Merivale is getting into the flower business just in time for spring. The functions and hospitality behemoth behind the likes of The Chicken Shop, Queen Chow, Coogee Pavilion and The Beresford – not to mention the annual madness that is the March Into Merivale food festival – have just announced they will open their first ever flower shop at the ivy in the Sydney CBD. Located next door to Lorraine's Patisserie, Palings Flowers will open its doors on Monday, September 4, and will be curated by florist Hannah Coomber. Previously of Grandiflora, Coomber joined Merivale as their in-house florist back in 2015, and has been creating arrangements for the groups various venues and events ever since. "I'm often stopped in venue and asked about our floral displays," said Coomber in a statement announcing the news. "I thought the Palings Lane boutique was the perfect space to not only display some of the florals we use across the group, but to also allow our guests to purchase the stunning varieties we source from the flower market." Coomber will design each bunch herself, ensuring that no two are exactly alike. The space itself will be designed by Merivale's in-house team, with a vibe described by the group as being akin to a "floral apothecary". Look for Palings Flowers at 3 Palings Lane, Sydney
The thing about the great outdoors is that there's a depth to it that photos and secondhand accounts can't fully capture — its full grandeur has to be experienced firsthand to be truly appreciated. Whether you're hoping to catch a glimpse of rare species endemic to the region, hankering after an adrenaline rush — or simply can't imagine a holiday without taking in the natural wonders of your destination, the landscapes of the American South are just waiting to be explored. In partnership with Travel South USA, we've curated a range of ways to get into the great outdoors in each of the South's nine states. Mammoth Cave — Kentucky A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mammoth Cave is the world's longest known cave system, with over 400 miles (over 643 kilometres) explored. Visitors can take guided tours to marvel at its vast chambers, unique rock formations, and fascinating underground ecosystems. Not only is it the largest cave system in the world, it's also situated in a National Park that's ideal for hiking, biking and camping. Atchafalaya National Heritage Area — Louisiana One of the most ecologically diverse regions in the US is found in south-central Louisiana's Atchafalaya National Heritage Area. Not only is the Atchafalaya the nation's largest freshwater swamp, the twisting bayous are where alligators, raccoons, bears, catfish, shrimp, crawfish and over 270 species of birds call home. Within the swamp grounds, ancient oak trees and impressive cypress trees also tower — and can be seen when exploring the swamp on a guided tour either by boat or kayak. Whitewater Rafting in Almost Heaven — West Virginia For an experience that gets you out of your comfort zone and into the splash zone, take to West Virginia's river rapids. The state is home to world-class whitewater rafting, with the highest density of whitewater runs in the country. Beginners all the way through to rafting veterans are all welcome, with family-friendly fun and wild adrenaline-pumping adventures alike to be found in Almost Heaven's wide range of rivers. The rafting is so good in West Virginia that National Geographic crowned it a 2024 "Best of the World Experience". Loggerhead Sea Turtles at Edisto Beach State Park — South Carolina South Carolina's beaches are as warm as they are wide, and are home to a population of loggerhead sea turtles — one of the seven species of the beak-and-flipper-boasting marine reptiles worldwide. Female loggerheads return to the beaches where they were born to nest and every year between May and August, Edisto Beach State Park is home to returning loggerheads and hatchlings as they make their treacherous scurry out to sea. Ranger-guided nighttime beach walks during this period offer a chance to witness the baby turtles take their first breaths and first scurries firsthand. Katy Trail State Park — Missouri Built along the corridor of what was once the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railway, today the Katy Trail State Park is home to the longest continuous rail trail in the US — and an unrivalled way to witness the heritage of the state. The trail consists of 26 trailheads stretching over 386 scenic kilometres meandering through once-thriving small towns along the Missouri River, wine country in the state's east and rural farmland in the west. Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trail — Alabama Situated along Alabama's beautiful Gulf Coast beaches, the Gulf State Park spans a formidable 6150 acres (about 2500 hectares). Despite the size, the Hugh Branyon Backcountry Trail makes exploring this expanse of pristine nature much more accessible. Over 28 miles (about 45 kilometres) of paved trails it's possible to explore all nine of the distinct ecosystems that make up the State Park. There are a plethora of wildlife-watching opportunities and the trail is ideal for hiking and biking, making it a homegrown favourite that was crowned 2024's Best Recreational Trail by USA Today. Coastal Mississippi — Mississippi Mississippi's extensive coastline is a nature lover's playground. Whether by boat or on foot, there are breathtaking Gulf views to behold and a smorgasbord of experiences unique to the region, including the possibility of fresh local seafood in the catch of the day on a chartered fishing trip or shrimping excursion. The coast's many serene bayous and waterways are ideally suited for exploring from a kayak or paddleboard, while a boat ride is the best way to reach the Gulf Islands National Seashore's pristine beaches. Birdwatchers can flock to Pascagoula River Audubon Center to spot migratory species and there are countless coastal trails just waiting to be strolled along. WildSide in Pigeon Forge — Tennessee In the backyard of Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains with over 18 miles (about 28 kilometres) of trails across 900 acres of terrain (about 365 hectares) lies WildSide, one of the ultimate adventure parks in the South. Head off-road on guided UTVs (utility terrain vehicles) or on a mountain bike for thrilling wilderness experiences to suit every skill level and appetite for adrenaline. Grandfather Mountain — North Carolina Standing at 5946 feet (1812 metres), Grandfather Mountain in northwest North Carolina is more than just the highest peak of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, which is itself one of the chains that make up the expansive Appalachian Mountains. With 16 distinct natural ecosystems, the mountain is classified as an International Biosphere Reserve owing to its rare plant and animal diversity, many of which are also endemic or endangered. The reserve has a multitude of hiking trails, opportunities to see local species in natural habitats and is also home to America's highest suspension footbridge. Find your next adventure in the South. Discover more unforgettable destinations and start planning your trip with Travel South USA.
Large swathes of cinemas have been temporarily shuttered in China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy and France; theme parks have been closed in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo; and Texan music and film festival South by Southwest has been cancelled for the first time in 34 years. Music tours have been cancelled throughout Asia, too, and plenty of questions hang over forthcoming events elsewhere in the world — such as Coachella in April and the Cannes Film Festival in May. Now, Australia's arts scene is feeling the impacts of the mounting concerns about COVID-19, with Tasmania's Dark Mofo announcing it will not go ahead in 2020. In the same week that Miley Cyrus cancelled her trip to Australia and charity concert in Melbourne, the announcement was made on Facebook this morning by David Walsh, owner of Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), which runs the annual festival. In the statement, Walsh says: "We're killing Dark Mofo for the year. I know that will murder an already massacred tourism environment, but I feel like I have no choice." The art gallery and festival founder says the decision was made off the back of other locally run events not selling well and the prediction that Dark Mofo could also be a flop. "If we ran Dark and nobody came, I'd lose $5 million or more," Walsh said. If this happened, he says it could jeopardise the future of Dark Mofo. https://www.facebook.com/darkmofofestival/posts/2559026007553763?__tn__=K-R Take placing across Hobart during the winter solstice every year, Dark Mofo combines winter feasts, boundary-pushing art, nude swims, warehouse parties, talks and lots of live music. Last year's lineup saw the likes of artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, American musician Sharon Van Etten and one of the world's largest glockenspiels descend on the Tasmanian city. While the lineup for this year had not yet been announced, the 2020 festival was scheduled to take place from June 10–22. For now, MONA will remain open as usual and Dark Mofo is set to go ahead in 2021. Dark Mofo 2020 has been cancelled. You can read David Walsh's full statement over here. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Rémi Chauvin
It's a good moment for Asian Art in Sydney right now. The Art Gallery of New South Wales cottoned on to its magnificence a while back, with their now no-longer new Asian Galleries. The White Rabbit Gallery continues to offer an enormous private Asian art foundation near the city's centre. And just across the tram-tracks from the back of the Capitol Theatre is Gallery 4a, the Asian Australian Artists' Association's gallery of rotating contemporary Asian art. This month they bring together artworks built from stranger fabrics with the show Three Emerging Projects. Emerging from contemplations of the self and its surrounding social web of expectations, Cyrus Tang, Shalini Jardin and Tracy Luff are using cardboard constructions, hair and single-celled organisms to get their artistic muse expressed. Tang's work tends to focus on dislocation, while Luff has hewn a strange forest with mangroves hips from corrugated cardboard, which greets you by the door. (Using similar techniques to a Camper store's odd furniture, but with more ambition.) 4a is eager to lure you in amongst the weird substance these artists have unleashed, and it won't release you from them unsatisfied. Original image by Soggydan.
