UPDATE: JANUARY 6, 2020 — Due to complications caused by the ongoing NSW bushfires, Sydney Festival has cancelled performances on Friday, January 17 and Sunday, January 19. The Mermaid will still sun on Saturday, January 18. Performance artist Hanna Cormick is asking who gets to make art and why. Cormick has genetic disorders that mean she uses a wheelchair, brace and respirator — she cannot breathe normal air. In this show, she repurposes those medical devices to imagine herself as a mermaid, unable to breathe the air that we take for granted. It's a show that challenges our approach to sharing and consuming resources but it's also an act of defiance; Cormick risks seizures and allergic reactions whenever she performs in public. The show also comes with a warning for other people with airborne sensitivities and trigger warnings for medical references. It takes place at the Coal Loader and it's one of the cheaper shows to catch during the Festival.
Long before the pandemic hit, all manner of books, movies, self-help websites, Instagram feeds and slogan-emblazoned homewares told us that we should all value the little things in life. That message has probably felt particularly relevant over the past year — or, right now, given the spate of lockdowns that have recently swept through most of Australia's state capitals. So, even though it's the very definition of a s small win, scoring a free packet of Tim Tams likely seems especially appealing at the moment. Locked-down residents of Sydney — and folks in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra, too — can nab a chocolate biscuit fix on Wednesday, July 7. The occasion: World Chocolate Day. Yes, it's one of those food-focused celebrations that pops up all the time, but it's also an excuse to indulge your sweet tooth. Deliveroo and Tim Tam have teamed up to give away 5000 packets of bikkies. You'll need to order some food for delivery, you'll have to spend at least $25, and you'll need to pick from one of 100 participating restaurants nationwide, too. Also, you'll need to get in early, because the freebies are available until stocks last. Eateries taking part include Bar Luca, the Rashays chain and Johnny Bird in Sydney; Boss Burger Co, Peach's Fried Chicken and Royal Stacks in Melbourne; and Arrivederci Pizzeria, Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers South Brisbane and The Yiros Shop Fortitude Valley in Brisbane. In Perth, Charco's The Flaming Chicken and Kitchen Inn Express are on the list, while Adelaide's Lukuomades and The Potato Project are also taking part — and so are Fricken Fried Chicken and Mama Dough Pizza Shop in Canberra. On Wednesday, July 7, if you order a meal that costs at least $25 from 100 different restaurants, you can score a free packet of chocolate biscuits. For further details, head to the Deliveroo app. Top image: Bilby via Wikimedia Commons.
When 2023 sweeps in, it will have been two decades since composer Stephen Schwartz and playwright Winnie Holzman took a book inspired by The Wizard of Oz, put it to music and turned it into one of Broadway's biggest hits of the 21st century. When next year arrives, it'll also mark Australian musical theatre fans' latest chance to see that very show right here at home — because Wicked is flying into Sydney next August. Even if you haven't seen the blockbuster show before, including on its past Aussie run from 2008–11, then you've likely heard of it. Following the Land of Oz's witches — telling their untold true tale is the musical's whole angle, in fact — Wicked has notched up more awards than you can fit in a hefty cauldron over the years. That includes three Tonys from ten nominations, a Grammy, an Olivier Award and six Drama Desk Awards. Also huge: its worldwide footprint, playing in 16 countries around the world since its 2003 debut. And, when it makes its way to Sydney Lyric for its latest Aussie run, it'll do so after enchanting itself into fourth place in the list of longest-running Broadway shows ever — even surpassing Cats. Story-wise, Wicked starts before The Wizard of Oz and continues its narrative after Dorothy Gale lands, adapting Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The text itself has sold 5.5 million copies, including five million since the musical first opened. Here, before Dorothy blows in, two other women meet in the Land of Oz: Elphaba and Galinda. One will later be known as the Wicked Witch of the West, while the other will become Glinda the Good Witch. Exactly why that happens, and how, and the pair's relationship from rivals to unlikely friends to grappling with their new labels, fuels the show's tale. Wicked is being brought to Australia by John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia, Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B Platt and David Stone — and will also take to the stage again before the in-the-works two-part film adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo (Pinocchio) as Elphaba and Ariana Grande (Don't Look Up) as Galinda, and directed by Jon M Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians), is due to start reaching cinemas in 2024. Back to the stage show, it's too early for cast announcements — and so far, only a Sydney season has been locked in. Pop on your ruby slippers and click your heels three times in hope that Wicked will tour the country — and defy gravity in Melbourne, Brisbane and more — afterwards. View this post on Instagram A post shared by WICKED in Australia & NZ (@wickedinoz) Wicked will play Sydney Lyric from August 2023, with exact dates yet to be announced. We'll update you with further details when they're revealed. For more information or to join the ticket waitlist ahead of sales starting sometime in November, head to the production's website. Images: Joan Marcus.
"Take a picture of a picture from the past in the present." This directive is the basis for a great new Tumblr project, Dear Photograph. Just a few weeks old, the blog is a collection of photos of people holding up old photographs in the original location the photograph was taken, thereby showing what has changed over the years to striking effect. The idea and execution is relatively simple. In fact, Sergey Larenkov flashed us back to WWII in a similar fashion a few months ago. The end result though is incredibly enjoyable - a sense of pure nostalgia and a chance to look at time passing right before your eyes. Hopefully, with some increased attention more people will be inspired by the project, go out and take their own photos, and build up the collection.
Flights. Accommodation. Sightseeing. Parking. Wherever you're heading, they're all essential inclusions in your travel budget — but no one likes forking out a fortune just for the convenience of leaving their car near the airport. If you think your holiday money could be better spent elsewhere, and you're one of the more than 40 million passengers who journey through Sydney airport each year, then you might want to drive your vehicle to Park on King. Open since March 20 at 338 King Street, it's the city's newest and cheapest off-site airport car park, offering up spots for just $4 per day until the end of April. For comparison, parking at Sydney's Airport's on-site car park costs $61 per day, so you'll be making quite the saving. And while the $4 rate is an introductory special, from May 1 the regular price will hit a still-dirt cheap $8 per day. The site is also the city's largest of its kind, and will boast more than 1600 spots once it is fully complete. It features valet parking, 24-hour security, electric vehicle charging stations, and the options of getting your car serviced and/or washed, plus an on-demand shuttle that'll get you to the terminal in 10 minutes. Find Park on King at 338 King Street, Mascot, and visit their website for further information.
Perpetually moody rockers Sonic Youth are selling some of their vintage equipment and gear in order to raise money for Shelter Box USA, a charity devoted to responding "instantly to natural and manmade disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are in most need." The band has already put several items up for sale on eBay with more expected to come in the next few days. For those interested there is a xylophone that was used in the recording of Daydream Nation's 'Kissability', a 1970s Rhythm Ace Drum Machine, a very odd looking glockenspiel, an array of guitar road weary guitar cases complete with band stickers and even a custom-made mixer that was built for the band and used on stage by bass guitarist and vocalist Kim Gordon. So far the best buy looks like the xylophone, which is by far the cheapest item going for just $50. But then again it is hard to go past a vintage 1970s drum machine. https://youtube.com/watch?v=rK9QkjXm0I8
Cosmos at the ready. When Sex and the City and its sequel series And Just Like That... are streaming across the screen, that's the only drink that will do. Your next excuse to sip vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and lime juice will arrive in June, when Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon all return to the New York-based characters they've been playing on and off for a quarter century. Yes, that's when And Just Like That... will be back for season two. If you've spent any part of the past two-and-a-half decades dreaming about being a fabulously dressed Big Apple writer who seems to do very little work but can still afford a fantasy wardrobe — or if you've just filled it drinking a lot of pink-coloured cocktails — then you'll already be excited. And, you'll know that the first season of And Just Like That... was both announced and premiered in 2021, 17 years after Sex and the City wrapped up its HBO run. Two years later, the show will start dropping its second season from Thursday, June 22 on Binge in Australia, this time spanning 11 episodes — one more than season one — and bringing back another familiar Sex and the City face. As seen in the first teaser trailer for season two, and also first revealed back at the beginning of 2023, John Corbett (To All the Boys: Always and Forever) is reprising his role as Aidan Shaw. He'll return to make Carrie's post-Big love life even more complicated after the world's most infamous Peloton workout. Also on the way: more of Carrie (Parker, Hocus Pocus 2), Miranda (Nixon, The Gilded Age) and Charlotte (Davis, Deadly Illusions) going about their lives and friendships in their 50s, when things are even more complicated than they were two decades ago. Season two will also feature Sara Ramírez (Madam Secretary), Sarita Choudhury (Ramy), Nicole Ari Parker (Chicago PD), Karen Pittman (The Morning Show), Mario Cantone (Better Things), David Eigenberg (Chicago Fire), Evan Handler (Power), Christopher Jackson (Space Oddity), Niall Cunningham (Poker Face), Cathy Ang (My Best Friend's Exorcism) and Alexa Swinton (Old), all similarly returning from season one. A reminder: due to Kim Cattrall's absence, And Just Like That... has been badged as a "new chapter' in the Sex and the City story, rather than an additional season of the existing 1998–2004 program. Parker, Davis and Nixon are also executive producers on And Just Like That..., alongside Michael Patrick King, who worked as a writer, director and executive producer on the original (and on the two terrible 2008 and 2010 Sex and the City movies). Check out the first teaser for And Just Like That..., season two below: And Just Like That... season two will start streaming via Binge in Australia from Thursday, June 22. Images: HBO.
Sydneysiders, it has been a long two months — and the city's lockdown is still set to continue until at least the end of September. But Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been talking up New South Wales' path forward, and the way out of the current statewide stay-at-home rules, with high vaccination rates identified as the key tactic. Wondering what that means? Today, Wednesday, September 1, the Premier provided a few more details. Already, NSW residents had been told that something would change once the state hit six million jabs. And, come 12.01am on Monday, September 13, that'll indeed be the case. The Premier has already advised that the rules around outdoor gatherings will change slightly — allowing people who live outside of Sydney's Local Government Areas of concern to enjoy outdoor recreation in groups of five, as long as all adults are fully vaccinated, and fully vaxxed adults in LGAs of concern to go outside for outdoor recreation in family groups for an hour a day. From there, the next big milestone arrives when 70 percent of people in NSW who are eligible to get the jab have had both of their doses — and that's when more significant changes are set to kick in. In August, NSW Police Minister David Elliott revealed that allowing restaurants, bars, pubs and gyms to open to fully vaxxed NSW residents at the 70-percent threshold was part of the plan, and the Premier has now expanded upon the strategy. "Obviously, New South Wales always takes a responsible approach, but the national plan does say at 70-percent double-dose vaccination that you can expect to go out and have a meal, you can expect to attend a public event, you can expect to go and get services that you can't expect now — but obviously we'll take a very responsible approach," Berejiklian said today. "We know that indoor gatherings or people coming to your home are high-risk. But outside of that, there are many, many things we can't do now that we should be expect to be able to do when we have 70 percent of the adult population vaccinated." "That's what the national plan says," the Premier continued. "Of course, at 70 percent there will be density requirements, QR code check-ins, validation that you're vaccinated, mask-wearing in certain settings, so there will be obviously constraints and restrictions in place. But compared to what we're going through now, life will be much better at 70-percent double dose than it is now — and I'm calling out to businesses to say let's have September the month we all get ready." [caption id="attachment_798221" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] If you're in a hotspot Local Government Area, however, there hasn't been any clarity on whether the relaxed rules at the 70-percent threshold will apply in parts of Sydney dubbed LGAs of concern. The Premier didn't directly respond to a question on that exact topic, but did say that "everybody should expect a level of freedom which they don't have today." She continued: "it will depend on a number of other factors but let me be clear — no matter where you live in New South Wales, please expect to have much more freedom than you do now as long as you're vaccinated fully and as long as 70 percent of residents are vaccinated, and details will be provided in the next little while." The Premier has been promising to release a roadmap outlining how NSW will ease rules moving forward, and how it will come out of lockdown, since mid-July. In late August, she was also set to reveal the roadmap, but announced the extension of Sydney's lockdown and the eased outdoor gathering rules instead. But, as Berejiklian keeps mentioning, the plans hinted at so far fall in line with Australia's new 'National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response' that was announced in July. It's worth noting that the national plan requires all of Australia to reach each vaccination threshold overall before an individual state or territory that's met that milestone can ease restrictions. Whether NSW will stick to that requirement hasn't been revealed. Today, the Premier said that NSW "can get back to life at 70-percent double-dose vaccination, which we anticipate will happen somewhere around the middle of October." In all the discussion so far, exactly what eased rules at the 70-percent mark will mean in NSW in practical terms still hasn't been revealed, but outdoor dining is likely to be a big feature, as it was in 2020 when NSW reopened after lockdowns. Also, vaccine passports may play a part, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcing after Australia's last National Cabinet meeting on Friday, August 20 that work will now move forward regarding "incorporating the proof of vaccination status into existing state and territory check-in apps." If you're wondering were you can currently get vaccinated, there's a handy online map that helps you find your nearest clinic. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 — White Rabbit's And Now exhibition has been extended until January 2021. To celebrate its tenth anniversary last year, Chippendale's White Rabbit Gallery launched a huge two-part retrospective. The first half, dubbed Then, featured giant pink fibreglass undies, a porcine car with an 11-metre gold tongue and 30 life-sized naked figures. Now, the follow-up exhibition has been announced. Called, fittingly, And Now, it showcases 15 key works from the second part of White Rabbit's life: 2011–2019. Come Wednesday, March 11, the three-storey gallery will be filled with videos, giant sculptures, paintings and performative pieces. A three-part video installation by Liu Chuang will see Stephen Spielberg, Zhou Dynasty bells and bitcoin come together (figuratively) to explore issues of displacement in Bitcoin Mining and Field Recordings of Ethnic Minorities, while Zhu Jinshi's The Ship of Times — made from 14,000 sheets of xuan paper, 1800 pieces of fine bamboo, and 2000 cotton threads — will symbolise spiritual transformation. The latter recently travelled to the National Gallery of Victoria for an impressive White Rabbit exhibition. You'll also find a tall pillar of red glass by ceramicist Liu Jianhua, a performative video piece by Patty Chang in which she washes a rotting whale carcass, and two works by provocative artist, and former Ai Wei Wei studio assistant, Zhao Zhao. Images: Kimberley Low
Tired of stale old superhero stories with their predictable Hollywood plotlines? Wouldn't you rather watch a movie about a half-man, half-fish instead? If your answer to either one of those questions is yes, then it's time to dive into the program at KOFFIA, aka the Korean Film Festival in Australia. Merman comedies aside, the lineup at this year's festival is packed full of highlights. Held at Event Cinemas on George Street, genre fans can scream through exorcism flick The Priests, and be pushed to the edge of their seats by supernatural thriller The Wailing. We're also extremely keen for zombie apocalypse tale Train to Busan, which is only screening in Sydney. Viewers after something a little less on the gruesome side won't be disappointed either. This year's program boasts a number of Korean rom-coms, headlined by Cho Sung-kyu's disarming relationship farce Two Rooms, Two Nights. For the full KOFFIA program, go here.
