getting some shuteye. In its intonation, the ambitious yet soothing piece favours the range that can be heard in the womb for much of its duration. When performed for an audience, it is played overnight, with beds set up — and doing as the work's title suggests is highly encouraged. Attendees recline, listen and let Richter's blend of strings, synthesisers and soprano vocals lull them into the land of nod. If they'd prefer to stay awake, that's fine as well, but soaking in Sleep's ambient sounds while you're snatching 40 winks is all very much part of the experience. In its live version, Sleep has echoed through spaces in London, Berlin and Paris, too; however, it's the first openair performance in Los Angeles' Grand Park in 2018 that takes pride of place in the documentary Max Richter's Sleep. A filmmaker was always bound to be so fascinated with the concept that they'd turn their lens Richter's way, and that director is Natalie Johns (an Emmy nominee for Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live in Concert), who endeavours to capture the experience for those who haven't had the pleasure themselves. The resulting film doesn't run for more than eight hours, or anywhere close — but those watching and listening will quickly wish that it did. As a feature, Max Richter's Sleep isn't designed to advertise its namesake. Rather, it documents, explores and tries to understand it. Still, the movie so easily draws viewers into the music, and so deeply, that making its audience want to snooze in public while Richter and his band plays is a guaranteed side effect. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZSLvFo0eus COSMIC SIN Reminding viewers of far better movies while they're watching yours isn't a smart or recommended filmmaking tactic, but it's what writer/director Edward Drake (Broil) does best with Cosmic Sin. By casting Bruce Willis in this science fiction slog, it immediately brings The Fifth Element to mind. That influential 1997 movie just keeps inspiring flicks that don't feature Willis of late — see also: Chaos Walking — but it leaves a particularly heavy imprint here. Indeed, it's impossible not to think of the rosier era in the actor's career that The Fifth Element represents as Willis is grimacing his way through scene after scene in Cosmic Sin, and visibly putting in zero effort. It's difficult not to think of 1998's Armageddon, too, a movie that isn't at all great but is certainly better than this new space war-fuelled picture. Drake clearly wants audiences to make these connections, which is why his feature spends far more time than it should watching Willis meander around looking unimpressed and wearing plastic armour, all while playing a disgraced military head honcho on the comeback trail. And, it must be why the film squanders Frank Grillo, who also hasn't had a great run of late (as seen in Jiu Jitsu and Boss Level), but has been screaming for years for a movie that makes the most of his presence. The year is 2524. Earth is now an old hand at attempting to colonise other planets. And when one such celestial body tried to break away five years earlier, Willis' James Ford handled it by committing mass murder. Now, a group of aliens from a just-discovered civilisation is attempting to give humans a taste of their own medicine. Ford is brought back as part of a ragtag team tasked with defending life as everyone 500 years in the future knows it, which also includes General Eron Ryle (Grillo), his nephew Braxton (Brandon Thomas Lee, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser), quantum tech Fiona Ardene (Adelaide Kane, Once Upon a Time) and fellow veteran Marcus Bleck (Costas Mandylor, In Like Flynn). Cue a movie that's never as over-the-top as it needs to be to keep viewers even remotely interested, and a bland affair all-round. The film's fondness for tech jargon-heavy nonsense dialogue doesn't help. Cosmic Sin's vision of the future — including its laughable robot bartenders — also looks as awkward as its narrative and performances feel. And while Drake and his co-writer Corey Large (Breach, and also a co-star here) endeavour to ponder deeper themes, including humanity's historical penchant for exploring the world and conquering everything in sight, that too proves flimsy. It isn't intentional, but Willis' bored look says everything it needs to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVOH9540Sbg THEN CAME YOU With film distributors playing it coy and cautious when it comes to releasing their hopeful box office hits during the pandemic, movies that mightn't have otherwise made their way into cinemas are currently getting a shot at the big screen. In some cases, that's excellent news for small but exceptional features that would've likely been dwarfed by blockbusters. In others, flicks that no one should have to pay to endure are also reaching theatres. Then Came You falls into the latter category. A vanity project for American talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford, who stars in and wrote the not-at-all romantic or comedic rom-com, it'd test patience even if it was watched with just one eye half-open and after several drinks in the middle of a long-haul flight. As well as lazily using culture-clash tropes to throw obstacles in the way of its chalk-and-cheese central duo — a newly widowed American hardware shop owner (Gifford, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming) and the Scottish Lord (Craig Ferguson, Hot in Cleveland) whose crumbling mansion she books for the first stop on a globe-hopping getaway — this trite affair hasn't met a clunky double entendre it didn't love, or a predictable plot development that can be seen from Nantucket to Scotland. First, Annabelle Wilson and Howard Awd converse via email, which Then Came You has the pair read aloud in its opening moments. Then, she announces to her empty house that she has to make new memories or the old ones will kill her, heads to the UK, is shocked that Scotland has working trains, and alternates between flirting and arguing with her host. He has a sob story, too, and he's also struggling to retain his sprawling, stereotypical-looking estate. He has a high-powered London-based bride-to-be (Elizabeth Hurley, Runaways) as well — but there's never any doubting how Then Came You will end. Rom-coms frequently stick to a template; however, it is possible to liven up a creaky formula with snappy dialogue and warm, charismatic performances. As directed with the forceful gloss of a TV commercial by second-time feature helmer Adriana Trigiani (Big Stone Gap) and often set to the same repeated song (also co-written by Gifford), this film sadly struggles with both its core rapport and its leading lady's overacting. He's worlds away from his own former TV hosting gig on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and from his sitcom tole on The Drew Carey Show, but the fact that the reliably charming Ferguson fares best here, even with the grating material, hardly comes as a surprise. 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 November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, December 17, December 26; and January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25; and March 4. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky, The Furnace, Wonder Woman 1984, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, 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 and Raya and the Last Dragon.
