Whether you're backpacking around the world, road-tripping across the country or just heading on a one-day jaunt somewhere close by, packing light and taking your favourite things with you rarely go hand in hand. Sometimes, though, everyone wants to combine a new adventure with a slice of comfort. That's where the Nomadic Life kit comes in. Recognising that we're all on the go all the time these days, product design brand Gerardo Osio has put together a collection of handy items that can be easily transported — and will instantly improve your travelling experience. Inside a portable wooden box, you'll find everything from a mat and a cushion for on-the-go relaxation to a copper tableware set. For an instant dose of added peacefulness, there's also a vase, candle and incense holder. The project also aims to link in with Buddhist and Shinto philosophies about compact living by highlighting simplicity and practicability. With that in mind, all of the objects within the kit are hand-crafted from natural materials such as copper, wood, leather, straw, cotton and stone, and made in collaboration with six different Japanese traditional craft workshops.
What had Amy Schumer advising that her hosting plan was "to stay present until I black out" and Troy Kotsur promising not to sign any profanity? Where did Timothée Chalamet opt not to wear a shirt, Tiffany Haddish declare that she's a superhero just for being herself, and anniversary tributes to everything from The Godfather, Pulp Fiction and Bond toWhite Men Can't Jump and Juno take place like an entertainment website had somehow come to life? That'd be the 2022 Academy Awards. Back in a March time slot, Hollywood's night of nights just handed out its gongs for this year — recognising films from last year — and plenty happened. Where did the first-ever live performance of Encanto's 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' occur, too? At the Oscars today, obviously. (We won't talk about a certain outburst that also took place, because it doesn't deserve any further oxygen.) While the ceremony always sparks conversation — great, bad or fine, the latter of which fits here apart from its violent interlude — the Academy Awards are always about celebrating top-notch movies. The body behind them made some incredibly questionable choices with its live event this year, including taking eight categories it didn't deem sexy enough out of the televised broadcast (including the one that none other than Hans Zimmer won, and understandably decided not to attend to collect), but a heap of worthy flicks still just picked up shiny trophies. As a result, CODA is now the reigning Best Picture winner, Jane Campion became just the third woman ever to win Best Director and Dune nabbed almost every technical award it could — and they're just some of this year's crop of recipients. From Drive My Car earning some Best International Feature love to Cruella's costumes getting the nod, if you're wondering what else emerged victorious, the full rundown is below. You can also check out our picks for the 11 winners you should watch right now as well — and our full lists of where most of this year's contenders are screening or streaming in both Australia and New Zealand. OSCAR NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2022 BEST MOTION PICTURE The Power of the Dog West Side Story Belfast Dune Licorice Pizza King Richard CODA — WINNER Don't Look Up Drive My Car Nightmare Alley BEST DIRECTOR Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog — WINNER Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye — WINNER Kristen Stewart, Spencer Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Will Smith, King Richard — WINNER Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... Boom! Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Ariana DeBose, West Side Story — WINNER Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Judi Dench, Belfast Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA — WINNER Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog JK Simmons, Being the Ricardos BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson Belfast, Kenneth Branagh — WINNER King Richard, Zach Baylin Don't Look Up, Adam McKay (story by McKay and David Sirota) The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal CODA, Sian Heder — WINNER Dune, Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Drive My Car (Japan) — WINNER The Worst Person in the World (Norway) Flee (Denmark) The Hand of God (Italy) Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Encanto — WINNER Luca The Mitchells vs the Machines Flee Raya and the Last Dragon BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) — WINNER Flee Ascension Attica Writing with Fire BEST ORIGINAL SCORE The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood Dune, Hans Zimmer — WINNER Don't Look Up, Nicholas Britell Encanto, Germaine Franco Parallel Mothers, Alberto Iglesias BEST ORIGINAL SONG 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die (Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell) — WINNER 'Dos Oruguitas', Encanto (Lin-Manuel Miranda) 'Be Alive', King Richard (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson) 'Down to Joy' Belfast (Van Morrison) 'Somehow You Do', Four Good Days (Diane Warren) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Dune, Greig Fraser — WINNER The Power of the Dog, Ari Wegner The Tragedy of Macbeth, Bruno Delbonnel Nightmare Alley, Dan Laustsen West Side Story, Janusz Kaminski BEST FILM EDITING Dune, Joe Walker — WINNER The Power of the Dog, Peter Sciberras Don't Look Up, Hank Corwin King Richard, Pamela Martin Tick, Tick... Boom!, Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Dune, Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos — WINNER Nightmare Alley, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau West Side Story, Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo The Tragedy of Macbeth, Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh The Power of the Dog, Grant Major and Amber Richards BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Dune, Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer — WINNER Free Guy, Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Dan Sudick Spider-Man: No Way Home, Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver No Time to Die, Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner, Chris Corbould BEST COSTUME DESIGN Cruella, Jenny Beavan — WINNER Dune, Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan West Side Story, Paul Tazewell Nightmare Alley, Luis Sequeira Cyrano, Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh — WINNER Dune, Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr Cruella, Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon Coming 2 America, Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer House of Gucci, Goran Lundstrom, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras BEST SOUND Dune, Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett — WINNER West Side Story, Tod A Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy No Time to Die, Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor Belfast, Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri The Power of the Dog, Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Audible Lead Me Home The Queen of Basketball — WINNER Three Songs for Benazir When We Were Bullies BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Affairs of the Art Bestia Boxballet Robin Robin The Windshield Wiper — WINNER BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Ala Kachuu — Take and Run The Dress The Long Goodbye — WINNER On My Mind Please Hold Top image: Netflix.
Thomas Bernhard’s The Histrionic is a rude piece of theatre. Directed by Daniel Schlusser, it started out at the Malthouse in Melbourne and is now on at the Sydney Theatre Company (STC). It’s the story of Austrian national treasure, Bruscon (Bille Brown), who is unwillingly touring his Wheel of History through the countryside and has found himself in the damp and unfriendly pig-rearing town of Utzbach. Bernhard wrote the play as a response to an OH&S enthusiast prohibiting him from turning off the theatre exit lights for two minutes during a production of The Ignoramus and the Madman in 1982. In The Histrionic, Bernhard responds by having Bruscon obsess over the exit lights and insult the fire warden. It is Bernhard’s way of saying that Austria is a backwater full of pigsties, or more eloquently, “a pimple on the arse of Europe.” In this way the play is an Austrian in-joke, designed to insult and provoke his local audience. There is a mutual dependence between state and dissident and Bernhard has a particular role in Austrian culture. He does not have that same status in Australia, so the play has to stand on its own, without the context of Bernhard the provocateur. Even with the mitigating influence of geographic distance, the piece is still fairly brutal. Bruscon calls actors liars, the wider society a bunch of suburbanite cretins and criticises main stage theatres for their pomposity and elitism. Brown’s excellent characterisation of Bruscon is so well rounded as to be confusing; he is capable on the one hand of charm, wit and sense but then sadism, vulgarity and stupidity on the other. The character of Bruscon is itself a condemnation of the self-importance of theatre making. Marg Horwell’s set is a wonderfully kitsch insult to anyone who likes cool-looking theatre. It’s then an odd choice of programming from STC, considering the play’s main target is institutions like the STC. Perhaps it’s an attempt to acquire some of the legitimacy that comes with being attacked. Whatever the reason for the programming, we should be glad it’s made its way to Sydney. It’s a fascinating piece, (although maybe limited to those interested in theatre making) and Schlusser’s direction ensures that the comedy provided by Brown and Barry Otto’s performances is balanced by a good dose of genuine darkness: an abortive mutiny attempt midway through is truly exhilarating and terrifying. Tom Wright’s adaptation would have us extrapolate the kitsch, xenophobic Austrian culture to Australia — which is not too much of a stretch. Image by Ellis Parrinder.
Australian gin favourite Four Pillars is getting in on the negroni week action by launching pop-up stores around the country. In Sydney, that pop-up will take place within the The Dolphin Hotel. It'll offer the gin brand's new range of bottled negronis, which range from a spiced coffee version to a herbaceous number and one that uses Four Pillars' famed Bloody Shiraz Gin. You can enjoy these batched cocktails at the bar or purchase one for takeaway, with a four-pack also on offer. The pop-up bar will run throughout negroni week, from June 24–30, with $1 from every negroni sold going to OzHarvest. The Four Pillars Pop-Up Bar will be open from 11.30am–midnight daily, with the bottle shop open till 11pm.
Have you been practising your wine twirl? Do you know your tannins from your terroir? No? Well, study up. You'll need to impress the crowd at the biggest wine experience of the Easter weekend: Loose Lips, which is taking place in The Wine Bar at The International on Saturday, April 19, from 2-6pm. Organised by Joel Amos, the man behind DRNKS and Huge Moves, in collaboration with The Wine Bar Group's Director of Food and Drink Alex Kirkwood and Head Sommelier Jacq Turner, Loose Lips is set to showcase 100+ wines from 30 producers with unlimited tastings and a pop-up bottleshop to take home the real deal. Those producers are a mix of international and Australian winemakers, including Brash Higgins, Ephemera Wines, Frankly, This Wine Was Made By Bob, Les Fruits, Meredith by Mem, Pool Wines, Pride of Lunatics, Strange Grapes, Wines of Lebanon, Worlds Apart, Yayoi and many more. It's more than a wine bar takeover. It's a cellar door-level lineup. It's not all sips. Guest chef Mitch Orr (Kiln, Navi) will be on-site to serve pizza slices and signature 'genre-defying' takes on Italian snacks (all perfectly paired, of course). The evening soundtrack will come from a range of DJs, with Ed Loveday and Veda downstairs, and DJ Levins and friends taking to the decks in the upstairs Panorama Bar for the free Loose Lips afterparty.
Being able to tell when someone is lying is a handy gift, and one that sits at the centre of supremely entertaining and addictive new 2023 streaming series Poker Face. But no special talents were necessary to predict two obvious things that've come true since the show first started dropping episodes back in January: that it'd be a hit and that a second season would follow. Armchair detectives, get excited about another round of sleuthing with star Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) and filmmaker Rian Johnson (Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery). US streamer Peacock has just announced that Poker Face will return for season two — and, dropping episodes week by week, season one isn't even finished yet. Exactly when Poker Face will return for its sophomore spin, how many episodes season two will span and who else will pop up — because this is a series with a stacked guest cast, too — hasn't yet been revealed. But the news definitely isn't bullshit, as Lyonne's Charlie Cale likes to utter (and often). A mystery-of-the-week series, Poker Face sees Charlie work her way through resolving a different crime in each episode, all while she's on the road in a Plymouth Barracuda. That's where all those other well-known faces come in, including Adrien Brody (See How They Run), The Menu's Hong Chau and Judith Light, Lil Rel Howery (Deep Water) and Danielle MacDonald (The Tourist) in season one's first few episodes. The show's debut go-around also features Lyonne's Russian Doll mother Chloë Sevigny (Bones and All), plus Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Pinocchio), Ellen Barkin (Animal Kingdom), Nick Nolte (The Mandalorian), Cherry Jones (Succession), Jameela Jamil (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) and newly minted Oscar-nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once). As seen on Stan in Australia and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand, Charlie is cruising her way across the US after figuring out a crime with personal ties in episode one, all by using that lie-detecting talent of hers, but making considerable enemies in the process. While that's the show's overall framing story, each instalment focuses on its own whodunnit in its own place, including mysterious deaths at garages, related to metal bands, in retirement homes and onstage during a play. "Poker Face is one of those rare, undeniable shows that we all fell in love with from the start, but the critical acclaim and viewer response has been beyond our wildest dreams," said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. "Working alongside the creative genius of Rian Johnson, Natasha Lyonne and Ram Bergman, along with our partners at MRC and T-Street, has been a spectacular ride, and we can't wait to hit the road for another season as we continue to build momentum across Peacock's originals slate." Check out the full trailer for Poker Face below: Poker Face streams via Stan in Australia and TVNZ On Demand in New Zealand. Read our review of season one.
Across four seasons of Stranger Things so far, entering a rift to the Upside Down hasn't transported anyone Down Under. But jumping into the hit Netflix series' world keeps proving a reality in Australia — first via one of those portals popping up in Bondi back in 2022, and next courtesy of Stranger Things: The Experience, which has just locked in its Aussie debut at Luna Park Sydney as part of Vivid's just-unveiled 2025 program. Luna Park Sydney and immersive experiences based on Netflix shows keep going hand in hand of late; since the end of 2024, the Harbour City tourist attraction has been hosting Squid Game: The Experience, letting small-screen fans dive into another streaming smash. At the time of writing, playing Red Light, Green Light with Young-hee in Luna Park's big top is on the agenda until late April. Stranger Things: The Experience will run from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14. The must-attend event falls into the Ideas portion of Vivid's lineup. Get ready to visit 1986 — and also Hawkins, Indiana, of course — in what promises to be an interactive stint of Stranger Things-loving fun. Locations from the show are part of the setup, as is a supernatural mystery. And yes, you can expect to feel nostalgic, even if you don't have your own memories of the 80s because you hadn't been born yet. Stranger Things: The Experience isn't just about visiting recreations of settings that you've seen while watching Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown, The Electric State) and the gang. The installation features its own storyline, where playing along means trying to save Hawkins from yet another threat. And yes, you will take a trip to the Upside Down. You'll also be able to drink themed cocktails. Based on its time in other cities, Demogorgons and/or Vecna might await, too, along with Christmas lights, Scoops Ahoy and Surfer Boy Pizza. The experience initially opened in New York in 2022, and has enjoyed dates with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, Toronto, London, Paris and São Paulo since, with a Rio de Janeiro stint also on the way. "The rift is open and we're excited that our Stranger Things fans will get to jump into the magic once more," said Greg Lombardo, Head of Experiences at Netflix, back when the New York iteration launched. "This time they will take on the challenges themselves and work alongside Eleven, Mike, and the rest of the gang to fight the evil monsters plaguing Hawkins. As Dustin would say, you always say we should never stop being curious, to always open any curiosity door we find," Lombardo continued. Hanging out for new Stranger Things back in your Netflix queue? That's due to happen in 2025, when the show's fifth and final series arrives — although there's no exact release date as yet. Stranger Things: The Experience arrives at Luna Park Sydney, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point from Friday, May 23. For more information, head to the Vivid Sydney website. Vivid Sydney 2025 runs from Friday, May 23–Saturday, June 14 across Sydney. Head to the festival website for further information. Images: Netflix.
