It's been one hell of a year. And if there's one thing getting us through, it's good food. Whether your snacks are eaten on-the-move, on the couch (again) or at an afternoon picnic with pals, a tasty treat is a guaranteed mood booster. From doughnuts that'll have you jumping for joy to silky steamed kimchi-stuffed dumplings, Sydney's snack offering is second to none. For the animal lovers among us, there's no shortage of the veg-based variety, either. We've teamed up with Vegkit to pull together nine of the city's snazziest plant-based snacks, so you can get your fix without any fuss (and no harm to our adorable furry friends). [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] DECADENT DOUGHNUTS FROM COMECO FOODS CAFE A long-time sufferer of food-based allergies, Comeco co-owner Yu Ozone and her husband Masa Haga have successfully designed a menu for people with and without dietary restrictions — and you bet that includes people with plant-based diets. While the entire menu is packed with tasty treats, the sourdoughnuts truly deliver on that ambition. These doughy delights are both vegan and gluten free, making them a delightfully guilt-free snack. There are 12 flavours on offer — think cinnamon sugar, salted caramel custard, organic matcha, passionfruit custard and red bean paste. Can't decide? Treat yourself to the six-piece sourdoughnuts skewer so you can sample a few (and share with a mate if you're feeling generous). FRESH AF CROISSANTS FROM OH MY DAYS If you can walk past Oh My Days without perusing the street-facing pastry cabinet, you've got more self control than most. The vegan Glebe cafe lures you in with its baked treats and just-out-of-the-oven scent wafting through the door. Head there to start your day off right with a freshly baked croissant. You can take your pick of almond, chocolate or plain and, like any well-made croissant, they feature fluffy golden flaky pastry and a soft 'buttery' centre. The best part? They're all made plant-based — because no one should miss out on croissants. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leticia Almeida[/caption] ONE-OF-A-KIND KEY LIME PIE FROM MATINEE COFFEE This Marrickville go-to combines old-school milkbar vibes with modern art deco-inspired design and is every bit deserving of its theatrical name. Whether you're popping in for a leisurely lunch or grabbing a quick pick-me-up snack, ordering the key lime pie is a must. It's decadent without being too sweet and zesty without being too sour. As well as looking cute AF and tasting incredible, Matinee's take on the classic American dessert is entirely vegan — including the meringue, which is made with aquafaba. Result. TASTY TACOS FROM VANDAL Tacos are fast-becoming Sydney's snack of choice and for good reason. The versatile taco is the perfect savoury accompaniment to casual after-work drinks. And for 'unauthentic Mexican', you'll want to head to King Street's Vandal Taqueria, which pays homage to LA's world-renowned food trucks. Try the popular roast cauliflower tacos with cauliflower puree, chipotle tahini, almonds, pomegranate and currants. Or, opt for the super satisfying Korean fried eggplant served with barbecue sauce, cashew crema, carrot and coriander slaw. If shrooms are more your thing, you'll want to order the salt-n-pepper oyster mushroom taco with chipotle, lime and agave vinaigrette and pickled chilli. Whatever your palate desires, you can rest easy knowing Vandal's tacos are 100-percent plant-based. INDULGENT BANOFFEE PIE FROM HERBISAURUS With humble beginnings as a market stall serving baked goods to Sydneysiders, Herbisaurus is now a popular plant-based bakery in Cronulla. The concise menu has all the classic Aussie bakery fare, including pies, sausage rolls, and lamingtons — all free from animal products and byproducts. While all of the items mentioned above are delicious, we can't go past a slice of Herbisaurus' banoffee pie. The indulgent dessert is topped with homemade caramel sauce, sliced fresh banana, dairy-free whipped cream and grated dark chocolate. Pick up a slice for yourself, or pre-order the whole pie and serve it at your next dinner party. [caption id="attachment_836478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arvin Prem[/caption] RAW CARROT CAKE FROM HIPPOCRATES Known for its organic food and friendly service, Hippocrates is loved by Randwick locals and visitors alike. The plant-based menu offers healthy, homemade takes on classic cafe dishes, and the much-loved carrot cake is one of them. There's a reason why carrot cake is so popular. The combination of savoury, sweet and spice — and topped with ultra-creamy icing — is as decadent and delicious as it gets. While Hippocrates' raw vegan spin is a little different to the classic, it still gives you a satisfying hit of guilt-free sweetness. FLAVOUR-PACKED PAKORA FROM FLYOVER FRITTERIE & CHAI BAR When it comes to plant-based dining, Indian street food is seriously satisfying. And the scrumptious savoury snacks at CBD joint Flyover Fritterie are no exception, particularly the pakora. Flyover Fritterie's popular pakora are made to order and come served with house tamarind and mint chutneys. Plus, they're made with different seasonal veggies every week, so you can keep going back and never get bored. STEAMED KIMCHI DUMPLINGS FROM YULLI'S BREWS Yulli's Brews and its character-fuelled beers have been popping up in bottle shops, pubs and bars since 2014. But it's not just delicious beer that the hospo guru specialises in. Veg-based food lovers will be familiar with Yulli's in Surry Hills, and you can bet its plant-based fare is a star of the Alexandria brewery's offering, too. The all-vegan menu interestingly takes its cues from Southeast Asian and Mediterranean dishes. If you're feeling peckish, order a plate of the silky steamed kimchi dumplings served with ginger, soy and crispy enoki mushrooms. Still hungry? The pan-fried kale and eggplant gyoza topped with crispy chickpeas is also a winner. [caption id="attachment_722762" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] LOADED PITA POCKET FROM SIMPLY HUMMUS BAR You'll be hard-pressed to find a plant-based eater who doesn't load up their plates with hummus. It's versatile, healthy and exceptionally moreish. One place celebrating the humble dip is Simply Hummus — and, boy, does it deliver. From the no-frills interior to its concise menu, you can tell it's all about the food at this Darlinghurst hole-in-the-wall. If you're after more than just a bowl of pureed chickpeas, its pita pockets make for a top lunch choice. The pockets are served with either falafel, cauliflower shawarma or as a sabich, which is stuffed with fried eggplant and hard-boiled egg. You can 'up your game' with the addition of chips, falafel, eggplant and sauce, too. For more plant-based dining and recipe inspo, head to the Vegkit website. Top image: Oh My Days
As we kiss another summer goodbye, we don't blame you if you're looking for an excuse for a weekend getaway. And if you're after an adventure with things to see and do, ring in autumn at the month-long Equinox - an Autumn Celebration in the beautiful Blue Mountains, happening from March 18 to April 10. From incredible culinary experiences to impressive live performances and opportunities to explore beautiful landscapes, there are dozens of reasons to escape to the Blue Mountains this season thanks to this seasonal event. But with so much to see and do, where should you start? We've handpicked six mustn't-miss events to add to your calendar to help you make the most of the Blue Mountains this autumn. [caption id="attachment_845727" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] FEAST Where: Ballroom, Hydro Majestic When: March 25–26 No ordinary dinner experience, Feast marries the culinary with decadence and theatre. The evening of food and frivolity takes place in the ballroom of the iconic Hydro Majestic Hotel, which will transform into a banquet hall full of surprises. Delight your senses with a 90-minute culinary experience in which a multi-course dinner will be served while you're entertained by live music, dancers, acrobats and more. Get your tickets here to secure your spot. [caption id="attachment_844890" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Klim Musalimov[/caption] THE UNFAIR ADVANTAGE Where: Pigeon Lane, 186/188 Katoomba Street, Katoomba When: April 1–2 If you're looking for a bit of magic in your life, then you won't want to miss The Unfair Advantage. This event will take you into the secret world of card cheating, allowing you to learn some impressive new tricks courtesy of sleight-of-hand specialist Harry Milas. This theatrical event will be part-tutorial, part-performance, with a two-course dinner and gift on arrival. This intimate experience will be capped at just 24 people, so get your tickets here before they sell out. THE SUSTAINABILITY TOOLKIT Where: Prince Henry Picnic Area, Katoomba Falls Road, Katoomba When: April 8–9 Enjoy an educational walk through the idyllic Blue Mountains where you will explore the natural resources available for tools, food, medicine and more. This experience offers an insight into traditional and contemporary Aboriginal living and the importance of sustainability and caring for Country. The Sustainable Toolkit is run by Aboriginal rangers who bring their own unique expertise and insights to create a deeply personal and memorable experience that will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the land. Get tickets here. WINE TASTING AND STARGAZING Where: Dryridge Estate, Megalong Valley When: April 1 Is there a better combo than drinking delicious wine under a beautiful sky of stars? On the evening of April 1 at Megalong Valley's Dryridge Estate, you can do just that with expert insight into what you're sipping and what you're looking at. You'll start the night by watching the sun set behind the Megalong Valley as you make your way through seven different current vintage wines and gourmet platters of cheese, antipasti and a selection of locally made bread, grissini and flatbread. While you enjoy your grazing, astrophysicist Dr Dimitri Douchin will lead an insightful guide to the stars. You will learn some naked-eye astronomy tips, take a closer look through binoculars and a professional-grade telescope and take in some constellation storytelling around a campfire. You might even catch a falling star if you're lucky, too. Get tickets here. [caption id="attachment_844888" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] BLUE MOUNTAINS TRACKS For those wanting to really embrace the great outdoors, Blue Mountains Tracks lets you explore the region's tracks and get up close with some of the region's natural wonders. If you and your crew want to go at your own pace, or you're in need of some solo time, opt for a two- or three-night self-guided walking package. Blue Mountain Tracks will make sure you don't miss out on any hidden gems with its detailed and up-to-date maps, while also sorting out accommodation, breakfasts, hiking snacks and even tickets for the world's steepest railway at Scenic World. Given that it's a self-guided tour, you're also free to choose dates that suit you. For something a little different, book a spot in a Yoga and Hiking Retreat. On this tour you'll get your steps in with two guided bushwalks (and an optional night walk) and do some active recovery with five yoga sessions over three days. The package also includes breakfast, two meals and optional activities, so you might even make some new friends along the way. SUNRISE AND SUNSET YOGA Where: The Lookout Echo Point When: April 8–10 If you need a bit of zen in your life, why not join an outdoor yoga session while enjoying a radiant Blue Mountains sunrise? Wake up with a relaxing flow yoga session at Echo Point Lookout, where you will get a breathtaking view of the Jamison Valley beyond. Classes will be run by Jill Day, who has been leading yoga practices for 17 years so you know you'll be in good hands. Don't worry if you aren't a yoga pro — this class is suitable for all levels so any participant will leave feeling energised. Not a morning person? No worries — Day will lead a sunset practice on the evening of Friday, April 8, too. Get tickets here for a sunrise practice and here for a sunset session. Find out more about Equinox – an Autumn Celebration via the website.
In 2017, one filmmaker had viewers around the world swooning. From the moment that Luca Guadagnino's big-screen adaptation of Andre Aciman's Call Me By Your Name premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and then the Berlinale, it wowed audiences, made a star out of Timothée Chalamet and had everyone talking about Armie Hammer's dancing skills. So the news that the acclaimed director is serving up another Italy-set coming-of-age drama is firmly — and understandably — cause for excitement. This time, Guadagnino is doing so on the small screen, courtesy of new HBO mini-series We Are Who We Are. It's set in 2016, and follows two American teenagers living on a US military base with their parents. Jack Dylan Grazer (IT: Chapter Two) stars as 14-year-old Fraser Wilson, a new arrival from New York with his mothers Sarah (Chloë Sevigny, Queen & Slim) and Maggie (Alice Braga, The New Mutants) — while first-timer Jordan Kristine Seamón plays Caitlin Poythress, a veteran of living on the base with her older brother Danny (Spence Moore II, AP Bio), father Richard (Scott Mescudi, aka Bill & Ted Face the Music's Kid Cudi) and mother Jenny (Faith Alabi, Cold Feet). Also featured in this eight-episode tale of friendship, teen angst, first love and finding one's identity are Francesca Scorsese (daughter of iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese), Ben Taylor, Corey Knight, Tom Mercier (Synonyms) and Sebastiano Pigazzi — with the cast blending well-known names and faces with plenty of newcomers. We Are Who We Are started airing in the US back in September, which is when SBS revealed it would be screening it, too — via SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand. Now, the Aussie broadcaster has announced just when the show will make its local debut, screening weekly on TV from 9.30pm on Tuesday, November 3 and dropping the entire season online at the same time. If you're in the need of a virtual trip to Northern Italy, as directed by the filmmaker also behind I Am Love, A Bigger Splash and the 2018 Suspiria remake — and co-written by Guadagnino with Paolo Giordano (The Solitude of Prime Numbers) and Francesca Manieri (Daughter of Mine) — then add this to your future must-watch list. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6VAQ6LdnKs&feature=emb_logo We Are Who We Are will screen on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand from November, airing weekly on TV from 9.30pm on Tuesday, November 3 and dropping its entire season online at the same time. Top image: Yannis Drakoulidis/HBO.
