Looks like a few Black Keys-lovin' Bluesfest ticketholders will be reconsidering their Easter long weekend plans, The Black Keys have cancelled all Asia Pacific shows due to injury. Drummer Patrick Carney has sustained a serious shoulder injury, so the duo have cancelled all forthcoming concerts in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, part of their Turn Blue world tour, cancelled up until April 23. "We are very sorry to have to cancel our upcoming performances through April 23," the band said in an official statement. "Patrick sustained a dislocated and broken shoulder in January that required surgery. Working with the doctors, surgeons and physiotherapists since January, we had expected Patrick to be ready to return to touring in April. The recovery process and physical therapy has taken longer than anticipated and unfortunately Patrick is still unable to perform and needs additional time to heal. We thank all of our fans for their ongoing support and we look forward to getting back on the road as soon as possible.” "We were incredibly excited about the shows that were about to happen but there is no way around cancelling the tour with the extent of Pat’s injury," said Brian Taranto from Love Police Touring. "You just can’t have The Black Keys with no drums. We sincerely apologise for the hassle this cancellation will cause fans.” The cancellation isn't good news for Bluesfest in particular, coming just weeks after headliner Lenny Kravitz also pulled out of Bluesfest and his Australian shows due to conflicting touring commitments. All tickets (outside of Bluesfest Byron Bay) will be refunded — wherever you bought them from. Rescheduling ain't happening. For Bluesfest refund policies, visit bluesfest.com.au. CANCELLED TOUR DATES April 2 Riverstage - Brisbane, Australia April 3 Bluesfest - Byron Bay, Australia April 5 Rolling Green - Rochford Wines Yarra Valley, Australia April 7 Margaret Court Arena - Melbourne, Australia April 10 Qantas Credit Union Arena - Sydney, Australia April 11 Rolling Green - Bimbadgen Winery Hunter Valley, Australia April 14 Red Hill Auditorium - Perth, Australia April 16 Entertainment Centre Theatre - Adelaide, Australia April 18 Horncastle Arena - Christchurch, New Zealand April 19 Vector Arena - Auckland, New Zealand April 22 Studio Coast - Tokyo, Japan April 23 Studio Coast - Tokyo, Japan
Next time you walk into Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, you can be forgiven for starting to sing Disney songs in your head. Already fond of hosting everything from dining experiences to silent discos beneath its water-filled — but glass-walled — spaces, the venue is embracing a well-known piece of advice: yes darlings, it is better down where it's wetter, especially when you're holding The Little Mermaid-themed cocktail parties. While the Mouse House's beloved animated movie will have popped into your brain right now, of course, Sea Life's shindigs are actually taking their cues from the OG version of the story, aka Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale. On the lineup: three fairytale-inspired cocktails, which you'll be drinking below the surface, as well as a live performance of a modernised take on Andersen's The Little Mermaid. The event kicks off today, Thursday, February 3, and settles in for an eight-week season of nostalgia-dripping sipping and peering at cute aquatic creatures (almost) under the sea. If you're keener than a mermaid who dreams of becoming a human, you can head along every Thursday–Saturday for 90-minute sessions, either from 6–7.30pm or 8.30–10pm each night. Your $55–65 ticket includes one themed cocktail upon arrival; however you can purchase more — plus beer, wine and snacks — if you're eager to keep wetting your whistle while in such gloriously watery surroundings.
It's safe to say Gami Chicken & Beer has secured its status as one of Australia's go-to fried chicken joints, slinging its signature, Korean-style chook from 23 locations across the city. After opening its seventeenth Melbourne spot, in The Glen Shopping Centre, and third Sydney store on Market Street in the CBD earlier this year, Gami is about to launch its first (super-spicy) limited-edition flavour. And, to celebrate, Gami is giving Aussies a few very good reasons to jump on board, handing out a whopping 250 pieces of its boneless fried chicken with the new sauce at every one of its stores — for free. These new fried chicken morsels come lathered in mala — a super-spicy Chinese sauce packed with sichuan peppercorns (yep, the numbing ones), chilli peppers, soybean paste and spices. As always, the chicken is also RSPCA-approved and also rocks Gami's signature blend of 17 herbs and spices. You can try the mala chicken for free from 5.30pm today, Friday, November 29, at all stores. Only the first 250 people will get a free taste, though, so don't sleep on it. Once you're hooked, you're probably going to want to schedule a return visit pretty quick, to try other Gami favourites like the chicken spare ribs, the vegetarian chicken and the aptly named Potato Heaven, featuring three layers of cheesy potato goodness — all paired with ice cold beers, of course. If you want more of the mala sauce, it'll also be available — for a limited time — with stir-fried chicken and tteok bok ki (Korean rice cakes), as well as the fried chicken. Gami will give away 250 pieces of mala boneless fried chicken from 5.30pm on Friday, November 29. Find your closest here.
Giant Dwarf just took out a 2014 SMAC Award for curating the best arts programming in Sydney, and now they’re celebrating their first birthday with a showcase offering a repeat of the best bits of their year. Brought to fruition by the team behind The Chaser, Giant Dwarf is a space that provides a permanent platform for Sydney’s underground comedy and theatre talent. Last year Giant Dwarf hosted a variety of performances from some of our city's brightest emerging stars — plus some surprise celeb guests you never thought you'd see reading their disturbing fanfic. On February 27, Giant Dwarf revisits some of these highlights of its opening year, with David Marr telling the story about how his marriage ended over a game of cards (from Story Club), Tracey Spicer confessing her seven deadly sins, Jordan Raskopoulos from Axis of Awesome presenting an Erotic Fan Fiction that "cannot legally be described in a press release", Rhys Nicholson's newest jokes from Comedy(ish) and Sam Campbell's TOD Talk on the axolotl. Also contributing on the night are venue regulars Zoe Norton Lodge, The Bear Pack and the Yarramadoon Public School Debaters. In the short time in which Giant Dwarf has been operating, the space has hosted some memorable performances that previously hadn't had a regular home or audience, sitting awkwardly outside of both Sydney's theatre and comedy scenes. It's now a beloved institution, with the aforementioned SMAC on its mantle. Says Giant Dwarf and The Chaser's Craig Reucassel, “We intended to burn it down for the insurance, but now I actually love it.”
While Sydney is not exactly short on options for midweek fun and frivolity, a surprising new entrant has joined the city's lineup of hump day deal masters, tempting you off the couch and out of the house. Announced today, the Sydney Opera House has kickstarted a new Wednesday night offering, featuring a weekly changing swag of two-for-one ticket deals, and some tidy food and drink specials to match. Each week's theatre and event deals will remain under wraps until the Tuesday night, riffing on similar last-minute ticket programs offered by the likes of London's West End theatre set and on Broadway in New York. There'll be specials on shows presented by the Sydney Opera House and its resident companies, eats and drinks from onsite venues like Opera Kitchen and Portside Sydney, and even cheap parking at the Sydney Opera House Wilson Carpark. To give you a hint of what to expect, this Wednesday's lineup could see you score two-for-one tickets to Sydney Theatre Company's hilarious political farce Accidental Death of an Anarchist, for example, or a production of Molière's comedy of manners The Misanthrope. There will also be two-for-one specials on Opera Kitchen's crispy chicken, matched with a wine or Sydney Lager. While the deal itself is great, the accompanying campaign name and video are a little cringeworthy. The Sydney Opera House has dubbed it Make Wednesday Great Again, a 'satirical' riff on Donald Trump's 2016 campaign slogan (which was used by Ronald Reagan in 1980, too). It feels a little too soon to turn the presidential campaign into a marketing exercise — but, still, if it means feasting on theatre for less, this hump day treat is sure to find its fair share of fans. The two-for-one Wednesday deals will be made available to email subscribers each Tuesday night at 5pm. To sign up, head to the Sydney Opera House website. Image: Letícia Almeida
Directly opposite from Ikea, Bikebug in Tempe has a huge range of cycles, parts and accessories from leading brands in its shop and adjoining warehouse. In the workshop, the team does everything from custom bike builds, restorations and wheel building right through to emergency puncture repairs. Its selection of commuter bikes includes Schwinn's Town Bikes and the Electra Cruiser. Whether you're looking for something off the rack, or gearing up to build the bike of your dreams, there is plenty of inspiration here — and many, many options for customising. [caption id="attachment_776889" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leigh Griffiths[/caption] Images: Leigh Griffiths
If you'd prefer to explore the Port Stephens region on two wheels than by foot, you're in luck. A bunch of shared pathways exist across the region that'll take you along the coast and through bushland, parks and the town streets. The best 'bang for your buck', so to speak (it's actually free), is the Nelson Bay to Fingal Bay Cycleway, which links three of the region's communities via an eight-kilometre route of shared and on-road paths. Starting at Dutchmans Beach, you'll wind your way through the Nelson Bay foreshore and along the coast past Neil Caroll Rotary Park. You'll then spend some time pedalling on the road through to Shoal Bay before arriving in Fingal Bay. Here, you find plenty of facilities to enjoy, including picnic spots, a patrolled surf beach and the sandy bank of Fingal Spit. You can no longer pass over the sand spit to Fingal Island, but it is accessible by boat. Image: Fingal Spit via Destination NSW
One of the first events in the Mardi Gras festival is a family-friendly, pup-friendly, eco glitter-friendly day in the park that's inclusive, relaxed and absolutely free to attend. There's always a fancy dress competition for doggos, 200 market stalls from the LGBTQI+ community, a main stage with leading queer performers in Australian music, plus the chance to shine brightly with 80,000-or-so of your nearest and dearest chosen family. It's a landmark event on the Mardi Gras calendar, and everyone gets into the party spirit with spotlight-ready outfits that'll take you into the night when the official after party kicks on. This year's lineup features queer artists Bec Sandridge and Ngaiire — so it's safe to say the organisers have excellent taste. Save the date and start planning what to wear for the event that launches a 17-day celebration of diversity, equality, justice and good times. Images: Jeffrey Feng Photography.
Following the world-altering whirlwind that was 2020, award-winning Eau-de-Vie closed down, promising to return in the near future. While it's taken longer than expected, the sleek cocktail bar that was once 13th on the World's 50 Best Bars list has announced it will be reopening in a new home next year. The Speakeasy Group (Mjølner, Nick & Nora's) and its directors Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson will be bringing the new iteration of Eau-de-Vie, as well as a new accompanying restaurant called The Sanderson to the Brookfield Place development, reinvigorating the historic Beneficial House site at 285 George Street. [caption id="attachment_868199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brookfield Place[/caption] "Eau-de-Vie is like our first child, we just have so much love for it! We looked long and hard to secure the new location, but the wait will be worth it," says Sanderson. "We really do see Beneficial House becoming a destination that our guests can spend an entire evening within. Aperitif cocktails at Eau-de-Vie, upstairs to The Sanderson for an amazing dinner, and then back downstairs for a whisky nightcap." All of the class of the original Eau-de-Vie will be on show at the new opening with moody lighting, a smooth jazz soundtrack, the signature Whisky Room and private whisky lockers. The Sanderson will both aesthetically and conceptually compliment this luxurious take on a cocktail bar, centring its menu around steak and oysters. [caption id="attachment_868200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Sanderson render[/caption] The Speakeasy Group has taken out a ten-year tenancy on the 618-square metre space in Brookfield Place, joining the likes of Shell House, Romeo's, Edition Coffee, Gojima, NeNe Chicken and PappaRich in the huge inner-city development. "The Speakeasy Group's unique bar and restaurant offering will bring an excellent addition to our food and beverage mix at Brookfield Place Sydney and will contribute significantly to activating the precinct's nightlife," said Brookfield Properties Australia's Executive Vice President and Co-Head Danny Polijak. While we don't yet have an exact opening date for the two new restaurants, they're set to open in early 2023. [caption id="attachment_788884" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The old Eau-de-Vie[/caption] Eau-de-Vie and The Sanderson will open at 285 George Street, Sydney in 2023.
Sydney bookshop Kinokuniya has a wealth of summer page-turners, new cookbooks, art and design hardbacks and a huge range of manga and anime titles. It's where you might go to pick up a gift that has the power to transport you to other worlds, or to inspire you into action. English Books Assistant Manager Marianne has worked at the CBD bookstore on and off for 14 years. "Time flies when you've got a lot of reading to do," she jokes, and one of the titles she couldn't put down this year was Carrie Tiffany's Exploded View. "Everything about it — the mood, the style, the way the plot unfolds — was so unexpected," she says. "I found it literally breathtaking at times," says the avid reader. Which is why we've asked Marianne for her help. In partnership with Kinokuniya, we asked Marianne for her top recommendations for the types of people we all seem to have on our gift lists this year. Take inspiration from her tips below. THE ONE FOR YOUR FILM BUFF FRIEND Accidentally Wes Anderson by Wally Koval ($39.99) "Wes Anderson films have that distinct look we know and love, one of faded-grandeur and pop pastel colours that seems almost too vivid, unique and meticulously constructed to be real," says Marianne. Wally Koval's first book comes from the Instagram account of the same name; "it travels to every continent to tell the extraordinary and unexpected true stories behind more than 200 stunning Anderson-esque locations," she says. "It's perfect for Anderson fans and thwarted travellers alike." THE ONE FOR YOUR FOODIE FRIEND To Asia, With Love by Hetty McKinnon ($39.99) "To Asia, With Love is Kino-fave Hetty McKinnon's homecoming," says Marianne. "It's a joyous return to the nurturing flavours and meals of her childhood and a celebration of the possibilities of modern Asian cooking". In the 2020 cookbook, the internationally renowned food writer takes us through how to make buttery miso Vegemite noodles, stir-fried salt and vinegar potatoes, cacio e pepe udon noodles and banh mi turned into a salad. "Hetty is a fave for a very good reason." THE ONE FOR COMIC BOOK FANS Mujirushi: The Sign of Dreams by Naoki Urasawa ($29.99) "When life gives you lemons, follow a chatty crow and a mysterious symbol — isn't that how the saying goes?," says Marianne. This 2020 paperback by award-winning author Naoki Urasawa follows protagonist Kamoda on a journey from Tokyo to France, where a painting heist "might just change his fate". Marianne reveals it has a tongue-in-cheek cameo and endearing characters along the way; "it's Urasawa condensed into one sweet volume". THE ONE FOR THE PLANT NERD Plantopedia: The Definitive Guide to House Plants by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan ($59.99) "One of my lockdown projects was to keep a fiddle leaf fig alive and thriving in my living room — his name is Jean-Michel, and he's doing fine," says Marianne. She's not the only one who adopted a home jungle this year, and Plantopedia, the third book from Sydney's Leaf Supply, is the definitive guide to understanding how to maintain happy, healthy houseplants no matter what space you're keeping them in. "It has more than 130 plant profiles and detailed care information including troubleshooting tips and tricks," she says. "It's also a gorgeous book to pore over as you dream of growing your plant brood." THE ONE FOR YOUR ARTY FRIEND Vincent Namatjira: The Royal Tour by Vincent Namatjira and Tony Albert ($40) "In this debut artist book from the 2020 Archibald Prize winner, Vincent Namatjira places himself front and centre in various historical royal occasions by painting directly onto the pages of commemorative royal photobooks he found in op-shops in Alice Springs," says Marianne. "The works that populate The Royal Tour are irreverent, political, and darkly funny, wrangling history and telling truths with a subversive, cheeky grin." Which is exactly the humorous work we've come to expect from the 37-year-old artist, who took the top gong at this year's portrait prize for his depiction of sporting star Adam Goodes. THE ONE FOR YOUR BEACH-READING BUDDY Earthlings by Sayaka Murata ($29.99) "Young Natsuki, who might be a witch, or an alien from another planet, and her cousin Yuu, spend their summers in the wild mountains, dreaming of other worlds," tells Marianne. "When a terrible sequence of events threatens the two children, they make a promise: survive, no matter what". The latest fiction from the author of Convenience Store Woman is her pick for a summer page-turner this year. "It's definitely my strangest and funniest read of the year," she says. "It is perfect for devouring on summer afternoons, and then sharing with friends. You'll want to watch their reactions, as well as compare notes, when they're done." THE ONE FOR YOUR MINDFUL-LIVING MATE High Grade Living by Jacqui Lewis and Arran Russell ($49.99) "After the year we've had, authors Jacqui Lewis and Arran Russell invite us to come back to ourselves with mindfulness, creativity, and intention — goodness knows, we need it," says Marianne. She's picked out this hardback release for your friends who are into yoga, meditation and Marie Kondo. "This beautiful book examines how to audit, edit and refine your life and your space to reflect who you really are. Filled with gorgeous photography and sleek design, High Grade Living is the perfect aesthetic and spiritual inspiration for the mystics and meditators in your life." THE ONE FOR YOUR GO-GETTING COLLEAGUE Passion Purpose Profit by Fiona Killackey ($29.99) This is for those work BFs who are always talking about their side-hustle — the jobs they wish they could ditch their current ones to pursue. Passion, Purpose, Profit is a practical guide and workbook covering everything from idea-generating to hiring a great team, says Marianne. Author Fiona Killackey maps out how to develop a clear understanding of business ideas without creating financial and emotional stress. "It has step-by-step tips and templates, as well as case studies of successful creative business owners. It will have us all empowered and excited to make bank with our ideas," she says. Perfect for your aspirational pals. Find more excellent gift ideas at Kinokuniya this summer.
