Colourful anime hits, intriguing murder mysteries and moody yakuza thrillers — they're all on the lineup at this year's Japanese Film Festival. Throw in a rom-com about renting a friend, a musical-comedy starring a former J-pop idol and a live-action version of a best-selling manga, and Sydney viewers will have plenty to watch at Event Cinemas George Street between Thursday, November 14 and Sunday, November 24. It all starts with opening night's Masquerade Hotel, which tasks a detective (Blade of the Immortal's Takuya Kimura) with going undercover at a swanky Tokyo establishment. The reason? He believes that a murder is about to take place within its walls, and he's determined not only to stop it, but to solve three other seemingly unrelated killings. From there, standouts include Little Love Song, about Okinawa high schoolers in a pop band; family reunion drama Born Bone Born, as set on the island of Aguni; and Melancholic, which follows a new university graduate who takes a job at a bathhouse, only to find himself working for dangerous mobsters. On the animated front, Ride Your Wave takes to the sea on a surfboard, because Japanese animators can make surfing movies too. Final Fantasy fans might want to catch Brave Father Online, given that it focuses on a father and son reconnecting through their love of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, while Dance With Me takes its characters on a singing and dancing road trip — and And Your Bird Can Sing gets atmospheric with three friends over a long Hokkaido summer.
In the whimsical 2001 film that bears her name, Parisian waitress Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) decides to devote her life to bringing happiness to others in the quirkiest, sweetest, most charming ways possible. The results earned the Jean-Pierre Jeunet-directed effort five Oscar nominations, a slew of other awards and box office success around the world, and turned the movie into everyone's favourite French flick. We know you've seen it more than once. Now, Amélie is back — and the folks behind her latest incarnation clearly want to keep following in her footsteps by spreading joy wherever they can. No, they aren't returning prized childhood possessions, helping people find romance or taking a garden gnome around the world. However, given that they've adapted the beloved film into a stage musical, they're still achieving that aim. The song-filled theatre production will make its way to Broadway in April 2017, with previews the month prior, following its world premiere in Berkeley, California back in 2015, and another run in Los Angeles this December. Hamilton's Tony-nominated Phillipa Soo will jump from one hot hit to what's sure to be another to play the titular role alongside a cast of veteran performers, as directed by Tony-winning Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? helmer Pam MacKinnon. Amélie joins everything from Moulin Rouge to The Bodyguard in making the leap from the screen to the stage — and into must-see theatre lists as well. Just as it's a good time to be a film-loving TV watcher with the likes of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and What We Do in the Shadows making their way to television, it is also an excellent to be a movie-obsessed musical attendee. Groundhog Day, Matilda, Singin' in the Rain, Heathers and Carrie have all also received the singing, dancing theatre treatment after all, just to name a few, with musicals of True Blood and SpongeBob SquarePants also slated in the near future. Via Variety.
A dark chocolate and passionfruit martini will probably make David Bowie's codpiece appear even more miraculously bulbous to you when Labyrinth screens tonight at the Soda Factory. The inaugural Movie Monday from the bar that brought you the ridiculously popular Tuesday Dollar Dogs, tonight's only the beginning of a two-month program that concludes, ingeniously, with Spacejam. Other movies coming up are Zoolander, Pulp Fiction, Snatch and more. To sweeten the deal, the bar is offering Tiger beer, house wine and any item on the standard menu for $5, as well as a weird and highly cinematic popcorn-flavoured soda syphon share cocktail for $20. Retro movies we've all seen always make a top backdrop for drinking and flirting, so get down there. The codpiecing begins at 8pm. April 8 - Labyrinth April 15 - Zoolander April 22 - Pulp Fiction April 29 - Happy Gilmore & Billy Maddison May 6 - Snatch May 13 - Delirious May 20 - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas May 27 - Spacejam Movies screen at 8pm, though you can get in and get a seat from 5pm.
The team at Newtown's Continental Deli Bar & Bistro is keeping up their famous can-do attitude, unveiling its latest cocktail creation: Negronis in a can. The much-loved venue on Australia Street, which recently celebrated its second birthday, is already well known for its canned goods, from marinated octopus and sardines to creamed corn and even tiramisu. This also isn't the first time they've tinned up their booze, either — in fact, their bar list is stocked with cocktails like the mar-tinny, the can-hattan and the cosmopoli-tin. Continental launched its latest tinned tipple via Instagram — and while we're a little disappointed they couldn't think of a pun, mostly we're just keen to crack one open and taste it for ourselves. NEGRONI - now in a can! #yeswecan #negroni #negroniinacan #cocktail A post shared by Continental Deli Bar Bistro (@continentaldeli) on Oct 6, 2017 at 7:24pm PDT You can order the canned Negroni at Continental Deli Bar & Bistro, 210 Australia Street, Newtown seven nights a week.
Three weeks into the Greater Sydney region's lockdown, the New South Wales Government has announced a number of changes to the current stay-at-home conditions. With COVID-19 case numbers continuing to rise — 111 were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday, Friday, July 16 — NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has today, Saturday, July 17, revealed that the rules will be tightening, including when it comes to masks. From 11.59pm tonight, Saturday, July 17, masking up will be mandatory when you are working outdoors, and if you're at an outdoor market or outdoor shopping strip. And, you must also mask up if you're standing in an outdoor queue waiting for a coffee or something to eat, which is a rather familiar lockdown activity. Also now compulsory: having a mask with you at all times whenever you leave the house. The rules around face coverings have changed quite frequently over the past few weeks; however, now you'll always have to carry a mask with you, even if you're in a situation where you don't need to pop it on right then and there. Folks in Greater Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour, all of which have been in lockdown for three weeks now and will remain that way until at least 11.59pm on Friday, July 30, must already wear face masks in all indoor settings outside of their own homes, and on public transport. Since Tuesday, July 13, masks have been required in all common areas in residential buildings as well. The latter covers apartment complex lobbies, foyers, lifts, stairwells, corridors and shared laundries, and applies whether you live there or you're a visitor. Basically, the only place you don't need to mask up is actually inside your own home, once you've passed through your own front door. Residents of these regions are still currently only permitted to leave the house for four specific essential reasons: to work and study if you can't do it from home; for essential shopping; for exercise outdoors in groups of two; and for compassionate reasons, which includes medical treatment, getting a COVID-19 test and getting vaccinated. As part of the full slate of tightened restrictions coming into effect from 11.59pm tonight, Saturday, July 17, only critical retail stores in the locked-down areas will be permitted to welcome in customers, and carpooling will be banned unless you're with your own household. In the Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool Local Government Areas, folks will no longer be able to leave their LGA for work — unless they work in emergency services, healthcare, or the aged care and disability care fields. From 12.01am on Monday, July 19, all construction is being paused as well. Also, the rules around working from home are changing from 12.01am on Wednesday, July 21. As it always does, NSW Health has been updating the COVID-19 venues of concern list, and will continue to do so as more places keep being identified. Anyone who has visited these venues during the times specified are required to get tested and self-isolate as per NSW Health's instructions. And, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms in general, you should be getting tested at a clinic, too. Sydneysiders should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. For more information about the current mask rules, head to the NSW Government website.
Sydney's Secret Foodies are at it again with this weekend's Picnic in the Park. For their last event of the year, they've organised a lovely picnic with gourmet food, garden games and plenty of wines from Banrock Station, De Bortoli and Yalumba. In typical SF fashion, that's about all they'll tell you, but we think it's convincing enough. To make sure nobody lets the cat out of the bag, the location will be kept under wraps until two hours before the picnic. You can expect a lush lawn at one of Sydney's hidden harbourside spots, somewhere in the eastern suburbs. Picnic rugs will be provided so all you'll need to bring is yourself. Well, maybe a hat in case the November sun is too intense. Spend the afternoon lazing around and feasting on a plentiful spread of fresh salads, meats, cheeses, breads and desserts. It's the perfect way to say goodbye to spring.
If you're looking for an excuse for your next getaway, new Australian airline Bonza has plenty, including cheap airfares on 25 routes. First announced in 2021 and planning to take to the skies this year, the soon-to-launch carrier has announced the locations it'll be flying to, as well as the legs it'll take between them — with a big focus on regional destinations. When it hits the air, Bonza will service 16 different spots, spanning nine in Queensland, four in New South Wales and three in Victoria. For those heading to the Sunshine State, get ready for trips to Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and the Whitsundays. NSW's list covers Albury, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Port Macquarie, while Victoria's features Melbourne, Avalon and Mildura. Given that Melbourne is the only state capital that Bonza will be servicing, the airline's routes largely connect regional spots — heading from the Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour or Port Macquarie to Melbourne, for instance. Indeed, the Sunshine Coast and Melbourne both feature heavily, with the airline set to run 37 flights weekly to the former and 22 to the latter from its roster of locations. Bonza will also base its headquarters on the Sunshine Coast, too. Opening up routes to more of regional Australia was stated as Bonza's aim back when it first revealed its existence last year. "Bonza's mission is to encourage more travel by providing more choices and ultra-low fares, particularly into leisure destinations where travel is now often limited to connections via major cities," said Bonza founder and CEO Tim Jordan, who comes to the airline with 25-plus years experience in low-cost carriers such as Virgin Blue, Cebu Pacific in The Philippines and central Asia's FlyArystan. An exact date that the carrier will start flying its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft around the country still hasn't been revealed as yet, but it hopes to put flights on sale within the next two months. Those fares won't include baggage and seat selection, which'll you need to pay extra for — and it'll be cheapest to do so when you make your booking, rather than afterwards. When it launches, the carrier will take to the skies with the backing of US private investment firm 777 Partners, which also has a hand in Canada's Flair Airlines and the Southeast Asian-based Value Alliance. Bonza is set to start flying in 2022 — we'll update you when an exact date is announced. For more information, head to the airline's website. And for its full list of routes, you'll need to download the airline's app for Android and iOS.
Semi-Permanent is the leading global design event, a creative experience by creatives for creatives. The design world descends on Darling Harbour each year and for 2 days the Sydney Exhibition Centre becomes a showcase for the cream of the world's design, art and media communities. Now in its ninth year of bringing together interesting speakers with interested audiences, this year's speakers are continuing the trend of exceptional local and international speakers, including musician/artist Reg Mombassa, designer Annie Sperling, photographer Corey Arnold and illustrator Kelly Thompson. We're partnering with Semi-Permanent again this year and have 5 x two-day passes to give away (worth $310 each). To win, simply subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address. Entries close Tuesday, 10th May at 5pm. You won't want to miss out.
Sydneysiders are set to fork out a bit extra for their public transport travels, with the NSW Government announcing it's upping the price of Opal fares by 2.2 percent, from Monday, July 2. And it could have been even worse news for your wallet — Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance revealed fares have only been adjusted in line with inflation, rather than given the 4.2 percent annual increase recommended by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal. Mr Constance said the focus was on helping to squash the cost of living and putting commuters first. "Since the introduction of OPAL in 2012, this Government has kept the fares low with a five year fare freeze and then induction of an adjustment to fares by CPI only last year, and again this coming financial year," he explained. The fare increases impacts trains, buses, ferries and light rail. On average, the increase will see passengers shelling out around 39 cents extra a week, with a Penrith–Town Hall train ticket increasing by 15 cents from $6.61 to $6.76. Caps on adult weekday and Saturdays tickets will both rise to $15.80, from the current $15.40, and the adult weekly cap will rise $1.60, from $61.60 to $63.20. The Sunday cap will only increase by 10 cents to $2.70. Gold Opal fares have been spared the price hike, remaining at $2.50 for all day travel any day of the week.
