O captain, my captain. There are few actors that can make your heart break and your sides hurt in one feel-fuelled moment. Perpetually twinkly-eyed, Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams had done just that for many of us, becoming a sort of surrogate dad for many of our childhoods with his high-pitched Doubtfires, high-fiveable genies and Sesame Street how-tos. "Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most – from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets," remarked President Barack Obama this morning. With the tragic news of the 63-year-old comic genius's passing this morning, we took time to delve into the impact Williams has made on audiences young and old, opening minds through unrivalled slapstick comedy, Academy Award-worthy drama and that loud, lively, unforgettable voice. While an entire, kickass career can't be summed up in a list of ten (special mention to his unbreakable role as Aladdin's genie, the heartbreaking Patch Adams, everyone's favourite Jumanji and the terrifying One Hour Photo), here's a modest snippet of ten ways Robin Williams opened minds, hearts and lamps with his extraordinary talent. https://youtube.com/watch?v=vdXhWS7lLvs Dead Poet's Society The quintessential lesson in seizing the day, 1989's Dead Poets Society saw Williams take on unforgettable English teacher John Keating (and nab an Oscar nomination for it). Kicking his students into gear with a love of poetry and a fierce ability to tackle life head on, Williams' Keating is one of those captivating, To Sir With Love-like teacher characters who kicks your own butt into gear along with the characters. And then there's that table-topped scene. We're all standing tall with an "O Captain, My Captain," today. Williams Gold: "We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?" Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse." https://youtube.com/watch?v=mXkApy0gkjM The Birdcage Making plain the ridiculousness of right-wing conservative homophobia, The Birdcage saw Williams delve into the world of gay cabaret to expose widely shared prejudice and bullshit. Playing South Beach drag club owner Armand Goldman in this remake of the hugely popular French musical farce La Cage aux Folles, Williams and his drag queen partner (Nathan Lane) have to put up a 'straight front' in front of a his son's fiance's narrow-minded parents. Damn good comedic timing from Williams and Lane makes a mockery of disdain and small-minded attitudes, with the subtlety of Williams balanced by the high pitched screams of Lane. Williams Gold: "Yes, I wear foundation. Yes, I live with a man. Yes, I'm a middle-aged 'fag'. But I know who I am, Val. It took me twenty years to get here and I'm not gonna let some idiot senator destroy that. Fuck the senator, I don't give a damn what he thinks." https://youtube.com/watch?v=qM-gZintWDc Good Will Hunting The role that earned Williams his Oscar (and rightly so). Teaming up with Matt Damon for a genuinely kickass onscreen partnership, Williams channelled all previous dramatic experience into his role as Sean Maguire, counselling Damon's troubled mathematical genius. Nailing a particularly rousing, almost one-take monologue in the park, Williams' performance cuts to the core of knowledge versus experience, knowing about something as opposed to feeling it. Then there's his delving into "superphilosophy" and Dead Poet's Society-like Take Control speeches. Williams Gold: "You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally, I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some fuckin' book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated." https://youtube.com/watch?v=MAp8j4c2LGs Mrs Doubtfire Tackling divorce in an accessible way for your inevitably young viewers is a masterful skill for any film team — and Chris Columbus's Mrs Doubtfire nailed it. Dragging up in order to secretly spend time with his kids, Williams' wild and wonderful lead role as Daniel Hillard was deliberately appealing to a broad audience, dissolving the stigma attached to divorce at the time by making the simple facts plain (not to mention the Tootsie-like gender role adventure). Groundbreaking for the time, Sally Field (Miranda Hillard) and Williams didn't get back together in the end. So while audiences were chortling over Williams' fiery breasts or whipped cream face mask, the comedic master was giving a lesson in attitude change. High-freakin-five. Williams Gold: "Sink the sub. Hide the weasel. Park the porpoise. A bit of the old Humpty Dumpty, Little Jack Horny, the Horizontal Mambo, hmm? The Bone Dancer, Rumpleforeskin, Baloney Bop, a bit of the old Cunning Linguistics?" https://youtube.com/watch?v=W4fmVJ3nPs0 FernGully: The Last Rainforest Soaring through the rainforest canopy and throwing down a mean rap, Williams' Batty Koda taught us one important environmental lesson: humans truly suck. Teaching us to respect the natural environment, stop being tossers and Damn the Loggers, FernGully saw the fairy community and the recently-freed-from-animal-testing Batty take on a freakin' terrifying Tim Curry-voiced, human-released menace called Hexxus. Rapping out his terrifying past and constantly 'changing channels' through his human-installed aerial, Batty was one of Williams' most underrated performances — voiced the very same year as his kickass Aladdin genie (every inch worth a spot in our ten, we ran out of room for Williams chockers resume). Williams Gold: (Best rapped out loud) "I've been brain-fried, electrified, infected, and injectified, vivisectified and fed pesticides. My face is all cut up 'cause my radar's all shut up. Nurse, I need a check-up from the neck up. I'm Batt-ay." https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gl3e-OUnavQ Sesame Street A constant friend to the imaginary, education-addicted New York City street, Williams opened our minds to many a truth nugget as youngsters. While it's actually quite sad to watch his tutorial on how to tell whether something is alive, his clip unpacking conflict (above) is just adorable. Then there was that time he gave Elmo a stick. For years, Williams trained our silly young'un minds about things that matter, now Sesame Street mourns their lost, loveable friend. Williams Gold: "You can be playing baseball in the World Series, hit it over the fence and realise "I'M THE ONE." Or maybe you can be playing hockey... or you can be at the Olympics, throwing the javelin... Or you can be doing incredible things like riding a horse through the pass, leading all the wagons through. Or you can have a cane and you're dancing around with Tommy Tune, or it can be a conductor's baton... You can be at the head of the parade, or you can be AN ENGLISH OFFICER MARCHING FOR NO REASON, AROUND, BACK AND FORTH, or you can be playing pool..." (Williams on the uses of a stick.) https://youtube.com/watch?v=JsJxIoFu2wo Hook Growing up is overrrated. We all knew this was the main Peter Pan soapbox, until Williams took us through imaginary food fights, insult-slinging and Dustin Hoffman showdowns while keeping his grown-up life (read: family) together. The film that pretty much embodied Williams' anti-growing up lifelong persona, Hook saw Williams lend a new street cred to Pan, one absent in Jeremy Sumpter's poor 2003 effort. Williams opened our minds to the art of insults at the dinner table, a true artform. So if growing up comes with being a fusty, fun-hating adult and losing your ability to silence a regular Rufio, sign us up for a ticket to Williams' Neverland. Williams Gold: "Rufio, if I'm a maggot burger why don't you eat me! You two-toned zebra-headed, slime-coated, pimple-farmin' paramecium brain, munchin' on your own mucus, suffering from Peter Pan envy! I'll tell you what a paramecium is. That's the paramecium. It's a one-celled critter with no brain, that can't fly. Don't mess with me man, I'm a lawyer!" https://youtube.com/watch?v=wuk8AOjGURE Good Morning Vietnam Shaking things up on breakfast radio is one thing, doing it on a US Armed Services Radio station during the Vietnam War is another. Playing the highly unorthodox DJ , Williams nabbed another Oscar nomination for giving a finger to the system as Adrian Cronauer in Good Morning Vietnam. Diverting from his dull, monotonous radio predecessors, Cronauer's dynamite, wacky morning broadcasts turn real when he experiences first-hand the horrors of war — a broadcast truth that sees him replaced and facing another battle to get back on the air. Williams balances wacky outlandishness with dramatic poignancy, channelling all the Damn the Man finesse with high-fiveable conviction. And if we could wake up every day to Williams respect for microphone technique instead of certain bullshit shock jocks, we'd be outstandingly happy campers. Williams Gold: "GOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAAAAAAAAAAAAM." https://youtube.com/watch?v=PXeSgVk5aH4 Stand-Up Outspoken on everything from porn to the Vatican (and often blending the two), Williams made no compromises for his stand-up gold. Exposing hypocrisy in the Bible, taking digs at the Pope and slamming homophobia, Williams countless stand-up tours opened minds to prejudice, stupidity and the questionable nature of religious doctrine — made immortal through the biggest catalogue of vocal impressions you've ever seen in one sitting. Williams Gold: "In the beginning, Genesis, 'let there be light.' Could that be a metaphor for the Big Bang? 'No. God just went click.'" https://youtube.com/watch?v=v9g1yRXF8I8 Mork and Mindy "Nanu-Nanu." Less WTF than Bowie's The Man Who Fell to Earth and significantly less heartbreaking than ET, Mork and Mindy made a rambunctious ride out of alien-human relations. One of Williams' first real lead roles, Mork was a spin-off show from his bit character on Happy Days — Williams had impressed producer Gerry Marshall who cast him on the spot, later quipping that Williams was the only alien who auditioned for M&M. A bonafide archive of Williams' comic voices, slapstick and twinkly humour, Mork made us question the weird, wonderful and (most often) trivia parts of human life and the things we take for granted. Williams Gold: "If my knees knock any louder, I'm gonna look inside my pants and see who's there." Vale, Robin Williams. You freakin' ruled. Anyone across Australia experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide can contact Lifeline. Regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation their trained volunteers are ready to listen, provide support and referrals. Lifeline answer around 1800 calls every day from Australians needing crisis support and suicide prevention services. Lifeline provide all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to online, phone and face-to-face crisis support and suicide prevention services. Call 13 11 14 for 24hr telephone crisis support or visit their website here.
A Sydney institution, White Rabbit Gallery has been running free exhibitions showcasing contemporary Chinese art for over a decade. From exhibitions focusing on all things luminous to deep dives into the art of storytelling, the White Rabbit team continues to wow Sydneysiders with thought-provoking collections. The Chippendale favourite's latest, I Am the People, is running until November, and examines the relationship between class and modern China. The vibrant exhibition prods at the current social dynamics of the global superpower, providing perspectives on topics like the relationship between urban and rural communities, the history of the working class and the future of the country. While these may seem like some rather big topics to be examining, the power of White Rabbit's curation is its fondness for pieces that are visually striking while getting attendees pondering. Colourful LED collages, otherworldly paintings, wool rug portraits, Xinjiang cowboys and intricate steel sculptures: you'll run into all of them as you venture around I Am the People. If you want to soak in some free art, White Rabbit Gallery is open 10am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday. You can also turn the trip into a real double-header by placing your name into the ballot to score tickets to Phoenix Central Park, the gallery's neighbouring concert venue. The upcoming free season at this intimate hall features a range of experimental performances including an appearance from acclaimed UK producer Actress. Images: Hamish McIntosh.
There are some things that remain universal truths in the realm of television: Early episodes of The Simpsons are much better than the later, 'The Contest' and 'The Soup Nazi' are hands down the greatest things to happen on Seinfeld, and Breaking Bad is the best thing that's been on TV in recent years. Though these claims usually land you in nerdy arguments over a pint of beer, they can now be statistically proven due to the help of one glorious person with too much time on their hands. Graph TV is an easy-to-use website made by Kevin Wu, data analyst extraordinaire, that charts the rating of every episode of every TV series rated on IMDb. Let's just take a second to compute that information. You can type in the name of any show and find out which is the best and worst episode, how the series tracked as it went on, and when it officially should have called it quits. The future is here, and it's incredibly nerdy. Wu claims he thought of the concept while watching the final episodes of Breaking Bad. "I thought the last half of season five was just amazing, and wondered if people thought the same,” he said. After a quick look at the chart, it's easy to tell the majority of people agreed with him. Yeah, science! Obviously, the ratings system is still incredibly subjective. It's just a collection of opinions after all. But if democracy has taught us anything it's that there's strength in numbers, and when nearly 2000 people vote to say that racist episode of How I've Met Your Mother was the worst thing to happen in the entire show, I'm inclined to believe them. The numbers get more convincing when you move to bigger shows like The Simpsons. Showing a gradual but steady decline in viewer ratings over the show's long run, your argument at the pub can finally be put to rest. The highest rating episodes are all old classics from seasons 4-8. The lowest rating, however, is not the horrible compilation shows they tacked together for the offseason, but the cameo of Lady Gaga in season 23. Ouch, that's gotta hurt. Via Wired.
Winter is coming, as Game of Thrones has been telling us for years — but the show's final season is coming first. Before the weather turns cold again in the southern hemisphere, fans of the epic HBO series will be able to discover how the popular series wraps up, with the eighth and final season hitting the small screen at 11am on Monday, April 15. That's next week, friends. Prepare the snacks. And with the final season, will come the death of many more cherished characters. As George RR Martin has shown us, over and over and over again, no one is safe from his murderous pen (or keyboard) — any character's death is fair game. The list of deaths in the first seven seasons is long — longer than even Arya Stark's list — and the fallen are being commemorated in an eerie new Game of Thrones cemetery, which has popped up in Sydney. Yes, right here in Australia. Two mausoleums and many, intricately designed, gravestones have been spread across 2000 square metres of Sydney's sprawling Centennial Park by Foxtel, ahead of next week's series premiere. And each is inscribed with the names of who lays inside. There are the fallen Starks: Eddard, Benjen and Rickon; the Baratheons (or should we say Lannisters): King Tommen, Joffrey and Robert; and the Stark direwolves: Shaggy Dog, slain by Smalljon Umber in S06E09, and Summer, mauled by wights in S06E05. [caption id="attachment_716483" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hodor's grave.[/caption] We'll never forget who else died in that latter episode — 'The Door' — either: Hodor. He has his own gravestone, as do other series favourites: Khal Drogo, the Sand Snakes and Oberyn Martell. Some of the more disliked characters are also remembered here, including Tywin Lannister, Walder Frey and Ramsay Bolton — whose grave is, fittingly, surrounded by barbed wire. Visitors to the cemetery, dubbed the Grave of Thrones, can download a map of the graves and listen to an eerie audio tour of the cemetery. [caption id="attachment_716488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] King Joffrey Baratheon's grave.[/caption] With the final season promising a huge final battle between the living and the White Walkers, we think this cemetery, which features hands and animals emerging from the graves, may also be ominously hinting to something else: we're going to see the return of many favourite fallen characters — as wights. In the offical trailer, dropped last month, you see Arya running through the halls of Winterfell — could she be running from something, newly reanimated, in the crypts? Then, there's this Crypts of Winterfell teaser. We'll let you continue speculating for yourselves, but expect one helluvan emotional Walking Dead-style murdering-of-fallen-friends battle to go down this season. Prepare many boxes of tissues. In the meantime, we suggest you jump on one of those electric Lime E Bikes and head on down to the cemetery in Centennial Park — you'll find it on Grand Drive near the kids' bike path. Maybe you'll find other hints scattered throughout, too. If you're not in Sydney, we suggest you carefully look through the images above, and the rest of the cemetery online here. Find Foxtel's Grave of Thrones at Fearnley Grounds, Centennial Park, NSW. It's open from 7am–6pm from Friday, April 12 till Sunday, April 14. Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres at 11am on Monday, April 15 on Foxtel.
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 go to Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne, the spot we're putting up guests who book one of our exclusive For The Love VIP packages. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This central Melbourne hotel is all about luxury — from the heated pool looking out over the cityscape to the spacious rooms and glorious pan-Asian restaurant. Did somebody say it's time for a city staycation? THE ROOMS You get a king bed! You get a king bed! And you get a king bed! Everyone gets a king bed! Yup, all rooms and suites have large comfy king beds — the prime spot for stretching out and taking up all the space you'd like (whether you're sleeping alone or with someone else). But, that's not all: these luxe rooms have a bunch of other features too. Expect rain-showers, free wifi, blockout curtains, a 55-inch television and views across Melbourne's skyline. Plus, if you go for one of the suites, you're in for an even more glam stay, courtesy of ready-to-go coffee machine and fully stocked mini bar. FOOD AND DRINK Miss Mi is Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne's very own restaurant and bar, serving up pan-Asian food and drinks — that are set to take you from Bangkok to Borneo. Sit up at the benches overlooking the kitchen to watch the chefs at work or sink into one of the plush banquettes for a more intimate affair. At the bar, you'll uncover Asian-inspired cocktails that pair top-quality spirits with traditional Asian spices, fresh herbs and housemade syrups. You can opt for classic cocktails, but we recommend trying one of their own creations. [caption id="attachment_882225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Macallan (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA You're in the thick of it here. From the Spencer Street location, you can head west to Docklands for shopping and waterside dining or go east into the CBD to find some of Melbourne's best restaurants and entertainment venues. You're also within the free tram zone, so there's no need to do much walking. Take the free journey to sites like Queen Victoria Market, Federation Square and Melbourne's famous arts precinct. All of Melbourne is at your doorstep. THE EXTRAS One of the most fun and unique things to do at this luxury hotel is partake in their daily chocolate hour. From 4.30–5.30pm, the chefs transform the lobby into a chocaholic's paradise. All kinds of chocolatey creations are made just for you — it's always different so be sure to go each day of your stay. Mentioning Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne's gorgeous heated pool (with views over Spencer Street) is a necessity. Head to the water for a swim and sauna, escaping life and all its stresses for a few hours. You don't even need to swim — simply grab some fluffy slippers and a robe from your closet and sit on one of the poolside lounges reading a book for the day. 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.
Get diggin' on Australia and New Zealand's latest big gig news: TLC are touring Down Under in 2024. The best-selling American female group in history aren't just heading our way for any old reason, either. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of their smash-hit second studio album CrazySexyCool, so they're taking to the stage to celebrate. The band might advise against chasing waterfalls, but chasing these concert dates is highly recommended. TLC's 2024 visit comes two years after Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins and Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas headlined Fridayz Live in Australia, and were meant to do the same at Friday Jams in Aotearoa before dropping out of the NZ gig due to a COVID-19 case among their touring party. Those shows didn't just feature TLC, but saw other nostalgic acts behind the microphone — as will the group's next dates. On supporting duties: Busta Rhymes and En Vogue. CrazySexyCool gave the world 'Creep', 'Waterfalls', 'Diggin' on You' and 'Red Light Special', among other tracks, but the 1994 diamond-certified album won't the only source of songs for their 2024 shows. Expect hits from across TLC's career, so the likes of 'No Scrubs' and 'Unpretty' as well. Get excited about a 90s-themed party as well. Going all in on the decade that brought TLC to fame will include 90s fashion, fan interaction and a few surprises. Whatever the latter turns out to be, attendees will find out in February in NZ and March in Australia. TLC will start their tour on Thursday, February 29 at Trusts Arena Auckland, before hopping across the ditch to kick off the Aussie leg on Saturday, March 2 at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena. From there, T-Boz, Chilli, Busta Rhymes and En Vogue will play the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday, March 3; Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Tuesday, March 5; and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Thursday, March 7. Their final stop: on Saturday, March 9 at RAC Arena in Perth. "I'm so excited to return to Australia!" said Chilli, announcing the tour. "This is the album that put us on the map with Aussie fans and showed the world who we really are. And to mark 30 years, this will be quite the celebration!" TLC 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF 'CRAZYSEXYCOOL' AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2024 DATES: Thursday, February 29 — Trusts Arena, Auckland Saturday, March 2 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Sunday, March 3 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Tuesday, March 5 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Thursday, March 7 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Saturday, March 9 — RAC Arena, Perth TLC's 30th anniversary CrazySexyCool tour will head Down Under in February and March 2024. Pre-sale tickets are available from 11am local time on Monday, December 4, with general sales from 1pm local time Thursday, December 7 — head to the tour website for more information. Read our interview with Chilli.
When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows dropped its last terrible three words on us at the close of the book, all was not well. It would never be well without Harry, Ron, Hermione fighting the Dark Lord in a series of fantastical and wholly engrossing scenarios. But, little did we know, this would not be the end of the Age of Harry Potter. Thanks to the internet and the sheer demand for all things HP, Harry has lived on through new books, fan website Pottermore, the Fantastic Beasts film spinoff series and all manner of events dedicated to the franchise. One of the biggest things to come of the post-Harry Potter era has been Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, of course — aka the West End play that's essentially the eighth book in the series. It first arrived in Australia in February 2019, hitting up Melbourne's Princess Theatre, and proved unsurprisingly popular. And while it's about to return after the city's latest lockdown — from Thursday, November 18, in fact — the production has just announced that its shows from May 2022 will be a whole lot different. Muggles, if you want to see The Cursed Child in its current two-part form, you'll need to accio yourself along before March next year. After that, from May, it'll be taking to the stage in a single one-session showing — condensing its story into one part. Basically, this'll be The Cursed Child reimagined — and it'll hit Melbourne after making its world premiere on Broadway this month. San Francisco and Toronto are also getting one-part versions of the show as well; however, Melbourne will beat them to it. So what exactly is The Cursed Child about? Well, it picks up 19 years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and that abominably cheery epilogue on Platform 9 3/4. Harry is now an overworked Ministry of Magic employee, and the play focuses on both him and his youngest son Albus Severus Potter as they grapple with the past and future. Since debuting in London in July 2016, the production has won a swathe of awards and has proven a repeated sell-out — in the West End, on Broadway and in San Francisco, too. In its Melbourne run so far, it has become the most successful play in Australian history, including attracting 325,000 people in its first year. Melburnians — and other Australian Harry Potter and/or theatre aficionados — can access tickets now for the two-part run of the show, which'll remain onstage until Sunday, March 27, 2022. Tickets for the one-session showings of The Cursed Child will go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, November 16. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will return to Melbourne's Princess Theatre on Thursday, November 18 in its two-part form, running until Sunday, March 27, 2022. It'll then switch to a one-session production from May, with tickets for the latter on sale at 9am on Tuesday, November 16. For more information, head to the play's website. Top images: Matt Murphy/Evan Zimmerman for Murphy Made.