It's a bloody glorious setup: Nicolas Cage, actor of a million unmissable facial expressions, star of almost every movie he's asked to be in (or so it can seem) and wannabe bloodsucker in 1988's must-be-seen-to-be-believed Vampire's Kiss, playing the dark one, the lord of death, the one and only Dracula. In Renfield, that stellar idea makes for frequently bloody viewing — cartoonishly, befitting an OTT horror-comedy with Nicolas Cage as Dracula. And the pièce de résistance that is Cage getting his fangs out as the Bram Stoker-created character, who was inspired by the IRL 15th-century Wallachian prince Vlad the Impaler? It is indeed glorious. The Transylvanian is the latest part he was born for, after stepping into his own shoes in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, getting revenge over a pet pig in Pig, milking alpacas in Color Out of Space and screaming while dousing himself in vodka in Mandy (and, well, most things on his four-decade resume). Some movies have learned a simple truth, however: that putting Nicolas Cage in front of a camera and letting him unleash whatever version of Cage the film needs isn't always enough. That disappointment is usually on everything but Cage (see: his entrancing work in the otherwise average-if-lucky Willy's Wonderland, where he wordlessly battled demonic animatronics and made viewers wish he was around in the silent era), but Renfield has pre-emptively staked that lesson through its own heart. As the title makes plain, Cage's Dracula isn't the lead character. Instead, the long-suffering, insect-eating servant played by the feature's other welcome Nic, The Great's Nicholas Hoult, is in the sunlight. Accordingly, The Lego Batman Movie and Robot Chicken director Chris McKay doesn't even try to get his feature by on the Cageness of it all alone. That's a miscalculation. In fact, it's up there with the flick's Robert Montague Renfield pledging allegiance to the vampire that started all vampire obsessions. Renfield is at full power when Cage is front and centre, and feels like its blood is slowly being drained when he's out of the frame. Rocking lush red velvet threads and a devilish stare, Cage couldn't be better as Dracula, proving both Renfield's instant drawcard and its reason to keep watching. He gives the script's ultimate toxic boss angle hilarious bite, too, because that's the storyline. After several lifetimes of doing the undead master's bidding, Renfield realises that finding people for the Count to sink his chompers into, cleaning up the mess afterwards — there's always a mess — and generally dealing with his chaos isn't fun, fulfilling or healthy. Getting invincibility and immortality by eating bugs doesn't bother him, but the demands that go with it do. The script from Ryan Ridley (Rick and Morty, Community) based on a story by Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible) has Renfield come to that epiphany by attending a New Orleans support group for codependent relationships, then deciding to be his own person again. If only escaping Dracula was that easy, as over a century of movies — and Stoker's OG text — have established. There's a coming-of-age slant to Renfield's quest to work out who he is if he leaves the darkness behind, chooses life and matures into a post-offsider existence (while coming-alive-again isn't a term, that's what it is as well). There's also a hefty shadow cast by What We Do in the Shadows given that unhappy vampire familiars are a part of both Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's side-splitting movie and the also-ace American TV spinoff. But McKay and company don't trust that there's enough legs in the Nic-and-Nic double act, either, or that putting them in Shadows-meets-Dracula territory gets the blood pumping. Their solution: also making Renfield about NOPD traffic cop Rebecca (Awkwafina, The Little Mermaid) and the mob family she's trying to take down. Her vengeance-fuelled feud hones in on the obnoxious Tedward Lobo (Ben Schwartz, in Parks and Recreation's Jean-Ralphio mode if he was a gangster) — and, of course, Renfield and Drac get in the middle. He may be fresh off a big-screen stint in The Menu, but Hoult was in somewhat similar territory a decade ago in zom-rom-com Warm Bodies. Even when he's tasked with delivering explanatory narration like this is Zombieland, being the likeably dreamy lead in a light-hearted twist on a horror-genre staple suits him, although not as much as irreverent takes on royal history as in The Great and The Favourite. Still, in Renfield he's at his best when he's bouncing off Cage. The entire cast is, including Schwartz, Shohreh Aghdashloo (Mrs Davis) as Teddy's all-controlling crime matriarch mum and Brandon Scott Jones (The Other Two) as Renfield's 12-step-group's leader. Cage is just having that much of a blast. While he knows he's in a comedy, he also blends camp and menace in an iteration of Drac that's gleefully happy being fiendish. As the old cliche goes, he could read the phone book in the cape and prove mesmerising. No one recites from 20th-century lists of landline numbers. Renfield spouts wisdom from a self-help book for a scene instead, and it's a nice gag. That moment stands out because it's a rare — Renfield doesn't ever suck, but it's nowhere near as funny as a Cage-starring Dracula comedy should easily be. Slickly shot and content with being amiable, it isn't anything as much as it should be, whether that's an odd-couple flick, a viscera-splashing horror parody, a crime caper, a superhero affair (cue Renfield's supernatural fighting skills) or, in a plot thread flirted with but never committed to, a romance. In not wanting to tie its fortunes to the entire reason that anyone is buying a ticket, this addition to Dracula's lengthy on-screen resume doesn't want to be any one thing, and it shows glaringly. Count Dracula is the Guinness World Records-confirmed most-portrayed literary character, giving Cage plenty of past competition — Max Schrek (Nosferatu), Christopher Lee (the Hammer flicks), Udo Kier (Blood for Dracula), Klaus Kinski (Werner Herzog's Nosferatu the Vampyre), Gary Oldman (Bram Stoker's Dracula), Richard Roxburgh (Van Helsing), Adam Sandler (the Hotel Transylvania movies), Luke Evans (Dracula Untold) and Claes Bang (TV miniseries Dracula) all included. It might be daunted about its own focus, but Renfield surprisingly isn't daunted by that cinema and television history, in one of its other marvellous but oh-so-brief touches. Early on, McKay inserts Cage and Hoult into Tod Browning's 1931 Dracula. Their faces replace Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye's, and it's a wonder. Leaning into Cage as Dracula far heartier than Renfield does would be glorious, and what Renfield leaves viewers wanting — but it's teasing a Universal Classic Monsters-style effort with Cage baring his teeth that sparks all the yearning.
Time Stands Still does not stop. It does not rest, it does not halt, nor does it falter. It is an animal of its own kind with no respite. It writhes, winks, slinks and blinks in your mind's eye, well beyond the night you saw it. To bear witness is a difficult anomaly: to help the individual suffering in that moment or tell the world and perhaps change something? When injured photojournalist Sarah Goodwin (Rebecca Rocheford Davies) returns to Brooklyn from the Iraq war to her home shared with de facto James (Richard Sydenham), her clipped sentences and heavy sighs and his pandering readiness reveal an all-too-apparent tension. The couple skirt around "the accident" while Sarah grimaces in pain, her face ripped with grazes like 'Diamond Face' in the Bond film, Die Another Day (props to the make-up team). The visit of an old friend and photo editor, Richard Elrich (Noel Hodda) — not to mention the unannounced accompaniment of a sugar-coated twenty-something doll face, Mandy Bloom (Harriet Dyer) — has Sarah panicking. Mandy's hyper-conflated deliberations over why she bought both the 'Get Well Soon' and the Welcome Home' balloons because she couldn't decide between them leave Sarah's eyes simply burning. The meeting of their two worlds is like putting a chihuahua in front of a lion; it throws open the vast divide between the fluffy and trivial west and the pain and grit of the war-torn Middle East. However, time rolls on and people change. How can we help the child dying in the street or the baby elephant cut lost from his mother? If we care too much about fixing the world, can we ever find joy? We don't know the answers, but everyone devises their own truths. American actor Rebecca Rocheford Davies is also the producer who shared discussions of the Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies' scripts with a meet-up group of engaged actors and writers. Once she came across Time Stands Still, she knew it had to be staged. Her rather apt cast choices were informed through watching actors perform, rather than audition, in a more natural sense rather than under pressure. Time Stands Still is downright frank and complete. It resembles a film more than a play and has a way of engrossing you so that reducing it down to a 400-word abstraction proves problematic. The concerns raised are real, manifold and sprouting with questions upon questions. They don't stop.
UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 — Wonder Woman 1984 has moved its release date again, and will no longer release on Thursday, October 1. Instead, it will now hit cinemas on Saturday, December 26. This article has been updated to reflect that change. UPDATE: JULY 1, 2020 — Due to worldwide cinema closures and other concerns around COVID-19, Wonder Woman 1984 will no longer release on Thursday, August 13. Instead, it will now release on Thursday, October 1. This article has been updated to reflect that change. UPDATE: MARCH 25, 2020 — Due to cinema closures and other concerns around COVID-19, Wonder Woman 1984 will no longer release on its initially scheduled date of Thursday, June 4, 2020. Instead, it will now release on Thursday, August 13. 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. New Order's 'Blue Monday'. A giant mall. Women exercising in bright leotards and leg warmers. All of the above inspire instant visions of the 80s — which is where Wonder Woman is heading in her next big-screen outing. Yes, the fierce female superhero with the bullet-deflecting bracelets and Lasso of Truth is finally back, with Wonder Woman 1984 set to hit cinemas in 2020. Audiences have already explored Princess Diana of Themyscira's connection to Bruce Wayne in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, stepped through her origin story and World War I antics in the original 2017 Wonder Woman, and seen how she works in a team in fellow 2017 release Justice League. Now, she's navigating the Cold War era and facing off against Kristen Wiig. The story this time around pits Gal Gadot's Amazon demigoddess against Wiig's Cheetah — also known as archaeologist Barbara Ann Minerva. While the franchise newcomer is looking rather meek and mild at the beginning of the just-dropped Wonder Woman 1984 trailer, she's not likely to stay that way for long in this eagerly awaited sequel. Game of Thrones, Narcos and The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal also joins the cast as Maxwell Lord, a powerful businessman, and Chris Pine returns as American pilot Steve Trevor — despite the tragic events of the first film. Among the familiar faces, both Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright are set to pop up again, too, as Diana's mother and deceased sister respectively. And, behind the camera, writer/director Patty Jenkins is also back — as she should be given that Wonder Woman is currently the highest-grossing film ever directed solo by a woman. If you're a fan of huge action films based on comic books, you've probably noticed that 2020 is shaping up to be a big year for female-fronted stories, with Wonder Woman 1984 joining fellow DC Extended Universe effort Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, as well as Marvel's Black Widow. The MCU has obviously been winning the cinematic battle in terms of size and scale over the past decade thanks to its 23-film saga to-date; however it doesn't escape notice that, when the latest Wonder Woman flick releases, three of the DCEU's nine films will have pushed women to the front. Check out the Wonder Woman 1984 trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfM7_JLk-84&feature=emb_logo Wonder Woman 1984 was due to open in Australian cinemas on June 4, 2020, then on August 13, then October 1; however it'll now release on December 26 — we'll update you if any further changes are announced. Top image: Clay Enos/ ™ & © DC Comics. © 2018 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Please note: This article contains descriptions of sexual misconduct. A shocking ABC investigation, published on September 4, revealed a culture of sexual exploitation, misogyny and failures of management at venues operated by hospitality heavyweight Merivale. Now, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Good Food have uncovered yet more troubling revelations about the hospo giant. A bombshell exposé, published on October 29, alleges that staff working at Merivale's exclusive members-only club, Level 6, located at the business' sprawling Ivy precinct in the CBD, were expected to "accommodate [the] advances" of wealthy patrons. In return, staff — who were often aged between 18 and 21 — could expect gifts of luxury goods such as designer handbags and hundreds of dollars in tips. "It was like a strip club with no one taking off their clothes," one former Level 6 staff member told The SMH, with another describing the venue as "One step away from being a brothel". [caption id="attachment_704747" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Level 6[/caption] Former staff alleged that this sexual quid pro quo intensified in 2013 when a pole-dancing pole was installed at Level 6. Around the same time, according to The SMH report, drug use by patrons became increasingly normalised and tolerated. Journalists Eryk Bagshaw and Bianca Hrovat claim they spoke to dozens of former Merivale employees during their investigation, but the vast majority of them only agreed to do so anonymously as they feared repercussions from the hugely influential hospitality employer. "They hire people very, very young. There are thousands of 18- to 21-year-old girls out there who are young, naive and sucked in by Merivale," one former manager told The SMH. "[They are] ushered into the cult and then … bad things start happening, and they feel like they can't say anything." The report alleges that on occasions when police attended Ivy, a "blue lights" warning would be shared to a staff WhatsApp group or via internal radio comms. A Merivale statement asserted that alerting staff to the presence of police was "standard industry practice", adding: "Every team member and especially our managers have duties under the law to assist police. They cannot do so if they are unaware of their presence on site." [caption id="attachment_814113" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ivy[/caption] One former host from Level 6 anonymously shared their experience of sexual assault in the workplace, saying a male patron "would grab you and throw you on the couch and put his hand up your skirt… He went underneath my clothes and grabbed my underwear." The same host said of her experiences working for Merivale, "I was disgusted. I couldn't believe it. This is my place of work and this is happening. You certainly didn't feel like you could do anything about it." The extensive reporting also detailed unsafe and abusive activities — including sexual misconduct and drug use — at several other Merivale venues, including cocktail bar Hemmesphere, Level 5 (the event space directly beneath Level 6 at Ivy), Felix and the Bondi outpost of Totti's. However, the report conceded that some former Merivale employees and guests who were interviewed for the article believed their access to drugs, exclusive venues and wealthy patrons were unofficial perks. [caption id="attachment_702661" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Totti's Bondi[/caption] While Merivale denies the allegations in the report, the company has engaged leading human rights and discrimination lawyer Kate Eastman, SC, to lead an investigation. A statement from Merivale added that if any of the allegations are found to be true, the company "regrets any distress caused." This latest reporting on Merivale echoes the seismic allegations The Sydney Morning Herald and Good Food published about Swillhouse Group, published on August 21. Anton Forte, the founder of Swillhouse Group, stepped down as the company's CEO on Friday, October 25, following months of attempted rehab, including hiring Justine Baker, a hospitality veteran and former CEO of Solotel, as well as two independent consultants, to oversee cultural reforms across the company. If you need to speak to someone about an experience you have had or are seeking information, please contact 1800Respect on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au.
Plastics, specifically single-use plastics, have been in the spotlight a lot this year. State governments and supermarket chains have banned single-use plastic bags and plenty of bars and eateries across Australia have introduced plastic straw bans. And now, fast food giant McDonald's is taking a stand against single-use plastic straws, announcing it'll start phasing plastic straws across Australia next month. Australia is not the first country in which the fast food chain has introduced this — it started phasing them out in the UK in April this year. But back in Australia, McDonald's will begin trialling paper straws at two restaurants in August, before banning them completely by 2020. There's no exact figure for Australia, but it's estimated that 500 million plastic straws are used and discarded every day in the US — that's enough to fill 125 school buses. Plastic straws are also part of a wider plastics and general waste being experienced globally, with experts estimating that by 2050 there'll be more plastic in the ocean than fish. While the most recent push to ban plastic straws across Australia has been welcomed by many environmental groups, it also has unwelcome consequences for many disabled Australians. As reported by the ABC, many disabled Australians rely on straws to eat and drink, with reusable options not being suitable because of their inability to bend or to be used in beverages above a certain temperature. Users on both sides of the debate have voiced their opinions on Twitter, with some saying the ban is a no-brainer, while others saying it just further marginalises the disabled members of our community. Some users suggest a straws-on-demand policy could be the answer. It has not yet been announced which Australian restaurants will be trialling the paper straws, or when a wider ban will be implemented, but we'll continue to update as more information is released.
