Get ready to swoon. Nick Cave has just announced a tour of Australia and New Zealand in November and December this year, and unencumbered by new releases, he'll be playing a wide selection of classics that stretch right back into his 30-year catalogue. Unlike Cave's 2013 Push the Sky Away tour with featured his much-loved band The Bad Seeds, this will be a rare solo outing. Prepare yourself now — you're probably going to cry when he plays 'Into My Arms'. News of this tour comes fresh after the premiere of 20,000 Days on Earth — a fictional documentary (just go with it) about this legendary musician. We enjoyed this 90 minutes of one-on-one time with the artist so much we even named the film one the best at this year's Sydney Film Festival. Now we get to make this alone time a reality; just like in the cinema, this tour will be you and Nick Cave (and a bunch of strangers) in the dark. Beginning in late November, Cave will be hitting up Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and Melbourne. And, though the venues are large, the tickets will be snapped up quick. Hopefully these latter mid-December dates spell further good news for Melbourne fans though. Nick Cave at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre, anyone? Oh god, please say it's so. Tour dates: Thursday, November 27 & Friday, November 28 - Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth Sunday, November 30 - Festival Theatre, Adelaide Wednesday, December 3 - Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane Thursday, December 4 - Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Gold Coast Saturday, December 6 & Sunday, December 7 - Civic Theatre, Auckland Monday, December 8 & Tuesday, December 9 - St James Theatre, Wellington Thursday, December 11 & Friday, December 12 - State Theatre, Sydney Tuesday, December 16 - Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Melbourne Tickets go on sale Thursday, July 3.
If you're one of millions of people worldwide watching American TV series Breaking Bad religiously and needing to avoid spoilers — or perhaps you're just sick of hearing friends rave about the show on social media — then your (#firstworld) problems can now be put to ease. Popular internet streaming website Netflix has debuted a new app that can block Breaking Bad spoilers from social media feeds. Spoiler Foiler is programmed to black out "danger" words (namely, words related to plot) from your Twitter feed, maintaining the mystery and suspense of plot developments for the wildly popular television series. Once fans have caught up with the episode, they can then safely return to their regular feed with the ability to read everything people had to say. Sure, this isn’t the first solution we’ve seen to the issue of social media killjoys. But at the moment it is certainly the most effective. Browser/hashtag-filtering is time consuming and not always foolproof. And abstinence from social media? Well that's just way too extreme. The Netflix app can be easily activated by logging into the Spoiler Foiler website using your Twitter account. Surely it'll just be a matter of time before this concept is extended to other popular series. Until then, rant away! We just won’t be listening. Via PSFK.
It's the 90s rock musical that's loosely based on Puccini's La Boheme and, come January 2021, it'll celebrate its 25th anniversary. We're talking about Jonathan Larson's Rent, of course, which follows a group of young artists trying to etch out a living in Lower Manhattan's East Village — and it's hitting up the Sydney Opera House to celebrate its big occasion. From Sunday, December 27–Sunday, January 31, the Opera House's Drama Theatre will unleash this tale about seizing the moment, facing adversity and finding one's community — aka the production that's won a Tony Award for Best Musical and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. When it first hit Broadway, it ran for 12 years, making it one of the famed theatre district's longest-running shows. The Opera House's version is an all-new Australian staging of Rent, too, starring Seann Miley Moore (The UK version of the The X-Factor) and Callum Francis (Kinky Boots). And if you need a refresher on the story — or you're coming to Rent for the first time — then prepare to step back to New York in 1991. Over the course of the year, as their neighbourhood is being gentrified and HIV/AIDS casts a shadow, a group of friends chase their dreams and strive for their place in the world.
For more than a decade, a movie version of Monopoly has been mooted, but hasn't yet reached screens. There's no need to hope for a Jumanji-style big-screen take on the game, however. Instead, from Wednesday, November 15 in Melbourne, you can just head to Monopoly Dreams and enjoy playing your way through Australia's first theme park-esque Monopoly experience. Here, the property-buying family favourite is no longer just a game: it's an immersive 1700-square-metre attraction. Monopoly Dreams is already open in Hong Kong, making the Aussie venue only the second in the world. Initially slated to launch in October, it's now officially ready to welcome in Monopoly lovers. If you're wondering what happens when the game that's caused many a childhood dispute — and plenty more between adults as well — makes the bricks-and-mortar leap on Melbourne Central's lower ground level, that's as understandable as being annoyed about being sent directly to jail. The answer isn't just a life-sized version of the game that everyone has played more than once. Rather, the venue is taking a chance on bringing Monopoly elements beyond the board, building a Monopoly city that includes water works, the electric company, the bank and Mr Monopoly's mansion. Yes, there is indeed a jail. Presumably you don't go directly there upon entering, but you can get your mugshot taken within its walls. When you walk through the doors, you'll also find carnival games. It wouldn't be an attraction based on a board game if playing games wasn't a big part of the setup, of course. Expect challenges as well — and, in the mansion, there'll also be a vault and gallery, alongside a 4D cinema screening a movie about Mr Monopoly and his dog Scottie touring Melbourne locations — plus the opportunity to create your own customised Monopoly title deed. For bites to eat, patrons can hit up the Monopoly cafe. And if all this Monopoly talk has you wanting to play Monopoly or buy Monopoly merchandise, Monopoly Dreams will also feature Australia's first and only dedicated Monopoly store. Catering for audiences of all ages — so, you'll have kids for company, but it's open for adults without children in tow — Monopoly Dreams will take visitors around 60–90 minutes to enjoy the full experience. "The opening of Monopoly Dreams has been highly anticipated by Monopoly fans since the news broke that we'd be making Melbourne our home," said Monopoly Dreams General Manager Mark Connolly. "We are absolutely thrilled to now be opening the doors and welcoming guests into the incredible world of Mr Monopoly." Monopoly Dreams will open on Wednesday, November 15 at Melbourne Central, Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Head to the venue's website for tickets and further details.
As far as the team at WOHA is concerned, green cities are the future. Their latest project, Singapore's Park Royal Hotel, is evidence of how it's done. As a result of the building's construction, the site's capacity for natural growth has doubled. Comprised of twelve storeys that overlook Singapore's CBD, the Park Royal is not just a hotel, it's an oasis - not merely another building, but a kind of extension of the adjacent park. Elevated gardens, filled with palm trees, frangipanis and rambling tropical flora, extend from every fourth level. Inside, the green theme continues, with plants and water features forming an inherent part of the interior design. On the top floor, the Hotel's club lounge offers panoramic views, and on the fifth, the spa area features an expansive pool and a 300-metre long botanic 'strip'. All rooms are northward facing, looking over the elevated gardens and/or the park. Energy efficiency is prioritised throughout, with maximised natural lighting, self-shading, harvesting of rainwater, thorough recycling systems and motion-stimulated sensors. Where much of Singapore's architecture tends towards the insipid, faceless and generic, WOHA's bold, environmentally aware design represents a mighty gesture. In the view of architectural photographer and writer, Patrick Bingham-Hall, '...finally the city has a uniquely expressive landmark that reinterprets and reinvigorates its location...The Park Royal on Pickering is a purely commercial development...But as with many of WOHA's projects built throughout Asia over the last decade, the hotel performs unambiguously as a public building...proposing that commercial architecture must respond to the city as its civic duty.' Previously, WOHA has won three Green Good Design Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies - for the Sanya Intercontinental Hotel, China; the Hansar Rajdamri, Bangkok, Thailand; and the Wilkie Edge, Singapore. [Via Inhabitat]
Forget The Big Bang Theory — in The Flight Attendant, Kaley Cuoco well and truly leaves her long-running stint in the popular (and just-finished) sitcom behind. Exactly what her character does for work won't come as a surprise given the mini-series' title, but the fact that she wakes up in a Bangkok hotel room next to a dead body and then finds FBI agents on her trail when she returns to New York sparks a mighty big mystery. If it sounds familiar, perhaps you've read Chris Bohjalian's 2018 novel of the same name. Before it even hit bookstores, Cuoco's production company snapped up the rights to turn it into a thrilling TV show. Accordingly, it's clearly a passion project for the actor and executive producer, and promises to treat audiences to an array of twists and turns.
From continually churning out top professional surfers to scoring a mention in the best surfing heist film ever made, aka Point Break, Australia's surfing prowess is well recognised around the world. Now our island continent has another wave-riding feather in our cap, with a stretch of Sunshine Coast coastline being named the latest World Surfing Reserve. Spanning a four-kilometre area at Noosa — including the beaches and five surf breaks between Sunshine Beach and the Noosa River — it's only the tenth spot on the planet to earn such honours. And, as a land girt by sea (as our anthem reminds us), it's Australia's third entry on the list. Sydney's Manly beach was selected in 2010, while the Gold Coast joined the swell in 2016. World Surfing Reserve status is awarded by the Save The Waves Coalition, with partners National Surfing Reserves Australia and the International Surfing Association, after launching the initiative in 2009. As well as aiming to preserving wave breaks and their surrounding areas, the scheme recognises and works to protect the surfing reserves on an environmental, cultural, economic and community level. It was Noosa's "beautiful pointbreaks and visionary coastal conservation," that got it over the line, according to the WSR announcement made at the dedication ceremony for the ninth reserve in Punta de Lobos, Chile. If heading to the popular Queensland spot wasn't already on your summer itinerary, you now have another reason to channel your inner Johnny Utah and head north for a splash in the sun. Via the ABC. Image: Yun Huang Yong via Flickr
Forget about Ingmar Bergman, Stellan Skarsgard and Noomi Rapace. The cinema of Sweden has a brand new face — and by new, we mean very, very old. Adapted from the bestselling novel by Jonas Jonasson, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared is the single most profitable film in the history of Swedish cinema. What drove audiences in such numbers to such a singularly unfunny comedy we'll chalk up to cultural misunderstanding The film, to its credit, delivers exactly what it promises to. On the day of his centennial, geriatric explosives expert Allan Karlsson (Robert Gustafsson) decides he's had enough of life in his retirement home and promptly shimmies through the curtains for a stroll. While at the bus station purchasing a one-way ticket to wherever, Karlsson accidentally comes into the possession of a suitcase full of drug-money — the first in a series of hi-larious coincidences and knee-slapping misunderstandings that follow the senior citizen wherever he seems to go. Indeed, the addlebrained pensioner is no stranger to misadventure. As flashbacks soon reveal, Karlsson apparently met, and influenced, most of the major figures of the 20th century, including Franco, Stalin and both Eisenhower and Reagan. He was also the lynchpin in the Manhattan Project, served as a spy for both sides during the Cold War, and spent some time in a Siberian gulag for his troubles. The film's most obvious compatriot would be something like Forrest Gump, but frankly, the comparison doesn't flatter. Gump wasn't exactly the sharpest hammer in the cutlery draw, but he had a certain childlike innocence that helped endear him to an audience. Karlsson, on the other hand, is just plain dumb. As such, it's difficult to care about either his past or his present, the latter of which sees him on the run from some skinhead bikers, intent on getting their money back in whatever way they can. The comedy is broadly slapstick, but with an undertone of callous black humour. Putting aside the fact that Karlsson helped invent the atom bomb and apparently feels not the least bit bad about it, the film regularly sees him cause the deaths, albeit mostly accidental, of people who cross his path. As it turn out, stupidity and nastiness doesn't make for an entertaining mix. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared can hardly disappear from cinemas soon enough. https://youtube.com/watch?v=6SEiaODjTZw
New York glam-disco pioneers Scissor Sisters are back on Australian soil this September, with shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in support of their comeback album Magic Hour. With them no doubt playing seminal hits like 'Laura', 'Filthy/Gorgeous' and 'I Don't Feel Like Dancing', Scissor Sisters will kick off in Brisbane on September 25, their first show here since their disastrous set at the Pyramid Rock Festival. Plugging Magic Hour, produced by Calvin Harris and said by male lead Jake Shears to be a "sweet melange of beat-driven future-pop", the tour will end in lights and lycra-clad style at the Sydney Opera House. Third album Night Work might not have been much of a success, but with tracks like 'Only the Horses' and 'Let's Have a Kiki', these dapper darlings will surely pull their fans back in for what is sure to be an unforgettable show. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4H5I6y1Qvz0
Bubbly pét-nat wines, a grazing table filled with snacks and a Beach Boys-inspired soundtrack — all over one ace evening in a wine cellar. It's one of the season's most enticing wine events and it's happening in Sydney as part of Vivid. Brought to you by the team behind Melbourne boutique booze-slingers Blackhearts & Sparrows, Pét Sounds is all about celebrating the naturally sparkling wine the French call pétillant naturel, or pét-nat for short. Held at Cake Wines from 4.30pm on Saturday, June 9, the event is set to feature a whole bunch of these lightly fizzy wines, at retail prices, alongside local drops and beers, a huge table heaped with bites to eat, plus pizzas to purchase. As for the tunes — a nod to the cruisy sounds of the Beach Boys — they'll be served up by Jonti with friends, as well as Dusty Fingers (FBI) and Tyson Koh (Keep Sydney Open) on the decks. Your ticket gets you a glass of wine on arrival and complimentary snacks, plus access to really well-priced pét-nat and craft beers while onboard.