Sydney's first theatre, opened in 1796, was the brainchild of released convict Robert Sidaway. Three shillings and sixpence would buy a front box, and those out of cash could swap flour, meat or spirits for a seat. By early 1800, Sidaway, who'd been transported to Australia for life for committing grand larceny, was presenting Shakespeare's plays. A few months later, the colonial authorities shut the theatre down for its perceived "corrupting influence". A hundred years later, the arts are perceived as playing a key role in deepening connections between officialdom and the public. In the eyes of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority CEO, Catherine Gallagher, "The Foreshore Authority is always looking for inventive ways to interpret history, and the arts offer us a way to think and look at the world differently." The SHFA's latest project is one of its most ambitious and exciting yet. On April 12, a four-storey windmill will pop up in The Rocks, operating for one month as both a wheat grind and an arts venue. The extravaganza of events focuses on The Rocks' history and physical surroundings, incorporating music, art, food, architecture, history, storytelling, science, and technology. Highlights include Bell Shakespeare's scenes from Henry IV, Penguin Plays Rough's presentation of Rocks-themed stories from new writers, and audio shows from both FBi Radio and artist Jane Ulman. For a hands-on experience, visitors can attend workshops with the likes of The Rizzeria, Make-Space for Architecture, and Craft NSW. Green thumbs will have the opportunity to learn about wheat cultivation with Gardening Australia's Costa Georgiadis and get their hands dirty with the windmill's sustainable garden. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Nearly all events are free; however, spaces are strictly limited. Online registration, available from March 11, is essential.
Getting around Vivid can be thirsty work. There's so much to see, eat and do — from immersive experiences in Netflix's Stranger Things at Luna Park to a plethora of live performances at the Opera House. But the good news is that Henley's at King Street Bar and Wharf is inviting you over for a pit stop. Drop by from 5pm any evening during the festival and you'll be treated to Vivid Fiesta, which translates to margaritas and Mexican fare at a fraction of the usual price. More specifically, Henley's is offering a snacky spread for two for $49. You'll each get a margarita — be it classic, mango, strawberry, passionfruit, or spicy watermelon — alongside a serving of guacamole and corn chips, plus your choice of two tacos. Don't want to miss out on any of the action while you're resting? Don't worry. Henley's is right on the water, so you'll still have lovely views.
Porch & Parlour has risen from the ashes, opening its doors for the first time since a fire forced its closure in August. The beloved Bondi bar and eatery is sporting a fresh look throughout, incorporating a new retail space and a revamped menu offering. On the walls, you'll now spy artworks by the likes of Vicki Lee and Ted O'Donnell, while a striking blue San Remo coffee machine is turning out those New Year caffeine hits. Alongside tried-and-true menu staples like the green pea pancake and breaky bowl, the Porch & Parlour kitchen is dishing up a swag of new season creations, zinging with vibrant local produce. Think, cinnamon scroll french toast, topped with banana, blueberry compote, maple syrup and a whipped lemon feta cream, and a loaded veggie bowl with cashew and turmeric dressing, all primed for those post-beach brunch sessions. And for lazy afternoon visits, see the 'sundowner' offering, running from 4–8pm, Friday through Sunday. You'll find top-notch specials on sips like Regal Rogue spritzes, lemon myrtle-infused gin and tonics, and mezcal margaritas. Find the new-look Porch & Parlour at 17-18/110 Ramsgate Ave, Bondi Beach. It's open from 6.30am–4pm Monday to Thursday and 6.30am–8pm Friday to Sunday.
Combining a thought-provoking mixture of life, loss, love, tea and Twitter, Rock Surfers Theatre Company in collaboration with the Bondi community and various artists present Future Senior/Former Youth. This new verbatim theatre work offers a delightful insight into the power of good old-fashioned storytelling through the use of interviews, multimedia and stitch-inducing comedy. One for all ages, the show encourages the audience to exercise their empathy, just like the artists' own empathies were exercised in the making of this work. Young artists interviewed senior community members, while senior artists interviewed the young, and both came together to make this production.
Party like it's the turn of millennium at Hudson Ballroom's NYE special. Much loved club staple Rhythm of the Night will be taking over the venue from 9pm and spinning '90s hits until the wee hours. In the front room, you'll be getting R&B classics, while the back room will be transformed into a rave den, complete with laser shows, smoke machines and all the dance anthems. As usual, DJ Levins, who's just toured Australia with The Vengaboys, will be leading the proceedings, joined by Ariane, Flex Mami, Kritty, Shag, Nic Kelly and special guests. There's no need to fret about what to wear — you're being called on to commit to '90s all the way. We're talking pedal pushers, hyper-colour t-shirts, double denim, overalls, scrunchies, slap bands and jelly sandals. Go on a Spice Girls YouTube extravaganza and you won't be stuck for inspiration.
Years of labour are plastered across the face of Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan). She hasn't just toiled away in a sweatshop-like laundry since she was a child — she was born there, and had no choice but to follow her mother into the gruelling line of work. At the age of 24, and as a wife to Sonny (Ben Whishaw) and mother to George (Adam Michael Dodd), she thinks she knows what her future holds. Her story isn't unique. That's why it's important. That's why Suffragette is important too. There's no mistaking the spirit that seethes through both the character and the feature. Both endeavour to subvert the status quo, give a voice to the masses and plead for gender equality. It’s a vital cause, embodied in an everywoman-type protagonist and an impassioned — albeit blunt and traditional — period drama. Accordingly, Suffragette charts the horrors of Maud's reality while agitating for an alternative. And it does so via a simple but effective story. After seeing a brick thrown through a shop window as part of the crusading campaign, Maud is convinced by a colleague (Anne-Marie Duff) to find out more. She soon realises that she has to fight not only for the right to vote, but for a world in which she doesn't receive less pay for more work, watch her lecherous boss take advantage of the ladies under his supervision, or be expected to do what her husband tells her without question. The members of her group, the Women's Social and Political Union, are ignored, attacked, arrested and treated like criminals, forcing them to increasingly adopt more drastic measures. Helena Bonham-Carter appears in a supporting role as an ailing chemist and activist, while Meryl Streep pops up in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance, giving a speech as real-life movement leader Emmeline Pankhurst. Providing an example of the male power refusing to concede ground, Brendan Gleeson plays a police inspector determined to put the feisty femmes in their place. More than anything, however, Suffragette belongs to the woman behind its heroine. Once again, Mulligan is subtle but stirring, expressing more in her face and physicality than the dialogue can say, while also offering a convincing transformation from onlooker to instigator. Plus, she adds a second powerful feminist role to her 2015 resume after a similarly outstanding turn in literary adaptation Far From the Madding Crowd. Mulligan is the standout player, but she's not the only highlight. Though the script by writer Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady) is earnest, obvious and rather conventional, director Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane) doesn't waste a frame — or a handsomely lensed image — in conveying its point. And while the end result may be heavy-handed, that doesn't lessen the film's message or its impact. Tellingly, its strongest statement remains long after the credits roll. Suffragette may take viewers back more than a century, and much may have changed since then. But the battle for parity among the sexes is far from over.
In a couple of months, when it's time to see how 101 Dalmatians' Cruella De Vil came to be such a villain, moviegoers will have two choices. When the end of May hits, you'll be able to see the Emma Stone-starring Cruella on the big screen — or you'll be able to sit on your couch, jump onto Disney+, pay an extra fee and check it out from home. More of a Marvel kind of film fan? Been looking forward to Black Widow, which was originally supposed to release in cinemas last April but has been delayed several times due to the pandemic? You'll have the same pair of options when that flick releases in July, too — a couple of months later than was last slated, but still in the very near future. Disney has announced that the two big movies will go the same route as Raya and the Last Dragon, which made its way to cinemas and Disney+ at the same time at the beginning of this month. The news is hardly surprising, given that theatres in different parts of the world are at different stages of reopening — or, in some cases, still closed. Indeed, after over a year of holding off from making move with Black Widow, the Mouse House just might be setting the template for its releases moving forward. So, you can expect to see Cruella in cinemas on Thursday, May 27 and on Disney+ the next day, on Friday, May 28. As for Black Widow, it'll hit the silver screen on Thursday, July 8 and then become available to stream on Friday, July 9. Because neither film will be included in your regular Disney+ subscription, just how much extra you'll pay to watch them at home hasn't been revealed — but Raya and the Last Dragon costs $34.99 on top of your monthly or annual fee, so that's a good guide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmRKv7n2If8 If you'd been looking forward to Pixar's next flick, the Italian-set Luca, you'll also be able to watch that at home from Friday, June 18. In this case, though, it's completely bypassing cinemas, and it won't cost you anything extra to see on Disney+. The animation studio's last movie, the gorgeous and moving Soul, did the same last Christmas — so again, this isn't unexpected in the slightest. Last year, Disney moved Pixar's Onward to streaming when cinemas started closing, then did the same with the terrible Artemis Fowl, the phenomenal filmed version of Hamilton and the visually impressive live-action Mulan, too — so yes, this is becoming a trend. Recognising that viewers want choice when it comes to watching big-name new-release movies was always bound to happen, of course, but the pandemic has certainly sped up the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdAIBlPVe9s Cruella will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, May 27 and on Disney+ on Friday, May 28. Black Widow will hit the big screen on Thursday, July 8 and then become available to stream on Friday, July 9. And Luca will hit Disney+ on Friday, June 18. Top images: Black Widow, photo by Jay Maidment. © Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved / Cruella, photo by Laurie Sparham. © 2021 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
There is nothing quite like a good snap to capture a moment. And nothing quite like good photojournalism to add a personal touch to the news stories that dominate our headlines. Every year the World Press Photo exhibition collects the very best press photos from the very best photojournalists and assembles them into one very impressive exhibition, which then travels to over 45 countries and is seen by an estimated 2 million people worldwide. And right now it's our turn. The photography is as exceptional as it is disturbing. At the beginning of the exhibition there is a warning that some of the images are unsuitable for children. And while the quality of the photography really makes the exhibition worth a visit, even adults would be wise to steel themselves before entering. With photos of Haiti's earthquake, Thai protesters and Indonesian volcanoes (and they are the lighter topics), World Press Photo 2011 demonstrates both mother nature and human nature at their extremes. But it's not all hard going. There's a lovely nature collection, a sports section and some intriguing shots of Irish travellers, B-grade Mexican film stars and Bolivian women in traditional dress, made even more intriguing by the fact that they are pro wrestlers. World Press Photos is on at the State Library of New South Wales until July 24.
If it's ethereal indie folk you're after, Dustin Tebbutt is your man. The New England native's music is described by his record label as "the music for your autumns and winters" which, in our opinion, couldn't be more accurate. The haunting isolation that comes through his high echoey vocals and crisp acoustic guitar certainly create feelings of isolation and introspection. Well, it's a good thing he's coming to town as the temperature is starting to drop. Tebbutt's latest national tour is for his latest EP, Bones, and it's gorgeous. First single 'Bones' is much like what we saw on debut EP The Breach; incredibly entrancing music that has the ability to transport its listeners far away from anyone or anything. If you enjoy the thoughtful sounds of Bon Iver or Sigur Rós, then Dustin Tebbutt is a local boy you definitely shouldn't miss. The Armidale local had a good ol' chat to Concrete Playground about roasting coffee, living in Sweden and working with Oliver Tank, right smack in the midst of his national tour. So you're on tour at the moment, and all of your shows are pretty much sold out. How has it all gone so far? It's been really great. We've got a really good crew and they're all people I know really well, so it's just like hanging out with friends really! The shows have been really nice, it's a big difference selling out shows and knowing there'll be a lot of people there to see you, as opposed to driving halfway across the county and ending up with 20 people in a room. It's been amazing and everyone has been really receptive so far, so it's good. Is this your first time performing with a band? What has that been like for you? We did Falls Festival with the band and a festival in March in Sydney with the guys, but they were really just warm up shows to get it all up and running. This is the first tour that we have headlined and the first time we've been on the road together. We've got a chance to do a few shows back to back, which has been really good. It has allowed us to have a closer look at the songs and workshop stuff a bit too. You have also done some international touring earlier this year, how was the reception to your music overseas? I was really surprised actually! I've been really lucky here to have the support of triple j and FBi that have allowed me to get in front of a lot of people quite quickly. Overseas that hasn't really been happening, it's just been word of mouth over the internet. The London show sold out and the New York show sold out, and the one in Amsterdam was packed, so it was really surprising to see that. It's kind of weird because it's very passive, going to these far away places and people happen to know about you! It's strange but it's nice. This tour is showcasing your recently released second EP Bones. Did the songs come together in a different way to your debut EP The Breach? It was a similar process in a way. Quite a few of the songs on Bones started out in the same place as The Breach, and they were kind of the ones I started writing a bit closer to the end of that period overseas. I wasn't quite finished with them when I got back but they all came from a very similar place — a lot of the themes are pretty similar as well. I think I learned a lot with The Breach EP production-wise and my own writing process, and I think Bones was more of a way to experiment with that and refine it a bit more. In a way I think they are both from the same chapter of my life, we'll have to see what the next one is. https://youtube.com/watch?v=FzdxNjwsoAI There is a wonderful remix of The Breach by Oliver Tank on the Bones EP. You two seem like a match made in heaven, how did that collaboration come about? I had seen him when he was supporting James Blake at the Opera House in Sydney, and when he first put out his EP years ago was when I just got back to Australia and I was listening to it a lot up in Armidale. It just kind of captured me straight away, I just sent him an e-mail just to see if he was interested and we just took it from there. I gave him a lot of creative control and said, "There's no agenda here, I just want you to make something that you're happy with." He took his time with it and when I heard it back for the first time it blew my mind, it was so stunning. I'm really happy that we got the chance to work together. So let's go back a bit, you moved to Sweden for two years and that is where song from The Breach EP were conceived. What drew you to Sweden and how did living their influence your music? Originally I was living in Melbourne just before that and I was playing in a few bands and roasting coffee, and my life was very sorted and on a trajectory. I just felt the need to shake it up a little bit. I had a friend who had grown up in Sweden and he was out here as well making music at the time. He told me about the scene over there and how the music is a bit different and I started to get intrigued by that, to the point where I had to go and check it out for myself. When I got there I didn't have any preconceived notions of what it would be like, so I was a bit of a sponge. Spending a lot of time with a small group of people writing music in winter, we stayed in this little country town an hour south of Stockholm for three months and it was insane. It was like the images you see on the Sigur Rós covers. It was such a beautiful place and to be so far away in a different environment was pretty inspiring. You came home to produce and record The Breach in your home studio that you built in Armidale. Do you prefer this set up to a fully-equipped professional sound studio? I really do. I actually did a lot of the drum tracking within a bigger space, which was really good because it's efficient and easy and there's not really anything logistically getting in your way. But the studio that I built was tiny; I could only just fit an office chair in there. But it made you solve problems differently, maybe instead of setting up a new microphone or getting a new guitar, because that would take you eight minutes to change everything over, you didn't. Or you couldn't fit the instrument in the room properly, so you'd play it upside down. The whole set up made me make all of these interesting choices that contributed to the overall sound of the record. If you go to a big studio where a lot of bands have tracked you risk sounding like every other record that has been made in that room. I didn't want to do that, I wanted to do my own thing and it might not have been the easiest way to do it! But I'm really happy with how it worked out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=OysNiYXWga0 Your music is very distinctive; ethereal and complex. Who would you say are your musical influences? Laura Veirs, a Canadian-born singer-songwriter, she and her husband have made six albums together now and he is one of my favourite producers. She was a geologist and she has this amazing vocabulary for songwriting and she tells the most beautiful stories through geographical metaphors. It's just stunning; she's one of my all time favourites. I guess I listened to a fair bit of Bon Iver when that first record came out, and Jeff Buckley when I was growing up, that's probably where the falsetto comes from. You've produced two wonderful EP's, any plans on releasing a debut LP album this year? I'm working really hard to make that happen. At the moment there's not a deadline, I don't want to put anything out that I'm not completely happy with. I'm just writing as many songs as I can and trying to finish them off when they feel ready. It would be really nice to get something out this year, but I'm not making any promises (laughs). What else has this year got in store for you once you've finished the Bones tour? We're heading up to Splendour in July, which will be awesome. Going to drop in to Armidale on the way back — I haven't been there for a few months so that will be good to catch up with some people there. In August there will be a festival in Port Hedland so we'll head up there for a few days. Missy Higgins is playing and the Kite String Tangle, and a few other people I'm looking forward to sharing the stage with so that will be nice. A lot of song writing this year I think, it should be a lot of fun. TOUR DATES: WED 14 MAY - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (SOLD OUT) THU 15 MAY - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (SOLD OUT) FRI 16 MAY - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (SOLD OUT) TUE 20 MAY - Newtown Social Club, Sydney (SOLD OUT) WED 21 MAY - Newtown Social Club, Sydney (SOLD OUT) THUR 22 MAY - Newtown Social Club, Sydney (SOLD OUT) FRI 23 MAY - Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane SAT 26 JULY - Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay
Sport and the internet seem to have a love-hate relationship. The extra exposure can make athletes more human, but a mis-placed tweet can land them in hot water; the web can open up new audiences, but illegal streams of event coverage can encourage fans to stay home. Sony Ericsson, the US Open and foursquare have teamed up to see what tech can bring to tennis. The 2011 US Open is set to become the first integrated foursquare sporting event. Fans will be encouraged to check-in at each of the courts, unlocking prizes, and if they become mayor of a court, the chance to do the pre-match coin toss. Sounds like a neat idea to encourage attendance, but perhaps foursquare will be the real winners in the deal, gaining a partnership that puts them one up against other check-in apps, and providing prime exposure to the 300,000 tennis fans expected to attend. Hopefully the web-sport crossovers won't stop there. Perhaps clubs will do away with expensive managers and just use the fantasy league picks of their fans? Or perhaps CrickiLeaks will be the source of all new cricket scandals? Let's just stay away from chatroulette while Warney is still around though...