What would a uniquely Sydney version of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet look like? Would Romeo be from the inner west, Juliet from the eastern suburbs? Would she go by 'Jules'? Would he shout 'where for art thou' via Snapchat? We're expecting the Sydney Theatre Company's new production of Romeo and Juliet to be a touch more classy than so pedestrianised (just look at that swish promo shot), but you can expect to see many aspects of our present time flickering within it. The star-crossed couple's simple wish to escape their set social milieus and live authentic lives is, after all, not unfamiliar in 2013. Director Kip Williams proved with his STC debut last year, Under Milk Wood, that he has the power to craft imagery as memorable as Baz Luhrmann's fish tank, so this production is in good hands. Rising theatre stars Eryn Jean Norvill and Dylan Young in the lead roles and Josh McConville (so sinister in The Boys) as antagonist Tybalt lead the very promising cast. Romeo and Juliet is on 17 September to 2 November at the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House, and thanks to the STC, we have five double passes to give away to the first preview on 17 September. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Throwing a lavish dinner party? Trying to up your bartending game? Or just tired of dropping $20 per cocktail at the bar? Enter Cocktail Porter — it has you covered on all three counts. Australia's new online subscription service for at-home cocktail making is now delivering to door's across the country. While it's not the first of its kind in the country — with The Mixery delivery all the non-booze cocktail ingredients you'll need — it's the first delivering the spirits, too. It's founded by Sydney-based Cameron Northway, who also co-owns Rocker in Bondi with Three Blue Duck's Darren Robertson. He's joined by a team of renowned Australian hospo vets, including former Bartender of the Year Tim Phillips (owner of Bulletin Place and Dead Ringer). The subscription works similarly to most DIY food delivery services, except with booze. Fixings for a different drink will be delivered each month, along with a recipe card and pre-measured ingredients and premium spirits. This element of convenience will cost you $135 per month, which can be a lot to fork up at once — though it'll make 14–18 cocktails (about a tenner each), so it's a big saving for regular spenders at the bar. Each month will feature a different cocktail, curated by world-class bartenders and based on global drinking trends. At the moment, there's the Treacle Old Fashioned with sweet Italian vermouth, burnt orange-vanilla syrup and cacao-macadamia bitters; a classic gin martini with your choice of flavoured vermouth; and a bloody mary with turmeric vinegar. Coming up, November's two-in-one Spring Cup Spritz offers the options to make both Tanqueray and Ciroc spritzes in one box, along with sparkling wine, elderflower cordial and lemongrass and ginger sparkling water accompaniments. December will see a classic espresso martini box complete with Ketel One, coffee liqueur, cold drip coffee and grated dark chocolate. The fresh ingredients, garnishes and glassware are not included in the box, though the recipe card will tell you exactly what else you'll need, along with some at-home hacks if you want to avoid buying expensive tumblers, jiggers and shakers. If a month subscription is just too much, there are one-off orders and gift options, too, which are delivered within three-to-five working days — so not too much planning is needed if you want to amp up your next soiree. Cocktail Porter is now delivering across Australia.
For a gig that switches from heat to heat faster than Marty McFly into Johnny B. Goode, there ain't nothing like a Hot Dub Time Machine party. Busting out all your favourites from 1954 through to today, Hot Dub is 'powered' by the energy of the crowd, all of whom are nothing short of ecstatic to hear the classics belted out by Sydney's own DJ Tom Loud. And he's bringing the extravaganza to a city near you on a nationwide tour. Bursting onto the scene at the Sydney Fringe Festival in 2011, the Hot Dub concept is simple. The Time Machine runs on the energy of the crowd as it makes its way from the '50s to the modern day. If the energy at the show slows down to anything under extreme, you're literally stuck in time, listening to the tunes of whatever era you crashed in, until you can get crazy enough for lift-off. Coming off the back of a sold-out run across the festival circuit last year, including the Sydney Festival, Hot Dub is more than guaranteed to get your feet, legs, torso, arms and everything else moving to the beat. With balloon drops, glitter bombs and a two-storey-high visual accompaniment, Hot Dub is sure to be a spectacle for the ages. Full tour dates below. SUN 16 MAR – SYDNEY @ TBA (Secret Show) SAT 22 MAR – BRISBANE @ Chalk Hotel SAT 29 MAR – QUEENSTOWN @ World Bar FRI 4 APRIL – FREMANTLE @ Metropolis SAT 5 APRIL – PERTH @ Capitol FRI 11 APRIL – MELBOURNE @ Northcote Social Club. Tickets from northcotesocialclub.com THURS 17 APRIL – CANBERRA @ Academy SAT 19 APRIL – SYDNEY @ Metro Theatre. Tickets from www.metrotheatre.com.au THURS 24 APRIL – BALLARAT @ Karova SAT 3 MAY – BYRON BAY @ Beach Hotel SUN 4 MAY – DARWIN @ Discovery SAT 10 MAY – NEWCASTLE @ Argyle House SAT 17 MAY – COFFS HARBOUR @ Plantation For more info, head to the Hot Dub website. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iIVVvtWSBZo
For around 100,000 people annually, Sydney’s Tropfest is a chance to enjoy a day of live music, cold drinks, good company, and some of the best short films made that year. For a slightly smaller number it’s also a chance to delve beneath the immediate surface of filmmaking. Tropfest's Roughcut program is probably the festival's main draw for filmmakers and other cinephiles and will return in 2013 to pick apart the idea of collaboration as the key to creativity. Each session will focus on a different aspect of the filmmaking process, with speakers ranging from high-profile Australian actors to Natasha Pincus, aka the brain behind the world-dominating video for Gotye's ‘Somebody I Used to Know'. This year organisers have managed to pull together a lineup with more famous names than the Ocean's trilogy. Tackling the subject of taking Australian productions overseas will be writer/director Michael Petroni (Narnia) and producer Jamie Hilton (The Waiting City, Sleeping Beauty), while writer Erica Harrison and animator/director Simon Rippingale will discuss how they collaborated on crowd-funded animation A Cautionary Tail. Helming the requisite social media section will be Thomas Mai and Hattie Archibald of FanDependent, exploring how new media can help finance, market, and distribute film content. Cutting Edge will delve into post-production, and Aussie export Sam Worthington will rekindle his long-standing relationship with the festival (he took out Tropfest's Best Actor award in 2001 before going on to score the leading role in Avatar) by returning as a speaker. Tropfest Roughcut will be held in Monkey Baa Theatre Company at Darling Quarter on Saturday 16 February. A limited number of tickets are on sale via Monkey Baa's website.
Watching a movie under the stars just got that little bit swankier. In partnership with the new Volkswagen Polo, Ben & Jerry’s Openair Cinema have introduced a new premium ticket that lets you relax in comfort and style. Think Gold Class in the great outdoors. For the low price of just $27, Volkswagen Polo Class ticket holders get the best seats on the beach. The special ticket includes extra comfy bean lounger seating, a cushion and a blanket, plus a delicious Ben & Jerry’s shorty tub (we recommend New York Super Fudge Chunk) and a soft drink of your choice. Best of all, $2 from every ticket sold gets donated to WWF-Australia. There are only 30 of these prime pozzies per session, so book fast. Speaking of swanky, Openair Cinema will also be giving two lucky film-lovers a trip to Europe. It’s in partnership with Contiki, who in addition to the free return airfares will also throw in a 16-day tour hitting up locations in The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy, France and Morocco. All you have to do is visit the Openair website and tell them which film inspires you to take the trip of a lifetime.
An eccentric alchemist's den now dwells on Cleveland Street; a realm where regular ingredients are turned into hearty nosh, where you'll find 'remedies and elixirs for curious souls'. Time for you to meet the elusive Dr Faustus, the brand new eatery just opened at 380 Clevelenad Street, Surry Hills. Sharing a name with a 16th century Christopher Marlowe play — in which a German scholar, Dr Faustus, dabbles in dark magic in his quest for scientific knowledge and power — this is one quirky new Sydney brunch spot. The creation of Sydneysider Adam Kane, Dr Faustus looks like its been on Cleveland Street for decades — low, brassy ceiling fans, glass-doored wooden cabinets of oddments, varnished tabletops, polished cement flooring, stained glass detailing, old bottles holding freshly-picked flowers. You'll find laboratory-grade flasks, mason jars and metal plates inside; the bizarre collection of the elusive Dr Faustus. Hearty, quirky Australian cafe food is the go at Dr Faustus, from blood sausage with red onion and apple salsa, to zucchini fritters on iceberg lettuce. Breakfasting? You've got some pretty solid options here — eggs three ways (pickled hen egg, quail egg, caviar), the Our Way BLT (bacon, onion, gruyere, foie gras 'smear'), Welsh Rarebit (Guiness bechamel, aged cheddar, Worcestershire sauce and egg). Lunching at Dr Faustus means a Taco Salad (ground chicken, romain, olives, corn, tomatoes, avocado and the immortal chipotle dressing), a Brussels sprout Caesar, and pulled mushroom with kale-slaw. Yep, kale-slaw. Then there's the ultimate brunch sandwich, the New Orleans classic Muffuletta — topped with a big ol' pickle. Get down to see Dr Faustus for an infusion of hearty grub, fresh coffee by Californian barista Mark Fransen and a solid spot to shelter from the summer rain. Find Dr Faustus at 380 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills. Open Monday to Sunday 7am - 5pm.
When everything in the world has fallen into tiny, cracked pieces, the absurdist playwright always seem to be there to try and build it back up again, or at least offer a witty commentary on the whole debacle. The Turquoise Elephant, opening at Griffin on October 14, promises not to buck the trend, with playwright Stephen Carleton's work poised to have deliciously scathing dig at modern life. The play follows the story of three women, all of whom are drowning in the world's problems, but can't seem to agree of any of them. Much in the tradition of Absurdists like Dario Fo and Ionesco, Carleton says of the play, "Every time you think things can't get any more ludicrous, another catastrophe occurs." The Turquoise Elephant is brought to life by director Gale Edwards, a legend of the Australian theatre, who has directed most things you've heard of and everything you haven't.
The time has come again to celebrate the world’s largest LGBTQI celebration, the 37th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. The march up Oxford and Flinders Streets in Darlinghurst commemorates the 1978 demonstration of a few hundred people standing up against discrimination and has become a celebration that draws tens of thousands onto the street. Get up to Oxford Street early on in the afternoon to take in the visual extravaganza of costumes, floats and fabulous fun.
Drum roll please: Groovin the Moo is here, and 2014 looks like a real crowd-pleaser. The big guns on the lineup this year include a few topnotch international acts, like electronica king Robert Delong (USA) and Dizzee Rascal (UK), as well as some of our well beloved locals like Karnivool, Illy and Architecture in Helsinki. The Naked and Famous (who we'll probably end up claiming as Australian soon) are making their way across the ditch, too. A fair slab of the artists announced have really proved their worth lately, taking out a number of spots in triple j's Hottest 100 of last year, including the winner of the coveted number one spot, Vance Joy. Rounding out the first announcement are Action Bronson, Andy Bull, Cults, Disclosure, Holy Fuck, The Jezabels, The Jungle Giants, Kingswood, The Kite String Tangle, Loon Lake, Parkway Drive, Peking Duck, The Presets, Thundamentals, Violent Soho, Wave Racer and What So Not. Groovin the Moo will hit Maitland Showground on Saturday April 26. This year marks the move towards something new as well, with the very first Groovin the Moo art exhibition. It's running in conjunction with the Maitland Regional Art Gallery, making a space for images, graphics, objects and a mishmash of multimedia from the Groovin the Moo archives to show off the colourful history of the festival itself. It runs from March 7 to May 25, and entry is free. Over the last couple of years we've seen huge changes on the Australian music festival scene, losing some stalwarts and seeing some youngsters really come to fruition. Since its inception, Groovin the Moo has been one of those festivals that really looks like sticking around, bringing the best in Australian and international talent to the country, to the people who can't get to shows in the big smoke. Tickets are now sold out for Maitland and there's more information available at the Groovin the Moo website. https://youtube.com/watch?v=uJ_1HMAGb4k
What boasts a hefty lineup of First Nations talent, is all about celebrating Blak excellence in music and culture, and will take over Hanging Rock for one spring Sunday? Australia's newest music festival. What features a jam-packed lineup hand-picked by Briggs (with a thank you to Paul Kelly), and includes Baker Boy, Jessica Mauboy, Thelma Plum, Christine Anu and more on the bill? That same must-attend event, aka First & Forever. The day-long, picnic-style fest will make its debut on Sunday, November 27 in the Macedon Ranges spot, and sport a clear focus: showcasing and highlighting First Nations artists and performers. Indeed, the 20-plus acts announced so far spans an impressive range of names, featuring everyone from Budjerah, King Stingray and Sycco through to Alice Skye, Busby Marou, Electric Fields, Ziggy Ramo and Barkaa. [caption id="attachment_872292" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Georgia Wallace[/caption] The specific Hanging Rock venue has been named The Gathering Place for the event, acknowledging the people of the Dja Wurrung, Taungurung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung who have long met there, and also the power of Country. First & Forever is also paying tribute to the late Archie Roach by dubbing its stage the 'Uncle Archie Stage'. If this seems like the kind of festival that Australia should've always had, that's because it is — and it came about via a chance meeting between Briggs and late Mushroom founder Michael Gudinski AM. "For years I'd had an idea for a First Nations-led contemporary music festival, something cool and boutique that was really about the music and culture," said Briggs. "When Gudinski called me about a similar idea he'd had, we found this really collaborative working relationship. We both had a passionate approach to Melbourne, Victorian music, and amplifying Blakfellas' stories. MG got the ball rolling. After he passed, the ball was in my court. I had to take it home." Adds Kelly: "My last conversation with Michael just over a week before he died was backstage at Archie [Roach's] concert. [MG] was bubbling with ideas for a new project, a big concert with headlining First Nations artists... he urged me to get involved. I said no to Michael many times over the years and I said yes lots. I'm glad I said yes this last time." [caption id="attachment_862591" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Morgan Sette[/caption] FIRST & FOREVER 2022 LINEUP: Baker Boy Budjerah Jessica Mauboy King Stingray Sycco Thelma Plum Alice Skye Busby Marou Christine Anu Dan Sultan Electric Fields Emma Donovan Tasman Keith Ziggy Ramo Barkaa Birdz Dameeeela Jess Hitchcock Jk-47 Kardajala Kirridarra Kobie Dee and more First & Forever takes place on Sunday, November 27 at The Gathering Place, Hanging Rock, in Victoria's Macedon Ranges. Ticket pre-sales start at 11am AEDT on Tuesday, October 11, with general sales from 11am AEDT on Friday, October 14. For more information, head to the festival website.
