We've all tried to soundtrack our lives, whether by creating an iTunes playlist reminding us of that excellent birthday party or by listening to those annual So Fresh CDs that commemorate each individual year of our childhood. Now media artist Brian House has taken it to the next level by literally recording an entire year of his life and etching it onto a playable vinyl record, the Quotidian Record. House tracked his location using an app called OpenPaths for 365 days, assigned each place he visited a certain point on the musical scale and designated each city a key. He then ordered each location by how much time he spent there as well as the regularity of his visits. Whilst there was a distinct repetitiveness as in all daily routines — home, work, the daily commute — the changes offered by daily life, such as travel, provided House with musical creativity. "The more common places were generally given more consonant harmonies, so throughout most of the piece you get a major third repeating, which is basically me sleeping at home," House says to Fast Co.Create. "As I’m moving around more, it gets more complex.” This complexity can be seen on the vinyl itself as it is marked with dates and places so that House and other listeners can jump ahead and experience an exact moment in time. Neatly, an entire day can be heard in just one full revolution of the record, meaning a full year can be musically manifested in 11 minutes. However, despite the data-centric focus of the project and his endeavour to prove that all data is qualitative, House just wants his personal rhythmic signature to be felt like all other music. “It's a framework for a set of memories,” he says. “I hear my commute and my travels through a lens of expectation. I love the sound of my trip into the Colorado wildness, in particular. I re-enact that when I listen, and it’s especially meaningful to me". Due to House wanting to preserve the sanctity of the work on vinyl, you cannot hear the full recording online. However, he has provided a teaser of his year, and despite the unconventional method of composition, it is surprisingly catchy. [Via Fast Co.Create.]
To those yet to finger the face of Ghostface Chilla, Snapchat's mascot stuck in a state of eternal smugness, don't believe everything you've heard. Snapchat is much more than just sexting. In fact, it's hilarious. This app du jour, first launched by four Stanford students in September 2011, allows users to send a predetermined viewable media from one connection to the other before deleting it from both devices forever (lest, of course, someone screenshots what you send, but you'll be notified of that, don't worry). Naturally, targeting those raised suckling the teat of social media, it was a huge hit and by May 2012, 25 images were being sent a second. These days the small American venture is valued between US$60 and $70 million and more than 20 million photos and videos are shared between friends a day. Trust us, they're not all pictures of genitalia in various states of arousal. Honestly. Let us present a brief list of five functions that make Snapchat that little bit awesome. Don't get us wrong, it's ridiculous, it's stupid and it's one of the silliest things you can possibly spend your time doing. But if you can't do and be all of those things with your mates, then you need to find new ones. Gross/freak out your pals Snapchat's greatest asset is its self-defeating, inhibition-killing philosophy. Your more 'creative' chums might brew up some less-than-settling situations like our little baby head here. And don't be surprised if you ever open a Snapchat to find a friend, how should we put it, taking a dump. Check out hot people on the street It's natural, it's normal and there's nothing wrong with being mesmerised by that hot tradie's bulge. So why not share the beauty? Sure, some may argue it's 'breaching' their 'privacy', but as we all learned this Mardi Gras, it's perfectly legal to capture anything on camera/film in a public domain. Become a director Screw you Spielberg, we're a brand new generation and we cry dislike to your feature-length, permanent creations. That's right, we have a camera, we have tools to add text and colour and we have an audience prone to a short attention span at the tap of a screen. Alter reality With the aforementioned added bonus of being able to go cray cray with a paint function, it's always fun to mix things up a little and not so subtly bend reality. Make that hungover selfie just that little more true to life. After all, authenticity sells. Play a game of 'Guess Where I Am' If Twitter has taught us anything, it's ok to show off as long as you're not humble about it. Own that self-righteousness you brilliant genius, and what better way to brag your tits off (not literally) than sending, say, a bed-ridden sick friend a little reminder that you're still functioning like a normal person? All images by Jack Arthur Smith.
From The Crucible and The Craft to Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Suspiria, witches just keep working their magic on popular culture. Now they're casting a spell on the Brisbane art world too, all thanks to the UQ Art Museum. The venue's next big exhibition delves into the world of witches, sorcery, rituals and magic — and given the topic, there's plenty to examine. This showcase will feature bewitching historic etchings, enchanting modern-day works that ponder intuition and incantations, and new commissions of the dark and otherworldly kind. Displaying from Friday, March 1 to Saturday, June 29, Second Sight: Witchcraft, Ritual, Power aims to not only explore all things witchy, but to understand why witches continue to conjure up a reaction — be it fascination or fear. Expect pieces that ruminate on everything from collective happenings to the usual elements to peripheral activity, all while challenging prevailing stereotypes. Witches have been known to have second sight, and here you'll give them a second look. The four-month exhibition features works by 11 artists, and entry is free. Image: Naomi Blacklock, Padma. 2018. Performance documentation from NETHERWORLDS exhibition, Spring Hill Reservoir, Brisbane, 9 June 2018. Photo: Charlie Hillhouse. Courtesy of the artist.
Sydney is currently experiencing a wave of new hotel openings. From the sleek-as-hell Ace Hotel and the lavish Capella Sydney to exciting upcoming openings like the forthcoming W Hotel, the Harbour City is awash with flash new accommodation providers. On top of all of this, a five-star Sydney favourite has just received a multimillion-dollar transformation with heritage CBD hotel Swissôtel unveiling its new look, Euro-influenced rooftop pool and grand lobby bar. Both the bar and pool are located high in the sky, nestled among Sydney's high rises. Enter the hotel from Market Street and head up to level eight to find Arches On Market, a no-holds-barred dining and drinking experience within the building's pre-existing 1930s lobby. A luxurious fit-out has brought new life to the space, and an award-winning chef now heads up the kitchen, serving up a selection of finger food and bar snacks. Take your pick from intimate booths, relaxed lounge seating and the more formal dining space, or take a seat at the eight-metre-long Calacatta marble bar where you can really analyse the cocktail list with the bartenders to determine the beverage your heart truly desires. On the drinks menu, you'll find the signature martini served straight out of the freezer and garnished depending on your preference, as well as sours, cobblers and a twist on an Old Fashioned. Executive Chef John Giovanni Pugliano has pulled together a snack menu that will have you cancelling your dinner reservations elsewhere. Oysters, finger sandwiches, goats cheese and caramelised onion croquettes, prawn cocktails and pork terrine all make appearances alongside caviar and mandarin cheesecake. These vibrant cocktails and stellar eats are all calling to be enjoyed poolside, and hotel guests are in luck with the Arches fare available at the new rooftop pool. This inner-city oasis now boasts built-in cabanas and sun-soaked day beds, as well as booths set up to accommodate a spread of snacks from the lobby bar. Pristine white pool club-style walls surround the timber deck, giving the sky-high swim spot a sense of privacy without shutting it off from the sun and the surrounding skyline. The new-look 369-room hotel and all of its fresh amenities are open now. Rooms start from just over $350 a night and include access to the Ten Stories restaurant, Arches on Market, the rooftop pool and the wellness and spa facilities, all in the heart of the Sydney CBD. Swissôtel Sydney is located at 68 Market Street, Sydney. Restaurant images: Steven Woodburn
There are many things that are great about The Great, and the fact that it tells you what to exclaim whenever you're enjoying it, just received good news about it or simply can't stop thinking about it is one of them. For two seasons so far, this historical satire has bandied about "huzzah!" like it's the only word worth saying. And, come May, it'll do so again when its third season finally drops. The Great was renewed after its second batch of episodes arrived late in 2021, and now season three finally has a release date. Mark Saturday, May 13 in your diary for your next binge — following the rise and reign of Catherine the Great, including her marriage to and overthrowing of Emperor Peter III, with only the slightest regard for the actual facts, this show has a concept that's all killer, no filler, after all. [caption id="attachment_771188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ollie Upton /Hulu[/caption] Season three will once again feature Elle Fanning (The Girl From Plainville) as Catherine and Nicholas Hoult (The Menu) as Peter, and again step into their chaotic life together. Their nuptials have always been tumultuous, but season two threw everything from attempted murders to mass imprisonments at the couple — and kept disrupting their dynamic as Catherine continued to work towards the name that's a part of history, and also inspires the show's title. So, this time around, expect more of Peter figuring out what it means to play First Husband, and Catherine expanding her influence and reputation beyond just Russia. That, and visions of Peter's late father (Jason Isaacs, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris), life lessons, attempts to build a new country and the usual scheming. While the series has always been supremely confident in its blend of handsome period staging, the loosest of historical realities and that savage sense of humour (it does spring from Oscar-nominated The Favourite screenwriter Tony McNamara, after all), it felt even more comfortable in its skin during its second season. And smoother, too, yet just as biting. So, hopefully that will remain the case in season three as well, all while it keeps seesawing tonally and proving as sharp as a shot of vodka — or several. Fanning and Hoult will be joined by returning co-stars Phoebe Fox (The Aeronauts), Adam Godley (Lodge 49), Gwilym Lee (Top End Wedding), Charity Wakefield (Bounty Hunters), Douglas Hodge (I Hate Suzie Too), Sacha Dhawan (The Prince), Bayo Gbadamosi (War of the Worlds) and Belinda Bromilow (Doctor Doctor), too, because this is a show with a phenomenally great cast. There's no trailer for The Great season three as yet, but you can check out the trailer for season two below: The Great season three will be available to stream in Australia via Stan from Saturday, May 13.
Romantic comedies work as wish fulfilment, and they're the main way we consume ideas of romance in cinema. So when a movie comes along and steps out of the fantasy bubble to present a relationship that's nuanced, messy, and even time-limited, it's instantly refreshing. Celeste & Jesse Forever then goes beyond mere refreshing idea to become a memorable, honest, sweet, and satisfying film. Starring and co-written by adorable Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation), the film joins Celeste (Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) six months after their separation. They're still so joined at the hip, however, that we're not aware of this for a good 10 minutes of the movie, until their dinner companions and best friends, Beth (Ari Graynor) and Tucker (Eric Christian Olsen), interrupt the couple's cosy in-joke fest to tell them that their behaviour is not normal, not healthy, and has to stop. They don't listen, but after things eventually come to a head, Jesse moves out of the granny flat — and into a sudden, very committed relationship with a beautiful Belgian (Rebecca Dayan). It's then that Celeste has to deal with the fact that she may have taken her great love for granted. Jones co-wrote this with long-time pal Will McCormack (who also plays drug dealer Skillz), and the buddy banter is the first of many things they've gotten eerily close to reality. They touch on the possibility of there being a difference between a best friend and life partner and the experience of seeing a hopeless ex abruptly scrub up in a new relationship. Celeste has friendships with multiple women and men (!), a level of social complexity we don't often get to see in film but which brings tons of warmth and zest. It's this kind of sweetly personal resonance that explains why a person's 'favourite films' list is often different to a 'best films' list — and Celeste & Jesse Forever might feature on a few of the former. With Celeste's high-powered career as a futurist, the film briefly threatened to go down a Bettina Arndt-paved path to a moral of learning to settle with a mediocre man. Fortunately, that path remains in a whole other universe to Celeste & Jesse Forever. Its world is real, contemporary life with extra funny, making for a break-up movie where no-one stands in the night staring up at the rain. https://youtube.com/watch?v=NQoH1IGRB3w
Keen-eyed Aussie blog Tough Titties boosts female talent weekly by highlighting cool new things by women around the country, be it art, or music, or anything. While they've already been selling things and generally rounding up the word from women with talent, they're taking their first step into polite society with their first exhibition at Surry Hills' Somedays Gallery. The site has gathered up 20 women with a special commission for its first show, A Touch of Class, with each artist asked to draw, print or otherwise create something cool on giant paper doilies. Contributors include poster-making typographer Georgia Perry, radical cross-stitcher Rayna Fahey, animal-sketcher Lucy James and Bianca Chang, whose intricate, precise work cutting fine curves on paper has just popped up in non-doily form at Showcase as well. Tough Titties wants to help you. They've already made you a tough-minded, legally correct guide to flirting. That this exhibition fulfills your need for oversize, artistic table furnishings is only another step in their mission to bring good things into your everyday life via women with talent. The medium may be doilies, but the content is all hard art.