Nothing makes us feel so alive as to see others die. This starkly confronting line comes from Leo Carax's new surrealistic film, Holy Motors, and is resemblant of the tone and style of the whole story. Carax's first feature film in 13 years, Holy Motors is an abstract expression of a heightened reality. It follows the life of Monsieur Oscar, a roving assassin played expertly by Denis Lavant, who meanders between varying identities and lives - whether that be a family man, a monster or a captain of industry. The film is set between dawn and dusk, yet follows no clear linear progression, instead exploring the irrational nature of the human subconscious. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian awarded the film a whopping five stars and described it as "wayward, kaleidoscopic, black comic and bizarre; there is in it a batsqueak of genius, dishevelment and derangement; it is captivating and compelling". It first appeared at this year's Cannes Film Festival and although it has received some mixed reviews, it has largely been received as a cinematic delight and created a mass of critical excitement. Other notable performances in the film include the slender blonde chauffeur, Celine, played by Edith Scob, the sultry Eva Mendez as Kay M, and Kylie Minogue, whose character is believed to represent the struggles in the protagonist's career. The most important thing to note in Holy Motors is to not look for one simple meaning - although we can safely say that it is at least in part about the significance of human role-playing as we journey through life. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Holy Motors. To go in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
In the lead up to this year's Sydney Film Festival, the event's powers-that-be announced a piece of particularly exciting news: the re-appointment of festival director Nashen Moodley for four more years. That'll take his reign through until 2023, marking a 12-year run in the fest's top job. It'll also give Sydneysiders plenty more of his eclectic programming to look forward to. If you've been to SFF since Moodley took the helm in 2012, then you know why that's exciting — and what that means for your future festival trips. Expect more international festival hits, thoughtful dramas, weird and wonderful delights, local highlights and the like, which are always part of his annual lineup. In fact, that's exactly what's on offer in 2019. Hitting the big screens at a host of Sydney venues across 12 days, this year's SFF kicks into gear from Wednesday, June 5 to Sunday, June 16, bringing everything from star-studded zombie flicks to an all-night movie marathon to a showcase of pioneering female Australian filmmakers along with it. If you're particularly excited about Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, we're sorry to say that all three sessions of the zom-com have already sold out; however, the fest's 300-plus movie program boasts a wealth of other standouts. Fancy multiple Cannes winners, including this year's Palme d'Or recipient (and latest movie by Okja's Bong Joon-ho)? One of the smartest and funniest high school-set comedies in years? A wise, warm and eye-opening Australian documentary about an Indigenous Australian boy in Alice Springs? Elisabeth Moss as an unhinged rocker? They're all on offer — and they're all on our must-see list. Keep reading for more details, more recommendations and more ways to spend more time in a cinema over the next two weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_0KJAzyUJc PARASITE If we were already eagerly anticipating Bong Joon-ho's latest film at the beginning of the year, then consider us boiling over with enthusiasm now. Just last month, it picked up Cannes' top prize, with the thoroughly deserving Bong becoming the first South Korean filmmaker to earn the coveted award. Even without nabbing the glittering trophy, Parasite is worth ample excitement. Promising a twisty story about two families at different ends of the socio-economic scale, it follows the mayhem and mishaps that arise when they cross paths. Bong's regular star Song Kang-ho (The Host, Snowpiercer) features among the cast, and the movie has been compared to last year's fellow Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters — but much, much, much darker. IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS It has been four years since Maya Newell gave Australia one of its most engaging and diverse slices of childhood life in the form of the applauded Gayby Baby. For her follow-up, she's still pondering the country's next generation, their hopes, dreams and everyday existence, as well as the way that today's attitudes and policies may impact their future. This time, it's charming 10-year old Alice Springs boy Dujuan who is in the spotlight, sharing his story with wisdom and passion beyond his years. Dujuan is a healer, highly connected to his culture and deeply concerned about the nation's treatment of its Indigenous population; however, he also struggles with school, and with meeting society's expectations. As it chronicles his plight, Newell's documentary isn't just empathetic — it's also an expressive window into his mindset, desires and experiences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwojM2j0Xb0 BOOKSMART For their entire high-school run, Amy (Kaitlin Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) have kept their eyes on the prize, working hard (not to mention relentlessly) to get into good colleges. But as graduation approaches, they realise that plenty of their peers managed to party their way through the last few years and still secure spots at prestigious universities. In response to this news, the pair commits to multiple shindigs, one epic night and a taste of the fun the two have been missing out on. Making her directorial debut, actor-turned-filmmaker Olivia Wilde crafts a smart, sharp coming-of-age comedy that's not only equally frank, insightful and raucous, but celebrates the ups and downs of female friendship. Booksmart also boasts winning performances from Dever, Feldstein and Billie Lourd (who happens to be Carrie Fisher's daughter), too. https://vimeo.com/230931583 LES MISERABLES Forget Victor Hugo's famed novel, the many musical versions that have sprung in its wake and Anne Hathaway's Oscar-winning performance. Ladj Ly's film may also be called Les Miserables and spend its time on the streets of Paris' Montfermeil district, but instead of slavishly drawing upon the familiar source material, the Cannes Jury Prize-winning feature offers its own distinctive vision of the area's downtrodden residents. Specifically, Ly's full-length debut follows an anti-crime police unit patrolling the lawless banlieue, in a movie that doubles as an adaptation of his own short film of the same name and was actually inspired by the city's 2005 riots. With its multi-layered storytelling, sprawling character list and gritty visuals, as well as its subject matter, it has also earned more than a few comparisons to The Wire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biHUTtV4K40 IN FABRIC Peter Strickland is one of cinema's inimitable auteurs, not only conjuring up narratives that no other filmmaker ever would or could, but bringing them to the screen with a distinctive sense of style and mood. It was true of his latest two festival circuit hits, Berberian Sound Studio and The Duke of Burgundy, and that observation remains just as accurate with In Fabric — the lauded writer/director's haunted dress movie. Yes, really. In London clothing store Dentley & Sopers, bank teller Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) finds the perfect red dress for her first blind date; however, she soon discovers that the fabulous frock has quite the dark side. Also starring Games of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, this fashion-focused horror-comedy is a lurid, intoxicating gem. You won't see anything else like it this year, at SFF or otherwise. SCHEME BIRDS Set in the Scottish neighbourhood of Jerviston, Motherwell, Scheme Birds delivers its first dose of heartbreak early. With a matter-of-fact attitude, proud local teen Gemma remarks that everyone in the troubled community either gets locked up or knocked up, but comments that, even knowing the kind of future that likely lies in store, she still wouldn't want to live anywhere else. From here, directors Ellen Fiske and Ellinor Hallin examine what happens next, with their Tribeca Best Documentary-winning chronicle both following the expected devastating path and showcasing Gemma's grit and fortitude. As it hones in on a remarkably candid subject, probes her plight and places her story in the context of the area's recent history, this sensitive and intimate film couldn't be more affecting and memorable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMlHDNdLGU8 HER SMELL When she's not navigating an oppressive dystopian society in The Handmaid's Tale, Elisabeth Moss continues to prove just as stellar in everything else that she's in. Her Smell is the latest example, which sees the actor re-team with her Listen Up Philip and Queen of Earth director Alex Ross Perry — and dial up the psychodrama and tension that were an enormous part of the latter movie. Moss jumps into rockstar mode, playing a Courtney Love-esque punk singer who brings a new meaning to the word 'handful'. The same can be said of the word 'meltdown' too. A savage dissection of the pressures not just of fame and success, but of trying to be and understand yourself, Her Smell turns its five segments into mesmerising real-time mayhem. Many a movie has contemplated music superstardom of late; however, consider this a perfect companion piece to the Natalie Portman-starring Vox Lux. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQaycqyjLFw PAIN AND GLORY Pedro Almodóvar. Antonio Banderas. Penelope Cruz. Three of Spanish cinema's biggest names reunite in Pain and Glory, which also acts as a fictionalised, highly intimate and reflective autobiography from the acclaimed filmmaker (Almodóvar) — who happened to initially give his two superstar actors their big breaks. In his Cannes Best Actor-winning role, Banderas plays director Salvador Mallo, whose health and creativity are failing in tandem, sparking a trip through his childhood memories. No one excavates the past quite like Almodóvar, with Pain and Glory completing a thematic trilogy that began with 1987's Law of Desire and continued with 2004's Bad Education. Based on their past work, no one directs Banderas and Cruz in such a rich and resonant way, either. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NddnV45hnzY HAPPY NEW YEAR, COLIN BURSTEAD Given that Happy New Year, Colin Burstead is the latest film from Kill List, Sightseers, High-Rise and Free Fire filmmaker Ben Wheatley, don't take the 'happy' part of the title literally. When the eponymous Colin (Neil Maskell) corrals his extended family into a stately castle to see out the year, their celebrations soon descend into bickering, resentment and spiralling chaos. The hefty ensemble cast, which includes Sometimes Always Never's Sam Riley, Game of Thrones' Charles Dance and I, Daniel Blake's Hayley Squires, are an acerbic delight in this dark comedy — and Wheatley happily swaps one kind of grimness for another. If you've ever been traumatised by being trapped in the same space with your relatives for an extended period, prepare to find this rather relatable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P7l-9tcTCk COLD SWEAT All that Afrooz (Baran Kosari) wants to do is play indoor soccer, especially when the team that she captains progresses to the Asian Cup final in Malaysia. She's understandably excited. Alas, she's also an Iranian woman — and even though she's estranged from her controlling husband, who happens to be a famous (and famously arrogant) TV host, the choice to leave the country isn't her own. The lengths she has to go to in order to follow her dreams makes for tense, heartbreaking and infuriating viewing in this moving film, which couldn't be more timely in today's social climate. Come for the topical drama that gives a jaw-dropping insight into a bleak daily reality for too many women, and stay for the vivid, textured and spirited performances. Still have some room on your flexi-pass? Don't worry, we have a few more picks. From our list of films to look out for in 2019, there's Portrait of a Lady on Fire — and The Dead Don't Die, although, as we've already mentioned above, it has sold out. On our rundown of Australian titles to check out this year, The Nightingale, I Am Mother and Emu Runner are all screening at SFF too. And then there's High Life, from our French Film Festival tips — plus The Souvenir, Synonyms, Varda by Agnes, Amazing Grace, Ghost Town Anthology and Skin from our Berlinale recommendations as well.