Two locally acquired cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Sydney, involving a man in his 50s and his wife — and, as a result, the New South Wales Government is bringing back a number of restrictions in the Greater Sydney region. Come 5pm today, Thursday, May 6, Sydneysiders will need to scale back their at-home gatherings, and also wear masks in indoor settings. In addition, singing and dancing indoors will be off the cards again. Announced this morning by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, the changes only apply to the Greater Sydney area, which includes the Central Coast, Wollongong, the Blue Mountains and the region down to Illawarra. The new rules will be in effect until 12am on Monday, May 10 morning, too — and the Premier has advised that anyone who can adopt the new restrictions before 5pm today should do so. Within homes in Greater Sydney, only 20 people will be allowed, including children. "We know that transmission in the family home is a high risk," said Premier Berejiklian. She continued: "I appreciate that it's Mother's Day, but we also appreciate that 20 people within the home is manageable for people to celebrate that important day." Outside of the house, masks will be mandatory again in all indoor spaces. That includes public transport, supermarkets, retail stores, theatres and any indoor events. It also applies to workers in the hospitality industry — so, while no space, capacity or patron restrictions are being implemented in cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars as part of these new changes, folks will need to wear masks in hospitality venues for the next three days. And, if you're having a beverage in a bar, you're being asked to sit down. So yes, vertical drinking at pubs, clubs, restaurants and the like has been scrapped again, too. Plus, although dancing has only been back on the cards since late March, it'll be banned in indoor venues once again until Monday. Singing will be as well. At weddings, dance floors will still be able to operate, but they'll only be able to accommodate 20 people at once. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1390115056969404421 Premier Berejiklian said that the NSW Government isn't asking people to change their weekend plans. "Enjoy Mother's Day. Do what you would normally do. This is the opposite approach. We're saying to businesses to keep doors open," she advised. The restrictions are being put back in place after the two new NSW cases occurred in people who haven't been overseas recently, and don't work in hotel quarantine, border or health roles. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said that the sequence from the new case matches a case in a returned overseas traveller, but NSW Health hasn't been able to directly connect the two people as yet. "What we're concerned about is that there is a missing link — that there is someone, because there is no direct contact that we've been able to establish yet, between the cases," Dr Chant noted. Sydneysiders are also asked to continue to frequently check NSW Health's long list of locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited over the past week — and, if you've been to anywhere listed on the specific dates and times, get tested immediately and self-isolate for 14 days after your visit. In terms of symptoms, you should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste — and getting tested at a clinic if you have any. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
After a tumultuous start to the year, the Art Gallery of NSW is back. At the moment, you can catch a heap of free exhibitions, including the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, Some Mysterious Process: 50 Years of Collecting International Art and Shadow Catchers. Now, the major cultural institution is looking to the future, announcing its huge lineup of spring/summer exhibitions — including the much-anticipated Archibald Prize. It would seem Sydney's arts scene is getting back to normal (with restrictions, of course). The prestigious portrait prize was meant to kick off last month, along with the Wynne and Sulman, which recognise the best landscape painting of Australian scenery, or figure sculpture and the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project, respectively. But, due to growing COVID-19 concerns, the exhibitions were postponed by the gallery back in March, with hopes to show later in the year. Yesterday, Tuesday, June 23, AGNSW revealed new dates, which will now run from September 26 right through January 10, 2021. So, you'll have plenty of time to check it out. Also coming to grace the gallery's walls is a landmark retrospective of celebrated impressionist landscape painter Arthur Streeton, which will run from November 7, 2020–February 14, 2021. A member of the Heidelberg School of Australian impressionism, Streeton produced works that were (and still are) quintessentially Aussie — from sun-drenched pastoral landscapes to the waters of Sydney Harbour. He also received the Wynne Prize in 1928. At the AGNSW, Streeton will feature more than 150 works, some of which have not exhibited for over a century, and will include a selection of works from the artist's time in Egypt, England, Italy and WWI France, too. "We're extremely excited to delve into the life and work of one of our most influential Australian painters, Arthur Streeton, who defined a unique image of this country," AGNSW Director Michael Brand said in a statement. "Streeton's brilliant evocations of light, land and sea are among the most enduring paintings for many Australians." [caption id="attachment_773984" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Arthur Streeton, 'Cremorne Pastoral', 1895, Art Gallery of New South Wales via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] That's not all that you'll be able to catch over the warmer months, either. Kicking off next month is a solo exhibit of major works by Lebanon-born Australian artist Khaled Sabsabi, which will run till sometime next year. Titled A Promise: Khaled Sabsabi, it'll feature the artist's large-scale immersive works and more intimate paintings. From October, there'll be a collection of drawings by eight contemporary Aussie artists, dubbed Real Worlds: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennale 2020, as well as Joy: an Indigenous art exhibition, featuring objects and short films by artists from across the Central Desert, including Judith Inkamala, Marlene Rubuntja and Sally Mulda. Both exhibitions will be free and kick off on Saturday, October 24, with closing dates yet to be announced. Then, from Saturday November 14, the gallery will house a provocative and humorous retrospective of Australian artist Pat Larter's work over the past 30 years, which challenges conventions of the male gaze and stereotypes of female sexuality. Unfortunately, the scheduled 2020 Sydney International Art Series exhibitions, Matisse: Life & Spirit, Masterpieces from the Centre Pompidou, Paris and Matisse Alive have been postponed indefinitely. As have exhibitions Brack, Margel Hinder, Classicism and The Purple House. For more information on the Art Gallery of NSW's current and upcoming exhibitions, head to the website. Ticket information for the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2020 will be available here from Saturday, August 1. Ticket information for Streeton is yet to be announced — we'll be sure to keep you updated. Top image: Art Gallery of NSW
Darling Quarter is diving head first into the spirit of eating, drinking and being merry at its redeveloped dining precinct. There's a collection of fresh, new restaurants that have opened just in time to add a little food-focused fun to your end-of-year festivities. While that stand-out playground and waterpark — the big draw card for the kids — in Tumbalong Park is ready and waiting, so too are a whole host of places. Take Dopa, the retro, Tokyo-inspired donburi and dessert bar by the crew who brought us cult Surry Hills fave Devon; and Goobne, which is slinging its famed Korean oven-roasted roast chicken. There's also MuMian (pictured below), little sister to Tao, one of Sydney's most stunning Cantonese restaurants; the cool new Japanese joint Ichoume (and its strikingly colourful interiors); Vesta Italian (top image), which will be serving up pizzas and Aperol Spritzes all summer long; and the classic fave Gelatissimo — because what's summer without a scoop of ice cream? Whether you plan to squeeze in a long, lazy, last-minute office Christmas lunch, a breezy evening family meal close to the CBD or a festive gathering with your pals in the new year, Darling Quarter has the spot for you. Plus, it's a top notch area for a picturesque stroll — the large-scale vertical garden boxes dressed in red bows are ideal for a 'gram refresh (and the plants will even be available for purchase in the new year, with all proceeds going to charity). Darling Quarter has a range of fresh, new festive dining options ready and waiting for you — head to the website for the full list.
It has been an immensely tough few weeks for southeast Queensland's Binna Burra Lodge, with the beloved Gold Coast hinterland site devastated by bushfires at the beginning of September. While the heritage-listed venue is currently planning its reconstruction process, including when it'll welcome patrons back through the doors, the iconic spot has announced a piece of good news — a new climbing attraction that'll open in 2020. While a specific launch date is yet to be revealed — unsurprisingly, given that the 86-year-old site is in rebuild and fundraising mode — Binna Burra Lodge will become home to Australia's first commercial via ferrata. The Italian term translates to "iron path", and is used to describe cliff-face climbing routes that use steel cables, fixed metal rungs, bridges and ladders to let folks of all skill levels to make the journey. Receiving $1.48 million in funding from the Queensland Government, the via ferrata will open up a section of cliff that's usually only accessible to highly experienced rock climbers (and even then, only by using special equipment). When it launches, anyone will be able to scale the track safely, enjoying its adventurous thrills and impressive views, with 30 people at a time able to use the system. Binna Burra Lodge expects that its new addition will be popular, anticipating that more than 50,000 Australian and international visitors will flock to the region as a result. The via ferrata will join the site's range of existing outdoor activities, which — when the venue becomes operational again — include bushwalking, abseiling, flying fox, archery, camping and trekking through the hinterland. [caption id="attachment_742692" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Binna Burra Lodge's sky lodges, before September's bushfires. Via Binna Burra Lodge.[/caption] Via ferratas are common in Europe, especially through the Alps — and particularly in the Dolomites in Italy, as well as throughout Austria, Germany and Switzerland. If you're wondering how they work, they typically rely upon a length of steel rope, which is affixed to the rock at certain intervals. Climbers then attach themselves to the cable, while also stepping on metal pegs and rungs, and using ladders and bridges, to make their way through the course. Binna Burra Lodge's via ferrata is expected to open in 2020. For more information, visit the site's website. To donate to the venue's reconstruction fundraising campaign, visit the GoFundMe page. Top image: Binna Burra Lodge.
The back-to-work blues have hit us all pretty hard this year — especially as summer took its time to shine. If you're like us, you're already yearning to escape the office or your current work-from-home situation. And this loved-up time of year (yup, Valentine's Day is coming) offers up a great excuse to book a trip away with your partner. With this in mind, Virgin Australia has launched the Bring on More in Adelaide sale, offering up to 30% off flights to the City of Churches — with prices as low as $89 one way from Melbourne. You may not know it, but Adelaide is a mighty romantic city. It's home to spectacular wine, chocolate and fresh oysters — all aphrodisiacs — alongside a huge variety of activities made for loved-up couples. So, this year, swap the usual Valentine's Day staycation for an unforgettably romantic (and discounted) trip to Adelaide. Here's some inspiration to get you love birds started. [caption id="attachment_886121" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tommaso Cantelli[/caption] JOIN AN OYSTER TOUR There are stacks of reason why oyster tours are great for dates. First off, there is the aphrodisiac element (if you believe all that), but it's also a unique way to feel swanky while enjoying the outdoors. Few places compare to the famed Coffin Bay, located on South Australia's picturesque Eyre Peninsula. Here, you and your partner can don some arguably unsexy waterproof waders to frolic in the clear blue waters and learn a little about oyster farming. You'll then head back to the beachside Salt Water Pavilion where you can dine on freshly caught oysters while sipping on local wines. EXPLORE VAST WINE REGIONS Speaking of wine, Adelaide is surrounded by several world-famous wine regions. And you really don't have to go far to visit them. You've got the Adelaide Hills located just a 30-minute drive from the CBD, McLaren Vale at 45 minutes, and the Barossa (where Two Hands Wines, pictured above, is located) and Clare valleys around 1.5 and two hours away, respectively. Pick one, book a driver (so one of you doesn't have to miss out) and explore as many cellar doors as you can — possibly opting for private tours and tastings to make it all the more romantic. STAY IN A LUSH HOTEL A romantic getaway is incomplete without a luxurious place to rest your heads — or get Ade(laid)e. One of our favourite CBD stays is the undeniably cool Hotel Indigo (pictured above), which boasts large luxurious rooms and an outdoor pool overlooking the city. If you can't make it to Paris but you're looking for a chic French-style getaway, book a stay at Sofitel Adelaide. This glamorous five-star hotel has a huge array of rooms and suites as well as its own wine bar and French fine dining restaurant. It's also hard to overlook the old-school glamour of The Playford. Unwind in the spa and sauna after a long day of exploring Adelaide before returning to your opulent art nouveau suite to order room service to your bed. [caption id="attachment_777850" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sia Duff[/caption] PARTAKE IN EXCEPTIONAL DINING Heading to Adelaide means heading to a deliciously diverse range of restaurants and bars — most championing local produce with incredibly tasty and creative dishes. As a strong start, there's the much-adored Africola (pictured above), where North African dishes are backdropped by art-covered walls and an energetic buzz. Over on Peel Street, Southeast Asian street food meets natural wine at Gondola Gondola, the upstairs Bread and Bone plates up woodfired burgers, steaks and ribs, and the appropriately named Peel St features a menu of refined yet simple fare made from quality local ingredients. Alternatively, you can amp up the romance with one of the best meals you'll likely ever have — book a table at Restaurant Botanic, the winner of Australia's Restaurant of the Year award for 2023, to experience modern Australian dining at its absolute finest. [caption id="attachment_785247" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Adam Bruzzone via South Australian Tourism Commission[/caption] DISCOVER UNIQUE DATE DESTINATIONS The City of Churches is far more than its places of worship — there are countless things for loved-up couples to do here. First off, as we are talking romance, we highly recommend a trip to the Haigh's Chocolate factory — for Adelaide is the birthplace of this beloved chocolate maker. Here, you can taste all its best creations and go on a special behind-the-scenes tour to see how this all-too romantic treat is created. But if you want to get out in nature, you can try a dolphin sanctuary kayak tour, paddling about with your partner in tow. Moreover, a day spent wandering around the Art Gallery of South Australia is aways a win, while a sunset cruise along the coast is what Valentine's Day is made for. You're clearly spoilt for choice. Take advantage of Virgin Australia's latest travel deal, booking discounted flights to Adelaide here. But hurry, the sale ends on Monday, February 6. Top image: Skillogalee courtesy of South Australia Tourism.
To help you make the most of Sydney's balmy nights, the Museum of Contemporary Art has a launched new weekly after-hours program, aptly dubbed MCA Late. The event is taking over the much-loved arts space from 5–9pm every Friday till the end of April, so you can watch the sunset on the working week. And did we mention it's free? Take a stroll through the Museum and you'll catch performances by performance artists and musicians, including Nicola Morton, Phantom Chips, Loose-y Crunché, Papaphilia and Moniker Gronk. And, you can join American-born Aussie artist Kate Just in a 20-minute chat as she completes the final panels of her project Anonymous was a woman. Or, you can grab a drink at the rooftop cafe and soak up the spectacular harbour views. For April, the gallery has collaborated with Surry Hills' old-world movie house and bar Golden Age, too, so expect more than just your average glass of vino. Instead, you'll be sipping a double yuzu margarita, a spiced berry negroni or a popcorn-flavoured old fashioned. [caption id="attachment_806500" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bianca De Marchi[/caption] To top it off, MCA x FBi Radio's free, monthly live music event, Sounds on the Terrace, has moved to Fridays. The next one happening on April 9 with performances by FBi Radio Dance Class DJs and Skeleten. So, after you wander through the exhibitions, you can climb the stairs and kick back to some live tunes. Sounds on the Terrace features rising stars from Sydney's flourishing music scene. No bookings are required, but we suggest you get there early as numbers are limited. MCA Late takes place from 5–9pm every Friday till April 30. For more information, head to the MCA website. Top images (in order): Sam Whiteside, Bianca De Marchi, Jordan Munns and Liam Cameron
While in lockdown, you've probably been battling with your hairstyle a little. Should you attempt to trim your bangs? Shave your head? Dye it blue a la Hilary Duff? Well, if you decide to cut yourself a mullet, you'll score some free beer courtesy of the folk over at Melbourne's Moon Dog Craft Brewery. The team behind Abbotsford's OG Moon Dog and Preston's OTT Moon Dog World is celebrating the launch of its new strawberry sour ale, Jean-Strawb Van Damme, by giving away four-packs of the brew to everyone who takes on the mullet challenge. To prove you've gotten your new 'do in iso, you'll need to post a before and after photo and tag both @moondogbrewing and @beefsbarbers. And not only will you score yourself a four-pack, you'll also go into the running to win a year's supply of beer. The 365 days of brews — plus and epic prize pack — will go to the best/worst mullet, so go all out. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_EcsWFjDXs/ If you need some inspo, we suggest heading on over to the Mulletfest website. Held every year in the regional NSW town of Kurri Kurri, the festival awards prizes to the best mullet hairstyle in a heap of categories, from 'grubby' to 'extreme' and 'everyday'. Those who don't want to look like Patrick Swayze in Point Break (or Road House), can still try the tasty sour ale. Moon Dog is delivering it across Australia ($20 a four-pack or $100 a 24-pack) and it's available at select bottle-os across the country, too. To score yourself a free four-pack of Jean-Strawb Van Damme — and go into the running to win a year's supply of beer — you'll need to post a before and after photo and tag both @moondogbrewing and @beefsbarbers. To buy the beer, head to the Moon Dog website.