After a ten-month forced hiatus (and a long, hard push by the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce), the Pyrmont Growers Market is back and open for business every fourth Saturday of the month. Up until April last year, the market had been run by Fairfax for 18 years; when they announced its closure, there was much sadness among both the community and the producers. So it's easy to imagine the enthusiasm with which the growers have returned to the Saturday morning market once more. There's Sam from Grima's Farm Fresh Produce, who's been coming to the Pyrmont Growers Markets from his western Sydney farm since the market first launched. There's Long Paddock Eggs, who bring the eggs their free-range chooks laid just the night before up from Canberra. Then there's Pino, who is selling his Italian smallgoods at the market as his Kogarah shop undergoes renovations after a fire on Christmas Eve. As well as an expansive range of fresh produce, cheese and artisan food products, you'll also find market regulars like Black Star Pastry, Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Pepe Saya, Sonoma and Little Marionette Coffee. The market is open on the fourth Saturday of each month from 7.30am till noon.
In sad news for Stateside fans of St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, this year’s Detroit event has been cancelled. Sad – but unavoidable. Unfortunately, the promoters have been unable to book the acts necessary to the Laneway vision. “We tried to get the very few acts that we felt would be appropriate for Laneway and none of them were available,” promoter Danny Rogers stated. “We had one that went all the way to the wire and then changed its mind at the very last minute – bless their beautiful heart, too; they were under so much pressure to be everywhere and anywhere and something had to give. “We decided that we needed to be honest with ourselves and sit it out this year and review it again next year.” Laneway first hit Detroit in September 2013, with a line-up that included Sigur Rós, The National, Chet Faker and Flume. Rogers said the event “delivered what I genuinely believe was the most awesome festival I have ever been part of.” Earlier in 2013, Laneway hit Auckland and Singapore before making its way to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle, with performances from Lorde, Kurt Vile, Haim, Earl Sweatshirt, Four Tet, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, The Jezabels, Vance Joy and CHVRCHES, among others. Via TheMusic.com.au.
The acquisition of good vintage clothing can be a difficult feat. Much like the metaphoric fog, sometimes you have to sort through a whole bunch of crap until you find something good. Fortunately for us, the guys behind Foe, Like The Enemy have trawled through Asia and the Americas to source the best vintage clothing they could get their hands on. After a wildly successful first pop-up instalment, Foe are holding their second pop-up store in Regent Street, Redfern from September 24 - October 8. For a limited time you can walk into a real-live shop and try on vintage clothes in an actual changeroom — we're talking Jurassic Park denim details, well-worn flannos, as many retro sunglasses as you can predict to lose at a music festival. Every killer pop-up needs a killer launch party — and the first Foe shindig was an epic hootenanny in Fouveaux Street with Catcall and Phondupe spinning tunes aplenty. This time around, there'll be plenty of free drinks courtesy of Havana Club. But to fuel your shopping spree vibes, there'll some very special sets from some of Sydney's best including Embassy, Brudo and Hux, Collarbones' Marcus Whale and FBi Radio's Adi Toohey. That's some serious Sydney talent behind the decks for a launch. Swing down to Regent, get amongst the beats and one-of-a-kind threads and celebrate the worldly fashion travels of one of Sydney's best merchants of vintage. Launch night runs from 6.30pm, Wednesday, September 24. The pop-up shop is open until October 8. Words by Natalie Freeland and Shannon Connellan.
If you're heading to Byron Bay this summer, get ready to ride the world's first solar-powered train. The two-carriage chugger was built in Sydney in 1949, but, as of later this year, will travel along a three-kilometre track between downtown Byron Bay and Northbeach Station up near Sunrise Beach and the Byron arts and industrial estate, driven solely by the sun's energy. Byron Bay Railroad Company, which is operating as a non-profit, has spent four years restoring the train, which was in disuse. There are seats for 100 passengers, as well as standing room for extras and, importantly, space for surfboards and bicycles. To begin, the train will run once per hour between 8am and 10pm, at a cost of three bucks per person. Back in the day, the train ran on diesel. Its conversion took place at the Lithgow Railway Workshop, where solar panels were added to the roof and solar-charged batteries installed. While Indian Railways did launch a solar-powered train earlier this year, the sun only powers the lights, fans and displays on that vehicle. By comparison, on this train, the batteries can power every system, including lighting, air compressors, control circuits and traction. And, should the sun hide its face for a while, they'll gain energy from the grid's green arm. One diesel engine has been removed and replaced with an electric drive package. The remaining diesel engine is staying on-board for to provide emergency back up in the case o an electrical glitch. The Byron Bay Railroad Company will commence its first service by the end of the year. For more information, visit byronbaytrain.com.au.
In Japan there is a deep appreciation for the iconic cherry blossom (sakura) tree. The prevalence of the tree in the Japanese landscape signifies the commencement of spring, and is worthy of a national celebration. Festivities commonly include parties and picnics under the cherry blossoms. In Australia, it's Sake Restaurant and Bar that's leading the appreciation for the cherry blossom, the spring season and a bit of Japanese feasting. For the month of September, they have organised a special food and drink menu and exclusive events. The festival includes executive chef Shaun Presland's signature spring menu ($88) and spring lunch menu ($38), a $15 sake flight with suggested food matches, and the Harajuku Pop-Up Bar, a fun and casual incarnation for the restaurant. Try the special cocktail, The Kimono Doll ($17), which shows off the tantalising flavours of ichiko shochu, cherries and coco. If you want to go all-out, join the 24-seater Cherry Blossom Dinner (September 4 and 24 only, $120pp), which comes with matched sake, shochu and tea and includes courses like cuttlefish and urchin dashi jelly shooter, ocean trout and scallop tartar with truffle ponzu and caviar, and chirashi sushi rice bowl.
A year-long program of design events could be headed Sydney's way, and a two years' worth of bragging rights as well. The New South Wales capital is currently in the running to be crowned the World Design Capital, making the shortlist for the 2020 title alongside Lille in Northern France. If successful, Sydney will play host to six signature events between January and October, with an opening ceremony at the Sydney Opera House, a World Design Street Festival throughout the CBD, an array of exhibitions and conferences in the lead up to Vivid, and a forum coinciding with Sydney Fringe Festival all currently outlined in the city's bid. Masterclasses, a new Festival of the Front Yard that focuses on post-war design and a design camp on Cockatoo Island are also mooted, in a proposal that seeks to "engage, collaborate and design a new model of social impact for an increasingly urbanised world." Beyond the showcase events, much of the suggested program focuses on Parramatta and its surrounding suburbs — and if you're wondering why, there's a good reason. The bid hasn't been put together by the City of Sydney, with the Parramatta council helping to lead the charge as part of a not-for-profit organisation backed by 40 other outfits, institutions and agencies. Still, "Sydney, World Design Capital" has quite the nice ring to it. As for that moniker and how it comes about, the World Design Capital is designated by the World Design Organisation, highlighting cities that use of design to drive economic, social, cultural and environmental development. The 2020 choice will be announced in October, with Sydney potentially joining previous picks Torino (2008), Seoul (2010), Helsinki (2012), Cape Town (2014), Taipei (2016) and Mexico City (2018). Via Sydney Morning Herald / ArchitectureAU. Image: Vivid / Ash Bollard
With Paradise Road Diner open less than a year, David Owen (ex Icebergs) and Gaudi Diaz are already expanding their empire with a brand new venture just down the road — a takeaway chicken shop. Set right on the North Bondi beachfront, Paradise Road Kitchen is the latest to join the barbecue chicken resurgence (The Paddington, Via Napoli Il Girarrosto), but with no bells and whistles. No frills. Just good food. This isn't your average takeaway shop though; in lieu of a greasy slopfest that grab-and-go can evoke, they're serving up some serious home cooking with a very personal spin. "Dave and I have been in the restaurant industry for a long time, but sometimes nothing beats when you get some good home cooking from mum or grandma," says Diaz. He speaks such truth. Diaz's mum is the brains behind the Spanish tortilla soup. When Diaz and Owen found the corner location, right across the road from popular brunch spot Porch, the space itself apparently seemed meant for home-style cooking. "When this place came up, the cooking equipment here really suited our family dishes and it was kind of the perfect timing for a place like this," says Diaz. The most important part of any self respecting chicken shop is, of course, the rotisserie. Apart from the requisite whole chickens ($18), the guys are doing up lamb leg ($9/100gr) and even a rotisserie corn on the cob ($6). The free range pork shoulder from Vic's ($9/100gr) is the favourite rotisserie item of Diaz's, though — rolled in sage and rosemary, the meat then goes on the rotisserie for an hour and a half. "It gets so nicely crispy and crackling," he says. We bet it does. Let us at it. Overall, the food is done simply but done right. "The premise behind this spot is that it's takeaway done well. It's not a fancy restaurant in any way, but it's quite simply done with the highest quality in mind," says Diaz. Find Paradise Road Kitchen at 262 Campbell Parade, North Bondi. Open seven days a week 11.30am to 9pm.
