Hanging solo in Sydney can be a beautiful thing. When you're caught up in company you might not notice the little things — like the fact that your train is going over Sydney Harbour on the actual Sydney Harbour Bridge — and you definitely don't get the whole plate of dumplings to yourself. But Sydney ain't no Japan and we don't have a restaurant that will place a giant stuffed animal across from you so you don't feel awkward dining alone, so if you're seeking full loner solitude, it's best to choose your spots wisely. We got solo artist and new Sydney producer Wishes — who's doing some shows with Neon Indian next month and has just racked up some pretty sweet Spotify stats with his debut single 'I Want To Be Alone With You' — to give us the prime places for successful solo hangs. They're perfect for brooding, staring blankly off into the horizon or simply drowning your lonesome sorrows in a big, beautiful plate of dumplings. CHINESE NOODLE RESTAURANT(S), HAYMARKET Best dumplings in Sydney, hands down — and it just happens to be right near my studio. Dirt cheap as well. There are three Chinese Noodle Restaurants in close proximity of each other, but they all offer the same menu, so take your pick. It's communal seating and they pack people in, so they're are perfect for sneaking in a meal alone. I went by myself once and was allocated a seat at a two-seater table. Five minutes later a pretty girl sat opposite me and we struck up a conversation — things we’re going great until it became clear she had come to meet a Tinder date, and after realising I wasn't the guy she was suppose to be meeting, left abruptly. True story. OBSERVATORY HILL PARK, MILLERS POINT If you don't have a massive problem with people rocking selfie sticks, then I'd definitely recommend Observatory Hill. Great views of the harbour, and plenty of spaces to sit alone and stare off into the middle distance pensively. I went to the actual observatory (i.e. not the parklands surrounding, but the building housing the telescope) on a year six excursion and, from memory, it was great. So would recommend that too. THE LOCAL TAPHOUSE, SURRY HILLS I could have just done a list of five bars to drink in by yourself – but The Local takes the cake. The ambiguous seating arrangement in the downstairs section means that you're unlikely to get that I'm-alone-in-a-bar-and-everyone-is-starting-at-me feeling, as the orientation of the couches defies all logic. For the more outdoorsy solo drinker types, there is a great rooftop bar. Additionally, they have heaps of beers on offer, and they are constantly changing their kegs. Perfect for drowning your lonesome sorrows. HORNBY LIGHTHOUSE, WATSONS BAY There's a bit of a walk to get up there, but the Hornby Lighthouse has, without a doubt, the best views of Sydney. It’s pretty much a cliff with a lighthouse and a stone gazebo-like structure. If you stand on said cliff you can see Sydney in all its glory on one side, and the ocean/big wide world on the other. Perfect for loner reflection. Word of warning, though: it's probably a make-out spot at night, so maybe best that you make day of it. CHINESE GARDENS OF FRIENDSHIP, DARLING HARBOUR Feeling lonesome in Sydney? Then what better place to go then the Chinese Garden of Friendship. Right? I've never been inside, but the photos look amazing — and apparently they've got real live carp! I went once and baulked at the price of admission, and instead just walked around the outside of the place. I managed to catch a glimpse of a big lizard (Komodo dragon?) through the fence — so if you're cheap, maybe just do that. By Wishes. Wishes will be supporting Neon Indian in Wollongong on Monday, December 14 and Sydney at the Oxford Arts Factory on Tuesday, December 15. For more information, visit his Facebook page. Images: Chinese Noodle Restaurant, Alpha via Flickr; Hornby Lighthouse, Toma Iakopo; Chinese Garden of Friendship, Matt Chan.
When Ben & Jerry's wanted to call for action on climate change, it stuck to its strengths, releasing a new ice cream flavour to draw attention to the topic. When it wanted to specifically target the Australian Government's support for fossil fuels, it did the same as well. But, in its latest effort to support renewables, the dessert brand has decided to branch out. Its new release won't just satisfy your sweet tooth — it'll also quench your thirst. For a limited time, Ben & Jerry's beloved choc chip cookie dough flavour is no longer just something that you eat. You can now drink it, too, thanks to a collaboration with 4 Pines. The brew tempting your tastebuds: a new Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Nitro beer. And yes, like ice cream, it's best served as cold as possible. When you crack open a can — which can be bought individually, in four-packs and in 24-tin cartons from Monday, May 17 — you'll then sip a lactose-infused brown nitro brew. Expect a decadent and creamy taste, as well as plenty of colour thanks to the nitro infusion. You'll also find the beer on tap at selected venues, and on the menu at the GABS Craft Beer and Cider Festival in Melbourne and Brisbane — and if you start hankering for dessert afterwards, well, that's understandable. When 4 Pines was in the brewing stage, the new beer was made with energy sourced from solar and wind — which powers the brewery's main Brookvale site and headquarters. But that's not the only way that the ice cream-inspired brew is drawing attention to renewable energy. Teaming up with community-owned power company Enova Community Energy, Ben & Jerry's and 4 Pines are contributing funds from the beer project to Enova to use to install solar panels for a community group. So, your next brew can help a worthy party do their bit to help the planet. Ben & Jerry's and 4 Pines' Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Nitro beer hits bottle shop shelves on Monday, May 17. You'll also find it on tap at selected venues, and at the GABS Craft Beer and Cider Festival in Melbourne and Brisbane.
When the weather is frosty in Sydney, the city's annual film festival entices movie buffs indoors. When it's sunny and summery, Westpac Openair Cinema wants you to see a flick under the stars. Catching a film at one of Sydney's favourite outdoor cinema spots is a warm-weather tradition, combining new and recent big-screen flicks with spectacular panoramic views of the city, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge — and it'll be back for yet another stint of harbourside cinema from January 2023. The dates to pop into your diary immediately: Sunday, January 8—Tuesday, February 21, with Openair's next run spanning 40 nights. Checking out a silver-screen highlight with a stunning backdrop will be on the agenda at Mrs Macquaries Point as usual; however, exactly what you'll be seeing hasn't yet been unveiled. Every movie that graces the cinema's big screen has to hold its own against the gorgeous sights glittering away behind it, of course, but Openair usually has the program to match. In an email to subscribers, the team behind the beloved event did drop a few names of movies that've caught their attention, and that "would be pretty awesome experiences on Sydney Harbour", though. On that list: Elvis, Top Gun: Maverick, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Fire of Love, Ticket to Paradise and Moonage Daydream — plus the upcoming Don't Worry Darling, Bros and this year's Palme d'Or-winner Triangle of Sadness. The event's array of dining experiences will also be broader this year — but again, exactly what that entails (and if Kitchen by Mike will be behind the cinema's meals, as it was in 2022) hasn't been announced. As happens every year, tickets are likely to go quickly when they go on sale. Across the summer of 2018–19, more than 40,000 tickets sold within the first two days of pre-sale — so put it in your diary ASAP. Westpac Openair 2023 runs from Sunday, January 8—Tuesday, February 21. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, December 12 — and we'll update you with further details about the lineup when it is revealed. Top images: Fiora Sacco.
In an emotional sense, things aren't really looking up in Australia at the moment. 2020's horror show has continued into 2021, thanks to new outbreaks and lockdowns, because the chaos of the pandemic hasn't passed just yet. But, for one night, it's worth literally looking up with your eyes and your noggin — because a conjunction of Venus and Mars is about to happen way above our heads. Peer skywards tonight, on Tuesday, July 13, and you'll see the two planets in close proximity. How close? According to NASA, they'll appear a mere finger's width apart. They won't actually physically be that close, of course, but they'll sure look like it. If you're not familiar with the term 'conjunction' within the field of astronomy, it refers to two objects or spacecraft sharing the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude — so they're at the same angular distance in one way or another. Specifically, it's used to describe the moment that two objects are at their closest apparent point together in the sky. You might remember the term from last year, because Jupiter and Saturn went through the same thing in December. https://twitter.com/NASAAmes/status/1414660845557125120 For this conjunction, you'll want to find a spot where you can peer in a northwestern direction. That's where you need to look — but if you're wondering when you should take a peek outside this evening, The Conversation advises looking up between 6.30–7.30pm. You'll be able to see Venus before then, from dusk, but Mars will only be visible once it gets dark. In Australia, you'll spy Mars slightly above its neighbour, and to the left. Venus isn't hard to spot; it has been called "the evening star", after all. To get a glimpse of the red planet, you'll need to peer a little harder, as it is nowhere near as bright. To get the best view, you'll want an unobstructed vantage of the sky — and, to look even closer, to use binoculars or a telescope. If you do choose some optical help, you'll be able to see both Venus and Mars in the same field of view. 2021 has already delivered a few sky shows, via pink, blood and strawberry moons, so this is just the latest astronomical gift this year. But, at a time that hasn't been big on good news, it's definitely worth looking up for. The Venus and Mars conjunction will be visible in the evening of Tuesday, July 13. For further details, head to the NASA website.
Benny Sweeten is a man with many hats — a hospitality master if you will. His resume includes Rose Bay Diner, Surry Hills' Joe Black Cafe and, more recently, Kansas City Shuffle in The Rocks. His latest venture Tuxedo is an extension of the Kansas City Shuffle space, which occupies the old Cadbury Chocolate Factory on Gloucester Street. Half cafe, half bar, Sweeten saw an opportunity to expand the space and combine two of his passions: coffee and alcohol. Thus creating Sydney's first specialised espresso martini bar. Opening Thursday, August 18, the bar will open from midday, with an evening session running from 5-7pm. Capacity for the evening sesh will be limited to 50 punters. It will launch with seven different martinis, including the Cadbury Chocolate Martini (an ode to the original owners of the venue) as well as a traditional take on the drink, which will be on tap. Some wilder versions with extravagant garnishes include The Candy Man — a blend of amaretto, vodka, Kahlúa and espresso served in a glass rimmed with sprinkles — and the a cold drip martini, which comes topped with a mini cinnamon doughnut. Freakshake or cocktail? You decide. For those who can't handle caffeine post 5pm, don't fret — a decaf version of the martini will be available too. And if you don't like something, you can just let the team know. Sweeten is keen to get customer feedback to help finalise the cocktail menu. The food menu at Tuxedo takes cues from adjoining sister venue Kansas City Shuffle, offering bites of their superfood snack menu. Think house-smoked salmon and quinoa with asparagus, smoked beef brisket fortune tacos, a shrimp cocktail and — this is what we're most excited for — a tiramisu made with Mr Black coffee liqueur. The vibe of the place is yet to be determined — its inner city location means the establishment has a strong business crowd, however the table tennis and pool tables give it a more relaxed feel amongst elements of the old chocolate factory. Word on the street is that Young Henrys will be pairing up with the venue in the near future to collaborate on a beer-based espresso martini, for those who need their beer injected with coffee too. Tuxedo is located at 195 Gloucester Street, The Rocks. The bar will open on Thursday, August 18 at 5pm. For launch, the bar will be open noon till 7pm, but they're looking to extend operating hours as the weather warms up. For more info, visit their Instagram.
Do you feel guilty every time you leave the house and leave your four-legged best friend home alone? Have you ever wondered what your favourite canine gets up to when you're out? Maybe you've just stepped inside one day to find that your pet has turned the television on and is sitting there staring it at. It happens. Whichever category you fall into, making sure your doggo isn't bored when you're out can be an enormous source of stress for pet owners — but a new collection of audiobooks wants to help. Whether your woofer has shown a love for literature (bringing in the newspaper or munching on a few books, perhaps?) or just likes the sound of someone's voice, Audible for Dogs has been specially curated for pooches left on their lonesome. It's inspired by a UK study that suggests that canines in kennels respond better to audiobooks than music, with the doggo-centric library featuring tales that have been "chosen for their calming narration and evenly paced narrative". And no, Marley and Me definitely isn't one of them. That said, there are a number of dog-focused titles in the collection, such as Red Dog, Working Dog Heroes and The Spotted Dog — which, along with Tim Winton's Cloudstreet, form Audible for Dogs' Aussie Collection. Other books available include Pride and Prejudice, David Copperfield, Anne of Green Gables and The Great Gatsby as part of the Classics Collection, so you can expose your fluffy friend to the greats (and maybe even listen to a few with them). Your four-legged bestie can also relax to Big Little Lies, Sherlock Holmes and The Lord of the Rings — and hopefully it won't start searching for precious things after the latter. The range of titles also comes with plenty of high-profile voices doing the narration, spanning everyone from Stephen Fry to Rachel McAdams to Jake Gyllenhaal. Audible for Dogs' selection has been chosen by animal behaviourist Dr. Susan Hazel, as well as Aussie media personality and dog-lover Osher Günsberg — and if you buy one of its audiobooks between now and November 2, 2019, $1 from each purchase will go to the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home. The two special doggy bundles each cost $19.95, while general Audible membership costs $16.45 per month. For more information, visit the Audible for Dogs website.
