World-renowned masterpieces such as Michaelangelo's David have established the blank human canvas as an artwork. However, a recent series of Naturist tours has artist Stuart Ringholt taking this to the next level by not only appearing naked himself - but requiring all tour participants to also turn up in the flesh. This tour has already taken place at Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art and Melbourne's Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. At such tours, Ringholt has allowed guests to gain a new perspective on existing works by viewing them in a new context where getting kitless is mandatory. Importantly, these tours have taken place outside of the standard venue opening hours, so there is no fear of outsiders or general creepers peeking in. Hypochondriacs will be relieved to know that you can keep your sneakers on, but it might be hard to choose a pair that will match the rest of your outfit. Ringholt's art has long been equally confrontational and controversial. In one of his performance pieces, the aptly-titled Embarassment, Ringholt placed himself in some red-faced situations. These included one instance where he walked in public with toilet paper hanging from his pants. Other pieces have documented a period of his life in the mid-nineties where he suffered from a drug addiction and subsequent psychotic episodes. Sydneysiders will now have a chance to experience Stuart Ringholt in all his naked glory when he conducts these tours at the Museum of Contemporary Art on 27-29 April, 2012. Bookings for these sessions open on 1 March, and enthusiasts would be wise to get in early after the high demand in other Australian cities. These will be open to adults only. Birthday suit up.
A toastie-themed takeaway joint has just opened on the lower north shore, and it's offering up ten Korean-style sangas — all made fresh to order by a team of Le Cordon Bleu-trained chefs. Toastiesmith Chatswood is Sydney's answer to Isaac Toast, a Korean chain with more than 700 stores that slices and serves this popular street eat. Like in Korea, each toastie is made using thick-cut brioche and comes topped with a fluffy omelette. If you're new to this style of toastie, start with the signature Eggsmith ($7.95) — it's stuffed with scrambled eggs and cheese and topped with sesame slaw, spicy tomato relish and chipotle sauce. [caption id="attachment_782079" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kera Wong[/caption] Other fillings include shichimi-spiced chicken with smashed avo and pineapple; fried barramundi with tartare sauce and pickled cucumbers; a garlic mushroom number; and one stuffed with wagyu beef, truffle mayo and seaweed. Keeping it all cheap and cheerful, toastie prices range from a reasonable $7.95–$12.95 here. To accompany the eats, diners can grab a coffee ($3.95–4.50), smoothie ($5.95) or house-made soda ($5.95), with refreshing flavours including rose lychee and cucumber mint. For those that live south of the bridge, a second Toastiesmith outpost is slated to open in Darling Square's Maker Dozen on Wednesday, September 16. Images: Kera Wong
If you had a birthday sometime during the last few months, it probably didn't quite live up to expectations. Because of COVID-19, we've had (very necessary) restrictions on gatherings, which means that birthday shindig was most likely a little smaller than you'd hoped. To help ease the pain every so slightly, Krispy Kreme has announced it's giving away an extremely excessive number of doughnuts. How many? 350,000, to be exact. On Monday, July 13, Krispy Kreme is giving away a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts to Aussies who celebrated a birthday between March 13 and July 13. To snag yourself 12 signature glazed freebies, head to your closest store in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth. Sydneysiders have ten stores — stretching from Penrith to the CBD — to choose from, while Queenslanders can pick from five different doughnut shops, with the most central in the CBD Myer Centre, and Perthians can head to one of three Krispy Kreme stores. The free doughnuts are not available at BPs, Jesters or 7-Elevens. Because of stay-at-home restrictions in Victoria, the deal is only valid at one of three drive-thru stores: Fawkner, Fountain Gate and Bulleen. You can find out more about those restrictions over here. The 350,000 doughnuts will be spread across all Aussies stores. So, you'll want to get in relatively early if you want to kick off your Monday with a free sweet and doughy treat – and don't forget to bring your ID. If you do miss out, however, Krispy Kreme will be offering buy one dozen, get a dozen free from Wednesday, July 15 till Sunday, July 19. Krispy Kreme's free doughnut giveaway is happening nationwide on Monday, July 13 for those born between March 13 and July 13. To find your closest store and check its opening hours, head to the Krispy Kreme website.
Here's a secret from every bartender who's ever served you: you look absolutely ridiculous doing a shot. But, if we're being fair, so does everyone. The only people who can pull it off are cowboys shooting whiskey in old Westerns and even then, it was probably fake booze. Now, cheeky British photographer Tim Charles is revealing the true face of your tequila-soaked stupor; he's giving people snapshots of their face after a shot. The project, aptly titled Shot Face, features over 30 strangers in this alarming and unguarded moment. Inspired by the ridiculous grimace his girlfriend made one night after slamming a shot at the bar, he recruited people from his friends group, casting sites and Gumtree. They were then offered tequila, gin or sambuca, and the rest came naturally. "You start to appreciate some of the subtleties people display," Charles told the Daily Mail. "My original favourite is the one of Elena (in the pink and white top), I love the way her arm is up in the air, almost as if she's saying 'stop' or 'give me a minute', it always makes me laugh when I see it." In a way, the photographs remind us of the posters for Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac. Though they're very different in context, the same sense of immediacy and intimacy is still very much present. But... now that we've said that, we've ruined the series entirely. Good luck scrolling through these and keeping your mind out of the gutter. Either way, it's some definite food for thought next time you feel like a tequila slammer on a fancy night out. Via Petapixel and Daily Mail. All photos via Tim Charles.
Spending quality time outdoors and with your pals after work is a solid way to improve your mental health. But achieving this and getting into bed at a reasonable hour can feel like an impossible task. We've found a solution. Head over to Petersham Bowling Club for a couple of rounds of after-work bowls followed by a couple of rounds of trivia. Make a night of it by hitting up the bistro, which serves some tasty bites (including a number of vegetarian options). You can be further satisfied by knowing that all seasonal produce is sourced from local sustainable vendors.
Calling all nomads and avid campers: a Japanese company called DCW has designed a mobile pod home that will fit in a mini van and can be assembled on any terrain. The pod allows you to choose your own style of living while still being at one with nature, and can be placed on flat ground, steep hills or even turned into a kit houseboat if you feel like taking to the sea. The manufacturer has said it can be easily built "by two women" in half a day but may take a little longer to pull it down, possibly a whole day. Don't let its size fool you; this mobile house may look extremely tiny but it can sleep up to 3 people when you manoeuvre the sofa bed in the right way. The Mobile House Kit has yet to be given a price tag, but surely if you love the outdoors and want to experience nature in style then it will be worth breaking the budget for.
It wouldn't be a September in Sydney without the Sydney Underground Film Festival, the city's annual roundup of strange, surreal and subversive cinema. This year, though, it's doing things differently. Yes, it's a familiar story, because SFF and MIFF have already taken this course of action — but SUFF 2020 will be held completely online, and will also be available to stream nationally. This isn't just a case of SUFF transplanting its usual program to the virtual realm, though. In its digital guise, the fest will run more than twice as long as usual, screening online from Thursday, September 10–Sunday, September 20. And, it's purely comprised of shorts. In other words, get ready for some mighty out-there flicks in small doses. Highlights include the latest work from The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Favourite director Yorgos Lanthimos, and from acclaimed Canadian The Forbidden Room and The Green Fog filmmaker Guy Maddin and his regular collaborators Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson as well. From the former, you can check out Nimic, which stars Matt Dillon as a cellist who experiences a life-changing confrontation on the subway. From the latter, there's Stump the Guesser, which is an absurdist silent flick about a carnival psychic. With more than 100 films from over 20 countries on offer, SUFF's lineup is screening in specific packages — so you can decide whether you want to binge on Aussie shorts, go for films that'll mess with your mind or opt for the absolute trippiest of cinema offerings. Short documentaries are have their own category, there's an entire program dedicated to horror shorts and another is all about OTT animation for adults. Sydney Underground Film Festival screens online from Thursday, September 10–Sunday, September 20, with tickets available now — for $10 per session, or $55 for a full festival pass. Top image: Nimic.
Not content with doing big business in cinemas over the past decade, Marvel is bringing its superhero tales to the small screen, as part of Disney's already-announced plans to broaden out the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That was always going to be the case once the Mouse House moved into the streaming realm. In fact, producing a slew of high-profile titles for Disney+ was on its agenda right from the beginning. But, while Star Wars fans have already been able to enjoy The Mandalorian — which aired one season in 2019, and launched its second season this year — Marvel aficionados have had to hold out a little longer to get their episodic caped crusader fix. With 2021 almost upon us, that wait is almost over. Come Friday, January 15, the six-episode series WandaVision will become Disney+'s first MCU show — focusing on Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), as the title suggests. But it'll have company within months, with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier due to hit on Friday, March 19 and Loki dropping sometime in May. And, if you've been feeling the lack of Marvel action this year due to worldwide cinema shutdowns, the latter two shows now have their first trailers. Clearly, no one at Marvel and Disney+ has been taxing themselves while naming these series. So, you instantly know who they're about. In The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise the eponymous characters and head off on a global adventure. Their exploits will span six episodes, too, and will co-star Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter,and Wyatt Russell as John Walker. In Loki, Tom Hiddleston is obviously back as the God of Mischief — and enjoying stepping into the trickster's shoes again, if the trailer is anything to go by. Viewers will watch his antics post-Avengers: Endgame, with Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Wunmi Mosaku and Richard E. Grant rounding out the cast. Yes, there are more shows in the works, too, with Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye due to hit sometime later in 2021, and She-Hulk, Moon Knight, Secret Invasion (about Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury), Iron Heart, Armour Wars, I Am Groot and a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special all slated as well. But, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki are the only ones to drop their first sneak peek as part of Disney's big 2020 Investor Day on Friday, December 11 Australian/New Zealand time — while a new trailer for WandaVision also hit. Check out the first trailers for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki, and the new WandaVision trailer, all below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkBfGvb7NzM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4JuopziR3Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBhlqe2OTt4 WandaVision will hit Disney+ on Friday, January 15, 2021. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will hit the service on Friday, March 19, while Loki is due on a yet-to-be-announced date in May.
UPDATE, September 24, 2021: The Lighthouse is available to stream via Netflix, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Straddling the space where land meets sea, reaching high into the sky and emitting a glow that heralds safety, lighthouses have long ranked among humanity's most revered structures. They save sailors' lives by stopping them from crashing into craggy cliffs, and they're afforded not just respect as a result, but an almost ethereal, enchanting status. Also, every Australian who grew up since the 90s has dreamed of living in one, thanks to classic series Round the Twist. After watching Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson fart, fight, guzzle too much rum, growl at seagulls, masturbate and go steadily mad in one of the towering, alluring buildings in the nightmarish The Lighthouse, though, you might never look at these oceanside staples in the same way again. Dafoe and Pattinson play cantankerous sea dog Thomas Wake and eager newcomer Ephraim Winslow — a seasoned 'wickie' who adores the light above all else, and an ex-woodsman hoping to work his way up in the world. When Winslow arrives for a four-week stint assisting the peg-legged Wake, he really should see his choppy voyage to the isolated New England island as a sign of things to come. (As the latest film by The Witch writer/director Robert Eggers, omens come with the territory.) Although forcibly chatty while swigging spirits with dinner, Wake is a hard taskmaster. He's also dour, mean, flatulent and drunk on power. Attending to the light is his responsibility alone, with Winslow saddled with the tough, dirty, literally shitty work — and warned not to mess with the seagulls fluttering around outside, which Wake believes to be the souls of dead seamen. Scrubbing floors, carting heavy kerosene containers upstairs, emptying overflowing chamber pots — that's Winslow's new life day in, day out. Coupled with the constant stream of insults spat ferociously by Wake, it's enough to make him lose his grip on his sanity. And so, after finding a mermaid figurine in his bedsprings on his first night, then frequently fondling it with one hand while fondling himself with the other, the fledgling keeper grasps what solace he can. Then a storm sweeps in, stranding the two men inside with nothing but each other, alcohol and their bubbling acrimony for company. With a tempest swirling both in the sky and in the lighthouse, not even self-love can help brighten Winslow's stay on the island. In The Witch, Eggers charted the slow implosion of a Puritan family in 17th-century America. In an insidiously unsettling movie made with exceptional technical prowess, he watched as fear and superstition — plus good ol'-fashioned bickering and a goat called Black Phillip — collapsed his characters' bonds. Jumping two centuries forward, swapping a remote farm for the titular structure and focusing on co-workers, The Lighthouse does much the same. That said, you could never accuse Eggers of just repeating himself. He's clearly deeply fascinated with the darkness that springs when folks spend too much time together in close quarters in fraught circumstances, and how such a scenario reveals humanity's true nature. He's also well aware how common a situation that is, and how it can play out in oh-so-many ways. Here, shot in inky black-and-white, lit to stress every shadow and lapping up all shades of grey — a fitting colour for men stuck in limbo several times over — the above chain of events plays out in gripping, stunning, horrifying and even amusing fashion. Co-written by Eggers with his brother Max, the gothic-leaning narrative boasts its twists, shocks and secrets. Deconstructing masculinity while caught in a trippy daze, it offers more than its fair share of surprises. But how The Lighthouse conveys this tale is just as important as the story itself. Constrained within a square frame (deploying the 1.19:1 Movietone aspect ratio that was popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s), this is a masterclass in claustrophobia, paranoia and mania. Jarin Blaschke's Oscar-nominated cinematography is fine-tuned to agitate and disturb, as is the needling score by fellow The Witch alum Mark Korven's score. The end result? A surreal, savage and purposefully aesthetically overwhelming portrait of psychological unraveling that feels more like it has been washed up in a bottle than crafted anew. Thanks to Dafoe and Pattinson, there's no doubting that The Lighthouse was made in 2019 (and obviously not a century or so earlier). Eggers' casting instincts are superb — and not just because his monochrome visuals make the most of Dafoe's lively scowl and Pattinson's cheekbones. Spouting dialogue informed by real lighthouse-keepers' diaries, as well as by the writings of Moby Dick author Herman Melville, Dafoe barks and swaggers with frenzied energy. Glowering with growing internal rage, Pattinson's physically expressive performance is on par with the best silent film stars. The more this powerhouse duo snipe and snarl back and forth, the more they lure viewers into The Lighthouse's fever dream like a glowing beam — or like the tentacles that help make this already out-there movie even more eccentric, outlandish and utterly mesmerising. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOs6gKtrb4
Hanami and Japan go hand in hand, but what if you could indulge in the art of flower viewing (yes, that's what the term translates to in English) a bit closer to home? Well, that's where the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival comes in. It's a celebration of everyone's favourite pink flora in Sydney's west. Between Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 25, the Auburn Botanic Gardens will transform its Japanese Gardens into a beautiful, blooming wonderland. You'll be able to ramp up your appreciation of the fleeting natural phenomena that is cherry blossom season by attending a massive viewing party in the lead up to spring. Tis the season, after all. And taking in the spectacular scenery isn't the only thing you'll be doing. Over the two weekends of the festival (that is August 17-18 and 24-25), you'll be able to get your fill of Japanese entertainment. There'll be guided shinrin-yoku or 'forest bathing' therapy in the gardens, live Japanese blues music and ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement) workshops. For the kidults, you can also expect a cinema dedicated to one of Japan's most popular characters Gudetama (Lazy Egg), laser tag in an anime-themed arena and Hello Kitty makeovers and stage shows. This year, the festival is ramping up its food offering, too. As well as eating your way through an array of Japanese food trucks, you'll also be able to try a heap of cherry blossom-inspired eats. Former Masterchef Australia winner (and national treasure) Adam Liaw has even created a Cherry Blossom Festival Bento Box for the occasion. A pop-up izakaya will serve up sake and Japanese craft beer, too, and Sydney's Sakeshop will be selling limited cups of Hanamikura Aya sake — which is made from a yeast extracted from the cherry blossom flower. If you've got a day off and want to skip the crowds, it'll also be opening during the week (August 19–23), with Costa from ABC's show Gardening Australia hosting a jam-packed, hands-on gardening day on the Tuesday and an educational day on the Friday. Tickets cost $7.50 for early birds, $10 for general admission and is free for Cumberland residents. Early bird tickets are now on sale for the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival and can be purchased here. Images: Destination NSW.