UPDATE: MARCH 17, 2020 — Splendour in the Grass has been postponed until Friday, October 23–Sunday, October 25, 2020. This one-off spring edition is 'an effort to ensure a safe Splendour in the Grass experience' in such 'unpredictable times' as well as in response to the Australian Government's ban on public gatherings in excess of 500 people. Many artists have confirmed they'll be playing over these new dates, including Flume, The Strokes and Tyler, The Creator. The below article has been updated to reflect this. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Throw those GoPros, bubble bottles and novelty gumboots in your rucksack, Splendour in the Grass is returning to North Byron Parklands for another year of festival merriment. Its 20th year, in fact. As usual, speculation has run wild in anticipation of the lineup announce — will Frank Ocean finally come to Australia? Will the recently reunited Rage Against the Machine be on the lineup? Will Flume be playing? — but the details for Splendour 2020 are finally here. And we're happy to report that some of the rumours were true. Flume — AKA Harley Edward Streten — himself will be Splendouring. He'll be heading back Down Under for his only Aussie show. Speaking of Splendour exclusives, Tyler, The Creator will also only be playing at the festival, performing hits off IGOR including the always-banging 'EARFQUAKE'. The Strokes will be heading to the festival to perform their first new album in seven years, The New Abnormal, and, while the Rage Against the Machine rumour isn't true, another recently reunited big-name band will be playing: Midnight Oil. The Aussie rockers have recently started recording music together for the first time in two decades. They're collaborating with First Nations artists for a new mini-album called The Makarrata Project, which they'll be performing at Splendour. There's also a big female contingent — that is kick-ass but still nowhere near as big as the pool of male performers — which includes Stella Donnelly, Thelma Plum, Jack River, Alice Ivy, Sampa The Great and George Alice (and more). The lineup seems to go on forever, including the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Denzel Curry, Violent Soho, the list goes on. Anyway, we know what you're here for. We'll cut to the chase. [caption id="attachment_735766" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tyler, The Creator by Sam Rock[/caption] SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS 2020 LINEUP Flume (only Aus show) The Strokes Tyler, The Creator (only Aus show) Yeah Yeah Yeahs Midnight Oil (The Makarrata Project) Glass Animals Denzel Curry Duke Dumont Live Violent Soho Mura Masa 100 Adrian Eagle Alex The Astronaut Alice Ivy Andy Golledge The Babe Rainbow perform The Velvet Underground's Loaded Bad//Dreems Baker Boy Banoffee Benee The Big Moon Brame & Hamo Bruno Major Charlie Collins Cry Club Cub Sport Dillon Francis DMA'S Dom Dolla Dro Carey & DJ Scorpion Fazerdaze G Flip George Alice Georgia Gerry Cinnamon Greentea Peng Grinspoon Grouplove Gryffin Hooligan Hefs Idles Illy Inhaler Jack Garratt Jack River Jarreau Vandal Joy Crookes JPEGMAFIA Julia Jacklin Julia Stone The Jungle Giants King Krule King Princess Kllo The Lazy Eyes Lex Deluxe Lillie Mae Lime Cordiale Mako Road Mall Grab Memphis LK Methyl Ethel Mickey Kojak Miiesha Mildlife Miss June Mo'Ju (fka Mojo Juju) Muna Northeast Party House Oliver Tree Petit Biscuit Pink Matter PUP Rolling Blackouts CF Ruel Sampa The Great Shaed Shannon & The Clams Sly Withers Sofi Tukker The Soul Movers Starcrawler Stella Donnelly Stevan Still Woozy Surfaces Thelma Plum Tierra Whack Tim Minchin Triple One Wallows Splendour will return to North Byron Parklands on Friday, October 23, Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 2020. Tickets go on sale Thursday, February 27 at 9am AEDT sharp. For more info, head to the official Splendour In The Grass site. Image: Bianca Holderness and Charlie Hardy
Already scheduled to headline Listen Out 2013, dance music's brothers-of-the-moment have just announced that they'll be gracing us with sideshows in both Sydney and Melbourne. Over the past 12 months, the UK-born and raised siblings have emerged from their bedrooms to dominate the dance charts and sell out international tours. That's especially impressive given that the youngest of the two, Howard (18), is only just out of school uniform and his brother, Guy, recently celebrated his 21st. Not only have party-goers been keeping the boys on high rotation, they've also won a few critics' (often hardened) hearts. The ever-revered Pitchfork awarded Disclosure's debut album, Settle, with a whopping 9.1/10, while UK radio host Zane Lowe described it as his "favourite album of the year so far". Featuring a selection of guest vocalists (including Ed McFarlane of Friendly Fires, Jamie Woon, Jessie Ware and AlunaGeorge's Aluna Francis), Settle represents a move towards balancing the duo's two major stylistic influences: dance and pop. "The main thing we tried to do with it is get a mixture of the more clubbier sides of the music we do with the more sample based stuff that's made for the dance floor and then kinda the other side of it, which is the more pop structured songs with vocals," Howard told the Listen Out team in a recent interview. "We wanted to take a balance between those things." Sydneysiders will be able to catch Disclosure on October 1 at an all-ages show at The Hi-Fi, and Melbournites will see them at the Prince Bandroom, Prince of Wales, on October 2, with an early show (5.30-8.30pm) catering for under-18s and a later one (10pm-1am) keeping the oldies on their feet. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4nsKDJlpUbA
If you’ve tried to visit The Carrington for some calamari sliders recently, you may have noticed that the restaurant has been a little off limits — closed, in fact. If the barricaded zone has caused minor freak outs, fear not. It'll be back, the crew at Drink N Dine just thought the space was due for a little change. Reincarnated and due for a May opening: meet Chica Linda. Scheduled to start things cookin' on May 2, Chica Linda is serving up Latin American and Cuban-inspired dishes. The menu will see asado steak skewers; soft shell crab or pork neck arepas; and saltenas with black beans, corn and oxacana cheese. They’ve got dessert covered too, with guava empanadas and dulce de leche ice cream. Trust us, it looks muy bueno. The Drink N Dine group has quickly become known for rebooting a solid cornucopia of cuisines in the Sydney food scene — and making the pub fancy again. They’re responsible for thematic renovation successes like The Norfolk, The Oxford Tavern and The Forresters. The next project for the DnD crew, Chica Linda is set to dish out gourmet, homestyle Latino food following in the vein of its sibling establishments. But don’t worry, The Carrington will still be open for business as your friendly neighbourhood pub with all your drinking needs, and their pub menu will stick around to satiate the wait for Linda.
Sydney, we know you love a food pop-up. Right now you're gearing up for the final Burgers by Josh pop-up at The Annandale and Sydney's first fried chicken and wine festival this weekend. And we've got another one for you to add to your list. After a sold out two-day burger and ice cream pop-up last month, Gelato Messina is bringing their own mini food festival, Messina Eats, back for a second edition. And this time it's all about the bao. Messina has teamed up with Melbourne bao geniuses Wonderbao to create a menu as dreamy as the soft, doughy pillows themselves. Along with traditional pork buns, they'll also be steaming their cult gua bao stuffed with pork belly, fried chicken or fried tofu. Because every good bao needs an accompaniment, they'll also be serving up potato gems with kimchi, spam (?) and melted cheese on top with PS Soda to wash it all down. And for dessert? Deep fried ice cream stuffed with egg custard tart and served with mango pudding and passionfruit caramel. Yep. The whole thing will go down over two days on Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30 in the carpark at Messina's Rosebery HQ. They'll be open from noon for lunch and dinner until sold out. The last Messina Eats sold out quickly, but we're told they'll be better equipped this time round. Messina Eats will run from noon until sold out on July 29 and 30. Find more information here.
Blue Mountains native Julia Jacklin is Australia's voice of the moment. A member of the Sydney band Phantastic Ferniture, Jacklin has gone solo this year with her debut LP Don't Let The Kids Win, which was released in October. You've likely fallen in love with Jacklin's deep, bluesy voice in songs like Leadlight and Pool Party, which are constantly playing on FBi and triple j — the latter of which have supported Jacklin through her 12-date Aussie tour that leads to the iconic Oxford Art Factory this Friday, December 9. Jacklin's powerful lyricism in this insightful and occasionally nostalgic album perfectly complements the strength in her voice, which is at times heart-wrenching and, above all, just absolutely lovely to listen to. We can't wait to sway along with dreamy eyes while she rocks the OAF stage. Jacklin is sure to go on to be a major global success, so this is your chance to see her on the cheap and show some serious Aussie pride in such an impressive new artist. Tickets to her OAF gig have now sold out — if you missed out, Jacklin will be playing one last show this side of the new year on Friday, December 16 in her native Blue Mountains. Tickets to The Carrington Hotel gig in Katoomba are still available here, but you best grab 'em fast as most of her Aussie gigs have sold out.
How do you fill 18 Victorian winter days with movies? That's the glorious problem that the Melbourne International Film Festival is tasked with solving each year. 2025's solution for its 73rd event will span hundreds of pictures, brand-new local features and must-see international award-winners alike, as MIFF delivers every August. Some examples this time around: Jafar Panahi's Cannes Palme d'Or-winning It Was Just an Accident, almost-100-year-old masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc with a new score by Julia Holter performed live, an Australian time-loop comedy involving tequila, a Baker Boy- and Hugh Jackman (Deadpool & Wolverine)-narrated tribute to David Gulpilil, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind filmmaker Michel Gondry's latest and the world-premiere of natural disaster-focused virtual-reality documentary When the World Came Flooding In. Yes, it's MIFF first glance time, with the festival revealing its initial batch of titles for 2025 — and it's a hefty collection. While there's many more to come, 26 films are now officially on the lineup and set to hit Melbourne's big screens between Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24. Some will also play regional Victoria venues across two weekends, Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24. Then there's the return of MIFF Online via the Australian Centre for the Moving Image's streaming platform Cinema 3, sharing selected fest titles with the rest of Australia across Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31 (and with Melburnians, too, for a week after the physical festival ends for the year). Among the films mentioned above, the combination of Julia Holter and Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 silent great The Passion of Joan of Arc is taking over Melbourne Recital Centre for two evenings; One More Shot will get the spirits flowing amid temporal trickery with help from Emily Browning (Class of '07), Apple Cider Vinegar co-stars Aisha Dee and Ashley Zukerman, Sean Keenan (Exposure) and Pallavi Sharda (The Office); Journey Home, David Gulpilil charts the iconic actor's journey to be laid to rest; and Maya, Give Me a Title hails from Gondry. But even from the first-glance batch, they're just the beginning. Also on the bill, for instance: Richard Linklater's (Hit Man) Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke (Leave the World Behind), Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Andrew Scott (Ripley); Carey Mulligan (Spaceman) in music-fuelled comedy The Ballad of Wallis Island; the Dylan O'Brien (Saturday Night)-led Twinless; and Dreams, with Jessica Chastain (Mothers' Instinct) reuniting with her Memory helmer Michel Franco. "It all starts here — the full MIFF 2025 program is soon to arrive; set to be a world-ranging, celebratory and all-out extraordinary collection of films," said Melbourne International Film Festival Artistic Director Al Cossar, announcing his team's debut picks for this year. "I'm excited to share some of our first announcement of titles, and incredible highlights, of this year's MIFF: beloved auteurs, festival blockbusters, the best of new Australian filmmaking, alongside the incredibly special and absolutely unmissable live-score cinema event Julia Holter: The Passion of Joan of Arc." Similarly on the way to Melbourne: A24's Sorry, Baby starring Naomi Ackie (Mickey 17), Harvest's pairing of actor Caleb Landry Jones (DogMan) and Greek filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari (Chevalier), actor Jay Duplass (Dying for Sex) making his solo directorial debut with SXSW Austin favourite The Baltimorons, and The Bear and Beef alum Alex Russell also doing the same with the obsessive Lurker. The 60s-era Bond-style homage Reflections in a Dead Diamond should be at the top of your list as well if you were a fan of Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani's Let the Corpses Tan when it played MIFF back in 2018, or Amer and The Strange Colour of Your Body's Tears in general. Or, catch Cloud, with e-commerce in the spotlight in Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa's (Serpent's Path) new thriller. Plus, Marlon Williams: Two Worlds — Ngā Ao E Rua is about its namesake New Zealand musician, while Fwends is set in Melbourne and marks Sophie Somerville's first feature. If you've been paying attention to Sydney Film Festival's 2025 program and you're spotting some familiar pictures, MIFF does indeed share some of the same films, as is the custom each and every year. [caption id="attachment_1002698" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Greg Cotten.[/caption] The Victorian capital's annual major film fest boasts its own premiere fund, though, which helps to finance new Australian movies. That's where not only One More Shot but a range of other titles come in, with 2025's haul also spanning the likes of Filipino Australian photographer James J Robinson's debut feature First Light, documentary Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke about the comedy icon, the competitive Microsoft Excel-centric Spreadsheet Champions and Nigerian stand-up comedian Okey Bakassi in Pasa Faho's window into being African Australian, MIFF's program already goes on from there, and already boasts oh-so-much to get excited about; however for even more, the full 2025 lineup will arrive on Thursday, July 10. [caption id="attachment_997749" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alistair Heap/Focus Features ©2025 All Rights Reserved[/caption] The 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 7–Sunday, August 24 at a variety of venues around Melbourne; from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 17 and Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 in regional Victoria; and online nationwide from Friday, August 15–Sunday, August 31. For further details, including the full program from Thursday, July 10, visit the MIFF website. Top image: Ben King/Stan.