Cinemas are glorious. There's nowhere better to see a movie. When you're watching a film in the cosy confines of a darkened room, communing devotedly with the projected picture flickering before your eyes, that viewing experience simply can't be beaten. But hitting up your streaming queue instead isn't just for filling time on the couch or catching up on flicks you might've missed on the big screen. And, features that don't get a theatrical run shouldn't be stigmatised by the 'direct-to-streaming' label. Thanks to the ever-growing array of online viewing options, movie buffs can now see more new movies than ever before. Smaller flicks that were never going to reach cinemas, international favourites that would only screen at festivals Down Under otherwise, new releases by big-name filmmakers not getting funding elsewhere: they've all been making their way to us thanks to streaming. In 2022, that online-only roster of features dropped new must-see titles every single month, and came overflowing with fantastic fare. Back in July, we picked the best 15 straight-to-streaming films of 2022's first six months. Now, with a whole year behind us, we've cast our eyes of the entire 12-month period. As a result, we've already sung the praises of some of our overall top 15 straight-to-streaming gems for 2022 — but the very best deserve all the love all the time. Catch up with them from your couch ASAP. KIMI For the second year in a row, Steven Soderbergh has made one of the year's best movies and it has completely bypassed Australian cinemas. Unlike 2021's No Sudden Move, however, Kimi was always destined for streaming. The latest in his series of paranoid thrillers that also includes Contagion, and once again female-fronted as Haywire, Side Effects and Unsane were too, this Zoë Kravitz-starring standout takes its cues from smart devices, humanity's increasing dependence upon technology, and the kinds of events that a virtual assistant like Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant might eavesdrop on. As a result, Soderbergh has crafted another movie that riffs on a growing area of real-life interest, then turns it into a tense, potent and devilishly smart feature. A bonus: focusing on a protagonist who doesn't feel safe leaving her house, Kimi couldn't better capture how the pandemic has felt without overtly needing to be a COVID-19 film. Kravitz (The Batman) plays Angela Childs, who works for Seattle-based tech corporation Amygdala from the comfort of her own sprawling loft — and from her own audiophile's dream of a computer setup — listening to snippets of conversation captured by smart speaker Kimi for quality assurance. In one clip, she hears what she believes to be a horrible crime and is compelled to follow up; however, her bosses aren't thrilled about her probing. Complicating matters: after being the victim of an assault a couple of years earlier, Angela suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia, making leaving the house to investigate a fraught task. As he did to particularly stellar effect in Unsane as well, Soderbergh styles his latest psychological thriller after its protagonist's mindset, making unease and suspense drop from every aesthetic choice — camera angles and placement, jittery frames and a voyeuristic perspective all included. Kimi streams via Binge. ATHENA When a director uses a single take for a lengthy sequence, an episode of television or an entire film — even with some editing trickery to help — it usually isn't just a gimmick. As everything from The Bear to 1917 have shown, there's urgency and immediacy in that stylistic approach. Given that Athena plunges into a powderkeg situation in a French neighbourhood that shares the movie's moniker, with the banlieue's residents understandably incensed after the brutal killing of a teenager from their midst by law enforcement, this latest stunner from writer/director Romain Gavras (after the excellent The World Is Yours) was always going to feel unrelenting, inescapably tense and utterly in-the-moment anyway. See also: 2019 French Oscar-nominee Les Misérables, similarly about the response to police violence, which was penned and helmed by Athena's co-screenwriter Ladj Ly. Still, the unbroken shot that opens Gavras' latest spectacular film is up there with 2022's best in any feature. Long takes pop up often in Athena, which starts with French soldier Abdel (Dali Benssalah, No Time to Die) confronting the fact that his 13-year-old brother Idir (first-timer Mohamed Amri) is dead — and, as seen in online footage, that the cops are responsible. He's managing to keep calm, however, until another of his siblings Karim (debutant Sami Slimane) throws a Molotov cocktail inside a crowded police station. Cinematographer Matias Boucard (Eiffel) captures it all without looking away, and keeps doing the same as they return home, with Athena soon under siege as the authorities swarm in and the home crowd explodes with anger. Even when edits come, this is an unflagging and unflinching feature, as aided by close-up and handheld camerawork, impassioned performances, its topical storyline and staggering action cinematography. Athena uses its aesthetics to make a statement, too, about race, power and inequality — and it firmly knows that this tale can only be a tragedy. Athena streams via Netflix. WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD'S FAIR "Hey guys, Casey here. Welcome to my channel. Today I'm going to be taking the World's Fair Challenge." So says We're All Going to the World's Fair's protagonist (feature newcomer Anna Cobb) twice to start this absorbing horror film, to camera, in what makes a spectacular opening sequence. Next, an eerie wave of multicoloured light flashes across her face. Watching her response brings the also-excellent She Dies Tomorrow to mind, but Casey has her own viral phenomenon to deal with. She's doing what she says she will, aka viewing a strobing video, uttering a pivotal phrase and then smearing blood across her laptop screen — and she promises to document anything that changes afterwards, because others have made those kinds of reports. Written, directed and edited by fellow feature debutant Jane Schoenbrun, the instantly eerie and intriguing We're All Going to the World's Fair is that record. Schoenbrun's film is more than that, however. It also charts the connections that spring and splinter around Casey just by joining the online trend, where her videos spark others in return — and the spirals she goes down as she watches, which then sparks a response in her own way, too. A portrait of isolation and alienation as well, while chronicling the after effects of playing a virtual horror game, We're All Going to the World's Fair is also a picture of an always-recorded world. Take your lockdown mindset, your social-media scrolling, all that Zooming that defined the beginning of the pandemic and a gamer vibe, roll them all together, and that's still not quite this arresting movie — which keeps shifting and evolving just like Cobb's enigmatic and evocative performance. The entire flick earns that description and, not that it needs an established name's tick of approval, the fact that The Green Knight and A Ghost Story director David Lowery is an executive producer speaks volumes. We're All Going to the World's Fair streams via Shudder. GREAT FREEDOM Great Freedom begins with 60s-style video footage captured in public bathrooms, showing Hans Hoffmann (Franz Rogowski, Undine) with other men, and with court proceedings that condemn him to prison purely for being gay. That was the reality in West Germany at the time due to Paragraph 175, which criminalised homosexuality — and, when he's incarcerated at the start of this equally tender and brutal Austrian film, Hans isn't surprised. He's been there before, as writer/director Sebastian Meise (Still Life) conveys almost like he's chronicling time travel. It's a canny touch, as relayed in the movie's cinematography, editing and overall mood. The minutes, days, hours, weeks and more surely move differently when you've been locked up for being who you are, and when being in jail is the better alternative to being in a concentration camp. Meise jumps between Hans' different stretches, exploring the imprint all that time behind bars leaves, the yearning for love and freedom that never dissipates, and his friendship with initially repulsed fellow inmate Viktor (Georg Friedrich, Freud). In the process, Great Freedom resounds with intimate moments and revealing performances, as anchored by another stellar turn by Rogowski. The German talent has had an outstanding few years thanks to Victoria, Happy End, Transit, In the Aisles and Undine. He's as absorbing as he's ever been here, too, in a movie that stares his way so intently — and with such a striking sense of light and shade — that it could be painting his portrait. Friedrich is just as impressive, in an outwardly thorny part. Great Freedom streams via SBS On Demand. RESURRECTION Another year, another engrossing thriller starring Rebecca Hall. Another film giving the English actor a new standout performance for her packed resume, too. After proving remarkable in 2021's The Night House, and also turning director with the marvellously moving Passing, Hall plays a woman virtually synonymous with tension in the sleek and twisty Resurrection. Even when her character, Margaret, is calm and empathetic at her job in pharmaceuticals, including while counselling her junior colleagues, unease flickers in her haunted eyes and rigid posture. When she's fussing over her almost 18-year-old daughter Abbie's (Grace Kaufman, The Sky Is Everywhere) comings and goings, such as soon leaving for college, Margaret comes off as overprotective — but with a tormented edge. Resurrection lingers in this feeling, teasing out the details behind it while also making it plain that constantly being on guard can be a reality thanks to traumas and simply life. Indeed, thanks to his ambiguous tale, writer/director Andrew Semans (Nancy, Please) ensures that that sensation remains even when Margaret's demeanour and behaviour gets an explanation. If a human tooth suddenly showed up in your daughter's wallet, an eerie man from your past (Tim Roth, Sundown) re-emerged after two decades and the worst pain you'd ever experienced was drudged up again, you'd find it impossible to remain composed and collected, too. As Resurrection thrusts Margaret through her own personal horror show, it isn't concerned with simply showing a woman unravelling — rather, it focuses on a woman pushed to her limits by tragedy, malevolence, manipulation and one helluva toxic man. Semans's knack for crafting a skin-crawlingly unsettling atmosphere is immense, and so is his willingness to take gloriously unhinged swings and his talent for casting. It's no wonder that the film can barely look away from Hall, who is stellar from start to finish but next-level astounding during a lengthy monologue and a big confrontation. And as for Roth, creepy doesn't even begin to describe his work here. Resurrection streams via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. CAUSEWAY Trauma is a screenwriter's best friend. If on-screen characters didn't have past stresses to overcome or new hardships to cope with — usually both — then dramatic scripts would barely last a few pages. Neither would horror flicks, or thrillers, or plenty of comedies; however, few films are happy to sit with trauma in the way that (and as well as) Causeway does. Starring Jennifer Lawrence (Don't Look Up) as a military veteran sent home from Afghanistan after being blown up, working her way through rehab and determined to re-enlist as soon as she has medical sign-off, this subtle, thoughtful and powerful movie grapples with several stark truths. It knows that some woes do genuinely change lives, and not for the better. It's well aware that many miseries can't be overcome, and completely alter the person experiencing them. It's keenly cognisant that that simply existing can be a series of heartbreaks, and escaping that cycle can be the most powerful motivator in the world. And, when Atlanta and Bullet Train's Brian Tyree Henry enters the picture as a New Orleans mechanic with his own history, it sees the solace that can be found between people willing to face their tough realities together. When Causeway begins, Lawrence's Lynsey is freshly out of hospital, and learning how to walk, dress, shower, drive and do all other everyday tasks again. Even then, she still wants to redeploy. Directed by feature first-timer Lila Neugebauer (The Sex Lives of College Girls), and penned by fellow debutants Ottessa Moshfegh, Luke Goebel and Elizabeth Sanders, the film spies the determination in its protagonist's eyes — and the pain she's trying to bury after she goes home to stay with her mother (Linda Emond, The Patient), gets drawn into old unhealthy dynamics, but finds a friend in Henry's kind, eager but haunted James. There's no cross-country drive with a canine, if the similarly themed Dog comes to mind, but rather a willingness to steep in Lynsey and James' complicated emotions. Neugebauer has the perfect central duo for the movie's key parts, too; neither Lawrence nor Henry's resumes are short on highlights, acclaim or award nominations, but their respective textured, naturalistic and deeply felt performances in Causeway ranks among each's best work. Causeway streams via Apple TV+. FRESH Finally, a film about dating in the 21st century with real bite — and that's unafraid to sink its teeth into the topic. In this hit Sundance horror-comedy, Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Noa, and once again gets entangled in a romance that'll leave a mark; here, however, the scars aren't merely emotional. Swiping right hasn't been doing it for Fresh's protagonist, as a comically terrible date with the appropriately named Chad (Brett Dier, Jane the Virgin) demonstrates early. Then sparks fly the old-fashioned way, in-person at the supermarket, with the curiously offline doctor Steve (Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy). Soon, he's whisking her away to a secluded spot for the weekend — a little too swiftly for Noa's protective best friend Mollie's (Jojo T Gibbs, Twenties) liking, especially given that no one can virtually stalk his socials to scope him out — and that getaway takes a savage and nightmare-fuelling twist. If Raw met Ex Machina, then crossed paths with American Psycho and Hostel, and finally made the acquaintance of any old rom-com, Fresh still wouldn't be the end result — but its tone stems from those parts, as do some plot points and performances, and even a few scenes as well. First-time feature director Mimi Cave doesn't butcher these limbs, though, and screenwriter Lauryn Kahn (Ibiza) doesn't stitch them together like Frankenstein's monster. As anchored by the excellent Edgar-Jones and Stan, there's care, savvy, smarts and style in this splatter-filled, satirical, brutal, funny, empowered and sweet film. Its twists, and its cutting take on predatory dating, are best discovered by watching, but being turned off apps, men and meat in tandem is an instant gut reaction. Fresh streams via Disney+. COW As its name so clearly explains, Cow devotes its frames to one farmyard animal — and it's one of the most haunting films of the past few years. It's the third feature to take its title from a four-legged critter in the past two years, after the vastly dissimilar Pig and Lamb. It's also the second observational documentary of late to peer at the daily existence of creatures that form part of humanity's food chain, following the also-exceptional Gunda. And, it also joins 2013's The Moo Man in honing its focus specifically upon dairy farming, and in Britain at that. But the key to Cow is Andrea Arnold, the phenomenal filmmaker behind Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights, American Honey and the second season of Big Little Lies. She sees Luma, her bovine protagonist, with as much affection and understanding as she's ever seen any of the women who've led her projects. While watching, viewers do as well. Starting with the birth of Luma's latest calf — and, in the beginning, taking detours to see how it's faring as well — Cow unfurls with the rhythm of its agricultural setting. It's the rhythm of Luma's life, too, as she's milked and fed, moos for the offspring that's taken away too quickly, and is soon impregnated again. There's no doubt where the documentary is headed, either. There's simply no shying away from the fact that Luma and cattle like her only exist for milk or meat. Without ever offering any narration or on-screen explanation, Arnold stares at these facts directly, while also peering deeply into its bovine subject's eyes as often as possible. The result is hypnotic, inescapably affecting, and also features the best use of Garbage's 'Milk' ever in a movie. Cow streams via DocPlay. I'M YOUR MAN Since 2013, any film that's involved making an emotional connection with artificial intelligence has brought Her to mind. Since 2014, any movie about human-android relationships has conjured up Ex Machina as well. And, since 2007, any flick that focuses on the companionship that a lonely human soul might find in an artificial companion has walked in Lars and the Real Girl's footsteps, too. In smart, perceptive and warmly humorous German gem I'm Your Man, however, it's a woman who is opening her life to a male presence — an AI-run robot designed to be her perfect match — and she's not too happy about it. Archaeologist Dr Alma Felser (Maren Egger, I Was at Home, But) is merely and begrudgingly testing out the technology that brings Tom (Dan Stevens, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) into her life, for three weeks at the behest of her boss at Berlin's Pergamon Museum, and solely for the good of science. I'm Your Man is a rom-com, which means exactly what viewers think it does going in: that Alma slowly starts rethinking her position on Tom. But that's about the only aspect of this thoughtful, witty and yearning exploration of what it means to be human and to truly connect that does what's expected. Fresh from winning an Emmy for directing Unorthodox — and making this before helming She Said — German filmmaker Maria Schrader helms a charming and insightful take on what's beginning to be an oft-considered topic, and is unpacked in a moving and delightful way in her hands. Her film is also extremely well cast, with Egger thoroughly deserving her 2021 Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Acting Performance as Alma, and Stevens pitch-perfect as the supposed robotic man of her dreams — who just wants love himself. I'm Your Man streams via Binge. NANNY In Nanny, Aisha (Anna Diop, Us) is haunted, both when she's asleep and awake. Her slumbers are disturbed by nightmares, but seeing rising waters and unwelcome spiders isn't just relegated to when the Senegalese woman in New York closes her eyes. A gut-wrenching sense of unease also lingers while she works, after securing a childminding job for rich Upper East Side residents Amy (Michelle Monaghan, Echoes) and Adam (Morgan Spector, The Gilded Age). Their five-year-old daughter Rose (Rose Decker, Mare of Easttown) adores Aisha — more than