Does it feel like everyone you know went to Europe this winter but you? Us too. Luckily, Firefly has a solution. This buzzing Neutral Bay bar will temporarily ease the temptation to book flights with its bottomless sangria banquet. For a long, dreamy, boozy afternoon, you'll sip a glass that never empties, all while feasting on five courses of Mediterranean delights. The sangria on offer isn't a concoction you'll find anywhere else — it's Firefly's signature rosé elixir, made in-house and spiked with white rum, rose syrup and lemon juice. Once the sangria is flowing, a steady parade of share plates will make its way to your table. Look out for moreish zucchini fries, zingy juniper-cured ocean trout and baked pumpkin with caramelised raddichio and salsa verde. The banquet is rounded out with crispy drunken chicken pancakes and sous-vide pork loin served with pink peppercorns and charred squash. It's pretty hard to think of a more delicious, decadent way to drift through a spring or summer afternoon. Or of a better excuse for catching up with your crew, without needing a special occasion. That said, if a birthday, engagement, wedding, graduation, divorce or some other celebration does happen to be on the horizon, then your organising is now sorted. Firefly's bottomless sangria banquet is available on Saturdays, between midday and 4pm, and, at $59 per person, is a damn fine deal. This price includes endless sangria for two glorious hours, plus all the aforementioned food. We have a hunch that spots are going to fill up quicker than you can say salud, so, head to the website to make a booking pronto. Images: Jesse Jaco.
Have you ever wanted to send something suggestive in the mail, but thought a bag of penis-shaped gummy lollies was just a little too on the nose? In that case, we might have just the service for you. Inspired by everybody's (apparently) favourite vegetable emoji, Eggplants Express lets users mail an eggplant to anywhere in the country. You can send it anonymously, or with a personalised greeting scrawled right onto the aubergine itself. "It's real," founder Anthony Daniel tells Concrete Playground, when we call to inquire whether the whole thing is a sham. Apparently he had the idea after forgetting to arrange a gift for his girlfriend on their anniversary. "I didn't want it to be flowers again," explains Daniel. "We always joke about the eggplant emoji, which is how I came up with the idea of an anonymous eggplant." How, uh, romantic? Asked who he saw as the target audience for his service (which is very similar to Eggplant Mail in the US), Daniel admits it's probably best suited to folks who are in on the joke. "It's for people that understand the emoji," he says. "If I sent it to my father, he probably wouldn't get it." He also asks that you refrain from using their service to harass people (come to think of it, having an eggplant show up on your doorstep does seem vaguely ominous). Although Daniel sources his produce fresh from Sydney Markets in Flemington, a disclaimer on the website warns against actually eating them. Which brings up the bigger issue of food waste — is the joke worth wasting a fine bounty of perfectly-edible eggplants? We're not so sure. If we're going to receive an eggplant in the mail, we at least want to be able to eat it for dinner. For more information visit eggplantsexpress.com.au. Image: Lufa Farms via Wikimedia Commons.
It's a scenario that many Australians can relate to: it's summer, the temperature has reached scorching levels and you can hear the sounds of someone splashing around in a cool, refreshing pool. Sadly, those noises aren't emanating from your own swimming spot — because you don't have one — and you don't know your neighbours well enough to just pop by for a dip. And, maybe your local waterhole is too far away, you don't live near the beach or the nearest public pool is closed for the day. Combine all of the above, and you're stuck trying to chill out in the bath or under the fan in the sweltering heat. Enter Swimply, a service that's like Airbnb, but for pools. Already operational in the US and Canada, and finally launching in Australia on Tuesday, November 26 — in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane so far — it's a fairly typical sharing economy-style platform. One person rents out something they have and don't use all the time, while another person with a short-term need reaps the benefits. In this case, Swimply lets folks with pools lease out their backyard swimming spots when they're not in use, and helps people without pools find a place for a splash, all via an iOS and Android app. If you fall into the latter category, you can hire a spot by the hour. You can also look for pools with specific facilities and inclusions — such as chairs, lounges, towels, wifi, a changing area, access to a bathroom, a barbecue, a shady spot to sit under, night lighting, pool toys and heated waters. Some allow pets, while others are fine with parties and alcohol. Before booking, you can also scope out just how many guests you can bring (and whether kids are allowed), as well as how private the pool is from the neighbours. That said, prices aren't particularly cheap. Splashing around for 60 minutes hovers around the $40 mark, with some pools as low as $20 and others topping out at $50 per hour — all depending on the cost set by the owner. Of course, if you're planning a dip with your pals and can split the price, it's much more affordable. So far, just a small range of pools are available in Australia, with three in Sydney, five in Melbourne and five in Brisbane. Still, if you're keen to hop in one of them, Swimply is offering first-time users a 20 percent discount until December 31, 2019 — just use the code 'SWIMDOWNUNDER'. And if you're wondering about safety, pools are vetted before being added to the platform, in conjunction with pool and spa maintenance company Poolwerx — and checked to ensure compliance with Australian health and safety standards. Swimply is now available to download on iOS and Android.
King Street Wharf houses a string of restaurants overlooking the water, but unlike most waterfront dining in this town, eating there won't wind your bank balance back to 'insufficient funds' territory. Beginning on March 18, and set to last for three months until June 13, the precinct has begun an unprecedented lunchtime program, offering $10, $15 and $20 meals from the likes of Kobe Jones, Bungalow 8, La Cita, Cargo Bar and The Malaya. In an era where most lunch breaks don't last longer than half an hour, it's all too often that you wind up with a stale bento box or a wilting hamburger from a non-specific fast-food chain beginning with the letter 'M'. King Street Wharf, in all their wisdom, has turned all of that on its head, with their lunch program explicitly designed for frantic office workers. "Workers are busier than ever often with less than the traditional standard one-hour lunch break," explains Melinda Poile, King Street Wharf’s property manager. "We are catering to these people with special menus enabling service to be even faster. Some King Street Wharf venues are also offering takeaway for the first-time, a great way to sample a range of the menus." Over the next few months, you can head down to the waterfront and grab a wagyu steak sandwich from Wharf Teppanyaki, a somen and tofu salad from Kobe Jones or a king prawn and fennel risotto from Vessel Italian & Bar, all for under $15, and not have to spend a single minute in the soul-crushing confines of a CBD food court. And you'll be back at work well before your boss can justifiably yell at you for being a lazy sod. King Street Wharf is one of those areas of Sydney you may have overlooked. Nestled on the eastern shore of Darling Harbour, the former maritime district sometimes seems to slip the mind somewhere between Walsh Bay and Chinatown. But with the revitalisation of Pyrmont and the imminent transformation of Barangaroo from industrial wasteland into a gussied-up wonderland from which we can gaze in awe at the harbour (with or without a casino), King Street Wharf is becoming an increasingly central part of Sydney's CBD and one well worth checking out. Particularly at lunch time. Check out our pick of the best $10 lunch options here, and the best $20 options here.
It's always been an excellent concept for a TV series: what happens when 456 people have a chance to make their dreams come true via a huge cash prize simply by playing childhood games? Whether or not there was a murderous edge to this contest — which, of course, there is — this situation was destined to bring out the worst in many of its players. It was also forever bound to stress a point that Squid Game's latest season three trailer utters: "no matter how you look at it, life is just unfair". Those words are directed at Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte), who went through this ordeal once in the award-winning Netflix hit's debut season and made it out the other side — only to head back in season two with stopping the game forever his motivation. How he'll fare next is set to play out in Squid Game's third and final season from Friday, June 27, 2025. The mood is unsurprisingly ominous, however, in the newest sneak peek. By now, everyone knows the Squid Game concept: here, trying to win 45.6 billion won means battling 455 other players to the death. Fans will also know that when Player 456 went back into the game with new fellow competitors for company in season two, he found himself closer to the person pulling the strings than he knew. The most-recent batch of episodes dropped at the end of 2024, ended with quite the cliffhanger and seem to have only made the show's protagonist even more determined on his quest — which will again bring him into contact with the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven). Whatever eventuates, Squid Game's last run will feature a finale written and directed by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk as it brings its fatal matches to a conclusion. In multiple trailers so far, audiences have been given a glimpse of pleas, big reveals and truths, mazes, jumping rope, a huge gumball machine with red and blue balls, tears, words of advice and more. In Squid Game's second season, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) also returned as the man in the suit, aka the person who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place — and so did Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho. That said, a series about a deadly contest comes with a hefty bodycount, so new faces were always going to be essential. That's where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all came in. If you've somehow missed all things Squid Game until now, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. As a result, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. Watch the latest trailer for Squid Game season three below: Squid Game season three streams via Netflix from Friday, June 27, 2025. Season one and two are available to stream now. Images: Netflix.
He's an accountant. But he's also a hitman. But he's also a high-functioning autistic. But he's also a martial arts expert. And a marksman. Oh, and he's an art lover. He has a Renoir, but he prefers the Pollack. Man, it would've been a fun room to be in when they pitched The Accountant. And yet, the pitch worked, with the film they ended up making turning out like the lovechild of A Beautiful Mind and Jason Bourne. If that sounds somewhat genre bending, it is. There's even a bunch of quirky comedy in there to really mix things up. Ultimately, the premise of The Accountant, by director Gavin O'Connor (Warrior), is as out there as it sounds: Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a genius mathematician whose autism saw his mother abandon the family during his childhood, and his military father apply psy-ops (psychological operations) training to inure both Christian and his brother to the world of hardship that awaited them as adults. 20 years later and all grown up, Christian now operates as an accountant to the international worst of the worst: mafia, drug cartels and gun runners, oh my! The Treasury wants to know who he is, while a cutting-edge robotics company wants his services to track down missing millions from its accounts. Wild as they sound, the opening stages of this movie actually hold up pretty well. Affleck plays Wolff very much like his recent portrayal of Bruce Wayne: hulking, detached and extremely socially awkward. There are the clichéd maths montages featuring blinking-eyed number crunching and frenzied writing on walls, but on the whole his depiction of a misunderstood neurological conditions is impressively understated. But the film takes a sudden turn for the worse about an hour in. Its determination to throw in plot twist after plot twist results in some excruciating exposition-heavy scenes. The violence, meanwhile, is extreme and comic-booky (think John Wick with a tick), and the characters' lives all end up being far more intertwined than necessary. The supporting cast is strong, featuring the likes of Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jeffrey Tambor and Jon Bernthal. Sadly, none are given the kind of material needed to properly showcase their talents. The result is a film adrift, floating from one genre to the next without ever properly settling. It has some touching (and much needed) language about 'different, not worse' when it comes to non-neurotypicals, but the constant limb-cracking and blood-smattering that surround it means the message is fast muddled and forgotten. One suspects the film itself may suffer a similar and disappointing fate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBfsgcswlYQ
Those in the heart of the inner west can head to Newtown's Costume Party for a great variety of outfits, accessories, wigs, face paint and special effects makeup. There's so much stuff that it can be hard to know where to start, so head to the King Street shop and get exploring. This joint has every theme covered — from Harry Potter to hippie disco get-ups. If you're heading to a sporting event, it's perhaps best to leave the costume weaponry behind — but keep the huge range of swords and lightsabers in mind for another occasion (there'll always be one, whether you're expecting it or not). Overwhelmed with all of the choices? You can't go wrong with an animal onesie, as long as it's not too hot.
