Move over frozen boozy beverages — Sydney's latest alcohol trend involves pouring your own drinks from a tap. First Surry Hills' The Winery welcomed free-flowing prosecco from an antique-looking stone faucet, and now Bea at Barangaroo House is serving up martinis in tabletop fountains. Marking the Australian launch of Grey Goose's La Fontaine, which debuted in the UK in late 2019, the martini fountains hold up to six martinis, sit in front of eager drinkers and let you dispense as you like. In the interests of responsible drinking and the applicable liquor laws, Bea is only making them available to groups — so round up at least three of your closest pals and get pouring. 'Why get someone else to twist a tap when you can do it yourself?' is the basic idea, and while it's a gimmicky one, the shiny stainless steel and glass fountains do look rather fetching. They measure 30 centimetres tall, and were initially inspired by vintage absinthe dispensers, as Grey Goose's North American Vice President Martin de Dreuille told art magazine Whitewall. While La Fontaine is only on Bea's menu as part of Barangaroo House's first birthday celebrations, and will only be available until Sunday, March 31 as a result, it does come for the highly affordable price of $18 per person. Multiple flavours are on offer, with the venue slinging classic and espresso martinis, as well as one variety dubbed 'Dean Martin's Flame of Love' across the season. The Grey Goose La Fontaine Martini Fountain costs $18 per person for groups of four-to-ten people, and is available until Sunday, March 31. Bookings are essential and can be made through the website. CORRECTION: FEBRUARY 28, 2019 — The original article incorrectly stated that the Grey Goose La Fontaine Martini was available for groups of two–six, but it is only available for groups of four–ten.
If this is the food that transforms you into 'fat boy' (Fei Jai), then I'm willing to take the risk. Fei Jai, run by a relative of Flower Drum's Lau family, is all cosy Cantonese comfort food in chic Potts Point surrounds. Dark, moody and tiny, with not a plastic table in sight, Fei Jai is a little more sophisticated than the average Cantonese in Chinatown, and a little less spicy than the likes of Spice Temple. Cantonese is a welcome addition to Potts Point, and Fei Jai is attracting the hungry locals who frequent neighboring Fratelli Paradiso and Zinc, but fancy something a little more spicy and a lot more comforting. The friendly staff are a hip and professional bunch, handing out steaming dumplings and Cantonese treats, and passing out fresh plates faster than you can drop your chopsticks. When you want everything on the starters page, sharing is a good option: Seafood San Choi Bau, Prawn and Scallop Dim Sim and Char Sui Pancakes with Finely Sliced Pork are all a great success. If the staff offer you a special of Eggplant with Crab and Egg White, do yourself a favour and listen up. It's the dish of the night: silky, clean and moreish. Eggplant will never be the same. Singapore Chilli Prawns come a close second, and our plates finish up wiped clean. There's inevitably a little bit of Fei Jai in everyone by the end of a meal here. [nggallery id=76]
UPDATE, August 3, 2020: Mary Poppins Returns is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Floating in on the wind with her umbrella in hand, Mary Poppins is back — in a most delightful way. More than half a century since the magical nanny made the leap from page to screen, this lively, loving sequel explores a notion that's already fuelled seven books. Directed by Rob Marshall (Into the Woods) and scripted by David Magee (Life of Pi), Mary Poppins Returns asks: what if the seemingly prim-and-proper governess worked her wonders on the Banks children once more? The answer both does and doesn't play out as expected. Imaginative songs, animated flights of fantasy and a friendly labourer all feature, as does the Banks house on Cherry Tree Lane. Kids learning life lessons and to embrace their creativity are part and parcel of the film as well, and so is the warmest of moods. But, letting time pass in the story as it has in real life, Mary Poppins Returns introduces adult versions of the tykes that Poppins once cared for. They need her help yet again, and so does the next generation snapping at their heels. Struggling to make ends meet during the Great Depression, widower Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) is about to lose the family home. He's behind in the mortgage and, despite working for the bank as his late father did before him, the financial institution's president (Colin Firth) won't offer an extension. Michael's only option is to find proof that he own shares, with his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) and his children Anabel (Pixie Davies), John (Nathanael Saleh) and Georgie (Joel Dawson) all doing their part in the search. Enter Poppins (Emily Blunt), as radiant and no-nonsense as ever – except when she's the source of the nonsense. If that idea seems like a conundrum, the nanny explains the predicament herself in one of the movie's catchy musical numbers. Reviving not only a long-beloved character, but one engrained in the youth of multiple generations, is far from an easy task. Thank the heavens that Poppins descends from for Blunt. Fresh from putting in a powerhouse performance in the virtually dialogue-free horror flick A Quiet Place, she charms and captivates stepping into Julie Andrews' shoes. Always entrancing, it's the kind of singing and dancing showcase that audiences mightn't have realised that the English actor could deliver. Whether she's schooling and being silly with the Banks poppets, or leading them into adventures with kindly lamplighter Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda) by her side, Blunt fits the part perfectly. More than that — she practically perfects the film's infectious air of fun in every way. While a spoonful of sugar isn't needed to make the movie go down a treat, it comes in the form of Marshall's love and care. The filmmaker's output can be hit and miss, with Chicago falling into the first category and Into the Woods the second, but Mary Poppins Returns is a winning effort. There's a juggling act at the picture's core, as the movie endeavours to pay homage to its popular predecessor without becoming a mere rehash. In a playful and well-judged manner, Marshall finds the necessary balance. His film deploys elements of the original — reflecting, reshaping, inverting, referencing — and yet it flies high as a kite on much more than nostalgia. Among the few elements that don't soar, nothing threatens to send the picture tumbling. The slight story feels like it could be whisked away by a breeze, but it's aided by the frequent diversions into song and dance. Rarely at her best in music-heavy scenarios (as the Mamma Mia! movies have shown), Meryl Streep is forgettable as the magical nanny's cousin, however her part is brief. And even when the film falters momentarily, Mary Poppins Returns has quite the distraction up its sleeves. From the eye-catching costuming to the colourful sets to the gorgeous animation, the movie serves up a visual wonderland. First Paddington, then Winnie the Pooh and now Mary Poppins, British treasures just keep coming back to the screen. But when they're this enjoyable, they're more than welcome. We're sure Poppins herself would approve of that sentiment. Among her many life lessons: realising when to relish what's in front of you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMe7hUb3TpI
2023 is set to be a great year for art lovers, especially if you're a fan of Frida Kahlo. In Sydney from January, a multi-sensory installation will let visitors immerse themselves in Kahlo's works; however, that's not the only way to bask in the Mexican artist's creative glories. Come winter, the Art Gallery of South Australia will also pay tribute to the iconic figure, her well-known spouse Diego Rivera and the entire Mexican modernism movement. Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution will headline AGSA's 2023 program alongside another enormous and just-as-impressive exhibition: the already-announced Andy Warhol & Photography: A Social Media. That's three of the biggest names in 20th-century art, all gracing the Adelaide venue's walls and halls in the space of a few months, with the Mexican modernism exhibition running from Saturday, June 24–Sunday, September 17. [caption id="attachment_879279" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Frida Kahlo, born Mexico City 1907, died Mexico City 1954, Self-Portrait with Monkeys, 1943, oil on canvas, 81.5 x 63 cm; The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Modernism, © Banco de México Rivera Kahlo Museums Trust/ARS. Copyright Agency, 2022[/caption] Visitors will be able to see more than 150 works during Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution, spanning everything from paintings and photographs to works on paper and period clothing, as drawn from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. Two key aims: examining why Kahlo's work, and Kahlo herself, holds such enduring appeal; and placing Kahlo and Rivera's art in context with their contemporaries. "Each generation brings a new lens through which to view the phenomenon that is Frida Kahlo. A 21st-century muse, Kahlo is today revered as a feminist and as a singular political and creative force. Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution speaks to the influence and ingenuity of art practice in Mexico and aims to recontextualise the foremost presence of Kahlo within our society today," said AGSA Director Rhana Devenport ONZM, announcing the exhibition. [caption id="attachment_879280" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Diego Rivera, born Guanajuanto, Mexico 1886, died Mexico City 1957, Sunflowers, 1943, oil on canvas, 90 x 130 cm; The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Modernism, © Banco de México Rivera Kahlo Museums Trust/ARS. Copyright Agency, 2022.[/caption] "Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution is the most comprehensive exhibition of Mexican Modernism ever seen in Australia, from the unrivalled collection of Jacques and Natasha Gelman. Close friends of Kahlo and Rivera, the Gelmans were pioneering collectors who formed an outstanding collection of works representing Mexican modernism," explains Tansy Curtin, AGSA's Curator of International Art, Pre-1980s. [caption id="attachment_879281" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Martin Munkacsi, born Kolozsvar, Hungary (now Romania) 1896, died New York 1963, Frida and Diego, 1934, gelatin silver photograph, 35.6 x 27.9 cm; The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Modernism.[/caption] Accordingly, while Kahlo, Rivera, and their art, connection, politics and influence all sit at the centre of this wide-ranging showcase, it'll also highlight pieces by Manuel and Lola Álvarez Bravo, Miguel Covarrubias, María Izquierdo, Carlos Mérida, David Alfaro Siqueiros and more. Focusing on the first half of the 20th century, this an Australian-exclusive exhibition, too — meaning that you'll have to go to Adelaide to see it — as well as most comprehensive exhibition of Mexican modernism that the country has ever seen, as Curtin calls out. [caption id="attachment_879282" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nickolas Muray, born Szeged, Hungary 1892, died New York 1965, Frida with Red "Rebozo", 1939, Carbro print, 25 x 20.3 cm; The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Modernism, © Nickolas Muray Photo Archives.[/caption] AGSA announced Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution as part of its full 2023 slate, which also includes the first-ever survey exhibition of Western Aranda artist Vincent Namatjira, which'll open in October during the venue's contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art celebration Tarnanthi Festival — and then tour to the National Gallery of Australia in 2024. There's also the return of the Tarnanthi Art Fair and the $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize, the latter for artists under 40; ceramics exhibition Milton Moon: Crafting Modernism; Misty Mountain, Shining Moon, highlighting Japanese landscapes in art from the 16th century onwards; and Surrender & Catch: The Art of Brent Harris, focusing on the Aotearoa-born Australian artist. [caption id="attachment_879270" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Top image: Diego on my Mind, Frida Kahlo, born Mexico City 1907, died Mexico City 1954, 1943, oil on Masonite, 76 x 61 cm; The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Modernism, © Banco de México Rivera Kahlo Museums Trust/ARS. Copyright Agency, 2022.[/caption] Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution will display at the Art Gallery of South Australia from Saturday, June 24–Sunday, September 17, 2023. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the AGSA website. Top image: excerpt of Diego on my Mind, Frida Kahlo, born Mexico City 1907, died Mexico City 1954, 1943, oil on Masonite, 76 x 61 cm; The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection of Mexican Modernism, © Banco de México Rivera Kahlo Museums Trust/ARS. Copyright Agency, 2022.
It's about to get a whole lot harder for any New South Wales driver to get away with using their mobile phone while driving — and it's thanks to a world-first move by the NSW Government, which is adopting speed camera-style technology to detect the illegal behaviour. After trialling the high-definition cameras during October — and spying more than 11,000 drivers using their phones, according to the ABC — the government has announced that a further test will take place from January. If proven foolproof, the technology will be implemented on a permanent basis. As first reported earlier this year, the legislation giving the tech the go-ahead was passed in NSW parliament back in May. And while the technology didn't actually exist at the time, the government put the call-out to companies who were interested in providing the technology. Three outfits took part in the first trial, with Australian company Acusensus selected for the January test run. Acusensus' cameras, which use artificial intelligence, will be placed on the M4 and Anzac Parade. They can operate in all conditions — day and night, and regardless of the weather — to detect folks using their phones while they're behind the wheel. It's hoped that using the cameras will have a huge positive impact on the number of road fatalities, much like when breath testing was introduced back in 1982 and slashed fatal accidents by almost 50 percent. While most drivers will probably see this as a cash grab, fines won't be issued during the January trial. If the cameras come into effect permanently afterwards, fully licensed drivers will be looking at a $330 fine and four demerit points if caught; however NSW Minister for Roads Melinda Pavey told The Sydney Morning Herald that money raised from the camera fines will go back into a Community Road Safety Fund. Via the ABC.
This Sutherland cafe is proof that great specialty coffee exists outside of central Sydney. They source and roast their own coffee, and every two weeks or so they'll introduce different single origins. The crew — affectionately called 'the bruz' by regulars — are well-versed in coffee thanks to owner and former Grand Barista Champion Dom Majdandzic, and are happy give you tips on how to home brew or help you with tasting notes. Since being established by Dom and Matty Sprem, White Horse Coffee have amassed an almost cult-like following in The Shire — and it's easy to see why.