Over the past few years, Gelatissimo has whipped up a number of creative flavours. It's a hefty list, spanning everything from frosé sorbet to gelato for dogs, plus ginger beer, Weet-Bix, fairy bread, hot cross bun, cinnamon scroll and chocolate fudge varieties. You might've tried its Biscoff, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey's Kisses scoops, too, or its gingerbread cookie dough version. That's a lot to choose from — but its Caramilk-inspired flavour was always going to stand out. Back in early 2021, the Australian dessert chain delivered a Caramilk Hokey Pokey-inspired gelato, and we're betting that your tastebuds were instantly thankful. It was a limited-time offering, however, but Gelatissimo has done us all a solid by bringing back its caramel milk version — sans Hokey Pokey — right now. This flavour is as simple as it sounds: caramelised white chocolate gelato, plus a burnt caramel sauce, all ready for you to lick either in a cone or a cup. And yes, it's the perfect option if you can't choose between devouring some Caramilk chocolate or opting for a few scoops of ice cream. Gelatissimo isn't revealing how long the caramel milk gelato is sticking around for this time, so it's the kind of dessert you want to make a date with sooner rather than later. The chain has brought it back because it's popular, understandably — and with that in mind, it's also scooping up its beloved bubble tea gelato again as well. That brown sugar bubble milk tea number starts with milk tea gelato that's infused with organic black tea, then swirls through brown sugar syrup and tops it with brown sugar pearls. And, giving everyone three past faves, Filipino ube cheesecake gelato — ube gelato topped with chunks of jiggle cheesecake — is back on the menu as well. You'll find the trio in all Gelatissimo stores Australia-wide, and only while stocks last. That includes via delivered take-home packs via services such as UberEats, Menulog, Deliveroo and DoorDash. Gelatissimo's caramel milk gelato, brown sugar bubble milk tea and Filipino ube cheesecake gelato are available from all stores nationwide while stocks last.
Did you know that it's illegal to store an ice cream in your back pocket in Alabama? One dare not imagine the horrifying tragedy that must have engendered this law. The destruction of such a very fine pair of acid-wash Levi's. The cruel, undeserved fate of the ice cream. Ludicrously entertaining, yes, but this is just one of infinite madcap laws that have been passed in the US over time, and now a young photographer is cleverly drawing attention to them through a series of images titled I Fought the Law. Recent School of Visual Arts grad, 22-year-old Olivia Locher, is working through every American state in turn, selecting the weirdest law of each to express as a photograph. Known for her colourful work and currently seeking Kickstarter funding for a fairly bizarre and intriguing cult-inspired film featuring lean girls in matching underwear, Locher has chosen the literal route for representing the unusual laws, and you can scope them all out here. Below we have included some of Locher's chronicle of what's verboten, to act as a kind of visual warning manifesto. Back that fixie away from the diving board, hombre, because in Cali it's absolutely forbidden to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool. Enjoying more than two dildos in the privacy of your own Arizonan home? The cops are onto you. (But this instructional video may prove helpful, should you choose to defend your hobbies). Meanwhile, in enlightened Wisconsin, serving apple pie without cheese is an illegal act. Why? Why should this be so? Does cheese even taste any good with apple pie? The boys in blue don't care for your existential line of inquiry. Coins can't legally be placed in human ears on the island of Hawaii, and Texan children are denied the legal right to get a weird haircut. Little Bobby wants a groovy mullet? Cuff 'im. Via PSFK
'Straya. The only thing we love more than a good beer is a good barbie (obviously featuring a good beer). And on August 23 Freda's in Chippendale has joined forces with Many Hands Events to bring us The All Aussie Arvo Banquet, with a side of Aussie tunes. Yep, it’s a celebration of all things Aussie: the golden tunes, the warm climate and the unique wildlife, which may or may not be trying to kill you (platypus, we're looking at you). The banquet will kick off at 12.30pm on Saturday, August 23 and will set you back $80 (drinks included). Then brace yourself for three courses of the most Australianness you can handle. There's an entree of Chinese-inspired eggplant stuffed with crocodile meat and served with puffed rice and pickled cucumber and a main of bush tomato marinated kangaroo loin kebab on wattleseed roti with pumpkin hummus, warrigal greens pesto and davidson plums. For dessert, it's deconstructed sponge trifle with fingerlimes, lemon myrtle custard, and lime jelly. The feast will be followed by the musical extravaganza The Bush Olympics. From 4pm Wild Sunset, Smokey La Beef and Bad Jeep DJs have prepared a whole night of the greatest pub tunes to come out of the Southern Hemisphere — we're talking John Farnham, INXS, AC/DC, Savage Garden and so, so many more of the Aussie greats. All for the low low price of free. Knifey spooney skills at the ready. Tickets to the banquet can be purchased through Eventbrite. Seating is allocated, so organisers have advised you book in groups.
It took a mere one episode when House of the Dragon premiered for HBO to sign on for season two of the Game of Thrones prequel. That second season debuts on Monday, June 17, 2024 Down Under, but the US network behind the TV adaptations of George RR Martin's novels just can't wait to go all in on more battling Targaryens, already renewing the show for season three. Yes, Succession may be over, but the fight for the Iron Throne between half-siblings Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney, Rogue Heroes) and Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy, Mothering Sunday) is sticking around for at least another batch of episodes after 2024's return to Westeros continues the story before the hit fantasy series everyone watched from 2011–19. Both figures want to rule the Seven Kingdoms. Both claim the famous seat as theirs. Both are destined for war: the Targaryen civil war between the green and the black camps known as the Dance of the Dragons. "We are in awe of the dragon-sized effort the entire team has put into the creation of a spectacular season two, with a scope and scale that is only rivalled by its heart. We could not be more thrilled to continue the story of House Targaryen and watch this team burn bright again for season three," said Francesca Orsi, the Executive Vice President of HBO Programming, and Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, about the renewal. There's no details yet on when season three of House of the Dragon will arrive — including if it'll be in winter in Australia and New Zealand, as has proven the case for both season one and two — but this account of flowing long blonde hair, carnage, fire, dragons, conflicting factions and fights for supremacy is nowhere near done yet. When the show's season season premieres, it will arrive two years after the first debuted in 2022. If you haven't yet caught up with the series so far, which is based on Martin's Fire & Blood on the page, it dives into a prior battle for the Iron Throne. Paddy Considine (The Third Day) started the series King Viserys — and it's exactly who should be his heir that sparked all the fuss. The words "succession" and "successor" (and "heir" as well) got bandied around constantly, naturally. Also, Australian actors Milly Alcock and Ryan Corr were among the stars. As this first Game of Thrones spinoff jumps back into House Targaryen's history, the initial season kicked off 172 years before the birth of Daenerys and her whole dragon-flying, nephew-dating, power-seeking story — and gave HBO its largest American audience for any new original series in its history when it debuted. If you're thinking that House of the Dragon is basically a case of new show, same squabbles, as it was easy to foresee it would be, you're right. It's pretty much Game of Thrones with different faces bearing now well-known surnames — and more dragons. Game of Thrones was always going to spark spinoff shows. Indeed, when HBO started thinking about doing a prequel six years ago, before the huge fantasy hit had even finished its run, it was hardly surprising. And, when the US network kept adding ideas to its list — including a Jon Snow-focused series with Kit Harington (Eternals) reprising his famous role, novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg and an animated GoT show, to name just a few prequels and spinoffs that've been considered, but may or may not actually come to fruition — absolutely no one was astonished. So far, just House of the Dragon has hit screens; however, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, the Dunk and Egg adaptation, is now due in 2025. Also returning among the cast when House of the Dragon season two hits: Olivia Cooke (Slow Horses) as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith (Morbius) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhys Ifans (The King's Man) as Ser Otto Hightower, Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) as Rhaenys Targaryen and Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, plus Fabien Frankel (The Serpent), Ewan Mitchell (Saltburn) and Sonoya Mizuno (Civil War). HBO is also adding new faces to the mix, with Clinton Liberty (This Is Christmas) as Addam of Hull, Jamie Kenna (Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story) as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew (Warrior) as Hugh, Tom Bennett (Black Ops) as Ulf, Tom Taylor (Love at First Sight) as Lord Cregan Stark and Vincent Regan (One Piece) as Ser Rickard Thorne. They join Abubakar Salim (Napoleon) as Alyn of Hull, Gayle Rankin (Perry Mason) as Alys Rivers, Freddie Fox (The Great) as Ser Gwayne Hightower and Simon Russell Beale (Thor: Love and Thunder) as Ser Simon Strong among the season two newcomers. Check out the full trailer for House of the Dragon season two below: House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand, with season two arriving on Monday, June 17, 2024. Season three doesn't yet have a release date. Read our review of season one. Images: HBO.
Earlier this year, Scotland's BrewDog created the world's first craft beer hotel at its US base. Of course, if you're keen to head to Ohio for a boozy holiday, you'll need to get there somehow. Enter the world's first craft beer airline, which the beer fiends have aptly named BrewDog Airlines — and yes, it's all about drinking craft brews at 30,000 feet. In fact, BrewDog has also created its own beer that tastes better at a flying altitude. If you hop on board its airline, you'll be among the first to try it out. Cathay Pacific did something similar back in 2017, launching a bottled beer that was made to taste as great in the air as it does on the ground — but that's not the only brew-focused flourish on BrewDog Airlines. Boarding a Boeing 767, passengers will also enjoy a spot of beer tasting, tuck into a BrewDog-inspired menu that's paired with matching beers, watch the brewery's BrewDog Network — its own streaming platform — and receive a branded eye mask and blanket. More brews will be served during the flight, obviously. And, once the plane lands, you're in for a tour of BrewDog's Columbus facility, as well as a brewery-hopping day trip to Cincinnati. You can also stay at The DogHouse, the brewery's hotel, for an extra fee. If you're keen to take the trip, it's only flying from the UK to America on February 21, 2019, then making the return leg on February 25, 2019. You'll also need to be of BrewDog's Equity Punks, which is what it calls its shareholders — and pay £1,250 per person (or £2,250 for two people sharing a room). That said, the brewery is also giving away ten spots, if you're feeling lucky. With BrewDog also opening an Australian base in Brisbane in 2019 — albeit without a hotel — here's hoping it brings this idea with it. Image: BrewDog.
Summer is nearly upon us. Days are getting longer and the sun is shining near unwaveringly. To celebrate, the good folks at the Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel are throwing a festival dedicated to our favourite crisp fruit beverage — cider. Perched on the Watsons Bay foreshore, this establishment knows a thing or two about hosting chilled summer events, even in spring. Their Cider Festival will span the long weekend October 4-6 and feature a variety of local and imported ciders. Making good use of the fact that cider rhymes with slider, snacks in slider form will be available all day (as will non-rhyming paella). Live music will be plentiful, and for the go-getters among us, there's an apple bobbing competition. But things get real on Sunday, October 5, when you're invited to go on a 'cider trail' along Military Road. This is the kind of walking trail we can all firmly get behind. All you need is a Cider Festival Passport, available from the venue on the day (or from here). The cider trail will culminate at the hotel's breezy chic Beach Club, come over all pop-up cider bar. The ticket allows a tasting from each of the 11 stalls there, as well as a whole bottle of whichever's your favourite.
107 Projects is a proud supporter of arts and culture in Sydney, through their multidisciplinary arts space in the heart of Redfern. From July 31, the artist-run initiative will be presenting a fundraiser of the best kind: the 50/50 Festival, which is raising money for a new sound system for performers and the local community to enjoy. The 50/50 title implies just that — 50 percent of profits will go to participating artists, the other 50 percent will contribute to a new sound system. The lineup includes an eclectic mix of Sydney's music outfits, with music styles tending towards the experimental and electronic. Participating collectives include the NOW now, CDR, Tin Shed Spots and Pretty Gritty, who will each curate an evening of sounds. So go along, listen to some cutting-edge tunes, grab a drink from the bar and enjoy the knowledge that your money is enhancing Sydney's art and music scene, not the life of some fancy exec type in their Vaucluse stronghold.