For devoted peaty whisky drinkers, too much smoke is never enough. And, when it comes to smoky drops, Ardbeg is king. Made on the remote, windswept island of Islay — just off Scotland's southwest coast — this much-drunk drop has been found in connoisseur's cabinets for more than 200 years. Not only is it unbelievably smoky, it's also surprisingly sweet — something which fans describe as 'the peaty paradox'. As a way for you to test your capacity to handle this complex flavour, Ardbeg is hosting The Smokehouse, a series of venue takeovers featuring whisky tastings, cocktails, smoke-infused eats and live entertainment. The first event will kick off at The Oxford Tavern on Saturday, October 27 from midday. This inaugural event is making good use of Black Betty, The Oxford Tav's renowned barbecue, so you can expect generous platters of barbecue pork ribs, slathered in Ardbeg-infused barbecue sauce, cornbread, slaw and pickles, plus pulled pork and beef sliders. On the cocktail menu, look out for the Untamed Beast — an explosion of Ardbeg 10 Years Old, apricot and smoke — as well as An Unassuming Wisp, a bold yet all too drinkable concoction of Ardbeg An Oa, coffee and wattle cola, among other new creations. For serious whisky drinkers, the ultimate experience is the flight: a tasting paddle containing three of Ardbeg's smokiest drops, accompanied by beef jerky done three ways. Begin with the original, infused with smoky Vegemite, before moving onto the Soljanka flavoured with sauerkraut, spicy pickle and smoky mustard. Last but not least, blow your head off with the hot-hot-hot Habanero. The Oxford Tavern's Ardbeg Smokehouse will take place this Saturday, October 27 from midday until sold out. You can book a table via The Oxford Tavern's website.
Last week, NASA announced that it would start rocketing into space from Australia. This week, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration has revealed plans to allow tourists to not only soar beyond the earth, but spend time on the International Space Station. If you've ever wanted to hang out in an artificial satellite that's orbiting the planet — and you have spare piles of cash secreted away — your dreams might just be about to come true. Possibly commencing as early as 2020, private astronauts will be able to spend up to 30 days on the ISS, with two tourists allowed onboard at any one time. But before you go getting too excited, it'll come at a cost, obviously. Visitors will need to pay US$11,250 a day for use of life support and bathroom facilities, plus an extra $22,500 per day for food, air and medical supplies — and also fork out for the presumably ultra-expensive trip to actually get there. NASA won't be running an off-planet bed-and-breakfast, unsurprisingly, or a space public transport system. Rather, the move comes as part of a broader approach, with the ISS opening to commercial ventures in general — including private tourist outfits. The latter will be able to arrange the privately funded, dedicated commercial spaceflights for eager visitors, using NASA-developed US spacecraft. They'll also be responsible for flight crews, as well as ensuring that private astronauts meet the necessary medical and training requirements. https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1137000745922957313 Overall, NASA's statement talks of accelerating "a thriving commercial economy in low-earth orbit" — with businesses able to operate out of the station. While more than 50 companies are already involved with the ISS, their work is currently restricted to research and development; however that'll no longer be the case. Expect to keep hearing more about the agency's commercial efforts, given that there's another aim in store as well: landing the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024.
Wubba lubba dub dub, Rick and Morty fans. Yes, everyone's favourite interdimensional adventurers are finally back. It's been way too long since a certain eccentric scientist and his anxious grandson caused chaos across the multiverse, with the animated sitcom's third season releasing in 2017 — and if you've been feeling the duo's absence over the past two years, you're not alone. Even the just-released new trailer for the series' next batch of episodes recognises the elephant in the room — or the lack of Mr Meeseeks and Mr Poopybutthole on our screens, to be specific. Those beloved characters are back, too, alongside Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith (both voiced by show co-creator Justin Roiland); Morty's mother Beth (Sarah Chalke), father Jerry (Chris Parnell) and sister Summer (Spencer Grammer); and all the world-hopping craziness that anyone could ever hope for. If you've been counting down the days since the last episode hit back in October 2017, the fourth season will rejoin the smartest Rick and Morty-est Morty in the universe — and absolutely anything could happen from there, really. If you're just getting schwifty with the series for the first time, Rick and Morty doesn't just ape a concept straight out of Back to the Future (aka a lab coat-wearing old man, his teenage sidekick, and their time- and space-jumping antics), but filters that idea through the inventive minds of Roiland and Community's Dan Harmon. After proving such a huge hit across its first three seasons, there's plenty more Rick and Morty to come, with the show renewed for a huge 70 episodes by US network Adult Swim last year (which is more than double the 31 that the comedy has aired to date). Of course, all that animated insanity takes time to put together, hence the delay. The first five new episodes are slated to drop from mid-November in America — watch this space for local release details. And that's the wayyyyyy the news goes — check out the fourth season's trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw6BrzB1drs Rick and Morty's fourth season will start airing weekly from November 10 in the US. We'll keep you updated with a release date Down Under once one comes to hand.
Some days you wake up feeling on top of the world. But some days you need approximately three breakfasts and a two coffees to really get you going. And maybe a Messina tiramisu milkshake. The good news is that Welcome Dose Specialty Coffee can give you all that, with three kinds of hot sauce on the side (and maybe even a hug if you ask nicely, too). So, you like how these people think, but who are they? Kit Cheong and Michael Cookson are the guys behind the CBD's much loved Cabrito Coffee Traders in Bulletin Place. Turning their attention to the 'burbs, they've opened their new venue inside Rosebery's new 'urban market' Saporium in The Cannery, which also houses Three Blue Ducks, Black Star Pastry and Archie Rose. As the name suggests, Welcome Dose takes its coffee pretty seriously — and the first thing you see when you walk in is a badass giant 1956 German coffee roaster, which is often roasting during service hours. The staff there, led by Tim Greening, will happily talk you through their process; they're hosting cupping sessions upstairs and some roasting info sessions are in the works. As you'd expect, the quality of the coffee here is really, really good. So back to those three breakfasts — no judgment on how many you choose to dig into. The huevos rancheros (obviously a great one for mornings that are especially tough) comes with generous helpings of guacamole and the right amount of chilli ($18). They also serve one of the better pulled pork burgers kicking around town, complete with pickles and aioli ($15), and a lighter, very pretty dish of smashed peas with ricotta, lemon and herbs on sourdough ($15.) That Messina tiramisu milkshake ($7) has enough coffee and sugar to jolt any nervous system into real time, using gelato from Messina around the corner. In keeping with the local artisan vibe of the supermarket it's situated in, the hot sauce is by Bondi-based Handsome Devils Co., pastries come from Brickfields and Grain, and their meat is from Kingsmore Meats next door. It's a casual fit-out with an all-day, smart brunch and lunch menu, which changes seasonally. With Three Blue Ducks doing brekkie, lunch and dinner, a Da Mario pizza cart next door as well as a bunch of quality producers in Saporium itself, Rosebery is becoming a hotspot for food fans, and Welcome Dose is a very welcome addition indeed.
It's been a rocky few years for Jamie's Italian in Australia, having relaunched with full ownership in 2017 only to lose ownership again just one year later. Luckily, the Brisbane-based Hallmark Group took over the management of the Australian restaurants, but not without some casualties — the Canberra and Parramatta outposts (the latter of which is set to become a steakhouse) quickly closed. But now, perhaps in an attempt to help us put our faith back in the brand, Jamie's Italian in the CBD will launch a series of bottomless prosecco lunches for a very reasonable $50 per person. The one-month deal will run every Saturday from September 8 through to October 6 — and it includes a lot more than just an endless supply of sparkling wine. Each table will be served small bites to share (including those crispy polenta chips), and everyone will get a big bowl of pasta. You'll be be able to choose which one you want, too — think classics like prawn linguine and carbonara, and signatures including the truffle tagliatelle and fresh crab spaghetti. Plus, it'll all be topped off with panna cotta for dessert. If we know anything, it's that people really love Jamie's Italian. As such, these lunches are sure book out fast, so front a pineapple and book it already.
Spending months on the road touring your third LP, you'd be needing some caffeine too. New York-based eclectic multi-instrumentalist St. Vincent has released her own signature coffee blend, following the release of her self-titled album in February. Collaborating with Chicago-formed coffee roasters Intelligentsia, St Vincent's blend is called 'Bring Me Your Mugs' (named for her tune 'Bring Me Your Loves', appearing on St. Vincent). Intelligentsia approached Annie Clark after learning she was a significant coffee enthusiast, having worked with artists Wilco and Anticon on previous limited editions. "I love coffee. I sometimes get excited at night thinking of the coffee I’ll get to drink in the morning. Coffee is reason to wake up," said Clark on coffee news website Sprudge. "There are other reasons, of course. But coffee is the incentive, at the very least. I love Intelligentsia coffee. I have stood at their counter waiting for my order, like a fan waiting for a show. Eager. Expectant. So when my favorite coffee shop approached me about collaborating on a signature coffee, I was thrilled." Clark's blend originates from Costa Rica, with beans from Intelligentsia's Flecha Roja project, produced by Coopedota Cooperative on El Mango Farm. "This vibrant, sugary coffee is marked by flavors of poached pear, rosewater, and yellow plum," say the roasters. Intelligentsia sent a series of samples to Clark on her Digital Witness global tour, with Flecha Roja winning the eventual thumbs up from the artist. St. Vincent joins a list of notables with their own blends: LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy famously repped his Brooklyn roots after teaming up with Blue Bottle founder James Freeman for 'House of Good'. Bonnie Prince Bill joined forces with Kona Rose Coffee for the chocolately, tobacco-like 'Bonny Billy Blend'. David Lynch even has his own organic signature blend and Leonardo DiCaprio's organic Fair Trade line of 'green' beans from coffee roaster La Colombe Torrefaction raises funds for the actor's sustainability-focused charity. Then there came the ill-fated Kiss Coffeehouse, developed by the glam rockers and churning out their own blends. Unfortunately Kiss fans preferred Red Bull to coffee, so the cafe was forced to stop rocking and rolling all night. You can pick up a bag of 'Bring Me Your Mugs' in store at Intelligentsia if you happen to be in the US or the closer to home can have the beans delivered to their door via St. Vincent's website (available in the next few days). Via Sprudge and Pitchfork.
Now that we've been isolating for over a month, you may be wondering if those takeaway dumplings and home-baked cookies (as delicious as they are) are doing your body any favours? If you're craving something more nourishing as time goes by in lockdown, there is a healthy food delivery service that simplifies eating well. Macros delivers ready-made, dietitian-designed dishes to your doorstep weekly, so you can save time and money planning meals. They're prepared by chefs and delivered fresh, not frozen, so you can simply pop your meals in the microwave when you're ready to eat and you'll have comforting classics like spaghetti bolognese and shepherd's pie, or Mongolian beef and lemon barramundi, ready in a matter of minutes. How does it work? Just choose from one of six meal plans available that best suit your lifestyle. There are 'Everyday' plans, which can be ordered as single-serve or family-sized, and you can opt for meals that contain less than 350 calories if you're counting. There are 'Fitness' plans that include high-protein and low carb options (Sculpt), protein-packed and moderate carbs (Perform), or high calorie feeds (Gain) if you're bulking for the apocalypse. And, as you only order what you need, there's minimal food waste. You can also tailor your plan to suit your dietary needs, be it plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, paleo or nut-free. And, to top it off, it's a pretty affordable option in these wild times, with meals starting from $8.70. Select how many meals you'd like — from seven up to 24 a week — and you'll have a fridge full of fresh meals for when you're stuck in back-to-back work calls, or too tired from all those fitness Zoom classes you've been signing up for. Every meal can be frozen, too, which gives you an extra back-up plan when you're finding ways to save money. And, if you need to, you can also pause or skip a week of your subscription at no extra cost. Macros delivers across Australia and meal plans start from $73.50 per week. For more information, and to sign up, head to Macros' website.
Not every Sydneysider has the luxury of being able to nab a cheeky beach dip in Tamarama after work. The words "hectic traffic", "epic trek", "generally CBF" start a long list of pretty solid excuses. If you're an inner-city dweller, chances are you've found your nearest community pool for cooling off and doing mad laps in. Luckily, the City of Sydney's built a fair few aquatic centres around town. And the first day of summer's the perfect time to try 'em all. For free. On Saturday, December 1, the City of Sydney is opening up four of its swimming pools for free from 10am till 3pm, inviting locals to try out everything each 50-metre pool has to offer — including the insanely pretty Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool located on the edge of the harbour, Redfern's lovely yellow-hued Prince Alfred Park Pool, Victoria Park Pool in Camperdown and Cook + Phillip Park Pool on the edge of Hyde Park. You could hope between each one for a full comparison. Do note that the $40 million Harry Seidler-designed Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre isn't doing an open day, despite being located in the City of Sydney. There'll be a range of activities for all ages on the day, including tours, fitness classes, aquatic inflatables, learn-to-swim information, barbecues and face painting. Plus, you get to swim for free. The idea behind the open days is to give you a chance to test out the facilities associated with the City of Sydney's 360 card — $54.50 a fortnight for access to all five of the City of Sydney's aquatic centres across the city, and their adjoining fitness facilities. Image: City of Sydney.
At first glance you might have thought, "Oh, this is obviously some kind of computer-generated building blueprint thing," when you saw the picture of Korean artist Do Ho Suh's latest artwork. These days we pretty much assume everything is Photoshopped. But in this case, the joke's totally on you. The walls are real, the windows are real. In fact, they're probably even more real than the people and cases on Judge Judy. So what is this ethereal blue structure? The whole thing's made of silk, and represents a 1:1-scale model of homes previously lived in by the artist, one nestled inside the other. Known for his zany, skewed-perspective manipulations of full-scale houses, walls and other exterior structures brought inside (you can check some of them out here, here and here, including earlier works constructed from nylon), Suh's latest installation is titled Home Within Home Within Home Within Home Within Home. Look closely and you'll see the distinction between the two homes: outside we have a modern Providence, Rhode Island apartment building — the artists' first US dwelling-place — and inside you'll glimpse, artfully suspended like a ghost, an exact copy of the traditional Korean house where Suh was raised. It's mind-blowing to conceive of the logistics of putting this project together, and the result is so big that visitors to the exhibition at Seoul's National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art are able to stroll through and study the work from every angle. Combining the intimately personal with replicated architecture carries a message about identity: according to the artists' bio, his installations explore "the relation between individuality, collectivity, and anonymity". Obviously the nesting of one cultural identity, represented by the physical house, within another — while both remain transparent — is a neat and direct metaphor for the artist's self. Memorialising familiar places through different media is a long-running theme for Suh — read his ideas about the sensuality of pencil-rubbings here. Via Colossal.
Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel wonder about days gone by, while Rachel Weisz and Jane Fonda deliver verbal tirades designed to awaken the ageing men from their apathy. All four spend their time in an expensive Swiss spa, and in a film as visually luxurious as their lush surroundings. So unravels Youth, its seasoned cast and opulent images its obvious selling points. Musings about life, love and legacy have rarely looked as exquisite, even if the movie's charms remain somewhat surface level. Youth is an inescapably familiar effort from writer-director Paolo Sorrentino, who covered similar territory — contrasting internal emptiness with external splendour — in his Oscar-winning last feature, The Great Beauty. Alas, the same magic doesn't strike twice, though in some ways that's rather apt. There's obvious symmetry in a filmmaking repeating the past by depicting characters stuck in theirs. Caine's Fred Ballinger is a retired composer, so renowned that he's asked to conduct his most famous creation for the queen, and so haunted by his troubles that he can't agree to participate in the performance. His discussions with Keitel's Mick Boyle, a filmmaker trying to finish a new script, largely focus on former glories, the ailments of being elderly, and their feuding children. Fred's daughter, Lena (Weisz), is married to Mick's son, Julian (Ed Stoppard), until Julian announces that he's leaving her for another woman. Others wander around the retreat, including an actor (Paul Dano) worried about being typecast and a fading screen siren (Fonda) Mick wants to re-team with for his next movie. In slivers and glimpses, Youth casts its net even wider, with a famous footballer, a beauty queen, and a motley crew of fellow guests also featuring. Together, they paint a universal picture of the ebbs and flows of existence, and of the contrast between the sublime and the grotesque. Sadly, most come across as diversions and distractions, directing attention away from the flimsiness of the film's supposedly wise dialogue. That's not to say that Youth doesn't have its pleasures — just that they're saddled with less successful elements, which is an appropriate outcome for a movie that tasks its characters with attempting to find the joy beyond their own sorrows. Watching Caine and Keitel chat and ponder is as enjoyable as it sounds — and while their conversations aren't as profound as they're clearly meant to be, the performances are moving nonetheless. Coupled with a strong score, Sorrentino's aesthetic flair ensures the feature offers a sight to behold and a soundscape to revel in, whether fashioning a music video for a pop star, taking a trip down memory lane or just staring at the folks reclining by the pool. It all makes for a suitable spectacle of mortality and melancholy; however the filmmaker's greatest feat is also his greatest undoing. He makes Youth feel exactly as it should, but always like an imitation. It's a decadent picture about watching the world go by, rather than really experiencing it.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest through to old and recent favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue in January (and yes, we're assuming you've already watched Kaleidoscope in whichever order you preferred). BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL NOW COPENHAGEN COWBOY Ten years ago, Nicolas Winding Refn released his second Ryan Gosling-starring film in succession, won his second Sydney Film Festival Prize, and was a reliable source of dazzling and blisteringly atmospheric crime fare thanks to Drive and Only God Forgives — and also the Pusher trilogy and Bronson before that pair. In the past decade, however, he's only brought one more movie to cinemas. The Neon Demon was a gem, too, and about as Refn as Refn gets, but that was back in 2016. Smaller screens have been beckoning the Danish director, thankfully. He launched his own free streaming service, and also co-created, co-wrote and directed the ten-part, Miles Teller (Top Gun: Maverick)-starring Too Old to Die Young. Refn's latest effort gets episodic as well, and sees him return to his homeland for the first time since Valhalla Rising — and, while it feels filtered through David Lynch's sensibilities alongside his own, Copenhagen Cowboy remains Refn through and through. The visuals have it, as they always do when this filmmaker is behind the lens. Neon aplenty, how he composes a room, how his characters peer on at the world around them, the use of 360-degree pans, the chilly mood, his overall aesthetic flair: they're all here. So, too, is another of the director's essentials, courtesy of a synth-heavy score by Cliff Martinez. That combination makes an entrancing mix, as it has over and over before, but Copenhagen Cowboy is never simply a case of empty style, sound and vision. Also present is an enigmatic tale, this time about the magnetic and mysterious Miu (Angela Bundalovic, Limboland). Considered a "living lucky charm" and highly sought after for her talents, she's the show's entry point to Copenhagen's criminal underworld. Can she help Rosella (Dragana Milutinovic, also Limboland) get pregnant? What kind of eerie situation has she found herself in? Are her gifts genuine? It wouldn't be a Refn project if questions didn't linger in the pulsating sense of stillness. Copenhagen Cowboy streams via Netflix. THE MAKANAI: COOKING FOR THE MAIKO HOUSE At the beginning of The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, 16-year-old best friends Kiyo (Nana Mori, Liar x Liar) and Sumire (Natsuki Deguchi, Silent Parade) leave home for the first time with smiles as wide as their hearts are open. Departing the rural Aomari for Kyoto in the thick of winter, they have internships as maiko lined up — apprentice geiko, as geishas are called in the Kyoto dialect. Their path to their dearest wishes isn't all sunshine and cherry blossoms from there, of course, but this is a series that lingers on the details, on slices of life, and on everyday events rather than big dramatic developments. Watch, for instance, how lovingly Kiyo and Sumire's last meal is lensed before they set out for their new future, and how devotedly the camera surveys the humble act of sitting down to share a dumpling soup, legs tucked beneath blankets under the table, while having an ordinary conversation. Soothing, tender, compassionate, bubbling with warmth: that's The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House from the outset. There's a key reason that this cosy and comforting new treasure overflows with such affection and understanding — for its characters, their lives and just the act of living. Prolific writer/director Hirokazu Kore-eda simply isn't capable of anything else. Yes, Netflix is in the auteur game at the moment. Its January question: why give streaming queues the world over one new series by an acclaimed filmmaker in a month when you can gift them two? The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House couldn't be more different from Nicolas Winding Refn's Copenhagen Cowboy (see: above), but it is unmistakably the work of its rightly applauded creative force. One of the biggest names in Japanese cinema today, and the winner of the received Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or back in 2018 for the sublime Shoplifters, Kore-eda makes empathetic, rich and deeply emotional works. His movies, including 2020's France-set The Truth and 2022's South Korea-set Broker, truly see the people within their frames. On the small screen, and hailing from manga, the nine-episode The Makanai is no different. It's also as calming as a show about friendships, chasing dreams and devouring ample dumplings can and should be. The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House streams via Netflix. I HATE SUZIE TOO Watching I Hate Suzie Too isn't easy. Watching I Hate Suzie, the show's first season, wasn't either back in 2020. A warts-and-all dance through the chaotic life, emotions and mind of a celebrity, both instalments of this compelling British series have spun as far away from the glitz and glamour of being famous as possible. Capturing carefully constructed social-media content to sell the fiction of stardom's perfection is part of the story, as it has to be three decades into the 21st century; however, consider this show from Succession writer Lucy Prebble and actor/singer/co-creator Billie Piper, and its blood pressure-raising tension and stress, the anti-Instagram. The unfiltered focus: teen pop sensation-turned-actor Suzie Pickles, as played with a canny sense of knowing by Piper given that the 'Honey to the Bee' and Penny Dreadful talent has charted the same course. That said, the show's IRL star hasn't been the subject of a traumatic phone hack that exposed sensitive photos from an extramarital affair to the public, turning her existence and career upside down, as Suzie was in season one. In I Hate Suzie Too, plenty has changed for the series' namesake over a six-month period. She's no longer with her professor husband Cob (Daniel Ings, Sex Education), and is battling for custody of their young son Frank (debutant Matthew Jordan-Caws), who is deaf — and her manager and lifelong friend Naomi (Leila Farzad, Avenue 5) is off the books, replaced by the no-nonsense Sian (Anastasia Hille, A Spy Among Friends). Also, in a new chance to win back fans, Suzie has returned to reality TV after it helped thrust her into the spotlight as a child star to begin with. Dance Crazee Xmas is exactly what it sounds like, and sees her compete against soccer heroes (Blake Harrison, The Inbetweeners), musicians (Douglas Hodge, The Great) and more. But when I Hate Suzie Too kicks off with a ferocious, clearly cathartic solo dance in sad-clown getup, the viewers aren't charmed. Well, Dance Crazee Xmas' audience, that is — because anyone watching I Hate Suzie Too is in for another stunner that's fearless, audacious, honest, dripping with anxiety, staggering in its intensity, absolutely heart-wrenching and always unflinching. I Hate Suzie Too streams via Stan. Read our full review. DUAL New movie, familiar query: what would you do if you physically came face to face with yourself, and not just by looking in a mirror? Films about clones, including all-timer Moon and the recent Mahershala Ali (Alita: Battle Angel)-starring Swan Song, have long pondered this topic — and so has the Paul Rudd-led series Living with Yourself. In Dual, there's only one legal option. This sci-fi satire shares Swan Song's idea, allowing replicating oneself when fate deals out a bad hand. So, that's what Sarah (Karen Gillan, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special) does when she's told that she has a rare but terminal disease, and that her death is certain. Cloning is meant to spare her boyfriend Peter (Beulah Koale, Shadow in the Cloud) and her mother (Maija Paunio, Next of Kin) from losing her, making a difficult situation better for Sarah's loved ones. But when she doesn't die after all, the law states that, just like in Highlander, there can be only one. To decide who lives, Sarah and her doppelgänger must fight to the death in a public dual — with Trent (Aaron Paul, Better Call Saul) helping train the OG version. Even with its twist, on paper Dual sounds like a feature that any filmmaker could've made — one that any actor could've starred in, too. But this is the meaty, meaningful and memorable movie it is thanks to writer/director Riley Stearns and his excellent lead Gillan. With his penchant for deadpan, the former pondered working out who you truly are through an unlikely battle in 2019's very funny The Art of Self-Defense, and does so again here. He's also fond of exploring the struggle to embrace one's personality, and confronting the notion we all have in our minds that a better version of ourselves exists. That said, Dual plays like a sibling to The Art of Self-Defense, rather than a clone itself. It'd certainly be a lesser flick without Gillan, who sheds her Nebula makeup, wades out of the Jumanji franchise's jungles, and turns in two powerful and nuanced performances as Sarah and Sarah 2.0. And while Paul is in supporting mode, he's a scene-stealer. Dual streams via Netflix. HUNTERS Call it a conspiracy thriller. Call it an alternative history. Call it a revenge fantasy. Call it another savage exploration of race relations with Jordan Peele's fingerprints all over it. When it comes to Hunters, they all fit. This 70s-set Nazi-slaying series first arrived in 2020, following a ragtag group determined to do two things: avenge the Holocaust, with many among their number Jewish survivors or relatives of survivors; and stop escaped Third Reich figures who've secretly slipped into the US from their plan of starting a Fourth Reich. The cast was stellar — Al Pacino (House of Gucci), Logan Lerman (Bullet Train), Tiffany Boone (Nine Perfect Strangers), Jeannie Berlin (Succession), Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Lena Olin (Mindhunter) and Australia's own Kate Mulvany (Elvis) among them — and Get Out and Us filmmaker Peele executive produced a gem as he also did that same year with Lovecraft Country. And, when it wrapped up its first season, it did so with one mighty massive cliffhanger: the fact that Adolf Hitler (Udo Kier, Swan Song) was still alive in 1977. Returning for its second and final batch of episodes three years later, but largely moving its action to 1979, season two of Hunters sees its central gang initially doing their own things — but unsurprisingly reteaming to go after the obvious target. Jonah Heidelbaum (Lerman) is living a double life, with his new fiancee Clara (Emily Rudd, Fear Street) in the dark about his Nazi-hunting ways, but crossing paths with the ruthless and determined Chava Apfelbaum (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Possessor) ramps up his and the crew's efforts. Knowing this is the final go-around, the stylishly shot series isn't afraid of embracing its OTT leanings, tonal jumps and frenetic camerawork, and always proves entertaining as it hurtles towards its last hurrah. The best episode of the season, however, is one that jumps back to World War II, doesn't focus on any of its main stars and is as clever, moving and well-executed as Hunters has ever been. If the show ever gets revived in the future, which it easily could, more of that would make a great series even better. Hunters streams via Prime Video. THAT '90S SHOW The teenagers of Point Place are at it again: hangin' out down the street, that is, usually in Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp, WandaVision) and Red Forman's (Kurtwood Smith, The Dropout) basement. This time, decades have passed on- and off-screen since the world first met a group of high schoolers happily doing the same old things they did last week in the fictional Wisconsin town, and enjoyed their relatable antics. Netflix's new That '90s Show picks up just over 15 years after That '70s Show's timeline, embracing all that the mid-90s had to offer from raves and Alanis Morissette's initial fame to video stores and Donkey Kong. (Yellowjackets isn't the only series going all-in three decades back right now.) For viewers, the 1995-set series arrives 17 years after its predecessor said farewell, and also delivers endearing, laidback, easily bingeable throwback that's quite the good time. The years might've changed, but the basics stay the same in a wave of familiar places, faces, scenarios and themes — and the overall formula. From 1998–2006, Eric Forman (Topher Grace, Home Economics), girl-next-door Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon, Orange Is the New Black), and pals including Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher, Vengeance), Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis, Luckiest Girl Alive) and Fez (Wilmer Valderrama, NCIS) earned That '70s Show's attention as they chatted through their hopes and dreams, got stoned frequently, and tried to work out who they were, who they loved and what they wanted. Now, doing the same is Eric and Donna's 14-year-old daughter Leia (Callie Haverda, The Lost Husband), plus the new friends — feisty riot grrrl Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide, Four Kids and It), her airhead brother Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan, Gabby Duran & The Unsittables), ladies' man Jay (Mace Coronel, Colin in Black & White), the witty Ozzie (Reyn Doi, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) and the super-smart Nikki (Sam Morelos, Forgetting Nobody) — she makes while visiting her grandparents. That '90s Show streams via Netflix. Read our full review. BLACK SNOW Fans of weighty Australian fare that reckons with the country's past are fans of the Mystery Road franchise, spanning both the big and small screens. They're fans, then, of the way that the outback-set saga surveys the nation's distinctive ochre-hued landscape from above in picturesque drone shots, all while contemplating the racist ills waged to live and work upon it. Six-part series Black Snow borrows much that's made Mystery Road such a hit, including a shock murder in a small town, a cop riding in to solve the mystery it heralds, a grim look at Aussie history and a bird's-eye view of its setting. But when this instantly compelling show peers down, it spies fields of green sugar cane fields far and wide. And, when it explores the country's traumas, it focuses on the treatment of the Australian South Sea Islander community — especially blackbirding, which involves forced relocation, severe underpayment and brutal working conditions, a grim form of slavery that isn't forgotten here. Seventeen-year-old Isabel Baker (talented debutant Talijah Blackman-Corowa) is the first person seen in Black Snow's opening moments, riding her bike hurriedly through the cane in the thick of night, making a frantic call from a remote phone booth and getting spooked by a music-blaring car's sudden appearance. The year is 1994, and the evening is the high schooler's Year 12 formal, as well as her last alive. Black Snow's second face belongs to James Cormack (Travis Fimmel, Raised by Wolves), a Brisbane-based Cold Case Unit police officer trying his luck in 2019 at a claw machine in a pub. He's troubled in a different way, haunted by emotional pain he attempts to deaden by paying for a Fight Club-style beating in the bar's back alley. After a time capsule buried by Isabel and her classmates reveals more than pop-culture blasts from the past, he's swiftly trying to solve her death — with help from her shrewd sister Hazel (potent first-timer Jemmason Power). Black Snow streams via Stan. Read our full review. NEW SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE LAST OF US If the end of the world comes, or a parasitic fungus evolves via climate change, spreads globally, infests brains en masse and almost wipes out humanity, spectacular video game-to-TV adaptation The Last of Us will have you wanting Pedro Pascal in your corner. Already a standout in Game of Thrones, then Narcos, then The Mandalorian, he's perfectly cast in HBO's latest blockbuster series — a character-driven show that ruminates on what it means to not just survive but to want to live and thrive after the apocalypse. In this smart and gripping show (one that's thankfully already been renewed for season two, too), he plays Joel. Dad to teenager Sarah (Nico Parker, The Third Day), he's consumed by grief and loss after what starts as a normal day, and his birthday, changes everything for everyone. Twenty years later, he's a smuggler tasked with tapping into his paternal instincts to accompany a different young girl, the headstrong Ellie (Bella Ramsey, Catherine Called Birdy), on a perilous but potentially existence-saving trip across the