Sydney is expanding its international film production capabilities with a new proposal from the NSW Government for a new production hub in Western Sydney. Open now to Expressions of Interest from industry partners, the $100 million project will expand on the established Disney Studios Australia in Moore Park and the state government's three-year NSW Screen & Digital Games Strategy. Disney Studios Australia has been in operation for decades as Australia's only major film studio, playing a role in the production of international feature films like Mission Impossible 2, Moulin Rouge!, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Great Gatsby, Peter Rabbit, The Fall Guy, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Apex. [caption id="attachment_954854" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] (L-R): Soona (played by Lydia Peckham) and Noa (played by Owen Teague) in 20th Century Studios' KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.[/caption] The EOI will be open to proposals on both private and government-owned land. To support the process, three government-owned sites in Western Sydney (at Bungarribee, Eastern Creek and Prospect) have been identified that respondents may consider when preparing a proposal. EOI submissions will be evaluated against the NSW Government's objectives to strengthen capacity, attract international blockbusters, support local production, create local jobs, and ensure NSW remains the nation's screen powerhouse. [caption id="attachment_952103" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in THE FALL GUY, directed by David Leitch[/caption] The EOI process will be open to proposals for those who think they can deliver the critically needed screen infrastructure to support the project's scale – including six sound stages minimum. It will close in May, before being evaluated and considered by the NSW Government. Yesterday, Blacktown City Mayor Brad Bunting said Western Sydney is "well placed" to support the continued growth of Australia's screen industry. "Western Sydney is alive with creativity. Our young and diverse population represents a powerful pipeline of talent and new opportunities for Australia's screen industry," he said. "We have the space, with large-scale productions requiring space for sound stages, workshops and backlots, Western Sydney has the scale and infrastructure needed for projects of that size. It makes sense." This article originally appeared on Rolling Stone AU/NZ. Lead image: 'Mad Max: Fury Road', courtesy of Roadshow.
For the first time ever, the Art Gallery of New South Wales brings to Sydney masterpieces from the golden age of Dutch painting — a culturally confident, powerful era when the art of painting flourished. It was during this time that artists including Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer produced vivid works depicting the world around them, with subjects ranging from intense portraits and dramatic seascapes to tranquil scenes of domestic life and careful studies of fruit and flowers. Exclusive to Sydney, the exhibition features 76 artworks sourced from Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, including seven pivotal paintings and 16 etchings by Rembrandt presented in a room dedicated solely to the celebrated artist. The exhibition also brings a rare and celebrated piece by Vermeer, Woman reading a letter (1663). Jacob van Ruisdael, recognised as one of the most important landscapists of the era, and Jan Davidsz de Heem, the revered flower painter, also take their place among many other masters of this golden age. Meticulously painted, these artworks remain as vital and fresh as they were 400 years ago. What's more, to celebrate the launch of the exhibition — and help reduce the strain the return of summer puts on your wallet — we're giving away ten double passes to the exhibition so you can enter the world of rich paintings and celebrated works for yourself. To enter, see details below. [competition]641676[/competition]
In the lead-up to International Women's Day on Sunday, March 8 — which celebrates the achievements of those who identify as female and how far we have come in the fight for gender equality for everyone — you can read books written by some of Australia's best female authors. For free. The catch? You just need to find them. Books on the Rail has teamed up with female-identifying Australian authors to drop signed copies of their novels on trains, buses, trams and ferries all over Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this week. Expect to find works written by Maxine Beneba Clarke, Clare Bowditch, Dr Anita Heiss, Jamila Rizvi, Carly Findlay, Kitty Flanagan, Gabbie Stroud and Holly Wainwright, among others. With a goal to get more people reading books by Australian women, the week-long initiative will see the famous authors hiding their own works. So, as well as picking up a new free read, you might get to meet one of your literary idols. For hints on what, where and when, keep an eye on the Books on the Rail Instagram Stories — it looks like a few copies of Jane in Love by Rachel Givney are already travelling around Sydney. Another one to look out for is Vivian Pham's The Coconut Children. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9D3hzEnJzN/ Launching in Melbourne back in 2016, Books on the Rail sees a diverse collection of books set loose on trains, trams, ferries and buses around Australia — kind of like a roving public transport library. You can also become book ninja yourself. Find out more in the Books on the Rail Facebook Group. Free novels will be dropped on buses, trains, trams and ferries around Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane until Sunday, March 8. For hints, keep an eye on the Books on the Rail Instagram Stories.
From start to finish, Challengers plunges into a tennis match. Holding the racquets: Art Donaldson (Mike Faist, West Side Story) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor, La Chimera). The pair were childhood roommates and best friends, then doubles partners on the court. Meeting Tashi Duncan (Zendaya, Dune: Part Two), a ruthless tennis prodigy destined for big things, changed everything when they were teens — and now 13 years after first crossing her path, Art and Patrick are facing off at a competition that's basically a warm-up for the former, a multiple grand slam-winner is now married to Tashi and also coached by her, but represents Patrick's best route to a chance at big-time professional success. The bout that bounces back and forth throughout Challengers isn't the movie's only bit of tennis, of course. The latest film by Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria and Bones and All director Luca Guadagnino flits between moments in its main trio's life leading up to the pivotal bout, too, games included. So, as Art and Patrick compete in the movie's showcase showdown, years of complexity are batted back and forth alongside the ball — mentally and emotionally for the pair, and for Tashi as she watches on, seeing her husband and her ex-boyfriend do battle, and wishing that her career hadn't been ended by injury; plus literally for viewers quickly hung up on every serve and return. "I felt like we were just shooting this sequence for so long. And you're like 'dang, did we, what day is it? Wait, how is the character feeling at this point?'. Because you're still wearing the same outfits and it's supposed to be one game, but it's like the next week," explains Zendaya in Sydney, where she visited in late March on a promotional tour for Challengers accompanied by O'Connor and Faist. "I remember we had a storm, some weather issues, which ended up prolonging the process and all these kinds of things, but it was really special and cool. Sometimes I'd feel left out because I was sitting on the side watching them play and I was like 'hey guys'. But it was fun." Both in that match and whenever else Tashi, Art and Patrick are donning white and standing on green, tennis isn't just tennis in Challengers, though. "The tennis is the sex scene," notes O'Connor about a film that brings one word to mind over and over: sexy. This is a movie about three athletes in a complicated love triangle who are yearning to connect as much as they're lusting for tennis glory, as set to a propulsive and slinky electronic score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (Oscar-winners for Soul). Saying that Guadagnino laces the feature with desire is an understatement — and as anyone who has seen his work, especially both Call Me By Your Name and Bones and All starring Zendaya's Dune and Dune: Part Two co-star Timothée Chalamet, will know, it's also one of his talents. [caption id="attachment_951455" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Caroline McCredie[/caption] The result: one of 2024's must-sees, no matter how you feel about tennis going in. It's also a flick with much to discuss, as Zendaya, O'Connor and Faist did when they made the trip Down Under to screen the film, and also get talking at a press conference. Similarly covered: Zendaya doing double duty as a producer on Challengers, the complexity of Tashi as a character, playing such competitive parts, the picture's love triangle and queer themes, its immersive cinematography by Call Me By Your Name and Suspiria's Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, if KC Undercover helped Zendaya prepare for her performance and making "codependency the movie", as she dubs it — and more. On Zendaya's Working Relationship with Luca Guadagnino as an Actor as Well as a Producer Zendaya: "It was really, really special. Producing is something that I'm definitely not new to, but for me it's always been a way to be creative in a different sense. I was always a shy kid, and so the more I do this, the more I love moving behind the camera. I love being able to learn from people and and grow from different directors, whether I'm a producer or not. I just like being on sets and learning and asking questions —and problem-solving and figuring out how things work. And then also I think it's being able to have — I learned quite early, I think, when I was younger, being able to have a real title allows you to be able to protect yourself in a lot of different spaces. It allows for you to be like 'actually, this is what's happening and I can be part of this conversation'. So it also allows me to protect my work and myself and people around me." On Tashi's Complexity and What Zendaya Was Most Looking Forward to Tackling in the Part Zendaya: "I guess the obvious thing to read — I mean, many things these characters do, but to read Tashi, you'd be like 'she's unlikable'. You judge her immediately. You're like 'she's too much'. It's messy. It's whatever. And so I think my job was trying to find her gooey centre, and trying to find her empathy, and why she makes the decisions and what pain it's coming from. And I think ultimately while she's ruthless, which I love, there is something to her that is — I think it's grief, I think it's grief over a career and a life that she never got to live. And I think her true love, her one true love, was always tennis. And she is trying whatever she can to be close to it, to touch it, to do it. And so she uses people to get that feeling, because she can't do it anymore on her own. And she's never really had a moment to just sit with it, and I think that she's never allowed herself a moment to feel bad for herself. She's just like 'moving on, what's next?'. [caption id="attachment_951462" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for Warner Bros[/caption] I think we're watching that become a very real thing for her once her tangibility or her closeness to tennis is threatened by the fact that her husband's ready to be done. And she's like 'what? What do you mean?'. So these people are lifelines for her. It's her holding herself up and keeping herself alive. So yeah, I think it was figuring out her nuance and not just make her just bitchy, because I don't think she is. I think there's a reason behind everything she does, I hope." On the Competitive Nature of the Film's Lead Trio Josh: "I think the competitiveness is also out of an obsession with each other. At the beginning of this film, in terms of the competitiveness, when they're younger that's there but — I don't want speak to their characters, but Art is is on the way of falling out of love with tennis. And I think Patrick is just desperate for connection. I think all three of them are desperate for connection, whether it's Art seeking to restore the the love in his marriage or Tashi to restore this three-way love affair. I think Patrick, likewise, the tennis to him is the the utmost connection. He's always searching for that with Art, and with Tashi, too. And so I think the competitiveness comes secondary to that. But then also there's…" Zendaya: "We're so competitive with each other." Josh: "We are very competitive, but when it comes to tennis, not that competitive because we can't compete. But we were competitive between takes in things like Rock, Paper, Scissors and mini tennis, which I'm actually…" Mike: "Very good." Josh: "…Phenomenal at. That was very competitive." [caption id="attachment_951456" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Caroline McCredie[/caption] On Whether This is a Film About Love, Tennis or the Love of Tennis Mike: "It's kind of this weird thing, because I think we naturally as humans bring whatever thing that we're trying to get out of our work — we fall in love with whatever we do, whether that's storytelling in what you guys do or storytelling in what we do. And we can't help but put a piece of ourselves into that, and we're trying to get something out of that as well at the same time. And so there is this kind of bleeding of lines of that. And so it's probably both, is the truth of the matter." Zendaya: "We say it's 'codependency the movie'. I think that's what it's about. I also think it's about a million things, and I think tennis is the metaphor in which they use, or we use, to express that. What I think is really enjoyable, I think people, I've watched it with family and people who are not tennis people or don't really understand how tennis work, and they still feel like they're like 'ohhhhh' inside the match. And there's something alive in them, they still like they can follow it and it makes sense to them. While hopefully people who do really care about tennis will not be distracted by any of our imperfect forms, and will also be able to enjoy it and feel connected in their own personal way. So I hope it's for everyone." [caption id="attachment_947834" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Euphoria, Eddy Chenn, HBO.[/caption] On Which of Their Previous Roles Helped the Cast Prepare for Challengers Zendaya: "KC Undercover. No, I'm kidding. No, listen, the Disney stuff really does — it's a good training ground." Josh: "I did one sports film a long time ago, very early in my career. I had like one scene with dialogue and then one scene cycling. It was called The Program. Stephen Frears [The Lost King] is the director, it was Ben Foster [Finestkind] playing Lance Armstrong. I did no training, and I was cycling up, I think it's called the 21 turns in the Alps. And I got two turns in, and I always remember Stephen Frears was in a golf buggy going past, and all the other actors had been training for months, like Jesse Plemons [Civil War] and all these guys, and they were way ahead of me. And I was like [gasps] dying, and I was supposed to be one of the best ones. So, that doesn't answer your question, because that didn't prepare me at all." Zendaya: "That trauma." Josh: "Exactly, the trauma, I guess it taught me that I do have to prepare if I'm playing a sports person." [caption id="attachment_951463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Caroline McCredie[/caption] On Getting Into the Win-at-All-Costs Mindset Mike: "The thing is, that what drew me to the character of Art was this idea of falling out of love with your craft. It's kind of this thing, is this idea I think when you're in your twenties, at least for me, I can speak to myself, is that I'm I moved to New York to become an actor. And I'm just grinding. All you're doing is just working, working, working, working. You're hustling, hustling, hustling. And then you finally get to a place of somewhat success and you've kind of achieved what you thought was the thing, and then you're of left with that idea of 'well, now what?'. And it's that thing — you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. It's almost a curse, almost, that thing when you achieve that monumental moment of success. You start to wonder just for yourself 'well, where else can I actually go from here? What else is there in life? Is this all of who I am? What else does compile a life of a human?'. There's a lot of questions and existentialism that goes within that. And that's honestly what I just connected with, is the truth." [caption id="attachment_951457" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros[/caption] On the Way That Guadagnino Portrays Romance and Desire On-Screen, Including Through Tennis Josh: "Luca's always had this eye for, or an instinct to push that desire, and how to tell desire in ways that are less than obvious — and intriguing. I feel like that's just the responsibility of cinema generally, is how do you show something that is going to resonate in a new way, in a way that we haven't seen before? And yet also, Luca displays really classic, inspired-from-classics ways of telling love as well. At the same time, he references other films a lot. And so, he's always pushing it that one step further, I think. It feels exciting. Yesterday we were asked in an interview about the sex scenes. And Z was like 'there aren't any'. It wasn't a stupid question. It was a reasonable question, because it feels so on the edge of that at all times — and actually the tennis is the sex scene. That's their intimacy, and when they're vulnerable." Zendaya: "I do want to chime in real quick and say for someone who had really no idea about tennis and how it worked — because I remember all of us sitting around, and Luca was like, 'wait, so what do the lines, where do they stand like, what is this?'. And we would write out little maps and be like 'okay, so it goes here, and the ball goes here, and what does that mean?'. So for someone who really started, he really, I think, very quickly understood how to capture the the game — really did it in a way that felt very emotional as well. We never are disconnected from any one of these characters throughout their match, and I think it was very exciting how he made us feel like we were sometimes the character. You know, sometimes the camera is the player, sometimes the camera is the ball, and you just feel immersed inside of this this game. You can feel the sweat and you can feel their heartbeat. I think that that was really, really special to watch him map out, really map out shot by shot — it was a long shot list — and figure out how to take an audience on a journey visually, but also emotionally, somehow too." On How the Film Tells Its Tale Visually Thanks to Cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom Zendaya: "Sayombhu is amazing. He's such a lovely presence to be around. I think also he's got such a calmness to him, and you can watch him, he'll sit down in his chair and he just looks around, and he's checking the light. Then he'll get up and he'll test something. He'll look, he'll fix it. Then he'll just go sit back down. He's so calm, and and masterful at what he does. Obviously, his previous work, we can see that. I know this is stupid to say, but like I felt like very, I don't know, like I felt like the light kind also played so much into how our characters — it's not stupid to say, I take that back — it played into our characters. He somehow gave us some kind of youthful glow, somehow, and was able to like make us look younger through his lights, and make us feel like we were in a different part of our life with the way that. He illuminated our, I don't know, our skin or colour. I'm not sure the specific technique in which he did so, but I felt like I could see a difference in tonality with the way he chose to to light us when we're younger versus when we're older. And I never actually asked him if he did anything different, or if that was a choice by any means, but I felt it at least watching it. Something feels like when they're younger, the colours feel richer or something, like there's just like the exuberance, and then something he did, he gave us, he contributed, I think, a lot that emotional arc of where the characters go." Josh: "He's also really like such a gift for a cinematographer to allow space, so that when you — it sounds really obvious, but it's actually such a talent, to make you feel like there's not a camera there. He was really good at that creating that environment. So Sayombhu, we saw him a lot in rehearsals, and he was the sweetest, most gentle guy. And then during filming, you just see him run past and be like 'what's he doing? He's doing some magic.'