Young dudes on their way to find a steady job. Frustrated teachers between classes. Older sisters taking their younger brothers to football training. You've met so many story-filled faces on the streets of NYC through Brandon Stanton's insanely popular site Humans of New York. Now the neighbourhood's getting a little more global, with HONY heading out of the five burroughs. Street photography can often stand on its own wordless feet, but photographer Stanton uses just one quote to give a skerrick of insight into lives you had no comprehension of. Strolling through the streets of New York City, Stanton takes unbelievably poignant shots of strangers paired with one excerpt from a conversation he's had with them on the spot. The result is heartwrencher after heartwrencher of wonderfully joyous, sad, excited, in love, grieving, human stories. Now, with a number one New York Times best-selling book, over 1.5 million Instagram followers and nine million Facebook fans behind him, Stanton has left the streets of Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and Queens behind for a more worldwide neighbourhood. Sponsored by the UN, Stanton is taking a 50-day world tour of war zones and areas in conflict. The UN hopes to raise awareness of the Millennium Development Goals, which aim for "human dignity, equality, and equity". Iraq, Jordan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been visited so far, next for Stanton are Haiti, Ukraine and South Sudan. "Those are the places that have the most extreme headlines coming out," Mr. Stanton told the New York Times from Jerusalem. "Those are the places most skewed in people’s heads. The work has a very humanising effect in places that are misunderstood or feared." "It's always been my dream to have a successful business. I'd like one day to open more stores, and maybe even expand into the provinces. But the conditions are very difficult to start a business. Taxes are very high and services are very limited. The electricity was out for eleven days last month, but I still had to pay for thirty days. And when I try to use a generator, the costs are so high that the customers stop coming. It's very difficult." (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo) "She said she'd let me take her photo if I bought some peanuts from her. Afterward, I asked if she could remember the saddest moment of her life. She laughed, and said: 'You're going to need to buy some more peanuts.'"(Kasangulu, Democratic Republic of Congo) "I get way too sensitive when I get attached to someone. I can detect the slightest change in the tone of their voice, and suddenly I'm spending all day trying to figure out what I did wrong." (Amman, Jordan) "He runs to me every time I come home. It makes me very happy, and it reminds me of the times when I used to run to my father." (Al-Salt, Jordan) "Back in Syria, I sold antiques and Orientals. I had all sorts of things in my shop: glass vases, old stamps, coins from the Roman and Ottoman empire, valuable laces, antique furniture. But they beat me with rifles and knocked out my teeth. Then they burned my store to the ground." (Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan) "I want to discover the cure for Ebola." (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo) "We told her to sit with us so we could share her sadness." (Dohuk, Iraq) "I'm studying law. My dream is to be a judge one day. Too many people in this country are only in prison because they were too poor to defend themselves. When I'm a judge, I'll look only at the facts, and not at the person." (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo) "We're trying to get to Grandma's." (Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan) Check out the whole series at Humans of New York, on Instagram or Facebook. Via New York Times and Fast Company. All images Brandon Stanton.
The Arab Film Festival in Australia is back for another year of features, docos and award-winning shorts from across the Arab world. It will first hit the Riverside Theatres in Parramatta from August 17 through 20, then Cinema Nova in Melbourne from August 25 through 27. The festival will kick off in both cities with an opening night screening of Mahbas, a Lebanese culture clash comedy from first time filmmaker Sophie Boutros. Other standouts across the 11-film repertoire include Gaza Surf Club, a documentary from Palestine about surfers on the beaches in Gaza, and Ali, The Goat and Ibrahim, an Egyptian road movie about two friends (and a goat). Sydneysiders will also get a second chance to catch a screening of Ali's Wedding ahead of its nationwide release on August 31. The critically acclaimed comedy from writer/star Osamah Sami was our pick for best film at this year's Sydney Film Festival. After Melbourne, the festival will head to Canberra from September 1 through 2, then wrap up at Perth on September 9. To see the full program and schedule, head over here.
Want to examine the pieces of an exploded shed suspended in mid-air and walk through a blood-red, Twin Peaks-style room? If you haven't been to see the MCA's landmark Cornelia Parker retrospective yet, time is running out. Luckily, we're giving away ten double passes to the gallery's huge summer exhibition — Australia's first major presentation of the renowned British artist's work — before it closes on Sunday, February 16. Cornelia Parker spans the artist's career, with works ranging from the late 80s to now. Highlights include Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View (1991), where Parker enlisted the help of the British Army to blow up a garden shed and created a huge, shadowy installation with the pieces; a 12-metre-long hand-stitched version of the Magna Carta Wikipedia page; and War Room (2015), which takes over an entire room with walls crafted from discarded strips of red paper sourced from a Remembrance Poppy factory in London. All up, it includes four large-scale installations that transform entire spaces as well as smaller gems that are not to be missed — like the filings of a handgun and a guillotined Oliver Twist doll (sliced by the same blade as Marie Antoinette). The exhibition wraps up in just a few weeks, so if you haven't made tracks to the gallery yet make sure you do so before it closes. And why not do it for free? To enter, see details below. [competition]758032[/competition] Images: Anna Kucera.
Umbrellas at the ready, Sydneysiders. Spoons full of sugar, too. In the most supercalifragilisticexpialidocious news you'll hear all day, the Mary Poppins musical is making its way to the Lyric Theatre in May 2022. Disney and theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh's current version of the show tells the same tale that everyone knows from the 1964 film — which inspired this stage adaptation and also gave rise to big-screen sequel Mary Poppins Returns in 2018. Everything to do with the English governess harks back to PL Travers' books about the character, of course, and pop culture has been thankful for and downright delighted with her stories for almost six decades now. Over its upcoming run, theatre fans can look forward to a new version of the show that last graced the city's stages — and won eight Helpmann Awards — back in 2011. Since Mackintosh first teamed up with writer Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey) to bring Mary Poppins to the theatre in 2004, the production has won four Olivier Awards and a Tony as well. Image: Johan Persson
"I've had an incredible life," says David Bowie in Moonage Daydream. "I'd love to do it again." Alas, even for a music icon who always seemed beamed in from the future, another world or both — his casting in 1976 sci-fi masterpiece The Man Who Fell to Earth was perfection, as was the movie's title — that isn't possible. For viewers, however, reliving that spellbinding, shapeshifting, stratosphere-blasting existence is as easy as watching Brett Morgen's documentary. The Cobain: Montage of Heck filmmaker calls it "an experience", and that's exactly what the mind-blowingly immersive and spectacular blend of sound and vision delivers. It doesn't sound difficult, making a movie about someone as visionary as Bowie. There's so much to his life, so many decades of music and live performances to draw upon, and such a wealth of other touchstones — his acting, art, reinventions, alter egos ("I collect personalities," Bowie notes in the film) — to layer in. But Moonage Daydream isn't a Bowie biopic and was never going to be. That simply isn't Morgen's style; instead, he's all about digging into what makes his subjects tick, delight and surprise, then conveying that in a manner that so deeply captures their essence it feels like no other picture about them could've existed. In Moonage Daydream, that means using Bowie himself as the kaleidoscopic feature's narrator via soundbites and interviews from across his entire career. It means not only weaving archival materials spanning half a century-plus into an ever-twisting and spinning collage, but recutting famous footage, such as revered concert film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, from the original camera reels to unveil something new. It also means being driven by a playlist that covers Bowie's whole discography, and speaks to doco's exploration of chaos, fragmentation and transience, plus their constant relevance to his work. It truly does mean a big-screen spectacular, as the man recently voted the most influential British artist of the last 50 years deserves. "I don't know why they stopped at 50 years. Who's topping him, and why not century?" says Morgen, in Australia for this year's Melbourne International Film Festival back in August, chatting to Concrete Playground the morning after Bowie topped that British arts industry poll. "I would go a little further and say perhaps the greatest artist globally of the past 50 years," Morgen advises, before stepping through why Bowie remains such an enduring cultural presence, how Moonage Daydream came together, getting approval to make the first authorised film after Bowie's death and what he learned from living the Bowie dream. ON BOWIE'S EVERLASTING INFLUENCE "I think to reframe that question is: why does he continue to have so much influence and resonance? Because David meant something in 72 when Ziggy [Stardust, the seminal album] came out that was specific to that moment in time — and until the internet came about in the early 90s, as there were less sources for media and to find subcultures and tribes, Bowie united a lot of likeminded individuals and nurtured them. Moving forward, what's amazing is that each generation seems to discover and embrace Bowie, and they seem to discover him on their own. Sometimes you hear 'oh my dad played him' or whatever, but most of the time, talking to fans, they all arrive at Bowie on their own around the time they're sort of entering puberty. He becomes a kind of rite of passage — this sounds a bit cliched and we have other sources now to reference, but perhaps musically he captured that sense of alienation and confusion, and some of those feelings that we all experience at 12, 13 or 14 as we're all trying to feel our way throughout this world. Bowie, one of the reasons that he is one of the few artists of that era to continue to resonate with young audiences has to do with the fact that Bowie was so far ahead of his time that we might now just be entering the age of Bowie. David used to say in 1971 that he was writing for the 21st century in the 1970s. David's stock and trade was chaos and fragmentation — those were, as he would say, the throughline for his art. If we think of it, the world has only become more fragmented and more chaotic, and Bowie was writing the soundtrack for that world. Great artists have an ability to hear and see what is happening all around us but most of us can't see or hear yet, and Bowie had that gift for several decades. I had shown the film to Bono, who sent me an email the day after he saw it saying that he saw a lot of similarity in my style with Moonage and [U2's] Zoo TV. I went back and looked at Zoo TV, their 91 tour, and at the time the Zoo TV tour was presented as something futuristic and sci-fi — the internet, I don't even think it had started yet, but when you look at Zoo TV, it looks like something you would do when you were doing a tour today. And what I said to Bono was that 'I think like David, you weren't a futurist; you weren't writing about the future, you were writing about the present, just none of the rest of us were able to access it yet'. I think that has a lot to do with why certain artists are able to resonate across time, and David had that gift." ON HOW THE FIRST AUTHORISED BOWIE FILM AFTER HIS DEATH CAME TOGETHER "I had been doing theatrical documentaries for 23 years, and so the way I was able to get approval was most likely my previous endeavours, Cobain: Montage of Heck and The Kid Stays in the Picture, resonated with the estate. Where do you start a film or how do you construct a film that's designed to be an experience? It wasn't easy. It was slightly torturous. I made a decision from the get-go that I had no interest in producing a biography — that my interest was purely in sound and vision, and that I had no interest in trying to define or explain Bowie. That, I thought would be a fool's interest. So I just kind of embraced that, and it was a bit like trying to find your way out of a maze in the dark. I stumbled, I ran into walls, I cried, I felt Jack Torrence in The Shining: all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. [caption id="attachment_869789" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liam Arthur[/caption] There was a point — I didn't have a producer, I didn't have a staff, I was making a David Bowie film for IMAX by myself, it was like an arts and crafts project. And it was weird, it was not a traditional approach. I don't mean in terms of the methodology — I just mean the actual genre that I was trying to explore is not a genre that exists. So about six months into the cutting, no one had seen a frame, I didn't even have an assistant editor in the building, and I needed a change of scenery. I was going to take my media to a place I had rented out of town, and before I left I called my wife who's my executive producer, partner and brilliant filmmaker Debra Eisenstadt, and said, 'listen I need you to come and look at what I have'. She said, 'do you want me to take notes?'