This winter, you can relive all the fun bits of your childhood from a spot 250 metres off the ground, at Sydney Tower Eye's new retro pop-up. Running every day throughout July and August, Sydney's Highest Playground will see the tower's Observation Deck transformed into the sky-high paradise of your inner child's dreams, featuring a riot of activities and games from the 80s, 90s and today. Venture up to the neon-drenched space for the ultimate game-time session, dabbling in some giant Connect 4, Giant Jenga, table tennis, KerPlunk and maybe even the glow-in-the-dark hula hoops. It's all backed by a retro soundtrack, too, packed full of nostalgic old-school jams. Head up on select nights and you'll also find a couple of exclusive shakes from Milky Lane. These guys are whipping up a White Chocolate Tim Tam number and a decadent Chocolate Caramello Koala creation. Keep an eye on the Sydney Tower Eye Facebook page to see when they're available. Oh, and dress-ups are definitely encouraged — time to dig out those parachute pants and get high. Sydney's Highest Playground is open daily from 9am–9pm.
After scaring the shit out of us with an overnight cable car stay (without giving us a toilet), and waking us up with puppies in the middle of IKEA, Airbnb have yet again allowed us to stay in a jaw-droppingly novelty place. But this time, it's only two hours from Sydney and it's a cave. A real cave, all to yourself. A new listing in Bell, near the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, called Hatter's Hideout and Lodge, is up for rental grabs on Airbnb. The stay comes with two parts. On one hand, you're privy to a unique hand-built lodge on eight private acres of lush Blue Mountains wilderness, stocked with every last essential (kitchen, heating, internet, barbecue) and boasting panoramic views across Mount Wilson, Wollemi National Park and the World Heritage Area. On the other hand? You're the proud overseer of the 'Hat Cave' — a 20 metres high, wide and deep cave with "similar size and shape to a small shell of the Sydney Opera house (with better acoustics!)" according to the listers. Self-described as 'an ideal bushland retreat for modern cave dwellers (troglodytes)', the cave has been developed super carefully using minimal impact construction to maintain the environment as much as possible. The 25-metre-high cave opening faces north west, and you're protected from the elements by a friendly grove of coachwood trees. The owners will provide you with campfire kindling and wood, a gas barbecue, esky, tables and chairs, solar powered lights, candles, first aid kit, cooking utensils, and rainwater on tap — basically they've thought of everything your city slicker ass would forget otherwise. You'll even get a firsthand introduction to the surrounds with a 'Bush Walk and Talk', so you know exactly what's up with your newfound bush home. All you need to do is brush up on your acoustic 'Wonderwall' and you're home and hosed. The Hideout lodge can sleep up six people but you can fit in a bunch more if you're camping in the cave — perfect for a matey weekend getaway or hens night to forget. Obviously, it's a cave, so it's not the cheapest stay on the national park block. On weekends you're looking at $690 for two people for two nights (+ $55 extra adult per night), midweek it goes down to $495 for two people for two nights (+ $55 extra adult per night). But. Cave. For more info or to lock in your holiday cave, head over here.
Gelato Messina collabs almost always get tongues wagging, but this time, the ice cream maestros are boasting a different kind of culinary experience. Teaming up with Saturday Night Pasta — the brand of much-loved recipe writer and creative powerhouse Elizabeth Hewson — you're invited to attend the first-ever pasta-and-gelato dinner party at Messina HQ in Marrickville. Celebrating the launch of Saturday Night Pasta's newest product range, the pair will take over the gelato factory floor on Saturday, August 23. However, they aren't handling the cooking and styling alone. Drawing on their friends' and collaborators' abundant talent, expect Shadow Baking, Gold Street Dairy, Erin Bar and Restaurant, In The Round House, Salumi Australia, DRNKS and Byroncello to make this one-night-only dinner even more rousing. Seated around one long family-style table in the middle of the factory, guests will take in the jazzy tunes of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra while sipping on a glass of bubbly and grazing on cured meats, house pickles, grilled curd and honey. Next, the share-style pastas roll out. Dig into Saturday Night Pasta's pipette coated with Some Like It Hot sauce, then relish Messina's family ragu — served with Shadow Baking's hot honey focaccia. As you might expect, dessert won't skip a beat with the Messina crew at the helm. Guests will have plenty to indulge their sweet tooths, with crostatas, zabaglione and tiramisu on the menu. Yet a show-stopping end to the feast goes one step further, with gelato and hot dulce de leche poured tableside. Throughout the night, DRNKS will pour organic and sustainable wines, before the entire event rounds out with a Byroncello toast, of course. While this jam-packed Italian dining experience might already seem like a gift, guests will head home with more than just fond memories of the food. Everyone will receive a goodie bag loaded with Saturday Night Pasta's latest pasta and sauce products, making it easy to add a little more flair to your next effort on the pots and pans. Meanwhile, guests also score a limited-edition tote made just for the night, so you rep good taste in the streets. Yet don't dismay if you can't make this short-lived ticketed event. Gelato Messina is returning to its roots, marking the occasion with a new, limited-edition flavour — Elisabetta. Available in all stores for one week or until sold out from Tuesday, August 19, this lush scoop combines olive oil and sea salt gelato with dulce de leche. Rush home and see how it pairs with your pasta on the stove. Gelato Messina and Saturday Night Pasta's dinner is happening from 6.30–8pm on Saturday, August 23, at 1 Rich St, Marrickville. Head to the website for more information.
When you get right down to it, successful parenting is governed by one rule: try and make a better life for your kid than the one you had. So when are you allowed to make the call on whether you succeeded? And what do you tell your kids when they show an interest in pursuing the same career that morally bankrupted you? Sorting Out Rachel is David Williamson's latest play, in which he asks whether it's possible to dry clean a stained legacy. Bruce (John Howard) is a businessman at the end of a successful career. He has ushered through a few mergers, cut a couple of throats and kept his nearest and dearest fed and watered. But his daughter (Natalie Saleeba) isn't happy. Her husband (Glenn Hazeldine) is obsessed with their social status and his granddaughter Rachel (Jenna Owen) is veering closer to the sort of life Bruce is beginning to regret. Bruce knows how to fix these problems, but that would involve coughing up a secret he's been guarding for long time now. Thinking of starting a family? Liking the sound of a career in business? Head to the Ensemble Theatre and let one of Australia's most lauded social commentators explain why you haven't thought it through properly. Images: Heidrun Löhr
This cocktail is a better antidote to your winter woes than you may think. In the spirit of Bacardi Rum Month, Sydney’s best bartenders are finding the warmer side to this tropical drink. At 150 years old, Bacardi lays claim to rum as we know it, with the modern production process developed by originator Don Facundo. His legacy transformed rum from the pirates’ pastime to the favourite speciality drink of the elite. Bacardi remains family owned and operated, and with Rum Month, they aim to inspire top bartenders to add their own twist on tradition. June 10 is International Pina Colada Day, and although the cocktail may remind you of summer days gone by, these bars are taking the opportunity to bring you their winter spin on the Puerto Rican classic. EARL'S JUKE JOINT In the true spirit of a New Orleans bar, Earl’s is home to great music, a chill crowd and fun-loving bartenders mixing up a great cocktail list. Owner Wijesena (ex-Shady Pines) is bringing the piña colada back to its simple roots; the original was not envisioned as the rich concoction of creamed coconut we think of today, but rather made with fresh coconut water and pineapple juice. The Old San Juan cocktail, using Bacardi Carta Blanca, coconut-infused tequila, pineapple drinking vinegar and freshly squeezed lime, is a contemporary take on the Puerto Rican original. 407 King Street, Newtown GRANDMA'S Your home away from home has perhaps the most unusual spin on this popularised cocktail: the Peanut Butter Colada, made with Bacardi Oro (Gold) and all of the modern ingredients, except for a nice spoonful of crunchy peanut butter mixed in. It may sound strange, but the creaminess and saltiness perfectly complement the cocktail, which is actually a top seller. This type of reinvention is exactly the reason Bacardi promotes Rum Month, and is clearly a drink your granny approves of too. 275 Clarence Street, Sydney CBD HELLO SAILOR The nautical decor will make you wish you were sailing on your imaginary yacht this winter, and what better drink to reminisce with than this summertime classic. Created specifically for Rum Month and with the warmth of Bacardi 8-year in mind, Hello Sailor’s Black Tea and Gingerbread Piña Colada ($17) is a cold weather variation on their beloved traditional. The drink may look like summer, but it packs all of the wintery flavours to heat you up. 96 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst HINKY DINKS With the mantra “cocktails first, questions later”, and a firm belief that “there is a cocktail for everyone and for every occasion”, it is clear Hinky Dinks takes its drinks seriously. The 1950s-style bar's celebratory drink for Bacardi Rum Month is the fun Asante Sana Squash Banana, bartender Sam Barnett’s funky twist. Bacardi Oro’s toasted almond and sweet banana notes inspired this cocktail, a combination of Chartreuse, pineapple and coconut. Bold like Bacardi Oro itself, and crisp like the piña colada is intended to be, this drink is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 185 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst Top image: Dollar Photo Club.