After spending most of his career dancing the tango with Simon Pegg, the loveable Nick Frost gets the chance to take the lead. It's a shame that the tune he's moving to is so embarrassingly out of key. A bland, salsa-themed rom-com without a single surprising bone in its silk-and-sequin-clad body, Cuban Fury is a comedy of the most risk averse and unimaginative kind. The premise goes like this: Bruce Garrett (Frost) is a former child salsa dancer, now lonely, overweight engineer, who spends his days being belittled by his womanising colleague Drew (Chris O'Dowd). But Bruce's passions are reignited by the arrival of his new boss, a beautiful American woman named Julia (Rashida Jones). She's way out of his league, physically speaking, but it turns out Julia loves salsa, which puts Brucey in with a chance. All he has to do is get his groove back. Frost is an endearing screen presence and ensures Bruce is easy to root for. He's also not a bad dancer, as it turns out. Sadly, natural comic charm and fancy footwork can only do so much when the script is as woeful as this. Working from an 'original idea' by Frost, Jon Brown has produced a screenplay that is predictable, cliched and strangely scarce in actual jokes; what few there come usually at the expense of either Bruce's weight, or the campy mannerisms of Bejan (Kayvan Novak), a flamboyantly gay man in Bruce's dance class. Such a cringingly one-dimensional representation is typical of all the supporting characters, which is an even bigger shame considering the genuinely high calibre of the cast. O'Dowd lands a handful of funny lines, but ultimately can't do much with such a stock-standard slime ball. The great Ian McShane, meanwhile, is left to slum it in his role as Bruce's grizzled former dance instructor Ron. Still, the most thankless part belong to Jones, whose talents as comic performer go unforgivably unexploited. Introduced via full body panning shot, it's immediately clear that Julia will be nothing more than the love interest; a pretty face for Bruce and Drew to dance-battle over. There's an unpleasant, all-too-common double standard at play in Cuban Fury's body and gender politics. Bruce finds his mojo and gets the girl in spite of his weight, yet Julia is only seen as an object of desire because she's physically attractive. That being said, it's hard to be seriously offended by a movie as generic and forgettable as this one. The highest praise Cuban Fury deserves is that will rightfully fade from the public consciousness as soon as it disappears from theatres, doing little likely long-term harm to the careers of anyone involved. https://youtube.com/watch?v=tpiyFHf7GKU
“Your nose like a delicious slope of cream / And your ears like cream flaps / And your teeth like hard shiny pegs of cream.” Diner en Blanc — like Howard Moon's poem — will have you in all white. But sorry, Booshers: the second edition of this Sydney event is just for the sophisticated. Now on five continents, the Diner en Blanc began in Paris 25 years ago thanks to François Pasquier and friends. This year, around 3000 of Sydney's creme de la creme will once again dress in all white on Saturday, November 30, for the event held at an iconic location that remains secret until the very last moment. Following an evening of elegance, fine dining and live music, the foodies then pack up their crystal, dinnerware, tables and litter. Like ghosts (white 'n' all), they leave behind no sign of their rendezvous. (But don't get any ideas: a white sheet thrown over your figure will not do for an outfit). Diner en Blanc guests must either be invited by a member from the previous year, or get on the waiting list for a $38.50 ticket (+$5.50 membership fee).
Every New Year's Eve, Sydney Harbour throws more parties than you can poke a stick at. Some are great — and some are not so great — but we have high hopes for the Sydney Opera House's NYE Party At The House, which will see the upper concourse of its western boardwalk play host to the most cultured rager in the city. Its high vantage point means uninterrupted and super Instagrammable views of the iconic fireworks, which will be curated by Romance Was Born. But there's more to do at the party than just wait for the fireworks. Think an uninterrupted flow of Piper Heidsieck Brut NV Champagne, cocktails, premium beers and Robert Oatley Signature Series wines. You'll also be able to zero in on a seriously yum menu of canapes by Matt Moran and ARIA Catering. Drinks, food and music make up the perfect party trifecta, and in true Opera House style, there will be some stellar sounds. You may know L'Tric as the Australian duo behind the infectious 'This Feeling'. They'll be on hand to help you ring in the new year with some feel-good tunes, and DJ Dan Rowntree will also be providing nu-disco vibes. Start practicing your best dance moves. Tickets are $595 per person and, as you'd expect for the price, they include all your food and drinks for the night. Yes, all the Champagne and canapes. All. Night. Long. So go thirsty, go hungry and go ready to dance — and welcome in 2016 at The House. NYE Party At The House is happening at the Sydney Opera House on the upper concourse of western boardwalk on Thursday, December 31 from 7.30pm – 1am. Tickets are $595 + booking fee. Capacity is strictly limited, so book your tickets early here.
It's funny, you might think the crossover between people who love geek stuff and people who love art stuff would be small, but not so. GRAPHIC Festival at the Sydney Opera House has been proving the crude stereotypers of the world wrong for four years now with its melange of comics, animation, illustration, music, multimedia and storytelling. Not only does the festival pull audiences, it puts on some of the most new and daring events in the country, which in past years have included Gotye's live animated album preview for Making Mirrors and Elefant Traks' Dr Seuss-inspired concert. The headliners are here in abundance in 2013, and they're mainly drawn (ha) from the world of comics. The man most credited with introducing comics as a 'serious' medium and Pulitzer Prize winner for Holocaust-themed Maus, Art Spiegelman, will present a hybrid of slides, talk and music in a performance specially commissioned for the festival. The event, called WORDLESS!, will see Spiegelman share his own history while expounding on the depth comics are capable of. Same room, same day: Grant Morrison — legendary writer of such titles as Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Invisibles, New X-Men and All-Star Superman — will be in conversation with Gerard Way (former My Chemical Romance frontman, now award-winning comic artist). Morrison's not the only Arkham Asylum alumnus either; there's idiosyncratic artist Dave McKean. Best known for his collaborations with Neil Gaiman, he also designed the beasts in two of the Harry Potter films and created more than 150 album covers. And he makes music — six songs of which appear with three stories and a stack of images and film in 9 Lives, his Australian premiere performance during GRAPHIC. Also in the mix are Seth Green (Oz! Scott Evil!) and Matt Senreich of Robot Chicken; Wolverine and Swamp Thing co-creator Len Wein leading a workshop; The Incredibly Short Film Festival (it's GIFs, of course); The Cinematic Orchestra in full flight; and Radio National's Radio with Pictures team-up of homegrown artists and storytellers. They don't say it on their promo material, but what you should understand is that GRAPHIC is like arty Comic-Con, and you don't need to be an uber-fan to feel part of the party. There are few events quite like it in the world. The festival runs from October 4-7 and tickets are on sale on Friday, August 2, at 9am from the Sydney Opera House website.
It's hard to believe holiday season is just around the corner with 2021 coming in close for the fastest year ever award. If you're after some festive fun to celebrate the silly season, you'll be happy to know the Sydney Christmas Fair is back with a huge lineup of Christmas-y entertainment at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter. Running across three weekends in December, you and the fam have plenty of opportunities to enjoy this outdoor and COVID-safe event. Hop on crowd favourite rides like a giant water slide, a classic carousel and the dodgem cars, or join the interactive elf workshops where kids can write letters to Santa, make Christmas cards and stuff stockings. And, if your little one loves to dance, head to the gingerbread house party for a big ol' boogie. Visiting Santa will be contactless this year, so make sure you practice your best physically distanced poses for the all-important pic with the big guy. Be sure to whip out your ugliest Christmas sweater and take your furry friend (BYO dog-sized reindeer ears) for your annual Santa photo, too. Sydney Christmas Fair is running from December 4–6, December 11–12, and December 18–19 at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. For more information and to pre-book your tickets, visit the website.
Our society seems to be developing an obsession for sleeping in places that are not our beds. Are our lives so busy and so constantly on the go that the notion of getting your 8 hours in the quiet comfort of your bedroom sometime between dusk and dawn is becoming impractical, unrealistic and just plain outdated? A range of designs over the past few years seem to be pointing to our desire to harness modcon's to make going to sleep - the concept, the verb - unnecessary and obsolete and instead, in its place, enable us to take sleep with us wherever we go. it seems survival of the fittest is all about adaptation, with new designs allowing our weary bodies to adapt to our demanding lifestyles. Athanasia Leivaditou has added a new incentive to staying late at the office through her latest offering - an office desk that can convert into a bed. The white, seemingly innocuous, everyday office desk masks deep within its belly a 2m x 0.8m x 0.73m escape to the Land of Nod complete with a small flat screen TV. Leivaditou pointed to the contraction of our lives to fit into the walls of our office as the inspiration for her design. If your occupational allegiance is tied not to an office but to mobility, you may want to invest in an OSTRICH. Designer Kawamura Ganjavian states that it is a combination of a pillow, cushion, bed and garment that offers "a micro environment in which to take a warm and comfortable power nap at ease" with a "soothing cave-like interior" into which we bury our heads and hands in mimicry of the habits of the aforementioned large flightless bird. If you want to take the concept of portable sleep vessel one step further, perhaps try out Forrest Jessee's Sleep Suit, which, for all intents and purposes, transforms you into a walking sleeping bag. It was designed as a facilitatory aid to the adoption of an alternative sleep cycle whereby you take frequent naps over the course of a day rather than having a big greedy sleep at night. The pleated foam construction enables the user to hear, eat, breathe and see, as well as, at the user's discretion, keel over whenever and wherever for a comfortable and safe snooze. Mixing literal instrumentality with aesthetic absurdity, these designs simultaneously allow us to adapt to our evolving circumstances as well as, possibly, making us question whether the need for such adaptations is an indication that it is our lifestyles themselves that need changing.
Year after year, we unthinkingly trod along to Tropfest and the Alliance Francaise Alliance French Film Festival. But what about something different, huh? Australia's first annual African Film Festival is here in Sydney. It will showcase some enlightening, thought-provoking and diverse African features, documentaries, animation, shorts, experimental films and classics to audiences across Australia. The opening night features the Australian premiere of Restless City. A visually stunning tribute to New York City, the film had its global premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Nigerian director Andrew Dosunmu creates a kaleidoscope of colour and print as he tells the story of an African immigrant living on the fringes of American society and trying to realise his dreams. When he falls in love with a beautiful prostitute, his life becomes extremely complicated. The opening night will also feature a spectacular dance performance by SAEA Banyana (South Africa, Ethiopia and Angola). The 'SAEA' represents the African nations that these young women hail from, and 'Banyana' means 'the girls' in Nguni. These girls will stomp and shake up a storm as they fuse African roots, Afrofunk and beat, RnB, dancehall and hip hop into an explosive interpretation. Ugandan film Kengere, which features as part of the African Shorts Session, explores many tense political issues through the medium of puppetry. Director Peter Muhumuza Tukei unravels the black history the governments attempted to erase, including a bizarre ruse to justify the murder of an entire village. Liberia 77, filmed in Liberia and Canada, shows the stark changes that have occurred across recent decades in this challenged nation. For director Jeff Topham and his brother Andrew, 1970s Liberia was a childhood paradise of endless beaches, thick jungle — even a pet chimp. Thirty years later, Jeff and Andrew return to Liberia, but what starts as a personal journey, quickly evolves into something they didn't expect. Closing the festival is the Australian premiere of Kinshasa Symphony, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's only symphony orchestra. The film follows the determined, captivating and inspiring members of the orchestra as they overcome daily struggles and celebrate life through the power of music. Image: Restless City.
Wearing your heart on your sleeve might not be all that cool, but wearing your love of ramen proudly emblazoned on your chest? Well, that's completely acceptable. In fact, the designers at Japanese casual-wear retailer Uniqlo wholly encourage the idea, who've just released a line of covetable ramen-print t-shirts. The fresh designs are part of the label's latest spring/summer t-shirt drop, working the theme 'wear your world' with authentic pop culture images from around the globe. The ramen collection is a nod to Japan's most iconic ramen joints, including Ippudo, Menya Musashi, Setagaya and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. Some, like the t-shirt for Ebisoba Ichigen, feature bright bowls of noodle soup, while others are printed with recognisable restaurant logos. Other Uniqlo pop culture collections to hit Aussie stores include one called 'The Brands', one devoted to 80s American movies and an art-meets-fashion tribute, SPRZ (Surprise New York + Eames). The t-shirts are retailing for $19.90, but if you're in Brisbane or Sydney, you can try and nab a free one at the collection launches. Brisbane's Queen Street Mall store will be running giveaways tomorrow — Saturday, October 6 — from 11am–3pm, while Sydney's Pitt Street location will do the same the following weekend, at Saturday, October 13. Uniqlo's Wear Your World ramen t-shirts are available now for $19.90 each. You can purchase them from all Australian stores or online here.
Just as the flickering light of a projector illuminates a darkened cinema, so too have filmmakers from around the globe sought out tales of courage, resilience and survival amidst one of the darkest points in human history. Organised by the Jewish International Film Festival (not to be confused with the Israeli Film Festival) the Holocaust Film Series will present the Australian premieres of 22 recent feature films, documentaries and shorts, from countries including France, Germany, Poland, America and Israel. In doing so, the series aims to examine the relationship between the past and the present, as well as the ongoing role of cinema in historical representations of the Holocaust. Noteworthy titles on the program include The Lady in Number 6, about the world’s oldest concert pianist and Holocaust survivor, and Bureau 06, about the investigators who prepared the case for the Jewish people in the trial of Adolf Eichmann. The former is nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Film, while the latter recently competed for Best Documentary at Israel’s prestigious Ophir Awards. The Holocaust Film Series screens in Sydney and Melbourne starting in late March. For more information, see the JIFF website.