It's been four years since Ryan Gosling last graced screens, rocketing to the moon in First Man. No, Barbie set photos pored over on every internet-connected device don't count. Since he played Neil Armstrong, much has happened. There's the obvious off-screen, of course — but then there's Chris Evans farewelling Captain America, and also appearing in Knives Out with the scene-stealing Ana de Armas. After co-starring in Blade Runner 2049 with Gosling back in 2017, she leapt from that Evans-featuring whodunnit to palling around with 007 in No Time to Die. Also during that time, Bridgerton pushed Regé-Jean Page to fame, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood earmarked Julia Butters as a young talent to watch. This isn't just a history lesson on The Gray Man's cast — well, some of them, given that Billy Bob Thornton (Goliath), Jessica Henwick (The Matrix Resurrections), Dhanush (Maaran), Wagner Moura (Shining Girls) and Alfre Woodard (The Lion King) also pop up, plus Australia's own Callan Mulvey (Firebite) — for the hell of it, though. Back in 2018, before all of the above played out, it's unlikely that this exact film with this exact cast would've eventuated. But plenty of action-thrillers about attempting to snuff out hyper-competent assassins already did flicker across celluloid — both John Wick and Atomic Blonde had already been there and done that, and the Bourne and Bond movies, and countless other predecessors. Still, the combination of this collection of current actors and that familiar setup isn't without its charms in The Gray Man, which makes the leap from the pages of Mark Greaney's 2009 novel to the big and streaming screens. Reportedly Netflix's most expensive movie to date, it lets its two biggest names bounce off of each other with chalk-and-cheese aplomb, and isn't short on globe-hopping action spectacle. The off-the-book spy versus off-the-book spy killer flick is knowing amid all that box-ticking formula, too, although not enough to make its cheesy lines sound smart and savvy. Gosling plays Court Gentry, aka Sierra Six; "007 was taken," he jokes. Before he's given his codename — before he's paid to do the CIA's dirty work as well — he's in prison for murder, then recruited by Donald Fitzroy (Thornton). Fast-forward 18 years and Six is a huge hit at two things: being a ghost, because he no longer officially exists; and covertly wreaking whatever havoc the government tells him to, including knocking off whichever nefarious figure they need gone. But one stint of the latter leaves him in possession of a USB drive that his arrogant new direct superior Carmichael (Page) will ruthlessly kill to destroy. Actually, to be precise, he'll pay Lloyd Hansen (Evans) of Hansen Government Services to do just that, and to do the dirty work that's too dirty for the criminals-turned-government hitmen in the Sierra program, with Six the number-one target. If you've seen one espionage-slash-assassin flick that sends a shadowy life-or-death fight bounding around the planet — here, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Germany and Austria all feature, among other spots — then you've seen The Gray Man's template. Directing duo Joe and Anthony Russo helmed the Marvel Cinematic Universe's versions with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, so they know the drill. That they've seen a heap of other entries in the genre is never question, either. That feeling radiates from the script, which is credited to Joe Russo with seasoned Marvel scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game), and clearly styles its one-liners after superhero banter. Having Gosling and Evans sling it, one playing bearded, silent and virtuous and the other moustachioed, jabbering and unhinged, makes a helluva difference, however. The silver screen has missed Gosling, and the moody, charismatic brooding he does so well. Thanks to Drive and Only God Forgives, the actor is firmly in his calm-but-deadly, complex-but-smouldering element — and, when Fitzroy's niece Claire (Butters) joins the story, Gosling is also in comfortable The Nice Guys-style territory. That isn't a complaint; he's great at both, reliably and engagingly so. But, again, almost every aspect of The Gray Man recalls something similar or its stars' past work. As he did so memorably in Knives Out, Evans revels in his latest asshole swerve away from The Star Spangled Man with a Plan, spitting out his smirking dialogue with relish. (The trash 'stash and skin-tight wardrobe are new, but suit the psychopathic vibe that Lloyd is wrapped in as snug as spandex.) That at least 50 shades of this feature have filled other films before can't be shaken, and yet that fact never blows up the movie. Explosions aren't lacking, given the storyline. Neither are setpieces of varying action-flick ridiculousness to house them in, as well as such a hefty dose of transport-related mayhem that the Fast and Furious movies might get envious. There's nothing grey in colour about the first big action extravaganza, staged in Bangkok amid a gleaming nightclub and bursting fireworks — and the Russos' best shootouts, fights and frays boast a sense of playfulness, just like the back-and-forth between Gosling and Evans. Still, some lively lurches stumble. A "Ken doll" quip is too calculated to crib that Barbie mania, and when the setpiece setting ante gets upped to include a hedge maze, it's yet another reminder of riches elsewhere on celluloid. That said, Netflix also previously made the abhorrent Red Notice, the last film badged as its most expensive ever. Next to that atrocious example of cobbling together well-worn parts and plastering them over with megastars, The Gray Man naturally looks like a masterpiece. The Gray Man isn't a masterpiece, though. If it was — rather than being entertaining despite showing the easy dots it's connecting, and its seams — the slickly shot picture would make full use of its entire cast. The film is all the better for having de Armas, Page and the like in it, but they all scream for more screentime (and for better-fleshed-out characters), which may come for some in future instalments. As his mentor Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan saga did, Greaney's books have spawned followups. On the screen, both a sequel and a prequel were reportedly greenlit by Netflix before The Gray Man even reached audiences. Knowing that this is meant to be a franchise-starter doesn't justify its love of formula, or hide it, but it also doesn't detract from Gosling or Evans, or the dazzling destruction around them. The Gray Man screens in cinemas Down Under from Thursday, July 14, and is available to stream via Netflix from Friday, July 22. Image: Paul Abell/Netflix.
In this world, nothing is what it seems. Bagels are not really a health food, dream boyfriends turn out to be players, and scooters are actually plants. This latter cunning deception has been wrought by the Dutch design firm Waarmakers and more specifically its resident geniuses Maarten Heijltjes and Simon Akkaya, who have fashioned an electric scooter from our chlorophyllous friends. Who knew compressed plants could be such a great way to get around? Created in collaboration with InHolland University of Applied Science and NPSP composites for Van.Eko, the Be.e scooter is both eco-friendly and stylish. Its frameless monocoque body trades metal, plastic and glass-fibre composites for NFCs (natural fibre-reinforced composites of flax, hemp and bio-resin). The trick is, the external skin of the scooter supports the load, without any need for a frame. The distinctive windscreen boasts a dirt and water-repelling nano-coating, prepping it for use in the wet and wild Netherlands, and its 48V 40AH battery powered with a 600 W charger provides 2 hours of carefree cruising. The Be.e can travel at up to 55km/hr and climb an incline of 15%. There are even USB charging ports in the dashboard for all your devices. It's no magic carpet, but with further models in development, this green machine may one day be a common way to travel. Via PSFK
Food is usually the gift you give when you can't think of anything else. Come on, it's true. However, anyone getting their dad Gelato Messina's latest special Father's Day creation can't be accused of that. Given that the gelato wizards are pumping out VHS tape-shaped, Negroni-flavoured gelato cakes, wanting to eat it before Dad can is understandable. Their limited-edition offering, which is completely made out of gelato and chocolate, and is entirely edible. Well, the choc-orange flavoured cake layered with vermouth gelato (!), almond crunch, more choc-orange cake and Negroni gel (made with Archie Rose gin and blood orange mousse) is — and the edible VHS chocolate top layer as well. Best not to take a bite out of the box it comes in, though. Kids of the '80s and '90s, if you're having flashbacks about accidentally sticking food into your parents' video player when you were too young to know better, you're not alone (you're not alone). And yes, that's a good enough reason to get a cake. These memory-jogging sweet treats serve six to eight people, and will be available from Messina's Bondi, Darlinghurst, Miranda, Parramatta, Rosebery and Penrith stores in Sydney, Fitzroy and Windsor digs in Melbourne, and South Brisbane. As is always the case with their creative concoctions, they're certain to get snapped up fast, so ordering one asap is recommended. You'll have to wait until September 3 to eat it, so enjoy this GIF of the cake:
Annex is one of the oldest men's clothing stores in Bondi at 15 years old, but you wouldn't know it from looking at its designs. This menswear store on Gould Street knows exactly who it makes clothes for: beachside arty types who occasionally have to hit the big city for client meetings. The store works monochromatic tones into breathable, clean-cut clothing that looks just as good at south Bondi Beach as it does on Pitt Street. The understated dark linens are part of the Bondi uniform for any occasion. The shop's staff is helpful and passionate about the clothing and always up for a chat in the effortlessly cool store.
Come future Friday nights, you're soon going to have another excuse to grab Emperor's Puffs from the Chinatown markets. The streets of Haymarket will be transformed into a pedestrian friendly, tree-lined space in a move to refurbish the area announced by the City of Sydney. The proposed new plaza in the heart of Chinatown promises to put pedestrians at the top of the priority list. Thomas Street will become a pedestrian-friendly walkway and public space, with more lighting, seats, wider footpaths and a no-car policy during busy periods — so you can finally enjoy your street food goodies distraction free. Road closures are planned between Ultimo Road and Thomas Lane, while Thomas Street will become one-way only between Thomas Lane and Quay Street to make things safer for pedestrians. "By making it easier to explore the area on foot and creating more lively public spaces, we will attract even more people to the area and further support business in and around Haymarket," says Lord Mayor Clover Moore. "The plan for Thomas Street will ensure Haymarket remains an attractive and enjoyable place for tourists and visitors, reinforcing our Chinatown's place as one of the best in the world." Visitors will also be able to enjoy public art from Australian contemporary artist Lindy Lee while walking through the streets of Chinatown. Lee's work is preoccupied with the idea of self in the world, as captured through her own negotiations with her divided Chinese-Australian heritage. "The heart of Chinatown is Sussex Street, Hay Street and Thomas Street where they intersect," says Lee. "I love the history of this area and the idea is to maintain the integrity of the street life to make Thomas Street pedestrian-friendly and strengthen the heart of Chinatown." This latest stage in the Chinatown overhaul comes after two years of the City of Sydney's previous work rejuvenating the area's back alleys — you may have noticed Jason Wing's murals on the walls of Little Hay Street, Factory Street or Kimber Lane. If not, well, I guess that's another solid reason to pay the area a visit.
Remember when your parents threw dinner parties when you were a kid? Your parents had likely planned the menu well in advance, pulled out the good crockery, and cleaned the house in a frenzy. It was gorgeous, of course, but it was also a colossal effort. Thankfully, the popularity of formal dining at home took a nosedive, and now we want the kind of easy and elevated dining experience that Pinterest has championed: relaxed, but still worthy of sharing pictures across the internet. Which brings us a new kind of challenge, when you search 'dinner party ideas' you'll get 275 million results and too many options to choose from. So to help cut through the anxiety you may be feeling about hosting your next dinner party, we've partnered with super premium French vodka Grey Goose to bring you a guide on how to host an elevated evening meal at home that won't cost you your entire pay cheque (or your sanity). Read on for some sensory inspiration. TASTE Arguably the most important part of a dinner party (aside from your guests) is the food and drink, so don't let this part trip you up. Repeat after me: delegation is key. Nobody expects you to do this on your own (and foot the expenses, too), so when people offer to bring something, assign them a dish immediately. Keep it simple with cheese, charcuterie or a salad. For drinks, rest assured that everyone will bring their own beer or wine, so flex your hosting skills by having a pre-dinner cocktail ready for when everyone arrives. So fancy! So adult! The Grey Goose Peach Spritz is an elegant cocktail that's easy to make. Simply build 40ml of Grey Goose Original with 20ml of peach puree, 10ml of lemon juice, 10ml of sugar syrup and 45ml of sparkling rose in a wine glass. Stir and top with a sprig of rosemary. Look at you go! [caption id="attachment_751536" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Creative Commons: Flickr/Eva Coudyser[/caption] SIGHT Your parents were onto something with all those candles they lit at their weekend soirees; lighting really is important. Fairy lights, lamps, tea lights = good ambiance. That dodgy fluro light in the living room = bad vibes. You don't live in a dive bar. Once you've picked out the lights that suit your home, spruce up the rest of the house. Hide any clutter, put something floral on the table, and pull out some old photos. Not only will this serve as decoration, but it'll also work as an ice-breaker for any guests that might not know each other that well. Bonus points if the photos contain questionable haircuts circa 2010. [caption id="attachment_751529" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Creative Commons: Flickr/Marco Verch[/caption] SMELL They say the smell of baking bread is used by real estate agents to attract home buyers — and it's a very comforting aroma. Rather than baking your own loaf of sourdough for the occasion (#toohardbasket), stop by one of the best bakeries in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane and pick up something ready made. Heat it up in the oven, and cut up thick slices to throw on a cheese board. Your gluten-free/low-carb/Keto friends probably won't eat it, but everyone will appreciate the smell. And if your sense of smell is chef-level impressive, see if you can pick out the notes of French baguettes in the Grey Goose vodka, as the same winter wheat is used to make the vodka as bakers use to make the country's famed pastries. [caption id="attachment_751744" align="alignnone" width="1920"] InBed[/caption] TOUCH Two words: table linen. It makes a real difference — and you can create a tactile environment really easily with one throw-over table cloth from linen purveyors like InBed (from $110) to more affordable homewares stores like IKEA (from $19.99). In a pinch, you can always use a picnic rug, or a sarong, to dress the table. Next, create an inviting environment where people can congregate after a big meal. Grab all the blankets from your bedroom, and get some hygge happening. Imagine a pillow fort, but more chic. SOUND When it comes to music, people fall into one of two categories: the effortlessly cool people who have a record player (and a well-curated vinyl collection) and those who rely on the old faithful Spotify and wireless speakers, which wins points for being totally customisable. If you choose to use a music streaming service during dinner, please abide by the cardinal rules: pay for premium (so you don't have pesky ads interrupting the mood) and use 'private session' so you don't add the tracks to your algorithm. Alternatively, rely on pre-made playlists like Front Left; the latest tracks become conversation starters. [embed]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX5WTH49Vcnqp[/embed] Upgrade your dinner party by choosing premium vodka Grey Goose. Each bottle is distilled in France, and the high quality vodka has a 100 percent traceable production process, from crop to cork.
The Hunter Valley is taking a trip to the coast for the 10th annual incarnation of Hunter Valley Uncorked Balmoral. On Sunday, October 11, from 11am–5pm, Balmoral's gorgeous esplanade will transform into a wino's dream, crowded with stalls hosted by the Hunter's best winemakers, producers and chefs. More than 20 wineries will be in attendance. These include big names like Tyrell's, Hungerford Hill and Brokenwood, as well as boutique labels, such as Allandale Winery, De iuliis and Eagles Rest. Needless to say, there'll be an endless array of semillons to sample, but you can also expect some unusual and experimental varieties. Meanwhile, a handful of the Hunter's top-notch eateries will be joining forces to bring you matching tasting plates — namely, Ridge View, The Cellar, The Verandah and Twine. And dessert will be taken care of in the form of gelato, fresh home-made lemonade and choc-dipped strawberries. Keeping your ears happy will be acoustic blues-rock duo, Daley Holliday, with a steady program of old classics and new hits. To get you there and away safely and easily, free shuttle buses will be running every 15 minutes from Mosman and Spit Junction.
Loving skivvies, winning Triple J's Hottest 100, performing at the 2022 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade: all three of these yummy yummy things now apply to Australian national treasures The Wiggles. And yes, as fans young and old have seen for more than three decades now, the children's music group clearly already has the outfits for it. The Wiggles' rainbow-hued threads will grace the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) when Mardi Gras' famed signature event returns on Saturday, March 5. The parade is being held at the stadium due to the pandemic, as it was in 2021, too — so, sorry, you won't see a big red car drive down Oxford Street. This year's Hottest 100 victors have promised to bring "their Wiggly friends" to the SCG with them, however — all to take part in Sydney's huge LGBTQIA+ celebration for the very first time. On the parade's lineup, they'll be joined by Savage Garden's Darren Hayes, who'll headline and do his first Australian performance in a decade; Vanessa Amorosi, for some more late 90s/early 00s nostalgia; plus Mo'Ju, Timothy Springs and Prinnie Stevens, as well as local DJs KILIMI, Charlie Villas and Division 4. And, the parade will host 40,000 spectators to watch 5800 marchers across 161 parade entries as well, celebrating the 2022 theme 'united we shine'. [caption id="attachment_828658" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna Kucera[/caption] This year's fest is ticketed, and there are still some available; however, if you can't head along for some fruit salad, hot potatoes and cold spaghetti in person — and perhaps the Hottest 100-winning 'Elephant' cover — in person, you'll be able to tune into the parade in a number of ways. So, whether you're a Sydneysider who'll be at home or you live elsewhere around the nation, you can watch on ABC iview from 6.30pm AEDT, ABC TV from 7.30pm AEDT, and listen via Triple J (including the Triple J and ABC listen apps) and ABC Local Radio Evenings from 7pm AEDT. The 2022 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade takes place at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, March 5. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the Mardi Gras website.