US. Starting to watch The Last of Us, or even merely describing it, is an instant exercise in déjà vu. Whether or not you've played the hit game since it first arrived in 2013, or its 2014 expansion pack, 2020 sequel or 2022 remake, its nine-part TV iteration ventures where plenty of on-screen fare including The Road and The Walking Dead has previously trodden. The best example that springs to mind during The Last of Us is Station Eleven, however, which is the heartiest of compliments given how thoughtful, empathetic and textured that 2021–22 series proved. As everything about pandemics, contagions and diseases that upend the world order now does, The Last of Us feels steeped in stone-cold reality as well, as spearheaded by a co-creator, executive producer, writer and director who has already turned an IRL doomsday into stunning television with Chernobyl. That creative force is Craig Mazin, teaming up with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also wrote and directed The Last of Us games. The Last of Us streams via Binge. Read our full review. POKER FACE Cards on the table: thanks to Russian Doll and the Knives Out franchise, Natasha Lyonne and Rian Johnson are both on a helluva streak. In their most recent projects before now, each has enjoyed a hot run not once but twice. Lyonne made time trickery one of the best new shows of 2019, plus a returning standout in 2022 as well, while Johnson's first Benoit Blanc whodunnit and followup Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery were gems of the exact same years. The latter also saw the pair team up briefly — Lyonne and Johnson, that is, although getting a Russian Doll-meets-Knives Out crossover from the universe, or just the Netflix algorithm, would be a dream. Until that wish comes true, there's Poker Face. It's no one's stopgap or consolation prize, however. This new mystery-of-the-week series is an all-out must-see in its own right, and one of 2023's gleaming streaming aces already. Given its components and concept, turning out otherwise would've been the biggest head-scratcher. Beneath aviator shades, a trucker cap and her recognisable locks, Lyonne plays detective again, as she did in Russian Doll — because investigating why you're looping through the same day over and over, or jumping through time, is still investigating. Johnson gives the world another sleuth, too, after offering up his own spin on Agatha Christie-style gumshoes with the ongoing Knives Out saga. This time, he's dancing with 1968–2003 television series Columbo, right down to Poker Face's title font. Lyonne isn't one for playing conventional detectives, though. Here, she's Charlie Cale, who starts poking around in sudden deaths thanks to an unusual gift and a personal tragedy. As outlined in the show's ten-part first season, Charlie is a human lie detector. She can always tell if someone is being untruthful, a knack she first used in gambling before getting on the wrong side of the wrong people. Then, when a friend and colleague at the far-from-flashy Las Vegas casino where Charlie works winds up dead, that talent couldn't be handier. Poker Face streams via Stan. Read our full review. SHRINKING Viewers mightn't have realised they'd been lacking something crucial until now, but Shrinking serves it up anyway: a delightfully gruff Harrison Ford co-starring in a kind-hearted sitcom. Creating this therapist-focused series for Apple TV+, Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel didn't miss this new gem's immediate potential. Lawrence and Goldstein add the show to their roster alongside Ted Lasso, which the former also co-created, and the latter stars in as the also wonderfully gruff Roy Kent to Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning effect. It too bathes in warmth amid chaos, all while understanding, exploring and accepting its characters as the flawed folks we all are. As for Segel, he's no stranger to playing the type of super-enthusiastic and super-earnest figure he inhabits again here, as seen in Freaks and Geeks and How I Met Your Mother. If Ted Lasso downplayed the soccer, instead emphasising the psychologist chats that were a pivotal part of season two, Shrinking would be the end result. Also, if Scrubs, another of Lawrence's sitcoms, followed doctors specialising in mental health rather than working in a hospital, Shrinking would also be the outcome. Round up those familiar elements and details brought over from elsewhere, and Shrinking turns them into a series that's supremely entertaining, well-cast and well-crafted — and an engaging and easy watch. The focus: Segel (Windfall) as Jimmy Laird, a shrink grieving for his wife Tia (Lilan Bowden, Murderville), making bad decisions and leaving parenting his teen daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell, Generation) to his empty-nester neighbour Liz (Christa Miller, a Scrubs alum and also Lawrence's wife). When he decides to start checking back in, and to also give his patients like young war veteran Sean (Luke Tennie, CSI: Vegas) some tough love, it causes ripples, including for his boss Paul (Ford, The Call of the Wild) and colleague Gaby (Jessica Williams, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore). Shrinking streams via Apple TV+. Read our full review. RECENT AND CLASSIC MOVIES YOU NEED TO CATCH UP WITH CENSOR You don't need to fondly remember the height of the VHS age to know that Censor, the exceptional, intelligent and inventive debut by Welsh writer/director Prano Bailey-Bond, sports a killer concept. Set in Britain in the 80s, this is a video nasty-loving flick about video nasties, aka low-budget, frequently exploitative, blood- and gore-filled horror movies that proliferated when home entertainment finally became affordable for the masses. Watching and assessing such fare for the British Board of Film Classification — and judging what's acceptable for release, what can get by after a little or a swag of cuts, and what should be banned outright in the process — Enid Baines (Niamh Algar, The Wonder) spends her days wading through the violent, visceral and queasy. If she and her colleagues make the wrong call, there's a public outcry, as happens when a man gets murderous and the media ties it to a recent title. Amid the resulting uproar, Enid finds herself drawn to a different director's OTT work, seeing uncanny parallels within his frames with her own traumatic experiences. An attention-grabber at Sundance back in 2021, Censor doesn't ascribe to the view that wild screen content sparks wild behaviour — but it does have a brilliant amount of fun cleverly toying with it. Bailey-Bond knows the discourse and satirises it savagely. She knows the type of movies that Enid has to evaluate, too, with her confident first film both lovingly nodding to and playing with them. Rising star Algar, who was also a standout in The Virtues and Calm with Horses, is intense and inimitable as workaholic Enid; the always-welcome Michael Smiley (Bad Sisters) enjoys his sleazy role; and cinematographer Annika Summerson (Mogul Mowgli), editor Mark Towns (Choose or Die) and composer Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch (Rocks) help get the look, feel and sound just right. Creepy, immersive, and boasting a multi-layered ending that works as a parody, a statement and a balls-to-the-wall horror spectacle, Censor demands close and engrossed notice — and marks Bailey-Bond as a talent to keenly watch. Censor streams via Stan. MIAMI CONNECTION Back in 1987, an out-there martial arts movie that really has to be seen to be believed first hit screens. There was one huge problem with this collaboration between director Park Woo-sang (American Chinatown) and star YK Kim, however: Miami Connection wasn't a success with critics or audiences at the time, despite featuring a band called Dragon Sound that's filled with Taekwondo aficionados, a motorcycle-riding ninja gang and a cocaine war. That lacklustre response is thoroughly understandable. Miami Connection isn't great, and wouldn't have been even amid the 80s action boom — but it is 100-percent worth watching at least once. It debuted well before The Room but made a comeback afterwards, and proves immensely entertaining in the same so-bad-it's-just-so-bad manner. Post-Tommy Wiseau's hit, Miami Connection was unearthed and revived by the Alamo Drafthouse in Texas, then worked its way around the festival circuit, including playing the Brisbane International Film Festival. An obvious caveat applies to this Florida-set flick: watching it with as big a group of people as you can, even while streaming it at home, is the ideal way to have the best time with everything that it throws at the screen. And make no mistake, Miami Connection gets a-hurling, including when it comes to makeup, ridiculous dialogue, a plot that's absurd and jumps all over the place, choreography, montages, musical numbers, acting and action. Story-wise, Dragon Sound's members become the target of the film's ninjas over a gig. Don't go expecting much that's coherent springing from that basic premise, though. Do get ready for the kind of movie that no one could ever set out to make on purpose, and that no one can truly be prepared for before viewing. Throwing spoons isn't required here, but you might want to anyway. Miami Connection streams via SBS On Demand. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2022. You can also check out our list of standout must-stream 2022 shows as well — and our best 15 new shows of last year, top 15 returning shows over the same period, 15 shows you might've missed and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies of 2022.
Whether you love 70s tunes, are obsessed with 80s tracks, live for the 90s or can't get enough 00s vibes, getting a musical blast from the past is rather easy in Australia at the moment. Every week or so, an iconic name seems to be dropping tour dates — from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Elton John and Beck through to Blink-182, the Backstreet Boys and Vengaboys, plus everyone from TISM to TLC. The latest to join the list: Sir Rod Stewart and Cyndi Lauper. They're teaming up and coming Down Under in 2023 for a string of dates across arenas and wineries. Yes, that means that 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?', 'Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright),' 'Time After Time' and 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' are all going to get a whirl at the same gig. Stewart is the headliner, with a huge focus on his hits, including 'You Wear It Well', 'You're In My Heart', 'Sailing', 'Rhythm Of My Heart' and 'Maggie May' as well across a massive two-hour set. But having Lauper onboard is a huge drawcard, whether you love 'True Colours' or appreciate her Tony Award-winning work on the Kinky Boots musical, where she became the first solo woman to win the acclaimed prize for Best Original Score (music and lyrics). She'll play for an hour before Stewart. The pair will be joined by Noiseworks and INXS' Jon Stevens — playing arena shows in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and the Hunter Valley. If you're a wine-and-dance kind of gig-goer, all three are also gracing the stage in Geelong, Mount Cotton and Bowral as part of A Day on the Green, too. ROD STEWART'S THE HITS! AUSTRALIAN 2023 TOUR WITH CYNDI LAUPER DATES: Saturday, March 11 — RAC Arena, Perth Tuesday, March 14 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, March 21 — AEC Arena, Adelaide Wednesday, March 29 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, April 1 — Roche Estate, Hunter Valley A DAY ON THE GREEN DATES: Saturday, March 18 — Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong Saturday, March 25 — Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton Sunday, April 2 — Centennial Vineyards, Bowral Rod Stewart and Cyndi Lauper are touring Australia in March and April 2023. For more information about the arena shows, head to the Live Nation website. For the A Day on the Green shows, head to the festival's website. Tickets for all gigs go on sale at 1pm local time on Thursday, November 17.
When it comes to history's legendary painters, Claude Monet's name stands out above most. Now, for the first time ever, Australian audiences are invited to experience the painting that the entire Impressionist movement was named after as the National Gallery of Australia exhibits Monet's world-famous masterpiece, Impression, sunrise. As well as a striking collection of other Monet paintings, the exhibition features works by an array of artists who inspired or followed Monet into leaving behind the studio and painting 'en plein air'. From JMW Turner to James McNeill Whistler and Eugène Boudin, other contemporaries of Monet featured at the NGA include Alfred Sisley and Berthe Morisot, one of the few female painters among the Parisian Impressionists. With their visible brush strokes and incredible depictions of light and its subtle changes, many of these works have been gathered from the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, which almost never loans its collection. Running until Sunday September 1, Monet: Impression Sunrise is undoubtedly worth taking a wintertime road trip to Canberra for, so grab your pals and hit the road. [caption id="attachment_697155" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claude Monet, Impression, sunrise (1872), courtesy of the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris and Christian Baraja SLB.[/caption] IMPRESSION, SUNRISE The masterpiece after which the Impressionist art movement was named, Impression, sunrise was finished in 1872 and showcases the early techniques of Monet who was in the midst of his creative development. Painted while he was looking out across the harbour in Le Havre from his hotel window, the piece is not particularly symbolic of Monet's later work, but still features some instantly recognisable attributes, such as how the water, sky and reflections all melt together. When it was displayed at an exhibition in Paris in 1874, art critic Louis Leroy famously borrowed the term "Impressionist" from the work's title for his review. And while it wasn't meant to be a compliment, the name stuck. [caption id="attachment_725378" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Waterlilies (1914–17), courtesy of the NGA.[/caption] WATERLILIES During the last 30 years of Monet's life, the 'Water Lilies' series became his obsession. Monumental in its scope, the series includes 250 works that capture Monet's beloved garden at his home in Giverny, France. The later years of Monet's life were perhaps his most prolific, but there could have been even more in the 'Water Lilies' series — in 1908 as he prepared for a new exhibition in Paris, Monet decided that 15 of the paintings failed to meet his expectations and chopped them in half. However, the many works that we still do have elegantly present the light and shadow that bounced across Monet's garden. [caption id="attachment_725140" align="alignnone" width="1920"] On the beach at Trouville (1870), courtesy of the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.[/caption] ON THE BEACH AT TROUVILLE Created during the summer of 1870, this work is one of five beach scenes that Monet painted during his stay at a popular beachside resort. Overlooking the English Channel, this work captures what is most likely Monet's wife Camille, while in the background scores of families from French high-society enjoy the bustling holiday destination. With grains of sand found still embedded in the paint, some of the paintings in this series are considered to be incomplete sketches for a larger body of work, while others were later finished to Monet's almost impossibly high standards. [caption id="attachment_725470" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Haystacks, midday (1890), courtesy of the NGA.[/caption] HAYSTACKS, MIDDAY Widely regarded by critics as possibly his most stunning series, Monet produced around 30 paintings between 1888 and 1891 showing haystacks at various times of the day and in different weather conditions. Considered by the artist himself to be some of the most challenging paintings he ever produced, these works depict a great sense of optimism as the verdant countryside was seen as a great hope compared to the failing French economy of the era. As with sand from the beaches of Normandy in his coastal paintings, you can still see fragments of grass hidden within the paint throughout the Haystacks series. One painting from 'Haystacks' recently sold for almost $160 million, which shows some people clearly can't get enough of its beauty. [caption id="attachment_725377" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Train in the snow, locomotive (1875), courtesy of the Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris.[/caption] TRAIN IN THE SNOW, LOCOMOTIVE This artwork was painted during Monet's time living in the small village of Argenteuil, which would soon rapidly grow in size as a new train line direct to Paris brought great interest to the area. Having stood out in the cold for hours for this work, Monet was well known to brave just about any weather condition to capture the perfect moment. Many of his later works featured aspects of technology, with modern bridges, trains and city life becoming common subjects. But, this earlier artwork from 1875 was created before Monet became increasingly experimental and as he sought to find a way to avoid the prevailing Western painterly perspective. Monet: Impression Sunrise is running until September 1 at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Head to the website to purchase tickets and for more information.
In Dune, Josh Brolin jumped wholeheartedly into one of the best sci-fi subgenres there is: the space opera. When a movie follows a spice-war fought by feuding houses on far-flung planets, no other description fits the bill. And, the 2021 big-screen hit — and 2022 big-time Oscar-nominee — firmly did its slice of science fiction proud. But, as well showing up for next year's sequel Dune: Part Two, Brolin definitely isn't done with sci-fi just yet. Making a rare small-screen appearance — his first ongoing episodic role since 2003, in fact — the Milk Oscar-nominee leads Outer Range, the next trippy streaming series that you'll want to add to your queue. That recommendation is based on the just-dropped first teaser trailer for the eight-part series, which'll hit Prime Video from Friday, April 15, and promises quite the mind-bending supernatural western. The setup: on a ranch in Wyoming, Brolin's Royal Abbott is trying to keep his land, and ensure that his family stays together, after his daughter-in-law Rebecca goes missing. His neighbours, the Tillersons, are after his parcel of turf, and strange things start happening — including an eerie black void in the middle of the Abbotts' west pasture. So far, the show is keeping most of its small town-set storyline close to its sci-fi/western/thriller/mystery chest — but the sneak peek certainly sets an unsettling tone. And yes, it's shaping up to be a big year for unnerving stories set in vast expanses of US land, with Jordan Peele's latest horror epic Nope covering the same terrain. Outer Range will drop two episodes per week, so you'll spend around a month soaking in its mysteries, turf wars and wild revelations. If you've currently got a Yellowjackets shaped hole in your viewing schedule, this might just fill it. On-screen, Brolin is joined by an impressive cast that includes Imogen Poots (The Father), Lili Taylor (Perry Mason), Tamara Podemski (Run), Tom Pelphrey (Ozark) and Noah Reid (Schitt's Creek). Check out the trailer for Outer Range below: Outer Range will start streaming via Prime Video Down Under on Friday, April 15.