Shadow Baking, the Darlinghurst bakery headed by three Messina chefs, and Messina's sprawling Wonka-esque headquarters came into this world in sync in late 2023, so perhaps the decision to combine them was always going to be the natural progression. Don't worry Darlinghurst locals, Shadow's specialty baked goods aren't passing into memory, as the original store will continue to run out of its Victoria Street digs. But now, you can go to Marrickville to get these treats, too. Messina HQ is always worth the trip. It's home to 40+ flavours of their viral gelato, plus cakes, cookie dough, merchandise and pretty much anything a member of Messina's culinary or marketing teams ever dreamed up. Including a creative degustation space, which has also been swept up in the HQ upgrades, now existing as the new home of Erin, Messina's very own wine bar. Let's break down these changes one by one. First, Shadow Baking. The bakery isn't losing any of the trimmings, and it's bringing some much-needed new touches to Messina HQ with its arrival. Chief among them is air conditioning. Say goodbye to sweltering in the parking lot; now, you can park up on a comfy chair and get out of the heat on any summer (or unseasonably hot autumn) day. Once you're sat, enjoy fresh-baked pastries, exclusive gelato collabs, coffee and even affogatos made with Messina gelato — be sure to try the exclusive pistachio praline or fudge flavours. Coffee and affogato will be available during Messina's opening hours, and as of Thursday, March 20, a new afternoon and evening offering comes in the form of Erin. Named for Messina's country Victorian farm in Erindale, this new space will continue to serve all of the degustation favourites in slightly expanded digs, as well as the come-and-go pre-existing snack bar offering. Erin also holds the self-claimed title of Australia's only restaurant inside a gelato store, and we've yet to hear from anyone who says they did it first. The intention is a creative but relaxed experience, with set menus and à la carte bookings available nightly. The produce, seasonally sourced from the aforementioned farm with a paddock-to-plate ethos, ends up in some appropriately delicious-sounding menu items, often including creative spins on gelato. Think gnocco fritto with jamón serrano and parmesan gelato; Messina jersey beef tartare with parsley, buckwheat and horseradish snow or kaffir lime gelato with dessert lime, lovage snow and garden herbs. On the drinks front, we'll give you a moment to guess. If you guessed gelato cocktails, your prayers have indeed been answered. The starting lineup is strong, including a spicy watermelon margarita, the Nicky Glasses martini (with salted caramel and coffee), a salted coconut and mango daiquiri and even a pepperoni negroni. Beyond cocktails, there's a healthy offering of local wine and beers and a wine launched in collaboration with Doom Juice — a Gewürztraminer and Vermentino blend named Moo-Tang. All in all, an already scrumptious space has reached new, tastier heights, and who knows where Sydney's undisputed lords of gelato will go next. Find Messina HQ at 1 Rich Street, Marrickville – open from 12pm-10.30pm Monday to Wednesday, 8am-10.30pm Thursday, 8am-11pm Friday to Saturday and 8am-10.30pm Sunday. Head to the website for more details.
Would you rather spend your hard-earned pennies on a funky piece for your house than on new clothes? Are you the kind of friend that your mates come to for interior decorating advice? Then, you're also probably the kind of person that shudders at monstrous televisions that often break, not make, a living room's feng shui. Thankfully, we've teamed up with Samsung to give one lucky design geek a brand-new The Serif. This stylish TV was designed to be a focal point in the living room, and to complement interior aesthetics instead of being an eyesore taking up space in the corner. Developed through a collab between two of the world's most esteemed industrial designers — Paris-based brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec — The Serif TV features an iconic 'I' shape when viewed from the side. Its seamless form means it looks good from any angle. So, you can position it on its own legs, on a counter or on a traditional TV cabinet, and it'll not only integrate seamlessly into your home but also transform it into something resembling those chic spaces you drool over on Instagram. The major prize winner will receive one 43-inch The Serif TV and one limited-edition artwork by the Bouroullec brothers. We've also gotten our hands on 99 more of those artworks to share as runner-up rewards. To be in the running, enter your details below. To find out more about The Serif, visit the Samsung website. [competition]831045[/competition]
This family-run nursery has been in operation for over 30 years and is a go-to for Annandale locals. As well as plenty of natives, the Booth Street shop also stocks exotic shrubs, trees and tropical plants from around the country. Plus, the shop has lots of indoor plants, cacti and succulents — and a massive selection of bonsai, too — so you'll be catered for whether you have a rolling lawn or a small balcony. [caption id="attachment_779260" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] The staff are locals and are happy to offer gardening advice if you need it. And if you're keen to look after some dying species, ask them about their endangered plants and how to look after them. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Ten years ago, Jordan Peele had just premiered his now-iconic sketch comedy series with Keegan-Michael Key. Key & Peele was exactly three episodes in on this exact date back in 2012, in fact, and was still eight months away from professing its love for Liam Neeson. Today, Peele has an Oscar to his name for Get Out, directed two of the best horror movies of the past decade thanks to that unnerving standout and the equally exceptional Us, and had a hand in bringing everything from BlacKkKlansman and the ace latest Candyman flick to Hunters and Lovecraft Country to our eyeballs. And, he's just dropped the trailer for his third big-screen directorial effort, Nope. That's a glorious name for what to looks to be a gloriously eerie film — based on the initial sneak peek, at least. When a trailer has Get Out star and Judas and the Black Messiah Oscar-winner Daniel Kaluuya ask "what's a bad miracle?", things get creepy quickly. The setup: the Haywood ranch is proudly run by the only Black-owned horse trainers in Hollywood (played by Kaluuya and Hustlers' Keke Palmer), whose connection to show business dates back to the very birth of cinema. But their remote patch of inland California soon becomes home to a disturbing discovery — and the fact that everyone spends a fair amount of time either looking up in horror or running away from something chilling in the sky says plenty. As with all of Peele's celluloid nightmares so far, the less you know going in, the better. That said, the trailer does a fantastic job of teasing all of the unsettling imagery that the filmmaker is about to get lodged in your brain, including fields of colourful inflatable tube men waving in the breeze. Steven Yeun (Minari) also stars in what's already the must-see horror movie of the year — and the cast also spans Michael Wincott (Veni Vidi Vici) and Brandon Perea (The OA) — although film fans will need to wait till July to see how Peele's latest horror epic turns out. Check out the trailer for Nope below: Nope will release in cinemas Down Under on July 21, 2022.
Local festivals are a dime a dozen these days. Not that we're complaining — every one has its own special flavour. And Penrith's approach is to highlight the region's unique natural environment. Across November 2–3, the annual Real Festival will return to the banks of the Nepean River in a clash of art, culture and food. The picturesque location is the hero of the festival, from the water — with jetpack performances, dragon boat racing and kayak tours — to the land — think rock climbing and gardening workshops with Costa Georgiadis. Meanwhile, several art installations will explore the area's urban future, sustainability and waste. Tench Reserve will be abuzz with roving street performers, silent discos and live music planned while internationally celebrated outdoor theatre troupe Stalker will perform Mountain, an exciting fusion of circus, dance and aerial acrobatics. If you want to eat on the go, many of Sydney's much-loved food trucks will be in attendance including Gelato Messina, Burger Head and Stroop Bros. But if you want to put your feet up and soak it all in, head to the sustainable rooftop cafe or riverfront bar, both providing the perfect spot to soak up the sun. Alongside ultraviolet murals, market stalls and a host of other great events, Real Festival is a great way to kick off your November and celebrate the great outdoors. Real Festival will run from 5–10pm on Friday, November 2 and from 2–10pm on Saturday, November 3. To keep up to date on the event program, follow Real Festival's Facebook page or head to its website.
Renowned chef Nobu Matsuhisa, best known for his beloved Nobu restaurants worldwide, will visit his venues in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth as part of a highly anticipated Australian tour this May. Fans will have a chance to interact with the culinary maestro in person and sample his signature Japanese dishes at a special lunch event on Saturday, May 4, at Crown Sydney. Priced at $120 per person, the Gochiso Lunch banquet with Chef Matsuhisa runs from 12–3pm and includes an array of iconic Nobu dishes, along with a glass of Oatley wine. If you're keen to spend even more time with the acclaimed chef, there's also a pool party with live entertainment, a Don Julio station and food from 6.30–9.30pm on Thursday, May 2, which will set you back $475 per person. "I can't wait to return to Australia. It is a place very close to my heart, and I love visiting my team and local suppliers. The Australian dining scene and hospitality industry is one of the best in the world; brimming with creative culinary talent, incredible produce, and a passionate community of diners," said Matsuhisa.
For 14 hours in October, Sydney became home to a very nice and very large statue of Borat. This month, the city has welcomed another supersized and temporary piece of pop culture-themed art — this time celebrating a local star. Until Tuesday, November 17, an 18-storey-high portrait of Nicole Kidman is soaring above Darlinghurst. And yes, like the sculpture of a certain fictional Kazakh journalist, it's designed to promote a new addition to your streaming queue. For the past three weeks, Binge has been dropping new episodes of HBO's twisty new six-part thriller mini-series The Undoing, with three more episodes left to air across the rest of November. In the whodunnit drama, Kidman stars as successful therapist, Grace Fraser, who lives a life of considerable luxury in New York. But when someone linked to her son's ultra-wealthy private school turns up dead, Grace's seemingly perfect existence starts to collapse — as does her marriage to charming paediatric oncologist Jonathan (Hugh Grant). Clearly, the new sky-high artwork is simply a very large advertisement for The Undoing. And we do mean large, given that it measures 18.4 metres wide and 36.8 metres high — covering nearly 680 square metres in total. That said, it's all hand-painted, with artists Hamish McBride, Laura Paige, Kailin Hegel, Jacqui Butterworth, Aly Barnard, Matt Mcenally, Meg Hardie, Meg Hales, Michael Iglesias, Nancy Ji and Tia Madden working on the portrait across 400 hours over 15 days (and using around 200 litres of paint in the process). The aforementioned creatives all hail from Apparition Media, which is also responsible for the huge mural of AFL star Adam Goodes in Surry Hills. Apparition Media's giant likeness of Kidman is just one half of an overall project, as another painting will replace it from Wednesday, November 18. Yes, you could say that the initial portrait will come undone — but just what the second picture will depict is yet to be revealed. After Monday, November 23, the wall will be painted for a third time, reverting it back to its original state. If you're wondering whether that's a sign of what's to come in The Undoing — which also features Donald Sutherland, A Quiet Place's Noah Jupe and Edgar Ramirez; is based on Jean Hanff Korelitz's novel You Should Have Known and directed by The Night Manager's Susanne Bier; and was adapted by well-known TV writer David E Kelley (Big Little Lies, LA Law, Ally McBeal, The Practice) — you'll obviously need to watch the series to find out. Check out the trailer for The Undoing below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wdlvSoWR6w The 18-storey-high portrait of Nicole Kidman will adorn the side of 227 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, until Tuesday, November 17. It'll then be replaced by a second yet-to-be-revealed painting from Wednesday, November 18–Monday, November 23. The first three episodes of The Undoing are available to stream via Binge, with new episodes added weekly on Mondays. Images: Chris Pavlich
Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week announced "Australians have earned an early mark" for the work they'd done containing COVID-19 and the announcement of some eased restrictions would take place on Friday, May 8. That day has come and we now know a little more about what Australia's road to recovery will look like. After a national cabinet meeting today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said "we're fighting this virus and we're winning", and he then outlined a three-step roadmap to a COVIDSafe Australia, with all three steps expected to be rolled out by July, 2020. Step one will "enable greater connection with friends and family", with the following allowed: Up to five visitors in your home, ten in businesses and public places Libraries, community centres, playgrounds and boot camps open Local and regional travel Shops, restaurants and cafes allowed to open, with a maximum of ten people at a time and one person per four square metres Step two, Morrison says, "will allow larger size gatherings up to 20 people, including for venues such as cinemas and galleries", ending with: "you'll be pleased to know, barre classes open once again." Gatherings of up to 20 people Gyms, beauty therapists, cinemas, theatres, amusement parks, galleries and museums open Caravan and camping grounds open Some interstate travel Step three, which will depend on the success of the previous steps, includes: Gatherings up to 100 people Nightclubs, food courts, saunas and bathhouses open All interstate travel Consider cross-Tasman, Pacific Island travel Those dreaming of an overseas jaunt will have noticed the roadmap does not include mention of international travel, except for to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. On travel to other countries, the Prime Minister has said, "there's nothing on our radar which would see us opening up international travel in the foreseeable future." On the other three steps, the Prime Minister said the intention is by July "we will have moved through the three steps", but movement from one step to the next will depend on three criteria: testing, tracing and trapping. If all goes to plan, it's expected the country will move to the next step every three weeks. But, he has also warned that as restrictions are eased, "there will be outbreaks, there will be more cases, there will be set-backs". As has been the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the roadmap is a guideline and it's now up to the individual states and territory leaders to implement the steps — and amend the state laws — as they see fit. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has already announced that no restrictions will be eased before Mother's Day and Queensland will ease some public gathering restrictions from this Sunday. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said no changes will be made until Monday. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Image: Kimberley Low