If there's one person audiences should happily follow into a haunted house, it's Guillermo del Toro. He played with spooky spaces in the Oscar-winning Pan's Labyrinth and told ghost stories in The Devil's Backbone. Actually, the Mexican filmmaker has danced with all things dark and sinister across his career, including vampires in Cronos, Blade II and TV's The Strain; giant insects in Mimic; a demon defender in the Hellboy movies; and monsters versus robots in Pacific Rim. In Crimson Peak, del Toro dives into gothic horror territory, telling the tale of a young woman (Mia Wasikowska) seduced into confronting the secrets of the titular house. Add Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Charlie Hunnam to the stellar cast, as well as a haunting mood and stunningly spooky imagery, and this frightening effort looks like something truly special. Plus, Crimson Peak even earned the approval of iconic horror author Stephen King, who compared it to Evil Dead. Consider us excited — and a little scared, to be honest — in anticipation. Crimson Peak (© 2015 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.) is in cinemas nationally from October 15, and thanks to Universal Pictures Australia, we have 10 double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter and then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
He was a (just-out-of-prison, testosterone-fuelled, newly sober ex-con) boy, she was a (cocaine-addicted, fiercely loving) girl. Jackie and Veronica have been in love since high school, and she's waited for him to serve his time. Now he's back, full of good intentions and ready to start afresh. Everything's set for a happily-ever-after — until he finds the hat. Tony Award-winning Broadway hit The Motherf**ker with the Hat is a romantic comedy of the foul-mouthed kind, following antihero Jackie's stumbling misadventures through love, infidelity, revenge and redemption. Director Adam Cook promises that his production will be "fast-paced, full-blooded and very, very funny." He's returning to the play, following a sell-out season at the TAP Gallery last year — and if that one's anything to go by, this is a production full of tough exteriors, real yet unsentimental emotion, and wash-your-mouth-out uproariousness. The Motherf**ker with the Hat is on from September 19 to October 19 at the Eternity Playhouse. Thanks to the Darlinghurst Theatre Company, we have two double passes to give away to the preview performance on Friday, September 19, at 8pm. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Every trip to the movies serves up multiple delights, from the excuse to tuck into a choc top to whatever big-screen release has earned your attention at that very moment. But one aspect of cinema's magic has hit home particularly hard over the past year: the ability to switch off from the world, forget everything else for a couple of hours, ignore your phone and the news, and completely lose yourself in a film. In 2020, we all indulged in that escapism on our couches, as well as in cinemas. That said, it felt particularly special when projectors started whirring again post-lockdowns in picture palaces around the country. In 2021, here's hoping that the latter sensation will continue — because there are plenty of brand new movies vying for your attention this year. Whether you're eager to check out Australia's latest on-screen reckoning with the past, a drama about four friends testing the idea that humans actually need more alcohol in their blood or the revival of a beloved sci-fi franchise, 2021's upcoming film slate has you covered. There's no such thing as a bad year for movies, because there's always something new to see; however, getting particularly excited about the next crop of releases heading to the silver screen is completely understandable — including these ten highlights that we've either seen and can heartily recommend, or we're especially looking forward to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL-G4oCoDF0 HIGH GROUND A high-profile Australian cast and an acclaimed local director traipse through the country's colonial past in High Ground — and while that description applies to a growing number of Aussie films (Sweet Country, The Nightingale and The Furnace, just to name three recent examples), it'll never get old. Indeed, while Stephen Maxwell Johnson's (Yolngu Boy) frontier western feels like a natural addition to this growing genre, it also makes its own imprint. The setup: on what's supposed to be a routine expedition, almost an entire Indigenous tribe is wiped out by northern Australian police. Their leader, ex-World War I sniper Travis (Simon Baker, Breath), isn't responsible for the carnage, but it weighs heavily on him in the aftermath. In this gorgeously shot, deeply contemplative drama, that especially proves the case twelve years later — when Travis is enlisted by his superior (Jack Thompson) and his ex-partner (Callan Mulvey, Avengers: Endgame) to track down one of its revenge-seeking survivors, all while accompanied by the boy-turned-tracker (debutant Jacob Junior Nayinggul) who also lived through the slaughter. High Ground releases in Australian cinemas on January 28, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svq5OzzT7s4 THE NEST Over the past decade, Carrie Coon has amassed a resume that'd make many other actors envious, with Gone Girl, The Leftovers, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Widows all to her name. Her exceptional performance in The Nest should turn many of her peers green-eyed, too — as should the fact that she stars in this unsettling marital thriller about a couple's unhappiness when they uproot their 80s-era, New York-based lives for a new start in the UK. Coon plays Allison O'Hara, who'd prefer not to move halfway across the globe. But her British trader husband Rory (Jude Law, The Third Day) is adamant that it's the best choice for his career, for their bank balance, and for her teenage daughter Sam (Oona Roche, Morning Wars) and their younger son Ben (Charlie Shotwell, The Nightingale), too. Their tale is told with exacting precision and dripping unease by filmmaker Sean Durkin, making his the long-awaited second feature after 2011's Martha Marcy May Marlene, so it should come as little surprise that little is what it seems in this exquisitely shot, emotionally devastating movie. The Nest releases in Australian cinemas on February 4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5R46NgopPw&list=UUadhU_V17tZia6mvQSYn-tg ANOTHER ROUND Last time that Mads Mikkelsen (Arctic) teamed up with filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg (Kursk), 2012's The Hunt was the end result — and the difficult drama about a school teacher accused of acting inappropriately with one of his kindergarten students was one of the best movies of that year. In Another Round, the actor and writer/director have joined forces again. Screenwriter Tobias Lindholm (A Hijacking, A War) is back on co-scripting duties as well — and Mikkelsen yet again plays a school teacher, too. In this instance, however, a different subject comes to the fore: the idea that perhaps being constantly under the influence of alcohol is actually better for humans than remaining sober. Martin (Mikkelsen) and his fellow Copenhagen teacher pals Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen, Veni Vidi Vici), Peter (Lars Ranthe, Warrior) and Nikolaj (Magnus Millang, The Commune) decide to put the theory to the test, chaos ensues, and so does an astute drama about four men weathering a midlife crisis in an extreme way. Also, you've never seen a movie ending quite like this one — and you're unlikely to ever again. Another Round releases in Australian cinemas on February 11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbE96sCJEjo MINARI Remember the name Lee Isaac Chung. Minari isn't the writer/director's first feature — with 2007's Munyurangabo, 2010's Lucky Life and 2012's Abigail Harm already on his resume — but it's the kind of intimate, heartfelt and resonant movie that no one will forget quickly, and that cements its filmmaker as a top cinematic talent to watch. Remember the name Alan S Kim, too. The child actor makes his film debut here, but he steals every scene he's in. Considering that he's acting opposite Steven Yeun (Burning), who turns in his latest excellent performance and will probably nab an Oscar nomination for his efforts, that's no minor feat. Remembering Minari in general is a given, actually. It's so detailed, vivid, honest and tender, and yet also so universal at the same time. Based on Chung's own upbringing, it follows the Yi family as they move to Arkansas to start their own farm, and it's a movie about chasing the American Dream — but don't go thinking that you've seen this tale before, or seen any similar story told with such feeling either. Minari releases in Australian cinemas on February 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk5YWIbwzRE EARWIG AND THE WITCH Since 2016's The Red Turtle, the cinema-loving world has had a Studio Ghibli-shaped hole in its heart. But that'll change in 2021, thanks to Earwig and The Witch — its first new movie in five years. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki's son Goro Miyazaki (who previously directed Tales from Earthsea and From Up On Poppy Hill), the film also marks the animation house's first feature completely made using CGI. It's also based on a novel written by British author Diana Wynne Jones, who penned the book that Howl's Moving Castle was adapted from, too. In terms of story, Earwig and the Witch focuses on a girl at an orphanage in the British countryside, whose world changes when she's chosen to live with a couple — including a witch. Earwig doesn't know that her own mother also had magical powers, so she's thrust into a strange new world, all while trying to do what she's always wanted: belong to a family. In its English-language version, the film will feature voice work by Richard E Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) and Dan Stevens (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga), plus newcomer Taylor Paige Henderson. Earwig and the Witch releases in Australian cinemas sometime early in 2021, with its exact release date yet to be announced. [caption id="attachment_796213" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Director Chloe Zhao filming 'Nomadland'. Image: Searchlight Pictures. © 2020 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved[/caption] ETERNALS Another year, another Marvel movie. That actually didn't prove true in 2020, thanks to the pandemic, but 2021 promises to pick up the slack. Indeed, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to drop no fewer than four films this year — Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals and the latest Spider-Man flick — however, Eternals might just be the pick of the bunch. The fact that it focuses on an immortal alien race is certainly interesting. The cast, spanning Angelina Jolie (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil), Kumail Nanjiani (Stuber), Salma Hayek (Like a Boss), Barry Keoghan (Calm with Horses), Gemma Chan (Captain Marvel), Brian Tyree Henry (Superintelligence) and Game of Thrones co-stars Richard Madden and Kit Harington, is too. But it's the involvement of filmmaker Chloe Zhao that's the most exciting part. She's working on a far bigger scale than seen in her past two movies, The Rider and Nomadland; however, there's a sense of empathy and a knack for observation to her features that'll hopefully make the much-needed jump to superhero territory. Eternals releases in Australian cinemas on October 28. THE MATRIX 4 It's enough to make you say "whoa!" — which Keanu Reeves will hopefully exclaim multiple times. Yes, The Matrix franchise is coming back, its mind-bending dystopian sci-fi story will get another chapter, and not only is Reeves returning, but so is co-star Carrie-Anne Moss (Jessica Jones) and filmmaker Lana Wachowski (Jupiter Ascending). That should whet everyone's appetite for The Matrix 4, which will likely get a better title before it releases. The original is a science fiction classic, after all. And while sequels The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions don't reach the same heights, they still definitely have their moments. Jada Pinkett Smith (Girls Trip) will also pop up again, and the rest of the cast spans everyone from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen) and Neil Patrick Harris (A Series of Unfortunate Events) to Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter) and Priyanka Chopra (Baywatch). She may be directing solo this time around, but Wachowski doesn't make movies that can be confused for anyone else's work — and six years after her last feature, she's finally making her big-screen return. The Matrix 4 is expected to release in Australia in December 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoJc2tH3WBw THE GREEN KNIGHT After filming two of his last four movies in Australia (Lion and Hotel Mumbai), and also stepping into a Dickens classic set in Victorian England (The Personal History of David Copperfield), Dev Patel is heading somewhere completely different. Jumping back to medieval times, he's delving into the fantasy genre, messing with Arthurian legend and swinging around a mighty sword, all thanks to the dark and ominous The Green Knight. Based on the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the film casts Patel as Sir Gawain. Nephew to King Arthur (Sean Harris, Mission: Impossible — Fallout), he's a knight of the Round Table and fearsome warrior. The character has popped up in plenty of tales, but here, he's forced to confront the green-skinned titular figure in an eerie showdown. Patel is in great company, too, with The Green Knight also starring Alicia Vikander (Earthquake Bird), Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased) and Barry Keoghan (Calm with Horses). And, it's the latest film by impressive — and always eclectic — writer/director David Lowery, with his filmography spanning everything from Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Pete's Dragon to A Ghost Story and The Old Man and the Gun. The Green Knight doesn't currently have an Australian release date. [caption id="attachment_654191" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The Shape of Water[/caption] NIGHTMARE ALLEY What's better than one new Guillermo del Toro-directed movie this year? Two, of course — if everything goes as planned, that is. The filmmaker won the Oscar for Best Director for 2017's The Shape of Water, and his work has been absent from our screens since; however, 2021 is currently set to deliver his stop-motion animated version of Pinocchio, plus his new thriller Nightmare Alley. The latter is set in a carnival, where a man called Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper, The Mule) has just started working. His new place of employment leads him to psychologist Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett, Where'd You Go, Bernadette), and that's just the start of the story. Based on the 1946 novel of the same name, this isn't the first film adaptation of Nightmare Alley — but no one makes movies quite like del Toro, as everything from Cronos and Pan's Labyrinth to Pacific Rim and Crimson Peak have proven. And to help, he has enlisted a stacked cast that also includes Rooney Mara (Mary Magdalene), Toni Collette (I'm Thinking of Ending Things), Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse) and his regular collaborator Ron Perlman (Monster Hunter) Nightmare Alley doesn't currently have an Australian release date. [caption id="attachment_796214" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sundance Film Festival[/caption] PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND Nicolas Cage has starred in some out-there movies in his time. Yes, that's obviously an understatement. Some of his films are so over the top, they're an unhinged delight, like Vampire's Kiss. Some seem as if they should fall into that category, but just end up being bland and clunky beyond Cage's involvement, as seen in 2020's Jiu Jitsu. But combine the inimitable actor with Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono, and something distinctive is bound to happen. Sono's movies, including Love Exposure, Why Don't You Play in Hell?, Tokyo Tribe and Tokyo Vampire Hotel, always fit that description anyway — and, like Cage at his manic best, have to be seen to be believed and truly appreciated. The director makes his first English-language feature with Prisoners of the Ghostland, and Cage plays a bank robber busted out of prison to find a warlord's missing granddaughter. The end result is premiering at this year's Sundance Film Festival, has been described as a western, samurai flick and dystopian thriller combined, and is certain to serve up one helluva ride. Prisoners of the Ghostland doesn't currently have an Australian release date.
Hold onto your paper plates Sydney, because Carriageworks has just announced another Night Market, this time to coincide with Vivid Sydney. The after-dark market launched a year ago as part of last year's festival program before returning for another two iterations later in the year. However, the outdoor nosh session appeared to get too popular for its own good — January's Chinese New Year Market was met with angry punters demanding refunds for their entry fee after they met long lines and a lack of food inside. This latest instalment of The Night Market — to be held on Friday, June 16 — will still have a $10 ticket price, but, this time around, there will be some changed. Organisers have reportedly taken on feedback form last time, and will be doubling both the space and the food available. "We have taken great care to ensure this exciting instalment of The Night Market addresses visitors' feedback from previous markets," said Carriageworks director Lisa Havilah. "Following extensive expert consultation, we are doubling the footprint of the area that the Market takes place over and doubling the number of restaurants and food offered on the night. There will be additional seating and increased security in place to facilitate service and ensure that everyone has a fantastic experience." The event will see a slew of stallholders take over Carriageworks from 5pm on the penultimate evening of Vivid. You can expect to once again sample goods from NSW's top tier of restaurants, winemakers, breweries and providores, as curated by Firedoor's Lennox Hastie who is working with the theme 'cooking with fire'. Billy Kwong, Young Henrys, Cake Wines 4Fourteen, No.1 Bent Street and Pepe Saya will be returning, and will be joined by the likes of Three Blue Ducks, Cairo Takeaway, Rising Sun Workshop, Lankan Filling Station and Hartsyard. Darren Robertson's yet-to-open North Bondi venue Rocker will be doing the drinks too. The Vivid instalment of The Night Market will take place from 5pm on Friday, June 16 at Carriageworks. To buy a ticket, visit carriageworks.com.au. Image: Tim da Rin.
When Robert De Niro asked his reflection who it was talking to, Joe Pesci questioned whether he was funny, and Leonardo DiCaprio crawled along the ground under the influence of Quaaludes, one man was responsible. Over a career spanning almost six decades, Martin Scorsese has brought tales of taxi drivers, goodfellas and wolf-like stockbrokers to the screen — and now an exhibition dedicated to his work is coming to Australia. From May 26 to September 18, the Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) will pay tribute to one of America's most iconic directors, exploring everything from his early experimental beginnings to the award-winning films that have shaped many a movie buff. If you're already a fan, you'll be in Scorsese heaven. If you've somehow resisted the charms of (or completely missed) the likes of Raging Bull, The Departed and Hugo — or his concert flicks such as The Last Waltz and Shine a Light, or even Boardwalk Empire and Vinyl on TV — then prepare to have your eyes opened. [caption id="attachment_561113" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Exhibition section "New York". Photo: Deutsche Kinemathek / M. Stefanowski, 2013.[/caption] In its only Australian stop after wowing Berlin, Ghent, Turin and Paris, SCORSESE will present a collection of more than 600 objects spanning the filmmaker's entire cinema resume, as curated by the Deutsche Kinemathek, Berlin's Museum of Film and Television. Expect storyboards, hand-annotated film scripts, unpublished production stills, costumes, film clips and more, all drawn from the private collections of De Niro, Taxi Driver writer Paul Schrader, and Scorsese himself. No ACMI exhibition would be complete without a bustling lineup of screenings, talks and other events, so expect plenty of those as well. The complete program is yet to be announced, but we'd advise blocking out a few days to delve into the influence and impact of the guy who hasn't only mastered movies, but directed the music video for Michael Jackson's 'Bad' too. SCORSESE will run from May 26 to September 18 at ACMI in Melbourne. For more information, visit the ACMI website. Top image: Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, Paul Sorvino, Martin Scorsese, Joe Pesci in GOODFELLAS, USA (1990). Source: Sikelia Productions, New York.
2023 might be mere weeks in, but it's already the year of Pedro Pascal. His new HBO series, a spectacular adaptation of hit video game The Last of Us, has just started airing — and it's already one of the best new shows of this year. And, come autumn, he'll be back bounty hunting and hanging out with Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian season three as well. Hanging out for more of Disney+'s space western? Keen on another dose of Pascal as Din Djarin? Can't wait to see the adorable Grogu again? The new season will start streaming from Wednesday, March 1, and has finally unveiled its full trailer in the interim. Pascal narrates the just-dropped sneak peek, explaining that being a Mandalorian isn't just about learning how to fight, but also about being able to navigate the galaxy. Mando, as he should definitely be nicknamed, is also off to Mandalore to be forgiven for his transgressions — although, as viewers of the show so far will know, and just of all things Star Wars in general, little in this galaxy far far away ever goes smoothly. Season three promises to also follow the New Republic's struggle to move past the galaxy's dark past, reunite Mando with old allies and also throw new enemies his way. And, of course, to have Grogu back by his side, as viewers love. There's also multiple bounty hunters, and "may the force be with you" is indeed uttered in the new trailer. The Mandalorian's latest batch of episodes will arrive more than two years after the show streamed its second season back in late 2020, and after 2022's first season of Andor just became Star Wars' best TV series yet. If you've somehow missed it before now, the Emmy-nominated show follows the titular bounty hunter (Pascal, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent); however, it's his encounter with a fuzzy little creature first known as The Child, affectionately named Baby Yoda by everyone watching, and officially called Grogu, that's always had everyone talking. So, it comes as zero surprise that one of the Star Wars universe's best-ever double acts keeps being pushed into the spotlight — including when The Mandalorian dropped its first season-three trailer a few months back, and in this new glimpse. Check out the full trailer for The Mandalorian season three below: The Mandalorian's third season will hit Disney+ on Wednesday, March 1. Images: ©2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
If you've ever found yourself wondering how certain foods and recipes are made, you're not alone. After all, the great Australia vs New Zealand pavlova debate fails to answer the question of who in their right mind thought whipping egg whites was a good idea. Most foods go through several iterations to come to the form we know them in today. Maybe it's because we have too much time on our hands with nearly 12 million of us locked down right now, but we decided to delve into the weird and wonderful history of some of Australia's most-loved food and drinks. From dinner party favourites to footy game snacks, here are a few brief backstories that took these foods to where they are today. PRAWN COCKTAILS Prawn cocktails reigned supreme at dinner parties in the decades leading up to the turn of the century, but the legend of this dinner party delight harkens back to the 19th century. Folklore has it that a worker came to a bar in California and ordered a plate of oysters and a whiskey after a day in the mines. After downing the whiskey, the prospector emptied the oysters into the glass and combined them with ketchup, horseradish, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. When asked what he was doing, the worker replied that he had created an 'oyster cocktail'. Somehow the bar owner thought this was a winning idea and begun selling oyster cocktails, launching the seafood cocktail. The dish popped up in Australia around the 1930s. In 1936, Adelaide's The Mail newspaper published a recipe for the seafood cocktail under the title 'Drinks For The Beach'. The recipe featured grilled shellfish in a small glass of sherry with "two dashes Tabasco sauce, a teaspoon lemon juice, two tablespoons tomato sauce or catsup, a teaspoon Worcester sauce, half teaspoon chopped chives" which would be mixed well, served over ice and with brown bread. BANH MI The Vietnamese banh mi's history is tied closely to European colonialism. The French invasion in the 1800s and subsequent global trade brought France's bread and European ingredients including cold cuts into Vietnam. This would eventually lead to the banh mi's crispy bread roll, reminiscent of a French baguette. The first banh mi was a simple sandwich featuring butter, cold cuts and paté. More traditional Vietnamese fillings became popular later, but the butter and paté stayed. The sandwich was most popular in the southern warmer parts of Vietnam as an alternative to Vietnamese staples like pho. Banh mi begun to spread far and wide in the 1960s and 70s following the Vietnam War, arriving in places like Australia where the warm climate mirrored that of south Vietnam. FOUR'N TWENTY PIES In March 2020 the Four'n Twenty pie became the Official Pie of the AFL. The crowning of this humble Australian pie brand had been a long time coming, but it was a long road to get there. The Four'n Twenty was created in Bendigo in 1947 by Les McClure, a dairy farmer who opened the Dad & Dave cafe. The pies were originally named after McClure's cafe before they were, apparently, renamed as a nod to the nursery rhyme 'Sing a Song of Sixpence' and its "four and twenty blackbirds backed in a pie". The pie's ability to be eaten with one hand while you hold a beer in the other no doubt contributed to its popularity as a stadium food, with the Four'n Twenty a frequent supplier to AFL food stands after its purchase by Peters Ice Cream in 1960. The thing that really solidified this particular brand of pies in the minds of footy fans was iconic ads that ran through the 1980s and 90s featuring catchy jingles and AFL stars. ESPRESSO MARTINI While some drinks have been around for centuries, the fun-lovin' espresso martini is fairly new to the bar scene. First created by revolutionary London bartender Dick Bradsell back in the early 80s, the cocktail's birth is attributed to a supermodel asking for a booze-fuelled drink that would simultaneously wake her up. As vodka back then was the spirit a la mode, Bradsell threw a generous shot of it in with a shot of coffee pulled from the barside espresso machine, plus some coffee liqueur (our money's on Kahlúa) and sugar syrup, then shook away before pouring it into a martini glass. It's rumoured that Kate Moss or Naomi Campbell could be the model behind the birth of the espresso martini. Initially, the drink was simply called a vodka espresso, before being known as the Pharmaceutical Stimulant in the late 90s and then the espresso martini. BOMBE ALASKA The bombe Alaska, or baked Alaska as it's known in its country of origin, has a storied past featuring former presidents and the sale of Russian land. Reports date dishes similar to the baked Alaska back to 1800s USA where President Thomas Jefferson dined on ice cream encased in a dried crust at the White House. It was apparently US inventor Sir Benjamin Thompson, the inventor of the kitchen range and a British loyalist in the American Revolutionary War, that was the first to discover meringue could be used as an insulator. The dessert's name comes from Parisian-American chef Charles Ranhofer who created a banana ice cream and walnut spiced cake version of the meal Jefferson had eaten and labeled it the Florida-Alaska. DOUGHNUTS The Smithsonian Magazine claims doughnuts have been around in some form or another for thousands of years, with archaeologists discovering fossils of doughnut-like cakes in prehistoric settlements. References to the doughnut can be found in publications as far back as 1808. A recipe from 1896 combines flour, salt, soda, cream tartar, nutmeg, cinnamon, butter, sugar, egg and sour milk to create its doughnuts. There seem to be two stories surrounding how doughnuts got their famous shape. The first is simply that the dough wouldn't cook all the way through to the middle when they were first being made so they were hollowed out. The second is a much more interesting story, involving adventures of the high seas. A New England ship captain had been given cakes from his mother to eat on a journey across the sea in order to ward off scurvy. When the captain needed to hold the wheel with both hands, he speared one of his mother's cakes onto the wheel, gifting the world the hollowed-out shape of the doughnut. MANGO PANCAKES The story of mango pancakes is one of mystery more than certainty. The bright yellow desserts are such a staple of Australian yum cha, some locals may be surprised to find out they are, for the most part, a uniquely Australian thing. The only other place across the globe that seems to have the same level of deep adoration for these creamy mango delights is Hong Kong. The dish is the signature dessert of Honeymoon Dessert, who have a strong claim to starting the craze in Hong Kong, however Honeymoon was established in 1995 and reports of Mango Pancakes online date back to the early 90s in Australia. This is all anecdotal of course, but, if there are any pancake detectives on the case, reach out as the mystery remains unsolved. Illustrations by asu_ad
Summer music festivals are all about embracing the best things in life — good vibes, great friends, and epic tunes. But Secret Garden Festival turned the happiness factor up to out-of-control joy by hosting an actual wedding ceremony at Brownlow Hill Farm. The nuptials were held as part of the annual festival's February 24 - 26 celebration of music, creativity, and disco-infused fun, all held for 48 hours against a lush forest backdrop, just one-and-a-half hours outside of Sydney. Though renowned for its stellar lineup, with The Jezabels, Japanese Wallpaper, Oliver Tank, Urthboy and more on this year's bill, the main stage became the site of a very different kind of celebration at 4pm on Saturday, February 25 — the joining in matrimony of Sydneysiders Alexis and Jimmy. Here's how it went down (and you'd best prepare to say "awwwww" quite a bit). The main stage area was set up with chairs for the wedding party, giving them the best position in the fest. Once the formalities got underway, Alexis and Jimmy swapped Peter Pan-themed vows, because that's how you make tying the knot at a festival even more magical. A brass band played 'Sexual Healing' as the newlyweds were raised over the crowd in a cherrypicker — with confetti cannons also thrown into the mix — while the crowd came together to form a "tunnel of love" for the just-hitched duo to run through. When the wedding was announced, festival director Clare Downes said her crew was pretty stoked to be taking on wedding planner duties, and promised one hell of a party for the lucky lovebirds, their friends and family, and all other festivalgoers who'd be getting in on the loved-up fun. "Alexis and Jimmy sent us an email a couple of months ago and I had to rewrite my response about nine times because I was way too overexcited," she told Concrete Playground. "They had already locked in the February 25 for their wedding, but they were just really struggling to find a venue and a celebrant etc — so it was a no brainer. I'm just so stoked they are letting us organise their wedding." While past years have seen Secret Garden host kissing booths, faux weddings, and plenty of dance floor pashes, Alexis and Jimmy's knot-tying marked its first official wedding ceremony. If you managed to get an invite — aka a highly coveted ticket almost instantly sold-out even — it's certain to have been an event to remember. ❤️ Secret Garden's first ever REAL wedding... and they have asked us to plan it 😏💥🎉 A video posted by Secret Garden (@secretgardenfestival) on Dec 12, 2016 at 1:25pm PST Secret Garden Festival takes place on February 24-26, 2017. For more info on the festival, visit secretgarden.com.au. By Libby Curran and Sarah Ward.