Its usual mission is to help optimise your lounging time, by hooking you up with comfy, affordable beds and sofas. But from this week, Aussie online furniture brand Koala wants to see you launching yourself off the couch instead, and into a heart-pumping living room sweat sesh. Yes — that same living room you've been seeing a lot of during lockdown. Koala has teamed up with Retrosweat — masters of the vintage-inspired workout — to bring you an at-home aerobics program doused in plenty of 80s Australiana, fittingly dubbed The Great Australian Workout. Best break out the leotards and leg warmers because this is the time-tripping exercise class your dance floor-deprived iso self has been waiting for. Across 12 fun, high-energy episodes, Retrosweat founder Shannon Dooley guides punters through a series of nostalgic workouts they can smash out in the comfort of their own home. With or without a healthy dose of spandex, of course. Expect plenty of old-school ocker lingo, a heap of 80s Aussie references and a fair dinkum retro workout wardrobe that promises to send you straight back to the days of Scott and Charlene's wedding, and Olivia Newton John's Physical. Clocking in at around three minutes each, the free live workout videos have just dropped over at the Koala website, so you can attack one each day or sweat your way through the whole bunch in one go. Plus, those following along on Tik Tok will have the chance to score some sweet prizes. Share a glimpse of some of your own 80s moves and blast-from-the-past workout threads, and you could win some Ken Done artwork or a Koala sofa for your efforts. Clear out that coffee table and get ready to throw down some moves. You can farewell lockdown boredom and catch The Great Australian Workout here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Life's not easy for an intrepid, jet-setting rubber duck. Earthquakes, typhoons, stabbing, drowning and censorship are just some of the hardships that Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s oversized plaything has faced since first venturing from the bath in 2007. And now, an explosion that’s making international headlines. Twelve hours before the bird was scheduled to become the unrivalled star of Taiwan’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, it deflated without warning in front of crowds of shocked fans, turning into nothing but an enormous piece of yellow plastic. So far, no one really knows why. The sun was shining; the water was still — to all eyes, the northern port of Keelung in which the duck was floating seemed as safe as a hot tub. “We want to apologise to the fans of the yellow rubber duck,” organiser Huang Jing-tai said to journalists. “The weather is fine today and we haven’t found the cause of the problem. We will carefully examine the duck to determine the cause.” According to the Central News Agency, an eyewitness suggested that eagles may have been the problem, having been spotted scratching the avian invader with their claws. This is the second occasion on which one of Hofman’s ducks has exploded in Taiwan. Last month, in Taoyuan, strong winds following a 6.3 magnitude earthquake caused the installation’s back end to burst during inflation. Having proved quite a hit at Cockle Bay last year, the Rubber Duck will return to Sydney Festival on 10 January, this time taking up residence in the Parramatta River. Its visit will not be affected by these overseas traumas; a separate Rubber Duck is safely sequestered away for the event. Via ABC.
UPDATE April 28, 2023: Moonage Daydream is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video Ground control to major masterpiece: Moonage Daydream, Brett Morgen's kaleidoscopic collage-style documentary about the one and only David Bowie, really makes the grade. Its protein pills? A dazzling dream of archival materials, each piece as essential and energising as the next, woven into an electrifying experience that eclipses the standard music doco format. Its helmet? The soothing-yet-mischievous tones of Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane/The Thin White Duke/Jareth the Goblin King himself, the only protective presence a film about Bowie could and should ever need and want. The songs that bop through viewers heads? An immense playlist covering the obvious — early hit 'Space Oddity', the hooky glam-rock titular track, Berlin-penned anthem 'Heroes', the seductive 80s sounds of 'Let's Dance' and the Pet Shop Boys-remixed 90s industrial gem 'Hallo Spaceboy', to name a few — as well as deeper cuts. The end result? Floating through a cinematic reverie in a most spectacular way. When Bowie came to fame in the 60s, then kept reinventing himself from the 70s until his gone-too-soon death in 2016, the stars did look very different — he did, constantly. How do you capture that persistent shapeshifting, gender-bending, personal and creative experimentation, and all-round boundary-pushing in a single feature? How do you distill a chameleonic icon and musical pioneer into any one piece of art, even a movie that cherishes each of its 135 minutes? In the first film officially sanctioned by Bowie's family and estate, Morgen knows what everyone that's fallen under the legend's spell knows: that the man born David Jones, who'd be 75 as this doco hits screens if he was still alive, can, must and always has spoken for himself. The task, then, is the same as the director had with the also-excellent Cobain: Montage of Heck and Jane Goodall-focused Jane: getting to the essence of his subject and conveying what made him such a wonder by using the figure himself as a template. Nothing about Bowie earns an easy description. Nothing about Bowie, other than his stardom, brilliance and impact, sat or even stood still for too long. Driven by themes and moods rather than a linear birth-to-death chronology, Moonage Daydream leaps forward with that same drive to ch-ch-change, the same yearning to keep playing and unpacking, and the same quest for artistry as well. Taking its aesthetic approach from its centre of attention means peppering in psychedelic pops, bursts of colour, neon hues, and mirrored and tiled images — because it really means making a movie that washes over all who behold its dance, magic, dance. That's the reaction that Bowie always sparked, enchanting and entrancing for more than half a century. In successfully aping that feat, Morgen's film is as immersive as an art installation. Exhibition David Bowie Is has already toured the world, including a 2015 stint Down Under in Melbourne; Moonage Daydream sits partway between that and a Bowie concert. This gift of sound and vision is as glorious as that gig-meets-art concept sounds — and yes, live footage beams and gleams throughout the documentary. Among the snippets of interviews, smattering of music videos, melange of clips from cinema touchstones that reverberate on Bowie's wavelength in one way or another, and scenes from his own acting career on-screen and onstage, how could it not? During his five years, fittingly, spent making Moonage Daydream, Morgen had access to the original concert masters, from which he spliced together his own mixes using alternative angles. Zooming back to the androgynous space-alien Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars tour is exhilarating, including when the feature's eponymous song explodes. Jumps to the 90s, to the Outside and Earthling tours, resonate with awe of a more grounded but no less vibrant kind. The Serious Moonlight segments, hailing from the 80s and all about pale suits and glistening blonde hair, see Bowie relaxing into entertainer mode — and, amid discussions about his wariness about making upbeat tunes, mastering that like everything else. When Bowie takes to the stage in Moonage Daydream, it plays as a concert film, in fact, even if there's always a new vintage chat with the man himself, compilation of movie images or video from one of his singles to swiftly follow in this musical mashup. The entire viewing experience is designed to feel like an event and a show; seeing it on the biggest possible screen, and sitting close enough to it so that all that's in front of you is that Bowie-adorned screen, is heartily recommended. Enlisting Bowie's longtime producer Tony Visconti, Moonage Daydream has the sound, not just the soundtrack, to both match and evoke that like-you're-there sensation. (Or, to make its audience feel like Bowie's here in the cinema in front of you.) Those tunes have also been remastered, aided by audio engineer Paul Massey (an Oscar-winner for Bohemian Rhapsody), and they're given the thunderous volume they deserve. Mesmerising fans comes easily in this Bowie mosaic's frames and tunes, with the doco edited as well as written and directed by Morgen; freak out in a Moonage Daydream indeed. For the casually interested, the film uses its style as part of its substance, and as an immersion technique — a tactic that Baz Luhrmann's Elvis also used in a just-as-vivid and expressively stitched-together manner. Understanding by feeling: that's the 2022 wave of modern music icon love for viewers to fall for, although Moonage Daydream and Elvis are clearly different features. The pair's subjects can be heroes, and that's a fact, and their directors want viewers to absorb why beyond merely being told. Among the time-defying jumps backwards and forwards throughout his life — channelling his always-futuristic air — Bowie's narration isn't about singing his own praises, instead flowing with insights into his processes, loves and challenges, and why he kept seeking the new and the bold. Hearing it as the movie's music and visuals work their magic is as revelatory as it's meant to be. Get your 'lectric eye on this and you'll slide through a multi-sensory ode — a multimedia extravaganza — that also includes looks at the Starman's paintings, which he was cautious about unveiling to the world; hops from the Brixton of his birth to his Los Angeles stint, and to his Berlin period and his tours through Asia; and buzzes with delighted-to-the-point-of-anxiety 70s-era crowds. Naturally, a refusal to be easily pinned down, to stop pushing itself and stop transforming also echoes, again paralleling Bowie himself. Morgen teases one song then layers in another, or sets up a segue but veers elsewhere: he is the propulsive documentary's DJ and he loves being playful. Every choice and surprise chimes with the utter Bowieness of it all, and how indefinable Bowie was and still is. Moonage Daydream is noticeably light on his last few decades, and on the reasons he stopped unleashing his inimitable presence upon stages, but perhaps that's another movie's job; this one is wondrous and wonderful anyway.
Paperlinks, a savvy Los Angeles-based QR code company, are allowing customers to explore what's on offer at a restaurant via their smartphone. The operation was launched earlier this month and has been put to trial in several restaurants. Once the code has been scanned, customers can browse the menu of the restaurant and order food on their phone. When they check out, Paperlinks then contacts the restaurant via e-mail to relay the order to the kitchen. This smooth operation not only adds convenience for customers, but also gives businesses a little novelty and an exciting new means of interacting with customers. Furthermore, Paperlinks allow you to create QR codes with customised colours and designs. If you happen to own a vegetarian restaurant, you might want to present a lush green QR code at the front of your business. Paperlinks have already worked with high-profile clients including Nestle and GNC. With a plethora of food-based iPhone apps now available for purchase, and with companies like Beat The Q popping up locally, it will be interesting to see the impact that this will have on businesses in Australia and New Zealand. [via PSFK]
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants. Who stars in a movie that’s as much fun for the young-at-heart as it is for the young-in-years? And perhaps even more so? SpongeBob SquarePants. Yes, that absorbent, yellow and porous fellow is back for his second big-screen outing, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. And yes, it really is entertainment for all ages. Here, the titular Bikini Bottom dweller and fast food fry cook (voiced by Tom Kenny) faces a familiar situation oft-seen in the TV series: stopping villainous rival restaurant owner, the pint-sized Plankton (Doug Lawrence), from stealing the secret formula behind the Krusty Krab's krabby patties everyone can't get enough of. Alas, more sinister shenanigans are also afoot thanks to the scheming of pirate Burger Beard (Antonio Banderas), who has his own plans for the recipe, as well as a magical, future-changing book. In its nine television seasons to date, SpongeBob has always tread that fine line between bright and bizarre, silly and surreal, innocent and absurd, and engaging audiences young and old. The first film based on the series, 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, did the same; however, the latest feature hoists the happy zaniness up another level. Perhaps it is the pedigree of the folks behind the scenes, sharing stints on Rocko's Modern Life and The Ren & Stimpy Show on their resumes. Perhaps it’s the combination of a big heart, an overwhelming sense of openness and a truly offbeat sense of humour. Perhaps, in this instance, it's also the inclusion of a rapping, time-travelling dolphin overlord called Bubbles, voiced by Matt Berry from Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, The Mighty Boosh, The IT Crowd and Toast of London. If it sounds so out-there that it just might be hilarious, you'll probably find it in the film, including a town turning apocalyptic in the absence of their favourite snack, a war waged with condiments dressed up as a tribute to Mad Max and a superhero whose special skill manifests in controlling ice cream. Think stoner comedy with no mind-altering substances required. Expect 3D antics of the most cheerful kind, interweaving joyful slapstick gags — often based around Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), SpongeBob's starfish best friend — with pop culture references to The Shining and Sergio Leone that are certain to go over kids' heads. And, unlike most similar offerings, such meta musings feel genuine — and genuinely aimed at adults — amid the madcap mania. Living up to the Sponge Out of Water part of its name later in the game, a foray above ground and into live action doesn't fare anywhere near as well as the animated material, coming off unsurprisingly constrained in contrast to the freewheeling underwater revelry — but that's a minor complaint. For fans, spending more time with SpongeBob is always a treat. For the uninitiated, prepare for a cartoon trip that's the very definition of enjoyable, all-ages nautical nonsense.
UPDATE, December 23, 2021: Pig is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Nicolas Cage plays a truffle hunter. That's it, that's the pitch. When securing funding, those six words should've been enough to ensure that Pig made it to cinemas. Or, perhaps another high-concept summary helped. Maybe debut feature writer/director Michael Sarnoski went with these seven words: Nicolas Cage tracks down his stolen pet. Here's a final possibility that could've done the trick, too: Nicolas Cage does a moodier John Wick with a pig. Whichever logline hit the spot, or even if none did, Pig isn't merely the movie these descriptions intimate. It's better. It's weightier. It's exceptional. It always snuffles out its own trail, it takes joy in subverting almost every expectation and savouring the moment, and it constantly unearths surprises. Cage has spent much of his recent on-screen time fighting things — ninja aliens in the terrible Jiu Jitsu and possessed animatronics in the average Willy's Wonderland, for example — in movies that were clearly only made because that was the case. But, when he's at his absolute best, he plays characters whose biggest demons are internal. Here, he broods and soul-searches as a man willing to do whatever it takes to find his beloved porcine pal, punish everyone involved in her kidnapping and come to terms with his longstanding, spirit-crushing woes. Sarnoski keeps things sparse when Pig begins; for the film and its protagonist, less is more. Rob Feld (Cage) lives a stripped-back existence in a cabin in the woods, with just his cherished truffle pig for company — plus occasional visits from Amir (Alex Wolff, Hereditary), the restaurant supplier who buys the highly sought-after wares Rob and his swine forage for on their walks through the trees. He's taken this life by choice, after the kind of heartbreak that stops him from listening to tapes of the woman he loved. He's found the solace he can in the quiet, the isolation and the unconditional bond with the animal he dotes on. (He's tampered down the full strength of his pain in the process, obviously.) But then, because bad things can happen in cabins in the woods even beyond horror flicks, Rob's pig is abducted in the dark of the night. Now, he's a man on a mission. He has a glare and a stare, too. As the swine's distressed squeals echo in his head, Rob stalks towards Portland to get her back. He needs Amir to chauffeur him around the city, but he has an idea of where to look and who to chase. When the big pig kidnapping comes, and early, Pig initially resembles not only John Wick but Mandy. That 2018 film cast Cage as a lumberjack seeking his abducted girlfriend — also taken by intruders in the deep of night — and it proved his best movie in at least 15 years. Thankfully, Sarnoski and co-scribe/producer Vanessa Block haven't just taken Mandy and made a blatant swap. They haven't done the same with John Wick, either. And, performance-wise, Pig doesn't ask Cage to revisit a recent standout or follow in someone else's career-refreshing footsteps. The actor does soulful and yearning heartbreakingly well, as Bringing Out the Dead so potently established over two decades ago. Even in his most cartoonish fare (the type that isn't actually animated, because he's dabbled in voice work, too), he's masterful at conveying anger. Both longing and fury filter through here, because every Cage performance tugs and pulls at his past portrayals; however, this particular role calls for tenderness, despair and resolve all at once, and also contemplation, mystery, being wearied by too much grief and appreciating the little things and kindnesses. One of the delights of his efforts in Pig is how he keeps breaking down layer after layer, then piling on more, then stewing and simmering in them as well. Cage's over-the-top turns are entertaining to watch, but this is a measured gem of a portrayal, and a versatile, touching, deeply empathetic and haunting one that's up there with his finest ever. Compassion bubbles through Pig from the outset, in fact, and isn't just directed at Rob. As viewers discover more about him, his past life, why he knows about Portland's underground network of chefs and other hospitality industry figures, and how he can whip up a meal that brings someone to tears, we also learn about Amir. Pig isn't a star vehicle, but a double act. It knows how to deploy Cage at the height of his caged-in skills, and how well he can bounce off the right co-star. So, the film also dives into everything that's made Amir who he is — aka a truffle seller who is trying to get a jump in the food business, caught in a bigger shadow, hasn't matched his own or anyone else's expectations, but keeps bustling and hustling forward. He's self-aware about his struggles, and also trying to do something about them. He's wily and resourceful, and neurotic and jumpy at the same time. Wolff is just as brilliant as getting under his character's skin as Cage is, and just as compelling to watch as well. They're at their finest when they're together, unpacking what it means to navigate tragedy, fear, loss, regret, uncertainty, an uncaring world and a complicated industry, all in Rob and Amir's own ways — and attempting to free themselves of their own histories, embrace their own niches, and seek meaning and value. In scene after scene, Cage and Wolff captivate, drawing viewers into their meaty performances. Sarnoski's directorial choices achieve the same feat, managing to favour simplicity and complexity in tandem — like cooking a dish with a variety of easy ingredients, then unlocking a world of flavours as they're combined. As lensed by Patrick Scola (Monsters and Men), Pig finds beauty in the everyday, including when Rob and the titular animal could've trotted straight out of documentary The Truffle Hunters. It lingers on walking, talking, kneading, sipping and eating, and sometimes on people overtly appreciating those things. Filling its frames with detail, including in streams of sunlight or the act of preparing a meal, it also acknowledges that nothing that comes with existing is ever straightforward — and that hurt, cruelty and darkness are inescapable. To let these notions swirl and sink in, editor Brett W Bachman (Werewolves Within, and also a Mandy alum) finds a stately, thoughtful rhythm. As set to a stirring score, too, the film muses, meditates and steeps. It's unmistakably a movie where Cage plays a truffle hunter on a quest for revenge after his adored pet pig is stolen, but this moving and humanistic picture is also welcomely and entrancingly so much more than that.
For one morning, on what might be the only occasion that Sydneysiders can use this phrase and mean it literally, the Vengabus is coming. Getting everybody jumping is the Uber Pride Ride, a party bus that's hitting the Harbour City for Sydney WorldPride, and running across three weekends — but only one special trip will feature Vengaboys. The Dutch pop group are in Australia for the latest So Pop tour, which plays Sydney on Thursday, February 16. That morning, the band will take a tour of the city with a lucky busload of folks, in a VIP experience that you'll have to keep an eye on Uber's Instagram account to win tickets to. If you want to call the Uber Pride Ride the Vengabus for the rest of its run — from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19, Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26 and Friday, March 3–Sunday, March 5, operating from 6.30–10pm daily — then that's up to you. But, whether you're a Sydney local or a visitor hitting the city just for WorldPride's first-ever stint Down Under, you'll have company in the form of a heap of drag queen stars. Each night's trips will feature different talents busting out onboard activities — so you might be in for a ride filled with drag bingo, karaoke or an inner-city disco on wheels with Jojo Zaho, Carla From Bankstown, Coco Jumbo, Cassandra Queen, Karen From Finance, Annie Mation and more. The Uber Pride Ride is also hosting educational talks from First Nations LGBQTIA+SB advocacy organisation Black Rainbow. Like to party on the way to the party? This is the hop-on-hop-off — and free — bus for you. It'll take an hour-long City Circle loop, departing at 6.30pm, 7.45pm and 9pm each evening, starting at Australian Museum on William Street. From there, it'll head to St James Station, Powerhouse Museum, Central Station, Albion Street in Surry Hills, Flinders Street in Darlinghurst, Oxford Street in Paddington, then via Craigend and William streets back to the beginning. Like free Uber Pool trips as well? On one weekend, from 12–10pm Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26, the rideshare company is also doing $100 off trips. The Uber Pride Ride will take to the Sydney CBD's streets from Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19, Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26 and Friday, March 3–Sunday, March 5, running from 6.30–10pm daily, with a special one-off Vengaboys-hosted ride on the morning of Thursday, February 16. The Uber Pool Pride Offer runs from 12–10pm Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26, offering $100 off trip. For more information, head to the Uber website.
Australia's leading festival on gender All About Women is returning to the Sydney Opera House for its seventh season in 2019. This year features an especially impressive lineup of emerging female voices from around the globe, brought together for one day of talks, workshops, panel discussions and live podcast recordings. As usual, the festival will coincide with International Women's Day, taking place on Sunday, March 10. This year's cutting-edge topics include: 'feminism outside the Western world' with Arab-Australian human rights advocate Sara Saleh; 'female anger and desire' with US author Soraya Chemaly; 'toxic masculinity' with writer Clementine Ford (author of Boys Will Be Boys and Fight Like a Girl); 'problems with wokeness' by UK fashion stylist and cultural commentator Ayishat Akanbi; and 'hip hop feminism' with the US journalist who coined the term, Joan Morgan. The 2019 lineup has been curated by the Sydney Opera House's Head of Talks and Ideas Dr Edwina Throsby, and includes Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist Emily Steel — who investigated the sexual harassment claims against Fox News and Vice News. Steel will talk alongside other heavy-hitters, including Indian activist Sohaila Abdulali, television presenter Osher Günsberg, German philosopher and former war correspondent Carolin Emcke and gender politics author Gemma Hartley. On January 16, 2019, the festival announced the second half of its lineup, which has a distinctly political edge. A roll call of current and former female politicians from the US and Australia will be taking to the stage — fitting at a time when record numbers of women are heading to Congress in the States. Former Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, Linda Burney, the first Indigenous woman to be elected to Australia's lower house, and SA Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young will discuss life in parliament for women in a panel titled 'Leading While Female', while Tina Tchen, former Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama, will talk about her career with political commentator Jamila Rizvi. The podcast hub will return with live recordings of cult shows, including the New York Magazine's The Cut on Tuesdays, Slate's The Waves and The Guardian Australia's The Witch Hunt. Other highlights include an exhibition on 'mental load' by French comic artist Emma and a free public event where attendees will imagine 'a collective feminist future'. Interactive workshops are also on the docket and include carpentry and flower arranging. Images: Prudence Upton and Yaya Stempler.
