After three years without sugar, Damon Gameau has come off the wagon in a big, bad way. Intent on uncovering amount of processed sugar in an average Australian diet, the actor-turned-documentary filmmaker puts his own health on the line, consuming the equivalent of roughly 40 teaspoons of sugar a day. The result is a lively and eye-opening documentary on a subject that needs as much attention as it can get. Gameau’s most obvious compatriot is Morgan Spurlock, who likewise put his own health on the line back in 2004 with the Oscar nominated Supersize Me. The comparison is an obvious one, and you’d be right in thinking that That Sugar Film seems suspiciously similar. But where Gameau has an edge is that his focus is on so-called health food. When a man dines on McDonalds for a month, of course he packs on the pounds. But when you get the same results with vitamin water and low-fat yogurt, the story is suddenly very different. Behind the camera, Gameau does everything he can to keep his viewers entertained. Music and colourful graphics are in plentiful supply, giving the film an at times hyperactive quality that fits the subject matter to a tee. Information often comes delivered with the aid of unexpected celebrity cameos, including appearances by Hugh Jackman, Isabel Lucas and Stephen Fry. There’s an initial temptation to dismiss the movie out of hand; after all, Gameau’s diet doesn’t exactly constitute sound scientific method. Yet despite the film’s gloss and gimmickry, Gameau could never be accused of sugar coating the facts. That Sugar Film attacks its subject from every conceivable angle, including sugar’s effect on children’s learning habits, the correlation between high sugar diets and poverty, and perhaps most unsettling of all, the lobbying efforts of billion-dollar food corporations, whose strategies seem frighteningly similar to those of big tobacco. Still, the scariest thing about this doco is the way in which it confronts us with just how much sugar we all consume. In one of the movie's most memorable sequences, rather than eating a day’s worth of sugary food, Gameau simply eats the equivalent amount in white sugar crystals, providing viewers with a visual reference point that’s both funny and revolting. While its message can seem obvious at times, That Sugar Film has the potential to change the way people think and behave. What higher compliment can a documentary film be given?
As a filmmaker, he co-created the Saw and Insidious franchises, and has since been tackling iconic horror tales with The Invisible Man and 2025 release Wolf Man. As an actor, he popped up in The Matrix Reloaded. Before all of that, he was a film critic on beloved late-90s Saturday-morning music TV show Recovery. That's a helluva career so far — and next, Leigh Whannell is heading to AACTA Festival to chat about it. In 2024, the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Awards launched a festival to sit alongside its accolades, and to celebrate the latter's move to the Gold Coast. That event is returning in 2025 in a bigger guise, running for five days between Wednesday, February 5–Sunday, February 9, and hosting more than 100 sessions. AACTA Festival will also welcome Australian The Greatest Showman filmmaker Michael Gracey, who has been earning some love from the academy of late. Better Man, his unconventional Robbie Williams biopic, topped the 2025 AACTA nominations — and attendees will hear all about the film at his festival session. Equally huge news is enlisting Paul Kelly to perform at the live How to Make Gravy concert, which also features Meg Washington, Brendan Maclean and Beddy Rays — and yes, it's easy to predict what the Australian icon will be singing. Plus, Late Night with the Devil is in the spotlight via filmmakers Colin and Cameron Cairnes getting talking, while Netflix's upcoming Apple Cider Vinegar series will score a behind-the-scenes look. Another massive drawcard: the Working Dog team, aka Santo Cilauro, Tom Gleisner, Jane Kennedy, Michael Hirsh and Rob Sitch, coming together for an in-conversation session that's bound to touch upon everything from The Castle, Frontline, Thank God You're Here and Utopia to The Dish, The Hollowmen and Have You Been Paying Attention?. The Dish is also the screening program, and the Working Dog team will receive the prestigious AACTA Longford Lyell Award. Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser, who won an Oscar for Dune and is highly tipped for another one for Dune: Part Two, is another big-name inclusion, chatting about his Hollywood work. Also in the same category: John Seale, who took home an Academy Award for The English Patient, and was nominated for Witness, Rain Man, Cold Mountain and Mad Max: Fury Road. Everyone can also look forward to authors Trent Dalton and Holly Ringland returning from 2024's lineup, chatting about Boy Swallows Universe and The Lost Flowers of Alice on the small screen, respectively; a dive into the Heartbreak High soundtrack; a panel on queer storytelling with RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under season two winner Spankie Jackzon and Deadloch's Nina Oyama; and a session with First Nations filmmakers. And if you're keen to watch movies, Gettin' Square followup Spit will enjoy its Queensland premiere, complete with star David Wenham (Fake) chatting about the feature's journey; Looney Tunes: The Day The Earth Blew Up will make its Australian debut, at Movie World, of course; and upcoming action film Homeward with Nathan Phillips (Kid Snow) and Jake Ryan (Territory) will take viewers behind the scenes.
There's a gallery in Sydney's eastern suburbs whose artists and curators never pack up and go home. They are home. Welcome to Le Petit Bateau, an eastern suburbs art community with a backyard that's a grown-up culture playground. Without knowing the location of this little art haven, you could easily assume it was nestled in the streets of Kreuzberg in Berlin or Montmartre in Paris, rather than tucked away in the sunny streets of Bondi Beach. Just around the corner from the main road is a little sign welcoming you to Le Petit Bateau. Blink and you'll miss it. Le Petit Bateau celebrates local creatives, housing art, dance and cooking classes. Home to 25 people residing in six flats, it functions as both a communal living and art space. Anne-Sophie Ridelaire is the curator behind this venture. Six months after coming across the space in Sydney and settling into the life of the complex, she and her boyfriend, Gaetano Russo, decided to convert an old garage into a multipurpose art studio and gallery, open to everyone in the community who wants to view and participate in art, with an emphasis on combining the cultural and social. "When I was in Paris, I was working for an art gallery, [and] my dream was to open a space like this where people can come and feel free to see the artwork," she says. Everything you see is recycled, from the couches to the decorations — all bits and bobs collected from the street. Fitting in perfectly with the community's nautical name, an old boat donated by the Pyrmont Heritage Boating Club stands prominently at the entrance. "All this we found stuff on the street, so we don't spend much," she says. "[We wanted] to show people that you can build something with nothing." Art being accessible is at the heart of Le Petit Bateau, evidenced by the open door policy. The classes, the jam sessions, the art — it's all for free. Anne-Sophie sees it as important to overcome the dissonant idea that art is reserved for the upper classes. She sees Le Petit Bateau as an important opportunity to reach out to people through art and to encourage dialogue across cultures. In keeping with that, the current exhibition is The Big Picture, an international photography exchange as part of the Month of Photography in Denver, Colorado. The Big Picture involves photographers from all around the world displaying their prints inside galleries and on the streets. Anne-Sophie has been working on this project for a year now. Along with five talented local photographers, she has recently returned from six weeks in Europe, in which she and her team pasted their photographs all around the streets of Lyon, Strasbourg, Rome, Sicily and Milan. Sydney is among many other cities participating in the project, alongside Perth, Paris, Vienna, Portland, Denver, Berlin, London, Mexico City and Buenos Aires. "It is an exchange of culture through photography, and the idea is to go around cities and to pass these pictures along," she says. Working with a gallery in Sicily, the team pasted a photo of a shark at the local fish market, which attracted a crowd of observers. "The fishermen were like, 'What is that? Is it a shark? Is it real?'" she recalls. "This kind of conversation starts, and this is exactly what the project is about." At the moment, the photos are pasted around the gallery. Her next step is to post some of these attention-grabbing works around the streets of Sydney. The success of Sydney's Le Petit Bateau has inspired a similar projects in Anne-Sophie's hometown of Lyon in France, as well as in Sicily in Italy. Despite that, she is not sure if the current Bondi Beach site will remain the home of Le Petit Bateau; she views its current form as a trial. Mindful that Bondi is a residential neighbourhood, she hopes to expand somewhere where there are fewer limitations. Watching Le Petit Bateau inject a bit of Paris into the streets of Sydney has been very welcome. And it would appear that the admiration is mutual. "Sydney is a sharing place, and there's so many different cultures in Sydney, it's beautiful," she says. "It's a cosmopolitan city, and it's important to create connection between each culture, to not have gates." To keep up to date with all their events, check out their Facebook page. Images: Bodhi Liggett.
Located just minutes from The Royal Botanic Garden, the Museum of Sydney will take you through the city's history. Housed in the city's first Government House, the Museum explores everything from the arrival of the First Fleet, first contact, colonisation and racial prejudice to the creation of the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge through videos, images, and crafted models. The Museum of Sydney is part of the Sydney Living Museums, a collection of 12 unique historic houses and museums that tell the stories — past and present — of the city. The Museum of Sydney is open from 10am–5pm, Thursday to Sunday.