With so many fantastic places to visit around the world, it's often hard to decide where to possibly go. A covetable experience wherever you go, is to see something so breathtakingly beautiful, it almost feels surreal. As hard as you may try, no description is quite adequate and you lock this memory away for times when you desire a happy moment and can revel in the images in your mind. With so many websites and travel books available today, it's hard to know where to start looking or whose opinion to take as gospel. We listen to total strangers on TripAdvisor, Thorn Tree and Expedia, look at friend's photos on Facebook (with smart phones we can see it at almost the same time they do), use the good old Lonely Planet, or go for guides that are catered to the stylish individual, like Wallpaper. There is one authority that doesn't follow the fashion or try to sell you heavy tomes. The very first authority on beauty and travel I ever heard about, when I was still a litte'un at school, and the ultimate title to wear - the Miss World of destinations if you will - is the Seven Wonders of the World, or the New7Wonders as it's called on the web. The process of creating the most recent list has been going on since 2007, during which time anyone could suggest sites they thought were natural wonders. Then the choices were voted on, and more than a million were tallied to cut the list of more than 440 contenders in over 220 countries to a shortlist of 77. It was then cut to 28 by a panel of experts. The provisional list of the final seven is below. Check them out and dream of holidays until the final results are announced early in 2012. Halong Bay, Vietnam Iguazu Falls, Argentina Jeju Island, South Korea Komodo, Indonesia Puerto Princesa Underground River, Philippines The Amazon rainforest Table Mountain, South Africa
From beloved institutions like Ciaro to fresh new digs Famelia, Enmore's got a lot going on. It was even made Sydney's first Special Entertainment Precinct, granting it special licensing designed to encourage nightlife. As a result, new neighbourhood spots setting up in the area is not uncommon — and the latest to hit the streets of Enmore is a charming new bar called Teddy's. After operating much-loved Sydney stalwarts for 15 years, the Damianakis family have ventured into fresh territory with Teddy's, the new addition to their beloved corner pub The Warren View Hotel. Located at the top level of the pub, the Stanmore Road newcomer maintains the rustic appeal of its ground-floor sibling with a modern fit-out reminiscent of a classic cocktail bar. The newly refurbished space features red velvet seats, camel-coloured leather couches, a luxe wall-to-wall bar and a cosy fireplace perfect for braving those cold winter nights. "[It's] generous, warm and unconceited — a space where everyone is invited to join us for an unforgettable experience that combines old fashioned charm with modern hospitality," said Tanya Damianakis. The venue also features a stellar lineup of beverages, all of which are sourced from independent local distilleries within Australia. Supporting local producers is at the forefront of the new arrival's ethos, with all-Australian beer and wine lists celebrating craft brewers and small-batch producers. "We want our customers to feel content, satisfied, well-catered to, recognised and welcomed when they leave our venue. We believe in generosity, warmth and authenticity, and these principles shine through in every aspect of Teddy's," said Venue Manager Sarah Scharfenberg. Head in for a drink and you'll be met with cocktails featuring a fresh, fruity twist alongside a list of top-notch local wines, an array of spirits and non-alcoholic beverages. Plus, you'll be able to pair your sips of choice with elevated share plates including Aussie pub classics like calamari and sausage rolls, as well as charred octopus and coconut pannacotta for dessert. Teddy's is open above The Warren View Hotel at 2 Stanmore Road, Enmore. It's open 5pm–midnight Wednesday–Saturday and 5pm–10pm Sunday.
Currently on display in Melbourne, the National Gallery of Victoria's world-first exhibition Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines is pegged to be one of the hot-ticket cultural events of this summer. But if browsing the two iconic artists' works on a wall just isn't enough, you're going to want to check out the latest line of threads from clothing retailer and sponsor Uniqlo. The Japanese brand has just unveiled its new Crossing Lines collection of t-shirts, inspired by key pieces from both Haring and Basquiat's own repertoires. Launching overseas this month before dropping in Australian stores in January — all as part of Uniqlo's UT range — the mens' and womens' collection is the result of a collaboration with the Basquiat Estate and creative consultants Artestar. And it's filled with famous designs from the two late art legends, translating a number of Haring and Basquiat's works into t-shirt form. You'll spy Haring's famed crawling baby figure, Basquiat's recognisable scrawl from his piece Untitled (World Famous) 1983, and the tribute crown symbol painted by Haring after Basquiat's death. The horseshoe sketch makes an appearance, as do the familiar wiggling outline figures, just like the ones Haring famously painted on a Collingwood wall back in 1984. It's not the first time Uniqlo has gotten behind a major art event with some fresh designs. The label's collaboration t-shirts with acclaimed American artist Kaws proved a sell-out success when they launched earlier this year, coinciding with NGV exhibition Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness. Uniqlo's Crossing Lines collection will hit Australian stores in January 2020. Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines is on display at the National Gallery of Victoria until April 13, 2020.
Take a seat. Please, I insist, just so that you can jump out of it and celebrate in true headbanging style at the news that Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age are heading Down Under in 2014 for a co-headline tour. Okay, now take a seat again and continue to read on. Two of the biggest acts in alternative rock are set to arrive on our shores in March next year. This is glorious news to Oceania fans who haven't seen Nine Inch Nails since 2009 and Queens of the Stone Age since 2011. Both bands have teased since May about heading this way, when Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme told triple j's Tom and Alex, "Everybody who knows me knows that Australia is my home away from home. I also think it's time that we come and tell our own stories, so we're gonna skip the round of festivals and see you in your fall." Nine Inch Nails lead Trent Reznor then revealed his band's intentions to head down under when they turned down Soundwave in favour of a "better scenario" for fans. Well, there is no better scenario than seeing them combine with QOTSA for a tour that is sure to go down in legend. The tour comes on the back of Nine Inch Nails' and QOTSA's recent respective releases, the much-heralded Hesitation Marks and ...Like Clockwork, and they will be joined on stage by Australian-born Brody Dalle, Mrs Josh Homme, of The Distillers and Spinnerette fame. Which one of the two bands will play first each night? That will be left to a flip of the coin. Seriously.
In the heart of Queensland, you'll find Longeach. A historical outback town brimming with history, culture, and rugged natural beauty. Known for its rich pioneering past and vibrant community spirit, this remote destination offers an authentic taste of Australia's vast interior. Whether you're fascinated by the outback lifestyle and aviation history, or simply looking for a serene escape under endless skies, Longreach will charm you with its warm hospitality and unique experiences. How to Get There? Located about 1,200km from Brisbane, reaching Longreach can be an adventure in itself. Visitors can catch regular flights from Townsville and Brisbane. However, be mindful when packing, small planes and outback conditions call for packing light. Products like Samsonite's Restackd luggage system, with its built-in packing cubes, will make organising your belongings a breeze — ideal for outback journeys. For a more scenic journey, hop aboard the historic Spirit of the Outback train from Brisbane to Longreach. It's the only sleeper train in Queensland and the 26-hour ride covers 1300 kilometres of ever-changing scenery through the heart of the state. Step Back in Time The region is rich in Aussie history. No visit to Longreach is complete without exploring the Qantas Founders Museum — it'll be hard to miss as you'll pass it as soon as you land on the tarmac of the airport. The museum was established by locals to preserve the story of Australia's national airline. Get up close to iconic aircraft like the retired Boeing 747 and 707displayed against the red dirt background. A definite must-see for aviation and history enthusiasts alike. Across the street, the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame offers another unmissable experience, chronicling the lives of Australia's pioneering outback drovers, stockmen and women. Attend live demonstrations of horsemanship, sheep shearing and bush skills which offer a glimpse into the tough yet rewarding life on the land. If you've got extra time, head out to Drover's Cottage, the original information centre setting built by R.M. Williams. It was restored to its original character and now houses Stockman's library collection. The sandstone cottage offers an insight into the outback lifestyle and Williams' enduring influence on Australian outdoor culture. Div even deeper into Longreach's history with a visit to the Powerhouse Museum, which tells the story of how electricity came to the outback. The museum features vintage machinery, vehicles, and fascinating displays of early 20th-century technology that powered the town's development. Explore the Rugged Region Start in the centre of town on bustling Swan Street to admire its newest artwork created by renowned mural artist Jarad Danby and commissioned by Great Northern Brewing Co. to celebrate the launch of Long Run, a Queensland-exclusive lager inspired by the pioneering spirit of the outback. The mural blends classical realism with contemporary styles and tells the story of Longreach's connection to the outback and stands as a permanent fixture in the town centre, adding a vibrant touch to the local landscape. For a relaxing experience, take a Thomson River cruise at sunset, where you can admire the breathtaking outback scenery while learning about the region's history from local guides. Finish the evening with a traditional campfire dinner, complete with billy tea and damper, under a sky ablaze with stars. Get your hands dirty as you experience a working cattle station with a visit to Camden Park Station, just outside Longreach. You'll hear captivating stories of outback life, see cattle mustering in action, and witness the impressive 100-year-old homestead where royalty once dined. It's a chance to connect with the outback lifestyle and enjoy the genuine hospitality of the outback. You can even camp at the cattle station for a truly immersive adventure. Where to Eat Longreach may be a small town, but it has no shortage of hearty, delicious meals. Start your day with a pastry from Merino Bakery and a strong coffee at The Branch — a local favourite known for its wholesome breakfasts, tasty lunches, delectable dinners and creative cocktails. Another eatery for your itinerary is the award-winning Harry's Restaurant, just across the road from the historic Longreach Railway Station. The restaurant is named for local legend Harry Redford, also known as Captain Starlight. At Harry's, you can enjoy modern Australian fare made with fresh, seasonal (and local) produce. Don't miss a visit to The Woolshed Restaurant, where you can enjoy an authentic outback dining experience with a menu focused on slow-cooked meats and classic Aussie sides — you might even be dazzled by local country musicians. Where to Stay Longreach has a range of accommodation options that cater to all tastes and budgets. For a luxurious experience, try the Saltbush Retreat, which offers a myriad of accommodation options from its well-furnished rustic chic cabins to its comfortable cottages. There's a swimming pool on-site to cool off during the warm days and, it's basically across the road from the airport making travel time mere minutes. If you prefer something more central, Longreach Motor Inn is a popular choice with comfortable rooms and Harry's Restaurant on-site. There is secure on-street parking and if you're not driving you can avail of its free airport shuttle service. For those wanting to get closer to nature, Mitchell Grass Retreat offers a glamping experience that combines outback adventure with luxury. It's perfect for those who love the idea of camping but want to have a full bathroom to themselves. Each luxury tent has an ensuite bathroom, king-sized bed, bath and a private deck from where you can enjoy the views out to the Mitchell Grass Plains. Not a bad base for your outback adventure. Final Tips The best time to visit Longreach is during the cooler months, from April to September, when daytime temperatures are more pleasant, and evenings are crisp. Regardless of when you travel, pack for the heat. Even in the cooler months, daytime temperatures in Longreach can soar, so pack sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water. And finally, make time to meet the locals. The friendly and welcoming community is a highlight of the town. Keep an eye out for local celebrity Ollie, a Brahman bullock, and his owner stockman and entertainer John Hawkes. Ollie was orphaned at two days old and has been raised by Hawkes ever since. You might spy Hawkes riding Ollie through the down or chatting with other locals over a coffee accompanied by Hawkes' border collies, Henry, Arthur and Jane. From its fascinating aviation heritage to its stunning outback landscapes, Longreach is a destination that offers a true Australian adventure. Whether you're sipping a cold beer after a day of exploration or watching the sunset over the Thomson River, this town will captivate you with its charm, history and rugged beauty. Concrete Playground was invited to Longreach by Great Northern to celebrate the launch of The Long Run Lager.