UPDATE: MAY 15, 2018 — Because you can't really enjoy a cheese board without a glass of time, The Cheese Riot has this week launched a series of cheese and wine hampers. They range from $119–159, feature some top Australian wines, and can be ordered here. Australian farmers put out some seriously delicious cheese, but, if you live in the city, the best stuff isn't necessarily easy to find. Most are made on country farms, several hours' drive away, and don't often make it to major supermarkets. The good news is that a cheese lover by the name of Anna Perejma wants to change all that. She's the founder of The Cheese Riot, a brand new service brings boutique Aussie cheeses to your doorstep. The Cheese Riot is the result of Perejma travels around the country, sampling all the cheese she could get her hands on. Picking the tastiest and boldest varieties, she's now connecting directly with the cheesemakers and producers where possible, then popping their wares into boxes and sending them to subscribers all over Australia. As well as 600 - 800 grams of cheese per box, each shipment also includes a changing range of Aussie-made accompaniments, such as chutney, pastes, honey and matching teas. Two subscription options are available: the Give Me Cheese box for $89, and the Give Me Premium Cheese box for $129, which features harder-to-find cheeses or special batches. They're sent to most places in Australia, with Sydney metro residents receiving same-day delivery "It's like the Dollar Shave Club, but for cheese," explains Perejma. "Every month, you'll get a selection of cheeses delivered to your house, most made by small producers who live in the middle of nowhere. The idea is to unlock products people want but can't get." It's a venture driven by Perejma's love of Australian wares, and her eagerness to share our delicious dairy products. "Our products are just as good as anything you'll find internationally, but don't get enough recognition." And before you start wondering about Perejma's credentials, her resume includes events officer at the Australian Specialist Cheesemakers' Association — yes, the ASCA really exists — where she recently organised the & Cheese event series that included a Young Henrys beer and cheese pairing and a Four Pillars gin cocktails and cheese pairing at Moya's Juniper Lounge. We're pretty confident you can trust her palate. In addition, Perejma wants to "take the wank out of cheese" and encourage a sense of community around sharing it. "You can enjoy cheese any way you like, be that on your own with Netflix and a glass of wine or with a bunch of friends at a picnic in the park." The Cheese Riot will also be hosting artisan cheese appreciation classes in Sydney, through AirBnb Experiences. For more information about The Cheese Riot, visit their website. By Jasmine Crittenden and Sarah Ward.
Sitting three storeys above its pizza restaurant, Paesanella's Food Emporium in Marrickville is a modern delight with a deep history. Italian Immigrant Umberto Somma arrived in Australia in 1956 and made a living selling his handmade mozzarella to the working class. More than half a century later and his legacy is encapsulated in the Paesanella brand, which sells their own buffalo mozzarella and ricotta made in its nearby factory. The Food Emporium has cookbooks, pasta, and imported goods, but the real treasures lie behind the gleaning glass cases that hold the freshly made Paesanella cheese packaged and ready to take home. If you find you can't wait until you get home to dig into a ball of mozzarella then grab a table at their restaurant downstairs where tables flow onto the street and a pizza bar dishes out gourmet pizza pies made exclusively with Paesanella cheeses. If you're ravenous you might find yourself overwhelmed by options — or ordering the entire menu. With one look at their Antipasto Italia ($35), a platter filled with burrata, fried pizza dough, buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, rocket, and mixed grilled vegetables you might have to sideline the mini ricotta and Nutella cake for next time. Or not.
Platform sneakers, Union Jack-themed apparel, glittery outfits and anything that screams 90s girl power — it's all currently making its way around Britain as part of a huge new Spice Girls exhibition. Now open in London until August 20, moving to Manchester from August 24 to September 4, and planning to keep touring the country into 2019, Spice Up is exactly what it sounds like. If you wannabe indulging your nostalgia for one of the biggest acts of two decades ago, this is the event to zigazig-ah your way to — and attendees can also see the Spice Bus, aka the double-decker vehicle immortalised in Spice World. In total, more than 7000 items are on display, spanning everything from costumes worn by Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham — hundreds of them, in fact — to as much merchandise featuring the group's name and likeness as the organisers could find. Or, if simply spicing up your life by looking at various Spice Girls-themed bits and pieces isn't enough, the exhibition has also recreated a typical fan bedroom from the group's heyday for the ultimate blast for the past. Tickets cost £10 (AU$17.57), if you happen to be in the UK in the next two months — and there's no word yet if Spice Up will take the show on the road beyond Britain. Just cross your fingers and say you'll be there if it does.
When you're in lockdown, you're only meant to go to the shops to buy essentials — and while creative cocktails may be crucial to your stay-at-home experience, gathering all the ingredients to make them doesn't really fit with the intention behind the rule. Thankfully, delivery services have been filling in the gaps. Cocktail Porter is one of them, bringing DIY kits to your door featuring everything you need to whip up inventive beverages. And yes, it's mighty handy even if your part of the country doesn't happen to be locked down at this very moment. Already, the service has delivered three different types of Gelato Messina cocktail kits — including summery concoctions, Easter cocktails served in Easter eggs and dulce de leche espresso martinis. The next packs on its list also feature a beloved ingredient, although Messina isn't involved. But hey, everyone loves Wizz Fizz, right? Yes, we know the answer to that question. Every Australian kid loves Wizz Fizz, and every Aussie that's ever been a kid, because that's something your tastebuds can never outgrow. Cocktail Porter's new DIY Tommy's margarita kits feature the little bags of sherbet alongside Tromba Blanco tequila, agave syrup and Listo Tommy's margarita mix. It also comes with chilli salt, if you'd prefer to spice up your drink. You can pick between two different-sized packs, with a small kit costing $75 and serving up six drinks — and a large pack priced at $135 and making 18 dessert cocktails. Cocktail Porter delivers Australia-wide, if that's your spring drinking plans sorted. The DIY Tommy's margarita kits will be delivered from Wednesday, September 15, and you'll need to have signed up for one by Sunday, September 12. They're actually part of Cocktail Porter's monthly subscriptions, which see a different kit sent to your door each and every month. To order Cocktail Porter's DIY Tommy's margarita kits, head to the Cocktail Porter website.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of cinemas worldwide, two questions arose: when will they be able to reopen and, with movie release dates instantly thrown into disarray, what will they show? Picture palaces are now welcoming movie buffs back through the doors in some portions of the world, including parts of Australia and in New Zealand, so that's the first query taken care of. Just what they're able to screen, however, is still the subject of constant manoeuvring. Many of the big films that were due to release in 2020 have been shifted to 2021, such as Fast and Furious 9, In the Heights, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Halloween Kills. Some have remained committed to reaching the silver screen this year, but have still moved their release date over and over, like Tenet. And some have decided to make the jump online — including after rescheduling in-cinema release plans a few times, as is the case with Disney's live-action Mulan remake. As announced this week, the new Mulan will head straight to streaming platform Disney+ in many areas of the world, including Australia and New Zealand. It'll hit the service on Friday, September 4, but it won't be a part of your regular subscription. Instead, you'll have to pay to view it on a video-on-demand or 'premier access' basis, at a cost that's yet to be announced for viewers Down Under. If you want a ballpark figure, though, the US price is $29.99. This isn't the first Disney project to make the move to digital this year, with Pixar's Onward doing the same after a very brief cinema run as the globe went into lockdowns in March. Terrible family-friendly fantasy Artemis Fowl bypassed theatres altogether, hitting Disney+ in early June, while the phenomenal recorded version of Hamilton debuted on the streamer in July. In Mulan's case, it'll mean that fans can not only watch the highly anticipated blockbuster at home, but also finally enjoy the latest screen iteration of the famed character. In Chinese history, the legend of Hua Mulan dates back to the sixth century. At the movies, the formidable female warrior first fought her way across the big screen in a 1927 silent film. Mulan has been no stranger to the page, stage or cinema over the past 92 years, but many folks know the tale thanks to Disney's 1998 animated musical. Now, as it has done with everything from Alice in Wonderland to The Jungle Book to Aladdin, the Mouse House has turned the story into its latest live-action remake. Once again, Mulan (played by Chinese American actor Liu Yifei) will evolve from dutiful daughter to kick-ass combatant, all to protect her family in a time of war. She's originally due to be married off to a husband chosen by a matchmaker, until the Emperor of China issues a decree stating that one man per household must serve the Imperial Army as it endeavours to fend off northern invaders. To save her ailing ex-soldier father from having to fight, Mulan disguises herself as a man, takes on the name Hua Jun and becomes an icon. Forget rousing tunes or a talking dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy. This time, the tale hits the screen without a singing and smart-talking sidekick, but with plenty of sword-swinging, arrow-flinging antics. In New Zealand director Niki Caro's (Whale Rider, The Zookeeper's Wife) hands, this version of the story goes heavy on the action and empowerment, as shown in the spectacularly choreographed scenes seen so far. As well as Liu (whose resume includes The Forbidden Kingdom and The Assassins), the new Mulan features Jet Li as the Chinese Emperor, Gong Li as a witch, Donnie Yen as the protagonist's mentor, Jason Scott Lee as a villainous army leader, and Yoson An (The Meg, Mortal Engines) as her fellow fighter and love interest. Check out the full trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK8FHdFluOQ Mulan will be able to view via Disney+ — on a 'premier access' video-on-demand basis from September 4, 2020. Image: © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc.
The highly anticipated FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™ is making its way to Australia and New Zealand, heralding a new era for the beloved game. This occasion signifies the first time the two countries have hosted the World Cup, reflecting the sport's growing popularity and the increasing appreciation for our remarkable female athletes. Sydney will be buzzing during this monumental event, offering numerous ways to participate. While we celebrate the trials and triumphs of our favourite teams, why not indulge in some international cuisine to commemorate the occasion? Whether you're a Sydney local or visiting for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™️, be sure to explore our top picks for delightful bites that perfectly complement the exhilaration of football fever.
You might be a pro at reformer pilates, with red, blue and yellow springs alike quaking in fear at your flexibility and core strength. Maybe you're a mat pilates expert, who needs newfangled machinery? Well, let's see you get through a pilates class with a straight face when you have a pack of puppies in the room. No, it's not a good dream, it's happening at Decathlon's Sydney CBD store on Saturday, May 17. Decathlon usually dabbles in dealing out sportswear, but recently opened its first fitness studio in Australia, with 220 square metres of space within its Wynyard store devoted to offering accessible fitness classes to residents and workers. There's no bloated subscription fee here. Decathlon is celebrating the milestone with a month of affordable fitness classes, including yoga classes, reformer and mat pilates, and free Lagree Microformer sessions. Since pilates is all about uplifting the mind through the body, it makes a whole lot of sense to have the uplifting presence of some adorable puppies to up the whimsical ante. Tickets to the two Saturday classes (at 10am and 12pm) are limited, and go on sale from Friday, May 9, so don't wait around to secure yours. Decathlon has also unveiled a range of pet gear that will be available later this month, in case you pick up a fondness for pilates with a furry friend.
Depending on whom you talk to, The Hunger Games is either the greatest threat to or most suitable replacement for Stephenie Meyer's inescapable Twilight saga. Both series certainly share a lot in common, with each featuring beautiful teenagers locked in mortal combat, love triangles locked in mortal geometry and original authors locked in enormous vaults of money. The only difference, really, is that The Hunger Games is actually worth watching. Adapted from the book trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the story is set in a postapocalyptic America divided, courtesy of a brutal uprising, into 12 separate districts. Each year as punishment for the rebellion, two children from each district are randomly selected as 'tributes' and ushered away to the capital city to compete in the barbaric bloodsport known as the 'Hunger Games'. Twenty-four contestants enter an isolated wilderness arena; only one is permitted to leave alive. With the participants' every word and movement broadcast to the masses, The Hunger Games plays a little like The Truman Show, except that in The Truman Show not all of the extras were trying to kill Truman. Nonetheless, both films cleverly explore similar themes of voyeurism, exploitation and the power of audiences to dictate content if only they were prepared to stop watching. Yet it's courage and sacrifice that underscore the movie's central narrative. Both qualities radiate from the film's protagonist, Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence), a 16-year-old villager who selflessly volunteers as a tribute in order to save her younger sister from the Games. Lawrence is fantastic as the reluctant hunter suddenly forced to pursue human prey, and she's backed by an impressive supporting cast that includes Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks and even Lenny Kravitz as Everdeen's quietly compassionate stylist. Fans of the book series will be happy to learn that Collins insisted on collaborating with the screenwriters to ensure the adaptation didn't stray heavily from the source; however, newcomers will also have no problem keeping up. Superbly directed by Gary Ross (Pleasantville), the film adroitly exhibits the terrifying violence without ever glorifying it or lapsing into gratuity, and the pace is utterly relentless. While there are naturally a few 'first in the franchise' stumbles, The Hunger Games represents a fine opening salvo in what promises to be an electrifying and massively successful series. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qoUT7q2iTbQ
High-rises aren't the most ideal set-up for making new buds. It's not every apartment-dwelling crew that's lucky enough to undertake wacky antics in the hall, eat from each other's fridges and bond over Ugly Naked Guys across the way. You're more likely to encounter your neighbours through the wall — outlandishly vocal bedroom activity, raging Avicii-fuelled parties, World Cups. It's all pretty negative, fist-shaking stuff, usually moderated by your tired, tired landlord. But what if some friendseeking architecture firm just wanted us to all get along, even design friendships between neighbours? It all has do to with space. Dense, high-rise housing can be an isolating place to live, even though you're surrounded by hundreds of people and their better-than-yours cooking aromas. Vertically-stacked apartment living often lacks those common areas where you can bump into your (often hundreds) of neighbours and hang out — courtyards, gardens, front porches; Actual House areas — resulting in the whole nod-and-smile, awkward silent elevator ride and subsequent, perpetual avoidance of eye contact. But you might have more in common than you think with mean old Mr Macgillycuddy downstairs. Tired of these missed, loneliness-curing opportunities and taking cues from corporate setups, a presumably friendly Belgian design firm has come up with an inspired solution. C.F. Møller Architects and Brut Architecture and Urban Design have made social interaction the main goal of their new mixed-use high-rise design in Antwerp. That's right, an apartment tower designed to help you make friends. C.F. Møller's 24-story plan is all about mini-communities. Grouping together similar apartment types (family homes with other family homes, raucous students with other raucous students), the plan throws together residents with typically matching day schedules and increases the chance of bumping into each other for mad chats, recipe swaps and sugar borrowing. Cooking and eating alone's definitely another opportunity for buddying up in apartment living — nothing like a sad, tear-dressed Caesar for one. So the team have included a communal dining area in the design, perfect for post-work vents and cheap pot luck dinners, as well as a roof terrace for those beer-fuelled new friend-making chats. Nothing sparks a new friendship faster than similar interests. Cyclists can event meet other veloheads in the bike repair repair facility. Pet owners can let their four-legged friends roam free all year long in the triple-height indoor garden and students can compare notes from outdoor study sessions in the massive balcony space. While C.F. Møller haven't released a completion date yet, estimates look toward 2017 for the building's red ribbon ceremony. Until then, why not give your neighbours a chance instead of a passive aggressive note? Could be an everyday Ryan Gosling on every floor. Via Fast Company.
If Neighbours wasn't already famously taken as a title of an Australian TV series, it could've also fit Last Days of the Space Age. Set in the 70s in Perth, the eight-part Disney+ show incorporates everything from US space station Skylab and workers striking for their rights to the battle for gender equality, the nation's treatment of Indigenous Australians, grappling with trauma and the immigrant experience — plus Miss Universe and the Cold War as well. Navigating all of the above: three neighbouring families in the Western Australian capital's suburbs. Judy (Radha Mitchell, Troppo) and Tony Bissett (Jesse Spencer, Chicago Fire), Sandy (Linh-Dan Pham, Blue Bayou) and Lam Bui (Vico Thai, Total Control), and Eileen Wilberforce (Deborah Mailman, Boy Swallows Universe) are all good neighbours and good friends. The teenagers in the three households — aspiring astronaut Tilly Bissett (Mackenzie Mazur, Moja Vesna), her surf-loving sister Mia (Emily Grant, RFDS), her best friend Jono Bui (debutant Aidan Du Chiem) and new arrival Bilya Wilberforce (Thomas Weatherall, Heartbreak High) — also all go to school together. Those connections sit at the heart of the series — and, as almost everything that the Bissetts, Buis and Wilberforces know starts to change, their neighbourly ties couldn't be more pivotal. Mitchell and Spencer are more than a bit familiar with this type of situation on-screen. While their careers have taken them overseas for decades — Mitchell has Phone Booth, The Crazies, two Silent Hill films, Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen on her resume; Spencer featured in 173 episodes of House before his Chicago Fire stint; both also co-starred with a 00s-era Dakota Fanning in Man on Fire and Uptown Girls, respectively — they share a past on Neighbours. Last Days of the Space Age is Spencer's big return to homegrown TV, in fact, and his first major Australian small-screen role since playing Billy Kennedy. Ramsay Street's antics aren't set in 1979, of course. Spencer can see the symmetry with the Aussie television role that brought him to fame in the 90s and his latest show, however, he tells Concrete Playground. "The writing quality is a little bit more involved, but that's up to you to decide," adds Mitchell. As Last Days of the Space Age's Judy and Tony, the pair play not just a married couple but also colleagues at the Doull Power Plant, where Tony has been leading the worker strike for six months. When Judy is promoted and tasked with negotiating an end to the union action, their family dynamic is unsurprisingly shaken up. Aided by directors Bharat Nalluri (Boy Swallows Universe), Rachel Ward (Rachel's Farm) and Kriv Stenders (Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan), creator David Chidlow (Hidden, Moving On) unfurls the Bissetts' upheaval alongside the Bui family's efforts to build a new life after arriving from Vietnam. With the Wilberforces — and with 1979 marking 150 years since Perth was founded — the series also confronts the impact of colonisation. Game of Thrones fans will spot Iain Glen (Silo) among the cast as well, as Judy's father Bob. Also included in the clearly ambitious series, which enthusiastically embraces its era and its tonal rollercoaster: Tony's journalist brother Mick (George Mason, Exposure) covering the beauty pageant, where USSR contestant Svetlana (Ines English, Dead Lucky) is a frontrunner under close watch by her KGB minder Yvgeny (Jacek Koman, Prosper). With Last Days of the Space Age available to stream via Disney+ since Wednesday, October 2, we chatted with Mitchell, Spencer and and French Vietnamese actor Pham about what excited them about the show's bold mix of elements, the fight to be treated fairly that thrums through the series, balancing its tones, Mitchell and Spencer's homecoming, Pham connecting to her roots, Neighbours and more. On What Excited Mitchell, Spencer and Pham About Starring in Last Days of the Space Age Jesse: "I was in the States, I just had my first child and this script came across my desk — and I love period dramas. It was my first chance to play a father with two daughters, so I felt like I was looking into my future a little bit. I knew nothing really about unions or the history of unions, but my character's a very passionate union leader, so I researched that — and there's a whole pretty awful history of treatment of workers back in the day, and workers' rights. But the whole project felt like a really interesting ensemble. It was quite quirky, but it was ultimately about families, and families fighting for each other — and societal change and how they coped with that. And it was really well-written. Then I got to Australia and it was a great cast, and it was a great experience to bring it off the page and bring it to life on the screen." Linh-Dan: "I think when I choose projects, there's always something personal, somehow, unconsciously. And this one was very clear: it was about reconnecting with my roots, basically. Even though my parents didn't go through what the Bui family has gone through, I managed to talk to some of my relatives about it, and it reopened the conversation — and also discovering the hidden pain, the trauma, was my way to get into Sandy. The script was actually so amazing anyway, and period pieces are so interesting. To go back: first of all, Australia, I love traveling; 70s outfits, hello disco. So it was a no-brainer for me." Radha: "There's so much in all of the storylines, and this sense of community, and all different parts of the fabric of the Australian identity being reviewed, in a way, because we have an opportunity to have a bit of distance between now and 1979. I thought that was really an interesting mirror to history, how we've constructed our sense of identity and where we're going to go with it now. Looking through the lens of that period, I thought was really interesting. And I liked all the characters. I felt it was written with a really compassionate, kind perspective. There's so much snarky nastiness in the media lately, that it was nice to just be involved in a story that was trying to put something positive into the world. So I felt very aligned to all those aspects of the script." On Mitchell and Spencer's Homecoming — and the Joy of Not Needing to Imitate US Culture Radha: "It was a little bit of a sense of coming back home, maybe, for me and Jesse — that we were able to bring some of where we've come from to where we are now. It felt like a bit of a contribution for me, being able to come home and do something that I felt aligned to." Jesse: "Every Australian actor I know — because a lot of work is international, and for a lot of actors too — but every actor I know always loves to go home and try to do a project. Because you spend a lot of time learning about throwing yourself into other cultures, and more or less trying to imitate authentically who they are, and where they are in certain points in time and stuff. So to bring it back to something that's much more familiar is just a pleasure. Things are much, much more tangible. It's accessible. There's still challenges, but it makes it very, very fun. And especially when there's good writing and good casting — I know a lot of actors who are always trying to go back to their home countries and do it. And this was an opportunity to do that. So I grabbed it." Radha: "It's interesting — an imitation. That is true when you're working in the US." Jesse: "I mean, you don't think about it. You don't want to think about that." Radha: "Yeah, but you're imitating the culture, whereas here, I feel like this is our culture, talking about things that we're part of." On Whether Making a Show About Neighbours After Acting on Neighbours Feels Like a Full-Circle Moment Radha: "I think Jesse would say so." Jesse: "Yeah, a little bit. There was a little bit of that. Although, yes and no, because the dynamics, the themes that run through the show, the dynamics between the characters, is just a little different to Neighbours, but there is a similarity there." Radha: "We are neighbours in the show." Jesse: "I mean, we're next door to each other." On the Series' Resonant and Repeated Focus on Fighting to Be Treated Fairly Jesse: "I think it's a human trope. Everyone's fighting a hard battle against themselves and in society. It's something everyone can relate to. And it's enjoyable to watch, I think, characters have obstacles — to come up against them, sometimes fail, but sometimes find a way around that and breakthrough for a transformation. That's what this show is all about. It's about transformation, courage and ultimately hope." Radha: "But it's subverted, I guess, in a great way by this crazy stuff that's going on in history, and the crazy costumes. And all this stuff, there's a sincerity to it, but there's also an irreverence about the storytelling, which I think attracted me to it." On Balancing the Mix of Warmth, Tragedy, Humour and History Radha: "That's the challenge in the discovery. I think we were on set thinking 'what is this? Is this a comedy?'." Jesse: "Right. Right." Radha: "'Look at your outfit, man. I can't even look at you without laughing' — but here we are, we're doing this very serious scene." Jesse: "But that's life as well, when it's this tragedy but it's also kind of funny — a bit of black humour or quirky sort of humour. There's always a million shades of grey, which is better than just one colour. And yeah, that was a challenge. And we were always trying to figure out what the tone is in the scene and where you were with the character." Radha: "Even Bharat [Nalluri], who was the first director for the series, was like 'wow, okay, we're really going to create this together, the tone'. And we felt comfortable that he had recognised that that was part of what we were doing — that it couldn't be just taken for granted. I think that's what makes the series unique, that it's got its own tone, its own voice — and I think that was what we created." On How Pham Approached Playing a Character Caught Between Making a New Life and Grappling with Trauma Lin-Danh: "Well, you go deep. I think somehow what your parents instil in you, your family, your surroundings, you feed yourself from all of that, and it's the mystery also of acting, sometimes. Actually, my aunt had written a story about her side of the family, a book she self-published. I did read about that. And it was ups and down all the time, her first few years in France where she lost everything and she refused to go back to Vietnam, and had to fend for herself with her three kids. They were boat people, met some pirates. So, you just talk to these people and you feed off it. It feels a bit selfish and sometimes like I'm forcing a little bit. But they were very generous and we had great conversations with my family that I had not really had kept in touch with. So that's how I got through Sandy." On Mitchell's Take on Judy Being Pulled in Every Direction Both at Work and at Home — and Finding Herself in the Chaos Radha: "I just wanted to keep her really real. And I felt maybe what was charming about her is that she didn't want to do all these things. They were just happening and she was discovering her talents in action, but she wasn't ambitious at all. It was just happening, it was her nightmare that she was going to be doing all these things, and yet she was discovering herself in them. I thought that was really interesting about her. She wasn't this empowered woman — she was somebody discovering her power. And the conflict around that at home, and the challenges of having teenage daughters that just don't want to listen to you, I think it sort of played itself out. And maybe even my own personal bias against it — just feeling that I like these emancipated female characters, so to cut my own wings in the role was really interesting for me. I think those were the challenges, and I was lucky enough to be working with great actors, and we created this wacky little family together. And then the friendships around that, I think layered it with this — I think Linh-Dan was saying it was a feminist show in a way, and I don't think it is only, but it certainly celebrates the relationships between women and the details of women's lives in a kind of intimate way. I think that's one of the beautiful parts of the storytelling." Last Days of the Space Age streams via Disney+ from Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Images: Joel Pratley, Tony Mott and Mark Rogers.