her parents, it often seems. And, the nannying gig helps Aisha distract herself from missing her own son, who she's desperately trying to bring over to the US. She's haunted by his absence, too, and by the stolen snippets of conversation she gets with him on the phone, constantly juggling the time difference. The supernatural disturbances plaguing Aisha and her feelings about leaving her child in Senegal to chase a better future for them both are clearly linked, although Nanny is atmospheric and insightful rather than blunt and overt. The first horror film to win Sundance Film Festival's Grand Jury Prize, this evocative effort hails from writer/director Nikyatu Jusu, who makes her feature-length debut with quite the calling card. 2022 isn't short on affectingly moody and evocative female-focused thrillers with a maternal bent — see: Resurrection above, which also debuted at Sundance — but Nanny's addition to the fold is deeply steeped in Aisha's immigrant experience. Thanks to all that otherworldly water, it feels like it's always steeping, in fact, soaking in the troubles and struggles of trying to snatch even a piece of the American dream when you're not wealthy, white and originally from the so-called land of the free. Also prominent: the dispiriting minutiae of Aisha's day, aka exactly what she has to endure to even have a chance of gaining what comes easily and obliviously to her employers. Like its central figure, Nanny is haunted several times over, too. Nanny streams via Prime Video. PREY No stranger to voicing iconic lines, Arnold Schwarzenegger uttered one of his best-known phrases yet 35 years ago, in a franchise that's still going today. "If it bleeds, we can kill it" has been quoted frequently ever since — even by champion AFL coaches — and it's no spoiler to mention that it pops up again in the latest Predator film Prey. Trotting out that piece of dialogue won't surprise anyone, but this fine-tuned action-thriller should. It's one of the saga's best entries, serving up a lean, taut and thoughtful kill-or-be-killed battle set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. The Predator series hasn't been big on highlights over the years — Predator 2 is forgettable to put it nicely, 2010's Predators is effective, 2018's The Predator favoured its throwback vibes above all else, and the two terrible Alien vs Predator cross-over films are best left forgotten — however Prey not only breathes new life into it, but paves a welcome path for more. (Bring on a Prey sequel ASAP.) The overall premise remains the same, with the franchise's ruthless, brutal and technologically advanced alien species using earth as its hunting ground as the series has already established — and showing zero concern about leaving a body count. Trained healer Naru (Amber Midthunder, The Ice Road) is the first to notice that something is awry this time, spotting the predator's spaceship in the sky and taking it as a sign to follow her dream to become a hunter herself. Alas, that isn't the done thing. In fact, she's spent her entire life being told that she can't be like her brother Taabe (first-timer Dakota Beavers), and should focus on her assigned role instead. Now, even with an extra-terrestrial foe wreaking havoc, she's still dismissed at every turn. Midthunder plays Naru as a fierce, determined, persistent and resourceful force to be reckoned with, while writer/director Dan Trachtenberg — co-scripting with Jack Ryan's Patrick Aison — gives all things Predator the taut focus, canny shift and fresh feel he also gave the Cloverfield saga with 10 Cloverfield Lane. Prey streams via Disney+. HELLBENDER Meet the Adams family — no, not the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky characters that've featured on pages and screens for decades (including in 2022 newcomer Wednesday, plus two terrible recent animated flicks), but the filmmaking collective comprised of couple Toby Poser and John Adams, plus their daughters Zelda and Lulu Adams. The quartet might be missing a letter from their well-known counterparts' names, but they're just as fond of all things horror. Case in point: their second feature Hellbender, a self-financed standout that's both a spellbinding tale of witchcraft and a clever coming-of-age story. It starts in a house in the woods, and also spends most of its time there. It includes the arrival of an unexpected stranger, shattering the status quo. But formulaic and by-the-numbers, this must-see isn't. In making first-rate use of its setting, and of a cast that's primarily comprised of Adams family members, it's also a masterclass in lockdown filmmaking. In the most expected aspect of Hellbender, the film's name does indeed refer to a punk-metal band, with 16-year-old Izzy (Zelda Adams, The Deeper You Dig) and her mother (Toby Poser) its sole members. No one else has ever heard them play, either, given that Izzy is both homeschooled and confined to the family's sprawling mountainside property, as she has been since she was five. Her mum tells her that she can't venture into town or around other people due to a contagious autoimmune disease; however, when a lost man (John Adams) wanders their way and mentions that his teenage niece Amber (Lulu Adams) lives nearby, Izzy gets the confidence to go exploring. As both written and directed by three out of four Adams family members — all except Lulu — Hellbender proves an impressive supernatural affair from its opening occult-heavy prologue through to its astute take on teen rebellion. Here's hoping this Adams family spirits up more DIY horror delights soon, too. Hellbender streams via Shudder. APOLLO 10 1/2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD In 1969, the year that Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood is set, writer/director Richard Linklater was nine years old and living in Houston, Texas. This lovely animated film happens to follow a boy around the same age in the same city — and trust the filmmaker behind Boyhood, Dazed and Confused, and the glorious trio that is Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight to make viewers who weren't there then (who weren't even alive and have never been to America, too) to feel as nostalgic about the place and era as he clearly does. As narrated by his Bernie and The School of Rock star Jack Black, the film's entire middle section dances through memories of the time and city with infectious enthusiasm, but its biggest dose of affection radiates towards the technological promise of the 60s. The Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions were rocketing into space and it patently felt like anything was possible, a sensation so marvellously captured in each second of Apollo 10 1/2. Jumping back into the rotoscoped animation that served Linklater so well in Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, this loving ode to years and moods gone by also sports a delightful premise. As his older guise (Black) explains, young Stan (debutant Milo Coy) was an ordinary Houston kid with a NASA-employed dad (Bill Wise, Waves), doting mum (Lee Eddy, Cruel Summer) and five older siblings when he was approached by two men (Shazam!'s Zachary Levi and Top Gun: Maverick's Glen Powell) to help them with a problem. In the lead up to Apollo 11, it seems that NASA accidentally built the lunar module a couple of sizes too small, so they need a kid — Stan — to help them by going to the moon to test things out before Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins make their famous trip in a bigger version. That fantastical idea feels ripped from Linklater's childhood dreams, and it well might be; it also makes for a warm and charming entry point into a movie that's as much about life's ups and downs, the bonds of family and the wide-eyed optimism of youth as it is about heading to space. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood streams via Netflix. ASCENSION Ascension may not be one of this year's Oscar-winners, losing out to the also fantastic Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), but it'll always be among 2022's nominees. More than that, this two-time Tribeca Film Festival winner will forever remain one of the most arresting documentaries of the past 12 months as well. Helming her first feature-length doco, filmmaker Jessica Kingdon turns her gaze to the Chinese dream — and what she sees, while situated in a very specific cultural context by design, is a clear and easy sibling to its American counterpart. That's part of the statement her film makes, all just by watching on patiently but meticulously as people go about their lives. Starting with factory recruitment on the streets, then moving into mass production, then climbing the social hierarchy up to the rich and privileged, Ascension explores employment and consumerism — and what they mean in an everyday sense in modern-day and modernised China. It's a portrait of the needs that make working on assembly lines a necessity, and of the dreams that inspire every climb, rung by rung, up the societal ladder. Some folks build sex dolls, their uncanny valley-esque forms adding an eerie mood. Others take lessons on etiquette for service jobs, including about not letting your face betray your emotions, and the tone is also unsettling. Observational to a mesmerising degree, Kingdon's exceptional film lets its slices of life and the behaviour, attitudes and patterns they capture do the talking, and they all speak volumes. Indeed, what a clever, telling, incisive and surreal story they unfurl. Ascension streams via Paramount+. TURNING RED What'd happen if the Hulk was a teenage girl, and turned into a giant, fuzzy, super-cute red panda instead of going green and getting ultra-muscular? Or, finding a different riff on the ol' werewolf situation, if emotions rather than full moons inspired a case of not-quite-lycanthropy? These aren't queries that most folks have thought of, but writer/director Domee Shi certainly has — and they're at the core of Pixar's Turning Red, her debut feature after winning an Oscar for 2018 short Bao. As many of the animation studio's movies do, the film takes its title literally. But, it also spins the usual Pixar question. Turning Red does indeed wonder what'd happen if red pandas sported human-style emotions; however, the Disney-owned company has been musing on people becoming other kinds of critters of late, with particularly astute and endearing results here. The movie's focus: 13-year-old Chinese Canadian Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang, also making her film debut). The year is 2002, and she loves meeting her strict but doting mum Ming's (Sandra Oh, The Chair) expectations, hanging out with her pals and obsessing over boy band 4*Town. And while her mother doesn't approve of her friends or her taste in music, Mei has become accustomed to juggling everything that's important to her. But then, after a boy-related mishap, the red panda appears. Mei goes to bed feeling normal, albeit angsty and upset, only to wake up looking like a cuddly creature. Like werewolf tales about teenage boys tend to be, Turning Red is all about puberty and doesn't hide it — and whether it's tackling that head-on, pondering generational trauma or showing its rampant love for boy bands, it sports sweetness, soul and smarts. Turning Red streams via Disney+. Read our full review. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly. We've also picked 15 exceptional films that hardly anyone saw in cinemas in 2022, the 15 best returning TV series of the year, 2022's 15 best new shows and 15 other excellent TV newcomers from the past 12 months that you might've missed.
Want to spend your summer in the cool aircon of an art gallery? The Art Gallery of NSW's blockbuster exhibition, Japan Supernatural: 1700s to now, is a pretty good place to while away the holidays (and humidity). The tenth Sydney International Art Series, it's an exploration of the spirit world in Japanese art, made up of more than 180 works from all over the planet. And, to celebrate this massive showcase of legendary Japanese art, we're giving away ten double passes. Leading the show is a monumental piece by Tokyo-born (and international rockstar) Takashi Murakami, who's renowned for bringing together fine art and popular culture — much like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol. Look out, too, for works by historical artists Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and Kawanabe Kyosai, as well as contemporary pop artist Chiho Aoshima and photographer Miwa Yanagi. So, expect an immersive experience involving paintings, sculpture, prints, film, animation, comics and games. The exhibition is running until March next year. So, should you get your hands on this prize, you've got plenty of time to make your way to the gallery. If you're keen to head to one of this year's most anticipated art shows — which you obviously are — enter your details below to be in the running. [competition]748534[/competition] Images: An installation view of the exhibition Japan Supernatural at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, November 2, 2019 until March 8, 2020. Photo: AGNSW/Jenni Carter
Call it the circle of cinema. Call it the movie that was always bound to happen once technology was rolled out to bring The Lion King franchise back to the screen with photorealistic visuals, too. After remaking its 90s animated hit with imagery that helps its animals to appear as if they've walked out of a documentary — well, almost — with 2019's The Lion King, Mufasa: The Lion King is hitting cinemas in 2024 to tell the story before the saga's beloved story. If you just can't wait to spend more time in the lifelike iteration of The Lion King's world, here comes a film about the lion that's king of the Pride Lands before Simba gets the job. As both the initial teaser trailer and just-dropped full sneak peek show, Mufasa: The Lion King is again styled to look like reality, not animation. It also shares Donald Glover (Mr & Mrs Smith), Beyoncé, Seth Rogen (Dumb Money), Billy Eichner (Bros) and John Kani (Murder Mystery 2) with its predecessor, reprising their roles as Simba, Nala, Pumbaa, Timon and Rafiki. As the feature's moniker makes plain, however, Mufasa: The Lion King isn't focusing on any of those characters' tales. Mufasa, aka Simba's father, sits at the centre of a picture directed by Moonlight Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins. The movie is presented as a story told by Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa to Kiara, the daughter of Simba and Nala, who is voiced by Blue Ivy Carter. So goes a narrative about an orphaned cub who is taken in by a lion with royal blood, then set on a path that leads to the events of The Lion King. Among the voice cast, Aaron Pierre (Foe) does the honours as Mufasa. Kelvin Harrison Jr is Taka (Chevalier), the lion prince who takes Mufasa in like a brother. Tiffany Boone (Hunters), Mads Mikkelsen (The Promised Land), Thandiwe Newton (Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget), Lennie James (Genius), Anika Noni Rose (Pantheon), Keith David (Rick and Morty), Kagiso Lediga (The Umbrella Men) and Preston Nyman (A Small Light) also lend their vocals to the flick. As well as Jenkins, Mufasa: The Lion King boasts another huge off-screen name, with Hamilton great Lin-Manuel Miranda writing the movie's tunes. "Elton John. Tim Rice. Hans Zimmer. Lebo M. Mark Mancina. Beyoncé, Labrinth, Ilya Salmanzadeh. Beau Black, Ford Riley, the incredible music team on The Lion Guard, and so many musical contributors over the years. The Lion King has an incredible musical legacy with music from some of the greatest songwriters around, and I'm humbled and proud to be a part of it," said Miranda. "It's been a joy working alongside Barry Jenkins to bring Mufasa's story to life, and we can't wait for audiences to experience this film in theatres." Check out the full trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King below: Mufasa: The Lion King releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, December 19, 2024. Images: courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Huge news: South by South West (SXSW) is coming to Sydney in October of 2023 for its first festival outside of its longtime home in Austin, Texas. The world-renowned festival has been bringing together big names and rising stars in tech, film, music, gaming, culture and education industries since it first began in 1987. Now, it's heading Down Under for the first time, with its week-long edition in Sydney set to become the official location of SXSW's annual Asia-Pacific installment. Running from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22, 2023, the new iteration of SXSW will fill the city with more than 1000 sessions, screenings, performances, parties, networking events and activations over eight days. The Sydney iteration of the festival will bring a wide variety of events hailing from the US edition, but with a greater emphasis on creatives and thinkers from the Asia-Pacific. "Focusing on the creator industries in the Asia-Pacific region, SXSW Sydney will celebrate what's next in culture, tech and the regions thriving creative economy," SXSW Sydney Managing Director Colin Daniels said. "Put simply, SXSW is the Olympics of events for the creator industries, and we are thrilled to bring this legendary festival of gaming, music, screen, tech and innovation to Sydney in 2023," CEO of SXSW Sydney's event producer TEG said. Alongside the Sydney edition of the festival, SXSW will continue its usual programing in Austin with a 2023 festival locked in for March. The festival returned in-person earlier this year after an online iteration in 2021 due to the pandemic. It was headlined by talks from Mark Zuckerberg, Lizzo and Neal Stephenson; performances from Dolly Parton and Beck; premieres of films such as Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Lost City and upcoming A24 horror movie Bodies, Bodies, Bodies; and a Q&A with the cast and crew of Donald Glover's critically acclaimed TV show Atlanta. [caption id="attachment_854807" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Atlanta Season 3 premiered at SXSW 2022 with a cast and crew Q&A.[/caption] Over the years, SXSW has featured appearances from the likes of Barack Obama, Dave Grohl, Jordan Peele, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga and Arnold Schwarzenegger to name just a few — as well as large-scale activations. It also acted as an important space for young musicians, filmmakers and creatives to cut their teeth. The festival has had a close relationship with Australia over the past few years, with Sounds Australia running the Australia House showcase at the festival since 2018 featuring up-and-coming Australian musicians. Major Australian musical exports including Flume, Alison Wonderland, Nick Murphy, Tkay Maidza, Gang of Youths, RUFUS DU SOL and Courtney Barnett have all made appearances at SXSW over the years You can head to the SXSW Sydney website to register your interest for the 2023 event and stay up-to-date as new information emerges over at the festival's Instagram. South by South West will host its inaugural Sydney festival Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22, 2023.