It's that time of year again. The bargain-filled Click Frenzy sale return for its next online shopping riot, kicking off at 7pm on Tuesday, March 17 — and, this time around, it's focusing on Aussie businesses in need. The site's inaugural Places in Need event arrives on the heels of Australia's devastating bushfire season and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This double-whammy has hit the travel sector hard, and Click Frenzy plans to aid local businesses through its quarterly sale. As of 7pm, you'll have access to the usual array of bargain deals on airfare, holiday packages and accommodation, as well as on experiences, tours, car hire and travel insurance. Over 500 deals will be on offer, with big names like Virgin Australia, Travel Online, Flight Centre and Klook all on board. Those deals will specifically focus on a combination of lesser-known Australian gems and well-traversed destinations where tourism is especially low. Of course, in this period of uncertainty, it's not expecting travellers to book a trip for next week. Instead, there'll be flexible dates and cancellation terms — with the intention that consumers will hold onto their vouchers or book for future dates. Now for the deals: expect 70-percent-off Flight Centre packages, 50-percent-off Travel Online destinations, 20-percent-off Hamilton Island stays and 25-percent-off Metro Hotels across Australia. [caption id="attachment_765150" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shotever Jet Boat[/caption] A few of the New South Wales-specific offers include $400-off luxury stays at White Sand Jervis Bay, a free private tour of biodynamic vineyard Lark Hill Wines, a $100 voucher in Bundanoon (when staying at Fulford Folly) and one-night-free accommodation at Redleaf Carriages in Fitzroy Falls. There's also $30 off Sydney-based experiences via Klook, including the Harbour Bridge Climb, skydiving and hot air balloon bookings. Now may be a time to tick these off your bucket list. Other featured deals around the country include one-night-free stays at Waverley House Cottages in Lake Entrance, Yarranungara Yurt Retreat in Oxley and Aurora Ozone Hotel on Kangaroo Island (which was devastated by the bushfires. And the Mansfield Zoo in Victoria is offering adult camping for child prices. And if you're a member (or want to register for free), you get additional benefits, including early access to all of the deals. There's no official 'end' time to the sale this year, either so you'll have extra time to explore and book. Choose wisely. Click Frenzy's Places in Need kicks off at 7pm on Tuesday, March 17. You can find all the tasty travel bargains here. Check each individual deal for exact terms and conditions. Top image: Kangaroo Island by Isaac Forman
Bring any group of people together in a family home, mode of transport or lavish vacation setting, and one thing just might happen: a murder, at least if whodunnits of the page and screen are to be believed. Agatha Christie loved that exact setup, as book-to-film adaptations Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile have shown. The author's play The Mousetrap and recent flick See How They Run, which riffs on it, make the same point. And, so does the clearly Christie-inspired Knives Out franchise. Yes, the latter is a franchise now, with sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery due in cinemas for one week only mid-November, then on Netflix on Friday, December 23. Once again, Daniel Craig (No Time to Die) returns as Blanc, Benoit Blanc, in the first of two followups planned by the streaming platform — and after a first teaser trailer back in September, the film has just dropped its latest sneak peek. "Alright, when's the murder-mystery start?" is still a fabulous line, as it was in the initial trailer; however, this time there's a bit more context. The movie's cast — Craig, obviously, plus Edward Norton (The French Dispatch), Janelle Monáe (Antebellum), Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision), Leslie Odom Jr (The Many Saints of Newark), Jessica Henwick (The Gray Man), Madelyn Cline (Outer Banks), Kate Hudson (Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon) and Dave Bautista (Thor: Love and Thunder) — are in Greece, and they're about to play a murder-mystery party game. Then, there's an actual real dead body complicating their fun. If you saw the original — or any murder-mystery involving a motley crew of characters brought together in one location when someone turns up dead — then you'll know how it works from there. There's a lavish setting, that aforementioned big group of chalk-and-cheese folks, threats aplenty and just as much suspicion. Is the culprit Bautista's Duke Cody on the yacht? Hudson's Birdie Jay in the games room? Hahn's Claire Debella by the pool? You'll have to watch to find out, with the film getting sleuthing in cinemas between Wednesday, November 23–Tuesday, November 29 — a month before the movie heads to streaming. And, you'll want to get in quick, as it's only showing on the big screen for that one week. After that, you're back to waiting for an early Christmas gift at home. Just like its predecessor, Glass Onion is both written and directed by Rian Johnson, with the filmmaker moving onto the franchise after 2017's Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi — and still indulging his love of on-screen puzzles, as shone through in Brick and Looper as well. Check out the full trailer for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery below: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will hit Australian and New Zealand cinemas from Wednesday, November 23–Tuesday, November 29, then become available to stream via Netflix from Friday, December 23. Images: John Wilson/Netflix © 2022.
Each year, the advertising world's mad men and women descend on Cannes for a week-long jaunt on the Riviera. Aside from likely providing the world with more instances of cocaine use by aged executive creative directors than any other event in the world, the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival showcases the world's best commercial creativity across a variety of mediums, including TV, print, outdoor, PR and online. The proliferation of new media channels and the growth of social media has made an already cluttered marketing world a dangerous place to be for cowardly chief marketing officers and the brands they steward. Last year, Old Spice made headlines for their ability to engage consumers in a campaign that repositioned a tired brand in one fell swoop via innovative use of social media. But what lay at the heart of the campaign was its ability to make an emotional connection with audiences through humour. Ads, after all, are a like people: the ones you love and hate are the same ones you remember. This year's best 15 ads were decided over the weekend, with the Grand Prix being awarded to the 'Write The Future' campaign launched by Nike during last year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Here they are, ordered according to how they impressed us here at Concrete Playground HQ. https://youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0 1. 'Force' by Volkswagen Agency: Deutsch Los Angeles https://youtube.com/watch?v=dBZtHAVvslQ 2. Cannes Grand Prix 2011: 'Write The Future' by Nike Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam https://youtube.com/watch?v=xdOoJjvr0GM 3. 'Braids' by H2OH! Drink Agency: BBDO Argentina https://youtube.com/watch?v=CoxCF1xZ7Pk 4. 'After Hours Athlete' by Puma Agency: Droga5 New York https://youtube.com/watch?v=2qD_PiZAz6k 5. 'Premature Perspiration' by Axe Agency: Ponce Buenos Aires https://youtube.com/watch?v=TLgetLmlggA 6. 'The Entrance' by Heineken Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam https://youtube.com/watch?v=VFFnfHQhg-s 7. 'Shoelace' by Otrivin Nasal Spray Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Geneva https://youtube.com/watch?v=DtCU43MteYY 8. 'Slo Mo' by Carlton Draught Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne https://youtube.com/watch?v=8I550mx8QlI 9. 'See The Person' by Scope Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne https://youtube.com/watch?v=T3guZ7dMAkc 10. 'Born Of Fire' by Chrysler Agency: Wieden + Kennedy Portland https://youtube.com/watch?v=BKnhyhm3GdQ 11. 'Office' by Mexican Insurance Institution Association Agency: Ogilvy Mexico https://youtube.com/watch?v=nCgQDjiotG0 12. 'Chrome Speed Tests' by Google Agency: Google Creative Lab New York https://youtube.com/watch?v=Oech5Rpom2g 13. 'Cage Cop' by Skittles Agency: BBDO Canada https://youtube.com/watch?v=lZqrG1bdGtg 14. 'Dead Island Trailer' by Deep Silver Agency: Deep Silver https://youtube.com/watch?v=k0fm3JS4p8U 15. 'Demo Slam: Chubby Bunny' by Google Agency: Google Creative Lab New York [Via Mumbrella]
Need to get around Sydney during WorldPride, and want your trip around town to be as entertaining as the entire festival? Enter Uber Pride Ride, a party bus that's hitting the Harbour City across three weekends. From Friday, February 17–Sunday, February 19, Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26 and Friday, March 3–Sunday, March 5, operating from 6.30–10pm daily, it'll will loop around the CBD — with a heap of drag queen stars on hosting duties. Each night's trips will feature different talents busting out onboard activities — so you might be in for a ride filled with drag bingo, karaoke or an inner-city disco on wheels with Jojo Zaho, Carla From Bankstown, Coco Jumbo, Cassandra Queen, Karen From Finance, Annie Mation and more. The Uber Pride Ride is also hosting educational talks from First Nations LGBQTIA+SB advocacy organisation Black Rainbow. Like to party on the way to the party? This is the hop-on-hop-off — and free — bus for you. It'll take an hour-long City Circle loop, departing at 6.30pm, 7.45pm and 9pm each evening, starting at Australian Museum on William Street. From there, it'll head to St James Station, Powerhouse Museum, Central Station, Albion Street in Surry Hills, Flinders Street in Darlinghurst, Oxford Street in Paddington, then via Craigend and William streets back to the beginning. Like free Uber Pool trips as well? On one weekend, from 12–10pm Friday, February 24–Sunday, February 26, the rideshare company is also doing $100 off trips.
Some Pixar movies bring childhood obsessions to big screen, as seen in the Toy Story and Cars films. If you loved monsters as a kid, the Monsters, Inc flicks definitely also count. Other features made by the beloved animation studio explore exactly what it feels like to be a child — as seen in the wonderful Inside Out, of course, and now in the company's upcoming release Turning Red. We say 'upcoming', and that is indeed accurate — but after both Soul and Luca hit streaming over the past six months, the studio's next movie won't release until March 2022. So, you'll be waiting a while to get another dose of heartwarming animated cuteness. Based on its just-dropped first trailer, Turning Red looks like it'll be worth it, though. Marking the first feature from writer/director Domee Shi, who won an Oscar for her delightful 2018 short Bao, Turning Red takes its moniker literally. Many Pixar flicks do, of course (see also: Finding Nemo, Up, Brave and Onward, for instance). Here, 13-year-old Mei Lee (Rosalie Chiang, also making her movie debut) is an ordinary teen who gets embarrassed by her mum Ming (Sandra Oh, Killing Eve) fairly often, and can find adolescent life a bit overwhelming. So far, so relatable — but when she's overexcited by all of the above, Mei Lee also happens to turn into a fluffy red panda. If you're thinking about the Hulk but red, female, younger and more adorable, that's the kind of vibe the trailer gives. Disney does own both Pixar and Marvel, so that isn't a big leap. Just how Mei Lee copes with her sudden transformations is exactly what the flick will cover, obviously — and, at this stage, viewers will be able to see the end result in cinemas next year rather than on streaming. Check out the trailer below: Turning Red is slated to release in Australian cinemas on March 31, 2022. Top image: © 2021 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
A secret password, golden glitter and burlesque-meets-art — if you're after a party so revelrous, that it's almost scandalous, look to Sydney Contemporary's Night Cap series. With the Old Clare Hotel as the pad for the series running every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during the art fair, expect several evenings of arty debauchery as you rub shoulders with golden coated artists, sip bubbles and celebrate one of Sydney's best annual art events. On Friday, September 8, international speculative superstar Uji Handoko Eko Saputro aka Hahan, whose work is a mix of eclectic, energised euphoria, will host an extremely VIP event — a VVVVVVVVVIP event, actually. Guests will be showered in gold glitter before ending up front and centre for live performances throughout the space. Yes, a secret password is required, so sign up in advance to avoid being left out in a less glittery world. We've also snagged a 20% discount on Sydney Contemporary tickets for you, our lovely readers. You're welcome.