After many years and many hours spent on the Skybus, it seems Melbourne's long-awaited airport rail link is closer than ever to being an actual reality. The Federal Government has today announced it will commit up to $5 billion to help build the project — which should help things along. Four months after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed that construction of the link would kick off shortly, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promised the big bucks to get it done. "There have been countless reviews, reports and recommendations, but Melbourne is still waiting for a service almost all of the world's great cities take for granted," Mr Turnbull said. "This is the rail link that Melbourne, Victoria and the millions of people who use the airport every year demand and deserve." The proposed rail line is expected to help ease congestion, speed up travel times and create a stack of new jobs in the process. However, the promised $5 billion isn't quite enough to cover such a hefty project and the pressure's now on the Victorian Government to match that figure in funding of its own. The Federal and State governments have previously committed $30 million to conducting a planning study for the airport link, which is also likely to include extra train lines between Southern Cross Station and Melbourne's western suburbs. This would mean speedier commutes between the CBD and Geelong and improved accessibility across western and northern Victoria. About time, we say. Sydney and Brisbane already have airport rail links, and Perth is currently in the process of building its own. Maybe this will finally kill or clarify that myth around the airport's secret underground 'station' as well. Image: Global Panorama via Flickr.
Much-loved Sydney and Melbourne store Incu is holding its annual warehouse sale from 9am on Friday, July 25, running until 4pm Sunday, July 27. The multi-brand boutique is know for its array of Australian and international designers, including Karen Walker, Vanishing Elephant and Alexander Wang. The sale will include previous sale stock, samples and seconds from all Incu labels, with nothing over $120. The location is Paramount House in Surry Hills, so there's also the enticing option of popping downstairs to Paramount Coffee Project — odds are that you will need to refuel after an hour of furiously sorting through clothes. The Incu warehouse sale will be held in the mezzanine of Paramount House. Credit card is accepted. Opening hours are: Friday July – 9AM-7PM Saturday July – 9AM-5PM Sunday July – 10AM-4PM
See Cate Blanchett take on 13 roles in one, in a dramatic new film installation at the Art Gallery of NSW. Co-commissioned by the Gallery in partnership with ACMI, the Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart in Berlin and the Sprengel Museum in Hanover, Manifesto is a bold new multichannel work from celebrated German artist Julian Rosefeldt, with the Oscar-winning screen star at its centre. Housed at the Gallery from May until November, Rosefeldt's installation questions the role of the artist today, drawing on the philosophies of numerous pre-eminent artists, including writer Andre Breton, sculptor Claes Oldenberg and filmmaker Jim Jarmusch. From these sources, Rosefeldt has crafted a collage of artistic manifestos, which Blanchett articulates through the guise of various characters, including a school teacher, a newsreader, a homeless man and a puppeteer.
Days after winter has officially landed, HBO has gone and announced something totally off The Wall. Just as we were prepping to find alternate means to secure Game of Thrones for another Monday night, the giants of television have announced that Game of Thrones: The Exhibition will open in Sydney in July 2014. And now they've confirmed the venue and dates: the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia from July 1-5. Presented by Google Play, the immersive exhibition will highlight all key GoT locations, characters and narrative ERHMAGHERD moments, with nearly 100 props, weapons, costumes and bits and pieces from the show — season four included. Because they're Stark raving mad legends, Game of Thrones: The Exhibition will be open to the public FO FREE. It's been confirmed that the exhibition is the same one that has been touring the globe of late, so we're in for a big ol' dragon-sized treat. The existing HBO exhibition started in New York in January then moving to Mexico City, Austin, Rio de Janeiro, Oslo, Toronto and Belfast and Vancouver. Included are cloaks galore, an Iron Throne you can sit on and an interactive virtual reality experience powered by Oculus Rift. If the exhibition saw numbers anything like those from the Powerhouse's past Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars blockbusters, Google Play and HBO will rub some gleeful paws in the merchandising aftermath. With the amount of gore and boobery in GoT, however, major kiddie target markets are almost totally ruled out. For all the details, check out the exhibition website. Updated June 17, 2014.
There's no denying that Sydney thrives during summer. The warmer weather means taking advantage of our enviable beaches, countless al fresco dining spots and watching, or playing, as many outdoor sports as possible. So, when the colder weather hits — which, for Sydneysiders, basically translates to anything below 20 degrees — we can often be at a loss as what to do. On one hand, you're rejoicing that the sweaty, sleepless nights are behind you, but on the other, you don't want to spend the next few months in social hibernation. To celebrate the launch of Coopers Session Ale, a refreshing brew with tropical notes that can be enjoyed regardless of the season, we've rounded up the city's best activities to keep the summer fun going — all year round. TAKE A DIP IN AN OUTDOOR HEATED POOL Summer may be over, but that doesn't mean you need to pack away the swimming costume and goggles. Sydney boasts a host of heated outdoor pools (including Prince Alfred Park Pool and Victoria Park Pool) so you can keep your lap count up all year round. Our pick is North Sydney Olympic Pool — it has a prime position beside Luna Park, which means looking up at the Harbour Bridge as you backstroke. Workout complete, pick up a six-pack of Session Ales on your way home, you've earned them. CAMP IN COMFORT It may be frowned upon by the more hardcore nature junkies, but glamping is truly the best of both worlds: you get to swap the city chaos for serene nature surroundings without sacrificing those homely creature comforts. One of our favourite spots is Tandara in Lane Cove National Park — it's a good option for a quick retreat sans road trip. Forget the sleeping bag, secure a luxury tent for $220 per night and you'll be cosy-ing up in a king bed with a TV after a luxurious bubble bath. Your private deck offers stunning bush views, too. Fire up the barbecue and enjoy dinner and some beers under the stars. HIKE ALONG THE COAST Trekking our glorious coastline seems like the perfect summer activity, until you realise that everyone has had the same idea and the walk becomes more of a shuffle. But as the summer sun disappears so do the crowds meaning that you can pick up the pace and cover more ground. If you're up for a challenge, tackle the 26-kilometre Royal National Park Coast Track and use the North Era campground as an overnight pit-stop. After something a little milder? Opt for the Middle Head, which packs the excitement in with forts, underground tunnels and sweeping harbour views. This time of year is also prime whale-watching season so be sure to pack the binoculars and some Session Ales to sip on while the glorious sea mammals put on a show. DINE ON SEASONALLY DRIVEN FRENCH FARE Fooling yourself into thinking the warmer weather hasn't disappeared can be a whole lot easier at Été. After all, the name quite literally means 'summer' in French. Fine dining chef Drew Bolton (Aria, Quay) is at the helm of this waterfront eatery in Barangaroo. Été specialises in contemporary French-Australian cuisine using locally sourced produce. Bolton cleverly merges his classical French training with experimental flair to produce a menu that is a bold take on standard French fare — think chicken liver parfait with salted plum jelly, duck breast with bitter orange and a pistachio madeleine with whipped ricotta. And you don't necessarily have to pay a lot for the privilege either. The restaurant offers a weekday lunch special for $29, which include its plat du jour with a wine, beer or soda. While you're sipping on a fresh, fruity ale, digging into seasonal fare and overlooking the glistening harbour, you could be convinced it's still summer. ROUND UP YOUR MATES FOR SOME BEACHSIDE BEERS Being near the beach is basically a prerequisite for most summer activities. And why should that change just because the weather does? Hotel Steyne, a mainstay on the Manly Corso, is a great spot for some winter escapism with the crew. The Steyne offers a variety of dining options to suit your mood but if it's the summery vibes you're trying to conjure, the Seaside Bistro offers the best ocean views and a seafood-heavy menu. The Steyne also offers a free barbecue on Saturdays from 5pm and nothing says 'Aussie summer' like the intoxicating scent of sea breeze mixed with grilled snags. Pair your feast with a Coopers Session Ale and you'll forget that your favourite season is long gone. Or, if there really is a chill, nab a spot in front of the fireplace and pretend that the blazing heat is the sun. Grab a Coopers Session Ale and make the most of summer, all year round. Top image: The Coast Track, Royal National Park
Along with the Tokyo fish market, Kyoto during cherry blossom season and eating as much ramen as possible, spying Mout Fuji ranks highly on most traveller's Japanese to-do list. Actually getting a glimpse of the mountain isn't always as easy as it sounds, however. If the weather isn't right, even someone staying in a hotel specifically built to give visitors the iconic view they're after might be greeted by clouds rather than a towering peak. One such hotel, Yamanashi prefecture's aptly named Hotel Mt Fuji, has come up with a solution. If you visit between January 9 and 19, and you're unable to enjoy the sight of Mount Fuji for more than a minute between checking in and checking out — including at night — then you'll receive a free night's stay next time you return. And, while you're sitting, waiting and trying to see the mountain, you can do so in their semi-openair hot water bath. There are a few conditions, understandably. The deal is only available to guests who checkout after 7am, so anyone who leaves before the sun comes up the next day isn't eligible. It won't be offered to people who book a stay either the same day, or the day prior, to avoid folks purposefully planning to visit in bad weather conditions. And, it is being offered during a window of time considered to be peak Mount Fuji-viewing season. Still, if spending a night with a stellar vantage of the enormous landmass is in your short-term future, it's a decent backup plan. Better than simply buying some of the plentiful Mount Fuji merchandise on offer anywhere you look, or trying your luck seeing it from quite the distance from Tokyo Tower. Via PR Times.
It has been said that describing Burning Man Festival to a person who has never been is like trying to explain what a particular colour looks like to a person who is blind. But perhaps this is no longer the case. Aerial footage has been released of the recent 2013 Festival, taken from a drone. Held two weeks ago, Burning Man was captured on camera by San Franciscan filmmaker Eddie Codel. Taken from a DJI Phantom Quadrocopter — a pilotless mini-aircraft with four propellers — fitted with a GoPro camera, the impressive HD footage is currently one of the best and fastest available introductions to the famous festival. This 360-degree tour pans slowly over the festival during the daytime, functioning to communicate a snapshot of the immense size and sparsity of the constructed city. It reveals close detail of the installations and artworks set up in the desert and at times comes very close to people. Held in the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada, Burning Man draws in a crowd of approximately 50,000 each year. First established in 1986, the seven-day event welcomes attendees from all over the world, encouraging radical art and self-expression through the construction of a temporary community. The city is built the week before Labor Day, on an ancient lake bed, 100 miles north of Reno. Perhaps it's true that to truly understand Burning Man, one must participate. In the meantime, however, the drone tour certainly gets you very close. https://youtube.com/watch?v=m2ThTb6iffA Via Mashable.
Already home to stunning sights across its coastal landscape, Victoria's Great Ocean Road is set to welcome a new attraction: a 50-acre nature park dedicated to observing and learning about native animals in their natural setting. Called Wildlife Wonders and expected to commence construction this year, the site will sit just outside Apollo Bay, overlooking the ocean — and will offer guided walking tours conducted by qualified conservationists. Under their guidance, visitors will stroll through bushland to see Australia's native critters living freely — and predator-free — in their own habitats. Expect to spot the area's animals like you've never been able to before, spying koalas sleeping in trees, bandicoots scampering through the foliage and kangaroos hopping wherever they please. More than that, patrons will mosey through an experience designed by Brian Massey, the art director on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. If you're thinking "wasn't he blessed with great landscape on those flicks?", well, you're not wrong — but he also turned landscape designer with New Zealand's Hobbiton tourist attraction. Here, he'll be involved in a site that includes a themed field-research base, a visitor arrivals building, and a cafe and retail outlet that'll highlight local products. The Victorian Government will support Wildlife Wonders via a $1.5 million grant to the Conservation Ecology Centre, while the Federal Government has already $2 million to the project. When it's up and running, the park's profits will be used to further the centre's conservation efforts, including ecosystem restoration, ecological research, species recovery programs and community education programs. For more information, visit the Conservation Ecology Centre website.