Earlier this week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) continued its court battle versus Apple; the controversy has been waging since the March release of Apple's latest iPad. Despite product advertising that markets the new iPad as equipped with "Wi-Fi + 4G", it has proven incompatible with Australia's 4G network. As such, the ACCC has asserted that Apple is currently engaging in false marketing and should change the title of the iPad (formally known as the iPad/4G) when it is sold locally. According to the SMH, Apple and the ACCC met on April 16 in Sydney at a mediation session which resulted in "no resolution". The pair were set to meet later that day in Melbourne for a directions hearing to determine the course of action going forward. As of right now, Apple has agreed to refund Australian customers who bought the new iPad under the illusion that they could utilise its 4G network. The company has also posted signage is stores where the device is sold to warn customers of its lack of 4G. The ACCC, however, is still pushing for an official device name change. This case could prove monumental to Apple, the technology company giant which has established a remarkably reputable name for itself. Not only will a court case loss force Apple to admit the shortcomings of one of its most-prized products, but it may set a precedent for how Apple markets is products in different parts of the globe. Already, in the UK, the advertising standards group ASA has begun exploring similar consumer complaints regarding the iPad's 4G capabilities. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BqbRxoF-Oc4
There is no wrong time of day for devouring Italian food — leftover pasta makes as good a breakfast as dinner, after all. If you agree (which we're sure you do), here's some red-hot intel: Darlinghurst's new bright spot Fortuna has added a bottomless feast to their offering. The diner arrived on Victoria Street from two hospo mainstays, George Nahas and Egon Marzaioli, in late 2021. When it's not treating Sydneysiders to Italian feasts and endless mimosas, it's a breezy all-day eatery pulling from Marzaioli's early years in Naples. And now, from 12pm till 8.30pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy a share-style table of treats and 90 minutes of endless Aperol spritzes, negronis, Peronis, mimosas and a selection of vinos for $89. On arrival, expect a slice of warm, housemade focaccia and an array of truly delish antipasti (think Sicilian olives, Princi soppressa mortadella, salami, marinated tomatoes and burrata dressed in a vivid-green herby oil). Then, porchetta with crisp and golden potatoes as a main. All that plus stand-out bevs to wash it down? A delicious bargain. If you want to bolster the meal with some heartier dishes, you can add an additional $10 per person and the table will be treated to two pastas from the menu. Uniquely, and in a move that's sure to keep the vibes merry, staff will present the Wheel of Fortuna for guests to spin. Hope you're feeling lucky, cos you can win or lose. Maybe you'll score a round of shots for the table, or you might be left gifting a round of shots to the staff. Fortuna's bottomless feast is offered from 12–8.30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Head to the website to make a booking.
Within its first 15 seconds, the trailer for Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain states the obvious: "there's no happy ending". June 2021 marks three years since the American chef, author, host and documentarian passed away, and this doco can't explore his work and legacy without also touching upon on his unexpected death. To the surprise of no one, the film's sneak peek quickly gets emotional. The latest project from Oscar-winning 20 Feet From Stardom director Morgan Neville — who also directed affecting Mister Rodgers doco Won't You Be My Neighbour? — Roadrunner steps through Bourdain's ups and downs, successes and struggles, and passion for both food and travel. It showcases his frank, no-nonsense approach and his sense off humour, too. In one clip, just before he jumps into the ocean, he pre-empts an obvious question. "Some of you might ask: how is this food related?" he notes. Then, he replies to himself: "fucked if I know." Indeed, thanks to his long stints in front of the camera in everything from A Cook's Tour and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations to The Layover and Anthony Bourdain: Parks Unknown, Roadrunner won't lack archival footage. The just-dropped trailer certainly doesn't. Bourdain's face and voice feature in the two-and-a-half-minute clip far more often than its talking-head interviewees, in fact, not that there's any shortage of those. Neville's aim: to peer behind the scenes at the man behind the world-famous personality, and to understand his life and impact — including via using his own words. The end result is set to hit US cinemas in July, with release details Down Under yet to be confirmed. Fingers crossed that the documentary turns up locally sooner rather than later. Check out the Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain trailer below: Roadrunner will release in US cinemas on July 16. Release details Down Under are yet to be confirmed — we'll update you when more details come to hand. Top image: Focus Features.
The four exhibitions currently running at Firstdraft each a paint a kind of portrait: most of people, two of places. A main feature of Jacquelene Drinkall's Weather Underwater are its 'balaclava fascinators': stretched wire faces, with conical scalps towering to infinity. On the opposite wall, Seth Birchall's Man Crush is a series of faces. Each pair was painted in parallel — with every stroke of the first panel repeated on the second, making a mark-for-mark set of two. Paired, they look like stereoscopic photos, though minor details sit at odds from one image to the next. Arsenic tint colours offset Birchall's faces, giving them a television glow. Stella Rosa McDonald's Second City is the highlight of the four. In a black room at the back of the gallery, six people are projected life-size on the wall opposite. They meet your eye as they stand and shuffle patiently in place. A pair of earphones dangle from the ceiling. Listening, your hear critical discussion of "What is a bogan?" by some casual voices. Glebe locals, young and old, are featured in the project. The questions that make up the piece's audio features some of their interrogation. Behind Second City is a blue curtain, where a toothed tunnel which leads through to Claire Finneran and Hossein Ghaemi's This Way Up! The exhibition feels like an abandoned sea cave filled with religious ephemera. The little statues and symbols on the wall are evocative of religions and numinous moments, but none of them belong to a religion in particular. These little holy places revere kiwi fruit, pebbles, a spare cigarette or a shiny cereal packet plunked on a golden pillar. More than one devotion is worshipped here, and each tiny altar fights idly for attention, before you push your way back out through the curtain. Image by Seth Birchill.
Australians have almost spent 12 months now navigating different levels of COVID-19 restrictions, with the rules tightening and easing state by state depending on case numbers in each area. Accordingly, the announcement of more changes has become a regular occurrence — but when that news involves being able to have bigger parties and hit the dance floor, it's always welcome. Today, Wednesday, February 24, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that New South Wales' current coronavirus restrictions will relax again at 12.01am on Friday, February 26. With the rules for restaurants, bars, cafes and eateries last easing a fortnight ago, this time around the NSW Government is focusing on at-home gatherings. Just in time to shape your weekend plans, you'll be able to have 50 people over to your house at once, instead of the current maximum of 30. The rules around dancing are also changing, but only in one specific setting: weddings. So, Sydneysiders can't start making shapes at their favourite bar or nightclub just yet; however, if you know someone that's getting hitched in the immediate future, you can join a group of 30 people in total on the dance floor at the reception. In other changes, 50 people can now attend gym classes at the same time, but the one person per four-square-metres rule is still in effect. And, if singing is on your agenda, choirs and congregations can get vocal with 30 people at once. Also, cinemas can go back up to 100-percent capacity. Premier Berejiklian also revealed that, come Wednesday, March 17, standing up while you drink indoors at a pub or bar will be back "if everything goes well" between now and then. She flagged that wedding capacities — currently limited at 300 people — may also increase, but didn't give that change a set date. While restrictions continue to ease, the Premier noted that NSW residents still "have to be as vigilant as ever. We have to make sure we do not become complacent, that we stick to the COVID restrictions and rules to make sure that all of us stay protected". The latest announcement comes as NSW recorded no new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to 8pm on Tuesday, February 23, marking 38 consecutive days where that's been the case. As always, NSW residents are asked to continue to get tested immediately if you experience even the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
These days, a free tertiary education is something of a myth — your parents might have got it, you know some other countries offer it, but you've certainly given up all hope of getting any sort of affordable qualifications. But if Labor is elected at the upcoming NSW election, you'll be able to complete a selected TAFE course without spending a cent on fees. Announced this morning by Opposition Leader Michael Daley and NSW Shadow Minister for Skills Prue Car, the program would see a Labor State Government cover 600,000 TAFE places across a ten-year period. The program would see free courses for all certificate levels in skill shortage areas, including childcare, aged care, disability care, construction, plumbing and electrical trades. Coming into effect from January 2020, it would replace Liberal's Smart and Skilled program, which sees fees covered for up to 100,0000 TAFE apprenticeships over a four-year period. The Labor-led program covers a wider scope of courses, with the lineup of free certificates and apprenticeships modified each year to cater for changing skill shortages, according to SBS. The first four years of free courses is estimated to cost the government $64.5million, with potential students eligible for one free course each. Mr Daley said the free courses would be beneficial to both school-leavers and older NSW residents considering a career change (or changing career out of necessity). "Free TAFE will help those starting out or those retraining to find jobs in industries that are crying out for more workers," Mr Daley said in a statement. The offer comes six weeks out from the state election, as both candidates ramp up their campaigns — hitting us with election promises left, right and centre. Expect many more in the lead-up to March 23. https://twitter.com/michaeldaleyMP/status/1094463160180826112
If hearing Placebo's 'Every You Every Me' and The Verve's 'Bittersweet Symphony' gets you thinking about Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair, then you're clearly a Cruel Intentions fan. And you if were a 90s or 00s teen who watched and rewatched the 1999 classic over and over again — soaking in all those dangerous liaisons, the scheming that went with them, Joshua Jackson's blonde locks and Gellar in a decidedly non-Buffy role — then you'll probably be first in line to see Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. The film-to-theatre production has been unleashing its teen tumult and throwback soundtrack in America since 2015, and now it's finally heading to our shores. And yes, those aforementioned Placebo and The Verve songs get a spin, because of course they do. Because it's a jukebox musical, the show is also filled with a heap other tunes from that late 90s, early 00s era, too; think: *NYSNC's 'Bye Bye Bye', Britney Spears' 'Sometimes', No Doubt's 'Just A Girl', Jewel's 'Foolish Games', Christina Aguilera's 'Genie In A Bottle' and Sixpence None the Richer's 'Kiss Me', for starters. If you've seen the movie — the original, not the direct-to-video 2001 and 2004 sequels, one of which starred a very young Amy Adams (The Woman in the Window) taking over Gellar's role — then you'll know the story. Based on 1782 novel Les Liaisons dangereuses, which was also been adapted in the 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer and Uma Thurman, Cruel Intentions follows step-siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Manipulating each other's love lives is their main hobby, a pastime that levels up a few notches when Kathryn places a bet on whether Sebastian can sleep with Annette Hargrove, the headmaster's daughter at their exclusive prep school. On-screen, Phillippe played Sebastian, Gellar vamped up the film as Kathryn and Witherspoon stepped into Annette's shoes. Exactly who'll be following in their footsteps when Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical hits Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre from May 25, 2022 and then Sydney's State Theatre from June 29 — with further cities to be announced — hasn't yet been revealed. Cruel Intentions' writer/director Roger Kumble co-created the musical, so expect it comes with quite the screen-to-stage pedigree. Also, it's coming to Australia via David Venn Enterprises, who also brought The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy and Bring It On: The Musical our way. Check out the trailer for the US production of Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical below: Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical will play Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre from May 25, 2022, and then Sydney's State Theatre from June 29 — with further cities to be announced. For more information and to join the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website.
Parramatta has long been considered Sydney's second city for quite some time now. Of course, the abundance of outdoor activities, cultural hotspots and restaurants and bars are pretty good excuses to spend a day in Parramatta. And in recent years more and more events and festivals have chosen to launch in western Sydney rather than position themselves in the east. It's a sign of good things to come for the 2150 postcode. Yep, this city knows how to put on a party. We're talking free music concerts under the stars, cultural festivals taking over the streets and world premiering plays — and that's all just within the first two months of 2020. To help you map out your next couple of visits to the area, we've rounded up some of the most exciting things happening over the next few months. Get planning — many cultural adventures await.
On its face, Chicken People is about the cheery behind-the-scenes world of poultry competitions. It's a documentary about the people who live, breathe, and show (but generally do not eat) poultry, and is actually fairly educational for those who might not know much about our fair-feathered friends. More so than that though, it's a study of a small group of people who are just really, really passionate about what they do. Director Nicole Lucas Haimes takes viewers through a year in the life of some of the top competitors from the 2014 Ohio National Poultry Show, as they prep their prize birds for the same event 12 months later. There's Brian C, a singer and performer who has recently sacrificed his role in a stage show to devote more time to his obsession. There's Shari, a mum who has beaten alcoholism and now spends hours every week washing and blow-drying her prize silky breed chooks. And there's Brian K, an engineer who obsessively cross-breeds his chickens in the ultimate search for the perfect bird. What makes Chicken People such a charming portrait of something you probably have zero interest in is that it stays well and truly away from wtf territory. It doesn't condescend, patronise or alienate its subjects – it just follows them and provides the audience with handy pop-up facts about what makes the perfect chicken. Who knows when that information will come in handy. A touching aspect of the film is singer Brian C's parents, who have taken up the mantel of caring for his birds while he's away performing. They have no real interest in chickens and aren't particularly fond of the work, but they sure are fond of their son. His dad is a constant presence at the competitions with him, a sweet example of familial love and what you'll do for the ones you care about. Along the way, we also discover Shari's past battles with alcohol and mental health. When the 2015 Ohio competition is cancelled due to an outbreak of avian flu, she finds it hard to follow other competitors heading to a replacement comp in another state – being a greater distance away, she feels anxious being that far from her home. When she finally tells the camera that she's overcome her fears and has decided to head along, we realise just how invested in these chicken-mad folk we've become. If Chicken People has a problem, it's also kind of a strength: its subjects are just so damn lovely. There's no contrived drama, no bitchiness, and no bad words. The competitors all hug each other when the winners are announced, and even when Brian K sees his ex-girlfriend at the show, it results in a happy reunion. Perhaps viewers will yearn for a bit of swearing and stink eye. Then again, maybe we're better off with a nice doco about nice people to counteract all the nastiness in the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ZShxa6wJ0
If it wasn't for Violet Crumbles, the world wouldn't have quite a few things. Firstly, we wouldn't have the pleasure of biting into those chocolate-honeycomb bars themselves, and tasting that delicious flavour combination. We also wouldn't have the slogan "it's the way it shatters that matters", which is up there with the catchiest advertising lines of all time. And, Bertie Beetles wouldn't exist, because the showbag favourite was initially created to use the pieces of honeycomb left over from making — you guessed it — Violet Crumbles. Thankfully, no one needs to live in a world without either Violet Crumbles or Bertie Beetles — or, thanks to your next must-try cocktail, without Violet Crumble espresso martinis, too. The latter has just hit the market thanks to the Melbourne-based Feminaè Beverage Co, and it is indeed exactly what it sounds like. Now it's the way your caffeinated boozy tipple shatters that matters, too. Sold in hefty two-litre ready-to-drink casks, the VC espresso martinis are made with cold-drip coffee, vodka and Australian cream, and then infused with Violet Crumble honeycomb, caramel and chocolate flavours. A box will set you back $79.90, and includes 24 standard drinks — for parties, or just to keep in the fridge for when the urge strikes. You'll also get a Violet Crumble bar to shatter over the cocktails — or just to eat if you'd prefer. (Let's face it, if you're keen on this kind of espresso martini, you're already a fiend for the chocolate bar itself.) Feminaè is only releasing a limited run, which means ordering sooner rather than latter is recommended — and they're already shipping the casks out. The company also has a passionfruit and pavlova cosmo in its range — now sold out, sadly — if you're already thinking about what other sweet treats deserve to be turned into cocktails. Our suggestion: Bertie Beetles, naturally. Feminaè Beverage Co's Violet Crumble espresso martini casks are available to buy online for $79.90 while stocks last.