Easter is one holiday that can lose its sheen pretty quickly. Usually once your parents decree you're "too old" for Easter egg hunts. But with the four-day break and eating-centred celebrations (because you fasted for the last six weeks for Lent, right?), there's plenty to get excited for, particularly with the nearby Anzac Day turning this into a ten-day holiday for many.* While some venues shut, others turn on the charm. Only the best have made it into this list, our Ultimate Easter Weekend Itinerary. See you at the Fish Markets, Aqua Egg Hunt and hot cross bun burger queue. *Did you notice that we didn't say egg-cited? That took all of our effort. Friday 5am: Easter Feastival at Sydney Fish Market Sydney Fish Market is the place to be if you want some fresh Good Friday seafood. Expect lots of Easter-themed activities and prepare for massive crowds, as this is the market's busiest day of the year. Make your best fish face and tag it #seafoodieeaster. You'll be immortalised in a printed Polaroid available for pick up at SFM's Tag-n-Print box. Sydney Fish Market is open from 5am to 5pm on Good Friday. 1pm: Seafood lunch at The Bucket List It’s all well and good to kick back on the long weekend with a few well-earned brews, but getting home unscathed is always a priority. With this in mind, the helpful crew at The Bucket List in Bondi, a premium location to enjoy the Good Friday fish fest, are offering a courtesy car to five locations around Bondi, as well as the closest public transport hubs, operating all weekend. Ride on. Shuttle available all day. Drop off points include Seven Ways Bondi, North Bondi Bus Terminal, Bondi Junction Bus Terminal, Waverly Council, and the corner of Fletcher St and Bondi Rd. 6.30pm: Cruise around at Shipfaced Sydney is sorely lacking in places to drink on Good Friday. Luckily, a floating festival is there to fill the void, featuring two floors of music. Cruise around the harbour on a boat whilst sipping on cocktails and listening to some tunes. An array of DJs will be on deck to provide music, including Doctor Dru, Touch Sensitive and Triple J's Lewi McKirdy. Boat departs from King Street Wharf at 6.30pm. Buy tickets here. Saturday 8am: The Grounds of Alexandria Easter Market Come Saturday, the Grounds of Alexandria will be filled with fresh foods and handmade crafts galore. Gather ingredients for Sunday brunch and watch little people search for eggs. Enjoy the live music while waiting for your chance to pose for a photo with the resident Easter Bunny. 2 Huntley Street, Alexandria. The Easter Market is open Saturday through Monday from 8am to 3pm. 12pm: Easter chocolate shopping Head to Four Friends Coffee Chocolate & Tea in Crows Next to find some more unique Easter gifts — their chocolate bunnies are organic, and they do a wicked range of vegan chocolate made with all-natural ingredients and super foods like goji berries, sunflower seeds, and nuts. Or take a trip to Banksmeadow for the Haverick Meats Saturday Store and stock your fridge for weekend festivities. They'll be hosting pop-ups from Little General Olive Oil, Fine French Food and Infinity Bakery. 5/29 Holtermann Street, Crows Nest. Four Friends is open on Saturday from 9am to 5pm 2pm: Record Store Day As the music industry gradually moves online, it’s becoming more and more important to recognise and celebrate our local record shops — those guys that have the rare vinyls, the T-shirts and the posters physically in the shop. So, on the third Saturday of April, check out your local guy. Expect crazy specials, in store appearances and live music to accompany your browsing. At Mojo Record Bar, expect special releases, 'hidden' giveaways, a chance to win an oil painting, free play on the jukebox, drink specials and guest DJs. Everywhere they're lucky enough to have a record store. 6pm: See Mikelangelo for free at Shady Pines The Shady Pines Saloon will be getting extra dirtied up this Saturday night, when the dapper crooner, 'Bull of the Balkans' and sometime Amanda Palmer ally Mikelangelo takes to the stage with his perfectly sculpted quiff and rich baritone to soothe the soul. Not that Shady Pines normally lacks for atmosphere, but on this night it may be at its peak. As part of the 'Two-Faced Weekender', Mikelangelo will also appear at Frankie's on Sunday with band. 256 Crown Street. Show starts at 6pm. Sunday 4pm: Aqua Egg Hunt Who says Easter egg hunts are just for kids? Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel is hosting an egg hunt unlike any other on Easter Sunday, with their inaugural aqua egg hunt for children and kids at heart alike. Suit up in your best snorkelling gear to find eggs littered on the sandy floor of Watsons Bay and win prizes like free seafood platters or a weekend stay at the hotel. They've got a whole weekend of festivities happening; this is just the pinnacle. 1 Military Road, Watsons Bay. Egg hunt starts at 4pm 9pm: Strictly Vinyl at Cliff Dive As the UNDER Ctrl crew have so delicately put it, before everybody in the world became a DJ, DJs used to spin records. In a collaboration with music bloggers Stoney Roads, the guys behind Not Another Boat Party are bringing a night of disc jockeys spinning their real-life actual discs to Cliff Dive. 16 Oxford Square, Darlinghurst. Show starts at 9pm. 10.30pm: The Rhythm of the Night at GoodGod It’s a fact universally acknowledged that we all miss the '90s. The style, the tunes, everything. So, if you’ve got ten bucks, head to GoodGod on Sunday night, where they’ll be cranking the very best that the '90s had to offer the music world . Radical. 55 Liverpool Street, Chinatown. Show starts at 9pm Monday 12pm: Recovery Brunch at the Beresford Hotel So, the long weekend was rough. There were drinks on Sunday night, which is just plain crazy. The only logical conclusion is to head to the pub for a brunch and a beer, and revel in the fact that work doesn’t start until Tuesday. To cater for this, the Beresford is hosting a recovery brunch to cure what ails you, which is probably a hangover. 354 Bourke Street, Surry Hills from noon to 5pm. 1pm: Hot Cross Bun Burger Reuben Hills What better way to spend your Monday off than enjoying some good food? If you're still in the Easter spirit grab lunch at Reuben Hills and munch down on the too-good-to-be-true Bugs Burger. It's a beef burger served with pineapple and pickled zucchini. The crowning glory, however, is the fact that it's sandwiched between a hot cross bun, making for an experience that's both sweet and savoury. 61 Albion Street, Surry Hill. Open Mondays from 7am to 4pm By the Concrete Playground team.
No longer just the realms of Monica Trapaga residencies and kiddie-aimed pantomimes, Twilight at Taronga — the after-hours live music series that boasts perhaps the best view of Sydney Harbour as well as lots of adorable animals — has proven it's got some real cred when it comes to hosting outdoor gigs in the past few years. The 2017 lineup featured the likes of Peter Garrett, Kurt Vile and Killing Heidi, and, from the looks of things, 2018 will be even bigger. Held in Taronga Zoo's natural amphitheatre, the concert series kicks off on Friday, February 2 with a set by Sydney legends The Jezebels. They'll be followed on Saturday by singer-songwriter Dan Sultan, who'll perform alongside Melbourne's The Teskey Brothers. Other standouts include Neil and Liam Finn, The Preatures, Cloud Control with Julia Jacklin, retro faves The Lemonheads and a Valentine's Day special edition of the cult rock music trivia show RocKwiz. They've also announced partnerships with Electric Lady presenting Montaigne, Tired Lion and Sloan Peterson, and Future Classic presenting Mount Kimbie, Kučka and Christopher Port. And yes, ABBA tribute act Bjorn Again will be back by popular demand. Picnic-bringing is encouraged, but there'll also be incredibly delicious hampers available onsite. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, October 17, and include same-day entry into the zoo plus free select public transport. As always, all proceeds will go to the go back into Taronga's ongoing conservation work. TWILIGHT AT TARONGA 2018 LINEUP Friday, February 2 - The Jezabels Saturday, February 3 - Dan Sultan with The Teskey Brothers Friday, February 9 - Paul Dempsey Saturday, February 10 - Neil and Liam Finn Wednesday, February 14 - RocKwiz Thursday, February 15 - RocKwiz Saturday, February 17 - Cloud Control and Julia Jacklin Friday, February 23 - Bjorn Again Saturday, February 24 - Bjorn Again Thursday, March 1 - The Lemonheads and Jebediah Friday, March 2 - The Preatures supported by The Creases Saturday, March 3 - Electric Lady presents - Montaigne, Tired Lion and Sloan Peterson Friday, March 9 - Future Classic presents - Mount Kimbie, Kučka and Christopher Port Saturday, March 10 - James Morrison Sunday, March 11 - James Reyne Plays All Crawl Friday, March 16 - Kate Miller-Heidke supported by Odette Saturday, March 17 - Tex, Don and Charlie Twilight at Taronga will run from February 2 until March 17, 2018. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, October 17 at twilightattaronga.com.
While New South Wales started moving out of lockdown a few months back, life definitely hasn't returned to pre-COVID-19 normality just yet. Slowly, however, more and more restrictions are continuing to relax — including, as just announced today, Wednesday, December 2, very significant changes to venue and event capacity restrictions. As revealed by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, from Monday, December 7, major outdoor events with a crowd are back on the agenda. Regional areas had already been given the go-ahead to host events, such as shows, with 5000 people this summer. Now that bigger cap applies to Sydney as well. Again, the events have to be outside and they must be ticketed — in other words, they must be 'controlled'. Otherwise, outdoor events can only have up to 3000 people. Also changing, as flagged in the most recent eased restrictions announced back on Wednesday, November 25: the in-venue capacity cap. Last week, it was revealed that venues with up to 200 square metres of space could welcome in more customers, with a one-person-per-two-square-metres limit in place from December 1 — and with no limit on the total number of patrons. From December 7, the same will apply to all venues both indoors and outdoors, except for gyms and nightclubs. And, it'll be in place for events as well. At hospitality venues, you'll also be allowed to stand outside. You will need to remain seated indoors, however. Indoor dance floors will be able to welcome 50 people at a time, too, so you can start showing off your fancy footwork again. Seated outdoor stadiums and theatres can move to 100-percent capacity as well, if they're outdoors, ticketed and seated. Indoors, stadiums and theatres can move to 75-percent capacity. [caption id="attachment_720223" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Vivid, Proudence Upton[/caption] For outdoor gatherings — so you and your mates or family having a picnic or barbecue — you can now get together with up to 100 people, too. Also relevant: there'll also be no upper caps for weddings and funerals, either. Premier Berejiklian called the news "a major easing of restrictions" — and noted that the announcement came as NSW clocks up 25 days without community transmission. As previously revealed, another big change will come into effect on Monday, December 14, and it applies to working from home. The NSW Government will remove the public health order that covers the topic, so you can expect more people returning to the office. In line with that shift, NSW residents are also asked to wear masks on public transport as there'll be more people using the network. As always, the usual rules regarding hygiene, social distancing and getting tested if you display any possible COVID-19 symptoms all still apply as restrictions keep easing. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. 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: Vivid, Jordan Munns.
Located on the ground floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, Mode Kitchen & Bar has been a success since it opened in July. It's easy to believe. With a menu created and executed by Francesco Mannelli (ex-est., Balla and Bistrode CBD), the restaurant achieves a delicate balance between casual, bistro and fine dining. To celebrate the launch of this exciting space, we've managed to secure an exclusive giveaway for one of our lucky readers. You could win a four-course dining experience — with matched wines, of course — for you and three friends. That's right, four lucky ducks will have the chance to sample some of Sydney's best food and wine in a delectable feast at Mode Kitchen & Bar. Enjoy a selection of simple dishes, heavily influenced by Mannelli's love of fresh produce. We're talking kingfish sashimi with macadamias, sweet and sour onion, a risotto with asparagus and morel mushrooms and tenderloin medallions with cauliflower and anchovies. Are your tastebuds tingling yet? Perhaps you're more enticed by dessert offerings, like a dark chocolate delice with strawberry sorbet or mango meringue with hazelnut, lime and coconut. Whether it's the sweet or the savoury you're into, Mannelli's menu has something for all. Coeliacs will also be pleased to discover the menu is almost entirely gluten-free. As for the drinks, did we mention each course will be complemented with a matched wine from the venue's list of over 200 drops? Celebrate with a sparkling, savour a crisp white and enjoy a sultry red, each of which will be expertly paired with the dish on offer. As you work your way through the courses, soak up the restaurant's art-deco interior — 1920s glam is the order of the day here. Encircled in fluted glass, Mode Kitchen & Bar is decked out in velvet with hints of brass, marble and leather throughout. To be in the running to win this exclusive dining experience, enter your details below. [competition]639380[/competition]
Every five years, Australia undertakes a national census to collect information about everyone in the country. It focuses on people, obviously. But a similar annual initiative takes a snapshot of the nation's birdlife — and, in the perfect event for a year that's seen us all literally spending plenty of time in our own backyards, you can take part. It's called the Aussie Backyard Bird Count, a descriptive moniker that tells you exactly what you'll be doing. From Monday, October 19–Sunday, October 25, all you need to do is head outside — into your yard, out on your street, at your local park, at the beach or wherever else you're likely to spy some birds — and spend 20 minutes counting all the winged creatures you can see. You'l need to note not only the number of birds, but also the types of each species. By spotting everything from magpies, rainbow lorikeets and kookaburras to whatever that bird is that sits outside your window and trills noisily to wake you up each morning (we've all been there), you'll be helping out BirdLife Australia, the country's largest bird conservation organisation. In its effort to stop bird extinctions and protect birdlife in general, the charity is committed to better understanding which flapping critters are found where throughout the nation. So, with that in mind, it has been running the Aussie Backyard Bird Count since 2014. To participate in the countrywide bird survey, you can either submit your count online via the event's website, or download the free Aussie Bird Count app and provide your data that way. BirdLife Australia asks that you only count birds that you can identify, rather than guessing what type of bird is fluttering around your yard — but both the website and the app include a field guide to help. [caption id="attachment_786211" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sydney Park Wetlands, City of Sydney[/caption] The Aussie Backyard Bird Count runs from Monday, October 19–Sunday, October 26. For more information, visit the event's website.