. But really, apart from in the tennis match with the cameras in your face, it generally really felt like we were in our world and left to it, if that makes sense." On Exploring the Film's Love Triangle and Queer Angles Josh: "In some ways, those conversations were never needed to be had, because really it's very apparent from the beginning that love and attraction and lust they have for each other is just unanimous. The point is that the three of them are bound together from the start. The three of us were talking about the first, one of the early scenes when Zendaya comes — oh, Tashi comes — to the hotel room and the three of them are sat there on the floor, which is such a teenage feeling. I think that's captured so well. But it's really funny as well. And I think from that moment on, the three of them are bound. And so that scene where it's a sort of three-way kiss, and then Tashi's enjoying the observation of the two of them, of Art and Patrick, I just think that puts them in this this tornado together — which allows for them to be incredibly nasty to each other, and act badly and act brilliantly, and compete and push each other. And so the undertones of relationships between all three of them go up and down at all times. So it's sort of unspoken, but yeah, I can see that that's that's very much there." Zendaya: "I agree. Also, just Luca is brilliant, and he knows how to carve things out that he wants more of, and nuance. And so much is done in things that I think aren't even on the page. You know, there's the scene that's on the page, and then there's another one that the characters aren't speaking, but they're saying to us and we can all very clearly read what they're saying. I think that's where he's so masterful. I mean, he knows what he's doing. So there's such a trust in in his taste, and what his vision is, also, for the characters. And that was apparent when I had my first meeting with him. He really understood them and their connection and their love and their lust and their everything in a deeper way than was just purely on paper. So yeah, it's definitely there." On Playing Someone Who Exudes Power — and Whether Zendaya Relates Zendaya: "I guess in some ways. I think she enjoys power in a way that I don't think I would ever be comfortable with. I think to me, I have an uncomfortable relationship with that idea. But her, I think it's very clear, I think, from when we first meet her that she's completely unafraid of her power and wielding it over other people, and playing with it and and toying with it, which is what I appreciated about it. It didn't take her injury to turn into this ruthless power whatever. She was like that as a teenager. She was already going into the game like this. She was like 'I'm a winner and I know that, and I know how to control people, through whatever'. It's clear from the beginning, so I appreciated that we weren't trying to reason her personality or trying to apologise for how she is. She just is this way, and we just see her, like I said, we see that strong veneer fall apart. The the decision-making gets a little messier, because I think it's now — when she was younger, it was fun, and now it's for survival. Before she was just toying with them because it was fun. And now it's like, 'no, this is my life now'. So I think the stakes became different. I don't want to relate too much to her now. But I say don't judge them, because I find that upon first viewing, you'll have an opinion — and then you watch it again and I guarantee that opinion will change. And then you watch it again, and it might change again. I feel like every time I watch it, I'm like 'ooh, Tashi girl, what are you doing?'. And then the next thing I'm like 'actually, she didn't do anything wrong and it was Art all along'. And then I'm like 'actually, Patrick, should have never said that'. So every time I'm angry at a different character, or I feel more passionate about a different character. I feel heartbroken for — it constantly changes. So I say don't judge because I feel like your opinions will change every time you watch it. And that's the fun part about the film. You just never really have the answers you want, and that makes you question everything and question yourself. And like 'who do I feel like?' It's just one of those those pieces. That was not to promote or anything — I genuinely mean it, every time I've watched it." Josh: "But also go at least three times. But, seriously, go four times." Challengers opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Read our review. Challengers stills: Niko Tavernise / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you could only choose one word to sum up Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, 'intense' would fit. It's also a term that describes Mike Ehrmantraut, the ex-Philadelphia cop who became a fixer for Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito, The Boys) and Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk, Lucky Hank) in their criminal endeavours. As played by Jonathon Banks for over a decade between the two shows, the private investigator, hitman and security head was one of the Breaking Bad realm's formidable forces. In a franchise where no one characterisation ever fit anyone — it all started with a high-school chemistry teacher who became a methamphetamine cook, after all — Mike could also be one of the deservedly acclaimed saga's most vulnerable figures. Ask Banks what it's been like to move on from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul after such a lengthy stint — and after featuring so prominently in two of the best shows of the 21st century — and he first brings up another stretch that's worlds away from award-winning crime dramas. "It wasn't quite a decade that I spent in Melbourne and Sydney, and in Auckland in New Zealand at one time, with Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar — and a failed production that I directed of Grease, way before you were born," he tells Concrete Playground as we start to discuss his latest project, darkly thrilling new Apple TV+ sci-fi series Constellation. Banks is best-known of late for his time as Ehrmantraut; with five Emmy nominations and a 2023 Screen Actors Guild Award nod for his efforts, rightly so. But as bringing up his theatre background makes plain, there's so much more to Banks than his now-iconic recent part. Emmy love came his way back in the 80s, too, for his breakthrough role in crime procedural series Wiseguy. Before that, he has everything from spoof movie Airplane! and Gremlins to the Eddie Murphy (Candy Cane Lane)-starring 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop on his resume. Since then, there's barely a TV show that hasn't benefited from his presence, including beloved comedies Community and Parks and Recreation, while his movie appearances are as varied as Horrible Bosses 2, Mudbound and The Commuter. Constellation sees Banks star alongside Noomi Rapace, who is no stranger to famous characters herself thanks to Lisbeth Salander in the original Swedish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo films. Here, the show's two biggest names trade illicit dealings for astronauts, plus the fact that venturing into the heavens, then trying to come back, might have consequences. Rapace plays Jo Ericsson, who is at the International Space Station when the series begins, returning to earth after a tragedy. As Henry Caldera, Banks is a former space traveller who has been there, done that, also weathered a disaster above our pale blue dot and now has ISS residents oversee his quantum physics experiments. Doing double duty as Bud Caldera as well, Banks similarly steps into Henry's fellow ex-astronaut twin's shoes. At the heart of Constellation is the search for truth, with the series joining Apple TV+'s many mysteries, a genre that the streaming platform keeps gravitating towards (Criminal Record, The Changeling, The Crowded Room, Hijack and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters are just some of its efforts of late that also fit the bill). As its narrative twists, turns and plunges into conspiracies, it's also a series about grappling with the full reality of being alive, facing mortality and confronting the enormity of the universe. And, as well as being stellar all-round, it's home to Banks' latest great performance — or, to be accurate, performances. Constellation premieres on Wednesday, February 21 — and in the leadup, we explored the series with Banks, including its place in his filmography and, to get here, the process of farewelling Mike Ehrmantraut. "Mike was a great character, but you've got to leave Mike behind. Mike's got to go away," he notes, as Breaking Bad viewers knew going into prequel series Better Call Saul. What that means for Banks, what appeals to him after playing Mike and his take on Constellation also featured in our chat. [caption id="attachment_757254" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Better Call Saul[/caption] On What Banks Was Looking for After Over a Decade in the Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul World "I'm pretty open. You know, I wouldn't mind playing a fop in a restoration comedy, as far as that goes. But I think with Constellation, Michelle MacLaren [who was one of Breaking Bad's executive producers and directors, and also a director on Better Call Saul] sent me the script, which I totally was bewildered by when I read it the first time. Then, because I wanted to work with Michelle and definitely Noomi — I very much respect Noomi's work — so then I'm all in. And then I get to meet Peter Harness [Constellation's creator] and I get to meet the other actors, and it's been a joy. It's been really good." On Taking on Dual Roles in Constellation — and Preparing to Step Into an Astronaut's Shoes "Well, one's bad and the other one's worse. Henry is driven by the power, and the need and the ego to succeed. The other one wallows in self-pity, and is arguably more talented and more intelligent than his brother, who has been successful. It's fun. I approach it with the respect. When I was very young, I thought these people, their intelligence — which is indeed, they are so intelligent. They're also motor geniuses physically, in what they go through and what they're faced with. So, my first take on it is, I try to do it with respect, and respect to who they are — and I hope I pull that off in some small way." [caption id="attachment_941930" align="alignnone" width="1920"] El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, Ben Rothstein/Netflix[/caption] On Banks' Knack for Playing Both Formidable and Vulnerable "It's in all of us. It's in you. It's in me. But if I can call on those emotions and bring them forth a little bit easier than some people, how lucky I am to be able to do that? And how lucky I am to have the chance to be able to do that? I love being an actor. It's the only thing I ever wanted to do — ever, ever — as long as I can remember." On What Banks Makes of His Five-Decade Career "Pretty nice, huh? Pretty lucky. Beyond lucky. I'll tell you what happens: I am 77 years old, and it becomes a huge reflection on a lifetime. I can out-poor most people when I was very young, raised by a single mum back when there wasn't that a lot of that around — or at least to my knowledge. And I am stunned at my good fortune in my life, about how well I'm treated. And I try, and I do remind myself, that all of us have moments when we feel down or whatever. I think Noomi — who fights about where and what, and where she comes and where she ends up — is trying to be a good person, which makes it such a pleasure to be around her. And you watch Michelle, with her daughter. Michelle is a force of nature that's coming at you. She is so involved in trying to do a good job. And what's fun is with her young daughter, when her young daughter goes 'mummy can giraffes dance?' and it just stops her, and there she is dealing with the child, and all that energy goes, turns and becomes the loving and the nurturing of a child. Now I'm telling you that because that's what I'm surrounded by all through this project. How many people get to experience such a thing in their life? You've got to pay attention to it. Because most of us would recall bad things that have happened, times we've been hurt, times our heart was broken, times we were broke, times we were hungry. But for me, the reality is — god, I sound like a maudlin asshole — I've been gifted. What can I tell you?" [caption id="attachment_941937" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Breaking Bad, Ursula Coyote/AMC[/caption] On Revisiting Mike Ehrmantraut Again If the Possibility Came Up — and Making More Constellation "I love Mike. But you know what, we were left with the mystery of Mike. We have been left with that taste. For me, it's like reading that good book that you never want to end. I remember reading Les Miserables and getting about 40 pages from the end, and going 'no, no, I can't, this can't end' and starting it all over again. And now I'm going 'no, you can't do that'. I think it's time to let Mike go. As far as Constellation, I'm all in. Let's do it. Let's just keep doing it." Constellation streams via Apple TV+ from Wednesday, February 21. Read our review.
In a city as culturally and geographically rich as Sydney, the word 'iconic' is bandied about quite a bit. While it's often an exaggeration, there's no denying the impact the precinct at 25 Martin Place has had on the city's skyline. The precinct — formerly known as the MLC Centre — has been an instantly recognisable icon of Sydney's built landscape for over 40 years. A gift to the harbourside locale by legendary architect Harry Seidler, the building was the tallest skyscraper in the southern hemisphere when it opened in 1978, and became the benchmark for visionary design throughout Australia as it drove the Sydney skyline into the future. More recently, the landmark structure has undergone an extensive renovation and revamp that will position it as a new CBD hub for fashion, dining, business and culture. It's also been renamed 25 Martin Place, celebrating its location in the heart of the city. We've teamed up with 25 Martin Place to take a closer look at the new dining and drinking venues bringing fresh life to this Sydney icon.
Love the finer things in life? Sydney's Good Food & Wine Show (GFWS) is the place to be for budding gastronomes from Friday, June 20–Sunday, June 22. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, the GFWS team has gone above and beyond for its latest edition, bringing together over 300 gourmet exhibitors, celebrity chefs, masterclasses and interactive experiences bound to get your mouthwatering. Delving into the program, one name is sure to surprise. Supermodel and entrepreneur Tyra Banks will be in the house showcasing her couture-meets-cones ice cream brand, SmiZE & DREAM, ahead of its flagship store launch in Darling Harbour. Meanwhile, a fascinating 45-minute masterclass presented by Kristen Tibballs, aka the Chocolate Queen, invites participants to learn how cocoa beans' origins influence flavour profiles. Also on the program, Valérie Henbest from the Smelly Cheese Co takes guests on a global tour of cheese, as you're invited to pair top-notch Australian wines with cheese, chocolate and flavours of the world. Then, over in the Sonos Bar, you'll take part in expert-led cocktail and champagne tastings set to a crystal-clear ambient soundtrack delivered by the brand's smart speakers. Tea-lovers won't want to miss The Art of Luxury Tea with Dilmah. Here, the legendary brand welcomes guests to sample unlikely tea pairings, like chocolate and cheese, alongside tea cocktails with an inventive twist. Finally, no visit to the GFWS is complete without a trip to the Cheese Corner and the Good Food Village, where over 300 exhibitors offer gourmet goods, from artisan treats to premium kitchenware.
Beloved pub The Erko received a welcome facelift in 2023 and, with it, a refreshed menu that uses produce from its own in-house garden and the Erko Road Community Garden a few doors down. The kitchen is now under the stewardship of head chef Ethan Robinson (ex-Chiswick). Robinson has reimagined the classic pub grub fare with a seasonal menu. Highlights of the starters section include the seared haloumi with quince local honey and fresh rosemary, served in a piping hot cast iron pan; egg yolk-topped steak tartare; and fried chicken sliders with house-made hot sauce and urban honey. For mains, you can't go past the chicken schnitzel or succulent lamb rump plated up with white bean and bacon fricasse. Vegetarians aren't forgotten with the 'Cheeky Pea' falafel burger and casarecce pasta. You can leave things up to the chef and opt for the $45 chef's choice tasting menu, available for groups of two or more, or time your visit to take advantage of one of the daily deals, such as $2 oysters every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm. For dessert, you can choose between the moreish (and massive) pear crumble with vanilla ice cream or the freshly baked peanut butter, dark chocolate and sea salt cookie. If your pooch is with you and hungry, you can order house-made dog biscuits, a muesli bar or even a raw beef tartare for the fancy pups. The crew have a considered collection of wine available in its drinks list and on-site bottle shop. You'll find diverse drops from across Australia, with a few international tipples showing up, plus there are plenty of natty wines and biodynamic drops to choose from. For a proper good deal, grab a one-litre squealer of Alpha Box & Dice vino for just $25 — and when you bring back the bottle, you get $5 off your next refill. The watering hole has plenty of Aussie craft beer alongside the usual draughts and signature and classic cocktails. There are a few intriguing non-alcohol beverages, too. Opt for the house soda made with 'Ethan's leftover syrup', which changes with the seasons, or a twist on an iced tea made with Ireland's favourite brew: Barry's Gold. Perch yourself at the bar, out in the beer garden or at one of the many candlelit seats in the main bar area to enjoy this year-round favourite. Image credit: Steven Woodburn, Orlaith Costello
Fancy a little Parisian charm without leaving Sydney? Pioneering hidden bar Door Knock launched their new concept earlier this year, pairing a French-inspired neighbourhood bar with the vibe of an underground speakeasy. Both the venue's decor and culinary offerings underwent a significant transformation — dark, sultry and subterranean, the glow-up certainly lives up to its European inspiration. Still hidden behind an unassuming entrance with nothing but a polished brass pineapple doorknocker to let you know you're in the right place, don't expect the Nordic decor that came before once you get inside. Now, the space has been adorned with vintage French mirrors, herringbone panelling, marble tables, leather seating and dimly lit lampshades. For those who've wandered Paris' streets, there's a good chance you've stumbled in somewhere similar. The menu is also rejuvenated to suit Door Knock's new mood. Led by Head Chef Joe Slakey, dishes are designed for sharing and are likely to change with the seasons. The wine offering has also been rejigged, with an expanded menu highlighting drops from France, Italy and Australia. Signature cocktails evolve based on the bartenders' "current obsessions" but may include the likes of the Bullfighter with tequila, mezcal, apricot, lime and coconut cream. "We're not trying to be a high-end restaurant, we've created an accessible and affordable menu, while not sacrificing on big, bold flavours," says owner John Grace. "It was important for us to pay homage to Door Knock's history, while also ushering in a new era, one which allows you to step off from Pitt St and into another world." Door Knock has introduced a new, invitingly affordable lunch special, commencing on Thursday, October 9. Once you've found the hidden bar, you'll be rewarded with one of Slakey's mains and a glass of wine for just $25. Rotating weekly, choose between scotch fillet, crispy pork belly, crab cakes and beef sliders. The lunch special is available from noon to 3pm on Thursday and Friday. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
Journey into an underground bitter theatre at the MUCHO Group's negroni-fronted Herbs Taverne, which showcases classic cocktails with a tightly curated menu of negronis, aperitifs and digestifs. Expect the same creative flair as seen in bustling sister venues, like Cantina OK!, Centro 86, Bar Planet and Tio's Cerveceria, with a myriad of drink and design influences blended together to create a dynamic space that borders on the psychedelic. Centred on a small selection of core drinks that impress and surprise in equal measure, Herbs' menu spans a few riffs on the classic negroni, a small selection of house-blended digestifs, and a handful of original cocktails. The eponymous Herbs Negroni nods to tradition, with gin, Campari and an inventive mix of two red vermouths — one rich and one bright. The Gold Negroni dazzles with gin, Cocchi, Gentian, and Chinola. As for the digestifs, highlights may include the likes of the Fuji, which blends Montenegro with meshu, or try a Seagreen cocktail with vodka, sake, rocket, lime and sugarcane. "We're honoured to open our sixth beautiful venue, Herbs Taverne," says Daisy Tulley, MUCHO Group's General Manager. "Herbs is another nugget of joy for Sydney — a warm, cosy, artistic space with delicious, surprising cocktails and an inclusive and empathic team who are ready to make memories. And the popcorn recipe is our best yet." While the influences behind Herbs come from far and wide, the bar's philosophy also looks inward to Sydney's culinary pantry. Merging European drinking traditions with down-to-earth ingredients, the 45 amaros collected from Italy to Japan are complemented with fixings picked from Polish delis and Chinese grocers, capturing the city's multicultural makeup. "We're trying to connect flavours that sing together, without being boxed into the expectations of their origin. Delicious cocktails that step just far enough outside of frame to feel distinctively MUCHO," adds Jeremy Blackmore, Creative Director at MUCHO Group. Herbs' design also doesn't miss a beat, ramping up the ethos further with an eclectic fusion of 1900s theatre, mid-century diners, German shoe shops and Flemish Renaissance paintings. Surreal but somehow cohesive, the venue immerses visitors through a wrap-around mirror, red velvet furnishings and vintage wood-panelled decor. Meanwhile, the soundtrack proudly leans into early 2000s New York indie nostalgia. Primed for a big night out, kick back with a ruby-red concoction, MUCHO's iconic complimentary popcorn, and the irreverent tones of LCD Soundsystem or The Strokes beneath the disco ball. Images: Nikki To.