It might be his catchphrase, but "elementary, my dear Watson" isn't something that Sherlock Holmes originally said. You won't find it in the pages of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, although it pops up quite frequently in the many, many film and television adaptations of the doctor-turned-author's work. Robert Downey Jr. mixing sarcasm and violence in the Guy Ritchie-directed Sherlock Holmes movies, Benedict Cumberbatch becoming the internet's boyfriend in Sherlock, Jonny Lee Miller taking the sleuth to the US in Elementary — they're the most recent offerings; you've probably seen one or two of them. That's just one of the Holmes tidbits you're likely to learn at The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes, and you don't have to be a world-renowned detective to figure out what it's all about. For the first time, the collection of Sherlock Holmes-related objects and manuscripts — and an interactive experience that lets you conduct experiments and solve a mystery — is venturing beyond North America for a five-month run at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum from June 3 to October 29, 2017. For those keen on delving into the items behind the 127-year-old literary and pop culture legend, prepare to cast your eyes over 350 different bits and pieces, including first editions, props, costumes, period artefacts and one of the world's most accurate recreations of 221B Baker Street (that is, the place that Holmes and John Watson call home). If chasing clues and figuring out puzzles is more your thing, then don your deerstalker to not only discover the science behind his investigative ways, but put it to use. You'll become Sherlock's eyes and ears on a new case, because, yes, the game's afoot.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. THE GRAY MAN It's been four years since Ryan Gosling last graced screens, rocketing to the moon in First Man. No, Barbie set photos pored over on every internet-connected device don't count. Since he played Neil Armstrong, much has happened. There's the obvious off-screen, of course — but then there's Chris Evans farewelling Captain America, and also appearing in Knives Out with the scene-stealing Ana de Armas. After co-starring in Blade Runner 2049 with Gosling back in 2017, she leapt from that Evans-featuring whodunnit to palling around with 007 in No Time to Die. Also during that time, Bridgerton pushed Regé-Jean Page to fame, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood earmarked Julia Butters as a young talent to watch. This isn't just a history lesson on The Gray Man's cast — well, some of them, given that Billy Bob Thornton (Goliath), Jessica Henwick (The Matrix Resurrections), Dhanush (Maaran), Wagner Moura (Shining Girls) and Alfre Woodard (The Lion King) also pop up, plus Australia's own Callan Mulvey (Firebite) — for the hell of it, though. Back in 2018, before all of the above played out, it's unlikely that this exact film with this exact cast would've eventuated. But plenty of action-thrillers about attempting to snuff out hyper-competent assassins already did flicker across celluloid — both John Wick and Atomic Blonde had already been there and done that, and the Bourne and Bond movies, and countless other predecessors. Still, the combination of this collection of current actors and that familiar setup isn't without its charms in The Gray Man, which makes the leap from the pages of Mark Greaney's 2009 novel to the big and streaming screens. Reportedly Netflix's most expensive movie to date, it lets its two biggest names bounce off of each other with chalk-and-cheese aplomb, and isn't short on globe-hopping action spectacle. The off-the-book spy versus off-the-book spy killer flick is knowing amid all that box-ticking formula, too, although not enough to make its cheesy lines sound smart and savvy. Gosling plays Court Gentry, aka Sierra Six; "007 was taken," he jokes. Before he's given his codename — before he's paid to do the CIA's dirty work as well — he's in prison for murder, then recruited by Donald Fitzroy (Thornton). Fast-forward 18 years and Six is a huge hit at two things: being a ghost, because he no longer officially exists; and covertly wreaking whatever havoc the government tells him to, including knocking off whichever nefarious figure they need gone. But one stint of the latter leaves him in possession of a USB drive that his arrogant new direct superior Carmichael (Page) will ruthlessly kill to destroy. Actually, to be precise, he'll pay Lloyd Hansen (Evans) of Hansen Government Services to do just that, and to do the dirty work that's too dirty for the criminals-turned-government hitmen in the Sierra program, with Six the number-one target. If you've seen one espionage-slash-assassin flick that sends a shadowy life-or-death fight bounding around the planet — here, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Germany and Austria all feature, among other spots — then you've seen The Gray Man's template. Directing duo Joe and Anthony Russo helmed the Marvel Cinematic Universe's versions with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, so they know the drill. That they've seen a heap of other entries in the genre is never question, either. That feeling radiates from the script, which is credited to Joe Russo with seasoned Marvel scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game), and clearly styles its one-liners after superhero banter. Having Gosling and Evans sling it, one playing bearded, silent and virtuous and the other moustachioed, jabbering and unhinged, makes a helluva difference, however. Read our full review. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN If The Phantom of the Open was part of a game of golf, rather than a movie about the club-flinging, ball-hitting, bunker-avoiding sport, it wouldn't be a hole in one. It couldn't be; perfection doesn't suit the story it's telling, which is as real and as shaggy — as so-strange-it-can-only-be-true, too — as they can possibly come. That other key factor in spiriting dimpled orbs from the tee to the cup in a single stroke, aka luck, is definitely pertinent to this feel-good, crowd-pleasing, happily whimsical British comedy, however. Plenty of it helped Maurice Flitcroft, the man at its centre, as he managed to enter the 1976 British Open despite never having set foot on a course or played a full round of golf before. It isn't quite good fortune that makes this high-spirited movie about him work, of course, but it always feels like a feature that might've ended up in the cinematic long grass if it wasn't so warmly pieced together. When Maurice (Mark Rylance, Don't Look Up) debuts on the green at the high-profile Open Championship, it doesn't take long for gap between his skills and the professionals he's playing with to stand out. In the words of The Dude from The Big Lebowski, obviously he's not a golfer — although what makes a golfer, and whether any sport should be the domain of well-to-do gatekeepers who reserve large swathes of land for the use of the privileged few, falls into The Phantom of the Open's view. So does a breezily formulaic yet drawn-from-fact account of a man who was born in Manchester, later settled in the port town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria and spent much of his life as a shipyard crane operator, providing for his wife Jean (Sally Hawkins, Spencer), her son Michael (Jake Davies, Artemis Fowl), and the pair's twins Gene (Christian Lees, Pistol) and James (Jonah Lees, The Letter for the King). Maurice had never chased his own dreams, until he decided to give golfing glory a swing. For audiences coming to all this anew, director Craig Roberts (Eternal Beauty) clues viewers in from the get-go, via a recreation of an 80s TV interview with Maurice. The film's key figure chats, looking back on his sporting efforts after his attempts at golf have clearly earned him a level of fame, but he'd also rather just sip a tea with six sugars. That's an easy but pivotal character-establishing moment. He's a cuppa-coveting everyman accustomed to finding sweetness in modest places, which aptly sums up his whole approach to his middle-aged pastime. The jovial humour of the situation — in caring more about his beloved tea than talking on the television — is also telling. Using a screenplay by Simon Farnaby (Paddington 2) based on the actor and writer's 2010 biography of Maurice, Roberts laughs along with and never at his protagonist. He affectionately sees the wannabe golfer's eccentricities, and also values the new lease on life he's eagerly seeking. That quest starts while watching late-night TV, after Michael advises that the shipyard where both men work — and Jean as well — will be making layoffs. With Bridge of Spies Oscar-winner Rylance dripping with sincerity and never cartoonish quirkiness, Maurice eyes the game on-screen like a man having a life-altering and surreal epiphany. Befitting anyone who's ever had a sudden realisation, he's instantly convinced. That he has zero know-how, nor the cash for the right attire, equipment and membership to the local club to practice, doesn't put him off. Neither does filling out the Open entry form, where he instructs Jean to tick the 'professional' box because that's what he wants to be. On the ground at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, he swiftly attracts attention for hitting 121 — the worst score ever recorded — with the press, as well as tournament bigwigs Keith Mackenzie (Rhys Ifans, The King's Man) and Laurent Lambert (Farnaby, Christopher Robin). Read our full review. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5, May 12, May 19 and May 26; June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23 and June 30; and July 7. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara, This Much I Know to Be True, The Innocents, Top Gun: Maverick, The Bob's Burgers Movie, Ablaze, Hatching, Mothering Sunday, Jurassic World Dominion, A Hero, Benediction, Lightyear, Men, Elvis, Lost Illusions, Nude Tuesday, Ali & Ava, Thor: Love and Thunder, Compartment No. 6 and Sundown.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've had a close-contact run-in. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here's 15 you can watch right now at home. NIGHTMARE ALLEY Don't mistake the blaze that starts the exceptional Nightmare Alley for warmth; in his 11th film, Guillermo del Toro gets chillier than he ever has. A lover of gothic tales told with empathy and curiosity, the Mexican The Shape of Water filmmaker has always understood that escapism and agony go hand in hand — and here, in a carnival noir that springs from William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel and previously reached cinemas in 1947, he runs headfirst into cold, unrelenting darkness. That burning house, once home to the skulking Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper, Licorice Pizza), is surrounded by America's stark midwestern landscape circa 1939. Still, the terrain of its now-former occupant's insides is even grimmer, as Nightmare Alley's opening image of Stan dropping a body into a hole in the abode's floor, then striking a match, shows. From there, he descends into the carny world after being given a job by barker Clem Hoatley (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man: No Way Home) and doing whatever's asked, including helping clean up after the geek act — although, even with his ambiguities evident from the outset, stomaching a cage-dwelling man biting the heads off live chickens to entertain braying crowds isn't initially easy. While set in an already-despondent US where the Depression is only just waning, the shadows of the First World War linger and more are soon to fall via World War II, Nightmare Alley still gives Stan flickers of hope. Adapted from the novel by del Toro with feature debutant Kim Morgan, and filled to the brim with outstanding performances, the movie doesn't ever promise light or virtue, but kindness repeatedly comes its protagonist's way in its first half. In fortune-teller Zeena the Seer (Toni Collette, Dream Horse) and her oft-sauced husband and assistant Pete (David Strathairn, Nomadland), Stan gains friends and mentors. He takes to mentalism like he was born to it, and his gift for manipulating audiences — and his eagerness to keep pushing the spiritualism further — is firmly a sign. Soon, it's 1941 and he's rebadged himself as 'The Great Stanton' in city clubs, claiming to speak to the dead in the pursuit of bigger paydays, with fellow ex-carny Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara, Mary Magdalene) as his romantic and professional partner beyond the dustbowl. But then that scam attracts the attention of Dr Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett, Don't Look Up), and this drifter-turned-grifter gets caught in someone else's plan. Nightmare Alley is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. KING RICHARD In King Richard, Will Smith does more acting than expected with his back to the on-screen action. He does more acting in general — while the Ali and Concussion star can be a transformative performer, here he feels like he's overtly playing a part rather than disappearing into a role — but the way his eponymous figure handles his daughters' matches instantly stands out. Richard Williams is a tennis parent who despises the usual tennis parent histrionics. At the time the film is set, in the early 90s, he has also coached Venus (Saniyya Sidney, Fences) and Serena (Demi Singleton, Godfather of Harlem) since they were four years old, and penned a 78-page plan mapping out their futures before they were born. He's dedicated his life to their success, alongside family matriarch Oracene (Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country); however, he's so restless when they're volleying and backhanding that he can't bring himself to watch. These scenes in King Richard are among Smith's best. As directed by Joe Bell helmer Reinaldo Marcus Green — making another movie about a real-life person that makes his male eponymous figure the centre of someone else's story — he's anxious yet determined, and lives the feeling like he's breathing it. They're some of the movie's least blatantly showy and most quietly complex scenes as well. The Williams patriarch has wisdom for all occasions, forged from a tough childhood in America's south, plus the hard work and hustle of turning Venus and Serena into budding champions, so he'd likely have something to say about the insights gleaned here: that you can tell oh-so-much about a person when they're under pressure but nobody's watching. If he was actively imparting this lesson to his daughters — five of them, not just the two that now have 30 Grand Slam singles titles between them — and they didn't glean it, he'd make them watch again. When they see Cinderella in the film, that's exactly what happens. But his courtside demeanour is teachable anyway, recognising how all the preparation and effort in the world will still see you tested over and over. King Richard is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SPENCER With two-plus decades as an actor to her name, Kristen Stewart hasn't spent her career as a candle in the wind. Her flame has both blazed and flickered since her first uncredited big-screen role in The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas but, by Elton John's definition, she's always known where to cling to. After jumping from child star to Twilight heroine and then one of the savviest talents of her generation, she's gleaned where to let her haunting gaze stare so piercingly that it lights up celluloid again and again, too. Spencer joins Stewart's resume after weighty parts in Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Seberg, and has her do something she's long done magnificently: let a world of pain and uncertainty seep quietly from her entire being. The new regal drama should do just that, of course, given its subject — but saying that director Pablo Larraín (Jackie, Ema) has cast his Diana well, pitch-perfect head tilt and all, is a royal understatement. The year is 1991, the time is Christmas and the place is the Queen's (Stella Gonet, Breeders) Sandringham Estate, where the Windsors converge for the holidays (yes, Spencer is now prime seasonal viewing). As scripted by Peaky Blinders and Locked Down's Steven Knight, the choice of period puts Diana in one of the most precarious situations of her then decade-long married life, with her nuptials to Prince Charles (Jack Farthing, The Lost Daughter) turning into an "amicable separation" within 12 months. Spencer's focus is on three days, not all that defined the People's Princess' existence before or after, but she can't stop contemplating her past and future. The Sandringham grounds include the house where Diana was born, and those happier recollections — and time spent now with her children (debutants Jack Nielen and Freddie Spry) — give her a glow. Alas, all the monarchical scrutiny simmers her joy to ashes, unsurprisingly. Spencer is available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. WEST SIDE STORY Tonight, tonight, there's only Steven Spielberg's lavish and dynamic version of West Side Story tonight — not to detract from or forget the 1961 movie of the same name. Six decades ago, an all-singing, all-dancing, New York City-set, gang war-focused spin on Romeo and Juliet leapt from stage to screen, becoming one of cinema's all-time classic musicals; however, remaking that hit is a task that Spielberg dazzlingly proves up to. It's his first sashay into the genre, despite making his initial amateur feature just three years after the original West Side Story debuted. It's also his first film since 2018's obnoxiously awful Ready Player One, which doubled as a how-to guide to crafting one of the worst, flimsiest and most bloated pieces of soulless pop-culture worship possible. But with this swooning, socially aware story of star-crossed lovers, Spielberg pirouettes back from his atrocious last flick by embracing something he clearly adores, and being unafraid to give it rhythmic swirls and thematic twirls. Shakespeare's own tale of tempestuous romance still looms large over West Side Story, as it always has — in fair NYC and its rubble-strewn titular neighbourhood where it lays its 1950s-era scene. The Jets and the Sharks aren't quite two households both alike in dignity, though. Led by the swaggering and dogged Riff (Mike Faist, a Tony-nominee for the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen), the Jets are young, scrappy, angry and full of resentment for anyone they fear is encroaching on their terrain. Meanwhile, with boxer Bernardo (David Alvarez, a Tony-winner for Billy Elliot) at the helm, the Sharks have tried to establish new lives outside of their native Puerto Rico through study, jobs and their own businesses. Both gangs refuse to coexist peacefully in the only part of New York where either feels at home — but it's a night at a dance, and the love-at-first-sight connection that blooms between Riff's best friend Tony (Ansel Elgort, The Goldfinch) and Bernardo's younger sister María (feature debutant Rachel Zegler), that sparks a showdown. West Side Story is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. HOUSE OF GUCCI For the second time in as many movies, Lady Gaga is caught in a bad romance in House of Gucci. Yes, she's already sung the song to match. The pop diva doesn't belt out ballads or croon upbeat tunes in this true-crime drama, unlike in her Oscar-nominated role in A Star Is Born, but she does shimmy into a tale about love and revenge, horror and design, and wanting someone's everything as long as it's free. Eschewing the earthy naturalism of her last film performance and tapping into her famed on-stage theatricality instead, she's perfect for the part of Patrizia Reggiani, aka Lady Gucci, aka the daughter of a trucking entrepreneur who wed into one of the world's most prestigious fashion families, helped unstitch its hold on its couture empire, then went to prison for murder. She's exceptional because she goes big and lavish, and because she knows that's the type of feature she's meant to be in: a soapy spectacle about money and power that uses its depiction of excess as an interrogation technique. Complimenting Gaga for nailing the brief — for acing it so dazzlingly that she's sauntering down her own catwalk as most of her co-stars virtually watch from the floor — gives House of Gucci a tad too much credit, though. Ridley Scott's second film in mere months following The Last Duel, and his third in a row to examine wealth and influence after 2017's All the Money in the World, this fashion-world saga skews large, lush and luxe with each choice, too, but doesn't land every sashay with quite the outsized lustre of its crown jewel. If House of Gucci's veteran director was picking an outfit instead, he would've chosen a killer gown, then wavered on the accessories. Some of his other decisions gleam, as seen in the movie's knowingly maximalist and melodramatic air, and in Adam Driver's (Annette) casting as Patrizia's ill-fated husband Maurizio Gucci. Others prove fine, like its jukebox-style soundtrack of 70s and 80s bangers. A few moves are so cartoonish — Jared Leto's ridiculousness, and the Super Mario-style accents sported by almost everyone on-screen — that they play like cheap knockoffs. House of Gucci is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST When Succession roves over New York's skyline — in its opening credits, as set to that bewitching theme tune, or just during its episodes — it gleams with wealth and privilege. Depiction doesn't equal endorsement, however, with the stellar HBO satire sharply cutting into its chosen world at every chance it gets. As one of the show's supporting cast members, Dasha Nekrasova slides into that realm, too, but that's not her only dalliance with the city's architecture, power brokers and all that both represent. The Scary of Sixty-First, the Red Scare podcast host's feature directorial debut, also savages the rich and seemingly consequence-free. It clasps onto a real-life story that's made that case inherently, abhorrently and monstrously. There's no gentle way to put it, but the fact that Nekrasova plays a woman investigating if a bargain Upper East Side duplex was one of Jeffrey Epstein's "orgy flophouses" says much about this purposefully provocative conspiracy thriller horror-comedy. College pals Addie (Betsey Brown, Assholes) and Noelle (the film's co-screenwriter Madeline Quinn) can't believe their luck when they find the cheap property, even if it does visibly need a clean — and have mirrored ceilings, as well as some questionable lock choices — and even if they don't appear completely comfortable with committing to live together. But from night one, the literal nightmares begin. Soon they're spying blood stains, scratched walls and eerie tarot cards, and feeling unsettled in a variety of ways. Enter Nekrasova's stranger, who comes sporting a dark-web rabbit hole's worth of paranoia and bearing the Epstein news. Addie and Noelle take the revelation in vastly different fashions, with the former seeming possessed by one of Epstein's child victims, and the latter diving deep into potential theories with her unnamed new friend. The Scary of Sixty-First is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube Movies. Read our full review. SCREAM Twenty-six years ago, "do you like scary movies?" stopped being just an ordinary question. Posed by a wrong-number caller who happened to be a ghostface-masked killer with a fondness for kitchen knives, it was the snappiest and savviest line in one of the 90s' biggest horror films, and it's now one of cinema's iconic pieces of dialogue. It gets another whirl in the Scream franchise's fifth movie, which is also called Scream — and you'd really best answer it now with the heartiest yes possible. Taking over from the late, great Wes Craven, who also directed 1997's Scream 2, 2000's Scream 3 and 2011's Scream 4 but died in 2015, Ready or Not's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett task their next generation of slasher fodder with showing their devotion to horror with all the subtlety of a masked murderer who can't stop taunting their prey. That'd be a new Ghostface, who terrorises today's Woodsboro high schoolers, because the fictional spot is up there with Sunnydale and Twin Peaks on the list of places that are flat-out hellish for teens. The same happened in Scream 4, but the first new attack by the saga's killer is designed to lure home someone who's left town. Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera, In the Heights) hightailed it the moment she was old enough, fleeing a family secret, but is beckoned back when her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega, You) receives the feature's opening "do you like scary movies?" call. Soon, bodies are piling up, Ghostface gives Woodsboro that grim sense of deja vu again, and Tara's friends — including the horror film-obsessed Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown, Yellowjackets), her twin Chad (Mason Gooding, Love, Victor), his girlfriend Liv (Sonia Ammar, Jappeloup), and other pals Wes (Dylan Minnette, 13 Reasons Why) and Amber (Mikey Madison, Better Things) — are trying to both survive while basically cycling through the OG feature again, complete with a crucial location, and sleuth out the culprit using their scary movie knowledge. Everyone's a suspect, including Sam herself and her out-of-towner boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid, The Boys), and also the begrudging resident expert on this exact situation: ex-sheriff Dewey Riley (David Arquette, Spree). The latter is the reason that morning show host Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox, Cougar Town) and initial Ghostface target Sidney Prescott (Skyscraper) make the trip back to Woodsboro again as well. Scream is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. NEVER GONNA SNOW AGAIN Start how you mean to go on is common-sense filmmaking advice. It's the medium's obvious first step, but it's also an elusive achievement. And, it's a feat that's usually only evident in hindsight — when a viewer can see if a stellar introduction really did signal just as sublime things to come, or vice versa. Never Gonna Snow Again perfects the concept, however. In its arresting opening moments, a man walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland, and everything about the scene ripples with moody intrigue. The grey fog infusing the film's setting, the enigmatic look on the mysterious protagonist's face, the feeling that anything and everything could happen: filmmakers Malgorzata Szumowska (Mug) and Michal Englert (also the movie's cinematographer) deliver it all at the outset, and then back it up over their feature's 116 minutes. In Never Gonna Snow Again's initial images, that inscrutable man is Ukrainian masseur Zhenia (Alec Utgoff, Stranger Things), who walks out of a forest and into a gated community in eastern Poland. His destination is lined with lavish identical houses — the kind that the song 'Little Boxes' has satirised for almost six decades now — but he's about to be its most extraordinary visitor. His hands can help knead away physical troubles, a must for everyone with his profession. But as he works his physical magic, his touch can soothe minds as well. Trundling his massage table from well-appointed home to well-appointed home, he quickly builds up a devoted client list of well-to-do residents desperate for his help. He steps into their worlds, spying their outward gloss — the similar wreaths on each door, the doorbells chiming with snippets of classic music — and palpating away their inner pain. Never Gonna Snow Again is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET On a fictional New York street that's home to a cross-section of the city's multicultural population, young and old alike, and also to boisterous muppets, sunny days have been sweeping the clouds away since November 1969. Eager to educate preschoolers, Sesame Street has taught multiple generations of children the alphabet, to count — with help from Count von Count since 1972, of course — and about life in general, and both its longevity and the beloved turf it holds within popular culture speak to its enormous success. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street knows that it's profiling a seminal piece of television, and that virtually everyone born in the past half-century grew up watching the adored series; however, it's also keen to tell the story behind that story. Nostalgia drips through this behind-the-scenes documentary, gleefully so, but so too does a chronicle of how Sesame Street became the icon it is — and against the odds. The show's backstory starts with TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett, and with a dinner-party conversation that saw them float the idea of a television series that might help American children prepare for school — particularly kids of colour. The path to Sesame Street reaching the air wasn't smooth from there, or plain sailing once it got to screens (its focus on racial integration didn't go down well in parts of Mississippi, for instance), but education-meets-entertainment history was nonetheless made. Inspired by Michael Davis' 2008 non-fiction book Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, documentarian Marilyn Agrelo (An Invisible Sign) fashions her film as an insider's window into a miraculous program, blending informative details about how it came to be and its early years with clips of its muppet-fuelled magic. Both elements of the movie engage, as do its recent and archival interviews. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SHANE Paul Kelly named a song after him. Eddie Perfect went one better and wrote an entire musical. But if Shane Warne had lived out his childhood dream, he would've played AFL for St Kilda instead of becoming a tune- and stage show-inspiring star cricketer. That tidbit isn't new news; however, Warne talks it through in new Australian documentary Shane — an early inclusion that demonstrates the film's handling of its well-known central figure. Warne's sporting career rose spectacularly from his failed attempt at Aussie Rules, which he also chats through. It dipped via several scandals, professional and personal alike, which he takes to with considerably less glee. Warne is a candid and engaging interviewee and, while joined by other cricketing and celebrity figures in recounting his life to-date, he's Shane's main source of information, but the film still spins the story that he's happy to share. There's no shortage of details for directors David Alrich (Griff's Great Australian Rail Trip), Jon Carey (Forbidden Games: The Justin Fashanu Story) and Jackie Munro to cover, all of which they unfurl in chronological order. Warne was an AFL-obsessed kid who played under-19s and one reserves game, only to be told he wouldn't make it at the top level. He then considered tennis, but found his calling — and global renown and acclaim — in spin-bowling wickets. Even to viewers unfussed by cricket, Warne's achievements are common knowledge, as are his decades in the spotlight. So too are his controversies; the bookmaker situation, the match-fixing proposition put to him by Pakistani captain Salim Malik, the year-long suspension for taking a banned diuretic and the breakdown of his marriage all get a mention, and all earn Warne's current thoughts. He's also especially eager to discuss his prowess for sledging. Shane is available to stream via Prime Video, Google Play and iTunes. Read our full review. THE KING'S MAN When something shows you its true colours, believe it. The Kingsman franchise certainly did when it debuted in 2014, as viewers have been witnessing ever since. That initial entry, Kingsman: The Secret Service, gave the espionage genre an irreverent and energetic spin, and landed partway between update and parody. But, while making Taron Egerton a star and proving engaging-enough, it didn't know when to call it quits, serving up one of the most ill-judged closing moments that spy flicks have ever seen. Since then, all things Kingsman haven't known when to end either, which is why subpar sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle arrived in 2017, and now unnecessary mostly World War I-centric prequel The King's Man — all from filmmaker Matthew Vaughn, Another year, another dull origin story. Another year, another stretched Bond knockoff, too. It's in a prologue in 1902 that Ralph Fiennes (No Time to Die) makes his first appearance as Orlando Oxford, a duke travelling to South Africa during the Boer War — and soon made a widower, because The King's Man starts with the tiresome dead wife trope. Twelve years later, Oxford is staunchly a pacifist, so much so that he forbids his now-teenage son Conrad (Harris Dickinson, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) from enlisting when WWI breaks out. But the duke hasn't completely given away serving his country himself, overseeing an off-the-books intelligence network with the help of his servants Shola (Djimon Hounsou, A Quiet Place Part II) and Polly (Gemma Arterton, Summerland). That comes in handy when a nefarious Scottish figure known only as The Shepherd interferes in world affairs, with King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (all cousins, and all played by Bohemian Rhapsody's Tom Hollander) his targets. The King's Man is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE After more than a few pandemic delays, Ghostbusters: Afterlife has finally reached screens — and it floats into a world that's made worshipping previous glories one of the biggest cash-spinners show business could've ever dreamed up. The fourth feature to bear the Ghostbusters name, but a new legacy sequel to the original 1984 film, this reanimated franchise entry certainly sports a fitting subtitle; treating its source material like it's nirvana is firmly filmmaker Jason Reitman's approach. To him, it might've been. Although he established his career with indie comedies such as Thank You for Smoking and Juno, he's the son of director Ivan Reitman, who helmed the OG Ghostbusters and its 1989 follow-up Ghostbusters II. To plenty of fans, those two initial comedy-horror flicks were something special as well; however, acknowledging that fact — and trying to recreate the feeling of being a kid or teen watching the first Ghostbusters nearly four decades ago — isn't enough to fuel a new film. To be fair, the younger Reitman isn't particularly interested in making a new movie; Be Kind Rewind's "sweded" Ghostbusters clips are more original than Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Instead, he directs a homage that sprinkles in links to its predecessor so heartily that it's probably easier to name the scenes and details that don't scream "hey, this is Ghostbusters!" as loudly as possible. The focus: Phoebe (Mckenna Grace, Malignant), a new inhabitant of the cringingly titled Summerville, Oklahoma. With her mother Callie (Carrie Coon, The Nest) and brother Trevor (Finn Wolfhard, The Goldfinch), she's made the move because the granddad she never knew just passed away, leaving a dilapidated rural property to his estranged family. The townsfolk speak his nickname, "dirt farmer", with mocking and intrigue, but his actual moniker — and all that equipment he's left behind — brings big changes Phoebe's way. While being Dr Egon Spengler's granddaughter doesn't initially mean too much to her, other than giving her love for science a genetic basis, she's soon segueing from testing out ghost traps with local teacher Mr Grooberson (Paul Rudd, The Shrink Next Door) to cracking Egon's secret efforts to stop a world-shattering supernatural event. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. BLACKLIGHT In most movies, Liam Neeson's Blacklight character wouldn't be the protagonist. Secret FBI fixer Travis Block likely wouldn't even be given a name. Instead, he'd merely be a brief presence who popped up to help other on-screen figures — the federal agents he gets out of tricky situations, for instance — as they went about their business and connected the script's necessary plot points. Turning someone who'd usually be seen as disposable into its lead is this action-thriller's one good idea, but the flattened henchman scene in Austin Powers gave the notion more thought than the entirety of Blacklight demonstrates. There's a difference between thrusting a character to the fore and fleshing them out, especially when a film is happy to define them solely by the actor in their shoes. Here, Travis Block is another prosaic entry on Neeson's action resume first and foremost. The film he's in is directed by Neeson's Honest Thief writer/director Mark Williams, too, who doesn't stretch himself or his star in their second collaboration. When Blacklight begins, Block has spent his career doing whatever FBI Director Gabriel Robinson (Aidan Quinn, Elementary) has asked. Typically, that's assisting on-the-books operatives struggling with off-the-books missions — and Block is great at his job. But when he's tasked with aiding the suddenly erratic Dusty Crane (Taylor John Smith, Shadow in the Cloud), he begins to see more in the rogue agent's story than his old Vietnam War pal Robinson wants to share. Crane has quite the wild tale to tell, tied to the assassination of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-style politician Sofia Flores (Mel Jarnson, Mortal Kombat) and filled with dark government secrets, and he's eager to share it with scoop-chasing reporter Mira Jones (Emmy Raver-Lampman, The Umbrella Academy). That's exactly what Block is supposed to stop, with his new crisis of conscience putting his daughter Amanda (Claire van der Bloom, Palm Beach) and granddaughter Natalie (debutant Gabriella Sengos) in peril. Blacklight is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. SING 2 Star voices, a jukebox worth of songs, anthropomorphic animated critters, cheesy sentiments: that's the formula fuelling far too many all-ages-friendly films of late. Back in 2016, Sing used it to box office-smashing success by doing little more than spinning a colourful version of American Idol but with zoo animals doing the singing. It wasn't the worst example of this kind of flick, but perhaps the most interesting thing about it was the skew of its soundtrack, which favoured songs that the adults in its audience would like more than the pint-sized viewers entranced by its bright hues, talking lions and koalas, and frenetic pacing. It should come as no surprise, then, that Sing 2 doubles down on that idea by not only mining the discography of U2, but by also casting Bono as a reclusive ex-rockstar. For the Irish frontman, the double payday must've been nice. Returning writer/director Garth Jennings begins Sing 2 with a saccharine rendition of Prince's 'Let's Go Crazy', but that song choice isn't instructional or descriptive; nothing here departs from the expected. This time around, after already gathering a gang of music-loving animals via a singing contest in the first flick, koala Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey, The Gentlemen) has a hit show filling his theatre — but he still wants to make it big in the bigger smoke. Alas, Suki (Chelsea Peretti, Brooklyn Nine-Nine), a dog and a talent scout, advises that Buster's ragtag crew don't have what it takes. He's determined to prove otherwise, taking pigs Rosita (Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show) and Gunter (Nick Kroll, Big Mouth), gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton, Rocketman), porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow), and elephant Meena (singer Tori Kelly) to Redshore City to pitch directly to wolf and media mogul Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Canavale, Nine Perfect Strangers). Sing 2 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 As 2019's stop-motion The Addams Family did, The Addams Family 2 boasts a few stellar strokes of voice casting, but that can't save a film that's distressingly eager to be as bland, flat and lazy as possible. Once again, returning directors Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon (Sausage Party) — who team up with first-time co-helmers Laura Brousseau and Kevin Pavlovic — only manage to make viewers wish that Oscar Isaac (Dune) and Charlize Theron (Fast and Furious 9) could've played Gomez and Morticia in a new live-action film, instead of lending their voices to this mess. The lines they're tasked with uttering, as penned by screenwriters Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit (Pokémon: Detective Pikachu) along with Ben Queen (Cars 2) and Susanna Fogel (Booksmart), have less life (and inspire fewer laughs) than a corpse. And, as with the first animated movie, they're still caught up in a flick that has Snoop Dogg cast Cousin Itt so that it can drop in his songs (and yes, that's supposed to be funny, apparently). Story-wise, The Addams Family 2 focuses on Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz, Tom and Jerry), who feels she doesn't fit in with her relatives even before she's told she might've been switched at birth. But forget the dark humour that's always been the backbone of all things Addams since its first days on the page. Forget any sense of personality that isn't just "ooh, they're odd and they like grim things" — and forget anything that you wouldn't see in any other all-ages film, too. The script could've been written for any old characters, then had Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley (Javon 'Wanna' Walton, Utopia), Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll, Sing 2), Thing and company shoehorned in, although its family vacation setup does take all the wrong cues from the aforementioned Addams Family Reunion. It hardly helps that the animation style looks ghoulishly unpleasant, but at least the character designs nod to Charles Addams' original cartoons. Nothing else about this unwanted sequel even comes close, in a feature that proves the antithesis of its characters: mundane, safe, routine and only unnerving in how terrible it is. The Addams Family 2 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows.
Christmas brings with it many traditions, from party season as soon as Halloween is over through to turkey and prawns on the big occasion itself (and, obviously, carols, stockings, lights and decorations aplenty, too). The next day has its own routine as well — swapping feasts, drinks, presents and backyard cricket for hitting up your favourite picture palace, ready to gorge your way through the year's biggest movie-going moment. And yes, getting an air-conditioned escape from Australia's summer heat is quite the nice bonus. We're talking about Boxing Day, clearly — and, specifically, Boxing Day's annual haul of new films. 2022's lineup is a little smaller than past years because the hefty blue behemoth that is Avatar: The Way of Water opened in mid-December, but there's still plenty to watch. Wondering what's newly showing? Eager to learn what's truly worth your time, more importantly? We've viewed and reviewed the day's full slate of new titles, including an Oscar frontrunner, a savage satire of privilege, a Whitney Houston biopic and Antonio Banderas voicing a mischievous cat. Here's our rundown — happy viewing! THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN In The Banshees of Inisherin, the rolling hills and clifftop fields look like they could stretch on forever, even on a fictional small island perched off the Irish mainland. For years, conversation between Padraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell, After Yang) and Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson, The Tragedy of Macbeth) has been similarly sprawling — and leisurely, too — especially during the pair's daily sojourn to the village pub for chats over pints. But when the latter calls time on their camaraderie suddenly, his demeanour turns brusque and his explanation, only given after much pestering, is curt. Uttered beneath a stern, no-nonsense stare by Gleeson to his In Bruges co-star Farrell, both reuniting with that darkly comic gem's writer/director Martin McDonagh for another black, contemplative and cracking comedy, Colm is as blunt as can be: "I just don't like you no more." In the elder character's defence, he wanted to ghost his pal without hurtful words. Making an Irish exit from a lifelong friendship is a wee bit difficult on a tiny isle, though, as Colm quickly realises. It's even trickier when the mate he's trying to put behind him is understandably upset and confused, there's been no signs of feud or fray beforehand, and anything beyond the norm echoes through the town faster than a folk ballad. So springs McDonagh's smallest-scale and tightest feature since initially leaping from the stage to the screen, and a wonderful companion piece to that first effort. Following the hitman-focused In Bruges, he's gone broader with Seven Psychopaths, then guided Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell to Oscars with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, but he's at his best when his lens is trained at Farrell and Gleeson as they bicker in close confines. Read our full review. TRIANGLE OF SADNESS Ruben Östlund isn't interested in keeping his viewers comfortable, no matter how cushy their cinema chair. To watch the Swedish filmmaker's features is to feel yourself reacting — emotionally, always, and sometimes physically as well. It was true of 2014's phenomenal Force Majeure, aka as clever and cringe-inducing a portrait of marriage and masculinity as the 21st century has provided. With dropped jaws over a divisive piece of art within a divisive piece of art, it was true of 2018's The Square, the writer/director's first Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or-winner, too. And, earning him that same prestigious prize again in 2022, it's also wholly accurate of Triangle of Sadness. Make a movie with a shape in its title, score one of the biggest filmmaking awards there is: that's been a nifty formula for Östlund of late. But even if he directs a flick called something like Hexagonal Dreaming soon, or anything else with a geometrical bent, and it too nabs that Cannes gong, beating Triangle of Sadness' vomit sequence is highly unlikely. To remind audiences that responding to films and life alike is an involuntary reflex, Östlund shows plenty of his characters doing just that — to existence, and to a choppy luxury cruise. It makes for simply unforgettable cinema, but it's also just one part of Triangle of Sadness and its sublimely shot unpacking of wealth, privilege and social hierarchies. Appearing to be coasting through perfection is an ongoing quest for Carl (Harris Dickinson, See How They Run) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean, Black Lightning), well-known models-slash-influencers, and the movie's focal point. When they take to the sea among the uber rich, they're still working the requisite angles (and snapping everything for Instagram from every angle). But then, under the captain's (Woody Harrelson, Venom: Let There Be Carnage) watch, being stranded on an island becomes their fate — and the way that Östlund satirically carves into the resulting chaos is equally hilarious and and astute, even when his film is both obvious and hardly subtle. Read our full review. WHITNEY HOUSTON: I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY In the decade since her death in 2012, Whitney Houston has proven one of filmmaking's greatest loves of all. No fewer than five movies have told her tale, including documentaries Whitney: Can I Be Me and Whitney — and that's without including a feature about her daughter Bobbi Kristina, a miniseries focused on her ex-husband Bobby Brown and dramas clearly based on her story. All of that attention echoes for obvious reasons. Houston's mezzo-soprano voice, which earned her the nickname "The Voice", soared to stratospheric and literally breathtaking levels. Still holding the record for the most consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, which she took from The Beatles and the Bee Gees, her career zoomed skyward as well. That swift rise from New Jersey church choir member to one of the biggest bestselling music artists ever was matched by tabloid-fodder lows, however, and that tragic, gone-too-soon passing — and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody charts it all. Taking its name from one of Houston's most exuberant singles isn't just music biopic 101 (see also: Bohemian Rhapsody, also penned by this film's screenwriter Anthony McCarten). Kasi Lemmons' (Harriet) feature follows the standard Wikipedia entry-like genre template, but the filmmaker wants those titular words to reflect how Whitney (Naomi Ackie, Master of None) just wanted to be herself, to be loved as such, and openly be with Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams, Black Lightning), the girlfriend-turned-creative director that her gospel singer mother Cissy Houston (Tamara Tunie, Cowboy Bebop) and stern father John (Clarke Peters, The Man Who Fell to Earth) disapprove of. Instead, after being signed to Arista Records at 19 by producer and executive Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci, The King's Man), Whitney becomes America's princess next door. Ackie turns in a commanding, multi-layered performance as the conflicted singer — even while lip-synching, with the movie smartly using Houston's own vocals — in a film that's impassioned, wisely filled with electrifying performance recreations, yet is happy to just hit every expected note. Read our full review. THE LOST KING When King Richard III was killed in battle in the 15th century, did anyone wonder about a public holiday? Given the era and its working conditions, likely not. There's also the hardly minor fact that the monarch was slain by the forces of Henry Tudor, who promptly became England's ruler, so downing tools for a day of mourning probably wasn't a priority. The world has a frame of reference for grieving a British sovereign, though, and recently. When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, pomp and ceremony reigned supreme. Dramatising the discovery of Richard III's remains, The Lost King wasn't made with the queen's passing in mind. Actually, it world-premiered a day afterwards. But the Stephen Frears (Victoria & Abdul)-directed, Steve Coogan- and Jeff Pope (Philomena)-scripted drama benefits from audiences knowing what's done now when whoever wears the crown is farewelled. The Lost King isn't about chasing a parade, pageantry, and a day off work for the masses in Britain and further afield. Charting the true tale of Richard III's location and exhumation 527 years after he breathed his last breath, it follows a quest for recognition and respect. When the film opens, Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins, The Phantom of the Open) wants it for herself, as a woman over 40 overlooked for a promotion at work in favour of a younger, less-experienced colleague — and as someone with a medical condition, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, who's too easily dismissed due to her health. She's also newly separated from her husband John (Coogan, This Time with Alan Partridge), adding to her unappreciated feelings. It's no wonder that Richard III's plight catches her interest thanks to a production of Shakespeare's Richard III, aka one of the reasons that the king was long seen as a hunchbacked villain. More surprising: that the film about all of this, while engaging enough and featuring stellar work by Hawkins, doesn't seem to trust that its real-life story can hold its own. Read our full review. LYLE, LYLE CROCODILE The Paddington movies did it better. That's a general catch-all statement that can apply to almost anything, zero context required, and it's also the prevailing feeling while watching Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Instead of a marmalade-coveting bear, a singing crocodile is trying to win hearts — and the similarities don't stop there. The page-to-screen leap from a children's favourite? Tick. An adorable animal winding up in a family of humans who need its unique presence to make their lives complete, bring them together and show them what truly matters? Tick again. The strait-laced dad, creative mum, nasty neighbour and kindly kid? Keep ticking. Also present in both: the titular critter donning human clothing and craving fruity foods, warm colours aplenty, a vintage look and feel to interior spaces, a tense and traumatic capture, and an accomplished star having a whole lot of fun going big, broad and cartoonish (Javier Bardem here, and worlds away from The Good Boss, Dune or Everybody Knows). Bardem's playful turn as magician Hector P Valenti is the best thing about Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which is breezily watchable but so indebted to Paddington and its sequel — so desperate to be an American version of the charming English franchise — that orange conserve might as well be smeared across the lens. As directed by Office Christmas Party's Josh Gordon and Will Speck, and scripted by Johnny English Strikes Again's Will Davies (adapting from Bernard Waber's books), the film is also a musical, with the eponymous croc (voiced by Shawn Mendes) able to sing but not speak. Those forgettable songs pad out a slight story, after Valenti discovers Lyle, hopes to get famous as a double act and loses his New York City brownstone when his gambit fails. Then the new residents, the Primm family, find the reptile in the attic, son Josh (Winslow Fegley, Come Play) finds a friend and his parents (Hustlers' Constance Wu and Blonde's Scoot McNairy) find their own reasons to get snapped up in the critter's singing-and-dancing vibe — although Mr Grumps (Brett Gelman, Stranger Things) downstairs obviously lives up to his moniker. PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH Since arriving in cinemas in 2001, Shrek has inspired three more ogre-centric flicks, a heap of shorts and TV specials, and a stage musical for the whole family. It's also the reason that green-hued burlesque shows exist, plus all manner of parties and raves — none of the last three of which are appropriate for kids, obviously. But beyond the Mike Myers (The Pentaverate)-voiced titular figure himself, only Puss in Boots has become solo big-screen fodder from among the franchise's array of characters. Like much in this series, the shoe-wearing feline hails from fairy tales, but the reason for its ongoing on-screen popularity is as simple as casting. Who doesn't want to see a kitty swashbuckler voiced by Antonio Banderas (Official Competition), basically making this a moggie Zorro? Based on the 2011 Puss in Boots' $555 million at the box office, that concept is irresistible to plenty of folks — hence, albeit 11 years later, sequel Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Pairing the right talent to the right animated character doesn't instantly make movie magic, of course; however, The Last Wish, which literally has Puss seeking magic, is among the best films that the broader Shrek saga has conjured up so far. The eponymous cat begins the picture being his usual swaggering self and caring little for the consequences, including his own dwindling lives. One raucous incident sees him realise that he's died eight times already, though, and knowing this ninth go-around is his last according to feline lore suddenly fills him with existential woe. That's a thoughtful premise for an all-ages-friendly flick, and one that's never dampened by the film's plethora of fairy tale nods, high-energy vibe and usually amusing gags. So, Puss, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek, House of Gucci) and their new canine companion Perro (Harvey Guillén, What We Do in the Shadows) attempt to find a famed wishing star that can make avoiding death a reality — but Goldilocks (Florence Pugh, The Wonder) and the three bears (Black Widow's Ray Winstone, Mothering Sunday's Olivia Colman and Our Flag Means Death's Samson Kayo) are also after it, as is a no longer 'little' Jack Horner (John Mulaney, Big Mouth).