When The Incredibles first leapt onto cinema screens 14 years ago, it earned its title several times over. Exploring the exploits of a super-enhanced family trying to live a normal life, the movie served up an all-ages superhero story with smarts and heart. Moreover, the savvy Pixar flick successfully predicted two things. Back in 2004, when no one had even heard of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man was played by Tobey Maguire and Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy hadn't yet made its mark, The Incredibles pre-empted society's current love of caped crusaders. Indeed, that film began at a time where spandex-clad folks like Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) and Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) are constantly seen, heard and talked about. But it also foresaw the flipside to this obsession, recognising that the public's love of costumed crime-fighters has its limits. In the world of the movie, everyone listing 'saving the world' as their occupation was banned when the world had had enough. If you've been caught up in superhero fever over the past decade, only to catch a case of superhero fatigue as more and more comic book heroes soar across our screens, you can surely recognise all of the above. In fact, blending fantastical elements with relatable components was one of The Incredibles' greatest super powers. Caped crusaders are just like us, the picture made clear – attempting to juggle their personal and professional lives, battling to achieve their dreams, and fighting for their place. And while long-awaited sequel Incredibles 2 repeats the same basic premise, the franchise's canny ability to combine cartoon antics with cutting societal commentary ensures this is no mere rehash. Picking up where the first film left off, Incredibles 2 sees its central family — Mr. Incredible aka Bob Parr, Elastigirl aka Helen, and kids Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner) and Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) — trying to fend off burrowing, bank-robbing villain The Underminer, then coping with the aftermath. No one is happy about their efforts, and the fact that people with enhanced abilities are still illegal means a life without crime-fighting awaits. Enter telecommunications company head Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) and his sister Evelyn (Catherine Keener), with a plan to restore the heroes to their former glory. With Elastigirl leading the charge, the siblings have masterminded a rebranding campaign designed to make super folk popular again. And, thanks to body cameras and media appearances, this revolution will be televised. Drama comes in the form of an incredibly apt nemesis: Screenslaver, who interrupts Elastigirl's broadcasts with mind-controlling signals and raves about humanity's reliance on screens. Accordingly, Incredibles 2 slings statements about today's social media saturation, the valuing of appearances, and the fact that we live in a society where someone is always watching — for better or worse. It's a movie about the power of perception, one that rallies against making, filming or viewing something simply because you can. They're all observations that apply to the picture's specific story, to the broader superhero realm, and just to life in general. Plus, thanks to a subplot following Bob's attempts to hold the fort at home while Helen is off championing the caped crusader cause, the film also has plenty to say about gender equality and the role of women. Still, none of this would mean anything if returning writer-director Brad Bird didn't pair his story with engaging action, a playful tone and genuine emotion. Although not for people who are sensitive to flashing lights, an early strobe-lit confrontation ranks among the most inventive scenes in a superhero flick — animated or live-action — while an altercation between Jack-Jack and a racoon is just as memorable. Filled with both zippy battles and quiet character moments, Incredibles 2 mostly gets the balance right, even if it does feel a little padded towards the end. Interestingly, Bird (whose CV also includes The Iron Giant, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol and Tomorrowland) is the only person in Pixar history to assume total control for scripting and helming any of the company's features without any co-writers or co-directors. The result is not only one of Pixar's original standout movies, but its best sequel in nearly a decade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5qOzqD9Rms
The Norton Street stalwart and true icon of Sydney's Little Italy, Bar Italia, has been a tried-and-true spot for a feast since 1952. Whether you sit within the trattoria's nostalgia-laden dining room or in the courtyard out back, come on your lonesome or with a group of ten, the buzzing spot overflows with low-key, good-time vibes. There's a boundless menu, $1 corkage and strict rules — 'No skim, no soy, cash only' — accompanying efficient service, generous servings and a bright roll call of housemade gelatos. The optimal way to feast? Take your pick of the pasta menu — our rec is the penne melanzane or spaghetti cozze — with a Bar Italia salad and spinach arancini alongside. Deliziosa! Pizza highlights at Sydney's bar Italia include the Etna with pepperoni, bacon, Spanish onions, capsicum, garlic and chilli, or the vegetarian plus with artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, capsicum, olives, Spanish onions, eggplants and garlic. Appears in: The Best Italian Restaurants in Sydney for 2023
The First Time just keeps proving a fitting album title for The Kid LAROI. The just-released record is the Australian singer-songwriter's first studio album. Now, it also lends its name to his first-ever Down Under stadium tour. Big star, big record, big tour news: that's The Kid LAROI story right now. Mere days after The First Time dropped, the tour of the same name has been announced for a six-city Australian and New Zealand run in February 2024. Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard will kick things off at Melbourne's AAMI Park on Friday, February 2, before heading across the ditch to play Auckland's Spark Arena on Monday, February 5. Then it's back to Australia, where Perth's HBF Park awaits on Friday, February 9; Adelaide's Coopers Stadium on Tuesday, February 13; Sydney's Commbank Stadium on Friday, February 16; and finally CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Sunday, February 18. The Kid LAROI's debut studio album might be a brand-new arrival, but he's been releasing music since 2018 — solo, and also teaming up with everyone from Juice WRLD and ONEFOUR to Justin Bieber. Accordingly, fans can look forward to hearing 'Stay', 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' and more this summer. The stadium tour follows The Kid LAROI's first headline Australian tour back in 2022, which sold out arenas across the country, sparking the addition of more dates. The First Time tour has only announced one show per city so far, but they're all spaced out enough that adding extra gigs due to demand won't come as a surprise if it happens. "I'm so excited to be coming back home in February! I felt so much love from the fans on last year's tour — it's something I'll never forget. I can't wait for you to all see this new show — we've taken things to a whole new level," said The Kid LAROI, announcing the Australian leg of the tour. "I can't wait to play New Zealand in February! I've always wanted to visit and I'm so excited to bring this new show to the NZ fans. I promise it'll be worth the wait! I love you all and I'll see you very soon," he added about his Spark Arena concert. THE KID LAROI THE FIRST TIME TOUR 2024 DATES: Friday, February 2 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Monday, February 5 — Spark Arena, Auckland Friday, February 9 — HBF Park, Perth Tuesday, February 13 — Coopers Stadium, Adelaide Friday, February 16 — Commbank Stadium, Sydney Sunday, February 18 — CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast The Kid LAROI is touring Australia and New Zealand in February 2024, with presales starting from Thursday, November 16 and general sales on Monday, November 20 — head to the Australia and New Zealand ticketing sites for more information. Top image: Adam Kargenian.
When International Dog Day rolls around on August 26 each year, there are a few acceptable ways to spend it. All of them involve oh-so-adorable doggos, obviously. If you don't have a pet pooch in your life, looking at cute canine videos and photos is perfectly acceptable. Yes, that's what the internet is for. And if you do have a four-legged, barking companion — or several — you really should be spoiling them as much as you can all day long. Here's a question for this glorious occasion: would your dog look better wearing a bandana? You can apply the same query to your friend's pupper, or your parents', or whichever canine you like to pretend is yours if you need to get your pet joys vicariously. Obviously it's a trick question, because the answer is always yes. Find us a dog that wouldn't look dapper with a bandana and you will have found nothing because it's just not possible. The team at Australian activewear label The Upside clearly agrees, so it has released a doggo bandana for International Dog Day. The name: The Pupside, naturally. And this is a piece of canine fashion that also helps dogs and other animals in need, because all of the proceeds from each $19.99 item are being donated to RSPCA NSW. Blue in colour, covered in a paisley print, lined with soft grey marle jersey and suitable for pooches of all sizes, the bandanas went on sale today — because today is August 26, aka the dog-focused day in question — and they're made from recycled fabric offcuts, so The Upside is doing the environment a solid as well. The brand is aiming to not just support RSPCA NSW, but also to encourage people to adopt animals — including dogs, of course — in need. And if you need more motivation to deck out Fido with some new threads, just look at the brand's images of bandana-wearing pooches. Go on. We'll also remind you that, for NSW residents in lockdown, RSPCA NSW has moved its adoption process online again. The Pupside bandanas ship nationally, though, so dogs across the country can spruce up their outfits. The Pupside bandanas are available for $19.99 via The Upside website.
Mardi Gras-goers were rocking cowboy hats long before they became the go-to accessory for hen's parties and festival fits. So it's only fitting that a few Stetsons and leather chaps would be busted out for WorldPride at Sydney's other longtime advocate for cowboy attire, Shady Pines Saloon. The low-lit Darlinghurst dive bar is hosting a series of free Pride parties each Wednesday throughout the festivities with its usual world-beating cocktails and stellar whiskey menu, free bowls of peanuts and a stacked entertainment lineup. Some of the names across the program include cowboy drag king Kazier, circus performer MissTaken Identity, Big Thick Energy's burlesque goddess Demon Derriere, as well as Gabe Woods, Billie Burnout, Diva Attenbra and Mr Benjamin Butterfly. Since we're talking Shady Pines here, naturally there'll be the mandatory presence of live country music performed across the three weeks. Plus, there's a recommended dress code that Shady Pines describes as 'Ruff n' Ready Redneck' and those who observe will be treated to a bowl of free peanuts. Entry is free, and as always, the bar is walk-in only so you'll want to arrive promptly if you're after a table. If there's a certain performer you want to catch, you can head to the Swillhouse website where each week's lineup is laid out.
Dust of your black-hued and gothic-looking outfits: what else do you wear to Wednesday Island, a fan festival dedicated to the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky Netflix series, that'll have Jenna Ortega (Death of a Unicorn), Emma Myers (A Minecraft Movie) and Tim Burton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) in attendance? On Saturday, August 16, 2025, one Australian spot — Cockatoo Island / Wareamah in Sydney Harbour — will embrace the macabre with the Wednesday crew themselves. Netflix has been teasing Wednesday Island for a few weeks now, including officially announcing the event when the platform dropped the full trailer for Wednesday's second season, then opening entries for VIP attendance to feel like you're at Nevermore Academy. Now, the streamer has confirmed that Ortega, Myers and Burton will be there, and also Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who created the show in the spotlight (and wrote the screenplay to 2024's Burton-helmed, Ortega-starring Beetlejuice Beetlejuice). All five key Wednesday folks will make appearances at Wednesday Island as part of their global Doom tour to promote the series. Peach PRC and ŪLA are also on the lineup at Cockatoo Island's temporary makeover, providing the tunes. Netflix is calling the pop-up takeover a "Nevermore playground" and promising a "most grave surprise", too — and there'll be a walk-in doll's house and a cocktail spot as well. If you've always had a fondness for anything Addams Family-related, this probably sounds like a dream. Whether you first discovered pop culture's eeriest family via the 90s films, through old episodes of the 60s TV show, in various animated guises over the years — including on the big screen — or thanks to Wednesday, that fantasy can now become an IRL reality if you score admission to Wednesday Island. Applications for VIP double passes have closed, but you'll be able to enter for regular passes between Wednesday, July 23–Sunday, August 3 via the pop-up's website. To do so, you'll need to provide your details, and give an original and creative answer to this question: "in 25 words or less, confess your most delightfully deviant Outcast trait — the kind that would make Wednesday smirk with approval". You'll find out if you've scored a ticket on Monday, August 4. Only those aged over 16 can go in the running, and you'll then need to dress in attire to suit the Wednesday celebration. Boat transport to the island, plus one food and one beverage token, will be included if you're selected. As for watching the series when it returns for its second season, you'll be doing that in two batches. Part one arrives on Wednesday, August 6, then part two on Wednesday, September 3. Check out the full trailer for Wednesday season two below: Wednesday Island is taking over Cockatoo Island in Sydney on Saturday, August 16. Head to the pop-up's website to enter for general admission tickets between Wednesday, July 23–Sunday, August 3, 2025 — or just for further information. Wednesday season two arrives in two parts, with part one dropping on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 and part two on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, both via Netflix. Read our full review of Wednesday season one. Images: Bernard Walsh, Helen Sloan and Jonathan Hession/Netflix © 2025.
Last year the State Government announced some ambitious (and unprecedented) plans to expand Melbourne's rail network — ones that we were, admittedly, unsure whether to get too excited about. But it's happening. The long-debated $11 billion Metro Tunnel project has been funded and the Andrews Government has just revealed who will design and build the project, along with a first look at what it will all look like. Just to catch you up, the Metro Tunnel will see two new nine-kilometre twin tunnels and five underground train stations added to Melbourne's inner city. These new stations will be located in Parkville, North Melbourne, CBD North, CBD South and the Domain, and create a new path into the city that doesn't rely on (but connects to) the City Loop. The idea is that it will ease congestion in the City Loop and allow more trains to be getting in and out of the city. In a media release published yesterday, the Andrews Government announced that, after an extensive tender process, they've created the Cross Yarra Partnership to build and design the tunnel and stations. This partnership will involve a number of companies, led by Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital. Along with the announcement, the first station designs have been been revealed too. They look a hell of a lot different to the inside of Melbourne Central, with first renders showing a preference for arches and what most underground stations lack: natural light. At street level, some of the new stations will also add public space. Here's a quick look at the five stations. ARDEN If you're travelling via Footscray, you'll bypass North Melbourne to get onto the Metro Tunnel, and this will be your first stop. This new station will be located in the largely industrial area of North Melbourne on Laurens Street and will service the growing residential population there. Plans for Arden show lots of natural light and bike parking at street level. PARKVILLE This station will provide an easy connection to the Royal Melbourne, Children's and Women's Hospitals, as well the University of Melbourne — at present, people looking to get here either have to get a bus from North Melbourne Station or a tram from the CBD. Parkville Station will sit on Grattan Street. CBD NORTH Located at the north-end of Latrobe Street, this new station will provide an alternative for Melbourne Central, but will still be linked via underground walkways if you do need to change lines. The new entrance at Franklin Street will also include this new green space. CBD SOUTH CBD South Station will be located just near Flinders Street Station, and you'll be able to access it from City Square, Federation Square, Swanston Street and the Degraves Street underpass. If you need to access Flinders Street Station, you'll apparently be able to do so through an underground connection. Lots of white arches planned for this one DOMAIN This station will be a gamechanger for anyone who currently has to deal with the mayhem that is changing trams at Domain Interchange. And all with a floating timber canopy on top of it. Trains from here will continue to Pakenham and Cranbourne. Construction on all this is expected to begin next year and the target completion date is 2026. We'll keep you updated on any new plans for the Metro Tunnel. Images: Metro Tunnel.