It has been ten years of Young Henrys, the Sydney brewery responsible for changing Australia's relationship with craft beer. That's no overstatement. Young Henrys was the first of the small-batch and independent brewers to genuinely crossover into the mainstream and started a movement. And despite ten years of expansion, high-profile collaborations and regular new product development (including the launch of a RTD gin and tonic), the business has remained steadfastly independent. Like all great ideas, Young Henrys was first conceived in a pub after an undisclosed number of schooners. The difference is that unlike most ideas that start out as excitable pub chat, this one actually panned out. THE ORIGIN STORY Founders Richard Adamson and Oscar McMahon were running a beer club at a pub in Glebe where punters could sample and discuss craft beers from far and wide. Their enthusiasm and well-trained palate for beer naturally evolved into a plan to give brewing a whirl themselves. According to the story as McMahon tells it, one thing just kind of led to another. "One night after beer club Richard said to me: 'How cool would it be to make a beer company that was in touch with the people drinking the beer, like the feeling of beer club.' We'd obviously had quite a few," he notes. "And then the next morning we actually followed up with a phone call and said 'hey... are you kind of serious about that?' And that began the journey of getting together some like-minded people and it took us about two years to find this site in Newtown and ten years ago this week we sold our first keg." That keg contained the now-ubiquitous Young Henrys Natural Lager. Ten years later, this loose and instinctive approach to developing the brand is warmly described by Dan Hampton, Young Henrys' Head of Sales, as 'the Young Henrys way'. Hampton explains: "The YH way or Young Henrys way is our way of saying that we don't always need to reinvent the wheel — and you can spin your wheels a lot trying to reinvent the wheel. But we go: how can we take good ideas, proven concepts and do them in our own unique way, and put our unique lens on it? Or take something that already exists and completely spin it on its head." A SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION The Young Henrys way has resulted in projects, events and creative collaborations that cross cultural intersections. They did a project with You Am I to create a collaborative beer 'Brew Am I' for the band's 20th anniversary tour — a partnership the founders cite as one of their favourite ever. They have since followed that up with partnerships with bands like DZ Deathrays and Foo Fighters, multi Grand Slam-winning tennis champ Dylan Alcott and the Rabbitohs, to name a few. Collaboration has been an important part of the business from the beginning. "We assume that people who are into craft beer will seek out and find and educate themselves on craft beer and craft breweries. We always thought it was a really interesting concept to take a craft beer company and find collaborators in other creative, interesting industries and work on a project," Oscar McMahon explains. "It not only brings new audiences into Young Henrys but into craft beer. It actually spreads that conversation. Also, we're a creative company. We're always coming up with new products and designs and themes and events, so pushing yourself to collaborate with someone means you're not only pushing yourself to be creative to your own standards, but to someone else's as well. And that can create some really great internal pressure." [caption id="attachment_610876" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Young Henry's collaboration with Dune Rats in 2017[/caption] THE TEN YEAR BEER No big name collaborations or great internal pressure went into the beer brewed specially to commemorate the 10th anniversary. The limited edition creation '10 Years Strong' is a red ale that was aged in rum and port casks, balancing bitterness and body, and has a hefty ABV of 8%. The beer will be given away to customers whenever they buy any two six-packs or four-packs of any Young Henrys product as a way of saying thanks to the people who have supported them for the past decade. 10 Years Strong is a birthday gift available with any Young Henrys purchase from bottle shops nationally.