UPDATE: OCTOBER 3, 2020 — Fast and Furious 9 has moved its release date again, and will no longer hit cinemas on April 1, 2021. Instead, it'll release on May 27, 2021. UPDATE, MARCH 13, 2020: Due to concerns around the coronavirus, Universal Pictures has announced that Fast and Furious 9 will no longer release on its initially scheduled date of Thursday, May 21, 2020. It will now release worldwide in April 2021 — including Down Under on April 1, 2021. 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. Given the Fast and Furious franchise's title, you'd think driving speedily and passionately is what this big-budget film series is all about. Over-the-top car antics play a hefty part, as the 2001 original, its seven sequels to-date and its 2019 spin-off have all shown via a constant onslaught of hectic stunts — but if there's one thing that this Vin Diesel-starring and -produced saga loves just as much as vehicular mayhem, it's family. Over the years, Diesel's Dominic Toretto has extended the term 'family' to include not only his girlfriend-turned wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), her husband Brian (the late Paul Walker) and their various offspring, but their extended motley crew of fast-driving pals as well. Dom talks about family rather often, usually over a few Coronas with said friends and family. The gang has even faced off against a family of adversaries, courtesy of brothers Owen and Deckard Shaw (Luke Evans and Jason Statham), and their mother Magdalene (Helen Mirren). So, when it comes to Fast and Furious 9 — or F9 as it's being called — it's unsurprising that the franchise is leaning heavily on one of its favourite concepts. Somehow, the saga hasn't expended all family-related options just yet, as the just-dropped first trailer for the flick reveals. Not only does the sneak peek begin with Diesel growling "I used to live my life a quarter-mile at a time, but things change" as his character dotes on his young son (who is called Brian, naturally), but it introduces John Cena to the series as Dom's younger brother Jakob. Don't expect a happy sibling reunion, however, with Cena playing the film's villain. Via text on-screen, the trailer also tells viewers that "not all blood is family" — which means that all this flick's outlandish action stunts will pit Dom and the crew against Jakob, who has teamed up with returning criminal mastermind Cypher (Charlize Theron). Basically, they could've called this film Fast and Furious: More Stunts and More Family, which is exactly what the trailer serves up. Of course, that's what's made this franchise a huge box-office success for almost two decades now — and those action scenes, while typically defying logic, physics and gravity, are always expertly, astonishingly and entertainingly choreographed. As well as Diesel, Rodriguez, Brewster, Cena, Theron and Mirren, F9 also stars franchise mainstays Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris, as well as another returning fan favourite that's revealed in the trailer — plus Game of Thrones' Nathalie Emmanuel, who joined the series back in 2015's Furious 7 and is now considered part of Dom's family. And, after a two-film absence, the movie marks the return of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6 director Justin Lin. The filmmaker is also signed up to helm the upcoming tenth F&F flick, which was always inevitable, and will release just a year after this one hits. Check out the trailer for F9 below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSiDu3Ywi8E&feature=emb_logo F9 was originally due to open in Australian cinemas on May 21, 2020, and then on April 1, 2021; however it'll now release on May 27, 2021. Image: COPYRIGHT © 2020 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. All Rights Reserved
For Rugby fans, the most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner. The HSBC Sydney 7s is returning for another jam-packed weekend of high-energy rugby matches across Saturday, February 1 and Sunday, February 2. And these two full days of action aren't only dedicated to the sport — the yearly event also features a mini music festival, heaps of group party packages and plenty of chances to score free prizes. This year, 28 of the world's best international men's and women's Rugby Sevens teams will go head-to-head to be crowned the tournament champions. For those who are new to Rugby Sevens and are heading to the tournament for the first time, we've put together a full guide of everything you need to know before you go — from the rules of the game to transport and outfit tips. Yep, we've got you covered. [caption id="attachment_756762" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THERE AND BACK This year, the HSBC Sydney 7s tournament is taking place at Parramatta's Bankwest Stadium. And heading west from the city is made easier than ever for the event thanks to free trains. All you have to do is show your tournament ticket and your travel to and from the stadium on the Sydney Metro trains won't cost you a dime. If you're unsure of the best route, check out the NSW Trip Planner. Gates open at 9am on Saturday and 8.15am on Sunday, so we recommend getting in early to make the most of it. Of course, you'll have to start by purchasing your tickets. Single-day passes start at $42 and weekend passes at $70 — both include entry into the stadium and festival tent. To purchase tickets, head over here. [caption id="attachment_756732" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rugby AU Media[/caption] DON YOUR BEST FANCY DRESS COSTUME Accompanying the high-voltage rugby each year is one helluva costume party. Excessive fancy dress by the tournament's punters is a crucial part of the weekend. This year comes without a theme, so you can run in any direction you fancy. Unicorns, neon, pirates or disco balls? All acceptable. Or do you want to simply show the maximum amount of spirit by dressing head-to-toe in your favourite team's colours? That works, too. The more creative and sillier the outfit the better. Just remember, it's 2020 and cultural appropriation isn't cool. And be sure to wear something comfortable that you'll want to hang out, drink in and dance in all day and night — especially the dancing bit, as there are live music performances happening all weekend long. [caption id="attachment_756734" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rugby AU Media[/caption] MAKE A DAY OF IT WITH YOUR WHOLE CREW Getting the whole crew together is part of the fun of Sevens. For those on a budget, keep in mind that all food and non-alcoholic bevvies are allowed into the stadium with you — so you don't have to break the bank to head along. Groups looking for a bit more of a celebration have plenty of ways to indulge, too. The weekend's hospitality packages include Field Club tickets, which include platinum seats just metres from the field on level one. With these passes, you'll also score all-day access to the indoor hospitality facilities, where you can purchase food and booze that you cannot get outside of this zone. Or you can take it to the next level with Social Club passes. Tickets include allocated covered seating on level two and direct access to the air-conditioned lounge. An all-day buffet, open bar (including wine and beer), exclusive merchandise and prize draws are all on the docket, too. [caption id="attachment_756731" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rugby AU Media[/caption] BECOME AN EXPERT ON THE GAME If you're new to the sport, it's best to come along with a bit of knowledge of the game. For starters, the tournament is a battle between 28 of the world's best international men's and women's Sevens teams. As you may have guessed, each team is seven-a-side. In each round, two teams go head-to-head in a 14-minute match (made up of two seven-minute halves). In this sport, it's all about entertainment, and the game is designed to ensure scoring happens quickly, with a try scored roughly every 70 seconds. To get a bit more technical, here are a few more rules to get you started: Try — Players can only pass the ball backwards or kick the ball to move downfield with the aim being to get over the opposition's tryline at the other end of the field. A try is worth five points. Converted Try — After every try, the scoring team attempts a conversion drop-kick through the upright posts, which earns two more points. Drop Goal and Penalty Kick — Teams can also score three points with a drop goal or a penalty kicked between the goal posts (although these are both quite rare in Rugby Sevens). Return Serve — After each score, the scoring team kicks off to the opposition to make sure the other team has an equal opportunity to return serve. [caption id="attachment_756733" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rugby AU Media[/caption] PICK THE RIGHT TEAMS TO CHEER FOR Rugby Sevens is played by teams all over the world, and they come together each year for this epic tournament in Sydney. While, as Sydneysiders, it may seem like the obvious choice to root for the Australian teams, there are other top contenders to keep an eye out — and even save a few cheers — for. The Aussie teams have a lot to prove this time around — at last year's Sydney tournament both the men's and women's teams lost their 2018 titles to New Zealand. And, so far in the 2019-20 season, New Zealand is ranked first in both men's and women's standings. While the Australian men's team is currently sitting at eighth on the list, the women's team is holding a close second. The Aussie women's team has also already qualified for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, so is especially one to watch for that reason alone. The winning team of the men's 2018-19 Sevens series was Fiji, so be sure to keep your eye on that team, too. South Africa and United States are also up there, and Kenya is always a popular one to watch. Full team standings can be viewed here. After leaving Sydney, the tournament will move through LA, Vancouver, Hong Kong and Singapore before ending in Europe in May. [caption id="attachment_756753" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Maurice Longbottom / Rugby AU Media[/caption] KEEP AN EYE ON THESE UP-AND-COMING STAR PLAYERS We mean it when we say that Rugby Sevens is a fast game — with an average of just 70 seconds between each try, it's easy to miss big moments if you aren't paying attention. To make it a little easier, we suggest focusing on a few key players that'll be sure to impress. Australian players to watch include Ellia Green and Emma Tonegato on the women's team and Maurice Longbottom and Lewis Holland on the men's. Other top contenders include New Zealand's Michaela Blyde and Ngarohi Mcgarvey-Black, South Africa's Rosko Specman and USA's Alev Kelter, Perry Baker, Carlin Isles and Danny Barrett. For more stats and player details, head here. [caption id="attachment_756735" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rugby AU Media[/caption] THERE'S MORE TO THE DAY THAN JUST RUGBY While all of that action-packed rugby will have you busy, the day is about way more than just sport. For starters, the weekend features its very own music festival, which will host live acts for two days straight. Headliners include homegrown DJ talent like LDRU, Tigerlily and Yolanda Be Cool, with heaps of supporting acts on the docket, too. And, on Sunday, you can expect the festival area to feature multicultural performances. Head here for more details. Also on offer across the stadium are karaoke, dance and kiss cams and on-field challenges, plus face painting for those looking to take their fancy dress to the next level. Plenty of food trucks will be onsite serving up barbecue, fried chicken, pizzas, burgers and specialty coffees. Basically, it's an all-out party no matter which way you look. To purchase tickets to HSBC Sydney 7s, visit Ticketek, and for event updates follow @Aussie7s on Instagram. Then, find more ways to make the most of your weekend below. Top image: Rugby AU Media.
Sydney restaurateur and pioneering chef Josh Niland is adding yet another gong to his award-laden mantelpiece after winning one of the world's most prestigious laurels for cookbooks. Announced on Saturday, June 8, at an awards ceremony in Chicago, Niland's Fish Butchery: Mastering the Catch, Cut and Craft was recognised as the Best Restaurant and Professional Cookbook at the James Beard Awards. The book is Niland's third to focus on revealing the innovative techniques behind his revolutionary no-to-low waste approach to seafood, including his radical practice of dry-ageing of fish. Niland beat out fellow Australian chef-authors Mat Lindsay and Pat Nourse, whose book Ester: Australian Cooking was also nominated. [caption id="attachment_771911" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rob Palmer, from Josh Niland's The Whole Fish Cookbook[/caption] Niland is no stranger to the James Beard Awards, which celebrates the world's best cookbook authors, food illustrators, book designers, publishers and food journalists. This most recent win is his third to date, having already scooped the coveted Book of the Year Award in 2020 for his in-print debut The Whole Fish Cookbook, which also took out the Best Restaurant and Professional Cookbook category that same year. Another Aussie was also celebrating a win from this year's James Beard honours. Chinese Australian food writer Hetty Lui McKinnon, who currently lives in New York, won the top prize for Vegetable-Focused Cooking for Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds — her fifth published cookbook. McKinnon underlines the poignancy of her work's title in an Instagram post: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hetty Lui McKinnon 雷瑜 (@hettymckinnon) Niland can boast about many award wins during his career, but the past year has been a particularly decorated period for the Sydney-based chef. In May, Niland's fine diner, Saint Peter — which is migrating from its Paddington address to a new home at the Grand National Hotel next month — was named as the only Australian venue to make it onto the 100-strong longlist of the annual World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards, ranking 98th. Also in April, American publication Food & Wine declared Niland's St Leonards restaurant Peterman as the second-best place to eat on the planet — and before that, in October 2023, Niland was named Chef of the Year at the 2024 Good Food Guide Awards. [caption id="attachment_855330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rob Palmer[/caption] Find the full list of 2024's James Beard Award-winners on the accolades' website. Top image: Allen Benson.
Godzilla is dominating the screen, as the giant creature always should be, with TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters currently streaming, Japanese movie Godzilla Minus One in cinemas and monster mash Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire just dropping its first trailer. Both the small-screen show and the American film form part of the Monsterverse, the US franchise that links together a heap of kaiju and critters — so if you've seen 2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong, you'll be primed for the next flick to come. If you're also thinking "didn't Godzilla take on King Kong before", you're right, but that isn't what Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is about. Both Godzilla and King Kong movies are better when neither is a villain, so that's exactly what the Monsterverse is delivering. In the new film that's due in cinemas in April 2024, the two titular towering critters need to team up to tackle a new threat to life as they — and humanity — know it. The brand-new debut sneak peek at Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire teases the reason that Godzilla and King Kong join forces with some carnage in a very familiar spot, proving that Napoleon isn't the only one messing with the pyramids on-screen at the moment. From there, it also gives a glimpse at Zilly lit up with pink, not blue — and, as Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) puts it, a mini Kong. Taking care of the human side of the story alongside Henry: Rebecca Hall (Resurrection), Dan Stevens (Welcome to Chippendales), Kaylee Hottle (Magnum PI), Alex Ferns (Andor) and Fala Chen (Irma Vep). Henry, Hall and Hottle all return from Godzilla vs Kong. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire's narrative also promises a deeper dive into Skull Island's mysteries, why the franchise's huge creatures exist and what links them to people. Arriving 70 years since the first-ever Godzilla feature, the new Monsterverse entry boasts Adam Wingard in the director's chair, just like Godzilla vs Kong. On screenplay duties: the also-returning Terry Rossio (The Amazing Maurice), Wingard's regular collaborator Simon Barrett (You're Next, The Guest, Blair Witch) and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), with the underlying story hailing from Rossio, Wingard and Barrett. Check out the first Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire trailer below: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 11, 2024. Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
A good pair of boots is an investment. If you're adding some to your wardrobe, it's worth making sure you get the right ones. But, sadly, if you find yourself a pair that you can wear day and night, eventually even the best boots get a little worse for wear. Until Sunday, October 25, RM Williams has a solution — for everyone who has worn out their old boots, wants and/or needs a new pair, but hasn't gotten around to it just yet. Head by one of the brand's stores, bring your old boots with you and you'll be able to trade them in as part of its Well Worn Trade special, scoring a discount on some new RMs. In particularly great news for everyone who has a different brand of boots, you can trade in leather boots of any brand. That'll nab you $100 off some brand new RMs — or, if you do have some old RMs to trade, you'll receive $150 off your next pair. The trade-in is only available in-store, unless you're in Victoria — where you'll be asked to email in some details and images first, before posting the boots in. And if you're wondering what'll happen to all those old shoes, all traded RMs will be sent back to the brand's workshop to be restored and replenished, while boots of all other brands will be donated to the World's Biggest Garage Sale.