Pakistani activist and history's youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai is heading Down Under, for two exclusive talks in Sydney and Melbourne this December. She'll appear as part of The Growth Faculty's thought-provoking Women World Changers speaker series — the same event that brought Hillary Clinton to Australia and New Zealand in May this year. Yousafzai was just 11 when she first launched her campaign to promote education for girls, penning a blog from her home city in Pakistan's Swat Valley. At 15, she survived an attack by the Taliban, and in 2014, went on to become the youngest person ever awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Her remarkable story continues, as she sticks with the fight for education rights for every girl in the world. The activist co-founded the Malala Fund and currently studies at the University of Oxford. Now, for the first time, the inspirational 21-year-old will share her experiences with Australian audiences, speaking at Sydney's International Convention Centre on Monday, December 10, and at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre the following night. Catch An Evening with Malala Yousafzai at the International Convention Centre, Sydney, on Monday, December 10, and at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, on Tuesday, December 11. Tickets are $99, available via The Growth Faculty's website.
When Jurassic Park first trampled across the big screen back in 1993, with director Steven Spielberg adapting Michael Crichton's novel of the same name to box office glory, it tasked Jeff Goldblum with uttering four now-iconic words. As mathematician Dr Ian Malcolm, Goldblum announced to the world that "life... finds a way" — which has proven true of the crafty dinosaurs within this huge blockbuster franchise, and also of the ongoing series itself. That initial mega-hit flick spawned sequels in 1997 and 2001, which then led to the Jurassic World trilogy — aka 2015's Jurassic World, 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and now 2022's Jurassic World Dominion. So yes, films about dinosaurs revived through genetic engineering just keep finding their way to the screen, although the just-dropped first trailer for Dominion poises this sixth flick as wrapping up the story (for now, at least). Directed by Colin Trevorrow, who also helmed the first Jurassic World film, Dominion jumps back into this dino-filled vision of earth four years after the last flick — which saw Isla Nublar destroyed. The franchise's pivotal ancient predators now live alongside humans, which is obviously a tenuous, tense and terrifying situation. Understandably, co-existing with dinosaurs threatens life as everyone knows it, not to mention humanity's future. Chris Pratt (The Tomorrow War) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Rocketman) return for Dominion, after starring in the past two Jurassic World movies, but nostalgia also finds a way here — with not only Goldblum oozing his usual charisma again, as he did in Fallen Kingdom, too, but fellow OG cast members Laura Dern and Sam Neill also returning. Those three familiar faces earn a hefty amount of attention in Dominion's first sneak peek, but the trailer doesn't skimp on its rampaging critters, either. In fact, the film even promises never-before-seen dinosaurs this time around. Also featuring: DeWanda Wise (The Harder They Fall), Emmy nominee Mamoudou Athie (Archive 81), Dichen Lachman (Animal Kingdom), Scott Haze (Minari) and Campbell Scott (The Amazing Spider-Man 2), plus returning cast members BD Wong (another original Jurassic Park star, and part of all three Jurassic World films), Justice Smith (Pokemon: Detective Pikachu), Daniella Pineda (Cowboy Bebop) and Omar Sy (Lupin). Movie-goers will be able to see how this whole humans-and-dinosaurs mayhem all pans out in full when Dominion hits cinemas Down Under on June 9. Check out the trailer for Jurassic World Dominion below: Jurassic World Dominion releases in cinemas Down Under on June 9, 2022.
Nerds and drinks? Don't mind if I do. The secret's out and Tokyo Sing Song's a treat. The vibe at the late-night bar is part Mai Tai jelly square, part Asahi schooner, and the gorgeous guys in bubble wrap skirts — one of whom I swear was dressed as a game of Tetris — clashed swimmingly with the Tokyo decor, black-and-white film projections and pop rock candy conversation. There's a strong aesthetic of darkness and intrigue: a stage draped in foil and flickered with red, blue and white lights is smooshed in between cosy old-school vinyl booths with silver-topped tables scattered with sweets in shiny wrappers, plates of beans, and bright cans of Mount Fuji and Giddy Geisha — tasty "poptails" in soft drink fancy dress, with a sprig of mint or a handful of candy and a "shot 'n' a half" of booze. Each month sees a new curator tizzy up the joint and the debut month has been designed by Melbourne based artist and lighting designer, Duckpond. "I'm thrilled with the way it looks and feels," he said at the midnight launch party on October 10. "I like to explore the dark crevices, the nooks and crannies." With his mop of grey hair, dark-rimmed glasses frosted with the silver glitter covering his eyebrows and sporting a bright purple pair of soft cotton pyjamas, Duckpond hardly stood out on launch night amidst the gowned and glowing. He's an advocate of sleepwear at any time of day — "'at any given moment you can have either just stepped out of bed or be perfectly ready to go back to bed" — and Tokyo Sing Song is just the venue to tout such activism. Christa Hughes as Fanny Warhol tooted off proceedings at the launch party with a breathless rendition of Celine Dion and later on in the eve See More Butts and local icons Matt Format and Aaron Manahan kept the eve on the wide and windy. Poptails go for $12 a can and the Sumo Sour — plum wine, lime, Suntory CC Lemon Soda and sour candy is a winner. Cocktails are $16 and the sashimi platter — a trio of alcoholic jelly cocktails served with Midori 'wasabi' — is delish. There's zilch in the way of food, although complimentary edamame beans are served all night.
Whether you're a big nature nerd or err on the indifferent side to the science of it all, chances are you've seen at least some of Sir David Attenborough's Blue Planet. The BBC nature documentary series — narrated by the man himself and accompanied by an epic score from Hans Zimmer — first aired back in 2001, and its follow-up second season, Blue Planet II, was released just last year. But the bits you've seen on TV or YouTube are sure to be belittled when the BBC brings the live show to Australia this April. Like the performances of Harry Potter and Star Wars we've seen in recent months, Blue Planet II Live in Concert will see the documentary screened in all its glory accompanied by a live orchestra. And it's a big score. The music for Blue Earth II was composed by none other than Hans Zimmer (responsible for epics like The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception) alongside Jacob Shea and David Fleming. In Australia, the score will be performed by three of the country's leading orchestras and, in lieu of Attenborough, Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley will be narrating in real time. The show will travel around Australia in March 2019, visiting Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney for just three shows all up. Tickets go on October 15. In the meantime, you can watch ehe first season of Blue Planet on Netflix. BLUE PLANET II LIVE IN CONCERT TOUR DATES March 8, 2019— Sydney Theatre, International Convention Centre, Sydney (with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra) March 9, 2019 — Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) March 11, 2019 — Great Hall, Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra) Blue Planet II Live in Concert will tour Australia from May 8–11, 2019. Presale tickets will go on sale on Monday, October 15. For more info, visit blueplanet2live.com.au. Image: Hugh Miller, copyright BBC NHU (2016).
First, Trent Dalton's Brisbane-set Boy Swallows Universe earned love on the page. Then, it became a stage hit. Next, it wowed audiences as a streaming miniseries — and from 22 nominations, now that show is a 12-time AACTA winner. Across two ceremonies on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts crowned its picks of the past year. Among its accolades, Boy Swallows Universe picked up Best Miniseries, Best Screenplay in Television, and every TV acting gong it could, with Felix Cameron, Phoebe Tonkin, Lee Tiger Halley and Deborah Mailman all collecting trophies. The AACTAs award both small- and big-screen excellence, with more multiple winners coming from the cinema side of the ceremony. After making history with 16 nominations, the most of any movie ever, unconventional Robbie Williams biopic Better Man — which portrays the British singer as a chimpanzee — nabbed nine prizes. Among them: Best Film, Best Lead Actor for Jonno Davies and Best Director for Michael Gracey. From 15 nominations, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga went home with five awards — with George Miller's fifth film in the iconic dystopian franchise rewarded for its cinematography, costume design, hair and makeup, production design and sound. Adam Elliot's gorgeous and heartfelt (and Oscar-nominated) Memoir of a Snail earned two awards, both for its voice acting, for Sarah Snook and Jacki Weaver. Other titles to emerge victorious include Best Drama and Best Soundtrack recipient Heartbreak High; music-to-screen production How to Make Gravy, which aptly earned the Best Original Song prize; Birdeater, anointed Best Indie Film; TV's Fisk, winning for Best Narrative Comedy Series and Best Acting in a Comedy for Kitty Flanagan; Bluey, taking home Best Children's Program and Best Original Score in Television; and Hard Quiz for Best Comedy Entertainment Program and Best Comedy Performer for Tom Gleeson. Also, Otto by Otto won Best Documentary, Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? collected Best Stand-Up Special and Ladies in Black was awarded Best Costume Design in Television — and the list of winners goes on, spanning Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, Mozart's Sister, The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process, Spicks and Specks, Muster Dogs, Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian, Grand Designs Australia and MasterChef Australia as well. As always, not everything deserving of love went home with a trophy — but that doesn't mean that Thou Shalt Not Steal, Colin From Accounts and The Artful Dodger, or Audrey, High Country, Christmess, You'll Never Find Me or Territory aren't all great. Here's everything that won — and was nominated: 2025 AACTA Award Winners and Nominees Film Awards Best Film Better Man — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga How to Make Gravy Late Night with the Devil Memoir of a Snail Runt Best Indie Film Before Dawn Birdeater — WINNER Christmess Just a Farmer The Emu War You'll Never Find Me Best Direction in Film Better Man, Michael Gracey — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller How to Make Gravy, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Lead Actress in Film Laura Gordon, Late Night with the Devil Sarah Snook, Memoir of a Snail — WINNER Jackie van Beek, Audrey Anya Taylor-Joy, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Anna Torv, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Phoebe Tonkin, Kid Snow Best Lead Actor in Film Eric Bana, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 David Dastmalchian, Late Night with the Devil Jonno Davies, Better Man — WINNER Daniel Henshall, How to Make Gravy Guy Pearce, The Convert Kodi Smit-McPhee, Memoir of a Snail Best Supporting Actress in Film Alyla Browne, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Hannah Diviney, Audrey Kate Mulvany, Better Man Kate Mulvany, How to Make Gravy Ingrid Torelli, Late Night with the Devil Jacki Weaver, Memoir of a Snail — WINNER Best Supporting Actor in Film Fayssal Bazzi, Late Night with the Devil Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Damon Herriman, Better Man — WINNER Damon Herriman, How to Make Gravy Richard Roxburgh, Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Hugo Weaving, How to Make Gravy Best Screenplay in Film Better Man, Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole, Michael Gracey — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller, Nico Lathouris How to Make Gravy, Meg Washington, Nick Waterman Late Night with the Devil, Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Cinematography in Film Better Man, Erik A. Wilson, Matt Toll, Ashley Wallen Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Andrew Commis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Simon Duggan — WINNER Late Night with the Devil, Matthew Temple Memoir of a Snail, Gerald Thompson Best Editing in Film Better Man, Martin Connor, Lee Smith, Spencer Susser, Jeff Groth, Patrick Correll — WINNER Force of Nature: The Dry 2, Alexandre de Franceschi, Maria Papoutsis Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Eliot Knapman, Margaret Sixel Late Night with the Devil, Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes Memoir of a Snail, Bill Murphy Best Casting in Film Better Man, Alison Telford, Kate Leonard, Kate Dowd — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Nikki Barrett How to Make Gravy, Nikki Barrett Late Night with the Devil, Leigh Pickford Runt, Kirsty McGregor, Annie Murtagh-Monks Best Costume Design in Film Better Man, Cappi Ireland Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Jenny Beavan — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Christina Validakis Late Night with the Devil, Steph Hooke Runt, Terri Lamera Best Original Score in Film Better Man, Batu Sener — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Tom Holkenborg How to Make Gravy, Sam Dixon Late Night with the Devil, Roscoe James Irwin, Glenn Richards Memoir of a Snail, Elena Kats-Chernin Best Production Design in Film Better Man, Joel Chang, Lisa Brennan Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Colin Gibson, Katie Sharrock — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Benjamin Fountain, Peter Kodicek Late Night with the Devil, Otello Stolfo Memoir of a Snail, Adam Elliot Best Sound in Film Better Man, Paul Pirola, Guntis Sics, Greg P. Russell, Tom Marks, Andy Nelson, Tim Ryan Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Robert Mackenzie, Ben Osmo, James Ashton, Yulia Akerholt, Jessica Meier, Tom Holkenborg — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Craig Walmsley, Stuart Morton, Diego Ruiz, Sam Hayward, Evan McHugh Late Night with the Devil, Emma Bortignon, Manel Lopez, Pete Smith, Cameron Grant Memoir of a Snail, David Williams, Andy Wright, Lee Yee, Dylan Burgess Documentary Awards Best Documentary A Horse Named Winx Every Little Thing Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line Otto by Otto — WINNER Porcelain War The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process Best Cinematography in a Documentary Megafauna: What