House of Pocket — the group behind Stitch, Kasippu and Pocket Bar – is making a return to the classics, and you're invited along for the ride. You can now take your pick of one of 30 golden age cocktails for just $18 a pop. On the list you'll find the Hemingway Daquiri (rum, maraschino, grapefruit, lime), the Mint Julep (bourbon, mint, syrup), the Bees Knees (gin, honey, lemon) and another 27 concoctions that all cocktail drinkers should know. If you haven't tried them all yet, this is an excellent opportunity to give some a go. On top of celebrating the great mixology tradition, the House of Pocket folks are keen to make going out more affordable – any night of the week. "It would be great if pollies could level the playing field and give cocktail drinkers the same tax relief they gave beer drinkers," said owner Karl Schlothauer. You'll find Stitch, which takes inspiration from the back streets of New York City, behind a tailor's shop front on York Street, while Kasippu brings a warm atmosphere and delicious Sri Lankan curries to Kent Street. Pocket Bar is by the waves in Terrigal on the Central Coast. All 30 cocktails are available at all three venues.
2023 marks five decades since one of the scariest movies ever made first hit screens, with The Exorcist never losing its eerie power since. But whether you first got creeped out by it at home, have caught retro big-screen showings — including the director's-cut version — or somehow have never been spooked by the William Friedkin-helmed flick's unnerving wonders, seeing it in an old jail is set to be a whole new viewing experience. Where's the best venue to host a special session of such a horror-movie giant? To put on a night of cinema that'll make heads spin? That location: Parramatta Gaol, which is turning into a picture palace just for one evening for the occasion, with horror event fiends Haus of Horror behind it all. Clearly, the idea is for the night — which has been dubbed 'The Exorcist in a Haunted Gaol' — is to be as immersive as possible. Dating back to the 19th century and operational until 2011, Parramatta Gaol already hosts ghost tours, and is reportedly haunted by its former inmates if you believe in that kind of thing. So, if you dare, that's where you'll be watching The Exorcist — aka the story of a young girl (Linda Blair, Landfill) possessed by a demon, and the efforts of two priests (Rudy's Jason Miller and Game of Thrones' Max von Sydow) to save her at the urging of her mother (Ellen Burstyn, Pieces of a Woman). Held in conjunction with Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council, Haus of Horror's screening takes place at 6pm on Saturday, March 11, and includes two hours for attendees to explore Parramatta Gaol's morgue, cell blocks and showers. Also on the agenda: a bar serving beer and wine, vegan and non-vegan bites to eat, a live DJ spinning tunes while the sun sets, and an interactive photo booth that'll be set up like a scene from the film. The movie will play at 8pm on a grassy field inside the site, showing outdoors under the stars — and picnics are welcome. Tickets cost $39, or $59 if you'd like to book a large bean bag to sit on.
Since it opened in late 2021, Odd Culture's ferment-forward wine bar and diner on King Street has been a cornerstone of Newtown's hospitality scene. Then came Spon, in mid-2023 — a hybrid bar and bottle shop specialising in craft brews, boutique drops and pours by the glass. In February this year, the Odd Culture team — who also operate beloved Sydney pubs The Old Fitz and The Duke of Enmore — added kooky late-night cocktail den Pleasure Club to their Newtown empire. Now, a fourth venture has been added, transforming the mezzanine of the King Street flagship into an elevated bistro — and it's not just another cookie-cutter steak frites joint. Bistro Grenier is a refined spot for an intimate soirée, where diners can experience classic French fare at its best. To realise this new venue, Odd Culture has tapped the skills of Executive Chef James MacDonald — formerly of Sydney's Restaurant Hubert and London's pioneering nose-to-tail eatery St John. MacDonald has developed a menu that celebrates traditional recipes while adding modern flourishes, leaning on heartier, rustic dishes showcasing low-waste butchering. For example, the côtelette de porc features a juicy Berkshire pork chop served alongside braised boneless trotters, dressed with prunes and served with a side of sugar loaf cabbage, while the house-made boudin noir uses yet more of the beast, pairing smoked pork jowl and pigs blood with caramelised apples and a lightly whipped pomme puree. Other dishes offer more playful riffs on tricolore favourites, like the pudding chômeur — a self-saucing maple syrup dessert finished with buttermilk ice cream inspired by Head Chef Jesse Warkentin's Canadian heritage. Vino-philes have plenty to get excited about. A list of French drops including vintage gems and rare allocation bottles from Odd Culture's extensive cellar are available exclusively in the bistro. There's also be a range of Gallic digestives and apéritifs behind the bar, including ricard pastis, picon bière aperitif, vin jaune and chartreuse. The fitout of what was formerly an underutilised loft storage space channels a luxurious yet bohemian vibe, with deep burgundy peaked ceilings and walls, dark timber panelling, and a moody lighting design summons the sultry spirit of Parisian salon. Meanwhile, fans of the King Street OG have nothing to fear. The existing downstairs wine bar remains the pillar of Newtown's drinking scene Sydneysiders know and love. Images: Philip Huyhn
Rather than spending another evening killing brain cells with booze, put your noggin to good use in an escape room. The Cipher Room is run by self-confessed puzzle fanatics and Newtown local couple David Vella and Marise Watson. They are responsible for every element of the games from concepting to props, utilising recycled material and local vintage shops where possible. There are three scenarios to choose from, all suitable for groups between two to eight people. The first, Espionage, is a 1940s spy thriller, asks you to trace fellow spy Agent M's steps and complete her mission. The Cabin puts you in the shoes of a detective hunting a serial killer. The newest puzzle, The Marlowe, has you living out your film noir PI fantasy, tracking a gangster in 1950s New York. The more you immerse yourself into the game, the more fun you'll have, so don the dark clothes and detective hat and get thinking.
Randwick has a new kid on the block. Taking its name from the opening lines of Hunter S. Thompson's cult classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Bat Country adds a touch of cool to The Spot's bustling hub of tapas and Thai restaurants. Opposite the beloved, golden-age Ritz Cinema, this sharp new drinking hole brands itself as a local's bar, aiming to create an atmosphere that bridges the gap between restaurant and watering hole. Or, as owner Collin Perillo puts it, "the kind of place where Raoul Duke would go to write copy." The decor of the raw brick interior reeks of Beat Generation swagger. Wander through and you'll find a cluster of cosy booths and a sweet little nook by the kitchen that feels just like hanging out in your grandma's living room. There's also a spread of '60s Americana paraphernalia and some kickass antler chandeliers. The overall effect is a stylishly outdated but authentic atmosphere. It's also refreshing not to be overpowered by the music. Looping through the likes of Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones (testament to a committed theme), this small bar has achieved the perfect balance of tunes and chatter. Bat Country offers a tight cocktail list of innovative concoctions, served by very competent bartenders in Hawaiian shirts (if you're lucky). From the happy-go-lucky Junkie George Fizz (Wild Turkey Bourbon, honey, orange and mint, $16) to the slightly formidable-sounding God's Own Prototype (Havana 7 year rum, Chartreuse, Maraschino, lemon, Angostura, $16), there's a bright array of sweet and sour that will tickle your tastebuds well into the night. Also, The Best Drink in the World (Flor de Cana Extra Dry Rum, lime, sugar, $18) is bound to strike your attention. Whether it is or not is disputable, though it's darn refreshing. Onto beer. There's a steady flow of Young Henrys on tap, a handful of craft brews from Western Australia, and a hearty Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA ($11), which is probably kingpin of the beer list. Bat Country also caters a luscious range of tasty share plates, such as the Bloody Chunk'a Rump ($15), served strictly medium rare. Or, if you're hankering for a seafood fix, Kitchen Chef Tim's Salt and Pepper Squid with wasabi mayo and dressed greens ($16.50) is sure to sort you out. This nifty addition offers a friendly and relaxed vibe. It's a much-needed diversification of The Spot's dining scene, and it's already a buzzing success. Swing by around 8pm on a Friday or Saturday, and you'll struggle to get a seat. It is a touch pricey, which may not fly with the student demographic, but you get what you pay for. On the whole, Bat Country is bound to make you feel like a local. Here's hoping it's the leader in a burgeoning Randwick bar scene.
So it turns out there is such a thing as a free lunch. By way of amuse bouche in the lead up to their Sydney Festival event, the folk behind So Frenchy So Chic are hosting a pop-up picnic in Hyde Park, and the victuals are on them. Be one of the first 150 people to turn up at the ANZAC Memorial (Elizabeth Street side, near the Pool of Reflection) at midday on Friday, December 5, and you’ll find yourself dining on a gourmet mini-hamper gratuit. Whipped up by fine food company Simmone Logue, each lunch will be made up of a traditional baguette, packed with poached chicken, toasted walnuts, mayonnaise, roasted tomato and watercress, with dessert in the form of a summery apple frangipane tart. To keep your thirst quenched, Melbourne-based beverage creators Capi will be supplying you with their clean, natural, carbonated refreshments. Of course, it wouldn't be a So Frenchy So Chic affair without music. SFSC's 2015 double album, released on November 28, will be soundtracking the picnic, with its compilation of tunes from the world's best emerging and established French-speaking musicians. It's a multifarious mix of alt-folk, country, rock, hip hop and electro-pop. So Frenchy So Chic proper will be happening on Saturday, January 17, in the grounds of St John’s College at the University of Sydney. Headliners include La Femme, Frànçois and the Atlas Mountains, Emilie Simon and The Dø. Find the So Frenchy So Chic pop-up picnic at Hyde Park's ANZAC Memorial this Friday, December 5. Get. There. Early.
Surfers of Melbourne — all 300,000 of you — don't go anywhere. Come Easter, the first waves will be rolling through Australia's very first surf park. And, no, you won't have to drive all the way out to Torquay or the Peninsula. Instead, Urbnsurf Melbourne will be located on a huge site in Tullamarine, just near the airport. Plans for the park first surfaced way back in 2016, and Urbnsurf has today announced that the park has installed its wave generator. That means it will be pumping out surf by April, with a view to be open to the public by spring this year. At the moment, the site is still a hole in the ground — but when it opens, the two-hectare lagoon will power up to 1000 waves per hour, day and night. And you'll get a choice of waves. Want to ride nothing but perfectly-formed right-handers for an hour? Or would you prefer a random selection, like what you'd experience in the ocean? You'll be able to take your pick. According to Urbnsurf founder Andrew Ross, "every wave has six different take-off spots", which equates to 3600 surfable positions every hour. The waves are created by Wavegarden technology, which was developed by a Spanish engineering firm of the same name. So how does it work? Basically, the waves come from an 85-metre pier that runs down the centre of the lagoon (which you can see in the image below). A series of pistons located on the pier then push the water to the left, then to the right, to create the waves. Ross likens the movement to "moving your hand back and forward like a shark's tail". [caption id="attachment_707250" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Urbnsurf lagoon under construction.[/caption] If you're worried about the amount of energy needed to drive such an operation, take comfort in the fact that Urbnsurf aims to run on 100 percent renewables within the first 12 months of opening. From the get-go, the rest of the facility's built environment — which includes a beach club, loads of eateries and a retail space — will be partially solar powered (with the rest sourced from renewable sources), and water will be sourced from storm water stores near the airport before being treated and filtered. Once the lagoon is filled, the team will then enter a testing period — if you're a keen surfer, you can sign up to give it a test drive before the park opens to the public in spring this year. The ability to create waves means that the park will be built for both pros who are looking for steep, barrelling waves and novices looking for a safe place to get their start in the surf. "Becoming a great surfer is all about getting waves under your feet," says Ross. "But, in Melbourne, the nearest waves are over an hour away. Unless you set up your life so you can get down there regularly, it's difficult to progress as a surfer, without dedicating decades of your life to it." At Urbnsurf, Ross predicts, most novices will stand on their board within an hour and ride across the green face within two. And not only will you get guaranteed waves — you won't be fighting for them. The park holds 84 riders per hour. And, should you get seriously hooked, you'll be able to enter amateur competitions, maybe with (or against) your mates. When completed, it will be the fourth commercial wave park in the world, and the first in Australia. But not for long. Urbnsurf has already has plans for a Sydney park approved, and it's also lodging a development application for a site in Perth. Another park has also been proposed for regional Queensland. https://vimeo.com/256710737 Urbnsurf is due to open in spring 2019 near Melbourne Airport. You can sign up to test out the surf park before it opens on the website. Top image: Wavegarden San Sebastian, by Ed Sloane. All images courtesy Urbnsurf.
While the 'Vote No' skywriting above Sydney over the weekend stirred up plenty more discord in the same-sex marriage debate, it also spurred a flurry of positive action from marriage equality supporters, with five different people taking to GoFundMe to rally support for their own sky-high counter messages. Fast-forward a few days and these five staunch strangers have met and joined forces to work together on some equally unsubtle campaigning for the Yes camp. With news that the Sydney Skywriting Company — the only one of its kind in the city — is owned by active members of the Australian Christian Lobby, a piece of 'Vote Yes' skywriting was pretty unlikely. But the team scored a win when it hooked up with outdoor experimental media company Remarkable Media, who are all for supporting marriage equality. The result of this collaboration, and a very busy week of fundraising, will be pretty hard to miss. On Sunday, October 1, an enormous, 1000-square-metre rainbow flag will be towed by a helicopter across Sydney's skies. Almost $20,000 has been raised for the project, and any leftover funds will be heading to local LGBTIQ+ charities. You can donate here, and expect to see the Team Yes rainbow flag flying over Bondi at roughly 1pm this Sunday. Image: Letícia Almeida.