When demolishing a crustacean-based feast, you come armed with mallets, claw crackers, picks and knives, so it's no surprise catching sea crawlers is a similarly wild ride. The Catch a Crab Tour sets sail on the Tweed River. Deck mates learn how to snare live crabs — spanner, mud and sand crabs are the seasonal bounty here — as well as pump yabbies out of the sand by hand and cast lines for fish. Along the way, you'll also view local oyster farms and meet resident pelicans keen for a feed. Morning tea is included in the $75 tour fee, but if you want to taste the shellfish you nabbed on the two-hour trip, you'll need to book lunch ashore at The Oyster Shed. Images: Destination NSW
In literally huge news for keen hikers, a spectacular new walking trail has been unveiled on the NSW North Coast. The Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk weaves a spectacular 42-kilometre path through the ancient Gondwanan rainforest and volcanic landscapes of the Tweed Byron Hinterland, and it's ready to be explored right now. Located on Widjabul Wia-bal and Minjungbal Country, part of the Bundjalung Nation, the walk connects Mount Jerusalem National Park and Nightcap National Park via the Whian Whian State Conservation Area, and is the latest addition to NSW's growing collection of Great Walks. 'Gidjuum Gulganyi' translates to 'old people's track', a name chosen by the land's Traditional Owners to honour the cultural significance of this route, which follows paths walked by their ancestors for thousands of years. [caption id="attachment_999895" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scrub Tree Walking Track, R Brand[/caption] The four-day, three-night walk offers hikers a chance to explore plunging waterfalls and towering trees, as well as take in sweeping views of the Tweed caldera mountains. Across the three different parks the walking trail traverses, walkers will also be able to encounter the region's incredible biodiversity, including rare and unique species of flora, as well as creation sites, ceremonial areas, traditional pathways and campgrounds that are connected through the Dreaming. The walk ends at the dramatic Minyon Falls, a 100-metre-tall cascade formed by the ancient Tweed Volcano. The trail also boasts three newly built campgrounds, each fitted out with 11 elevated sleeping platforms — you can BYO gear and book a camping package, or opt for a guided experience that delves deeper into the region's flora, fauna and rich Indigenous heritage. There's also a shuttle service available for transfers from nearby towns and airports. [caption id="attachment_999892" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Peates Mountain Track, R Brand[/caption] Not quite ready for the full 42 kilometres? No problem. You can tackle one of the many shorter side trails and sections, with options for a range of fitness levels. The Gidjuum Gulganyi Walk — delivered by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) — is part of the $7.34 million Tweed Byron Hinterland Trails Project, which aims to showcase the ancient landscape of and encourage more nature-based tourism to the region. It's the sixth NSW Great Walk to open in the past two years, and a worthy new addition to the list. [caption id="attachment_999897" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yelgun Kyoomgun campground, D Parsons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_999896" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Unicorn Falls Walking Track, R Brand[/caption] [caption id="attachment_999893" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scrub Creek Walking Track, D Parsons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_999891" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Minyon Falls, D Parsons[/caption] For more information or to book, head to the NPWS website. Top image: D Parsons.
Some love it, some hate it and others tolerate it, but there's one group that's pretty chuffed about the whole working from home lifestyle: our wet-nosed, four-legged housemates. With all that extra attention, pats on tap and probably a few more treats snuck in here and there, it's safe to say the dogs of Australia are now the number one advocates for WFH. Unfortunately for our furry mates, the dog days of WFH are almost over and those office desks are beckoning. But you can quit stressing — if you're looking for ways to keep pooch happy and stave off any separation anxiety niggles, you'll find a whole network of helping, dog-loving hands over at Dogshare. The brainchild of two busy working mums, Jessica Janson and Adriana Baron, this Aussie-born online community matches dogs with friendly, verified locals who can drop by for visits and walkies or take your pet to the vet and other appointments while you're at work. For a one-off $20 joining fee, followed by a $9 annual service cost, users can create a profile outlining their dog's size, energy levels and temperament, then search other member profiles to find a new human mate that suits their pooch's needs. All member applications are reviewed and approved before entering the system, so you know you can trust all your 'helper' picks. And you can easily pause and restart the service as you like — especially handy if Rover finds his paw-fect match straight off the bat. Dogshare's main aim is to boost meaningful connections between like-minded locals, and to foster a growing community of dogs and dog-lovers. If you and your pup are wanting a little more than an everyday dog-walker, this option is bound to impress. With any luck, a new dog-aunt or fur-uncle is just a few clicks away. Sign up to become a Dogshare member over at the website. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
What do you get the person who has drunk everything? Or someone who is partial to a sip of gin, but also likes vodka and whiskey? Just in time for the festive season, Archie Rose has launched its solution to this common Christmas dilemma: a pocket-sized collection featuring three of its most popular spirits. Now available to pre-order (with shipments despatched from Thursday, November 29), the Archie Rose 200ml Tasting Set includes mini bottles of the distillery's signature dry gin, original vodka and white rye. If you're new to the company's tipples, they're all award-winners. The gin boasts tastes of native Australian botanicals, such as blood lime, Dorrigo pepperleaf, lemon myrtle and river mint; the vodka comes with apple and mint notes; and the rye is made from rare malted rye and barley, and has a buttery, smokey flavour. Whether you're buying someone else a present — or buying one for yourself, because everyone deserves to get themselves something nice when the end of the year hits — all three come in a gift box for $89. And, they help resolve another frequent boozy problem: when you feel like a gin and tonic, followed by a martini and then a whiskey cocktail, but you don't want to buy three big bottles. To pre-order the Archie Rose 200ml Tasting Set, visit the Archie Rose website.
When winter rolls around, it's all too easy to hide away and only catch glimpses of the outside world through your Instagram feed. This year, fight the urge to bundle up on the couch for the next few months and go cure the inevitable wanderlust you'll get from scrolling through social media. You don't even have to go that far. Especially when spots like Port Stephens are an easy 2.5-hour drive away. You might associate the area with sun and surf, but it's packed with spots that are perfect for chilly days, too. Picture yourself kicking back in a comfy couch with a top-shelf tipple while staring out at still water. Or, how about blissing out in a hot tub after an aromatherapy massage? Then there are the whales. 'Tis the season for watching after all. We've got your itinerary covered below. Now, all you've gotta do is book the trip. [caption id="attachment_774058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] SET SAIL TO WATCH FOR WHALES Between May and October every year, thousands of humpback whales swim along Australia's east coast, and one of the best places to watch them just so happens to be Port Stephens. Climb aboard a tour that you can book though Concrete Playground Trips to spend three hours cruising in the deep, looking out for tail slaps, body rolls and breaches. Alternatively, stick to the land — some of the best spots include Tomaree Head, Boat Harbour, Anna Bay and Fishermans Bay. GET UP CLOSE TO AUSTRALIA'S CUTEST MARSUPIALS We bet you have a soft spot for koalas because, well, who doesn't? And if you want to see these cuddly creatures up close — and contribute to local preservation and conservation efforts — we suggest paying a visit to Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. Set within eight hectares of bushland, the sanctuary includes a koala hospital, Sanctuary Story Walk (a 250-metre pathway telling the story of the koala and its habitat) and the Newcastle Airport Skywalk — a 225-metre elevated pathway that provides a treetop-style experience in the koalas' natural habitat. The sanctuary has accommodation on-site, too, including glamping tents and suites, if you'd like to spend a little longer in the koalas' bushland retreat. Overnight guests are treated to an early-morning tour during the morning feeding routine, so you can see the koalas at their most active. INDULGE IN A TREATMENT AT SPA LUCCA A really good winter escape should involve a long spa treatment, which you'll conveniently find at Spa Lucca. As soon as you step into the peaceful, ocean-inspired surroundings, you'll feel instantly at ease. The extensive menu covers aromatherapy massages, chakra balancing sessions, body polishes and plenty more, including several signature 'rituals'. There's also a blissful private bath, where you can soak your stresses away, as well as a sauna and steam room. To go all-out, book a package, which bundles a bunch of treatments into one ultra-relaxing session. [caption id="attachment_774065" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW[/caption] GO ON A 4WD BEACH AND SAND DUNE ADVENTURE This 4WD trek takes you to all the best bits of Birubi Beach, including the famous Stockton Sand Dunes — the biggest dunes in the entire Southern Hemisphere. At the dunes, the guide will take you sandboarding with all the equipment provided. It's guaranteed to be the most fun you've had since you threw yourself down a grassy hillside as a kid. Then you'll glide across the coast to gawk at stunning sites and search for pipis wiggling about the shore. You can then take a few back to your accom to taste later. GO TOP SHELF IN A WHISKY BAR Your wintry escapades continue at Moby's Bar. Sink into a leather lounge, surrounded by mahogany and stone, and sip your way through whiskies from all over the world. There are even a few bottles from Port Ellen, on the island of Islay, which closed in 1983 and is now considered one of the most coveted drops on the planet. To sample some top whiskies, head there between 4–6pm for happy hour. Afterwards, head to The Wild Herring to feast on local seafood, like seared scallop croquettes and Moreton Bay bug pies — nothing says winter by the beach quite like a hot seafood pie. EAT OYSTERS STRAIGHT FROM THE FARM For some people, loving oysters is in their blood. Take the Holberts, a Port Stephens family who've been farming the tasty little molluscs for five generations. Their business is now one of the biggest oyster producers in New South Wales — even with plenty of fierce competition. The best part of all this is that you're welcome to drop by the farm, chat about what they've learned over the past 100 or so years and taste the results — freshly shucked. Plus, you can do all that while sitting on the waterfront and sipping a beer or wine. And, if you happen to have a bottle of something special in your suitcase, you're welcome to BYO (wine only). [caption id="attachment_716523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Spencer OEH[/caption] STROLL ALONG WRECK BEACH There are 26 beaches in Port Stephens, so it's never difficult to find a stretch of sand to call yours for a day. While many are well-known to locals and visitors, others are harder to find — and don't attract as many weekend crowds. One of these is Wreck Beach, a glorious cove tucked away behind Shoal Bay. To get there, and feed your intrepid spirit at the same time, take the Wreck Beach Walk (currently closed for repairs), a one-kilometre trek through coastal angophora forest. Once you're on the sand, keep a lookout for whales and dolphins; Port Stephens is home to a resident dolphin community, which numbers somewhere between 90 and 120. [caption id="attachment_716286" align="alignnone" width="1920"] High Tea at Galley Kitchen[/caption] HAVE HIGH TEA WITH UNLIMITED BUBBLY If there's one delicious way to while away a winter's afternoon, it has to be at a high tea with bottomless sparkling wine. And the only way you could make it even better is with tranquil, dreamy waterscapes to gaze at — which is exactly what you'll get in The Galley Kitchen. Set in an airy, light-filled space with expansive views over Port Stephens, the tea is available every day from 2.30–4.30pm. It'll set you back $89 but that includes unlimited sparkling wine, plus as much Ronnefeldt Tea as you can drink. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Tomaree Head Summit, Destination NSW
We're understandably sceptical about most tech things that are promised to us. Australians are always the last to get blockbuster films and critically-acclaimed television shows, we're geo-blocked from most great things online, and we pay depressingly more than the rest of the world for all our tech and entertainment goodies. It's a tough hand we've been dealt; one so bad we've taken to just skirting the system completely and either sneakily paying for overseas services like Netflix or becoming all-out pirates. But here's some good news: it looks as though the latest streaming service being shoved in our faces won't completely suck. Joining the iffy selection of commercial Australian streaming services like Quickflix and Foxtel's Presto, Fairfax and Channel Nine's new venture looks like a winner. Launching in February 2015, it's been announced the service will offer on demand viewing with no ads and no contract, it will have a fixed fee of about $10 per month, and it'll be exclusively airing the much-anticipated Breaking Bad spin-off, Better Call Saul at the same time as the US. High fives all 'round, people. This is all every sneaky Australian Netflix user has ever wanted. In fact, to put some icing on the already spectacularly delicious cake, this new platform will also have all five seasons of Breaking Bad in its catalogue and will be revealing one more awesome show every week 'til its launch next year. If there's one thing that's holding it back, it's the name. Though it was previously referred to as StreamCo, today it was announced that this new platform will officially be called Stan. That's right, your new favourite late-night best bud/ultimate time waster will share a name with a melodramatic late '90s rap collaboration from Eminem and Dido. "[We wanted a name] that consumers could actually associate with and actually have a character with," said CEO Mike Sneesby. "Stan is not going to be a character in itself but a brand that will build its own character in being truly Australian." Regardless of that ridiculous logic, this is still a service we can get behind. Though details of the Australian Netflix launch have not yet been announced, at $10 a month Stan would actually be competitive with the US version of Netflix which Australians currently (somewhat dubiously) access for around $9. These price points are also well below the $29.99 fee Quickflix users fork over monthly. So really, it's not so bad. It's not so bad.
Over a year ago, a new Asian food hub began to unfold on the third floor of Haymarket's Market City. Australia's second (and Sydney's first) Mr Meng Chongqing Gourmet outpost was the first venue to open in the 1909 Dining Precinct. The noodle franchise is known for its particularly spicy bowls and is run by the host of Chinese dating show If You Are the One, Meng Fei. A large chunk of the other venues opening in mid-April last year, with the second bout of openings including Korean barbecue joint Kogi, Chinese eatery The Eight, Yayoi Japanese Teishoku Restaurant, a CBD outpost of Ashfield's famed Beijing Impression, sushi train Fugetsu and popular Macau hot pot chain The Dolar Shop. Now, the precinct is finally complete, and is home to nine restaurants ranging from casual takeaway joints to theatrically designed dining rooms with custom-made rickshaw installations.. The latest spots to join the hub are sushi burger venture Gojima (by award-winning Sokyo chef Chase Kojima) and Nanyang Tea Club – a traditional Singaporean and Malay restaurant spearheaded by Kaisern Ching (Chef's Gallery) and Billy Chong (Ipoh Town). [caption id="attachment_715423" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sushi burger from Gojima.[/caption] Nanyang Tea Club's 88-seater fit-out is reminiscent of colonial-era Singapore, featuring rattan furniture, antique finishings and a bespoke rickshaw installation. Food wise, the restaurants draws from both Chef's Gallery and Ipoh Town's culinary styles, boasting a menu of traditional dishes such as chilli crab, coconut chicken soup and the signature bak kut teh (pork rib broth). On the more casual end of the spectrum, Gojima's American-Japanese fusion menu is more compact, with nine sushi burgers — made with a sushi rice and nori bun — and a selection of sides, such as Japanese-style southern fried chicken. For dessert, frozen custards and chocolate miso, green tea or strawberries and cream thickshakes are also available. 1909 Dining Precinct is located on Market City's third floor. It's open seven days a week until late.