Right now, the culinary name on everyone's lips in Melbourne is Rosheen Kaul. The chef made a name for herself when turning Brunswick East's Etta into one of the city's best restaurants and publishing her hugely successful cookbook Chinese-ish: Home cooking, not quite authentic, 100% delicious. Kaul has made it to the big leagues, but still doesn't feel like she's fully cooked — "I will not say I've reached my final form as yet," she shares with Concrete Playground. To get closer to that final form, Kaul decided to leave Etta and throw herself back into the wild. She's now writing a new cookbook, collaborating with chefs all over Australia and judging the upcoming S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition — alongside the likes of Josh Niland, Jake Kellie, Brigitte Hafner and Brent Savage. Kaul has already played a great part in helping develop what contemporary Australian cuisine is and can be, but she has plenty more to give. We also spoke with her about her future plans — both for herself and the country's culinary landscape — as well as the best advice that she has ever received and how it helped her become so successful. On Joining the Big Leagues in Melbourne's Food Scene "There is an incredible responsibility that comes with being a more-prominent face in the Melbourne food scene. I am acutely aware that I represent a demographic that is only now seeing representation in food media, and I am both honoured and empowered to have a platform to share my experiences as a female chef and as an Asian Australian." On What Kaul Has Been Up to Since Leaving Etta "I had planned to take a break when I left Etta, but I definitely underestimated how bored I'd be without the high energy and stimulation of kitchen life. I'm nearly at the finish line with the manuscript for my next cookbook, and I'm spending the rest of the year travelling around Australia cooking with some of my amazing friends and peers in their venues interstate. It's a brilliant way to keep myself in the kitchen, and frequently put myself well out of my comfort zone. Cooking my food in different spaces and running different types of services is really helping me zone in on the core of my style of cooking. Beyond the woodfire, beyond a specific style of service, I've had to figure out precisely what makes my food 'me' — that can be applied to say a breakfast pop-up, a charcuterie pop-up, a rural pub takeover or a completely lo-fi open fire in the bush. I'm excited to see all of the different forms my food takes around Australia." [caption id="attachment_962874" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Annika Kafcaloudis[/caption] On Kaul's Upcoming Cookbook "I'm incredibly excited about this next book. I can't reveal the title as yet, and it will be published with the same publisher as Chinese-ish — so it will be fantastic. After the international success of Chinese-ish, I didn't think I would write another one as I felt like I couldn't possibly top the first, but inspiration comes from all sorts of places, and I was hit with an absolute bullet train of inspiration one day and I knew I had to get it all out in a book. See, the thing is I wrote Chinese-ish before Etta, and still didn't quite know who I was as a chef, nor had I really zoned in on my style of cooking as yet. Writing Chinese-ish gave me an incredible insight to my own identity as a person straddling multiple worlds and cultures, and my time at Etta gave me the platform to put that on a plate and the time to refine my ideas. I will not say I've reached my final form as yet, but I am miles away from the chef I was when I wrote my first book. There was no need for me to reach into my past for recipes this time — rather, each of the 160-odd recipes are Rosheen originals born from the confidence and self-awareness I've gained over the past few years. Vibrant, colourful, delicious and bold — it's a book of sauces, condiments and dressings as wildly cross-cultural as I am. I can't wait to share it with you all next year." On Judging at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year Academy Competition with Some Huge Names in Food "Big names indeed, and I'm honoured to be counted among them. Josh Niland, particularly, is a chef whose work I've followed for many years, and learned so many techniques from that I've applied in my own kitchens and taught my own chefs. Brigitte curates one of the most incredible, immersive dining experiences in the country with such a generous style of cooking and I've had the privilege of dining at Tedesca Osteria twice. Brent Savage's restaurants are legendary, and some of the most pitch-perfect dining experiences I've had in Sydney were at Bentley and Cirrus. And Jake Kellie, I've admired for many years during his time at Burnt Ends, and I'm thrilled to be cooking with him at Arkhe in August." On the Importance of Celebrating and Supporting Young Chefs "Australia doesn't share the same long history of haute cuisine as other countries, and it is only now that we are beginning to articulate what 'Australian cuisine' is, was and can be — encompassing native and traditional ingredients and influence from waves of immigration, and reflective of where we are as a nation. It's hugely important to support our young chefs in Australia on that journey to define who we are, and to have more chefs that thrive on the world stage. For Australia, we're at the precipice of our culinary journey, and we have to see the ideas of the current industry taken to the next level by the next generation of chefs." [caption id="attachment_962876" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Etta by Annika Kafcaloudis.[/caption] On How Melbourne's Food Scene Stacks Up Against Other World-Leading Culinary Cities "I'm originally from Singapore, and I can say with certainty that the dining scene in Melbourne is well up there with cities like London and Paris. Not as saturated, sure, but the fresh ideas, breadth of styles and respect for ingredients coupled with incredibly strong skills puts this city firmly in the same calibre. Melbourne did host the World's 50 Best a few years ago for a reason, so I certainly am not biased in this opinion. What I do love about cooking in Melbourne is the freedom. We have sensational produce, young farmers serious about healing our topsoil — growing truly delicious ingredients — and such a wealth of cultures and histories to be inspired by. It's an incredible time to be a chef in Melbourne." On the Best Advice That Kaul Has Ever Received "I've been told a few things in my life that have focused and sharpened my trajectory, the major one being to be a sponge: learn anything and everything from the people around you. Everyone is good at something, and whether it be a Demi-Chef or a Head Chef training you, there is always something to learn, whether you agree with them or not. The more talking you're doing, the less you're learning. When I was working at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Chef Ashley Palmer-Watts once said 'the moment you lose your temper, you've lost control of the situation'. I held that statement close when I started running my first kitchen. If you stay calm, calculated, and ready for any and all possibilities, you'll never be taken by surprise. Three steps ahead, always." And Some Advice for Young Chefs Looking to Succeed in the Industry "Leave your ego at the door. You also have to continually challenge yourself — don't ever be the smartest person in the room — because complacency is akin to failure, and there were times when I was feeling a little too comfortable at Etta. The best thing I could do for myself as a 31-year-old chef was to throw myself out into the world again and seek new challenges. It's a scary thing, defending your credibility, but I know I can be more, and it is worth every bit of fear and discomfort." Top image: Kristoffer Paulsen.
Deciding how to spend what is potentially your first big international trip in years is a big call. If you're seeking the buzz of a big city but don't want to forgo outdoor adventures, we have an unexpected suggestion for you: New York State. Yep, The City That Never Sleeps delivers all the metropolitan hype you're craving while also being within reach of countless intrepid adventures. Extend your stay in the state and dedicate some time to experiencing all the incredible scenery and activities the blissful upstate region has to offer — it'll add another memorable dimension to your trip. Here, we've teamed up with New York State to present a selection of epic outdoor adventures that'll level up your next holiday itinerary. [caption id="attachment_851067" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mike Groll[/caption] PADDLE DOWN THE HUDSON WHILE HEARING LOCAL LEGENDS Along the Hudson River's eastern shoreline, the charming village of Sleepy Hollow is well worth a visit to check out the eclectic mix of historical buildings, multicultural food spots and recreational activities. It also happens to be one of New York's best spots for kayaking. Kayak Hudson ensures visitors of all experience levels can enjoy the scenery with an expert guide on its two-hour tour. You'll launch from a tiny beach at Horan's Landing, then paddle down the river past the 19th-century Tarrytown Lighthouse. Plus, if you're a fan of ghost stories, you'll love hearing all about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a spooky tale that gives the community its haunted reputation. [caption id="attachment_844987" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] TREK THROUGH DIVERSE FOREST TERRAIN The city streets offer plenty of excitement, but you don't have to travel far to find mind-blowing hiking destinations in New York. A two-hour drive from NYC, the Catskill Mountains is another hugely popular mountain range. Across a diverse network of hiking trails, populated with waterfalls, river crossings and woodland terrain, this outdoor wonderland is an undeniably rewarding area to discover. The average wayfarer won't have a problem completing the Kaaterskill Falls hike. Likewise, the Overlook Mountain summit, which you'll reach via a steady incline will reward you with sweeping views of Hudson Valley, plus old hotel ruins and a fire tower. Or, a little further afield, discover the state's highest peaks in the colossal Adirondacks — Ampersand Mountain reaches 1022 metres and you can reach the summit via a sprawling trailhead lined with wildflowers and panoramic views. [caption id="attachment_844999" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] TAKE A TOPSY-TURVY RIDE DOWN A RIVER There are many experiences that spring to mind when thinking of New York. Theatre shows. Basketball games. Eating your weight in pizza and hot dogs. But whitewater rafting? Probably not. Well, throw it on your bucket list because the state actually has a selection of places to ride the rapids. The Black River Gorge plunges visitors into a narrow ravine loaded with bumpy ledges and boulders — you'll paddle through 14 major rapids on a 3.5-hour Adirondacks River Outfitters Adventures tour. Elsewhere in the Adirondacks, Ausable Chasm is also recognised as a top-notch rafting location, with this floating tour providing a relatively calm water-going experience. Departing from Table Rock, you'll navigate through the Grand Flume canyon to soak up the striking rock formations before arriving at the Whirlpool Basin's choppy rapids. [caption id="attachment_847389" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Maid of the Mist[/caption] GET UP CLOSE TO NORTH AMERICA'S MOST LEGENDARY WATERFALLS Maid of the Mist has operated in the shadow of Niagara Falls since 1846, attracting nature-lovers looking to get an up-close glimpse of the three waterfalls that encompass this famous landmark. Its tours of the Falls started out in rickety rowboats 150 years ago, but you'll be glad to hear that Maid of the Mist's fleet has undergone a significant upgrade — it began tours on 90-foot zero-emission electric vessels in 2020. Prepare to be awe-struck as you make for the base of the American side of the Falls standing atop the double-decker boat in your souvenir poncho, which will (somewhat) protect you from the near 600,000 gallons of water rushing over the falls per second. You'll also be taken to check out the largest of the bunch – Horseshoe Falls – to encounter dramatic whitewater pools and towering rock formations. [caption id="attachment_845287" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] ZOOM THROUGH THE AIR AT DIZZYING HEIGHTS Step out of your comfort zone with the New York Zipline Adventure Tour. Set against the backdrop of the Catskills at Hunter Mountain, this canopy experience is the highest, fastest and longest in North America, ensuring you get a once-in-a-lifetime perspective on the surrounding mountain peaks. There are two adventures to choose from: the Skyrider Tour and the Mid-Mountain Tour. The former is the top choice, as you'll hook into five separate zip lines that stretch for over seven kilometres. As you whip along at breakneck speeds, the peak distance from the ground of 180 metres is bound to make your head spin. [caption id="attachment_844982" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Larry Tetamore[/caption] GET A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OVER AN EXPANSIVE STATE PARK You won't find many places better for hot air ballooning than Letchworth State Park, a sprawling green expanse nicknamed 'The Grand Canyon of the East'. The landscape definitely lives up to this moniker, with dense woodlands, waterfalls and gorges, ensuring your gentle float through the air comes with a spectacular view. On a tour with Balloons Over Letchworth, you'll lift off from Middle Falls to rise high above the countryside before gliding so low you can almost touch the rivers. Tours run daily from May to October, depending on the weather, but an autumn visit guarantees you'll catch colourful changes sweeping across the hinterland. [caption id="attachment_846386" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] FLEX YOUR SKIING SKILLS AT THIS MASSIVE WINTER RESORT You don't need to trek across the country to find a celebrated ski destination — this one is just 2.5 hours from NYC. The Catamount Mountain Resort provides an excellent experience for alpine enthusiasts, particularly after a major 2018 upgrade brought new lifts and snowmaking machines to support the diverse runs (the longest of which is 2.8 kilometres) and a snow tubing park. Yet winter isn't the only time to visit, with the mountain resort remaining incredibly active throughout the warmer months. Home to the longest continuous zipline in the United States at almost 1700 metres, as well as a thrilling aerial adventure park, Catamount is the perfect spot to immerse yourself in New York's midsummer beauty. [caption id="attachment_851070" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED[/caption] DIVE SEVERAL SHIPWRECKS BENEATH ST LAWRENCE RIVER Forming part of the international border between the United States and Canada, the St Lawrence River has been a major shipping corridor for hundreds of years. Unfortunately for the vessels and some of their crew, this treacherous stretch of the Thousand Islands-Seaway region has claimed many a freighter and schooner. Today, the river is one of North America's top shipwreck diving locations for beginners and experts alike, with dozens of vessels to explore. Several local dive companies organise gear and guided underwater adventures to the most popular, including the Islander and the SS Keystorm. [caption id="attachment_846387" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NYSDED, Darren McGee[/caption] BE A BIG KID FOR THE DAY AT THIS NATURE-FOCUSED INTERACTIVE PARK Over the last 25 years, The Wild Center has become one of New York's premier attractions for outdoor encounters. Situated in Tupper Lake, on the edge of the Adirondacks, this sprawling 115-acre property's nature walks, museums and kid-friendly play areas help bring people closer to the natural world. The Wild Walk is the park's most popular activity, featuring a series of elevated bridges and tree houses leading visitors through the forest canopy. Meanwhile, a viewpoint replicating a massive bald eagle's nest provides a stellar spot to take in the landscape. Alongside a vast network of hiking trails and ponds, there's also fascinating public art and wildlife encounters. To start planning your trip to New York State, head to iloveny.com. Also, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best food and drink stops, cultural experiences, places to stay and day trips from NYC. Top image: NYSDED, Darren McGee
Before Parasite and after Parasite: for audiences, for the film world in general and for composer Jung Jae-il, that then-and-now split applies. Bong Joon-ho's 2019 movie earned immensely deserved devotion and collected almost every accolade that it could — including the Palme d'Or at Cannes, the Sydney Film Prize, a Golden Globe, two BAFTAs, a Screen Actors Guild Award, an Asian Pacific Screen Award, five Grand Bell Awards and, making history, four Oscars — as it wowed everyone, viewers and awards voters alike, with its class-clash black comedy/thriller tale. It wasn't Jung's first collaboration with the Memories of Murder, The Host and Snowpiercer director or his last; however, it was an unsurprisingly pivotal, influential and impactful experience. "First of all, I just fell in love with film music," Jung tells Concrete Playground. "Because I'd been composing for so many genres, like dance, pop, all genres, for decades, but I'd never thought I would be a professional film composer," he continues. Prior to Parasite, Jung had other film scores to his name, including for the Bong co-written and produced Haemoo (also known as Sea Fog) and the Bong-directed Okja, but lending his musical talents to the Kim family's efforts to infiltrate the Park household "was very challenging and exciting," he notes. "And making music for the film, it just made me go deep inside of me. Trying to translate the director's vision and the edit, the cuts, I have to understand what the cut needs in a musical way." "I felt like I have to be a translator‚ to translate the director's vision to musical language. And it was very exciting — sometimes very despairing — but [I thought] 'oh, this could be my turning point'," Jung furthers. "And as a pop musician, pop composer, pop music is very short. Sometimes it's even two minutes. And I had a really hard time to make that short music, because I like to make drama in music — but to make drama, it's too short," he says. "So all of this is very inspiring. I can give my mind more to film music. I just love that." Jung's music career dates back to being a teenager. For the big screen, he's now also the composer behind Bong's Mickey 17, Hirokazu Kore-eda's Broker — the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker and Shoplifters Palme d'Or-winner's first South Korean feature — and 2025 Sundance-premiering American dramedy Twinless. On the small screen, one of the biggest streaming sensations of the 2020s wouldn't have proven the same without his integral contribution, with scoring Squid Game also on Jung's resume. [caption id="attachment_1009331" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S3. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2025[/caption] Thanks to that fight-to-the-death hit Netflix dystopian thriller dropping its second season at the end of 2024, then its third and final run in mid-2025, and also due to Mickey 17 reaching cinemas and Twinless doing the film festival rounds as well, the past year has been particularly huge for Jung. Now comes a trip to Australia for something that's rarely occurred before: Parasite in Concert. At the Melbourne International Film Festival — where Twinless is also playing — the composer is both performing and conducting Parasite's score live, aided by Orchestra Victoria, across two shows on one day. "It's very special for any composer, because it's a live-to-picture show. Just performing scores live is very common, but with the screen from top to the bottom it's so very rare. It is quite challenging as well — but for me, it's a lifetime experience as well," Jung advises. The complexity springs "because I should play exactly with the screen. So we have a very complicated playing system, the metronome and clicks, and all that. That is very challenging." [caption id="attachment_1016407" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix[/caption] What goes into preparing for Parasite in Concert for Jung? "It's very simple to play just by myself, but I have to collaborate with the orchestra, so I should prepare the score and parts, and talk with the maestro or the musical director," he explains. "And I'm going to move to Melbourne just before, three days or two days before the show, and rehearse with them for about a whole day. So I should prepare the two-hour score in a day. That's very challenging for me, but very exciting as well." Attendees will witness the results on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Melbourne's Hamer Hall, in what's set to be one of the highlights of MIFF's 73rd edition — and a stunning way to help close out the festival's Thursday, August 7–Saturday, August 24 in-person stint for the year (its online program also runs from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31). Jung is also set to speak about his career on the same morning in an hour-long in-conversation session. In the lead up to his trip Down Under, we chatted with him about his composing journey so far, too, as well as working with Bong Joon-ho multiple times, finding inspiration, his path to Squid Game, his first response to the show's premise and more. On Jung's Journey as a Composer Leading Up to Parasite "When I was a teenager, I worked as a session musician — guitar and piano. And for many composers and many singers. And one day, this one composer called Won Il— he is a very famous composer, especially in traditional and film composing in Korea — suggested me to arrange some parts of a score, and that was the very first start for me. And then as a main composer, I worked for a film called Marine Boy. That was my first film. Nobody knows the film in Korea, but it was a little bit not a good experience for me — too many works and too little income. So I thought 'I cannot be a film composer right now'. So I just forgot about that. And after that, Baram just came to me to work with them, and they required me to make music with only traditional Korean instruments. That was very challenging and very interesting, so that's why I said 'okay' for them. And with that film, it was very interesting, but not helpful for my life — not helpful for my financial situation. So I just forgot that. And after that came the film Sea Fog, which is the film where the executive producer was Bong Joon-ho. And with the film, 'oh, this is film scoring. Oh, this is quite exciting.' And I love the orchestra — and I could use the orchestra a lot. So that was a very satisfying project. Sea Fog, nobody knows as well, but I just started to see the precious thing in film scoring. And with Okja, Parasite, I just definitely fell in love with film scoring." On Jung's Creative Partnership with Bong Joon-ho Across Okja, Parasite and Mickey 17 "As I said before, I'm just a translator. I don't want to express my own individual musical taste or musical hope like that. I'm concentrating on what this director is thinking and what this cut is saying to me. That's why Mr Bong Joon-ho likes me, because I'm just concentrating on his vision only. But that's the basic attitude for me to work with other directors as well." On the Bong Joon-ho's Meticulousness and Precision — Including Only Shooting the Exact Shots He Needs, and How That Type of Approach Carries Over to Movie Scores "To be honest, that is very common in Korean film. Everybody does that. But Bong Joon-ho really explains precisely what he's thinking. So, I don't say that much. He just tells me what he's been thinking and how this cut is completed — I think that's it. And when you get the final locked version of cut, after that I have to take care of everything regarding music. But when he doesn't like my first version of music, he tells me what he doesn't like, what he likes, very precisely — sometimes in a very imaginative way, sometimes in a very practical way. That's why Mr Bong Joon-ho is different among other directors." On Finding Inspiration for a Score From Beyond a Director's Instructions "For Parasite, Bong Joon-ho just told me that he'd been listening to baroque music, baroque-era music, a lot while he was writing the script. But as a self-taught composer, I didn't know much about baroque music. So I had to research Vivaldi, Bach every day. Sometimes I played Bach's 'Goldberg Variations' every morning. So I practiced and I exercised to get the baroque elements into my body, into my heart. That's one way to find the inspiration." On Getting Into the Right Mindset for Parasite "As a film composer, the first opening theme is very important. Even though it's not a main theme, the opening theme is very important for a composer because it's the first step. And with that first step, the path is going through — and in the script of Parasite, the first phrase was 'very hopeful music with despair'. I didn't know what to do, so I tried several versions of opening them." On How Genre Impacts the Way That Jung Tackles a Film Score "Basically I love drama, because I love to use the orchestra or piano, rather than computer music or band music. So I prefer drama rather than sci-fi or a thriller. For Mickey 17, it's a sci-fi, but it's a film about love at the same time — love and hope and peace. So I could use piano and orchestra in a very traditional way, because even if it's sci-fi, I could make the score in a very traditional way — and I am very happy with that." On Working with Hirokazu Kore-eda on Broker "I just watched this film Nobody Knows in 2004. I was really shocked, and I just fell in love with this film. And I've been tracking all of his masterpieces for decades. And finally, I heard the news that he is going to make a film with Korean staff and Korean actors. So I just wrote a letter to him with my previous works: 'I would love to work with you in Korea'. That's how I worked with him. That was the first time I approached a director before he approached me." On How Parasite's Success Helped Jung's Career, Including Putting Him on the Path to Squid Game "It was unbelievable recognition for me. I'm just a person who works backstage, behind the curtain. I had many opportunities, many chances. And because of Parasite, I just met director Hwang Dong-hyuk of Squid Game. And Squid Game is an unbelievable success. It's a phenomenon. I got proposals from many American directors for many scripts — and even I released my own solo album with Decca Records in London, which I'd never thought about before. But for me, my life is not that changed, because I'm just working alone in my own studio. But the obvious thing is now I don't have to prove myself to other people. That's quite comfortable for me — I only need to concentrate on how to make good music. That's the most-important part, most-important change for me. And I just fell in love with series or film music — to translate the vision into musical language. That's very powerful work and very useful work at the same time, because film is not going to fade away — music is film's best friend. So they're the most-exciting changes for me." On Jung's First Response to Squid Game's Premise "It was so brutal and cruel, so I just thought 'I could do this' and 'this is very quite exciting'. And I was a fan of Mr Hwang Dong-hyuk because of his previous work called The Fortress. I've watched that film about 10–20 times. So I had very deep faith in him. So even though the script was very brutal, full of blood, I could read the humanity. The very deep studying of humanity — I could read that in the script, even in the tragedy and violence. [caption id="attachment_977953" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S2. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2024[/caption] So 'yeah, why not?'. Because he was my hero, one of my heroes — and 'yeah, I would love to do this'. But for me, it was very challenging as well because it was a series — my first time on a series — because I was very used to two-hour films. But this is nine-hour films. So 'oh, I could do that?'. That was very challenging for me." [caption id="attachment_840359" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S1[/caption] On the Influences for Squid Game's Score "Every time that I make a new score, I search for a unique way. Unique is better than common things. That's how I'm thinking. So I just found these musical instruments which are very familiar for Korean children in elementary school — they learn that instruments like recorder, castanets, tambourine, melodeon, that kind of thing. And 'oh, that that could be very interesting'. [caption id="attachment_1007294" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Squid Game S3. No Ju-han/Netflix © 2025[/caption] And children are not good at performing, so they make disharmonies and no rhythms, then that makes some kind of scary sounds as well. So 'let's start with these elements'. That was my first way to approach Squid Game. And I composed some cues that felt a little bit like Hollywood-style music, but Mr Hwang Dong-hyuk really hated that Hollywood-style approach. So I just thought 'alright, I could just remove this Hollywood-style, I'm going to stick to very unique and powerful, sometimes-traditional style'. That's how it started from the first part." On Evolving the Music for Squid Game Across Three Seasons "I think I just concentrated on how to make this scene powerful. I could revise or rearrange and repeat the main theme — the successful themes — time to time, but I decided to make original ones a little bit more. So one is very different from two. Two is very different from one. And three is very different from two. But for season three, I repeated this one theme called 'I Remember My Name', which is first used in season one and it represents the farewell in death. That is the most-repeated theme of Squid Game — and other than that, all are original." Parasite Live in Concert takes place on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Southbank — head to the venue website for tickets and further information. The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
Cornucopias of cheese, rich roast lamb dinners, creamy Chardonnays — Orange is officially the new black. Grown from a rich mining past, Orange is now known as the 'food basket' of NSW, a title not halfheartedly earned. Wine is the obvious breadwinner, but it's not where the culinary adventure stops. From local produce-focused restaurants in reclaimed police stations to slick B&Bs in former sheep shearing sheds, to cellar doors in 1890s primary schools, Orange has seized its history with two, soil-happy hands and cultivated the modern foodie Mecca it is today. Just a four-hour drive from Sydney, or eight from Melbourne, Orange is in a prime spot for a seriously food and wine-drenched weekend away. You'll roll back to Sydney with a belly full of wine, cheese and lamb, your boot brimming with new wine variety favourites and your respect for Chardonnay restored. DRINK: WINE, WINE, WINE First piece of Orange advice: forget everything you know about Chardonnay. Second? You're going to taste some Australia's best, best, best wines in one weekend, so bring some Berocca and start fighting over who's designated driver. Orange is a pretty chilly place and sits over 600 metres above sea level. This means whites, sparkling and Pinot Noir country. Orange has a great many wineries, so it can be hard to know where to start (tip: just time your visit with the Orange Wine Festival). But most wineries offer free maps of the region, so start with one and take it from there. First up, let's visit Julie and Peter Mortimer, owners of Mortimers of Orange. A former Canterbury Bankstown Bulldog and extremely cheery gent, Peter Mortimer has left his NRL career behind for a life of exceedingly good Sauvignon Blanc with his wife and their five sons — and he can spin quite the yarn during a tasting, accompanied by his golden retriever, Bonnie. After planting their first vineyard in '96, the Mortimers bought the public school next door and turned it into their cellar door. There's nothing like a morning tasting with cheese and crackers where many an assembly has met. Next, we're off to Colmar Estate, run by Bill and Jane Schrapnel, two of the most knowledgable perfectionists in the game. Moving to Orange from Beecroft in Sydney, the Schrapnels have created one stunning vineyard you can can see most of right from the cellar door. But if you miss out on hitting Phillip Shaw's Cellar Door, you're doing it wrong. Shaw knows the wine game like the back of his hand, making wine since he was 12 and winning awards left right and centre for the family's celebrated varieties. You've never had Chardonnay like this, let me tell you. One of Shaw's lovely sons, Daniel, took us through the winery, past the fermenting room and to the barrels, where he gave us a taste of young Shiraz right out of the barrel. Holy. Grapes. More local wineries to note include Heifer Station Wines, run by the incredibly lovely Michelle and Philip Stivens, and the eclectic Bloodwood (appointment only). EAT: EVERYTHING YOU CAN CONSUME THAT ISN'T WINE If you think hitting the all-you-can-eat Pizza Hut is your first port of call in Orange, hold that thought. Orange is home to some of the most genuinely kickass restaurants in the game, and one of the key players is Union Bank, the newest guardians of Orange's historic former police station, school of the arts, bank and then some, owned by Nick and Emma Bacon, chef and sommelier respectively. Pull up a pew in UB's warm-lit, homey space and feast on octopus with smoked macadamia and turnip pickle, bone marrow with salsa roja, a whole chicken with garlic sauce and sumac, and a sirloin served with a miso bagna cauda, all spruced up with produce from the kitchen garden (just 15 metres from the actual kitchen). If you're serious about your food, you must take a trip to Milthorpe, a wonderfully quaint little town with a population of 650 just 15 minutes outside Orange. For breakfast, make sure you book ahead at The Old Mill Cafe, a beautiful old-fashioned tearoom whose lemon meringue pies need to be seen to be believed (and Instagrammed). But you absolutely cannot leave without visiting Tonic. Established in 2003 by owners Tony and Nicole Worland, one-hatted wonder Tonic brings both locals and foodie pilgrims alike. Tony boasts quite the resume, having worked beside the likes of Matt Moran, Michael Manners and Gordon Ramsay, so expect ambitious food that showcases local producers. If you're looking for a hit of caffeine between tastings, Orange isn't just letting the coffee scene go unperfected. Head to Bills Beans in east Orange, a former butcher's shop converted into a buzzing cafe owned by young guns Ricky Carver and Carlie Beer. Their lively barista Eric knows everyone's name and sings along to Toploader's 'Dancin' in the Moonlight' while making one of the best coffees you'll have in an age. Feast on freshly-made nosh like juicy, cheesy mushroom toasties, melt-in-your-mouth homemade pumpkin quiches and perfect, perfect scrolls. Also recommended, Good Eddy. For all your take-home local goodies, The Agrestic Grocer in town. EXPLORE: LOLLY SHOPS TO ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM It's worth inhaling more than edible and drinkable goods on your trip to Orange, especially if you're a history buff, art fan or general lover of all things vintage. Orange has a few great local galleries, including The Corner Store Gallery in east Orange. Exhibitions change every three weeks and range from James Kearns' abstract expressionist landscapes to Isobella Grist's smart collages. If you're a bit of a history nut, let's start with the fact that you're struttin' around in Banjo Patterson's birthplace (yes, there's a poetry festival, if you're wondering). After you've wandered through Orange's city centre, with many beautiful old buildings (one particularly good example in the middle of Kinross Wolaroi School), head straight for Orange's teeny neighbour, Milthorpe. We're talking antique shops, adorable design store Tomolly, a bowling club and cellar doors aplenty, like Orange heavyweights Angullong or Slow Wine Co. STAY: SHEEP SHEDS TO COUNTRY LOFTS As far as snuggly country accomodation goes, Orange has some pretty beautiful spots to kip. If you're up for a true country stay with every last modern convenience, head for the award-winning Black Sheep Inn just 9km west of Orange on Heifer Station Lane, owned by the lovely Helen and Andrew Napier. Originally a 1900s sheep shearing shed, most of the original features have been preserved — along with a wrought iron fireplace. The Inn has five snug suites, each boasting original rolling shed doors instead of blinds (a very sweet feature). Corrugated iron runs the interior design, offset with modern steel trimmings and crisp white sheets. Helen served us brekkie in the morning, a three-course feast from poached pears with straight-up insane homemade lemon curd, to freshly-toasted sourdough with unbelievably delicious homemade apricot jam. If you're headed for the quaint country streets of Milthorpe, there's plenty of boutique accomodation to snuggle into and forget you ever had some kind of job to return to. While you can take over an entire old chemist at Hockey's Accommodation, we made a temporary home of the Millthorpe Motel, a collection of 20 modern, homey rooms, from basic studio rooms to loft apartments that feel like your very own little ski lodge. Think comfy armchairs, luxe white bedding, and an easy stroll to Tonic, to repeat yesterday's belt-busting feast. Images: Andy Fraser. CP stayed, ate and wined as a guest of Orange360. For more information about Orange, head over here.
On a couple of occasions over the last year or so, McDonald's has spread some lockdown cheer by offering burger-loving customers free delivery. Now, with stores open for in-person dining around the country, it's doing something different — because there's a mighty big milestone to celebrate. Those golden arches have been towering over Australia for 50 years now, so of course Maccas is marking the occasion. On the bill: various different promotions, specials, deals and collaborations, starting with 50-cent Big Macs. You'll want to make a date with your local store on Friday, June 18, because that's when burger lovers can pick up the chain's best-known burg for just a dodecagonal coin at any of the brand's 1009 restaurants around the country. All you need to do is order through the My Macca's app, select the deal, then mosey on down to your closest McDonald's to pick it up. There'll be more promos to follow, too. This isn't the first time that the chain has run a heap of deals in a short span; however, these ones are hanging around for a while. When it comes celebrating a birthday, going big is the only option, so Macca's will be rolling out other yet-to-be-announced specials between right up until the end of August — with the details revealed each week from Friday, June 18.
In the latest of its comeback moves, Polaroid has jumped on the Instagram bandwagon with a brand new camera, Socialmatic. Not only does it print photos on the spot (let's face it, the only reason anyone buys Polaroid cameras any more), it also lets you upload them to your social media accounts instantly. Seems like Polaroid wants to remind us all where those square-shaped, Nashville-filtered snaps came from. Available for pre-order at US$299 and expected to hit shelves in January 2015, the Socialmatic runs only with Android. It uses Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet, and Bluetooth to connect to your smartphone. Shots can be sent to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and any other network with an Android App available on Google Play. At the same time, Polaroid's instant-print tech has received an upgrade. Gone are the days of shaking your photos until the black layer disappears. And, if you request it, every photo comes with its own QR barcode, so you can keep up with its movements in cyberspace. Shots are printed at dimensions of 5 x 7.5 centimetres. What’s more, the Socialmatic comes equipped with two cameras in one. The regular camera measures 14-megapixels, and there’s another on the back, which provides 2-megapixels of resolution and is designed specifically for taking selfies. Seems Polaroid really want to get in the game with this one. Before this, Polaroid’s most recent attempt at modernising happened with the release of the Polaroid Cube. It’s a teeny-tiny, HD, cube-shaped video camera that competes with the GoPro, selling at just US$99. Via Racked.
Crime thrillers set against the Australian landscape. A monstrous figure terrorising a woman and her son. The return of a famed action franchise. An outback western as blistering as it is beautiful. They all rank among the best homegrown films of the past few years — but what'll join them in 2019? Perhaps it'll be one of these ten must-sees. The year ahead promises another diverse array of Aussie cinema, spanning local outlaws, dystopian sci-fi worlds and Northern Territory-set romantic comedies — and, of course, plenty in-between. Some, we've seen. Others, we can't wait to feast our eyes on. Either way, we have your Australian watch-list covered for the next twelve months. THE NIGHTINGALE Jennifer Kent's second feature is a film of darkness, visceral shocks and deep-seated pain. It's a movie that, from the moment its probing images start flickering across the screen, is impossible to forget. And yet, The Nightingale couldn't be more different from Kent's directorial debut, The Babadook. Set in 19th-century Tasmania and charting an Irish convict's (Aisling Franciosi) mission of revenge against a British soldier (an astonishing against-type Sam Claflin) — as well as the perilous trek, guided by an Aboriginal tracker (Baykali Ganambarr), to fulfil her furious task — Kent's exceptional sophomore film is a stunning statement about gender and race that hits hard, and often. Finally set to release in 2019, if the movie sounds familiar, that's because it made our 2018 list as well. Australian release date TBC. TOP END WEDDING After The Sapphires proved such an enormous success back in 2012, filmmaker Wayne Blair is once again joining forces with radiant star Miranda Tapsell — and this time, the latter's also co-writing the script. Premiering at Sundance this year before hitting local screens at a yet-to-be-revealed date, Top End Wedding follows couple Lauren (Tapsell) and Ned (Bohemian Rhapsody's Gwilym Lee), who are just ten days out from tying the knot. The hitch? They have to find Lauren's mother in the Northern Territory first, in this upbeat comedy set against a striking, sunny backdrop. In Australian cinemas May 2, 2019. I AM MOTHER Also headed to Sundance is dystopian sci-fi thriller I Am Mother, a film that seems familiar, story-wise, but definitely finds its own niche. Set to make a star out of its Danish lead Clara Rugaard, Grant Sputore's movie introduces viewers to a girl who has been raised in a high-tech underground bunker by a supremely intelligent robot she calls Mother (voiced by Rose Byrne). Then a stranger (Hilary Swank) arrives, and an already bleak and twisty effort delves further into its premise. I Am Mother screened as a work in progress at the 2018 Adelaide Film Festival to packed cinemas — and it's certain to garner more attention when it properly reaches Aussie theatres. Australian release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygfTbGmKRd0 HOTEL MUMBAI Primarily shot in Adelaide, and featuring an all-star cast of Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Jason Isaacs, Tilda Cobham-Hervey and Homeland's Nazanin Boniadi, Hotel Mumbai recreates the terrifying reality of Mumbai's 2008 terrorist attacks. Largely focusing on the plight of those inside the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel — guests, employees and assailants alike — it's an understandably tense experience. Anthony Maras' effort should also ring a few bells and not just from real-life events, with the film another holdover from our 2018 list. After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, it's set to play at Australian theatres in March. In Australian cinemas March 14, 2019. RIDE LIKE A GIRL For her first feature as a director, Rachel Griffiths takes on a sport that the country has very mixed feelings about: horse racing. But while movies about galloping around tracks aren't that uncommon in Aussie film industry, Ride Like a Girl's focus is all there in its name. Starring Berlin Syndrome's Teresa Palmer, the movie tells the tale of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. With Sam Neill and Sullivan Stapleton also among the cast, Griffiths hasn't wasted any time bringing the story to the screen, given that Payne emerged victorious in the race that stops the nation in 2015. Australian release date TBC. EMU RUNNER A small film with a big heart, Emu Runner steps into the world of nine-year-old Gem Daniels (Rhae-Kye Waites), whose quiet but happy life is torn apart by tragedy. To both her father (Wayne Blair) and the local social worker's (Georgia Blizzard) dismay, the girl starts skipping school and wandering around town — and, as often as she can, spending time in the presence of a wild emu that's forever linked to memories of her mother. Lovingly canvassing the outback landscape, writer-director Imogen Thomas crafts an affectionate film about a child trying to find her place in the world. But the film makes a sharp statement too, interrogating the clash between white and Indigenous Australian cultures, as well as the stereotypes perpetuated by the former towards the later. Australian release date TBC. [caption id="attachment_559597" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Goldstone[/caption] LOVELAND With Mystery Road and Goldstone, Ivan Sen gave Australia two fantastic outback crime thrillers. With Loveland, however, he's plunging into vastly different territory. Shooting in Hong Kong and starring Hugo Weaving and Ryan Kwanten (and, we hope, Aaron Pedersen in there somewhere), Sen's new effort is a sci-fi romance set in a futuristic Chinese mega-city. The details are sparse from there, but given the writer/director/producer/editor/cinematographer/composer's track record — including a barely seen 2009 film about UFO hunting called Dreamland — there's plenty of cause for excitement. Australian release date TBC. [caption id="attachment_702900" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] For Those in Peril[/caption] THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG Two out of three is a fantastic hit rate for a filmmaker who has only been making features since 2011. And while the less said about Assassin's Creed, the better, here's hoping that Justin Kurzel's The True History of the Kelly Gang lines up alongside the simply stunning duo that is Snowtown and Macbeth. Working with Peter Carey's novel of the same name, the Aussie director has certainly assembled a stellar cast to help relay this bushranger tale. English talent George MacKay (11.22.63, Pride, For Those in Peril) plays infamous outlaw Ned Kelly, while he's joined by fellow Brits Charlie Hunnam and Nicholas Hoult, Leave No Trace's Thomasin McKenzie, and local standouts Claudia Karvan, Essie Davis and Russell Crowe. Australian release date TBC. [caption id="attachment_702905" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Puzzle[/caption] DIRT MUSIC Another year, another Tim Winton adaptation. After the success of Breath, 2019 sees fellow Miles Franklin Award-winner Dirt Music make its way to cinemas. Unsurprisingly, a small town and the sea both play a part, with the narrative exploring a woman's (Kelly Macdonald) strained relationship with a fisherman (David Wenham), as well as the stranger (Garrett Hedlund) that she starts an affair with. Gregor Jordan — aka the last Aussie director to take on Ned Kelly — sits in the director's chair, while Aaron Pedersen and Julia Stone (yes, that Julia Stone) also feature among the cast. Australian release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BwO2I3-mRA&feature=youtu.be 2040 What will the world look like in just over two decades time? Let That Sugar Film's Damon Gameau inform you. He ate unhealthily for his last documentary, and now he's pondering the future in a film that's part doco, part visual letter. While the actor-turned-filmmaker hasn't picked up psychic abilities from all of that sugar, he has enlisted experts in climate, economics, technology, civil society, agriculture and sustainability to help with 2040. As with his last effort, it's a movie not only focused on telling a tale and educating the public, but also on making a difference. Australian release date TBC.