The 21st-century has not been kind to the vampire. Between Stephenie Meyer's sparkling high schoolers, the leather-clad killers of the Underworld series and whatever the hell those things in I Am Legend were meant to be, the once noble creatures of the night have been reduced by pop-culture to cringeworthy caricatures. Bela Lugosi must be turning in his grave. Enter Jim Jarmusch, director of Dead Man, Ghost Dog and Broken Flowers, to name just a few. One of the enduring figures of the American indie film movement, Jarmusch has made a career out of minimally plotted, post-modern genre subversions, and his latest work is no exception. Mixing traditional vampire mythology with the director's distinctively aloof brand of cool, Only Lovers Left Alive is a handsome, compelling, meditative take on the lives of the eternal undead. An appropriately gaunt and pasty Tom Hiddleston plays Adam, a centuries-old bloodsucker living on the outskirts of Detroit. A reclusive figure, Adam's only human contacts are a crooked hospital doctor (Jeffrey Wright) who provides him with fresh batches of O-negative, and a wide-eyed rock 'n' roll fan (Anton Yelchin) from whom the vampire buys vintage guitars. Aside from his music, the one thing Adam cares about is his wife, Eve (Tilda Swinton), with whom he is reunited not long after the movie begins. For a while, the immortal lovers live in peace, only to find their solitary existence shattered by the arrival of Eve's impulsive younger sister (Mia Wasikowska). Like many of Jarmusch's films, Only Lovers moves along at a languid pace, with large stretches of the movie unfolding in which very little actually happens. Nevertheless, viewers willing to give the film their patience will be rewarded by its rich, intoxicating atmosphere. Synonymous both with rock 'n' roll and America's crumbling economy, Detroit's empty streets and abandoned buildings are the perfect stalking ground for Jarmusch's silent camera, which finds an eerie kind of beauty in moonlit vistas of urban decay. Electronic guitar chords flow despondently across the soundtrack, ringing in perfect harmony with the images projected on the screen. The protagonists are drawn with fascinating detail. Late-night musings, on music, art, science and the various historical figures that Adam and Eve once knew, are underlined by a sardonic sense of humour, informed by centuries of bitterness and disappointment. Detached from the world around them, there's an air of tortured disinterest to the duo, like ageing rock stars, or unkillable hipsters (and isn't that a terrifying concept?) Emphasising mood over story, Only Lovers Left Alive is the cinematic equivalent of one of Adam's melancholic rock songs. It washes over you, absorbing through your skin. Jarmusch has brought dignity back to the vampire, in his own unmistakable style. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ycOKvWrwYFo
While the extended sunny days and warm temperatures may seem like a gift, in truth the region is also experiencing one of the most severe droughts on record. Two years on and the drought in rural New South Wales and Greater Sydney shows no sign of slowing — so the NSW Government is taking action, again. After introducing level one water restrictions in June, it has today been announced that level two restrictions will come into effect for both residents and businesses in Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra from December 10 this year. The last time level two water restrictions were enforced in Sydney was in 2004 (with restrictions lasting till 2009) during the Millennium Drought. At one point during the 2000s drought, Sydney's total water supply dropped to a historic low of 33.9 percent. While Sydney's water supply isn't quite that low at the moment, the region's dam levels are currently sitting at 46 percent — a significant drop from 53.4 percent in May. Level two water restrictions are usually automatically triggered when levels dip below 40 percent, but the NSW Government has introduced them early because of the dam levels' "rapid rate of decline" and ongoing drought conditions. "We're experiencing one of the most severe droughts on record," said NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in a statement. "And we expect introducing level two restrictions to save 78.5 gigalitres of water per year." We'll need that water, because the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting below-average rainfall and higher daytime temperatures for the remainder of 2019. https://twitter.com/SydneyWaterNews/status/1197323674174377984 So what does this mean for Sydneysiders day-to-day? At the level two restriction level, you can only water your garden before 10am or after 4pm with smart/drip irrigation system (for a maximum of 15 minutes) or with a watering can or bucket — which means no hoses (even trigger nozzle hoses). You also can't use a hose to clean pathways, driveways or other paved areas unless it's an emergency. Buckets must be used when washing cars, too, or you can go to a commercial washing spot. Here's the full list of what you can and can't do at this stage. Fines for not following restrictions (including current restrictions) range from $220–550. While Sydney moves to enforce level two restrictions, some areas in regional NSW are doing it even worse. One of these is Orange, where level five water restrictions began just last month. For Orange residents, this means showering for a maximum of three minutes and watering gardens for one hour, once a week. Level two water restrictions for Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra come into effect on Tuesday, December 10. To find out more about what you can and can't do, head to the Sydney Water website. To stay up-to-date with the state's dam levels and the ongoing drought, keep an eye on WaterNSW website and Twitter.
The Imperial Panda Festival does strange art, performance and some general fringe. It emerged from the tail end of Lanfranchi's Memorial Discotheque and ran two packed small festivals in 2008 and 2009. Returning from a fallow year last year, the Festival is landing on Sydney in a bigger and better-funded incarnation. A new festival headquarters is being provided by the SMAC-winning Goodgod Small Club, giving this year's Festival a beating heart and an underground home. For two weeks in March, the Imperial Panda Festival inflates Sydney's regular creative miasma into a maelstrom of art and entertainment. Regulars return, like The Suitcase Royale (in part and in whole) and various incarnations of artist collective Cab Sav. But this year's festival is also home to the Campfire Collective's Moth-like storytelling evening, the Hanson-baiting Pauline Pantsdown and an edifying show explaining What Is Soil Erosion? Not to mention a series of free talks and some bartering art in the form of an Unwanted Music Swap and the mysterious Stock Exchange project — which matches strange bargains with stranger counter-offers. What more could you want, actual pandas aside? *Tickets for most events are on sale on the door of the venue on the night.
Does the future bother you? Does the prospect of things to come fill you with an unspecified sense of dread and foreboding? Or do you look at the future rather with a sense of optimism and easy anticipation? Whatever your untold horror of the coming world, the Performance Space's Uneasy Futures season of forward-looking work takes all of these things to heart, regarding the future with a circumspect, eager eye. Spanning the duration of the season, Awfully Wonderful is an experimental exhibition which brings you regular in-exhibit performance art and random inhabitants, as well as offering regular speakers, performers and film slipped into the Performance Space's regular Clubhouse program. Briwyant is a dance piece that crosses Yolngu dreaming with the domesticity of the Inner West, while Dean Walsh's Fathom juxtaposes dance with the environment's future while utilising his scuba-diving past life, live on stage. The season's drama offering is The Disappearances Project, a collaboration with Version 1.0 fresh from Bathurst. A play which plays on life without loved ones, and what life is like when you're the one searching for a missing person.
Coogee Bay Hotel's Craft Beer & Cider Festival returns this month, once again filling the beachside courtyard with a mind-boggling array of stalls dedicated to craft beer and cider. This annual festival is an opportunity for beer and cider lovers to sample some of the finest brews from around the country — and the world. There'll be over 60 beers on offer, which you can enjoy with live entertainment and smoked meats from pop-up food stalls. Two days couldn't feasibly be enough time to sample everything so, to save you time (and in the interest of responsible consumption of alcohol), we've put together this list of the five beers you should track down first. Plus, if you love them as much we do, all of these featured beers will also be available for takeaway from the hotel's adjoining Liquor Barn. BATCH BREWING COMPANY — JUICY AS PHUCK 2.0 NEW ENGLAND IPA The haze craze is still going strong, and juicy, cloudy IPAs bursting with tropical hop aroma are very well-suited to the impending warmer months. This one is brewed at the recently opened Small Batch, situated behind Public House Petersham, which focuses on a more experimental, pilot batch style of brewing. Batch's 'Juicy As Phuck 2.0' typifies the NEIPA style with plenty of pineapple, passionfruit and mango notes dancing across the palate. A light malt bill allows the hop flavours to dominate without too much bitterness, whilst the smooth, velvety mouthfeel offers an almost creamy texture to the body of this cracking beer. HAWKERS BEER — PILSNER When the craft beer trend kicked off it was largely in reaction to the poor quality lagers this country is known for producing en masse. A side effect of this was that many brewers initially shied away from brewing this style in favour of more typically American hop-forward beers. But as the brewing world continues to evolve, there seems to be a shift to return to traditional (and well-made) beers. Enter Hawkers Pilsner. It's excellently well-balanced, clean and sessionable with some spicy, floral notes from the blend of Perle, Mittlefruh, Nelson Sauvin, Motueka and Pacifica hops make this anything but another bland, boring lager. STONE AND WOOD BREWING CO — THE GATHERER First brewed in 2016, The Gatherer has undergone a few tweaks over its three-year stint as a summer seasonal from the pioneers over at Stone and Wood. It now even outsells the mega-popular Pacific Ale in the brewery's Byron Bay tasting room, and it has finally — and just in time for the warmer months — made it part of the permanent range. The beer itself most closely resembles a Belgian-style witbier, but without a dominating estery character from the yeast employed. Instead, The Gatherer's gentle malt base and sessionable 4.2 percent ABV make it suited to showcasing the refreshing flavours of watermelon, cucumber and mint infused into a beery context. Light, refreshing and dry — this is a surefire winner this summer. AKASHA BREWING COMPANY — MOSAIC IPA If there was a hop of the year award, it would go to Mosaic. This light, fruity hop offers aromas of sweet pineapple with just the right amount of bitterness. It makes sense then that the hopheads over at Akasha would seek to highlight this hop in all its glory with its Mosaic IPA. The brewery is known for some pretty serious IPAs and began knocking out a new single hop IPA every six months back in 2016. Mosaic was the original and, let's face it, it's still the best. This version of Akasha's Mosaic may feature a few small tweaks to showcase the sweeter notes of the beer before bringing in that piney, pithy bitterness endemic to the style. At 7.2 percent ABV, this is a must for IPA lovers and a great entry point for people just getting into their IPAs. PIRATE LIFE BREWING — TROPICAL IPA Pirate Life's rapid rise to prominence and sale within five years to one of the biggest liquor companies in the world proves it knows a thing or two about beer. Cue the groans from the beer nerds who despise the corporate takeover of an indie brewer. Yet Carlton & United Breweries seems to have learnt its lesson and is allowing and encouraging the team at Pirate Life to keep brewing more and more interesting offers. The Tropical IIPA is a nod to its sublime IIPA that it brewed back in the early days and is still one of the best Australian interpretations of the style. This iteration features a New Zealand hop blend of Simcoe, NZ Cascade and Summer hops. It gives a burst of bright citrus and tropical fruit on a light malt base with just enough bitterness on the back end. Perfect for a summer barbecue. Coogee Bay Hotel Craft Beer & Cider Festival will take place on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13, from 12pm. Entry is free but you can pre-purchase tokens at a discount here.