Early in Good Will Hunting, a maths professor (Stellan Skarsgård) tries to convince his therapist friend (Robin Williams) that a troubled janitor (Matt Damon) is actually a genius. To make his case, he mentions Srinivasa Ramanujan, a self-taught Indian prodigy who compiled thousands of theories at the beginning of the twentieth century. For many viewers, that's probably the only time they've heard his name — and they may not even remember it. Stepping through Ramanujan's story, The Man Who Knew Infinity endeavours to explain why he's held in such high esteem, and to bring the mathematical pioneer to wider attention. Given that Ramanujan taught himself complex equations, earned the intrigue of academics on another continent and then proved his prowess to even the most skeptical of onlookers, he's certainly worthy of acclaim and recognition. As played by Dev Patel, his tale is filled with extraordinary achievements, spanning his childhood in Madras, his acceptance into Cambridge and his bond with his mentor, G.H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons). Sadly, it's also blighted by the prejudice of his peers, as well as numerous physical, emotional and spiritual struggles along the way. There are only so many ways that a film can cycle through the life and times of people of note, with biopics often judged on three factors: how closely they stick to the usual formula, whether they're based around a convincing central portrayal, and if they manage to shine a spotlight on little-known facts or under-appreciated figures. While The Man Who Knew Infinity is guilty of the former in the most dutiful and conventional of ways, it's also boosted by Patel's measured yet moving performance, as well as the feature's earnest and noble attempt to pay tribute to Ramanujan. Just as the groundbreaking maths wiz benefited from his working relationship with Hardy, however, Patel is at his best when Irons is by his side. The Slumdog Millionaire star might be working with his most significant role since his breakthrough appearance, but it's his veteran co-star who threatens to steal the show. As Irons exudes a mix of world-weariness, tenacity and elegance in every scene, Patel rises to match him. Of course, they're not merely playing their tweed-suited, teacher and student parts. Here, art is clearly imitating multiple layers of life. Accordingly, as a showcase for its two key talents and as a celebration of its subject, The Man Who Knew Infinity never proves less than interesting — although writer-director Matt Brown doesn't always seem to realise that. In fact, in adapting the biographical book of the same name, the second-time filmmaker could've used a little of Ramanujan's dedication and enthusiasm, not to mention Patel's passion and Irons' charm. Preferring the slow, steady and sentimental approach, he makes all the obvious storytelling and stylistic choices, including keeping everything as polished as possible. Thankfully, the broader details win out over the overall method of delivery.
If you were looking to seriously impress a special someone this winter, here's a little giveaway just for you. Three seriously dramatic acts are joining forces for French Baroque, a show that promises to turn your preconceived notions of circus and baroque music inside-out, upside-down and back-to-front. The first is acclaimed acrobatic troupe Circa, who have been travelling the world with their take on circus as stunning, mobile contemporary art. The second is French soprano Claire Lefilliâtre, who has been starring on stages all over Europe. And the third is the five-time ARIA Award-winning Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, home to some of our nation’s best interpreters of 16th- and 17th-century music. With the music of French composers Rameau, Lully and Marais as inspiration, Circa’s artistic director, Yaron Lifschitz, describes the pasticcio of selected music as combining “the longing of the night with the playful side of French baroque”. He's choreographed a performance to meet this mood. “I have responded by creating a river of moonlight that divides the stage, reflecting singer and acrobat, musician and vocalist,” he says. “In the interplay between delight and desire, between pleasure and abandonment, we see a world created where bodies seamlessly meld into song, where lives and loves intermingle and where the simple magic of singing speaks clearly to the heart.” French Baroque will be performed at Sydney’s City Recital Hall from July 22 to August 8, and at Melbourne Recital Centre from July 25 to 26. Tickets range from $20 -166, but thanks to the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, we have two A-reserve double passes for to give away to both the Sydney and Melbourne opening nights, on July 22 and July 25 respectively. If you can't make the opening night (which you really should), you can pick your date. To be in the running, subscribe to our mailing list and then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au
Getting a hunger on post 2am no longer has to default to a Macca's run. Dae Jang Kum has got Haymarket covered, serving up authentic Korean fare into the wee hours. The menu is a little overwhelming in how many options there are, which can be an issue if it's past your normal bed time. But who are we kidding? You're there for the Korean BBQ; this is DIY dining at its best. The almighty selection of meats, ranging from $30 to $79, are served up chilled and ready to be grilled on the in-built table BBQ. The restaurant is fully licensed making it a good go-to if your evening is just beginning or in wind-down mode. Images: Kitti Smallbone
There's never a bad time for a piece of cake, particularly when it's made by one of the best dessert chefs in Sydney. We're talking about Andy Bowdy, of course — and come November, the online operation run by the former Hartsyard pastry chef will be expanding his knee-weakening range, both in terms of the types of delicious morsels available and just where the hungry masses can get them. First things first: yes, Andrew Bowden is opening a cafe, called Saga, much to the delight of his ever-growing number of Instagram followers. As Good Food reports, expect to be flocking to Enmore as soon as the eatery's first wondrous creations come out of the oven. If you like decadent, delectable sweet treats like chocolate fudge cake with Milo mousse, Malteasers and torched meringue or banana cake with peanut butter, dulce de leche, passionfruit and caramelised popcorn, then you know it's a sugar coma waiting to happen. That's not the only exciting news, though. What's a pâtissier to do when he's mastered his art — and won over tastebuds all around town, including in collaboration with Gelato Messina? Start whipping up other sweet pastries, epic pies, American deli-style sandwiches, alcoholic thickshakes and brunch-appropriate cocktails as well, obviously. Basically, Bowden's new offering will be serving up amazing food fare for all occasions — and all times of the day too. Bowden and his partner — and current Hartsyard manager — Maddison Howes have dubbed this Saga, we're guessing because opening your own cafe is indeed that. Given how creative their cakes are, we're sure this saga will be a long and delightful one. Find Andy Bowdy's Saga at 178 Enmore Road, Enmore from February/March 2017. For more details, keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram. Via Good Food.
Bondi's Jewish deli Lox in the Box is serving up babka, cured fish, all the schmears and some of the best bagels our city has to offer. Owner Candy Berger even got her Polish and German grandmothers' ticks of approval for all her recipes — and an ever-growing fan base of Sydneysiders approve, to. Especially now that Lox in a Box is delivering its bagels directly to your doorstep. While the Bondi delicatessen is only open on weekends, you can order a box of bagels for delivery any day of the week. Choose from the signature bagel with pastrami-spiced lox (salt-cured salmon), capers, tomato and schmear; the hot salt beef with mustard and pickles; or the loaded 'salad bagel' with vintage cheddar, pickles, grated carrot, sliced beetroot, rocket and jalapeño schmear. Kimberley Low Each box comes with pickles, chips and drinks. You can also build-your-own box, with bagels, babka scrolls, schmear and even kombucha. And, on Fridays, the Shabboxes are up for grabs — they come with braided challah bread, lox, pickles, Pepe Saya butter and a range of dips, and serve between 4–14 people ($80–168). You'll want to grab extra of that tasty house schmear — it's cream cheese whipped with lemon, dill and shallots. The only catch is that there's a minimum of six bagels per order, and you need to get your order in by 2pm for next-day delivery. [caption id="attachment_763495" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Kimberley Low[/caption] In store, you'll also find the herb egg salad bagel with caramelised onions and sliced tomato, plus filtered coffees using Reuben Hills coffee, Minor Figures nitro cold brew and iced chai. But, the deli is only open Friday through Sunday from 8am until sold out — and you can bet they do sell out, so best get in early. Lox in a Box is located at 2/96 Glenayr Avenue, Bondi. Opening hours are 8am–sold out Friday–Sunday. You can order delivery daily through the website. Top images: Kimberley Low
Want to elevate your next lakeside hang — literally? Jetpack Adventures kits you out with a wetsuit and helmet before strapping you into a jetpack that pumps hundreds of litres of water downwards so you emerge, dolphin-like, to hover above the water at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith. Once in the air, your instructor will tutor you (via the radio in your helmet) in the smooth veering motions that steer the craft. You can go Marty McFly-style with a board connected to your feet or opt for the pack strapped to your back. Sessions start at $135 for half an hour, inclusive of training and at least five minutes of high-flying air time. Image: Destination NSW
Flickerfest 2026 is back this summer, bringing its 35th edition of short films to the Bondi Pavilion from Friday, January 23 to Sunday, February 1. Australia's largest short film competition (with Academy® Award and BAFTA qualifications) will transform Bondi Beach into a ten-day celebration of storytelling, new talent and world-class cinema under the stars. Flickerfest received over 3,700 submissions for the 2026 competition, with more than 200 short films hand-selected for the program. The lineup champions inventive storytelling and emerging talent that's designed to move, challenge and entertain through the very best short films Australia (and the world) has to offer. Beyond the new and emerging talent being showcased, Flickerfest 2026 also sees entries from established directors, actors and producers with names like Renée Zellweger, Spike Lee, Hugo Weaving, Susie Porter and Gary Sweet all making an appearance on the program. This year, there's a mix of curated showcases to cover the breadth of stories submitted. Rainbow Shorts presents LGBTQIA+ stories from around the world, and the First Nations Showcase includes a powerful Survival Day program that honours Indigenous voices. FlickerUp Youth champions young voices while FlickerKids helps to inspire kids and families through its lineup of shorts. Love Bites showcases the short films that tackle relationships in all their messy glory, while Short Laughs features the funniest short films of the festival. Flickerfest lets you enjoy cinema under the stars with palm-fringed alfresco cinema, comfy air-conditioned theatres, and beachside bars with delicious food and drinks to snack on in between screenings. You can hear firsthand from directors who will introduce their films and immerse yourself in the creative atmosphere of the festival, located just metres from Bondi Beach. The 35th International Short Film Festival remains the beating heart of Australian short filmmaking and creativity. With tickets starting from just $22, a curated program and ten days of screenings, Flickerfest is a launchpad for new talent and an unforgettable part of Sydney's summer calendar. Book your tickets now at the Flickerfest website. Image Credits: Supplied
Tucked away from the hustle of Oxford Street, semi-hidden laneway Foley Street is home to a number of Sydney makers and artists, including Naomi Taplin of Studio Enti. Moving into Foley Street was a thrill for the designer, who relishes the interaction it permits. "Ceramics are something people want to touch, pick up and hold in their hands before they invest in it. I feel really lucky to get to talk to people and have a real conversation about the process." Studio Enti's elegant porcelain tableware, lighting and accessories have garnered a loyal following. The ceramics are beautiful, but they are also sturdy, built from Australian porcelain and made to last. Having grown up with clay (her mother was a potter) before studying at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW, Taplin admires the sustainability of a classic design aesthetic. "Once something's fired, it's permanent," she says. "If it's something faddy, it's a waste of material." In her delicate space, Taplin looks to create "pieces that have the ability to tell a story and to enrich the tasks and the lives of the user". So make sure to ask the creator herself about the pieces when you take a stroll down Foley Street. Images: Steven Woodburn.