Come April, the eyes of the sporting world will turn towards the Gold Coast, with the Queensland city hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games. That's great news if you're a fan of athletes and nations vying for glory — and, while it might not initially seem like it, it's great news for arts and culture lovers too. As well as the expected competitive endeavours, the event will also feature a huge multi-arts festival, called Festival 2018. Festival 2018 mightn't boast the most exciting name, but it does promise a plethora of exciting programming across 12 days. Taking place from April 4 to 15, the fest will join forces with the existing Bleach* Festival to deliver a lineup of art, music, theatre, dance and more spanning from from Coomera to Coolangatta. Satellite events will also be held across the state. The first artists announced include Kate Miller-Heidke, The Jungle Giants and Mau Power, who'll all feature on the Queensland Music Stage. It'll feature free concerts held in Broadbeach, while Miller-Heidke and Power will also play in Cairns, and Power in Brisbane. The rest of the bill will be announced with the full program in February. As for what else is in store across the festival, given Bleach*'s annual array of shows, gigs, exhibitions, experiences and more, expect plenty of just that. More than 20 new works will feature, including a number of world premieres. That means audiences will have another reason to head to the Goldie — or, something else to do between watching the Games. "Bleach* at Festival 2018 is our most ambitious, thought-provoking program to date," explains artistic director Louise Bezzina. It will pay "tribute to local legends past and present in a spectacular showcase of what, and who, makes the Gold Coast such a special part of the world," she continues. Festival 2018 takes place from April 4 to 15 across the Gold Coast and other parts of Queensland. Keep an eye on the festival website for further details. Image: Bleach* Festival
Some say good things come in small packages, which is true of both Tuckerbox and the range of grab-and-go bites it sells. The tiny cafe opened in Paddington in October 2019 and is a go-to for locals — like CP reader @isyrouslstone, who recommended it to us — for its range of takeaway salads, sandwiches and hot meals, which are prepared daily in an off-site commercial kitchen. Pair your feed with a coffee — a Mecca roast is the bean of choice — or a cold-pressed juice from nearby Simon Says Juice. [caption id="attachment_798468" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] Images: Cassandra Hannagan
You've seen the films, or at least some of them. You know that a whole lot of celebrities worked their famous magic to help get Andrea Riseborough a still-deserved Best Actress nomination. You've heard Austin Butler use his Elvis accent long after the movie wrapped. And you have thoughts — oh-so-many thoughts — about Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene. Whatever applies to you from that above list, that's how prepared you now are for Hollywood's night of nights — because today, Monday, March 13 Down Under, the 95th Oscars are here. Before evening hits, a heap of upcoming movies will be redoing their trailers to include the words "Academy Award-winner" next to their stars or director. Oh, and a bunch of talented folks will get the biggest cinema-industry recognition there is for one of their recent gigs. Your job for a few hours: watching, enjoying the film world's version of whichever sporting event takes your fancy and, if you're partial to a beverage or several, taking part in our Oscars drinking game. Depending on how you feel about the Academy Awards, it'll make a glorious celebration better or an overlong stint of back-patting bearable. Always drink responsibly, of course. If you're keen on perusing the nominees list, checking out who will and should win, and finding out where you can watch this year's nominees in Australia and New Zealand, we've put all of that together for you as well. A SMALL SIP: DRINK LIKE YOU'LL BE FEELING THE NEED FOR SPEED TOMORROW A winner gets played off. Austin Butler busts out his Elvis accent. Someone mentions Chris Rock, Will Smith and/or 2022's incident. We're all told that Tom Cruise or Top Gun: Maverick saved cinema. The words "need for speed" are mentioned. The Brenaissance gets a shoutout. Rihanna rubs her baby bump. Someone mentions nepo babies. Jamie Lee Curtis calls herself a nepo baby. Steven Spielberg gets a standing ovation. Someone mentions the multiverse. The words "movie magic" or "magic of the movies" get a mention. Babylon and jazz are mentioned in the same breath. Someone uses their speech — or presenting gig — to angle for their next job. A BIG GULP: DRINK LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND WON'T TALK TO YOU ANYMORE Jimmy Kimmel pretends to go to sleep like he did at the 2022 Emmys. Someone comments that they forgot that Colin Farrell is Irish. The audience giggles when My Year of Dicks' name is read out among the Best Animated Short nominees. Jimmy Kimmel feuds with Matt Damon. Cate Blanchett tears into awards season. You hear an Australian or New Zealand accent. Paul Mescal leaves someone speechless because he's Paul Mescal. Andrea Riseborough brings one of the celebrities who campaigned for her nomination as her date. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Nicolas Cage. Meryl Streep wins without being nominated. Triangle of Sadness gets compared to Titanic. Someone makes up a new category. A FEW MOUTHFULS: DRINK LIKE YOU'RE CRUISING ON A LUXURY YACHT Someone reads out the wrong winner. Nicole Kidman forgets how to clap again. If you leap up out of your chair at home during the performance of 'Naatu Naatu'. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Grogu. The Daniels announce that their Swiss Army Man star Daniel Radcliffe is joining their directing team as the third Daniel. Triangle of Sadness filmmaker Ruben Östlund brings his two Palme d'Ors. David Byrne wears an oversized suit. Lady Gaga shows up in costume as Harley Quinn. James Cameron calls himself the king of the world again. Whenever there's a donkey. There's a cocaine bear. AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE: DRINK LIKE IT'S JAZZ-AGE HOLLYWOOD An Australian or New Zealander wins an Oscar. Australian Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker makes history as the first-ever woman to win Best Cinematography. During Ke Huy Quan's Best Supporting Actor speech for Everything Everywhere All At Once. The Academy's terrible track record with nominating female filmmakers is called out — or this year's lack of women in the Best Director category. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway read out the wrong winner. Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene is recreated live. Chris Rock presents an award. Will Smith turns up despite his ten-year ban after 2022's ceremony. Chris Rock and Will Smith take to the stage together. We get through the entire ceremony without anyone mentioning Chris Rock, Will Smith or 2022's incident. Tommy Wiseau shows up. The 95th Academy Awards take place on Monday, March 13, Australian and New Zealand time.
The Australian premiere of A Return to the Trees from Strings Attached features innovative aerial choreography in an exploration of a fantasy apocalyptic world. Performed in, on, and around a digitally transformed 8 metre steel structure, the live physical movement and dance expresses a need to investigate the looming future of the human race. The video projections alter and warp the performers' surroundings to establish a dream-like stage. Strings Attached questions the "psychological transformations that society may experience as a consequence of overpopulation, technological advancement and climate change" in this stunning show. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yrVJHPBQ2nU
If you thought yoga retreats were all silence and brown rice, Yoga Cucina invites you to reconsider. Initiated by a trio of yoga instructors — and wine drinkers — it's a new kind of yoga-inspired getaway. And after two booked out getaways, they're doing it all over again — for New Year's Eve. Gear up to ring in 2018 practising your salutes to the sun and downward dogs, in between sampling several drops, feasting on Italian fare, playing darts and swimming beneath waterfalls. The adventure — adventure sounds more fitting than retreat — will be held over three days and nights, from December 30 to January 2 at a secret location in NSW's Southern Highlands. On the first night you'll meet for a pre-dinner wine tasting, then sit down to a big Italian feast by Marco and Luca, who are both Michelin star trained. The rest of the weekend will see you waking up to yoga sessions, honing your practice in workshops, trundling off to national parks for swimming under waterfalls, learning how to make pasta, eating, drinking and playing games. A weekend at the retreat will set you back $995–1250 per person, which includes all activities, food, wine and accommodation. Image: Leeroy Te Hira.
UPDATE, December 23, 2021: Last Christmas is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. At the end of each year, when 'Last Christmas' gets stuck in your head for months, you probably don't spend too long thinking about it. George Michael's soft tones echo through your brain, his romantic lyrics roll off your tongue and the song's gentle beat becomes the rhythm of your life — but we're guessing you've never added a backstory to the classic 80s festive track, pondered its words in-depth or taken it literally. Clearly, you're not Emma Thompson. Asked to turn the tune into a screenplay, the Oscar-winning actor and writer has expended her brain cells on this task — and the film that results clearly states that it's "inspired by the song 'Last Christmas'". Given that movies based on games, toys and amusement park rides are now commonplace, a Wham! track is as good a starting point as any. Plus, with Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters and A Simple Favour director Paul Feig at the helm, Last Christmas comes with a solid comedy pedigree. It's highly contrived, as plenty of end-of-year movies are. It's also schmaltzy, as is the song. But, splashed across the screen with a sea of red, green and tinsel, the Christmas flick boasts enough warm-hearted charm to light up this sweetly engaging seasonal affair. Feig, Thompson and co-writer Bryony Kimmings (the performance artist behind I'm a Phoenix, Bitch) have another trick up their sleeves, with Last Christmas taking its entire soundtrack from George Michael's back catalogue. On paper, a Christmas rom-com based on a beloved pop song, featuring a jukebox worth of tracks by the same artist and unfurling its Yuletide hijinks in London sounds like the work of an algorithm in overdrive. If the world's December playlists joined forces with everyone's Love Actually-heavy festive streaming queues, this premise would be the end result. The film's casting, letting a post-Game of Thrones Emilia Clarke channel her inner Fleabag and deploying a post-Crazy Rich Asians Henry Golding as a tender dreamboat, seems like it has sprung straight from social media posts, too. In short, Last Christmas feels engineered to incite as cosy a feel-good glow as it can — and, in-between evoking a few eye rolls, it manages that feat. On the subject of eye rolls, the plot details might as well spring from a rom-com handbook. Kate (Clarke) is a down-on-her-luck aspiring singer who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas store, Tom (Golding) is an unrelentingly optimistic bicycle courier who doesn't have a phone and devotes his spare time to helping the homeless, and, despite ostensibly having nothing in common, they're drawn to each other. One of their early run-ins involves a bird shitting on Kate, lest viewers forget that her boozy life moving between various friends' couches and spare rooms is a mess. Befitting this incident, Tom's wisdom-laced catchphrase — because, yes, he has one — is "look up". As Last Christmas' chalk-and-cheese duo get closer, with Tom's kindness rubbing off on the cynical Kate as she tries to figure out her life, nothing unexpected happens. That's especially true if you do actually spend a few seconds thinking about the song behind the movie's moniker, but Thompson and Kimmings' script has such a heartfelt tone — and an awareness of the tropes it's gleefully adopting — that the film mostly works. It's the cinematic equivalent of drinking eggnog; it might not be your beverage of choice, but, when it's in front of you, you'll genuinely enjoy it all the same. Two weightier aspects of Last Christmas' narrative also help it go down smoothly, the first involving Kate's recovery from a major health scare and the impact it has had on her life, and the second stemming from her family heritage. With the picture set in 2017, and with Kate and her relatives (including Thompson as her broad-accented mother) immigrating from the former Yugoslavia two decades earlier, this is very much a Brexit-era festive romantic comedy. The film's other key elements — Feig, Clarke and Golding — all hit their marks. Feig's penchant for odd-couple comedy, Clarke's bubbliness behind her usual Mother of Dragons on-screen persona and Golding's innate charisma each sparkle, particularly when the movie begins to lean on its formula (and when the predictable twist, which viewers have been guessing since the trailer first dropped, pops up). Elsewhere, the latter's Crazy Rich Asians mother, Michelle Yeoh, steals her scenes as Kate's boss Santa (yep, that's her name). Naturally, Thompson does the same in the picture's most overtly comic role. Consider them the extra ingredients in this Christmas pudding of a picture — a film that's designed to complement the full meal that 'tis the season, and proves sweetly satisfying enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co5jWMYsr34
Japan's skiing and snowboarding season is coming. Each year from December to March, people hit to the slopes in search of some of the lightest and deepest powder in the world. But you don't only come to these mountain ranges to speed down the pistes. The best of Japanese culture is at every turn up around these regions. Your après ski activities will include soaking in onsen spas, sushi tastings and omakase experiences as well as seeing local art, fashion and snow monkeys. Head to any of these resorts and mountaintop villages for the ultimate winter escape — or better yet book now. RUSUTSU You will find some of the deepest snow in the world up in Rusutsu. It's on Japan's northern island where most of the famous resorts are found, but it remains a bit less hectic than most — a big win for those who want a little more space on the slopes. As this is a quieter region, you won't find much nightlife here — those wanting to party should look elsewhere. Instead, this is for those who want to ski and ride hard during the day, and chill at night. This resort also boasts some of the most luxurious natural hot spring baths, so stay an extra day to soak your sore muscles and fully relax surrounded by stunning views. [caption id="attachment_876946" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Delphine Ducaruge[/caption] HAKUBA This terrain is great for every kind of snow sport enthusiast. You'll find super steep runs, a series of jumps, tons of dry powder, half pipes, terrain parks and a few beginner pistes — whatever your snow-loving heart so desires. And if you really can't get enough mountain action, nighttime skiing is also an option at the Goryu Snow Resort. Hakuba is also close to the famous Snow Monkey Park, where you can watch these entertaining creatures hang out in hot thermal pools like furry little mountain kings. You can also find a whole series of onsen pools around here (which are thankfully monkey-free). Editor's tip: right now, you can book the ultimate Hakuba ski and snowboarding getaway here (including a 5-day Hakuba lift pass with full access to 9 mountains in the region). [caption id="attachment_876941" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marek Okon[/caption] NISEKO Niseko has got to be the most popular ski resort in all of Japan. And this title brings both the good and the bad with it. First off, the good. Getting here is super easy thanks to the great transport connections and it's the most English-speaking-friendly place to ski and snowboard in Japan. The slopes are also immaculately maintained (made for skiers and snowboarders at all experience levels). But the increasing fame and popularity has, inevitably, brought crowds in huge numbers. And catering to Western travellers has meant the resort has lost some of its distinct Japanese culture and charm. Affordable accommodation is also challenging to come by — you'll need to book way in advance if you want to find