Take Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and add it to the rare list of sequels that transcend their predecessors. Picking up the story around ten years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the opening titles paint a bleak picture of a world brought to the brink of extinction via the so-called 'Simian Flu'. Brink of extinction for humanity, that is, because the apes, by contrast, have flourished. Under the strict yet compassionate leadership of Caesar (once again made inconceivably lifelike thanks to Andy Serkis's performance and the remarkable team at WETA), the apes have now adopted a number of human traits and habits: communication through sign language, horse riding, spear wielding and even the establishment of some rudimentary written rules — chief amongst which is: APE NOT KILL APE. Given the descent into murderous anarchy by the scattered human survivors of the virus, that proclamation is intended as a critical point of difference for Caesar, a mark of pride and proof of primate primacy. It's also, unfortunately, delusory, and it is in that realm of 'innocence lost' that Dawn spends most of its time. With rivalries and jealousies brewing between both father and son and leader and lieutenant, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is something of a modern-day Richard III. What makes it so compelling is that none of the villains — ape or human — are without their justifiable reservations and prejudices. Koba, for example, is Caesar's unfailingly loyal friend and bodyguard, yet he bares the scars of cruel human testing and holds no affection for the survivors. On the human side, the leader of the survivors' colony (Gary Oldman) sees only the faces of his dead wife and children whenever confronted by apes, and his determination to restore power to the city has no room for the kind of simian compassion shown by his lieutenant (Jason Clarke). Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is smaller in both scale and ambition than Rise yet feels so much bigger and more satisfying. It's an 'us and them' tale, a prelude to war where neither side is as unified as they might think. The direction by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) is technical and delicate, aided by sumptuous cinematography and special effects that are nothing short of exquisite, with even the most intense closeup failing to betray even the tiniest flaw in design. If anything, the CGI apes outperform the humans in almost every scene in which screen time is shared. Tender, tense, intelligent and morally complex, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is an outstanding film and a genuine contender for blockbuster of the year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3sHMCRaS3ao
When you imagine the film that would unite Aussie powerhouse actors Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Jacki Weaver, you probably think gritty outback drama. You don't think violent neo-gothic Bildungsroman directed by renowned South Korean director Chan-Wook Park (Old Boy) and set in wealthy New England. But that's what you get with Stoker, a film that's bewitchingly stylish but anchored by an intense performance from Wasikowska. Wasikowska plays India Stoker, a somewhat sheltered loner of a girl who is deeply sensitive to small sensations — but that's where her commonalities with Amelie end. India, a recreational hunter in her spare time, is not all sweetness. On her 18th birthday, she learns that her loving father (Dermot Mulroney) has died in a car accident. Besides being left with her less demonstrative mother, Evelyn (Kidman) in their big ol' house, she now has to deal with the arrival of her unknown and perturbing uncle, Charlie (Matthew Goode). He is soon followed by his aunt Gwendolyn (Weaver), who appears to have an urgent message to impart to young India. Gwendolyn disappears and we have a movie, where Charlie obsessively draws closer to India while India tries to figure out who she really is. It plays like something of a cross between Hitchcock, The Addams Family and Dexter. The script for Stoker, by Wentworth Miller (lead actor in Prison Break of all things), famously made the 2010 'Black List' of best unproduced screenplays circulating around Hollywood, and although it's trite in parts, it remains fresh and alluring overall. It's real strength, perhaps, is in its gaps and silences, which allow director Park to go to town with the mood, composition and imagery that ultimately make the film so memorable. There's one tracking shot, in particular, where a head of long hair morphs smoothly into a thicket of reeds, that will probably be shown in film schools for a decade to come. Add in a score by Clint Mansell with contributions from Philip Glass, and you have a movie of rare aesthetic brilliance. It's not a total triumph of style over substance, but it's as close as you're likely to get. https://youtube.com/watch?v=NPIi5sHmkAw
Eleven days of soccer action kick off in Darling Harbour this month. Held on a floating football pitch in Cockle Bay, the Big Issue Street Football Festival will bring together players and fans from across the country. The event has grown since its inception in 2011, and in 2014 will welcome hundreds of players. Incorporating government, corporate and junior events, the festival spans a range of competitions, including the national championships of the Big Issue's Community Street Soccer Program. The program supports disadvantaged people who are experiencing homelessness, disability and long-term unemployment. Check out the full event program for dates and details on other matches.
Sure, you know Dracula. But what do you actually know? If we brass-tacks this, you've got a deathly pale, rake-thin Eastern European guy with a black cloak, high collar, high cheekbones and low voice. "I vont to suck your blooood." So, next to nothing, in other words. If you want to change that, this is where you start. Shake and Stir have been cranking out literary adaptations for a decade now. Past productions include 1984, Animal Farm, George's Marvellous Medicine and Endgame.Last year they tackled Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte's unsettling, romance-y trek over the English moors. Mr Stoker, one imagines, is in very good hands. When Jonathan Harkness, an up-and-coming lawyer pays a visit to Castle Dracula, he is intrigued by his host, an odd gentleman with a rather macabre fascination for… well, you know the rest. But you don't, do you? Book a ticket here. Image: Dylan Evans.
Civil War is not a relaxing film, either for its characters or viewers, but writer/director Alex Garland (Men) does give Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog) a moment to lie down among the flowers. She isn't alone among the movie's stars on her stomach on a property filled with Christmas decorations en route from New York to Washington DC. Also, with shots being fired back and forth, no one is in de-stressing mode. For viewers of Dunst's collaborations with Sofia Coppola, however — a filmmaker that her Civil War co-star Cailee Spaeny just played Priscilla Presley for in Priscilla — the sight of her face beside grass and blooms was always going to recall The Virgin Suicides. Twenty-five years have now passed since that feature, which Garland nods to as a handy piece of intertextual shorthand. As the camera's focus shifts between nature and people, there's not even a tiny instant of bliss among this sorrow, nor will there ever be, as there was the last time that Dunst was framed in a comparable fashion. Instead, Civil War tasks its lead with stepping into the shoes of a seasoned war photographer in the middle of the violent US schism that gives the movie its name (and, with January 6, 2021 so fresh in everyone's memories, into events that could very well be happening in a version of right now). The US President (Nick Offerman, Origin) is into his third term after refusing to leave office, and the fallout is both polarising and immense. Think: bombed cities, suicide attackers, death squads, torture, lynchings, ambushes, snipers, shuttering the FBI, California and Texas inexplicably forming an alliance to fight back, Florida making its own faction, journalists killed on sight, refugee camps, deserted highways, checkpoints, resistance fighters, mass graves and, amid the rampant anarchy, existence as America currently knows it clearly obliterated. (Asking "what kind of American are you?" barely seems a stretch, though.) The front line is in Charlottesville, but Dunst's Lee Smith is destined for the White House with Reuters reporter Joel (Wagner Moura, Mr & Mrs Smith), where they're hoping to evade the lethal anti-media sentiment to secure an interview with the leader who has torn the country apart. That Dunst's character, nor anyone, will never be able to shake the chaos observed and experienced, no matter the no-nonsense demeanour sported, couldn't be more evident from Civil War's opening. This is a raw and deeply resonant movie about trauma, sources for which fill its chillingly realistic visuals constantly, as Garland and cinematographer Rob Hardy (returning from all of the filmmaker's past helming work, including Ex Machina and Annihilation) bring to the screen with haunting immediacy. It's also about desensitisation to that onslaught, for Garland's players and audiences alike. Combine both, even if Lee ignores the personal impact, and you get someone who'll never feel the calm that should accompany lying on a lawn in different circumstances — because the time when she'd soak that in, and the person who could do just that, are long gone. You also get someone so accustomed being surrounded by nightmarish horror that she's no longer aware of what she's lost. Garland's fourth film behind the lens is a probingly complex character study as well. It's a snapshot of a dystopia with far more potential to come immediately true than most such tales — and it gives America and its volatile political reality the filmic treatment usually reserved for almost anywhere else — but it's always also an unpacking of what it means to spend your life immortalising humanity at its worst; pics and it definitely did happen. Navigating the ethics of the gig, Lee is adamant that the job is to chronicle, not to intervene. "We take pictures so others can ask these questions," she advises. Everything about the performance behind not just the line but the figure lives and breathes that idea. That said, she's also as firm in her belief that what she does should spark pause. "Every time I survived a war zone, I thought I was sending a warning home: don't do this," Lee says to Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson, Beau Is Afraid), a New York Times veteran and fellow member of the movie's travelling party. "But here we are," she continues with a sigh. Garland gives Dunst another contrast beyond referencing one of her prior roles: Spaeny's Jessie. (That Civil War arrives so soon after Priscilla, which Dunst recommended Spaeny to Coppola for, adds inescapable emphasis.) Introduced being saved by Lee when they first meet in the thick of a brutal fray, the green as green — and keen as keen — wide-eyed 23-year-old freelancer is similarly snapping the conflict, learning as she's going and convincing Joel to let her tag along. Her vast range of emotions couldn't be in greater opposition to Lee's dispassion. "I've never been so scared in my entire life. And I've never felt more alive," Jessie notes after the movie's most intense scene, an unforgettable nerve-shredder where the foursome and a couple of colleagues (Ahsoka's Nelson Lee and The Brothers Sun's Evan Lai) cross paths with a cruel group of soldiers (led by Dunst's IRL husband Jesse Plemons, Killers of the Flower Moon). No one needs to be familiar with Dunst and Spaeny's cinematic history, and their echoes, to feel the weight of what Civil War is portraying. Spotting the array of cast members from Garland's 2020 sci-fi/thriller TV series Devs — Spaeny, Henderson, Offerman, Sonoya Mizuno (House of the Dragon) as an embedded British correspondent, Jin Ha (Pachinko) as a sharpshooter and Karl Glusman (The Idol) as a spotter — also isn't a must to understand that the author-turned-filmmaker is in his element. Garland has always been fascinated by how folks react to humanity's inherent lust for control and power, whether perpetuating it, fleeing it, being victimised by it or getting it on the record. That was true when he was writing novel The Beach, then penning the screenplays for 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd, too. Indeed, as Lee watches on and documents, Dunst virtually plays her director's in-film surrogate. For all of the ways that Civil War can be linked back to now, to recently, to not mere fiction or conjecture, Garland isn't here to overtly connect dots or take sides; he also began writing his script in 2020, pre-dating the Capitol attack. He knows as a given, as he gleans that everyone will, that fractures have become an entrenched part of the US. As intelligent as it is urgent, Civil War is a cautionary tale, then, but never a source of answers. What it sees is the loss, the toll and the consequences when democracy shatters, all through people, aka Lee and company, including the devastation of such grimness becoming a normality. Making The Virgin Suicides come to mind serves the picture in another way, reminding of a stunning Dunst performance laced with unflinching pain just as she's giving another one at the heart of this arresting and searing feature.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) has unveiled the final plans for its proposed $344 million expansion — dubbed The Sydney Modern Project — in a push to better compete with its interstate counterparts. The state government already agreed to drop $244 million on the project back in June, with the gallery looking to private donations to raise the rest as it fights to win back drooping visitor numbers. The country's most visited gallery in 2007, AGNSW has since dropped to fourth position, with Sydney Modern expected to boost annual numbers to two million by 2023. The ambitious plans, designed by Pritzker prize-winning architecture and design practice, SANAA, would dramatically increase exhibition space, incorporating an entirely new building, an outdoor public art garden and an entry plaza complete with sculptures and installations. The new building is set to cover 7,830 square metres, with construction costs expected to top $236 million. AGNSW is also looking to become Australia's first five-star Green Star rated public art museum, and wants to develop the country's most significant display of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture. As reported by The Australian, the government found that the proposed expansion "would have a moderate adverse heritage impact on the Royal Botanic Garden and Domain as a whole". The Development Application is on public exhibition over at the NSW Department of Planning and Environment website until December 15. Via The Australian
UPDATE: AUGUST 2019 — Little Felix is now open. If Merivale wasn't already enough of a hospitality giant, it has today announced that it's preparing to open another four CBD venues in 2019. All four will open in the group's Ivy Precinct — which is already home to Bar Topa, Felix, Palings, Ash St Cellar, The Royal George and Ivy Pool Club, Den and Lounge. Expect a Felix-style cocktail bar, a casual Middle Eastern eatery, a sister to Bondi's Italian restaurant Totti's and a new Mexican joint on the horizon. First up is Little Felix — a smaller version of of Ash Street's hatted French bistro — which will open along George Street this July. Head Chef Nathan Johnson has created a dedicated menu of French bites for the 60-seat cocktail bar, with the focus on charcuterie and cheese, as well as French wine by the glass and classic cocktails. It'll be followed by a casual Lebanese eatery headed by ex-Rockpool Chef Simon Zalloua (also previously of Sefa Kitchen), who will dish up mostly vegetarian fare at this venture. The restaurant, opposite Wynyard Station, will be split between a front takeaway counter and a back bar and diner. The latter will serve up mezze-style share plates and charcoal grill dishes. [caption id="attachment_702660" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bondi's Totti's by Nikki To.[/caption] Then a Totti's-inspired Italian bar will join the CBD crew on Palings Lane. While details for this one are slim, Totti's Head Chef Mike Eggert will be serving up his beloved woodfired bread and antipasto plates. Also to join the ranks down the line is a Mexican eatery and bar — but those details have remained well under wraps. The openings coincide with the big Light Rail reveal and the soon-to-launch George Street pedestrian zone that comes along with it, as well as City of Sydney's newly approved late-night trading plan. This phase of Merivale's 'Ivy 2.0' project is the first step toward entirely redeveloping the site, but that won't come into play for many years to come. We'll keep you in the loop as we learn more about all of the new Merivale happenings. Merivale's new CBD openings will begin with Little Felix in July 2019.