Killed Australia's Giants?, Jeff Siberry Skategoat, Dan Freene, Jordan Ritz The Mission, Dean Brosche The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process, Geoffrey Hall, Emerson Hoskin — WINNER The Speedway Murders, Maxx Corkindale Best Editing in a Documentary Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, Gretchen Peterson — WINNER ONEFOUR: Against All Odds, Johanna Scott Revealed: Ben Roberts Smith Truth on Trial, Orly Danon The Speedway Murders, Sean Lahiff Welcome to Babel, Karen Johnson Best Original Score in a Documentary Aquarius, Damien Lane Brand Bollywood Downunder, Dmitri Golovko, Burkhard Dallwitz, Brett Aplin Mozart's Sister, Jessica Wells — WINNER Otto by Otto, Stefan Gregory The Speedway Murders, Antony Partos, Jackson Milas, Josh Pearson, Josie Mann Best Sound in a Documentary A Horse Named Winx, Abigail Sie Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line, Wayne Pashley, Travis Handley, Stephen Hopes, Jason King Mozart's Sister, Damian Jory — WINNER The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process, Pete Smith, Tom Heuzenroeder The Speedway Murders, Michael Darren, Pete Smith, Des Kenneally, Hamish Keen Short Film Awards Best Short Film And the Ocean Agreed Before We Sleep Die Bully Die Favourites Gorgo — WINNER Why We Fight Television Awards Best Drama Series Fake Heartbreak High — WINNER The Artful Dodger The Twelve Thou Shalt Not Steal Total Control Best Narrative Comedy Series Austin Bump Colin From Accounts Fisk — WINNER Strife The Office Best Miniseries Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Exposure Four Years Later House of Gods Human Error Last Days of the Space Age Best Lead Actor in a Drama Zac Burgess, Boy Swallows Universe Felix Cameron, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Rob Collins, Total Control Brendan Cowell, Plum Sam Neill, The Twelve Noah Taylor, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Lead Actress in a Drama Asher Keddie, Fake Deborah Mailman, Total Control Leah Purcell, High Country Anna Torv, Territory Phoebe Tonkin, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Sherry-Lee Watson, Thou Shalt Not Steal Best Acting in a Comedy Patrick Brammall, Colin From Accounts Aaron Chen, Fisk Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts Kitty Flanagan, Fisk — WINNER Genevieve Hegney, Colin From Accounts Asher Keddie, Strife Michael Theo, Austin Felicity Ward, The Office Best Comedy Performer Wil Anderson, Taskmaster Australia Aaron Chen, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Anne Edmonds, Taskmaster Australia Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz — WINNER Guy Montgomery, Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Charlie Pickering, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Essie Davis, Exposure Rachel Griffiths, Total Control Heather Mitchell, Fake Deborah Mailman, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Sophie Wilde, Boy Swallows Universe Asher Yasbincek, Heartbreak High Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Simon Baker, Boy Swallows Universe Wayne Blair, Total Control Bryan Brown, Boy Swallows Universe Travis Fimmel, Boy Swallows Universe Lee Tiger Halley, Boy Swallows Universe — WINNER Ewen Leslie, Prosper Best Direction in Drama or Comedy Boy Swallows Universe, Bharat Nalluri — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Trent O'Donnell Colin From Accounts, Madeline Dyer Fake, Emma Freeman Thou Shalt Not Steal, Dylan River Best Direction in Nonfiction Television Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet?, Simon Francis Better Date Than Never, Mariel Thomas Muster Dogs, Sally Browning — WINNER Stuff the British Stole, Marc Fennell The Jury: Death on the Staircase, Tosca Looby, Ben Lawrence Best Screenplay in Television Boy Swallows Universe, John Collee — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer Fake, Anya Beyersdorf Fisk, Penny Flanagan, Kitty Flanagan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Sophie Miller, Dylan River Best Cinematography in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Shelley Farthing-Dawe — WINNER Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Wareham Exposure, Aaron McLisky Territory, Simon Duggan Thou Shalt Not Steal, Tyson Perkins Best Editing in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Mark Perry — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Danielle Boesenberg Exposure, Leila Gaabi Fisk, Katie Flaxman The Artful Dodger, Rodrigo Balart Best Entertainment Program Dancing with the Stars LEGO® Masters Australia vs The World Mastermind Spicks and Specks — WINNER The 1% Club Tipping Point Australia Best Comedy Entertainment Program Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee Hard Quiz — WINNER Have You Been Paying Attention? Thank God You're Here The Cheap Seats The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Best Factual Entertainment Program Alone Australia Gogglebox Australia Muster Dogs — WINNER Stuff the British Stole Take 5 with Zan Rowe The Assembly Best Documentary or Factual Program Australia's Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley I Was Actually There Maggie Beer's Big Mission Miriam Margolyes Impossibly Australian — WINNER Ray Martin: The Last Goodbye Who Do You Think You Are? Best Children's Program Bluey — WINNER Eddie's Lil Homies Hard Quiz Kids Little J & Big Cuz Play School: Big Ted's Time Machine Spooky Files Best Stand-Up Special Anne Edmonds: Why Is My Bag All Wet? — WINNER Lloyd Langford: Current Mood Mel Buttle: Let Me Know Either Way? Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Allstars Supershow Melbourne International Comedy Festival — The Gala Rove McManus: Loosey Goosey Best Lifestyle Program Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly Australia Gardening Australia Grand Designs Australia — WINNER Grand Designs Transformations Restoration Australia Selling Houses Australia Best Reality Program Australian Idol Australian Survivor: Titans V Rebels MasterChef Australia — WINNER Shark Tank Australia The Amazing Race The Great Australian Bake Off Best Casting in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Nikki Barrett — WINNER Colin From Accounts, Kirsty McGregor, Stevie Ray Fake, Nathan Lloyd The Artful Dodger, Leigh Pickford The Twelve, Kirsty McGregor Best Costume Design in Television Boy Swallows Universe, Kerry Thompson Heartbreak High, Rita Carmody Ladies in Black, Marion Boyce — WINNER Swift Street, Ntombi Moyo The Artful Dodger, Xanthe Heubel Best Original Score in Television Bluey, Joff Bush, Daniel O'Brien, Jazz Darcy, Joseph Twist — WINNER Boy Swallows Universe, Johnny Klimek, Gabriel Isaac Mounsey Exposure, Mikey Young The Artful Dodger, Antony Partos Thou Shalt Not Steal, Vincent Goodyer Best Sound in Television Bluey, Dan Brumm Boy Swallows Universe, Sam Hayward, Scott Mulready, Danielle Wiessner, Nigel Christensen — WINNER Exposure, Paul Finlay, Andrew Miller, Joe Mount, Jared Dwyer Territory, Josh Williams, Pete Smith, Duncan Campbell, Tom Heuzenroeder Thou Shalt Not Steal, Dylan Barfield, Gavin Marsh, Luke Mynott, Tania Vlassova Online Awards Best Online Drama or Comedy Bad Ancestors Buried — WINNER Descent Girl Crush Urvi Went to an All Girls School Videoland Other Awards Best Hair and Makeup Boy Swallows Universe, Angela Conte, Karen Kelly, Anna Gray, Rachel Murphy Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Lesley Vanderwalt, Larry Van Duynhoven, Matteo Silvi, Luca Vannella — WINNER Ladies in Black, John Logue The Artful Dodger, Lynne O'Brien The Moogai, Nick Nicolaou, Paul Katte, Carol Cameron Best Original Song 'Dream On' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy 'Fine' by Meg Washington, Electric Fields and The Prison Choir, How to Make Gravy — WINNER 'Forbidden Road' by Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler and Sacha Skarbek, Better Man 'Side By Side' by Paul Kelly, Runt 'Streetlights' by Jacob Harvey, Under Streetlights Best Soundtrack Better Man, Jordan Carroll Boy Swallows Universe, Jemma Burns Heartbreak High, Jemma Burns — WINNER How to Make Gravy, Meg Washington Last Days of the Space Age, Allegra Caldwell Best Visual Effects or Animation Alien: Romulus, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Jhon Alvarado, Alé Melendez, Sebastian Ravagnani, Nicolas Caillier – Industrial Light & Magic Better Man, Luke Millar, Andy Taylor, Craig Young, Tim Walker – Wētā — WINNER Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Andrew Jackson, Jason Bath, Guido Wolter, Rachel Copp, Andy Williams, Lloyd Finnemore – Rising Sun Pictures The Fall Guy, Matt Sloan, Chris McClintock, Matt Greig, Rachel Copp, Dan Oliver – Rising Sun Pictures Transformers One, Frazer Churchill, Fiona Chilton, Stephen King, Feargal Stewart, Alex Popescu – Industrial Light & Magic The 2025 AACTAs took place on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Friday, February 7, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast — and you can check out the full list of nominees and winners on AACTA's website.
Looking for a new burger adventure? Head down to Xi'an Biang Biang in Chinatown for a chance to try the world's oldest hamburger, a 2000-year-old ancient meat sandwich. You'll also discover an entire menu of Chinese dishes you've (probably, maybe) never seen, tried or heard of before. Xi'an Biang Biang is located at the Town Hall-end of Dixon Street, just a few doors down from the well-known compass point of N2 Gelato. It's a cheap and cheerful kind of place, packed out with students and plastic chairs at a ratio of 2:1. While most of us are well-acquainted with Cantonese or Sichuan cuisine, Xi'an Biang Biang specialises in native fare from the Shaanxi province of China. The region is known for its handmade noodles and hot, sour flavours - let me introduce you to a few of the gang. The most famous Shaanxi dish is the biang biang noodles ($9). This simple country bowl is made from hand-pulled noodles, thick as a belt and chewy in texture. At Xi'an Biang Biang, they're served swimming in bright red oil which has been liberally seasoned with cumin and chilli. Here's a suggestion for you, don't wear white. Another popular Shaanxi dish is the cold noodles in garlic sauce ($10). This time around the noodles are thin and coarse, accompanied with torn up pieces of solidified gluten, which, for all intents and purpose, could actually be a kitchen sponge. Both noodles and sponge are coated in a sour garlic sauce with heady notes of black vinegar. Those who like their noodles hot and comforting might find this dish a little confronting. Naturally, we've saved the best for last. The surprise hit of the menu is the rougamo or 'burger' ($8), as they called it on the menu. This Shaanxi street food is made from a disc of pastry stuffed with pulled pork which has been stewed in soup for hours on end. The result is crunchy, crispy goodness paired with meltingly tender meat. Expect warm, fatty juices to drip down your arm. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. And perhaps what makes this experience even more magical is that rougamo back to 221BC making it the first ever hamburger or sandwich, or pie, or whatever else you think this exciting dish resembles. So if you consider yourself a fan of Mary's, Burger Project or Five Points, then take a trip down to Dixon Street to find out where the madness all began. Images: Letícia Almeida.
Attention all coffee-seekers: you may have just found the new brew — or brews — you've been searching for. Beloved Melbourne-based Padre Coffee has finally arrived in Sydney, bringing naturally-processed Colombian blends to its first ever NSW setup at Paddington's Five Ways. After growing a cult-like following at its flagships in Melbourne and Noosa, it's time to discover what all the hype is about. Padre on Glenmore Road features a storefront for the brand's coffee blends and home-brewing equipment, as well as a spacious espresso bar and cafe boasting a range of freshly-baked treats to accompany your coffee. Sample the pastries and bread supplied by Staple Bread & Necessities, cookies from Cut Lunch Deli and the famous Portuguese tarts from Clovelly's Tuga Pastries. "We're absolutely thrilled to share the Padre Coffee vision and brand with Sydney coffee lovers," said the NSW head of Padre Coffee, Ben White. "Our blends have garnered a strong following with online buyers across the city's eastern suburbs and CBD, so we're looking forward to now having a dedicated space for our coffee drinkers to enjoy their daily cup." The store, located not far from the The Royal Hotel and Tequila Mockingbird, is serving up limited edition flavours to celebrate its launch, including adventurous and fruity caffeinated sips such as cherry, raspberry, strawberry and rose. You'll want to get sipping on these rare brews before they sell out completely. You'll find Padre Coffee's Sydney outpost at 241A-241B Glenmore Road in Paddington — grab your special brew from 7am to 3pm Monday to Sunday.
With international travel banned indefinitely and many Australian states and territories closing their borders, travel is in no one's immediate plans — and the airline industry is responding accordingly. In late March, Qantas and Jetstar suspended all international flights and cut domestic flights by 60 percent, temporarily stepping down two-thirds of their 30,000-person staff in the process. Virgin Australia also suspended all international flights from March 30 — and cut domestic flights by 50 percent — but is now reducing its local capacity even further. From yesterday, Friday, April 10, Virgin Australia has suspended all domestic passenger flights except for a return service between Melbourne and Sydney, running once daily except Saturdays. In a statement on the airline's website, the group said "Demand for travel has continued to decline with border restrictions and the need for people to stay home due to social distancing measures." https://www.facebook.com/virginaustralia/photos/a.10151888728861990/10156927916476990/?type=3&theater Tasmania, WA, SA, NT and Queensland have all closed their borders to non-essential travel and require interstate visitors to quarantine for 14 days. And, as of yesterday, Queenslanders are required to obtain a permit to cross back over the border from interstate, too. These measures are similar to those currently in place for Australians returning from overseas, which mandates compulsory 14-day isolation periods for all international travellers Qantas and Jetstar haven't yet announced further cuts to their domestic flights, and all three airlines currently working with the government to help bring stranded Australians home. Qantas is helping bring Aussies back from Peru, Argentina and South Africa, while Virgin Australia is running flights to Los Angeles and Hong Kong. If you have ticket for travel up to June 30, 2020, Virgin Australian will let you change your booking or cancel and request a travel credit with no change and cancellation fees. You can find out more about this on its website. For more information about Virgin Australia's reductions, visit its website. For further details about Qantas and Jetstar's plans, visit the company's website.