Here's your latest excuse to pretend it's the late 90s and 00s: The Offspring and Simple Plan are teaming up for a heap of 2025 Australian shows, heading Down Under in a year that's also bringing Green Day this way on their own tour. Who needs one reason to grab your sneakers, your huge sense of nostalgia and head to a gig when you can have two? The Offspring just played an Aussie gig on Sunday, November 24, 2024 as part of Victoria's Always Live music season — but it was their only concert on this trip, and it sold out in 30 seconds. So, next May, they're returning to hit up arenas in four cities. The tour kicks off on Sunday, May 4 at AEC Arena in Adelaide, then heads to Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and Brisbane Entertainment Centre. It's been a quarter of a century since The Offspring earned a claim to fame that every music fan Down Under should know: topping Triple J's Hottest 100 with 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)', a win that still ranks as the annual countdown's most-controversial result to date. 2024 also marks four decades since the band first formed in the early 80s, and more than 30 years since it came to mainstream attention with hits like 'Come Out and Play' and 'Self Esteem' — and the Californian outfit isn't done belting out its catchy brand of punk just yet. While the band released albums Let the Bad Times Roll and Supercharged in 2021 and 2024, respectively, you can still expect to hear their famous tracks — including 'Gotta Get Away', 'Why Don't You Get a Job?', 'The Kids Aren't Alright' and the song that's forever cemented in Australian radio history, obviously. Still led by frontman and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland — the group's only remaining member from its initial 1984 lineup, so you can definitely call him the original prankster — The Offspring will have company in the form of Canada's Simple Plan. From The Offspring alone, you'll get the words "gunter glieben glauchen globen" stuck in your head for another couple of decades. The Offspring Supercharged Worldwide in '25 Australian Tour Sunday, May 4 — AEC Arena, Adelaide Wednesday, May 7 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, May 11 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Wednesday, May 14 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane The Offspring are touring Australia in May 2025. Early-bird pre-sale tickets go on sale at 9am local time on Thursday, November 28, 2024, with general tickets on sale at 9am local time on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Head to the tour website for further details and to register for early ticket access. The Offspring images: Daveed Benito.
As if you wouldn't be excited: Clueless is set to make a comeback, with a new streaming series featuring Alicia Silverstone (Y2K) reprising the role of Cher Horowitz reportedly in the works. How is life treating one of pop culture's favourite 90s Beverley Hills teenagers three decades later? Who else from her high-school life will feature? What tale will the new small-screen sequel tell? These are all valid questions; however, none of them have answers just yet. Variety has revealed that the show is in development, with NBCUniversal's US streaming service Peacock behind it. Behind the camera, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (The OC, Gossip Girl, Nancy Drew) are writing and executive producing the new series, alongside Jordan Weiss (Freakier Friday). Amy Heckerling (Vamps), who helmed the big-screen hit in 1995, is also an executive producer. If one of your most-pressing queries involves Paul Rudd (Death of a Unicorn), there's no word yet if the ageless actor will be back. Stacey Dash (Four.), Donald Faison (Extended Family), Jeremy Sisto (FBI), Elisa Donovan (NCIS), Breckin Meyer (Good Girls), Dan Hedaya (The God Committee) and Wallace Shawn (Evil) were also among the movie's cast, as was the late Brittany Murphy. And if this news sounds familiar, that's because reports also circulated back in 2020 that the same streamer was diving back into the world of Clueless with a series focusing on Dash's Dionne — but the new project with Silverstone is something different. This isn't the first time that Clueless has made the jump to TV, but it is the only small-screen series with Silverstone returning as the film's main character. After the movie's success, a Clueless television show ran for three seasons from 1996–1998, with Rachel Blanchard (The Summer I Turned Pretty) taking over the role of Cher, but everyone from Dash, Faison, Donovan and Shawn to Murphy, Meyer and Rudd either co-starred or popped up as guests. Another example of beloved 90s fare returning — Buffy the Vampire Slayer is also reported to be returning for a sequel series — the new Clueless isn't just an excellent development for fans of the OG flick, of course. It's equally great for Jane Austen devotees, too, given that the movie loosely adapts the author's Emma. There's obviously no sneak peek yet for the new Clueless, but check out the trailer for the original film below: There's no release date for the new Clueless TV series yet — we'll update you when more details are announced. Via Variety.