The pursuit of the American Dream at any cost has long been a fertile device for screenwriters. Just recently, both American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street showcased the extraordinary true stories of money-hungry shysters determined to rise above their humble or inauspicious beginnings, no matter the consequences. Similarly, Margin Call and The Big Short offered portraits of success attained by comparably distasteful (if rather more legitimate) means. In the context of these films, Gold, by writer-director Stephen Gaghan falls somewhere in between. Based on the real life events of the 1990s Bre-X Minerals fiasco, the film chronicles the rise and fall of a simple American prospector turned overnight millionaire named Kenny Wells (Matthew McConaughey). Balding, overweight and down to his last dime, Kenny's a third generation mining prospector staving off foreclosure of his family business, a predicament that renders him more than willing to embrace all that wealth and power can provide once they're suddenly within his grasp. Where the film departs from the norm, at least notionally, is that Kenny always maintains that his drive and determination is grounded in the discovery of gold, not the money that it provides. Gold hence finds itself in the peculiar position of framing the story as one of 'us versus them' in which both the us (simple prospectors) and them (hedge fund managers and mining companies) are ludicrously wealthy. Money itself is not the point of distinction but rather how that money was acquired: 'dirt in the nails grit' versus 'manhattan investment', so to speak. McConaughey delivers a committed and captivating performance; one for which he gained a full 18kgs to ensure his sizeable beer gut required neither special effects nor prosthetics. Gripped by a fever determined to kill him, and grappling with a Hail Mary mining prospect in the jungles of Indonesia that refuses to yield even a hint of gilded hope, McConaughey's performance oozes doggedness and desperation in equal measures. Opposite him, Édgar Ramírez puts in a far more reserved turn as Wells' geologist and business partner Michael Acosta. Together they make a likeable duo, and it's a crying shame how little of the film Ramírez actually occupies. Unfortunately, despite the fine work of the cast, Gold feels like a story unsure of how best to be told, flicking between Scorsese-esque drama and quirky irreverence. None of the characters feel entirely fleshed out, and are instead presented more like passengers on a plot line that prioritises events over individuals. The movie's eventual 'twist', meanwhile, is legitimately surprising to those unfamiliar with the Bre-X story, however its reveal so close to the end renders the remaining few minutes far too rushed to sufficiently deal with its impact and implications. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdLXPv5NsA4
Earlier this year, Sydney scored one of the world's best cocktail bars in the form of Scout. Founder Matt Whiley left his London bar — which is currently ranked at number 28 in the World's 50 Best Bars list — in safe hands to open a Sydney outpost in a disused section of The Dolphin's top floor. Since then, he's been mixing up cocktails in classic Scout fashion: with local ingredients and by creating minimal waste. But not for much longer. Whiley — along with Maurice Terzini, founder of The Dolphin and Icebergs — has announced that Scout will shut up shop at its current address just before Christmas. While its residency has been short but sweet, Scout stands out due to its focus on local ingredients and mission to put leftover garnishes and ingredients into its food menu. To put that in more trendy terms, Scout is hyperlocal and closed-loop. While this means no more lemon myrtle whiskey sours and agave champagne cocktails (with Scout's own branded ice blocks) on Crown Street, it does mean that Scout will be moving into a permanent space in 2020. Whiley will also move into the role of group beverage director and lead the cocktail menus for the entire Icebergs Group, which includes Bondi Beach Public Bar and Ciccia Bella as well. You only have until Saturday, December 21 to drop by Scout for one final cocktail — and Whiley promises some new menu additions before the day is out. Find Scout on the top floor of The Dolphin, 412 Crown Street, Surry Hills. It's open Tuesday to Saturday — and taking bookings — up until December 21.
Visit Alice Springs at any time of year and you'll find plenty to see and do in Australia's Red Centre, including making the trip to Uluru, marvelling at Bruce Munro's Field of Light, and checking out the Tjoritja gorges and Kings Canyon. Here's a spectacular reason to head by every April, including from now until Sunday, April 16 in 2023: Parrtjima — A Festival In Light. The region's luminous Indigenous arts festival is back for another year and, set against the 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges, it looks stunning as always. This event celebrates First Nations arts, culture and storytelling, and just might be Australia's most luminous event — with installations in breathtaking surroundings leading the show alongside music, talks, films, workshops and more. [caption id="attachment_896332" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sisters at Watarru by Noreen Dixon, Grounded.[/caption] 2023's focus: 'Listening with Heart'. That's what this year's light-heavy installations, which were announced late in 2022, are focusing on. Parrtjima's theme is inspired by the artwork surrounding the Statement from the Heart, with that piece depicting Uluru-Ku Tjukurrpa, the Uluru story of connection, as created by a group of artists from Multijulu as led by Maruku artist Rene Kulitja. So, Kulitja has worked with other of artists for Parrtjima to turn the Statement from the Heart artwork into a large-scale immersive light and sound installation. Accordingly, Parrtjima attendees are currently getting plunged in the world of the Aṉangu people of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands surrounding Uluru. This year's festival installations feature ancient songlines, plus Indigenous viewpoints on Country, as well as connecting to First Peoples' strong links with the land, water and sky. Two things that are also on the bill: two of the festival's regular annual attractions, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival; and Grounded, the installation projected over the red dirt at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park. As for the music program, it is overflowing with First Nations talent, including Docker River Band, Eastern Reggae Band, Emily Wurramara, JK-47, KAIIT, Karnage and Paul Ah Chee. They're joined by Radical Son, Richard J Frankland, Discovering Leerpeen Mara, Rowdy Birds, The Andrew Gurruwiwi Band and The Merindas across the ten days — and with a range of dazzling backdrops. The talks lineup features actor Steven Oliver, marathon hero Charlie Maher, media identity Naomi Moran, scientist Corey Tutt, Olympian Nova Peris and more, such as musicians Richard Frankland, KAIIT and Paul Ah Chee — doing double duty on stage and having a chat. Movie-wise, attendees can look forward to Westwind: Djalu's Legacy, Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky, Araatika: Rise Up and The Australian Wars. And, the workshops schedule includes dance, art and pottery. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs until Sunday, April 16, 2023 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: Parrtjima – A Festival in Light. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Astral People's Summer Dance series is taking place once again within the sandstone walls of the National Art School. Like previous years, big names in EDM will descend upon the Darlinghurst courtyard over several weekends. Expect international and local record spinners providing the perfect backdrop to your summer Sunday. For the first one, Astral People has secured British-born Detroit-signed producer Dan Shake to headline, along with Project Pablo from Canada and two Sydney natives: FBi Radio's Saturday evening host Adi Toohey and Fortune Taylor, who specialises in deep dance and 'obscure boogie'. All this in the historic location, surrounded by lush gardens, electronic beats and plenty of people on the same mission: to spend a Sunday letting loose on the dance floor.
It's been 75 years since the curtain first went up on playwright Arthur Miller's Pulitzer-winning masterwork Death of a Salesman. And yet, while this tragic story is rooted in 1940s America, it has an uncanny prescience, eerily reflecting the cost-of-living pressures and influencer anxieties of today. Not that the production that plays at Sydney's Theatre Royal until Sunday, June 23 — following a critically acclaimed season in Melbourne — draws these contemporary parallels heavy-handedly. Created by Neil Armfield, one of Australian theatre's most visionary directors, this understated staging of the "great American play" lets a virtuosic cast bring its tale of financial struggle and generational trauma into guttingly relevant focus. And in doing so, it delivers some of the most powerful performances seen on a Sydney stage in years. Willy Loman — who is portrayed with masterful nuance by Anthony LaPaglia (Boy Swallows Universe) — has spent his life being an obedient disciple to the cult of American exceptionalism. A middle-class travelling salesman who has carted his wares up and down New England for decades, Loman is propelled by a belief that greatness awaits those who work hard enough for it. He has a quintessentially nuclear family raised in the same apple-pie mould: boisterous and athletic boys Biff (Josh Helman, Furiosa: A Mad Max Story) and Happy (Ben O'Toole, C*A*U*G*H*T), who were the envy of their classmates growing up; and dutiful wife Linda (Alison Whyte, Groundhog Day The Musical), who lives to maintain the domestic bliss of a mortgaged home filled with rented appliances. However, now in his mid-60s, Willy has found himself in a twilight realm of nostalgia and regret as he discovers the capitalist doctrine he once worshipped has betrayed him. Far from being captains of industry, his now-grown sons are lost souls desperately grasping to meet expectations far beyond their reach, while Willy's wife has become trapped by the horror of watching her husband's mind fracturing as it tries to deny an increasingly bleak reality. Dale Ferguson's minimalist set is a rusted flight of high school bleachers where the various supporting characters sit and watch the unravelling of the Lomans. It's an apt backdrop, as there is a voyeuristic, almost transgressive quality to spectating a disaster as intimate as the implosion of a family. And yet, the gut-punching emotional truth of these performances make it impossible to look away — "attention must be paid," Linda pleads, and this production demands it. LaPaglia weaves astonishing subtlety into the peaks and troughs of Willy's undoing, while Helman unleashes every ounce of desperate rage that his body can summon to express the depth of Biff's need to be released from the capitalist propaganda that his father has smothered him with all his life. It's Whyte, however, who provides the greatest revelation. While Willy has committed his life to chasing a false prophet, his wife Linda has committed hers to simply loving him, supporting him and championing him beyond success or failure. And it's in this act of simple devotion that she emerges not merely as the collateral damage to her husband's tragedy, but as the play's heroine. Images: Brett Broadman.
The new year is still fresh, but unfortunately it's already taken its first music venue victim, with news much-loved Enmore hot-spot Sly Fox will close its doors for good before the month is out. Known for its diverse programming, 24-hour licence, late-night closing time and ever-inclusive vibe, the venue's been a staple of the Enmore Road strip for the past 21 years. But, despite being a firm favourite among locals and the LGBTIQ+ community, the bar is now being forced to shut up shop, calling last drinks next week on Saturday, January 18. https://www.facebook.com/slyfoxenmore/photos/a.332930540096434/2807838095938987/ It's not a total surprise, though. Owners of the venue which took to Facebook in November to gives fans a head's up about the potential closure, citing long-running issues regarding licensing. Apparently, the bar scored its 24-hour licence back in 1998 on a one-year trial basis. But, as it turns out, the then owners neglected to reapply after those first 12 months were up. This minor detail went unnoticed for almost two decades, until 2016, when the police picked up on the licence lapse following the introduction of the lockout laws. In the years that have followed, the building copped a ban on playing amplified music after 3am, silent disco headphones were rolled out in an effort to keep the late-night partying alive, and Sly Fox's owners got busy dropping a cool $100,000 on fully sound-proofing the venue. After applying for a licence amendment to see the bar restored to its former late-night glory, 2019 saw extensive consultation with council planners, town planners, acoustic engineers, neighbours and lawyers. Sly Fox's owners then submitted an application for a new 24-hour licence, but, following push-back from council and a handful of community objections, it wasn't granted. They say the midnight licence they've now been offered makes it unviable for the venue to remain in operation. In a Facebook post this week, the Sly Fox crew confirmed the sad news, while thanking the venue's many supporters, staff, collaborators and guests. "We've made friendships and memories that will last a lifetime and no council will ever be able to take that away from us," the post reads. "Thank you all so very much." Of course, this legendary party spot won't be going out without a bang, hosting a special Last Chance to Dance events program over this final week. Expect familiar faces, resident DJs and plenty of late-night shenanigans to help finish things on a high note. Find Sly Fox at 199 Enmore Road, Enmore. It's hosting its last events on January 10, 11, 15, 17 and 18.
The first day of spring is always a welcome affair, and what better way to celebrate than heading to the Museum of Contemporary Art's Artbar for an after-hours party at one of the city's most iconic buildings? Making its long-awaited return after a two-year hiatus, this year's first Artbar will be curated by Primavera alumni and Quandamooka multidisciplinary artist Elisa Jane Carmichael, in what promises to be a spectacular celebration of First Nation artists and our shared connection with nature. The evening will feature live music, DJs, roaming performances, multi-sensory installations and workshops across all levels of the museum. Oh, and you'll want to leave the kids at home for this one, as it's an 18+ event (hell yeah). Guests will also have the opportunity to access MCA's galleries after dark, including entry to the museum's major winter exhibition: Zoe Leonard's Al río / To the River. The work, created over six years, is an epic photographic series made up of a collection of more than 400 black and white silver gelatin prints documenting the Rio Grande river that divides the United States and Mexico. The chance to see such a work in the calm of night alone is worth the price of admission. So what are you waiting for? Grab yourself some tickets and welcome the first day of spring in style. Images: MCA, supplied.
Shlomi Palensya has been mastering dough throughout his career. Formerly the Executive Pastry Chef at the Ritz-Carlton in Israel and Sydney's Park Hyatt, Palensya has now turned his attention towards a different kind of dough — with his first solo venture, Ta Ta Ta Pizza opening in Bondi. Located in the backstreets of Bondi, Ta Ta Ta sees the accomplished chef bring his experience in high-end hotel kitchens to a more casual, pizza-by-the-slice spot. The Eastern Suburbs takeaway eatery specialises in thick, fluffy and crunchy Roman-style al taglio pizzas. This airy variety of pizza is perfect for those that like their pies thicker, without being too doughy. It also allows Palensya to get creative with the flavours, thanks to thicker pizza bases that allows for more structure and loaded toppings. The flavours on offer are continually changing, but centre around fresh produce, with prominently vegan and vegetarian options on offer alongside a few choice salami-based flavours. The easiest way to attack the menu is to get a few friends together and opt for the chef's selection which includes three to six different styles of pizza depending on how big your group is. There are also your standard Italian favourites like the margarita, an olive- and three-cheese-topped pizza, and the simple Roman salami. Spice lovers can opt for the hot salami and jalapeno option, or else there are some more adventurous combinations like corn cream, shallot and fetta; artichoke, goats cheese and parmesan; or a trio of mushrooms with kale, chilli and parmesan cream sauce. "Just like a stroll through the streets of Rome, you can walk in and choose a slice from our wide range of toppings, or mix and match flavours to suit your taste," says Palensya. Rounding out the menu is a pair of salads including a classic burrata, rocket, cherry tomato, parmesan, balsamic glaze and olive oil combo, plus a couple of jarred desserts including an on-the-go tiramisu. You'll find Ta Ta Ta at 10 Gray Street, Bondi Junction. It's open 11.30am–10pm Wednesday–Thursday, 11.30am–11pm Friday–Saturday and 5–11pm Sunday.