Anything can happen at Dark Mofo. One of two massive arts festivals run by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, the winter event has always prided itself on being a fest where the dark, sinister, confronting and boundary-pushing come together, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. So, for its first program announcement for 2023, a wild dance theatre performance inspired by Dante's The Divine Comedy sounds completely in the event's wheelhouse. That production is A Divine Comedy, hailing from Austrian choreographer and performance artist Florentina Holzinger, and hitting Dark Mofo as both an Australian premiere and an Aussie exclusive. Playing for three days throughout the festival's Thursday, June 8–Thursday, June 22 dates for 2023, it dives into the hell, purgatory and paradise of Dante's classic work, all to explore how humans negotiate life and death. "We are thrilled to present Florentina Holzinger's A Divine Comedy for Dark Mofo 2023. She is a super-talented artist who is brazenly contemporary and culturally relevant," Creative Director Leigh Carmichael said, announcing the news. "This is the most incredibly wild theatre performance that we have presented in the history of Dark Mofo. Its scale is unprecedented and bold, a fitting highlight for our tenth festival. We can safely say the audience will be anything but bored." Holzinger is known for making challenging and provocative theatre, and for exploring gender relations — including how women's bodies are represented in art and media. For A Divine Comedy, she's staging the whole show as a giant autopsy room, in fact, then unleashing choreography that dances with existence, mortality, the end that awaits us all, and our struggle to cope with what that all means. Dark Mofo attendees will watch a cast of all-female-identifying performers spanning all ages, as well as a variety of physical, musical and athletic disciplines, take to the stage for the work. And, they'll see nude performers, slapstick acts, bodily substances and references to slasher movies as well — plus a jam-packed selection of nods to art and dance's respective histories. A Divine Comedy will play Dark Mofo from Friday, June 16–Sunday, June 18, with the rest of the fest's program set to be revealed this autumn. Whatever else joins the bill to help the event officially hit ten years, it'll be part of Carmichael's last at the helm. He'll step down after Dark Mofo 2023, making way for a new Artistic Director from 2024 onwards. [caption id="attachment_846523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winter Feast, Dark Mofo 2021, Dark Mofo/Jesse Hunniford, 2021. Image Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] Wondering what else might be in store? Previous years' lineups have seen a fantastical combination of musical performances, performance art and large-scale installations come together. In 2019, the program featured the likes of artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, American musician Sharon Van Etten and one of the world's largest glockenspiels, for instance. In 2022, patrons were treated to performances by The Kid LAROI, and the sounds of Chernobyl and Candyman — plus rainbow installations, and signature festivities such as the Nude Solstice Swim, the City of Hobart Winter Feast, Night Mass: Transcendence in the In The Hanging Garden precinct and the Reclamation Walk. Already keen to get booking? Fancy a Tasmania trip in the interim? Our Concrete Playground Trips Hobart getaway might also be of interest. [caption id="attachment_800592" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lusy Productions[/caption] Dark Mofo 2023 will run from Thursday, June 8–Thursday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. The 2023 program will be announced in autumn — check back here for further details. A Divine Comedy will play Dark Mofo from Friday, June 16–Sunday, June 18. A ticket ballot for the show is open until 12pm AEST on Friday, February 10. A Divine Comedy images: Nicole Marianna Wytyczak. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Beer isn't just a beverage; it's an experience. And that's what Suntory The Premium Malt's House is all about. It offers beer lovers a rare opportunity to enjoy exclusive Japanese beers alongside fun, interactive beer-related activities, mega giveaways and delicious Japanese snacks. The destination? Leading Japanese brewing group Suntory is bringing the one–off beer experience, celebrating the fusion of Japan's finest brews and Sydney's vibrant dining scene, to Darling Quarter's ICHOUME from Friday, July 25, to Sunday, August 17. The Japanese eatery will serve six exclusive tap-only draft styles, all freshly brewed in Kyoto and flown directly from Kyoto Brewery, straight to your lips. One of the six beers is Kaoru ale, available on tap for the very first time in the southern hemisphere. Topped with extra creamy foam, the Japanese ale-style beer is the definition of easy drinking. Now, we Aussies can indulge in its fruity flavours and bask in its honey and malty notes, without leaving the country. And the good times don't stop there. Visitors can also enjoy Sunset style, Black, Half&half, and Mliko. Sunset style is the Premium Malt's pilsner with the black creamy foam. Its name was inspired by the way it's poured—beautiful like a setting sun, while The Black is brewed with roasted malt. Half&Half is a mix of the Premium Malt's and the Black, and Mliko is made entirely of creamy 'Kamiawa' foam. With so many options and unique flavours, you're bound to find your new favourite brew. The pop-up offers yet another rare opportunity for beer lovers to savour the fruits of Japan's unique 'Kamiawa' — a creamy, ultra-fine foam technology that locks in aromatic complexity, prevents oxidation and maintains freshness while enhancing mouthfeel and smoothness. Imagine experiencing this heavenly, foamy, creamy goodness, paired with an intense flavour and unparalleled freshness. We're already salivating at the mere thought. In addition to sipping on rare beers from Japan, guests can enjoy food pairings and seasonal Japanese dishes for a truly immersive experience. Think ramen, gyoza, tempura, and plenty more. There will also be a beer foam art machine, where guests can print selfies on beer foam with a printer using malt extract. Yes, that's right; the foam is so delicate and creamy that you can print an image of it. Or, if selfies aren't your thing, the team will also be serving beer straight from a backpack keg—when else would you get the chance to enjoy beer from a backpack? If you can't make it to ICHOUME, don't worry, the campaign expands across 11 satellite venues across Sydney. How many venues can you conquer? This year's locations include: Rei Izakaya, Taruhachi Bento, Gold Class Daruma, Daruma Japanese in Haymarket, Yakitori Chaco Bar, and various YAYOI venues including Galeries, Chatswood, World Square, Westfield, Market City and Hurstville. While Kaoru ale is only available at ICHOUME, plus — don't miss your chance to score limited-edition original merchandise giveaways, available while supplies last. The other venues will offer exclusive Premium Malt's sets, special winter offers and discounts, and their own signature food — perfect for making your night truly memorable. To top it all off, there will be happy hour deals that are almost too good to be true. While offerings will differ based on which venue you attend, standouts include $10 for Kaoru ale/ The Premium Malt's at ICHOUME and 'The Premium Malt's' Special for just $6 at YAYOI Chatswood. The Suntory Premium Malt's is taking over ICHOUME from Friday, July 25, to Sunday, August 17. For more information, visit The Premium Malt's website or Instagram. Images: Supplied.
While some of us don't mind waiting around for a really good meal, not everyone wants to spend their evening glaring down diners as they sip and chew in slow motion and take an eternity to leave. With some of Sydney's top restaurants, such as Restaurant Hubert, operating under a strict no-reservations policy (for less than six), the question remains, how much do you really want that charred bavette steak, slathered in melty café de Paris butter, or that quivering egg custard with bitter caramel sauce? If you're not prepared to put your name on a clipboard and your hunger on hold, check out our list of emergency back-up plans, to help save your night.
Art galleries don't just showcase great works by renowned talents on their own walls. They also loan out their collections, touring them to other sites around the globe. That's great news for Australians, who've been able to check out pieces from London's Tate Britain and New York's Museum of Modern Art in recent years, all without leaving the country. Come 2021, you'll also be able to feast your eyes on two big collections of European masterpieces from two different overseas institutions: from New York's The Met, which is heading to Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, and from London's National Gallery, which'll take over the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The latter, called Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London, has just been announced — and will hit the Australian Capital Territory from March 5–June 14, 2021. If you were looking for a reason to take a local holiday interstate next year, the NGA has not just one but 60, because that's how many works this huge exhibition will feature. The gallery isn't joking about the showcase's title, either. When you'll be exhibiting Van Gogh's Sunflowers, you can throw around the word 'masterpiece' as much as you like. Other high-profile works include Rembrandt's Self Portrait at the Age of 34, plus Vermeer's A Young Woman seated at a Virginal. And, artist-wise, Titian, Velázquez, Goya, Turner, Renoir, Cézanne, Botticelli, El Greco, Constable, Van Dyke, Gainsborough and Gauguin are all also on the bill. [caption id="attachment_792837" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers 1888, National Gallery, London, Image courtesy the National Gallery, London[/caption] When peering at the exhibition's pieces, art aficionados will be taken through seven important periods in Western European art history, from a range that spans 450 years. That means exploring work from the Italian Renaissance, checking out the Dutch painting of the Golden Age, and feasting your eyes on British portraiture — as well as scoping out pieces from the 17th- and 18th-century Grand Tour, Spanish art from the 17th century, works that focus on landscape and the picturesque, and examining the birth of modern art. When Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London hits our shores, it'll mark a big milestone, too — as the largest batch of works to venture beyond the United Kingdom in National Gallery's 192-year history. Announcing the exhibition, National Gallery of Australia Director Nick Mitzevich mentioned exactly what you're probably now thinking — that is, that the showcase is a nifty way to see the world in a period when we can't venture far physically. "At a time when Australian audiences are unable to travel overseas, we are thrilled to be able to welcome visitors to Canberra to see this exclusive showcase of world-class art," he said. Botticelli to Van Gogh: Masterpieces from the National Gallery, London exhibits at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra from March 5–June 14, 2021, with tickets on sale now. Top images: Installation view, Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London; installation view, Anthony van Dyck, Lady Elizabeth Thimbelby and Dorothy, Viscountess, The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London; installation view, Giovanni Giralomo Savoldo, Mary Magdalene (far left), The National Gallery, London © The National Gallery, London.
First, gyms. Then, saunas. Now, skincare is the latest service to get the membership treatment. Late-2022 saw the launch of Fayshell, Australia's first membership-based skin clinic in Bondi Junction. A second clinic is due to open on Sydney's North Shore any day now. Katelin Gregg and Ella James are behind the new beauty concept. After years of educating others on cosmetic enhancements and skincare via their podcast Cosmechix, the powerhouse duo are now channelling their knowledge into a bricks-and-mortar offering. The aim is to rebrand facials from a once-in-a-blue-moon treat to a regular step in a monthly self-care regime. "Facials shouldn't be reserved for a big event or a luxury day spa. This was our inspo behind the brand. We wanted to bring facials into the every day, educating our clients about their skincare needs and offering a customised experience to ensure they put their best face forward," says James. There are three membership tiers available, starting with the Basic Fayshell. For $169 per month, members will get one facial fully tailored to their skin concerns and goals. A dermal therapist will also help you craft an at-home routine, including skincare recommendations and nutrition advice. For $229, you'll also score unlimited LED light therapy sessions as well as more advanced treatments such as skin needling, hydrabrasion, herbal peels and chemical peels. "The monthly treatments are like PT sessions; they push your skin hard to get lasting results. The LED members lounge is like the gym; the more you go, the better the results," says Gregg. Not ready to commit just yet? A once-off facial will set you back $179, including skin consultation and an ongoing skincare plan, while a drop-in LED Light Therapy session is $59 a pop.
In a city where personal style reigns supreme, one creative is standing out from the crowd. New Zealand-born stylist and content creator, Paris Wycherley, mixes vintage finds, elevated streetwear and tomboy silhouettes to create a uniquely self-expressive Melbourne-inspired look. "Melbourne fashion differs from other places because it's less about labels and brands and more about showing your individuality, thrift shopping and mixing and matching lots of different pieces," says Paris. "It's kind of anything goes, which I love." As a personal stylist, Paris often sources fashion across the city. With her keen eye for standout pieces and love of all things secondhand, she can often be found scouting Melbourne's vintage circuit. From Fitzroy's Brunswick Street to Smith Street, Goodbyes to Lost and Found Market, the stylist has a sixth sense for finding vintage deals among the bargain bins. So, what are her top tips for secondhand shopping? [caption id="attachment_1027350" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Image by Declan May[/caption] "Hunting for items across Melbourne's vintage stores is honestly like a sport to me," says Paris. Her ultimate vintage finds have included a leather vest from Comme des Garçons in Berlin and some Prada kitten heels. "They ended up getting worn to death on holiday because they were the only heels I could have a boogie in without getting blisters." But when it comes to secondhand shopping success, Paris credits persistence and time. "You have to go in with an open mind, head down, [and] get to work. Sometimes I can be in the vintage stores for hours, but once you find that special piece, the juice is definitely worth the squeeze." The stylist says she's found a winner when, if she left the piece behind, she knows it'd get snapped up by another fashion fan. "[I look for] unique pieces that I know if I leave it behind in the store, I probably won't see it again. Also, classic timeless pieces. A good vintage blazer is always needed and I collect slogan vintage tees, so I cannot pass up a good slogan." Alongside her persistence, Paris also uses the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 to snap inspiration and log her favourite stores. The phone is supercharged by Google Gemini, making it easier to discover, capture and share your style. Think of it as a style companion, or having someone like Paris in your pocket. You can see how Paris herself uses the tool for secondhand shopping in the video below. As a personal stylist and working for her partner's label, Monphell, Paris knows what makes good taste, and it's not keeping up with the never-ending (supercharged) trend cycle. "A sign that someone has good fashion taste isn't always about what they're wearing, but how they carry themselves and the confidence with what they're wearing," she affirms. "You don't have to keep up with the latest trends or spend your entire paycheck just to look good." [caption id="attachment_1027351" align="alignleft" width="1920"] Image by Declan May[/caption] Through her styling work, Paris aims to curate fashion pieces that feel authentic to the client and, most importantly, make them feel good. "I cannot stress enough that clothes should make you feel good." With her oversized fashion looks and seemingly effortless stream of content, Paris Wycherley is a fashion creative to watch. Whether she's shooting a lookbook with Monphell or sourcing for her clients, Paris proves that finding your style and taking the time to curate your wardrobe trump quick-and-easy trends every time. Explore more at Samsung. Flex Mode supported at angles between 75°and 115°. Some apps may not be supported in Flex Mode. Gemini is a trademark of Google LLC. Gemini Live feature requires internet connection and Google Account login. Available on select devices and select countries, languages, and to users 18+. Fees may apply to certain AI features at the end of 2025. Circle to Search not available on the FlexWindow. Results may vary per video depending on how sounds present in the video. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Lead image: Samsung
From the thriving food and drink hub Llankelly Place to the high-end boutiques of Macleay Street, Potts Point is an inner city suburb with lots of personality. If you're here in the day, it has a village-like community feel, where independent shop owners greet each other, and their customers, warmly and with pride. At night, it's lively with visitors to its well established bars and restaurants. One of the charming things about the area is the number of long-standing small businesses. It's full of incredible bookshops, boutique stores and beloved eateries, which makes shopping here a special experience. We've teamed up with American Express to bring you a list of six retailers that are well worth seeking out. You can shop small for paperbacks, local coffee and fresh flowers here with your Amex Card.