Since Disney got its lightsabers out again with Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, a galaxy far, far away has rarely been far from screens. That includes on streaming, where the force has proven particularly strong across three seasons of The Mandalorian, 2021–22's The Book of Boba Fett, and also 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Andor. The next Star Wars show on its way: Ahsoka, which will give warrior, outcast, rebel and Jedi her own series from August. Rosario Dawson (Clerks III) returns as the limited series' titular figure, after playing the part in both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. If you're new to the character, she was Anakin Skywalker's padawan before he became Darth Vader — and, here, she's an ex-Jedi Knight who is determined to battle a threat to the post-Empire galaxy. Her latest exploits will hit Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Ahsoka follows animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the TV series it spawned, too, plus fellow animated show Star Wars Rebels — because yes, this franchise about a galaxy far, far away will keep spreading far and wide in this one. From the latter series, Star Wars aficionados will spot rebel crew member Hera Syndulla and former bounty hunter Sabine Wren. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)) plays the former in Ahsoka, while Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Guns Akimbo) steps into the latter's shoes. Also among the familiar characters: fellow Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels, with Eman Esfandi (King Richard) doing the live-action honours — and Grand Admiral Thrawn, too, as played by Lars Mikkelsen (The Kingdom). Ahoska's cast includes Ray Stevenson (RRR) and Ivanna Sakhno (The Reunion), plus David Tennant (Good Omens). Also, reports have been bubbling for years about Hayden Christensen returning as Anakin, as he did in Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is Disney+'s first series focused on a female Jedi; indeed, as a character, Ahoska has long been one of the few women among the franchise's Jedi ranks, dating back to 2008. Off-screen, The Mandalorian writer/director/executive producer Dave Filoni writes and executive produces Ahoska, with Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, and Carrie Beck also doing the latter — all seasoned Star Wars veterans. Check out the first teaser trailer for Ahsoka below: Ahsoka will stream via Disney+ from Wednesday, August 23. Images: ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd & TM. All Rights Reserved.
When a film or TV show is crafted with a deep-seated love for its chosen genre, it shows. When it wants to do more than just nod and wink at greats gone by like a big on-screen super fan — when its creators passionately hope that it might become a classic in its own right, rather than a mere imitation of better titles — that comes through, too. That's the case with Starstruck. Across the new sitcom's six-episode first season, it takes Notting Hill's premise, gives it a 22-years-later update and delivers a smart, sidesplittingly funny and all-round charming rom-com. It also features series creator and star Rose Matafeo enjoying a morning-after stride of pride to the sounds of 90s hit 'Return of the Mack', which is instantly as delightful as it sounds. When she last graced our screens, Matafeo took on pregnancy-centric rom-coms in 2020's similarly winsome Baby Done. There, she helped slice through the typical on-screen rhetoric that usually surrounds motherhood, playing a professional arborist who is so far from thrilled when she finds out she's expecting that she keeps living her tree-climbing life in complete denial. The New Zealand comedian wasn't just plucky and relatable in the film; she ensured that her character was always the sum of both clear strengths and overt struggles. The jump from that engaging and thoughtful performance to Starstruck's Jessie is an easy one, but that doesn't mean that the vibrant Matafeo is merely doing the same thing twice. A 28-year-old New Zealander in London who splits her time between working in a cinema and nannying, Jessie isn't expecting much when her best friend and roommate Kate (Emma Sidi, Pls Like) drags her out to a bar on New Year's Eve. And, for most of the evening, her lack of enthusiasm proves astute. Then she meets Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral). He overhears her rambling drunkenly to herself in the men's bathroom, they chat at the bar and, when sparks fly, she ends up back at his sprawling flat. It isn't until the next morning, however — when she sees a poster adorned with his face leaning against his living room wall — that she realises that he's actually one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Jessie is never just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her. While she likes Tom, she's also initially content that they've had their night together and now their lives will follow separate paths — "he can't take it back!" she tells Kate. But Jessie unexpectedly keeps bumping into Tom, and their attraction keeps bubbling. He's still ridiculously famous, she still isn't, and that places more than a few obstacles in their way. When she leaves after their first night together, the paparazzi mistake her for a cleaner. When he meets her friends, they all take the show's title as literally as anyone can. As the duo navigate all the baggage that comes with his job and her unwillingness to swoon over said job, Starstruck pairs the fairytale of hooking up with a celebrity with the all-too-relatable awkwardness that can come after spending a night with anyone — and it finds the perfect balance. With impeccable timing a given thanks to her stand-up background, Matafeo is a force of nature as Jessie; as in Baby Done, the comedian plays a strong, confident twentysomething who doesn't always know what she wants, and doesn't always make the best decisions, but owns her choices, emotions and mistakes because they're hers. Patel, jumping into Hugh Grant's back catalogue again after his aforementioned role in the recent Four Weddings and a Funeral TV remake, is just as engaging as Tom — who he plays with charm but never arrogance, and also with a healthy scepticism about the trappings of being a well-known actor. Also stellar: the constantly hilarious script by Matafeo and fellow comedian Alice Snedden, the light and buoyant direction by Obvious Child screenwriter and Yes, God, Yes writer/director Karen Maine, and the love of both cinema in general and rom-coms specifically that's baked into every frame. Indeed, it's no wonder that HBO Max, which funded and aired the series in the US, renewed the series for a second season on the day that it debuted in America. Whenever that new batch of episodes lands, they'll also feature Minnie Driver (with the About a Boy star first popping up in season one as Tom's agent) and Russell Tovey (Years and Years). For now, though, ABC iView in Australia also knows that viewers will want more Starstruck instantly, with the entire first season available to stream in one go. Check out the trailer for Starstruck below: Starstruck's first six-episode season is now available to stream via ABC iView. Images: Mark Johnson/HBO Max.
Sometimes, it's the little things that motivate us. That's why we savour a coffee when we get out of bed each morning, and love a Friday afternoon drink after a week at the 9-to-5 grind. And, it can work when it comes to getting vaccinated, too. Indeed, plenty of companies have been offering up small rewards to encourage getting the COVID-19 jab — and, if you like your meals with a side of chips, Deliveroo is joining them. The delivery platform's vaccination incentive is open to everyone, but there's a big catch: it only kicks in when 60 percent of eligible folks in your state or territory have received both their COVID-19 shots. When that happens, Deliveroo will add a free large serve of fries to orders from Hungry Jack's and other participating eateries for three days — on the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Yes, you would like fries with that. You do need to order something to get the freebies, so you can't just get a large fries by itself without buying anything else. But, hey, free chips makes every meal better. And, it'll be added to your order automatically, so you won't need to do anything. Exactly when this giveaway will kick in around Australia obviously depends on vaccination numbers in each state and territory. Keen to keep an eye on vax rates? We've rounded up the websites helping you do just that. Deliveroo will add a free large serve of fries to each order from Hungry Jack's and other participating restaurants in a particular state or territory when that state or territory hits the 60-percent double-jabbed mark. For further details, head to the Deliveroo website.
Parramatta, or Burramatta, is a Darug word meaning 'place of eels' and anyone who's taken a stroll along Parramatta River will have seen images etched into the pathway of this western Sydney suburb's history from its first people through to the communities who live here today. It's western Sydney's main hub, and the high-rise developments and new apartments show how much investment there's been into bringing international brands to this area — so it's not easy to know where to spend your time (and money) when you're shopping on Church and George Streets. The trick is knowing where to go. Take a walk down one of Parramatta's laneways and you'll find western Sydney's last remaining indie record shop, a craft brewery with water views, and a florist that's been bringing cheer to locals for more than three decades. With the help of American Express, we've picked out the independent shops, eateries and producers that are well worth a visit. Here's where to shop small in Parramatta with your Amex Card.
We in the media received a funny but perturbing press release a few weeks ago regarding what's perhaps the Sydney Theatre Company's most anticipated production of the year, Waiting for Godot. "[The cast have] been waiting for a man who will never turn up," it read. "They’ve been waiting for director Tamás Ascher." Oh most fortuitous of tragedies! Lacking probably the most important person on set has never looked so promising. After Ascher was ruled unable to fly from Hungary due to an injury, rehearsals proceeded in an uncertain manner, with STC artistic director Andrew Upton running the room and eventually stepping wholly into the director's role, Ascher's translator and dramaturg Anna Lengyel acting as something of an Ascher-by-proxy, and everyone involved trying to interpret the text in the spirit of Ascher but without getting too servile about it (actor Richard Roxburgh writes amusingly of the experience for the SMH). Fortunately, through all that, they've pulled off a ripper of a Godot and absolutely one of the year's most memorable shows. The play is famous as the defining work of absurdism on stage, capturing the utter pointlessness of human existence in its form — in other words, not the most enjoyable comedy around. And yet, in this team's hands, it's a consuming, almost fun three hours. Waiting for Godot is, in case you missed it, about two guys waiting for Godot. Occasionally they meet another two guys, who are not Godot. Vladimir (Hugo Weaving), usually called 'Didi', and Estragon (Roxburgh), or 'Gogo', are chums, or at least have been bound together beneath this barren tree for some time — the habitual odd couple. When the spectral, silent and decrepit Lucky (Luke Mullins) enters, pulling his imperious master Pozzo (Philip Quast) by rope, then… well, then nothing. It has no consequence. But it's a spectacular diversion. After intermission, much the same thing happens, though the words are different and the tree has grown three leaves. Playwright Samuel Beckett was notoriously controlling over how Waiting for Godot was performed, and his estate continues that vigilance, meaning that you pretty much know what you're going to get with a production of Godot. Without huge leeway for interpretation, a lot of the interest comes from the pairing of actors, and Weaving and Roxburgh are sublime. Not only are they heavyweights of Australian drama, they're hilarious together, with an easy chemistry and camaraderie that led Ascher to envisage them in the roles while they were all working on Uncle Vanya in 2011. Roxburgh's Estragon is the grumpy, sincere clown of the piece, while Weaving's more with-it Vladimir still has wide-eyed optimism and relish. Their performances are not totally but nearly naturalistic, such that their tete a tetes seem quite coherent; it might not be Beckett's ideal, but it is appropriately earthy for a contemporary Australian audience. More flourish comes from the magisterial Quast (you can get an idea of the man's sheer presence in this clip from his famous performance as Javert in Les Miserables) and Mullins, who is unrecognisable as Lucky. After being utterly abused and put upon, Lucky is required to speak just once, and to see it is basically traumatic (in a good way). This is a once-in-a-lifetime cast of talent. Complete with a set by Zsolt Khell (one of Hungary's leading stage designers and a frequent Ascher collaborator) that could take up hours of your attention on its own and beautifully intense chiaroscuro-casting lighting by the wonderful Nick Schlieper, STC's Godot is definitive. Absurd beginnings have produced magnificent ends. Image by Lisa Tomasetti.
Fair-weather cyclists, rejoice! It’s time to bring out that rusting bike from its hiding place (your stairwell/balcony/side-alley) and take it to one of Sydney’s most scenic cycle paths. From easy to not-that-tough cycle routes, we’ve got five choice routes to take your bike, or if you’re without your own set of wheels, places to pick up a hire bike for an afternoon. Triathletes and regular bike-commuters, you’d better look away, this post is for the leisurely cyclist - the ones who like to stop part way for a coffee and a chat. If you’re more hardcore, check out the cycle routes offered by City of Sydney. The Sightseer When you’re sick of showing out-of-town guest the obligatory route around Circular Quay and The Rocks, make it a bike tour and add a bit of speed to the sightseeing. Bonza Bike Tours has cycles available to hire for $15 per hour, or $30 for half a day, per adult. Try cycling past Walsh Bay to Barangaroo (or Hickson Road, depending on construction works), then on to Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Bridge, and around the wharves to Pirrama Park. The route takes in views of Sydney’s Harbour and ANZAC bridges, with plenty of places to stop for food and drink along the way. Distance: approx 8km Level: Easy Website: www.bonzabiketours.com The Family-Friendly The Bay Run in Drummoyne is a favourite with runners, joggers, dog-walkers, cyclists and everyone else in-between. The kid- and pet-friendly cycle loop is 7km of split and combined cycle and walking paths that hug the bay. There are parks and cafes along the route so it’s easy to make a day of it, stopping for brunch or a play break along the way. Distance: 7km Level: Easy Website: www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au The Picnic Date Centennial Parklands is one of the most cycle-friendly public spaces in Sydney; it has shared cycle ways, a 3.8 km dedicated cycle lane on the Grand Drive, a kid’s learners’ path and cycle hire that operates every day of the week. Make the most of the 189 hectares of inner city parklands and pack a picnic for a romantic date or lazy day in the sun. Distance: Whatever you fancy Level: Easy to tough-as-you-like Website: www.centennialparklands.com.au The Big Day Out With over 35 km of cycleways in 430 hectares of parklands, Sydney Olympic Park has bike safari circuits for all levels, bike hire facilities, racing lanes, BMX and Mountain X Monster tracks - so something for everyone. Take a trip down sporting memory lane with the Olympic Circuit suggestion and ride past Sydney Olympic venues including the ANZ stadium and the Olympic Cauldron. Distance: 7.6km Level: Easy to intermediate Website: www.sydneyolympicpark.com.au The Mini Adventure If ‘off the beaten track’ is a little too scary, but cycling around a park isn’t adventurous enough, try taking a self-guided tour in Manly. If you need to hire a bike, Manly Bike Tours offers bike hire from $15 per hour for beach cruisers to mountain, road, tandem and full guided tours of Manly Beach and Harbour National Park. For the best value, and to avoid the increasing crowds at the beach, opt for a hybrid and go the Dobroyd Head and Spit Bridge route. Distance: 13km Level: Intermediate Website: www.manlybiketours.com.au Main image via Poppiin
From big cities to rural towns, the humble corner store is a staple of Australian suburbs. Whether you're ducking down to get milk for your morning coffee or a 50 cent bag of lollies with your pocket money, the corner store always has just what you need. Interior stylist Mia Cipolla is taking this local, community-focused tradition of the corner store and introducing locally sourced, high-quality food, drink and goods at her new Darlinghurst cafe- corner store hybrid, Darlo General. Darlo General has opened in the place of a previous, more traditional Darlinghurst corner store. While it may not be able to compete with the extensive selection on offer at the Redfern Convenience Store, it's certainly elevating the items list of your standard local shop, swapping out energy drinks for kombucha and red frogs for sourdough. The new inner city spot is serving up freshly brewed coffee each morning alongside a selection of handmade cakes and savoury goodies baked by two Darlinghurst locals. Alongside the tasty treats, you'll find bread from Pioik Bakery, drinks from Kombu kombucha, Strangelove soda and Monceau pét-nat and vegan nut butter from Brother Mountains Macadamias. Darlinghurst parents can also enjoy a helping hand from the Darlo General as kids head back to school. The cafe's tuck shop offers $10 packed lunches which include a sandwich and two morning tea snacks for busy parents who may not have time to make lunch five days a week. Taking things outside the realm of your usual cafe, Darlo General also stock an inspired collection of local home goods and gifts. On the shelves, you'll find pieces from Newport-based woodworker Rueben Bloom of Made by Rueben, body and bath products from Australian company Salus, homely ceramics, gingham totes and anything else you need to complete your homespun cottage aesthetic.