. And I go, 'no no, I don't want notes, I just want you to tell me if it's a film'. She goes, 'what do you mean, if it's going to work?'. And I go, 'no no, I mean like does it actually make sense shot to shot? Am I insane, you know? Like, literally is it in English or have I lost my fucking mind?'. She came into my office. I pressed play, and I was sitting behind her. She couldn't see me — I was shaking, I was so uncomfortable because I thought I was about to get exposed, and I thought when she would turn to me and with deep concern in her eyes going 'what have you done?'. And she looked at the film and turned back and said 'it's a diamond in the raw — a diamond in the raw'. She goes, 'keep going', and that was wildly important in the genesis of the film. So it really wasn't until the film was at rough cut stage that anybody including the financiers saw a frame it. ON STARTING MOONAGE DAYDREAM AS A CASUAL FAN, BUT ENDING IT A DEVOTEE "I was a casual fan at best. I think that when I was 12 or 13, Hunky Dory was one of my favourite albums. I probably stopped listening on an active basis when I got to college. I liked Bowie, but I never read a book about him, never did any sort of deep dive, but had obvious tremendous respect and admiration. Rediscovering him at 47 was as illuminating and inspiring as discovering him at 12 or 13. Most people gravitate towards Bowie's 70s catalogue — and for those who are well-versed in the 70s catalogue, I am thrilled to report that his later period work beginning with Outside, to me, is as revelatory and inspiring as any of his earlier endeavours. He's just one of a kind. Oh my god, if I ended the project a casual fan — I am, I believe, as hardcore as it gets right now. After spending years living and breathing David Bowie, you would think I'd had enough. But yesterday I was driving around Melbourne with my 14-year-old son, and he's like, 'dad, really, we're going to listen to Bowie? You haven't had enough?'. And I was like, 'no, I haven't.' I'm very blessed that I didn't enter the film from this vantage point because it would've, I think, felt too much of a burden given my reverence and appreciation I currently hold for David." [caption id="attachment_869788" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Olivier Borde[/caption] ON LEARNING FROM BOWIE TO APPRECIATE EVERY MOMENT "Everything that's embedded into the film was revelatory for me, and it has to do with his philosophy and approach to his day-to-day living. His appreciation for life and for challenging oneself to make the most out of each and every moment — that was something that I did not anticipate unearthing in my journey with David Bowie." Moonage Daydream screens in cinemas Down Under from September 15. Read our full review.
Over Easter, KFC spread some paschal cheer — and some of its finger lickin' good fried chicken — with free delivery. This weekend mightn't be a special occasion or include any public holidays, but now it's McDonald's turn to share the fast food love. If you're craving a Quarter Pounder or a box of chicken McNuggets and you don't fancy leaving the house, Maccas is offering free home delivery on orders over $25 via UberEats. The limited-time offer is available nationwide and runs until Sunday, April 19. To get your hands on a burg, some fries, a Happy Meal, McFlurry or a hot fudge sundae — or anything else on the chain's regular menu — with no extra delivery cost, head to UberEats' website or use the UberEats app and enter the code MACCASWEEKEND. The entire transaction will be contact-free, including when it hits your doorstep. And, if you're after a few household staples, Maccas is also delivering milk, plus six-packs of English muffins and its gourmet buns. Or, of course, you can ignore whatever time of day it is and go straight for a McMuffin, hash brown and some hot cakes. McDonalds is offering free delivery across Australia on orders over $25 made via UberEats, with the special available until Sunday, April 19. To order, head here and use the code MACCASWEEKEND. Images: McDonalds.
A play about not growing up and a life spent in make believe? Sounds like the Belvoir folks are getting self-referential and thumbing their noses at detractors with their production of Peter Pan, which comes complete with an ensemble cast of theatre's cheekiest. The poster boy for never-ending youth with the sociable habit of flying into strangers' windows will be played by Meyne Wyatt, who has brought a contagious energy to each show he's done from Silent Disco to Buried City and was most recently seen in the hit film The Sapphires. Charlie Garber, John Leary, and Geraldine Hakewill are his allies in Neverlandian adventure. The team claims to have been struck by the strange, wholly un-Disney-like quality of JM Barrie's original text, which is what they'll be bringing to the fore in their adaptation. The undertaking is helmed by artistic director Ralph Myers with Tommy Murphy as dramaturg — sure hands at plotting a course past the second star to the right and straight on till morning. Kicking off in the early days of January, Peter Pan will be a perfect fit for this festive time of year.
The landscape of the late Harry Dean Stanton's face is home to a thousand stories. In Lucky, we're privy to a few. Directed by actor turned filmmaker John Carroll Lynch, this intimate character study revels in Stanton's crumpled gaze, rugged skin and weary expression, as though they're the only things in the world worth looking at. For 88 minutes, they might as well be. Of course, there are other things that fill Lucky's frames. The movie starts with desert vistas that are almost entrancing as Stanton, with Lynch drawing a clear connection between their arid, weathered state and the film's central figure. A tortoise, named President Roosevelt, is spied ambling across hills and through cacti, slowly but surely going about its business. Townsfolk gather at the local diner during the day and at a bar each evening, shooting the breeze about life and love, and saying everything and nothing all at once. They're all connected to Stanton's protagonist within the narrative, but speak also to his mindset and his journey through life. Still, while these elements – these images and characters – all have a part to play, there's also no ignoring that this thoughtful motion picture wouldn't have worked without Stanton in the titular role. That's partly because Lucky the film and Lucky the character can't really be separated. Story-wise, Lucky doesn't chart big developments or action-packed occurrences. Instead, it follows the charmingly cantankerous World War II veteran's routine, as he smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, watches game shows, does crosswords and exercises in his underwear. But when the nonagenarian suddenly faints, it becomes clear that his mortality lurks just around a looming corner. Much like Jim Jarmusch's Paterson, this is a film that peers into a man's existence in order to show just how extraordinary the ordinary can be. Life, death, loneliness, friendship, hopes, regrets: they all ebb and flow through Lynch's film, sometimes mapped out in Lucky's expression, sometimes seeping through in his gruff chatter. As much as the film is tied to its star, it's also peppered with extra flavour thanks to its supporting cast. Stanton's Alien co-star Tom Skerritt pops up as a fellow veteran, while Ron Livingston makes an appearance as an insurance salesman. Meanwhile, acclaimed director David Lynch — with whom the 91-year-old Stanton has collaborated on everything from Wild at Heart to The Straight Story to the recent third season of Twin Peaks — plays the owner of the aforementioned turtle, and brings vibrancy and warmth to every scene he's in. It's not an easy job, shining a spotlight so soulfully on Stanton, while leaving room for others to have their moments too. But, in his first stint behind the lens, it's a job that John Carroll Lynch does masterfully. More than just a love letter to its leading man, Lucky is a melancholy ode to the inevitability that life goes on until it doesn't. Though conveyed calmly and with lashings of warm comedy, that's a potent message — both before Stanton passed away in September and now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWxpmcZ0E0Q
Felt butter. Felt SPAM. Felt condoms. Snuggle up to your groceries in this new, adorable installation from London artist Lisa Sparrow. Taking over a Bethnal Green cornerstore, Sparrow has stitched, stuffed and hand-priced hundreds of Coke cans, milk bottles and Men's Health magazines to stock the shelves with her latest artwork. Partly crowdfunded by Kickstarter, the Cornershop project took eight months to put together, realising the contents of an entire Bethnal Green shop in felt (with a tiny bit of lycra and plastic detailing). Crafting canned goods, confectionery, alcohol, toiletries, frozen food, cigarettes, ice cream, chewing gum, newspapers and magazines, Sparrow posted up the full inventory on her blog. While by no means an entirely never-done-before idea, it's pretty damn cute. The store will stick around for the month of August at 19 Wellington Row, then move to Brighton in October. Channeling artists like Sarah Lucas, Tracey Emin and Michael Landy with their embracing of the humble store, Sparrow's obvious penchant for nostalgia shines through felt Extra gum packets and felt Fanta. "[The corner shop] is something that's disappearing with the growth of supermarkets, and the loss of the corner shop has adversely impacted our high streets and communities," said Sparrow. "I hoped that this project would remind people just how much the corner shop cemented life in local communities." But the Cornershop Project isn't merely a vessel for shining a light on consumerism; Sparrow's work often makes a big statement on art audiences (and their undeniable hierarchy). "The Cornershop is a tactile project and I felt it was important to create some art for communities that normally find themselves excluded from mainstream art," Sparrow told Dezeen. Opening doors to all art enthusiasts, the Cornershop Project includes sewing workshops for children and people with neurological disabilities. "I chose felt because it's a naive, almost childlike material that everyone comes into contact with at a young age when first they start to sew," Sparrow explains. "It's a very forgiving fabric that's approachable and is available in a huge range of colours. It was just the right material to give the pieces saturation, stroke-ability and a uniform appearance." Sparrow introduces the often underapplauded realms of craft to the more recognised world of contemporary art. Mainly working with felt and wool to tackle the politics of consumerism, Sparrow has crafted food many times before — a movement she's called 'feltism' and 'craftivism' — crafting everything from felt cigarettes to oversized giant felt burgers. Alongside reams of huge group shows — over 35 including the annual 'Modern Panic' exhibition in London and Nottingham's City Art Institute of Mental Health Exhibition —the London artist was notably shown alongside Banksy in the Victoria and Albert Museum's touring street art exhibition 'Urban Take-Over' in 2013. So whip out that cuddly credit card, let's go shopping. The Felt Cornershop will be open until 31 August in Bethnal Green, London before moving to Brighton in October. Via Dezeen.