This story is the ultimate example of why hoarding is not necessarily a bad thing. Brooklyn-based artist Mac Premo was recently forced to downsize his apartment, and consequently had to throw out many of his belongings. Not wanting to just get rid of everything the normal way by making a trip to a particularly large dumpster, Premo decided to use the aforementioned dumpster as a canvas and turn it into a travelling exhibition. This he named The Dumpster Project, which has become the newest addition to Brooklyn's Dekalb Market, an esoteric collection of artists, chefs and farmers who've set up shop in a collection of salvaged shipping containers. The interior of a 30-cubic yard dumpster has been converted into a shrine to the detritus of his past, and is now open for public perusal. Items on display include a primary school math test with such killer questions as '11+1 = ?' (it's 12, guys), the shoes his eldest daughter first walked in, three waving Mao watches, one lonely floppy disk, somebody else's wisdom teeth, a flyer for a Broadway strip club, and an emotionally significant empty bag of chips - from the night he first professed his love for his wife. In the ultimate act of not being able to let go, he is also photographing the 500 objects included in the dumpster collection and composing a short history of each on The Dumpster Project site. If you have a smart phone you can then access the assorted eulogies while you're walking around the space to get a bit of nostalgic context. Alternatively, if you, like me, are not in New York, you can check out Premo's genuinely fascinating blog of the project. [Via PSFK]
Construction on Sydney's much discussed underground train line, set to make trips between Parramatta and the CBD a whole lot quicker, will finally get underway in 2020. And the NSW Government has just confirmed the location of the 24-kilometre railway line's seven metro stations. Exactly where the Metro West will depart from the CBD is still to come, but the high-speed underground train will journey through new, fully accessible, metro stations at The Bays Precinct, Five Dock, Burwood North, North Strathfield and Sydney Olympic Park on its way to Parramatta, and then on to Westmead. Extra stations are also being considered in Pyrmont and Rydalmere. When it's all complete — 2030, by current estimations — getting around the western suburbs should be far quicker and less congested. The government is promising the new project will double the capacity of public transport in the area, and take just 20 minutes to get from the city to Parramatta. As you can imagine, this is a pretty big endeavour, and there's a long way to go before we can reap the benefits of faster and easier travel to the cultural and sporting hub of Sydney Olympic Park, and the new Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta. According to The SMH, close to 120 properties will be forcibly acquired to make room for the Metro West line, including 23 residential properties, the Sydney Speedway (a dirt racing track in Granville) and dozens of small businesses. Those wanting to check out what it's like in the fancy new driverless trains, can jump on the Metro North West railway line that launched back in May — another part of the government's overall Sydney Metro project. Once complete, Metro West and Metro North West, together with Metro City and Metro South West, will see a new railway linking Rouse Hill to Chatswood, travelling under the Sydney Harbour to the city, then down to Bankstown. Sydney Metro West will link the city to Parramatta. The next steps for the Metro West leg will see the NSW Government release a detailed planning and environmental assessment for public feedback next year — so keep an eye out for that if you've got some strong feelings about the project. Construction on the Metro West is set to commence in 2020. To read more about the project, head to the Sydney Metro website. Top image: A render of Westmead Station