a budget-friendly place to stay. If you do like to balance your mountain action during the day with proper partying after dark, the nightlife here is booming. Restaurants and bars will cater to most of your tastes — from udon shops to high-end dining and bars — and you can find parties taking place every night of the week. MADARAO Located just one hour out of Nagano City, Madarao is known for punching above its weight. It's a smaller resort but has a great reputation among those in the know. It's a battler. One of the most appealing features is that this resort actively encourages people going off-piste. It is banned at most skiing and snowboarding resorts in Japan, so Madarao is made for the true powder hounds. Another popular winter activity is snowmobiling in the Yakebitaiyama ski fields (known colloquially as ' Yakebi'). You'll feel like James Bond in a chase scene when cruising around on your own snowmobile. It' also one of the best ways to see the incredible scenery of area. From Madarao it's easy to head down into Nagano City and Toyama (known for having some of the best seafood in Japan). Trains will even take you into Tokyo in a few hours. Editor's tip: book a week-long skiing adventure up in Madarao and Hakuna here (including all transfers, accommodation and lift passes). [caption id="attachment_876944" align="alignnone" width="1920"] JNTO[/caption] KIRORO Kiroro is great for those wanting a really authentic Japanese skiing and snowboarding holiday. This smaller resort has huge snowfall but much smaller crowds throughout the season. This does mean that English speakers will need to crack open the phrase book to communicate with the locals — but that's what travelling abroad is all about. Immerse yourself in Japanese ski culture up here, hitting the many long runs and traversing the stunning backcountry. It's also really well designed for those who want to ski right down the pistes and directly up to the local restaurants, bars and hotels. The non-skiing options also offer up big wins for the family, if you're taking a whole crew. They have heaps of space dedicated to tubing and the equal parts fun and terrifying activity of snow zorbing (rolling around in a Snow Bubble Ball). [caption id="attachment_876945" align="alignnone" width="1920"] JNTO[/caption] FURANO Furano is another of the more famous ski and snowboarding resorts in Japan but has retained much of its unique charm. You will get spectacular views, very reliable snowfall and huge variety of slopes. It's also caters really well to English-speaking travellers. And one of its best qualities is its proximity to the city of Furano. Take a 6km drive down the mountain to find locals and tourists kicking back at restaurants and bars, galleries and idyllic onsen spas. It's also a hugely popular region during spring and summer, when the rolling hills come alive with the colours of blooming lavender, poppies, lilies and sunflowers. This area is a nature-lover's paradise. [caption id="attachment_878190" align="alignnone" width="1920"] JNTO[/caption] KAGURA This spot is mostly unknown to the international snow sport world — which is actually one of its biggest drawcards. Come here for really honest skiing without a bunch of egos tearing up the slopes at breakneck speed. It also has some of the best backcountry for exploring and experiencing a powder-filled wilderness. Take your time going off-piste here, feeling as if you're the only person on the mountain. Kagura is also a surprisingly budget-friendly to stay, with food and drinks priced quite a bit more affordably than other resorts in Japan. You'll also get more authentic dining experiences (they won't be changing their menus for Western pallets). But be prepared for super freezing temperatures as this resort is located at higher altitude. Pack your warmest ski gear and load up on the quality thermals when heading to Kagura. [caption id="attachment_876942" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Su[/caption] Feeling inspired to book a getaway unlike anything else out there? Through Concrete Playground Trips, our new travel booking platform, can you now purchase holidays specially curated by our writers and editors. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips at destinations all over the world. Top images: Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
Watching The White Lotus isn't a passive pastime. Whether it's unleashing ultra-luxe hell in Hawaii or getting scathing in Sicily, HBO's Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning hit drama about the one percent, their lavish getaways, their deep-seated problems, and the gross inequality between the haves and have nots demands active engagement. And, even when it isn't airing, it still gets fans sleuthing — wondering where the show's next season will head, as we all have been since season two wrapped up. Before that last batch of episodes ended — just three episodes into season two, in fact — HBO announced that it was bringing the series back for a third go-around. Originally, The White Lotus was meant to be a one-and-done miniseries, but it was that excellent (and that popular) that it's now running with an anthology setup. Next stop: Thailand, probably. The best new show on TV in 2021, and one of the best returning shows of 2022 as well, The White Lotus will still keep with its new year, new vacation season, new gorgeous destination, new cast approach. After months of speculation, Variety is now reporting that it'll be set in Asia. HBO hasn't yet confirmed the news, however, but it's likely that's where you'll be lusting after holidays at next. As part of its prediction, which Variety has sourced from multiple folks close to the publication, it's expecting that The White Lotus season three might stick with filming at Four Seasons resorts — which've doubled for the titular fictional hotel chain for two seasons so far. That puts four spots in Thailand on the list: in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and the Golden Triangle. Of course, wherever The White Lotus heads — and whoever it sends to its next scenic locale to have the supposedly best but actually worst time of their life, because the cast hasn't yet been announced — viewers will watch. Creator/writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) has hinted at focusing on "death and Eastern religion and spirituality" already, too. "It feels like it could be a rich tapestry to do another round at White Lotus," he said in a clip at the end of season two's finale. When the show was renewed for season two, HBO hailed White's success with the series. "Reflecting on The White Lotus' humble, run-and-gun origin as a contained pandemic production, it's impossible not to be awestruck by how Mike [White, the series' creator] orchestrated one of the buzziest and most critically acclaimed shows," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films. "And yet, he's only continued to reach new heights in season two, which is the ultimate testament to Mike's raw, unparalleled vision," Orsi continued. "His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humour and buoyant directing style, have us all dreaming of more vacation days at the resort we've come to adore. We couldn't be more thrilled to get the chance to collaborate on a third season together." There's obviously no trailer yet for The White Lotus season three, but you can check out the trailers for seasons one and two below: The White Lotus' third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. The first and second seasons of The White Lotus are available to stream via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our full reviews of season one and two. Via Variety. The White Lotus images: Fabio Lovino / HBO.
There seems little that could be utopian about an alien invasion film where people are picked off by hulking, spider-limbed, lightning-fast, armour-clad creatures who punish every sound with almost-instant death, but prequel A Quiet Place: Day One makes the opening status quo of horror franchise-starter A Quiet Place look positively idyllic. If you're forced to try to survive an extra-terrestrial attack, where better to be than at your well-appointed farmland home with your family, as the John Krasinski (IF)-helmed and -starring 2018 feature depicted? Most folks, including the third movie in the saga's protagonist Samira (Lupita Nyong'o, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), a terminal cancer patient with just a service cat called Frodo left as kin, can only dream of being that lucky — not that there's much time for fantasising about a better way to be conquered by otherworldly monsters when what looks like meteors start crashing down to earth. Samira is in hospice care as the A Quiet Place big-screen series, which also spans 2021 release A Quiet Place Part II, steps back to the moment that its apocalyptic scenario begins in New York. She hugs her black-and-white feline companion like letting go would untether her from life even before existence as the planet knows it changes forever — when she's sharing surly poems among other patients, being convinced to attend a group excursion to see a marionette show and, when the promise of pizza on the way home is nixed, telling kindly nurse Reuben (Alex Wolff, Oppenheimer) that he's not actually her friend. A Quiet Place: Day One explores the ground-zero experience for someone who feels so alone in this world and connected only to her devoted pet, and also answers a question: how do those on more than two feet react when the worst that humans can imagine occurs? It might've appeared a significant change of pace when Pig filmmaker Michael Sarnoski was announced as A Quiet Place: Day One's writer and director, a role he took on after The Bikeriders' Jeff Nichols — who, with Take Shelter, Mud and Midnight Special on his resume, had played with visions of the end of the world, science fiction and adventurous quests before — dropped out. But swap in Nyong'o for Nicolas Cage, a cat for a porcine pal and aliens for a kidnapping, and Sarnoski has moulded the terrain of his second feature to pair perfectly with his first. Wolff further links the helmer's two movies together; however, they'd prove a set without him. When the only other critter that defines your days and spends its own by your side is in peril — your one constant in a life already under the shadow of loss, too — the fierceness with which you'd react is the same whether vengeance or safety is your ultimate aim. Samira has another mission: securing that yearned-for slice in Harlem, which she's willing to navigate the chaotic streets with the utmost of hush to endeavour to taste. Sarnoski again deeply understands what our bonds with animals, places and things can say about us; why we cling to and fight for them unflinchingly and against the odds; and how devastating it can be when what little that a person has left is under threat. Accordingly, committing to hunt down a favourite piece of pizza while bedlam breaks out isn't just about enjoying an Italian meal. As with Pig, casting enormously aids the process of taking viewers on this emotional and psychological journey. Cage gave one of his finest performances in a career filled with versatile wonders as a truffle-foraging ex-Portland chef whose tentative sense of stability and self were shattered sans swine, and fellow Oscar-winner Nyong'o, ten years on from clutching Hollywood's most-coveted trophy for 12 Years a Slave, is equally as gripping. Sarnoski's current star is no stranger to horror, or to being excellent in it. See: Nyong'o's unforgettable effort in 2019, just past the midway point between 12 Years a Slave and A Quiet Place: Day One, in Jordan Peele's haunting and razor-sharp Us. Conveying the piercingly melancholy feeling of fighting what's long been a fraught fray for yourself, but holding up the battle for what you hold dearest, isn't an easy feat in her latest role — and nor is doing so when terror on multiple levels never subsides. It's also the heart and soul of the movie, which continues the franchise trademark of valuing characters over bumps and jumps, even as it still delivers the latter. Nyong'o wears Samira's determination despite several hazards to her mortality as assuredly as the fentanyl patches that get her character through the day, and the red beanie and yellow cardigan that are Samira's uniform. Knocked out amid the Big Apple erupting in mayhem, noise and white dust — any racket, of course, being the most-fatal thing for everyone desperate to avoid extinction — A Quiet Place: Day One's lead figure first wakes up in the puppet theatre, and she isn't solo. All things A Quiet Place have established in prior flicks how fleeting and fragile any calm and refuge can be, even in the best-case setup of the OG movie's Abbott clan, so it's no surprise when tragedy keeps thundering in. Via Djimon Hounsou's (Rebel Moon) Henri, though, the film gets a direct tie to A Quiet Place Part II and hope that some kind of future beckons. Courtesy of Joseph Quinn's (Stranger Things) English law student Eric, who also gives the picture another opportunity to demonstrate the comforting power of befriending a mouser, Samira's ordeal receives a new chance at human connection. And with its scene-stealing kitty, who is played by 100-percent real the real thing and is wonderful, cinema gains a complement to Alien's Jonsey. Collaborating again with cinematographer Pat Scola (We Grown Now) after Pig, Sarnoski has switched areas of America, yet there's no less of a lived-in texture to A Quiet Place: Day One's look and feel. That's another not-at-all-small achievement in a successful sci-fi/horror saga — one that has briefly jumped back to attack day in the past, in fact — that's set in a city that virtually everyone around the has globe has walked through via the silver screen almost as much as their own locations IRL. Meaningful wins when far less could've resulted sums up the film again and again, from a story co-conjured with Krasinski that does far more than merely extend a hit realm to the exactingly executed creature-feature sequences and the meticulous sound design that a tale predicated upon silence demands. Movies about attempting to endure can also be movies about finding your own idea of utopia in the absolute direst of circumstances, no matter how short-lived, and this one hears the call loudly.
The most talked-about band Sydney's seen in recent times since The Jezabels, The Preatures have unveiled their latest single 'Two-Tone Melody' and have announced their highly-anticipated upcoming debut album (with accompanying national tour). Sounding more like Jefferson Airplane than their usual Fleetwood Mac association, the new single is a chilled out ballad of sorts — a departure from the band's explosive debut single, 'Is This How You Feel?'. With just two EPs and four singles under their belt, The Preatures have seen huge applause (and national airplay) from a fairly limited catalogue until now. The Preatures have been hanging out in the US of late, playing SxSW and Coachella and recording with the dudes from Spoon in Austin — in particular Britt Daniel and Jim Eno. The fivesome told triple j's Doctor they recorded in Eno's garage-conversion studio, finishing the album taping in three weeks. Signing to Mercury Records in 2012 with a whopping five album deal, the Sydney fivesome's success snowballed in 2013 after the release of their second EP and ultra-catchy single 'Is This How You Feel?', prompting international touring and national high-fivery. The easily replayable single nabbed an ARIA nomination for Best Pop Release, number nine in the triple j Hottest 100 and just today nabbed a top five nomination for APRA|AMCOS Song of The Year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=M8XmoroZ3zo But it's not just fans interested in The Preatures — when the quintet played at New York's 2013 CMJ showcase, almost the entire audience was made up of industry representatives. Often compared to Fleetwood Mac and the Bee Gees, The Preatures' Isabella Manfredi, Gideon Bensen, Jack Moffitt, Thomas Champion and Luke Davison have garnered a significantly loyal fanbase in just a few short years. The Preatures will tour the US and Canada during June, make their way over to festivals in Europe and the UK before venturing back home for an Australian tour, stopping by Splendour In The Grass this July alongside fellow Sydneysiders RÜFÜS, The Jezabels and Sticky Fingers. The Preatures will be supported on their Australian tour by Adelaide's Bad//Dreems and Perth's Gunns. THE PREATURES AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES: Sat 12 July — Corner Hotel, Melbourne Sat 19 July — Metro Theatre, Sydney Fri 25, Sat 26 and Sun 27 July — Splendour in the Grass, North Byron Parklands Fri 1 August — Fowlers Adelaide Sat 2 August — The Bakery, Perth Tickets available from The Preatures website.