If one were to be cynical, it could be thought to say a lot about the state of contemporary theatre that a play in which the female lead is mainly wearing a dress with her own vomit on it and the male lead only escapes punishment for stealing and spending a large sum in used £50 notes because his supervisor in organised crime has a heart attack can be described as heartwarming. But somehow it was, and as such we can set aside the world-weariness and simply work out what was charming about Midsummer (a play with songs), brought out from Scotland's Traverse Theatre by the Sydney Theatre Company (STC). The Edinburgh accents and vocabulary are one place to start with that: Cora Bissett as Helena and Matthew Pidgeon as Bob deliver their characters' words to one another and to the audience in broad and delightful dialect, punctuated with 'aye's and things being described as 'mad', which the story certainly is. A 'lost weekend' sort of a situation that the pair alternately recount and act out, it has the reassurance of its definition as a romantic comedy that things are going to work out for the chance-met pair, an uptight divorce lawyer and the petty crim who is repeatedly to be seen reading Dostoevsky, "to cheer myself up". A lot of the fun of the play comes from repeated motifs like this and a peculiarly existential parking meter that tells the two that "Change is possible", alongside the playing out of a sort of exceptionally drunken crime caper within the structure of the tropes of romantic comedy — opposites attracting, accidents bringing them together, a dramatic declaration of love as someone is about to disappear overseas. It's an insider's guide to the romance, with Bob and Helena telling the adventure as the story of how they fell in love, and the moments of sadness and reflection and awkwardness are cushioned by the evidently happy ending and the cushioning effects of how a story is retold, a topic on which both characters have some meta-narrative musings. Having managed to survive the hangovers and the Japanese bondage and the determination that despite really agreeing on a lot of things and not wanting to leave one another's company and both thinking that the other one is "quite fit", let alone the breakup of Helena's affair with a married man and Bob's little affair with the Tesco bag full of money that doesn't belong to him, the couple tell their story as a story they've told many times before, a story that has become a legend. There is comedy and comfort and love and there are, indeed, songs (one featuring a ukelele).
In Her's almost certainly near future, Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly — a gentle, retiring man who works at BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com penning heartfelt correspondence between people he's never met. In his personal life, his wife (Rooney Mara) has left him and now communicates exclusively via their lawyers. In short, nobody really talks anymore. Then one day he buys and installs a new operating system called 'OS1' — an artificially intelligent construct that names herself, or rather itself, 'Samantha' (voiced to perfection by Scarlett Johansson). At first Samantha simply streamlines Theodore's life, triaging his emails and encouraging him to get out more, but gradually, as she evolves and learns more from their interactions, they begin to fall in love. It seems ridiculous, yes, but thanks to Spike Jonze's masterful script and direction, it never really feels it, and that's what makes HER the first must-see film of 2014. it is a beautiful, imaginative and provocative offering by Jonze that asks some fascinating questions about the direction love is taking in the technological age. Read our full review here. Her is out on DVD, Blu- ray and digital download on May 22, and thanks to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we have 15 DVDs 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=1awGTPsEmiU
A huge lineup featuring some of the city's most beloved bars, restaurants and hospitality figures are all coming together for the return of StickyBeak festival. The two-day fest has been pulled together by local gin distillers Archie Rose with the help of P&V, FBi Radio and the National Art School (NAS). Taking place at the NAS Darlinghurst campus, the 2024 edition of the annual event will see a who's who of Sydney's hospitality scene serving up food, drinks and insights into their crafts. On the impressive list of vendors: Raja, Bloodwood, Bar Copains, Fabbrica, Gildas, King Clarence, Mapo Gelato, Penelope's, Porcine, Redbird, and plenty more. Everything from boundary-pushing Indian dishes and city-best pasta to next-level snacks and produce-forward interpretations of modern Australian cuisine will all be available to feast on across the two days. [caption id="attachment_937111" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gildas, Nikki To[/caption] Alongside the tasty eats, you can expect drinks from Archie Rose and P&V, plus PS40, Grifter Brewing Co, The Waratah, Double Deuce Lounge, The Emerald Room and Tucano's. Handling the soundtrack will be a roster of DJs curated by Sydney's beloved community radio station FBi Radio. Plus, the NAS will be hosting 45-minute masterclasses centred around life drawing, screen printing and heat-press collage. Stickybeak Festival kicks off at 5pm on both Friday and Saturday. Tickets start at $20, which grants you entry to the festival and the National Art School. If you want to attend a masterclass, you can buy an additional ticket to your session of choice. [caption id="attachment_909677" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raja[/caption]
Sometimes you just need a little escape. You need cuddles, you need adventure, you need wine. In those times, both Queenstown and Wanaka are perfect backdrops in which to drink and dine at world-class eateries, stay at some very cosy accommodation, have some adventure-filled antics and spend time with the person who makes you feel like thousands of years of romantic poets have. Queenstown is an all-embracing renaissance city with more on offer than any holiday or pocket can stand. Although it is known as a ski town it also offers every other kind of activity – from wine tours on bike to sky diving. Its eclectic streets are packed equally with Lacoste-clad preppy folk as well as dreadlocked backpackers. Over the hill, Wanaka is a more easy going, quirky alternative where you can go watch films in an old drive-in inspired cinema, hike in one of the most beautiful national parks and go horseback riding. Eat Inside its neat little 4 x 4 town centre, Queenstown packs a culinary punch. It would take a decent part of a season to eat one's way through it all in order to write about all of the noteworthy eateries. Nevertheless, we definitely picked up a few new favourites on our most recent trip. Should you want to break your steak glass ceiling – and have the best steak you will possibly ever try in your lifetime – you'll want to promptly book yourself a table at Jervois Steak House. There you will be served with juicy, tender steaks that could be cut with a butter knife, practically. Steaks range in price from $39 for a petite eye fillet to $140 for a beautifully marbled, well-massaged, grain-fed, Japanese Wagyu beef. Jervois Steak House's excellent steaks fall in line with its culinary mission to properly pay homage to and reintroduce customers to traditional English and New Zealand food – many menu items read like the kind of garden variety dishes you'd be able to construct out of a shop from a supermarket near you (onion rings, brocollini, creamed spinach, croquettes etc.). The difference is the absolute quality of the ingredients used by Jervois and the sheer passion infused into the meals which plucks the meals from banality and converts them into something completely fresh. For example, the Yorkshire pudding – which was originally invented to be a first course meal filled with thick, cheap gravy so that guests wouldn't eat too much of the more expensive second course – here becomes a beautiful, interactive DIY pie with bacon, beef and the finest of fillings. Other (more typically fancy) dishes, like the buttered crayfish are executed amazingly as well, and still with that same warmth and passion mentioned before (the crayfish tasted like a buttery embrace from an old friend). Jervois Steak House is basically the love child of high-end dining and a casual steak house. This idea permeates not just the menu but the entire setting. Waiters, for example, are trained in silver service but dress in butchers' aprons and sneakers. It's a dichotomy that works and one you should definitely experience first-hand. Another lovely restaurant to visit in Queenstown central is Madam Woo. Established by the Michelin-starred Josh Emmett, the sassy Malaysian-inspired lady is an approachable, charming local favourite. Looks-wise Ms Woo is a total keeper. She's fresh without being annoyingly trendy and incorporates her heritage without being stuffy and archaic. With meals designed to be shared, you're looking at getting about three to four dishes between the two of you. Highlights of the menu include the eggplant hawker roll, which is a heap of fresh mint, cucumber, shredded lettuce and eggplant piled into a taco-shaped pie (or for those with a more enlightened food vocabulary, a roti). The hawker roll manages to nail all sorts of cravings in each mouthful – spicy meets fresh meets salad meets the pie-esque roti. The honey and soy tossed squid is also quite a crowd pleaser, especially for those of the sweet tooth persuasion. Lastly, No5, which is situated below the incredible suites at The Spire, is a good, classy little cocktail bar to visit. Cocktail options range from the likes of the Absinthe Mansinthe – a traditional absinthe which was commissioned by Marlin Manson, to the Burning Man – a showmen's drink consisting of Woodford Reserve bourbon, grapefruit, burn sugar and smoke. The drinks menu is a niche, well-designed and unique mixture of cocktails, but should your regular favourite not be featured, the very capable and talented bartenders can easily make you an amazing custom cocktail from scratch. No5 is also a restaurant and does a pretty well-priced mezze which follows the Greek/Turkish custom of serving many small dishes simultaneously or in succession for the entire table. The mezze is priced at either $50 (dishes only), $60 (includes dessert) or $100 (includes three matching local wines). A little bit further out of town is my absolute favourite of the region, Arrowtown's Saffron. It is a well established fact that the best ideas are sketched out on napkins, which is exactly how Saffron started. The restaurant which specialises in beautiful, seasonal and local fare serves what can be best described as hunter's food with a quirky bowtie on. The incredibly well thought-out, intuitive, visionary meals that Saffron dish up reduced this reviewer into a primal gurgle on her visit (albeit a quiet one – it's a pretty upmarket place after all). It's hard to write about the restaurant even now without feeling my mouth salivating. The paua tortellini, for example, was just a creamy beautiful symphony of flavours while their tender lamb was soft enough to swallow after one chew. Another favourite was the goat's cheese sorbet with amaretto-soaked dates which was served as a dessert. Sweet, warm, cold, fresh, comforting – it was pure genius. Although we only tried a handful of meals, I would venture that every single meal on the menu would be able to make the culinary equivalent of those Greatest Hits albums we all had in the '90s. I do not throw around the word 'must-do' lightly, but this is definitely one. Oh, and be sure to drop in to the Blue Door next door after dinner for a drink inside a cosy, cavernous bar. Over the hill, Wanaka has been developing some great restaurants too. Kika, the newly opened younger sister to Francesca's Italian Kitchen, is a notable mention. Serving Italian shared meals such as tea-smoked duck salad and patata fritte the trendy eatery accommodates all appetite sizes. Stay In order to soak in the most impressive bathtub in town, a stay at The Spire is imperative. With a perfectly crafted, wide and deep bowl, the bath has a way of letting hours pass in a steamy sigh of relaxation. Open the bathroom shutters up to a glorious view of the Remarkables for an even higher level of perfection to your bathtub experience. There really is nothing like it. Afterwards, clad with a complimentary, fluffy bathtub and slippers sit back into the leather armchair with a cup of tea (whichever type you prefer from the wide selection) and a sense of satisfaction that won't leave you for the duration of your stay. In fact, the only downside to this level of comfort offered by The Spire is the fact that it makes it near impossible to leave the room to enjoy the rest of Queenstown's offerings and eateries. With a cosy fireplace lit and cloud-like bedsheets to sink into, bunkering up with the significant other and never leaving the room – not even for food (room service is available) – is an easy choice, but for those who wish to stretch their legs just a little bit without hitting Queenstown's sometimes biting cold, the downstairs No5 is always there as a halfway house. The Spire is an absolute accommodation favourite and definitely something special for the two of you to enjoy together – even if you have to save up for it. Nearby, Arrowtown House Boutique Hotel also offers an excellent, deep bowl of a bathtub which is almost swimmable. Although the Arrowtown House, as the self-explanatory name states, is in Arrowtown– which is about a 15-minute drive from Queenstown – it is incredibly close to Arrowtown's central district which offers its own little collection of unique eateries, making a night-time food-motivated hike to Queenstown redundant. Breakfast at Arrowtown House is another highlight: a three-course meal with homemade pastry dishes and seasonal produce from award-winning chef and co-owner Jeanette. A little bit further out of town, a stay at the historic vineyard Kinross Cottages is a beautiful escape where a raft of chatty ducks – Jemima, Crispy, Pancake and l'Orange – will welcome you upon arrival. The ducks have so much personality that they've become quite Instagram famous and co-manager Adam Ross has even been dubbed The Duckfather. The cottages are all self-serviced, with pictures of the original Kinross family who ran a trading post on the site in 1860s decorating the walls. Kinross still has an on-site general store, but nowadays it also houses a cellar door where you can sip on five of the nearby Gibbston Wines. For those wanting to see the vines where the local wines' grapes were grown from up close, bikes can be hired from Kinross in order to take on the 8.7km Gibbston River Ride (which forms part of Queenstown trail) nearby. A post-bike hot tub session near the duck pond finishes off the day perfectly. For those who'd like a little bit more of an intimate host-to-guest experience, a small bed and breakfast such as the Riverview Terrace in Wanaka is quite a nice option. Run by a local winemaker, James McElrea (who just recently started his own delicious label called Black Peak) and hospitality veteran, Nicky McElrea, guests at the Riverview are no sooner welcomed than small, delicious nibbles are placed within arms' reach and glasses of wine hug their hands. The private hot spa overlooking Albert Town and the nearby Mount Burke makes for a pretty little spot to relax in. Do While skiing or snowboarding is a stalwart winter activity in Queenstown and Wanaka, many snow virgins find their initiation a little bit unnerving – which is why The Remarkables (alongside Coronet Peak) have assembled a four-day beginners pack for a steal at $499. For those who fall in love with the snow, an upgrade to a season pass is just another $100 extra. The Remarkables ski field, which is the closest skiing turf to Queenstown (about half an hour's drive) is a laid-back ski field geared at intermediate and beginner snowboarders looking to have a good time.* *Ice bar included. Another good ski field to try out currently is Cardrona, a park and blue skiers' paradise and the the highest ski field in the area at 1670m - 1860m in altitude, making snow coverage guaranteed from season start to finish – even during this pretty hot winter the region's having. While the weather gods (in particular those in charge of the snow department) might still not be fully cooperating with the wishes of thousands of locals and snow carvers alike, there are also plenty of off-mountain activities to fill your calendar with. For one, Skyline Stargazing offers lovers an opportunity to give gazing into each others' eyes a miss in order to take in the skies above. Secondly, if you're going to go and fall in love (with all the trappings that come with it: fear, vulnerability, learning how to trust, excitement etc.), you might as well replicate those emotions and fall out of a plane as well. NZONE Skydive offers packages for the latter. With over 25 years of experience – which translates to up to 25,000 dives in experience for the most experienced tandem jumpers – you're in safe hands. They are New Zealand's first Tandem Skydiving operation too, after all. You've also got what is probably the best skydiving view in the country, which you can appreciate while hurtling at 200km/hour towards a little farm nestled between the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. Skydiving is honestly one of the most surreal experiences a human can have and couples visiting Queenstown should definitely make some time in-between candlelit dinners and hot spas to try it out together. Thirdly, taking some time to go on foot through the Mount Aspiring National Park near Wanaka is well, erhum, inspiring. The DOC visitor centre in Wanaka can provide you with detailed maps, assurance and advice for which tracks to follow to find awe-inspiring beauty compliments of nature. The Rob Roy Glacier track would be my pick. For those who prefer to explore nature on hoof, Backcountry Saddle Expeditions offers a two-hour horse trek near Cardrona through high country farming plateaus and a historic gold mining valley. Another Wanaka favourite is a visit to the drive-in themed Cinema Paradiso, for a more relaxed night out. After all your adventuring together, a session at the well-known and very romantic Onsen Hot Pools in Arthurs Point near Queenstown rounds off any full-on trip nicely.