As the silly season approaches, the days and nights are growing longer. Many businesses are opening doors to visitors with new and exciting offerings for anyone hoping for a good reason to stay out late in Sydney. You'll find the most celebrations collected in YCK Laneways, the city blocks comprised of York, Clarence and Kent streets just south of Wynyard. Sydney's Northwestern CBD corridor is kicking off a new offering with The Night is Young, four weeks of over 50 free, late-night cultural events across 15 venues, all within walking distance from each other — an underrated foundation of an ideal night out. The series is supported by City of Sydney, and runs from Wednesday, October 25, to Thursday, November 16, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with each event starting after 8.30pm. Now, in terms of what to expect, King Street's underground haunt Tiva is hosting a series of themed nostalgia nights, decking the venue and playlists up to suit the 80s, 90s and 00s. You can find other live music, like country star Blake Dantier, who will be performing gigs at York Street whisky-and-western bar Jolene's. Underground jazz bar The Swinging Cat is levelling up its weekly music offering with the resident band The Sazeracs, and voodoo-vibey bar Papa Gede's is bringing on the all-vinyl DJ Bexy J for late-night beats. You can also find local artists Lotte Smith and Styna working on 'SILY Spray Ups', two murals painted over four weeks soundtracked by live music in the Kent Street courtyard bar Since I Left You. You could also catch burlesque sideshow specialist Porcelain Alice performing at York Street's Stitch Bar. Or see what the future holds with US-based MYSTIX hosting tarot readings at Esteban on Temperance Lane. These are just the tip of a deep and vibrant iceberg of events. You can plan your route through the precinct using the interactive YCK Laneways map and even earn free cocktails from Bacardi by using Laneway Loyalty, a perfect way to explore the precinct while trying what every venue has to offer and racking up great rewards. So what are you waiting for? It's time to explore a night of possibilities. The Night is Young runs from Wednesday, October 25, to Thursday, November 16. For more information and to plan your night out, visit the YCK Laneways map.
Arcade Fire already established themselves long ago as pioneers in the realm of music video interactivity: 'We Used to Wait' used HTML5 and Google Maps to feature the viewer's own home in the video, and a flock of new windows popped open all over your screen as the song progressed, birds flying in each of them. 'Neon Bible' similarly tapped new technology to create a fresh way of experiencing the band's sounds. Now the band has shown it has the finger on the pulse once again, with a dazzling interactive video (one of two videos, actually) for their song 'Reflektor'. Between its groovy beat and whisperings in French, 'Reflektor' is already uber cool. But the video Just A Reflektor, filmed in Haiti, is next level: a short film whose visuals you can affect, just so long as you have three basics of the modern tech era: Google Chrome, a computer webcam and a tablet or smartphone. That's when the real magic begins. Director Vincent Morisset takes us on a journey with a beautiful young woman who switches between her world and ours. Dancers in motion-tracking costumes, gyroscopes and mixed video assets add to the technological melee. Depending on how close you wield your handheld device to the screen, and its tilt, you can watch the action unfold from a variety of viewpoints and both conceal and reveal what you're seeing via whacky kaleidoscopic tunnel vision. Presto: the theme of reflection is seamlessly woven into the multimedia experience, with light effects swimming over the screen at your command in ways that are totally mesmeric and super fun to play with. The team consciously aimed for a strong visual metaphor that would chime with the song's lyrics, as you can see in the behind the scenes video below. They've even made it possible for computer geeks to mess around with the code, which is downloadable from the Just A Reflektor Technology page. Via PSFK
When cinemas around the globe started temporarily shutting down in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, horror sequel A Quiet Place Part II was only weeks away from opening. The film's release was quickly moved to September 2020, when it was hoped that life might've returned normal — and, when that didn't end up panning out, to April 2021. Now, the film has just shifted its release date again, this time staking out mid-September as the new time that cinephiles will be able to see the John Krasinski-directed, Emily-Blunt-starring follow-up to 2018 hit A Quiet Place. Cinemas Down Under are currently up and running, and have been for months (although Melbourne's reopened, then closed down again during the city's second lockdown in the latter half of 2020, then relaunched once more). But with COVID-19 numbers still enormously high in places such as the US and UK — with many cinemas closed in America and all of them presently shut in Britain — Hollywood studios aren't willing to release their big movies on the silver screen and risk low box office returns. Over the past week, the companies behind a heap of high-profile films that had already been delayed at least once over the past year announced that they'd be postponing them yet again. That includes No Time to Die, the latest Bond flick and the last that's set to star Daniel Craig. It was actually the first big movie to reschedule its 2020 release, moving from April to November, then to April 2021. It's now set to reach screens on October 8 this year. https://twitter.com/007/status/1352416833815633922 If you were looking forward to more Ghostbusters, you'll need to wait longer for that as well, with the Paul Rudd-starring Ghostbusters: Afterlife making its latest shift to November. The Spider-Man-related Morbius, featuring Jared Leto, moved from October 2021 to January 2022, while The King's Man — the next instalment in the Kingsman franchise — postponed its release from March to August this year. At the moment, both Black Widow and Fast and Furious 9 are still set to release in the first half of 2021 — on April 29 and May 27 Down Under — but don't be surprised if they move back as well. Actually, as has proven the case for almost a year now, constantly moving release dates is just a regular of pandemic life for the time being. Some flicks that shouldn't be changing their release plans in Australia and New Zealand: Dune, Godzilla vs Kong, The Suicide Squad, The Matrix 4, In the Heights and the latest Conjuring film. All of the above were produced by Warner Bros, who announced in 2020 that it'd launch movies in cinemas were they could and on streaming platform HBO Max at the same time where the latter is available, enabling it to keep to a schedule and not have to continually push releases back. New movies are still hitting in cinemas Down Under each week at the moment, of course, and will continue to do so; however, you can probably expect the next few months to be light on big-name flicks — and possibly even longer depending on how the pandemic continues to play out. And, as for whether any of the above repeatedly delayed movies will shift to streaming platforms as Mulan, Soul and Hamilton did in 2020, it doesn't seem overly likely while studios are willing to just keep pushing their dates for them back instead. To check out the new releases screening in Australian cinemas from this week, check out our weekly rundown and reviews. Top image: Jonny Cournoyer. © 2019 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved
Fans of 'hard-to-kill' indoor plants should make tracks to Marrickville's newest nursery, Plant Girl. What started out as a same-day delivery service has now expanded to open a bricks-and-mortar store along Sydenham Road — and it's offering black thumb-proof gifts in brightly coloured ceramic pots. Plant Girl is run by inner west local Felicity Keep, who wanted to add a bit of quirk to your indoor plant game. Customers can mix-and-match any combo of plant and pot, with the goal of creating a highly styled, personalised gift or cute new green baby for yourself — with predominately easy-to-keep-alive plants on offer. The shop is open Wednesday through Sunday and offers a much wider range of plants, ceramics and giftware than had previously been available online. At the moment, the plants on offer include snake plants, zanzibar gems, dragon tails and boston ferns, all of which land in the 'low maintenance' and 'hard to kill' categories. That means you don't need to worry about you or your recipient's green thumb (or lack thereof). For more experienced gardeners, the bird of paradise is also up for grabs. As far as the packaging goes, the vibrant pots range from metallic to turquoise and bright pink. You can also nab neem oil leaf shine or a bottle of indoor plant food (in store and online), both of which will help keep your new babies happy and healthy. For those still after delivery, Plant Girl continues to offer door-to-door service within a ten-kilometre radius of their Marrickville shop, which includes all of the inner west and the CBD, plus a chunk of the eastern suburbs and a bit of North Sydney and the lower north shore, too. You can check out the map over here. And, if you order before 11am, you can opt for same-day delivery Monday through Friday. But, when the weekend rolls around, the only place you'll be able to get your hands on these goods is in store. The PlantGirl store is now open at 100D Sydenham Road, Marrickville. Opening hours are 11am–6pm Wednesday–Friday and 10am–4pm Saturday–Sunday. It'll also continue to offer same-day delivery across Sydney from Monday–Friday. To order, head to the website. Images: Felicity Keep and Hipster Mum
There are excellent club nights. And then there are three of the best club nights in the city brought together for one mammoth event. Introducing A Kooky Motorik Pelvis Party, happening at Carriageworks on Sunday, June 7, as part of Modulations. At least 22 local and international acts will perform over the course of eight hours, with each club taking over a particular Carriageworks space. The gay Sunday night institution Kooky just celebrated its 20th anniversary and will be bringing Daniel Wang, Gemma and Seymour Butz, Glitta Supernova and Kaia to Carriageworks, along with a huge list of others. Meanwhile, Motorik, known for its epic techno warehouse shindigs, will be delivering live sets from the likes of Sei A, CSMNT 61 and Kirin J Callinan, Mike Callandar and wordlife. Finally, you'll find Pelvis's always unpredictable blend of disco, house, techno, smoke and strobe lights, with Samo DJ, who runs the Born Free label, and the Pelvis residents.
When most people think of Vivid, they think of lights, crowds and sold-out gigs at the Opera House. But it's also a prime time to join a shindig. As well as the city being transformed into a giant laser show, Vivid's program is heavy on the parties this year, with everything from a queer ball at Town Hall to an immersive art and music dance gig. There's even a five-hour party at the Opera House if you missed out on tickets to The Cure. Start planning your winter weekends now — while some parties are free, others will require some forward planning (and ticket securing).
Mandatory across all of Victoria (from tonight) and encouraged elsewhere when you cannot maintain social distancing (on public transport and at supermarkets, for example), face masks have become a part of everyday life for many Australians. There are plenty of shops across the country selling them now, but if you want to make yours a touch more unique, Petflair is here to help. The company is selling custom face masks with your pet's adorable fluffy (or not-so-fluffy) face on them. Whether you have an iguana, schnoodle or misanthropic cat, you can get their face emblazoned on a mask for all your fellow grocery shoppers to see. The masks are made to Department of Health and Human Services guidelines with three layers — a 100 percent polyester outside layer and 100 percent cotton face and filter-pocket layers — and come in ten different colours, including pastel pink, yellow, red, blue and black. They'll set you back $39.95 each — or two for $70 — with free shipping across Australia. Because of high demand, Petflair is only taking orders until 4pm on Wednesday, August 5 and shipping may take three-to-four weeks. So, you may need to get another couple of masks in the meantime (we've got some suggestions here). As an added bonus, the company is giving a portion of profits to charity Pound Paws, which helps pounds and rescue centres rehome animals across Australia. If you're set for masks, Petflair also makes towels and bathers with your pet's face on it. You'll be more than ready for a summer of social distancing on the beach if you get a set of these with Fido on them. Petflair is selling its custom print pet masks for $39.95. Orders must be submitted by 4pm on Wednesday, August 5. Top image: @dobiejax
After announcing they'll be playing sets at six European festivals this summer — their first live shows since 2012 — Radiohead have added a string of headline shows to their year, carving out a very neat 2016 world tour. So neat in fact, that's it's a little on the sparse side. That is to say that there are no Australian or New Zealand dates listed on their 2016 schedule as of yet (even after we checked and refreshed the page nine times). Instead, the band will do a series of May dates in Amsterdam, Paris and London, before heading to Barcelona's Primavera Sound, Iceland's Secret Solstice, Switzerland's Openair St Gallen and Lisbon's Nos Alive festivals. They'll then move onto New York, LA, Japan, Berlin for Lollapalooza and Mexico City. And although their website says these are "all the headline shows that the band will play in 2016", we're not taking that as an absolute, and will continue to cross our hopeful little fingers that a Australasian date or two gets added to the list. Not to be too forthcoming, but November would be perfect. No pressure. Radiohead have yet to announce a new album, but you can view all their 2016 tour dates at their website, W.A.S.T.E.