Single and need something to do on Halloween? Then CitySwoon's Halloween Speed Dating Party may just offer the perfect night out. Taking place on October 31 at Club Parramatta, you'll join up to 250 singles for a night of speed dating, dancing and prizes. Each ticket on the night includes a few matched dates, two drinks and an afterparty with a live DJ. You'll be able to date and message anyone within your age group, which includes: 28–38, 39–49 and 49–59. Of course, you'll also be able to mingle with anyone once speed dating rounds are over and the party begins. Each single will fill out a short five-minute survey before the quick-fire dating rounds, with everything done on your phone, so you don't have to worry about losing match cards or writing things down. And if you're a returning single, you can rest assured that you won't be matched with the same person twice. For those hoping to go low-effort for Halloween this year, you'll want to rethink that approach. At CitySwoon's Halloween event, prizes will be awarded to the best-dressed guy and girl, scariest costume and wackiest outfit. Plus, who knows, the right outfit might impress one of your dates for the night. With over 11 years of experience in the speed dating realm, CitySwoon knows how to match you with people you'll connect with. Using an intelligent algorithm live at the event, you'll experience a series of relaxed mini-dates with matches that align with who you are. Tickets for the general public are $59, and $29 for members. To find out more about this ghoulish Halloween speed dating experience, head to the CitySwoon website. Images: Supplied
Sometimes, life delivers the perfect script. At its 2025 edition, Sydney Film Festival has notched up that feat. Each year since 2008, the Harbour City's major annual cinema celebration has featured its own Official Competition, awarding the picture judged the most "audacious, cutting edge and courageous" the Sydney Film Prize. Fresh from winning the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, Jafar Panahi's It Was Just an Accident now has SFF's top accolade to its name as well. At Sydney Film Festival's Together-led opening night, it was announced that acclaimed Iranian writer/director Panahi was one the event's special guests — and that he was already in the New South Wales capital. Given that he has been subjected to filmmaking bans, travel restrictions, arrests and imprisonment in his homeland across his career, this was no minor development. During the fest, not only did It Was Just an Accident screen, but featured retrospective Jafar Panahi: Cinema in Rebellion highlighted every single one of the filmmaker's movies. Now, at SFF's closing-night gala — with Splitsville 2025's final flick — Panahi has collected the event's major accolade, accepting it at the State Theatre in person. It Was Just an Accident was picked as 2025's Sydney Film Prize-winner by a jury led by Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel (Ellis Park) as president, plus his The Narrow Road to the Deep North talent Thomas Weatherall, the latter's Heartbreak High co-star Rachel House, Hong Kong-based producer and distributor Winnie Tsang and Marrakech International Film Festival Director Melita Toscan du Plantier. If you're in the Harbour City between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20 when Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings hit Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Panahi's awarded movie is among the titles receiving encore sessions. The filmmaker's latest picture follows a family on a road trip — and, at SFF, follows Parasite as the only two flicks to have taken home both the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Sydney Film Prize. Iranian features have now won SFF's top gong, which awards a $60,000 cash prize, a record-breaking three times. Asghar Farhadi's A Separation claimed the accolade in 2011, then Mohammad Rasoulof's There Is No Evil did the same in 2021. Other previous winners span There's Still Tomorrow (2024), The Mother of All Lies (2023), Close (2022), The Heiresses (2018), On Body and Soul (2017), Aquarius (2016), Arabian Nights (2015), Two Days, One Night (2014), Only God Forgives (2013), Alps (2012), Heartbeats (2010), Bronson (2009) and Hunger (2008). "It has been an honour and a privilege to watch cinema for the past ten days. To be amongst audiences who love and guard this powerful expression, are champions for experiences which are transforming and transcendent. To Nashen [Moodley, SFF's Festival Director] and the Sydney Film Festival team, thank you for inviting us to be part of what has been an enormously successful festival," said the jury in a statement. "We want to acknowledge the powerful and assured first-time films within competition. There were many and we were astonished by their confidence, authenticity and swagger. This new wave of international filmmakers are pushing the boundaries and connecting to cinema in original ways. It is their perspective which moved us and opened our hearts to stories which felt deeply personal and true. There was a push towards testing the form, taking real risk to find new ways to challenge cinema," the jury continued. "In these times of great conflict and uncertainty, it is more important than ever that filmmakers are given the freedom to express what they see around them. The films we watched led with empathy, compassion and kindness. The directors trusted that their stories would make us feel first, connect to a personal point of view, they were political but human first." "The winner of the Sydney Film Festival for 2025 embodied all these qualities, a courageous film with a deep soul and a powerful sense of forgiveness. It has outstanding performances and an understated authority which is brimming with truth." The 2025 recipients of SFF's full suite of annual prizes was also revealed at closing night, including for documentaries and shorts. Songs Inside nabbed the Documentary Australia Award, with Aussie filmmaker Shalom Almond (Prisoners and Pups) emerging victorious — and with a $20,000 cash prize — for exploring the impact of a music program on women prisoners. Fellow homegrown doco Floodland, which shines a spotlight on Lismore, scored Jordan Giusti the $40,000 Sustainable Future Award. Canadian filmmaker Lisa Jackson (Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier) received the $35,000 First Nations Award for Wilfred Buck, about its namesake Cree educator in Northern Manitoba, while Big Bang Sound Design's Wayne Pashley and Libby Villa collected the $10,000 Sydney-UNESCO City of Film Award. In the Dendy Short Film Awards, this year's applauded titles include Faceless for Best Live Action Short Award, and also Best Practitioner for its music and sound designer Josh Peters; Yoram Gross Animation Award-winner The Fling; and Mates, which saw Rory Pearson named as Best Director and share the Rising Talent Award for Screenwriting with co-scribe Marcus Aldred-Traynor. [caption id="attachment_1009303" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Belinda Rolland © 2024[/caption] Sydney Film Festival 2025 ran from Wednesday, June 4–Sunday, June 15 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. The fest is screening four days of encores via Sydney Film Festival's 2025 Back By Popular Demand bonus screenings at Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas Norton Street and Ritz Cinemas Randwick between Tuesday, June 17–Friday, June 20. For more information and tickets, head to the festival's website. Jafar Panahi images: Tim Levy.
The 16 pieces of the BMW Art Car Collection have been individually displayed in museums across the world, most notably in famous art venues such as New York's Guggenheim Museum and Paris' Louvre. At least one piece of the collection, however, has always remained within the familiar walls of the BMW Museum in Munich, Germany, where the collection began in 1975. The classic cars are painted by artists such as Calder, Warhol, Hockney and Lichtenstein. Each car is a canvas for uniquely vibrant interpretations of BMW's value of automotive performance and the pure joy that the company believes comes with driving. In 1979 Warhol even painted his entire BMW for the collection in only 23 minutes in order to convey a sense of speed, using quick brushstrokes and colors that appeared to blur together. Two of the cars have an Australian connection, with car seven painted by aboriginal artist Michael Jagamara Nelson, and car eight emblazoned in Ken Done's trademark bright colours. This year the Art Car Collection is celebrating 35 years of creating exquisite "rolling masterpieces" by welcoming home the entire set of painted cars to Munich. For the first time, all of the pieces are together under one roof in the BMW Museum for the special anniversary exhibition and are on display until September 30.
This past year has been one of the toughest for big music festivals. With the cancellation of Future Music, Soundwave and Stereosonic, it seemed like big festivals couldn't catch a break. So it comes as somewhat of a surprise that The Falls Music & Arts Festival this morning announced they're expanding their much-loved New Year's Eve musical romp, adding Fremantle to the Australian festival's touring schedule this summer. Here's the second surprise though: this new Western Australian incarnation of Falls (named Falls Downtown) isn't going to be held in the standard east coast format. Firstly, it won't be held over New Year's. And while Falls has always famously run the festival simultaneously in the three cities — Lorne, Marion Bay and Byron — the two-day Freo fest is slated to take place over the weekend of January 7-8. The second point of difference (as you may have noticed) is the location. It's in the city. Instead of setting up in a rural festival site, Falls Downtown will take over streets and "forgotten" buildings a short walk from the Fremantle beachfront. That means this won't be a camping situation (sorry, folks), but makes it more akin to inner-city festivals Laneway and Sugar Mountain. While the lineup for this year's Falls is still under wraps, they've got us pretty pumped about the location alone. The main stage will be set up in Freo's town square, while an old-world ballroom and a stone-walled church will house the smaller ones. They'll also be taking over the abandoned Myer building, turning it into a creepy crib for art installations, "unexpected performance areas", markets and "bunkered basement danceterias". There'll even be a small number of glamping tents on the roof. It sounds similar to some of Melbourne Music Week's activations of abandoned spaces, and it sounds insane. It's another win for Falls, who sell out their Lorne event basically every year. Since its inception in Lorne back in 1993, the festival has grown to span three cities, which include the original site on the Great Ocean Road, Marion Bay in Tassie and, since 2013, Byron Bay. There's no word on how much tickets will cost, when they go on sale or who'll be playing at the festival — yet. We're expecting that to come in the next month or two. Falls Downtown is happening in Fremantle on January 7 and 8. To keep updated lineup and ticket announcements, check their Facebook page.
Spring has sprung and Mother Nature is calling. And so is NSW's newest pint-sized off-grid escape. So you might want to book look at taking a quick pre-December mini getaway. Nestled on a remote property in Cobark, around four hours north of Sydney, this cosy cabin is the work of Fresh Prince Studio. If it looks familiar, that's because Fresh Prince is the same studio that designed the Unyoked cabins which were launched in 2017 and are now scattered across NSW and Victoria. This one clocks in at just 14 square metres, but what it lacks in size she makes up for in personality — as well as some pretty primo views. The prefabricated eco hut has been sustainably built and placed in a scenic riverside setting, promising guests an enviable dose of nature and serenity. Despite its tiny footprint, the durable design features a size-defying cathedral ceiling, fully kitted kitchenette, storage, a proper bathroom with composting toilet (with an actual shower), and a comfy two-person bed surrounded by big, full-length windows. Designed to be completely off-grid, it's also decked out with carbon-neutral Weathertex exterior cladding, an integrated off-grid solar system and LED lighting throughout. Thermal optimised insulation keeps it all cosy on cooler nights, while specially chosen louvres and windows offer maximum ventilation to avoid any summer sweats. And, while there's no phone or wifi reception anywhere nearby, the idyllic setting means you probably won't miss your devices for too long. The cabin is super close to Barrington Tops National Park, so just bring some hiking boots, some good company and that book that's been sitting in your to-read pile for a year, and you'll be set to go. The Barrington Tops Eco Cabin is now available to book via Airbnb — it starts from $200 per night. Images: Rachel Jayne Mackay.
This spring, Sydney's Night Noodle Markets will return for a month of tasty things on sticks, bowls of noodles, bao and extravagant desserts. But, like many events in 2020, it's going to run a little differently to usual. Instead of bumping elbows with hundreds of others in Hyde Park, you'll be able to enjoy the festival's usual lineup of tasty treats at home, in your local park or on a beach. Yes, Night Noodle Markets 2020 is coming to you via delivery. This year, the delivery-only menu showcases eight food stalls — instead of the usual 30-plus — which have created special menus for the occasion. Thankfully, many of the festival favourites have made the cut. Sydney's go-to for inventive, Asian-inspired doughnut creations, Donut Papi is back with a wild new creation: a prawn toast doughnut. If savoury doughnuts aren't really your shtick, the Redfern favourite is also bringing back its super-popular leche flan doughnut burger for the occasion. It features a slab of lush, sticky Filipino-style crème caramel stuffed between halves of a sugar-crusted doughnut bun, ready and waiting to ooze upon that first bite. Just take a look: Another favourite making an exciting return, Puffle is a cheesy riff on the egg waffles you'll find at street stalls in Hong Kong. This month, Puffle is out to win you over with three different decadent versions of its dish, including the cheeseburger — an assembly of chopped bulgogi-style beef and extra melted cheese, finished with lashings of sweet and spicy ketchup, mustard and Japanese mayo — and a KFC option with spicy Korean-style fried chicken. But, whichever filling you opt for, you're in for a crunchy, oozy and delightfully messy ride. Elsewhere on the menu, you'll find four types of bao from Bao Brothers; skewers, curries and paella from Span Thai; Teppanyaki Noodles' bowls of yakisoba, udon and ramen; sweet loaded waffles from Waffleland; and Wok Master's prawn wontons, spring rolls and steamed Chinese buns. A new addition to this year's lineup: Toastie Smith. The Chatswood newcomer is offering five of its giant Korean-style sangas to-go, including a wagyu number, a taro and pork floss toastie and a shrimp and egg version. A notable omission from this year's lineup is Gelato Messina, which usually creates a wild and wonderful menu for the occasion. Last year, we were treated to twists on Thai sweets, such as a Thai milk tea cheesecake sandwich and a Phuket Bucket, which came with banana fritters, caramelised banana gelato and peanut crumble. Fingers crossed we see these frozen treats again in the not-too-distant future. The Night Noodle Markets at Home dishes will be available to order exclusively through Doordash, with three banquets on the docket, too. You can choose from Broc 'n' Roll ($69.50), Date Night ($89) and The Bougie Banquet ($233), each coming with a selection of dishes from across the stalls. If you're lucky, you might even receive a free gift with your delivery, with the NNM saying Maggi noodles and Weis treats will be snuck into some orders. The Night Noodle Markets at Home menus are available via Doordash from Wednesday, October 7 to Friday, November 6 as part of Good Food Month. Top image: Night Noodle Markets by Bec Taylor
If you've got a tiny human in your life who needs to be showered with gifts, grab them something that'll expand their growing minds from this Randwick institution. Laugh and Learn is a locally run toy store that's been providing families educational toys and games for more than 18 years. It offers everything from books and board games to plush toys, puzzles, science kits and mini musical instruments. And, if they're up for it, toddlers and primary school-aged kids can also get involved in the music, numeracy and alphabet classes held at the shop — because learning is indeed a gift.