The best aperitivo hour in the country has returned to Surry Hills' Dolphin Hotel. It's a big call, we know, but when you're bringing together some of Australia's — and the world's — most exciting chefs, sommeliers, winemakers and booze-shakers to cook and pour tasty snacks and drinks all between $5–7, you know you've hit gold. Now in its third year, the aperitivo night runs from 5pm every Sunday in the Wine Room, kicking off on March 3. And the lineup has just dropped for the first three months of 2019. Prepare to be a bit dusty on Monday, folks, it's a big one. Night one will see Morgan McGlone of Belles Hot Chicken fame team up with wine importer Andrew Guard for a 'frozen wine tour'. It's fittingly vague, but we think you can safely assume there'll be some top-notch fried chicken and (probably) frosé. After that, Enmore's P&V Wine + Liquor will we heading east on March 10, natural wine aplenty will be the order of the day when Tassie's Living Wines hits the pub on March 17, and chef Luke Burgess (who's worked everywhere from 10 William Street to Tetsuya's) will round out month with a heap of deep-fried falafel on March 31. April is shaping up to be an exciting one, too, with Melbourne's Carlton Wine Room taking over its Sydney counterpart on April 7, and Continental Deli slinging tinned cocktails and cured meats the following week. In May, the Surry Hills spot will be transformed into a veritable palace of pizza when the team from Melbourne's Leonardo's Pizza Palace hits town. This one is happening on an unknown date so far — we'll let you know when it's locked in. Time to restock your work cupboards with Berocca. DELFINO APERITIVO 2019 LINEUP March 3 — 'Tales of a Frozen Wine Tour', Andrew Guard and Morgan McGlone March 10 — 'Blackout Sunday — Athletes of Newtown Are Coming', P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants, Tai, Mike and Lou March 17 — 'Jura by Magnum', Living Wines (Tas), Roger and Sue March 24 — 'Ruou Khai Vi', Banh Xeo Bar, Tanio Ho and Ben Sinfield March 31 — 'Burgos Felafel House', Luke Burgess April 7 — 'Wine Room Squared', Carlton Wine Room, John Paul Towney April 21 — 'Canned Heat', Continental Deli, Michael Nicolian and Jesse Warketin May TBC — 'Reverse Aperitivo', Leonardo's Pizza Palace
Film festivals love milestones. Queer Screen Film Fest notches up 12 years in 2025, which is no minor feat; however, it's celebrating a number of other anniversaries with one key screening. This year marks a decade since Holding the Man first reached cinemas, and also 30 years since Timothy Conigrave's memoir was initially published. A session of the Ryan Corr (Sting)- and Craig Stott (Barrier)-starring instant Australian classic is indeed on the event's lineup, then — at Sydney Opera House, and also to commemorate the 40th anniversary of New South Wales LGBTQ+ health organisation ACON. One of two film festivals run by Queer Screen, which also organises the Mardi Gras Film Festival during the first half of each year, Queer Screen Film Fest is otherwise taking over Event Cinemas George Street across Wednesday, August 27–Sunday, August 31 for its 2025 edition. The program is solely in cinemas this year, opening with romantic thriller Plainclothes. So, it's, starting with Russell Tovey (Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes) and Tom Blyth (Billy the Kid) in a tale about a closeted undercover police officer. Plainclothes is also part of something brand-new for Queer Screen Film Fest: its own Emerging Narrative Feature Competition. Six titles on the bill are in contention for a jury-decided $2500 prize. While the competition is designed to recognise filmmakers directing either their first or second narrative feature, all of 2025's entrants are from first-timers. As well as Carmen Emmi's Plainclothes, Rohan Parashuram Kanawade's Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Jury Prize-winnering romance Cactus Pears, the Cannes Critics' Week-selected Love Letters from Alice Douard and South Korea's Lucky, Apartment by Kangyu Ga-ram are up for the inaugural gong, as are Elena Oxman's Outerlands with Billions' Asia Kate Dillon and Superman's Louisa Krause, plus Sauna, the first Danish feature with a trans actor and character in a lead role. Fellow highlights across the full Queer Screen Film Fest program — a lineup with 14 Australian premieres — include the Dylan O'Brien (Saturday Night)-led Twinless, a two-time Sundance award-winner, including for both its star and for writer/director James Sweeney (Straight Up); the Western Sydney-set From All Sides, the feature directorial debut of Bina Bhattacharya (a writer on Here Out West); and closing night's Really Happy Someday, which picked up the Best Canadian Feature Award at 2025's Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival. "It is an exciting new chapter for Queer Screen. This new team has worked tirelessly to bring this festival to life in a short timeframe, and we are proud of the strength, diversity and heart that this year's program delivers. We look forward to welcoming audiences back into cinemas to share in the joy of queer storytelling," said Queer Screen CEO Benson Wu, announcing the 2025 program. "At a time when people around the world aim to silence and divide the LGBTIQ+ community, Queer Screen continues to offer a vital opportunity to come together and support each other," added Programming & Industry Manager Andrew Wilkie. "And all the films in this program share that ethos. Stories of people who feel isolated or unseen finding community, friendship and love. Of perseverance and joy. Every film is a chance to not only see ourselves onscreen, but step into someone else's shoes and gain new perspectives." Queer Screen Film Fest 2025 runs from Wednesday, August 27–Sunday, August 31 at Event Cinemas George Street in Sydney. For more information, visit the festival's website.
If you've seen and loved the show Girls, then you know what a character Lena Dunham is. Her work on the big screen is equally amusing. The one-woman-wonder wrote, directed and starred in Tiny Furniture, a clever and amusing coming-of-age dramedy about a bright but lost young woman coming to terms with her stagnant life. In Tiny Furniture, 22-year-old Aura (Dunham) moves back into her artist mother's Tribeca loft after graduating from university. With a useless film degree, a boyfriend who's left her for Burning Man, a dying hamster and no job, Aura is a desperate for someone to tell her what to do. Luckily, her imprudent childhood friend (Jemima Kirke from Girls) and some feckless love interests (including Alex Karpovsky, also from Girls) are thrown in the mix for plenty of roguish escapades. Through gritted teeth and a forced smile, Aura puts her self out there, lands a job at a crummy restaurant and tries to make something of her life like any other twenty-something in New York City. With a witty cast of characters — including her real-life mother, sister and best friend — Dunham's story hits close to home (and was actually filmed in her parents'). Winning Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest and Best Screenplay at the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards, this indie darling has all the salty, satirical and sardonic humour that captivated us even before Girls. Tiny Furniture is available on DVD and digital download on October 23. Thanks to Transmission Home Entertainment, we've got five DVD copies to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=GuD6wF_GPOY
As it turns out, there’s only one thing better than a pitcher of margarita – and that’s a margarita with cucumber, agave and jalapeno chilli salt. The people responsible for these dangerously good concoctions (and for your 3-day hangover) are the owners of Barrio Chino, the newest thing in Mexican to hit the Cross. Don’t mistake what the chefs are doing here for any run-of-the-mill Mexican fare. Barrio Chino replaces the humble burrito with tapas-style serves of Tuna and Avocado Tostada ($12), Glazed Baby Back Pork Ribs ($18) and White Fish Cerviche ($15). The simple taco has also undergone a facelift; mouth-watering Crispy Braised Pork, Chipotle Beer Braised Chicken or Seared Yellow Fin Tuna (all $6) comes neatly parcelled in a soft cornflour base. Make sure you keep an ear out for the specials, too. The most recent Taco of the Week came with prawns and a kiwi-fruit garnish, and caused a sudden spat of food envy around the table. While the portions are small, they’re flavoursome and surprisingly filling. Having said that, any meal here wouldn’t be complete without some sugary sticks of Churros. (Don’t be embarrassed to ask for a spoon to polish off the dulche de leche, either - our party already broke the ice on that one.) To get an accurate picture of the space, throw away any images of piñatas, fake cacti and other gaudy paraphernalia. Barrio Chino’s fit out is stylish and low-key, with a long bar that stretches between the restaurant and front lounge area. Bar seating, big dining tables and an outdoor back area makes it an ideal precursor to a night out with friends. Although, given the bar stays open till the wee hours with DJ’s spinning Friday through to Sunday, you can pretty much have your night handed to you without having to step foot into the Cross. While Barrio Chino is already enjoying an early success, this place will really hit its stride in summer. In the meantime, it’s an ideal hangout for blowing off the rest of winter with plenty of tequila. Read full review and details
Before Monday, March 28 comes to a close Down Under, Hollywood will have anointed a new batch of winners. After months of chatter — almost two since the nominations were announced, in fact — and even longer still of speculation, the Academy Awards will shower accolades upon its 94th round of recipients. Sweeping revisionist westerns, heartwarming animated hits, sci-fi spectacles, history-making documentaries: amid the gorgeous gowns, snappy monologues and sweet speeches that'll inevitably come with 2022's Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes-hosted ceremony, they're all in the running. Yes, the list goes in. And, in a bonus for movie lovers in Australia, you can watch 36 of this year's nominated features right now. Some are showing in cinemas, others are streaming, and a few give you options for either big- or small-screen viewings — and here's your pre-Oscars binging rundown on where to see them all. ON THE BIG SCREEN: BELFAST Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Kenneth Branagh), Best Supporting Actor (Ciarán Hinds), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Our thoughts: Warm, cosy, rosy, charming, feel-good: typically when a film spins its story during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, none of these words apply. But with Belfast, Kenneth Branagh has made a movie set in its eponymous city when the Protestant-versus-Catholic violence was a constant sight, and also helmed a Jamie Dornan, Caitríona Balfe and Judi Dench-starring feature that's about a childhood spent with that conflict as a backdrop. Where to watch: Belfast is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. CYRANO Nominations: Best Costume Design Our thoughts: Love can spring quickly, igniting sparks instantly. Or, it can build gradually and gracefully, including over a lifetime. In the sumptuous confines of Cyrano, all of the above happens — and, with director Joe Wright helming a handsome, detail-laden, rhythmic piece of cinema starring a fantastic Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr, this musical adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac truly sings. Where to watch: Cyrano is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. DRIVE MY CAR Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Ryusuke Hamaguchi), Best International Feature, Best Adapted Screenplay Our thoughts: Forget Green Book and Driving Miss Daisy, American Oscar-applauded films similarly about drivers, passengers and unexpected camaraderie — Drive My Car is in a lane of its own. Filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi takes his central pair and his audience on a patient, engrossing and rewarding trip that cuts to the heart of dealing with life, love, loss, pain, shame and despair, and also sees how fickle twists of chance unavoidably dictate our routes. Where to watch: Drive My Car is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. FLEE Nominations: Best International Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Pairing animation with factual storytelling is still rare enough that it stands out, but that blend alone isn't what makes Flee special. Writer/director Jonas Poher Rasmussen has created one of the best instances of the combination yet, all to share the story of an Afghan refugee who was once a kid in war-torn Kabul, then a teenager seeking asylum in Copenhagen, and now talks through the astonishing ups and downs in his tale. Where to watch: Flee is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. LICORICE PIZZA Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson), Best Original Screenplay Our thoughts: Paul Thomas Anderson's ninth feature births two new on-screen talents, both putting in two of the past year's best performances and two of the finest-ever movie debuts. In this sublime tale of friendship, romance, hanging out and navigating the 70s in San Fernando Valley, that's evident from the first grainy 35-millimetre-shot moments, as Alana Haim (of Haim) and Cooper Hoffman (son of Philip Seymour Hoffman) do little more than chat, stroll and charm. Where to watch: Licorice Pizza is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. PARALLEL MOTHERS Nominations: Best Actress (Penélope Cruz), Best Original Score Our thoughts: Parallel Mothers is classic Pedro Almodóvar, but nothing about that description ever simply unfurls as expected. Once again, he puts Penélope Cruz at the centre of his frames, paints with the vibrant-toned costume and set design that make his movies such a blissful sight for colour-seeking eyes, and focuses on mothers of all shades navigating life's many difficulties — and the result is one of his best films so far. Where to watch: Parallel Mothers is currently screening in Australian cinemas. Read our full review. IN CINEMAS OR AT HOME: DUNE Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Score, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Our thoughts: A spice-war space opera about feuding houses on far-flung planets, Dune has long been a pop-culture building block. It's always been something special, too — but as he did with Blade Runner 2049, writer/director Denis Villeneuve has once again grasped something already enormously influential, peered at it with astute eyes, built it anew and created an instant sci-fi classic in the process. Where to watch: Dune is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Prime Video. Read our full review. ENCANTO Nominations: Best Animated Feature, Best Original Score, Best Song Our thoughts: Five years after Lin-Manuel Miranda and Disney first teamed up on an animated musical with the catchiest of tunes, aka Moana, they're back at it again with Encanto. To viewers eager for another colourful, thoughtful and engaging film — and another that embraces a particular culture with the heartiest of hugs, and is all the better for it — what can the past decade's most influential composer and biggest entertainment behemoth say except you're welcome? Where to watch: Encanto is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Disney+,Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. HOUSE OF GUCCI Nominations: Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: For the second time in as many movies, Lady Gaga is caught in a bad romance in House of Gucci. Yes, she's already sung the song to match. The pop diva doesn't belt out ballads or croon upbeat tunes in this true-crime drama about the titular fashion family, unlike in her Oscar-nominated role in A Star Is Born, but she does shimmy into a tale about love and revenge, horror and design, and wanting someone's everything as long as it's free. Where to watch: House of Gucci is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. KING RICHARD Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Will Smith), Best Supporting Actress (Aunjanue Ellis), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing Our thoughts: Stepping into Venus and Serena Williams' childhood as aspiring tennis stars, King Richard mostly lobs around smaller moments — and it's a tale about imperfections, struggles and contradictions in the pursuit of excellence, too. It spies the sporting greats' formative years through their father (Will Smith), but still steps through life-defining events for the entire family — and the end product is an easy win, though, rather than an all-timer Where to watch: King Richard is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. NIGHTMARE ALLEY Nominations: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design Our thoughts: Don't mistake the blaze that starts Nightmare Alley for warmth; in his 11th film, Guillermo del Toro gets chillier than he ever has. A lover of gothic tales told with empathy and curiosity, the Mexican filmmaker has always understood that escapism and agony go hand in hand — and here, in a carnival noir that springs from William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel and previously reached cinemas in 1947, he runs headfirst into cold, unrelenting darkness. Where to watch: Nightmare Alley is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SPENCER Nominations: Best Actress (Kristen Stewart) Our thoughts: Spencer joins Kristen Stewart's resume after weighty parts in Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, Certain Women and Seberg, and has her do something she's long done magnificently: let a world of pain and uncertainty seep quietly from her entire being. The new regal drama should do just that, of course, given its subject — but saying that director Pablo Larraín has cast his Diana well, pitch-perfect head tilt and all, is a royal understatement. Where to watch: Spencer is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Prime Video. Read our full review. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Nominations: Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: Spider-Man: No Way Home isn't without its charms; Tom Holland and Zendaya's chemistry still sparkles, it's a definite treat to see Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina back in the fold, and, as blasts from the pasts keep popping up, director Jon Watts cleverly juggles the varying tones of all three different web-slinging franchises. But this spider-sequel is always happiest when it's trying to catch the audience's claps and cheers just like flies. Where to watch: Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. WEST SIDE STORY Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Our thoughts: Tonight, tonight, there's only Steven Spielberg's lavish and dynamic version of West Side Story tonight — not to detract from or forget the 1961 movie of the same name. With this swooning, socially aware remake of one of cinema's favourite stories about star-crossed lovers, the veteran filmmaker pirouettes back from the atrocious Ready Player One by embracing something he clearly adores, and being unafraid to give it rhythmic swirls and thematic twirls. Where to watch: West Side Story is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD Nominations: Best International Feature, Best Original Screenplay Our thoughts: Capturing the relentlessly on-the-go sensation that comes with adulthood, as well as the inertia of feeling like you're never quite getting anywhere that you're meant to be, The Worst Person in the World is filled with running scenes that paint a wonderfully evocative and relatable image. Those are apt terms for Norwegian writer/director Joachim Trier's latest gem overall, actually, which meets Julie as she's pinballing through the shambles of her millennial life. Where to watch: The Worst Person in the World is currently screening in Australian cinemas, and is also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. VIA STREAMING: ASCENSION Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: Starting with factory recruitment on the streets, then stepping into mass production, then climbing the social hierarchy up to the rich and privileged, Ascension explores employment, consumerism and the everyday dream in China. Observational to a mesmerising degree, it lets its slices of life and the behaviour, attitudes and patterns they capture do the talking — and what a smart, telling, incisive and surreal story they unfurl. Where to watch: Ascension is available to stream via Paramount+. ATTICA Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: Half a century after the infamous Attica uprising at the New York jail — which ended with 33 inmates and 10 correctional officers dead, all most all at the hands of law enforcement — this intelligent, compassionate and powerful documentary asks prisoners who were there to share their stories. Entwined with archival footage, it isn't an easy watch, but it's not just grim and infuriating but gripping and essential during every second. Where to watch: Attica is available to stream via Paramount+. BEING THE RICARDOS Nominations: Best Actor (Javier Bardem), Best Actress (Nicole Kidman), Best Supporting Actor (JK Simmons) Our thoughts: If Aaron Sorkin's name is attached to a project, film or TV alike, plenty of talk always ensues. That's no different in this Sorkin-written and directed biopic about Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) — which focuses on a difficult time in their marriage, and in their sitcom I Love Lucy, but largely just makes viewers wish that they were watching that television series and the real-life Ball instead. Where to watch: Being the Ricardos is available to stream via Prime Video. CODA Nominations: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Troy Kotsur), Best Adapted Screenplay, Our thoughts: CODA, the sophomore feature from writer/director Sian Heder (Tallulah), takes its cues from 2014 French hit La Famille Bélier — and it's a rare example of the remake bettering the original. Following 17-year-old Ruby Rossi's (Emilia Jones, Locke & Key) struggle to balance her commitments to her family, all of whom are deaf, with her dreams of attending music school, it's filled with warmth, naturalism, engaging performances and a welcome lack of cheesiness. Where to watch: CODA is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review. COMING 2 AMERICA Nominations: Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: Coming 2 America might make knowing jokes about pointless sequels made decades after original hits, but that winking attitude doesn't make this 33-years-later sequel to Coming to America any better. This time around, Eddie Murphy's Prince Akeem of Zamunda has to grapple with becoming king, finding out he has a 30-year-old son and realising that his country's patriarchal traditions need dismantling, and laughs are thin from start to finish. Where to watch: Coming 2 America is available to stream via Prime Video. CRUELLA Nominations: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: A killer dress, a statement jacket, a devastating head-to-toe ensemble: if they truly match their descriptions, they stand the test of time. Set in 70s London as punk takes over the aesthetic, live-action 101 Dalmatians prequel Cruella is full of such outfits — but if the Emma Stone-starring affair was a fashion item itself, though, it'd be a piece that appears fabulous from afar, but can't hide its seams. Where to watch: Cruella is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. DON'T LOOK UP Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing Our thoughts: On paper, Don't Look Up sounds like a dream. Using a comet hurtling towards earth as a stand-in, Adam McKay parodies climate change inaction and the circus that tackling COVID-19 has turned into in the US, spoofs self-serious disaster blockbusters and enlists a fantasy cast. But he's still simply making the most blatant gags, all while assuming viewers wouldn't care about saving the planet, or their own lives, without such star-studded and glossily shot packaging. Where to watch: Don't Look Up is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE Nominations: Best Actress (Jessica Chastain), Best Makeup and Hairstyling Our thoughts: Not for the first time, the eyes have it, but then they always have with Tammy Faye Bakker. The second film called The Eyes of Tammy Faye to tell the 70s and 80s televangelist's tale, this biopic, frequently puts its namesake's OTT and instantly eye-grabbing peepers in focus. That's apt, given the Jessica Chastain-starring flick hones in on perspective; however, it'd be a better film if it pondered what she truly saw, or didn't. Where to watch: The Eyes of Tammy Faye is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. FOUR GOOD DAYS Nominations: Best Original Song Our thoughts: Based on a true tale and coming to the screen via a Washington Post article, Four Good Days isn't subtle — but Mila Kunis and Glenn Close's performances still hit the mark with power and empathy. They play a mother and daughter, the former a ten-year heroin addict trying to get clean for the 15th time, the latter her long-suffering mother, and both wading through a lifetime of woes in search of a brighter future. Where to watch: Four Good Days is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. FREE GUY Nominations: Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: Free Guy is a big-budget, star-led movie that primarily exists to answer two not-at-all pressing questions: what would The Truman Show look like if it starred Ryan Reynolds, and how would that 1998 classic would fare if it was about massive online video games instead of TV? In the process, it's firmly Hollywood's equivalent of mass-produced soft furnishings emblazoned with self-help platitudes and designed to sit on as many couches as possible. Where to watch: Free Guy is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE HAND OF GOD Nominations: Best International Feature Our thoughts: The Hand of God isn't a Diego Maradona biopic; however, Paolo Sorrentino's film takes its name from the soccer star's move during a 1986 World Cup match, where he used his hand to score a goal and helped win the game. Based on the filmmaker's own youth, it also tells of a time when the player was a deity to the not-yet-movie-obsessed future Italian cinema great — and the life-changing personal dramas that occurred with that soccer worship in the background. Where to watch: The Hand of God is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE LOST DAUGHTER Nominations: Best Actress (Olivia Colman), Best Supporting Actress (Jessie Buckley), Best Adapted Screenplay Our thoughts: Watching Olivia Colman play a complicated woman is like staring at the ocean: it's never the same twice; it couldn't be more unpredictable, no matter how comfortable it appears; and all that surface texture bobs, floats, swells, gleams and glides atop leagues of unseen complexity. The Lost Daughter is the latest example, and it's exceptional, with actor-turned-filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal making a bold directorial debut bringing Elena Ferrante's novel to the screen. Where to watch: The Lost Daughter is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. LUCA Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Even when Pixar makes a minor delight, like Luca, its usually swims well beyond most of the other family-friendly fare that gets pumped in front of young eyes. Set in Italy over a resplendent summer, this coming-of-age tale might be the closest that Pixar ever gets to making a Frankenstein movie. Forget the whole coming back from the dead part; instead, teenage sea monsters Luca (Jacob Tremblay) and Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) just want to belong. Where to watch: Luca is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Fighting the robot apocalypse has rarely been as fun on-screen as it is in this feel-good, family-friendly (and family-loving) animated delight. Artificial intelligence takes over, the world's technological gadgets enslave humans, and it's up to a film-obsessed teenager and her quirky family to save the day, work through their baggage and ensure that humanity has a future — all of which makes for smart, funny, warmhearted and savvily playful viewing. Where to watch: The Mitchells vs the Machines is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. NO TIME TO DIE Nominations: Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Our thoughts: James Bond might prefer his martinis shaken, not stirred, but No Time to Die doesn't quite take that advice. While the enterprising spy hasn't changed his drink order, the latest film he's gives its regular ingredients both a mix and a jiggle. The action is dazzlingly choreographed, a menacing criminal has an evil scheme and the world is in peril. But, there's more weight in Daniel Craig's performance, more emotion all round, and a greater willingness to contemplate the stakes. Where to watch: No Time to Die is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE POWER OF THE DOG Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Jane Campion), Best Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), Best Supporting Actor (Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee), Best Supporting Actress (Kirsten Dunst), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Our thoughts: Jane Campion has never helmed anything less than stellar, and she's immensely capable of unearthing rich new pastures in well-ploughed terrain. With The Power of the Dog, the New Zealand director is at the height of her skills trotting into her latest mesmerising musing on strength, desire and isolation — this time via a venomous western that's as perilously bewitching as its mountainous backdrop, and is also teeming with stunning performances. Where to watch: The Power of the Dog is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON Nominations: Best Animated Feature Our thoughts: Featuring a vibrant animated spectacle that heroes vivid green and blue hues, a rousing central figure who is never a stock-standard Disney princess and lively voice work, Raya and the Last Dragon boasts plenty of highlights. It embraces southeast Asian culture with a warm hug; it's always detailed, organic, inclusive and thoughtful, and never tokenistic; and it benefits from the pitch-perfect vocal stylings of Awkwafina as the playful, mystical half of the film's title. Where to watch: Raya and the Last Dragon is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS Nominations: Best Visual Effects Our thoughts: In Marvel's 25th film, Simu Liu anchors a film about history and destiny, too — one that's about breaking free from the past and committing to the future — and he heartily embraces the occasion. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings itself flits between offering up a lively picture that strives to carve out its own space in the series, and simply serving up more of the usual Marvel template but in enticing packaging, however, but it's always entertaining. Where to watch: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. SUMMER OF SOUL (...OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) Nominations: Best Documentary Feature Our thoughts: Much of Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) involves stunning archival footage, as recorded more than five decades ago and never seen since, capturing live performances by an astonishing lineup of musicians at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. Directed by Questlove, consider this glorious documentary an act of unearthing, reclamation and celebration, then. It's a gift, too — and a phenomenal one. Where to watch: Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. TICK, TICK... BOOM! Nominations: Best Actor (Andrew Garfield), Best Film Editing Our thoughts: Lin-Manuel Miranda's filmmaking directorial debut, Tick, Tick… Boom! charts theatre composer Jonathan Larson's (Andrew Garfield) path to the autobiographical one-man-show that shares its name — before he went on to make a little production called Rent. It's a loving ode, albeit an inescapably overexcited one. And it's also clearly a case of art imitating life, with Larson's enthusiasm for the art form he cherished so feverishly coming through strong. Where to watch: Tick, Tick... Boom! is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH Nominations: Best Actor (Denzel Washington), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design Our thoughts: Bringing Shakespeare to the big screen is no longer just about doing the material justice, or even letting a new batch of the medium's standout talents give their best to the Bard's immortal words. For everyone attempting the feat (a list that just keeps growing), it's also about gifting the playwright's material with the finest touches that cinema allows — and this version of Macbeth, directed solo by Joel Coen, bubbles not only with toil and trouble but with all of the above. Where to watch: The Tragedy of Macbeth is available to stream via Apple TV+. Read our full review.
She's had seizures on stage, let audiences drink her blood and walked two and a half thousand kilometres along the Great Wall of China. Now, one of the world's most influential performance artists will be the subject of a 2016 career retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Often called 'the grandmother of performance art', for forty years Marina Abramovic has pushed the boundaries of art and the artist's place in it, often putting her own body on the line in the process. Anytime you hear about Tilda Swinton sleeping in a glass box, or Shia LaBeouf wearing a paper bag on his head, odds are you can thank Abramovic for the inspiration. The 2016 MCA retrospective will combine photography, video, sculpture, installation and live performance, and feature material from the artist's personal archives that has never been publicly exhibited. We've heard Abramovic's celebrated performance Nightsea Crossing will feature, so get ready for some serious face-offs. Abramovic will also be in Sydney in June 2015 to perform a brand new piece, as part of the Kaldor Public Art Project organised by millionaire arts philanthropist John Kaldor. Abramovic has previously commented on Australia's influence on her work, after she spent time in the outback developing her ideas with German artist Ulay. The Serbian-born artist rose to prominence in the 1970s with daring pieces such as Rhythm 0, in which she laid out items including a rose, a feather, honey, a scalpel and a loaded gun, and invited spectators to use them on her in whatever way they wished. In 2010 she spent more than 700 hours at a table in the atrium of New York's Museum of Modern Art, while members of public took turns sitting opposite her. One of her most high profile visitors was Lady Gaga, with whom Abramovic subsequently collaborated on the singer's third album, ARTPOP. Via Sydney Morning Herald. Image: Lisson Gallery.