If a Finnish railway line can immerse passengers in a Murder on the Orient Express-style escape room, then a British hotel can take inspiration from the iconic novelist behind the famous mystery tale. More than that, it can do so while keeping with the transport theme — with Bertram's Hotel in Devon turning a double decker bus into an Agatha Christie-inspired home away from home. There's no puzzle to solve, other than wondering why someone didn't think of the idea earlier. Instead, visitors can relax in a place that's been decked out to feel like a 50s Christie book. Floral decor, a retro record player, a cocktail station, two sleeping spaces and shelves filled with novels all feature. Of course, the latter includes the author's work, with posters celebrating her efforts and titles found elsewhere throughout the cosy abode. Self-contained with a kitchen and bathroom, and sleeping five guests in total, Bertram's Hotel is located in a scenic field near the village of Harltand. And although its setting means that stumbling upon a real-life mystery is rather unlikely, you will spy plenty of animals, namely five grazing alpacas, plus everything from pygmy goats and donkeys to chickens and ducks. There's also two fishing lakes in close proximity. As for the concept, the unique spot takes its name and design from one of Christie's books: 1965's At Bertram's Hotel. The novel features the author's other well-known sleuth — Miss Marple — taking a holiday at the titular establishment and coming across a case, of course. While the hotel in the book isn't in a two-level red bus, the text features one on its cover. Images: Sykes Holiday Cottages.
Much might be changing at the Museum of Old and New Art in 2024, including giving Dark Mofo a rest for the year and farewelling summer festival Mona Foma for good. But having a party in winter is still on the cards, as the Tasmanian venue confirmed a few months back. The lineup of events keeps growing, in fact, as part of what's now being dubbed a 'Dark Mofo presents' program. On offer from Thursday, June 13–Sunday, June 23: Winter Feast, the Nude Solstice Swim, both Genesis Owusu and Marlon Williams playing live, the Mona Gala, a new exhibition, a multi-storey nightclub and late-night tunes that begin the next morning. [caption id="attachment_950174" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rosie Hastie, 2022. Courtesy of the artist and Dark Mofo 2022, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "I know we said Dark Mofo would stay quiet, but winter wouldn't feel the same without the chance to feast and frolic during the long Tasmanian nights," said the fest's Artistic Director Chris Twite. "As the chill of winter creeps in, I know we are already longing to feast, dance and swim together. So we're really excited to be able to present these beloved pillars of the festival this June for Tasmanians and all our dedicated Dark Mofo pilgrims." [caption id="attachment_950181" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Stewart. Courtesy of Dark Mofo / DarkLab, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia[/caption] If you're keen to eat your way around a huge midyear food festival on the Apple Isle, Winter Feast will be serving up plenty to tempt your tastebuds. Vaughan Mabee, the Executive Chef of New Zealand's Amisfield in Queenstown, is the the guest chef, teaming up with Mona's own Vince Trim. They'll hero unorthodox ingredients, such as Tasmanian deer and wallaby, wakame furikake, wattleseed and long-spined urchin, in an outdoor pavilion that'll be custom-built for the event. The meats will be fire-roasted onsite, then sliced to order. For dessert, deer also proves pivotal via deer milk ice cream, a signature dessert from Mabee. You won't forget it — it comes shaped like antlers, served in a real deer skull, then topped with 'deer blood' caramel. [caption id="attachment_950183" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Vaughan Mabee and Dark Mofo / DarkLab, Nipaluna Hobart, Lutruwita Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] Also set to be at Winter Feast: 80 stallholders, spanning not only returning favourites, but also 25 new joints from around the state. Standout dishes to look out for include spit-roast pork buns, crispy-fried southern rock lobster sliders, neo-Nepalese goat curry, arancini filled with beef ragu and mozzarella, and mortadella cruller choux pastries, as well as milk and honey doughnuts, mulled wine and smoked beetroot vodka. Yula (mutton bird) will also be back on the menu, while a Tasmanian sparkling wine bar is new for the year. Another change for 2024: making Winter Feast entry free on Sundays. [caption id="attachment_950175" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dark Mofo/Rémi Chauvin. Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia[/caption] If you're most excited about taking a swim sans clothes to celebrate the winter solstice, the Nude Solstice Swim at Long Beach will have a larger capacity than in the past. Elsewhere, Owusu and Williams are each playing gigs at Odeon Theatre on successive nights; the Mona Gala will get everyone partying for the opening of exhibition Namedropping, which showcases 200-plus artistic works about status, perception and trying to look good for others; and Dark Mofo 2021's Night Shift is making a comeback so that you can hit the dance floor, get debauched and make the absolute most of the early hours. Slow Burn, a brand-new event for 2024, is also about staying up late, only opening at midnight at Odeon Theatre's Mezz Bar. At the In the Hanging Garden precinct, Winter in the Garden will get DJs spinning tunes earlier, and also host food and drink pop-ups. [caption id="attachment_950177" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of the artist.[/caption] Dark Mofo will return in 2025 as the full usual shebang, but better than ever — not that there's anything usual about the event. "Dark Mofo has established itself as a beacon of artistic exploration and challenging ideas for a decade, immersing audiences in the depths of darkness and the heart of winter," said Twite earlier in 2024. "This year, by taking a fallow year, we are taking a crucial step in ensuring that Dark Mofo continues to be a catalyst for artistic innovation, cultural dialogue, and shared experiences for many years to come." [caption id="attachment_950178" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dark Mofo/Jesse Hunniford. Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950182" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy Museum of Old and New Art (Mona), Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950176" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dark Mofo/Jesse Hunniford, 2021. Courtesy Dark Mofo, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950180" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rémi Chauvin. Courtesy of DarkLab, March 2023.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_950179" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford. Courtesy of the artists and Mona, Tasmania, Australia[/caption] Dark Mofo Presents: Winter 2o24: Thursday, June 13–Sunday, June 16 — Winter Feast week one Thursday, June 13–Sunday, June 23 — Winter in the Garden Friday, June 14 — The Mona Gala Saturday, June 15 — Genesis Owusu Saturday, June 15–Sunday, June 16 — Slow Burn Saturday, June 15, 2024–Monday, April 21, 2025 — Namedropping exhibition Sunday, June 16 — Marlon Williams Thursday, June 20–Sunday, June 23 — Winter Feast week two Friday, June 21 — Nude Solstice Swim Friday, June 21–Saturday, June 22 — Night Shift The Dark Mofo Presents lineup takes place at Mona from Thursday, June 13–Sunday, June 23, 2024. Head to the festival's website for further details, and for tickets on Tuesday, April 16 — from 10am for subscribers and 12pm for everyone else. Top image: Rosie Hastie, 2022. Courtesy of Dark Mofo 2022.
Wine connoisseurs will know that, beneath all the fancy sommelier pairings and wine speak, the one true pairing for all wine is a hot loaf of sourdough bread. (And maybe a thick slab of brie. Mmm brie.) So you'll also be stoked to hear that the newest site for Sydney bakery Sonoma is also going to have a wine bar extension, where you may revel in your lust for wine and late-night sourdough. Your new favourite place in the world is set to open next month in Rose Bay, on the corner of New South Head Road and Newcastle Street, but don't expect any pretentious bread sommelier business. Sonoma owner Andrew Connole told Good Food the vibe will be a casual wine bar, perfect for a little bread, wine and cheer. With shared dishes all centred around bread — and an enviable craft beer menu to boot — we're pretty sure after-work drinks at Sonoma will soon become the only reason you drag yourself to the office. And it makes sense that sourdough and wine should come together in such a glorious way because, like wine, creating sourdough is a very complex process. In the motherland of sourdough, Sweden, there's even a roaring trade for sourdough hotels, where you can leave your sourdough in good hands while on vacation. Yeah, feel free to drop that little factoid at Friday afternoon bread drinks. You're welcome. Via Good Food. Image credit: Katie Quinn Davies / Sonoma Bakery
In the late 60s, a decade after first slinging slices in America's midwest, Pizza Hut started taking the second part of its name seriously. Thanks to a design by architect Richard D Burke, who agreed to a $100 fee for each location that opened — a hugely lucrative deal, it turned out — everyone knows the fast-food chain's famous silhouette. From 70s, 80s and 90s childhoods in particular, that angular roof instantly brings to mind family feasts, birthday parties and all-you-can-eat pizza specials that gave Sizzler a run for its money in Australia, dessert bar included. Brooklyn-based Aussie filmmakers Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker, who previously made Barbecue and We Don't Deserve Dogs, are well-are of this history. In fact, they've made a documentary that's partly about it: Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts. They're equally cognisant of the nostalgic feeling that old Pizza Huts bring. "I kept thinking back to the soft-serve machine. As a kid, I was just drawn to that machine. I just wanted the soft serve with the sprinkles, the coloured sprinkles on top — my Pizza Hut dream was the soft-serve machine," Tucker tells Concrete Playground, chatting about the film that'll premiere at 2024's SXSW Sydney in October. Audiences will indeed remember their own experiences in Pizza Hut's distinctive buildings while watching Slice of Life. Craving pizza comes with the territory, too. Salleh and Tucker haven't tucked into Pizza Hut while making the movie, purely "because they're not in New York", Salleh advises, but they still understand the urge. "Occasionally we're editing and we'll see shots of pizzas, and I'll be like 'we need pizza'. Luckily, living in Brooklyn, you only have to walk about 150 metres to find some pretty awesome pizza. So if anything, it's just made me eat a lot more pizza in New York," he continues. Recalling times gone by for a global chain is just one of this doco's ingredients, however. Consider it a topping; at its heart, this film's main focus is right there in its title. While they weave in the Pizza Hut origin story, and that of those huts known around the planet, Salleh and Tucker are interested in how such immediately recognisable structures have lived on in new guises in the US once the brand left plenty of those buildings. Be it a Texan karaoke bar, a LGBTQIA+ church in Florida or a cannabis dispensary in Colorado, what made-over former Pizza Huts say about the pursuit of the American dream today is also as pivotal to their documentary as dough is to the world's most-beloved Italian dish. The pair boast a tried-and-tested approach, as their first two feature-length films also capitalised upon. Take one thing — barbecue cooking, canines, ex-Pizza Huts — then dive deep, building a portrait of what humanity's interaction with said subject explains about the world, people in general and/or a specific country. All three titles have also enjoyed a relationship with SXSW. Barbecue premiered at SXSW Austin in 2017, and was picked up by Netflix as a result. Then, We Don't Deserve Dogs was selected for the pandemic-affected US event in 2020. Now, after being one of the first films announced for this year's lineup, Slice of Life will bow at SXSW Sydney's second year. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) If there's a spark of familiarity to Salleh and Tucker's latest concept, that's because the Used to Be a Pizza Hut blog has also been operating in this territory. It was a helpful resource for them, with its founder Mike Neilson among their interviewees. Wondering if the duo ever thought of expanding their remit beyond US Pizza Huts, as the site covers? They've dubbed their American focus "geographical discipline". Explains Salleh: "this is our documentary version of the great American road movie, I guess. We were tempted to to make this thing global, but then we knew we'd be probably making it for the next 20 years." Adds Tucker: "we really could, they built these things all over the place." What does having SXSW's support mean to the pair? "It's amazing. As an independent filmmaker, it's really, really tough to even get into a festival, so to do it with SXSW now three times is pretty special," says Tucker. "We're basically independent DIY, and so to be able to go to a festival that also has a little bit of a market and business side to it as well, and tries to bring those elements together is, I guess, what we try to do on a daily basis — bringing together the business of what we do and the creativity of what we do. So it's been a good fit over the years," advises Salleh. When you hone in on a specific topic per documentary, where does inspiration come from? Also, how do you know that you're onto a winner of an idea, and then get your subjects onboard? From the way that they handle to on-the-road projects to finding their former Pizza Huts and what they learned about America while making Slice of Life, we chatted through the details with Salleh and Tucker. On Where Salleh and Tucker Find Inspiration Rose: "I guess you could say we're just chronic people-watchers, and we're just interested in things that people get passionate about. So with Barbecue, that one's a fairly obvious one: people get really fired up about cooking and gathering with their family. There's a little bit of patriotism involved in that as well — everyone thinks they have the best barbecue — so it's a thing that gets people talking and gets people passionate. And similarly with dogs. People love their dogs and that's a global phenomenon." Matthew: "We have a scribble board of hundreds of ideas, and it's a survival of the fittest. It's when we can see that an idea will play out in a in a whole film, rather than be a short or something like that. I often say there's a taxi or Uber driver test, where an Uber driver will ask what you do for a living and you explain the film you're making, and they go 'ohh you have to go interview my best friend' — or if they know someone or if they can tell their passionate story. It was a similar thing with this new film, we would talk about it with people and they go 'ohh back in my town, the old Pizza Hut used to be ...'. There was either nostalgic remembrance of what it used to be or 'ohh now it's a mattress store', 'now it's a Hertz car rental' or any sort of interesting thing. So it seems to have really gotten people interested in talking passionately. And it's interesting as well, because there's a lot going around at the moment with people re-examining pop culture nostalgia and stuff like that. But then it just presented this amazing opportunity for us where we were actually able to go 'well, here's something pop culture and nostalgic, but it still exists in this strange way now'. So it was a way that we could combine the nostalgic memories of old Pizza Huts with this entrepreneurial spirit of people starting up businesses potentially in buildings they never thought they would, but making it work somehow." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) Rose: "There's this idea of community that flows through these buildings. So when they're a Pizza Hut, they're a community hub. And it would be a really big deal if your small town got a Pizza Hut. It was a big, big deal. Then when they close down, that hub goes away. But now they're sprouting up again in these second, third, fourth, fifth lives, and those places are now similarly hubs for the community. They're the places that we were really focusing on trying to find — those places that still are that gathering point, or that third place that that people are drawn to and want to spend time with people in." Matthew: "And in a world where those sort of places are dying away, making this film coming out of the pandemic, where we had to eliminate that third place, those gathering places in the community‚ and even the fact that a lot of these businesses survived through some of those tougher times so that they can flourish now — that was very much part of our mind when we were making this. It's places where people can just get together, whether it's a church or whether it's a restaurant …" Rose: "Or a karaoke bar." Matthew: "… and just be part of their community." On Finding Slice of Life's Old Pizza Huts in Small Towns Across America Where Having the Chain in Town Was Originally a Source of Pride Rose: "We were actively seeking small towns. The most-rural town we visited is Walsenburg, Colorado — and that is in the middle of the country, small town, and it was a big deal. From memory, I think that the only other fast food they currently have is a Subway." Matthew: "Much less romantic." Rose: "But it was a huge deal to get this big building, this big Pizza Hut, that was right on the edge of town — it was a massive deal. And it was where all the sports teams would go on the weekend after finishing their game, it's where kids would go after their prom for their after party. Like, this was the place." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) Matthew: "And I think it was this idea that the town over didn't get the Pizza Hut — we got the Pizza Hut. We're all very hip and cosmopolitan now, we might almost chuckle a little at a chain store having meaning, something important to a community — but back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, when towns, especially towns across America, were trying to grow and trying to be something, these were the test of having made it, as it were. So that seemed to be a big part of it. And then there's also a practical consideration, because we basically had to become world experts in these old Pizza Hut buildings — and they survive more in small towns, because I think the ones that were in big cities have just gotten levelled with the passage of time." Rose: "Or they were never built in the first place. This is a building that worked in suburbia and out on the highways. I don't think there were any traditional Pizza Hut buildings built within New York City, where we live at the moment. So you're not going to find one here. But you go out a little bit, you go down into Long Island, suddenly they start popping up." On Salleh and Tucker's Two-Person Approach to Filmmaking Matthew: "The main thing is the incredibly small footprint. It's basically just myself and Rose, and we do pretty much the whole movie. So I direct and Rose produces. I do the shoot. I do the cinematography. Rose does the sound. We both edit it. We do a surround-sound mix and picture work on the film in our one bedroom apartment." Rose: "In the room we're sitting at now." Matthew: "We just basically do the whole film from a technical point of view by ourselves. And, one, it makes it cheaper and more versatile — but the most-important thing is that versatility in that we don't need to have bosses that we get approval from when we come up with an idea, and we can just stay in a place until we get the story, and we can move around and be this very intimate film crew. When we film, it's not this giant truck with 20 people turning up. It's me and Rose and a backpack. And that familiarity that people have with us it just gives a gives our film something else, I hope." On How Having Such a Small Filmmaking Footprint Helps Get Subjects Onboard Rose: "We love the intimacy that we can create with it just being the two of us. The fact that we're a couple as well, I think a lot of the people we're working with, a lot of people running these businesses are little husband wife teams as well. So there's definitely a connection that we just have. We run our own business. We understand the challenges of running a small business, and we like to think we're quite entrepreneurial as well. I think we have a lot in common with the people who we are filming with." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) Matthew: "When you run your own business, when you want to be sustainable and have your arts career that works as a business, you have to know as much about cinematography as you do about filing tax returns. We met with a lot of people that had a passionate thing they wanted. I think instantly of Ed running Big Ed's BBQ, who had this passion for barbecue and then instantly realised he was in over his head — and that very much resonated with me as a person that got way in over my head when I decided to start a film company however many years ago. That part of the storytelling also reminds me of my dad, who started his own business after working in government for many years. I think everyone that knows someone that's an entrepreneur, a sort of self-starter, it's a sort of crazy type of person. It was a lot of fun to hear those stories." Rose: "But we definitely had to win people over. And we'd always have a few conversations over the phone before we turn up with cameras and really explain what we were trying to do. I think particularly in this day and age, people can be a little hesitant with documentary, like 'ohh, are you making fun of me or is this a hit piece?'. And we would have to assure people that was not the case." Matthew: "Something we weren't sure about: people operate their businesses and lives out of these former Pizza Huts, and it's kind of a humorous concept. I'm like 'do they think it's humorous as well?'. And they certainly did. I remember our first phone call with everybody from the church in Boynton Beach that we filmed, and the first thing they wanted to tell us is that they'd given themselves a nickname of the Church of the Pepperoni. They think it's very funny as well. There's something about that sense of humour, it's a little wry smile when they know that they run out of an old Pizza Hut. But then you go beneath that and you go look through the window, effectively, and there's these amazing lives, and these really powerful and interesting people. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) I would say that with a lot of pop culture and nostalgia, people try to remember the old thing. But for us to be able to actually go into those buildings, it was fascinating that you have a really diverse set of people — and America's an incredibly diverse country — and all of these people had one thing in common: the floor plan of their businesses were exactly the same. And it was kind of odd. A few months into filming, we'd be walking into like the fifth Pizza Hut and there'd be this weird déjà vu that would kick in — and I'd be like 'ohh, in Colorado, they put the door over that side, but I see you guys put it over here'. And there's this one bit where some of the old Pizza Huts, they always leak in the same spot — and they all go 'oh yeah, the leak'. Maybe there's something comforting in knowing that people around the world might have a common experience with you, even though you will never meet them. So that was very powerful for us." On the Research Process and Criteria for Picking the Former Pizza Huts Featured Matthew: "There were a couple that we'd heard about. You start Googling, and lots of people have documented a lot of these old buildings. But only the building. It was hard to know anything more about it. So we'd start with that process — it just started with conversations." Rose: "I would dive in and take a look at a business. You can tell a lot from their social media and things like that. You can tell when a place is a community hub, and they were the places we were looking for. And honestly, I would just shoot them a message or an email, and get on the phone and chat. I remember we called the owner of the Bud Hut in Colorado, and we talked to her for I think two hours. She was just so clearly so passionate and cared so much about her community, and we were like, 'well, that's an instant yes'." Matthew: "This is something that we've always believed as a core part of the films we make, that everyone's got an interesting story to tell. So in a way, I wasn't even really worried, because I'm like 'well, everyone's got an interesting story to tell'. Our job is to listen and find those stories. We try not to have too many preconceptions. We had ideas — as soon as we heard that there was a church down in Florida, we're like 'well that sounds amazing'. So there's ones like that. One of the interesting ones was Taco Jesús, a Taco restaurant in in Lynchburg, Virgina — not necessarily a place known for its Mexican cuisine. But funnily, that restaurant didn't even exist when we started shooting the movie. We only shot that a few months ago because we were looking back over some notes, and one of them was something that was closed down." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) Rose: "I have a list of addresses and every few months I would sweep through them just to see if a new place had popped up. I was looking at this place in Lynchburg, Virginia, which, after it was a Pizza Hut, it was a another pizza restaurant — and I noticed they were permanently closed. And I was like 'that's interesting, I wonder who's going in there?'. I did a little online research and realised it was going to be this brand-new taco restaurant, and it looked beautiful." Matthew: "I think we saw a story that Jesús and his father-in-law were running it together, and I'm like 'there's a story that'. Then just your journalistic instincts kick in and you go 'oh, there's something interesting there'. I think, to be honest, as we spoke to people, it confirmed more than anything that all these are really fascinating stories that we have to capture." Rose: "There'll always be a few on the wishlist that we didn't get to, mainly just because we felt like we had a complete film. But there's always be the long list of places that maybe we could have visited — like there is a funeral home in Texas which would have been pretty interesting." Matthew: "There's actually two." Rose: "We could've kept filming forever." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) Matthew: "It's interesting when we talk about when you're completely independent and you've got to do it yourself, how do you get started — but how do you finish? That's almost as much the challenging question and it's usually, with us, through exhaustion. Usually it's desperately editing into the night. I remember with We Don't Deserve Dogs and a little bit with this film, you just stop eventually and go 'I think the movie is finished'. And you almost don't want to admit it's finished, because then you've got to work out what to do next. You've got to distribute and market the film, and all the rest of it. But this one was definitely one where we had a lot of the film down, and then we took a bit of a break. Then we went and filmed with Taco Jesús, and we just slotted that in." Rose: "It was the missing thing." Matthew: "It was the different side of the story that brought it all together. So it's nice, it's been a lot of fun, because at the moment we're doing all the technical stuff, the sound and the music and all of that, and it's really lovely to be able polish up this thing that we've been putting together for a few years now." On What You Learn About the US Today on a Cross-Country Road Trip That Examines How an Incredibly Nostalgic Symbol Has Been Reborn Rose: "I think we managed to capture a pretty hopeful version of humanity. I'd like to think that. I think you realise that if you watch the news a lot …" Matthew: "Which we all do." Rose: "… which everybody does, there's maybe an impression of America and what middle America is like, and I think we wanted to challenge that expectation a little bit. There definitely are, I think, more good people than bad everywhere we went. We were met with open arms in communities of all shapes and sizes and political persuasions." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) Matthew: "And we're just a bunch of hipsters from New York, so they should be very guarded. But no, to be serious, I think it's this thing where we came in to listen and hear their story, and so we didn't come in with this ulterior motive of 'we want to set up the story'. That's been a really important thing about the films we do. We film with multiple subjects, multiple locations and people, and we don't have this scribbled-out script that we want to fit. We go where the story takes us. If the story revealed a much angrier America, then we would have gone 'okay, well, what is that story?'. But for us, everyone was quite hopeful, quite proud — quite proud of being American, quite proud of their entrepreneurial side — which, by focusing just on that, was really interesting. We had this criteria for this movie: we want to meet people from all across America, but they have to be operating out of an old Pizza Hut restaurant. That limits you a little bit, and yet we found such diversity, such different people, different opinions, different lives, different stories. So it was nice, even with such limitations on your sample size, you can still find a very diverse America." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urtext Films (@urtext) Rose: "I think Mark from the Yupp's Karaoke in Fort Worth, Texas, puts it best: 'our diversity is our strength'. And this is coming from a bartender in Fort Worth, Texas. It's pretty beautiful stuff. " Matthew: "I must admit that Yupp's Karaoke Bar was a lot of fun to film." Rose: "It was raging on a Tuesday night. It was just packed. And from what I understand, they now have lines on Saturdays — you can't get in. They are going absolute gangbusters." Slice of Life: The American Dream. In Former Pizza Huts. premieres at SXSW Sydney 2024, which runs from Monday, October 14–Sunday, October 20 at various Sydney venues. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for further details.
We've passed the winter solstice and the temptation to hibernate is growing ever stronger — so, you probably need a little something extra to tempt you off the couch. Handily, online reservation platform The Fork has a winning idea up its sleeve: it's offering a huge six weeks of dining specials nationwide. Kicking off on Monday, July 1, The Fork Festival will see over 250 top restaurants across the country offering sit-down meals for half the usual price. Yep, 50 percent off your total food bill, folks — think of it as the proverbial carrot luring you out of the house. To snag a half-price meal, you just need to make a reservation through The Fork website or app at one of the participating eateries for any service (breakfast, lunch or dinner) during the six weeks. [caption id="attachment_574140" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Comuna Cantina[/caption] There are some great venues coming to the party, too. In Sydney, you'll find discounted eats at the likes of Pilu at Freshwater, Queen Chow Manly, Potts Point wine bar Monopole, Din Tai Fung (Chatswood, Central Park, Miranda), waterside spot Berowra Waters Inn, Fratelli Fresh (Alexandria and Crows Nest) and Surry Hills' Caffe Bartolo. Melbourne spots include Prahran's Casa NOM, Burma Lane in the CBD, South Yarra's Abacus and Pretty Boy Italian Steakhouse. Brisbane folk can score discounts at the likes of Comuna Cantina, River Quay Fish and The French Bistrot, and Perth diners should put Angove Kitchen & Espresso Bar, Prince Lane and Street Eats Eatery on their radar. You might want to revisit an old favourite or you could get a little adventurous and road-test somewhere new. Either way, there's ample time to squeeze in a fair few discount feasts before the festival wraps up on August 11. The Fork Festival runs from July 1–August 11. The full list of participating restaurants will be released on the website on June 30. Top image: Caffe Bartolo by Kitti Gould; Casa Nom by Griffin Simm.
The National Cabinet was set to meet and decide on how to relax some of Australia's social distancing and public gatherings restrictions on Monday, May 11 — inline with the end of Victoria's second four-week state of emergency — but Prime Minister Scott Morrison decided today, Friday, May 1, to bring this date forward to next week. "Decisions on relaxing restrictions will be made next Friday [May 8]", the Prime Minister said. "Australians have earned an early mark for the work they have done." Some states have started to ease minor restrictions — such as allowing two-person house visits in NSW and more outdoor recreational activities in Queensland — but next Friday's announcement could see some larger decisions made on the federally mandated public-gathering and social-distancing rules. The Northern Territory, which has had a total of 28 cases, has already outlined its own roadmap to the "new normal", with the reopening of restaurants, bars and cafes set to take place on Friday, May 15. The Prime Minister would not comment on exactly what restrictions could be wound back, but that "room density measures" — such as the previous one person per four-square-metre rule for indoor venues — and requirements to remain 1.5 metres apart will not be lifted. This could impact if it's financially viable for restaurants, bars and cafes to reopen, even if they are allowed to. Before any restrictions are lifted, though, the Prime Minister said that more people need to download the government's contact-tracing app COVIDSafe. He said that while 11 of the 15 previously outlined conditions under which restrictions could be eased had been met, the final piece in the jigsaw puzzle of contact tracing was not in place. "There are currently over 3.5 million downloads and registrations of the COVIDSafe app, but there needs to be millions more," the Prime Minister said. He reiterated that if Australians want to go to the pub, they have to download the app. For now, the current COVID-19 restrictions will remain in place for at least the next four weeks. And fines are still in place for disobeying these in NSW, Vic and Queensland. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Kimberley Low
Something's afoot at the ol' Broadway corner pub — the Lansdowne is set to close after this weekend. But it's not what you think. The red flags went up yesterday with some sleuthing by theMusic.com.au, that planned gigs at the hotel have been moved to other Sydney venues for the month of February without explanation. But the hotel is only closing the bandroom, as stated by their Facebook page today. Making its mark as one of Sydney's key live venues since changing ownership in April 2014, the Lansdowne has experienced somewhat of a genuine revival over the last year. Revamped by new owners the Oscars Group (also the brains behind last year's Annandale Hotel renovation), the Lansowne has been home to free, well-programmed live music and cheap, cheap steak every week for a a good ten months. Brows started perspiring yesterday, as theMusic.com.au reported the imminent closure of the pub for a possible four months, with scheduled shows from the likes of The Laurels, Daily Meds and Grenadiers all moved and the pub's bookers told not to book any further live gigs. But the Lansdowne Hotel's not going anywhere. The pub's Facebook page issued this comment: "RELAX- WE'RE NOT CLOSING!!!! Despite many rumours, keep calm we are NOT in fact closing. While there are renovations only the bands will be off, our doors will remain open for you!!! And YES, there will continue to be live music after the renovations." The Hard-Ons and Born Lion will play the final February gig this Saturday night. If you're planning to head to the Grenadiers, The Laurels or Daily Meds shows, check their Facebook pages for new details. Image: Lansdowne Hotel.
Norah Head Lighthouse is a 1903-built lighthouse that's as popular for its twilight tours as it is for weddings with a view. And for proximity to hard-to-reach beaches and uninterrupted whale watching vistas, its two former lighthouse keeper quarters are hard to beat. Each early 20th century living quarters has three bedrooms and ample shared spaces for dining and relaxing, both available from $355 per night. From the quarters you'll be within walking distance to rock pools and bush walking trails, and when you return you'll have use of a barbecue and time to explore the grounds. Don't feel like cooking? Don't worry, your food ordering apps work here too. And once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, make sure you time your trip to climb the 96 stairs of the lighthouse for those 360-degree views.
Just hours after its series finale aired, Prime Video has confirmed that The Summer I Turned Pretty will conclude with a feature film. Announced on Thursday, September 18, the adaptation of Jenny Han's bestselling trilogy will wrap up with a movie written and directed by Han herself. "The Summer I Turned Pretty has struck a chord with audiences everywhere, creating moments of joy, nostalgia, and connection that have made it a global sensation," Courtenay Valenti, head of film, streaming and theatrical at Amazon MGM Studios, and Vernon Sanders, Global Head of Television at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said in a joint statement. "We're proud of the series' extraordinary success and couldn't be more excited to partner again with Jenny Han to bring fans an unforgettable next chapter." Han added: "There is another big milestone left in Belly's journey, and I thought only a movie could give it its proper due. I'm so grateful to Prime Video for continuing to support my vision for this story and for making it possible to share this final chapter with the fans." Since premiering in 2022, The Summer I Turned Pretty has become a global phenomenon. Its second season, released in 2023, more than doubled the first season's viewership within its first three days. Season three debuted in July 2025 and was streamed by 25 million viewers worldwide in its first week, becoming Prime Video's fifth most-watched returning season. The series has also helped launch the careers of stars Lola Tung, Jackie Chung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, Rachel Blanchard, Sean Kaufman and Rain Spencer. No release date has yet been set for the film. Images: Erika Doss | Amazon