Holy smoke! A latecomer to the US-style dude food party is serving some of the best American barbecue in town. Forget the flame, this is 14-hour slow smoked brisket, ribs and pork shoulder that pull apart into meltingly soft shreds. Get the bibs out and let the meat sweats begin. Restauranteur Brody Petersen (Riley Street Garage, The Stuffed Beaver) and chef Brendhan Bennison have transformed the former Table for 20 site, in Surry Hills near Taylor Square, into an all-American beer bar. The decor is drenched in American memorabilia — think neon signs, old school beer ads and 6 football-blaring TVs competing for limited wall space. A break from the city's dark and moody cocktail scene, Surly's is a loud and boisterous tavern serving no-nonsense drinks and a diet-be-damned menu. Steering clear of boutique brews, the on tap selection features a few big shots from Colorado, including Coors lager, or better yet Blue Moon, a Belgian-like witbier spiced with orange peel and coriander. There's a list of cocktails too, but don't expect fancy glassware and elaborate garnishes. The Old Pal ($14.50) — which is described by the menu as "nothing fancy" — combines Jim Beam, Campari and sweet vermouth, while the Margarita ($15) is dead strong, served in a short tumbler with a 2 inch salt rim. No mucking about there. The menu is a collection of every dish you've ever wanted to eat but forbidden yourself to. For a hands-on bar snack, try the Buffalo hot wings ($12), battered onion rings ($12), cheesy jalapeno nachos ($10) or crinkle cut fries covered in melty cheese and bacon ($10). There's also a good-looking Handsome Mike's ($16) sandwich, which is stuffed with tender brisket shreds and a scoop of gooey mac 'n' cheese, which is as soft and creamy as rice pudding. Don't expect any respite from the menu; even the salads are packed with blue cheese, smoked bacon and creamy ranch dressing. The house specialty are the slow-smoked American barbecue plates, which come in beef brisket ($18), pork and beef spare ribs ($20/$25), pulled pork ($15) and chicken thigh ($11). The ribs have a thick layer of succulent meat topped with a juicy strip of white fat, while the crispy skin has been dry rubbed in a peppery spice mix. If you find your chicken is a little pink in the middle "calm down for chrissakes" reads the menu, "it's just the meat's reaction with the smoke." Duly noted. The barbecue plates come with a golden muffin of buttery, crumbly cornbread, plus your choice of two sides. Take your pick from mac 'n' cheese, coleslaw, beans, potato salad and crinkle-cut fries. With no desserts on the menu (not even one sugary doughnut), the evening comes to a sticky end. Photos by Bodhi Liggett.
Buddy's in Newtown is the suburb's first-ever self-service bar, taking over the site formerly occupied by Lentil As Anything. The King Street spot will have your beer-pulling skills on display, with each beverage you consume — whether that's a hoppy craft brew or a sweet and sour cocktail — coming from one of the 30+ self-serve taps around the venue. This two-storey boozery is the brainchild of co-owners Jimmy Roe and Duncan McGeoch, who've kept the fit-out relatively simple with ample seating, polished brick, and a heap of natural light, as well as playful custom artwork by Newtown artist Paul Tooth. The considerable drinks lineup comes from a carefully curated selection of local craft beer, natural wine, house-made cocktails and non-alcoholic options, all of which are stored in kegs. And the storage choice is purposeful. Roe and McGeoch are committed to reducing their environmental impact, ensuring that lowering waste and minimising the business's carbon footprint is top of mind and steers their business practices. Roe told Concrete Playground: "We want to offer an experience without the wastage that can be traditionally generated at hospitality venues." If you're wondering how exactly the self-serve system works (and how it isn't an RSA minefield), here's the general gist. You start by procuring a Buddy's venue card upon entrance and pre-load it with your desired amount to spend. From there, you head to the beverage wall where you grab a glass and select your booze of choice, tap your card to activate the tap and pour to your heart's content. The system tracks volume limits and is responsible for card reactivation, so you'll be kept in check. It's not all booze, though. If you're feeling peckish, Buddy's has partnered with the local crew from Rub-A-Dub seasoning and has a snack-heavy sharing menu on offer. You'll find a bunch of beer-friendly options like nachos, flatbread Italian pizzas and Rub-A-Dub's famous chicken ribs, alongside Aussie classics like fairy bread. And if you're catering to a larger group — or just up for an insane personal challenge — opt for the one-metre long bruschetta.
Bondi has scored a smart neighbourhood bistro that feels equal parts Parisian boîte and breezy seaside local. Designed for everything from post-beach spritzes to dimly-lit date nights, Bistro Bondi is the first full-service restaurant from the Appetizing Trade Group (Lox In a Box), bringing continental classics to an elegantly laidback corner of Warners Avenue. Bistro Bondi is brought to life by an all-star team of front- and back-of-house talent drawn from some of Sydney's most celebrated venues. At the helm are Executive Chef Isabelle Caulfield (Poly, Ester) and Head Chef Dan Andersen (Shell House). Together, they've built a menu that leans into Euro comfort with playful twists — think pâté with mustard fruit and bagel crisps, latkes topped with anchovy and comté, steak frites au poivre and charred prawns luxuriating in café de paris butter, best mopped up with fresh Baker Bleu baguette. Desserts follow a similar theme, with selections like chocolate mousse with warm churros, rhubarb crêpes and Campari granita with Mapo sorbet. Complementing the menu is a 70-bottle wine list curated by Jaymie Wallace (Love Tilly Divine, Lo-Fi, Melbourne's Embla), which balances local and European drops. At the bar, Tim Ham (Nour) shakes up both classic cocktails and summer-ready signatures like the Bondi Blue, an electric-blue riff on a piña colada topped with watermelon granita and a cocktail umbrella. Running the floor are Eden Elan (former General Manager of the Love Tilly Group) and Isaias Sirur (Pino's Vino e Cucina al Mare), who bring natural warmth and intuition, as well as an understated polish, that ties the whole experience together. Designed in warm tones and awash with soft light, Bistro Bondi channels old-world charm while retaining a distinctly local feel. "We wanted to bring something familiar yet elevated to Bondi, somewhere you could walk in straight from the beach or book for a special occasion," says Founder, Candy Berger. "It's European in flavour, but it still feels like home."
Whether you prefer your jazz cool as a cucumber or hot as a habanero, there's a free gig in Sydney for you. Nearly every night of the week, someone, somewhere is swinging. Jazz your way through the midweek hump at a Surry Hills stalwart in the company of Arthur Washington's Sexytet, then drift through Thursday night at a vegan Alexandria brewery with smooth singer Tilly Street. Come Sunday, wind up in East Sydney with a pint and the New Orleans sounds of legendary trumpeter Geoff Bull. Here's your guide to the best free jazz gigs in Sydney.
For many of us, the ideal getaway doesn't involve much more than lazing by a pool, perhaps with a cheeky bev in hand. At Sun Ranch — a sprawling 55-acre coastal estate in the Byron Bay hinterland, just two minutes from Bangalow — you can do exactly that, or go full cosmic cowboy with sound baths, horseback rides and stargazing beside a firepit. The self-described "boutique micro resort" is the vision of a collective of mates from across the creative and hospitality industries, and it shows — not just in the impressive suite of on-site experiences available, but also in the property's design. Inspired by the likes of Oxfordshire's Soho Farmhouse and Ojai Rancho Inn and Post Ranch Inn in California, Sun Ranch is simultaneously laidback and unmistakably luxe, blending the nostalgia of 70s Californian ranch houses with subtle Spanish influences and modern elegance. [caption id="attachment_1012681" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anson Smart[/caption] The ranch is anchored by The Rambler Longhouse, a north-facing guesthouse with four private ensuite bedrooms — each with direct access to the private pool just off the patio — and a detached one-bedroom suite. For extra privacy, there are six two-bedroom barns deeper into the property, which are completely off-grid. Each spacious barn boasts a fireplace with a custom daybed, an outdoor living space with a barbecue and an outdoor shower — not to mention uninterrupted views of the Byron hinterland beyond. It's luxe living with low impact: the barns are self-sufficient in electricity and water, the main guesthouse uses a hybrid of solar, battery and minimal grid power, and the estate runs entirely on rainwater. Beyond the lodgings, The Rambler Longhouse is also home to communal spaces like The Lair, an airy sunken lounge complete with a fireplace, and The Whiskey Lounge, a dramatic space centred around a low-set burgundy velvet sofa and made with a nightcap in mind. There's no restaurant on-site, but there is a complimentary daily breakfast that showcases produce from local growers, and an all-day menu that can be enjoyed in The Rambler Longhouse or poolside. [caption id="attachment_1011095" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anson Smart[/caption] Speaking of the pool, there are plenty of ways to connect with nature here, and at any speed you like. Take a dip in the 25-metre basalt stone mineral pool — perched hillside and backed by a sweeping hinterland vista — or dust off your shuttlecock at the full-sized grass badminton court. The property also features a sun-washed, plant-framed outdoor recreation area, a dedicated wellness zone with ice baths, a woodfired floating sauna, a natural cedarwood sauna, and a two-megalitre dam with a jetty. However you spend the day, you won't want to miss sunset at Stoney Ridge Healing Circle: a picturesque area at the top of the property marked by giant boulders and centred around a firepit. It's also a prime spot for stargazing (with a glass of wine in hand, should you wish). [caption id="attachment_1011094" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anson Smart[/caption] Sun Ranch is also the holiday home of Byron Bay riding club Zephyr Horses, and you can explore the verdant landscape and creekside on a one-hour guided horseback tour. It's one of several add-ons that lean into the cosmic cowboy vibe — equine-assisted therapy, cacao ceremonies, astrology readings and tea ceremonies are also available. Top images: Anson Smart.
This multi-storey pub is an important puzzle piece to Oxford Street's iconic LGBTQIA+ scene. Across its four storeys, The Oxford Hotel hosts many the late-night happening, from drag nights and comedy shows to live music. On the ground level is Oxford Bar, which is where you'll find the bistro and terrace. Downstairs is The Oxford Underground, which hosts private and public events on the reg. Level one is home to a retro New York-style cocktail bar with leather booths, red curtains and a stage, and on the top level is the elegant Polo Lounge, which has a private bar, balcony and fireplace. Images: Kitti Gould
Easter is right around the corner which means it's time to get ready for everyone's favourite rabbit to hop into town — and we're not talking about Peter, Roger or Bugs. If you're looking for a way to celebrate the long weekend without leaving the city, be sure to head to the Sydney Family Show this April. The annual event will be running from Saturday, April 9 till Monday, April 25 at the Entertainment Quarter, and there's plenty to see and do. Check out the action-packed motorcycle and bike show, turn yourself upside down on carnival rides, cuddle some adorable furry friends in the animal nursery and, of course, take home a showbag or two on your way out. New to the Show this year is a ferris wheel, so make sure you hop on to score a bird's-eye view of the festivities below. Tickets are $20 per person for adults and $10 for kids aged 3–15, or you can grab a family pass for $50 for four people. If you still have Parent and Discover NSW vouchers burning a proverbial hole in your pocket, you can use these for at-gate purchases. The Sydney Family Show will be happening at the Entertainment Quarter from Saturday, April 9 till Monday, April 25. For more information and to grab tickets, visit the website.
Navigating the monstrous Barangaroo House is not an easy feat. Should you head straight to the ground floor or climb to level one? Or two? What occasion befits what level? Where can you eat, drink and find the chicken salt martini? Stress not. We've done the hard yards for you — we've reviewed all three levels. So read below, then negotiate the building with ease. [caption id="attachment_651160" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kitti Smallbone[/caption] GROUND FLOOR: HOUSE BAR On the bottom floor is House Bar. Set just above street level and in prime waterfront position, it's the most approachable of the three outlets. Serving tap beer, cocktails and wine, it's all bar service and can get four- or five-deep on a busy night. It's aimed at, and well suited to, after-work drinkers with a mix of high communal tables, stools, and some lower tables, though the design is fairly neutral. The menu hero here is Japanese-stye pub food, well suited to a late lunch on a sunny Friday. Start light with steamed edamame or Sydney rock oysters, or get hot and heavy with chicken wings and miso hot sauce. Choose your main adventure with a rice bowl (pick the protein and sauce, the rest is universal) or step it up with some supremely delish burgers (crispy chicken cheeseburger or pumpkin and coriander katsu) served with chips. Wash it down with a sip from the wine list or any classic cocktail you can remember the name of. What's the deal? The most approachable level. Bar service. Japanese pub food and classic cocktails. When is it open? Monday–Tuesday, 12—10pm, Wednesday–Saturday 12pm–12am, Sunday 12–10pm. LEVEL 1: REKŌDO The next floor up is Rekōdo (Japanese for record). On the menu, expect more stylised Japanese cuisine and signature cocktails. A collaboration between leading hospitality architects H&E and interior design firm Studio Etic, Barangaroo House has lots of successful aesthetic elements, but Rekōdo is an ode to Japanese listening rooms — an intimate, dimly lit space with efficiently spaced seating and space to kick back. The food is equally considered in terms of design. Head chef Michael Dabbs has set up a Japanese-style share menu that caters to large crews and a relaxed dining experience. The style is seasonal, the produce is fresh, and the experience can be traditional or omakase-style. Ease into it with pork belly bao with tonkatsu or Moreton Bay bug with mentai mayo and nori. Keep things light with market sashimi and house soy or charred calamari with anchovy, or go all out with flame tail snapper with koji butter or swordfish skewers with yuzu. The drinks only improve as you ascend Barangaroo House, and Rekōdo goes all in on its Japanese inspiration with wine, sake and an impressive list of specialty cocktails. From the flavoursome Sawayaka (grapefruit infused Bombay Sapphire, honeydew and watermelon Campari, Martini Rosso) to the zesty Yuzu Be Crazy (Four Pillars Yuzu Gin, yellow chartreuse, yuzu, bergamot, pistachio), there's a drink for everyone. And finally, there's the origin of the name. You see, Rekōdo is a vinyl bar in more than just aesthetic. The playlists are curated, the beats are eternal, and the artists are some of the most talented disc jockeys in the game. What's the deal? Vinyl and vibes. Make a reservation. Enjoy the drinks and tunes with company. When is it open? Monday closed, Tuesday–Saturday, 12pm–12am, Sunday 12–10pm. [caption id="attachment_651143" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Kitti Smallbone[/caption] LEVEL 2: SMOKE Smoke is at the top of the building. Sydney is fairly low in this sector for a waterside city with our climate, so a great rooftop can never go astray. Although word has definitely got around, and most nights there won't be many spare seats among the well-heeled crowd. The most pleasing element is the dominance of a great big timber deck, with a good amount of indoor and outdoor greenery. The view is beautiful and an ideal time to come is as the sun is setting (just remember your sunnies) – to watch the sky turn from dusk to dark, dotted with city lights. The food direction here is in the menu of Japanese share-style plates. The wines by the glass are impressive, like an excellent Falmet champagne or an Australian Inkwell Primitvo from McLaren Vale. Snacks like sweet and spicy popcorn, yuzu steak tartare with cured yolk, devon and tomato sauce jaffle or crumpets with spanner crab and citrus tell an oddly familiar story. The story's plot becomes apparent when looking at the cocktail menu: nostalgia. At least that's the theme of the spring 2023 menu, with drinks inspired by fresh-cut lawns, hot chips coated in chicken salt and refreshing half-time orange wedges. One thing is clear: the whole development can be summarised in one word: ambitious. It has all the elements of talented designers, sommeliers and chefs, plus an enormous patronage capacity and towering futuristic structural dominance. What's the deal? Head in early. Order one of the custom martinis. And snacks. When is it open? Monday closed, Tuesday 3–10pm, Wednesday–Saturday 3pm–midnight, Sunday 2–10pm.
It feels like just yesterday that the US-based masters of all things sauce and wings broke new ground in Sydney. You might remember the TikToks, lines going around the block for almost six months, as hundreds of hungry patrons visited to get their hands on the Australian debut of Wingstop. Well, history is about to repeat itself, this time on the other end of town in Penrith. Wingstop's second Australian store is opening in the west, after fans across the city cried out for their suburb to be home to store number two, but Sydney's outer west was outspoken in its demand. Steve Kehl, Country Manager of Wingstop Australia, said, "From the moment we opened Kings Cross, Penrith became one of the most requested locations in the country." "Western Sydney told us loud and clear that they wanted Wingstop, and we've listened. The community energy out here is unmatched, we cannot wait to bring the flavour to Penrith, and then to the rest of Australia as we continue our plans for over 110+ locations across the country." Opening soon, there'll be an opening day extravaganza, just like that fateful day in Kings Cross back in May. The first ten visitors in the door will get free wings for a year, plus exclusive merch for the first 50 and free wings on the day for the first 300. As the day goes on, DJs will keep the energy up alongside giveaways and more exclusive merch, so don't skimp on an afternoon or after-dark visit. At the end of the day, though, we're all here for the wings, so what's actually going to be on the menu? It's poultry aplenty, with classic and boneless wings and tenders available in packs ranging from three to 50. They're tossed with one of twelve sauces: Lemon Pepper, Hickory Smoked BBQ, Hawaiian, Garlic Parmesan, Louisiana Rub, Spicy Korean Q, Mild, Hot Honey Rub, Cajun, OG, Mango Habanero and Atomic. Get them with a side of signature seasoned fries (with seven choices of seasoning), house-made cheese or ranch dips, or cajun-spiced corn. Add on a cold drink or even a chocolate brownie to help the wings go down. If you don't make it on the day, keep your eyes peeled for future in-store events or for where store number three will open. Wingstop Penrith can be found at 565 High Street, Penrith, 2750, open from 11am until late daily. For more information, visit the Wingstop website or social media pages.