Sydney community radio station FBi Radio has been uplifting and celebrating Sydney music and the arts for nearly 20 years. A leading voice in the local music scene, the independent radio station puts on the SMAC (Sydney Music, Arts and Culture) Awards each year, and this year, the FBi team is taking things IRL to put on the SMACS Fest as part of Vivid Sydney. On Friday, June 10 FBi is running a full venue takeover of the Oxford Art Factory for the festival with a huge lineup filled with more than 15 of the city's best bands, solo artists and DJs across two stages. Heading up the lineup is rapper Tasman Keith in the lead up to his new album A Colour Undone, acclaimed singer-songwriter and producer Rainbow Chan, energetic punk and hip-hop trio Shady Nasty and multi-talented rapper and creative Jamaica Moana. Elsewhere on the lineup you'll find live performances from the likes of Moody Beach, 700 Feel and Wytchings alongside DJ sets from Spin the Bottle, Outer Shores, Radar Sounds, Club Boyfriend and Credcendoll just to name a few. The last FBi SMACS Fest was all the way back in 2015, and featured performances from Cosmo's Midnight, Tuka and Palms, as well as Sampa the Great, Hockey Dad and B Wise who were all cutting their teeth at the time. There was even a DJ set from now-Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The mini festival will be kicking off at 8pm and running all the way until 3am on Saturday morning. Tickets are $35 plus booking fees, however all FBi Radio Supporters can nab $10 off their ticket. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuiyJlCmPrA Top image: Destination NSW
With its latest movie-fuelled event, Underground Cinema is hoping that you've never felt like this before — and that you love Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey dancing up a storm in a much-loved 1987 romantic drama. As part of the outfit's new Immersive Cinema spin-off, it's promising to plunge cinephiles into the world of Dirty Dancing. And give you the time of your life, presumably. Hitting The Domain for three nights in March 2019, Dirty Dancing: The Immersive Cinema Experience won't just screen one of Swayze's biggest film roles, but will recreate the world of the popular film. That means that attendees will travel back to 1963 in spirit, check into Kellerman's Mountain House in the Catskills, and enjoy a day of painting classes, volleyball, croquet and — of course — dance lessons. You can probably also expect a stint of carrying watermelons, as well as a talent show. It all ends with a sunset screening of Dirty Dancing on the big screen. You'd be just a fool to believe that's all that's on the agenda. Actors and dancers will roam around like the wind, and, food and drink-wise, Americana-style eats and several pop-up bars slinging summery cocktails are on offer for those with hungry eyes (and stomachs). You'll also be able to wander through recreations of Kellerman's famous fictional spaces, from the staff quarters where Francis 'Baby' Houseman gets her first taste of dirty dancing, to the studios where she learns all the steps from and starts swooning over Johnny Castle, to the restaurant where nobody puts Baby in a corner. Like the film version of Kellerman's, the event is also an all-ages affair — Underground Cinema's first that'll welcome families and kids along. And everyone is encouraged to dress up like it's the 60s, although appropriate footwear for dancing is a must. Tickets are available in two tiers, with the $89.90 'Kellerman's Guest Experience' giving you access to all of the above, and the $129.90 'Time of My Life Package' (naturally) also letting you sashay in via express entry, nab a premium elevated viewing spot, explore secret spaces and take a group dance class with one of Kellerman's dance instructors.
When Brisbane experienced its last COVID-19 outbreak at the end of March, it spilled over to New South Wales, with a positive case visiting the seaside town while they were infectious. Now that Melbourne is currently combating its own new cluster, the same thing has happened — this time affecting the Jervis Bay region. Sydneysiders, if you spent some time in Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia towards the end of May, you'll need to take notice of some new health advice from NSW Health. Of particular concern: five locations that were visited by one of Melbourne's positive cases, who spent time in the area on Sunday, May 23 and Monday, May 24 while potentially infectious. Anyone who visited any of the five venues at specified dates and times is now required to get tested for COVID-19 immediately, and then to self-isolate until they receive further information from NSW Health. First up, this applies to people who were at the Green Patch campground in Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay at any time on Sunday, May 23 — and up until 9am on Monday, May 24. It also covers anyone at the Cooked Goose Cafe (formerly known as the Hyams Beach Cafe) from 10am–12pm on Sunday, May 23, and at Coles at Vincentia Shopping Village from 12–1pm the same day. On Monday, May 24, the positive case also visited two venues in Goulburn: Shell Coles Express Big Merino and Trapper's Bakery, both between 10–11.30am. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1399678116730052611 The health alert, and the requirement to get tested and self-isolate, obviously covers both folks who live in the Jervis Bay area and anyone who was there just visiting over the two highlighted days. Either way, if you went to any of the above places at those dates and times, you must get tested, go into quarantine, monitor for any COVID-19 symptoms and await further NSW Health advice. The positive case drove back to Melbourne on Monday, May 24, first experienced symptoms on Tuesday, May 25 and was tested on Monday, May 31. NSW Health is also asking everyone else in the area — or those who have been there since Saturday, May 22 — to monitor for symptoms and get tested if any eventuate. That covers even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms, as we've all heard plenty of times now. Further locations are expected to be added to the list as NSW Health investigates the movements surrounding the case. You can keep up to date with case alerts via the NSW Health website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. Top image: Discover Jervis Bay.
Ever wanted to learn how to swing dance? Head on down to CBD cocktail bar The Swinging Cat for their free monthly swing lessons and learn yourself a handy new crowdpleasing skill. One free 30-minute class will be held on the first Tuesday of every month at 6pm, with a live band and taught by the Sydney Swing Katz. You'll be the best dancer at your second cousin once-removed's wedding in no time. In case you're yet to visit this basement bar, The Swinging Cat is NOLA-inspired, so you can expect plenty of live jazz, classic cocktails (a French 75 should get you going) and moody lighting, so stick around for a vintage-style tipple afterwards with your new friends from class. It's alright if you're shy, down a daiquiri and let loose. Go on, Charleston your way into hearts Sydneywide.
After its Australian debut saw 1000 Sydneysiders board a cruise ship for last year's immersive Titanic Experience, Beyond Cinema has decided to go all in with their fantastical cinematic extravaganzas — having already announced three new events for 2018. Just earlier this month, the immersive cinema company announced it'll transform a Melbourne CBD building into a jail for The Shawshank Redemption experience on June 30, and takeover Sydney's sandstone castle at Curzon Hall, Mansfield for The Great Gatsby version on August 19. Tickets for both events are currently on sale, with tickets including the film screening and additional options ranging from canapés or 'prison food' to bottomless drinks and a full sit-down dinner. Now, the cinematic journey will take a leap down the rabbit hole for a Sydney Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Transcending the boundary between film and imagination, the three-hour Alice in Wonderland-themed immersive experience will of course centre around English afternoon tea, which, like the film, will go insanely awry with bottomless 'potions' and punches. As with other events, fancy dress is required, which in this case will be your most colourful and bizarre outfit. Each attendee will also be assigned a character to gear their dress-up toward. It is unclear what film will be screened with this one, though, of course, there's bound to be some form of wild cinematic entertainment for guests. The location will remain secret for now and the date has not yet been announced, but you can sign up for pre-release tickets and get the latest updates here. Just don't be late. The Mad Hatter's Tea Party will happen in Sydney sometime in 2018. For updates on tickets, register here.
After a year's delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olympics are almost upon us. The 2020 games will be a little different to usual, though. Firstly, it's obviously now 2021, with the postponed games being held in Tokyo from Friday, July 23–Sunday, August 8. Also, there won't be any spectators due to the pandemic — with neither overseas travellers nor local residents permitted to attend. That's all well and good and interesting; however, we've found a much cuter display of sportsmanship that's also popping up this July. On Thursday, July 22, viewers can watch four adorable guide-dogs-to-be participating in their very own paw-lympics. Yep, that's a thing and we're definitely here for it. For the second year in a row, the folks at Seeing Eye Dogs have teamed up The Petbarn Foundation to host the Puppy Games — and it'll be streaming on a device near you, too. The event will see young trainee guide dogs Chessy, Frieda, Isobel and Ivory tackle a series of skill-testing challenges, with their every move captured on camera. Watch the pups hurtle through a time trial, take on a 'puppy patience' food bowl challenge and battle it out for glory in the 'dogstacle distraction course'. The games will stream at 1pm on Thursday via the event's website — and, whether you're in lockdown in Sydney, Victoria or South Australia, or you're located elsewhere in Australia, it sounds like perfect lunchtime viewing. The project aims to support fundraising efforts for the annual Seeing Eye Dogs Appeal, of course, but also promises a much-needed boost of dopamine and general happy feels all round. Viewers can donate to the cause by hitting the link on the event's website. This year, the appeal is shooting for a goal of $750,000 to help cover the costs of breeding, training and caring for at least 15 Seeing Eye Dogs. Can't make Thursday's viewing? Fear not, the full event will be up on YouTube to rewatch any time you need a mood boost. The Puppy Games will stream via the event's website from 1pm on Thursday, July 22.
'Tis the season for home entertaining, which is the ideal excuse to elevate your kitchen space. Here to help is No. 22, a statement homewares brand based in Sydney. The team has just opened its first-ever pop-up store running until December 24. Head to the sun-soaked Darlinghurst space to explore a stunning range of tableware, including the brand's destination collections Capri and Mykonos. Both collections channel their namesake destinations with vibrant hues and beautifully crafted hand-painted pieces that bring big Med energy to any gathering. The collections — which also feature colourful glassware, placemats, tablecloths, napery and stationery — have been designed with mixing and matching in mind, making them perfect for setting the mood at your next summer affair. The store is open daily from 10am–4pm and will be open until December 24 — perfect for a last-minute Christmas gift for the entertainer in your life, or even yourself.
Part hairdresser, part spa, Woollahra's Queen Street Beauty is your go-to for a day of true pampering. Director John Colantuono has 25 years in the business, working at some of London's top day spas and under big names in the industry, like Umberto Giannini and Beverly Cobella. This is the place to come if you're tired of the same old and want expert direction on how to change it up. Queen Street Beauty offers much more than just your average cut — which starts at $130 for women and $80 for men. Here, you can enjoy organic or mineral hair colour, scalp therapy and organic spa treatments for your hair. The spa also offers massages, facials, tanning, nails and waxing. It's a one-stop shop for all of your beautifying needs. [caption id="attachment_780126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yaya Stempler[/caption] Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Queen Street Beauty is currently open for hair treatments only. All beauty treatments are on hold for the time being. Keep an eye on this space for updates. Images: Yaya Stempler
Fancy a Friday culture trip at a cocktail-appropriate time slot? MCA Late is a welcome offering for Sydneysiders looking to start their weekends early — and it's sticking around through May. With free entry, doors open til 9pm and a string of fresh music acts, talks, workshops and film screenings in tow, it's a true highlight of the Museum of Contemporary Art's event calendar. On Fridays throughout May, Sounds on the Terrace will take over the rooftop with a diverse lineup of music performances from incredible local acts. One week, the inimitable dancer and choreographer Fetu Taku will host Gemma Navarrete — a singer-songwriter from western Sydney producing poetic R&B tracks — and a DJ set by Worship Collective's Red Rey. Jonny Seymour will help you herald the funner end of the week spinning groove-ready tracks, while other local favourites Chela, Carolina Gasolina and OKENYO will bring killer sets to the intimate openair stage. Visit your favourites in the permanent collections after dark, or discover other enthralling pieces exhibiting at the MCA for a short time only. Catch the works of five young artists at Primavera 2021, dive deep into the 23rd Biennale of Sydney with rivus or check out Perspectives on Place, an examination of the multifaceted layers that form both our social and physical environments. If you want to get more hands-on, head to a clay-based workshop led by Ebony Russell or sign up for Sundown Sketch to explore the current works via a drawing class (with a glass of wine at hand, too). Scared you'll miss an opportunity to flex your own creative muscles? Sign up to the MCA Late mailing list. Get your fill with shimmering harbour views at the MCA Cafe while you sip on a standout Aussie vino (or perk up with a nighttime caffeine hit in the shape of a salted caramel espresso martini). Then, check in for retail therapy at the MCA Store. [caption id="attachment_806499" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bianca De Marchi[/caption] MCA Late is the ideal way to shake up your after-dark activity rotation. Head to the website to check out the full program. Please note, some exhibitions are ticketed. Image credits: Bianca De Marchi, Anna Kucera, Lexi Laphor, David Collins
Just 18 months into its time on a sunny Chippendale corner, Ricos Tacos is on the move. Toby Wilson's beloved taco truck turned permanent Mexican eatery will officially be closing on Sunday, August 6. While this is sad news, Wilson and the team promise this is "see you soon" rather than "goodbye forever" with a bigger and better Ricos outpost set to open later this year. "While we will miss our sunny little corner, greener pastures await," reads the post on the Ricos Instagram page. "We will soon be announcing details of our new store where we will be back to cooking tacos (and hash browns) for you all." "The plan was always for that to be our production kitchen while we had the truck and the cart going," Wilson told Concrete Playground. "But after the second lockdown, things changed and that became our site. We never intended to have a 20-seater venue. Ricos was always meant to be something a bit bigger than that." After spending time at Gelato Messina Rosebery, Rocker and Grifter Brewery, Ricos opened its first brick-and-mortar outpost at the beginning of 2022. Initially, just a casual breakfast and lunch spot, the inner-city restaurant expanded to serving dinner and hosting plenty of collaborations with Sydney favourites including Pizza Oltra and Baba's Place. The Meagher Street spot has allowed Wilson to experiment with menu items, with the current slate of offerings including tacos, tortas, quesadillas, tostadas, hibiscus margaritas and the beloved aforementioned hash browns. He'll even be bringing back a fan-favourite menu item for just this weekend — the chorizo pancakes that were a hit during the second lockdown and the site's first few months serving breakfast. "I loved the lockdown window. Pumping lunches out of that window we built in the front room," says Wilson. The popular chef began serving up tacos to Sydneysiders in 2016 at Ghostboy Cantina, which was first set up in the Dixon House food court before moving to Tio's. From there, he went on to become a prolific member of the Sydney hospitality scene, starting Bad Hombres in Surry Hills, and also running kitchens out of The Duke of Enmore and The George, before taking his tacos on the road with the Ricos food truck. While a new location for Ricos hasn't been locked in yet, it's sure to pack the same flavoursome punch that each iteration the Ricos name has been through to date. In the meantime, the cart at Grifter Brewery has finished up for the time being so you'll have to keep an eye on Ricos' Instagram for news on the new venue or another star-studded collab. Absence does make the heart grow fonder. If you want to experience the Chippendale diner one last time, it will be open for dinner Wednesday–Saturday and lunch (including pancakes) Thursday–Sunday this week. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ricos Tacos (@ricostacotruck) Ricos Tacos is located at 15 Meagher Street, Chippendale and is set to close on Sunday, August 6. A new, bigger Ricos Tacos is set to open later this year.