We're over halfway through Sydney's winter festival of Light, Live (music) and Ideas. Fans of Vivid have been capturing the best of the spectacle, and we're celebrating the best of this year's pics taken from folks like us — appreciators of light art sculptures, awesome projections, and perfect timing. If you haven't made your way down to Circular Quay and its surrounds, hurry. Vivid Light 2012 wraps up next Monday, June 11. Customs House, taken by Alex Wain (via Flickr). What lies beneath... Photo taken by Patrick Shirey (shared via Instagram). Don't feed the piranhas - photo taken by @keithmcinnes (via Instagram). A forest of bubble trees. Taken by iwoolf (via Flikr). A very vivid merry-go-round. Taken by Welsay (via Flickr). Museum of Contemporary Art, taken by @koltonlol (via Instagram). Sunflowers in the Rocks, taken by Real_ARMOTUR (via Flickr). Lighting of the Sails by URBANSCREEN. Taken by Artistiquephotography10 (via Flickr). Main photo courtesy of Destination NSW. Follow the latest fan photos on Vivid Sydney's Facebook page.
Here's an excellent way to spend Halloween: watching the exceptional slasher flick that is the OG Halloween, aka one of iconic filmmaker John Carpenter's masterpieces, as well as the movie that helped make Jamie Lee Curtis a star. But when October 31 rolls around — or the month of October in general — you might want to expand your viewing. Sure, the Halloween franchise has plenty of entries, including a brand-new one in cinemas right now (and some excellent, some terrible and some average ones). It isn't the only worthy of your eyeballs while you're carving pumpkins, eating candy and dressing up in the most frightening costume you can conjure up, however. Every year, a whole heap of unsettling and unnerving flicks reach screens big and small. Every year, they spook us out all year round. But this is the time to binge them — and we've come up with a killer streaming marathon solely based on 2022 horror movies on the various platforms now. If your idea of a perfect Halloween this year involves getting reacquainted with that groove on your sofa and binging your way through the latest and greatest eerie flicks that are currently offer, here's ten that'll do the trick. You'll need to supply the treats, obviously. X In new slasher standout X, the eponymous letter doesn't simply mark a spot; it isn't by accident that the film takes its moniker from the classification given to the most violent and pornographic movies made. This is a horror flick set amid a porn shoot, after all, and it heartily embraces the fact that people like to watch from the get-go. Swaggering producer Wayne (Martin Henderson, The Gloaming), aspiring starlet Maxine Minx (Mia Goth, Emma), old-pro fellow actors Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow, Pitch Perfect 3) and Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi, Don't Look Up), and arty director RJ (Owen Campbell, The Miseducation of Cameron Post) and his girlfriend/sound recorder Lorraine (Jenna Ortega, doing triple horror duty in 2022 so far in Scream, Studio 666 and now this) are counting on that truth to catapult themselves to fame. Hailing from Houston and aroused at the idea of repeating Debbie Does Dallas' success, they're heading out on the road to quieter climes to make the skin flick they're staking their futures on, and they desperately hope there's an audience. X is set in the 70s, as both the home-entertainment pornography market and big-screen slashers were beginning to blossom. As a result, it's similarly well aware that sex and death are cinema's traditional taboos, and that they'll always be linked. That's art imitating life, because sex begets life and life begets death, but rare is the recent horror movie that stresses the connection so explicitly yet playfully. Making those links is Ti West, the writer/director responsible for several indie horror gems over the past decade or so — see: cult favourites The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers — and thrusting a smart, savage and salacious delight towards his viewers here. Yes, he could've gone with The Texas Porn-Shoot Massacre for the feature's title, but he isn't remaking the obvious seminal piece of genre inspiration. X streams via Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Running for 53 minutes, Werewolf by Night is more a standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe special than a movie. It's the first release of its type for the sprawling comic book-to-screen behemoth, and it makes the case for more like it. In fact, if you've been feeling fatigued by average big-screen MCU releases lately, it also makes the case for more variety and experimentation in the Marvel blockbuster realm in general — because when the usual mould gets tinkered with in a significant way, and not just with a goofy vibe like Thor: Love and Thunder, something special like this can result. The mood is all horror, in a glorious throwback way, complete with gorgeous black-and-white cinematography. The focus: hunting for monsters, which does, yes, involve bringing together a crew of new characters with special traits. Thankfully, that concept never feels formulaic because of how much creepy fun that Werewolf by Night is having, and how much love it splashes towards classic creature features. That monochrome look, and the shadowy lighting that comes with it, clearly nods to the ace monster flicks of the 1930s and 1940s; composer-turned-director Michael Giacchino (who provided Thor: Love and Thunder's score, in fact), must be a fan, as we all should be. His filmmaking contribution to the MCU takes its name from comic-book character Werewolf by Night, which dates back to the 70s on the page — but if you don't know that story, let the same-titled flick surprise you. The plot begins with five experienced monster hunters being summoned to Bloodstone Manor following the death of Ulysses Bloodstone, and told to get a-hunting around the grounds to work out who'll be the new leader (and also gain control of a powerful gem called the Bloodstone). That includes Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal, Station Eleven), plus Ulysses' estranged daughter Elsa (Laura Donnelly, The Nevers). Everything that happens from there — and before that — instantly makes for pulpy and entertaining viewing. Werewolf by Night streams via Disney+. HELLBENDER Meet the Adams family — no, not the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky characters that've featured on pages and screens for decades (including in two terrible recent animated flicks), but the filmmaking collective comprised of couple Toby Poser and John Adams, plus their daughters Zelda and Lulu Adams. The quartet might be missing a letter from their well-known counterparts' names, but they're just as fond of all things horror. Case in point: their second feature Hellbender, a self-financed gem that's both a spellbinding tale of witchcraft and a clever coming-of-age story. It starts in a house in the woods, and also spends most of its time there. It includes the arrival of an unexpected stranger, shattering the status quo. But formulaic and by-the-numbers, this must-see isn't. In making exceptional use of its setting, and of a cast that's primarily comprised of Adams family members, it's also a masterclass in lockdown filmmaking. In the most expected aspect of Hellbender, the film's name does indeed refer to a punk-metal band, with 16-year-old Izzy (Zelda Adams, The Deeper You Dig) and her mother (Toby Poser) its sole members. No one else has ever heard them play, either, given that Izzy is both homeschooled and confined to the family's sprawling mountainside property, as she has been since she was five. Her mum tells her that she can't venture into town or around other people due to a contagious autoimmune disease; however, when a lost man (John Adams) wanders their way and mentions that his teenage niece Amber (Lulu Adams) lives nearby, Izzy gets the confidence to go exploring. As both written and directed by three out of four Adams family members — all except Lulu — Hellbender proves an impressive supernatural affair from its opening occult-heavy prologue through to its astute take on teen rebellion. Here's hoping this Adams family spirits up more DIY horror delights soon, too. Hellbender streams via Shudder and iTunes. FRESH Finally, a film about dating in the 21st century with real bite — and that's unafraid to sink its teeth into the topic. In this hit Sundance horror-comedy, Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, and once again gets entangled in a romance that'll leave a mark; here, however, the scars aren't merely emotional. Swiping right hasn't been doing it for Fresh's protagonist, as a comically terrible date with the appropriately named Chad (Brett Dier, Jane the Virgin) demonstrates early. Then sparks fly the old-fashioned way, in-person at the supermarket, with the curiously offline doctor Steve (Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy). Soon, he's whisking her away to a secluded spot for the weekend — a little too swiftly for Noa's protective best friend Mollie's (Jojo T Gibbs, Twenties) liking, especially given that no one can virtually stalk his socials to scope him out — and that getaway takes a savage and nightmare-fuelling twist. If Raw met Ex Machina, then crossed paths with American Psycho and Hostel, and finally made the acquaintance of any old rom-com, Fresh still wouldn't be the end result — but its tone stems from those parts, as do some plot points and performances, and even a few scenes as well. First-time feature director Mimi Cave doesn't butcher these limbs, though, and screenwriter Lauryn Kahn (Ibiza) doesn't stitch them together like Frankenstein's monster. As anchored by the excellent Edgar-Jones and Stan, there's care, savvy, smarts and style in this splatter-filled, satirical, brutal, funny, empowered and sweet film. Its twists, and its cutting take on predatory dating, are best discovered by watching, but being turned off apps, men and meat in tandem is an instant gut reaction. Fresh streams via Disney+. PREY No stranger to voicing iconic lines, Arnold Schwarzenegger uttered one of his best-known phrases yet 35 years ago, in a franchise that's still going today. "If it bleeds, we can kill it" has been quoted frequently ever since — even by champion AFL coaches — and it's no spoiler to mention that it pops up again in the latest Predator film Prey. Trotting out that piece of dialogue won't surprise anyone, but this fine-tuned action-thriller should. It's one of the saga's best entries, serving up a lean, taut and thoughtful kill-or-be-killed battle set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. The Predator series hasn't been big on highlights over the years — Predator 2 is forgettable to put it nicely, 2010's Predators is effective, 2018's The Predator favoured its throwback vibes above all else, and the two terrible Alien vs Predator cross-over films are best left forgotten — however Prey not only breathes new life into it, but paves a welcome path for more. (Bring on a Prey sequel ASAP.) The overall premise remains the same, with the franchise's ruthless, brutal and technologically advanced alien species using earth as its hunting ground as the series has already established — and showing zero concern about leaving a body count. Trained healer Naru (Amber Midthunder, The Ice Road) is the first to notice that something is awry this time, spotting the predator's spaceship in the sky and taking it as a sign to follow her dream to become a hunter herself. Alas, that isn't the done thing. In fact, she's spent her entire life being told that she can't be like her brother Taabe (first-timer Dakota Beavers), and should focus on her assigned role instead. Now, even with an extra-terrestrial foe wreaking havoc, she's still dismissed at every turn. Midthunder plays Naru as a fierce, determined, persistent and resourceful force to be reckoned with, while writer/director Dan Trachtenberg — co-scripting with Jack Ryan's Patrick Aison — gives all things Predator the taut focus, canny shift and fresh feel he also gave the Cloverfield saga with 10 Cloverfield Lane. Prey streams via Disney+. WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR "Hey guys, Casey here. Welcome to my channel. Today I'm going to be taking the World's Fair Challenge." So says We're All Going to the World's Fair's protagonist (feature newcomer Anna Cobb) twice to start this absorbing horror film, to camera, in what makes a spectacular opening sequence. Next, an eerie wave of multicoloured light flashes across her face. Watching her response brings the also-excellent She Dies Tomorrow to mind, but Casey has her own viral phenomenon to deal with. She's doing what she says she will, aka viewing a strobing video, uttering a pivotal phrase and then smearing blood across her laptop screen — and she promises to document anything that changes afterwards, because others have made those kinds of reports. Written, directed and edited by fellow feature debutant Jane Schoenbrun, the instantly eerie and intriguing We're All Going to the World's Fair is that record. Schoenbrun's film is more than that, however. It also charts the connections that spring and splinter around Casey just by joining the online trend, where her videos spark others in return — and the spirals she goes down as she watches, which then sparks a response in her own way, too. A portrait of isolation and alienation as well, while chronicling the after effects of playing a virtual horror game, We're All Going to the World's Fair is also a picture of an always-recorded world. Take your lockdown mindset, your social-media scrolling, all that Zooming that defined the beginning of the pandemic and a gamer vibe, roll them all together, and that's still not quite this arresting movie — which keeps shifting and evolving just like Cobb's enigmatic and evocative performance. The entire flick earns that description and, not that it needs an established name's tick of approval, the fact that The Green Knight and A Ghost Story director David Lowery is an executive producer speaks volumes. We're All Going to the World's Fair streams via Shudder, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. HELLRAISER Horror remakes and sequels are a bit like Halloween itself: even if you're not a fan, they always keep coming. First, a key rule about giving beloved old flicks a do-over or a years-later followup: the originals always still exist, no matter how the new movies turn out. Now, a crucial point about Hellraiser circa 2022: it's never going to be the OG picture, but it's still visually impressive, eager to get gory in bold and inventive ways, well cast and also happy to muse thoughtfully on addiction. And yes, there's a note of warning included in that above assessment of a film that arrives 35 years after Clive Barker's first stab at the series, and following nine other sequels. Directed by The Night House helmer David Bruckner, the new Hellraiser is stylish with its violent, bloody imagery, but it also still loves ripping flesh apart — and serving up a grisly nightmare. For newcomers to the Hellraiser fold, beware of puzzles. The moving box here is oh-so-enticing — that's how it gets its victims — but it's also a portal to a hellish realm. That's where demonic, frightening-looking beings called Cenobites dwell, and they're eager to haunt and terrorise the living. (Yes, that includes the ghoulish Pinhead, whose aesthetic really is all there in the name.) Accordingly, this Hellraiser movie kicks off with millionaire Roland Voight (Goran Visnjic, The Boys) obsessed with the box, and his lawyer Menaker (Hiam Abbass, Ramy) luring in new people to get torn to pieces. Then, six years later, recovering drug addict Riley (Odessa A'zion, Good Girl Jane) and her boyfriend Trevor (Drew Starkey, The Terminal List) find the cube in their possession. When it claims the former's brother Matt (Brandon Flynn, Ratched), she's determined to work out what's going on — and, while never full of narrative surprises, the brutal imagery sears itself into viewers' memories. Hellraiser streams via Binge. MASTER Taking cues from Jordan Peele's Get Out and Donald Glover's Atlanta, as well as from old-school horror classics such as Rosemary's Baby and The Shining, college-set horror-thriller Master isn't lacking in well-known influences. It also isn't afraid to let the imprint left by its obvious predecessors visibly ripple through its frames. But being overly ambitious in stitching together a story that so clearly owes a debt backwards is one of this film's few missteps — that and being so brimming with ideas that not everything gets its due. Excavating the institutionalised racism that festers in the American university system is a big task, though, and first-time feature writer/director Mariama Diallo doesn't hold back. There's a slow-burn eeriness to this intense Ivy League-steeped affair, but also a go-for-broke mentality behind its dissection of deeply engrained prejudice and weaponised identity politics. Regina Hall (Nine Perfect Strangers), Zoe Renee (Black Lightning) and Amber Gray (The Underground Railroad) play Gail Bishop, Jasmine Moore and Liv Beckman, respectively — three women of colour at a New England uni, Ancaster, with a long history. The school's past is almost exclusively tied to white administrators and students, of course, so much so that Gail is the first Black head of the college, or master. Her appointment comes as Jasmine arrives and gets allocated to a dorm once inhabited by the college's first-ever Black pupil, whose tale ended in tragedy, and as popular professor Liv tries to earn tenure. Diallo balances racial politics and the supernatural with skill; yes, the former, and the way that 'diversity' is paid lip-service to boost the university's prestige, is far more chilling than the otherworldly bumps and jumps, but both play a key part in making this a smart and haunting feature. Master streams via Prime Video. GLORIOUS During his seven seasons on HBO's slinky supernatural drama True Blood, and in his 223 episodes on Home and Away before that, Ryan Kwanten navigated any actor's fair share of wild scenarios — and soapy and melodramatic, obviously. In Glorious, he's firmly in out-there territory, but as a troubled man conversing about life, love, loss, loyalty, the universe, gods, men, women and plenty more in a dank and grimy rest-stop bathroom. So far, so straightforward. Unexpected connections and cathartic chats can happen in all manner of places with all manner of people, after all. But Wes, Kwanten's character, is conversing with a glory hole. There's a powerful deity behind it, but all that Glorious' protagonist and the audience see is glowing neon light emanating from the circle between cubicles, and a pulsating orb of flesh hanging below the stall walls. Filmmaker Rebekah McKendry (Psycho Granny), plus screenwriters David Ian McKendry (All the Creatures Were Stirring), Joshua Hull (Chopping Block) and Todd Rigney (Headless), aren't shy about their Lovecraftian nods; not thinking about the sci-fi author's brand of cosmic horror and its focus on unfathomable terrors is impossible. Indeed, this'd make a fine double with Color Out of Space — a sincere compliment given that phantasmagorical delight is adapted from the author's words, while this feels like it should've been. Aided by cinematographer David Matthews (Jakob's Wife), McKendry cements the film's clear tribute via its aesthetic and atmosphere, with vibrant pink hues contrasting with the grotty bathroom, and the claustrophobic setting doing the same with the vastness emanating from Ghat, Wes' talkative new acquaintance. That JK Simmons (Spider-Man: No Way Home) lends his distinctive tones to the movie's pivotal voice does much to set the mood, understandably, but Kwanten's layered performance, a twisty narrative and an inspiredly OTT premise executed with flair also make Glorious memorable. Glorious streams via Shudder. 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 streams via Binge, Paramount+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Read our full review. Looking for more things to watch? Check out our monthly streaming roundup, as well as our rundown of recent cinema releases that've been fast-tracked to digital home entertainment of late.