According to its owners, Potts Point Bookshop is found in the 'Paris-end' of the inner-city suburb. And the beautiful independent bookstore certainly makes you feel like you've entered a European pocket of Sydney, with its light-filled space and stacks upon stacks of fiction and non-fiction to gaze over. The shop is filled with books of all kinds, from an impressive list of art and design prints to political memoirs and the latest paperbacks. The sheer volume here requires a dedicated team of experts, and you're in good hands as 2020's ABA Penguin Random House Young Bookseller of the Year, Simon McDonald, is here to guide you through whatever page turner you're after. Between them, the store's staff has 50 years of book selling expertise to share. It also hosts author talks and readings from time to time. Images: Kitti Gould
Giant illuminated rabbits are lurking beside the Park Hyatt. Snakes have entwined themselves around the MCA. My colossal face sits proudly in Martin Place. Launched with an oversized novelty button on Friday night, Vivid Sydney has flicked on the lights for another year, infusing the CBD with New Year's Eve vibes and lightsaber-wielding kiddies for the next two weeks. Between eating up all the Vividery; having mad chats, merry chinwags and Freud-fuelled pow-wows with Vivid LIVE's best and brightest; and strapping on our sexy, sexy thinking caps; there's life rollin' on elsewhere in the somewhat less light-drenched parts of town. Australian drink-n-gamers received some squealworthy bar news and Scandinavian films got their own Aussie festival, while the shiniest light of all, Ryan Gosling, made a film that royally sucked at Cannes. Things are looking pretty glitter-glued around here of late. Shannon Connellan /// Deputy Editor If you do one thing: The Music of Moroder: The Heritage Orchestra Presented by those constant bringers of Internet-hyped gigs, Red Bull Music Academy, this is one tribute show that’s sure to end up on everyone’s Instagram feeds. Paying tribute to the legendary music of Giorgio Moroder with new arrangements and special guest vocalists, 40-piece British rulebreakers The Heritage Orchestra will revisit every last gem from the career of 'the godfather of EDM', from his disco-fuelled hootenannies with Donna Summer to his 1977 landmark album From Here To Eternity. More info here. The other seven days Tuesday: The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival Go to the movies and feel good doing it. Now in its seventh year, The Human Rights Arts & Film Festival will once again shine a light on contemporary human rights issues through a carefully curated lineup of socially conscious films. Rich Hill takes place in the titular Missouri mining town and follows three young men struggling with poverty, mental illness and the turmoil of adolescence. Praised for its empathetic touch, the film won the Documentary Jury Prize at Sundance earlier this year. Everyday Rebellion has a somewhat broader subject, highlighting nonviolent protests happening all around the world. From Occupy Wall Street to the Iranian democracy movement to topless activists in the Ukraine, it's a truly global story about people united by courage. More info here. Wednesday: Spice Temple's Some Like It Hot Dinner Behind the mysterious billowing silk that marks Spice Temple's iconic entrance is a shrine to the chilli to which every lover of the sweet burn must make pilgrimage, and there's never been a better time to do so than Wednesday, May 28. Masters of the chilli Neil Perry and Andy Evans are presenting a one-night-only Some Like It Hot dinner, showcasing the fiery fruit in dried, fresh, salted, pickled and fermented forms in a menu that's set to sizzle. From crispy chicken laced with heaven-facing chillis to red braised pork belly with dried chillis and quail eggs to whole fried chillis with lap yuk and Sichuan black beans, one thing's for sure: this dinner is not for the faint of heart. More info here. Thursday: Cain and Abel Some people are going to be very unhappy with Belvoir. After one recent play in which two women constantly murdering each other prompted loud revulsion (not from us), here is another female ensemble repeating the same act. For longer. More gruesomely. In all fairness, though, it's totally different. The two companies take distinctly separate approaches to the theme of violence in life and on stage. Cain and Abel, from The Rabble, is aesthetically rich, mercilessly cerebral, and earnest in that very Melburnian way. Recently, the interstate experimentalists have turned pornography into art (The Story of O) and staged The Portrait of Dorian Gray as a presentational maze (Room of Regret). They don't go easy. Full review here. Friday: I'm Not Racist But... Titled I’m Not Racist But..., it’ll be an interactive evening during which four speakers give top-speed ten-minute talks before host Tom Tilley opens up the floor for discussion. The special guests are comedian Ronny Chieng, Australian Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson, Co-Chair of the National Congress for Australia’s First Peoples Kirstie Parker and John Safran, who recently published his first book Murder in Mississippi. Presented by the NSW Reconciliation Council in conjunction with Sydney Ideas, the event hopes to inspire open, critical discussion concerning racism in Australia. More info here. Saturday: Electrolapse BYOB All that ideating of Vivid can really take it out of you. Fortunately, on its second weekend, the Vivid Ideas throws up this two-day event to engage us visually rather than intellectually. Get set to see the cavern of Pier 2/3 in a whole new way. BYOB (Bring Your Own Beamer, not booze) is an international event movement where artists congregate with their projectors in tow, filling every wall space with their latest digital imaginings. Feats of 3D projection mapping, interactive interfaces, animations, games — they all play out on the walls while you circulate the room square-eyed. This local iteration is being put on by the knowledgeable folks from Electrofringe, and they've even roped in original BYOBer Rafael Rozendaal — the New York-based founder and internet artist — for the lineup. More info here. Sunday: Elizabeth Street Gallery new exhibition Towards the end of 2012, a bunch of Fairfax photographers decided it was time to do something about one of the Sydney CBD’s most unappealing stretches. Without seeking official permission, the aesthetic vigilantes added more than 40 photos to a wall on Elizabeth Street (near the corner off Goulburn Street) and waited to see what would happen. As it turned out, the Lord Mayor was a supporter and the 'Elizabeth Street Gallery' has remained a fixture. Two years on, the photos have been tagged and dirtied to a point of near-obscurity. So last Thursday, the team — comprised of Nicholas Walker, Andrew Quilty and Dean Sewell — replaced them with a brand new series. This time, however, they received a $30,000 City of Sydney grant to make it happen. More info here. Monday: Under the Skin Director Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast, Birth) puts mankind under the microscope in his enigmatic sci-fi thriller Under the Skin. Unfolding like an arthouse version of Species, the film stars Scarlett Johansson as an extraterrestrial creature who travels around Scotland seducing human men. A cold, disturbing, impenetrable piece of filmmaking, it’s a movie that will understandably alienate mainstream audiences, even as it carves a place for itself as a modern-day cult classic. Reversing typical images of sexual predation, Glazer puts Johansson — a pale-skinned, dark-haired female — in the driver's seat of an anonymous white van. The bulk of the film takes place in the vehicle, as Johansson cruises the outskirts of Glasgow in search of her next victim. What happens to the men once they're ensnared is one of many pieces of information Glazer initially withholds, playing with our fears and assumptions and cultivating a sickening sense of dread. Full review here.
Sydney is gearing up for another long, balmy summer, and the newly refurbished Manly Wharf precinct is ready to join the party, with two of its new second-storey venues set to open their doors next week. Launching at the wharf on Friday, November 9, are a couple of beloved Rockpool Dining Group eateries: a second outpost of Tex Mex hot-spot El Camino Cantina and a sixth iteration of Sake Restaurant and Bar. El Camino is opening in place of Fratelli Fresh, which was initially expected to launch there, too. El Camino promises to bring some definite party vibes to the Manly Wharf rooftop, with its giant cocktails, lively Tex-Mex fare and sprawling 365-seat dining space and terrace. At the big horseshoe-shaped bar, eight slushie machines signal fun times ahead for the silly season — El Camino's famed margaritas come in a swag of flavours and multiple sizes, including a group-friendly two-litre tower. Other options include a host of beers from near and far, and a collection of over 100 mezcals and tequilas. To match, the food lineup is equally vibrant. Think fiery buffalo wings, sizzling fajitas, plump burritos, soft shell tacos loaded with punchy flavour combinations and unlimited complimentary corn chips and salsas, It's all rounded out with rock 'n' roll jukebox tunes and a solid selection of daily specials, including $2 tacos on Tuesdays, 10-cent chicken wings on Wednesdays and a weekday happy hour (4-6pm) promising $7.50 drinks to suit every palate. Next door, is a very different vibe, as the newest Sake stays true to its own signature offering of chic, contemporary Japanese fare and crafty cocktails. The refined eatery's Melbourne CBD outpost recently offered $19 all-you-can-eat sushi, and we're keeping our fingers crossed for the same deal to make its way across to the northern beaches. El Camino Cantina and Sake Restaurant and Bar will both open at Manly Wharf on Friday, November 9. To head to El Camino's Manly launch night, you'll need to snag a ticket here.
Drake's first tour of Australia in eight years kicked off in mid-February. If you haven't caught him already, you won't be on this trip Down Under. Organisers have announced that the remainder of Canadian artist's Aussie shows, plus his New Zealand dates, have all been postponed. There's no details yet as to when they'll be popped back on the calendar. "Due to a scheduling conflict, four of Drake's 16 sold-out shows in Australia and New Zealand will be postponed. We are actively working on rescheduling these dates along with adding some additional shows," advises the statement. "We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Drake and the entire team have had an incredible time doing these shows and are excited to return soon. We look forward to sharing the rescheduled dates with you as soon as possible." The dates impacted: the five-time Grammy-winner's returns to Brisbane and Sydney, the former on Tuesday, March 4 and the latter on Friday, March 7. He's already played dates in both cities, unlike in Auckland, where his Spark Arena gigs on Saturday, March 15–Sunday, March 16 will no longer go ahead. Patrons can hold on to their tickets for the new dates, whenever they're revealed — or you can get a refund instead. Regarding the second option, the promoter offers a note: "as these shows are sold out, any refunded tickets may be released for sale at a later date". Drake's 2025 Anita Max Win tour was first announced in November 2024, and then kept being extended — not once but twice. The last dates added in Australia are the shows that've been scrapped for now. Before this year, the 'Hotline Bling', 'Too Good', 'Passionfruit', 'Nice for What', 'In My Feelings', 'One Dance' and 'Laugh Now Cry Later' performer last hit the stage in Australia in 2017 on his Boy Meets World tour. The Degrassi: The Next Generation star and platinum-selling singer is currently fresh off his 2023–24 It's All A Blur Tour, which saw him chalk up over 80 soldout shows in North America. Drake's 'Anita Max Win' Tour 2025 Postponed Dates Tuesday, March 4 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Friday, March 7 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Saturday, March 15–Sunday, March 16 — Spark Arena, Auckland Drake has postponed the rest of his Australian and New Zealand tour, scrapping dates in March 2025. Head to the tour website for more details, with tickets set to remain valid for yet-to-be-announced new dates or refunds available. Images: The Come Up Show via Flickr.
You don't have to be a Francophile to love the Bastille Festival. Since 2012, the event has taken over Sydney with joie de vivre, brimming with outstanding food and wine, live music and street-side entertainment. In 2025, the festival brings even more warmth to this wintertime showcase, featuring over 120 exhibitors and 80 dishes, from classic regional flavours to inventive fusions. So, if great cuisine is your raison d'être, planning your visit is the right move. Running from Thursday, July 17–Sunday, July 20, food remains an unmissable highlight for the festival's 12th edition. Presented alongside exclusive chef collaborations and international flavours reimagined with a French twist, expect a culinary offering bursting with raclette, escargots, crêpes, macarons and so much more. Whether you've journeyed to France or just love the nation's cuisine, tasting your way across the country is made easy. Of course, wine is intrinsically linked to French cuisine, and the Bastille Festival's program doesn't disappoint. Eight iconic wine regions are represented in this year's event, with curated vino selected from boutique and prestigious makers based in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence and beyond. "Our wine experiences aren't just about tasting — they're about storytelling," says Bastille Festival Founder and Director Vincent Hernandez. "Each glass is a journey through a region, its traditions and its people." Champagne is a notable focus, with pop-up stations spread throughout the festival and two distinctive wine bars offering champagne paired with oysters and seafood. Meanwhile, 18 bars across Circular Quay and The Rocks will also serve mulled wine, spiced hot cider, craft beer and cocktails for your sipping pleasure. "This 12th edition is all about going bigger, bolder, and more immersive — offering Sydneysiders and visitors a true 'Tour de France' of flavours, sights, and sounds," adds Hernandez. Besides virtually endless French cuisine, the Bastille Festival also presents four jam-packed days of live entertainment. Featuring over a hundred free shows riffing on the country's cultural traditions, two main stages and a dozen busking spots will come to life with live concerts, street theatre, dance lessons, acrobatic displays and more. Plus, old favourites return, with French Cabaret Night and the French DJ Party transforming First Fleet Park throughout the weekend. "At its core, Bastille Festival is about connection — to food, to culture, and to each other," says Hernandez. "We're creating moments where Sydney can come together, celebrate, dance, and rediscover a little bit of magic in the middle of winter." Bastille Festival runs from Thursday, July 17–Saturday, July 20 at across various locations in Circular Quay and The Rocks. Head to the website for more information.
You've played the video games, bought the toys, collected the trading cards, enjoyed the anime and watched Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. When Pokémon Go was the only reason that everyone was picking up their phones, you caught 'em all then, too. So, we're guessing that Netflix's upcoming Pokémon series will jump straight into your must-watch list — with the streaming service reportedly working on a new live-action take on everyone's favourite pocket monsters. Yes, Detective Pikachu also combined all things Pokémon with flesh-and-blood humans, and it proved a big box office hit to the tune of $433 million worldwide. So, it is far from surprising that Netflix wants to give the concept a spin. The platform already streams a few existing animated Pokémon titles, with Indigo League, Sun and Moon: Ultra Legends and Journeys currently available via the service Down Under. And, it is known to like padding out its catalogue with, well, pretty much everything it can get its hands on. As reported in Variety, the new live-action Pokémon series doesn't yet have a name — and if or how it might tie into Detective Pikachu is also unknown. That said, writer and executive producer Joe Henderson is expected to be behind the project, hopping over from Lucifer, which is set to end this year following its sixth and final season. When the inherently nostalgic new series might turn up, how many episodes it will span and who else could be involved also hasn't been revealed, because that's how early-stage the show is. But Netflix does love bringing back childhood favourites, as it has previously done with She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and the just-released Masters of the Universe: Revelation — not that Pokémon has gone anywhere since first debuting in the 90s. Obviously, there's no trailer yet for Netflix's potential live-action Pokémon show, but you can check out the trailer for Detective Pikachu below: Netflix's live-action Pokemon series doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when further details are announced. Via Variety.
Step aside negronis and espresso martinis, the whisky highball is fast becoming the go-to drink for anyone who wants their cocktail crisp, refreshing and full of character. And we've got Japan (and Suntory) to thank for it. With over 125 years of drinks innovation, Suntory has shaped Japan's drinking culture in a way few others have. From founding the country's first whisky distillery to refining the art of balance and precision in every pour, the brand has always been about setting the benchmark. One of its greatest hits? Toki Whisky. A modern 100% authentic Japanese blend that's easily mixed (especially in a whisky highball). The Origins of the Highball While the whisky highball first bubbled up in the UK as a way to lighten strong spirits, Japan made it a staple. Back in 1923, Shinjiro Torii founded the Yamazaki Distillery with a dream to create a truly Japanese whisky. It was a bold move that kicked off a whisky revolution and eventually led to the rise of the Japanese-style highball. Suntory's Kakubin whisky (meaning 'square bottle') debuted in 1937 and quickly became a staple in izakayas across the country, thanks in large part to its starring role in the highball. In the 1950s, Suntory opened a chain of bars in major cities called 'Torys Bars', which specialised in highballs. Workers would clock off, crowd in and knock back highballs with grilled skewers and salty snacks. Light, dry and approachable, the highball offered a clean canvas that brought out the subtle complexity of Japanese whisky. Toki Whisky, Suntory's smooth, well-balanced and incredibly drinkable take on a traditional blend, is tailor-made for highballs. Meaning 'time' in Japanese, Toki is a mix of malt and grain whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries by Fifth Generation Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo. With notes of green apple, basil and honey, it's light enough for daytime sipping and complex enough to hold its own with food. So, What Exactly is a Highball? A classic highball keeps things clean and simple. Japanese whisky, cold soda water, ice and a peel of citrus to garnish. But don't be fooled by the short ingredient list, the highball is all about precision. With one part whisky to three parts soda, it's meant to highlight the whisky, not drown it. The bubbles should be fine, the citrus subtle, and the ice big enough not to melt too fast. It's basically the minimalist's dream drink. The Signature Toki Highball 45ml Suntory Toki Blended Japanese Whisky 3 parts premium soda water Grapefruit slice or lemon peel Method: To make a classic Toki Highball, start by chilling a glass with ice. Pour in one part chilled whisky, give it a quick stir, then top with chilled soda water. Stir once (gently, from the bottom up) to keep the bubbles intact and garnish with a twist of grapefruit or lemon peel. Or, you can skip the ice altogether and let the whisky's flavour come through. A Drink That Plays Well With Others The real beauty of the highball? It's customisable. You can swap lemon for yuzu or grapefruit, add a touch of ginger, or even infuse your soda with herbs. Take it a step further by pairing it with food. The highball's crisp profile makes it a natural match for salty, fried or umami-rich dishes, like karaage chicken, grilled yakitori or even a cheeky bowl of hot chips. Where To Try a Suntory Toki Whisky Highball In April and May, venues across Sydney and Melbourne are rolling out limited-edition menus where you can sip a perfectly poured Suntory Toki Whisky Highball with an expertly paired snack. Sydney locations: Bancho, Ito, Tokyo Bird, Ora, Moku, Ennui, Genzo, Tanuki, Prefecture 48: Ibushi and Whisky Thief. Melbourne locations: Waxflower, Lucy Liu, Yakimono, Bar Bellamy, Izakaya by Tamura, Kura, Tokyo Tina, Gogyo or Bincho Boss. Every venue is giving the highball their own spin, so you can taste a few versions and pick your favourite. Visit your local venue this April and May to experience a Suntory Toki Whisky Highball and snack pairing. More details at the Suntory Time hub, Sydney here and Melbourne here.