If you're looking for more dance parties and free events to hit up this Mardi Gras, look no further than the Absolut X takeover of the House of Music and Booze. Across three days, the booze brand is teaming up with three of Sydney's most boundary-pushing queer party crews — Heaps Gay, Xaddy's Door List and Angels Only — to throw three massive day-to-night events. Think of it as a three-day music festival with a different curator running the show each day. It all kicks off on Friday, February 23, with the Heaps Gay: Hot Mess party. Running from 4pm until midnight, the takeover of the St Peters venue will start with an afternoon social club featuring an LGBTQIA+ networking session and a photography exhibition. As the sun begins to set, the multi-space bar will be transformed into a hot and messy nightclub, with legendary London party crew Pxssy Palace and Jessey club superstar Cookie Kawaii on headlining duties. Crescendoll, Pa777ience, Club Chrome, Charlie Villas, Ruby Teys, Stelly G, Pea Oh Ma and the Heaps Gay DJs round out the lineup for the first day of Absolut X at the House of Music and Booze. [caption id="attachment_912312" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The House of Music and Booze, Sophie Joyce[/caption] Then it's Angels Only's turn on Saturday, February 24. Billed as Haven, the event promises eight hours of joyous dance floors celebrating community, house, techno and vision, with Madami, Jason De Cox and Isa all on the lineup. If you get down early, you can enjoy a yoga session to get you appropriately limber for an evening on the dance floor. Finally, on Sunday, February 25, Xander Khoury, the founder of House of Silky, will be bringing his renowned Xaddy's Door List parties to the festivities with Xaddy's Day 2 Night. Throughout the day, there will be a post-Sissy Ball recovery sesh with a free drink for anyone part of the ballroom community, before the party well and truly kicks off with sets from Aotearoa's Atarangi, Oscar Nñ on their Australian tour, and Japan's Nasthug for their only Australian stop on a huge Asian tour. Basically, it's going to be a weekend full of debaucherous DJ sets and joy-filled dance floors — all for free. So, if you're looking to fill your Mardi Gras schedule with more party energy, here's one to have on your radar. If you're planning to head along, make sure to RSVP.
If you're seeking creative inspiration and would like to find it in a lovely environment, look no further. Muse + Maker is a weekend-long retreat where you can expand on your creative practice with some of the finest who do it. The March retreat will include inspiring workshops with fine art photographers Atong Atem and Tamara Dean, multidisciplinary sculptor Lisa Sammut, and dance artist Emma Saunders. Each Muse + Maker retreat takes groups of only 20 guests so each individual will receive direct collaboration and access with the artists. [caption id="attachment_944929" align="alignnone" width="1920"] "Full Circle" by Lisa Sammut[/caption] Between finding your muse with the sessions with these extraordinary Australian creatives, you'll also enjoy the experience of staying at The Robertson Hotel which includes all meals and a special dinner from produce-focused local restaurant Moonacres Kitchen helmed by chef Stephen Santucci. The Muse + Maker series was conceived by filmmaker and artist Jasmin Tarasin with the intention of bringing together like-minded people to create, get inspired and share ideas - whether you're a novice or more experienced artist. It sounds positively dreamy. Book in as a last minute addition to the March weekend or bookmark the website to get on board for the Autumn (May) and Winter (August) events. Main image: "I wrap my face in her cloak of petals and breathe deeply" by Tamara Dean
So far in 2018, Joaquin Phoenix has played a down-to-earth Jesus in Mary Magdalene and a hammer-wielding hitman in You Were Never Really Here. At present, the always-fascinating actor is filming his first comic book movie, stepping into the shoes of the Joker. Although it mightn't initially seem like it, his role in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot falls somewhere in the middle of all three. Here, he plays a man who's reaching out to the masses in a chaotic, often confrontational, sometimes self-sabotaging manner, while realising the importance of connecting more intimately. A biopic of Portland cartoonist John Callahan, the movie's title comes not only from the artist's memoir, but from one of his sketched pieces: a black-and-white drawing depicting three cowboys on horseback, all standing next to an empty wheelchair. As the caption notes, it swiftly dawns on the crusading posse that the chair's occupant can't have strayed very far. Typically self-deprecating, the picture speaks volumes about Callahan and his ability to see humour in even the most unlikely and difficult of situations. As Gus Van Sant's unconventional film shows, Callahan is making light of his own reality, both as a quadriplegic tragically paralysed at the age of 21 after a drunken car accident, and as a cartoonist who frequently courted controversy with his irreverent work. Portrayed as outwardly carefree but inwardly tormented by the reliably stellar Phoenix, Callahan takes quite the journey in Van Sant's movie. As the film's moniker makes plain, he's often venturing emotionally rather than physically — stuck in a hospital bed, and later in the wheelchair that he hates. Before his accident at the hands of an inebriated pal (Jack Black), Callahan liked a drink more than anything else in the world, with alcohol his only real motivation to get out of bed each day. Afterwards, he struggles to accept his injury and confront his addiction, seeking help from his sponsor (a bearded Jonah Hill, who is similarly excellent) and his physical therapist (Rooney Mara). He also finds solace in cartooning, turning his new hobby into a nearly three-decade career with his local newspaper. Callahan passed away in 2010, and if the above description of his life sounds eventful but straightforward, seeing it onscreen dispels that notion. Attempting to capture its protagonist not just in story but also in style, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot also takes quite the journey. Reteaming with Phoenix 23 years after the pair collaborated on To Die For, Van Sant jumps back and forth between different aspects of Callahan's experiences. The filmmaker unravels wisdom, conflict and harsh truths in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which give the film a loose structure, and he doesn't necessarily focus on the details that audiences might expect. The result is a sincere yet never sentimental movie that endeavours to provide a sense of its subject — including his careening, freewheeling ways — rather than adhere to the standard biographical format. That said, for all of its apparent desire to capture Callahan's essence, Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot proves intriguing but not always completely compelling. The film's restlessness clearly reflects the internal state of its protagonist, as it's designed to, yet it also comes across as somewhat awkward and superficial. Van Sant seems like he desperately wants to show rather than tell, but even with his almost erratic approach to conveying Callahan's tale, it never feels as though he's delving as deeply as he could be. And while the veteran writer-director assembles an impressive cast that also includes Carrie Brownstein, Udo Kier, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and singer Beth Ditto, everyone except Phoenix and Hill is sorely wasted — and not in the fashion that Callahan would've once preferred. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5BeQ2hkVzo
If you're keen to dive into an arts-filled 2021, make tracks to Chatswood's premier concert hall The Concourse to catch its resident orchestra the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra. Known for pushing the boundaries of classical music as well as performing symphonic twists on much-loved rock and pop tunes, the orchestra will delight audiences at its epic Gala Concert this summer. With two performances set for Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14, it's the perfect excuse to head to the buzzing suburb for Lunar New Year celebrations, with everything from art exhibitions to cultural performances and markets to explore pre- and post-performance. Or, you can treat your partner in crime to a dose of live tunes for Valentine's Day, with romantic melodies such as Delibes' 'Flower Duet' and Tchaikovsky's iconic 'Waltz of the Flowers' from The Nutcracker both on the set list. And, it won't be all strings and woodwind, with the talents of Pacific Opera's rising stars singing pieces from the likes of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Bizet's Carmen and Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. Plus, at the centre of the program will be a new work by Willoughby Symphony Orchestra's composer-in-residence Alice Chance. The orchestra hosts some of the country's most exciting emerging artists and composers and is led by the world-renowned conductor and artistic director Dr Nicholas Milton AM. For the Gala Concert, the orchestra will be conducted by Guy Noble. For more information, head here.
Located in a restored factory, FogHorn was born out of a desire to bring good beer, American-inspired food and eclectic music to Newcastle. Since then, the venue has thrived, and is now a buzzing restaurant, live music venue and brewery. What is said to be Newcastle's first craft brewery, FogHorn Brewhouse features four 1800-litre-serving tanks and hosts regular entertaining and educational brewery tours for $5 at 2pm every Saturday and Sunday. It has a whopping 16 beers on tap, which currently includes the Severus (named after that professor), an American brown ale with a dark caramel malt flavour, the sessionable Boganaire IPA and the Rejuvenator — a rich and malty German-style lager. Its food menu is equally extensive, with large New York-style slices of pepperoni pizza, chilli cheese-loaded fried, buffalo hot wings (with blue cheese sauce, of course), philly cheesesteaks and banoffee pie. If you're after something lighter to go with your beer, there are also salads made with jerk chicken, roasted sweet potato and caramelised walnuts.
For all of those aspiring blacksmiths out there, the Australia Technology Park hears you. That's why, as of April, the site is going back to its 130-year-old roots and workshop and opening a blacksmithing and traditional craft school. Before it was Carriageworks and the Australian Technology Park, the heritage-listed site was once the Eveleigh Locomotive Workshops, a 19th century hub for building and maintaining the steam trains that serviced Sydney between 1887 until 1987. Now revamped and reinvigorated into Eveleigh Works, the school will run weekly short courses in metal sculpture, hand forging, knife-making and traditional tool-making. To celebrate, the young creatives behind the launch are throwing a party on Sunday, April 2 from 1–5pm. It's a free entry, all-ages event which will include glass blowing, foraging and tool-making demonstrations, as well as live music from local acts The Sweet Jelly Rolls and Indigo Rising. They're also keeping it local with booze and food by Newtowners Young Henrys and Rising Sun Workshop, respectively. While you may not have considered blacksmithing as a career choice, Eveleigh Works may change your mind — or at least allow you to add some metal skills to your repertoire. We'll definitely be getting in on that glass blowing demonstration.
If you swear by upcycling and thrifting or are looking to spruce up your wardrobe with statement pieces, designer items and seasonal wardrobe staples that are ethically sourced, UTURN has got you covered. To celebrate the launch of its seventh store, the secondhand fashion chain is running a limited-time offer from its sleek new Bondi locale. From Saturday, June 1 until Sunday, June 2, you'll find select items have been marked specially as part of a 'choose what you pay' deal, with products starting at a base rate of $10. Ultimately, you'll decide exactly how much you'll pay for each of the marked items upon purchasing. There'll also be a selection of designer pieces available at the store, including the likes of Zimmermann, Adidas, Lisa Ho, Oroton, COS, Bec + Bridge, PE Nation, Ralph Lauren and Acne Studios. Still need convincing? Fear not — this sale is one that's opting to better Australia's fashion scene. All of the proceeds from this weekend-long sale will be donated to Thread Together, as will one per cent of all profits from all UTURN outlets across Sydney until the end of June, which will go towards eradicating textile waste in Australia.