The Arab Film Festival in Australia is back for another year of features, docos and award-winning shorts from across the Arab world. It will first hit the Riverside Theatres in Parramatta from August 17 through 20, then Cinema Nova in Melbourne from August 25 through 27. The festival will kick off in both cities with an opening night screening of Mahbas, a Lebanese culture clash comedy from first time filmmaker Sophie Boutros. Other standouts across the 11-film repertoire include Gaza Surf Club, a documentary from Palestine about surfers on the beaches in Gaza, and Ali, The Goat and Ibrahim, an Egyptian road movie about two friends (and a goat). Sydneysiders will also get a second chance to catch a screening of Ali's Wedding ahead of its nationwide release on August 31. The critically acclaimed comedy from writer/star Osamah Sami was our pick for best film at this year's Sydney Film Festival. After Melbourne, the festival will head to Canberra from September 1 through 2, then wrap up at Perth on September 9. To see the full program and schedule, head over here.
We know it breaks both the first and second cardinal rules, but we need to talk about Fight Club right now. It’s been confirmed that director David Fincher, his long-term musical consort Trent Reznor and OG author Chuck Palahniuk are collaborating on Fight Club the rock opera, for reals. It’s literally going to be the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world (in a good way). Culture journalist Jeff Goldsmith tweeted that Palahniuk confirmed the rumours in an interview, and Palahniuk tweeted a second confirmation the next day that has since been deleted. However Palahniuk did retweet Goldsmith’s tweet (isn’t Twitter such a murky swamp of Chinese whispers) so that’s all the confirmation we need. In April, Palahniuk told MTV that the Fight Club rock opera would take its place alongside previous musical legends Tommy and The Wall, and become the defining rock opera for the current generation. Although anti-materialism, anti-authority anarchist Tyler Durden probably wouldn’t approve of a glitzy, glamorous Broadway show, we sure do. And with Nine Inch Nails legend Reznor involved, it’s sure to be pretty spectacular. Reznor has scored a fair few of Fincher's films — Gone Girl, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Social Network — and invariably his involvement turns whatever it touches to gold. No concrete dates have been mentioned by anyone involved in the project, but if you want more Fight Club while you wait, Palahniuk has released a Fight Club 2 comic book that delves into the backstory of Sebastian and Marla, and examines what Tyler Durden represents to us all. In the same MTV interview, Palahniuk says, "Tyler Durden is kind of an internal meme, a parasitical meme that has found a host or created a host in every generation going back for all of human history ... Tyler really brought Marla and Sebastian together, so they would have a child, in a way kind of bred them together, and that this child would ultimately be Tyler’s next vehicle." Unff. We are Jack’s crazy excitement. Via Spin.
With events across the world being cancelled and postponed in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, the live music industry is being hit hard. According to website I Lost My Gig, as of 11am on Saturday, March 21, approximately 274,000 events and gigs have been cancelled, which has impacted 599,000 artists and crew, and equated to about $300 million in lost income. And that's just in Australia alone. To help raise money for some of those musicians out of work, a group of global volunteers has created Sofa King Fest. Dubbed an "emergency response online music and arts benefit festival", the website is a curation of all the best music live-streams happening around the world — all in one spot, all available to watch from the comfort of your sofa. Musicians are scheduled to perform at hour or half-hour intervals and have included the likes of Willie Nelson, Cypress Hill, Diplo, Big Freedia and A-Trak. On a more local level, all Aussie artists will be curated by the Mary's Group — who are behind cult-favourite Mary's burgers and the revival of two long-standing Sydney live music venues: The Landsdowne Hotel and Mary's Underground (formerly The Basement). [caption id="attachment_757840" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Lansdowne Hotel[/caption] While the artists are playing, you can donate directly to out-of-work musicians or to the artist's charity of choice, with all funds controlled by the artist and their team. Melissa Etheridge, who's performing today, Tuesday, March 24, for example, will be donating her funds to the World Food Kitchen. If you're an artist that's keen to be part of the live-stream, you can signup directly via Sofa King Fest website. As well as raising funds for musicians hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the website is a great way to get your culture and music fix while also practising social-distancing or adhering to self-isolation measures. Sofa King Fest is now live and accepting donations. Top image: Willie Nelson by BSC Photography. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Australia's first-ever Ace Hotel, set to open in May this year, has just revealed its highly exciting set of food and drink offerings to complete its sleek design. Set to open in autumn this year, Ace Hotel will boast Kiln, a rooftop restaurant 18 stories above Sydney with acclaimed local chef Mitch Orr (Pilu, ACME) at the helm. Acclaimed interior designer Fiona Lynch will be in charge of crafting the space, while P&V's Mike Bennie rounds out the all-star cast, lending his knowledge of top local drops to help curate the drinks menu. Named for the historic ceramic kiln that used to be located downstairs, Kiln will offer a menu of smokey delights, nightly dinners and weekend brunches. Orr and the team will utilise the kitchen's wood-burning grill and seasonal, locally sourced produce to create the dishes. "Cooking with fire is the most elemental part of cooking, and something every chef loves doing, whether on a hibachi grill in your garden or on a live-fire grill that's the centrepiece of the restaurant," said Orr. "The menu will be structured around sharing — heavy on snacks to start, before moving into a raw section, and then the larger vegetable and protein-led dishes — all with lots of bright acidity to finish the dish, which is exactly the way you want to eat in the open space." The restaurant's dining room will be lined with glass walls offering panoramic views of the CBD surrounds. With the help of Lynch, the space — a former brick factory — is being converted into a vast, open and distinctly Australian eatery inspired by the work of Italian-Australian architect Enrico Taglietti. Accompanying Kiln is a coffee shop, lobby bar and Loam, an all-day diner on the hotel's ground floor. This more relaxed venue will offer sustainably sourced meats and seafood for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, while the coffee shop will serve up Mecca Coffee to inner-city workers and hotel guests alike. Bookings for the hotel are available through Ace's website. Ace Hotel is located at 47 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney and is set to open from May 1. Kiln's opening is set to follow close behind.
Among the many trends that have popped up in 2020, major film festivals streaming their programs to the online masses ranks among the better developments. It's a one that, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, seemed rather unlikely — Australia's major film festivals want cinemagoers to head along in-person, after all, and soak in the silver screen magic in a darkened cinema surrounded by a movie-loving crowd — but with gathering and venue bans and limits in place to tackle the coronavirus, digital film fests swiftly became a reality for Aussie audiences. The Melbourne International Film Festival's 2020 online version, dubbed MIFF 68 1/2, ran from Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23 — and, in news that should come as a surprise to no one, it amassed quite the audience. In fact, the virtual event and its 100-plus film program nabbed the beloved Victorian fest its biggest crowd yet. Given this is the festival's whopping 69th year, that's quite an achievement. Before the closing weekend had even kicked off, Australians had streamed MIFF's films more than 205,000 times — reaching an approximate national audience of over 307,500. Around 20 percent of those viewers are estimated to have come from outside of Victoria, too. If you're wondering which flicks everyone was checking out, of the top three movies, two — documentary Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky and comedy Paper Champions — were Aussie-made titles. Also popular, accounting for 69 percent of the event's streams until the last three days of the fest, was MIFF's free lineup. It comprised almost two-fifths of the program and, up until the morning of Friday, August 21, notched up 135,000 streams of individual short films. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgwX2hvgXCI The benefits of an online film festival — or an online component to a major film festival like MIFF — are many. They're also pretty obvious. For people with disability or chronic health conditions, the digital option makes fests far more accessible. The same applies to movie buffs with children, who work shifts, or who simply can't take 18 days, even a few days or just one night off work to watch films. And, as a fifth of this year's viewers demonstrated, folks who live outside of Victoria still want to be involved as well. Of course, that Melbourne was under stage four stay-at-home conditions during MIFF's dates, and still is, would've helped. Also playing a part: the fact that Aussies have become pretty accustomed to staying in and getting their movie fix on the couch this year. MIFF isn't the only Aussie fest taking the online — and national — route in 2020. Among the others, Sydney Film Festival did the same in June, the Revelation Perth International Film Festival held its digital version in July, and the Sydney Underground Film Festival going virtual in September. The Melbourne International Film Festival is set to return in 2021 from Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22. Top image: Black Bear.
There's no such thing as a perfect movie, but there may be one you wouldn't wish to be any different. Such is the magic of The Artist, which has ridden into theatres on an almost unprecedented wave of acclaim. The French-made, Hollywood-set black-and-white silent movie follows the changing face of the film industry that comes with the advent of 'talkies' in the late 1920s. Silent film star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) finds himself suddenly out of favour, while the star of a girl he recently discovered and clicked with, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), correspondingly rises. After George stakes his fortune and career on a self-made, stubbornly silent blockbuster that flops, everybody abandons George except his dog, his eventually unwaged valet (James Cromwell) and Peppy, who watches over her idol from afar. Cinephiles clearly can't help but love this film — it's all about the history of cinema, the charm unique to cinema, and the rarely considered shared lineage of silent films and musicals. It reflects the practice of going to the cinema back at us, and somehow uplifts our trackie-dacks-and-choc-top experience to the venerated level we see on screen, where women dressed in gowns and gloves applaud a live orchestra. But the reason why people of all kinds, from everywhere, love The Artist so much is almost certainly its generosity, sweet spirit and complete lack of pretension. The film is nostalgic and old-fashioned — as in old Hollywood and new Bollywood, it's a love story in which the lovers never kiss. Without turning saccharine, it has a gorgeously innate ability to strip your well-worn cynicism right off you. You'll smile like a baby. You can't think a mean thought. It also helps that the three leads — that's Dujardin, Bejo and the uncannily expressive dog, Uggie — are monumentally charming. You've never really been charmed by someone, you'll find, until you've been so charmed without words. It's also fun to spot great familiar faces John Goodman and James Cromwell in supporting roles. Seeing The Artist is precious, and that's better than perfection.