Head chef of the iconic Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Alex Prichard is bringing his expertise (and two hats) from Bondi to Potts Point on Saturday, April 13. Prichard will pop up at Snack Kitchen for the venue's first event to bring you a perfectly decadent and nostalgic menu of innovative small plates. From wagyu arrosticini to 'Party Pies' filled with kangaroo tail ragu and even a Fairy Bread gelato macron for dessert, think classics with a twist. [caption id="attachment_949865" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] The Snack menu allows you to sample every one of Prichard's creations and return for more. So be sure to head down to Snack Kitchen, 1/95 Macleay St, Elizabeth Bay, this Saturday. If you do miss out, the pop-up specials will be on the menu for the following week. [caption id="attachment_949867" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo: Jason Lucas[/caption]
Step inside Blak Box, a sound pavilion currently stationed in Blacktown, and you'll be carried into a world of First Peoples' stories. Spoken word, music and field recordings combine to create a stream of consciousness that expresses experiences of the land — from the past, the present and the future. The installation is the creation of Urban Theatre Projects, who commissioned architect Kevin O'Brien to design the immersive pavilion. It first popped up in Barangaroo last year, and has made a return for Sydney Festival. Lighting is kept to a minimum, encouraging "deep listening", a concept that invites you to pay attention, not only to the stories, but also to the silences and spaces between them. Radio National presenter Daniel Browning curated the audio. His selections include 15 commissioned sound pieces, oral histories of Barangaroo before 1788, informal interviews and spoken word performances. The installation's latest incarnation includes dialogue from Elders Uncle Wes Marne and Aunty Edna Watson, and music from Emma Donovan and violinist Eric Avery. It's been described as a "21st century campfire". "BLAK BOX is one of our most ambitious projects to date – bringing together design, installation and sound for a unique contemporary storytelling experience," said Rosie Dennis, artistic director at Urban Theatre Projects. "Daniel has curated an intelligent, layered and thought-provoking program which grapples with the complexity of urban development, place and history." BLAK BOX will be at Blacktown Showgrounds until February 2. Performances happen each night at 6pm and 7.15pm and tickets are $35.
We know. We've all done it. Home alone with a block of cheddar, a few scraps of brie and a lone Kraft Single. It all seemed so promising. When your mum/housemate/significant other returned, though, the truth became apparent. You'd made a cheese quagmire in your microwave, hadn't you? Hadn't you. Fortunately, the guys behind PappaRich, the ST Group, have been helping us realise all of our cheese dreams without the weird kitchen smell three weeks later — bringing Malaysian chain Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart to Australia. With multiple stores in Kuala Lumpur and other areas of the country, the cheese tart connoisseurs currently have five across Victoria, one in Sydney's World Square. Now, they're opening two more Sydney stores, launching one within Macquarie Centre on June 16 and a Burwood store inside Westfield opening Saturday, July 8. Their namesake is the cornerstone of their offering: a savoury-sweet three-cheese situation encased in a shortcrust shell, designed to be eaten either hot or cold. The cheese, while made with local produce, is based on the distinct taste and texture of the dairy products of Hokkaido. The Japanese island is known for their dairy — it produces half of Japan's total milk and a huge 90 percent of their natural cheese — and HBCT have worked tirelessly to replicate it. Malaysia has gone nuts for it, and Australia has jumped firmly on board —people have been queuing out the door to get their hands on one (or 12).
Acclaimed Martin Place Restaurant AALIA has been serving innovative Middle Eastern cuisine for only a short while. The venue opened just last year but has already cemented itself as one of Sydney's top spots for luxurious Middle Eastern dinners. The lavish inner0city spot is continuing to push the boundaries in 2023 with its three-month Chef Series which will see some of Australia's top chefs reimagine the AALIA menu. Kicking off the series is culinary legend Mark Best who will bring his forward-thinking flair to the AALIA kitchen for one night only on Monday, July 24. Expect a menu that balances the signature with the inventive. Think carp makanek (like a Lebanese sausage) with harissa and a magra lamb rack with dried quince. Plus, a sweet finale of walnut sujuk with dulce chocolate and lime-cured pumpkin. Next, Melbourne chef Khanh Nguyen will be bringing some South East Asian flavours to the AALIA kitchen on Monday, September 11. The collaboration will fuse together Australian-Vietnamese and Middle Eastern cuisine, for a truly unique culinary experience. Then to finish it off, Dave Vurheul of Embla and Saison Vermouth will be bringing his light touch to the restaurant with an elevated menu showcasing simple ingredients. The final chef series dinner will be on Monday, October 9. Spots at the dinners range from $110–120 per person. Book in now to secure your spot.
Dysfunctional siblings come together after ten years apart in The Skeleton Twins. Hardly the most original of storylines, but while it's true that this film could have easily fallen through the cracks like so many other Sundance dramedies no matter how well it was written — and make no mistake, this is a fantastic screenplay — it was to the film's incredible fortune that Saturday Night Live alumni Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader signed on to play the titular twins. The two clearly built up a rapport working together on the famed sketch comedy series for so long, and watching these two wonderful comedians play depressed sad-sacks who find comfort in each other's comedic company is a joy. They're believable as the troubled twins whose lives come crashing down in unison, and a sequence in which they mime their way through Starship's 1987 hit 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now' is a stellar, funny example of their unmatchable chemistry. Hader is Milo, so distraught over his nonexistent career in LA and a broken romance that he attempts suicide to the blaring tunes of Blondie. Wiig is Maggie, Milo's no less fragile sister, who we're introduced to with her own pile of pills in her hand and who lets Milo move in to recover alongside her and her husband, Lance (Luke Wilson). In their quaint hometown there is also Rich (Ty Burrell), a former teacher with whom Milo had an illegal affair during high school; their new-age mother (Joanna Gleason), who they blame for their problems; and an Australian scuba instructor (Boyd Holbrook) who Maggie has sex with to numb the sadness of her own disappointing life. The real surprise of the film is Hader, graduating from more juvenile cinematic entries like The To Do List and Men in Black 3 and giving a beautifully crafted performance that allows his knack for voice and facial expressions to shine in the stronger material. His reading of a line where he equates himself to a "tragic gay cliche" hums with melancholy as much as it made me guffaw. Wiig, finally finding an appropriate post-Bridesmaids vehicle, gives excellently matched work. The Skeleton Twins is a massive step forward for each of the principal talents involved and ought to make sophomore writer-director Craig Johnson a star, as well as propel Hader and Wiig into the big(ger) leagues. Perhaps more importantly, just like other recent comedies Obvious Child and Happy Christmas, Johnson's film proves that Hollywood needs to step up their game. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Bn4VpK0gdyU
When the 2021 Academy Awards took place this week, much about the ceremony was different. From the format and order to the venue and vibe, change was definitely in the air. But another big shift was evident even before the gongs were handed out. Both in cinemas and via streaming, the Best Picture contenders were all available to watch Down Under before the ceremony — so you could check out Sound of Metal from your couch, for instance, then head to your local cinema to see Minari. Nomadland, which won the Best Picture prize, has also been showing in cinemas. It actually first started screening theatrically in Australia on Boxing Day last year, then returned to the big screen in early March. That's a little unusual, and so is the next piece of news: it'll be available to stream via Star on Disney+ from this Friday, April 30. A number of movies have been making the leap from the big to the small screen quite quickly of late, including while they're still in cinemas. Wonder Woman 1984 did just that after Christmas, in fact. That's how the film business has been adapting to the pandemic era. Still, being able to stream the year's Best Picture winner at home mere days after it nabbed the coveted award isn't a usual part of Oscar proceedings. The Chloé Zhao-directed and Frances McDormand-starring film follows the widowed, van-dwelling Fern — a woman who takes to the road, and to the nomad life, after the small middle-America spot she spent her married life in turns into a ghost town when the local mine is shuttered due to the global financial crisis. Charting her travels over the course of more than a year, this humanist drama serves up an observational portrait of those that society happily overlooks. It also won Zhao the Best Director gong, making her the first woman of colour and only second woman ever to nab the prize. McDormand won the Best Actress Oscar, too, and the feature was our best film of 2020 as well. Disney+ viewers will be able to watch Nomadland as part of their regular subscription, with the movie available part of its new Star brand — a just-added new section of the streaming platform that joined the service back in February. For folks yet to see the Oscar-winning film — or if you need a refresher — check out the Nomadland trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jePa57J0Ang&feature=youtu.be Nomadland will be available to stream via Star on Disney+ from Friday, April 30. Top image: Searchlight Pictures. © 2020, 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved
The dazzling light shows that are projected onto the sails of the Opera House rank among the most popular staples of Vivid. However, there's another annual fixture found within this Sydney icon that's just as worthy of a visit. Returning for its second year, Newtown bar The Midnight Special has conjured a psychedelic, neon-lit pop-up drinking den in the Concert Hall's northern foyer, inspired by Bob Dylan's 1965 anthem 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'. With a cocktail menu curated by the gin masters at Archie Rose, this immersive space offers a whole new way to experience Australia's most famous building, bathed in kaleidoscopic pink, red, orange and purple lights, and channelling a groovy 60s vibe. Entry is free and no tickets are required — simply follow the western external steps of the Opera House to enter. Alternatively, step-free access can be arranged via the Sydney Opera House team. You'll need to be quick if you want to drink like Dylan, however. Bar Subterranean is open for a strictly limited season, closing on Sunday, June 2. Images: Daniel Boud and Jordan K Munns.