You may know Mike Mills for his music videos, posters, album covers, artist books - he's a man of many pursuits. Having directed his first feature length film Thumbsucker (2005), his new film, Beginners, is a considered and tightly-tuned autobiographical account of love, generation gaps and expectations. Tom Melick meets him in a beige-smothered hotel room. He wears a suit, looks overworked and speaks with a casual generosity. I was wondering, with the disciplines you seem to swim in (graphic design, illustration, music, film, graffiti, photography and so on) do you think of your output as one inter-connected 'total artwork' or are they distinct in your mind? Well, lots of themes and interests run across all the work I do – so in one very important way they are all interrelated – they kind of help each other. I guess I like being busy in my head because I'm happy when I have all these projects running concurrently. So there is definitely cross-pollination going on. Obviously making a film is so different from making a poster or a record cover. Film is such a public thing; you need so many people, you have to source all that money – it's a political affair. So they relate and they totally don't relate. Ok ok, so they sit on a similar conceptual ground but not on a practical one? Yes, my projects are linked through the deeper themes they explore…or just wanting to be creative, or simply wanting to talk to people. I mean the excitement I might have for a poster or a Fellini film is a similar excitement. I'm interested in joining these (not so) different realms. Elvis Costello supposedly said that his songs had to 'work' even when played through the cheapest transistor radio. I thought that a similar want is present in your work, where expressing the idea is paramount, with the medium being a result of the idea. Beginners is a film that contains a lot of other mediums – text, still images of presidents, stars and nature, graffiti, colour that fills the entire screen…does the idea come first for you, followed by the appropriate vehicle? I see. Well, I went to art school and studied with a conceptual artist named Hans Haake, so really I've always thought of myself as a product of those classes because Haake was all about [fingers jumping into action]: 1. That the idea comes first – the idea is primary and; 2. The medium is secondary, or serves the idea. If you think about it this enabled me to construct my own kind of career, giving me permission to do lots of things all at once. Haake was all about how to get out of the verified art world, since it really can be like contained theatre: you can do anything you want but you're not really sure what the impact is. It's exclusive, it's integrated with money – and not just any kind of money – rich people money. So from art school my friends and I looked for other outlets. So is that what drew you to film, in that it's less about speaking to the already converted and more about an immersive engagement? Sure, yeah, definitely. Film offers a much bigger discussion. I mean Beginners isn't exactly a huge blockbuster film but I've already been to many countries, I've been all over America, I'm talking to all kinds of people who may not be ready to see an older gay man on screen for example…people who have never thought about Fellini or the Situationists – so that's really powerful. Film offers an amazing opportunity. In the States when I'm on tour I do a lot of those morning breakfast shows…and I'm really proud that my Dad's story can be relayed via that kind of platform. Even the fact that my film re-looks at the 'all-American' family, or what constitutes a 'normal family', finds an unlikely audience through those shows. This platform is much more interesting for me then presenting the same idea in a museum or gallery. What interested me about Beginners was the father - played excellently by Christopher Plummer - who tells his son (Oliver) he is gay late in life. The father undergoes a kind of re-politicization – where suddenly he is going to gay nightclubs, has a boyfriend and begins writing papers as a gay activist…living a hyper-political life but at the same time nearing death from terminal cancer. Was this mix of politics couched in humour and sadness an intentional strategy, or did it come quite naturally? Hmm…a bit of both actually. I'm interested in asking how we got here. Which is very Marxist in a way. I like the idea of addressing a political position in an entertainment context, accompanied by humor or silliness. Like Situationist graffiti mixed with Groucho Marx. Humor is fantastically subversive, and why not? For me it's an awesome anti-depressant, it's just fun to laugh than to not, you can really undermine and reveal the false stories that we all pretend to believe in. Humour is great way to discuss bigger themes without needing to be explicit – when I show people my films they don't need to know about Guy Debord even though I was thinking of him at times during its making. I like that. I see, it reminds me of Charlie Chaplin's 1940 film The Great Dictator where he simultaneously plays both the lowly Jewish barber as well as a fumbling, insecure version of Hitler himself. Yeah exactly…but even that is more overtly political. I've just been reading about Chaplin actually. There is so much hunger in Chaplin's humor for example. There are so many food gags or just depictions of being hungry, of people trying to find or make food…so there is definitely a class consciousness embedded in Chaplin's humor – he's quite a punk in that way, always a vandal, always in prison, never cooperating. You focus a lot on the distance between generations in the film. We see Oliver [played by Ewan McGregor] dealing with his dying father and trying to understand love at the same time – both in his own life and in his father's. I wondered what you thought about how each generation re-invents what it means to be in a relationship, what it means to be in love at a certain time and so on. As historical beings the personal is political…the genesis of all of this comes from my real Dad having to grapple with social constructions of what constitutes a relationship. Being born in the 1950s meant that he faced certain challenges that no longer seem so ingrained…homophobia, a psychoanalyst telling him he had a mental illness, expectations of a married man and so on. He never really understood my ideas of love, why I was asking for so much, and I never understood his, since I thought he was asking for too little. The fact is that our idea of love is historical and it's codified. And that's really the fulcrum in which the story spans out of. It was me trying to understand my Dad; what was it like to be gay and born at that time? What was it like to marry my Mum in 1955 and be gay? That's when I devised those lyrical essays that you'll notice in the film – it's the voice of Oliver who guides you through the film and its the most 'me' element in the story. You'll find similar strategies are used by artists like Christian Boltanski and Sophie Calle to great effect. That's interesting because there is this literal but personalised tone in the film, where information is delivered flatly and succulently but somehow escapes your regular didacticism. That's a gag I'm fond of. A big influence is Jorgan Leth's 1967 film The Perfect Human. Being so straight that it…[pauses to think] So literal that it manages to go somewhere else… Exactly. I could do that shtick forever. In fact there is a scene where Ewan is dancing at a party and the dance is modeled off the one the man does in The Perfect Human. What about other influences? Big or small, direct or indirect. Tons. I did a blog on the Focus Films site, which lists a bunch of influences for the film, from the Milan Kundera's Unbearable Lightness of Being (the book not the film) to Istvan Szabos' Love Film. One last question. Arthur – Oliver's four-legged companion that he inherits when his father becomes unwell – plays a substantial role in the film. Explain? Arthur (whose real name is Cosmo) is a curious soul and good interlocutor despite being unable to speak. He and Ewan actually developed a great chemistry on screen, where Cosmo would respond to Ewan's gestures and vice versa. On set we'd treat him as though he was an alien visiting earth; he wasn't cute, he didn't speak our language but he was an intelligent being. Dogs have 220 million smell receptors and we have 5 million – who knows what the fuck they're smelling that we're missing. To win one of ten double passes, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and address to hello@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=KplqiAHYnHo
Twelve months ago, if you uttered the words 'doughnut day', you were probably using them in the literal sense between mouthfuls. Thanks to the chaos of 2020, however, the term now refers to a day without any new COVID-19 cases — and, when it comes to locally acquired cases, New South Wales has just notched two consecutive days of that milestone. The state has been dealing with a rise of coronavirus numbers since before Christmas, starting in Sydney's northern beaches suburbs and now including clusters in the inner west and southwest. As a result, festive plans were thrown into disarray around not only NSW, but the entire country, as new restrictions on borders, gatherings and mask usage came into effect. Today, Friday, January 15, NSW Health sent out its daily Tweet with yesterday's numbers and it's what we all want to see: a big fat zero. It's the second doughnut day in a row, too, with zero cases of community transmission also recorded on Thursday, January 14. https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1349869311993630720 The bad news is that the city's restrictions won't be eased until testing rates increase. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian didn't give an exact number, but said they are looking to "see the number two in front or even higher", so significantly more than the 16,070 conducted in the 24 hours leading up to 8pm last night. At the beginning of the northern beaches outbreak, upwards of 60,000 Sydneysiders were getting tested in a day. NSW Health said in a Tweet that higher rates of testing were particularly important in Sydney's west, southwest and northern beaches, as well as Wollongong, because of recent cases who have been in these areas. At the moment, Greater Sydney has strict limits on gatherings, with just five visitors allowed in homes and public outdoor gatherings capped at 30. To keep an eye on the situation in Sydney, you can check out an interactive map that plots places that positive COVID-19 cases have visited, which takes data from the state's venue alerts. There's also a map that shows cases by postcode. For more information about COVID-19 in NSW and current restrictions, head to NSW Health.
An artist turned filmmaker, Julian Schnabel largely specialises in films about visionary artists, however he can't be accused of settling into a comfortable niche. Whether he's focusing on American painter Jean-Michel Basquiat in Basquiat, exploring the life of Cuban poet and playwright Reinaldo Arenas in Before Night Falls, or examining the experiences of French writer Jean-Dominique Bauby in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Schnabel does more than present straightforward biographical dramas. Rather, his pictures are dedicated to channelling their subject's mindsets with every stylistic touch — to steeping viewers in each real-life figure's perspective as deeply and immersively as possible. There's no formula at play, just an unflinching dedication to capturing each artist's essence. And with the writer-director turning his attention to Vincent van Gogh, At Eternity's Gate hits the mark perfectly. To many, van Gogh's name inspires three well-known details: his Sunflowers still-life paintings, the moody blue swirls of The Starry Night and the liberation of his ear from his head by his own hand. All three rate a mention in At Eternity's Gate, though they're hardly the most crucial aspects of the film. With Willem Dafoe plays the artist with urgent, revelatory intensity (and earning a much-deserved Academy Award nomination for his troubles), Schnabel seeks to understand rather than faithfully chronicle. As written with Jean-Claude Carrière and co-editor Louise Kugelberg, his movie happily draws upon not only van Gogh's personal letters, but on fiction, myths and speculation, including about the artist's death. A suitably post-impressionist portrait of the iconic Dutch post-impressionist, At Eternity's Gate recounts van Gogh's final years — a period of challenge, pain and immense productivity. Feeling adrift in the Parisian art scene, where galleries remain uninterested and his art-dealer brother Theo (Rupert Friend) can't sell his work, van Gogh decamps to the French town of Arles upon the advice of fellow artist Paul Gauguin (Oscar Isaac). But if van Gogh hovered on the fringes of his chosen community in the city, he's an outright pariah in his new small-town setting, with his drinking, temper-driven outbursts and psychological unravelling grating against the locals. While Theo arranges for Gaugin to join his sibling's sojourn, the solace of good company proves merely a temporary fix to van Gogh's inner woes. It would've been a revolutionary move, but Schnabel could've trained the camera solely at Dafoe for At Eternity's Gate's entire running time, and he still would've crafted an exceptional film. There's such power to the actor's performance — the power that springs not from force, or from seeing every ounce of effort, but from so convincingly stepping into someone else's shoes. van Gogh's work has always seethed with both passion and fragility. In every stroke, even in his most striking compositions, it seems as if he's feverishly exorcising the visions that are haunting his mind. In the movie's finest accomplishment, its commanding leading man gives flesh, heart and soul to that sensation. Although Isaac is memorable as Gauguin, and both Mathieu Amalric and Mads Mikkelsen make an impression as a doctor and a priest, respectively, Dafoe conveys both the emotional delicacy and the damning turmoil that made van Gogh who he was — and made his art so astonishing. Of course, Schnabel doesn't just train the camera at his star, and his film is all the better for it. How the filmmaker composes At Eternity's Gate's frames is as important as what's within them, with cinematographer Benoît Delhomme wielding the lens almost as if it's a paintbrush. There's rarely a still moment, with the image swirling, roaming and playing with focus in the same way that van Gogh's artwork does. The movie also borrows the artist's use of colour, particularly when gazing upon the French landscapes that he frequently committed to canvas. And yet, Schnabel never forgets that film is an audio-visual medium. His potent visuals say plenty about his complicated subject, but so does his layered soundscape. Staring into Dafoe's penetrating blue eyes, peering at every fleck of dirt and grass that marked van Gogh's life, and marvelling at the painter's pieces only feels complete when the artist's words float like the wind — and when the wind itself conjures up his deep-seated struggle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcPLAz1LG1U
Before the pandemic, when a new-release movie started playing in cinemas, audiences couldn't watch it on streaming, video on demand, DVD or blu-ray for a few months. But with the past few years forcing film industry to make quite a few changes — widespread movie theatre closures and plenty of people staying home in iso will do that — that's no longer always the case. Maybe you've had a close-contact run-in. Perhaps you haven't had time to make it to your local cinema lately. Given the hefty amount of films now releasing each week, maybe you simply missed something. Film distributors have been fast-tracking some of their new releases from cinemas to streaming recently — movies that might still be playing in theatres in some parts of the country, too. In preparation for your next couch session, here are ten that you can watch right now at home. PARALLEL MOTHERS Whatever Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz happen to be selling — and whenever, and in whichever films — audiences should always be buying. It isn't quite right to liken the acclaimed filmmaker's long-running collaboration with one of his favourite leading ladies to commerce, though, so another comparison fits better: whatever this duo birth into the world, viewers should embrace as a parent does a child. Across four decades now, the Spanish pair has gorgeously and soul-stirringly made cinematic art with the utmost understanding of how to make people feel. They know how people feel, too, and have the combined resumes best exemplified by Live Flesh, All About My Mother, Volver, Broken Embraces, Pain and Glory and now Parallel Mothers to prove it. Their shared filmography also constantly demonstrates another essential insight into human existence: that life is emotion, whether facing its beginning, end or both. As the movie's moniker indicates, Janis, the almost-40 photographer that Cruz (The 355) inhabits with the quiet force and fragility that's second nature whenever she's directed by Almodóvar, is just one of Parallel Mothers' mums. Teenager Ana (Milena Smit, Cross the Line) is the other and, despite the feature's title, their stories keep converging. The two first meet in a Madrid hospital, where they share a room, give birth simultaneously, chat about how they're each going it alone with no father in the picture and quickly form a bond — as different as they otherwise appear, down to contrasting sources of support (Janis' brightly attired magazine-editor best friend Elena, which is where de Palma pops up, versus Ana's self-obsessed and distant actress mother Teresa, played by Estoy vivo's Aitana Sánchez-Gijón). Janis and Ana descend separately into motherhood afterwards, but twists of fate keep bringing them back together. Parallel Mothers is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. BELFAST 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 feature that's about a childhood spent with that conflict as a backdrop. It's an approach that only works because Branagh draws from his own experiences — the film isn't a play-by-play memoir, but it's also clearly personal. Here, it's 1969, when the actor-turned-filmmaker would've been nine years old. The movie's protagonist, Buddy (first-timer Jude Hill), is that exact age, in fact. And with the beginnings of a three-decade-long sectarian fracas bubbling and boiling around him, he navigates the usual age-appropriate antics, such as school, crushes, doting grandparents with ailing health and a potential big move. The Troubles are a constant sight in the largely monochrome-hued film, too, and the reason Buddy's that parents are