Two decades ago, the live-action Scooby-Doo movie was one of the Gold Coast's big claims to fame. While it was shooting, it was also the reason that plenty of Queenslanders tried to spot Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Freddie Prinze Jr and Linda Cardellini IRL, too. And if it also made you wish that you could drive around in a multi-coloured van with your mates — and dog — while solving crimes, you definitely weren't alone. In great news for meddling kids everywhere — well, former meddling kids who are now nostalgic meddling adults — hitting the road in the iconic Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine is actually a real thing that you can currently do. You'll need to swap Australia for a vanning holiday in Southern California, though, and you'll even be hosted by Lillard. In its latest pop culture-themed experience after the Bluey house and the Moulin Rouge! windmill already this year, Airbnb has listed the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine for stays, all to mark the movie's 20th anniversary. The word you're looking for is zoinks, obviously. Having a talking pooch to bunker down with you is optional. Like all of Airbnb's themed stays, this one is only available for a limited time — and by booking in a specific way. It'll be open for three three individual one-night reservations, for two guests per night, from June 24–26. And it'll only cost you AU$28 (US$20), but only if you're lucky enough to score a booking by hopping online from 3am AEST on Friday, June 17. Basically, you'll probably already want to be in the US over those dates anyway — or you'll need to be able to drop everything and make plans faster than Shaggy can pull off some scheming criminal's mask (because there's always a mask). If you do nab a booking, you'll be living like Shaggy and Scooby for a night, including listening to Sugar Ray on a portable CD player, lighting up the van with a lava lamp, soaking in plenty of 70s-style decor and wearing a puka shell necklace. Also included: a virtual greeting from Lillard upon your arrival, all-you-can-eat snacks, a dinner of Shaggy and Scooby faves such as hot dogs and eggplant burgers, and an outdoor lounge hangout area with a hammock. And yes, watching Scooby-Doo is also on the agenda, complete with popcorn, candy and bottomless Scooby Snacks. You'll also play mystery games, of course, because it wouldn't really me a night in the Mystery Machine without a bit of whodunnit action. "I've been channelling Shaggy since the live-action adaptation in 2002, and he's been a part of me ever since," said Lillard. "I can't wait to welcome guests into the world of the Mystery Inc gang as their Airbnb host and give them a summer vacation they'll never forget... monsters not included!" That AU$28 (US$20) price doesn't include getting to and from Southern California, so you'll also need to stump up for flights. While Airbnb has Lillard on the books, if it wanted to get him to host a Scream-themed stay, too — scary movies and all — we'd sign up for that as well. For more information about the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 3am AEST on Friday, June 17, head to the Airbnb website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy. Images: Hogwash Studios/Ja Tescon.
Byron Bay's Bluesfest has lost another name from its 2023 lineup, with acclaimed rapper Sampa the Great pulling out of this year's festival. Just over six weeks out from the Easter long-weekend fest, Bluesfest today announced its playing times for the five-day music program and a revised lineup, both of which were missing Sampa. A member from Sampa's team confirmed to Concrete Playground that Zambian hip hop trailblazer will not be performing at the festival. US supergroup The Soul Rebels & Friends with special guests Talib Kweli, GZA and Big Freedia also appears missing from the set times and revised lineup, however, there's been no confirmation of the group's removal from the lineup. Bluesfest was reached out to for comment on both Sampa and The Soul Rebels, but did not respond before publication. [caption id="attachment_811633" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sampa the Great, Lucian Coman[/caption] The lineup change follows Monday's announcement that King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard had also removed themselves from the program. The band's decision to withdraw from the festival was kept reasonably vague but, in a statement, the Melbourne psych-rock group cited the festival's decision to book content that conflicts with their values as the reason they won't be appearing. "As a band and as human beings, we stand against misogyny, racism, transphobia and violence," King Giz's statement reads. "Surprised and saddened to see Bluesfest commit to presenting content that is in complete opposition to these values." "Given this decision by the festival, we have decided to cancel our appearance at Bluesfest," continues the statement. "We are deeply disappointed to be in this position but sometimes you need to be willing to make sacrifices to stand up for your values. This is, unfortunately, one of those moments." Controversy began brewing around this year's Bluesfest after the unveiling of its sixth artist announcement which featured the band Sticky Fingers. The booking of Sticky Fingers received online backlash from others in the music industry including Jaguar Jonze and Camp Cope's Sarah Thompson. Dylan Frost, Sticky Fingers' frontman, has been the subject of serious allegations which include physically threatening First Nations singer Thelma Plum and harassing a transgender woman at a Sydney pub. Frost and bassist Paddy Cornwall were also caught in an alleged brawl with each other in 2019 which saw Cornwall charged with affray. Bluesfest previously faced controversy after festival director Peter Noble compared a Jewish woman to a Nazi for commenting on the gender imbalance present on the first announcement of the festival's 2018 lineup. The festival will continue without King Giz and Sampa the Great from Thursday, April 6 until Monday, April 10 with headliners including Gang of Youths, Paolo Nutini, Tash Sultana, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers and Beck. [caption id="attachment_876098" align="alignnone" width="1920"] King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Jason Galea[/caption] Bluesfest 2023 will run from Thursday, April 6–Monday, April 10 at Byron Events Farm, Tyagarah. For the most up-to-date lineup, head to the Bluesfest website. Top image: Jordan Munns.
It's clear that more Londoners want to ride their bikes more often than ever before. In fact, between 2001 and 2011, the number of them cycle commuting to work doubled. The problem is, though, that the city's rabbit warren-like infrastructure doesn't always mean there’s enough room for two-wheelers, taxis and regular vehicles to share the road harmoniously. A $1.4 billion, 24-kilometre cycle super highway, initiated by Lord Mayor Boris Johnson, has made many a journey much smoother. But, to many bicycle-inclined minds, it’s just the beginning. Earlier this year, architect Lord Norman Foster put forward SkyCycle: an elevated, car-free bike path that would see cyclists cruising around above London, E.T.-style (kind of). And now, there’s a new proposal in the works: the Thames Deckway. It’s a 12-kilometre long cycle path that would float on the River Thames. Created by a group of engineers, architects and artists who’ve named themselves the River Cycleway Consortium Ltd, it would start at Battersea in the West and stretch all the way to Canary Wharf in the east, sitting quite close to the river’s south bank. So it would be well out of the way of the barges, ferries, rowers and paddlers who travel along the primary navigation channel. Cyclists would be able to hop on and off the route at various points via embankment ramps, where kiosks would offer refreshments in the way of snacks and beverages. The path would cater, not only to commuters, but also to those out for a leisurely recreational ride, and would be designed to rise and fall according to tidal changes. To minimise potential dangers, an elaborate system of sensors and satellites would alert the land-bound world to threats and hazards. "London needs to think outside the box of conventional solutions to solve its deep-seated traffic and pollution problems," a spokesperson said in a media statement. "The Thames offers vast, untapped potential to ease and improve London's infrastructure problems. What is needed is imagination to unleash it." The Consortium, which was established by London-based artist Anna Hill and architect David Nixon, and includes engineering company Arup and Hugh Broughton Architects, would need to raise 600 million GBP from private investors to put the plan into action. Cyclists would be charged 1.50 GBP per ride, to go towards maintenance. Via Dezeen.
In a city with a lot of great bakeries, it's the pastries that set Goose apart. Croissants that are somehow dense with butter, yet light and flaky. Try one of them spiked on top with toasted coconut for a flavour combo you will want to come back for. The golden danishes and brioche studded with fruit are also worthy partners to the bracing cups of coffee served here. It will come as no surprise that the owners and bakers trained at Bourke Street Bakery — the cake counter and loaves of bread wordlessly attest to that. The only real shock is that this Forest Lodge gem doesn't yet have massive queues out the door, despite the incredible reasonably-priced breakfast menu.
We all know it's never too early to start planning your summer – especially the bits that involve scouting out new drinking destinations and loading up on art and culture. Handy then, that the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will again combine two of Sydney's favourite past-times for its third annual exhibition-themed summer pop-up bar, opening the doors to Colour Fields on November 3. As the name suggests, this year's project is set to inject the MCA's harbourside terrace with a healthy dose of colour, inspired by Pipilotti Rist's bold Sydney International Art Series exhibition Sip My Ocean, which is in town from November 1 until February 18. Not only will the rainbow-hued bar offer modernised classic cocktails and summery share plates to echo Rist's bold installations, but the team from Work-Shop will be hosting a series of Wednesday night classes on topics like DIY perfume-making and rosé appreciation – perfect for when that art gazing leaves you itching to unleash some creativity of your own. And, as the icing on the cake, local record label Future Classic has again jumped on board to serve up some awesome aural treats. Colour Fields will feature their handpicked mixtapes throughout the week, while weekly Sunday sessions will see the likes of Andy Garvey, Le Fruit, Freda & Jackson and Moving House DJs gracing the decks. Image: Courtesy Scoundrel Projects.
Walking through a cathedral made of 100,000-plus lights, moseying beneath a canopy of glowing multi-coloured trees, wandering between ribbons of flashing beams — you'll be able to do all of this when Lightscape heads to Australia for the first time in 2022. Originally meant to debut Down Under in 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic, the after-dark light festival will be taking over the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria — Melbourne from Friday, June 24–Sunday, August 7, beaming away from 5.15pm Wednesday–Sunday. While the leafy Birdwood Avenue spot is already extremely scenic, to say that Lightscape will be brightening up the place is quite the understatement. Prepare to see the garden illuminated by immersive and large-scale installations scattered along a 1.8-kilometre route, including sparkling trees, luminous walkways and bursts of colour that look like fireworks. A big highlight: large-scale works like Winter Cathedral, the aforementioned installation that'll feature more than 100,000 globes and make you feel like you're being bathed in radiance. Lightscape comes to Australia after taking over gardens across the United Kingdom and the United States. Developed by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK, it's understandably proven a huge success — and more than two-million people wandered along its glowing trails last season. In Melbourne, Lightscape will also commission local artists to create works that'll celebrate the city's culture and nature — giving the after-dark light festival a local touch. Fingers crossed for pop-up food and drink stalls scattered throughout — selling, we hope, mulled wine to keep hands warm during the chilly winter nights.
A more traditional-style Taiwanese bubble tea shop, Yifang hails from Taiwan and is now popular worldwide, with shops in Sydney's Burwood, Eastwood and the CBD. It sources its tea from local farmers across 140 hectares in Mingjian, Lugu and Sun Moon Lake. Yifang also sources its fruits seasonally from Taiwan, whether its pineapples from Guanmiao, kumquat from Ilangreen or green plums from Xinyi Township. And its fresh milk comes from Tainan dairy farms — they never use milk powder or creamers here. Some of the summery flavours on the menu at the moment include kiwi, lemon grapefruit and pineapple.
One of Australia's largest contemporary multi-arts centres has gone into voluntary administration as the industry is hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. After being forced to close in late March and standing down almost half its core staff in mid-April, Carriageworks in Sydney's inner city has this morning, Tuesday, May 5 announced the appointment of Phil Quinlan and Morgan Kelly of KPMG as its administrators. In a statement, the Eveleigh multi-arts centre said, "the sudden cancellation or postponement of six months of activities due to restrictions on public gatherings has resulted in an irreparable loss of income." Upcoming events set to take place at Carriageworks included Sydney Writers' Festival, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and Semi Permanent, all of which have been cancelled or postponed in line with the government's restrictions on mass gatherings. The ongoing Farmers Market, which saw up to 5000 Sydneysiders visit each Saturday, has also been put on hold during the pandemic. [caption id="attachment_716971" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Carriageworks Night Market by Daniel Boud.[/caption] On the closure, Carriageworks CEO Blair French said in a statement: "Since opening in 2007, Carriageworks has enjoyed the support of both the NSW and Federal Governments, and the generosity of its many partners and donors. With restrictions on social gatherings likely to remain in place for some time to come, the Board determined that it had no alternative but to place the company into Voluntary Administration." While Carriageworks relies partially on government funding, it generates 75 percent of its revenue from "on-site events and programs". Carriageworks administrator Quinlan said that "all options are on the table" for the future of the arts organisation, with stabilising its financial position and allowing it to "continue its important role for Australian arts and culture" being one of them. French echoed this sentiment, saying, "the Board remain hopeful that the Carriageworks facility will be able re-open to artists and community alike once NSW emerges from the effects of the current pandemic." Top image: Jacquie Manning
Everyone's favourite gaming-themed burger joint 8bit has clocked up four years of life — and what better way to celebrate that little milestone, than with more of the good stuff? This time around, 8bit's taking on an international classic, dishing up its own take on the humble Big Mac. Fittingly dubbed the Big Pac, this one's a tasty tower rocking two beef patties, lettuce, pickles, double American cheese and a special Pac sauce. The burger hits the Darling Square store from Monday, November 5, and is set to stick around for a whole month. It's available solo for $16.50, or matched with your choice of side and drink as part of a Big Pac meal-deal for $20. If you're feeling extra celebratory, you can even add on an 8bit birthday sundae ($8). It's a limited-edition collaboration with Gelato Messina, featuring brioche gelato and raspberry puree, with white chocolate and pink coconut icing.