If you have plans to visit the Blue Mountains sometime soon, here's a culinary activity to add to your itinerary. Megalong is an elegant 50-seat bistro offering up elegant dining paired with panoramic 360-degree views of scenic bushland and escarpment of the Megalong Valley. Executive chef Colin Barker (formerly of The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay) has led the charge on the venue's kitchen and food concept, ensuring that Megalong's produce-forward menu honours the ingredients sourced from its adjoining 600-hectare farm, Lot 101. Megalong's farm-to-table approach pushes the envelope on sustainability within restaurant practices. Almost all of the produce used in the kitchen is grown onsite, hence Executive chef Colin Barker's mission to do justice to the fresh ingredients when crafting seasonally-inspired and ever-changing menus. When dining in, expect to find a similar structure to your experience. While the service plan and portions may remain similar, you'll rarely encounter the same dining experience twice. The gist of dining at Megalong follows the structure of a 'moveable feast' consisting of five to six courses for either a lunch or dinner service. To start, there will be a trio of snacks on arrival, with meat and fish plates paired with a vegetable side to follow. Then, to round out the meal, a fruity dessert course alongside petit fours. And the menu is subject to change daily. At Megalong Restaurant, you get to combine in the indoors with the outdoors, combining the best of the Blue Mountains' vistas and produce with a warm dining experience worthy of the journey.
Air guitar enthusiasts will be treated to a garment that makes it even easier to live out their rock star fantasies. Old Navy have collaborated with ThinkGeek to create a shirt that not only features an image of a guitar, but also sounds like one when a button is pressed on the guitar neck and the hand is moved in a strumming motion. Sound is projected through a small guitar amp which can clip to your belt, with adjustable volume depending on how hard you're shredding. But make sure you detach all electronic parts before you throw this bad boy in the wash. Importantly, the design of the shirt also features flames to let everybody know that you're the real deal. See how far you can get into a Jimi Hendrix song on one of these. Wear this under a button-up to work, and only unleash it when you're ready to rock. [via PSFK]
Australia's toast game just levelled up with a little help from our neighbours across the ditch. If you're a fan of slathering nut butters across slices of heated bread, then you've likely heard of cult-favourite Wellington brand Fix & Fogg — and instead of stuffing your suitcases with their products when you're coming back from a New Zealand holiday, you can now head to Woolworths to pick up ten different types. Woolies already stocked two Fix & Fogg products: Everything Butter, which combines a bit of everything as the name suggests (aka hemp, chia, sesame, sunflower, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and almonds), plus granola butter (which is made with toasted South Island oats, cashew nuts, coconut, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and peanuts). Joining them are multiple types and sizes of peanut butter, plus a range of other creative flavours. Peanut butter and jelly in a jar, anyone? If you're all about the OG peanut butter by itself, you can go smooth or crunchy in either 375-gram and 750-gram jars. Or, there's the chilli and paprika-spiced Smoke and Fire peanut butter in 275-gram containers, as well as choc berry and almond-heavy versions of the Everything Butter. In Australia, you'll now find the ten Fix & Fogg varieties at all 990 Woolies locations nationwide from today, Monday, August 15. For folks new to Fix & Fogg, it makes the type of nut butters that you'll easily want to eat by the spoonful, sans toast — which is one of the reasons that the company has evolved from selling its wares at Wellington markets to picking up a huge homegrown and now international following. Fix & Fogg's expanded presence at Woolies comes after the brand hit the US in a big way in 2021, getting stocked at 3500 Whole Foods stores around the country. Find ten of Fix & Fogg's nut butters on Woolworths shelves from Monday, August 15.
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've had a close-contact run-in. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are 18 that you can watch right now at home. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE Imagine living in a universe where Michelle Yeoh isn't the wuxia superstar she is. No, no one should want to dwell in that reality. Now, envisage a world where everyone has hot dogs for fingers, including the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon icon. Next, picture another where Ratatouille is real, but with raccoons. Then, conjure up a sparse realm where life only exists in sentient rocks. An alternative to this onslaught of pondering: watching Everything Everywhere All At Once, which throws all of the above at the screen and a helluva lot more. Yes, its title is marvellously appropriate. Written and directed by the Daniels, aka Swiss Army Man's Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, this multiverse-hopping wonder is a funhouse of a film that just keeps spinning through wild and wacky ideas. Instead of asking "what if Daniel Radcliffe was a farting corpse that could be used as a jet ski?" as their also-surreal debut flick did, the pair now muses on Yeoh, her place in the universe, and everyone else's along with her. Although Yeoh doesn't play herself in Everything Everywhere All At Once, she is seen as herself; keep an eye out for red-carpet footage from her Crazy Rich Asians days. Such glitz and glamour isn't the norm for middle-aged Chinese American woman Evelyn Wang, her laundromat-owning character in the movie's main timeline, but it might've been if life had turned out differently. That's such a familiar train of thought — a resigned sigh we've all emitted, even if only when alone — and the Daniels use it as their foundation. Their film starts with Evelyn, her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's Short Round and The Goonies' Data) and a hectic time. Evelyn's dad (James Hong, Turning Red) is visiting from China, the Wangs' daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) brings her girlfriend Becky (Tallie Medel, The Carnivores) home, and IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra (Jamie Lee Curtis, Halloween Kills) is conducting a punishing audit. Then Evelyn learns she's the only one who can save, well, everything, everywhere and everyone. Everything Everywhere All At Once is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE LOST CITY Sometimes, they do still make 'em like they used to: action-adventure rom-coms in this case. Drive a DeLorean back to 1984, to the year before Robert Zemeckis made DeLoreans one of the most famous types of movie cars ever, and the director's Romancing the Stone did huge box-office business — and it's that hit that The Lost City keenly tries to emulate. This new Sandra Bullock- and Channing Tatum-starring romp doesn't hide that aim for a second, and even uses the same broad overall setup. Once again, a lonely romance novelist is swept up in a chaotic adventure involving treasure, a jungle-hopping jaunt and a stint of kidnapping, aka exactly what she writes about in her best-selling books. The one big change: the writer is held hostage, rather than her sister. But if you've seen Romancing the Stone, you know what you're in for. As penned by writer/director duo directors Aaron and Adam Nee (Band of Robbers) with Oren Uziel (Mortal Kombat) and Dana Fox (Cruella) — based on a story by Baywatch director Seth Gordon — The Lost City's plot is ridiculously easy to spot. Also, it's often flat-out ridiculous. Anyone who has ever seen any kind of flick along the same lines, such as Jungle Cruise most recently, will quickly see that Loretta Sage (Bullock, The Unforgivable), this movie's protagonist, could've written it herself. Once she finds herself living this type of narrative, that truth isn't lost on her, either. First, though, she's five years into a grief-stricken reclusive spell, and is only out in the world promoting her new release because her publisher Beth (Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The United States vs Billie Holiday) forces her to. She's also far from happy at being stuck once again with the man who has been sharing her limelight over the years, Fabio-style model Alan (Tatum, Dog), who has graced her book's covers and had women falling over themselves to lust-read their pages. And Loretta is hardly thrilled about the whole spectacle that becomes her latest Q&A as a result, and that makes her a distracted easy mark for billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe, Guns Akimbo) afterwards. The Lost City is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MEMORIA When Memoria begins, it echoes with a thud that's not only booming and instantly arresting — a clamour that'd make anyone stop and listen — but is also deeply haunting. It arrives with a noise that, if the movie's opening scene was a viral clip rather than part of Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul's spectacular Cannes Jury Prize-winning feature, it'd be tweeted around with a familiar message: sound on. The racket wakes up Jessica Holland (Tilda Swinton, The Souvenir: Part II) in the night, and it's soon all that she can think about; like character, like film. It's a din that she later describes as "a big ball of concrete that falls into a metal well which is surrounded by seawater"; however, that doesn't help her work out what it is, where it's coming from or why it's reverberating. The other question that starts to brood: is she the only one who can hear it? So springs a feature that's all about listening, and truly understands that while movies are innately visual — they're moving pictures, hence the term — no one should forget the audio that's gone with it for nearly a century now. Watching Weerasethakul's work has always engaged the ears intently, with the writer/director behind the Palme d'Or-winning Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and just-as-lyrical Cemetery of Splendour crafting cinema that genuinely values all that the filmic format can offer. Enjoying Memoria intuitively serves up a reminder of how crucial sound can be to that experience, emphasising the cavernous chasm between pictures that live and breathe such a truth and those that could simply be pictures. Of course, feasting on Weerasethakul's films has also always been about appreciating not only cinema in all its wonders, but as an inimitable art form. Like the noise that lingers in his protagonist's brain here, his movies aren't easily forgotten. Memoria is available to stream via SBS On Demand. Read our full review. AFTER YANG What flickers in a robot's circuitry in its idle moments has fascinated the world for decades, famously so in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049. In writer/director/editor Kogonada's (TV series Pachinko) After Yang, one machine appears to long for everything humans do. The titular Yang (Justin H Min, The Umbrella Academy) was bought to give Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen & Slim) and Jake's (Colin Farrell, The Batman) adopted Chinese daughter Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, iCarly) a technosapien brother, babysitter, companion and purveyor of "fun facts" about her heritage. He dotes amid his duties, perennially calm and loving, and clearly an essential part of the family. What concerns his wiring beyond his assigned tasks doesn't interest anyone, though, until he stops operating. Mika is distressed, and Kyra and Jake are merely inconvenienced initially, but the latter pledges to figure out how to fix Yang — which is where his desires factor in. Yang is unresponsive and unable to play his usual part as the household's robotic fourth member. If Jake can't get him up and running quickly, he'll also experience the "cultural techno" version of dying, his humanoid skin even decomposing. That puts a deadline on a solution, which isn't straightforward, particularly given that Yang was bought from a now-shuttered reseller secondhand, rather than from the manufacturer anew. Tinkering with the android's black box is also illegal, although Jake is convinced to anyway by a repairman (Ritchie Coster, The Flight Attendant). He acquiesces not only because it's what Mika desperately wants, but because he's told that Yang might possess spyware — aka recordings of the family — that'd otherwise become corporate property. After Yang is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. AMBULANCE Following a high-stakes Los Angeles bank robbery that goes south swiftly, forcing two perpetrators to hijack an EMT vehicle — while a paramedic tries to save a shot cop's life as the van flees the LAPD and the FBI, too — Ambulance is characteristically ridiculous. Although based on the 2005 Danish film Ambulancen, it's a Michael Bay from go to whoa; screenwriter and feature newcomer Chris Fedak (TV's Chuck, Prodigal Son) even references his director's past movies in the dialogue. The first time, when The Rock is mentioned, it's done in a matter-of-fact way that's as brazen as anything Bay has ever achieved when his flicks defy the laws of physics. In the second instance mere minutes later, it's perhaps the most hilarious thing he's put in his movies. It's worth remembering that Divinyls' 'I Touch Myself' was one of his music-clip jobs; Bay sure does love what only he can thrust onto screens, and he wants audiences to know it while adoring it as well. Ambulance's key duo, brothers Will (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, The Matrix Resurrections) and Danny Sharp (Jake Gyllenhaal, The Guilty), are a former Marine and ostensible luxury-car dealer/actual career criminal with hugely different reasons for attempting to pilfer a $32-million payday. For the unemployed Will, it's about the cash needed to pay for his wife Amy's (Moses Ingram, The Tragedy of Macbeth) experimental surgery, which his veteran's health insurance won't cover — but his sibling just wants money. Will is reluctant but desperate, Danny couldn't be more eager, and both race through a mess of a day. Naturally, it gets more hectic when they're hurtling along as the hotshot Cam (Eiza González, Godzilla vs Kong) works on wounded rookie police officer Zach (Jackson White, The Space Between), arm-deep in his guts at one point, while Captain Monroe (Garrett Dillahunt, Army of the Dead), Agent Anson Clark (Keir O'Donnell, The Dry) and their forces are in hot pursuit. Ambulance is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT "Nic fuckiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing Cage." That's how the man himself utters his name in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and he knows what he's about. Now four decades into his acting career to the year — after making his film debut in Fast Times at Ridgemont High under his actual name Nicolas Coppola, playing a bit-part character who didn't even get a moniker — Cage is keenly aware of exactly what he's done on-screen over that time, and in what, and why and how. He also knows how the world has responded, with that recognition baked into every second of his his latest movie. He plays himself, dubbed Nick Cage. He cycles through action-hero Cage, comically OTT Cage, floppy-haired 80s- and 90s-era Cage, besuited Cage, neurotic Cage and more in the process. And, as he winks, nods, and bobs and weaves through a lifetime of all things Cage, he's a Cage-tastic delight to watch. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent does have a narrative around all that Cage as Cage, as penned by writer/director Tom Gormican (Are We Officially Dating?) and co-scribe Kevin Etten (Kevin Can F**K Himself). Here, the man who could eat a peach for days in Face/Off would do anything for as long as he needed to if he could lock in a weighty new part. The fictionalised Cage isn't happy with his roles of late, as he complains to his agent (Neil Patrick Harris, The Matrix Resurrections), but directors aren't buying what he's enthusiastically selling. He has debts and other art-parodies-life problems, though, plus an ex-wife (Sharon Horgan, This Way Up) and a teen daughter (Lily Sheen, IRL daughter of Kate Beckinsale and Michael Sheen). So, he reluctantly takes a $1-million gig he wishes he didn't have to: flying to southern Spain to hang out with billionaire Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal, The Bubble), who is such a Cage diehard that he even has his own mini museum filled with Cage memorabilia, and has also written a screenplay he wants Cage to star in. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE SOUVENIR: PART II In showbusiness, nepotism is as inescapable as movies about movies. Both are accounted for in The Souvenir: Part II. But when talents as transcendent as Honor Swinton Byrne, her mother Tilda Swinton and writer/director Joanna Hogg are involved — with the latter working with the elder Swinton since her first short, her graduation piece Caprice, back in 1986 before Honor was even born — neither family ties nor filmmaking navel-gazing feel like something routine. Why this isn't a surprise with this trio is right there in the movie's name, after the initial The Souvenir proved such a devastatingly astute gem in 2019. It was also simply devastating, following an aspiring director's romance with a charismatic older man through to its traumatic end. Both in its masterful narrative and its profound impact, Part II firmly picks up where its predecessor left off. In just her third film role — first working with her mum in 2009's I Am Love before The Souvenir and now this — Swinton Byrne again plays 80s-era filmmaking student Julie Harte. But there's now a numbness to the wannabe helmer after her boyfriend Anthony's (Tom Burke, Mank) death, plus soul-wearying shock after discovering the double life he'd been living that her comfortable and cosy worldview hadn't conditioned her to ever expect. Decamping to the Norfolk countryside, to her family home and to the warm but entirely upper-middle-class, stiff-upper-lip embrace of her well-to-do parents Rosalind (Swinton, The French Dispatch) and William (James Spencer Ashworth) is only a short-term solution, however. Julie's thesis film still needs to be made — yearns to pour onto celluloid, in fact — but that's hardly a straightforward task. The Souvenir: Part II is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. RRR The letters in RRR's title are short for Rise Roar Revolt. They could also stand for riveting, rollicking and relentless. They link in with the Indian action movie's three main forces, too — writer/director SS Rajamouli (Baahubali: The Beginning), plus stars NT Rama Rao Jr (Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava) and Ram Charan (Vinaya Vidheya Rama) — and could describe the sound of some of its standout moments. What noise echoes when a motorcycle is used in a bridge-jumping rescue plot, as aided by a horse and the Indian flag, amid a crashing train? Or when a truck full of wild animals is driven into a decadent British colonialist shindig and its caged menagerie unleashed? What racket resounds when a motorbike figures again, this time tossed around by hand (yes, really) to knock out those imperialists, and then an arrow is kicked through a tree into someone's head? Or, when the movie's two leads fight, shoot, leap over walls and get acrobatic, all while one is sat on the other's shoulders? RRR isn't subtle. Instead, it's big, bright, boisterous, boldly energetic, and brazenly unapologetic about how OTT and hyperactive it is. The 187-minute Tollywood action epic — complete with huge musical numbers, of course — is also a vastly captivating pleasure to watch. Narrative-wise, it follows the impact of the British Raj (aka England's rule over the subcontinent between 1858–1947), especially upon two men. In the 1920s, Bheem (Jr NTR, as Rao is known) is determined to rescue young fellow villager Malli (first-timer Twinkle Sharma), after she's forcibly taken by Governor Scott Buxton (Ray Stevenson, Vikings) and his wife Catherine (Alison Doody, Beaver Falls) for no reason but they're powerful and they can. Officer Raju (Charan) is tasked by the crown with making sure Bheem doesn't succeed in rescuing the girl, and also keeping India's population in their place because their oppressors couldn't be more prejudiced. RRR is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE DUKE Back in 1962, in the first-ever Bond film Dr No, the suave, Scottish-accented, Sean Connery-starring version of 007 admires a painting in the eponymous evil villain's underwater lair. That picture: Francisco Goya's Portrait of the Duke of Wellington. The artwork itself is very much real, too, although the genuine article doesn't appear in the feature. Even if the filmmakers had wanted to use the actual piece, it was missing at the time. In fact, making a joke about that exact situation is why the portrait is even referenced in Dr No. That's quite the situation: the debut big-screen instalment in one of cinema's most famous and longest-running franchises, and a saga about super