Catering to everyone's fierce love of seafood over the holiday period, Sydney Fish Market is once again pulling its annual all-nighter so that you can get your hands on the freshest ocean treats for Christmas lunch. Each year, the Fish Market — which will soon be relocated to a $250 million new site — capably serves over 100,000 buyers looking to snag a deal. Between 5am on Saturday, December 23–5pm on Sunday, December 24, the market will be open for a whopping 36 hours straight so that you can scout out the most sumptuous fish, king prawns, lobster, oysters and calamari. It's not only seafood here, though. You can also peruse cold meats and cheeses at the deli for a grand charcuterie platter, or stop by the onsite bakery and greengrocer. You can even pick up a Christmas ham to pair with your delights of the sea. [caption id="attachment_803431" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Horan, Destination NSW[/caption] You'll find basically everything here. If you're stuck for gifts, there are plenty of opportunities for that last-minute buy. Head to the gift shop, florist or bottle shop. More than 250 tonnes of seafood are expected to be sold during the marathon — including 120 tonnes of prawns and hundreds of thousands of oysters. "We encourage visitors to come with an open mind and menu, and let our expert retailers guide you towards the catch of the day," says Sydney Fish Market CEO Greg Dyer.
Are you ready to get out and about and make the most of everything summer has to offer? Us, too. For some, that may mean reading by the pool and for others, it's going on week-long hikes in the wilderness. Whatever your cup of tea (or cocktail), there's plenty to do this steamy season. Naturally, when you're enjoying the season with outdoor activities and spontaneous adventures, it's good to have a top-notch drink in hand. So, we've teamed up with Whitley Neill Gin to bring you seven Aussie summer scenarios with the perfect drink to match. CAMPING TRIP Hit the highway with the windows down as you head off for a weekend camping adventure to one of Australia's many diverse and beautiful nature spots. Come summertime, there are plenty of beaches, headlands, national parks and spots in the wilderness that are calling your name. But before you jump in the car, whip up a batch of Fizzy Berry Lemonade, made with Whitley Neill Raspberry Gin and lemonade (plus a few other cheeky ingredients) to enjoy when you arrive. It's a no-fuss cocktail that's sweet, refreshing and perfect for sipping while soaking in the sun around a campsite. BEACH CRICKET Is it really summer in Australia without a hit of beach cricket? Head down to your local salty spot with the bat and ball in tow. Pairing perfectly with this game is the Royalty Gin Spritz, which you'll only need four ingredients to stir up: Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Gin, soda water, lime wheels and sprigs of mint. It's a faultless, sessionable drink that's simple, sweet and a little bit spicy. You may even try to get bowled out just so you can have a drinks break. BACKYARD BARBECUE Fire up the grill, marinate the chicken (or tofu) and get the corn prepped and ready because barbecue season is back. This year, turn it up a notch and impress your friends by pairing the feast with a Queen's High Tea. Instead of getting yet another slab, this number will bring elegant vibes. As it's made in a jug, it's perfect for sharing. It's packed with fruitiness — fresh apple, rhubarb and sprigs of mint — and has notes of peppery and sweet gingery spice thanks to Whitley Neill Rhubarb and Ginger Gin. Plus, it's topped up with prosecco and we've never known a bubbly drink that hasn't been a hit around the barbecue. [caption id="attachment_796998" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Angelo Pantazis; Unsplash[/caption] BOAT PARTY Did someone say boat party? Slap on the sunscreen, fish out your best swimsuit from the back of the wardrobe and get out on the water to enjoy the breezy air with a drink in hand. To help you refresh from the inside out is the Spring Break Gin Spritz. It's just the drink to be sipping in the sun with mates after a swim. It's light and boasts fun notes of orange, rosemary and lime that complement the Whitley Neill London Dry Gin. It's incredibly simple to make, so the real challenge with this one will be sipping it slowly. CHASING WATERFALLS Despite what TLC says, chasing waterfalls can be a great summer pastime. There's nothing like getting out of the city for a weekend to escape the hustle and bustle for an adventure in nature. There are plenty of waterfalls, both to look at and to swim under, all around Australia. Once you've found the spot, and maybe taken a dip, enjoy a Raspberry Rose Gin Spritz. There's just one thing to say: it's refreshing AF. Made with Whitley Neill Raspberry Gin, the sweet, summery cocktail is topped with raspberry and rose soda, strawberries and basil. COASTAL SWIMS Bring some romance to a summer outing by heading to the seaside for a coastal swim, then sipping a Honeymoon in Sicily. Grab a SO or mate and take to the salty water for a refreshing dip before enjoying this Aperol spritz cocktail. The drink will do the heavy lifting by transporting you to Mediterranean sweet orange orchards with the inclusion of Whitley Neill Blood Orange Gin. Plus, the grapefruit and basil will make you feel like you're on the Italian coast. DAY HIKE A day hike always goes down well in summer. No matter where you are in Australia, there are plenty of places to get out in the wilderness, clear your head, reconnect with nature and get the blood flowing with a long explorative walk. Then, after you've enjoyed the great outdoors and earned some rest, kick back with a glass of Aperitivo Sunsets. This afternoon cocktail is the refreshing hit you'll be after. It's a fruity combination, made with dry gin, orange, grapefruit and cranberry juice and slices of fruit and mint, that tastes and looks like a sunset itself. For more information on Whitley Neill's innovative gin range, head to the website.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. THE INNOCENTS Thanks to his Oscar-nominated work co-penning The Worst Person in the World's screenplay, Eskil Vogt has already helped give the world one devastatingly accurate slice-of-life portrait in the past year. That applauded film is so insightful and relatable about being in your twenties, and also about weathering quarter-life malaise, uncertainty and crisis, that it feels inescapably lifted from reality — and it's sublime. The Innocents, the Norwegian filmmaker's latest movie, couldn't be more different in tone and narrative; however, it too bears the fingerprints of achingly perceptive and deep-seated truth. Perhaps that should be mindprints, though. Making his second feature as a director after 2014's exceptional Blind, Vogt hones in on childhood, and on the way that kids behave with each other when adults are absent or oblivious — and on tykes and preteens who can wreak havoc solely using their mental faculties. Another riff on Firestarter, this thankfully isn't. The Innocents hasn't simply jumped on the Stranger Things bandwagon, either. Thanks to the latter, on-screen tales about young 'uns battling with the supernatural are one of Hollywood's current favourite trends — see also: the awful Ghostbusters: Afterlife — but all that this Nordic horror movie's group of kids are tussling with is themselves. Their fight starts when nine-year-old Ida (debutant Rakel Lenora Fløttum) and her 11-year-old sister Anna (fellow first-timer Alva Brynsmo Ramstad), who is on the autism spectrum, move to an apartment block in Romsås, Oslo with their mother (Blind's Ellen Dorrit Petersen) and father (Morten Svartveit, Ninjababy). It's summer, the days are long, and the two girls are largely left to their own devices outside in the complex's communal spaces. That's where Ida befriends Aisha (Mina Yasmin Bremseth Asheim) and Ben (Sam Ashraf), albeit not together, and starts to learn about their abilities. One of The Innocents' most astonishing scenes — in a film with many — springs from Ida discovering what the sullen, bullied Ben can do solely with his brain. Indeed, one of Vogt's masterstrokes is focusing on how she reacts to the boy's telekinesis, as demonstrated by flinging around a bottle cap. Ida is almost preternaturally excited, and she's lured in by the thrall of what Ben might be able to do next, even though she can visibly sense that something isn't quite right. Another series of unforgettable moments arises shortly afterward when her new pal, lapping up the attention from his only friend, cruelly and sickeningly shows off without even deploying his superpowers. It's a deeply disturbing turn in a movie that repeatedly isn't afraid to find evident terrors in ordinary, everyday, banal surroundings, and Ida's response — horrified, alarmed, yet unwilling to completely cut ties — again says everything. Vogt doesn't shy away from intimating something that society often doesn't, won't or both: that childhood and innocence don't always go hand in hand. En route to their new home in the film's opening sequence, Ida is already spied pinching the non-verbal Anna just to glean what she'll do. Later, as conveyed in economical imagery lensed by stellar cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen — who already has Another Round, Last and First Men, Shirley, Rams and Victoria to his name, and uses blood here with haunting precision — she's seen escalating that pain-fulled experimentation in a gutwrenching fashion. This side to the girl's personality isn't played as a twist or shock, and neither are Ben's skills and proclivities, or the friendly Aisha's telepathic powers (including the ability to communicate with Anna). Instead, The Innocents is positively matter of fact about what its pint-sized characters are capable of, and also steadfastly avoids trading in simplistic ideas of good and evil, or offering up neat rationales. Read our full review. HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN When Magic Mike stripped its way into cinemas a decade ago, it didn't just turn Channing Tatum's IRL background into a movie and give his chiselled torso oh-so-much attention; it understood that women like sex, boast libidos and have desires, too. Its sequel, Magic Mike XXL, doubled down on that idea, and winningly so — even if the saga dances with a notion so blatant that it definitely shouldn't feel revelatory to see it thrust front and centre in a big-budget Hollywood film. There's no trace of Tatum in How to Please a Woman, and it has nothing to do with the saucy franchise that has a third flick on the way, but this Aussie comedy nonetheless follows in Magic Mike's footsteps. Here, women also like sex, boast libidos and have desires, and that's something that the stuck-in-a-rut Gina (Sally Phillips, Off the Rails) turns into a lucrative business. When first-time feature writer/director Renée Webster begins her sunnily shot, eagerly crowd-pleasing leap to the big screen — following helming gigs on TV's The Heights and Aftertaste — Gina's relationship with sex is non-existent. She has long been wed to lawyer Adrian (Cameron Daddo, Home and Away), but he still thinks that having a tumble on their last holiday years ago is enough bedroom action to keep their marriage going. Gina's resigned to that fact, too, until her ocean swimming club pals book her a stripping surprise for her birthday. Tom (Alexander England, Little Monsters) shows up at her door, starts gyrating and undressing, and says he'll do whatever she wants. Although her friends are later horrified — and its their eagerness to truly take Tom up on his offer that inspires a brainwave — Gina asks him to clean her house instead. Men doing housework shouldn't be revolutionary or subversive either, but How to Please a Woman still uses it as a doorway to exploring other female yearnings that are often left unsatisfied. It's as cliched a move as Webster makes — and her movie makes plenty — but it's also part of the film's devotion to celebrating what women genuinely want. Here, a comedy can be overt, easy and obvious (all things that Gina's sex life isn't), and also delightfully well-intentioned in embracing a fact of life that's rarely given much attention, especially if women past their 30s are involved. Indeed, when a suddenly unemployed Gina, devastated by being the only one downsized out of the insolvency firm she dutifully works for, spots a removalist company she thinks she can save — by turning it into a male escort service, covering scrubbing and shagging alike, and both if customers would like — How to Please a Woman is both broad and joyous. There's a caper attitude to Gina's operations from there, after convincing Tom's removals colleagues Anthony (Ryan Johnson, Doctor Doctor), Ben (Josh Thomson, Young Rock) and Steve (Erik Thomson, Coming Home in the Dark) to widen their professional repertoire. She's skirting the law, Adrian's none the wiser, and the customers (including characters played by Blacklight's Caroline Brazier, Mystery Road's Tasma Walton, Rams' Hayley McElhinney and The Heights' Asher Yasbincek) keep coming. Sometimes, those between-the-sheets antics are clumsy, and Gina's new stable of prostitutes need a few pointers. That applies to getting their paying clients' homes spick and span, too. And, it also covers How to Please a Woman overall, which is always cosier and less risqué than its sex-positive, age-positive and female-focused premise implies. It also leans on the expected rather than takes risks, but remains wonderfully cast — especially Phillips — and gleefully wears its message about finding happiness by knowing what you need and going for it. LAST SEEN ALIVE Perhaps the most positive thing that can be said about Last Seen Alive is this: it's definitely a Gerard Butler-starring kidnapping thriller. That isn't meant as praise, though; rather, the film simply manages to be exactly what viewers would expect given its star and premise. There's clearly far less cash behind it than the also-terrible trio of Olympus Has Fallen, London Has Fallen and Angel Has Fallen — or Geostorm, Den of Thieves, Hunter Killer and Greenland among the Scottish actor's career lowlights over the past decade, either. There's visibly less effort, too, and more of a phoning-it-in vibe. The second collaboration between actor-turned-filmmaker Brian Goodman (What Doesn't Kill You) and producer/writer Marc Frydman after 2017's Black Butterfly, it plays like something that a streaming platform's algorithm might spit out in an AI-driven future where new movies are swiftly spliced together from pieces of past flicks. Yes, among Butler's output and with its abduction storyline, it's that derivative. Butler plays Will Spann, a real estate developer who already isn't having a great day when the film begins — but it's about to get worse. He's driving his unhappy wife Lisa (Jaimie Alexander, Loki) to her parents' home, where she's keen to decamp to find herself and take a break from their marriage, and Will is desperate to convince her to change her plans en route. His charm offensive isn't working when they stop at a petrol station mere minutes away from their destination, and he has zero charisma for anyone when Lisa unexpectedly disappears while he's filling the tank. Fuming that local police detective Paterson (Russell Hornsby, Lost in Space) hasn't just dropped everything immediately, and that he also has questions about their relationship, Will decides to chase down any lead he can himself. Meanwhile, Lisa's unsurprisingly wary parents (Queen Bees' Cindy Hogan and Master's Bruce Altman) direct their suspicions his way. Perhaps the most backhanded compliment that can be given to Last Seen Alive is this: it'd make a better Liam Neeson movie. Both Frydman's script and Goodman's execution feel like they're aiming for Taken; instead, even this year's dismal Blacklight looks better. With Butler in the lead, Will comes across as overbearing and insufferable rather than concerned and committed to doing whatever it takes — and nothing that the character does makes much sense as a result. He refuses to let the cops investigate because, basically, he's played by an angry Butler. He can't even wait at the petrol station that Lisa disappears from for seemingly the same reason. When he gets a tip about a suspect, he takes matters into his own hands rather than tells Paterson because, you guessed it, he's played by an angry Butler. Accordingly, the entire movie is little more than an exercise in answering the same question over and over again: what would a jerk of a character played by an angry Butler do in any given situation? It doesn't help that Last Seen Alive is shot as if the bane of every recently made television's existence, motion-smoothing settings, were already set in-camera. There's low-budget naturalism and then there's the flat, dull, soap opera-style look that this film sports. And, the special effects used for explosions simply demonstrate how vast the gap between unconvincing CGI and the real thing can be. Similarly doing the film no favours: the complete and utter absence of tension that stems from its central casting, and also its eagerness to prove as generic as possible. Little that Spann does is logical, but it's also ridiculously predictable because it's exactly what has to happen with Butler in the part. That he's easily and quickly overshadowed by Ethan Embry (First Man) in a thankless supporting role says everything it needs to. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24; and March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; April 7, April 14, April 21 and April 28; and May 5 and May 12. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Belfast, Here Out West, Jackass Forever, Benedetta, Drive My Car, Death on the Nile, C'mon C'mon, Flee, Uncharted, Quo Vadis, Aida?, Cyrano, Hive, Studio 666, The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Ithaka, After Yang, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Firestarter, Operation Mincemeat, To Chiara and This Much I Know to Be True.