The world is in chaos. Violent confrontations, atrocities, nations teetering both politically and economically: that's the situation. On a luxe snowy getaway, four presidents of tech watch on. What could the US President have to say when he calls, then? "That your platform's inflamed a volatile situation, circulating unfalsifiable deepfakes, massive fraud, market instability," is one prediction in the just-dropped first teaser trailer for Mountainhead. The new movie is the latest project from Jesse Armstrong, who both writes and directs — and is making his return to the screen after Succession wrapped up in 2023. Based on the scenario seen in the sneak peek, aka a group of billionaires showing little care for the state of the globe while they live it up on holiday, Armstrong is still in eat-the-rich mode. Steve Carell (Despicable Me 4), Jason Schwartzman (The Last Showgirl), Cory Michael Smith (Saturday Night) and Ramy Youssef (Poor Things) play cashed-up group, aka Randall, Souper, Venis and Jeff — and when Venis arrives, the fact that he's the richest guy in the world earns a callout. Cue ribbing and riffing between the four, including about platforms that are "racist and shitty", as well as poker and catering seeming to be more of a concern than an international crisis. Mountainhead might be Armstrong's first feature as a director, but it's a straight-to-streaming flick, hitting Max in Australia on Sunday, 1 June, 2025. Co-starring alongside Carell, Schwartzman, Smith and Youssef: Hadley Robinson (Anyone But You), Andy Daly (Night Court), Ali Kinkade (Lessons in Chemistry), Daniel Oreskes (A Real Pain), David Thompson (It's What's Inside), Ami MacKenzie (Pulse) and Ava Kostia (Love Across Time). Although Armstrong is best-known for Succession — understandably so given that it has earned him seven Emmys — he's an Oscar-nominee for In the Loop's screenplay, also co-created Peep Show, was a writer on The Thick of It and Veep, co-penned Four Lions and wrote a season-one episode of Black Mirror, among other credits. Check out the trailer for Mountainhead below: Mountainhead streams via Max from Sunday, June 1, 2025. Images: Macall Polay/HBO.
While some interstate travel could be back on the cards for Australians by next month and trans-Tasman travel by July (according to the Federal Government's three-step plan for a COVIDSafe Australia), it looks like other international travel could still be a while off. Australia and New Zealand's borders are currently closed and all international travel is banned, and Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy has said he can't see this changing any time in the foreseeable future. Murphy told a Senate inquiry into COVID-19 as much yesterday,Wednesday, May 13: "I cannot see border measures materially changing for some time." Murphy also said that two-thirds of Australia's COVID-19 cases had been overseas-acquired and he had "no vision" of when strong borders could be relaxed. An analysis released earlier this week by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade association for the world's airlines, and Tourism Economics has an equally dire outlook — for international travel, not so much for domestic. According to the report, the best case scenario is that air travel will be back to normal (2019 levels) by 2023. While it's expected international air travel will take four years to recover, the report predicts domestic travel will bounce back faster. "The impacts of the crisis on long-haul travel will be much more severe and of a longer duration than what is expected in domestic markets," said IATA CEO Alexandre de Juniac in the report. The average length of flights will drop — as shown by the below graph — as people preference exploring their own backyard, over international jaunts. So, while European adventures and could still be a while off, exploring Australia could be a possibility in the not-so-distant future. Many states and territories have closed borders at the moment, though — including Queensland, Tasmania, WA, SA and NT — and regional travel is still off-limits, but we'll let you know when that changes. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and what travel is and isn't allowed, head to the Department of Health's website. Domestic travel is now allowed in New Zealand — read more about COVID-19 Alert Level 2 here.
When the end of the year hits, do you get 'Christmas is All Around', as sung by Bill Nighy, stuck in your head? Have you ever held up a piece of cardboard to tell the object of your affection that, to you, they're perfect? Does your idea of getting festive involve watching Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson and Martin Freeman, all in the same movie? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you clearly adore everyone's favourite Christmas-themed British rom-com, its high-profile cast and its seasonal humour. And, you've probably watched the beloved flick every December since it was first released in cinemas back in 2003. That's a perfectly acceptable routine, and one that's shared by many. But this year, you can do one better. A huge success during its past tours of the UK and Australia (to the surprise of absolutely no one), Love Actually in Concert is returning in 2022 to make this festive season extra merry. It's exactly what it sounds like: a screening of the film accompanied by a live orchestra performing the soundtrack as the movie plays. And, to the jolly delight of Aussies around the country, it's heading to Brisbane, Hobart, Wollongong, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Dates and times vary per city — and not all places have a venue locked in as yet — but obviously you'll be getting your Love Actually fix in the lead up to Christmas. Here, you'll revisit the Richard Curtis-written and -directed film that you already know and treasure, step through its interweaved Yuletide stories of romance, and hear a live orchestra play the movie's soundtrack. And, yes, Christmas (and love) will be all around you. Ticket on-sale dates vary per city, too, starting on Wednesday, September 28 in some places — but you can join the waitlist now no matter where you are. LOVE ACTUALLY IN CONCERT 2022 DATES: Saturday, December 10 — 4pm, Great Hall, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Saturday, December 10 — time and venue TBC, Hobart Wednesday, December 14 — 7.30pm, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong Thursday, December 15 — 7.30pm, The Star Gold Coast Friday, December 16 — time and venue TBC, Adelaide Saturday, December 17 — 4pm, Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC Sydney Saturday, December 17 — 4pm, Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Saturday, December 17 — 4pm, Perth Convention and Entertainment Centre Love Actually in Concert will tour Australia this December — head to the event's website for further details, and to join the waitlist, with tickets in some cities going on sale on Wednesday, September 28.
When Toy Story hit cinema screens back in 1995, the Oscar-winning movie made history as the first entirely computer-generated feature-length film. The huge Pixar hit also made audiences everywhere fall hard for a bunch of loveable playthings, because you're never too old to find a friend wherever you need it. It's completely okay if you're feeling a little wistful and teary just thinking about it. Nine years after the last Toy Story movie, the animation studio is counting on that very sentiment — and that viewers everywhere just aren't ready to farewell these animated pals. While 2010's Toy Story 3 was pitched as the final flick in the series, this film franchise could reach to infinity and beyond. For now, it's just unveiling its next chapter. Releasing on the big screen in June, Toy Story 4 sees the return of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the gang (and the return of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and company as voice talent). Given that Andy, the protagonist from the original three flicks, has given away all of this toys, the group are now the proud property of Bonnie — and a new adventure awaits, as does a new homemade buddy called Forky (Tony Hale). Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Christina Hendricks and none other than Keanu Reeves also join the voice cast — the latter playing a daredevil character called Duke Kaboom, and likely saying "whoa!" more than once. Check out the full trailer below, and prepare to get mighty nostalgic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmiIUN-7qhE Toy Story 4 releases in Australian cinemas on June 20, 2019.
There are wine tastings – and then there's the Penfolds immersive wine experience. This extraordinary event, which is making a comeback to Sydney in May, brings together tastings with visuals, lighting, sounds and storytelling. Your 45-minute adventure will give you the chance to sample drops from Australia, the USA and France, soundtracked by the voice of senior winemaker Steph Dutton. And the finale? As you might have guessed, it's a rare chance to try Penfolds Grange. But before you try the coveted bottle, you'll be thoroughly prepared, with a palate cleanser created by Magill Estate Restaurant Director and Chef Scott Huggins, in collaboration with Penfolds' Chief Winemaker Peter Gago. We can't ruin the surprise by giving you the exact details, but we do know it draws inspiration from Penfolds and Thiénot Rosé Champagne. All this will take place in Sydney Arcade at 400 George Street from Friday, May 2 to Sunday, May 11. Multiple sessions will happen daily and tickets – at $150 – are available online.
It's been one year since Loulou opened in Milsons Point, bringing a three-in-one all-day French restaurant, cafe and deli to the North Shore. To celebrate the first 12 months of coffee, champagne, crab souffle, steak tartare and caviar service at the restaurant, the Loulou team is slashing the prices on its croissants down to $1 on Thursday, December 22. Each croissant at Loulou is a three-day process, beginning with Head Baker Brendon Woodward's personal starter dough. Once it's been removed from the oven it's then finished with the restaurant's creamy French butter. There are only 500 of these buttery pastries available on the day so you better get down early if you want to start your Thursday with one. Loulou's boulangerie is open from 7am, but the croissants will be on offer from 7.30am until they are sold out. If you do miss out, you can always head in later to celebrate with the Loulou team over a French lunch or dinner. [caption id="attachment_841014" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steve Woodburn[/caption]
Move over Toby's and watch out Campos, the Gypsies have arrived in town. Potts Point's latest espresso bar is far from what its name suggests. No velvet curtains, no lion heads or gargoyles and no fortune teller. There's scarce evidence of Bohemia in this humble 20-seat establishment. Ironically, the interior is utilitarian in style, with polished concrete floors, stainless steel benches and industrial light fixtures. Contrary to the seemingly cold aesthetic, this hole-in-the-wall espresso bar is sizzling hot on the coffee front. Gypsy Espresso cares about quality. How do we know? They use only the finest Arabica beans, carefully hand-roasted by their team of coffee experts. It is the culmination of their knowledge, care and skill in all aspects of the process that has resulted in the creation of coffee that is close to magical. They also provide a concise, but smart food menu comprising classic breakfast options – think scrambled eggs, breads and jams – and some appetising gourmet sandwiches and burgers, with the shredded pork ($10) a definite standout. Some simple seasonal soups and salads are available for lunch, all of which appear tasty and inexpensive. Refreshingly, there is no pretention surrounding these food offerings. Unfortunately, the food lacks the magical quality that the coffee holds. They're all about the perfect drip and you can tell. Add to the mix a warm atmosphere created by friendly, efficient staff and you've got yourself a sterling newish hotspot. Let's hope, for the Point's sake, this gypsy sticks around.
If you're not fond of cooking every night of the week, chances are you've relied upon food delivery services a little more than usual in 2020. With heading out to eat off the cards during Australia's nationwide lockdown earlier in the year — and throughout Melbourne's current strict stay-at-home restrictions as well — being able to get meals brought to your door has been a key coping tool. You might not be able to physically go to your favourite eatery, but you can still tuck into its dishes. For three days next week — from 12.01am Tuesday, September 29–11.59pm Thursday, October 1 — you'll also be able to get those bites to eat without paying for delivery. Across that 72-hour period, Menulog is hosting its first Menulog Free Delivery Fest. And yes, it's all there in the name. You'll still have to pay for your food, obviously, but you won't have to fork out a single cent to get it delivered. And, the deal applies to every Menulog-delivered order except KFC, so you'll have plenty of dishes to choose from. To nab free delivery, you'll need to order between the above dates and times via the Menulog app and the Menulog website. Restaurants taking part will have a free delivery icon on their Menulog listing, too — with the Menulog Free Delivery Fest running in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. The Menulog Free Delivery Fest runs from 12.01am Tuesday, September 29–11.59pm Thursday, October 1 via the Menulog app and the Menulog website.
"For us, it's about trying to take risks," says director Amiel Courtin-Wilson. "Further the process, and see how far you can push things before they break." Certainly, the Melbourne-born filmmaker is not afraid of pushing the envelope. After beginning his career in documentary with films like Chasing Buddha and Bastardy, Courtin-Wilson's first fiction feature was 2012's Hail, a dark, critically divisive love story that blended naturalistic cinematography and dialogue with striking moments of visual experimentation. A similar methodology is at work in his follow-up, Ruin, which he co-directed with Hail producer Michael Cody. Inspired by Cody's time living and working in South-East Asia, the film is a romantic drama about the relationship between a runaway prostitute and a factory worker in Phnom Penh and the desperate lengths they must go to in order to survive. "On average I don't think we did a day shorter than 15 or 16 hours," says Courtin-Wilson of the gruelling, unconventional shoot, which was broken into two separate three-week blocks with a yearlong gap in between. "The last week we were shooting 20, 21 hour days." Now it seems that the hard work has paid off. Since its completion, Ruin has won numerous festival awards, including the Special Jury Prize at Venice, and had its Australian debut in competition at the Sydney Film Festival. In the lead-up to their local premiere, Courtin-Wilson and Cody took the time to talk with Concrete Playground about the experience of putting the film together. https://youtube.com/watch?v=5VEQ2Hvq_Cs No Script, no problem When asked about the project's origins, both directors grin. "We landed in Cambodia without a script, without any finance and without any sense of a story," remembers Courtin-Wilson. "Within about a month we had some finance, we had a cast, we had a crew from Australia, and we had a 15-page outline. So in many ways it was just an experiment in sheer momentum." The Australian crew came together under the banner of Courtin-Wilson's film collective, Flood Projects. Many of them worked for free, even paying for their own plane tickets to Cambodia. "If someone's prepared to do that, they're obviously there for the right reason," says Cody, "and that's very humbling. It means that the process is genuinely very collaborative; everyone's invested in it, and we're super grateful to them for being there." Courtin-Wilson agrees. "I think what happens when you give over to that process without the usual hierarchies, when someone can literally have four or five roles, is that everyone is so invested and so excited," he says. "Someone can be down the street for lunch and find some amazing potential cast member, or find an amazing cafe for a scene … it was the most exhilarating filmmaking experience I've ever had." A road movie with no road map Part of Ruin's naturalistic feel comes from the filmmakers being willing to draw from their environment. "Structurally, working with a road movie paradigm meant that you could expand or contract the film according to who you met along the way," says Courtin-Wilson. "It's episodic in nature … we'd meet an amazing fisherman in a province halfway through shooting and then we'd sit down and write a scene for him, and integrate that into the story. "The idea that filmmaking has to be a one-way street in which you can't fundamentally reinvent the film in the edit..." Courtin-Wilson trails off, shaking his head. "If anything, we were trying to inject more chaos into the process, because that's where the discoveries lie." "I'm pretty sure [the cast] thought we were just mental cases for a lot of the time shooting the film," says Cody, laughing. The guidance of trauma "We had a really fundamental idea of what the theme of the film was, which came from Cody's initial idea of trauma, and how trauma sits in the body," says Courtin-Wilson. "This is a whole country that's been traumatised," adds Cody. "One thing I'm really pleased with is the way the history of the place comes through, but in an oblique way. It's subtle, as it is in everyday life there. You can feel it everywhere, all around you, but it's not discussed. These people have to deal with the reality of that history, in their lives and their relationships. You know, like living down the road from the guy that executed your father, that sort of stuff." "In early screenings of the film we had in Cambodia," says Courtin-Wilson, "the greatest compliment [came from] showing it to a group of Cambodian artists, musicians and filmmakers, and for them to say 'this feels like Cambodia today'. If we even came close to capturing that, that's all I would ever want." Ruin is on at the Melbourne International Film Festival on Wednesday, August 13, and Saturday, August 17. For tickets, see the MIFF website.