Winter is coming, as Game of Thrones has been telling us for years — but the show's final season is coming first. Before the weather turns cold again in the southern hemisphere, fans of the epic HBO series will be able to discover how the popular series wraps up, so mark your calendars accordingly. After leaving everyone hanging for the entirety of 2018, HBO announced in January that Game of Thrones' eighth and final season will hit the small screen on April 14, 2019, US time — so Monday, April 15 in Australia — nearly two years after season seven premiered in July 2017. And, today — just over a month out from the release date — they finally blessed us with a trailer. There's a lot crammed into the two short minutes, starting with Arya Stark running through the hallways of Winterfell and talking of ticking more names off her list, saying, "I know death. He's got many faces. I look forward to seeing this one". You'll also see the Targaryens on horseback leading the Unsullied, Jon Snow most likely about to fly a dragon, Tyrion Lannister hanging out somewhere not in the north and Cersei happily drinking wine (probably still naively refusing to believe that winter is, in fact, coming) and, ultimately, everyone preparing for one huge war with the White Walkers. But, that's just the start, we'll let you watch it for yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlR4PJn8b8I You can also check out the other season eight teasers here and here. If you're eager to get your fix of the series' staples — that is, battles, bloodshed, betrayal, bare chests, family bickering, Jon Snow knowing nothing (including about his long-lost aunt) and plenty of dragons — then you can keep ticking the days off your calendar — there are now 40 to go. Of course, we all know that this isn't really the end of the world created by author George RR Martin — and no, we're not talking about the now seven-year wait for his next book in the literary franchise, The Winds of Winter. A prequel TV series to Game of Thrones is in the works, set thousands of years before the events we've all be watching since 2011, with Naomi Watts set to star. Come next year, you'll also be able to tour original GoT filming locations in Northern Ireland. The first episode of Game of Thrones Season 8 will air on HBO on Monday, April 15, AEDT.
Scouring the shelves, searching through piles of pre-loved reading material or records, then finding an absolute gem: it's one of the best feelings in the world. Maybe it's a book you love, and have always wanted to get your fingers on an old copy to call your own. Perhaps it's an old-school vinyl release that hasn't been re-pressed lately. Either way, this is the kind of experience you're likely to have at Grand Days Books & Records. Plus, this William Street spot sells vintage fashion as well — so you can dress the part. Images: Kitti Smallbone
To criticise a Tarantino film is an undertaking not without its share of reservation. Perhaps even trepidation. The first instinct is self-doubt: “Did I miss something? Was I simply in the wrong mood? Is three hours just the norm now?” After so many hits, there's an almost ‘infallibility’ to the man, a near reverential status through which both fans and critics dismiss any purported shortcomings as either misinterpretations or outright lunacy on your part. There’s no denying Tarantino’s talent – he’s a writer and director of extraordinary vision whose early films in particular command regular repeat viewing. But he is, ultimately, just a man. And men, and their movies, sometimes fall short of perfection. So, then, we come to The Hateful Eight, the opening titles of which declare it 'the 8th film by Quentin Tarantino’ (Kill Bill is counted as just one film for those playing at home). It’s also the second (though presumably not last) western from a director who recently said "you have to make at least three Westerns to call yourself a Western director. Anything else, you're just dabbling". Set in the unforgiving snowy mountains of Wyoming a few years after the Civil War, the film's a slow-burn thriller played out almost entirely in two tiny, cramped locations: a four-person stagecoach and an isolated cabin by the name of 'Minnie’s Haberdashery'. Cast-wise, many of the Tarantino regulars are there, along with a handful of newcomers. Kurt Russell leads the pack as John ‘the Hangman’ Ruth, a ridiculously moustachioed bounty hunter escorting wanted felon Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to the gallows. Along the way they happen upon two additional passengers: fellow bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L Jackson) and the soon-to-be local Sheriff Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins). Tarantino’s opening dialogues have become iconic, and this one's so long it comprises the entire first two ‘chapters’ of The Hateful Eight, accounting for almost a full hour of the film. It’s not without its charms, but compared to the unrelenting tension of Inglorious Basterds, or the glorious bastardry of Reservoir Dogs, this feels overblown and indulgent. By far its most compelling character is also its least involved: Daisy, a feral, black-eyed murderess whose wry smile after having her nose broken offers more menace and mystery than the sixty minutes of material that surrounds it. The remainder of the film plays out at Minnie’s, and if nothing else it’s a masterclass in cinematography. Shot on Ultra Panavision 70mm film stock (last used fifty years ago on Khartoum), Tarantino captures astounding depth and detail within an almost impossibly small space. It’s here, too, where we discover the rest of the ‘eight’: the loner cowboy (Michael Madsen), the Confederate General (Bruce Dern), the dandy Hangman (Tim Roth) and the Mexican stablehand (Demian Bechir). Trapped by the blizzard outside that absolutely makes you feel cold, suspicions steadily compound until, inevitably, tensions boil over into a phenomenally violent conclusion. That’s no spoiler, by the way. It’s just Tarantino. There’s still a lot to like about The Hateful Eight. The performances are outstanding, the story’s engaging and it’s peppered with all the usual Tarantino easter eggs (Red Apple cigarettes, anyone?). The score, too, by veteran composer Ennio Morricone is terrific, so unsettling it almost deserves to be christened the ‘hateful ninth’. Like Django Unchained before it, race relations (or the lack thereof) underscore much of the movie's themes, representing a definite politicalisation for the director, whose script offers up lines such as “when n****** are scared, that's when white folks are safe”, later countered with “the only time black folks are safe is when white folks is disarmed”. Ultimately, though, length returns as the film’s principal failing. It’s so long that some cinemas are even showing it with a 12-minute intermission, and it's hard not to escape the feeling that a concerted edit down to 90 minutes would have robbed it of nothing whilst ensuring the wonderful 'slow burn' steered clear of 'sluggishness'. …unless I just missed something? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnRbXn4-Yis
When it comes to televised singing battles, there's only one that matters. No matter what reality television keeps throwing our way, that's Eurovision. Back in 2015, Australia became the first country from Oceania to join the clearly Europe-centric competition, in what was supposed to be a one-off move — and to celebrate five years of belting out pop tunes on the world stage, we're getting our very own pre-Eurovision event to pick the 2019 Aussie entrant. Yes, SBS Australia is hosting a national song contest to decide who'll represent the country in the international song contest. After beaming Eurovision onto our screens for 35 years and spearheading our involvement in recent years, Eurovision - Australia Decides is the next step for the Aussie broadcaster. With the nation's participation in the 2019 Tel Aviv event confirmed, SBS will put together a series of live performance shows to highlight potential entrants, with the general public able to vote for the song and singer that'll follow in Guy Sebastian, Dani Im, Isaiah Firebrace and Jessica Mauboy's footsteps. Even better — if you've always thought that you could whip up a great pop track, this is your chance to shine, as SBS is calling on Aussie songwriters to submit their original songs. Entries are now open until November 4, all tracks mustn't have been previously made publicly available, and they need to range between two and three minutes. You won't be able to actually croon it in Israel, however, but tunes will be shortlisted later this year, paired with some of Australia's most recognised artists, and then performed live for a public vote on Friday, February 8 and Saturday, February 9, 2019. Produced in collaboration with SBS's production partner Blink TV, Eurovision - Australia Decides will be hosted by Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey, who've hosted Australia's Eurovision coverage since 2017. A yet-to-be-named jury will also be involved in the decision-making process. And if you'd like to not only help pick the Aussie contender, but head along to Eurovision - Australia Decides to watch live in person, it'll be held on the Gold Coast in conjunction with Tourism and Events Queensland. A trip to the Goldie is cheaper than a trip to Europe, obviously. For more information about Eurovision - Australia Decides or to enter your original song, visit sbs.com.au/eurovision.
In its opening moments, Bupkis unloads — twice, in completely different ways, while ensuring there's zero doubt that this is a series about Pete Davidson starring Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson. First, the former Saturday Night Live comedian gets Googling while alone in the basement of the Staten Island home he shares with his mother Amy (Edie Falco, Avatar: The Way of Water). The results about Ariana Grande, Kate Beckinsale and Kim Kardashian's ex aren't positive; one headline simply exclaims 'Yuck!'. So, to shake off the unpleasantness of reading '12 Things Horribly Wrong with Pete Davidson', which is one of the nicer statements, he switches from "scumbro" with "butthole eyes" comments to porn. He's wearing a VR headset, and he's soon deep in self-love. Then his mum walks in. Streaming from Thursday, May 4 on Binge in Australia and TVNZ+ in New Zealand, Bupkis clearly isn't wary about getting crude. It isn't concerned about satirising its central figure, either. Instead, this semi-autobiographical dramedy relishes the parody. At the age of 29, Davidson has reached the "you may as well laugh" point in his career, which is hardly surprising given he's spent the past decade swinging his big chaotic energy around. Or, more accurately, how pop culture has hung on every twist in his love life and off-screen mess far more than his eight SNL seasons and big-screen roles in Big Time Adolescence, The Suicide Squad, Bodies Bodies Bodies and more. Missed those flicks? Bupkis riffs on them, too, while also following in The King of Staten Island's footsteps. Partway through the eight-episode series, while keen to claim some perks for being Davidson's mother — other than doting on her son, that is — Amy shouts at wait staff that "Marisa Tomei played me!". Add that to Bupkis' gleeful, playful nods to reality. An opening statement before each instalment stresses the difference between fact and fiction, and why the show has the name it has, but art keeps imitating life everywhere. There's no switching names, however. Davidson is indeed Davidson, his IRL mum is called Amy and his sister is Casey (Oona Roche, The Morning Show). As in The King of Staten Island, they've been a trio since 9/11, and dealing with losing his New York City firefighter dad still isn't easy. Off-screen, Davidson must be a fan of My Cousin Vinny, plus the gangster genre. Hailing from the former as Tomei does, and famed for his performances in the latter like The Sopranos star Falco, Goodfellas, Casino and The Irishman alum Joe Pesci is a pivotal part of Bupkis as Davidson's grandfather Joe — a hilarious and delightful part, unsurprisingly. When Joe drops grim health news, the series gets one of its through lines, with Davidson determined to spend as much time with his grandpa as possible. He's clueless about what to do, though, whether he's hiring him a sex worker or seeking advice about why no one ever takes him seriously. Joe is blunt: "they see you as a joke because you are a joke — and you act like a fucking joke." There's roguish self-awareness to the way Bupkis leans into Joe's assessment — with Davidson lampooning himself, could there be anything else? — alongside an earnest-but-comic effort to unpack why that's such a widely held view. Joe also advises that he needs to stop trying to make himself happy and focus on other people for a change, another thread tying the show's episodic antics together. Sometimes, Davidson endeavours to prove he can look after a kid (there's that Big Time Adolescence nudge). Elsewhere, he attempts to push his career into blockbusters (which is where The Suicide Squad comes to mind, but here he's making a war epic with Brad Pitt). Often, he's unable to work out how to have a normal relationship with his girlfriend Nikki (Bodies Bodies Bodies' Chase Sui Wonders, who played his character's girlfriend in that savvy slasher and is reportedly Davidson's real-life paramour at the time of writing). Creating Bupkis with The King of Staten Island co-writer Dave Sirus and Crashing's Judah Miller (so, a veteran of another comedy where a comedian plays himself), Davidson also battles a troll who keeps posting a photo of him that he hates, looks back on the aftermath of his father's death with 'Cotton Eye Joe' as a soundtrack, and goes to rehab with Machine Gun Kelly and Black Bird's Paul Walter Hauser. He has Everybody Loves Raymond's Brad Garrett and Nine Perfect Strangers' Bobby Cannavale as surrogate father figures, and Ray Romano as a nemesis. Everyone from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Charlie Day and Miracle Workers' Steve Buscemi to SNL's Kenan Thompson and John Mulaney pop up, plus Jon Stewart, Al Gore and Method Man. He hangs out with an entourage — Evan (Philip Ettinger, Angelyne), Derek (Derek Gaines, The Last OG), Crillz (first-timer James A DeSimone), Dave (Sirus) and Gilly (Shane Gillis, Gilly and Keeves) — like the show is a Staten Island-set version of Entourage, and enlists Red Rocket's Simon Rex for a killer Florida-set Fast and Furious spoof. What is it like to be Pete Davidson? Returning to that key question again and again on-screen, the honest answer in Bupkis is anarchic and absurd, usually of his own making. If the series wasn't as sincere as it is, it could be accused of throwing anything and everything it can at the sitcom's walls and letting it all stick — but there's always insight shining behind even its silliest and most surreal stretches. When he's ruining funerals, missing his sister's graduation, proving the truth behind 'Is Pete Davidson on Drugs?' articles, not taking big gigs seriously and opting for mystery substances over a quiet night alone abroad over the holidays, Bupkis doesn't avoid the glaringly obvious, either: it's the sitcom's version of Davidson who is making his own choices. The King of Staten Island was also candid, raw and lived-in, as well as thoughtful and laugh-out-loud funny. Davidson delivered a compelling wayward-yet-vulnerable performance, too, while surrounded by excellent supporting players. No wild escapade is ever exactly the same twice, of course, as Davidson's on-screen characters keep experiencing — and repeating himself turns out entertainingly and astutely when he's this intent to keep interrogating his own existence. Pesci and Falco couldn't be more perfectly cast, both seeing through the tabloid facade (one with no-nonsense gruffness, the other with an abundance of warmth), but Davidson knows how to leave an imprint as himself. Here, he's again unloading his real struggles, and he's also unwilling to bask in sitcom happiness. The details might be embellished and fictionalised Curb Your Enthusiasm and Ramy-style, but that definitely isn't bupkis. Check out the trailer for Bupkis below: Bupkis streams via Binge in Australia and TVNZ+ in New Zealand from Thursday, May 4. Images: Heidi Gutman / Peacock.