Forget everything you think you know about Manly's Ivanhoe, because things have gotten a whole lot classier. In a relaxed pub way, that is. After an eight month refurb, the doors have been swung open on this heritage-listed building to reveal a beachside haven nestled in the middle of The Corso. It's a Hamptons meets Palm Beach chic situation and this joint's no longer beckoning those who've been thrown out of everywhere else in the vicinity. It's now more like a destination pub. White wood as far as the eye can see, splashes of fresh seaside colours, lobster pots hanging from the ceiling, sandstone walls, old school tennis rackets, fairy lights, a boat dangling above the stairwell, decorative chunks of knotted rope and a whole lot of plants. So many plants the Ivanhoe crew actually had to get a full-time gardener. The overall effect is very modern, very slick, and very fitting to its beach side location. Paul Kelly (The Bourbon, Sokyo, Black) designed the space, except for the upper level, which Sibella Court (Mr. Wong, The Beresford Hotel) styled. You can see the 10 years of planning that's gone into the fitout. And the outdoor spaces are really something special, including the little touches like tiles and clever lighting on the outdoor rooftops. In winter there will even be a massive fireplace to light one of the walls. Downstairs, punters will get a limited menu, as well as take-away food, like fish and chips. Pair that with some beverages from the bottle shop area, and you've got a pretty neat little picnic. Try a thin crust pizza (by Mark Jankovics). The Hot, Sweet & Savoury (15cm lunch $12, 23cm $18, 33cm $23) pizza has a nice touch of hotness from the jalapeno peppers, which works well with the shaved leg ham, crème fraiche, provolone and sweet corn, topped off with sprigs of mint. And, for those who can't go to a pub without eating a burger, there's the Moroccan Lamb ($14), which should keep most meat lovers happy. And another good thing? No annoying buzzers going off, and it's family friendly. Most items are under $28 on the menu and it's light-style pub grub. There's quite a few salads to choose from like the whole roasted beetroot and grilled haloumi salad ($15), a lightly dressed baby spinach salad with a vinaigrette dressing, red onion, walnuts, chick-peas, basil and mint. The Grilled Snapper ($27) pretty much sums up the Ivanhoe's menu. It's cooked perfectly, has simple flavours, and has a choice of sides. The loosely crushed kipfler mash, with mustard, and cherry tomato salsa provides a great contrast in texture to the grilled fish. Head Chef Derek Morris seems to know what pub grub is meant to be. And the meals aren't tiny, so you won't be leaving the joint hungry. Just ignore the gaming room if that ain't your thing and enjoy the contemporary, bright and airy courtyard areas. Another Manly hit to add to the list. And we'd recommend you watch this space, because The Ivanhoe is about to launch their top level, The Pines. Rumour has it there's going to be cocktail jugs and dancing like you've never seen before.
Australia's theatre scene hasn't had much to smile about in 2020; however, when 2021 rolls around, some venues around the country will kick back into gear with a little help from their friends. Well, with Friends! The Musical Parody to be specific — with the comedic, song-filled satire of everyone's favourite 90s sitcom touring the country next year. Initially, the show was due to hit local theatres in August and September this year. Then, when the pandemic struck, the musical rescheduled to November and December instead. But it seems that 2020 hasn't been anyone's year — or included anyone's favourite day, week or month, for that matter — so the production has now shifted its entire run to 2021. Scheduled to kick off on the Gold Coast before being there for audiences in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney, Friends! The Musical Parody will spend time with Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe, of course. Here, they're hanging out at their beloved Central Perk — and sitting on an orange couch, no doubt — when a runaway bride shakes up their day. Call it 'The One with the Loving, Laugh-Filled Lampoon', or 'The One That Both Makes Good-Natured Fun of and Celebrates an Iconic Sitcom'. Yes, no one told you that being obsessed with the Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer-starring show about six New Yorkers would turn out this way — with on-stage skits and gags, recreations of some of the series' best-known moments, and songs with titles such as 'How you Doin?' and 'We'll Always Be There For You'. That said, no one told us that being a Friends aficionado would continue to serve up so many chances to indulge our fandom 16 years after it finished airing, including via an upcoming reunion special that'll gather the TV series' main cast back together. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Friends! The Musical Parody (@friendsthemusicalau) FRIENDS! THE MUSICAL PARODY AUSTRALIAN TOUR: Gold Coast: Thursday, February 11–Saturday, February 13 at The Star Gold Coast Melbourne: Wednesday, June 16–Saturday, June 19 at the Comedy Theatre Brisbane: Thursday, Augustt 19–Saturday, August 21 at the Tivoli Theatre Parramatta: Thursday, September 2–Saturday, September 4 at Riverside Theatre Adelaide: Friday, September 24 at Her Majesty's Theatre Perth: Saturday, October 16 at Regal Theatre Friends! The Musical Parody tours the country from February–October 2021. For further details, and to buy tickets, visit the production's website.
Lords, ladies, history buffs and fantasy fans alike, rejoice: St Ives' fully immersive medieval fair is returning for a fifth year. The weekend festival will transform St Ives Showground into Medieval Europe with immersive encampments which represent seven centuries of history: the Vikings, Byzantines, Crusades, the Hundred Years War, the Wars of the Roses and into the 17th Century. To complete the experience, a plethora of historical recreations will take place including the only solid lance jousting event in the Southern Hemisphere, featuring European and Australian jousting masters — yes, people still joust. The program also includes a Trebuchet catapult, markets, traditional folk music, longbow archery demonstrations and displays in which trained birds of prey recreate the medieval practice of hawking and falconry. If all that makes you thirsty, grab a serve of mead or a custom ale inspired by female jousting champion Lady Caroline from Victorian craft beer legends Two Birds. You also have the option to upgrade your ticket to the VIP Royal Court Experience ($95). Guests will be escorted by a horse-drawn carriage to a kingly, long table meal serving roast suckling pig, parsnip pies, spatchcock and other old world delicacies. The public is encouraged to come in costume, so polish your armour, don your finest cloak and prepare for a weekend of royal revelry. See you thither. St Ives Medieval Faire takes place September 22–23. Tickets range from $45 for one day to $63 for the full weekend. For further program information and to purchase tickets, visit the website.
When Cillian Murphy first came to widespread fame two decades ago, it was for acclaimed British director Danny Boyle while pondering the end of life as we know it, with zombie masterpiece 28 Days Later the spectacular end result. Since then, he's become a regular for fellow UK filmmaker Christopher Nolan and, in their latest collaboration after The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises and Dunkirk, Murphy again faces an apocalyptic scenario in Oppenheimer. Set to be 2023's most explosive movie, Nolan's first flick since Tenet explores a little thing called the atomic bomb. Focusing on J Robert Oppenheimer as the name makes plain, this biopic keeps promising a tense time at the movies — in its first teaser, initial full trailer and just-dropped new sneak peek — as befitting a situation where the world risked total annihilation in order to be saved. Yes, Nolan is going back to the Second World War again, focusing on the eponymous American physicist, aka the man who helped develop the first nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project. Charting Oppenheimer's life, his part in birthing the atomic bomb and how it changed the world — and the fallout — should make for gripping viewing, as viewers will see from July 20, 2023. Oppenheimer's story also includes heading up Los Alamos Laboratory, plus observing the Trinity Test, the first successful atomic bomb detonation in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Nolan is always in serious mode, but this is a solemn affair even by the Memento, Interstellar and Dark Knight trilogy filmmaker's standards. And, it looks like quite the sight, in no small part thanks to being shot in IMAX 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography, including sections in IMAX black and white analogue photography for the first time ever. Based on Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin's Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the film boasts an all-star cast, including Emily Blunt as the physicist's wife, biologist and botanist Kitty (reteaming Blunt with Murphy after A Quiet Place Part II) — plus Matt Damon (The Last Duel) as General Leslie Groves Jr, director of the Manhattan Project; Robert Downey Jr (Dolittle) as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the US Atomic Energy Commission; and Florence Pugh (The Wonder) as psychiatrist Jean Tatlock. Also set to pop up: Josh Hartnett (Wrath of Man), Michael Angarano (Minx), Benny Safdie (Stars at Noon), Jack Quaid (The Boys), Rami Malek (No Time to Die) and Kenneth Branagh (Death on the Nile). Oh, and there's Dane DeHaan (The Staircase), Jason Clarke (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Olivia Thirlby (Y: The Last Man), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (Stranger Things) as well. Check out the latest trailer for Oppenheimer below: Oppenheimer will release in cinemas Down Under on July 20, 2023. Images: © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
It's no secret that lockdown has put our evening meals into sharp focus. And, although it may be a highlight for some, for others, dinnertime cooking creativity has definitely dwindled. If you're feeling uninspired by your regular rotation of recipes, we've got a little something that'll gnocch your socks off. Starting Thursday, September 9, you can take part in an online gnocchi making class, courtesy of our pals from Pizzini Wines' A Tavola cooking school. The 75-minute interactive workshop will teach you how to make soft, pillowy potato parcels with expert guidance from Katrina Pizzini, who heads up A Tavola. She'll show you how to make gnocchi from scratch — and by the end of the class you'll be serving up delicious plates of potato-y pasta slathered in napoli and burnt butter sage sauces. To make sure you've got all the gear, Pizzini Wines will send you a supply pack loaded with a potato ricer, gnocchi paddle, homegrown potatoes, flour, pasta, fresh herbs, and recipe cards. Plus, you'll also get two bottles of delicious Pizzini wine to wash it all down. All you need to bring are some pantry staples such as eggs, butter, olive oil, sugar, parmesan, salt and pepper. Sound like a top-tier way to level up your mid-week dinner duties? Art of Gnocchi Making will kick off at 5pm on September 9, September 15 and September 16. For more information and to book, visit the website.
Marrickville’s popular, idiosyncratic creative district might well find itself under threat if a controversial rezoning of the Victoria Road precinct gets the green light. The new proposal would see 18.03 hectares of industrial land turned into residential or mixed residential-industrial and the creation of 3,080 new apartments. This could mean bad news for some of Sydney's favourite venues — the Factory Theatre, the Red Rattler, the Vic on the Park, Bourke Street Bakery Marrickville and a host of other Sydney arts spaces, all of which lie within this area and could potentially be subject to tweaked licensing/noise restrictions. Since its introduction, the proposal has provoked increasing concern among community members and planning staff. In late August, a 600-strong petition voicing opposition was submitted to Marrickville Council. Regardless, on September 3, a 6-5 Council vote sent the proposal to the Department of Planning gateway process. In the eyes of Greens Councillor Max Phillips, this move presents two significant problems. One, it means that Council will now be seen as endorsing the rezoning. Two, it did not allow time for "proper community consultation" or for "important information... [to be] made available to revise the proposal". A council spokesperson told Concrete Playground, "Council considered that the proposal should be investigated further to see if it has merit," and that it is too early to predict consequences of the rezoning. "There are many, many steps to go through before we would know what might be the results of rezoning, if indeed the rezoning was adopted," she said. However, Phillips says that we can certainly speculate. "This is a truly massive proposal," he said. "It's almost the area of Barangaroo... Over the past two years, there's been some change in the use of the industrial area. Some of the manufacturing industries have moved elsewhere and we've seen some new ones move in, particularly the creative industries and the boutique, artisanal food industries... Part of what has attracted them is cheaper rent.. and the grittiness and character of the area. One of the fears that the Greens have is that the rezoning may disrupt that revitalisation." High-density residential housing often means dull, template-based architecture, as well as changes that raise alarm bells for arts practices, including traffic congestion and noise complaints. Jamie Ferguson, director of The Red Rattler, is deeply concerned. "The Red Rattler loves the diversity of the area and its semi-industrial landscape," he explains. "It suits our grassroots approach, style of gigs, performances and our parties. There's no question a venue like The Rat or other startup creative businesses and spaces wouldn't work if they were situated amongst nasty high-rises with convenience stores on every corner." What's more, Ferguson feels that public consultation has been sorely lacking. "The whole situation is really quite puzzling, and a surprise to The Rat," he says. "On the one hand creative arts spaces are being praised for adding to the vibrancy and diversity of the area, yet on the other hand conservative Councillors have shown their position by considering a review of the current zoning, which is very disappointing. There's certainly been no thorough community consultation." That said, it it's all far from over yet. To express your response to the proposal, you can contact the Marrickville Council, get in touch with particular Councillors and check out the Mayoral Minute dedicated to the rezoning, which is Item One at the Council’s September 16 meeting. You can also call or email the Marrickville Greens and keep an eye out for community meetings and petitions. Want to voice your opinion in person about the future of Marrickville's Victoria Road precinct? A Greens-run forum has been called for September 30 at The Red Rattler, kicking off at 6:30pm.
You can never have too many occasions to eat cheese, but this Sydney cheese festival isn't just keen to shower cheese fiends with creamy goodness. A collaboration between Bruny Island Cheese Co. cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, Mould wants dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer. Returning for a second year, the festival will paint Carriageworks yellow on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25. Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses — there will be over 50 types, with the lineup yet to be announced — it'll feature flavoursome fare from cheese specialists too. Think of it as a cheese tasting trip around Australia without leaving Wilson Street. Of course, snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you are just two ways to enjoy cheese. The fest will have cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks so you can stretch your cheese knowledge as well as your cheese stomach. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, beer and sake — all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese. There will be an evening session on Friday from 4–8.30pm and two sessions (from 11am–3pm and 4–8pm) on Saturday. Tickets cost $40–45 + booking fee, which includes tastings.
Mudgee's Blue Wren winery is creating minimal intervention drops in an elegant farmhouse setting. Don't expect to find a wine counter here, though — instead, guests gather at tasting tables and enjoy their wine seated. The flights are $10 for five wines, with the vineyard growing shiraz, verdelho and merlot grapes. During the cooler months, tables near the open fire are prime real estate, while in summer you can take your wine out to the garden and farm. It grows herbs, fruits and edible flowers for the in-house restaurant, The Chef's Kitchen, and is home to a cherry farm and bee hives — as well as duck, geese, chooks and heaps of blue wren birds (naturally). While The Chef's Kitchen is currently closed for renovations, you can still nab lunch Friday through Sunday from noon—3pm. And you can even stay overnight in a newly renovated farmhouse, complete with an elevated deck and pool.