Already made your way out of a serial killer's lair in Sydney? Panic not, a brand new escape room-style adventure is about to land in Sydney. And, instead of trapping you within four walls, it challenges you to get into a room, steal a piece of art and get out with it. Art Heist is the latest project of the Jetpack Theatre Collective, who specialise in out-of-the-box theatrical experiences. Before now, they've managed to chase their audiences through mazes, row them across lakes and transform them into a herd of stampeding rhinos. For Art Heist, Jetpack has built Wade Gallery, a fictional art space in Dulwich Hill. Inside lies a masterpiece titled The Fat Dragon, which is coveted by Adrian Bailey, an unknown benefactor. Acting as one of his thieves, you'll have 45 minutes to steal it for him. Along the way, you'll be deciphering clues, getting around guards, avoiding alarms and squeezing through air vents. The guards aren't just statues or robots, but actual actors, who'll be responding in real time to your moves — that's part of what what sets Art Heist apart from established escape rooms. "With a stressful political climate and incredibly fast-paced news and social media cycle, it can be invigorating to lose yourself in pretending to be somewhere and someone else," said Jim Fishwick, director of Art Heist. "And when culture is now so available on a phone, what does it really mean to go to a theatre or go to a gallery? It's the social connection with the people you're with and the presence of the art around you." Art Heist is at 404 New Canterbury Road, Dulwich Hill, from 1 June–30 July. It runs on Thursday and Friday, 5.30–8.30pm, and on Saturday and Sunday, 1.30–8.30pm. New sessions start each hour.
There's nothing small about Dark Mofo, the wintry music and arts festival hosted by the Museum of Old and New Art. With everything from rainbows to the Chernobyl score played live in an immersive industrial setting on its initial 2022 program — a doll house, The Kid LAROI, tunes from Candyman, Jónsi from Sigur Rós and 100 artists from 30 countries, too — that's definitely the case this year. But its hefty lineup so far just wasn't enough, it seems, so the fest has gone and added a slew of new shows. Among the newly announced additions: an afterparty following the Reclamation Walk on opening night, headlined by Briggs and Emma Donovan & The Putbacks; Japanese quartet Chai, busting out euphoric live tunes neo kawaii-style; queer dance party Club Mince, which'll take over two floors at Hobart's Altar; and three-night dance party Night Garden at the fest's In The Hanging Garden venue. [caption id="attachment_854706" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image courtesy of the artist, and Dark Mofo 2022.[/caption] Or, there's also a special tribute gig focusing on Ukraine — called With Ukraine, in fact — by musician and Mona's resident composer Dean Stevenson with his Arco Set Orchestra. It'll commit commit $10,000 of proceeds from the performance to charity Voices of Children, which assists Ukrainian children and families affected by the Russian invasion. And, the aforementioned Chernobyl score performances will also donate funds to the people of Ukraine, too. Other new highlights on the bill span more Mona Up Late, rapper Birdz sharing the stage with DENNI and her synth-driven hip hop, Shady Nasty with 208L Containers and Threats, and Import Export: The Dark Sessions — a showcase of Tassie talent presented by Ben Salter. [caption id="attachment_800593" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jesse Hunniford[/caption] Arriving unexpectedly — think of it as Dark Mofo bonus — this is the third batch of program announcements for the fest, after it dropped the first highlights for this year's fest back in March. Accordingly, all of the above also joins the previously announced Kim Gordon, who'll bust out songs from her 2019 solo release No Home Record; Berlin-based composer and producer Nils Frahm playing Music For Hobart; and Spiritualized, Deafheaven and American multi-instrumentalist Lingua Ignota. And yes, that's just a taste of what awaits at the Tasmanian festival. Dark Mofo will run from Wednesday, June 8–Wednesday, June 22 in Hobart, Tasmania. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the festival website. Top image: DarkLab/Jesse Hunniford, 2019. Image Courtesy DarkLab, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
If you were planning on catching an Uber to work or uni this morning, you may need to think again. Thousands of drivers have logged off the app — during Monday's peak hour — in a bid to curb upfront pricing and penalties. At present, drivers receive an upfront amount instead of being paid for time and distance travelled and are penalised for opting out of UberPools. Drivers also want rates increased by 15 percent, which were reduced back in 2016. The strike comes amid strong competition from Ola and Taxify, both which offer cheaper fares for riders and take a smaller commission cut compared to Uber — Taxify takes a 15 percent cut compared to Uber's 20-25 percent. The drivers will strike until 9.30am today in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. via news.com.au
As far as culinary memories go, for many Australians street food evokes holiday recollections of steaming pad Thai precariously balanced on a paper plate at a bustling Bangkok market, ketchup-laden three-for-$1 hot dogs in Times Square or condensed milk and peanut butter waffles relished on a hurried Hong Kong stopover. As part of Ketel One's Modern Craft Project, Brisbane-based architect, designer and social entrepreneur Helen Bird drew inspiration from the success of a recent wave of street food vendors setting up mobile shop in other highly regulated countries to inform the mobile food project she launched earlier this year, which aims to satiate a growing hunger for not only international cuisine but socially and environmentally sound practice. In a bid to bring a little bit of holiday spirit to her urban surrounds in the form of quick, cost-effective and tasty fare, Bird personally designed an artfully constructed and environmentally sustainable spin on the humble bicycle-cart to peddle around the laneways of Brisbane. Not one to be motivated by the pursuit of business success alone, Bird has harnessed the project as a literal vehicle through which to provide assistance for migrants and refugees wishing to enter the local food industry. Working with Street Food Australia (SFA), a social enterprise small business incubator established by Bird last year, participating protegees will take on the running of a bicycle-cart, while receiving the ongoing support and mentorship necessary to successfully establish a functioning business that serves food from their native culture. After raising start-up funds through the crowd sourcing website Pozible late last year, in February SFA launched their first street food vendor bike, a steamed dumpling cart, as part of a pilot designed to test the fundamentals of the project. “Growing up my father was a bank manager who would lend money to migrants to start their first businesses. These families had no money, no business plan and the difficulty of a language barrier, but somehow when Dad would take me to their houses years later, they would be living in big, fancy places, thanks in part to the opportunity he gave them'”, says Bird, reflecting on what initially propelled her to fuse an acute understanding of business principles with her expert knowledge of craftsmanship to benefit the lives of those less fortunate. To describe Bird's career path as unusual is conservative — she’s had a stint making circus equipment, spent time installing massive bamboo art sculptures in Europe and established a successful design studio, Pearler, with her "right-hand man and business partner" Billerwell Daye. Formal architecture training, a lifelong penchant for carpentry, welding, "repairing, rebuilding and picking apart everyday objects" and a commitment to doing things the long, hard way has allowed Bird to develop the formidable skillset necessary to craft the bicycle-carts used in the project, which are modeled on an economic, social, ecological and cultural sustainability quadruple bottom line. "This project draws on diverse and complex processes, collaboration, old and new skills and the understanding that craft, design and society can meld together in exciting possibility to create something that helps other to achieve their full potential," explains Bird. Much as Bird works to provide deserving migrants and refugees the kind of opportunities that hold the potential to completely re-route their futures, the Ketel One legacy, awarded to her this week, has opened up previously impossible avenues for the development and expansion of the project. Bird plans to direct the $100,000 prize money towards establishing an office and workshop away from home to draw, model and test the bicycle-carts and oversee the project, obtain core resources she currently lacks and even donate a bicycle-cart to a new vendor, dramatically reducing their start-up costs. Like a true modern craftswoman, Bird seeks to achieve big changes through small acts carried out slowly and simply. If this starts with a bite of a mini banh-mi, tequila ribs or Mexican elote bought off the back of a travelling trike, that's an initiative we don't need to be asked twice to support. The training wheels are about to come off, thanks to the Ketel One legacy.
We all follow that one Instagrammer who seems to share everything they eat — from decently presented but poorly lit cafe brunches to the monochromatic mac and cheese they're scoffing at home on a Wednesday night while watching Offspring with their poodle. So you may be pleased to know Virgin Mobile Australia is launching a new initiative that will put those somewhat annoying, always frivolous and only occasionally applause-worthy food 'grams to actual good use. Every time foodstagrammers take a photo of a meal, share it on social media and use the hashtag #mealforameal, Virgin will donate to food rescue organisation OzHarvest — absolute legends who collect surplus food from commercial outlets and deliver real meals to people who need them. The company is jumping on the 'foodporn' bandwagon but using it to give back to vulnerable people around the country. And now you and your compulsion for food snapping can get involved. To help launch the project in Sydney, Gelato Messina is serving up a new flavour made of food scraps. Really. Head to a Messina store on July 19 and try out the flavoursome experiment (which is only made from food scraps and apparently doesn't taste like food scraps). This is one situation in which you're practically required to take a photo of your food (just don't forget to tag it #mealforameal). With public opinion on foodstagramming being that it is serious business — when it's good it's highly celebrated, and when it's bad it's lambasted (even when you're Martha Stewart) — the trend isn't predicted to die out any time soon. For those who thought they'd rather never see someone else's cronut or shakshuka eggs on their feed again? Well, now there's good reason to get off your high horse and get your lens on your ceviche.
Nosferatu. The Wolf Man. Frankenstein. All three names are icons of classic horror cinema. All three are headed back to the big screen in 2025. The entire trio are also making a comeback with impressive directors leading the charge, with Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman) giving Nosferatu a new spin, Leigh Whannell moving from The Invisible Man to Wolf Man and Guillermo del Toro behind the latest iteration of Mary Shelley's masterpiece (to the surprise of no one who has seen the Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, Nightmare Alley and The Shape of Water helmer's past movies). Nosferatu will hit picture palaces first — and, in true Eggers fashion, it's keen to unnerve. So, what happens when the acclaimed filmmaker directs his attention to the second-most famous name there is in vampire tales for his fourth feature? If both the initial teaser trailer and just-dropped new sneak peek for Nosferatu are anything to go by, embracing a twist on Bram Stoker's Dracula is set to turn out chillingly. More than a century has passed since the initial Nosferatu flickered across the big screen, a German Expressionist great that adapted Stoker's story with zero authorisation, hence changes such as its count being named Orlok. The film has been remade before, with Werner Herzog (The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft) giving viewers 1979's Nosferatu the Vampyre. Now, Eggers is sinking his teeth in — and visibly loving it. The new Orlok: Bill Skarsgård, fresh from action-star mode in Boy Kills World but pivoting back to creepy villains, just swapping IT and IT: Chapter Two's Pennywise for another insidious pop-culture figure. In the two looks at Eggers' Nosferatu so far, the writer/director plays coy with his monster, but not with Orlok's impact. "My dreams grow darker," cries Lily-Rose Depp in the initial trailer, trading the nightmare of The Idol for the gothic horror kind as Ellen Hutter. Joining Skarsgård and Depp is a stacked cast of fellow big names, including Willem Dafoe enjoying another stint in gothic mode after Poor Things and returning to Nosferatu after his Oscar-nominated performance in 2000's Shadow of a Vampire, where he played Max Schreck, the IRL actor who played Orlok back in 1922. Nicholas Hoult jumps from dancing with Dracula in Renfield to more undead eeriness, and Emma Corrin (A Murder at the End of the World), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (The Fall Guy) and Ralph Ineson (The First Omen) all also feature. In the US, audiences have a silver-screen date with Nosferatu on Christmas, but viewers Down Under will see the film from Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Check out the full trailer for Nosferatu below: Nosferatu releases in cinemas Down Under on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Images: courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.