For the past two years, heading off on holiday has been a matter of 'if' rather than 'where'. If and when border restrictions and lockdowns have allowed it, we've all been travelling to wherever we've been allowed, whenever we've been allowed — across Australia and, when the trans-Tasman bubble was open, to New Zealand as well. With Sydney and Melbourne now free of their stay-at-home stints, Queensland and Tasmania announcing their domestic border reopening plans, and the Australian Government allowing vaccinated Aussies to leave the country purely for a getaway from Monday, November 1, simply heading to whichever few spots will have you will soon be a thing of the past. You'll have options, in other words. And, ahead of all of those border changes, Virgin has just dropped a sale that's serving up a heap of cheap domestic and international flights. Called 'Yay for Holidays', this sale has 1.7-million discounted fares up for grabs — but you'll need to get in quick. They went on sale today, Monday, October 25; however, they're only available until midnight AEST on Monday, November 1 or sold out, whichever comes first. All one-way fares, the discounted economy flights cover 28 different destinations, starting at $49. Some of the domestic specials on offer include Sydney to Byron Bay for $55, Sydney to the Sunshine Coast for $75, Melbourne to Launceston from $59, Melbourne to the Gold Coast from $89, Brisbane to Hamilton Island from $85, Brisbane to Cairns from $89, Adelaide to Melbourne from $79 and Perth to the Gold Coast from $259 (and vice versa in all cases, naturally). Internationally, options span routes to Fiji, Bali and New Zealand. So, you can head from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane to Nadi for $229–239, to Bali from all three cities for $279 and to Queenstown from the trio from $287–302. If you're wondering when you can travel — depending on border restrictions, of course — you can book flights for trips between November 2, 2021–June 23, 2022. Only some fares cover seat selection and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing back in August that it is now splitting its economy flights into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. As we are still in the middle of a pandemic, flying is little different to normal. Virgin has introduced a range of safety measures, including hand sanitisation stations, contactless check-in and face masks provided to all passengers. Wearing masks on flights also became mandatory in Australia in January. Virgin's 'Yay for Holidays' sale runs from today, Monday, October 25–Monday, November 1 — or until sold out. Find out more about current Australian border restrictions via the Australian Government's Health Direct website and its Smart Traveller website.
Playing an Australian freshly arrived in Florida in Rough Night, Kate McKinnon bafflingly calls everyone's favourite Italian meal "pizzer". When she's hungry, she pulls a jar of Vegemite out of her bag. And for some unexplained reason, she asks for toilet tissue rather than toilet paper. These are three things likely to make Aussie audiences cringe. And yet despite this, they're actually attached to the best part of the film. Much as she was in Ghostbusters, Masterminds and Office Christmas Party, McKinnon is in Rough Night a downright comic delight, the best part of an ensemble cast that also includes Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer and Zoe Kravitz. If only the material matched her skills. Unfortunately this unremarkable comedy proves to be little more than a blend of Very Bad Things, The Hangover and Weekend at Bernie's, with a few familiar, sentimental musings about female friendship thrown in. Indeed, writer-director Lucia Aniello and her co-scribe Paul W. Downs — both Broad City alum — are happy sticking to a formula. If their script simply read "women behave badly, then hug", we wouldn't be surprised. You already know exactly how this film is going to play out: aspiring state senator Jess (Johansson) and her pals Alice (Bell), Blair (Kravitz), Frankie (Glazer) and Pippa (McKinnon) converge on Miami for 55 hours of drinking, partying, penis-shaped paraphernalia and selfie-worthy raucousness. That's all well and good, until they hire a male stripper and then accidentally kill him. Following in the footsteps of Bridesmaids and Bad Moms, it's great that female-led comedies are finally hitting cinemas in increasing numbers, albeit slowly. It's also great that Rough Night is helmed and co-scripted by a woman and features five ace ladies in the lead roles. Still, we can't help but wish that the film delivered more than just by-the-book observations and stereotypical characters. Sensible, envious, posh, feisty, kooky Aussie: the women here have about as much dimension as members of a '90s girl band. Outside of McKinnon, the biggest chuckles stem from cutaways to Jess' fiance's bachelor party, which involves a civilised evening of wine tasting rather than knocking back shots and snorting drugs. Of course, the fact that more amusement stems from the men in the movie than the women is an enormous problem. With most of its great ladies sadly underused, Rough Night feels like a wasted opportunity. What the world wants is more smart, funny, female-led flicks. What the world didn't need is lazy gender-swapped hijinks packaged as girls-gone-wild fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlDvkRYrIlU
Beer-loving Sydneysiders, here's some news to say cheers to, especially if you're fond of tipples from BrewDog. Before 2022 is out, the Scottish craft beer giant will open its first-ever Sydney beer bar, as part of its previously announced collaboration with hospitality group Australian Venue Co (AVC). Your new drinking spot: the old locomotive workshop in South Eveleigh. An exact opening date hasn't been revealed as yet, but works started in August. Also, the $3.2-million BrewDog South Eveleigh will huge, if the company's arrival in the Harbour City wasn't already big enough. Spanning a large indoor dining space, a bar and a beer garden, it'll seat 720 beer aficionados inside and 190 outside, and pour 40 brews through its taps. Those beverages will cover the brand's own beers, of course, as well as guest beer tap takeovers and collaborations with local breweries. Don't feel like a brew? Cider, wine, spirits and cocktails will also be on offer, alongside a range of non-alcoholic options. All of the above will help wash down a food menu that'll feature burgers and pizzas, and do all-you-can-eat wings once a week. BrewDog South Eveleigh is embracing vegetarian and vegan dishes in a sizeable way, too, dedicating half of its range to plant-based bites — including two-for-one vegan eats on Mondays. Given the location, the beer behemoth's first Sydney spot will pay respects to the site's history, with the architects at Studio Y designing the venue around the original workshop machinery collection. You'll be able to peer at it as you drink, in fact, truly turning your day, afternoon or evening sinking pints into a unique experience. BrewDog South Eveleigh will mark BrewDog's fourth Australian location. It launched its first Australian brewery and taproom in Brisbane in 2019, and has a second Brissie venue on the way this spring in Fortitude Valley. The brand also has its debut Victorian site on the way before summer hits, setting up shop in Melbourne's historic Pentridge Prison precinct. BrewDog's Sydney welcome comes via that new partnership with AVC, aka the group behind spots such as Cargo, Kingsleys and The Winery. It sees the world's largest craft beer bar operator join forces with one of Australia's big pub operators, and will span multiple sites — but exactly where and when any venues beyond South Eveleigh and Pentridge will open hasn't yet been revealed. BrewDog currently operates over 100 beer bars worldwide, having recently launched outposts in Mumbai and New Albany (USA), and with huge flagship bars coming soon to Las Vegas and Waterloo (London). BrewDog South Eveleigh will open in Bays 1 & 2, Locomotive Workshop, South Eveleigh, 2 Locomotive Street, Eveleigh, some time before 2022 is out — we'll update you with further details when they're announced.
If you love movies, then you likely miss video stores. You probably have fond memories of all that time time you used to spend scouring the shelves trying to decide what to watch, as well as your attempts to find gems — or just truly weird and wonderful flicks — beyond the big new releases. Scrolling through streaming services just isn't the same, even if it has been keeping us all occupied during lockdown. The folks at the Randwick Ritz clearly miss old-school video stores, too. So, during Sydney's ongoing lockdown, the cinema has set up its own lending library. If you live within the same Local Government Area, or within five kilometres of the venue, you can head by to borrow a DVD or VHS copy of a range of movies. You'll obviously need a player to pop them in at home, though. Set up in a tower of crates outside the cinema, the video store encourages folks to borrow, watch, then return their flicks of choice — all without paying a cent. And, if you have some old discs or tapes at home that you don't want, you can donate them to the cause to help out your fellow locked-down movie buffs. Head along from 1–4.30pm on Sunday, September 5 and you'll also be able to takeaway popcorn, choc-tops, beers, wine, gift cards and cinema merchandise as part of a Father's Day pop-up. If you nab something for yourself as well as your dad, that's completely fine as well.
It's funny, you might think the crossover between people who love geek stuff and people who love art stuff would be small, but not so. GRAPHIC Festival at the Sydney Opera House has been proving the crude stereotypers of the world wrong for four years now with its melange of comics, animation, illustration, music, multimedia and storytelling. Not only does the festival pull audiences, it puts on some of the most new and daring events in the country, which in past years have included Gotye's live animated album preview for Making Mirrors and Elefant Traks' Dr Seuss-inspired concert. The headliners are here in abundance in 2013, and they're mainly drawn (ha) from the world of comics. The man most credited with introducing comics as a 'serious' medium and Pulitzer Prize winner for Holocaust-themed Maus, Art Spiegelman, will present a hybrid of slides, talk and music in a performance specially commissioned for the festival. The event, called WORDLESS!, will see Spiegelman share his own history while expounding on the depth comics are capable of. Same room, same day: Grant Morrison — legendary writer of such titles as Batman: Arkham Asylum, The Invisibles, New X-Men and All-Star Superman — will be in conversation with Gerard Way (former My Chemical Romance frontman, now award-winning comic artist). Morrison's not the only Arkham Asylum alumnus either; there's idiosyncratic artist Dave McKean. Best known for his collaborations with Neil Gaiman, he also designed the beasts in two of the Harry Potter films and created more than 150 album covers. And he makes music — six songs of which appear with three stories and a stack of images and film in 9 Lives, his Australian premiere performance during GRAPHIC. Also in the mix are Seth Green (Oz! Scott Evil!) and Matt Senreich of Robot Chicken; Wolverine and Swamp Thing co-creator Len Wein leading a workshop; The Incredibly Short Film Festival (it's GIFs, of course); The Cinematic Orchestra in full flight; and Radio National's Radio with Pictures team-up of homegrown artists and storytellers. They don't say it on their promo material, but what you should understand is that GRAPHIC is like arty Comic-Con, and you don't need to be an uber-fan to feel part of the party. There are few events quite like it in the world. The festival runs from October 4-7 and tickets are on sale on Friday, August 2, at 9am from the Sydney Opera House website.
Thanks to the pandemic, and the restrictions and border closures that've come with it, travelling further than your own city hasn't been all that easy over the past 15 months or so. But Virgin Australia is about to give you some extra incentive to travel — and to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The airline has announced that it'll be launching a new competition called VA-X & Win, which will hand out free flights and a heap of frequent flyer points to Aussie who've had the jab. That's the catch, obviously. To enter, you'll need to roll up your sleeve first. "What the latest lockdown in Melbourne and the evolving situation in Sydney has taught us is the sooner we can all get vaccinated, the sooner we can get on with our lives, without the constant fear and uncertainty that come with lockdowns, restrictions and closed borders," said a Virgin Australia Group spokesperson in a statement. "Most importantly, the sooner all Australians are vaccinated, the sooner our most vulnerable members of society will be protected," the statement continues. "We are proud to have served the Australian community in so many ways over the past 20 years. The VA-X & Win competition is just the next instalment of our service, and is our way of helping boost vaccination numbers to protect the lives and livelihoods of all Australians." A few different prizes will be on offer, including millions of Velocity Frequent Flyer Points and dozens of free flights — in Business Class, too. Also, one person will become a Velocity Points millionaire, with the lucky winner then able to put those points to plenty of use. Most of the details are still quite vague — including how you'll prove you're eligible, how to enter and exactly what prizes will be on offer — given that the competition won't launch until COVID-19 vaccines are made available to all Australian adults. Exactly when that'll happen hasn't been made clear by the Federal Government during its delayed vaccination rollout. At present, adults aged between 16–39 still aren't eligible to get vaccinated unless they're are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; work in quarantine, border or healthcare roles; are an aged care or disability facility worker or resident; work in a critical and high-risk job such as defence, fire, police, emergency services and meat processing; have an underlying medical condition or significant disability; or participate in the NDIS, or care for someone who does. Virgin's VA-X & Win competition will launch once COVID-19 vaccines are made available to all Australian adults. For further details about the contest, head to the airline's website.
Humans aren't the only creatures feeling isolated in the time of COVID-19. At the Sumida Aquarium in Tokyo, spotted garden eels are too. And, like anyone trying to stave off loneliness, they're turning to video chats to stay connected to the world — with help from the venue's staff and, if you're keen, from you as well. From Sunday, May 3–Tuesday, May 5, the currently temporarily closed Japanese tourist attraction is encouraging lovers of marine life to make a video call to the site. Once connected, you'll be able to wave and talk to the tank of eels — more than 300 of them. It's all part of a 'face-showing festival', timed to coincide with Japan's Golden Week. Usually, it's a period of celebration, vacationing and travel, but with the country battling the coronavirus, the focus of this year's festivities is staying home. If you're wondering why eels might need to see humans waving at them via video chats — or why the aquarium has arranged the event, to be exact — it's all about health and wellbeing. Normally, the long, slender fish poke their heads out of the sand in their tank, saying hello to human visitors; however with the site out of action due to the coronavirus, and only the venue's staff in attendance, the aquatic creatures are becoming more than a little sensitive, wary and shy. Sumida Aquarium's garden eels inhabit one long tank, with attendees generally spying many, many thin bodies popping out of the sand. In person, it's quite the sight to behold. At present, though, the eels are burrowing instead — which makes it hard for staff to check on them to make sure they're okay. https://www.facebook.com/Sumida.aquarium.official/videos/3333965059986958/ The aquarium is also eager to ensure that the eels don't forget what it's like to be surrounded by humans, so they don't continue their reluctant ways once the venue re-opens. Although it has been shut since March 1, the Sumida Aquarium is typically rather busy, which isn't surprising given its location: beneath Tokyo Skytree, the towering 634-metre tower that's the second-tallest structure in the world. If you're eager to chat, you'll need to do so via iPhone or iPad — i.e. via FaceTime — with five email address set up so callers can connect. The aquarium is taking calls from 11am–3pm AEST (10am–2pm in Japan) across each of the three days, and asks participants to limit their calls to five minutes each. For further details about Sumida Aquarium's 'face-showing festival', which runs from 11am–3pm AEST (10am–2pm in Japan) between Sunday, May 3–Tuesday, May 5, visit the aquarium's website. Top image: Haya_BS via Flickr.