Rainbow-dyed roses, bundles of sunflowers, 100 red roses — this Bondi Junction florist is all about appealing to the demands of a last-minute customer who is likely trying to order flowers from overseas. In fact, the online store claims to be open 24 hours, and delivers across Sydney every day of the week. [caption id="attachment_776159" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Denise Chan, Unsplash[/caption] If the peonies, Aussie native bouquets or red tulips don't appeal, the store is happy to hear from you so the staff can put together a better offer. Prices linger around the $100–150 range, and the mostly imported range can be compiled with gift baskets, cards and other treats at your request. Images: Megan Markham & Denise Chan, Unsplash.
It isn't often that a fast-food chain wins the hearts of industrial food system activists. And yet, with its anti-establishment message and over 3 million hits already recorded, Chipotle's touching new infomercial has recently cemented a subtle but powerful message to otherwise apathetic customers. Produced by Oscar winners Moonbot Studios, the animation is being used by American fast food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill to promote their mobile app game, which warns against the horrors of industrialised factory food production. Accompanied by a haunting rendition of the uber-familiar 'Pure Imagination' from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, sung by musician and animal rights activist Fiona Apple, the video succeeds as an indirect marketing hook, encouraging a more sustainable model for food cultivation. Also impressive is the fact that the video achieves this with almost non-existent branding, the Chipotle pitch not appearing until the final seconds of the video. https://youtube.com/watch?v=lUtnas5ScSE The brand — which took a hit earlier in the year after a fake Twitter hack and criticism over changing standards of beef — is once again proving its worth, the Scarecrow video showing an impressive commitment by the Mexican food chain to serve responsibly raised food. The app is already one of the top ten most played free games on the iOS charts. It sees players act as the Scarecrow, the empathetic protagonist of the short film, with users then rewarded with free burritos. Via Gawker.
With the temperature and acidity of the oceans gradually rising comes the possibility of the extinction of the colourful, gorgeous coral reefs that are home to thousands of sea creatures. So, MUSA (Museum Subacuático de Arte) was created in 2009 in an attempt to preserve the precious coral reefs, using the ocean floor near Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc, Mexico as a museum for sculptures that would also help sustain life beneath the surface. Senior TED Fellow and artist Colleen Flanigan's innovative Biorock sculptures have been chosen to become part of the project. Flanigan's metal sculptures are designed to counter the damage already done by global warming and pollution and regenerate the coral by raising the pH level of the surrounding water and help them acquire sufficient calcium carbonate for the coral's exoskeleton. The Biorock structures will also provide the living reefs with an alkaline environment that will increase resistance to environmental stressors. $15,000 is needed to fund Flanigan's underwater installations in MUSA, so she's kickstarted a Kickstarter account. $12,542 has been donated to date, but there is still a ways to go before the April 12th deadline. If you donate just a dollar, Flanigan will even say your name as she plants a polyp — every little bit helps.
In gleaming news for streaming viewers, Mick Herron's Slough House novel series boasts 12 entries so far. In another ace development, several more of the British author's books have links to the world of veteran espionage agent Jackson Lamb. If you're already a fan of Slow Horses, you'll be thrilled. For newcomers, you'll feel the same after diving into this small-screen spy delight and binging your way through it as quickly as possible. Thankfully, all those tales on the page mean that the episodic thriller based on Herron's work has plenty more stories to draw upon in its future. Now up to its third brilliant season as a television series, long may its forward path continue. Apple TV+ has clearly felt the same way since the program debuted in April 2022. In June the same year, the platform renewed Slow Horses for a third and fourth run before its second had even aired. That next chapter arrived that December and didn't disappoint. Neither does the latest and 2023's only batch of six episodes, this time taking its cues from Herron's Real Tigers — after season one used the novel Slow Horses as its basis, and season two did the same with Dead Lions — in charting the ins and outs of MI5's least-favourite department. Slough House is where the service rejects who can't be fired but aren't trusted to be proper operatives are sent to dwell in record-keeping drudgery, with Lamb (Gary Oldman, Oppenheimer) its happily cantankerous, seedy and shambolic head honcho. Each season, Lamb and his team of losers, misfits and boozers — Mick Jagger's slinky earworm of a theme tune's words — find themselves immersed in another chaotic case that everyone above them wishes that they weren't. That said, Slow Horses isn't a formulaic procedural. Sharply written, directed and acted, and also immensely wryly funny, it's instead one of the best spy series to grace television. Each repeat go-around might feature Lamb's band of disgraced agents demonstrating that they're not the write-offs that the rest of the espionage field thinks — and often wants — them to be, but every season-long predicament is meticulously detailed, as are the series' characters. It's easy to see why all things Slough House have gone the television route, rather than following Bond, Bourne and Mission: Impossible into cinema: these are people and scenarios that benefit from spending as much time with as possible. Slow Horses' astuteness, excellent cast and knack for comedy are all present in season three, which starts with two British intelligence officers in Istanbul. Sean Donovan (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Gangs of London) and Alison Dunn (Katherine Waterston, Babylon) share a bed as well as the same outpost, but there's a shadow over their bliss: he's been tasked with investigating whether she's leaking classified information. The Bourne movies come to mind in early chases, but Lamb and his spooks are still the show's focus. Accordingly, when the fallout from the opening events touches Slough House, River Cartwright (Jack Lowden, The Gold), Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves, Creation Stories), Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar, Class of '09), Marcus Longridge (Kadiff Kirwan, This Way Up), Shirley Dander (Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Dreamland), Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung, Gods of Their Own Religion) and their boss — plus his boss Diana Taverner (Kristin Scott Thomas, Rebecca) — are thrust into a game of cat-and-mouse that revolves around secret documents. In London, the situation hits home when one of the Slow Horses' own, the forever-loyal Standish, is abducted. The talented Cartwright again endeavours to illustrate why being banished to Slough House for a training mistake was MI5's error — and why caring about his team has always been one of his finest and most-reliable traits. This'd be a lesser show if Cartwright was simply a gleaming hero forced down the ladder for one false move and always excelling, however, and if Lamb's relentless cynicism about his team's highest flyer was just the bitterness of an old hand about an up-and-comer. Slow Horses doesn't ever throw around the terms in its opening song 'Strange Game' as insults, instead understanding that none of the agents on a slippery slope are perfect because no one is. Indeed, Cartwright and company don't keep chasing a ghost of a chance to get out of spy purgatory solely out of pride, but also due to skill, tenacity and resilience. Lamb's team isn't kept in their place merely because of vendettas or politics — although both factor into the ongoing storyline — but also via struggles, troubles and flaws that are hardly uncommon. All of MI5's inflated egos, uncooperative attitudes, bad tempers, problem gamblers, substance abusers and recovering alcoholics haven't been banished to Slough House, either. While there's a sense of romance to every underdog tale about ragtag outsiders finding somewhere to fit in, Slow Horses is clear-eyed about an unassailable fact: often, all that separates the Lambs and Cartwrights from the Taverners and Spiders (aka The Great's Freddie Fox as James Webb, who has long loved lording his status over his former training rival) is however the cookie happens to crumble. Season three adds extra emphasis to this truth by digging into Taverner's icy turf war with her superior Ingrid Tearney (Sophie Okonedo, The Wheel of Time); the squabbling between MI5's top two women might be more refined than among the Slow Horses, but there's still no one faultless here. As it flits between the service's upper echelons and its lowest ranks, this season also continues to hone its piercing mistrust of everything, especially bureaucratic power. John le Carré (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Night Manager, A Most Wanted Man, Our Kind of Traitor) meets Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, In the Loop, Veep), then, and it's as glorious as that sounds. Tense, taut, riveting, rollicking, witty: throw in impeccably penned, staged, shot and acted, and that's the Slow Horses package. Giving both Scott Thomas and Okonedo more screen time gifts the series some new standout scenes, too, although there's not a moment wasted or a sequence that proves superfluous in this tight and gripping show. Of course, no one will ever best Oldman for Slow Horses' top performance — his blend of slovenly but savagely smart as Lamb is an art in everything from his can't-give-a-fuck gaze to his slicing line readings. And if Lowden pairs this stint of cloak-and-dagger antics with gadgets and martinis as 007, as keeps being rumoured, it'd be well-deserved based on his layered portrayal as Cartwright. It'd be right on theme as well, just as Oldman's jump from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy to Slow Horses was; being at the summit or the foot of the spy game, and life, can just be a matter of circumstance. Check out the trailer for Slow Horses season three below: Slow Horses streams via Apple TV+.
When Skrillex and Four Tet took to the Coachella stage back in April, they did so to help plug a gap left by Frank Ocean dropping out of the Californian festival's second weekend. When they make the trip Down Under this spring, however, they won't be filling in for anyone, headlining 2023's lineup for electronic-meets-hip hop festival Listen Out. Back for another year — after 2022 marked its first gigs since 2019 — this fest will do the rounds throughout September, including hitting up Centennial Park in Sydney on Saturday, September 30. This is the first time that Skrillex will play gigs in Australia since Listen Out 2018 and, as well as Four Tet, the DJ and producer will have plenty of company. [caption id="attachment_900829" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Josef W[/caption] Also on the bill: Lil Uzi Vert, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Piri, venbee, Mallrat and Jyoty, as well as Marc Rebillet, Metro Boomin and Kenny Beats, with Ebony Boadu will be on hosting duties. 2023's fests around Australia mark Listen Out's tenth birthday, and will bring curated stages to its four stops. So, The Atari Stage is primarily about hip hop artists, while 909 Stage features major dance acts. Then, over on the Prophet Stage, you'll enjoy cutting-edge electronic and house acts. LISTEN OUT 2023 LINEUP: Arrdee Coi Leray Four Tet Friction Ice Spice Jbee Jpegmafia Jyoty Kenny Beats Lil Uzi Vert Mallrat Marc Rebillet Metro Boomin Piri Skrillex Spinall Venbee Wongo B2B Little Fritter Young Franco Yunè Pinku Ebony Boadu as host 1TBSP Ayebatonye Donatachi Handsome Kobie Dee VV Pete Willo Plus triple j Unearthed artists to be announced + more Top image: Leo K.