When you're sitting in a cinema, you want to hear one thing and one thing only: the film that you're watching. No one likes having their movie-going experience ruined by excessive noise from those around them; however, shooshing and scowling are only somewhat effective at combating the problem. Sure, you can ask an incessant talker to pipe down, but requesting that the person behind you devours their movie munchies at a lower volume isn't so easy, particularly in a place that sells far-from-quiet foods such as popcorn and potato chips. Enter Silent Snacks, aka the invention someone really should've thought of earlier. The brainchild of theatre ticketing app company TodayTix, they're exactly what they sound like — or ideally don't, thanks to products such as Quiet (Pop)corn, Muffled Truffles, Silent Slices and Anti-Gas Lime and Mint Drink. Basically, the new snack range takes your usual cinema treats and gives them a few twists to tone down any annoying munching, crunching and slurping sounds. The popcorn has been ground down, mixed with dates, coconut butter, cocoa butter and coconut blossom nectar, and rolled into balls; chocolates have been switched with truffles; and chips swapped for dehydrated pears. And when it comes to washing it all down, Silent Snacks' beverage of choice is not only designed to reduce burping noises coming out, but is served in silicone to ensure that it's also stealthy while you're sipping it. Yep, soft, soundless packets and wrappers are all part of the package, because everyone knows that it's not just loud eating that can echo throughout a cinema, but the crinkling and rustling that goes with it. Of course, given that TodayTix only operates in the US and UK at present, you won't find these super-quiet foods at a local candy bar any time soon. Instead, we'll live in hope that something similar will pop up here soon — silently, of course. Via TodayTix.
The red light man never gives us much joy in life. Holding us up from catching the train or making us that crucial extra bit late for work, he is the cause of much frustration and general bad vibes in your day. Faced with his staunch neon presence we must choose to stand and stare at his mocking little face or dangerously make our way through oncoming traffic. Tough call. To combat this frustration and make the streets a whole lot safer, Smart — the people behind the Smart car — found a way to keep us satisfied at the lights. Operating at an intersection in Lisbon, Portugal earlier this year, The Dancing Traffic Light put an interactive and entertaining spin on the red man — he danced. Made in real-time, the dancing red man was controlled by the movements of other pedestrians nearby. Let loose inside a little dancing box with their own choice of soundtrack, passersby could manipulate the red man into all manners of disco, hip hop and salsa moves. Those waiting at the lights were then treated to the bizarre sight of a twerking pedestrian signal. Produced as part of a Smart advertising campaign promoting safety, the experiment was designed to keep people entertained enough to not jaywalk. And, for the most part, it worked. The ad claims that 81 per cent more people stopped at the lights to watch. Though there are no plans to bring the dancing red man to other parts of the world, those seem like the kind of figures we should listen to. Imagine if we could not only bring the number of pedestrians injuries down next to nil, but also provoke daily dance mobs every morning. Forget about elaborate motorways and public transport ticketing that doesn't ever work, the next state election is all about dancing red man. Via Mashable.
It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. Thanks to Black Mirror, it's about to become the bleakest. A release date for the fourth season of Charlie Brooker's dystopian TV show hasn't yet been announced, but it is expected to drop on Netflix sometime this month. In the interim, the streaming platform has been ramping up the excitement by revealing episode-specific trailers. With each approximately hour-long instalment of Black Mirror standing alone in the story department — while always tying into the anthology series' satirical musings about humanity's relationship with technology — the individual sneak peeks offer a glimpse of just what's in store. Four have been released so far, stepping into areas such as the evolution of surveillance, high-tech misdeeds and dating apps. The clips join the previously revealed whole-of-season trailer, and once again, things look grim. It's likely two more will follow, given that full season will consist of six episodes: 'Arkangel', 'Black Museum', 'Crocodile', 'Hang the DJ', 'Metalhead' and 'USS Callister'. Brooker himself wrote every new instalment, while the likes of Jodie Foster, Australian filmmaker John Hillcoat (The Road, Triple 9), Peaky Blinders' Colm McCarthy and American Gods' David Slade are sitting in the helmer's chair. On screen, expect a cast that includes La La Land's Rosemarie DeWitt, Nocturnal Animals' Andrea Riseborough and Fargo's Jesse Plemons getting up to the kind of sci-fi antics that no one wants to dream of. Check out latest trailers below, and prepare for more bleak thrills before the year is out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5N_Tq1EtRQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV0J3Bq3BIc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-NCySETRIc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yef_HfQoBd8
It's meant to be a relaxing getaway go-to — gathering the gang, hightailing it to an impressive spot, getting into party mode and ignoring all your troubles, that is. But what happens if there's a hurricane, then a power outage, then a series of murders? As new Pete Davidson (The Suicide Squad) and Amandla Stenberg (Dear Evan Hansen)-starring horror-comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies shows, you can instantly forget that all bliss. That's the setup behind this slasher satire, which sees a group of twentysomething friends — and one of the gang's 40-year-old boyfriend — celebrating a big storm. They've got the company, drugs, glow sticks and massive mansion for the occasion, and the party game that gives the movie its title, too. Here's how Bodies Bodies Bodies, the game, is meant to work: everyone picks a piece of paper, one of which marks the person who has it as the murderer. The lights then go out, the victim gets tapped on the shoulder, and everyone starts guessing who's behind it. It's supposed to be fun — but it depends on who the crew's finger is pointing at. Making this on-screen stint of Bodies Bodies Bodies more chaotic is those actual bodies, bodies, bodies, and plenty of blood. As the just-dropped new trailer shows, no one handles the situation well — with the cast also including Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan Oscar-nominee Maria Bakalova, Shiva Baby's Rachel Sennott, Generation's Chase Sui Wonders and Industry's Myha'la Herrold. And, playing that two-decades older interloper is Pushing Daisies and Halt and Catch Fire favourite Lee Pace. Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn (Instinct) directs, and the result looks brutal, wild and hilarious all at once. Something that makes everyone's efforts to survive a murderer a struggle: bickering among themselves, digging up old baggage and not being able to get past their simmering resentments. If you're keen to sleuth (and laugh) along with it, the film will hit Australian cinemas on September 15. And yes, Bodies Bodies Bodies joins a hefty list of recent movies and TV shows that don't find getaways all that enjoyable, including The Resort, Sundown, Old, Palm Springs, The White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers. None of the above are also slasher flicks, though. Check out the latest Bodies Bodies Bodies trailer below: Bodies Bodies Bodies opens in Australian cinemas on September 15. Images: Erik Chakeen / Gwen Capistran.
A 1920s Victorian building is the latest Parramatta location to be painted with the development brush. The vintage terrace has been transformed into a multifaceted precinct dubbed Wentworth Atelier. As the name suggests, it now houses a collection of upmarket artisans covering off fine food, drink, fashion and grooming. Based on Wentworth Street, the building was constructed in 1924 but had fallen into disrepair. In 2010, Aykut Sayan took over the adjacent alleyway to launch Circa Espresso, complete with a French and Turkish-inspired menu that proved popular with locals. So popular, in fact, that the cafe grew into the building itself with the addition of terraced seating, kickstarting the rejuvenation of the entire location. Circa Espresso has since been joined by custom suit boutique Tailor & Co., which owner John-Pierre Gorges relocated from Bella Vista. Dapper and Doll Style Parlour, from long-time Parramatta local George Makram, has also joined the fold as a premium hair salon catering to both men and women. Makram is also behind Uncle Kurt's, Parramatta's premier small bar which opened in 2016, and is a clear advocate for raising the status of Sydney's secondary CBD. In addition to keeping you well fed, dressed and groomed, the mini hub is also planning to host workshops and events in the courtyard — proof that you don't need to venture in to the city to get a dose of upscale living and culture. Find the Wentworth Atelier at 21 Wentworth Street, Parramatta.
Friendships are complicated, but they're part of what it means to be human. Any young person, but especially someone who knows what it means to have a complicated friendship, should consider getting tickets to Girls in Boys' Cars, the latest production of National Theatre of Parramatta. Opening on Thursday, October 19, Girls in Boys' Cars is an adaptation of the page-turning novel from Australian author Felicity Castagna — which won multiple Australian literary awards in 2022. This theatrical adaptation by Priscilla Jackman centres around two young women, whose suburban lives (and friendship) get much more complicated when a series of events sees them driving across NSW in a stolen car. One ends up in juvenile detention, wondering why her best friend disappeared and where she went. Directed and adapted by award-winning theatre-maker Priscilla Jackman (National Theatre of Parramatta and Sydney Theatre Company's White Pearl), the production also stars Ziggy Resnick (Griffin Theatre Company's A is for Apple), Nikita Waldron (Winner of the Australian Theatre for Young People 2021 Rebel Wilson Comedy Commission), Suz Mawer (bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company's The Laden Table), Ella Prince (Bell Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors) and Alex Stamell (Nine Perfect Strangers). It's a story about friends, mistakes and never holding back. The limited-run show is sure to spark some feelings, maybe even a few tears. Book your tickets quickly, because the short run will be over by Friday, November 3. Girls in Boys' Cars will run at the Riverside Theatres in Parramatta, with select shows from Thursday, October 19 to Friday, November 3. For more information or to get tickets, visit the website.
Prepare to feel stressed, movie lovers. Prepare to be plunged into an on-screen nightmare, too. That's Ari Aster's gambit, as the US filmmaker demonstrated with two of the eeriest, creepiest movies of the past five years: 2018's Hereditary and 2019's Midsommar. So, of course the trailer for his long-awaited new flick Beau Is Afraid is unsettling. In fact, it'd probably be even more distressing if it wasn't. Move over Toni Collette and Florence Pugh — this time, Joaquin Phoenix is getting the disquieting works thrown at him, in the actor's second film since picking up an Oscar for Joker. He plays the eponymous Beau, who just wants to go home to see his mother when the just-dropped trailer for the April-releasing movie starts. Then he gets run over by a woman and shackled with an ankle monitor by a doctor (aka Only Murders in the Building costars Amy Ryan and Nathan Lane). The latest US release by adored studio A24, which is currently even more abuzz after Everything Everywhere All At Once's Golden Globes wins, Beau Is Afraid doesn't saddle its namesake with hauntings and cults. Its trailer isn't as grimly dark as Hereditary, either, or a sunshine-filled daylight horror show like Midsommar. But it does paint a picture of Beau as a lonely, paranoid man — his phone's recent-call list is heavy on chats with his mum, therapist, landlady and pharmacy — dreaming about past family holidays, popping medication, and eating Hawaiian and Ireland-themed TV dinners before he ends up being held hostage. Once again, Aster writes and directs, with viewers able to see the end result in April — with the US getting an April 21 release date, and Down Under distributor Roadshow locking in an April 20 date. Also part of Beau Is Afraid's first trailer: an epic journey, multiple versions of Beau, whimsical dreamscapes and Beau not having any idea what's going on. And, also among the cast: Patti LuPone (American Horror Story), Denis Ménochet (The French Dispatch), Kylie Rogers (Yellowstone), Parker Posey (The Staircase), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Causeway), Hayley Squires (The Essex Serpent), Michael Gandolfini (The Many Saints of Newark), Zoe Lister-Jones (How It Ends) and Richard Kind (The Watcher). Check out the trailer for Beau Is Afraid below: Beau Is Afraid opens in cinemas Down Under on April 20.