While horror has traditionally been the realm of the silver screen, The Walking Dead and newcomer Hannibal have brought all the magnificent gore, thrills and frights of the genre into our homes and onto our televisions. Part cop drama, part serial killer thriller, NBC's Hannibal is a somewhat-prequel to Silence of the Lambs starring Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy (you can guess which one's the conniving, cannibalistic title character). Recently renewed for a second season, it investigates the lives of Will Graham, an FBI agent, and Hannibal Lecter, forensic psychiatrist. The story is based loosely on the material of Thomas Harris's horrific novel Red Dragon but adds a few grotesque twists along the way. The A.V. Club's Todd VanDerWerff described the series as "an intricately twisted serial-killer thriller, but it's also a surprisingly deep series about psychiatry and the state of the human mind", adding that it "had every reason to be a cheap cash-in and has, instead, turned into one of TV's best shows." The Walking Dead, meanwhile, is more out-and-out horror — and, at this point, one of the most well-known and loved TV shows on the planet. Zombies, backstabbing, amputations: totally gross, and totally excellent. About to start its fourth season, it's packed with scream-out-loud scares, and brings a "film-quality drama series about zombies" to life on television. Season three picked up the story three months after season two ended, with both factions of the main characters attempting to keep their lives together whilst, of course, fighting off the infected zombies. Hannibal: Season One and The Walking Dead: Season Three are released on DVD in Australia on September 25. Thanks to Hopscotch Films, we've got 10 prize packs including copies of both series to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Before Wolf Man let out any howls on-screen, it went into production with a roaringly great idea: Leigh Whannell, fresh from his 2020 hit The Invisible Man, again taking on one of horror cinema's iconic monsters. But this update of 1941 classic The Wolf Man almost didn't happen, at least not like this. In the past decade, rumours first circulated that Dwayne Johnson (Red One) was set to bay at the moon, then a reimagining with Ryan Gosling (The Fall Guy) was simmering — the latter of which Whannell was linked to, then dropped out with Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines director Derek Cianfrance set to step in instead, then returned to but with Christopher Abbott (Poor Things) starring. Initially, Whannell declined the Wolf Man opportunity. Why did he change his mind? "I think it was hitting upon my way into the character," he tells Concrete Playground. "They were very smart in their inception of me — they said 'well, just as an exercise, what would you do? How would you approach this character if you were to do it — not saying you are, but what if you were?'. And so I started thinking about it, and once I hit upon this idea of perspective and using the camera to shift perspective, that's when I was hooked. Once I have an idea that is keeping me awake at night and I can't stop thinking about it, it's almost like you have to make that film to get that idea out of your system. If something's obsessing you, then you've got to exorcise it. You've got to get it out. And that was it." Co-written by Whannell with his wife Corbett Tuck — an alum of the Whannell-co-created Insidious franchise as an actor, including featuring in his directorial debut Insidious: Chapter 3 — this Wolf Man delivers what it promises, of course. It's a werewolf film, with Abbott's character of Blake Lovell destined for an unwanted transformation. But as anyone that saw The Invisible Man and experienced how it found an inventive way into its well-known horror figure knows, and everyone who watched Whannell's body-horror Upgrade before that and spotted its riff on Frankenstein as well, the Australian filmmaker isn't interested in straightforward or obvious do-overs. He's modernising movie monsters and grounding them in resonant emotion. As The Invisible Man's lead, Elisabeth Moss (The Veil) wasn't in the titular role but rather played the transparent force's target, aka his ex-girlfriend, for instance, in a picture about domestic abuse, coercive control and gaslighting. This time, while again examining the loss of agency as he keeps doing cross his career, Whannell spins an exploration of trauma, plus the transformation and grief that it can spark — and of a marriage and a family tested by it, and also of the breakdown of communication in a relationship, and the mourning over losing someone slowly before your very eyes — around cinema's werewolf archetype. It's a hauntingly effective way in, and a shrewd and engaging one. Again, feeling the impact on those closest to the movie's namesake is essential. As Blake's wife Charlotte, enter Ozark Emmy-winner Julia Garner, starring with Abbott for the third time following Martha Marcy May Marlene (the feature debut for both) and an episode of Girls. She's also currently on a four-film streak where tension and unease is the prevailing mood. The latter and discomfort were equally crucial in her turn in quickly bingeable, ripped-from-the-headlines streaming series Inventing Anna. "There's not just one family member," Garner advises, explaining why it was so pivotal to her that what Charlotte goes through is just as key to the narrative as what Blake faces. Wolf Man uproots the couple and their eight-year-old daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth, Coma) from their San Francisco existence — where Charlotte is an investigative journalist and loving it, Blake is a doting dad but adrift in his surroundings otherwise, and strain already stresses the pair's marriage. While it takes some convincing, soon they're in rural Oregon, where Blake grew up and where the film opens. As a child (feature first-timer Zac Chandler) in the 90s in an area where a strange virus has been linked to wildlife, his survivalist father (Sam Jaeger, The Handmaid's Tale) isolated the family from the rest of the world. Blake has now inherited the property, sparking his comeback decades later, as well as the use of impressive practical effects by Whannell's team to make good on the movie's moniker. First coming to fame at home as the film critic on beloved 90s Saturday-morning TV show Recovery on the ABC, and with acting credits in The Matrix Reloaded, Death Sentence, Dying Breed, The Mule and more to his name, Whannell did indeed wish when he was starting out to be where he is now. His path that also spans bringing both the Saw and Insidious franchises, two of the biggest sagas in horror of the 21st century, to audiences with fellow Australian James Wan (Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) — and starring in them. But he steadfastly appreciates his journey and, as he notes, "that luck plays a massive part in film-industry success". While he's been doing big things as Aussie filmmaker, Garner keeps working with Down Under talents. See also: Kitty Green's The Assistant and The Royal Hotel, plus Rosemary's Baby prequel Apartment 7A from Relic's Natalie Erika James. We chatted with Whannell and Garner about their routes to Wolf Man, how the film continues trends in each of their careers, casting and the movie's fresh interpretation of the Wolf Man story. The figure is no stranger to the screen, after all, with 2010's The Wolfman also going the remake route, and focusing on werewolves at the heart of films as varied as 1935's Werewolf of London; the 80s trio of An American Werewolf in London, The Howling and Teen Wolf; and Wolf in the 90s (and others). Part of our interview, too: Whannell's recurring themes, Garner's reunion with Abbott and more. On Whether Whannell Ever Dreamed That He'd Be Modernising Iconic Movie Monsters Back When He Was a Film Critic on 90s ABC Series Recovery Leigh: "I think I did dream. I mean, 'dream' is the right word, because they were very much daydreams. I don't think I took it past the daydreams. Once you start actualising a daydream, where you're drawing up plans and charts, and thinking about the chess moves that you're going to make to get there — I was just wishing for it. So I think that the fact that I actually am doing it is a literal dream come true, but it's also surprising to me. Because I think if I hadn't met the right people at the right time — and it's a very particular path I had to walk. One wrong move and this all goes in a different direction. On Garner Engaging with a New Way Into a Horror Classic in Wolf Man Immediately After Rosemary's Baby Prequel Apartment 7A — and If That's a Daunting Task Julia: "With this one, I feel like a lot of it is just that's what people want to see now. I feel like most of the movies that come out in this day and age are horror in a way, so I think that's what's popular now. And I'm just an actor that that needs to work — what can I say? No. But that's what's popular. The thing with Wolf Man that's interesting is that I actually didn't watch any — I've watched the previous Wolf Mans before, even before I was attached to this movie, but I didn't rewatch any of the previous Wolf Mans because I always felt like it felt very different and it wasn't connected to the previous Wolf Mans at all. So I wasn't going to take that as reference, movie reference. I found other places that were more beneficial for this Wolf Man than the previous Wolf Mans." On What Motivates Whannell to Make New Versions of All-Time Horror Greats Leigh: "I think they're iconic characters that people know. They're known around the world. The Wolf Man, Invisible Man, Dracula, Frankenstein — these characters are truly global, and people have a firm idea in their head. You say 'Frankenstein' to somebody and they have a picture in their head, probably the classic Boris Karloff image of the square green head with the bolts in the neck. There's that, but having said that, they're not locked in. People have done many things with these different characters. You can take the Wolf Man and plug it into a teen comedy. They did with Michael J Fox in the 80s. You can take a werewolf and plug it into a children's film. My kids watch animated movies with the Wolf Man running around, and Adam Sandler's doing the voice of Dracula. They're very malleable. They're so entrenched in pop culture that they don't even have to sit in one lane anymore. [caption id="attachment_788088" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Invisible Man[/caption] That's what's exciting to me, because getting people into movie theatres these days is difficult. If you can take a really known character like that and create essentially an original film inside of it — like with The Invisible Man, I was essentially creating my own story. I wasn't adapting a novel. I was creating this character of Cecilia, her inner world. So it's a way of having my cake and eating it. I get to write an original movie that's based on an iconic character, and the fact that it's so well-known means that studio has a way in. They can sell it to people. It's an equation you have to think about, I think, when making movies these days, because getting people into theatres is tough." On Why Whannell's Approach to Horror Monsters Appealed to Garner, and What She Was Excited to Dig Into Julia: "That it felt very real and very grounded. I thought that was a super-interesting combination, with the supernatural element of a monster movie, like Wolf Man. So, that contradiction — well, any contradiction always interests me. I think playing a mother, but not only playing a mother, playing a working mother — a mother that is struggling with what her identity is. I interviewed a lot of working mothers separately, and they all had similar responses, in a way. And the pressure of being a woman in this in this day and age — there was different pressure being a woman in the past, but there's now this different pressure of this day and age, and they all had similar responses. But then to add on top, something that was also just interesting was the sense of acting, how I approached it, too, was the seven stages of grief taking place in one night. And I think that was a really interesting challenge as an actor, because playing anything that takes place in one day is very challenging, let alone having the stages of grief — that's very challenging as well." On Wolf Man Combining Its Monster-Movie Setup with Musing on a Marriage Breakdown, a Family Strained by It, and Grief and Loss Leigh: "I think it is a balancing act, but it's one of the things I love about screenwriting is calibrating it. You're shaping something. You're making this sculpture. And to me, there's something very musical about writing a film, because there is a rhythm to it — and it's a rhythm that you just feel, you kind of feel it in your bones. You're just like 'okay, I need a chord change here. It's time for a big moment, and then I'll pull back'. I love doing that. I love being the god of my own little world. So much of life is out of our control — but when you write a screenplay, you create these people and you can treat them badly, you can treat them well, you can give them victories, you can rip the rug out from underneath them. There's something very cathartic about that, about controlling the fate of these imaginary people. And so I do enjoy that calibration. I do enjoy deciding — and so I'll give them a moment of connection, and I'll give them an emotional moment, and then I'll be vicious to them. You really are putting these characters through the wringer and you just have to use yourself as the barometer of 'when do I get emotional and when do I write things up a little bit?'