For many — perhaps for most — Microsoft Excel is a necessary means to an end, whether you're using it at work, home or both. The act of spreadsheeting doesn't inspire strong feelings, then, let alone an abundance of affection, no matter the contents being entered into cells. As Australian documentary Spreadsheet Champions illustrates, that attitude isn't anywhere in sight among the competitors demonstrating their skills at the Excel component at the annual Microsoft Office Specialist World Championships. Each year, students aged between 13–22 hit the keyboards in Orlando, Florida, all hoping to be crowned the best on the planet at using software that has been a data-calculating and -computing go-to since its 1985 debut — so, for four decades now. If your first response to even hearing about the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championships — which also has separate competitions for Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint, too — is "does that actually exist?", then you're in good company. "I just thought 'what? Is that real? Who are these people?'," Melbourne-based Australian filmmaker Kristina Kraskov explains to Concrete Playground. "Always, when you have a little spark of an idea, if you immediately have 100 questions it's usually got a strong story. So I just go about trying to answer all those questions. 'Who are these people? Why do they try so hard? What does this mean? What does this involve?'," she continues. "It was a new world," Kraskov says. That's her preferred domain as a director. Kraskov's past shorts span the likes of Heavy Haulage Girls, about women driving road trains; The King of Frankston, with a sneaker-loving local legend in the Melbourne suburb at its centre; Party in the Back, focusing on entrants at Mulletfest Australia in Kurri Kurri in New South Wales; and Suburban Legends, with obscure local celebrities in the spotlight. "I'm always intrigued into new worlds and what things mean to people," she advises. Kraskov knows that others are having the same reaction to initially discovering that there's a world championships for Excel. That helped the film get made. "I was much less experienced than I am now, but every time I pitched the project, people were always having also a million questions — very intrigued. So we always had that initial response from people, which was great," she shares. Equally excellent: that Spreadsheet Champions had its world premiere at SXSW in Austin in March 2025, then played HotDocs Film Festival in Canada, before debuting at home at the Melbourne International Film Festival. "I didn't know if it was real, that we'd got in," notes Kraskov about SXSW. "I had to check the official announcement and the website and make sure that it was true. And it was. And being there was really amazing. It's a huge, prestigious festival and we'd never had the film play in front of an audience. So there's a lot of things that you really hope work and hit home, and they did, and people were laughing and crying, and telling us how much they love spreadsheets or technology. It was just a really good experience." Spreadsheet Champions is a doco that sparks reactions. Some hails from Excel diehards, some from others. "There's a lot of forums and it's almost like a cult online about people that are obsessed with Excel. But it is other people coming as well and it's a good mix," says the filmmaker. At screenings, "people will say 'I'm obsessed with spreadsheets, it gives meaning to my whole life, people don't understand me' — or they'll say 'I thought this film would be boring, my friend wanted me to come, I loved it'. It's kind of one or the other." The film follows six talented young Excel users: Mason from the US, Australian teen Braydon, Guatemala's Carmina, Nam from Vietnam, Greek entrant Alkmini and Cameroon's De La Paix. To even get to Floria, they first have to top the Excel field in their own countries. Once at the software's pinnacle competition-wise, they then need to sit an exam that covers their use of the tool, including creatively and in problem-solving, plus their knowledge of not just its functionality and formulas but its history. Charting her subjects' progress, Kraskov captures what Excel and the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championships means to each, their distinctive journeys there, and the experience — and tension, and pressure — of the contest, creating a riveting viewing experience. MIFF isn't just a festival with Spreadsheet Champions in its program. Pivotally, the event's Premiere Fund helped support the film. Kraskov advises that that "was a big game-changer for us. It is really hard to make documentaries in Australia, and the producer Anna [Charalambous, Ellis Park] and I, we were first-timers for features. So it was good support to have early on, and once you have some support, it is easier to have others. I've always loved MIFF as a festival. I always got the program and circled all of the unusual documentaries. So it just feels really huge that MIFF supported me in making my own, and now it's in the program and everyone's going to go see it." What do you learn making a doco like this? "I think you just learn to be open, and to question everything you know all the time. You just keep gathering other people's knowledge, comparing with your life and experience, and just keep evolving — keep listening and watching. That's the main thing," Kraskov reflects. And yes, as for what comes next, "someone suggested a three-picture deal with Word and PowerPoint. I'm not opposed to that. There's a lot of unusual competitions in the world," she furthers. "But there's also a lot of great stories. I'm definitely just going to keep going and keep telling these kinds of stories." Included in our conversation as well: everything from Kraskov's own starting point with Excel going in, getting the documentary's subjects onboard and restraints around accessing the test to celebrating unique passions, details that unite the movie's six competitors and the appeal of highly specific factual films. On Spreadsheet Champions' Appeal to Excel Devotees — and to Those Not Fond of the Program, Too "We realised very early on that Excel has a billion users worldwide — and not all of them, a lot of people do hate Excel, but many of them are very, very, very passionate about it. And hence some of them going to the lengths that they do to be in competition. So we knew that that Excel fanbase was out there, but it's great to have Excel fans and people who don't like Excel all enjoying the film." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kristina Kraskov (@kristinakraskov) On Kraskov's Own Starting Point with Excel Before Making the Film "I used Excel in a very basic way. Producers use it a lot and are pretty passionate about it in filmmaking, but that's as far as I went. But I quickly discovered how much it means to people — how it organises their life and chaos — and I was just enthralled in those people and why it meant so much to them. When people ask me if good at Excel, I just say that 'the commentators at the Olympics, they're not going to win the gold medal, but they can appreciate it and tell the story'. So I feel like that's my role." On Choosing Just to Focus on Excel, Not Word and PowerPoint, for Spreadsheet Champions "I did think about them, but often if you just pay attention, a story will present itself to you. So that's what happened. I was just doing a lot of research and I thought 'what would they do in the Word and PowerPoint programs?'. But very much the Excel competitors and competition itself had this reputation of being the hard one. 'These are the hardcore people. You don't mess with them. This test is really punishing.' It had this real atmosphere and reputation around it that made me think that that's where the story is." On Finding Spreadsheet Champions' Six Contenders "It was a really difficult casting process, because they qualify at their national championships at all different times. So basically, we just — whoever qualified in their country and wanted to talk, we would go out on a Zoom interview with them And we were looking for very different home environments, personalities, strengths and weaknesses. We had a few countries that usually do well, and some countries who have never got a medal before — but most importantly, it was the competitors themselves and just making sure they're very different from one another. So we have some who are what you would imagine, and what you come for to see this film, maybe like Mason. But then you have others who surprise you. And I think who we think of as computer people, geeks and nerds, it's not really the same anymore. These teenagers are something different. So we just wanted them to be really different from each other." On Getting the Documentary's Subjects Onboard "A few of them are underage, so we had to proceed with caution and always be talking to their parents or teachers as well, and just be really upfront with our intentions and what the film was going to be about at its core — because it would have been really unusual for them as well. But once we got to know them, after a couple of sessions it really wasn't difficult, what we proposed, what we wanted to do. And I think in some way, the competitors themselves and their support networks knew this was something really special outside of this world no one else really cares about. So it's an opportunity for all of us, really." On the Feeling in the Room at the Microsoft Office Specialist World Championships "The air is really thick with stress and tension. It's very palpable, and operating the camera and thinking about what we have to do, it was really difficult. I was holding my breath at points, trying not to disrupt them. And you can just hear furious keys and mouses. And I think it's described in the film that once it's over it, that noise re-enters the world and there's a big sigh of relief. It's a really unique environment, definitely — a first with something like that for me. But the mood after the test was over, you can see it on their faces, it was quite harrowing experience for all of them, really, but at least it was over and you could breathe." On Working Around the Limited Access Allowed to the Excel Test Itself, Given That Its Contents Are Kept Secret "I guess it was about giving a context to the scale of the difficulty, and introducing the aspects that they're looking for. We worked really closely with Bing [who oversees the Excel championship] once we had gained his trust. So that did take a long time, because he didn't care about the film at all. I mean, he's happy now, but at the time he said 'I've got a job to do. It's finding the best, keeping it secure, so I don't really care about this'. But once we met him and built that trust, then we could work with him. So some of the things that you do see during the test are real questions that he allowed us to use that won't be reused. And what they do in the creative section is real as well. But for us, it was a really fine balance of the story of the emotion and the competition, and telling people how difficult it is, with the story of Excel and those intricate details themselves. And it is hard to make a film like that for everyone. The Excel lovers and haters are not going to agree with that. But in the end, I think it's a really important story — and for me, the focus was always the competitors' journeys, and Excel is the vessel to tell." On How to Get the Right Balance Between Providing Context to the Competition, the History of Excel, the Event Itself and the Contenders' Journeys "I think just working with the creative team, and just making sure that everything kept you engaged. There's so many engaging parts to this story, and obviously some parts of Excel can get a little bit dry. We watched the test sequence a lot, and it was probably one of the more difficult sequences of the whole film to edit — so just making sure that when we showed fresh people, there was always a response, an emotional response, something that they learned. But yeah, it was tough, but audiences have been responding really well and I'm really grateful." On Whether It Was Difficult to Find the Best Visual Approach for a Film That Often Jumps Between Talking Heads and People at Computers "Yeah, absolutely. That was a question we got asked a lot: 'wouldn't it be boring? Won't you just be watching kids on-screen?'. So we had to just make sure that there was a lot of actuality in it as well. I love observational documentaries — vérité is my favourite genre. So you see that there's some real moments where the camera is just following what's happening, and you're very real in there. So it's just a matter of balancing everything out, I think. And then using your other — if you can't have crazy footage running around, then what else can you use? So working with our composer and our sound design to make sure that there's still that tension and audiences are still really engaged." On What Kraskov Observes Unites Spreadsheet Champions' Subjects "I would say there's two things that they all have in common. That is, firstly, that they are kind of born with — not a completely mathematical, logical brain, but numbers are a very natural language to them more so than words. So they all have an affinity at very young ages for mathematics, and it makes a lot of sense to them. And they were always all very, very exceptional at it. And the second thing that I was very surprised about, I thought that we would have a lot of different kinds of parents — I have very strict immigrant parents, I thought we would have some of that kind of 'you better win or you're in trouble', but it wasn't really the case. All of the parental support that the students had was a mixture — consistent but they really knew their kids well and really supported them, and they were all very nice but firm in their own ways. And that's what they all had, I think, that helped them. They had their natural skill, but they had people in their corner as well, noticing them and encouraging them." On the Film Being a Celebration of Unique Passions and Going All in on What's Important to You "That was always the main message for me. I think I love a subject that's very unusual, and it might draw you in and people might go 'who are these weirdos?', but through that you really learn to appreciate people who ho have different skills and have different passions. And that's pretty much what all my films are about, is just finding people who are uniquely themselves, finding out what that means and living their life accordingly." On If Making a Film About People Being So Dedicated and Passionate About Something Is Inspiring "Absolutely. The shoot itself was gruelling. We were going to a different country every week, different time zones. If you're not shooting, you're on a plane and that's about it. So I was exhausted, but everyone I met and spoke to was so inspiring. And even just to learn a country's philosophy towards something like this, being so completely different to our own — everyone we met really fuelled us to keep going and to just have the energy to tell the story, because it was so incredible." On How Kraskov's Short Films Helped Lead Her to Spreadsheet Champions "I had this idea before I'd done a lot of the work that I've done, and lots of things like COVID got in the way. But my other work that I've had creative control over has always followed a similar line of discovering new worlds and what people living differently can teach us about ourselves, I suppose. And then, just getting to interview people and follow them throughout their lives, you just get to hear people boil down their life philosophy to you on a weekly basis — and that's such an amazing thing. And I think it's helped me be really open to stories and possibilities. It's a really cool job to do." On Why Documentaries About Highly Specific Topics Appeal to Audiences "I think these documentaries are so powerful because everyone can identify with an underdog. No matter who you are, you've felt like you didn't belong and you want somewhere to belong. And so just finding people who so unashamedly try so hard at what they love — and if that thing that they love isn't recognised by the people, it doesn't stop them — I think people just really resonate with that, and that's a good thing." Spreadsheet Champions screens at the 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival. MIFF 2025 runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
Australia and New Zealand haven't been treated to Beyoncé's Renaissance tour, but we are getting the next best thing: RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ. The latest chance to worship the superstar on-screen was announced back in October and will hit cinemas worldwide in December. And, it will be arriving Down Under at the same time as the US: on Friday, December 1. What runs the movie world right now? Concert flicks, which are having a big-screen moment again. In the space of mere months, three huge examples of the genre are playing cinemas worldwide, much to the delight of folks who like getting their film and music fix in one go. First came Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in October. In Australia, Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense, aka the best concert flick ever made, has returned to picture palaces since mid-November. Next, RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will do the same — and it has dropped another trailer to celebrate. Beyoncé is no stranger to splashing her sets across a screen, after HOMECOMING: A Film By Beyoncé did exactly that on Netflix back in 2019. That movie covered the superstar singer's time on the Coachella stage, and came with a 40-track live album as well. This time, Bey is focusing on her 56-performance, 39-city world RENAISSANCE tour in support of the 2022 album of the same name. Now wrapped up after starting in Stockholm in Sweden in May and finishing in Kansas City, Missouri in the US on Sunday, October 1, the RENAISSANCE tour featured everything from 'Dangerously in Love 2', 'Cuff It', 'Formation' and 'Run the World (Girls)' to 'Crazy in Love', 'Love On Top', 'Drunk in Love' and 'America Has a Problem'. Given that audiences in Australia or New Zealand haven't experienced that setlist for themselves, with the tour skipping Down Under shows so far, RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ is the first chance for Bey fans in this part of the world to join in without heading overseas. "When I am performing, I am nothing but free," said Beyoncé in the concert film's initial trailer. "The goal for this tour was to create a place where everyone is free," the musician continued, in a sneak peek that includes behind-the-scenes glimpses, crowd shots and, of course, spectacular concert footage. In the latest trailer, Beyoncé expands upon her daily challenge. "In this world that is very male-dominated, I've had to be really tough to balance motherhood and being on the stage," shares the singer. RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ charts the tour from its first show until its last, as well as the hard work and technical mastery that went into it on- and off-stage, as 2.7-million-plus fans have seen in person. Check out the latest trailer for RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ below: RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ will release in cinemas Down Under from Friday, December 1 — head to the film's website for tickets and further details. Images: Julian Dakdouk / Mason Poole.