spies and formidable villains at that, including a gag about a real-life art heist. The truth behind the painting's disappearance is even more fantastical, however, as The Duke captures. The year prior to Bond's first martini, a mere 19 days after the early 19th-century Goya piece was put on display in the National Gallery in London, the portrait was stolen. Unsurprisingly, the pilfering earned plenty of attention — especially given that the government-owned institution had bought the picture for the hefty sum of £140,000, which'd likely be almost £3 million today. International master criminals were suspected. Years passed, two more 007 movies hit cinemas, and there was zero sign of the artwork or the culprit. And, that might've remained the case if eccentric Newcastle sexagenarian Kempton Bunton (played here by Six Minutes to Midnight's Jim Broadbent) hadn't turned himself in in 1965. As seen in this wild caper from filmmaker Roger Michell (My Cousin Rachel, Blackbird), Bunton advised that he'd gotten light-fingered in protest at the obscene amount spent on Portrait of the Duke of Wellington using taxpayer funds — money that could've been better deployed to provide pensioners with TV licenses, a cause he had openly campaigned for (and even been imprisoned over after refusing to pay his own television fee). The Duke is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WASH MY SOUL IN THE RIVER'S FLOW A silent hero and a rowdy troublemaker. That's what Ruby Hunter calls Archie Roach, her partner in life and sometimes music, then characterises herself. She offers those words casually, as if she's merely breathing, with an accompanying smile and a glint in her eyes as she talks. They aren't the only thoughts uttered in Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, which intersperses concert and rehearsal clips with chats with Hunter and Roach, plus snippets of biographical details from and recollections about their lives as intertitles, and then majestic footage of the winding Murray River in Ngarrindjeri Country, where Hunter was born, too. Still, even before those two-word descriptions are mentioned, the film shows how they resonate within couple's relationship. Watching their dynamic, which had ebbed and flowed over three-plus decades when the movie's footage was shot in 2004, it's plain to see how these two icons of Australian music are dissimilar in personality and yet intertwine harmoniously. Every relationship is perched upon interlocking personalities: how well they complement each other, where their differences blend seamlessly and how their opposing traits spark challenges in the best possible ways. Every song, too, is a balance of disparate but coordinated pieces. And, every ecosystem on the planet also fits the bill. With Hunter and Roach as its focus, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow contemplates all three — love, music and Country — all through 2004 concert Kura Tungar — Songs from the River. Recorded for the documentary at Melbourne's Hamer Hall, that gig series interlaced additional parts, thanks to a collaboration with Paul Grabowsky's 22-piece Australian Art Orchestra — and the movie that producer-turned-writer/director Philippa Bateman makes of it, and about two Indigenous stars, their experience as members of Australia's Stolen Generations, their ties to Country and their love, is equally, gloriously and mesmerisingly multifaceted. Wash My Soul in the River's Flow is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BLIND AMBITION From fleeing Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe to taking their nation's first-ever team to the World Wine Blind Testing Championships in Burgundy, Joseph, Tinashe, Marlvin and Pardon have quite the story to tell. The quartet met in South Africa, where they each individually made their home long before they crossed paths. They all also found themselves working with wine, despite not drinking it as Pentecostal Christians — and, in the process, they discovered a knack for an industry they mightn't have even contemplated otherwise. That's the tale that Blind Ambition relays, and it's a rousing and moving one. Indeed, it won't come as a surprise that the movie won Australian filmmakers Warwick Ross and Rob Coe (Red Obsession) the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary. Blind wine testing is a serious business; the first word isn't slang for inebriation, but describes how teams sample an array of wines without knowing what they're drinking. Then, they must pick everything from the country to the vintage to the varietal within two minutes of sipping. As stressed both verbally and visually throughout the doco, there's a specific — and very white — crowd for this endeavour. Accordingly, Team Zimbabwe instantly stands out. Heralding diversity is one of their achievements; their infectious joy, pride and enthusiasm for the field, for competing at the Olympics of the wine world, for the fact that their plight has taken them from refugees to finding a new calling, and for opening up the world to African vino, is just as resonant. Blind Ambition is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE What a difference Mads Mikkelsen can make. What a difference the stellar Danish actor can't, too. The Another Round and Riders of Justice star enjoys his Wizarding World debut in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, taking over the part of evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald's Johnny Depp — who did the same from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them's Colin Farrell first, albeit in a scripted change — and he's impressively sinister and engagingly insidious in the role. He needs to be: his fascist character, aka the 1930s-set movie's magical version of Hitler, wants to eradicate muggles. He's also keen to grab power however he must to do so. But a compelling casting switch can't conjure up the winning wonder needed to power an almost two-and-a-half-hour film in a flailing franchise, even one that's really just accioing already-devoted Harry Potter fans into cinemas. Nearly four years have passed since The Crimes of Grindelwald hit cinemas, but its successor picks up its wand where that dull sequel left off. That means reuniting with young Albus Dumbledore, who was the best thing about the last feature thanks to Jude Law (The Third Day) following smoothly in Michael Gambon and Richard Harris' footsteps. And, it means explaining that Dumbledore and Grindelwald pledged not to harm each other years earlier, which precludes any fray between them now. Enter magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne, The Trial of the Chicago 7) and his pals. Well, most of them. Newt's assistant Bunty (Victoria Yeates, Call the Midwife), brother Theseus (Callum Turner, Emma), No-Maj mate Jacob (Dan Fogler, The Walking Dead), Hogwarts professor Lally (Jessica Williams, Love Life) and Leta Lestrange's brother Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam, Stillwater) are accounted for, while former friend Queenie (Alison Sudol, The Last Full Measure) has defected to Grindelwald. As for the latter's sister Tina (Katherine Waterston, The World to Come), she's spirited aside, conspicuously sitting Operation Avoid Muggle Genocide out. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. NOBODY HAS TO KNOW Before Belgian actor and filmmaker Bouli Lanners started gracing screens big and small — writing and directing projects for the former as well — he trained as a painter. If you didn't know that fact, it'd be easy to guess while watching Nobody Has to Know. He helms and scripts, as he did 2011 Cannes award-winner The Giant, plus 2016's The First, the Last. He acts, as he has in everything from A Very Long Engagement and Rust and Bone to Raw and Bye Bye Morons. But it's the careful eye he brings to all that fills Nobody Has to Know's frames that immediately leaves an impression, starting with simply staring at the windswept Scottish scenery that provides the movie's backdrop. It's picturesque but also ordinary, finding visual poetry in the scenic and sweeping and yet also everyday. That's what the feature does with its slow-burning romantic narrative, too. On a remote island, Philippe Haubin (Lanners) has made a humble home. Working as a farmhand, he stands out with his arms covered in tattoos and his accent, but he's also been welcomed into the close-knit community. And, when he's found on the beach after suffering a stroke, his friends swiftly rally around — his younger colleague Brian (Andrew Still, Waterloo Road), who spreads the word; the latter's aunt Millie (Michelle Fairley, Game of Thrones), who ferries him around town; and her stern father Angus (Julian Glover, The Toll), who welcomes him back to work once he's out of hospital. But Phil returns with amnesia, which unsurprisingly complicates his daily interactions. He doesn't know what Brian means when he jokes about Phil now being the island's Jason Bourne, he has no idea if the dog in his house is his own, and he has no knowledge of any past, or not, with Millie. Nobody Has to Know is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MORBIUS Jumping into the Sony Shared Universe from the DCEU — that'd be the DC Extended Universe, the pictures based around Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad and the like (but not including Joker or The Batman) — Jared Leto plays Morbius' eponymous figure. A renowned scientist, Dr Michael Morbius has a keen interest in the red liquid pumping through humans' veins stemming from his own health issues. As seen in early scenes set during his childhood, young Michael (Charlie Shotwell, The Nest) was a sickly kid in a medical facility thanks to a rare disease that stops him from producing new blood. There, under the care of Dr Emil Nikols (Jared Harris, Foundation), he befriended another unwell boy (debutant Joseph Esson), showed his smarts and earned a prestigious scholarship. As an adult, he now refuses the Nobel Prize for creating artificial plasma, then tries to cure himself using genes from vampire bats. Morbius sports an awkward tone that filmmaker Daniel Espinosa (Life) can't overcome; its namesake may be a future big-screen baddie, but he's also meant to be this sympathetic flick's hero — and buying either is a stretch. In the overacting Leto's hands, he's too tedious to convince as a threat or someone to root for. He's too gleefully eccentric to resemble anything more than a skit at Leto's expense, too. Indeed, evoking any interest in Morbius' inner wrestling (because saving his own life with his experimental procedure comes at a bloodsucking cost) proves plodding. It does take a special set of skills to make such OTT displays so pedestrian at best, though, and that's a talent that Leto keeps showing to the misfortune of movie-goers. He offers more restraint here than in Suicide Squad (not to be confused with The Suicide Squad), The Little Things, House of Gucci or streaming series WeCrashed, but his post-Dallas Buyers Club Oscar-win resume remains dire — Blade Runner 2049 being the sole exception. Morbius is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 It was true in the 90s, and it remains that way now: when Jim Carrey lets loose, thrusting the entire might of his OTT comedic powers onto the silver screen, it's an unparalleled sight to behold. It doesn't always work, and he's a spectacular actor when putting in a toned-down or even serious performance — see: The Truman Show, The Majestic, I Love You Phillip Morris and his best work ever, the sublime Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — but there's a reason that the Ace Venture flicks, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber were some of the biggest movies made three decades back. Carrey is now a rarity in cinemas, but one franchise has been reminding viewers what his full-throttle comic efforts look like. Sadly, he's also the best thing about the resulting films, even if they're hardly his finest work. That was accurate in 2020's Sonic the Hedgehog, and it's the same of sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 2 — which once again focuses on the speedy video game character but couldn't feel like more of a drag. The first Sonic movie established its namesake's life on earth, as well as his reason for being here. Accordingly, the blue-hued planet-hopping hedgehog (voiced by The Afterparty's Ben Schwartz) already made friends with small-town sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden, The Stand). He already upended the Montana resident's life, too, including Tom's plans to move to San Francisco with his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter, Mixed-ish). And, as well as eventually becoming a loveable member of the Wachowski family, Sonic also wreaked havoc with his rapid pace, and earned the wrath of the evil Dr Robotnik (Carrey, Kidding) in the process. More of the same occurs this time around, with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 taking a more-is-more approach. There's a wedding to ruin, magic gems to find and revenge on the part of Robotnik. He's teamed up with super-strong echidna Knuckles (voiced by The Harder They Fall's Idris Elba), in fact, while Sonic gets help from smart-but-shy fox Tails (voice-acting veteran Colleen O'Shaughnessey). Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. DEADLY CUTS The Full Monty wasn't the first to do it, and it definitely hasn't been the last. But for the quarter century since that crowd-pleasing comedy became an enormous worldwide hit, British movies about underdogs banding together to save their livelihoods and communities have no longer been scrappy battlers themselves. Irish film Deadly Cuts is the latest, joining an ever-growing pile that also includes everything from Calendar Girls to Swimming with Men — and first-time feature writer/director Rachel Carey knows the formula she's playing with. Each such picture needs to be set in a distinctive world, follow a close-knit group, see them face an apparently insurmountable task and serve up a big public spectacle that promises redemption, and every step in that recipe is covered here. But a movie can stick to a clear template and still boast enough spirit to make even the creakiest of plot inclusions feel likely and entertaining enough, and that's this low-budget affair from start to finish. It does raise a smile that AhhHair, the glamorous hairdressing contest that Deadly Cuts' main characters want to enter and win, is all about innovation in its chosen form. The movie itself would never emerge victorious at such a competition, but it's filled with broad, blackly comic fun along the way, even if it boasts about as much subtlety as a mohawk. The setting: Piglington, Dublin, an as-yet-ungentrified corner of the Irish capital, where the titular salon is a mainstay. The aim: saving the shop from being torn down and replaced with shiny new apartments. The wholly predictable complications: the determination of corrupt local politician Darryl Flynn (Aidan McArdle, The Fall) to forge ahead with the development, which'll boost his bank account; and the suburb-scaring thugs led by the overbearing Deano (Ian Lloyd Anderson, Herself), who throw their weight around at every chance they get. Deadly Cuts is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. IT SNOWS IN BENIDORM Forty-four years have passed since Timothy Spall first graced the silver screen — and what a gift he's given both cinema and television since. He won Cannes Best Actor prize for Mr Turner, earned five BAFTA nominations in five years between 1997–2002, popped up in lively Aussie crime flick Gettin' Square, stole every scene he was in in The Party and recently proved formidable in Spencer. He has everything from multiple Harry Potter movies to playing Winston Churchill in The King's Speech on his resume, too, and also routinely improves whatever he's in with his presence alone. In fact, he does exactly that with It Snows in Benidorm, which'd be a mere wisp of a film otherwise. Following a just-made-redundant bank employee to Spain, this meandering drama by Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet (Elisa & Marcela) frequently mistakes mood for depth — and while Spall can't polish away its struggles, he's always the key reason to keep watching. A fan of the weather and little else, Spall's Peter Riordan has given decades of his life to his employer, and is so settled into the routine he's fashioned around his job that it's as natural and automatic to him as breathing. Accordingly, when he's unceremoniously let go, he finds it difficult to adjust. He's told that being freed from the monotony of his work is a gift, allowing him to retire early — so in that spirit, he heads off to the Mediterranean coast's tourist mecca to spend time with the brother he otherwise rarely talks to. But upon his arrival, Peter finds his sibling conspicuously absent. He still stays in his high-rise apartment, but what was meant to be a family reunion-style holiday now becomes a detective quest. Helping him is Alex (Sarita Choudhury, And Just Like That...), who worked with Peter's shady club-owning brother, might know more than she's letting on about his whereabouts, and also welcomes her new pal's tender companionship the more that they spend time together. It Snows in Benidorm is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. OFF THE RAILS In need of a bland and derivative friends-on-holidays flick that's painted with the broadest of strokes? Keen to dive once more into the pool of movies about pals heading abroad to scatter ashes and simultaneously reflect upon their current lot in life? Fancy yet another supposedly feel-good film that endeavours to wring humour out of culture clashes between English-speaking protagonists and the places they visit? Yearning for more glimpses of thinly written women getting their grooves back and realising what's important on a wild Eurotrip? Call Off the Rails, not that anyone should. Coloured with every cliche that all of the above scenarios always throw up, and also covered from start to finish in schmaltz, the debut feature from director Jules Williamson is a travel-themed slog that no one could want to remember. A grab bag of overdone tropes and treacly sentiment, it also doubles as an ode to the songs of Blondie, which fill its soundtrack — but even the vocal stylings of the great Debbie Harry can't breathe vibrancy into this trainwreck. Once close, Kate (Jenny Seagrove, Peripheral), Liz (Sally Phillips, Blinded by the Light) and Cassie (Preston, Gotti) now just call on big occasions — and even then, they're barely there for each other. But when fellow pal Anna dies, they reunite at her funeral, and are asked to carry out her final wish by her mother (Belfast's Judi Dench, in a thankless cameo). The task: catching a train across Europe, through Paris to Girona, Barcelona and Palma in Spain, to recreate a backpacking jaunt the four took decades earlier. Specifically, they're headed to La Seu, a cathedral with stained-glass windows that look particularly spectacular when the sun hits at the right time (the film calls it "god's disco ball"). Anna already bought their Interrail passes, and her 18-year-old daughter Maddie (Elizabeth Dormer-Phillips, Fortitude) decides she'll join the voyage, too. Off the Rails is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows, or check out the movies that were fast-tracked to digital in January, February, March, April and May.
If any Sydney neighbourhood was going to change the perception of something from unattainable to accessible, it would be Oxford Street. It's where you'll find Izy.Aki, a far cry from the dimly lit, luxe restaurants you might first think of when you hear the word omakase. Visible for passerbys, its bright lights, exposed brick walls, open kitchen and 18-seat marble countertop paint a welcoming picture. While this is still an upscale destination, it's homely. Izy.Aki is what's called a kappo omakase. Kappo is a culinary experience defined by an intimate space and chef-diner interaction, while omakase is a dining experience where the menu is left up to the chef. The final result? A relaxed, informal take on your typical omakase experience, packed full of honest interactions with the chef as they take you through your meal. The guides on this journey will make you feel right at home. Chefs Darren Templeman (Atelier, O Bar and Dining) and Bonnie Yu, alongside bartender, host and sommelier Aurelian Jeffredo, work hard to create an experience that feels more like being welcomed into a friend's home than a booking at a high-end restaurant. Every dish and drink is explained when served, and Jeffredo is more than happy to recommend drinks for each guest to accompany the dishes and match your preferences. The food here is set — it is omakase after all — so each booking is either a six-course or ten-course meal, decided by the chefs and your dietary requirements. As such, what you could be dining on is often in flux, but there are some house specialties. Chief among them is The Egg: a hen egg filled with white onion puree, foie gras, smoked eel and a topping of trout roe. You'll also find a wide range of grilled offerings, including yakiniku-style meats and 9+ Australian wagyu. The drinks menu stars cocktails, alongside Japanese spirits, beers and plenty of sake to keep the thirst at bay as the courses flow.