Marvel fans, it's time to get witchy. Agatha Harkness is back and she has a quest in her sights, plus a new posse of pals helping the MCU's latest small-screen series get spooky. A spinoff from WandaVision, Agatha All Along was announced back in 2021, then locked in its exact September 2024 release date earlier this year — and now Disney+ has conjured up the first teaser trailer for the eagerly awaited show. Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things) is also back as the series' namesake, starting the just-dropped sneak peek without her powers; however, that situation doesn't last long. First, Aubrey Plaza (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) is on hand for a Parks and Recreation reunion, and to point out the bind that Agatha is in. Then, there's a goth teen, a magical gauntlet of trials and the promise of rewards — with the assistance from a coven of chaos. Joining Hahn and Plaza in the series: Joe Locke (Heartstopper), Patti LuPone (Beau Is Afraid), Sasheer Zamata (Unfrosted), Emma Caulfield Ford (a Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum) and Debra Jo Rupp (That '90s Show). Behind the scenes, Jac Schaeffer (Black Widow) returns from bringing WandaVision to the screen to run the show and direct the pilot instalment. For fans, this series really has been Agatha All Along thanks to the Emmy-winning tune that everyone who saw the character's first on-screen appearance has had stuck in their heads ever since — and again now — but the program has gone through a few monikers. House of Harkness, Coven of Chaos and Darkhold Diaries, this won't be, though, when it hits streaming queues from Thursday, September 19, 2024. If nothing else joins the Marvel television slate between now and then, that'll make Agatha All Along just the second Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series of the year, after Echo (by design, with the Mouse House noting several times that it wants to better space out its releases). When the MCU made the leap to Disney+ back in 2021, WandaVision was the first program to arrive. It also finally made everyone take notice of the always-great Hahn, who stole every scene she was in each and every time that she popped up — hence Agatha All Along getting the green light. Obviously, WandaVision was about Wanda and Vision, with Avengers: Endgame's Elizabeth Olsen (Love & Death) and Paul Bettany (A Very British Scandal) reprising their roles. But Hahn played a significant part as neighbour-slash-witch Agatha, even nabbing an Emmy nomination for her efforts. So, because she was such a fan favourite, Disney magicked her up her own show. Check out the first trailer for Agatha All Along below: Agatha All Along will stream via Disney+ from Thursday, September 19, 2024. Read our review of WandaVision. Images: courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2024 MARVEL.
If you've been dreaming of a frosty cold winter — a reprieve not only from a record-breaking summer, but a hotter-than-usual autumn, too — it's time to recalibrate your expectations. As it does every quarter, the Bureau of Meteorology has released its climate outlook for the June to August period, and the forecast favours two words that Australians are all too used to: warm and dry. Just like last season, if you call mainland Australia home, there's a very good chance that you'll experience winter temperatures that are a whole lot warmer than the median. Apart from the far north of Queensland, as well as isolated spots in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the whole country is tipped to endure maximums at least 60 percent higher than normal. For the east and west coasts, that figure goes up to 80 percent. Nights are also likely to be toastier than average, especially for WA, the northern NT, parts of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, and most of Victoria and Tasmania. If you're wondering exactly what's in store, then it's worth keeping the usual daily temps across the period in mind — and remembering that they'll be exceeded. In Sydney, that means the mercury will soar above a 17-degree maximum in June, a 16.4 top in July and a 17.9 max in August, while Melbourne can expect temps above 15.4, 15.7 and 16.3 in the same months. In Brisbane, the standard tops range between 22–23.3, and in Perth it spans 18.4–19.4. Once again, farmers are in for not-so-great news. The three months are set to be drier than average for much of Queensland, NSW, Victoria, southeast South Australia, northern Tasmania, the NT, and northern and far southwest WA — and, for everywhere else, the chances of either being wetter or drier are roughly equal. If you're wondering what's behind this forecast, El Niño–like warmth has been having an impact in the central tropical Pacific Ocean, and a drying effect on Australia as a result. That's actually expected to reduce slightly over winter, but the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), or Indian Niño, will spark its own dryness. Combined with higher atmospheric pressures, it all makes for a lack of rain and a spike in warmth. It's becoming a familiar story. Let's not forget that in 2018, overall, Australia copped its third-warmest year ever. If this year's winter is set to favour hotter than usual temps, and less rain than usual as well, things aren't shaping up well for spring and summer.
It sure is no secret that Sydney's a pretty exxy place to call home. But here's some news to make you really start plotting that move interstate: a recent report on the cost of living has stuck it right up at number 10, above both New York and London. That's right, all your mates battling those killer Hackney rent prices now, apparently, have it better than you. As The Guardian reported this week, the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2018 study pushed our harbour city up four spots higher than in the same list last year, seeing it crack the top ten for the first time ever. This comes after another pice aggregation website Numbeo saw Sydney and Melbourne move up on its list too. The study compared prices across more than 150 products and services, looking at things like food, transport, utilities, clothing and rent in all the major cities. Singapore has again claimed the title of the world's most expensive city, followed by Paris, which jumped five points, and Zurich, which climbed one position. New York swapped last year's number nine ranking for a spot in 13th, while at number 30, London scored its lowest position in two decades — a fall the report's authors say has a lot to do with a little thing called Brexit. Via The Guardian.
Earlier this year, Goose Island migrated down under from its home in Chicago, setting up shop in Tasmania. Now, the craft brewery is bringing its Migration Week event series to Australia for a hop-fuelled week of brews, eats and Aussie-American mashups. To kick off the very first Aussie Migration Week, Goose Island will take over The Bank Hotel in Newtown on Wednesday, November 8 from 6pm, bringing together the best of Chicago and Aussie culture. At The Chicago Session, you can enjoy unlimited schooners of Goose Island's premium brews (until the kegs run dry, that is) including the Midway IPA, the award-winning IPA, plus the barrel-aged Halia, Lolita, Matilda — flown in direct from Chicago. Paying homage to its roots, Goose Island will also serve up plenty of American snacks and throwback tunes from its early days when the brewery was just a mere gosling. Want to get in on the fun? We have several double passes to give away, so you and a mate can join the flock for a night of frothy fun. Enter below to win. [competition]644273[/competition]
In repentance for all the times you've ordered take away and slumped on the couch feeling like the worst, you can now do the exact same thing while feeling like the best. On Friday, July 15 Uber is teaming up with OzHarvest and a horde of celebrity chefs to design and deliver a range of gourmet ice creams for a good cause (sorry Gelato Messina, you're out of the gang). The guys at OzHarvest hope to deliver 100,000 meals for vulnerable Aussies to help them get through the harsh winter season. The profits from a $15 half-litre tub of ice cream will provide five square meals to struggling Aussies — and one indulgent meal to yourself. George Calombaris, Matt Moran and Neil Perry have all signed up, and each has designed a custom ice cream flavour. There are no prizes for guessing that George's has an amazing Greek twist — it's called Caramel and Walnut Baklava Smash. Matt Moran has wisely gone with the deliciousness of banana with his Banoffee Crunch and Neil Perry will be scooping Spiced Cookie and Caramel Swirl. They all sound bonkers, which is a good thing because distribution is randomised. All you have to do is jump on the app between 11am and 5pm on Friday and press the ice cream button for ice cream delivered straight to your door. If only all things in life were that simple. Check out their service areas on their website. Like all of Uber's extracurricular pursuits, demand will be high. But if you miss out, just buy an ice cream and donate to OzHarvest directly over here.
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and last year we scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. And, now, it's back for its second round of autumnal beachside festivals. Returning this March and April, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave for 2019 are brother-sister folk band Angus and Julia Stone, the perennially pastel indie pop duo Client Liaison and NSW surf rock band Hockey Dad, along with other local legends The Jungle Giants and Alex the Astronaut. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop is set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. As well as heading to the official WSL events in Torquay, Margaret River and Coolangatta, this year, the festival will also kick off Surfest Newcastle and Vissla Sydney Surf Pro in Manly — both WSL Qualifying Series events. THE DROP FESTIVAL 2019 LINEUP Angus and Julia Stone Client Liaison Hockey Dad The Jungle Giants* Alex the Astronaut * Ball Park Music will replace The Jungle Giants in Newcastle THE DROP FESTIVAL 2019 DATES Newcastle, NSW — King Edward Park, Saturday, March 16 Manly, NSW — Keirle Park, Saturday, March 23 Coolangatta, Qld — Queen Elizabeth Park, Saturday, April 6 Torquay, Vic — Torquay Common, Saturday, April 20 Margaret River, WA — Barnard Park, Busselton, Saturday, June 1 The Drop tickets are currently on sale for $95. For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au. Images: Miranda Stokkel.
Facebook might have spawned its fair share of hook-ups over the years, but now the site's taking the whole matchmaking thing to the next level. As announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company's annual F8 developer conference, a new Facebook feature for dating and relationships is just around the corner. According to Facebook's blog post about its latest technology announcements, the dating service is designed to improve the experience of meeting new people. You'll be able to use it to create a dating profile (separate to your regular one, thankfully), which will then throw you potential love matches, based on information about your mutual friends, preferences and things you might have in common. Users will also be able to scout out compatible matches through Facebook's 'Groups' and 'Events' features. The service is being built as we speak, with testing slated to kick off later this year. Other nifty new Facebook services announced at the F8 conference include a blood donations registrations feature for communities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and new ways of sharing to your 'Stories'. Also in development is a 'Clear History' feature, which will show you what websites and apps send Facebook your information, and enable you to switch off the process going forward. It's a feature that might make users feel more secure after the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach.
Boxes are good for many things. Jewellery. Leftovers. Sealing away the trinkets of a doomed romance. Spare USB cables. One thing they're not good for is the arts. 'An art' will do this annoying thing where it squirms against the pressing of a lid, busting out to mix with all the others. And Performance Space, bastion of cross-disciplinary art, shoulders a hunk of the blame for the glorious mess that results. The works under its roof combine music, dance, live cinema, story, animation, comedy and other practices to create things new and surprising. Its latest season, Show On, draws you into immersive, sensory experiences that by their nature can only be unlocked in real time. In Aphids' strictly limited-capacity Thrashing Without Looking, it's the audience that creates the work (through the provocation of crowd dynamics — no awkward 'audience participation' with all eyes upon you here). Kitted with 'video goggles' that feed you live footage and potential cues, you mingle at a party that's bound to be the talk of the town. Cool nomenclature combines with music, dance, storytelling, humour and animation in RRAMP: the Collector, the Archivist & the Electrocrat. Employing the romantically grotesque animation of Ahmarnya Price, it tells the story of the Collector, the tall lady-of-the-house, and the unsuspecting band members she recruits. The chance to tap into terror without actual bodily danger is what keeps us returning to horror films and roller-coasters, but neither do it as pervasively, intimately, and thoughtfully as Tamara Saulwick in Pin Drop. Primarily using sound design, the Green Room Award winner for Outstanding Production awakens a catalogue of fears learnt through interviews with subjects aged six to 92. Applespiel Make a Band and Take On the Recording Industry sees the collective transform into a band, cut an album, go on the road, and package the imaginary results in a live show that's described as a lethal cocktail of performance art, gig, and rockumentary. A manufactured non-band playing non-music — sounds oddly familiar, right? There's more where that came from; peruse the full program here.