If you really want to treat yourself, Temple Skincare and Spa is the place to be. Located in the Hills Lodge boutique hotel, the wellness centre offers some of the best treatments in the city. From organic body buffs and hot stone rubs to the ultra-luxurious 105-minute massage, the spa menu has something for everyone. Other specialties include Hawaiian and native essential oil massages, mindfulness and zen facials and collagen treatments. If you're looking for a luxe spot for your next group hang, the spa also offers group packages. You and three or more mates will enjoy a couple of hours of manicures, pedicures and spa treatments, plus high tea and bubbly.
There's no opera quite like Wagner's Ring Cycle. Totalling 15 hours of brilliance, the lengthy production is being split into four nights of powerful, operatic wonder at QPAC later this year — all ticket packages include tickets to all four parts. Even if you've seen it before, we're sure you've not seen anything like this upcoming rendition, which is brought to Brisbane by Opera Australia. From Friday, December 1– Thursday, December 21, the production from Chinese director Chen Shi-Zheng will bring together performers from here and abroad. The version places Wagner's classic interpretation of Germanic mythology into a futuristic, parallel-universe setting, using digital art to create virtual landscapes. Breathtakingly original, the music is led by French conductor Philippe Auguin, who has headed up The Ring Cycle on numerous occasions. If you're an opera buff or just a fan of fantasy, futurism, timeless tales and truly epic theatre, this is an unmissable cultural event.
On the lookout for a dope new denim jacket? Or do you want to be rid of that weird-looking lamp taking up space in the living room? Then, by golly, you're in luck. The Garage Sale Trail works with local council partners Australia-wide to get as many trash-and-treasure troves happening on the same day as possible. More than 18,000 garages are expected to open their doors to bargain hunters, selling two million items, when the event returns for its tenth time across the weekend of Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20. Aside from the retro goodies up for grabs, the Trail is all about sustainability. Instead of ending up in landfill, unwanted clutter becomes a fantastic find. So get that tight pair of sunnies for peanuts and help the environment at the same time. The Garage Sale Trail began humbly in Bondi in 2010 and is growing bigger every year. There'll be a right slew of sales happening all around Sydney, so keep your eyes on the event website — or register online from Saturday, August 10 to make a quick buck from your old junk and hang out with the friendly folks in your hood.
With the return of The Big Design Market this September, so too comes the return of our inner art and design guru. Coming to Sydney for its fourth year, the three-day independent design extravaganza will take place at Barangaroo's precinct, The Cutaway. It'll feature more than 200 Australian and international stallholders, with everything from homewares and ceramics to clothing, jewellery and stationery — all of which are ethically made. Plus, this year, the market has stepped up its game, with the introduction of The Big Design Mentor: a well-known Aussie designer, offering advice, guidance and insights to five designers who have stalls at the event. For the inaugural mentor, the market has selected celebrated Sydney artist and designer Ken Done. Should you grow hungry mid-shop, you can grab a bite to eat from local favourites such as Shortstop, Fishbowl, Esti Garcia chocolates and Smoking Gun Bagels. Thirsty, too? You'll also find Rabbit Hole Organic Tea and Archie Rose among the many stalls, plus Tassie's Moo Brew and Willie Smith's Organic Apple Cider as well as Victoria's St Ali coffee, Billy Van Creamy ice-cream coming and Innocent Bystander wines from the Yarra Valley. There'll also be a specially commissioned, 45-metre mural by South Australian artist and jewellery designer, Maylin Evanochko of Mazdevallia, which will serve as a colourful backdrop to an already (very) vibrant fair. The Big Design Market will be open on Friday, September 20, from 10am–9pm; Saturday, September 21, from 10am–6pm; and Sunday, September 22, from 10am–5pm. Entry is $5 per person. To check out the full lineup, head this way.
In 2025, Sydney Opera House's annual All About Women festival is welcoming than 50 speakers, including artists, thinkers and storytellers from both Australia and overseas, to explore gender, equality and justice. This year's lineup will participate in sessions that span women in sport and the influence of the Matildas, racism and sexism in the music industry, the impacts of skincare routines, and plenty more. For 13 years, marking International Women's Day with talks, panels, workshops and performances has been as easy as attending this highlight of the cultural calendar — a must-attend event not only in Sydney, but also nationally in recent years, thanks to the streaming of sessions online (which continues in 2025). For this year, Kate Berlant and Gina Chick joined the All About Women bill first, as did the return of the Feminist Roast. Kara Swisher, Rachel House, Jaguar Jonze and Grace Tame are among the folks joining them come Saturday, March 8–Sunday, March 9. Berlant is making her first trip Down Under, with the comedian and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Don't Worry Darling and A League of Their Own actor set to debut a new stand-up show. Alone Australia's first-season winner Chick is on the bill fresh from releasing her memoir We Are the Stars in October, and will chat about following your own path, grief and resourcefulness. On a lineup overseen by the Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas team — as led by Chip Rolley, alongside 10 News First's Narelda Jacobs and actor and writer Michelle Law — journalist and Burn Book: A Tech Love Story author Swisher will dig into the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter, while Heartbreak High star and The Mountain director House will chat through the importance of community and her Māori culture in her career. Jonze is on the panel discussing the present state of the music industry, as is Barkaa. And Tame is part of the Feminist Roast alongside Michelle Brasier, Nakkiah Lui, Lucinda 'Froomes' Price and Steph Tisdell. The Tillies are on the roster via former Matildas goalkeeper Lydia Williams, plus Football Australia, the Matildas and the ParaMatildas Media Manager Ann Odong, with their session exploring the current situation for women in sport. Elsewhere, Dr Michelle Wong, Jessica DeFino and Yumi Stynes — plus Price again — will examine the impacts of beauty standards, especially upon younger generations. All About Women's 2025 program also spans sessions on the women who gave testimony at the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, the rise of domestic violence-related deaths in Australia, systems that are meant to protect First Nations children, perimenopause and how women's health is being commercialised, tradwives, grief, motherhood, the nation's declining birth rate, bodily autonomy and abortion, and being friends for life.