The energetic and soulful Jake Bugg made a name for himself with his self-titled debut album, becoming the first male artist to debut at the top of the UK charts with a first release. His unique blend of folk, pop and rock tunes has astounded audiences worldwide, and his shows in Australia last year lived up to the hype. This April, the 19-year-old rock star in the making is bringing his act back here to show off his sophomore album, Shangri La. The album recruited legendary producer Rick Rubin, as well as other stalwarts of the music industry, including Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. The sound is classic Bugg, with a renewed, revved up energy. Having already sold out in Melbourne, the Sydney show at The Enmore on April 20 is on sale now, but tickets are sure to go fast. So get in quick to make sure you see the prodigy who is sure to continue climbing the charts for a good while yet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Veq6GQHU3is
They're acting icons with four decades of work to their names. They also each played a part in the delightful Paddington movies — but in different films. We're talking about Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, who finally share the screen in six-part mini-series The Undoing. As married couple Grace and Jonathan Fraser, a renowned psychotherapist and a celebrated children's oncologist respectively, they seem to have the perfect New York City life. The drama's title tells you that change is coming, though. When a woman connected to the ultra-expensive school attended by their teenage son Henry (Noah Jupe) turns up dead, the Frasers' existence begins to unravel. Or, as Big Little Lies writer David E Kelley and The Night Manager director Susanne Bier make clear, perhaps it was already unfurling but Grace and Jonathan just didn't realise. Also starring Donald Sutherland as Grace's father and Edgar Ramirez as the police detective with many a suspicion about the Frasers, The Undoing serves up twist after twist as it investigates not only a crime and a marriage, but the lives of the wealthy and privileged.
With stay-at-home orders and social-distancing measures ruling most of our lives right now, there's a good chance your usual Mother's Day traditions are off the cards for 2020. But even if you can't visit, hug or tee up a lavish boozy brunch with your mum, you can still show her you care, albeit from afar. Maker of luxury personalised leather goods, Maison de Sabré is a family-owned label that knows a thing or two about accessorising in style. It's selling elegant signature pieces that are crafted from top-quality leather and custom printed for a unique finish and a healthy splash of self-identity. And who wouldn't feel like a total boss showing off a statement piece stamped with their own name or monogrammed with their initials? Or better yet, their star sign? The chic Maison de Sabré range runs from wallets and clutches to sleek phone cases, all in a variety of regal-looking hues. But those hunting down mum gifts will want to hit up the newly-dropped Mother's Day collection, featuring modern silhouettes, hand-stamped in either silver or gold foil, and each design emblazoned with a sketch of a blossoming carnation. The last touch is a luxe nod to the traditional Mother's Day floral choice — and one that might just be received with a little more fanfare than a standard bunch of blooms. There's a whole swag of colours to choose from — whether Mum's into a bold 'pomegranate red', or perhaps a softer 'matcha green' situation — plus, the phone cases are available to fit a variety of different smartphone styles. As an added bonus, Maison de Sabré is currently offering free express shipping on all orders, too, so they can get to mum in time for May 10. It's the kind of lasting Mother's Day fix that can be enjoyed from wherever your mama might be riding out the COVID-19 storm. Or hey, perhaps you've earned yourself a little something for handling iso life like a champ. For more information and to nab your mum a personalised pressie, head to the Maison de Sabré website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Gone are the days when a handful of 20 cent coins was like a wad of fifties, when you would buy finger buns — with their iconic pink icing and coconut shavings — with the silver scraped from the bottom of your bag. The tuck shop might've deserved a visit from the Health Inspector, but the buns were pink, they were sugary, they were cheap; they were everything we once wanted in food. But apparently those days aren't totally gone — just the price point and dubious hygiene. Adriano Zumbo is transforming his Rozelle and Waverley patisseries into 'Fluffy's Aussie Bakery' as a creative homage to Australia Day. For ten days Zumbo's will be the classic Aussie bakery with kitsch decor, vintage chalkboard art and baked goods. Among the treats on offer from tomorrow until January 26 are finger buns, neenish tarts, cream buns and lamingtons. All that's missing is a milkshake and sausage roll. The pop-up bakeries can be found at 114 Terry Street, Rozelle and 24 Arden Street, Waverley, somewhere round Memory Lane.
Prepare to get hopelessly devoted — again — to Rydell High, summer lovers reuniting at school, leather jackets and Pink Ladies, all across Australia's stages in 2024. Because giving Grease a prequel streaming series isn't enough, the 50s-set musical is returning to its original home, with a brand-new multimillion-dollar theatre production of the five-decade-old show set to be the one that local audiences want next year. Grease is shaping up to be Melbourne's big summer hit, zipping into the Victorian capital's Her Majesty's Theatre like lightening in January. Then, from March, it'll take its retro stylings to Sydney's Capitol Theatre. If you live elsewhere in the country, cross your fingers that these two initial seasons are only the beginning. Everyone knows Grease's plot by now, given how popular the 1978 movie adaptation of the musical rom-com still is, especially Down Under. It is about an Australian transfer student, after all, who falls in love with an American high schooler in California. After it sped from the stage to become a silver-screen classic, it spawned a 1982 Michelle Pfeiffer-starring sequel, too, then this year's Paramount+ show Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. Exactly who'll be slipping into John Travolta (Paradise City) and the late, great Olivia Newton-John's (The Very Excellent Mr Crocodile Dundee) leathers as Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson in the new Aussie production has yet to be revealed, nor has any casting — T-Birds, Pink Ladies and teachers alike. But whoever gets the gig, obviously they'll be belting out all the famous tunes, including the titular 'Grease' and fellow earworms 'Summer Nights', 'Sandy', 'Hopelessly Devoted to You', 'You're The One That I Want', 'Greased Lightnin' and 'Beauty School Dropout'. "I am thrilled that Grease, one of the world's all-time favourite musicals, is returning to Australia in a brand-new production featuring an all-Australian creative team," said producer John Frost announcing the new tour, which is presented by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia. "Grease has always been about having fun and, coupled with the much-loved songs and choreography, I know that this will be the party musical that everyone is talking about for a long time to come." GREASE 2024 AUSTRALIAN TOUR: From January 2024 — Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne From March 2024 — Capitol Theatre, Sydney Grease will tour Australia in 2024, starting in Melbourne in January. For more information or to sign up for the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website.
There are more than a couple of covert events taking place in the Tasmanian wilderness right now. But as of 2017, there is one less. Two revolutionaries — aliases Spinifex and Dr. Gesundheit — have left the cover of the canopy to declare they're constructing a contingency for the ailing human race. Starting today, they're calling for potential crew members who know — or want to learn — a thing or two about rebuilding societies from the ashes up. So as not to raise suspicion or alarm, the training/selection process has been given the moniker of Newkind Festival. The immersive event purports to be presented by UpUpTrampoline, a group known for creating live art events that pursue social change. The lie is a necessary one. For four days from March 17-20 in a secret location in eastern Tasmania known only as 'base camp', participants will become initiates of the future — the Newkind — and imbued with the skills to navigate the ascent out of the cataclysm. The Newkind are split into six categories — farmers, scouts, healers, administrators, engineers and artists — depending on the contribution one wants to make to the new world. Each group will camp together over the course of the weekend, taking part in lectures and classes on assisting a chastened humanity in rebuilding. For those with skills to share, Spinifex and the good doctor are still accepting applications for volunteers here. At $400 a pop, tickets are pricey. Then again, it includes all meals and the promise of calm acceptance should anarchy begin to shred the lie we call society. The reckoning isn't far off now. Will you be the one left in the desert still searching for phone reception or leading a small band to the only drinkable water for miles? Newkind Festival could be the difference. Newkind Festival will take place in a secret location in eastern Tasmania from March 17-20. Tickets are on sale and can be bought at newkindfestival.com.
Sure, it's the middle of winter and most of those planned tropical getaways have been put firmly on hold (and relegated to the realm of dreams), but that hasn't stopped the folks behind renowned Sydney distillery Poor Toms from releasing their most holiday-worthy concoction yet: a bright and vivacious piña colada gin. The new drop is a labour of love that's been in the works for a while, taking the team two years to perfect thanks to hero ingredients like pineapple and coconut being notoriously tough to distill. There's freshly juiced pineapples in there, along with some dehydrated fruit, toasted coconut — that's been both distilled and fat-washed in coconut oil — and lots of aromatic extras like pandan, lime and allspice. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDN6gDvDHoy/ As such, there are only a total of 5000 bottles up for grabs, available now at select bottle shops, or from the online store. So, you'll want to be quick if you want to inject some boozy sunshine into your 2020. Fun and fruity, the newly dropped gin is like some international beach vacation, distilled into a bottle. "Our philosophy is about bringing surprise and pleasure to people's lives, however we can," Poor Toms Co-Founder Jesse Kennedy said in a statement. "You may not be able to travel overseas, but you can still have a holiday in your lounge room." The distillery's tasting notes describe a "toe-dip of milky coconut rough" and a "welcome tidal wave of brine-soaked juniper and lime peel". And, obviously, it pairs perfectly with Rupert Holmes' 'Escape (The Piña Colada Song)'. If that's not exactly the kind of vibe we need right now, what is? Poor Toms' Pina Colada Gin is available now at select Victorian and NSW bottle shops, or for Australia-wide shipping via the online store. The 700-millilitre bottle comes in at $77.
An upcoming exhibition will show us if necessity really is the mother of invention, when it comes to art. Japanese artist Tomokazu Matsuyama will board a Sydney-bound plane in Tokyo, with a fully charged but unplugged Toshiba Portégé Z20T in his hand. His mission? To create an entire exhibition using only the notebook before its battery runs out. That’s 17 hours, exactly. You’ll be able to judge the success of Matsuyama’s experiment for yourself on June 24 and 25, when the fruits of his labour go on show at the Quayside Room of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. The free exhibition, titled Made in 17 Hours, will open at 7pm each evening. Even though there’s no charge, it is ticketed, so you'll need to book a spot via Eventbrite. Limited food and drinks will be served. Tomokazu Matsuyama was born in Tokyo in 1976 but now lives in New York City. He has exhibited all over the world, from San Francisco’s Gallery Wendi Norris to Luxembourg’s Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery to Australia’s Lesley Kehoe Galleries.