There's much that's wild and unlikely about Kneecap's story — the band, that is, but plenty of it fuels the movie of the same name, too. When Naoise Ó Cairealláin, aka the Irish-language trio's Móglaí Bap, was christened, the British Army thought that the ceremony was an IRA meeting, even bringing in a helicopter. When the Belfast group formed decades later, Móglaí Bap and Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, aka Mo Chara, found their third member in then-schoolteacher Jj Ó Dochartaigh, who took the moniker DJ Próvaí and dons a balaclava in the colours of the Irish flag onstage. Their first single 'C.E.A.R.T.A' was banned from the radio. They've now turned the whole ride so far into a big-screen music biopic. In said flick, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Próvaí all play themselves. It's true of Kneecap the band and Kneecap the film alike, of course: yes, their shared title springs from a form of violence well-known in the trio's parts during The Troubles. Leaning in in the name of subversion is one of the things that this threesome does best — and via their music and now their feature as well, they're passionate about reframing the way that the world thinks about their home city. Championing their mother tongue, and the sense of Northern Irish identity that it helps forge, is equally crucial. Roll all of that into a movie, then enlist Michael Fassbender (Next Goal Wins) and take some inspiration from Trainspotting, and the result is a blast of a picture — and one of the instant greats of its genre. Naturally, all of the details mentioned above — the christening, which made the newspapers; DJ Próvaí's background, plus his school's reaction to his side gig; the disdain from the airwaves; the texture of Belfast beyond the well-documented conflicts; the fight for the Irish language — were always going to be key elements of any silver-screen take on Kneecap, even a purposefully playful one that isn't afraid of diverting from the facts if it suits (director Rich Peppiatt has claimed is about 70-percent true). As Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara tell Concrete Playground, starring in the movie themselves felt just as inevitable. They call their on-screen parts the roles they were meant to play, which is a cracking line, but the proof is in the vibe and vitality of the film. The trio also co-wrote the feature with British filmmaker Peppiatt, who made their acquaintance by being persistent about trying to have a drink with them, and helmed their 'Guilty Conscience' music video. Ensuring that Kneecap reflected Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Próvaí, their tunes, their personalities, their experience, the causes they're committed to and their view of their hometown was obviously paramount. Ask Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara, too, if they ever thought that this was a path that Kneecap would take when they formed the band, and they joke about awards and recognition — "we knew the accolades were coming after the first song," says Mo Chara; "we're waiting on a Nobel Peace Prize next, hopefully," adds Móglaí Bap — but, when they get serious, they stress that hitting cinemas was all about making a movie for Belfast. "It's a very colloquial film with lots of slang, and lots of jokes that maybe people only from where we are from would understand. And we never dumbed that down. We never made it more digestible for anyone outside of Ireland in that way," explains Móglaí Bap. "And I think for that reason, we didn't think beyond Ireland. The movie was made for Ireland, for Belfast. And we didn't think beyond that. I think that's the reason that we created such an original, authentic movie, because we weren't looking outside of Ireland to try and make it more digestible. We're just making it for people like us." Adds Mo Chara: "I think a lot of funders would like to feel like if they give half a million towards the movie, they would like to feel like they've had half a million worth of input. And whenever you let many people have input, it waters it down. It becomes digestible for the world, but it means nobody likes it, and especially people from where you're from." Kneecap haven't had to worry about nobody liking their film. After picking up the NEXT Audience Award at Sundance, it earned the three main gongs at Galway Film Fleadh — the Audience Award, plus Best Irish Film and Best Irish-Language Film — which has never happened before in the fest's history. It's also in Oscar contention, selected as the country's submission for the Best International Feature Film at the 2025 Academy Awards. Across the whirlwind last eight months, the band released their second album Fine Art as well. In March 2025, they'll tour Australia for the first time. We also spoke with Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara about everything that this year has brought their way so far, the reaction to the movie in Belfast even before it hit cinemas, riffing on reality, taking a risk in bringing their story to the screen, dream casting, balancing everything they wanted in the film, enlisting Fassbender's involvement and more. On How 2024 Has Panned Out Since the Film Premiered at Sundance — and with a New Kneecap Album Out, Too Mo Chara: "We've been busy little boys. We've been very busy, but we're getting opportunities that not a lot of young people, especially where we're from, get. So we're enjoying it. We're loving it. We've seen a lot of the world that we would probably not have seen, Iceland and all sorts of places. So we're enjoying it. It's hard to balance the music and the movie at the same time, but we're giving it a good go." Móglaí Bap: "Ying and yang." On the Response to the Film in Belfast, Even Before It Hit Cinemas Mo Chara: "I feel like people in Belfast — well, most, the majority of people — are very proud of us, because Belfast is something that has always just been negative in world media. And it's seen as a place that's not very …" Móglaí Bap: "Progressive." Mo Chara: "… or fun or whatever it is, or that people do well or get creative in. So I feel like a lot of people, especially the older generation, they're all just very, very proud and they're very happy that there's two or three young people, or bands, coming up, or movies being made that show Belfast in not such a negative light all the time, even though there's negativity." Móglaí Bap: "There's a little bit, just like with anywhere." On Bringing Their Origin Story to the Screen, Riffing with Reality and Rich Peppiatt's 70-Percent True Claim Móglaí Bap: "He made that up, surely." Mo Chara: "70 percent — how the fuck does he judge that? But the origin story of Kneecap, though – we're not getting into the blurred lines, but 100 percent, DJ Próvaí was a teacher. And we released the song, and the school started finding out that he was the man behind the mask and sacked him, basically. That's true." Móglaí Bap: "And the police meetings and the Irish language legislation, and all these things. Most of the crazier stories in the movie are true. The christening at the very start of the movie with the British Army helicopter is based on a true story, that's based on my christening. I was christened on a mass rock. It was kind of like an altar made of stone hidden away in the forests when Catholicism was outlawed during the Penal Laws, and I got christened there in the 90s." Mo Chara: "The first christening there for 200 years." Móglaí Bap: "Yeah, the first mass there for 200 years. And the British Army thought there was some sort of IRA meeting going on." Mo Chara: "Like a training camp for the paramilitaries." Móglaí Bap: "And then they hovered above the procession for the whole time as being as being squirted with water by priest." Mo Chara: "I hope it was water." Móglaí Bap: "I think it was water, anyway. And they hovered there above the whole time. There's a newspaper article about it. It was quite an iconic moment. So like stories like that are based on truth, and we like to leave it there. But as Rich says, some of the crazier stories are based on truth." On Eventually Saying Yes to Rich Peppiatt's Persistent Efforts to Have a Drink with Kneecap — and How the Film Started From There Móglaí Bap: "We were very skeptical, of course, because Rich is obviously from England." Mo Chara: "Don't be so hard on him." Móglaí Bap: "And we're very skeptical of English people who want to profit off Irish people. So we kept him at arm's length for a while. But eventually, his arm reached across with a pint and we accepted it. It was from there that we got together very well. I think because Rich is from England is actually is his best quality. It sounds like a negative thing, but it was the best thing about him because he didn't come with any preconceived ideas of what we should represent or what culture we come from. He kind of left it to us to tell him. And because of that, there was a great line of communication in the back and forth. If we didn't feel that some scenes represented our culture or the youth culture, he would listen to us in that way. So there was a great communication between us and Rich, and he was very open director." Mo Chara: "He's done a great job portraying Belfast." Móglaí Bap: "Yeah, he did a great job of portraying Belfast — and portraying the modern era of Belfast and the youth in Belfast. So kudos to Rich." On Taking a Risk by Trusting Kneecap's Story to Any Filmmaker Mo Chara: "The biggest risk of all was the fact that our music career was on the up, and we were doing very well — well, very well for where we were at that time — and the last thing that we would have needed, for example, was a really cheesy, shit movie to come out that was hard to watch and made people cringe. Nobody's going to be able to take a music career seriously after doing a really shit film, I feel. So it was a risk we didn't need to take, but some risks are worth taking and we consider ourselves to be risk-takers. And we put a lot of trust in Rich — and I think Rich put a lot trust in us." Móglaí Bap: "It paid off for him." On the Decision to Play Themselves — and Dream Casting Ideas If That Didn't Pan Out Móglaí Bap: "I wanted to get Brad Pitt, but he was too old." Mo Chara: "He was too old, too ugly." Móglaí Bap: "And then Cillian Murphy, he was too small." Mo Chara: "As we always say, they were the roles we were born to play. So we were glad it was us and we felt like we were the only ones who could probably do it justice. It was funny, we got one of the reviews that said 'at the start I thought these actors were really good rappers. It actually just turns out that these rappers are really good actors'. So we fooled a lot of people with. I'm glad we did it." Móglaí Bap: "I think actually it still happens — during some of the film premieres, some people leave the movie still not knowing that we're an actual band and think that we're just a fake band that we created for the movie. So I think that's a good sign." On the Kind of Preparation That Goes Into Playing Yourself in Your First Acting Roles Mo Chara: "We got an unbelievable acting coach called Kieran Lagan. At the very start, it was a lot of warm-up games — and as Kieran would say, in acting, if you're in your head you're dead. You have to be present. You have to be in the room. There was a lot of staring into each other's eyes for five minutes. I don't know if you'll ever be close enough to somebody to do that. It's very awkward. And you have to describe each other's face and stuff. So there was a lot of really awkward games for us at the start. But by the end of this couple of months that we did, it became very therapeutic for us to go and do these sessions, and then we would leave and everybody would be in good form." Móglaí Bap: "We all nearly fell in love, because apparently if you stare into someone's eyes for ten minutes, you fall in love. I don't know if that's true." Mo Chara: "Speak for yourself." On Covering Kneecap's Lived Experiences, the Post-Troubles Reality in Northern Ireland, the Impact of the Police, the Campaign for the Irish Language to Be Recognised and More, All in One Film Mo Chara: "We had the term 'kill your babies'. So we would have some great ideas, but it just wasn't going to work in the film. So stuff that we really liked, we had to just cut it. And that's always tough. But I suppose that's the game. Even some scenes that were in it that have been cut that we really liked, because the the first draft was like two hours and 15 minutes. And so we went and had to cut loads of scenes. So that's always tricky. But yeah, there's a big political sphere here that we wanted to represent, but we just couldn't get everything in because it's such a complex history here. But we got what we felt was important to the story and what was important for people to understand the contacts of the of politics here. I think we got most of it across with the Irish Language Act, and the Unionist and Republican politicians." Móglaí Bap: "I think the core element of the movie, which we always came back to, is identity. Identity is so important, especially in post-colonial countries that do have Indigenous languages. Language and identity are all intertwined, and I think that's something that resonates with people. We've seen in America or places where they speak minority languages, that what resonates with them mostly is identity. And people I've met people who watch the film, they literally instantly either want to learn Irish or want to learn whatever their own Indigenous native language is. That's something that we're very proud of. That's the effect this movie is having." On Getting Michael Fassbender Onboard to Play Móglaí Bap's Father Dad Mo Chara: "It made the difference." Móglaí Bap: "He was completely starstruck when he met us." Mo Chara: "We always say that, that he was completely starstruck — but he actually was a fan of Kneecap. And I feel like he really liked the script. So it was amazing to have him. So we wrote the film. We were ready to go, basically, in a few months time, but COVID happened. So it put everything back a few years. But COVID actually in itself was a blessing, because it was after COVID or towards the end of COVID, that we got Fassbender involved. So COVID actually worked in our favour. But it made all the difference. It gave the film legitimacy, whenever you have such a big star like that involved. We already had Josie Walker [The Wonder, This Is Going to Hurt, Belfast] and Simone Kirby [The Buccaneers, Hidden Assets, His Dark Materials], who've done plenty of huge, huge roles as well. But Fassbender brought this new legitimacy to it. And also it meant anyone who was on set the day of Fassbender, everybody upped their game. Everybody wore their best clothes. The catering was better. Everyone acted better." Móglaí Bap: "We got real plates." Mo Chara: "We got real plates and cutlery." Móglaí Bap: "We got real forks and knives, instead of all the paper ones we were using." Mo Chara: "So it really just upped everyone's game, having him involved, and it it just pushed everyone just to strive to be better." Kneecap opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, August 29, 2024. Images: Madman / Sony Pictures Classics.
If you're heading to the South Island of New Zealand for a vacay, people are going to have some questions for you. "Was it gorgeous?" Duh. "Was it cold?" Only a little. "Do you now have a whole album of photos of you standing in front of crystal lakes, rugged mountain ranges and glorious plains that you'll cherish until the end of time?". Well, obviously. They'll also expect you to have visited vineyards and know your way around a bottle of wine. So you can study up, we've collated a list of the absolute best wineries on the South Island. Hit them up if you want to learn a thing to two about your pinots and rieslings. TERRACE EDGE WINERIES, WAIPARA Once you touch down in Christchurch, there are a few great reasons to head north first. Mostly wine. Head up the scenic coast and only an hour out of Christchurch you'll find Waipara, which is home to many iconic wineries. We recommend Terrace Edge. They won Vineyard of the Year at the NZ Organic Wine Awards 2018, so you can go ahead and raise your expectations sky high. Head to the tasting rooms and try some of their famous pinot noir and riesling. Hot tip: make sure you phone ahead so they know you're coming. They're a small, family-owned and -run establishment and can give you tiptop service and tasting notes if you only give them some notice. Near the tasting room, their picnic tables overlook the lush vineyards and, with the mountain backdrop, are the perfect place to enjoy a glass or two. While you're there, grab a bottle of their olive oil; they make it from olives grown on the site. FRAMINGHAM WINES, RENWICK While you're in the north, set your sights on Renwick, a little town east of Blenheim in the Marlborough region of the island. Here you'll find Framingham, a winery that does away with snootiness and replaces it with live music and good times. You won't find any winery cliches here — except for the views, of course. Plan ahead so you can enjoy the spectacular panoramas before dusk (they are particularly glorious in autumn when the first snows start to dust the distant mountains) and grab a glass while watching a local band. They have some of the oldest riesling vines in Marlborough so we definitely recommend tasting what they produce, as well as the Sauvignon Blanc. The other interesting thing about Framingham is they are accredited as environmentally sustainable and practice organic estate viticulture, which is the future of winemaking. Snaps for Framingham. SAINT CLAIR FAMILY ESTATE, BLENHEIM While you're in the region, you'd be a fool to miss Saint Clair Family Estate, one of the north's best wineries. This winery is a little more what you're used to — a classic set-up with stunning views, a tasting parlour, grounds aplenty and a menu that will make your mouth water. Their staff will talk you through their best drops. We recommend trying a sauvignon blanc, pinot gris or chardonnay as, in a line-up of many (and we mean many) award-winning wines, these varieties boast the most awards. If you're peckish, grab a table among the vines and order one of the local plates. Options include fresh produce from the sea, land or from their winery gardens. From land to plate, right before your eyes — what could be better? RIPPON VINEYARD, WANAKA Once you've made your way back down south, Rippon Vineyard is only a short drive west of Lake Wanaka (another must-do on your NZ itinerary) and boasts spectacular views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The grounds are steep and, in spring and summer, blooming with glorious wildflowers. You can partake of generous tastings in the parlour or enjoy a glass on the lawn overlooking the grapevines and catch a glimpse of Ruby Island in the middle of the lake. Rippon doesn't charge a tasting fee, but they do take donations for a Habitat Restoration programme so if you have a taste, give generously. If you're a larger group (seven or more), you can book in a private tasting with a knowledgeable host to educate you on half a dozen wines. And if you get a moment, take a looky-loo around the building itself. It's a gorgeous old space with high ceilings and abundant fireplaces. CHARD FARM, OTAGO While you're in Otago, head south from Wanaka to Chard Farm, just east of Queenstown. The drive along Lake Dunstan is pretty special, and you'll be rewarded with one of the most rustic wineries you ever did see. Chard Farm is nestled at the base of a gentle mountain and alongside the deep trench of Kawarau River. In winter it's covered in snow, but the rest of the year, the blocky, peach buildings are surrounded by wildflowers and shockingly lush vineyards. It's run by a sweet family and their cellar door is open seven days a week. We recommend the pinot noir (their speciality), but the riesling and pinot gris are also great. If you're a larger party, six or more, be sure to call ahead so they can accommodate you. Otherwise, just turn up and enjoy a quality drop while overlooking the pretty countryside. Start planning your trip to New Zealand's south with our guide to the South Island journeys to take here.
If your idea of bliss is a lengthy soak in warm water in a stunning location, you have a date with the outback Queensland town of Cunnamulla in your future. Before summer is out, it'll be home to a new hot springs that boasts seven geothermic pools, is perched right by Warrego River for the ultimate in scenic surroundings, and will also get you relaxing by sunrise and sunset. And, it hails from the Peninsula Hot Springs crew. Not content with getting folks steeping on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula and at Metung Hot Springs in East Gippsland — both in a state vying to become home to a 900-kilometre hot springs trail — plus at Maruia Hot Springs in New Zealand, the team is spreading its footprint. Cunnamulla Hot Springs was announced in 2023, and originally set to launch last winter; however, the fact that the Peninsula Hot Springs Group is now running it is new, and so is the Thursday, February 1, 2024 opening date. The local Paroo Shire owns the five-star venue, which cost $11.7-million to establish, with contributions from both the federal and Queensland state governments. But, now that Cunnamulla Hot Springs will soon welcome in patrons after becoming the largest-funded project that the Paroo Shire Council has ever undertaken, it has handed over day-to-day operations to one of the big Australian names in the business. The site's pools are surrounded by native trees, and feature mineral- and vitamin-rich water taken from and heated naturally by the artesian basin underneath. Learning about the latter around your soak is also part of the experience — relaxing your body and feeding your mind at the same time. Each of Cunnamulla Hot Springs's bathing spots sport different temperatures, so you can get steamy, opt for a stint in the chilled plunge pool or both. One has been specifically built to be shallow, so that folks sitting in it can gaze at the stars in the most immersive way possible. In the state-of-the-art complex, a sauna and a steam room is also part of the setup, as is an area for salt scrubs and clay masks. The aforementioned early-morning and late-afternoon dips are all about taking advantage of day's cooler temperatures. Dawn bathing starts at 6am, while a twilight soak is on offer from 5–9pm on weekdays. Patrons aren't merely surrounded by Cunnamulla's landscape as they sit; everything about Cunnamulla Hot Springs has taken its cues from its environment, with Cox Architects on design duties. Think: earthy colours, and using stone and ironbark timber among other natural materials — plus the thermal waters, of course. "Cunnamulla Hot Springs in one of the remotest destinations in one of the least populated countries in the world. We want guests to connect with the outback, the local indigenous communities and most importantly, the water — the mineral-rich artesian water that is found at Cunnamulla," said Peninsula Hot Springs' Charles Davidson. "Our hope is that Cunnamulla Hot Springs will create a sense of community by embracing the land, culture and wellbeing — as the Mornington Peninsula did when it opened, over 18 years ago." When it was announced last year, Cunnamulla Hot Springs was named as a highlight on the Outback Queensland Traveller's Guide, which is filled with things to do inland in the Sunshine State. Queensland isn't just about beaches, rainforests and the tropics, even if that's what it's best known for. So, the bathing venue joins everything from starlight river cruises in Longreach and Winton's Australia Age of Dinosaurs Museum through to the Southwest Queensland Indigenous Cultural Trail and a heap of national parks (and other outback spas and baths, including in Julia Creek, Bedourie, Quilpie, Mitchell and Yowah). If you're now planning a trip to Cunnamulla, it's around a nine-hour drive west from Brisbane, with flights via Rex, and also boasts an outback river lights festival; the Artesian Time Tunnel, which explores the Artesian Basin's history; and safari-style glamping — among other attractions. Cunnamulla Hot Springs will open at Lot 5 Ivan Street, Cunnamulla, Queensland on Thursday, February 1 — head to the venue's website for bookings and further information. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
When The Social Network arrived in cinemas in 2010 with its can't-look-away performance from Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain) as Mark Zuckerberg, David Fincher's (The Killer) steely direction and Aaron Sorkin's (Being the Ricardos) incisive script, it was firmly an origin story. As the world knew even then just six years after Facebook's founding, however, the platform was only just getting started. As a result, a sequel to the three-time Oscar-winning movie — including for Sorkin's screenplay — has always felt like a matter of when not if. Cue The Social Network Part II, which is now reportedly in the works. Deadline has revealed that the follow-up looks set to move forward, with Sorkin back to lead the charge. This time, he's not just writing but also directing. While Fincher is also in sequel mode at the moment, he's stepping into Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's realm, helming the Brad Pitt (F1)-starring follow-up to Quentin Tarantino's also Oscar-winning picture. It's expected that The Social Network Part II will use the Wall Street Journal's 'The Facebook Files' article series from October 2021 as its basis — which means that the platform's impacts, and those of fellow Meta-owned social-media service Instagram, could be in the spotlight. There's no word yet on a release date, so when you'll be seeing the film on the big screen is yet to be revealed. In the same category: The Social Network Part II's cast. Whether Eisenberg will step back into Zuckerberg's shoes — and into a role that's among the most pivotal in the early days of his career, as also proved true for co-star Andrew Garfield (We Live in Time) — is not yet known, then. Alongside creating the small screen's Sports Night, The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and The Newsroom, Sorkin has directed three films so far: Molly's Game, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Being the Ricardos. The first two on that list also saw him nominated for screenwriting Oscars. Among the initial The Social Network's accolades: the Oscar for Best Original Score for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. There's no word yet whether The Social Network Part II will boast their efforts again to help cement an unsettling tone. There's obviously no trailer so far for the The Social Network Part II — but check out the trailers to The Social Network above, plus its first ten minutes below: The Social Network Part II doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you with more details when they're announced. Via Variety/Deadline.