Merivale's latest George Street addition is thanks to the talents of Lebanese Australian Head Chef Simon Zalloua (The Collaroy, Rockpool). Part of the group's latest plan for the Ivy Precinct, which has also included the openings of Little Felix and Bar Totti's, Jimmy's Falafel is now open for both takeaway and dine-in — slinging mezze-style share plates, $16 cocktails and pitas aplenty. The Middle Eastern eatery boasts a late-night takeaway kiosk at the front and a lively bar at the back, both of which take design inspiration from kebab stores of the 1960s and 70s. The menu pulls influence from countries all across the region, including Egypt, Israel and Lebanon. As the name suggests, falafel is the star of the show here. Zalloua spent weeks travelling across Lebanon researching his recipe, which he then perfected over about three months (and 50 kilograms) of trial and error. The rest of the takeaway menu is especially vegetable heavy, too, with pitas filled with za'atar cauliflower, eggplant and falafel varieties (all $15) — as well as a late-night edition with lamb kafta, sumac onions and toum. [caption id="attachment_775853" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Meanwhile, in the bar, share plates are the name of the game. Expect mezze dishes like slow-cooked beans, barbecued eggplant salad, harissa-spiced fries and cabbage rolls. Another specialty is the kibbe nayeh, a Lebanese dish of raw beef, bulgur, seven spices and toum (garlic sauce). Off the charcoal grill come more Middle Eastern dishes, including chicken shawarma, za'atar calamari with pistachio and lamb kafta with hummus and aleppo peppers. For drinks, the wine list focuses on Lebanese and Greek drops, while the cocktail list offers six classics for just $16 a pop — including a spicy watermelon margarita, a rose old fashioned and a cobbler made using Havana Club rum, fino sherry, pomegranate and mint. Images: Nikki To
Here are some things that have happened in the stories of American writer David Sedaris: A man goes in search of a stuffed owl to give to his boyfriend for Valentine's Day. Befriending a taxidermist who confirms his interest in formerly alive creatures is strictly non-professional, the man finds himself in a London basement gazing at the 400-year-old preserved head of a 14-year-old girl and the skeleton of a 19th-century Pygmy. They raise questions, uncomfortable ones. Like, 'how much are they?' A man takes a job at Macy's department store as a Christmas elf named Crumpet. He encounters fistfights, vomiting and magnificent tantrums, children with modelling contracts and children with adjectives instead of first names. He tells a child that Santa has changed his policy, and no longer brings coal if you misbehave. Instead he will break into your house, steal all your appliances, and leave you alone, in the dark, with nothing. A father imagines his children forming a jazz quartet. Hoping to make the fantasy reality, the father gifts the son 'that guitar you always wanted'. The son, while regularly petitioning for a brand-name vacuum cleaner, had never mentioned a guitar. He takes lessons from an artistically thwarted midget, until one evening the son admits to his teacher that what we really wants to do is perform a medley of television jingles in the voice of Billie Holiday. David Sedaris has developed a cult-like following for penning insightful, satirical, real-life stories like those above. His latest book is entitled Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls. You could read it, if that is a thing you would like to do. You could also read Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, Me Talk Pretty One Day or any of his other fine collections available at your local bookshop. A regular contributor to This American Life, Sedaris will be touring our fine country in January 2014. As part of the summer program for Ideas at the House, he will spend one special night at the Sydney Opera House talking to you. David Sedaris is wonderful. Ideas at the House is also wonderful. Together, they are guaranteed to make your evening approximately 89 percent smarter, funnier and more profound. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1msZQjwlebU
Which movie features multiple terrible sex scenes, a ridiculous plot and way too many spoons? Oh hi The Room. When the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau decided to write, direct, produce, fund and act in his own Hollywood breakthrough flick 14 years ago, he couldn't possibly have predicted the cult fame, plastic cutlery and branded underwear that would follow — although, if you asked him today, he'd probably claim otherwise. After all, he spends one of The Room's DVD extras explaining that yes, you really can play football with your friends while wearing a tuxedo and standing three metres apart. Trust him. If it sounds like Wiseau lives in his own absurd world, he'd likely be happy with that. In fact, he once told his pal and co-star Greg Sestero that he'd like to have his own planet. Based on Sestero's behind-the-scenes book about The Room's mind-boggling production, The Disaster Artist is the movie that brings Wiseau back down to earth. Directed by and starring a pitch-perfect James Franco, with supporting performances from his brother Dave as well as Seth Rogen, Jacki Weaver, Zac Efron and Alison Brie, it's a sidesplittingly funny and thoroughly heart-warming look at the man who unwittingly started a phenomenon. A wild true story about obsessively chasing a dream, finding a friend and yearning to belong, this Ed Wood-style effort will make you want to hurl spoons at the screen with sheer joy. With limp black tresses and a vaguely European (or is it New Orleanian?) accent, Franco plays Wiseau not as a joke, but as an eager, aspiring talent who'll climb the walls if he has to. When we first see him channelling his inner Brando in a San Francisco acting class, that's literally what he does. Self-conscious and wide-eyed, 19-year-old Sestero (Dave Franco) is drawn to Wiseau's confidence — enough to ignore the concerns of his mother and move to Los Angeles with his clearly middle-aged new buddy. But the film industry doesn't exactly welcome them with open arms, so Wiseau takes their fate into his own hands. Voila, The Room is born. Much of The Disaster Artist is concerned with revealing how The Room came to be. The now-iconic lines, the stilted performances, the odd non-sequiturs: they're all there, often recreated with shot-for-shot accuracy that'll tear both fans and newcomers apart with laughter. But Franco and writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (500 Days of Summer) are interested in more than just making in-jokes and poking fun at everyone's favourite bad movie. A relatable, genuinely moving and hilarious love letter rather than a lampoon, The Disaster Artist celebrates Wiseau's eccentricity and passion, even when he's sabotaging his own efforts. As such, while there's plenty of comedy, he's never the subject of mockery. When Franco adopts his distinctive mannerisms, it's with sincerity and affection. It helps that, in a different universe, Franco could've very well lived Wiseau's life. Driven by comparable levels of enthusiasm and determination, the Oscar-nominated actor might be one of Hollywood's biggest stars, but he's had more than his share of missteps along the way – including multiple movies that he's directed and starred in that barely saw the light of day. Whether he's yelling Wiseau's unforgettable dialogue or fixing a crooked stare on his co-stars, Franco's turn as Tommy is his best to date, with authenticity as well as earnestness shining through at every moment. His decision to cast his similarly-excellent sibling as Sestero likewise proves a smart one. Together, the Francos evoke an easy familiarity in a movie that is, at its core, about the bonds of brotherhood. With The Disaster Artist, Franco has crafted a riotous film about art imitating life, one that should amuse and inspire regardless of whether you're a fan of The Room or have never heard of Wiseau at all. Not only that, but as award season arrives, it might pull in a few shiny statues too. The older Franco has already won a Gotham Award for his performance, and if he collects a few more trophies, don't be surprised to see Wiseau grace the stage with him insisting he knew it'd turn out this way all along. Whatever happens, The Disaster Artist is one of the year's best movies – and features one of the best on-screen uses of '90s dance track 'Rhythm of the Night' as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DT41LF22ZA
Thanks to the ever-growing array of streaming platforms vying for your eyeballs — and the always-expanding catalogues of films and TV shows hosted on each, too — picking what to watch when you're settling down on the couch is rarely a simple exercise. Before winter is over, Australians will have another option to choose from, with new streaming service Paramount+ launching on Wednesday, August 11. The platform will actually rebrand the existing 10 All Access streaming service, with parent company Viacom CBS Australia and New Zealand bringing it into line with the global Paramount+ subscription offering that launched in America in March this year. For an $8.99 per month subscription fee, viewers can expect to scroll through — and try to pick between – more than 20,000 episodes and movies. That'll include films and series from Showtime, CBS, BET Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, as well as from Paramount Pictures, the Smithsonian Channel and Sony Pictures Television. If you're the kind of viewer that loves rewatching your favourite flicks, you'll be able to head to Paramount+ to stream movies from the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Godfather, Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, Transformers, Jackass, Batman and Dark Knight Trilogy franchises. Austin Powers in Goldmember, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Grease and Good Will Hunting will also be available on the service. And, on the TV front, existing series such as The Good Fight, The Twilight Zone, Why Women Kill, Charmed and SpongeBob SquarePants will find a new home. Paramount+ is betting big on new television shows being a big drawcard, though, so you can expect to add a heap of titles to your must-watch list. The new series of Dexter is one of them — and so is the Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Old Guard)-starring TV adaptation of The Man Who Fell to Earth; The First Lady, which sees Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) play Michelle Obama; Anne Boleyn, with Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) as the titular figure; and page-to-screen adaptation The Luminaries. New Australian dramas Five Bedrooms and Last King of The Cross are also destined for the platform, as are Melbourne-shot comedy Spreadsheet and coming-of-age feature film 6 Festivals. The list goes on, including spy drama Lioness, a TV adaptation of video game Halo and The Offer, a scripted drama about on the making of The Godfather. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eaw6mUV3c6o In the US, Paramount+ will also stream Paramount Pictures' big cinema releases — such as A Quiet Place Part II and Mission: Impossible 7 — between 30 and 45 days after they hit cinemas. Whether that'll also happen in Australia from August is yet to be revealed. Paramount+ will launch in Australia on Wednesday, August 11, rebranding the existing 10 All Access streaming platform, with subscriptions costing $8.99. For further information, head to the Paramount+ website.
Dom Dolla just keeps making history. Back in December 2023, the Australian DJ and producer notched up a hefty achievement, playing his biggest-ever hometown show in Melbourne at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Then, come 2024, his national tour became the largest ever by an Australian electronic artist, selling 170,000-plus tickets in four cities. What does 2025 hold, then? Oh, only the Grammy-nominee doing his first-ever Aussie stadium show and biggest headline gig ever. He's played Coachella, Lollapalooza, Wildlands, Spilt Milk and more — including soldout Madison Square Garden gigs with over 30,000 attendees, plus Ultra Miami and EDC Las Vegas. When Europe's summer hits, he's doing a ten-week residency at Hï Ibiza. Then, on Saturday, December 20, 2025, Dom Dolla is heading home in a massive way, headlining Sydney's Allianz Stadium. The three-time ARIA-winner (and 16-time ARIA-nominee) also has something else sizeable to add to his resume in 2025: with 'No Room for a Saint' featuring Nathan Nicholson, he's making his film soundtrack debut. The movie: the Brad Pitt (F1)-starring F1. Also this year, Dom Dolla has released two other tracks: 'Dreamin' featuring Daya and 'Forever' with Kid Cudi. On his 2024 Aussie tour, the venues weren't small, given that he played Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse, Sydney's Domain, Brisbane's Riverstage and Perth's Wellington Square. But making the leap to a headline stadium gig is no minor feat. Images: shevindphoto.
This year marks the first ever Sydney Comedy Festival appearance by 22-year-old stand-up Demi Lardner, and believe us, it's long overdue. Busting onto the scene in 2013 as the winner of RAW Comedy in Melbourne and So You Think You're Funny in the UK, the Adelaide born comedian has been killing it on the circuit ever since, and recently debuted her new show Life Mechanic in Melbourne to no small amount of acclaim. Here's hoping we'll be seeing plenty more of her in the years to the come. In the meantime, don't miss her act at The Enmore Theatre in the last week of April.
Deep in their basements, in their garages and underground, a movement has begun. A reprise of nerds, hackers and scientists have been gathering together to share and create 'strange things with electricity'. By day these are office workers, pencil pushers and professionals but by night they come alive; mashing together ideas of art and science into Frankenstein creations. They are transformed into Dorkbots . All over the world these groups have been gathering to foster a love of interdisciplinary creations'. In Sydney we have witnessed such amazing projects as destructive robots, light scythes and non-Newtonian fluids. Now it's time to showcase some of the best and dorkiest projects. In this, the 4th annual Dorkbot group show there will be a new take on the classic snake game from MPU, electronic sound art and biofeedback devices for your dorkish pleasure. But Dorkbot is not about showing-off. It's about getting people together with a love of experimental and interdisciplinary art. So in the spirit of Dorkbot, spark a conversation or share an idea at the group show and embrace your inner dork.