London's iconic Ministry of Sound Club is bringing its beats down under with the launch of a brand new EDM night in the Sydney CBD. Lighting up ivy on George Street each and every Saturday night, Ministry of Sound Club Australia will feature four rooms of music, a state of the art sound system, and a carefully crafted lineup of killer acts. They're calling it a "new era of clubbing in Australia", and at the risk of over-hyping it, they might just be right. MOS' Australian excursion will kick off with a bang, with an opening night set by Peking Duk. They'll be joined in the ivy Courtyard by local favourites Kinder, while US house legend Sandy Rivera, aka Kings of Tomorrow, takes over the Pool Club. "Ministry of Sound in London is a world-renowned venue and has been the destination for lovers of dance music for over 25 years," said Ministry of Sound Australia CEO Tim McGee. "We are now going to bring that same experience and ethos to Sydney...Ministry of Sound Club will be the ultimate destination for true lovers of dance music." For more information about Ministry of Sound Clubs Australia visit www.ministryofsoundclub.com.au. Image: Nathan Doran Photography
If you're still harbouring a mild hope of ever breaking into the Sydney property market, you might want to ignore this bit of news. A new apartment in Parramatta, that is yet to even be built, has sold this week for a whopping $3,325,000, according to Domain. Granted, the apartment is a luxury penthouse — but it has broken the price record for an apartment sold in the suburb, marking a new tide for the Parramatta property market. The eye-watering $3 million-plus figure is more than five times Parramatta's median apartment price, which typically sits at $626,500. Maybe it's time to move to Canberra. The apartment was sold to a couple from the Hills District, who are supposedly 'downsizing' to the new pad. The couple's new not-so-humble abode will be built on the 53rd storey of the new 8 Phillip Street development, which will also house a new locations for Rockpool and Sake. Due to be completed by 2020, 8 Phillip Street will act as an expansion to Church Street's existing 'Eat Street' precinct and will also be home to Sydney's highest rooftop venue, Studio 54 — a 600 pax, 54th floor space with a fit-out inspired by the rooftop bars of Bangkok, New York, Shanghai and Singapore. A grand ballroom, multiple event and meeting spaces will also exist within the hub. While apartments now make up more than 80 percent of homes in Parramatta, this is the third time within eight months that a penthouse in the development has set a new unit price record for the suburb. The first penthouse, which sold in 2016, pushed Parramatta's record to $3 million, while the second apartment sold for $3.2 million just two weeks later. 8 Phillip Street will join the new 28-storey V by Crown complex and the changing face of Parramatta. . Via Domain. Image: Coronation Property.
Niche eateries are the culinary trend no one seems to be able to get enough of, just like the food items they're devoted to. Add New York's upcoming cream cheese cafe to a list that already includes cereal, avocados, mayonnaise, cookie dough, peanut butter on toast and marshmallows. Sugary treats and spreadables — when it comes to dedicated restaurants, they seem to hit the sweet spot. Indeed, when it sets up shop in NYC's East Village over the American summer, Becky's Bites will offer both. Given that cream cheese is quite the versatile — and delicious — substance, the new venture will serve desserts and savoury snacks. Start off with a bagel filled with the good stuff, then move on to cream cheese parfaits, cream cheese tarts, cream cheese cookie sandwiches and even cream cheese-filled chocolates. A cream cheese-topped hot chocolate might also make an appearance. https://www.instagram.com/p/BVncD3cHEDo/?taken-by=beckysbitesnyc The store, which will be the bricks-and-mortar digs for the existing catering company of the same name, will also offer up cream cheese in more flavours than you might expect. Vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter and cookies n' cream might all sound standard, but apple pie, cappuccino and bacon and egg definitely aren't. For other creative concoctions, there'll also be a cream cheese flavour of the month. Via Gothamist.
Writer-director Sarah Polley's follow-up to the much-loved drama Away From Her, Take This Waltz follows the story of a freelance writer Margot (Michelle Williams) as she meets a rickshaw driver from Toronto, Daniel (Luke Kirby). Margot shares with him an uncontrollable sexual chemistry, and when they realise they live just across the street from each other, the bombshell is dropped: Margot is happily married to sweetheart husband Lou (Seth Rogen), a gentle and caring cookbook writer. Margot finds herself in a complex and conflicting situation, not knowing whether her comfortable routine with her husband, whom she still loves, is enough in the face of the fiery desire of her alluring neighbour. She finds herself frequently trying to bump into the young man and testing the limits of her resolve by having late night pool dips and sipping margaritas with him, yet not actually acting on the attraction. Far from being a shallow display of trivial conflicting desires, the movie poignantly illustrates the internal dilemma of whether familiarity and comfort will suffice when they come up against the temptation of exotic sex, romance and art. Williams gives a heartwarming and evocative performance, making audiences sympathise and identify with her plight. Similarly moving displays from Rogen and Kirby work to make this film a heartwarming and complex production, which is a must-see for romantics and cynics alike. Concrete Playground has five double passes to giveaway. To go in the running to win tickets to Take This Waltz, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
This end-of-year show at one of Sydney’s best galleries for contemporary photography features an all-star list of artists. Feast will present work from Anne Ferran, Chris Fortescue, Narelle Autio, Polixeni Papapetrou, Pat Brassington, Trent Parke, Justine Varga and more. Many of these contemporary artists are represented in major collections across Australia. Grouping together some of our finest talent, this photographic banquet ought to stimulate your cultural senses and lure you into the holiday season. Image: Polixeni Papapetrou, The Storyteller (2014) from Lost Psyche.
So. Your iPhone 6 keeps dying at 28 percent battery, apps have started quitting unexpectedly and the home button has just stopped working. It must be time for the new iPhone to come out. Just as iPhones everywhere start living our their convenient two-year life expectancies, Apple announced the details of the brand new iPhone 7 (and iPhone 7 Plus) in San Francisco overnight. Design-wise, it looks pretty much the same; the new model is the same size and shape and the home button hasn't disappeared (although it isn't clicky anymore) — the biggest change to the look is that it comes in some v sleek new colours (like "piano jet black"). Oh, and it'll have two cameras and be water resistant. Of course, Apple is calling this the best bloody phone they've ever invented. In their words it has the "best performance and battery life ever" (well, you'd hope so), "immersive" speakers (how immersive) and "the most powerful chip ever" that will make it twice as fast as the iPhone 6. But enough with the brand speak. Here's seven details about the new iPhone 7 in dot point form that you can use for prime water cooler convo at work today. THERE WILL BE NO HEADPHONE JACK — WE REPEAT, NO JACK FOR HEADPHONES But you knew this was gonna happen already and have mourned the fact that you will ever have headphones on you at all because you will surely lose these wireless ones immediately. Apple's new-age headphones are called AirPods and they'll connect with all your Apple devices wirelessly. Siri will also live inside them, so you'll also be able to talk to them and get her to do stuff without touching your phone. Apparently they'll last up to five hours. IT WILL HAVE NOT ONE, BUT TWO REAR-FACING CAMERAS Why on Earth do you need that? To shoot a photo for one of those 'shot on my iPhone' billboards, of course. The iPhone Plus will be both a wide-angle and telephoto lens, and supposedly the phone will take a photo will both of them, and then allow you to choose your depth of field when editing, which is pretty cool. The regular iPhone 7 has had a bit of an upgrade too with a larger ƒ/1.8 aperture, which should make those sexy low-light photos a little more hi-res. IT WILL COME IN NEW FIERCELY-NAMED COLOURS LIKE PIANO JET BLACK In what seems way overdue, Apple are finally doing an all-black iPhone. Both matte black and a shiny piano jet black options will join silver, gold and rose gold. IT'S GONNA BE WATER RESISTANT Your long history of seeing off your iPhone in a death bed of rice may be over. The new model will be the first iPhone to be splash, water and dust resistant. THE HOME BUTTON LIVES! Sorta. Everyone thought the home button was going to be tossed out on this model — and while it still looks the same, the button isn't going to be clicky anymore. It'll be more of a touch situation (i.e. non-clicky). Apparently it'll still feel like it clicks though. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HEAPS MORE STORAGE Everything can stay. Those cats at Apple have very generously doubled the storage so that the phones will be available in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. Because 16GB was a crock anyway and we all know it. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PLAY SUPER MARIO Even if you're not planning on upgrading your phone, just make sure you update to iOS 10 when it's released on September 13. According to The Verge Nintendo will release a new Super Mario Run — and it will only be available on iOS. The iPhone 7 will be available from September 16, and keen beans can pre-order from September 9 here.
Winter and indulgence seem to go hand in hand — and there are very few things that say 'treat yourself' better than truffles and Champagne. And, this winter, we know just the spot to go. Kingsleys Woolloomooloo has collaborated with RSRV Maison Mumm to open a luxe lounge dedicated to those two very things. Pouring all four of Maison Mumm's cuvées by the glass, the lounge, Bar à Truffes, will also be serving up a series of truffle-infused classic cocktails, including truffle Negroni, truffle old-fashioned and truffle martini. Plus, there'll be a full menu of winter comfort food to get your mits on — think whole baked camembert with honey and rosemary lavosh, cacio e pepe and twice-baked souffle. As you tuck in, a trolley will be swinging around from which you can choose which truffle get shaved over your meal. Just like gold, you'll pay per gram. But, unlike gold, every morsel is edible and delicious — so go hard and live your best life. Bar à Truffes will be open from Friday, June 7 until Saturday, August 31. The lounge will be open Thursdays–Saturdays from 5–11pm and from 2–8pm on Sundays. To make a booking, head this way. Images: Jasper Avenue.