. On Elements of Horror, Tension, Unease and Discomfort Simmering in Garner's Last Four Films in a Row — Including The Royal Hotel and The Assistant Julia: "I think it's funny. I look at those two movies, I don't look at them as horror movies so much, Royal and The Assistant. I look at them more as movies that have a lot of tension, and movies that have more of a grey area — and that's what feels like horror, a grey area is sometimes scarier because it feels more real. But this movie is different from anything that I've done, because this is actually the most of an action movie from out of anything that I've done, so that was one of the things that I also wanted to do. There was a lot of physical just running and all the things that I'm doing this movie. It was like an action horror movie it felt like, this film." On Why Whannell Keeps Telling On-Screen Tales About the Loss of Control and Agency Leigh: "That's interesting. A lot of times I treat interviews like free therapy, where I'm discovering in real time what the hell it is I do with my life. The old saying 'a fish cannot describe water' applies — I'm so inside of my films and so close to them that I'm not always the best person to tell you what they're about. Someone like you, who's coming in with a fresh set of eyes, you have a better Google Maps-view of this thing that I've done, and you maybe can pick up things. So I'm surprised a lot of times. Hearing you say that, I'm like 'okay' — and thinking about it, I'm like 'yeah, you're right'. There is this throughline through Upgrade and The Invisible Man and Wolf Man, and a lot of stuff I've done. I think that — just unpacking this in real-time here for you — I think that feeling like being out of control is something I'm afraid of in my own life. I'm somebody who wants to know what the plan is. I'm trying to keep a lid on the chaos of life. Some people are better at going with the flow. I definitely need that and I've always been like that. So maybe it's a fear of mine that's coming out. But also I think it just makes for good drama when you have someone who is being stripped of their agency and who they are. That's just great drama, especially when the person doesn't deserve it, when they're a sympathetic character. They say the key to screenwriting is to put your main character up a tree and throw rocks at them. I guess I enjoy torturing these fictional people because that makes for a good screenplay." On the Importance of Key Surroundings in Garner's Recent Films, Such as Wolf Man's Oregon Farm Setting Julia: "Surroundings in general, I think, is — and this is actually not on the actor, but I think if a director is not using the surroundings, that is not good for the film because it's a character on its own. So you're not getting to know another character in the film." On How Whannell Knew That Abbott and Garner Were His Wolf Man Leads Leigh: "I knew both of their work and knew how talented they both were. With Chris, the final straw was seeing him do a play in New York where he was just so great. And he was just ball of energy on stage, just raging — and then I went and saw him backstage and he's just chilling out with a glass of wine. And I was like 'okay, this guy, this guy is amazing that he could do that and then this'. I could see that he could switch it on and off. And with Julia, I already knew what she was capable of. So a lot of times with actors, unless you're a Christopher Nolan or Steven Spielberg, you really are just fishing for a yes. You don't always get that. I've written plenty of impassioned letters to different actors trying to sell them on a film I'm writing and gotten the rejection. Even directors can get rejected. Actors face a lot of rejection, but directors do too. So I'm just so happy that these particular two people responded. I was waiting for Julia. I was like 'uhhh, I haven't heard anything for a couple of days'. I'm reading into it. 'I guess she's going to pass'. And then she texted me a little wolf emoji. And I was like 'all right'. It was just one of those happy times when two people you know can do it both said yes." On Garner Working with Christopher Abbott for the Third Time — and How They Drew Energy From Each Other in Their Wolf Man Performances Julia: Well, it definitely didn't feel like the first time I met him. So that was easy. And Chris is such a great actor, so I was very excited to attach myself to this. Chris met me when I was 16 years old, which is crazy — there is history. Just being real, I think is so important. Being real and being open, because if you have just open behaviour, then that makes your scene partner hopefully more open. So that openness is contagious, and then you get a real response. On What Whannell Makes of His Journey From Australian TV to Co-Creating the Saw and Insidious Franchise, Then Upgrade, The Invisible Man and Wolf Man Leigh: "A lot of it's been surprising. So much of the movie industry is gambling, and you the old saying 'nobody knows anything' applies, I think. Certainly in Hollywood, where you've got these big studios spending lots of money and it's a profit-driven industry. Unlike Australia, it's not a a government-supported art form. It's a deluge of capitalism, and you stand or fall on that box office. And there are detours you can take, i.e. spend less — well, then you're not on the hook as much; the less money you spend, the less you're expected to make. So anyone who manages to scrape out a career, it's kind of a surprise — because when James Wan and I did that first Saw movie, we never expected that people would actually go to see it, and never expected to turn into this huge franchise. And it was a total bonus prize. So it's surprising more than anything. And I think when luck is involved, it can keep you humble — or it should. If you start believing that you're there because of destiny, that you were chosen by the hands of fate, that's when you're in trouble. That's when your ego's talking. But if you have a healthy awareness that luck plays a massive part in film-industry success, it does keep you god-fearing. It keeps you humble in the face of that luck. Here I am again talking to you, I'm rolling the dice again. I've made a film. I'm hoping it does well. But I have no idea how it's going to connect with audiences. That part isn't up to me. There's nothing I can do or say to make this film connect with people. It either will or it won't. So yeah, I'm just very well-aware of that." [caption id="attachment_927986" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Royal Hotel[/caption] On How Garner's Run of Working with Australian Directors Came to Be Julia: "I don't know. Well, Kitty is one of my closest friends, so I will do anything with her. I literally was just like 'I need to call her'. I love Australians. I think you guys are awesome. And you guys have great, great directors and art coming out of there, so I'm always intrigued by what an Australian has to say." Wolf Man opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, January 16, 2025. Leigh Whannell will chat about the film at the 2025 AACTA Festival, which runs from Wednesday, February 5–Sunday, February 9, 2025 at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast.
The mornings have lost their icy chill. The weekends are getting sunnier. And — if you're like us — you might be feeling a little sluggish from all that raclette and cheese-wheel pasta and binge-watching Stranger Things 2. So, now's the perfect time to dust off your runners, get outside and start training. Keen to conquer your first fun run? Determined to beat those City2Surf hills that took the wind out of you this winter? Upping the stakes from a half- to a full-marathon? We've teamed up with Hahn to track down the most picturesque running locations in your city. Whether it's a waterside run in the CBD or a rainforest trail a short drive away, we've found it. And because we all need a little motivation to get those hearts pounding and those legs moving, we've also picked the best pub nearby to cooldown with a post-run beer. Balance is key. SYDNEY CBD: MRS MACQUARIE'S CHAIR THEN OPERA BAR Smack bang in the centre of the CBD is one of Sydney's most picturesque runs. Start in the Domain, jog up to Mrs Macquarie's Chair and continue around the sparkling harbour to the Sydney Opera House. Stop to take a photo (because how else can you prove you've been for a run if you don't document it on social media?) and continue around Circular Quay to The Rocks. If you're feeling extra active, we suggest running across the Harbour Bridge — the views alone make it worth the extra kilometre. When you're done, head back to Opera Bar for a cold pint. The best part? You can easily fit this run into your lunch break. SYDNEY FURTHER AFIELD: SPIT BRIDGE TO MANLY THEN HOTEL STEYNE If you, like many Sydneysiders, have jogged the Bondi to Bronte path a few (hundred) times, you're probably looking for somewhere less populated, but equally photogenic to visit. Look no further than the Spit Bridge to Manly trail. The 10-kilometre trek takes runners through the Sydney Harbour National Park, past small beaches and inlets and up high with elevated views over the city. If you stray off the track, you may run into Crater Cove's historic (and hidden) 80-year-old cabins. A word of warning: it's a hilly run (with more than a few steps) so we suggest packing plenty of water, a camera and your credit card, and heading toward the waterside Hotel Steyne for a cooldown dip and icy pint when you finish. MELBOURNE CBD: YARRA TRAILS THEN FORESTER'S The Main Yarra Trail, which runs from the northeast suburb of Eltham to Southbank, is a cool 33 kilometres. If you're up to this stage in your training, great — tie up those laces, slap on that Garmin and start jogging — but, if the thought of running that far fills you with dizzying, nauseating dread (we feel it), fret not. The Yarra Trails encompass a range of different length runs for different levels of fitness. Head to the lush Yarra Bend Park, a short ten-minute drive from the CBD, and pick your distance. You can head off on a quick one-kilometre jog around the oval or a seven-kilometre loop past Dight Falls. When you've finished, walk (or run) across to Forester's Beer & Music Hall for a pint and a parma (hot tip: the pub offers $5 parmas every night from 5–10pm). MELBOURNE FURTHER AFIELD: BLACK ROCK TO BRIGHTON THEN HALF MOON Black Rock may only be a 30-minute drive from the city, but its isolated location and stunning views over Port Philip Bay make it feel much further away. It's also the perfect place to go for an early morning run. Start the ten-kilometre track at the Black Rock Yacht Club, pass the Red Bluff Lookout, do some sand sprints on Hampton Beach and end at Brighton Beach's 82 colourful bathing boxes. If you're looking to extend your run, continue up the coast to Elwood beach or even further to St Kilda Pier. Once you're done, head back to Half Moon in Brighton. The rustic pub boasts six different dining areas where you can unwind with a pint. [caption id="attachment_593141" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Emily Davies.[/caption] BRISBANE CBD: THE RIVER LOOP THEN THE CHARMING SQUIRE A waterside jog isn't a bad way to spend a lunch break, especially when it's right in the middle of the CBD. How far you want to run is up to you, but we recommend kicking off on the southern side of Goodwill Bridge. After something short and sweet? Jog down to Victoria Bridge, over and back for a 3.5-kilometre loop. Something a bit longer? Head the opposite way to Story Bridge for a 6.5-kilometre loop. Getting close to completing a marathon? Look to the 35-kilometre Brisbane River Loop. It follows the river from South Bank all the way to Indooroopilly and back. When you're done The Charming Squire is serving up brews and views, waterside. BRISBANE FURTHER AFIELD: MOUNT COOT-THA THEN SUMMIT RESTAURANT & BAR Half-an-hour drive from Brisbane's CBD is Mount Coot-tha Forest — 1500 hectares of lush eucalypt forest. Inside this reservation, you'll find a heap of different running tracks. While the Brisbane City Council gives a full rundown of all your options here, these are a couple of our favourites. The Summit Track, a four-kilometre round loop, takes you from JC Slaughter Falls picnic area to Mount Coot-tha Lookout. It's a steep run up, but you'll be rewarded with an easy jog downhill on the way back. If you're more ambitious, there's a ten-kilometre loop that starts at the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, heads across to the lookout, then follows Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, through the trees and back to the starting point. Since you survived, you deserve a beer and Summit Restaurant & Bar (next to the lookout) has some chilled for you. Top image: Brooke James Get outside and on a run now — there's an ice cold Hahn waiting for you at the end.
Sydney is now home to a dedicated Harry Potter-themed store. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to return to Melbourne's stage this year. It looks like a new HP-related TV show is in the works, and Japan is due to score a theme park dedicated to the titular wizard. Yes, if you're a fan of the wizarding franchise, there are plenty of ways to keep indulging your love. Another one is coming, too, thanks to Harry Potter: The Exhibition. If the name sounds familiar, that's because it has existed since 2009 — and came to Sydney in 2012. Come 2022, however, a huge new version will start making its way around the planet, in a partnership between Warner Bros Consumer Products and Imagine Exhibitions. This time, Harry Potter: The Exhibition will cover all things Fantastic Beasts-related, too, if that's how you've been getting your magical fix over the past few years. In total, the big HP showcase will span between 929–1858 square metres, and feature everything from props and costumes from the ten movies to-date to installations that recreate the world of the books and films. While exact details of what'll be on display haven't been revealed as yet, the exhibition is set to "present beautifully crafted environments that honour the beloved characters, settings and beasts seen in the films while exploring the filmmaking magic that brought them to life" according to Imagine Exhibitions' statement announcing the new tour. The company also advises that Harry Potter: The Exhibition will "celebrate the most iconic moments of the films and stories of Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and the expanded Wizarding World". Just where it'll be heading hasn't been announced so far either, but the showcase will tour to multiple regions, including cities in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. So, you can start crossing your fingers that a visit Down Under will be among its stops — or saying "accio exhibition" as often as you like. For now, Australian fans can stream the eight original films as they've just hit Binge. And, for a refresher on how the movies wrapped up, you can also check out the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mObK5XD8udk&utm_keyword=referral_bustle Harry Potter: The Exhibition will start its world tour from sometime in 2022 — we'll update you with further details when they're announced. Image: Warner Bros.