contemplating relocating to England, something they wouldn't have dreamed of otherwise. Pa (Jamie Dornan, The Tourist) already spends most of his time working there as a joiner, leaving Ma (Caitríona Balfe, Outlander) at home with Buddy and his elder brother Will (Lewis McAskie, Here Before) — with assistance from the boys' Granny (Judi Dench, Six Minutes to Midnight) and Pop (Ciarán Hinds, The Man in the Hat) — and he's been offered a new job that comes with a house. The violence swirling through Belfast has already made it to the family's street, to their hounded Catholic neighbours and, when Pa refuses to join the fray, put them on their fellow Protestants' hit list. Shifting to London (or perhaps further, to Sydney or Vancouver) would provide a new start and a safer future, but leaving all they've ever known isn't a simple decision. Belfast is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE Not for the first time, the eyes have it, but then they always have with Tammy Faye Bakker. Not one but two films called The Eyes of Tammy Faye have told the 70s and 80s televangelist's tale — first a 2000 documentary and now this new Jessica Chastain-starring dramatisation — and both take their monikers from one of the real-life American figure's best-known attributes. In the opening to the latest movie, the spidery eyelashes that adorn Tammy Faye's peepers are dubbed her trademark by the woman herself. They're given ample focus in this biopic, as OTT and instantly eye-grabbing as they they are, but their prominence isn't just about aesthetics and recognition. This version of The Eyes of Tammy Faye hones in on perspective, resolutely sticking to its namesake's, even when it'd be a better film if it pondered what she truly saw, or didn't. In the path leading to her celebrity heyday and the time she was a TV mainstay, Tammy Faye's life saw plenty. It began with an unhappy childhood stained by her stern mother Rachel's (Cherry Jones, Succession) refusal to be linked to her at church, lest it remind their god-fearing Minnesotan townsfolk about the latter's sinful divorce. But young Tammy Faye (Chandler Head, The Right Stuff) still finds solace in religion, the attention that speaking in tongues mid-service brings and also the puppets she starts using as a girl. Come 1960, at bible college, her fervour and quirkiness attract fellow student Jim Bakker (Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick… Boom!), with the pair soon married even though it gets them kicked out of school. Unperturbed, she keeps seeing their calling to the lord as their way forward, first with a travelling ministry — puppets included — and then with television shows and their own Praise the Lord network. The Eyes of Tammy Faye is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. JACKASS FOREVER Older men, same ol' tricks and dicks: that's Jackass Forever. The fifth film in the prank-fuelled TV-to-movie franchise isn't afraid of letting it show, either, just as it's never been afraid of flashing around male genitalia. No one in Jackass' crew of comic daredevils is scared of that much — or, if they are, they're more frightened of not challenging themselves alongside their buddies — so the proud and purposeful attitude flaunted in the flick's title and usual formula is thoroughly unsurprising. Twenty-two years have passed since Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave Englund, Wee Man, Danger Ehren and Preston Lacy first turned outlandish stunts and practical jokes into an MTV hit, but age hasn't wearied their passion or camaraderie. It also hasn't dampened the gang's fondness for showing their junk, but there's something sweet here among all the penises: the fact that time inescapably passes but doing stupid shit with your mates sparks immortal joy. Jackass Forever is stupid, because the kinds of gags that Knoxville and company love are profoundly idiotic — including the film's opening gambit, where a green Godzilla-esque creature tramples a city but it's really Pontius' package painted like a monster. Also inherently silly: using the cast's bodies to prop up skateboarding ramps, a Knoxville-hosted game show that penalises wrong answers with a whack to the sack, exploding a port-a-potty while Steve-O is using it and a contraption made of harnesses that simultaneously gives three people wedgies. The ridiculous bits go on, including lighting farts underwater and drinking milk on a moving carousel to the point of vomiting. Another reason that Jackass is forever for this troupe: they're still as juvenile now, even though they're all over or approaching 50, as they ever were. Jackass Forever is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. DEATH ON THE NILE Some folks just know how to rock a moustache. When Kenneth Branagh (Tenet) stepped into super-sleuth Hercule Poirot's shoes in 2017's Murder on the Orient Express, he clearly considered himself to be one of them. The actor and filmmaker didn't simply play Agatha Christie's famously moustachioed Belgian detective, but also directed the movie — and he didn't miss a chance to showcase his own performance, as well as that hair adorning his top lip. You don't need to be a world-renowned investigator to deduce that Branagh was always going to repeat the same tricks with sequel Death on the Nile, or to pick that stressing the character's distinctive look and accompanying bundle of personality quirks would again take centre stage. But giving Poirot's 'stache its own black-and-white origin story to start the new movie truly is the height of indulgence. Here, it's 1937, three years after the events of Murder on the Orient Express, and Poirot is holidaying in Egypt. While drinking tea with a vantage out over the country's unconvincingly computer-generated towering wonders, he chances across his old pal Bouc (Tom Bateman, Behind Her Eyes) and his mother Euphemia (Annette Bening, Hope Gap), who invite him to join their own trip — which doubles as a honeymoon for just-married heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot, Red Notice) and her new husband Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer, Crisis). Poirot obliges, but he's also surprised by the happy couple. Six weeks earlier, he saw them get introduced by Linnet's now-former friend and Simon's now ex-fiancée Jacqueline de Bellefort (Emma Mackey, Sex Education). That awkward history isn't easily forgotten by the central duo, either, given that Jackie has followed them with a view to winning Simon back. Boating down the Nile is initially an escape plan, but then the obvious happens in a film that always plays that way: a murder. Death on the Nile is available to stream via Disney+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. MOONFALL Does Roland Emmerich hate earth? Asking for not just a friend, but for the residents of an entire planet that the filmmaker just can't stop blowing up, devastating via CGI chaos and threatening with its end in his movies. Or, does he really love it, and has committed to the cinematic version of negging — tearing this pale blue dot down again and again so that his always paper-thin characters can swoop in to save the day, and also somehow seduce thankful viewers? Either way, Hollywood's go-to disaster-porn helmer is running out of moves, after a career spent blighting the globe in Independence Day, the terrible 1998 American Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012 and Independence Day: Resurgence. He does what he long has with Moonfall, of course, but with a space twist and while also noticeably ripping off elements of Alien and Prometheus. Moonfall begins in 2011, on a Space Shuttle mission, when it seems as if astronauts Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) and Jo Fowler (Halle Berry, Bruised) might first find themselves in a Gravity knockoff. Something dark, fast and strange swarms them while Harper is out in the inky nothingness working on a satellite, leading to a tragedy, but no one believes his version of events — including Fowler. Ten years later, he's considered a has-been, she's still at NASA and, when conspiracy theorist KC Houseman (John Bradley, Game of Thrones) learns that the moon has been knocked off its orbit, they're the only ones who can save the day. Harper is also one of the only people willing to listen to Houseman's wild claim that the moon is actually an artificial megastructure, which is linked to its sudden descent upon earth. Moonfall is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Read our full review. INDIA SWEETS AND SPICES India Sweets and Spices sports a clunky title, but a descriptive one. The saccharine and the zesty — the formulaic and spirited, too — combine in this coming-of-age comedy about an Indian American college freshman returning home from her no-holds-barred campus life for the summer, and being expected to slot back into her parents' and culture's expectations and traditions as if she'd never left. That quickly unhappy student is Alia Kapur (Sophia Ali, Uncharted), who has little on her agenda for her break except lazing by and in the pool; however, her prim-and-proper mother Sheila (Manisha Koirala, an Indian cinema mainstay) and doctor father Ranjit (Adil Hussain, Star Trek: Discovery) still demand that she do the rounds of their social circle's weekly Saturday-night party circuit. It's more her mum's doing than her significantly more laidback dad's, but it's also the done thing. What isn't usual: inviting the new proprietors of the local Indian store to these well-to-do shindigs. Writer/director Geeta Malik (Troublemaker) could've called her sophomore feature Crazy Rich Indian Americans — or Snobby Rich Indian Americans — and the moniker would've stuck, with a clear class clash the obvious outcome when Varun Dutta (Rish Shah, To All the Boys: Always and Forever), his mother Bhairavi (Deepti Gupta, High School Musical: The Musical — The Series) and dad Kamlesh (Kamran Shaikh, Evil Eye) show up to the Kapurs' home as asked. The conceited judgement over their nice but not glitzy attire is immediate, and further awkwardness springs quickly when it turns out that Sheila and Bhairavi shared a past before they both emigrated to the US. Alia is outraged over the reaction, intrigued about her mum's history and, given that's the reason she invited the Duttas in the first place, interested in Varun — and all three swiftly shape her summer. India Sweets and Spices is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. THE LAST MOUNTAIN In 1995, 33-year-old Alison Hargreaves aimed to scale the three highest mountains on the globe: Everest, K2 and Kangchenjunga, all without the help of bottled oxygen or Sherpas to transport her gear. She achieved the first in May, becoming the first woman to do so. Next, she attempted the second in August, but died on the descent. In the aftermath, to help process their grief, Hargreaves' husband Jim Ballard, seven-year-old son Tom and four-year-old daughter Kate made a pilgrimage to K2, a trip that unsurprisingly left an enormous imprint upon her children. Tom was in his mother's womb when she climbed the north face of the Eiger in Switzerland, so he was perhaps fated to love the pastime with the same passion. He became an acclaimed alpinist himself, until a February 2019 trip to Pakistan's Nanga Parbat, at the age of 30, to attempt the never-before-completed Mummery Spur. Filmmaker Christopher Terrill (Britain's Biggest Warship) doesn't simply rely upon heartbreaking echoes, or the Hargreaves–Ballard family's personal plight, as bolstered with archival material and interviews both of Alison and Tom. (Given the passage of years and the change in technology since, there's more and better footage of Tom in action, and it's a spectacular sight to behold.) A lesser film would've been happy with all of the above and still proven gripping; however, Terrill also unpacks the intricacies around celebrating extreme alpine and rock-climbing feats, then looking for someone to blame when treks finish badly — even without examining how the media backlash that swelled around Alison for dying and leaving her kids behind more than a quarter-century ago. Indeed, the back and forth that steps through the events leading to Tom's death, after uncharacteristically taking on a climbing partner in Italian Mummery Spur fanatic Daniele Nardi, is as complicated as the emotions that visibly course through Kate every time that she's in front of the camera. The Last Mountain is a clear tribute, and another ode to humanity's pull to the mountains, but it's also willing to be as thematically complicated as the terrain that looms so large within its frames. The Last Mountain is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. ALINE In a 1997 ballad that'll forever linked with the on-screen sinking of the world's most famous ship, Celine Dion told us that her heart would go on. Whether the Canadian singer's ticker will physically defy mortality is yet to be seen, but Aline, the fictionalised biography based on her rollercoaster ride of a life, certainly takes the idea to heart by overextending its running time. It's easy to see why the 'Because You Loved Me', 'The Power of Love' and 'Think Twice' crooner demands a lengthy feature. Also, compared to the big-budget superhero blockbuster standard, Aline's 128 minutes is positively concise. At every moment, however, this Valérie Lemercier (50 Is the New 30)-directed, -co-written and -starring film feels like it's going on and on and on. Near, far, wherever you are, it limps along despite packing plenty of ups and downs into its frames. A key reason: it primarily plays like the result of Lemercier simply opening up that door to Dion's Wikipedia page. Dion's story has everything from childhood fame and enormous career achievements to relationship scandals and personal tragedies, and Lemercier and her co-scribe Brigitte Buc (who also co-penned the filmmaker's 2005 featured Palais royal!) don't overlook any of it. But Dion's immense success doesn't necessarily make her overly fascinating, and nor do the many twists and turns her path has taken since she was born into a large Quebec family — arriving as the youngest of 14 children — and then found fame as a teen. Or, in her defence, they don't make her particularly interesting in a movie that's content to tick through everything that life has thrown her way like it's marking off a checklist rather than fleshing her out as a person. Viewers glean all of the necessary biographical details from Aline, but little sense of its subject, especially buried under Lemercier's unconvincing blend of soapy comedy and loving affection. Aline is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. QUEEN BEES Squandering veteran acting talent in insulting comedies about being senior citizens has to be one of cinema's most infuriating moves. It's a fate that's claimed too many stars — Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Diane Keaton and Pam Grier included in just the past few years — and, following the likes of Poms, Dirty Grandpa and The War with Grandpa, Queen Bees is the latest film to jump on the bandwagon. Where the also female-focused Poms endeavoured to bring Bring It On to older age, this Ellen Burstyn (Pieces of a Woman)-led effort does the same with Mean Girls. It knows it, too, with Donald Martin's (Christmas Town) script saddling Burstyn's Pine Grove Senior Community newcomer Helen Wilson with describing her cliquish fellow residents as "like mean girls, but with medical alert bracelets". That line alone is the extent of Queen Bees' self-awareness, however. Widowed for three years and dwelling in the memories that her marital home still holds, Helen is fiercely independent, but also increasingly forgetful. Her doting grandson Peter (Matthew Barnes, Little Fires Everywhere) helps her laugh off the repeated times she locks herself out of the house, but when she accidentally starts a fire one night, it leads to her interfering daughter Laura (Elizabeth Mitchell, The Expanse) convincing Helen to spend the month it'll take to fix the place seeing what Pine Grove is like. The word 'temporary' gets bandied about constantly upon her arrival, and she's just as adamant about steering clear of the retirement community's locals. And the fact that the group of women who've gleefully adopted the movie's moniker — led by the sniping and stern Janet (Jane Curtin, The Good Fight), with Margot (Ann-Margret, Going in Style) and Sally (Loretta Devine, The Starling) always by her side — are instantly unwelcoming only solidifies Helen's resolve. Queen Bees is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. Read our full review. Looking for more at-home viewing options? Take a look at our monthly streaming recommendations across new straight-to-digital films and TV shows, or check out the movies that were fast-tracked to digital in January, February and March.
Spending more time at home is much easier to stomach with a hefty rage of desserts on hand, or at least that seems to be Gelato Messina's pandemic motto. Over the past few months, the gelato fiends have served up plenty of tasty specials, including cookie pies in choc chip, red velvet, choc-hazelnut, and peanut butter and jelly varieties; 40 of its best flavours; and full tubs of both Iced VoVo gelato and Messina's own take on the classic Viennetta ice cream cake. Up next: a lamington version of the brand's sticky snails. Basically, it's their interpretation of a Cinnabon-style brioche scroll, then combined with an Aussie favourite. It's another of Messina's limited releases, and it'll be available at all of its stores for a very short period. Wondering what exactly Messina's lamington sticky snail entails? Well, that sticky brioche scroll is filled with vanilla custard, chocolate chips, raspberry jam and chocolate caramel. And, yes, it's then sprinkled with desiccated coconut. If it didn't, the lamington label just couldn't apply. The sweet bake-at-home bite can only be ordered online on Monday, August 17. On its own, it will cost $20 — but to sweeten the deal, the cult ice creamery has created a few bundle options, should you want some of its famed gelato atop it (vanilla is recommended). You can add on a 500-millilitre tub for $28, a one-litre tub for $36 or a 1.5-litre tub for $39. Once you've placed your preorder, pick up will be available between Friday, August 21–Sunday, August 23 from your chosen Messina store. And, once you've got the lamington sticky snail safely home, you just need to whack it in the oven for 20–25 minutes at 160 degrees and voila. If you're in Melbourne, remember that you can only venture to shops within five kilometres of your house — and only once a day — to get essentials, including food. Gelato Messina's lamington sticky snails will be available to order on Monday, August 17, for pick up between Friday, August 21–Sunday, August 23 — keep an eye on the Messina website for further details.