Are we changing sex or is sex, in fact, changing us? We might think the internet is the best thing since sliced bread, but do we actually have any idea what it's doing to us? If we had to write a totally honest letter to our closest friend, romantic partner or business partner, would he or she really want to read it? What happens to The Odyssey in the hands of one of the UK's greatest storytellers? These are just a sprinkling of the questions to be tackled at this year's Sydney Writers' Festival. Authors, poets, troubadours, editors, critics, publishers, academics and media personalities from far and wide will be converging on venues around the city to talk about how our stories reflect, embody and influence who we've been, who we are and who we might become. Here are our picks of the festival's ten most dynamic, original and upbeat events. Festival Club: Thursday Thursday, May 23, 7pm, Pier 2/3 Club Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, $10 Wednesday to Saturday nights, Festival Club will keep the action happening until the late hours. Created with the input of Eddie Sharp, these gatherings will see the meeting of an eclectic mix of writers, personalities and live music. Though they're all worth checking out, Thursday's our pick. There'll be 90 minutes of erotic fan fiction, featuring new stories from the likes of Noni Hazlehurst, Benjamin Law and Ben Jenkins; unpredictable banter between The Chaser crew and international guests Sylvie Simmons, Mark Forsyth, and Aleks Krotoski; and performances from Kate Miller-Heidke, Swimwear and Dave Graney. The Silent History Saturday, May 25, 10am, Pier 2/3 Club Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, $10 What Charles Dickens made famous Eli Horowitz has taken into a brave new world: the serialised novel. Between October 1, 2012, and April 19, 2013, the ex-McSweeney's managing editor-turned-novelist published a 500-page narrative via daily updates accessible on iPad and iPhone. The Silent History is a futuristic dystopia about a generation of children unable to use or understand language. Horowitz will join Australian writers Krissy Kneen (Affection), Josephine Rowe (Tarcutta Wake) and Sam Cooney (The Lifted Brow) for a panel discussion. Are we changing sex or is sex changing us? Friday, May 24, 8.30pm, Sydney Town Hall, 483 George St, Sydney, $25/$20 Five 'sexperts' get together to talk about the topic that, once taboo, now seems ubiquitous. In conversation with Radio National's Natasha Mitchell, Benjamin Law (Gaysia), Frank Bongiorno (The Sex Lives of Australians), Naomi Wolf (Vagina), and Faramerz Dabhoiwala (The Origins of Sex) will be trying to determine who's actually wearing the pants these days: is it us or is it sex? And how do attitudinal changes in the west compare with those in other parts of the globe? Daniel Morden: Tales from the Odyssey Sunday, May 26, 10am, Pier 2/3 The Loft, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, free Daniel Morden, one of the UK's most gifted and charismatic storytellers, brings his modern magic to an ancient tale. Having worked as a professional weaver of tales for nearly 23 years, he's been described by BBC Radio as combining "the skills of the troubadour, the actor, the bard, the stand-up comedian and the preacher in the pulpit". He'll be making several appearances (including the opening address), but this, his idiosyncratic telling of The Odyssey is probably the pick of the bunch. Literary Mag Revival Friday, May 24, 2.30pm, Bangarra Mezzanine, Pier 4/5, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, free Back in the day, literary journals were the go-to for hot new writing talent. Their position diminished as a reading audience once unified by the homogeny of the print press and the dominance of a small selection of publishing houses became splintered by the internet. However, like vinyl, the literary mag seems to be experiencing something of a revival. Craig Taylor (editor of online UK mag Five Dials), Rebecca Starford (Kill Your Darlings), Sam Cooney (The Lifted Brow) and Alice Grundy (Seizure) discuss the why, how and where of this phenomenon. Question Time with Sheila Heti Saturday, May 25, 11.30am, Pier 2/3 Club Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $14/$10 Drawing on the work of theatre creative Darren O'Donnell, Sheila Heti is planning on turning this Q&A upside-down. The sometimes divisive writer and Believer interviews editor will be the one asking the audience questions, in the process aiming to reveal what it is in other individuals that makes them fascinating to us. Anyone who's read Heti's novel, How Should a Person Be? will know that her approach to identity sure ain't about 'keeping yourself nice'. Aleks Krotoski: Untangling the Web Thursday, May 23, 11.30am, Pier 2/3 Club Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, $14/$10 What's the internet doing to us? It's impacting everything, from shopping to playing to communicating, but it all seems to be happening so quickly, how can we possibly figure out whether or not the long-term consequences are desirable? Social psychologist Aleks Krotoski has committed the past ten years to these questions. She'll be chatting about what she's discovered with Marc Fennell, self-confessed cyber addict and presenter of Radio National's Download This Show. People of Letters Thursday, May 23, 4pm, Pier 2/3 Club Stage, Pier 2/3, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, free This popular show will be making its Sydney Writers' Festival debut. Michaela McGuire and Marieke Hardy have asked five diverse pairs to compose letters addressed to their 'other half'. We'll be hearing words from the musical partnership of Brendan Maclean and Paul Mac, the media duo of Wendy Harmer and Angela Catterns, the literary relationship of editor Alex Craig and author Hannah Kent, the marriage of Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall and the writing collaboration of Jacquelin Perske and Claudia Karvan. Troubadours and Minstrels Saturday, May 18, 12pm, The Rocks Square & Laneways, The Rocks Square, Playfair Street, The Rocks, free (bookings essential) Pied Piper of Hamelin fans will love this one. After gathering at designated areas in The Rocks, audience members will be asked to follow wandering troubadours wherever they may lead. The destination is a series of intimate performance spaces, where the trusting will be treated to live poetry readings. MCA Zine Fair Sunday, May 26, 11am, Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George Street, The Rocks, free Fancy yourself an editor? Don't let the insular hiring practices of big media stop you. Have a go at creating your own zine at the MCA Zine Fair, which is now in its sixth year. Apart from attending DYI workshops, zine aficionados will have the chance to browse and buy an array of zine classics. There'll also be a 'show and tell session' conducted by MCA curator Glenn Barkley, who's something of a zine expert. The Sydney Writers' Festival is on from May 20-26, 2013, mostly at venues in and around Walsh Bay's Pier 2/3 and 4/5. Check out the full program at their website. Images courtesy of Sydney Writers' Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art and Miles Merrill.
Each year, the esteemed World's 50 Best Restaurants awards do exactly what's on the box: names the top eateries around the world. Actually, the accolades go a step further, doubling that number thanks to a 51–100 longlist. That's 100 top-notch restaurants singled out every year, giving diners globally plenty of places for their culinary bucket lists. For 2023, the results are now in, as announced on Tuesday, June 20 in Valencia in Spain. In number one spot: Central, with chefs Virgilio Martinez and Pía León taking the honours for their restaurant in Lima, Peru. It earned the prestigious top ranking from 2022's winner Geranium, after coming in second to the Copenhagen venue last year. Perhaps helping its fortunes: the fact that Geranium isn't named in this year's list at all because it's been elevated to the Best of the Best hall of fame, which means that it's no longer in the running for the regular rankings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants (@theworlds50best) This who's who of worldwide restaurants does lack one big thing in 2023, however, and on both its 1–50 and 51–100 rankings. In 2022, only Andrew McConnell's Melbourne diner Gimlet at Cavendish House earned a place on either list from Australia, coming in at 84 for its World's 50 Best debut. This year, neither it nor any other Aussie venues got the nod. Australia's hospitality scene hasn't ever dominated the World's 50 Best Restaurants gongs, but not placing at all for 2023 hasn't escaped attention. Just two Aussie restaurants claimed spots in 2021's awards, both of them Victorian, with Dan Hunter's Brae placing 57th and Ben Shewry's Ripponlea fine diner Attica coming in at number 97. There were no awards in 2020, but Brae and Attica also placed in the longlist in 2019. In 2018, Attica came in 20th and Brae 58th. Australia has had up to four restaurants in the top 50 before, including three when the awards debuted in 2002. [caption id="attachment_860199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gimlet, Earl Carter[/caption] The World's 50 Best awards are chosen by a panel of over 1000 culinary experts, guided by a strict voting procedure. They're now hosted by a different country each year, with Melbourne playing host city back in 2017. Alongside Central, 2023's picks included Disfrutar in Barcelona in second, Diverxo in Madrid in third, Atxondo's Asador Etxebarri in fourth and Copenhagen's Alchemist in fifth. Next came Maido in Lima, Lido 84 in the Gardone Riviera, Atomix in New York, Quintonil in Mexico City and Table by Bruno Verjus in Paris to round out the top ten. [caption id="attachment_906576" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Central, Winedirector via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Geranium joins El Bulli, The French Laundry, The Fat Duck, Noma's original and current location, El Celler de Can Roca, Osteria Francescana, Eleven Madison Park and Mirazur in the Best of the Best hall of fame, so you won't see any of them on the main lists. Wondering about the best places to eat Down Under, even if Australia has been snubbed by the World's 50 Best Restaurants? Check out our picks for the best Sydney and best Melbourne restaurants. [caption id="attachment_884417" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Noma[/caption] To check out the full World's 50 Best Restaurants Top 50 and 100 lists, head to the awards' website. Top image: Alchemist, City Foodsters via Wikimedia Commons.
Thought you’d be eating vacuum packed meals in space? Think again. Fruit and veges could now be part of everyday space cuisine as part of EDEN’s (Evolution and Design of Environmentally-Closed Nutrition Sources) latest research initiative to grow fruit and veges in outer space with LED lights. The German Aerospace Centre (DRL) has picked up new Heliospectra LED lighting technology which the company has developed to help researchers explore conditions that can be used to grow fruit and veges in outer space. These space greenhouses could potentially function and feed a crew millions of miles above the clouds and prove particularly useful in harsh environments like a greenhouse module on Mars, or on slightly closer turf at the Neumayer Station III in Antarctica. One of the current projects at the German institute investigates testing the greenhouse module in the hostile Antarctica environment where a team lives in total isolation for nine months straight. Researchers hope to discover the ways whereby food could be produced for the crew and investigate how plants influence humans in isolation. [via inhabitat]
If you haven't watched season one of Yellowjackets, which made it one of the best new shows of 2021, the full trailer for season two is here to play catchup. "Once upon a time, there was a place called the wilderness," explains Van (Liv Hewson, Santa Clarita Diet) in the just-dropped sneak peek's opening moments, as a Florence and the Machine cover of No Doubt's 90s hit 'Just a Girl' plays. "It was beautiful, but it was also violent and misunderstood. And it waited and waited to befriend whoever arrived." Van offers the above words like she's telling a bedtime tale, but there's nothing cosy about this survivalist hit. The instantly intriguing (and excellent) series follows a New Jersey high school's girls soccer team in the 90s after they crash in the forest and possibly turn to cannibalism — plus the aftermath among the survivors 25 years later. Indeed, already in season one, life and friendship have proven complex for Yellowjackets' core quartet of Shauna (The Last of Us' Melanie Lynskey as an adult, and also The Kid Detective's Sophie Nélisse as a teenager), Natalie (Welcome to Chippendales' Juliette Lewis, plus The Book of Boba Fett's Sophie Thatcher), Taissa (Billions' Tawny Cypress, and also Scream VI's Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Misty (Wednesday's Christina Ricci, as well as Shameless' Samantha Hanratty). The full setup: back in 1996, en route to a big match in Seattle on a private plane, Shauna, Natalie, Taissa, Misty and the rest of their teammates entered Lost territory. The accident saw everyone who walked away stranded in the wilderness — and those who then made it through that ordeal stuck out there for 19 months, living their worst Alive-meets-Lord of the Flies lives. Season two will pick up with the 90s-era group still endeavouring to stay alive as the woods get snowier, and that eerie symbol that's always been at the heart of the series pops up in more places. Also in the works, as based on this new trailer plus not one but two glimpses before now: the adult Shauna, Nat and Tai facing the fallout from their season-one actions — IYKYK — and Misty and newcomer Walter (Elijah Wood, Come to Daddy) playing citizen detectives together. After getting picked up for a second season because its first was that ace, Yellowjackets will start unfurling its next batch of episodes from Friday, March 24 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, as announced in late 2022. Season two will pick up after a heap of chaos in both timeframes, and with new faces among the cast. Introducing more of the team in their adult guise is very much on the agenda, including Simone Kessell (Muru) playing the older Lottie and Lauren Ambrose (Servant) as the older Van. In their younger years, both characters are played by Australian actors, with Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Lottie and and the aforementioned Hewson as Van. Also, this won't be the end of the story, with the show already renewed for season three before its second season even airs. Check out the full trailer for Yellowjackets season two below: Season two of Yellowjackets will start streaming from Friday, March 24 via Paramount+ in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of season one.