You might want to be sitting down for this: up in Victoria's High Country, there's a stretch of land entirely devoted to prosecco. For any fans of a post-work glass of extra-dry bubbles, this news may be life changing. And for the mere prosecco-curious, a visit to this pretty part of the world will probably want to make you get better acquainted. You see, the High Country's King Valley is the spitting image of mountainous north-east Italy — at least climactically speaking. It's that observation that led Italian immigrants to introduce the region's famous prosecco vines to King Valley nearly three decades ago. Now there are five key producers who have banded together to create the King Valley Prosecco Road, a cellar-door hop with a little extra sparkle. Autumn is one of the best times to visit, so you can enjoy its full spectrum of wine tastings, dining experiences and outdoor adventures. THE MAKING OF PROSECCO ROAD Prosecco grape varieties hail from the north-eastern regions of Italy. They came to our Australian shores via the many farmers of Italian heritage who moved here in the mid-20th century. The pioneer of prosecco in this region is Otto Dal Zotto, who was determined to see the grapes of his homeland grown in Australia. Recognising the climactic and cultural similarities between his home of Valdobbiadene and the King Valley, he sourced cuttings and planted the country's first prosecco vines in 2000. Now, 180 acres of prime King Valley land is planted with prosecco — that's 64 percent of all prosecco plantings in Australia. To celebrate some of the best prosecco being bottled in this country, five King Valley producers (Brown Brothers, Dal Zotto, Chrismont, Pizzini and Sam Miranda) collaborated to create the prosecco Road, a food and wine trail focused on prosecco in all its styles. As well as wine tastings, the trail is home to dining experiences, cooking and cocktail classes, hot-air ballooning, guided walks and pedal-to-produce cycling routes. PROSECCO ROAD STOP #1: DAL ZOTTO WINES When you drink prosecco in the King Valley, you're drinking history, and to really understand that history your first stop on the road should be Dal Zotto Wines, which released the very first Australian prosecco in 2004. Autumn is mid-harvest in the vineyard and the perfect time to visit the winery and be involved with drying the grapes for Otto Dal Zotto's 'natural' Col Fondo prosecco (just like he used to make as a young boy in Valdobbiadene). You can also get molto Italian by attending one of the winery's Salami Sessions, where you'll learn how to cure meats (with a glass of wine in your hand of course). PROSECCO ROAD STOP #2: BROWN BROTHERS The Dal Zottos aren't the only ones in the region steeped in history, Brown Brothers Milawa vineyard is only a short drive away and the family has over 120 years of experience of making wine in Victoria. Founded in 1889, the company (which now has vineyards all over Australia) has their cellar door in their Milawa vineyard, which has always been considered the birthplace of the Brown Brothers company. Ever wanted to try your hand at blending your own wine? Brown Brothers gives you the opportunity to be a winemaker (for an hour anyway) in their Blending Masterclass. Taste the diverse flavours of each individual grape varietal and experiment with different combinations to create your own unique blend of wine. Consider a wine-matched lunch while you're here — restaurant Patricia's Table has previously held a hat from Fairfax's Good Food Guide. PROSECCO ROAD STOP #3: PIZZINI You may have noticed that the wineries are a bit of a family affair in the King Valley. Pizzini is no exception. Alfred Pizzini and his family all work for the company, in roles ranging from winemaking and viticulture to sales and marketing to hosting classes at the cellar door. Their offering during the autumn months reflects their Italian heritage and family focus. At Katrina Pizzini's cooking school, novices can learn age-old techniques for making gnocchi and pasta, while the Journey with the Maker tour lets guests go behind the scenes and see how a wine goes from grape to bottle. The experience will have you tasting wines straight out of tanks and barrels, learning about the fermentation and maturation process, and getting a guided tasting of the finished wines in bottle. To top it all off, you get to enjoy a two-course picnic hamper in the vineyards, admiring the autumn foliage and the vines mid-harvest. PROSECCO ROAD STOP #4: SAM MIRANDA WINES Right in the heart of the Prosecco Road lies the most architecturally impressive and award-winning cellar door. Entry to Sam Miranda Wines is via a subterranean passage that leads to the cellar door, lit by way of a 40-foot light tower. Sam is a self-confessed cycling addict (who jokingly says he makes wine 'on the side' and seriously organises an annual race through the King Valley), so get into the spirit by hiring a bike to explore this part of the King Valley. You can rent a ride in Milawa and do the Milawa Gourmet Trail, or borrow one from neighbouring Brown Brothers. How else are you going to burn off all the Italian homemade pasta, salami and wine you've ingested over this trip? PROSECCO ROAD STOP #5: CHRISMONT Need a place to rest your head after all this excitement? Well, your last stop along the Prosecco Road is where you want to finish. Chrismont winery features elegant guesthouse accommodation set among the vines, making it an idyllic place to restore, relax and rejuvenate (and each room comes stocked with bottles of their signature prosecco). Those who haven't had their fill of prosecco can take part in their daily Prosecco Masterclass with Chrismont winemaker Warren Proft. Showcasing the full range of prosecco styles, the session includes wines, tasting notes and wine production information. Finish with a classic Italian dinner at the Chrismont Restaurant and Larder — tagliatelle and a tiramisu will set you on the path to a sweet night's sleep. To get prepped for your trip to the King Valley Prosecco Road or to plan further frolics through the autumn leaves of the High Country, visit the Wander Victoria website.
Dishing up a young, fun take on Southeast Asian fare, with an infusion of classic Aussie ingredients, Chubby Cheeks has burst onto the scene in Paddington. Making its home within Oxford Street's former Max Brenner site, the vibrant Thai street food eatery has all the makings of a neighbourhood favourite, with all exposed brick, raw timber and bold tropical prints. From the same minds that brought you Mona Vale's coastal café and retail space Armchair Collective, Songpol and Lyn Manoonpong, it's pitched at that coveted balance between relaxed and stylish. The menu leans to the crafty, bringing traditional Asian flavours to life with the addition of top local produce. Big-flavoured fare includes the likes of tea-smoked duck breast on banana blossom salad, a 12-hour smoked Rangers Valley wagyu brisket with green papaya and a burnt chilli sauce, and crispy turmeric rice crêpes, stuffed with either prawns and pork, or tofu. If you're rolling with two or more people, leave decisions at the door and share your way through the $49 tasting menu. From the central bar comes some equally gutsy cocktails — including a Thai-spiced negroni, and a bright and breezy lemongrass and lychee caprioska — a beer list mixing local craft brews with crisp Asian imports, and a largely Aussie wine lineup heroing lighter, fresher varietals.
Gyuniku has been making waves in Sydney since opening in 2024, attracting table after table of hungry diners seeking its premium Japanese barbecue cuisine and unlimited self-serve sushi buffet. If that's not enough, there's also Korean street food specialties and even a DIY froyo station ripe for bottomless dessert. Yet the Haymarket rising star isn't done adding to its expansive all-you-can-eat dining offering. Now the team is ready to unveil a stellar addition — gyukatsu. Renowned as a high-class Japanese dish, beef cutlets are breaded and deep-fried to perfection, offering a tender texture with a satisfying crunch. With this prized dish not easy to find in Sydney, Gyuniku is bound to become a go-to destination for those seeking standout gyukatsu. Think top-quality wagyu sirloin dipped in crispy panko crumbs, fried to golden, then sliced for you to finish on your table's grill. Best of all, it's available as part of the buffet, so you don't even have to wait for your order. Slotting into Gyuniku's sumptuous meat offering, diners are spoilt for choice when it comes to grilling up a premium cut. Once you've filled up on gyukatsu, your tabletop stove is prime position for cooking meats hand-picked from the buffet, like wagyu brisket, oyster blade and marbled karubi. Plus, there are super fresh prawns, scallops, squid and more. Meanwhile, the restaurant's unlimited sushi buffet is a certified hit, with a massive selection of nori rolls, nigiri and delicately presented sashimi, such as kingfish, tuna and salmon. Then, if you've managed to save space for a treat, the dessert corner is stacked with frozen yoghurt flavours alongside classics like tiramisu. Centred entirely around a self-service model, just pay one price and then proceed to stuff yourself silly with Japanese cuisine and more over the next 90 minutes. Situated amid all the action in Haymarket, the chance to feast on non-stop gyukatsu is the perfect excuse to round up your pals for an all-in, all-you-can-eat session. Gyuniku is now serving gyukatsu as part of its all-you-can-eat buffet at 34/1 Dixon St, Haymarket. Head to the website for more information.
Occupying the ground floor of the Terrigal Pavilion, The Tropic brings a polished, Mediterranean-leaning dining room to one of the Central Coast's most coveted waterfront addresses. The 280-seat restaurant boasts uninterrupted ocean views, with custom floor-to-ceiling windows and a mirrored back wall ensuring every seat gets a slice of the coastline. The sprawling space channels relaxed coastal glamour, from yellow terrazzo tabletops paired with linen directors' chairs to a striking, custom-glazed 12-metre bar finished in lemon-hued Spanish tiles and an oversized bullnose edge. Soft finishes and pared-back tones complete the timeless seaside feel, while a private dining room — kitted out with pink and yellow marble tables — offers set menus starting at $80. [caption id="attachment_1056652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Megann Evans Photography[/caption] In the kitchen, a Modern Australian share menu takes cues from the Med. To start, expect shucked-to-order oysters with chardonnay mignonette, beef tartare with capers, quail egg yolk and a house dressing, alongside antipasto like burrata-crowned pesto and pickled white and brown anchovies. Larger plates include lightly seared goldband snapper, grilled wagyu flank and thyme-and-lemon roast chicken, all designed to be passed around the table. A celebration-ready drinks list rounds things out, spanning more than 90 bottles of champagne and wine — including magnums — alongside house cocktails like a bergamot-spiked margarita and a handful of crowd-pleasing beers on tap. [caption id="attachment_1056653" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Megann Evans Photography[/caption] Images: Megann Evans Photography.
Normally ugliness is relative and objective, but not if you’re at one of the stranger events taking place during the Basque city of Bilbao’s annual cultural festival Aste Nagusia or ‘Big Week’. Somewhere in between the comparatively commonplace displays of music, art, fireworks and bullfights taking place over the nine-day celebration falls the bewildering Concurso de Feos, which literally translates to ‘The Ugly Competition’. Concurso de Feos was apparently initiated as a spin on the controversial and outdated beauty pageant. Though it is also a great alternative for those not endowed with the skills required to perform the spectacular facial feat known as a gurn (perhaps due to still having at least six teeth) but who continue to dream of having their ugliest mug immortalised on the Internet. The Spanish competition apparently encourages the use of fingers to assist with the distorting process, with entrants stuffing digits into their nostrils, eyeballs and inner cheeks in their quest to perform the most unsightly sneer in all the land. There appears to be no age restrictions on competing, with the event popular amongst both old and young alike. And, obligatory jokes aside, Concurso de Feos can claim the dual merits of providing locals with a comical distraction from the Basque County’s economic woes and the rest of the world with a good boost of self-confidence. via Geekologie
The first stage of The Royal, the long-running Bondi pub, reopened in September, with punters able to quench their thirst yet again with daiquiris, espresso martinis and many take-home wines from the attached bottle-o. However, it's the pub's eatery we had all been waiting patiently for — and with Merivale steering the ship, we knew it wasn't going to be a half-hearted effort. And you'll be happy to know, now that it's open, it's suitably impressive. Chefs Mike Eggert (Mr Liquor's Dirty Italian Disco, Pinbone) and Khan Danis (who worked at Rockpool alongside Neil Perry for 20 years) are heading up the kitchen of the Totti's, a casual Mediterranean-style eatery serving up pasta aplenty, woodfired breads and classic Italian cocktails. The food is a more mature version of that served at Dirty Disco — the six-month pop-up at The Tennyson Hotel, and the first collab between Eggert and Merivale — with the menu aimed at convivial sharing. Cooked-to-order Italian flatbreads come straight from the woodfired oven to the table, to rip and tear alongside small plates of house-made charcuterie and Italian cheeses. Pasta, a focus at Dirty Disco, is also central to the food offering here, with dishes like rigatoni with milk-braised pork belly, prawn casarecce and twists on classics, such as lamb ragu. A Josper oven (part grill, part oven) fires most of the proteins, including fish, Bannockburn chicken and schnitzels charred to perfection, and sides include a radicchio and orange salad and baked eggplant with chilli. And remember that polenta, corn and chervil side that stole our stomachs at Dirty Disco? We can confirm that's made a comeback, too. Another aspect of the eatery similar to Dirty Disco is the drinks. While there's no walk-in fridge — you'll have to head over to The Tennyson's latest pop-up for that — the pub's in-house bottle shop allows the eatery to have an extensive wine list, with house wines, naturals, biodynamics and higher-end varieties, all available by the carafe. Hop fans are taken care of with a long list of local beers and Mediterranean classics, such as negronis, and peach bellinis, will please the cocktail devotees. The 185-seater restaurant and courtyard might seem mammoth, but Eggert maintains that it still feels like your local. "It's a big version of a small trattoria", says Eggert. "We want people to come in and be able to have a great bottle of wine with a steak, and still be in their clothes from the beach." The skylight and big alfresco area take inspiration from a taverna on the Mediterranean sea, with huge olive trees taking centre stage to really set the scene. Images: Nikki To. You'll find Totti's in our list of the best degustations in Sydney. Check out the full list here.
A cucumber is more or less responsible for Andrew Mowbray's obsession with the gourd. Wandering around his garden one fateful morning, he made a rather unusual discovery. Between his fence and a tree, a cucumber was growing, but as a result of being squashed on both sides, it looked more like a hard, green pancake - 'pressed flat with rounded edges and completely trapped'. Finding the form 'formally interesting' and 'architecturally amazing', he started thinking about how he might be able to re-create it in a manner that would not be threatened by decomposition. Research led him to the Lagenaria gourd, which won't come as a surprise to those acquainted with the robust plant. When people initially came up with the idea of cultivating plants, the Lagenaria gourd was one of the first with which they experimented. Once dried, it becomes as tough as wood, making for a trusty container, bottle, ladle or birdhouse. The West Africans were the first to transform it into an instrument, and the concept soon spread through Asia, the Americas, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. The gourd is one of the few plants that we grow for aesthetic and practical purposes, rather than to feed ourselves. Now, Mowbray is taking its functionality to new heights, by transforming the gourd into a building block. He grows each one in an acrylic container, which is cubic, with semi-circular depressions enabling the development of 'nubs or buttons'. A modular unit' can be created by locking several of them together. At the same time, he is exploring the sculptural potential of the gourd's form, through emulation with plaster, cement and other materials. [VIA Inhabitat]
UPDATE, June 14, 2020: Devs is also now streaming in full on new Foxtel-run platform Binge. This article has been updated to reflect that change. If you're a fan of watching smart, rewarding, deep-thinking science fiction, then you're probably a fan of Alex Garland's. Originally an author, he initially came to fame as the writer of 90s bestseller The Beach, before moving into screenwriting with the script for 28 Days Later. More screenplays followed, including Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd — but it was his 2014 directorial debut Ex Machina that showed the extent of his filmmaking prowess. Annihilation proved a highly worthy addition to his resume in 2018, too, even after it was shuffled onto Netflix rather than screening in cinemas in much of the world. Given his track record so far, any new project by Garland is cause for excitement. This year, direct your enthusiasm towards new series Devs. The writer/director has made the leap to television with a cast led by Nick Offerman, Ex Machina's Sonoya Mizuno, Love's Karl Glusman, American Horror Story's Alison Pill and Bad Times at the El Royale's Cailee Spaeny — and, as currently streaming on Foxtel Now and Binge in Australia, it's a trippy ride into cerebral sci-fi territory. The eight-part show also radiates unease from its very first moments, all while sporting both a mood and a futuristic look that prove simultaneously unsettlingly and alluring. The setting: Amaya, a US technology company that's massive in size yet secretive in its focus, especially when it comes to its big quantum computing project. When Sergei (Glusman) is promoted to its coveted, extra clandestine Devs division, his girlfriend and fellow Amaya employee Lily (Mizuno) is thrilled for him. But when Sergei doesn't come home from his first day, Lily starts looking for answers — including from the company's guru-like leader Forest (a long-haired, very un-Ron Swanson-like Offerman). As intriguing as it is involving — as both Ex Machina and Annihilation were, too — Devs is the kind of series with twists and turns that are best discovered by watching; however as each second passes by, the stranger and more sinister it all appears. Expect conspiracies, tech thrills and big questions, in a series that does what all the very best sci-fi stories do: tackle big existential questions and intimate everyday emotions in tandem, all while asking 'what if?'. Also a highlight is Devs' spectacular set design and overall look, with Garland bringing striking, dark yet vivid images to his first small-screen project. Giant woodland areas, floating cube-like workspaces glimmering in golden hues, shimmering fields, a towering statue of a small child — they're all part of the show's appearance, and its mysteries. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8klax373ds The first season of Devs is available to stream on Foxtel Now and Binge. Images: FX Networks.