More summertime magic is on its way: after first announcing four Australian shows for 2025, Childish Gambino has expanded his upcoming Down Under tour to add two extra gigs. Sydney and Melbourne, the musician that you also know as Donald Glover has expanded his stops in both cities — and, as Olivia Rodrigo also just did, he's popped more concerts on his itinerary before general ticket sales even start. This year started with Glover on-screen in the TV remake of Mr & Mrs Smith. Next year will begin with Childish Gambino returning to Australia on his The New World tour, on what will be his first trip to these shores since 2019. The rapper and hip hop talent won't just play tracks from his latest album Atavista — the finished version of 2020's 3.15.20 — but also from a career behind the microphone that dates back to 2011. Accordingly, expect to hear 'This Is America', 'Redbone', 'Sweatpants' and other songs from his past records Camp, Because the Internet and Awaken, My Love!. [caption id="attachment_955315" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eli Watson via Flickr.[/caption] Across February 2025, the Australian leg of the tour will kick off at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, then hop to Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena, Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena and RAC Arena in Perth. When he last headed this way — complete with a headline spot at Splendour in the Grass — it was after initially announcing a 2018 Australian tour, then cancelling it due to an ongoing injury. Before that, he performed at Falls Festival in 2016. Gambino mightn't have been on Aussie stages for a spell, but Glover had the final two seasons of Atlanta — both in 2022 — reach screens since he was last Down Under. Voice work on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, producing TV series Swarm, the aforementioned Mr & Mrs Smith: they've all joined his resume as well. He'll also be heard as Simba again in Mufasa: The Lion King, the prequel to 2019's photorealistic version of The Lion King, before 2024 is out. On all Australian shows — and in New Zealand, too, which is also part of this tour — Gambino will be supported by Amaarae. [caption id="attachment_955317" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eli Watson via Flickr.[/caption] Childish Gambino 'The New World' Tour 2025 Australia and New Zealand Dates Tuesday, January 28 — Spark Arena, Auckland Saturday, February 1 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane Tuesday, February 4–Wednesday, February 5 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Friday, February 7–Saturday, February 8 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Tuesday, February 11 — RAC Arena, Perth Childish Gambino is touring Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025 — with ticket presales from Thursday, May 16, 2024 at staggered times, and general sales from Monday, May 20, 2024 (at 11am in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, all local times; and 1pm in Melbourne). Head to the tour website for further details.
The game is ending. That the deadly contest at the heart of Squid Game just keeps going, continuing to pit new batches of 456 players against each other in a battle to the death to win 45.6 billion won, sits at the heart of the award-winning Netflix hit — but the show itself is wrapping up. That the series will say goodbye with its third season was announced in 2024, as was the fact that its final run will arrive in 2025. The streaming platform has now confirmed exactly when: Friday, June 27. Mark your diaries — and get ready to see what happens next in Seong Gi-hun's (Lee Jung-jae, The Acolyte) quest to bring down those responsible for the killer contest. If you've watched season two, which dropped on Boxing Day 2024, then you'll know that Player 456 went back in the game with new fellow competitors for company, and also found himself closer to the person pulling the strings than he knew. Season three will see Gi-hun keep at his pursuit to stop the game. It'll also feature more of his nemesis Front Man's (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven) attempts to thwart his plan. However their respective efforts pan out, the show's last run is also set to feature a finale written and directed by series creator Hwang Dong-hyuk. Squid Game is now Netflix's most-popular non-English show of all time; in fact, it holds both the first and second spots on the list, for its first and second seasons respectively. Money Heist season four is third, Lupin season one is fourth, while La Palma, Who Killed Sara? and Berlin are also in the top ten. That Squid Game is a smash isn't new news, of course. It proved such a huge success in its first season that Netflix was quick to confirm that more was on the way — even if season two arrived after a three-year gap. In the show's second season, Gong Yoo (Train to Busan) returned as the man in the suit who got Gi-hun into the game in the first place, as did Wi Ha-joon (Little Women) as detective Hwang Jun-ho, but a series about a deadly contest comes with a hefty bodycount. Accordingly, new faces were always going to be essential — which is where Yim Si-wan (Emergency Declaration), Kang Ha-neul (Insider), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations) all came in. If you've somehow missed all things Squid Game until now, even after it became bigger than everything from Stranger Things to Bridgerton, the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning series serves up a puzzle-like storyline and unflinching savagery, which unsurprisingly makes quite the combination. It also steps into societal divides within South Korea, a topic that wasn't invented by Parasite, Bong Joon-ho's excellent Oscar-winning 2019 thriller, but has been given a boost after that stellar flick's success. As a result, it's easy to see thematic and narrative parallels between Parasite and Squid Game, although Netflix's highly addictive series goes with a Battle Royale and Hunger Games-style setup. Netflix turned the show's whole premise into an IRL competition series as well, which debuted in 2023 — without any murders, of course. Squid Game: The Challenge has already been picked up for a second season. There's no dedicated trailer for Squid Game season three yet, but you can watch a teaser Netflix's big returning 2025 shows below — and revisit the trailer from Squid Game season two: Squid Game season three streams via Netflix from Friday, June 27, 2025. Season one and two are available to stream now. Images: Netflix.
When Disney+ made its way into the world back in 2019, it gave viewers — including folks in Australia and New Zealand — access to a huge range of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic movies and shows. What it didn't do is bring Hulu, which the Mouse House owns the majority stake in, to audiences Down Under. And, with Disney+ focused on family-friendly fare, it didn't deliver the kinds of series and films that Hulu screens, either. Hulu still isn't heading our way. But, on Tuesday, February 23, Disney+ expanded to include a new section that's basically an international equivalent of Hulu. It's called Star and, when it was first announced late in 2020, film and TV fans were advised that it'd screen "an additional 1000 unique titles... in the first year". Wondering exactly what that includes? Well, more than 150 TV shows and 450–plus flicks have been added so far, and there are plenty of highlights among the bunch. From the pile of television programs, four fall into the 'Star Originals' category at the moment, meaning that they're brand new to viewers Down Under. Three of the four newbies are Hulu shows, too, so if you've been wanting to watch Love, Victor (the spinoff from 2018 movie Love, Simon), Helstrom (which forms part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) or Solar Opposites (an animated sitcom co-created by Rick and Morty's Justin Roiland), now you're be able to. Plus, by the end of the year, Disney+ will release at least 30 more TV series that haven't made their way to Aussie or NZ viewers before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKeugS4qjag Also the television front, you can binge your way through every episode of Alias, 24, Felicity, Futurama and Glee — or opt for New Girl, Prison Break, Scandal and The X-Files instead. You can also check out ten seasons of Bob's Burgers, too. The list goes on and, like the existing Disney+ range, you'll find a hefty focus on older shows over new titles. From Star's big list of classics, plenty of titles stand out. Among the film selection, you'll find the Alien, Planet of the Apes, Die Hard and Omen franchises, plus the Predator and Taken flicks as well. And, you can also pick between older movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Fly, Never Been Kissed, Office Space, Pretty Woman, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!, or more recent fare such as Black Swan, Eddie the Eagle, Logan, The Favourite and Jojo Rabbit. A heap of Wes Anderson films, including Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, are also featured. Star draws upon Disney's studios, such as Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, 20th Television and Touchstone. And it doesn't everything that Hulu does, because plenty of Hulu's series and films pop up elsewhere Down Under — like The Handmaid's Tale, for instance. That said, it's safe to expect that some of the rights deals that deliver Hulu content to other networks and streaming platforms in Australia and might change after Star's hits, moving where you can catch certain flicks and programs in the process. As you might've already guessed, Disney+'s expansion to include Star comes with a price increase. Australian subscriptions have gone up to AU$11.99 per month or AU$119.99 per year, while New Zealand subscriptions are now NZ$12.99 per month and $129.99 per year. If you're already a subscriber, the new price won't kick in for six months, though — so whenever your next renewal hits after August 22. Star joined Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, February 23, with Disney+ subscriptions costing AU$11.99 and NZ$12.99 per month or AU$119.99 and NZ$129.99 per year from now on.
Concrete Playground is taking the edge off the death of daylight saving by giving you the chance to experience Sydney's best cultural events for an entire month. One lucky person will win $1500 worth of fun, including: Dinner for two at Grasshopper to the value of $150 Double passes to two Vivid LIVE 2011 shows at Sydney Opera House Double passes to Baal and Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness at Sydney Theatre Company Double movie passes to Incendies and Source Code (plus a pack of 10 Hopscotch DVDs) A double pass to see Guineafowl play live A pass to all events and talks at the Creative Sydney 2011 festival Two cocktail jugs and entry for two to the gig of your choice at Goodgod To enter, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name to hello@concreteplayground.com.au. Entries close Friday, April 9 2011 at 5pm. https://youtube.com/watch?v=14e1507YOLs
February 2018 marks four years since the lockout laws hit Sydney's entertainment precinct. In that time, venues have shut up shop (like Hugos Lounge, which directly attributed the lockout laws to its closure), others have closed and reopened under new ownership (The Flinders and The Lansdowne, among them) and Kings Cross, once the nightlife hub of the city, has turned into a ghost town after midnight. Moreover, tens of thousands of people have rallied in opposition to the laws. Regardless, the NSW Government has given no indication that it will make any huge changes to them. The only consolation has been a half-hour extension of trading hours for businesses hosting live events. Sure, it's better than nothing — but it hasn't been enough to restore Sydney's nightlife to what it once was. That's why entrepreneur Paul G Roberts, founder of Fashion Industry Broadcast and Style Planet TV, decided to make a documentary titled After the Lockouts. When Roberts, who previously ran Melbourne night club Checkpoint Charlie, first moved to Sydney in the late 1990s, the nightlife was, in his words, "amazing". "You were spoilt for choice," he says. "You could go out from sunset to sunrise, seeing bands, going to clubs, going to cool bars...it's really not the same anymore." But, rather than mourn and complain, he wanted to get to do more research on the matter. So, with a camera crew in tow, he spent most of 2017 researching, studying media representations, speaking to venue owners and travelling to cities around the world, to find out how they manage busy nighttime economies without lockouts. "I wanted to cut through the spin and get down to the facts, the evidence," he says. After the Lockouts gains authority with interviews with some of Sydney's leading nightlife figures, including Keep Sydney Open's hardworking Tyson Koh, Mark Gerber (Oxford Art Factory), Maurice Terzini (Icebergs Dining Room), councillor Jess Scully and Dave Evans, former owner of Hugos Lounge, which closed down in mid-2015 due to revenue loss following the lockouts. There's also a tour of Amsterdam with night mayor Mirik Milan, who, since 2014, has overseen the city's nocturnal happenings. The documentary doesn't seem to include any interviews with any NSW Government spokespeople. Through the doco, Roberts also poses alternative solutions to the laws — that is, strategies for reversing the laws and renewing the city's vibrant all-night scene. "I'm very confident that anyone who sits through the whole film will walk out with a new perspective," says Roberts. "There are so many people doing a Herculean job to fight the lockout laws...but there needs to be a united voice. There needs to be an ongoing campaign to put pressure on the government. The film is just the first part of a multi-pointed campaign." After the Lockouts will premiere at a private gala screening tonight, February 1. The plan is to then roll it out across cinemas and the Internet. For more info, visit afterthelockouts.com. Image: After the Lockouts.
If you've been spending the summer getting reacquainted with your couch, we're betting we know exactly what you've been watching. Well, one show at least — because Netflix has revealed that 82 million households around the globe have been feasting their eyes on Bridgerton. Those hefty viewing figures apply to the gossip-fuelled, 19th-century-set series' first four weeks, with Bridgerton launching on the streaming service on Christmas Day. And if 82 million sounds like a huge number, that's because it is. Indeed, Netflix has announced that the figure has catapulted Bridgerton to the top of its most-watched original shows ever. Yep, this episodic adaptation of Julia Quinn's novels has beaten out last year's favourites such as The Queen's Gambit and Tiger King, as well as the debuts of older series like Stranger Things. So, if you keep seeing the show pop up in the top ten list included in Netflix's interface, that's because it has proven that popular — in every country except Japan, in fact. Obviously, when streaming service unveils its lineup of its most-watched programs and movies at the end of 2021, as it did in 2020, Bridgerton is going to feature. That said, whether folks in that many homes worldwide have watched the whole eight-episode first season of the show yet is another matter entirely. Netflix's viewing numbers only capture how many of its subscribers have watched at least two minutes — yes, just two minutes — of the platform's movies and series. So, while a very large amount of people worldwide are aware that the show exists and have had a peek, they might not know the ins and outs of Daphne Bridgerton's (Phoebe Dynevor) quest to find a husband, her dalliances with the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), the scandal in the Featherington household, all the other dramas that come with Regency London's marriage market and just what Lady Whistledown has been writing about. And, they may not have spent any time dreaming about wandering around the program's super-green gardens, either. Nonetheless, all the attention has meant that Netflix is keen to keep the series going, with the company announcing that a second season will start production this year. An airdate yet to be revealed, however. Check out the trailer for the show's first season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpv7ayf_tyE The first season of Bridgerton is available to stream now via Netflix. The show's second season has been announced, but a release date is yet to be revealed. Top image: Liam Daniel/Netflix.
The in-flight experience will soon exit the amateur days of free peanuts and on-demand movies with the latest luxury seating design by Contour Aerospace and Factorydesign. A futuristic chair paired with the ultimate gaming experience is the newest plan for flying in style. The Not for Wimps (NFW) game simulator is built into passenger seats and includes a full sized monitor suspended at eye-level in front of each seat, surround sound with speakers on each side of the headrest and an abundance of leg room for a stimulating, realistic gaming experience that will have you wishing your flight lasted longer. Each seat is also encased in what can only be described as a noise-cancellation bubble, that prevents other passengers from hearing any sound effects or ambient noises except those from their own games. The NFW is only in the prototype stage and is being proposed at the Aircraft Interiors Expo at the German Messe in Hamburg this week, but gamers everywhere will be chomping at the bit for news of the go-ahead to jump-start this futuristic feature of flying. [via PR Newswire]