With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise in New South Wales, Australia's internal borders have become a hot topic yet again. Since the new northern beaches cluster first came to light on Thursday, December 17, a number of states have changed their border arrangements — with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announcing today, Sunday, December 20, that his state is closing its borders to all of Greater Sydney and the Central Coast. Victoria is declaring both of the two regions a 'red zone' under its new border entry system, which came into effect at midnight as Friday, December 18 ticked over to Saturday, December 19. Originally, just the northern beaches received that designation — which means folks from the area are "not eligible to apply for a Victorian Border Crossing Permit and are prohibited from entering Victoria" — but that has now been expanded. Greater Sydney and the Central Coast will become red zones from midnight tonight (as Sunday, December 20 becomes Monday, December 21), which means that anyone who lives in, has visited, been in, or travelled through from either area who wants to go to Victoria will not be permitted to enter. As Premier Andrews explained, "nobody who is from those parts of Sydney, or Greater Sydney, or has visited that part of Greater Sydney will be allowed to travel back to Melbourne or any part of Victoria". If people who have been in those NSW regions do arrive in Victoria and receive an exemption to enter, they'll be required to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days. An exception applies to Victorians who are returning home, as they'll receive an extra day — until midnight on Monday, December 21 — to return; however, they must quarantine in their homes. After that, though, the same rules apply to Victorians. "The door will close for home quarantine for Victorians on midnight Monday night," the Premier said. "If they don't get back in the next day and a half then, regardless of whether you are Victorian or not, you will go into 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine." If you're wondering what that means on the roads around the New South Wales-Victorian border, a hard border will be put into effect, which Premier Andrews also explained. "There will be 700 members of Victoria Police who will have various checkpoints, many, many checkpoints along the New South Wales–Victoria border. There will be a permit system, so if you want to travel to Victoria by road you will need to get a permit. You will need to get another permit if you had one issued yesterday, because circumstances have changed." But, residents of border communities won't require permits. "For local communities, all the local government areas on the New South Wales side of the border and on the Victorian side of the border will have freedom of movement. Just by simply showing your driver license to show where you live and you are from that bubble, if you like, you will be able to move back and forth," said the Premier. As for how long the aforementioned changes will be in place, an end date wasn't given. Although the NSW Government has set 11.59pm on Wednesday, December 23 as its planned date to end the northern beaches lockdown, the request for Sydneysiders to cancel all non-essential activities and the new ten-person cap on gatherings at home, Victoria isn't working towards that date regarding the border. "They will not be open on midnight Wednesday night. I want to be clear on that... these arrangements will not be lifted on midnight Wednesday night," Premier Andrews advised. The move comes as NSW recorded 30 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm on Saturday, December 19. Victoria has now gone 51 days without any local COVID-19 cases. From midnight on Sunday, December 20 anyone who has visited the Greater Sydney and Central Coast areas in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Victoria unless they are a returning resident or are entering for one a few essential reasons. For more information, head to the Victorian Government coronavirus website.
North Sydney's latest cafe has opened its doors this week, and it's hoping to become the suburb's new go-to for great coffee and quality lunchtime meals. Glory Days is the first hospitality opening within the towering, glass-walled Dexus development and it's run by hospo guru Aaron Crinis — who is also responsible for two much-loved Wollongong venues, Diggies Cafe and Dagwood Bar + Kitchen. The fit-out is pretty typical of what you'd expect from a lobby cafe — similar to the CBD's Cross Eatery and South by Dukes — with hotel lounge-like seating, timber accents, polished floors and (incredibly) high ceilings. But the menu is a far cry from most basic lobby-side eateries (bar the above, of course). Alexandria's Mecca has even roasted a special coffee blend just for the cafe. [caption id="attachment_724907" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Van Der Jagt for Buffet Digital[/caption] Similarly to his previous venues, Crinis saw a gap in the market that he could fill — in the case of Glory Days, he saw that North Sydney's working masses needed fresher, more wholesome eats. To this end, the cafe's menu consists of coffee, snacks and quick brekkie options for takeaway, with a focus on health-conscious bites and sustainably minded local suppliers. Apart from the coffees and cold-pressed juices, there are Tea Craft teas, Prana chai, Kombu kombucha (in ginger and lemon myrtle or raspberry and thyme flavours) and hot chocolates by Melbourne's Mörk — including one made with cacao, cayenne pepper and almond milk. [caption id="attachment_724904" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent Van Der Jagt for Buffet Digital[/caption] For food, there's Brickfields sourdough toast (with both gluten-free and charcoal options), topped with your usual selection of spreads, along with smashed avo and fresh tomato. Then there are Brooklyn Boy Bagels with schmear — at the moment, choose between cream cheese, chilli flakes and chives or smoked salmon with tomato and capers. And, because everyone deserves to live a little, Brickfields is also providing a tasty selection of pastries. Come September, upstairs sister restaurant and bar Glorietta will open and the cafe's menu will be expanded. Details are sparse for now, but we'll update you when the time comes. Find Glory Days at 100 Mount Street, North Sydney. Opening hours are Monday through Friday from 7am–3pm. Images: Trent Van Der Jagt for Buffet Digital.
Some things in this life are just meant to go together. Such is the way with Snowshoe to Fondue, the ultimate alpine holiday pairing for everyone who values the après in their skiing. Run by tour operators Alpine Nature Experience, Snowshoe to Fondue runs throughout the winter months in Victoria's Mount Hotham. The experience starts with a sunset hike through the snow-covered forest. Snowshoes enable you to 'float' rather than sink into the alpine landscape, so expect a breezy walk that just earns you the cheese extravaganza that is the real reason for this outing. The feasting takes place at Alpine Nature Experience's 'hidden eco-village', inside a tipi with a fireplace. Here, having enjoyed a warming glass of glühwein upon arrival, you'll be shown how to make a traditional Swiss fondue. A reminder if you haven't heard the word in a while: fondue involves melting cheese over a portable stove and dipping food into it. Why this gooey form of eating ever went out of fashion is a total mystery. Alpine Nature Experience's version is made with cheese imported from the French mountains — and it's bookended with soup and cake, making it a balanced three-course meal. The tour includes transport back to your starting point at Wire Plain, from where you can easily return to your accommodation at Mount Hotham and sleep the sleep of kings. Whatever adventures you've planned on the slopes for tomorrow, you'll be properly fuelled for them. Snowshoe to Fondue tours will run daily Wednesdays to Sundays until September 29. To make a booking, visit the website. Images: Fabio Olivera and Georgie James.
If you prefer an art experience that extends beyond looking at works on a wall, prepare to be impressed by Melbourne's new immersive digital art gallery. Set to open in late 2020, The Lume will take the form of a $15-million 2000-square-metre gallery, decked out with 150 state-of-the-art projectors. Projections of some of the world's most celebrated works will be splashed across various surfaces, backed by powerful musical soundtracks and complemented by aromas. The project is the brainchild of Melbourne-based Grande Exhibitions, which, for the past 14 years, has hosted immersive exhibitions and gallery experiences in over 130 cities across the world. The company also owns and operates Rome's Museo Leonardo da Vinci. Known for celebrating art world greats like Vincent van Gogh and da Vinci through modern, multi-sensory technology, Grande Exhibitions will use a similar formula at The Lume. Instead of showcasing original works, the gallery will rely on a curation of music and moving image to create a tapestry of instantly recognisable artworks. At night, The Lume will transform into an events space, thanks to a collaboration with catering company Food & Desire. So, next Christmas party you could be sipping bubbles while looking at (and smelling) a Van Gogh. To get more of an idea of what to expect from The Lume when it opens later this year, check out this teaser: https://youtu.be/-nFtXTTXpWk The Lume will open in an unconfirmed Melbourne location in late 2020. We'll let you know when more details are announced. You can check out some of Grande Exhibitions' other gallery experiences over here. Updated March 2020
If you're a fan of the Apple iPad be sure to pencil March 7, 2012 into your diaries. According to tech site iMore.com, this is the day that Apple will unveil the iPad 3 — or iPad HD. These predictions are in sync with AllThingsD's earlier report that the iPad 3 will be announced in the first week of March. In addition, Apple insider, Jim Dalrymple of The Loop, has indirectly accepted this rumoured announcement date with a solid "Yep." Citing "sources who have been reliable in the past", iMore suggests that features of the next-gen iPad are to include 4G LTE networking, a 2048 x 1536 Retina Display and a quad-core A6 processor. These are considerable upgrades when considering the current iPad 2's specs. Other circulating rumours anticipate an improved camera (either 5 or 8-megapixels), a HD front camera and the possibility of a mini 7" iPad. Considering Apple's world domination in the business of technology, one thing that's for certain is that you'll have to fight off a hoard of iPad-loving vultures before you can get your hands on Apple's newest edition to the iPad family.
Just ten short months ago, seeing a new high-profile movie was a rather straightforward affair. When a big-screen release date was announced for a film, that's generally when it would hit theatres, perhaps with a few minor shifts here and there. But then, as we all know, the pandemic hit. Film release dates started being postponed and have kept up that trend, with big-name flicks pushing their openings back by around a year in some cases. And, recognising that the cinema industry mightn't return to normal worldwide while COVID-19 is still spreading, a few of those eagerly anticipated movies have been making the jump to streaming instead. Add Soul, Pixar's latest film, to the latter category. Instead of releasing in cinemas, it'll now head straight to Disney+ in December. If your Christmas plans usually involve lots of food and then some couch time, you'll be able to feast your eyeballs on the animation studio's new all-ages effort, as it'll hit the Mouse House's streaming platform on Friday, December 25. This isn't the first time that Disney, or even the Disney-owned Pixar, have taken this leap. Earlier in 2020, Pixar's Onward was moved to Disney+ once cinemas started closing down worldwide. Disney also sent terrible fantasy flick Artemis Fowl straight to streaming mid-year, as well as the phenomenal live recording of hit musical Hamilton. The same happened with its big-budget live-action version of Mulan, too, albeit with an added cost involved on top of the normal Disney+ subscription price. With Soul, viewers won't have to fork out anything extra, with the film available as a regular part of the streaming platform's catalogue. And if you're a big fan of Pixar's fondness for layering eye-catching imagery over a shared existential question — what it means to be alive and to feel, regardless of whether you're a toy, bug, monster, fish, superhero, car, rat, robot, dinosaur or emotion — this is clearly great news. As viewers can't help noticing, the animation powerhouse has been leaning into its favourite idea with plenty of force of late. Inside Out focused its attention on the emotions warring inside the heart and mind of a young girl, guiding her every thought, feeling and decision, while Coco drew upon the Mexican Day of the Dead, following a young boy as he wandered through the world beyond the mortal coil. Now, with Soul, Pixar looks to be borrowing from and combining parts of those two movies. It hones in on a school teacher who dreams of becoming a jazz musician, then falls down an open manhole and into a dark realm that looks rather like the afterlife. His titular essence is detached from his body, comes across a far more cynical counterpart and, in the process, starts wondering what it really means to have a soul. Jamie Foxx voices jazz-lover Joe Gardner, who is already musing on life's important questions — why is he here, what is he meant to be doing and what existence is all about — before his accident. Once he has tumbled down the manhole, he spends his time bantering with 22, voiced by Tina Fey. As well as whipping out a nifty cowboy dance, 22 doesn't think that life on earth is all that great. Audiences can expect to tag along on Joe's metaphysical journey, and to enjoy Foxx and Fey's comedic double act. The film also features the vocal talents of Questlove, Phylicia Rashad and Hamilton's Daveed Diggs, and boasts a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. And if you're wondering where the movie's central idea comes from (other than Pixar's back catalogue), writer/director Pete Docter started thinking about the origin of our personalities when his son was born more than two decades ago. Docter also helmed two of Pixar's big hits — and big emotional heavy hitters — in Up and Inside Out, nabbing Oscars for Best Animated Feature for both. Check out the trailer for Soul below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOsLIiBStEs Soul will start streaming on Disney+ on Friday, December 25, as part of the streaming service's regular subscription offering.