A disintegrating Buddha, giant plesiosaurs, robot operas, Samoan Viennese Waltzes, electronic data installations, performance art-turned-dance parties, live gig record fairs, ten thousand tigers; Carriageworks has unveiled its epic program for 2015. And we mean epic. Immediately visible for Carriageworksgoers will be Zhang Huan's Sydney Buddha, sure to be a huge drawcard for Carriageworks (and previously announced in conjunction with Sydney Festival) and Jonathan Jones' site-specific exploration of Indigenous connection to contemporary space. For Huan's highly-anticipated work, two, five metre tall Buddha sculptures made of 20 tonnes of incense ash and its aluminium case, will face each other. Made of incense ash collected from Chinese temples (and set to disintegrate slowly within Carriageworks), one of these giant sculptures acts in the same way a Tibetan Buddhist mandala works — a stunning, complex, time-consuming artwork to be briefly enjoyed and subsequently destroyed, reminding us of the brevity of life. One artist who has been continuously pushing the limits when it comes to questioning our existence in this data-driven age has been Ryoji Ikeda. After the audio-visual assault of his last Carriageworks show, test pattern [no. 5], Ikeda makes his grand return to Australian shores with his new head-spinning work, superposition — an all-encompassing performance stretching across the barriers of sound, language, physical phenomena, mathematics and human behaviour. Visual artist Ho Tzu Nyen is obsessed with cats. While emphasis is usually given to Singapore's colonial past, Nyen chooses to reveal his home country's neglected histories – the history of the feline. Premiering in Australia at Carriageworks for the first time, Nyen's visual work, Ten Thousand Tigers pays homage to the symbolic power and sheer magnificence of the Malayan tiger — blending together live performance, video, installation, and sound. There's no other way to commemorate the start of Mardi Gras except to throw a massive party. Part performance art, part music, and part dance, Day for Night is one cut above the rest. Curated by Jeff Khan (Performance Space) and Emma Price (The Kingpins), the event sees Carriageworks transformed into a large-scale space for queer expression for a full three days — helmed with tunes from local electronic outfit Stereogamous (Paul Mac and Johnny Seymour) and self-described as sounding like a "gay bath house". Enthusiasts in film, screen and video work won't want to miss 24 Frames Per Second, a truly monumental, ambitious undertaking by Carriageworks. Consisting of 24 commissioned screen-based works by 18 Australian and six international artists, this exhibition has been in development for three years. Ever really looked at a football crowd at the height of intensity? You should really take another look. The name David Malouf may strike a familiar chord with some. Maybe it was because you read him in high school, or spotted him amongst the literature big guns on the Booker Prize shortlist. Upon the eve of the Gallipoli centenary, Malouf's haunting work comes right in time for a remembrance of its calamities and the perseverance of the Australian spirit in the world premiere of his classic novel, Fly Away Peter, as a contemporary opera. Australian composer Elliott Gyger, director Imara Savage and librettist Pierce Wilcox combine in what will sure be an affecting performance by the Sydney Chamber Opera. Made for kids but likely to be enjoyed wholeheartedly by adults, Prehistoric Aquarium comes from the geniuses behind Erth's Dinosaur Zoo. Puppetry at its most whimsical and dinosaur-focused, this work lets you dive in to hang with the plesiosaurs. Then Wade Marynowksy's Robot Opera takes a similar fun-filled adventure using robotics, dancefloors and sound to examine our relationship with technology — and allowing you to throw shapes with a bunch of robots. Performance is perhaps the strongest card played in Carriageworks' 2015 program. In a collaboration we've been waiting to see happen for years, Bangarra will undertake their very first season at Carriageworks with Ochres, the iconic four-part work that revealed Bangarra as a company and examines the spiritual significance of colour (yellow, black, red, white) to Aboriginal people. Then, cultural displacement is examined in Siamani Samoa, a new work in which Michael Tuffery and the Royal Samoan Police Band transport their Viennese Waltz-playing daily march to Carriageworks and raise the Samoan flag (simulating their daily routine through the German-colonised Samoan city of Apia). Some of the Carriageworks program is cloaked in mystery and a cheeky smile, dependent purely on Sydneysiders curiosity and daring to book an unknowing ticket. Renowned French choreographer Francois Chaignaud is set to present Dumi Moyi an intimate, multi-lingual baroque recital performance developed with French fashion designer Romain Brau and inspired by "Indian religious performance, 19th century dime theatres and urban contemporary elements." We're officially perplexed. Music fans have a few focused gems to look forward to next year at Carriageworks. The inclusion of cult Italian composer Fausto Romitelli has contemporary music fans frothing, as his final work An Index of Metals is taken on by director Kip Williams and soprano Jane Sheldon for an Australian premiere. FBi Radio's Martin Doyle is presenting At First Sight, part record fair, part live gig, while eclectic Aussie record label Room40 celebrates 15 years with Open Frame: featuring the Australian debut of audiovisual work Hypnosis Display by Grouper and Paul Clipson, Austin Beckett and label founder Lawrence English. For anyone who visited 13 Rooms at Pier 2/3 in 2013, you might have stumbled across Xavier Le Roy's work Untitled (2012). For the 31st Kaldor Public Art Project, the French artist presents his solo work Self Unfinished and will create a site specific work at the Mosman oil tanks. On a performance art note, the brand new work by award-winning Branch Nebula, dubbed straightforwardly Artwork, makes people question the realities between stage and life using a very intriguing snare (we can't say much more, we'd ruin everything). This morning's announcement joins the shiny new excitement-driving elements of the 2015 Carriageworks program with the already-revealed. American artist Nick Cave — most well known for his androgynous, anonymous, nationless soundsuits and for being confused with our Nick Cave — will be appearing in conversation in a free event at Carriageworks on November 13. Announced for Sydney Festival earlier this year, Force Majeure's unapologetic, stereotype-ditching work Nothing to Lose sees FM's outgoing artistic director Kate Champion collaborate with artist and fat activist Kelli Jean Drinkwater to celebrate the beauty of the larger dancing body. Also announced for SydFest, UK artist Mira Calix's stunning plan to create Inside There Falls, a sound sculpture in the form of a paper maze, featuring choreography from Rafael Bonachela and narration by Hayley Atwell, photographer Greg Barrett's luckily-timed video work Spongebob Squaretimes. Annually-anticipated staples in the Carriageworks calendar are back for another year. Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week Australia picks the new trends in April; unmissable conference for design lovers, Semi Permanent, returns in May; August marks the return of national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander playwriting festival Yellamundie; and Australasia's new international art fair, Sydney Contemporary, returns after a huge year in 2013. Plus, Sydney Dance Company collaboration New Breed is booked in for a three year residency, with fresh batches of new choreographers crafting works with SDC's top tier. Finally, Carriageworks' projects in development should stay on the radars of Sydneysiders: Hossein Valamensh's first large-scale new media work Char Soo, Kristina Chan's A Faint Existence is exploring impermanence amidst an electronic score by James Brown and New Normal sees a national strategy initiated by Carriageworks to support the development of contemporary disability arts practice: ten new Australian and international works will be commissioned and presented over five years. Plus, the program cover will be embossed with shiny gold font. Everyone wins. Find out more about the entire 2015 Carriageworks program over here. Words by Amelia Zhou, Jessica Surman and Shannon Connellan.
International hotel giant Mantra Group has entered into an agreement to purchase the Art Series Hotels for a cool $52.5 million. The agreement will see the seven Art Series Hotels join the Mantra's ever-expanding family, which currently holds 128 properties and more than 21,500 rooms across Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Hawaii. Each of the seven boutique Art Series Hotels is dedicated to and inspired by iconic Australian artists, meaning each location has a distinct personality and aesthetic — some of them even made it into our best boutique hotels feature. There's The Cullen in Prahran, The Larwill Studio in North Melbourne, The Olsen in South Yarra, The Blackman on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, The Chen in Box Hill (currently in the final stages of construction and set to open in November 2017), as well as The Johnson in Spring Hill, Brisbane and The Watson in Walkerville, Adelaide. "This is a rare opportunity to acquire a collection of exceptional hotels and one which is expected to make a significant contribution to Mantra Group's business," says Mantra group chief executive officer Bob East. "These hotels have been operated to the highest standards by a passionate and dedicated team, and we are delighted to welcome such iconic and favoured properties to our growing network of hotels and resorts." The acquisition is expected to be settled later this year.
Typewriters are probably the most-sought after and treasured piece of redundant technology in the sweeping landscape of once lame and now cool thingamajigs, including the cassette tape, the Holga camera and the record player. Typewriters are both beautifully designed and encourage a completely different, more permanent, mode of writing - one which has no 'delete' key. Ardent hipster poets, typography fetishists and Cormac McCarthy are all proponents of the humble typewriter, and with the hysterical wave of appreciation has come a range of design innovations. We've seen artists using the typewriter's punctuation keys to create art and the creation of typewriter apps for your iPhone. We've also seen some terrible, terrible poetry. The latest innovation takes the typewriter to a whole new level. American painter Tyree Callahan has created The Chromatic Typewriter, the world's first fully-functional painting typewriter. The typewriter has been built and submitted for the 2012 West Prize Competition, an annual art prize determined by popular vote. Callahan took a lonely and unused 1937 Underwood Typewriter and replaced the letter keys with colour pads and hue labels. This means that each time a key is pressed, you don't get a letter appearing on the page but a small rectangular pixel of colour. So far the typewriter has been used to create abstract landscape works on paper. The West Prize is still open, so if you feel like giving props to the Chromatic Typewriter you'll need to download the app to the iPhone we're assuming you have and vote there. [Via PSFK]
UPDATE, May 7, 2021: Us is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. With his Oscar-winning directorial debut Get Out, Jordan Peele gave the world a powerful metaphor for everyday, engrained oppression. In the sunken place, the film's black characters are sent falling down an endless rabbit hole while their lives are controlled by wealthy white folks. African Americans are forced to watch from a cavernous expanse of darkness, all as someone else pulls their strings. Robbed of agency, they become passengers in their own journey, rather than drivers of their fate. The movie's brilliant blend of scares and social satire gives more flesh to the scenario, but the mechanics are straightforward: one race is sent plummeting; the other climbs higher through their subjugation. Peele's concept isn't a one-time idea, as his sophomore film shows. Us doesn't feel like Get Out redux for even a split second, but it does give another clever and chilling dimension to the notion of flailing versus prospering — and another example of who's doing both. This time, the writer-director puts class under his magnifying glass, while still training his gaze firmly at his country. It's not by accident that the movie's title can be read as U.S., aka the United States. That's not supposed to escape anyone's attention. Perhaps the greatest trick that Peele pulls, however, is slicing into the horror of just peering in the mirror and thoroughly detesting what's looking back. After a quick glimpse at an ad for 80s charity campaign Hands Across America, Us' 1986-set prologue sends a young girl (Madison Curry) into an actual house of mirrors. "Find yourself" the funhouse at the Santa Cruz beachside amusement park promises. She does, although not in the usual way — and as flashbacks remembered by the adult Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'o) reveal, she's left forever shaken by the process. In the present day, Adelaide returns to the Californian spot with her husband Gabe (Winston Duke) and children Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex). She's wary and worried as her family pals around on the beach with their better-off friends, the Tylers (Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Cali Sheldon and Noelle Sheldon). Later, Adelaide tries to explain her visible unease to Gabe, confessing that she has always felt as if her other self was coming for her. With the arrival of the Wilsons' doppelgängers on their driveway that night, her words are proven accurate. Decked out in matching red jumpsuits, wearing lone tan gloves and clutching golden scissors, the sinister doubles call themselves 'the tethered' — and they're here to cut that name to ribbons. What begins as a tense, terrifically staged home invasion soon becomes much more, as Adelaide and her loved ones face off against their murderous counterparts. The terror that follows boasts more angles than the reflective maze that starts this unnerving story. It also contains more twists and turns than the abandoned and unused tunnels buried beneath the U.S., as pointedly referenced in the film's opening title card. Finally, it features more meticulously deployed pop culture references and nods than might be expected in a movie that remains so thoughtfully distinctive. Us is a creeper in multiple senses of the word. It's disquieting from the outset (even more so when it spends its opening credits staring at caged rabbits), but Peele knows how to let that unease fester and grow. While the 'master of suspense' label was bestowed decades ago, the comedian-turned-filmmaker is just as devastating at cultivating distress as Hitchcock or any other iconic horror or thriller director. He's similarly adept at using every tool in his arsenal. After giving It Follows such a disconcerting look, cinematographer Mike Gioulakis does so again here, especially while shooting in domestic spaces. Aided by a few choice song selections that range from NWA to the Beach Boys, Get Out composer Michael Abels conjures up another needling score designed to set viewers on edge. But it's the way that Us' agitated, anxious mood refuses to dissipate that marks the movie as something special. The narrative and its ideas are undeniably creepy and, even when some aspects initially seem a tad too obvious, the film resonates long after viewing. Us' tone, images and sounds reach further, however, truly and deeply creeping under the audience's skin. The simple sight of four shadowy figures looming over a house in the dark of night instantly demonstrates how effective Us is in a visual sense. Choreographed movements of the balletic, stilted and frantic kind do as well. They also highlight Us' other key element, because central to the malaise is Peele's cast. Their characters might battle themselves, but the actors never do the same, always making their dual roles feel like individual creations. If Daniel Kaluuya can earn an Academy Award nomination for Get Out, there's no reason that Nyong'o can't achieve the feat for her twin parts as both a fraught, complex victim and a calm, unrelenting aggressor. Her performance as Red, Adelaide's mirror image, is as delightfully disconcerting and affecting as the doppelgänger's gravelly, haunted voice. From Duke's transformation from goofy dad to non-verbal brute, to Joseph's expressiveness as both a too-cool teen and a psychopathic killer, to a particularly flighty then unhinged turn from Moss, Nyong'o is also in great company. Of course, that's one of the movie's mischievous tricks: as it delves into the divide between 'us' and 'them', it puts everyone in the same unsettling situation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bavqDA_3vIo
Unlike the often slow-moving Skybus, plans for Melbourne's long-awaited airport rail link seem to be speeding ahead. Last year, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced that construction would start within ten years; however that timeline has been updated. Work is now set to get underway within the next four years if the state's current Labor government is re-elected. As revealed today by the Premier, 2022 is the new commencement date for the rail link — and the service also now has a proposed route. The government's preferred plan is to connect the CBD to Tullamarine via an expanded transport hub at Sunshine station, as well as using the existing Albion East rail reserve plus sections of tunnel to connect from there to the airport. Facilitating links to regional and metro train lines including the Melbourne Metro, it's known as the Sunshine alignment, and it's the frontrunner among the four routes under consideration. https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/1020813444327485440?s=19 The news comes as part of a broader funding announcement, with the government set to pledge $5 billion to the project. That sum matches the amount committed by the Federal Government back in April, with a total cost of up to $13 billion anticipated. The rest of the funds will be raised from private sector contributions. "This project has been talked about for too long, it's time to get on and build it and that's exactly what we'll do," said Premier Andrews in a statement. The proposed rail line is expected to help ease congestion, speed up travel times and create a stack of new jobs in the process — and finally give Melbourne a services that plenty of other state capitals already have, with Sydney and Brisbane's airport rail links long-established, and Perth currently in the process of building its own. Melbourne's airport rail link will commence construction as the state's other major train infrastructure project nears completion, with the $11 billion Melbourne Metro slated to be up and running through stations in Parkville, North Melbourne, CBD North, CBD South and the Domain by 2025. Image: Global Panorama via Flickr.
Earlier this year, long-time Opera House tenant Guillaume Brahimi announced that he and his team at fine dining restaurant Guillaume at Bennelong would be leaving the Opera House, after 12 years, a three-hat rating and over half a million guests. Now, Brahimi has announced the location of his next venture — a brand new Paddington restaurant set to open around Easter in 2014, simply titled guillaume. Brahimi and his team — which includes head chef Jose Silva and head sommelier Chris Morrison — will say their final goodbyes to the Opera House on New Year's Eve before moving into the site previously occupied by Darcy's restaurant in Paddington. Brahimi’s previous ventures have included Pond in Potts Point, Quay and his two existing Bistro Guillaume restaurants at the Crown Casinos in Melbourne and Perth. guillaume will continue focusing on the type of food Guillaume at Bennelong was famous for — high quality, produce-driven fine dining.