More than 15 years after it opened, and over 35 years since the opening of its first iteration, Rockpool Bar & Grill has firmly entrenched itself as a bona fide legend of Sydney's — indeed, Australia's — dining landscape. Despite being one of the most awarded restaurants in the country, recognised by reviewers and guides from around the world, the glamorous Sydney restaurant is not content resting on its laurels, having undergone several changes in the past few months alone including all-new seating (and an increased capacity to boot), a revamp of two of the private dining rooms, and the introduction of an intimate new 12-seat wine room. This month, the Hunter Street hotspot unveils perhaps its most significant new addition since moving to its current digs in 2009 in the form of Rockpool Lounge, a stylish 50-seat lounge bar perched above the main dining room. This brand-new space welcomes both diners looking to extend their evening and those looking for a cosy spot for a nightcap, with the venue open until 1am seven days a week. Rockpool Lounge's cocktail menu has been crafted by Bar Manager Leonardo Zuccardi Merli, and centres around modern twists on classic recipes. Signatures include a frozen dirty martini enhanced with house-made olive brine infused with black, green and Taggiasche olives, and a velvety smooth coconut negroni. There's also an excellent selection of highballs available from Thursday to Sunday based on classic mixed drinks like the Horse's Neck, made with cognac and ginger ale, and the zingy Lounge V&S, in which vodka is elevated with jalapeño and lime soda. Merli also spotlights a number of forgotten classics — appletini, anyone? Complementing the cocktails is a wine list showcasing over 40 selections by the glass from both established and emerging producers from around the world. Regular visitors will be rewarded with the Spirits Club selection, a monthly-rotating list of limited-edition releases curated by the bar team. On the food side, Executive Chef Santiago Aristizabal's South American-leaning menu has been created with both the afternoon pitstop and after-dark nightcap in mind. Pull for snacks like Don Bocarte anchovy on smoked tomato toast, wagyu brisket empanadas served with pebre, and blue corn tacos topped with grilled prawn and guajillo chilli. Heartier plates include wood-fired Cape Grim fillet with Café de Paris butter and the signature Rockpool cheeseburger with double-smoked bacon and special sauce. Those looking to linger a little longer can also order from the main restaurant's à la carte menu. Rockpool Lounge's stylish setting combines understated elegance with comfort. Guests enter the first-floor space via a private elevator and are welcomed into intimate clusters of chesterfield armchairs and plush velvet lounge chairs, while sleek black suede stools line the bar for those preferring an up-close bar experience. In the afternoon, the Lounge is bathed in natural light from its tall windows, offering scenic views of tree-lined Bligh Street, while after dark, live music fills the space on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9.30pm onwards. Rockpool Lounge is located on Level 1, 66 Bligh Street, Sydney. It's open from 12pm–1am Monday–Friday, and 5.30pm–1am Saturday–Sunday. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: Steven Woodburn / Christopher Pearce.
This Labour Day long weekend, Sydney's premier Asian supermarket, Gong Grocer is hosting a three-day Mid-Autumn Festival celebration from Saturday, October 4 to Monday, October 6. The free event will run daily from 12–8pm and pack out World Square's slice of George Street with live entertainment, cooking demos, and plenty of mooncakes. The Mid-Autumn or Moon Festival is a historic celebration in China, commemorating the end of the harvest season and the full moon. Expect traditional lion dance performances, live music, and family-friendly activities, alongside celebrity chef demos from Vincent Lim (DimSimLim), Catherine Desserts and Brendan Pang. If you aren't yet sick of Labubu's, then you can sign up for an exclusive Labubu mooncake-making experience hosted by G-LAB Patisserie. Or if that doesn't tickle your fancy, sip your way through premium sake tastings featuring brews from celebrated Japanese names like Umenoyado, Tatenokawa, and Chiebijin. Stalls from 12Cake and Ommis Foods will showcase handmade cakes, mochi, Taiwanese street eats, and mooncakes. While interactive games, including Spin-the-Wheel and the Big Chopstick Challenge, will award prizes like Labubu collectibles, plushies and limited-edition merch. Entry to this three-day Mid-Autumn festival is free, so make sure to bring your nearest and dearest this October. For more information, head to the event website.
The Moon Festival is a historic celebration in China, commemorating the end of the harvest season and the full moon. Usually a mid-autumn celebration, Darling Square will give the festival a spring makeover from Saturday, September 27 to Sunday, October 12. For two weeks, Darling Square will transform into a glowing hub of festivities, including lion dancing and, of course, mooncakes. Lion dancing performances are scheduled for September 27, October 4 and October 11, and are an integral part of the ancient Chinese holiday. Then, each night, hundreds of lanterns will light up Darling Square in a stunning display. Want to light one up yourself? Just spend over $30 at any Darling Square retailer on a weekday and receive one for free. For families, there's plenty of free activities to enjoy, like mooncake clay-making, lantern painting and a scavenger hunt. And for those wanting a boogie? Live music will bring the precinct to life every Friday and Saturday night. Of course, food is at the heart of the Moon Festival, and Darling Square's famous eateries are joining in with limited-edition specials. Highlights include XOPP's indulgent modern mooncake collection, 15cenchi's Salted Egg Mochi Moon Cheesecake, Lilong by Taste of Shanghai's house-made puff pastry mooncakes and Gelato Messina's festival-exclusive gelato, Over the Moon. For something savoury, Hello Auntie has curated special banquet menus designed for sharing, Auvers Dining has created a gigantic XO seafood tower, and 789 KBBQ is offering a complimentary serving of chicken thighs when you spend $150 or more during Moon Festival. From September 27 to October 12, make sure to head down to this flavour-packed celebration of Moon Festival. Find out more via the website.
If you've yet to nab your outfit for Mardi Gras parade night, London clothing brand Sparklebutt has you covered. The fabulous design label, which — if you haven't worked out from its name — makes sparkly pants, shorts, shirts and accessories, is taking over The Forresters on Saturday, March 2 from noon–7pm. This Surry Hills pop-up costume market is guaranteed to get you all sorted for one of Sydney's biggest nights out. Full-on makeovers will be on offer, from eco-glitter and braid bars to bedazzling workshops and threads aplenty. Apart from Sparklebutt, some of NSW's most colourful creators will be selling their wares, including Day By Day The Label, A Beautiful Weirdo Glitter Bar, Trash Vintage, Holosexual Wear, Kirgis Creations and Kat Margarita Designs. DJs will set the vibe while you get all dolled up, and they'll keep the partying going until 1am — with plenty of booze and food from the bar crew, too. Looking for more events to attend during Mardi Gras? Check out nine of our favourite here. Image: Mardi Gras, DNSW.
And boom, just like that, we're a brief nine weeks out from Christmas. We don't quite know where the time went or what happened, but present-buying season is upon us. What better time to kick into gear and avoid the dreaded last-minute shopping scramble, by hitting the Virtual Ethical Christmas Market this weekend. This annual event is normally an IRL situation, but it's headed online this year, now open to shop at your leisure, right up until the big day. Once again, organisers have curated a bumper selection of goodies from a range of small, ethically minded local businesses. If you're after gifts that are fair-trade, eco-friendly, socially-conscious, vegan or all of the above, consider this marketplace your one-stop-shop. Catch homewares from the likes of Plant Lab, Food Wraps 101, The Karma Collective and The Other Straw, or deck out that wardrobe with finds from labels like Colour Coded, Frske and Remuse. There are skincare and beauty products courtesy of The Essentials Lab and Nur Organics, alongside a diverse range of accessories, stationary, kids' gear and food products. Tick off your entire gift list at once and make this Christmas one with a conscience.
Marrickville is famous for its pork rolls, Vietnamese food, and tasty yeeros. Now we can safely say some of Sydney's hottest cafes ply their trade in that part of the inner west. Cornersmith, Bourke St Bakery, and Coffee Alchemy have all made a name for themselves in Marrickville, and Double Roasters deserves to be in the same conversation as these cafes. Double Roasters has breathed life into a 1950s warehouse. Inside the cafe is a wave of activity: the espresso machine is purring away, with the barista furiously pumping out hot coffee; the coffee blender is sucking and spitting out aromatic beans; and staff are scurrying back and forth with plates of food. One of the selling points of Double Roasters is its passion for coffee. Single origin beans are roasted on site in 12kg batches, ensuring superior quality and consistency. After a sip of a flat white made from the Flight Path house blend, its clear these guys know their coffee. It's strong and smooth at the same time, subtlety awakening the senses. The menu is straightforward and you'll definitely get bang for your buck. The breakfast menu is dominated by vegetarian options like sauteed field mushrooms on sourdough with pecorino ($8); Double Roasters muesli with fruit salad, organic yoghurt, and honey ($7.50); or Pembroke Farm organic free-range poached eggs with toast ($8.50). And if you like some animal with breakfast? Add ham ($4) to anything you order; try the poached chicken sandwich with rocket, tomato, avocado salsa, and mayo ($9); or go for the croque monsieur, a ham and gruyere cheese toasted sandwich ($10). The roast pork belly sandwich with apple and mint relish, rocket, and aioli on toasted sourdough ($9.50) is good but not great. The roast pork belly is juicy but not melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the apple and mint relish gets lost amongst the mountain of rocket. The dish is somewhat saved by the toasted sourdough from Sonoma Bakery, and for $9.50, it's not a bad option. The avocado and feta mash with cherry tomato and rocket on Turkish bread ($8.50) sounds better than when it arrives on the table. Although the avocado and feta mash is light and blended together well, again there seems to be too much of the rocket, which lowers the quality of the dish. The best dish of the day is easily the house-made baked beans with eggs, prosciutto, and spinach ($12). The eggs and spinach are woven together with the baked beans and topped off with freshly sliced prosciutto, creating a satisfying breakfast without the heaviness of something like bacon and eggs. Double Roasters is the perfect local cafe with brilliant coffee and a decent food offering. It's how a cafe should be: full of life and the perfect start to the day.
Hankering for a Sunday full of standout baked goods, warm mugs of batch brew and Sydney's best secondhand cook books? Want to round it out with a pét-nat mimosa? You have great taste (and are oddly specific), but luckily, the Sydney-based creative studio Buffet has you covered. This Sunday, April 2, the lofty DRNKS space in Alexandria will be hosting The Cookbook Market by Buffet. From 11am until 3pm, the booze store is being transformed into a book shop, complete with the weekend staples of fresh-outta-the-oven carby creations from Good Ways Deli and cups from the experts at Mecca Coffee. The DRNKS team will have refreshing sips on offer, and Buffet's vibrant range of food-leaning prints and merch from your fave dining destinations will be on-hand, too. The best bit? It's all in support of charity. [caption id="attachment_877249" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption] Literacy for Life Foundation is the Aboriginal-led charity that supports adults in First Nations communities with low literacy levels — and is making a mission of ending Aboriginal illiteracy Down Under. As an editorial business, this is a cause close to our hearts. So on Sunday, this is where you'll find us. Got a book you don't bake from enough? Committed all your fave dishes to memory? Up until Saturday, April 1, DRNKS will be stockpiling your good quality cookbooks at its 72/20-28 Maddox Street, Alexandria space. So dig through your shelves, donate and then go restock with a new (old) book to cook from on Sunday. Images: Dexter Kim (first); Nikki To (second, third).