Sydney might have enjoyed a somewhat mild-ish start to 2018, with only one 30-degree day on January 1 and temperatures staying in the mid-20s since; however a blast of hot, hot heat awaits come the weekend. Indeed, finding some frosty air-con or a shaded pool is recommended on Sunday, when the city is predicted to reach more than 40 degrees in some areas. The Bureau of Meteorology may only expect the mercury to make it to 39 degrees in the CBD (we know, we know, there's no such thing as only 39 degrees) on Sunday after a maximum of 31 degrees on Saturday, but highs of 45 degrees are expected in Penrith, 44 degrees in Richmond, 43 degrees in Liverpool, Blacktown and Campbelltown, and 41 degrees at Sydney Olympic Park. The hot spell will see the city swelter through its first weekend of 2018, after experiencing its second warmest year on record in 2017. As reported by Weatherzone, 2017 came second only to 2016, and only by 0.1 degree. The figures are based on the city's average temperature for the entire year, which was 19.5 degrees in last year and 19.6 degrees the year prior. It's Sydney's 25th consecutive warmer than average year based on mean temperature — and a year that featured a November heatwave, one of the hottest recorded September nights and one of its hottest winter days as well. Thankfully, the current blast of scorching summer warmth will be short-lived. Monday will reach 33 degrees, while the rest of the week isn't forecast to exceed 30, with temperatures hovering between 24 to 29 degrees. Phew. It was originally thought that Sydney might escape the toasty weekend temps, only hitting the low 30s, with the rest of southeastern Australia also set for a balmy few days as well. Melbourne will endure a 41-degree day on Saturday, its warmest day for two years, while Adelaide will reach 41 degrees as well, and Canberra will hit 36 and 38 degrees across both days. At the upper end of the east coast, Brisbanites get off somewhat lightly, with a comparatively bearable 31 and 32 degrees predicted for the weekend. Via the ABC.
Since October 2017, Mr Liquor's Dirty Italian Disco has been doling out plates of handmade pasta, wood-roasted meats and delicious cheeses to the drive-through bottle shop of the Tennyson Hotel in Botany. Merivale own the pub, and the pop-up is a collaboration between the group and Pinbone's Mike Eggert and Jemma Whiteman. If you've not had a chance to check it out year, you'd best get your skates on because, at the end of April, it'll be pulling up stumps. The good news is that the Disco will be going out with a bang — in the form of a raucous closing party. Turn up between 1pm and 6pm on Sunday, April 29 for tasty snacks, including porchetta rolls and chicken wings, wine tastings and cocktails, all soundtracked by DJs. Tickets are $40 and include two drinks and two snacks. Even though Mr Liquor's is wrapping up, this doesn't mean the bottle-o is going back to selling slabs. Look out for a new pop-up later in the year.
UPDATE: MAY 3, 2019 — While Freda's new licence allows trading till 4am, no new patrons will be allowed inside the venue from 3am. Revellers inside the venue will be able to continue partying till 4am and continue using the outdoor smoking Two years ago, Sydney bar-goers rejoiced when Chippendale favourite Freda's got the approval to stay open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights. Now, seemingly against all odds — with pro-lockout law NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian reelected just this March — Freda's has just received the go-ahead for a 4am close on weekends. Plus, its hours from Sunday through Thursday will be extended until 2am. It's a huge win. And not just for Freda's and its punters, but for Sydney's live music scene in general. In the four years since the lockout laws were introduced to curb alcohol-fuelled violence, a reported 176 venues have closed. A year-long parliamentary inquiry into the state of Sydney's music and nightlife economy also found that the industry was in "peril" due to the NSW Government's history of neglect, and lack of funding. Hopefully, we're about to see this (slowly) reversed. Freda's opened nine years ago — long before the lockouts and Sydney's subsequent cultural crisis. Envisioned by owner David Abram, the bar came about from Abram's desire to create a diverse, safe and cultured space where likeminded folk could get together. Since then, it's opened underground Down Under exhibition space and hosted a slew of bands and DJs, and countless events. While Chippendale isn't in the lockout zone, its bars have still been impacted by the State Government's strict late-night and live music policies. [caption id="attachment_652651" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] So, although the Berejiklian Government remains, could this grant mean more than just Freda's future? "We have seen Sydney's nightlife go through a sad and painful decline over the last 6 years. However, this is an important turning point in Sydney reaching its immense potential as a late-night city," said Freda's owner David Abram in a statement. Since the introduction of the lockout laws, there has been some relaxing of restrictions. More than 20 venues have been granted half-an-hour live entertainment extensions, and Oxford Street, and the surrounding area, has gone lockout-free for Mardi Gras the past two years. And now, the Liquor & Gaming NSW — which comes under State Government jurisdiction — has approved Freda's new two-hour extension, which means it can further its already stellar showcasing of some of Sydney's best and emerging creative talent. It's a serious cultural win. Despite this being a singular victory, it looks like the government's vice-like grip could be loosening. Freda's new licence comes into effect immediately so, if you want to celebrate, we suspect the place will be a hubbub of celebration this weekend, with the official 'launch' party next Friday, May 10. We'll keep you updated with what that'll entail. Freda's hours will be extended until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays and until 2am Sunday through Thursday, effective immediately. To celebrate, Freda's is hosting an official launch party next Friday, May 10.
Were you one of those kids who you watched Lords of Dogtown and swore to yourself you were going to become a skateboarding superstar, the next Jay Adams? If you're one of the committed ones who actually bought yourself a board and taught yourself to skate, now's your time to show off your skills — and if you never made it past a poorly executed kickflip, you're of course still invited to come along and take it all in. The annual Australian Bowl-Riding Championships are back and set to take place at Empire Park on Newcastle's famous Bar Beach. The first true national competition for any skateboarding discipline, the championships showcase the best riders of all ages from around the country. You can catch skating's best women battle it out in the ladies comp, best dudes in the pros and masters comps and best juniors in the under 16s comp. It's a spectacular weekend for competitors and spectators alike, so get on down and watch the battle of the boards to see who will be crowned the kings and queens of the bowl. Image: Dean Tirkot
With a program packed full of great events, there's a bunch of ways to fill your days at the SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival. Of course, you could also blow off any attempt at constructing a schedule and spend the whole time playing demos of the 150+ indie games featured in the Games Showcase. With that many titles on offer you're sure to find some that speak to the unique gamer within you, but if you'd like a steer on what to see and play we've gathered ten red hot picks from developers both Australian and international. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuD8G9GzOFw[/embed] WINNIE'S HOLE Since tumbling into the public domain, the beloved Winnie the Pooh has been showing up in some odd, often horrific places (notably this childhood-ending horror movie). Winnie's Hole, developed by Melbourne studio Twice Different, is buying into this trend with a rogue-lite puzzle game that sees you controlling a virus infecting the bear. As you conquer more cells you begin to twist your huggable host's body in grotesque ways, choosing mutations that allow you to fight off enemies and spread to more inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood. It's a compelling blend of disgusting and delightful. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJbUXpfAWis[/embed] JANET DEMORNAY IS A SLUMLORD (AND A WITCH) If you're reading this and you live in Sydney, chances are you've lived in rental properties before (and maybe still do *shakes fist at real estate market*). If so, Janet DeMornay Is A Slumlord (And A Witch) will probably hit home for you. This first-person horror comedy from Sydney-based studio Fuzzy Ghost has you moving into a fairly dilapidated terrace house and joining a crew of LGBTQIA+ roommates. Problem is, the house has been transported to another dimension and your interactions with the landlord – who, as the title suggests, is a witch – are becoming increasingly threatening. Featuring real-life rental horror stories, it's set to be a funny and frightening look at what it takes to have a home these days. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m-_bNcnpQE[/embed] THE DUNGEON EXPERIENCE Jacob Janerka might just be the funniest game developer in Australia. In his new project, The Dungeon Experience, you're a visitor to a fantasy-themed experience established by a level 1 mud crab who's packed in being an enemy for a life of entrepreneurship. It's a first-person adventure game that will send you on a quest filled with memorable characters and hilarious dialogue, all the while turning the tropes of the fantasy genre firmly on their head. This is one game you won't want to miss. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp3Uy4CYNJc[/embed] ANOTHER CRAB'S TREASURE If you're into Souls-likes (that's brutally difficult third-person roleplaying games inspired by the Dark Souls series, in case you aren't familiar) but wish they weren't so uniformly dreary, Another Crab's Treasure is the game for you. Developed by the appropriately named Aggro Crab out of Seattle in the US, this underwater adventure features the fiendish combat you know and love in a bright, cartoony aquatic setting. As Kril the hermit crab you'll use a variety of trash from the ocean floor as both shell and weapons during your mission to buy back your repossessed original shell. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDjbZyvvyu0[/embed] WAY TO THE WOODS Way To The Woods is the project of Melbourne-based solo developer Anthony Tan who started working on the game while in his teens. It's been a long road – as it often is with game development – so to get a chance to see it in action at SXSW Sydney is a genuinely exciting opportunity. The game puts you in the cloven hooves of a deer who must guide its fawn through a ruined world to get back to their natural environment. With a beautiful, serene art style and a high chance of touching narrative moments, this title is shaping up to be something special. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHhqezkr5R0[/embed] WOOD & WEATHER If you're looking to recapture the raw, unbridled power you felt while playing imaginary games with toys as a child, Paper House out of Melbourne have you covered. In their new game Wood & Weather, you'll assume god-like control over a city made of wooden blocks, populated by inhabitants that have pleasingly similar aesthetics to old Playmobil sets. As a benevolent deity, you'll tinker with the weather as well as interacting with objects while taking the form of a giant blue hand, all to help the townsfolk solve problems. It's a whimsical, wonderful experience. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNJ87JU4CII[/embed] DARKWEBSTREAMER With the astronomical rise of Twitch and TikTok, streamers have become the new celebrities. But how far is too far when pursuing fame this way? That's the question darkwebSTREAMER by Adelaide's We Have Always Lived In The Forest poses, as you try your hand at being a fledgling streamer looking to rise to the top of an internet culture where the more extreme and dangerous your content, the more famous you'll become. With an eerie 1-bit art style and use of procedural generation meaning no two sessions are the same, this has the makings of a horror game masterpiece. [embed]https://youtu.be/eTfZzwydEWQ[/embed] DEAD STATIC DRIVE The open road. The wind in your hair. The purr of the engine. The eldritch screeching of the monsters chasing you. Dead Static Drive by Melbourne's Reuben Games puts you in the driver's seat on a road trip through 80s-inspired, fading small town America. A journey to visit family turns into a fight for survival as the end of the world arrives, bringing monsters with it. You'll need to scavenge, sneak and slay to reach the final destination in this top-down horror driving game. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp3Tnrl7WOA[/embed] THE DRIFTER The point-and-click adventure renaissance continues with The Drifter, developed by Powerhoof out of Melbourne. Assume the role of Mick Carter, an itinerant who's experiencing the worst day of his life. From witnessing a murder, to returning to life after his own murder, he's got to unravel deepening mystery while trying to keep his wits about him. It's a pulpy thriller that harks back to the guts and gore of 70s Ozploitation flicks, with a focus on fast-paced storytelling rather than finicky puzzles. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9RDPQv_Tyk[/embed] KNUCKLE SANDWICH Starting over in a new city can be hard, particularly when it's Bright City — the setting for Knuckle Sandwich by Melbourne's Andy Brophy. This fictional Australian metropolis has a missing persons problem, and you get tangled up in it as you take on an amusingly over-the-top gang and a cult. It's an RPG of classic lineage, with a vast array of characters to interact with, a plethora of locations to explore, and turn-based combat that utilises over 100 different mini-games. This one has been on the horizon for a while, and with a recently announced release date SXSW Sydney is a great way to try before you buy. The SXSW Sydney Games Showcase is taking place across Eddy Multi Space, Mercure Sydney and Fortress Sydney from October 18-22. To see session times, and the full list of showcase title, check the SXSW Sydney Gaming Festival website for details. For more inspiration head to our full guide to the best of SXSW Sydney.
Visiting Europe sadly isn't on Australians' agendas in the near future. Heading to New York to wander through The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn't at the moment either. But, for four months this year, a heap of European art masterpieces from The Met are making the journey to our shores — so you'll be able to feast your eyes on some of the greatest paintings ever committed to canvas at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art. From Friday, June 12–Sunday, October 17, 65 works that almost never leave The Met's galleries will grace GOMA's walls, in what'll be the venue's biggest-ever survey of the history of European art — and, it's a Brissie exclusive, too. If you're wondering why these paintings are so treasured, well, that's because they're by everyone from Monet, van Gogh and Vermeer to Renoir, Rembrandt and Degas. The list of artists featuring in the exhibition, which covers a whopping 500 years of European art and is fittingly called European Masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, just keeps going — with Rubens, Poussin, Gauguin, Raphael, Boucher and Velazquez all included as well. Also impressive: the different types of artworks that'll be on display, spanning everything from portraits and still-life pieces to landscape paintings and figure studies. From the full lineup, the earliest work will date back to 1445, courtesy of an altarpiece panel depicting the Crucifixion of Christ by the Florentine artist Fra Angelico. Also among the centuries-old highlights are Titian's Venus and Adonis from the 1550s, Caravaggio's The Musicians from 1597, Rembrandt's Flora from around 1654, and Vermeer's Allegory of the Catholic Faith. And, for works from the 19th-century impressionist and post-impressionist period, the likes of Monet, Renoir and van Gogh have things wrapped up — complete with Monet's 1919 piece Water Lilies. GOMA's program will also feature hands-on digital and analogue activities to accompany the masterworks, plus — as is always the case with its major exhibitions — a lineup of yet-to-be-announced Up Late events that'll let you check out these art wonders after dark and over a few drinks. [caption id="attachment_781830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] 'The Flowering Orchard' (1888) by Vincent van Gogh. The Mr and Mrs Henry Ittleson jr Purchase Fund 1956/56.13. Collection: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.[/caption] Top images: Water Lilies (1916-19) by Claude Monet. Gift of Louise Reinhardt Smith 1983/1983.532.; Still Life with Apples and Pears (1891-92) Bequest of Stephen C Clark 1960/61.101.3. Both collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Fancy a Tassie wine tasting extravaganza, but can't find the time (or cash) to make the trip? How about a quick hop over to Darlinghurst instead? If you can get there with $60 to spare on Saturday, August 12, you'll be living the Apple Isle dream. That's because one-day wine festival Vin Diemen is coming back to Sydney for a third year. Your ticket will get you a take-home wine glass and access to the creations of a whole slew of Tasmanian winemakers, who are crossing the strait to show us what their island is made of. Expect to sample some of the best Pinot Noir in the nation, alongside top-shelf Chardonnay, Riesling and sparkling — cold climate varieties get a better go in Tassie than nearly anywhere else in Oz. And giving the wines the respect they deserve will be a bunch of tasty Tasmanian morsels, including cheeses noms from Bruny Island Cheese. To top it off, you'll also be able to sample some Tassie spirits and Willie Smith's Organic Cider. Tickets are $50 early bird and $60 general admission, and go on sale on June 13.