Located at Angel Place, the City Recital Hall is an eclectic arts space that hosts — and also often creates — a range of performances, events and lectures, with some featuring famous faces like Matthew McConaughey and Nigella Lawson. The company behind the hall has pledged to produce and facilitate a vibrant, diverse and inclusive program. Seating more than 1000 patrons, the purpose-built theatre is home to everything from spoken word performances to classical concerts, live contemporary gigs, cabaret hows, opera productions and musicals. There is also an on-site refreshments bar, with a small menu, should you grow peckish, otherwise check out the plethora of dining options on the surrounding laneways for a pre- or post-theatre feed. Images: Destination NSW
Mosman has welcomed Amalfi Coast-inspired gem St Siandra to The Spit's waterfront, bringing with it a touch of coastal luxury and permanent vacation vibes. Tasteful golden-hued interiors, terracotta tiling and white marble bar give way to stunning beachfront views and a tantalising menu that promises a journey through the Mediterranean — all without the airfare. Come in via the sun-soaked wharf entrance and take a seat on the woven loveseats — sourced from Italy — and take in the thoughtful interiors designed by Sally Taylor, who has previously curated venues including Felix and Queen Chow. Up the winding stairs is the dedicated event space Bluebird Room & Deck, awash in calming blue hues and natural light. It can host up to 70 guests and has its own private bar and stunning views of the waters below. Continuing the Euro-summer vibes, the menu features fresh seafood, vibrant seasonal produce and classic Mediterranean flavours with a sprinkling of Middle Eastern spices. The spot is slinging brunch most days with dishes like stracciatella toast with caramelised onion, pistachio and chilli oil, and fried chicken and waffles with sage dukkah and date caramel syrup. Heading over for the lunchtime or dinner menu, instead? Tuna crudo and the Spring Bay mussels are crowd favourites as are the classic tray of Sydney rock oysters with champagne mignonette. For a meat-focused main, opt for the Angus MB4 short rib skewer or the lamb shoulder accompanied by broccoli gremolata, pomegranate and za'atar. Sail your way through cocktails, each with nautical themes or named after local luxury yachts or a bottle of bubbly. Dessert runs to the likes of spiced persimmon pavlova, Sicilian citrus tart with toasted meringue and strawberry; and the classic ricotta fritters with cinnamon sugar and banana caramel. St Siandra was conceived by the hospitality duo, Mitchell Davis and Gavin Gray, the team behind Great Eats. Collaborating with the visionary Head Chef Sam McCallum, formerly of Nomad, and Adam George, the ensemble is a seasoned all-star cast ready to bring maritime allure to Mosman. Images: Steve Woodburn
If you're on the hunt for a spot to watch the big game among other fans with the commentary coming through loud and clear, Sydney's got some top spots (see: our list of the best pubs and bars to watch sport). But the new pint-sized Inner West bar The Magpie has just thrown its hat in the ring, pairing viewings of The Matildas, The Eels, The Swans and the UFC with a retro fit-out and a crowd-pleasing roster of beers. Sporting a name that acts as both a piece of the Australiana tinge that permeates through the bar and a nod to the Western Suburbs Magpies rugby league team, The Magpie comes to Enmore from the team behind Earl's Juke Joint and Jacoby Tiki Bar. It's opened right next to The Trocadero Room, the intimate new 150-person live music venue that arrived late last year from the same team. Together, the two venues have taken over the space formerly occupied by HiWay Enmore, bolstering the bustling road's sizeable roster of small bars. The Magpie is designed to be a "local's local" — a place where you to drop in for a quick catch-up over a beer or a reliable spot that you know will be playing your favourite footy team's clash with their cross-town rivals. When there's no sport to be shown, you'll find a roster of classic films playing on the mounted televisions. The team has curated a slate of flicks that will transport you back to the days of walking through the aisles at your local Video Ezy (RIP). On tap, you'll find a few of your favourite Inner West breweries pouring, including a special Magpie Old brew that Grifter has whipped up, plus Guinness for good measure. Part sports bar, part small bar with a pub-like feel, The Magpie has opened its doors just in time for both the NRL and AFL seasons, as well as the upcoming Paris Olympics, set to kick off in July. Next door, The Trocadero Room offers a new stage where bands can cut their teeth and artistic communities can come together — plus a fun throwback drinks list featuring cosmos, Midori illusions and spicy margs. Since opening in November, it's already hosted Sydney favourites like Straight Arrows, exciting new up-and-comers like DoloRRes, and every kind of gig imaginable, from comedy nights and evenings dedicated to reggae, to scuzzy punk lineups and all sorts of dance parties. Both The Trocadero Room and The Magpie are located at 156 Enmore Road, Enmore. Head over to Instagram to find this week's gigs and which matches you can catch.
Godzilla is still big, but the picture around cinema's most-famous kaiju gets smaller in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the Japanese-created creature's new TV series. This ten-episode show sits within the American Monsterverse, which has previously filled movie theatres with 2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong — and it hits streaming, arriving on Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, with a scaled-down focus on family drama. People matter in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, far more than they have in any of the US franchise's instalments so far. The folks hopping around the globe chasing the giant critter and its fellow titans are also worth caring about. As a result, there's nothing little about how engaging Monarch: Legacy of Monsters proves. Getting Kurt and Wyatt Russell involved helps. The real-life father-son pair portray the same character — not for the first time; see: 1998's Soldier when Wyatt (Under the Banner of Heaven) was still a child — with not just ease but charisma. That isn't surprising; as the younger Russell's resume keeps demonstrating through Cold in July, Ingrid Goes West, Lodge 49, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and more, the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree when it comes to acting talent. Wyatt slips into Lee Shaw's military uniform in the 1950s, Kurt (Fast and Furious 9) plays the retired elder version in the mid-2010s, and jokes reference how well the pivotal figure has aged to make the maths work out (in the later timeline, Shaw has to be in his 90s). Needing to make that gag is worth it for such stellar and captivating casting. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters isn't about Shaw's family, however — at least not as bonded by blood. In 2015, a year after the G-Day events of the 2014 film, San Franciscan teacher Cate Randa (Anna Sawai, Pachinko) is suffering from kaiju-inflicted PTSD and mourning her missing father Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira, Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story), making a trip to Japan to pack up his Tokyo apartment challenging several times over. There, she finds artist Kentaro (Ren Watabe, 461 Days of Bento), a shared history and links to secret government monster-hunting organisation Monarch. Those ties comes courtesy of a satchel filled with documents that Bill Randa (John Goodman, returning from Kong: Skull Island) is seen tossing into the sea in a 70s-set prologue; having possession of it sparks chaos for not only Cate and Kentaro, but also the latter's hacker ex-girlfriend May (Kiersey Clemons, The Flash). When a shadowy international outfit is on your trail, who can assist? Given that Shaw was a 50s-era colleague of Hiroshi's parents Keiko (Mari Yamamoto, also Pachinko) and Bill (played by Inventing Anna's Anders Holm in the earlier timeline), his help is swiftly needed. Amid Cate, Kentaro, May and Shaw's attempts to evade the "like the CIA, but for Godzilla" operation pursuing their every move, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also dives into Shaw, Keiko and Bill's backstory. Shaw is enlisted into the monster realm exactly because he's enlisted, then deployed to ensure Keiko's safety as she follows her research into strange radiation trails in The Philippines — a phenomena that fellow scientist Bill is also interested in. While the Russells provide Monarch: Legacy of Monsters with its biggest names, and add depth to Shaw's emotional journey by perfecting the same mannerisms and line deliveries — not to mention letting that family charm kick in — series co-developers Chris Black (Severance) and Matt Fraction (Da Vinci's Demons) have cast their show well across the board. When beastly behemoths are simply being talked about rather than sighted, the human story never feels like filler padding out the frame until the next monster melee, which stems as much from the performances as the commitment to ensuring that pixels aren't the sole attraction. Each with their own Russell, both groups provide space for everyone's part of the narrative, plus the portrayals that go with it, to make an impact. Screenwriting convenience and cliche comes into play in fleshing out some backstories, but Clemons and Yamamoto especially have no trouble selling it. In addition to excellent casting, the series welcomely makes an even better move: taking the Monsterverse back where all things Godzilla started off-screen, aka Japan. When the creature that has multiple Tokyo statues devoted to it, plus a dedicated store as well, first erupted into cinemas in 1954 to spark a 33-film homegrown saga, it was in the shadow of World War II as an indictment of nuclear conflict's destruction and consequences — and those origins get the most meaningful nod yet in the US franchise through Keiko, Cate and Kentaro. All things Godzilla thankfully haven't moved to America IRL. Godzilla Minus One returns the kaiju to live-action Japanese movies in 2023 for the first time since 2016's exceptional Shin Godzilla, while three animated flicks (2017's Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, and 2018's Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater) have filled the gap in-between. But there's been an emptiness to the Monsterverse when it has barely cared about that history, even if making titans a worldwide threat and noting that Zilly doesn't respect national boundaries has merit. Call them kaiju, call them titans, call them massive unidentified terrestrial organisms (or MUTO): they're as meaningful as they've always been in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. While the show's main attention might reside with two eras of people on two different searches, Godzilla and its fellow critters aren't ignored. They wander, smash and swim. They cause awe and fear alike. They tower, sleep, destroy and — with Zilly in particular — protect. As Monarch: Legacy of Monsters hones in on people, in fact, it explores the array of reactions that Godzilla can inspire, the range of thinking as well and, as intended for almost seven decades, the self-reflection about atomic bombs and warmongering that the very idea of Godzilla was designed to conjure up. Balancing heart and weight while feeling grounding amid gargantuans isn't a tiny task. Making sure that people and titans are equally as important to the narrative isn't a minor feat, either. Nor is using special effects to wow with onslaughts and dwarf with scale, getting a theme tune echoing into earworm territory almost as much as the stone-cold classic original Godzilla music and making a TV entry to a franchise that plays like the main attraction. Whichever Godzilla tales that Japan spins will always be the kings of the saga, and long may they continue charging onto screens — but Monarch: Legacy of Monsters puts down a giant footprint for Hollywood's dalliance with the atomic lizard, and a much-needed one given that more will only keep coming, including the silver screen's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in 2024. Check out the trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters below: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters streams via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, 2023.
It may no longer be a functioning substation but the vibe here is electric. Gone are Alexandria's dining days of takeaway joints and vending machines, the industrial 'burb is now enjoying sprightly new spots for food and flat whites. But with workers and residents aplenty and an espresso-lacking strip in McEvoy Street, Sub-Station Cafe is a welcome and indeed wanted addition. Housed in an old electric substation, the cleverly designed space is abuzz with happy people, and for good reason: here is a lovely, light-filled spot for recharging one's batteries. A big pumpkin at the front door signifies Sub-Station out of the grey lines of warehouses and smash repairs, and is a cute indication of the sense of humour inside. Lightbulbs hang from bedsprings in makeshift chandeliers and vintage advertisements of Coles and David Jones are framed resplendently. The narrow coffee bar – clad with old-world tiles and laden with freshly baked bread – opens up to an outside courtyard. It's green, private, quiet: a rarity in this truck-heavy part of town. Single-origin coffee (from $3) is rich and respectably creamy, and would go down a treat with one of Sub-Station's freshly baked goodies: think homemade brownies and lemon tarts. The breakfast offerings hit the mark with a balance of savoury, sweet and simple. The highlight has to be the Morning Dream breakfast roll ($16): a house-baked bread roll with egg, bacon, avocado, spinach, tomato and a chutney-like homemade sauce. The bacon is crackly crisp, American-style, which bacon-enthusiasts will attest can be hard to source. The just-baked station granola ($12) is a delight and baked at the spot itself. Grassroots fare is clearly a Sub-Station priority; with free-range eggs and organic honey in the kitchen and potted spinach growing outside. There are homespun touches throughout, like the wooden spoon–fashioned table numbers and wall-hung chopping boards. A hidey-hole haven in Alexandria, this substation is deliciously delivering energy and good vibes to Sydneysiders.
The Boathouse Palm Beach may have shuttered its windows, but a new Italian-inspired venue has popped up for the summer in its homewares store: CASA by The Boathouse. With classic brunch fare, best enjoyed in a rustic setting within spitting distance of the water, CASA joins Boathouse Group's other beachfront venues, including Balmoral, Shelly Beach and Manly Pavilion. Unlike its predecessor, CASA is also offering up an all-day Italian-inspired menu and drinks — with cocktails like Aperol Spritz, Montenegroni (classic negroni with Amaro Montenegro) and Boathouse Margarita (with pineapple and jalapeño-infused olmeca altos tequila) as well as a beer and wine list. Choose between classic Italian antipasto, including arancini al formaggio and calamari fritti with chilli and aioli, pizzas and side dishes. If you can't snag a seat, the menu is also available to takeaway so you can enjoy some Italian eats at home. If you're in Palm Beach to catch some morning waves, you can enjoy breakfast and Single O coffee out the back daily from 7am until 3pm. Breakfast options include fruit salad, classic avo on toast and bircher muesli, and Italian panini.
With a swag of popular ACT cafes under its belt, and a long, award-filled history to boot, Canberra's largest specialty coffee roaster Ona has finally taken on Sydney, opening a cafe in Marrickville. The acclaimed coffee brand's baristas and brews are often recognised as some of the best at the annual Melbourne International Coffee Expo. It also has a passion for top-quality, sustainably sourced coffee and it's eager to share the love. Step inside the Sydney cafe and you'll notice a huge central coffee bar, where you can engage with the baristas and letting you watch your cuppa being made. The bright, minimalist cafe space is a coffee-lover's heaven, offering espresso, filter and milk-based options, with a rotation of blends and single origins to choose from. [caption id="attachment_779137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] True coffee nerds will be all about the Marrickville store's special reserve coffee menu, offering dosed coffee beans that have been frozen and vacuum-sealed at their optimum freshness, effectively hitting pause on the ageing process. Those in the mood for food will find a simple, approachable lineup of cafe-style fare, including creations like the tomato stracciatella with grapes, olive, basil oil and rye, and a kingfish smørrebrød topped with lemon aioli, capers and pickles. Images: Cassandra Hannagan
Lennox Hastie is the mind behind one of Sydney's most talked about restaurants. Since bursting onto the scene in 2015, Firedoor has built a cult following. Tables at the venue book out three months in advance, and it was recently named the world's third-best steak restaurant. Now, Hastie is back with a new venture. Gildas is a more laidback display of Hastie's love of food and wine. The Surry Hills bar draws inspiration from the time the acclaimed restauranter spent in Europe's Basque Country, as well as San Sebastian pintxo, and the 1946 Rita Hayworth-starring film Gilda. From the combination of these influences comes a romantic wine bar centered around glasses of sherry, cracking martinis and fresh produce. "The Basque tradition of the pinxtos taverna is a space where locals come together as a community to snack on small plates of pinxtos, tell stories, and enjoy a drink, specifically one of Jerez's best; the Sherry," the Gildas menu states. There are 12 varieties of sherry or sherry-style wine on the menu, ranging from more affordable tipples like the Bodega Barrero Manzanilla, through to pours of 1999 Pedro Ximenez. Outside of the drink of choice, there's an extensive wine list, traversing South Australian skin contacts, Charles Heidsieck champagne, and plenty of Spanish varieties. Accompanying the array of wine is a short and to-the-point selection of cocktails and aperitif including Spanish vermouth, a manzanilla sour, white-wine sangria, and expected standards like a martini and old fashioned. As for the food, experienced chef Zach Elliott-Crenn heads up the kitchen after previously working as the Executive Chef at Maggie Joan's in Singapore and the Head Chef of Portland in London. Elliott-Crenn's menu brings together quality Australian and Spanish produce into memorable share plates. Leading the menu is a trio of cured meats — Basque ham, paleta iberico and jamon iberico. From there the dishes become more unpredictable. There are spanner crab churros, beef tartare with rock oyster cream, oyster mushrooms with smoked egg yolk and charred leeks with romesco and lardo salumi. Finish your trip to Gildas with a playful dessert — the smoked buffalo milk soft serve topped with dulce de leche. Gildas is located at 46–48 Albion Street, Surry Hills, and is open 5pm–midnight, Tuesday–Saturday. Images: Nikki To