Ending the nine-to-five grind with a beverage can make any working day better. Pair that tipple with cheap seafood, and you'll be counting down the minutes until knock-off time. Opera Bar is clearly keeping that idea in mind this November — it's serving up $1 oysters all month long. From 6–7pm every weekday, the stunning harbourside bar is shucking Wallis Lake Sydney Rock oysters by the bucket load. If you want to be extra fancy, you can pair your $1 molluscs with a $20 glass or $99 bottle of Veuve Clicquot. If, on the other hand, you want to save your coins, head there a little early to catch happy hour, which runs from 5–6pm every weekday. Do this and you'll be able down one (or a few) $9 pints and $10 spritzes before oyster festivities begin. The oyster shucking will be paired with free live tunes, too, which we think makes from a pretty ace (and affordable) date night.
When Netflix officially launched on our shores back in 2015, three things happened. First, everyone without a VPN rejoiced. Next, anyone already familiar with their US offering couldn't help noticing that the Aussie catalogue was considerably smaller. Finally, while the streaming service was eager to sign up Australian customers, it didn't show any signs of putting those subscription fees towards making local content. It might've taken two years, but they're finally addressing the latter issue. Behold, Netflix's first original Aussie series. Due to be made in Queensland in 2018, and presumably providing fuel for late 2018 binge-watch sessions, Tidelands is a supernatural crime drama series about a fishing village with strange inhabitants: a group of dangerous half-Sirens, half-humans called 'Tidelanders'. Ten episodes, each running for 50 minutes, will be made, with Brisbane's Hoodlum Entertainment doing the honours. And Tidelands won't just gift Australian users with a new favourite series, with the show set to land in all 190 countries that Netflix is available in. Thinking you've seen plenty of Aussie stuff on Netflix already? You're not wrong, however, there's a difference between throwing old sitcoms and standup specials into a range inexplicably overflowing with new Adam Sandler movies, and actually funding brand new Australian material. Last year, it was announced that they'd join forces with the ABC to co-produce a second season of Glitch, which showed them dipping a toe in the water — but now they're completely diving in. Tidelands will join the platform's hefty stable of original series, which started back in 2013 with House of Cards, and just keeps growing (Orange Is the New Black, The Get Down, The OA, Wet Hot American Summer, Master of None, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Dear White People, BoJack Horseman, four Marvel series with one more to come — the list goes on). Given the premise, here's hoping it'll be the next Stranger Things, and not the new Hemlock Grove.
At the end of each season, Sydney label enthusiasts are often rewarded with a sample sale where loyal fans of the brand can pick up pieces from the previous collections for far below the retail price. Now Ellery is hosting one of these occasions at which people tear through racks of garments hoping for something in their size. Whatever you get your hands on, expect it to be over 50% off. Kym Ellery has become one of the most important names in the Australian fashion landscape over recent years. Since launching her brand Ellery in a friend's art gallery in Surry Hills in 2007, she has secured a following both within Australia and overseas. Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 10am - 3pm
As Dale Kerrigan in the iconic Australian comedy The Castle, Stephen Curry famously dug a hole. Twenty years later, in Hounds of Love, he's splashing blood around, kidnapping young women, and just generally digging his character into trouble. Curry has popped up in everything from Neighbours and The Wog Boy to The Cup and Save Your Legs! in the years since his breakout role, but you've never seem him quite like this. His utterly against-type turn is just one of the factors than ensures this serial killer thriller makes for extremely jolting viewing. Set in Perth during the sultry summer of December 1987, and inspired by real-life crimes in the area at the time, Hounds of Love steps inside the turbulent marriage of John and Evelyn White (Curry and Emma Booth), a couple that likes to lure teenagers into their car and house. There's no mistaking John's sinister motives, or that Evelyn is not quite as willing a participant as she pretends. When they pick up 17-year-old Vicki Maloney (Ashleigh Cummings) as she's sneaking out of her freshly divorced mother's home one evening, their new captive is quick to spot the imbalance at the heart of their relationship. Exploiting that rocky dynamic will prove crucial for the young woman after she's drugged, chained to a bed and forced to fight for her life. While Curry turns in an astonishing performance that no one will forget in a hurry, this isn't a one-man show. Booth and Cummings are even more commanding and revelatory as two women immersed in a hellish domestic nightmare not of their own making – one equally fragile and determined, the other an enterprising survivor. Together, the actresses help illustrate the film's real thematic focus. Indeed, first-time writer-director Ben Young isn't merely concerned with the sociopathic underside of a seemingly ordinary-looking man; many a movie has been there and done that before. Hounds of Love still features a few predictable twists and turns, but at its heart the film is a deeply unsettling exploration of the way that men dominate and victimise women — be it their long-term partner or a fresh-faced stranger. Violent deeds fill the movie's frames, some seen and others only hinted at. But it's the savage psychological damage brutally inflicted on Evelyn and Vicki that ultimately has the strongest impact. Of course they're not the only ones left feeling uncomfortable, and that's putting things mildly. Dread and unease seeps through the film, with Young setting out to evoke the same kind of distress in the audience. If Snowtown tested your mettle, consider yourself warned. It's a handy reference point. Like Justin Kurzel's first feature, Hounds of Love is a highly unsettling debut that heralds the emergence of a promising new Aussie filmmaking talent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqCXqWdlKrk
The awkwardness and clumsiness when two incongruous elements come together — that's The Danish Girl in a nutshell. The film tells the true tale of Lili Elbe, previously Einar Wegener, the transgender woman who became one of the first identified recipients of gender reassignment surgery, and is brought to the screen by The King's Speech and Les Misérables director Tom Hooper. Unfortunately, the importance of the former is overpowered by the prestige film sensibilities of the latter. That's not to say that Hooper doesn't realise the weight of the tale he's telling, nor that writer Lucinda Coxon's screenplay — based upon David Ebershoff's fictionalised novel of the same name — doesn't endeavour to do justice to Lili's story. The tone is always earnest, with the film looking lovingly and acceptingly at its central figure. Alas, any good intentions come across as laboured and overdone, packaged up a little too nicely and neatly in order to fit the Hollywood mould. The Danish Girl opts for a restrained approach, designed to carefully bring rarely seen subject matter into mainstream cinema. That's immediately apparent in the slow and stately narrative that charts Lili's (Eddie Redmayne) journey, beginning in Copenhagen in 1926. A raft of childhood feelings are reawakened when renowned landscape artist Einar Wegener dons women's stockings to pose for his portrait painter wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander). Soon after, Lili emerges. As Lili struggles with her identity, Gerda tries to remain supportive, even as their marriage is tested. Both find solace in the friendship of others, with Lili courted by the kindly Henrik (Ben Whishaw), and Gerda seeking out Einar's hometown pal Hans Axgil (Matthias Schoenaerts). He might've won an Oscar just last year for his work in The Theory of Everything, but here Redmayne proves as problematic as Hooper. The fragility he brought to his award-winning role is on display again — and indeed, that's what his performance leans heaviest upon. Yet for all his furtive looks and heavy breathing, he never really delves beneath the surface of an obviously complicated character. Thankfully, where Redmayne grates, Vikander soars, continuing her stellar run of roles and her ascent to certain stardom. There's no mistaking that her character is as much the woman of the film's title as Lili is, just as there's no mistaking that her nuanced yet open portrayal leaves the far greater impression. Vikander isn't The Danish Girl's only strength, courtesy of elegant, handsome imagery filled with intricate costumes and picturesque scenery. In fact, from the painted scenes that start the film to the many shots of Lili trying to find her femininity while looking in a mirror, Hooper crafts the feature to resemble a painting. At the same time, that mindset is also arguably the movie's biggest issue. While The Danish Girl might tell a tale that's vital, and touch upon a topic that's timely, it always does so from a distance, like it's glancing at something that's just too delicate to examine up close.
The Mouse House has brought some of its magic our way, with Disney: The Magic of Animation now on display at Melbourne's newly revamped Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Whether you've always been a fan of Mickey Mouse, can remember how it felt when you first watched Bambi, are able to sing all of Genie's lyrics in Aladdin or fell head over heels for Moana more recently, you'll find plenty worth looking at among ACMI's halls and walls. And in its doors, too — because walking beneath mouse ear-shaped openings to move from one area to the next is all part of the experience. Reopening on Saturday, October 30 and running through till Sunday, January 23 (after a lockdown-delayed season that originally launched on Thursday, May 13), Disney: The Magic of Animation is making its only Aussie stop at ACMI. The exhibition explores everything from 1928's Steamboat Willie — the first talkie to feature Mickey Mouse — through to this year's Raya and the Last Dragon. Obviously, a wealth of other titles get the nod between those two bookending flicks. Fantasia, Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book and The Lion King also feature, as do Mulan, Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia. The big drawcard: art from the Mouse House's hefty back catalogue of titles, and heaps of it. More than 500 original artworks feature, spanning paintings, sketches, drawings and concept art. The entire lineup has been specially selected by the Walt Disney Animation Research Library, and will let you get a glimpse at just how the movie magic comes to life, how some of Disney's famous stories were developed, and which animation techniques brought them to the big screen. Get ready to peer at hand-drawn dalmatians (which is timely, given that Cruella released this year), stare closely at Mickey Mouse's evolution, examine Wreck-It Ralph models and pose next to Snow White. Wall-sized artworks pay tribute to a number of movies, too — The Little Mermaid piece is particularly eye-catching — and feeling like you're stepping into a Disney movie is an unsurprising side effect. The extended season will also feature screenings, including sing-along sessions of The Little Mermaid, Moana, Frozen and Frozen 2 — plus a viewing of Disney's upcoming release Encanto. Disney: The Magic of Animation is clearly designed to appeal to Mouse House fans of all ages. You, your parents, today's primary school kids — you've all grown up watching Disney flicks. So, while you're pondering tales as old as time, being ACMI's guest, contemplating the animated circle of life and definitely not letting your nostalgia go, prepare to be accompanied by aficionados both young and young at heart. Images: Phoebe Powell. Updated October 26.
While the words ‘all I want for Christmas’ usually bring to mind cheesy rom-coms and Mariah Carey’s high pitched tunes, Firstdraft Gallery have something a little different in mind — or do they? Curated by Marcus Whale, All I Want for Christmas is You is indeed a celebration of all things pop and beyond. There’s Fatti Frances’ replica of a pop live show with a twist, Marco Cher-Gibard R&B cut-ups and Michael Salerno’s exploration of technological decay. The symbols of pop music have been remixed, reworked and shuffled double time. Pop music in this exhibition is looked at as something between the “common and the divine” where, “we, the listener and the fan, create the atmosphere of simulacra that provides sustenance for pop stardom.” Other artists in the exhibition are Cassius Select, JD Reforma, Scott Morrison, O.B. De Alessi, Samuel Bruce, Romi, Thomas William (with Jonathon Watts). Oh, and there’s also celebrity fan fiction with Catcall and Kirin J. Callinan. Yup, that’s right. The $5 entry includes a sausage sandwich.