What's better than a laneway party? A free one that gives back to the community, which is exactly what the team behind Kyiv Social is hosting in Chippendale. From Sunday, June 2, between 1–9pm, the Plate It Forward crew is hosting a huge community-focused event at Kyiv Social, which will continue every month. Partnering with the likes of Young Henrys, LP's Quality Meats and Ukrainian DJs, the hospo team aims to bring the community together for good food, good vibes and a good cause. The laneway between The Lansdowne and Kyiv Social will be transformed into an outdoor food- and bev-focused hangout, serving to shine a light on those impacted by the war in Ukraine in the process. Plus, newly arrived refugees from the country will be present to engage with their fellow Sydneysiders, with the hope that these events will help build a strong sense of community. On the food and beverage lineup, there will be Ukrainian-style hotdogs featuring Luke Powell's beef and pork sausages with horseradish mayo, fried shallots and Kyiv's house slaw — plus Kyiv sliders starring cabbage slaw, a herb and garlic butter, and sandwiched by a steamed milk bun. To wash it all down, the exclusive Beloved Ukranian Lager from the Young Henrys crew will be on offer, along with other crowd-pleasing sips. To top off the event lineup, the Melbourne-based Lehenda Ukrainian Dance Company is bringing its 40-person ensemble to the event for an exclusive performance. Head to Grafton Lane — behind Broadway's heritage-listed building — from 1–9pm on Sunday, June 2, and then every first Sunday of the month, to join in on the fun.
Cats have been given enough attention over the years and we’re calling it. Finally. Miley fans will have to find a new symbol of ironic-cool to turn into those memes that they repost daily. The internet's best friend has had its time in the spotlight and it’s time for man’s best friend to shine. The Dog Lovers Show is the largest event for canine enthusiast in the Southern Hemisphere. Over 200 exhibitors and more than 500 dogs will congregate at The Royal Hall of Industries from November 7-9 for a celebration of all things dog. Highlights will include Pet-A-Pooch: a playground for dogs of all shapes and sizes where visitors can freely play with the puppies. Also, The Royal Canin Breed Showcase will feature over 25 different breeds of dogs and breeding experts to provide advice for visitors on selecting the appropriate dog for your lifestyle. There will even be an Ask-A-Vet Zone providing free consultations to answer any questions you may have about your own fluffy friend. Grab some cheeky discount tickets via their website, or simply lose a few hours cruising around for pictures of baby sausage dogs. There's no shame — we're all in the same gushy puppy-loving boat for this one.
After introducing stage three stay-at-home restrictions for metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire in early July and mandatory face masks for all of Victoria, the Victorian Government has today, Sunday, August 2, announced new restrictions for the entire state as the number of new COVID-19 continues to climb. As of 6pm tonight, Sunday, August 2, a State of Disaster will be declared across Victoria — on top of the current State of Emergency — which will give police additional powers to ensure Victorians are complying with public health directions. A State of Disaster was introduced during this summer's devastating bushfires, too. From 6pm tonight, metropolitan Melbourne will also move into stage four restrictions for six weeks, until at least Sunday, September 13. This will include an 8pm–5am curfew — from tonight — during which you can only leave home to get care, provide care and to go to and from work. Under stage four restrictions, Melburnians will also not be allowed to venture more than five kilometres from their home for exercise or to shop for essentials. Only one person per household will be allowed to go shopping for those essentials once a day. Daily exercise must be limited to one hour and groups must be no bigger than two, regardless of whether they're members of your household. Regional Victoria will move into stage three restrictions — what metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire are currently under — from 11.59pm on Wednesday, August 5. This means you'll only be able to leave home for one of the four reasons (shopping for food and essential items, care and caregiving, daily exercise, and work and study – if you can't do it from home), restaurants and cafes will be takeaway-only, beauty parlours and entertainment venues must close and community sport will need to stop. https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1289784719215714305 The announcement comes as the state records 671 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with 73 from known clusters and 598 under investigation. Premier Daniel Andrews says there are currently 760 'mystery cases' across the state and that is Victoria's "biggest challenge". "Those mysteries, that community transmission is in many respects our biggest challenge and the reason why we need to move to a different set of rules," the Premier said. "We must do more. We must go harder. It's the only way we'll get to the other side of this." The new rules won't stop here, either. The Premier says that more announcements will be made about businesses and working tomorrow, Monday, August 3. "Tomorrow, I will have more to say about different industries and there will be three categories," the Premier said. "Those that are business as usual. I want to ensure all Victorians supermarkets, the butcher, the baker, food, beverage, groceries, those types of settings, there will be no impact there. In terms of a number of other issues, they'll be reducing their total output. That will mean there are less people working less shifts... There will be a third category of business and they'll close and move exclusively to a work from home and if they can't work from home the work simply won't be done." Victoria's State of Disaster will begin at 6pm tonight, Sunday, August 2, as will metropolitan Melbourne stage four restrictions. Metro Melbourne's curfew will also begin from 8pm tonight. Regional Victoria will move into stage three restrictions from 11.59pm on Wednesday, August 5. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria, head to the Department of Health and Human Services website.
The Melbourne International Jazz Festival knows how to perfect the art of headliners. It also knows how to make the most of a jazz-fuelled spring night under the stars at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Fresh from welcoming Chaka Khan to the openair venue in 2023 for an Australian-exclusive show, as joined by Nile Rodgers & Chic, the Victorian fest has announced fellow icon Herbie Hancock as its big name for 2024. Hancock will help kick off this year's MIJF, which runs from Friday, October 18–Sunday, October 27 and will announce the rest of its lineup in August. The 14-time Grammy-winning legend will play Jazz at the Bowl, making the event's third year particularly memorable. This is the man whose career includes playing in the Miles Davis Quintet in the 60s, winning an Oscar in the 80s for Best Original Score for Round Midnight, and giving the world compositions such as 'Cantaloupe Island' and 'Chameleon' — and 'Rockit', too — after all. Joining Hancock at Jazz at the Bowl are fellow American musician Marcus Miller — who has also worked with Davis; boasts playing on albums by Hancock, Khan, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Frank Sinatra and more; and is making his first trip Down Under — plus Noongar artist Bumpy. In excellent news for folks who won't be in Melbourne on Saturday, October 19, when 2024's Jazz at the Bowl will take place, Hancock has also announced a string of Aussie dates. Before and after hitting up MIJF, he'll play the Sydney Opera House, Canberra Theatre, QPAC Concert Hall in Brisbane, Festival Theatre in Adelaide and Perth's Concert Hall. "Having Herbie Hancock and Marcus Miller perform on the same evening at the iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl is nothing short of extraordinary," said Melbourne International Jazz Festival Artistic Director Michael Tortoni. "These two icons have shaped the soundscape of modern music in profound ways. Bringing them together in such a historic venue underscores the significance of Jazz at the Bowl and offers our audience a unique experience. It's a celebration of iconoclastic excellence that will resonate for years to come." Herbie Hancock Australian Tour 2024: Friday, October 11–Saturday, October 12 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney Monday, October 14 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra Thursday, October 17 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Saturday, October 19 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne Sunday, October 20 — Festival Theatre, Adelaide Tuesday, October 22 — Concert Hall, Perth [caption id="attachment_964817" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Georgia Mein[/caption] Herbie Hancock's tour of Australia will take place across October. Head to the tour ticketing website for further details, and for ticket presales from 9am on Wednesday, July 10, then general sales from 9am on Thursday, July 11. The 2024 Melbourne International Jazz Festival runs from Friday, October 18–Sunday, October 27 at venues around Melbourne. Head to the festival's website for further details, and for tickets for Herbie Hancock from 1pm on Tuesday, July 9.
If you're looking to belt out some tunes, with a microphone in one hand and a beer in the other while your group of giggling friends tumble over themselves around you, this is it. Hidden in Chinatown's Dixon Mall, behind a fairly nondescript door, lies Dynasty Karaoke. Here, you'll find 13 private dens, a lounge bar, a sports bar, restaurant, electronic darts, touchscreen table games and, of course, karaoke all in the one spot. Dynasty is fun, over the top and lit up like a Christmas tree, making it the perfect spot to let your hair down. Tunes-wise, expect plenty of 80s ballads, 90s rock and early noughties hits — think Britney Spears, Kylie and Backstreet Boys. Plus, if you're brave enough, there's a huge public stage. So, you can sing you heart out in front of strangers, if that's what you're into. To keep you suitably soused, the bar stocks everything, from wine and beer, to whisky, champagne, liqueurs and elaborate cocktails. Should you need something to line your stomach, you can grab a pan Asian snack such as Hong Kong-style chicken wings, octopus takoyaki and Korean dumplings. Rooms range from $8 per person per hour to $198 for a party room of 25 people.
Don't let summer drift by without a visit to the Woy Woy Hotel, aka The Old Pub. Pouring cold beers on the Central Coast since 1897, this charming spot has received a major lift after undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation in recent months. Perched just off the waterfront, this new lease of life has seen the venue transformed with an easy-breezy beer garden, public bar, upmarket bistro and a sports bar. In total, over 900 guests can cram into this inviting space. Set just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, the summer warmth will mean the beer garden will brim with activity day and night. Best of all, this rejuvenated space is perfect for enjoying a cold one as the kids roam around a brand-new play area designed to reflect the region's coastal story. And it's even partially covered, so if the weather turns south finding a little shelter is never a problem. As you might expect, accompanying The Old Pub's facelift is a tantalising menu celebrating Woy Woy's maritime roots. Seafood delights like oysters with fresh lemon, tuna tartare with avocado and fried corn tortillas, and BBQ octopus with romesco and fennel salad ensure there's a bistro creation primed to give any session a boost. Plus, there's a list of Detroit-style pizzas alongside pub classics like grass-fed porterhouse steak and fried chicken burgers. Design-wise, the Woy Woy Hotel has also come on in leaps and bounds. Led by local architecture practice Fabric, retaining the original cladding and cornice details was a slow and finicky process. Fortunately, the results speak for themselves. Now each new space references the community's history as a prominent fishing village with classic blue and white tones contrasting with rich materials and lush plants like recycled brick planters, timber benches and palm trees. "You couldn't recreate this character with an all-new build," says general manager Thomas Gurr. "The renovation has created unique spaces where you want to spend time with family and friends over a delicious meal. They feel cosy, elevated and distinctly part of Woy Woy." The Woy Woy Hotel is open Monday–Saturday from 9am–12 am and Sunday from 10am–10pm at 33 The Boulevarde, Woy Woy. Head to the venue's website for more information.
The world's first wandering institution dedicated to showcasing the creative efforts of ordinary folks is coming to Australia. That'd be the The Museum of Everything, which will head to Tasmania for a ten-month stint filled with pieces that you won't find in any other gallery. Launching during MONA's Dark Mofo in June, then running through until April 2, 2018, the exhibition will feature over 1500 works in themed spaces, taking visitors on an informal journey through human making. Drawings, sculptures, paintings, ceramics, collage, photography, assemblage, found objects and installations will all be on display during its first trip to our shores. Starting in London in 2009, and touring to Paris, Venice, Moscow and Rotterdam since, The Museum of Everything aims to improve the profile of art that falls outside of the usual channels. Forget famous names — you won't find them here. Instead, lining its walls are works crafted by untrained, unintentional, undiscovered and and otherwise unclassifiable artists from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Indeed, the people responsible for the kind of pieces favoured by the travelling display are compelled to channel their creativity into new, different and experimental works, but they don't fit the conventional definition of artists. As founder James Brett explains, "our artists do not create for the markets or museums. They make because they must and— from Henry Darger to Nek Chand Saini — have something vital to say about the essence of their lives". Image: George Widener, c. 2007, courtesy of The Museum of Everything.
This summer, two Sydney hospitality icons will find a new home at Barangaroo's glitziest address. Beloved dim sum institution Golden Century, which closed its doors in 2021 in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns much to the shock of its many fans, is set to be permanently revived at Crown Towers while the nation's most Instagram'd restaurant, Bondi Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, will have a pop-up residency. Since opening in late 2020, Crown Towers has established itself as a world-class dining destination, in addition to boasting five-star quality hotel rooms and suites, and residential apartments, all housed in the now-iconic architectural feat that ranks as the tallest building in the Sydney skyline. Golden Century and Icebergs will join a list of nine signature restaurants at Crown Towers in the biggest shake-up to the hotel's food and beverage offering since its opening. [caption id="attachment_982210" align="alignnone" width="2560"] The Wong Family, owners of Golden Century, and Icebergs owner Maurice Terzini.[/caption] "Crown Sydney is already a beacon of hospitality in this beloved city, so it feels natural to add to our repertoire two renowned offerings from Sydney itself," says Crown Sydney Chief Executive Officer, Stanford Le. Golden Century will be moving into the third level of Crown Towers in early 2025 drawing on its three-decades of history as one of Sydney's most popular Chinese eateries and dim sum go-tos. In tribute to their original menu, Golden Century will be bringing back its signature classics like XO pippies, live lobster cooked two ways and the abalone steamboat, along with other fan favourite dishes like peking duck, salt and pepper squid and a yum cha lunch offering at weekends. Billy Wong, co-owner of Golden Century and the still-operating XOPP in Darling Square, said of the opening: "We feel that we have a great synergy with Crown's approach to hospitality — focusing on quality and the guest experience, making them feel welcome and at home. Golden Century is where it all began and we are excited to once again welcome in our loyal customers, serving our beloved Cantonese classics in a picture-perfect location that overlooks Sydney harbour and beyond." [caption id="attachment_742982" align="alignnone" width="1920"] XOPP[/caption] The Icebergs Harbour Bar residency will begin in December, welcoming guests all day to an elevated, Euro-Australian version of the OG Bondi bar experience. Diners can expect Icebergs Bar dining favourites such as the Iceburger, fried school prawns with aioli and lime and signature cocktails like the No. 147 with Ketel One vodka, coconut, passionfruit, pineapple, lemon and aromatic bitters. "I have always had a love affair with great hotel bars; they're transient and fun and you never know who you're going to meet," says renowned restaurateur Maurice Terzini, co-owner of Icebergs Dining Room and Bar. "This evolution of the Iceberg's Bar will bring classic drinks and our signature bar food offering to Crown Sydney, matching the already decadent and luxurious guest experience." [caption id="attachment_776713" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Icebergs Harbour Bar at Bondai Beach.[/caption] "We are thrilled to become the new home of the iconic Golden Century, offering our guests an experience that is at once nostalgic and exciting, and to partner with Icebergs for a summer residency of their bar experience, bringing their Bondi expertise to the harbourside," says Le. Icebergs Harbour Bar will be open seven days a week and will be available for walk-ins. Reservations for Golden Century will open to the public in December. Find Crown Sydney at 1 Barangaroo Ave, NSW.