If there's one thing about the Central Coast that's plain to see, it's that everybody loves the water. Every day visitors and residents hit the rivers, channels, lakes and beaches for a spot of swimming, surfing, fishing or sailing. It should be no surprise then to hear that there's a waterfront celebration dedicated to the humble heritage putt-putts and wooden boats that dot the waterways of the region. On Sunday, October 13, the Davistown waterfront will host a family-friendly celebration of these nautical beauties. You can take in the fleet of local vessels while anchored or on the move in the Grand Parade or when they compete for first place in the putt-putt challenge. Beyond the boats, Illoura Reserve will host an artisan goods and food market, dedicated kids' areas, live performances and additional maritime vehicle viewing opportunities from 9am to 4pm.
Move over wine — beer deserves its own place at the dinner table, and the Redoak 'beergustation' class proves it. For $99, you get a five-course degustation menu carefully crafted to pair with five Redoak Brewery beers. This event, set in the beer cafe's dining room, is as elegant as any wine pairing and as classy as any cocktail pairing. You'll hear first-hand from the beer sommelier Simon Beveridge and manager Janet Hollyoak (sister and co-owner to brewer David Hollyoak), who will share their insights into beer and food — tips like how to taste different styles, choose glassware, and of course how to pair each beer to a gourmet dish. The Redoak crew are dedicated to expanding the Australian palate beyond Tooheys and Carlton and have been champions of the craft brewing movement for 20 years. The class generally runs the first Saturday of the month.
Melbourne masquerades as New York in Predestination, the latest film from German-Australian directing duo Michael and Peter Spierig. Reuniting the twin filmmakers with their Daybreakers star Ethan Hawke, this slickly produced time-travel noir attempts to put its own distinctive spin on one of sci-fi's most thoroughly exploited sub-genres. There are plenty of intriguing concepts beneath the movie's stylish surface, although often their delivery leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, some old-school vibes — and an astounding, career-making performance from actress Sarah Snook — ensures Predestination is worth your precious time. Adapted, and expanded, from Robert A. Heinlein's 13-page short story All You Zombies, much of the first half of the film takes place in a dive bar in New York, where a time-travelling secret agent (Hawke), on the trail of a terrorist mastermind, is working undercover serving drinks. One evening, he strikes up a conversation, seemingly at random, with a sullen young man named James (Snook), who bets the barkeep a bottle of whiskey he's got the best story the place has ever heard. And it's certainly a corker of a yarn. James, it would seem, began his life as Jane, abandoned by unknown parents on the steps of a Cleveland orphanage. A bright, tough young woman, Jane very nearly becomes one of the first female astronauts, only to be ruled out by an unexpected pregnancy. The father of the child abandons her soon after, although the shock is overshadowed by a revelation from her doctor: it turns out Jane has a second set of fully functioning (albeit internal) male reproductive organs, and that complication from her pregnancy will leave her no choice but to transition into a man. How James's incredible story is connected to Hawke's manhunt isn't immediately clear — although it's obvious from the cryptic way the brothers frame the flashbacks – always obscuring certain faces — that the cogs will eventually interlock. The second half of the film, wherein Hawke offers James the chance to travel back and change his past, is positively overflowing with time paradoxes and plot twists. The problem is, anyone with even a passing familiarity with time-travel stories will see them coming at least three scenes before they do. It's not that the revelations aren't interesting on an intellectual level; they just never result in the dropped jaws and shocked gasps that the Spierigs would obviously like. Still, if their script could use some polish, they succeed in delivering style. From Hawke's fedora and six-shot revolver to his portable time machine disguised as a violin case, the feel of Predestination is a particular brand of retro-futuristic cool. Likewise, the narrative device of two strangers swapping stories across the bar has an enjoyably hardboiled quality to it and helps disguise the fact that the entire first half of the movie is basically one giant dump of exposition. It also helps a great deal that Snook is the one who's delivering it. Hawke brings his typical mix of wryness and intensity, while Noah Taylor is dapper is his seemingly all-knowing handler. But it's the Adelaide-born actress who clearly runs away with the film, ranging from tough and emotionally guarded to devastatingly raw. So affecting are the scenes immediately before and after James' transition that you could almost do away with the time travel story altogether. https://youtube.com/watch?v=UVOpfpYijHA
The Holy See — Vatican City — is one of the world's smallest countries, nestled entirely inside of the city of Rome. It normally rates above its size in world attention, but for the next two months it's going to to get a double dose of international focus. Now that His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has taken the almost unprecedented step of stepping down from the pontificate, a story on which most (but not all) journalists got a slow start, we're bound to be getting a lot of incoming footage of this tiny city. But before you get onto the usual round of Latin glossaries, explanations of Vatican lore and law, and no shortage of betting odds. But it also means a lot of time spent with camera staring at the unmoving windows and quiet chimneys of St Peter's Basilica. If your Latin feels a little rusty, you might feel the need to remind yourself about this tiny city state. To help, Concrete Playground has put together this list of five top Vatican movies to get you in the mood for the next two months of Church and State. 1. The Borgias What The Borgias lacks in HBO-like budget, it makes up for with sheer bloody-minded ambition. It starts with the elevation of Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons) from cardinal to Pope Alexander VI. Breaking with fictional tradition, it takes the violent ambition of the Borgias and places it in the context of their equally violently ambitious contemporaries. It's also okay (though far from perfect) for historical accuracy. Not least in Gina McKee's depiction of Caterina Sforza: the woman who pulled off the most badass flash in history. 2. The Pope Must Die Shorter on historical accuracy or, indeed, any accuracy, The Pope Must Die is a lightweight film, somewhat held together by the presence of Robbie Coltrane, later to be famous for playing the lead in Cracker and Hagrid in Harry Potter. The film was a farcical, nice-guy power fantasy, much in the vein of Kevin Kline's later, pre-Aaron Sorkin presidential comedy Dave. The film spends time behind the scenes at movie Vatican, but is much more of a Prince and the Pauper fable than anything approaching genuine behind the scenes. 3. We Have a Pope Although director Nanni Moretti is best known as a comedian, his work on serious films like The Son's Room have cemented his ability to cross genre. We Have a Pope is named after the proclamation that accompanies the arrival of a new pontiff, usually announced from the papal balcony to expectant crowds below. Except, in this film that announcement never happens. Pope-elect Melville (Michael Piccoli) gets cold feet the moment before the proclamation, and the rest of the film follows a considered will-he-won't-he as Melville decides if he has a future as the leader of the Catholic world. Audiences expected a papal farce from Moretti. And, while the film has its absurd and funny moments as the Vatican bureaucracy tries to deal with a Pope-free limbo (not the least with some biting, volleyball-based satire of Australia's chances in the World Cup), it's neither pro-church nor anti-church; instead, Moretti's film explores the weight of responsibility resting on this maybe-Pope-to-be's unwilling shoulders. 4. Fellini's Roma Federico Fellini examined, and defined, huge swathes of Italian culture in his post-WWII career. He famously flew a statue of Jesus over St Peters — the church at the heart of the Vatican — at the beginning of La Dolce Vita. But Fellini's lesser-known Roma goes the whole hog. As part of its combination of reporterly and exaggerated depictions of Italian, post-war male life and Italian history (not to mention a cameo from an Italian-speaking Gore Vidal), Fellini takes Roma's audience to an imagined fashion show of papal garments. Nuns with oversized, wing-like wimples. Cardinals on roller-skates. The Pope as sun god. Empty, glittering robes. The parade satirises the financial excess, ornamentation, and mystery of Italian religious ritual. 5. Angels and Demons Swapping out The Da Vinci Code's Audrey Tautou for Ewan McGregor, Angels and Demons had the distinction of being the only film in this list to get close to almost filming in the Vatican itself. Although the Vatican famously banned the production from using St Peter's as a filming location, the production simply sent people in with cameras disguised as tourists to take high resolution background photos later stitched together into a passable vatican using CG.
David Attenborough may have turned 94 in 2020; however the acclaimed broadcaster and natural historian isn't slowing down anytime soon. Fresh from narrating and presenting two new TV series in 2019 (Our Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet), appearing at Glastonbury and recently joining Instagram, he's now bringing his latest movie-length documentary to your screen. Called David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the film sees Attenborough look back on his more than nine decades on earth, the sights he has seen and the changes he has witnessed. Specifically, he reflects upon humanity's enormous and damaging impact on the natural world — and, when it hits Netflix on Sunday, October 4, it servers up quite the powerful viewing experience. Since the early 50s, Attenborough's stunningly shot documentaries have been awash with revelatory sights and detailed insights from across the planet, sharing the kind of wonders that eager audiences would be unlikely to see or discover themselves otherwise. Now, after becoming a constant, respected and beloved presence in the field, his passionate and vibrant work has earned its place in history several times over. But it might also become a record of a world, and of natural history, that's lost due to climate change. It's this possibility that's behind A Life On Our Planet — that, and the great broadcaster's efforts to motivate a response to combat both global warming and the catastrophic loss of biodiversity blighting the environment. On offer here is an urgent and far-ranging exploration of how our pale blue dot evolved to its current state, what might be in store if we continue down this path, and how and why things could and should change. Determined in his tone, Attenborough calls the documentary his witness statement several times within its frames, and it's as potent and devastating as intended. Bookended by scenes in Chernobyl that are initially designed to illustrate what can happen ecologically when bad planning and human error combine — a situation that, Attenborough posits, applies to climate change as well — A Life On Our Planet is both broad and intricate, and personal and political too. Cycling through the earth's life to-date to provide a snapshot of the planet's predicament, it delivers a comprehensive overview, a raft of telling facts and figures, and a plethora of reflections from its central figure. It also features the now-requisite array of eye-catching footage that Attenborough's hefty body of work has long become known for, served up here to not only revel in its glory and showcase his exceptional career, but to demonstrate what's fading away due to humanity's impact upon the globe. Accordingly, it's impossible not to be moved by the film. If viewers won't listen to Attenborough on this topic, and as he explains what he's seen and where he sees things heading, then they probably won't listen to anyone. In the documentary's latter third, A Life On Our Planet follows in the footsteps of Australian doco 2040, too, by pondering how the world might adapt for the better. Produced by wildlife filmmakers Silverback Films and global environmental organisation WWF, A Life On Our Planet was originally slated to play in cinemas in April — but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release was postponed. It's currently showing on the big screen Down Under now (except Victoria), with the film paired with an exclusive cinema-only conversation between Attenborough and Michael Palin, if you'd rather see its vivid and impassioned sights in a larger format. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64R2MYUt394 David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet hits Netflix on Sunday, October 4, at 5pm AEST / 6pm ADST. It's also currently screening in Australian and New Zealand cinemas.
COVID-19 clusters keep popping up, lockdowns are still part of Australian life and whether Aussies can head to states other than their own — or to New Zealand — can change quickly. This is the reality of life during the pandemic. That said, if you have a trip to Queensland in your future, the Sunshine State has revealed one definite new part of your next visit. The state's government has advised that it is introducing online travel declarations for all visitors to Queensland. So, from 1am on Saturday, June 19, anyone travelling to the Sunshine State from another Aussie state or territory — or from NZ — will need to fill out the form. And yes, this should sound familiar, because similar online forms were implemented back when Queensland's borders were beginning to reopen post-lockdown in 2020. Queenslanders returning home from other Aussie states and territories, and from NZ, will also need to fill out the declaration. You're required to do so up to 72 hours before heading to Queensland, after which you'll be issued a 'green Queensland travel declaration' — as long as you haven't been to a hotspot or exposure site while you were outside of the state. The declarations will apply to everyone, unless you live in the Queensland or New South Wales border zone and have only been in that zone or in Queensland for the past fortnight — and then, only if you're entering the Sunshine State via road. Workers in emergency health services, emergency services, national defence, state security and police who are responding to an emergency in Queensland will be exempt, too, as will ambulance and aeromedical passengers, anyone heading to Queensland in an emergency situation, some maritime crew, folks assisting with or participating in a State or Commonwealth law enforcement investigations, and disaster management workers under their operational protocol. https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1405311966072037382 Announcing the news today, Thursday, June 17, Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D'Ath advised that the declarations were about contact tracing efforts. "It's vital that if an interstate exposure site or hotspot is declared, our health experts can quickly contact anyone who has travelled into Queensland from that area," the Minister said. Also coming into effect: a traffic light-style system like Victoria's, which will designate sections of Australia and New Zealand as green, amber and red areas. If somewhere is green, there are no travel restrictions. In the amber category, the area in question has interstate exposure venues — and if it's red, it's a hotspot. Queensland already requires anyone heading to the state who has been to an interstate exposure venue to either quarantine at your home or in other appropriate accommodation for 14 days if you're already in the state with the exposure venue is identified. Or, if you enter Queensland after an exposure site is named, you'll need to isolate in government arranged accommodation for a fortnight. Queensland's online travel declarations will come back into effect from 1am on Saturday, June 19. For further information, head to the Queensland Government website.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your snow trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. The South Island of New Zealand is enjoying some epic snow this year, attracting a huge local and international crowd to test out the slopes. To capture this season in all of its glory, New Zealand Tourism is using ‘dronies’ — mini drones with cameras attached to them — to photograph the skiers and snowboarders so they can take a little something back with them. That means, what a mere three months ago sounded like an April Fool's Day prank is now spectacularly real. The drone begins recording with a close-up of you being king of the mountain, then it swiftly flies backwards, widening the shot to include the surrounding snowy mountains and beautiful South Island landscape. The videos last for about eight seconds, and it seems like a much wiser option for a photo-op than carrying a camera in your pocket only to crush it if/when you ungracefully stack it on the mountain. Once the video is taken they’ll send it to you so you can share it via social media using #NZdronie. If you’re heading to New Zealand while the powder is still fresh we’d happily wage a bet that your snow selfie will make more then a few friends/colleagues/family members tingle with envy. And really, isn’t that what a selfie is all about? NZ Tourism is the first country to use dronies on their slopes, and they will be flying all over the South Island between July and August. Some of the destinations they plan to pop into include Coronet Peak, Cardrona, Mount Hutt, Mount Cook, Queenstown and Lake Tekapo. For more info on the NZdronie, or to find out where they’re located, head to the 100% Pure New Zealand Facebook page.