Unlike many other music festivals gearing up to make their first appearance since before the pandemic, much-loved camping fest Pitch Music & Arts is preparing to host its second post-COVID instalment. But if last year's well-timed (and sold-out) return was anything to go by, it's set to go off with just as big of a bang as any other comeback on your calendar. The long-running celebration is headed back to Moyston, in the foothills of Victoria's Grampians, from Friday, March 10–Tuesday, March 14 2023. Not only will its three stages play host to a sparkling lineup of local and international musical talent, but the tunes will be backed by a hefty program of interactive art and installations. Basically, you're in for a very big, very busy four days. [caption id="attachment_875292" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Duncographic[/caption] Guiding your sonic journey will be legends like Germany's Helena Hauff, UK electro act Four Tet (who's also hitting Golden Plains the same weekend), DJ and producer Nightmares on Wax, Berlin-born supergroup Moderat and a live set from UK-based duo OVERMONO. You'll also catch the likes of Leon Vynehall, Ben UFO, Fatima Yamaha and Âme flying the flag for the international dance scene, joined by a juicy lineup of homegrown heroes — Mildlife, Ayebatonye, C.Frim, Yarra, IN2STELLAR and Soju Gang, included. While the supporting program of artistic delights is yet to drop, last year's offering — including works by street artist Adnate and installation king Clayton Blake (Winner of Best Art at Burning Man 2018) — should leave you pretty excited for what's in store. [caption id="attachment_875293" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Duncographic[/caption] In between all the dance-floor sessions and arty things, festival-goers can make themselves at home in the Pitch Pavilion, unwinding with a yoga class, meditation or sound bath. There'll also be an ethical design market to shop, a range of food stalls to fuel your weekend and a Pride Patrol doing live drag performances. If that all sounds like your true calling, you'll have to enter the Pitch Music & Arts 2023 ballot where, for the first time, entrants will be required to make a 'Pitch Pledge' — a written commitment to positively contributing to the Pitch community, leaving no trace and behaving respectfully while onsite. [caption id="attachment_875295" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ash Caygill[/caption] PITCH MUSIC & ARTS 2023 LINEUP: ABSOLUTE. AK Sports Âme Anetha Ayebatonye Ben UFO Bertie BIG WETT Bradley Zero C.Frim X Mirasia Call Super Cassie Raptor Club Angel Daria Kolosova DAWS Dax J DJ EZ DJ Heartstring DJ Stingray 313 DJ Tennis Effy Ewan McVicar Fatima Yamaha (Live) FJAAK DJ Four Tet François X HALFQUEEN Héctor Oaks Helena Hauff I.JORDAN IN2STELLAR Interplanetary Criminal Jaguar Jennifer Cardini Juicy Romance Jyoty Kalyani KAS:ST Kelly Lee Owens (DJ Set) KETTAMA Ki/Ki Kim Ann Foxman Leon Vynehall (Live) LSDXOXO m8riarchy Major League Djz Mano Le Tough Marie Montexier Mildlife Miley Serious Moderat (Live) Nightmares On Wax NLV OVERMONO (Live) Parfait Paula Tape Peach Pretty Girl (Live) Roi Perez RONA Ryan Elliott Sam Alfred x STÜM Soju Gang Sophie McAlister SWIM Tama Sumo x Lakuti Tinlicker (Live) u.r.trax Yarra Yikes Young Marco Pitch Music & Arts will return to Moyston from March 10–March 14, 2023. Head to the festival's website for further details, or to enter the ballot before 3pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 2. General tickets will go on sale from 12pm on Thursday, November 10. Top Images: Alex Drewniak and William Hamilton Coates.
It’s not always all that special being grown up. Things cost more, people expect you to pretend to know what you’re doing, you have to sort out that rent thing and there’s always the feeling that something ominous is about to happen involving hair. For Jon Toogood though, the world of majority is a wonderful place. With talent to spare from his work in Shihad, Toogood felt the need to branch out in a new musical direction. That turned out to be the Adults. The Adults is neither a band nor a solo project, rather it's a rotating roster of his friends and collaborators, giving Toogood the sort of electric ambiguity regular adulthood avoids. You can get a closer look at this fresh musical ambivalence at the Oxford Art Factory on Thursday, as the Adults come to Sydney to spread the love. With so many other well-known and busy musicians involved, Toogood has had to whittle the band down to three to settle their group logistics down to just a few smouldering talents. Making up the line-up for this 2011 tour are fellow New Zealanders Julia Deans and Shayne Carter who will bring the Adults' bombastic passions to life before your eyes. No need to act the part, their appeal is age-agnostic.