"You know you're like the tenth guy to try this, right? It never works out for the dipshit in the mask." So scolds TV reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox, Shining Vale) in the latest trailer for Scream VI, saying what everyone that's ever watched this slasher franchise has long known. But, if bad past outcomes for fellow Ghostfaces were going to stop the next killer in the horror-film saga from getting stabby, there wouldn't even be a new flick to begin with. If you like scary movies, then you've likely watched a Scream film or five over the last quarter of a century. And, across that period — ever since the OG feature became a box-office smash in 1996, then delivered 1997's Scream 2, 2000's Scream 3, 2011's Scream 4 and 2022's Scream, plus TV spinoff Scream: The TV Series — you've seen the saga's mask-wearing killer Ghostface slash his way through the fictional Californian town of Woodsboro multiple times, as well as a college in Ohio and then Hollywood. This time, however, he's following in The Muppets' footsteps and making a date with Manhattan. In both the initial Scream VI teaser trailer from back in 2022 and the just-dropped full sneak peek, New York City has an unwanted guest — and the current person donning a Ghostface mask is more than a little obsessed with their task. Early in the clip, there's even a shrine to the franchise so far, taking a trip down memory lane through the saga's history. There's also another familiar face: Hayden Panettiere (Nashville), returning to the fold as Kirby Reed following Scream 4. She joins Cox as Weathers, the last Scream's Melissa Barrera (In the Heights) and Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) as sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter, and Jasmin Savoy Brown (Yellowjackets) as the siblings' film-obsessed pal Mindy among the existing franchise players making a comeback to get stalked by Ghostface once again. Or, make that Ghostfaces. In the two trailers so far, it's clearly Halloween, and costumes abound on a NYC subway. Among all that spooky attire: more than one black-clad person in a Ghostface mask, making Sam, Tara and Mindy more than a little distressed. Ghostface also whips out a gun in a convenience store, slinks around New York's streets and gets Gale on the phone. Does the latter signal an end to one of the series' original characters? Amid references to other horror movies, and to the franchise's own past, that's how those kinds of scenes usually play out. Whatever's in store for Gale, Kirby and company — and whether Kirby might be the killer this time around, because this series does love links when it comes to Ghostface's identity — will be revealed in early March, when Scream VI hits cinemas. Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett return to direct, as they did with 2021's Scream. Also involved, featuring on-screen: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and The Other Two's Josh Segarra, Servant and The Grand Budapest Hotel's Tony Revolori, and Australian Nine Perfect Strangers and Ready or Not star Samara Weaving, plus Dermot Mulroney (Umma) and Henry Czerny (another Ready or Not alum). Check out the full Scream VI trailer below: Scream VI releases in cinemas Down Under on March 9. Images: Philippe Bossé.
What do Euphoria, Yellowjackets, Wednesday, Atlanta, Mr & Mrs Smith, Dark Matter, The Umbrella Academy, The Penguin, Overcompensating and Sirens all have in common, other than being TV shows? Next, what do they also share with Beyoncé's online footprint? Music supervisor Jen Malone is the connection between all of the aforementioned television series, with the four-time Emmy-nominee working on each of them. Then, SXSW Sydney 2025 links Malone with Dr Marcus Collins, Beyoncé's former Digital Strategy Director — because the two have just been announced on the event's Music Festival speaker lineup. When April was coming to a close, SXSW Sydney started dropping its first music acts for this year's fest. A month later as May winds down, it has now revealed the initial list of folks who'll be getting chatting as part of the conference side of SXSW Sydney 2025's Music Festival. How do you stack TV and streaming hits — and movies, too — with the exact-right songs? Malone will take to the stage to spill the details. How should you approach marketing strategy in the music business, and what can you learn from doing just that for megastars ? That's where marketing professor, For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be author and ex-Beyoncé team member Collins will come in. Both Malone and Collins are on the bill when SXSW Sydney returns for its third year between Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19, 2025. As it tends to each year, the festival has been unveiling its latest lineup in bits and pieces, after also revealing that there'll be more free programming and an initial look at the overall speaker lineup in recent months. "SXSW Sydney is about big ideas, bold conversations and unexpected connections. It's a chance to hear directly from the people who open doors — the buyers, curators and deal-makers — and to better understand how to cut through, stay independent or scale globally. Whether you're building a team, exploring how AI can support your creative and business goals, or just looking for inspiration from other creative industries, this is where the conversations start," said SXSW Sydney's Head of Music Claire Collins about the first round of Music Festival speakers. "We're proud to bring this talent to Sydney, and to connect them with the broader SXSW Sydney community. It's a week packed with fun, discovery, and opportunities to connect, collaborate and imagine what's next for music in our region and around the world." Malone and Collins will have company from a wide array of other SXSW Sydney Music Festival guests, such as Brian Hobbs, SXSW in Austin's Director of Music Festival Programming; Patrick Daniel from Reeperbahn Festival in Germany; Airing Your Dirty Laundry podcast host Daphne Berry; Alex Berenson, the All Flowers international label group's Senior Director of A&R; and Justin Sweeting, the founder of Hong Kong's Clockenflap Festival. Also among the names on the program so far: Hallie Anderson, who co-founded Rareform marketing team, Ode strategic agency's Jashima Wadehra, Mardi Caught from marketing and artist services outfit The Annex, music networking platform GigLifePro's Priya Dewan and Pal Norte Festival's Macarena González. If you missed it, the roster to date of musicians that'll be showing off their talents spans both international and local acts. In the first camp: Jasmine 4.t, Freak Slug and Ristband + Pivots from the UK; Slowwves from Thailand; Japan's Suichu Spica 水中スピカ; New Zealand's Serebii and Tusekah; and Cardinals from Ireland. Flying the flag for Aussie acts to begin with: Jamaica Moana, JJ4K, RICEWINE, Sacred Hearts, Swapmeet and BADASSMUTHA. In total, this year's fest is due to feature more than 300 music performances. And, that's just the live tunes side of the event. Across its 1600-plus sessions, SXSW Sydney 2025 will also boast over 550 conference and professional development sessions, 90-plus movie screenings and over 150 games. [caption id="attachment_984093" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nina Franova/Getty Images for SXSW Sydney[/caption] [caption id="attachment_965208" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_953711" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jaimi Joy[/caption] SXSW Sydney 2025 runs from Monday, October 13–Sunday, October 19 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details. Top image: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for SXSW.
They played a couple in Drive opposite Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy). They bickered their way through New York's 60s-era folk scene in Inside Llewyn Davis, too. Now, after teaming up for acclaimed filmmakers Nicolas Winding Refn and the Coen brothers, Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) and Carey Mulligan (Spaceman) are reuniting on-screen again, this time to lead the cast in Netflix's feuding anthology series Beef. A second season of the acclaimed show is officially on the way, so get ready for more grievances. This time, the new eight-episode run will focus on a young couple who sees a fight between their boss and his wife, and the aftermath, which takes the drama into a country club as well. Everyone has petty feuds. That's one of the truths behind the the Golden Globe-, Emmy-, Gotham, Screen Actors Guild Award-, Independent Spirit Award and Producers Guild Award-winning series, which brought squabbling strangers into everyone's streaming queues in 2023 and became one of the best new shows of the year in the process. Beef was initially meant to be a once-off, but plenty more people could always disagree, argue and hold grudges on-screen — and, soon, some more will. Earlier in 2024, Jake Gyllenhaal (Presumed Innocent) and Anne Hathaway (The Idea of You) were rumoured to be starring in Beef's second season, which would've been a reunion for them as well — see: Love & Other Drugs and Brokeback Mountain — but Isaac and Mulligan are doing the honours instead. Back then, it was also reported that Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla) and Charles Melton (May December) could be among the cast that's taking over from Steven Yeun (Nope) and Ali Wong (Paper Girls), with that part still happening. If you missed season one of the Lee Sung Jin (Dave)-created Beef, it followed Danny Cho (Yeun) and Amy Lau (Wong) after they got in a fender bender, then neither handled it well. Cue a feud that they can't shake, infiltrating their lives and relationships. If their quest for revenge each other just fizzled out, there obviously wouldn't be a series. Part of Beef's ongoing beef in season one stemmed from a comedy staple: putting opposites together and seeing what springs. Danny is struggling as a contractor and isn't happy about it, while Amy lives a seemingly idyllic life thanks to her success as an entrepreneur. They both share a need to get back at each other, though — and to see through their clash to the end. Lee is back for season two as the show's creator, while Yeun and Wong are onboard as well as executive producers. There's obviously no trailer yet for the second season, but check out a clip from Beef season one below: Beef season two doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when more details are locked in. Beef season streams via Netflix — read our review. Top image: The Card Counter, courtesy of Focus Features / ©2021 Focus Features, LLC.
The new Edmondson Square Town Centre in southwest Sydney officially opened to the public today, featuring over 40 speciality retailers and a dedicated 'Eat Street' showcasing over 20 different cuisines. The sprawling $1.5 billion urban space is the second stage of the development by Frasers Property Australia, who also built the Central Park precinct in Chippendale. Ed Square's Eat Street will showcase the likes of Kitchai, Burger Point, Baby Bao, Loaded (from the Bar Luca crew) and cult-favourite Gami Chicken. The dedicated dining precinct is designed as an open-air, alfresco space with options for brunch through to late-night dining. Tim Casaje, owner of Burger Point says, "Ed.Square will be the first Burger Point in southwest Sydney and we can't wait to showcase our brand in a new region. We've had many customers asking when we'd be expanding into this area and we're excited to be coming to them soon." [caption id="attachment_810106" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ed Square[/caption] iPlay will house over 80 vintage and newly-released arcade games, plus a bowling alley and bar across their 1,600 sqm space, while the newest Event Cinemas features six screens. There's a water play fun park to keep the kids entertained as well as a 24-hour gym. The shopping, dining and entertainment precinct is designed by HDR, GroupGSA and HASSELL in collaboration with Frasers. The hub forms a part of a wider development by Frasers, which includes more than 1,800 new apartments, terraces and townhomes. To celebrate the launch, Ed Square will host an array pop-up activations including mini golf, and live music by the likes of local artist Asahi and singer Emily Hanks from Friday, April 30–Sunday, May 2. You can check out the range of activities on the Ed Square Facebook page. Image: Joshua Morris
It's one of the most famous lines in cinema history, and it just keeps proving true. When Arnold Schwarzenegger said "I'll be back" in 1984's The Terminator, he clearly meant it — and so did James Cameron's franchise. Like Skynet-controlled robot killing machines trying to exterminate humanity and take over the world, this series just keeps coming, with 1991's Terminator 2: Judgement Day, 2003's Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, 2009's Terminator Salvation, 2015's Terminator Genisys, TV's short-lived Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and animated show Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series to its name. The saga's fortunes have been varied, to say the least, with the last few films hardly leaving anyone clamouring for more. But, no matter how Terminator: Dark Fate turns out, it does have one big trick up its sleeves. While Arnie has been a part of every Terminator movie except Salvation, which was made while he was the Governor of California, Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor hasn't had a significant part in the franchise since T2. The character has still popped up on-screen, played by everyone's favourite duelling Game of Thrones queens — that is, by Lena Headey in The Sarah Connor Chronicles and by Emilia Clarke in Genisys — but now the kick-ass Hamilton is making a proper comeback. Timeline-wise, Dark Fate actually takes place after T2, ignoring all of the other sequels. If it's a success, it'll start a new trilogy, although the same was expected of Salvation and Genisys, too. As well as the return of Hamilton as Connor — and Arnie as the T-800, of course — the movie stars Halt and Catch Fire's Mackenzie Davis as a new terminator-human hybrid sent from the future. She's charged with protecting Birds of Passage's Natalia Reyes from the deadly ways of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Gabriel Luna, who plays their not-so-kindly cyborg assassin foe. After writing and directing the series' first two flicks, Cameron returns as a producer, while Deadpool's Tim Miller is in the director's chair. Catch the trailer below — yes, the saga is back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCyEX6u-Yhs Terminator: Dark Fate releases in Australian cinemas on October 31, 2019.
The Claws are coming out this summer, and by that I mean White Claw — the most culturally pervasive entrant in the ever-increasing selection of hard seltzers — will be widely available for your low-calorie, sparkling water-meets-alcohol yearnings. And, now, those among you who both enjoy a hard seltzer but also suffer crippling flavour-indecisiveness can breathe a sigh of relief because Australia's bestselling hard seltzer brand has just dropped a new Variety Pack so you have one less thing you need to ruminate on. A treat. The new 10-Pack case features the usual suspects of Mango, Natural Lime and Ruby Grapefruit, and a couple of tins of the brand new Watermelon flavour — which only launched in Australia last week. Good for picnics, parties and (probably) gallivanting on yachts, when you're looking for something a little lighter than beers and less boozy than natural wine. The hard seltzer craze has evolved from its beginnings as a hallmark of chaotic-bro culture in the American summer of 2019, to permeating multiple levels of fridge space in local bottle shops, from tasty locally-brewed or conceived options like Sunny Eddy, Good Tides, Fellr and Rain Bird to the big international favourites Truly and, of course, White Claw. The White Claw Variety Pack is available from October 11 with 4 x Mango, 2 x Natural Lime, 2 x Ruby Grapefruit and 2 x Watermelon and will retail for $50. Image credit: Provided