When season five of Stranger Things arrives, it'll bring with it a big ending, wrapping up the Netflix hit for good after the next batch of episodes. Yes, everything from Succession to Barry is also saying farewell these days, but Stranger Things won't be completely dropping off the radar — it has spinoffs to slip into your streaming queue, including a just-announced new animated series. Back in 2022 when Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that their sci-fi show was working towards its endgame, they also said that they had more stories to tell in this fictional — and sometimes Upside Down — realm. Instantly, we all knew what that meant. Netflix doesn't like letting go of its hits easily, after all, so the quest to find a way to keep wandering through this franchise was about as surprising as Jim Hopper's (David Harbour, Violent Night) usual gruff mood. "Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you'll soon see for yourselves — we are now hurtling towards our finale. Season four will be the penultimate season; season five will be the last," the Duffers said at the time. "There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things; new mysteries, new adventures and unexpected heroes," the Duffers continued. Cue the upcoming Stranger Things cartoon, which doesn't yet have a name, but will boast the Duffer brothers as executive producers. Obviously, it's headed to Netflix. "We've always dreamed of an animated Stranger Things in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realised has been absolutely thrilling," the siblings said, announcing the new show. There's no word yet on when the animated series will arrive, what it'll focus on and who'll be among its voices. If you're devoted to the OG cast, start crossing your fingers that some or all of Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes 2), Finn Wolfhard (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio), Noah Schnapp (Waiting for Anya), Winona Ryder (The Plot Against America), Charlie Heaton (The Souvenir: Part II), Joe Keery (Free Guy), Gaten Matarazzo (The Angry Birds Movie 2), Caleb McLaughlin (Concrete Cowboy), Sadie Sink (The Whale), Natalia Dyer (Things Seen & Heard) and Maya Hawke (Do Revenge) are involved. Netflix did just reveal that it's getting the Scott Pilgrim vs the World cast back together to voice an anime continuation of that beloved flick, after all. There's no sneak peek at the animated Stranger Things series as yet, either, but you can check out the trailer for season four below: The Stranger Things animated series doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll update you when one is announced. You can the OG series via Netflix. Read our review of season four. Images: courtesy of Netflix.
Food festivals have always been a great excuse to make weekend plans, with big-ticket events like the Bastille Day markets and the Good Food and Wine Show regularly drawing hungry crowds. But what about options for members of Australia's constantly growing vegan community? One of the most popular alternative food festivals around Sydney has to be Alive Plant Based Festival, running for one day only on Saturday, March 8. Organised by Vegan NSW and supported for the first time in 2025 by the Central Coast Council, this year's edition is set to be bigger than ever. Ideal for a family day out or a scrumptious solo feast alike, you'll be able to browse the tastiest vegan and plant-based treats around, from hot and fresh desserts to artisanal goodies. You can also look forward to live music, yoga sessions and speakers, and the entire (free-entry) festival is kid and dog-friendly.
Everyone deserves a hefty dose of Steve Buscemi in their lives and, across five seasons and 56 episodes, Boardwalk Empire delivers just that. The beloved actor plays Enoch 'Nucky' Thompson, a corrupt politician who is also a gangster kingpin in Atlantic City during America's prohibition era. The character is fictional, but it's based on non-fiction book Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and Corruption of Atlantic City, which focuses on comparable real-life figure Enoch L. Johnson. Created by The Sopranos alum and The Wolf of Wall Street screenwriter Terrence Winter — and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, with the iconic filmmaker also directing its pilot — Boardwalk Empire charts Nucky's ups and downs, including the government investigation into his activities. While Buscemi is the obvious star of the show, both Michael Shannon and Kelly Macdonald are top-notch, as is this weighty drama all-round.
Reward yourself for making it to the end of another working week by stuffing yourself silly at Cairo Takeaway in Enmore. This unassuming Egyptian delight is not your average kebab shop; the ingredients are fresh, food is made to order and the menu is a truly authentic one. The standout here are the falafels — theirs are made with fava beans — that are then lovingly stuffed into a sesame-crusted warm pita and topped with an array of pickled veg. Even better? Their beer hails from Inner West craft beer barons Wayward Brewing and Young Henrys. You can also BYO your favourite vino if beer's not your thing. Round out the night by laughing away the week's stresses with some comedy at Factory Theatre. Presented by Laugh-Masters Academy, the Night Shift show is guaranteed to get you chortling away courtesy of Sydney's best up-and-coming improv and comedy talent.
Aussie writers have long been obsessed with the fact that, in Australia, it's all too easy to vanish. There's just so much empty space. The latest to have taken on this concept is playwright Angela Betzien, Patrick White Playwrights' Fellow, at the Sydney Theatre Company. She's created a super-tense crime thriller titled The Hanging, focused on the disappearance of two Melbourne girls from a privileged private school. The only two characters to know anything about what happened are their 14-year-old best friend and her English teacher. But neither of them is too keen on talking. As the mystery gets deeper, the girls' respected families must face darker and darker truths. At the production's helm is STC resident, Sarah Goodes (Disgraced), who's put together a cracking cast, featuring Luke Carroll (Battle of Waterloo), Ashleigh Cummings (Channel Ten's Puberty Blues) and Genevieve Lemon (Hay Fever).
The past month of wet weather — it rained 23 out of 31 days in March — has been a real buzzkill (nay, disaster) for outdoor events in Sydney. But we've got a good feeling about April, and so do the folks at Luna Park as they prepare to launch their brand new rooftop cinema. Launching an outdoor cinema in April is ambitious, but it's sure to be one worth braving questionable weather for; from the rooftop of Luna Park you'll have an unobstructed view of a lit-up Sydney Harbour. Plus, they'll provide blankets to keep you cosy and noise-cancelling headphones so you can hear the film over the clamour of the Wild Mouse. Over the course of three weeks (which coincides with school holidays), the cinema will show a mix of new releases, family-friendly films and the requisite Dirty Dancing. Full program is below. LUNA PARK ROOFTOP CINEMA 2017 PROGRAM Friday, April 7 — Fantastic Beasts (2016) Saturday, April 8 — Passengers (2016) Monday, April 10 — Trolls (2016) Tuesday, April 11 — The Edge of Seventeen (2017) Wednesday, April 12 — Dirty Dancing (1987) Thursday, April 13 — Hidden Figures (2016) Friday, April 14 — Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Saturday, April 15 — Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) Monday, April 17 — Sing (2016) Tuesday, April 18 — The Space Between Us (2017) Wednesday, April 19 — The Notebook (2004) Thursday, April 20 — Logan (2017) Friday, April 21 — Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) Saturday, April 22 — Ghostbusters (2016) Monday, April 24 — Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) Tuesday, April 25 — Dance Academy (2017) Wednesday, April 26 — TBC Thursday, April 27 — La La Land (2016)
What's better than hosting a big arts festival in one location? Spreading the love across two different cities on consecutive weekends. That's the format that worked for Mona Foma, the Museum of Old and New Art's (MONA) key summer event, when it was last held in 2021 — so that's exactly what'll happen again in 2022. Come January, arts and music fans will be able to soak in the fest's eclectic sights and sounds in two places: in Hobart and in Launceston. Although Mona Foma was originally held in Hobart, where MONA is located, the event made the move to Launceston in 2019. So there's plenty of reasons behind splitting its program between both Tasmanian cities. Launceston will be up first, from Friday, January 21–Sunday, January 23, with Hobart getting the nod the next week from Friday, January 28–Sunday, January 30. Just what'll be on the bill hasn't been announced as yet, and won't be until Friday, December 3 — but you can start marking your calendars now anyway. Tasmania is also reopening its borders to double-jabbed visitors from Wednesday, December 15, which is great news if you now know what you'd like to do — and which huge arts fest you'd like to hit up — this summer. The border reopening applies to double-vaxxed travellers from both interstate and overseas, too, which could have some influence on Mona Foma's lineup. [caption id="attachment_784489" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Flaming Lips, Mona, Hobart, Mona Foma 2016. Photo Credit: MONA/Rémi Chauvin. Image Courtesy Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.[/caption] "Delivering a festival in two cities in January 2021 felt like nothing less than a miracle," said Mona Foma curator Brian Ritchie. "Come January 2022 we'll do it again and promise another festive burst of euphoria and unforgettable moments." In terms of what's in store, Ritchie advised that the MONA team "is working on strange new venues, indefatigable creativity, cultivation of powerful talent and the unpredictable." Mona Foma will take place from January 21–23, 2022 in Launceston, and from January 28–39, 2022 in Hobart. We'll update you when the full program is announced on Friday, December 3 — but head to the festival website in the interim for further details. Top image: Faux Mo, Mona Foma 2021. Mona/Remi Chauvin. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona, Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Professional boxers aren’t typically renowned for their eloquence. Pre-fight press conferences tend to centre around the two combatants standing silently and mashing their foreheads together, while the post-fight ones rarely escalate beyond monosyllabic grunts and the flaunting of novelty-sized belts. Maybe it’s the boxers' traditionally low socio-economic backgrounds at play, maybe it’s the almost guaranteed head trauma, or perhaps they’re simply still trying to figure out why a square arena is called a ‘ring’ and why anybody thought ‘light heavyweight’ wouldn’t sound ridiculous as a fighting category. In Southpaw, Jake Gyllenhaal plays one such professional ‘boxymoron', and he takes the inarticulacy to the extreme — presenting his character Billy Hope as a man who drools in the place of dialogue. It’s a bold choice for the accomplished actor, whose commitment to both it and the role’s physicality can't be overstated. One glance at the posters for Southpaw is enough to see that Gyllenhaal got jacked for this film, with muscles so enormous they should almost receive separate billing. He looks like a boxer, moves like a boxer and absolutely sounds like a boxer, meaning — in Southpaw — we totally believe him as a boxer. It’s a phenomenal performance, and without it the movie would be a complete write-off. Director Antoine Fuqua is fast establishing himself as the go-to action director in Hollywood, much like John Woo was in the '90s. With recent offerings including Olympus Has Fallen and The Equalizer, he’s continued to deliver slick, high-octane pictures without ever quite managing to repeat the success of his breakthrough film Training Day. The problem isn’t with the direction so much as the scripts, whose stories and dialogue languish in a mire of cliches. Southpaw is another example of this, failing to offer anything new despite coming tantalisingly close at its preface. The film’s early scenes touch upon compelling themes of administrative oversight, bureaucratic corruption, capricious management and the threat of ‘punch drunkenness’ courtesy of Hope’s particular fighting style in which he shirks defence and absorbs countless blows from his opponent until it makes him angry enough to retaliate. All of this largely falls by the wayside, however, as soon as family tragedy strikes and Hope finds himself bankrupt and alone. Redemption, then, becomes the order of the day, but the problem is we neither feel particular involved in it nor satisfied when it inevitably comes. This isn’t so much a tale of personal growth as it is one of reinstitution, where the only thing Hope really learns by the end is how not to get punched. Eminem was originally slated to play Gyllenhaal's role, but in his absence the roles of ‘singers trying to act’ were taken up by 50 Cent and Rita Ora, both delivering adequate performances as line delivery systems. Rachel McAdams pops in as a caricature of a boxer’s WAG and Oona Laurence does a decent job as Hope’s young daughter despite often unspeakably bad lines to work with. The only real other performance of note is from Forest Whitaker as Hope’s eventual trainer, whose brief screen time nonetheless reminds us why he’s one of the most gifted actors of his generation. He seems to find things in scripts that not even the writer could see, and injects some much needed humanity into Southpaw’s later stages, when neither the boxing nor the family troubles prove capable of sustaining the drama.
The latest project of multidisciplinary artist-run initiative Alaska Projects, this cinematheque is a series of ten films curated by Dr Alex Munt of UTS. It’s an eclectic and often provocative selection, offering a range of cinematic visions of Manhattan. The club kicks off with Spike Lee’s incendiary Do the Right Thing, about a Brooklyn community straining at the seams of racial tensions as a heatwave simmers. It builds up to an explosive climax which is still hotly debated in film schools everywhere today. Offering a much more genteel view of the city that never sleeps is the wonderful Hannah and Her Sisters, one of Woody Allen’s very best works, and writer-director Whit Stillman's 1992 debut, Metropolitan. The latter is a mannered, impeccable look at the indolent younger generation of the “urban haute bourgeoisie”. There’s also two of the most controversial films about the big Apple ever made, the brutal satire of American Psycho, based on Bret Easton Ellis’s infamous, career-making novel and the Larry Clark-directed sex and drugs dirge Kids. Based on a screenplay by a then teenaged Harmony Korine, the impact of Kids was sensational and divisive — many wanted it banned, but it had its strong supporters, including Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers, who championed the film as “daringly original, touching and alive”. Each film will be introduced a guest speaker and the first screening sees Alex Munt in conversation with Alaska Projects curator Sebastian Goldspink. Films screen at Alaska Projects, barring May 6 and November 6, which are both at UTS in the Bon Marche Studio. Here's the schedule: May 6: Do the Right Thing (1989) @ UTS May 18: David Holzman's Diary (1967) @ Alaska June 15: Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) @ Alaska July 6: Ms 45 (1981) @ Alaska August 10: The Warriors (1979) @ Alaska September 14: Liquid Sky (1982) @ Alaska November 6: Metropolitan (1990) @ UTS November 16: Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) @ Alaska December 14: American Psycho (2000) @ Alaska