Australia has come a long way since the days described in Myf Warhurst's Nice series, when thirty years ago the most impossibly fancy thing you could do was go out to the local Chinese restaurant for some sweet and sour pork. These days, Australia's general food literacy and cultural mix has improved to the point where restaurant goers expect a range of choices, from high end fine dining, to well-priced quick eats. There has been a host of new Chinese-inspired restaurants open in Sydney recently, but despite the plethora of choice – think Mr. Wong, the Century, China Lane and Johnny Wong's Dumpling Bar – one would have a reasonably difficult time denying that much of our city's Asian culinary excellence lies a little further west. In Cabramatta, to be precise. Today, this suburb that was once famous for its gangs and chronic drug problems, is home to a humming cultural scene and one epic 550-seater restaurant. The Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant. This September, the restaurant will be launching the first Sichuan Gourmet Festival, running for the whole month. Restaurant owner, Phillip Visalli, has invited two celebrity chefs over from Chengdu in Sichuan province for the festival. At 30 and 29, Mei Lin and Zhou Zhang have established themselves as two of China's most respected chefs. Mei Lin has worked at the four star Portman hotel and Wei Dao Jiang Hu Restaurant, and is secretary general for the Sichuan Gastronomist and Head Chef Association, which represents the young guns in town. Zhou Zhang has also worked at the Portman Hotel and is executive chef at four star boutique hotel Jui Yi Xiang. In his spare time he is an editor for a number of food publications. The two chefs clearly have Sichuan fire in their bellies and are ready for dish up all things sensationally hot. And we're not just talking about he chilli. Together they have come up with a range of menus for the festival. The festivities will begin with an epic 16 course gala dinner on Friday, September 7 ($168). On offer are dishes such as pork knuckle with Sichuan spiced sauce, deboned chicken feet with red oil and other dishes such as the wok-fried preserved pork showcasing the most famous Sichuan ingredient ... Sichuan pepper. The small pepper presents humbly enough, but tastes like a spicy firecracker. The evening will conclude with the intriguingly titled mouth-numbing ice cream, made with the infamous pepper. Throughout the month punters can order dishes individually, or opt for one of the set menus for groups. Though Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant is not associated in any way with the TV series by the same name, it does share the same theatricality and spectacle sans the tacky voice overs. Entertainment for the gala night will be in the form of magic and trickery from Adam Mada and a traditional Chinese changing face performance. The two guest chefs themselves will be appearing on September 23 as part of the Cabramatta moon festival with a cooking demonstration in the afternoon. For those in the inner city looking for something closer to home, Café Sicilia in Surry Hills is partaking in the festival by producing their own version of mouth-numbing ice cream. Rumour has it that this place, as the sister restaurant of Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant, was forced to close it's doors one recent evening after the chefs thought it fitting to bite down on some fresh Sichuan peppers that had been delivered for their Evil Cornetto ice cream. We'd by crying if we'd have done the same. Don't blame 'em. The launch of the inaugural Sichuan Gourmet Festival is a wonderful reflection of the quality and diversity of Chinese cuisine on offer in greater Sydney. From our humble beginnings, Australia's taste buds are growing up showing a celebration of our rich cultural fabric. The Sichuan Gourmet Festival runs from September 1 - 30, 2012 at the Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant in Cabramatta.
Gorman. Oh, Gorman. The source of literally everyone's fancy first date outfits has just gone and announced that, this Friday, August 25 they'll be giving out thousands of free t-shirts to anyone who proves they've registered to vote. And while you can vote however you feel, the initiative is proudly and loudly in support of the 'yes' vote. In their own words: "Love is love. All people are equal". Damn right. To share in the love, make sure you've verified and updated your enrolment details today — you have until midnight to do so. Then head to your local Gorman store tomorrow and flash the Gormie staff a screenshot of your verified enrolment details to receive a limited edition (and cute as heck) 'love is love' tee for free. The design is based on an earlier collaboration with Monika Forsberg and there are only 5000 of them. Gorman fans are Gorman fans, so we presume you'll have to get in early to nab one. Most importantly, you can check your enrolment details here.