Sydney's home of perfect-for-every-occasion artisanal gifts Sorry Thanks I Love You (STILY) has been hosting free in-store yoga classes for the past four years. Now, with the closure of gyms across the country and increased social distancing, it's bringing them online. And, yes, they'll still be free. Running every Monday night at 6pm AEDT (for the foreseeable future), the Instagram live classes will be streamed on STILY's Instagram page and hosted by Misch Gomez. They'll run for an hour and give you a chance to wind down and get out of that Twitter hole (at least temporarily). If you don't have a mat, you can even roll out a towel — and get ready to get bendy. A benefit of doing the class at home, as STILY has pointed out, is that there's "no one noticing if you pause to take a sip of your gin and tonic". Well, except your cat, dog or green baby. [caption id="attachment_739127" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Joey Clark[/caption] Top image: Rita Ince
Despite the scale of Australia, Aussies love to walk. There's loads of scenery, our cities are optimised for walking, and we have some beautiful tracks nationwide that are worth the lengthy trips to get there. With thick jungles, red deserts and stunning coastlines, we're spoilt for choice. One of the most spectacular is the mighty Three Capes Track. The 48km trail, found in far southeast Tasmania, takes you through the spectacular wilderness of Tassie and along the highest sea cliffs in the country. If you want to level up an already stunning experience, you can book with the Tasmanian Walking Company to sleep in a private eco-lodge and campsite along the track (rather than the public huts) to rest and recover in style between walking stretches. Now the good part: you can win two spots on the Three Capes Adventure with the Tasmanian Walking Company. This adventure includes experienced guides, lightweight packs, private accommodation, chef-curated meals, plus local beer and wine throughout the adventure. We're also throwing in a $1000 flight voucher to get you there and home, so all you need to worry about are the awesome views. To enter the giveaway, complete the form below. [competition]895873[/competition]
You may know Mike Mills for his music videos, posters, album covers, artist books - he's a man of many pursuits. Having directed his first feature length film Thumbsucker (2005), his new film, Beginners, is a considered and tightly-tuned autobiographical account of love, generation gaps and expectations. Tom Melick meets him in a beige-smothered hotel room. He wears a suit, looks overworked and speaks with a casual generosity. I was wondering, with the disciplines you seem to swim in (graphic design, illustration, music, film, graffiti, photography and so on) do you think of your output as one inter-connected 'total artwork' or are they distinct in your mind? Well, lots of themes and interests run across all the work I do – so in one very important way they are all interrelated – they kind of help each other. I guess I like being busy in my head because I'm happy when I have all these projects running concurrently. So there is definitely cross-pollination going on. Obviously making a film is so different from making a poster or a record cover. Film is such a public thing; you need so many people, you have to source all that money – it's a political affair. So they relate and they totally don't relate. Ok ok, so they sit on a similar conceptual ground but not on a practical one? Yes, my projects are linked through the deeper themes they explore…or just wanting to be creative, or simply wanting to talk to people. I mean the excitement I might have for a poster or a Fellini film is a similar excitement. I'm interested in joining these (not so) different realms. Elvis Costello supposedly said that his songs had to 'work' even when played through the cheapest transistor radio. I thought that a similar want is present in your work, where expressing the idea is paramount, with the medium being a result of the idea. Beginners is a film that contains a lot of other mediums – text, still images of presidents, stars and nature, graffiti, colour that fills the entire screen…does the idea come first for you, followed by the appropriate vehicle? I see. Well, I went to art school and studied with a conceptual artist named Hans Haake, so really I've always thought of myself as a product of those classes because Haake was all about [fingers jumping into action]: 1. That the idea comes first – the idea is primary and; 2. The medium is secondary, or serves the idea. If you think about it this enabled me to construct my own kind of career, giving me permission to do lots of things all at once. Haake was all about how to get out of the verified art world, since it really can be like contained theatre: you can do anything you want but you're not really sure what the impact is. It's exclusive, it's integrated with money – and not just any kind of money – rich people money. So from art school my friends and I looked for other outlets. So is that what drew you to film, in that it's less about speaking to the already converted and more about an immersive engagement? Sure, yeah, definitely. Film offers a much bigger discussion. I mean Beginners isn't exactly a huge blockbuster film but I've already been to many countries, I've been all over America, I'm talking to all kinds of people who may not be ready to see an older gay man on screen for example…people who have never thought about Fellini or the Situationists – so that's really powerful. Film offers an amazing opportunity. In the States when I'm on tour I do a lot of those morning breakfast shows…and I'm really proud that my Dad's story can be relayed via that kind of platform. Even the fact that my film re-looks at the 'all-American' family, or what constitutes a 'normal family', finds an unlikely audience through those shows. This platform is much more interesting for me then presenting the same idea in a museum or gallery. What interested me about Beginners was the father - played excellently by Christopher Plummer - who tells his son (Oliver) he is gay late in life. The father undergoes a kind of re-politicization – where suddenly he is going to gay nightclubs, has a boyfriend and begins writing papers as a gay activist…living a hyper-political life but at the same time nearing death from terminal cancer. Was this mix of politics couched in humour and sadness an intentional strategy, or did it come quite naturally? Hmm…a bit of both actually. I'm interested in asking how we got here. Which is very Marxist in a way. I like the idea of addressing a political position in an entertainment context, accompanied by humor or silliness. Like Situationist graffiti mixed with Groucho Marx. Humor is fantastically subversive, and why not? For me it's an awesome anti-depressant, it's just fun to laugh than to not, you can really undermine and reveal the false stories that we all pretend to believe in. Humour is great way to discuss bigger themes without needing to be explicit – when I show people my films they don't need to know about Guy Debord even though I was thinking of him at times during its making. I like that. I see, it reminds me of Charlie Chaplin's 1940 film The Great Dictator where he simultaneously plays both the lowly Jewish barber as well as a fumbling, insecure version of Hitler himself. Yeah exactly…but even that is more overtly political. I've just been reading about Chaplin actually. There is so much hunger in Chaplin's humor for example. There are so many food gags or just depictions of being hungry, of people trying to find or make food…so there is definitely a class consciousness embedded in Chaplin's humor – he's quite a punk in that way, always a vandal, always in prison, never cooperating. You focus a lot on the distance between generations in the film. We see Oliver [played by Ewan McGregor] dealing with his dying father and trying to understand love at the same time – both in his own life and in his father's. I wondered what you thought about how each generation re-invents what it means to be in a relationship, what it means to be in love at a certain time and so on. As historical beings the personal is political…the genesis of all of this comes from my real Dad having to grapple with social constructions of what constitutes a relationship. Being born in the 1950s meant that he faced certain challenges that no longer seem so ingrained…homophobia, a psychoanalyst telling him he had a mental illness, expectations of a married man and so on. He never really understood my ideas of love, why I was asking for so much, and I never understood his, since I thought he was asking for too little. The fact is that our idea of love is historical and it's codified. And that's really the fulcrum in which the story spans out of. It was me trying to understand my Dad; what was it like to be gay and born at that time? What was it like to marry my Mum in 1955 and be gay? That's when I devised those lyrical essays that you'll notice in the film – it's the voice of Oliver who guides you through the film and its the most 'me' element in the story. You'll find similar strategies are used by artists like Christian Boltanski and Sophie Calle to great effect. That's interesting because there is this literal but personalised tone in the film, where information is delivered flatly and succulently but somehow escapes your regular didacticism. That's a gag I'm fond of. A big influence is Jorgan Leth's 1967 film The Perfect Human. Being so straight that it…[pauses to think] So literal that it manages to go somewhere else… Exactly. I could do that shtick forever. In fact there is a scene where Ewan is dancing at a party and the dance is modeled off the one the man does in The Perfect Human. What about other influences? Big or small, direct or indirect. Tons. I did a blog on the Focus Films site, which lists a bunch of influences for the film, from the Milan Kundera's Unbearable Lightness of Being (the book not the film) to Istvan Szabos' Love Film. One last question. Arthur – Oliver's four-legged companion that he inherits when his father becomes unwell – plays a substantial role in the film. Explain? Arthur (whose real name is Cosmo) is a curious soul and good interlocutor despite being unable to speak. He and Ewan actually developed a great chemistry on screen, where Cosmo would respond to Ewan's gestures and vice versa. On set we'd treat him as though he was an alien visiting earth; he wasn't cute, he didn't speak our language but he was an intelligent being. Dogs have 220 million smell receptors and we have 5 million – who knows what the fuck they're smelling that we're missing. To win one of ten double passes, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=KplqiAHYnHo
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has just wrapped up its two-week long meeting in Manama, Bahrain, during which it added a further 19 sites to the World Heritage List — the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's list of landmarks and areas that are legally protected due to their significance. Thirteen of the new sites have been selected for their cultural importance, three are sites with noteworthy natural features, and the remaining three fall into both the natural and cultural categories. The list of the new cultural sites chosen is as follows: Aasivissuit-Nipisat. Inuit hunting ground between ice and sea in Denmark. Al-Ahsa Oasis, an evolving cultural landscape in Saudi Arabia. Ancient city of Qalhat in Oman. Archaeological border complex of Hedeby and the Danevirke in Germany. Caliphate city of Medina Azahara in Spain. Göbekli Tepe in Turkey. Hidden Christian sites in the Nagasaki region in Japan. Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century in Italy. Naumburg Cathedral in Germany. Sansa, Buddhist Mountain monasteries in Korea in the Republic of Korea. Sassanid archaeological landscape of Fars region in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thimlich Ohinga archaeological site in Kenya. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensembles of Mumbai in India. Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains in South Africa, the Chaine des Puys — Limagne fault tectonic arena in France and Fanjingshan in China have been selected as the new natural sites. Meanwhile, the new mixed sites are Chiribiquete National Park, aka 'The Maloca of the Jaguar' in Colombia' Pimachiowin Aki in Canada and Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley's originary habitat of Mesoamerica in Mexico. In addition, the committee approved the expansion of one natural site: Central Sikhote-Alin in the Bikin River Valley in Russia. The World Heritage List now includes 1092 different sites spread across 167 countries. Perusing the full list is certain to get you marvelling at the planet's many wonders — and give you some serious travel inspiration.
Sydney has long had a love affair with the burger, but with so many of our dining destinations continually offering up their own take of this American classic, it's hard to know where to find the ones guaranteed to satisfy. Luckily we've done the groundwork for you and scoured the city in search of the finest patty and bun combination, from thick and juicy to light and fresh. No matter how you like it, here’s our up-to-the-minute ten best burgers in Sydney. Rockpool Bar & Grill Burger of Choice: Full Blood Wagyu Hamburger ($24) A CBD gem, Rockpool Bar & Grill has always been a prime spot for any local or visiting foodie. And the Wagyu Hamburger is by far one of the favourites on the bar menu. Its Blackmore patty is thick, juicy, and cooked as well as every other dish on the menu, served with bacon, gruyere cheese and zucchini pickle. The hand cut chips ($12) or the onion rings ($9) are a must, as is this burger. Lunch Mon-Fri, Dinner Mon-Sat; 66 Hunter St, Sydney; 02 8078 1900; www.rockpool.com Mary's Burger of Choice: Mary’s Burger with Trash Can Bacon ($14 + $4) Tucked away on Newtown’s Mary Street, this revamped warehouse is always worth a visit whether you’re a local or not. Like Maccas in style and shape, the Mary’s Burger is borderline addictive: incorporating the fancy finger work of ex-Tetsuya chef Luke Powell on the grill, with additional extras like trash-can-lid bacon adding a smoking hit. Accompany with a shot of Jack Daniels and you’ll opt for Mary’s over that shining yellow M any day. Mon - Sat 4pm - midnight, Sun noon - 10pm; 6 Mary Street, Newtown Chur Burger Burger of Choice: Grilled Beef and Cheese ($10) Rising from the ashes of the fire that destroyed this Surry Hills hot spot last year, Chur Burger is one of this city’s most serious contenders when it comes to the best place to get a burger down your neck. The grilled beef and cheese, smothered in mustard mayo and accompanied with fresh tomato and pickle, is at the top of the menu for a reason. At just $10 a pop, we suggest starting here and working your way down. Mon 11.20am - 5pm, Tue - Sat 11.30am - 10pm; 48 Albion Street, Surry Hills; (02) 9212 3603; www.churburger.com.au BUNS & BALLS Burger of Choice: Classic Chicken Burger ($12) Currently relocating away from the new lockdown laws, Buns and Balls beach-vibe cool made a splash when it opened its doors in the Cross last year. The biggest winner here is the classic chicken burger that makes the other (albeit certainly tasty) options pale in comparison. The chargrilled and marinated meat is juicy — and combined with cheese, tomato, lettuce, mayo and original Oporto recipe chilli (owner Gary Linz was a founder of that establishment) — makes for a fresh and flavoursome mouthful. Currently relocating OUT OF THE BLUE Burger of Choice: Fish Burger ($7) Seafood is undoubtedly one of Sydney’s signature attractions, and this Clovelly burger joint always pulls a crowd. Get there early, but definitely get there, and grab the fish burger with chilli mayo: the slight spiciness is an ideal accompaniment to the fresh and tender fried fish. While the wait might be long, the service is friendly, and the small chip portions (for just $4) ain’t small. 226 Clovelly Road, Clovelly; (02) 9315 8380 BILLS Burger of Choice: Wagyu Beef Burger with Gorgonzola ($24.50) Bill Granger has always done well for himself, and his Wagyu burger is no exception to this fact. We suggest the gorgonzola if you’re a fan of strong flavours, because there’s nothing better than a great big cheesy punch to the face alongside a prime juicy patty and the signature zucchini pickles. And, unlike many of the fancy non-tomato-sauce additions out there, the tomato chilli jam is actually very decent and goes superbly smeared all over. Mon - Sat 7.30am - 3pm, Sun 8.30am - 3pm; 433 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst; (02) 9360 9631; www.bills.com.au BONARCHE Burger of Choice: Beach ‘n’ Beef Burger ($15) This quirky, British-influenced Leichhardt eatery is renowned in the area for serving up burgers that are big, feisty and creative. The Beach ‘n’ Beef Burger ticks all the boxes with a delectable combination of bacon, avocado, pineapple, aioli, smoky BBQ sauce, salad and, of course, a fat slab of beef. Cut, minced and made on premises from Australian farms, the burgers at Bonarche have — no surprises here — picked up an award or two. Wed 5pm - 9pm, Thu 5pm - 9.30pm, Fri noon - 3pm and 5pm - 9.30pm, Sat 11am - 9.30pm, Sun 11am - 8pm; 14 Norton Street, Leichhardt; www.bonarche.com Moo Gourmet Burgers CP's Burger of Choice: Greek Lamb Burger ($16.50) Influenced by the pioneers of Australia's first milk bar and New Zealand's restaurant trade, Moo continues to combine classic with craze. The lamb burger here is an established standout on the menu and the 100% free range Saltbush lamb patty with oregano, garlic and rosemary, tomato, baby spinach and tzatziki makes a delicious addition to this Bondi Beach family favourite. Mon-Sun 11am - late; 70A Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach; (02) 9300 8898: www.moogourmetburgers.com.au Grill'd Burger of Choice: Garden Goodness ($11.50) It's nice to see vegetarian options getting a little love, and the Garden Goodness at Grill'd is an all-round winner with a quality veggie patty, succulent beetroot, avocado, salad, relish, tasty cheese and herbed mayo. Proud of its fresh produce and friendly staff, Grill'd's shining feature among earth-loving kin, however, is arguably the Local Matters jars; donating $500 a month to worthwhile causes, chosen by you. A few locations; www.grilld.com.au The Burger Joint Burger of Choice: Tandoori Burger ($9.90) This Darlinghurst one-stop burger shop offers an array of genuinely mouth-watering options, as well as delivery to your door. The Tandoori Burger with grilled and tandoori marinated chicken, smothered in raita (extra raita won’t hurt either), is a topnotch creamy choice if you fancy something a little different to whet your appetite. When you're offered fries ($3-$6), say yes, and grab a complimentary aioli while you're at it. Mon - Sun 11am - 10pm; 393 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst; 02 9380 2575; www.theburgerjoint.com.au View all Sydney Restaurants.
With just three months until we find out who will officially ascend the Iron Throne, Game of Thrones fans are facing a bittersweet farewell as the final season of the cult show looms ever closer. While we may be eagerly awaiting to see who'll ultimately survive the winter, saying goodbye to the show forever will be harder than watching the Red Wedding on repeat. However, living for the thrills that come out of all this Westerosi drama won't be totally lost. Alas, a musical parody (or shall we say homage) is coming to Sydney, gracing the stage of a venue befitting so epic a story: the Sydney Opera House. The A Song of Ice and Fire series from mastermind George RR Martin is given new life in musical form, telling the tale of a group of avid fans preparing to watch the final season. When one reveals they are a GoT virgin, the rest of the group tell the story themselves — with music. From the acclaimed producers at Spark Creative, the brains behind Baby Wants Candy, Shamilton and 50 Shades! The Musical Parody, the show comes to Sydney after selling out in Edinburgh, New York and Chicago. Featuring an original score, a vast array of costumes to cover the forty characters played by the ensemble and wit sharper than Valyrian steel, this show is sure to be a hit with fans and those unknowing John Snows, alike. So call your banners, mount your dragons, blow your horn three times and march down to the Opera House to see whether or not Theon, Grey Worm and Varys have the vocal range their characters should. This 'Long Night' of lust, laughter and lacerations (and surely a few White Walkers for good measure) runs from Wednesday, June 5 to Sunday, June 23. Tickets are on sale now and start at $45.
The game is ending. That the deadly contest at the heart of Squid Game just keeps going, continuing to pit new batches of 456 players against each other in a battle to the death to win 45.6 billion won, sits at the heart of the award-winning Netflix hit — but the show itself is wrapping up. That the series will say goodbye with its third season was announced in 2024, as was the fact that its final run will arrive in 2025. The streaming platform has now confirmed exactly when: Friday, June 27. Mark your diaries — and get ready to see what happens next in Seong Gi-hun's (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte) quest to bring down those responsible for the killer contest. If you've watched season two, which dropped on Boxing Day 2024, then you'll know that Player 456 went back in the game with new fellow competitors for company, and also found himself closer to the person pulling the strings than he knew. Season three will see Gi-hun keep at his pursuit to stop the game. It'll also feature more of his nemesis Front Man's (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven) attempts to thwart his plan. However their respective efforts pan out, the show's last run is also set to feature a finale written and directed by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk. Squid Game is now Netflix's most-popular non-English show of all time; in fact, it holds both the first and second spots on the list, for its first and second seasons respectively. Money Heist season four is third, Lupin season one is fourth, while La Palma, Who Killed Sara? and Berlin are also in the top ten. That Squid Game is a smash isn't new news, of course. It proved such a huge success in its first season that Netflix was quick to confirm that more was on the way — even if season two arrived after a three-year gap. In the show's second season, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) returned as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place, as did Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho, but a series about a deadly contest comes with a hefty bodycount. Accordingly, new faces were always going to be essential — which is where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all came in. If you've somehow missed all things Squid Game until now, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. As a result, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. There's no dedicated trailer for Squid Game season three yet, but you can watch a teaser Netflix's big returning 2025 shows below — and revisit the trailer from Squid Game season two: Squid Game season three streams via Netflix from Friday, June 27, 2025. Season one and two are available to stream now. Images: Netflix.
Winter might be dialling up the chill, but that doesn't mean things are starting to slow down. Across New South Wales regional hubs are stepping it up, with a packed lineup of events to keep locals and visitors alike buzzing through the cooler months. This month, the Central Coast is getting in on the action, serving up a fresh run of festivals and events that'll have you planning your next trip before the week's out. The Central Coast is an easily accessible day trip or weekend destination for Sydneysiders. The towns along the coast are peaceful enough to not feel overcrowded, yet lively enough to ensure there is always something new to see or do. We've rounded up some of the can't-miss events happening on the Central Coast this winter, so you can add them to your itinerary for your next drive up north.
Following the massive success of its Hokusai exhibition in 2017, the NGV will once again look to the cultural influence of Japan with an exploration of the country's widespread impact on Western modern art. Running from May 25 to October 28, Japonisme: Japan and the Birth of Modern Art considers the crucial period of time following the reopening of international trade from Japan in 1854. As artworks began to flow from Japan into Europe and America, a cultural revolution of sorts was set in motion as Western artists became exposed to the artworks and visual language of Japan for the first time. Influencing artists like Vincent van Gogh and other legends of the day, this moment in history is considered one of the crucial events that lay the foundations of Western modern art. Japonisme (which will be free to attend) delves into the NGV's huge Asian arts collection, showcasing examples that demonstrate Japan's influence of much of the world's art throughout the last 150 years. Western decorative arts, paper works, paintings, fashion and textiles, photography, as well as Japanese art will be on display. Specific highlights include Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's much-loved Divan Japonais poster, examples from the 1866 Bracquemond-Rousseau dinner service, and an undulating art nouveau cabinet designed by Louis Majorelle, demonstrating the influence of Japanese styling on French furniture. Japonisme will show just how the Japanese respect for the environment influenced European artists, and you'll notice just how many examples of European art highlight the reworked organic forms, rich colours and gentle textures typically associated with Japanese aesthetics. Japonisme: Japan and the Birth of Modern Art will run from May 25 to October 28 at the NGV International. Find more info at ngv.vic.gov.au. Image: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Divan Japonais (1893).
If running a successful startup business is a feat, running 11 successful businesses is a modern-day miracle. But that's what Julien Moussi does. If you're a Melbourne food lover, you've probably eaten at one of Julien's establishments (including Temperance Society in Hughesdale, Penta in Elsternwick, Tinker in Northcote and most recently, Bentwood in Fitzroy) and enjoyed the fruits of his entrepreneurial labours without even realising it. We teamed up with MYOB to get to know the people who are doing business right and had a yarn with Julien to learn how his venues manage to thrive in a city so inundated with hospitality talent. Turns out, it's a healthy mix of hard work, trust and not sweating the small stuff. And, whether it's your first startup or your eleventh, it doesn't get easier, but you do learn a heck of a lot along the way. Julien gave us a rundown of his best tips for small business owners. RUNNING A BUSINESS IS LIKE RAISING A CHILD "You have to put all your time into it. Forget about your usual sleeping patterns, hobbies or routines," Julien says. The first few years can be tough as you learn the ropes of running a business. You'll make mistakes and more importantly, you'll have to make sacrifices (forget everything you knew about work/life balance — you're a business owner now). If you ever doubt yourself, remember it's not forever. When your little business baby ages out of the terrible toddler years, you'll both be stronger for it. "Those sacrifices have paid dividends," Julien says. "I get to travel a lot overseas and have a very flexible schedule. I can also catch up in the middle of the day with my mum, dad and friends for a coffee — things that just weren't possible in the first three years." YOUR PEOPLE ARE YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET If your business is a baby, then choosing who to co-parent with is the most important decision you'll make. It's scary but important — sharing the load is the only way to prevent burnout and actually have some fun with it. "Nothing can really prepare you for business. I had no social life for at least the first two or three years and did nothing but work," Julien says. "[My] mentality was 'if it is to be, it's up to me', but then finding fantastic people to work with is key. Staff are the most important part of any business. Now, I'm happy for us to make mistakes in order to give people experience and growth." BE DIFFERENT OR PERISH There's a lot of sameness and copy-cattery happening in the Melbourne cafe scene, but there's still always demand. It's crucially important, no matter what your business does, to put your own spin on things. Carve out a niche for yourself however you can and make sure that niche is incomparable. "[With Bentwood] our aim was to make a space that was very different to the typical Melbourne cafe scene," Julien explains. "We wanted an environment that was sophisticated but not over-designed, so the interior has grand but honest and raw finishes. The biggest statement is the steel boxed ceiling which was very challenging to get sign-off from structural engineers." The bottom line? Don't scrimp on standing out. DO YOUR HOMEWORK In the early years, many small business owners end up wearing a lot of hats. You become the accountant, the operations manager, the social media intern — you try to do it all, and it's a double-edged sword. Getting involved in every aspect of the business in the early days is a great way to understand what makes it tick, but it's probably not a sustainable reality. "Understand your model," Julien says. "Measuring benchmarks and reviewing your financials weekly is the reason we grew so quickly...MYOB helps us get a quick snapshot of where the business is at any given time, whether it be daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly...I knew what everything cost, how much profit we were making and what I needed to do to keep evolving and growing. I always looked ahead and wanted more." If trying to do it all sounds intimidating, Julien's final piece of advice might help: ask questions, no matter how dumb they sound; never stop questioning and learning. "That's what's helped me grow my skill set which has made our business more powerful." Planning to open your own business? Whether it's the first or eleventh, consider MYOB to help sort out all your accounting needs.