Thirty-four-metres long, more than twice as big as a regular hot air balloon and ripped straight from Patricia Piccinini's inimitable mind, Skywhale might just be one of Australia's most recognisable recent pieces of art. It's a sight to see, and the largest-scale example of the artist's fascination with the thin line that separates nature and technology — and it's about to meet its match. Come February, the National Gallery of Australia will unveil Piccinini's new Skywhalepapa, which is designed to form a family with Skywhale. It was originally scheduled to premiere in 2020 — but, after joining the list of things that didn't turn out as planned last year, it'll take to the sky on three mornings in 2021 instead. Both Skywhale and Skywhalepapa will float above Canberra at 5.30am on Saturday, February 6, then again on Monday, March 8, and finally on Saturday, April 3, as part of an event called Skywhales: Every Heart Sings — with the second bulbous sculpture commissioned as part of the gallery's Balnaves Contemporary Series. Although art lovers can check out the event for free, you do need to register if you'll be in Canberra on any of those dates, and fancy getting up early and going along. Of course, that's hardly surprising in these COVID-19-safe times. [caption id="attachment_751759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Skywhalepapa, 2019/20 (artist's sketch), Patricia Piccinini. Courtesy of the artist.[/caption] Just how big Skywhalepapa will be is also yet to be announced but, given the impressive size of its companion, expect it to be hefty. And if seeing two Skywhales isn't enough, the NGA has been hosting Patricia Piccinini: Skywhales, an exhibition dedicated to them, since March 2020. It'll wrap up on August 1, 2021. If you can't make it to Canberra to see the growing Skywhale clan, it'll also head around the country for an NGA touring exhibition. Locations and dates haven't been announced as yet, and are set to be confirmed in the future. Skywhales: Every Heart Sings takes place at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes, ACT — with the floating sculptures taking to the sky at 5.30am on Saturday, February 6, then again on Monday, March 8, and finally on Saturday, April 3. For further information, visit the NGA website. Top images: Skywhale, 2013, Patricia Piccinini. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of anonymous donor 2019, Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program. Photo: Martin Ollman Photography.
When the Melbourne International Film Festival kicked off its 2020 event on August 6, and did so with Kelly Reichardt's sublime First Cow, it really didn't matter that it wasn't all happening in person. We'd all rather be getting our three-week-long winter film fix in person, of course — crowding into cinemas, standing in snaking lines on Russell Street, making the mad dash along Swanston Street and braving Melbourne's frosty weather, as has been the case every other year — but a great movie remains a great movie whether it's opening a festival physically as we're all used to, or virtually as these COVID-19 times dictate. In MIFF's case, it doesn't just have one stellar film on its 2020 bill. MIFF 68 1/2, as this year's fest has been badged, really did start as it intends to continue. Until Sunday, August 23, at-home movie buffs can watch their way through more than 100 titles, including full-length fare and shorts, from the comfort of their couches — and from the fest's jam-packed features lineup, we've reviewed (and heartily recommend) these ten absolute highlights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_D5D7HayMc&feature=emb_logo EMA A new film by Pablo Larraín is always cause for excitement, and Ema is no different. In fact, it's a stunning piece of cinema that stands out even among the Chilean director's already impressive resume. He's the filmmaker behind stirring political drama No, exacting religious interrogation The Club, poetic biopic Neruda and the astonishing, Natalie Portman-starring Jackie — to name just a few of his movies — so that's no minor feat. This time, he hones in on the dancer (Mariana Di Girolamo) who gives the feature its name. After adopting a child with her choreographer partner Gastón (Gael García Bernal), something other than domestic bliss followed, and now she's not only trying but struggling to cope in the aftermath. Di Girolamo is magnetic, whether she's dancing against a vivid backdrop, staring pensively at the camera or being soaked in neon light, and Larraín's skill as both a visual- and emotion-driven filmmaker is never in doubt. Indeed, this film's imagery — and its exploration of trauma, shock and their impact — aren't easily forgotten. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiFEgrIRp7s&feature=emb_logo ROSE PLAYS JULIE In Rose Plays Julie, a young Irish veterinary student born with the name Julie, adopted out to a new family as a baby and then given the moniker Rose (Vikings' Ann Skelly) begins a search for her birth mother (Orla Brady) — and then her biological father (Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen), too. Don't go dismissing this potent, purposefully thorny and provocative film as a standard family drama, though, no matter how straightforward that description sounds. In a movie that plunges into disturbing thriller territory and seethes with tension from the outset, writer/directors Christine Molloy and Joe Lawler have something very different and far more complex in mind. As brought to the screen with taut, precise visuals, a slow-burn pace and a layered performance by Skelly, Rose's foray into her past unearths a shatteringly tragic incident that could forever change the young woman's sense of self. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGscwJZ5rFA NO HARD FEELINGS Winning the Teddy Award at this year's Berlinale — the prize for the festival's standout film with LGBTQIA+ themes, as previously given to the likes of A Fantastic Woman and The Kids Are All Right— No Hard Feelings is the work of a certain rising star. It's writer/director Faraz Shariat's first film, it's partly based on its own experiences, and it deeply, thoughtfully, engagingly and vividly interrogates and explores the life of a queer man of Iranian descent who has spent his entire life in Germany. Parvis (Benny Radjaipour) was born and raised in Europe, and he's out and proud. Dancing and drinking the night away ranks among his favourite pastimes, alongside passionate Grindr hookups. But when he's sentenced to community service at a refugee centre after a stint of shoplifting, then befriends fellow Iranian Banafshe Arezu (Banafshe Hourmazdi) and sparks up a romance with her brother Amon (Eidin Jalali), the way he's seen by his adopted homeland — and the treatment afforded asylum seekers and anyone considered different — is firmly thrust into focus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN-mYRcJaf0&feature=emb_logo LAST AND FIRST MEN At present, every movie filled with everyday folks amassing in public, or even just hugging or shaking hands, feels more than a little like science fiction. We've said it before, and we're sure we'll say it again. And yet, while Last and First Men is an eerie and intelligent dystopian sci-fi film through and through, it doesn't feature a single person on-screen. Instead, the one and only movie directed by Oscar-nominated composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (Sicario, The Theory of Everything) before his 2018 death trains the camera at towering sculptures that prove instantly mesmerising to look at — and look, this movie does — and even a tad unsettling. The concept, as inspired by the 1930 novel of the same name, explained in lyrical waves of poetic prose spoken by Tilda Swinton, presented as a message from one of the earth's very last residents, and accompanied by a haunting score: several billion years into the future, after several leaps in evolution and drastic changes to life as we currently know it, humanity faces its extinction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVf8in0dj9s LA LLORONA In 2019, in one of the many spinoffs from The Conjuring franchise, The Curse of La Llorona dallied with Mexican folklore. The aim: to rustle up some formulaic scares, a task that proved largely unsuccessful but won't stop the blockbuster series from continuing to do what it does. Also first surfacing last year at international festivals, Guatemalan movie La Llorona isn't that film, thankfully. It's a feature about being haunted, too; however the ghosts caused by not just trauma but genocide, the ideology that enables such atrocities and the ongoing impact generations later all linger over this commanding, compelling and rightly award-winning psychological horror effort. The latest film by The Volcano's Jayro Bustamante, it follows the reckoning due to former army general Enrique Monteverde (Julio Diaz) over his state-sanctioned role in oppressing and attacking Guatemala's Mayan people three decades earlier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn5fZ5XwtZ4 JUST 6.5 Iranian actor Payman Maadi has many top-notch performances to his name, including in Asghar Farhadi's About Elly and A Separation, as well as in TV series The Night Of. Add Just 6.5 to the growing list, with the involving, hard-hitting crime drama casting him as a cop on the trail of drug traffickers — a job that, given the country's notoriously punishing treatment of those caught dealing illicit substances, is not only a tough and demanding gig day in and day out, but comes with grave consequences for the criminals he apprehends. Ramping up the tension to almost relentless levels, filmmaker Saeed Roustayi explores all sides of the law-and-order war against narcotics, from those slinging drugs for profit to the police officers battling to stem the flow. Aided by excellent portrayals not just by Maadi, but also co-star Navid Mohammadzadeh as the main man in his character's sights, this is a riveting thriller from start to finish — and a movie with much to say about the situation it grimly depicts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLWSW77iWTI KILL IT AND LEAVE THIS TOWN With Kill It and Leave This Town, veteran animator Mariusz Wilczyński unravels a surrealist nightmare that's unlike any other animated movie you've ever seen. The product of a decade's work, and also marking his feature filmmaking debut, it's set in communist-era Poland in the 60s and 70s — as everyday events, particularly interactions between parents and their children, beget waves of anxiety and absurdism drawn from the filmmaker's own experiences and memories. Both tender and tragic moments dance across the screen, as brought to life with a handmade aesthetic that's distinctive, disarmingly effective, and also channels the industrial-leaning paintings (no, not films) of none other than David Lynch. This is truly a movie that's best discovered by watching, and also a feature that can only be really appreciated by letting its visuals and vibe wash over you. Equally affecting and out-there, unsurprisingly, it's quite the trip. 9TO5: THE STORY OF A MOVEMENT We know, we know: you know have Dolly Parton's immensely catchy '9 to 5' stuck in your head. Yes, it pops up in the documentary that shares its name. Yes, you'll be singing it to yourself for days after you watch this film. Yes, you'll hear Jane Fonda tell a great behind-the-scenes tale about the first time she heard the song. But this isn't just an ode to a very popular tune, or the movie of the same moniker either. Rather, as directed by Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar — who just this year won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for American Factory — 9to5: The Story of a Movement chronicles the real-life campaign for equality in the workplace that gave rise to the hit track and comedy flick. A pivotal history lesson, as well as an important reminder about what has and hasn't changed since women in the workplace were expected to remain happy as underpaid, overworked, wife-like secretaries, this is an archival footage-filled, talking heads-heavy, always-engaging doco with insights not only into the past, but into employment today as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdzSVxLJwrU&feature=emb_logo MOGUL MOWGLI Riz Ahmed not only stars in but also cowrites Mogul Mowgli — and given that he's playing a British Pakistani rapper, and the Four Lions and Rogue One actor also happens to be British Pakistani rapper himself, this incisive drama understandably feels personal. It's also electrifying from the moment when, early in the film, Ahmed's character Zed takes the stage and unleashes his politically charged lyrics about his experiences to a responsive audience. Zed is on the cusp of stardom but, just as he secures his next big opportunity in a supporting slot on a lucrative European tour, his health unexpectedly begins to fail him. Exploring the fallout, including the professional disappointment, Zed's struggles with his cultural heritage upon his return home to London and the tough reality of facing a shattering diagnosis, writer/director Bassam Tariq makes an exceptional debut, crafting a film that's as bold, dynamic and probing as its central performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKvliqAoN00 WOMEN MAKE FILM: A NEW ROAD MOVIE THROUGH CINEMA MIFF isn't just virtually screening a whole heap of movies in 2020 — it's also screening a mammoth 14-hour documentary about the very medium it loves and cherishes. Exactly what Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema covers is obvious from its title; however don't expect this female-focused exploration of cinema history to only tell you what you already know. As the iconic The Story of Film: An Odyssey already established, Mark Cousins' lengthy docos never take a standard approach. They rove and roam through their subject, overlaying expert analysis and personal insights across a treasure trove of clips, and positively bursting with cinephilia of both the astute and intimate kind. Here, with Tilda Swinton narrating (yes, again) alongside Jane Fonda (another MIFF 2020 favourite), Adjoa Andoh, Sharmila Tagore, Kerry Fox, Thandie Newton and Debra Winger, Cousins dives as deep as anyone can into the oft-overlooked canon of works by women directors — 183 of them, in fact — as well as their visual and narrative techniques over the years. MIFF 68 1/2 runs from Thursday, August 6–Sunday, August 23. For further details and to buy online tickets, visit the festival's website.