Summer is coming — and it's about damn time we got back to living that rooftop-drinking, harbourside-dining life. To celebrate the oncoming good weather, we've rounded up some of our favourite sun-soaked rooftop spots in Sydney, where you can enjoy an Aperol Spritz with your mates. HUGO'S, MANLY With its picturesque views of Manly Wharf, Hugos is an ideal spot for a sunset session. Whenever you choose to go, you're guaranteed to dine in style while enjoying classic and signature cocktails — as well as spritzes, of course — concocted by the award-winning bar team. Some of our favourites include the Love Island (vanilla-infused Skyy vodka, Frangelico and white chocolate liqueur shaken with coconut and lime) and the Pink Dragon (Bulldog gin, Luxardo cherry liqueur and violet liqueur, shaken with lemon and dragonfruit). The seafood-focused menu features elevated takes on classic pub fare, including a sizeable selection of pizzas if you're after something to nibble on while sipping on your spritz. THE WINERY, SURRY HILLS The Winery's striking interior will teleport you to an urban garden oasis. If you fancy a glass of white or red wine, this Surry Hills spot houses over 30 different types of vino, which you can take to different indoor or outdoor areas within the vicinity. The cocktail menu provides intriguing options as well, such as Hubba Bubble (Hubba Bubba-infused Ketel One, raspberry and coconut), I Love That (butter-washed Ketel One, mango, vanilla and passionfruit) and Love Potion Number Three (Tanqueray, rose vermouth, thyme and cherry). If you're with a group (or if you're especially thirsty), go for a jug — options include a rosé sangria, a classic Pimm's, and, of course, Aperol Spritz. [caption id="attachment_714411" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Daniele Massacci[/caption] UNTIED, BARANGAROO Perched above the streets of Barangaroo, Untied boasts gorgeous views of the Sydney skyline. The contemporary rooftop restaurant and bar radiates a chic and sophisticated vibe, making it a perfect spot for date night, a catch-up with friends or a special occasion. Soak up the evening atmosphere and order yourself a smooth Honey Sky, a mix of Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila, Aperol Aperitif, lime, honey-vanilla-passionfruit syrup and aquafaba. If you prefer to keep it simple, you could always opt for a timeless classic like an Aperol spritz, Moscow mule or whiskey sour. LADY BANKS, BANKSTOWN One of Sydney's largest rooftop bars, Lady Banks features panoramic 360-degree views from the heart of the southwest that, on a clear day, stretch from the city skyline all the way to the Blue Mountains. The seasonal food menu is heavily inspired by the Middle East and is made to share, while the drinks menu features both house-blended rum and house-brewed beer. Did we mention the team also ages its own spirits in an American Oak Barrel? For the ultimate Lady Banks experience, try out the eponymous cocktail, which features Ink Gin from Tweed's Husk Distillery. MARRICKVILLE SPRINGS, MARRICKVILLE The 80s are calling at Philter Brewing's rooftop garden bar, which boasts a weather-proof retractable roof and — as its name suggests — features a Palm Springs-themed interior that will make you feel like you're in Southern California. Rain or shine, Marrickville Springs is a must-visit for all things beer, wine and frozen cocktails in the Inner West. Other than its drinks, Marrickville Springs's scrumptious bar snacks are what complete the evening — split a Classy Platter (featuring smoked cabanossi, aged cheddar, pickled goodies, dip of the week and house-made chips) or really lean into the 80s theme with a prawn cocktail. For more ways to elevate your summer with Aperol, head to the website.
Imagine a world in which, instead of slogging away for an unappreciative boss, you've set your own path and turned your passion into a mighty big paycheck. Jessica Wilson, co-founder and CEO of shopping app STASHD, has done just this. Launching her own business at just 22, Wilson's was nominated for Forbes' 30 Under 30 in 2015 and her million-dollar company has broken into the emerging Chinese market . Our friends at Christie Spaces, a group of dynamic co-working spaces located across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, put us in touch — so we could ask Wilson exactly how to take our side hustles to the big time. If you want to hear more from Wilson, she'll also be holding a series of mini-talks at Christie Spaces, North Sydney about women in the tech space — keep an eye on the website for more info on dates and times. But first up, let's find out how we turn that aforementioned dream world into a reality. [caption id="attachment_678820" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christie Spaces by Katje Ford[/caption] THE LIGHTBULB MOMENT Any great business venture starts with an idea. Whether it be making Justin Bieber voodoo dolls or launching the next Snapchat, you need a solid foundation to launch from. Wilson says she noticed an opportunity for her startup while working in the fashion industry. 'Before STASHD, I was working throughout Australia, New York and Paris fashion weeks with brands on everything from model castings, model fittings and strategy," says Wilson. "And working so closely with brands gave me an insight into their pain points.' "The idea for the app came from working on seating plans and noticing that digital was largely outgrowing bricks-and-mortar shops, and the knowledge that retailers needed more data from their customers in relation to their products.' From there, the STASHD app was born. Using a Tinder-like swipe mechanism, shoppers are able to connect with brands and items, then save them to a digital wardrobe. TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH To make stacks of pineapples from your side hustle, you have to back yourself from the start. Even if others may not yet see the brilliance in your plan, it's your job to sell the idea — it's no time to be a wallflower. Wilson remembers the early days of getting her business up and running — it was all about the push. "I was blissfully naive when I started STASHD at 22, I had zero tech experience but would simply not take no for an answer. I wouldn't let the feelings of doubt or being hesitant enter my mind, I was on a mission — and I knocked on every door I could and met with everyone who would give me 15 minutes of their time to get the app off the ground," Wilson says. [caption id="attachment_678828" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jessica Wilson by Katje Ford[/caption] PERSISTENCE IS KEY It takes a lot of legwork and even more grit to get a new idea from infancy to reality. Wilson says it's important to throw yourself into the experience and keep persisting. "Don't be afraid to ask stupid questions, everyone starts somewhere and you need to check your ego at the door," Wilson says. After you've done that, the next step is to identify leaders or experts in your field and reach out to them. Wilson says there is a right way and wrong way to go about making the connections you need. "Don't do this via email and LinkedIn, people are busy and unless you impress them from the get-go your email will likely slip down their priority list." Wilson suggests sending "helium balloons tied to a bottle of champagne requesting a 15-minute chat or coffee". Let's face it: everybody loves bubbles and balloons. Once you have an in, demonstrate that you have done your research and come prepared. Then, Wilson says, it's time to "learn and implement". CO-WORKING CONNECTIONS When starting out on the side-hustle-to-main-hustle journey, it's important to have a network of like-minded people around. This is where co-working spaces come in. "The networking with and knowledge of people around you, you cannot buy. Especially when you're just starting and you need to learn, learn, learn," says Wilson. "The community aspect is a positive through every stage of a business. Growing a business is hard, so it's important to have people around you who are also on the entrepreneur path." And, you never know who you might meet at a co-working space. Wilson joined forces with her original business partner after they sat opposite each other. He had the tech smarts to complement her fashion knowledge. Wilson explains that it was a matter of "being in the right place at the right time and taking hold of that opportunity". [caption id="attachment_678811" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Katje Ford[/caption] WOMEN ON TOP Since coming up with the original idea for STASHD, Wilson's company has gone from strength to strength. After pitching her startup on the Chinese equivalent of Shark Tank, The Next Unicorn, she turned her focus to the lucrative and growing millennial market there. As a testament to her achievements, Wilson has garnered many accolades and her success echoes the rise of women in the previously male-dominated tech-startup world. "When I started it was very black and white. People either would mistake me for an intern or think my idea was 'cute'," Wilson says. Over time, this perception has changed and Wilson hopes to help the next generation of female founders to rise to the top. "It's an exciting time for women in tech, there is an incredibly supportive community of us and these women are absolutely incredible." Christie Spaces is located in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. To find your office space and start hustlin' head to christiespaces.com.au.
Deep-fried ice cream is the kind of confection that delivers the best of two worlds. On the one hand, there's frosty, creamy ice cream. On the other, there's the hot, crunchy crust. While you'd often have to venture to a suburban Chinese restaurant to get your hands on this singular treat, deep fried ice cream on-the-go is now an option thanks to a new Strathfield store from longtime Sydney food truck Duo Duo. You may have caught the truck at a food festival or event around town, or you might remember the name for the home delivery kits that were rolled out during lockdown. Now, the dessert-loving enterprise has levelled things up and opened a flagship store on Strathfield's The Boulevard. Sporting a slick modern fitout, the store could be dismissed as another Rivareno or Gelattissimo competitor. But, step up to the stylish marble countertop and you'll be greeted by a far more inventive addition to Sydney's dessert scene. Of course, the deep fried ice cream is a major drawcard. The pandan coconut is the original speciality with sweetened coconut sauce and roasted coconut flakes making it a must-try for coconut-lovers. The vanilla bean serve comes topped with house-made salted caramel and butterscotch popcorn, while the cookies and cream flavour is paired with Nutella ganache and cookie crumble. There's plenty more to love here if you're on the hunt for a sweet treat that's a little less hedonistic. There's a classic gelato bar out the front that sets itself apart with high-quality scoops and unique flavours. You'll find classics like vanilla bean and pistachio side-by-side with less traditional flavours like durian, macha, taro, blueberry cheesecake, Vietnamese iced coffee and Thai milk tea varieties. Plus, there's doughnuts. The team recommend tucking into a creme brulee or strawberry, cream and berry jam-filled variant, while crowd-pleasers like Biscoff cheesecake or classic original glazed are also on offer. If you're feeling parched after you've devoured your dessert, Duo Duo is ready with a selection of in-house sodas and teas as well. Order a green grape, yuzu or lychee soft drink, or opt for tea available in strawberry hojicha, apple black or grape sencha. Duo Duo is now open at 11 The Boulevarde, Strathfield. It's open midday–10pm Sunday–Thursday and midday–11pm Friday–Saturday. Photos: Regan Ching
What do killer Squid Game dolls, Stranger Things rifts, Jurassic World raptors and very nice Borat statues all have in common? They've all brought pop-culture hits not just to Sydney but to Bondi, albeit temporarily. On the morning of Thursday, December 19, 2024, a towering toy loomed over Bondi Icebergs, accompanied by plenty of red and green outfits — and yes, as part of the latest pop-up celebrating the upcoming return of the South Korean Netflix smash for season two, a game of Red Light, Green Light took place. Ever since the world initially watched Squid Game in 2021, the streaming platform has been obsessed with bringing everyone's favourite South Korean streaming series into real life. First came pop-up stunts. Then arrived reality competition show Squid Game: The Challenge, obviously without a body count. Experiences that let everyone play the show's games without appearing on TV also keep proving part of the IRL fun. As the show's second season approaches, dropping on Boxing Day 2024, Australia has welcomed three Squid Game activations — starting in St Kilda, where 200 pink guards relaxed on the Melbourne suburb's beach to kick things off; then cruising through Sydney harbour; and now at the pool so famous that it recently earned the documentary treatment. The Harbour City is no stranger to Squid Game stunts, or to Young-hee. Three years back, the Red Light, Green Light doll first made its eerie presence known in Sydney. When it took to the water this time around, it did so by ferry with 300 pink guards as an escort to get to Luna Park Sydney for Squid Game: The Experience. And now it has visited another iconic location. At Bondi Icebergs, 50 Squid Game guards were also in attendance, while ten players tried their hand at avoiding Young-hee. And the winner? Steve Bradbury, chalking up another claim to fame.. Come Thursday, December 26, Squid Game will unveil its second batch of episodes — and fans' second-last opportunity to press play. The show will return in 2025, too, with its third season; however, that will be the end of the series. More Squid Game: The Challenge is on the way, however. Squid Game season two streams via Netflix from Thursday, December 26, 2024. Season three will arrive in 2025 — we'll update you when an exact release date for it is announced. Squid Game: The Experience is now on at Luna Park Sydney, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point. Head to the venue's website for more information and to buy tickets.
The Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory looks as if two towers — one made of brick and one of corrugated iron — were glued together like a giant gingerbread house. The crew working tirelessly inside this converted flour mill, based 2.5 hours west of Canberra, create every twist on organic licorice you could imagine. To this mixed lolly bag, they add scoffable snacks like chocolate-coated cherries and coffee beans, plus speciality chocolate blocks adorned with nuts, fruits and candies. Visiting this real-life Wonka factory to stockpile goodies is a treat in itself, but you can also create your own rocky road and giant chocolate freckles in hands-on workshops every Monday (simply turn up from 9am–3pm). Images: Destination NSW
Sydneysiders are getting an unexpected foodie treat straight from Adelaide's award-winning Africola. The restaurant's executive chef, Duncan Welgemoed, is set to take over Commune Waterloo in partnership with Taylors Wines next week. Dubbed Celsius, the pop-up will run from Wednesday, February 7 through Saturday, February 10 for two sittings each night at 6pm and 8pm. The name comes from the event's focus on temperature and how much it affects the flavour of both the food and wine we consume. Taylors is taking this theme to a rather unusual level by providing each guest with a Flir One thermal device that connects to your smartphone and allows users view the world in, well, temperature. Taylors will likewise pour each wine at its 'ideal' drinking temp, instead of just following the blanket rule of cold whites and room temperature reds. While we're skeptical about the thermal theme, a chance to taste Welgemoed's dishes is well worth the $99 ticket price in our book, especially considering that Africola's set menu — which features African-inspired smoked meats and veggies — normally runs you $110 with booze, not counting the flights down to Adelaide. This ticket will get you a three-course meal paired with wine, along with the use of a Flir One for the evening, if you're into that type of thing. We're more into the African barbecue bit.
You're immersed in a virtual environment — and sporting the appropriate headgear, of course — when someone tries to get in touch with you back in the real world. What do you do? It's a #firstworldproblem hardly anyone has actually experienced yet, despite affordable VR headsets starting to hit the market; however Facebook has a solution. The social media giant does own Oculus, after all, so it was only a matter of time before they found a way to integrate one with the other. At the Oculus Connect 3 conference this week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg donned a pair of tech-savvy goggles, entered an augmented reality realm and took a Facebook Messenger video call from his wife, Priscilla Chan. The chat popped up on a device worn on his avatar's wrist, then opened in a window in his field of vision, meaning that he could both talk and keep going about his virtual business. Zuckerberg also unveiled a few more VR bits and pieces, including the ability to take a virtual selfie and share it on Facebook (hey, we already said this kind of thing was only a matter of time). Then there's what's being called "VR emoji", which are exactly what they sound like — if you gesture in an angry or happy way, your avatar's face will change to display your emotional state. Plus, you can also take 360-degree photos of actual, real-world scenes and overlay them with VR avatars of friends who are elsewhere so that you can all hang out, play cards or board games, have a sword fight or watch TV. We mightn't all be donning headsets right this moment, but developments like this show that virtual reality isn't going anywhere. In fact, with Sony's Playstation VR released this month, the field is really just beginning to roll out, so expect plenty more news where this came from. Via Tech Crunch. Image: Oculus.