First, St Jerome's Laneway Festival announced its 2024 dates and venues. Now, it's time for the news that every fest fan is always waiting for: the lineup. Fancy some grime? A Euphoria star? A mix of international must-sees and homegrown up-and-comers? A swag of folks making their first trips our way? Then consider yourself sorted — starting with headliners Stormzy, Steve Lacy, Dominic Fike and Raye. Stormzy tops the roster after he was meant to head Down Under in 2022, but pulled out of Spilt Milk and his Australian and Zealand tour. At the Aussie fest, he was replaced by Lacy, in fact, but now the UK sensation and the 'Bad Habit' talent will share the same Laneway bill. Fike heads from the screen to Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Auckland's stages — and Raye comes our way with 'Escapism' still stuck in everyone's heads. From there, the lineup also spans AJ Tracey, d4vd, Dope Lemon, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and more. All of the above acts will play all cities, with some fellow talents only popping up in either Australia or Aotearoa. Stormzy and Fike are doing exclusive Laneway tours — so, of you want to see either (or both), you'll only catch them at the fest while they're in both countries. In Australia, Lacy is exclusive in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. There's a bit of stability to 2024's list of venues, after 2023 took Laneway to a heap of new spots. The festival started by Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio in the mid-00s will kick off at Brisbane Showgrounds on Saturday, February 3, then head to Sydney Showground on Sunday, February 4 — so, exactly where it took place this year. [caption id="attachment_916473" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Callum Walker Hutchinson[/caption] Still in Australia, Laneway also has a Friday, February 9 date with Bonython Park in Adelaide on the agenda, then a Saturday, February 10 run at The Park, Flemington in Melbourne and a Sunday, February 11 wrap-up show in Wellington Square in Perth. Again, these are all the same locations that 2023's fests hit up. Over in New Zealand, the event will take over Western Springs in Auckland on Tuesday, February 6. That date means that it's moving to Waitangi Day. And 2024's venue comes after 2023's Auckland Laneway stop was cancelled due to the Auckland floods. [caption id="attachment_915848" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2024 LINEUP: Stormzy Steve Lacy Dominic Fike Raye AJ Tracey d4vd Dope Lemon Eyedress Faye Webster horsegiirL Nia Archives Paris Texas Skin On Skin Suki Waterhouse Unknown Mortal Orchestra Blondshell DOMi & JD BECK Hemlocke Springs Pretty Girl AUSTRALIA ONLY: Angie McMahon Confidence Man Teenage Dads JK-47 Miss Kaninna Vacations NEW ZEALAND ONLY: Atarangi Church Daily J Erny Belle Hanbee Molly Payton LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2024 DATES: Saturday, February 3 — Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane / Turrbal Targun Sunday, February 4 — Sydney Showground, Sydney / Burramattagal and Wangal Land Tuesday, February 6 — Western Springs, Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau Friday, February 9 — Bonython Park, Adelaide / Kaurna Yerta Saturday, February 10 — The Park, Flemington, Melbourne / Wurundjeri Biik Sunday, February 11 — Wellington Square, Perth / Whadjuk Boodjar St Jerome's Laneway Festival will tour Australia and New Zealand in February 2024. Head to the festival's website for further details, and to register for ticket pre sales — which kick off at 11am local time on Tuesday, September 12. General sales start at 11am local time on Thursday, September 14. Top image: Bethany Vargas. Laneway imges: Daniel Boud / Maclay Heriot / Cedric Tang.
Looking to redecorate your space? Make it your own personal gallery by filling it with exquisite new homewares crafted by local artists. The Sydney Ceramics Market is set to debut this coming weekend and will gather 36 of the city's artists and makers – both experienced and new – who have been thriving in the city's ceramic scene. Taking place at Sydney's Tramsheds on Sunday, November 6, stallholders will be selling a range of clay-based pieces including homeware, sculptural artworks and jewellery. [caption id="attachment_876164" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Airr Made Ceramics[/caption] Independent brands that have yet to sell their products online will also be present at the market, featuring exciting new offerings — meaning you can perhaps score a piece from a maker destined to be the next big thing. Attendees can expect to see ceramics from Public Holiday, Cobalt & Kin, Voluptuary Ceramics, Elizabeth Lewis, Anthony Brink, Trade the Mark, Albatross Ceramic, H.A.W, Kusu Ceramics, Glost Studio, Mennt, and many more. With the goal to spotlight creatives from around the region, the upcoming event is the brainchild of friends Melody Brunton, the ceramicist behind Emi Ceramics and Samee Lapham, a photographer and content creator. The event is free to the public with two hours of free parking, so you can save your pennies for shopping. Head to the Sydney Ceramics Market website for more information. [caption id="attachment_876167" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kusu Cereamics[/caption]
While Chris Anderson was a big deal at TED's local TEDxSydney this year, the stars of the day were the regular TED speakers. Talks on the sign-reading skills of bees, the need for random selection to the senate, how coral fits in with the Transit of Venus and the unremarkable things that kill us all made for attention-grabbing stuff. Concrete Playground had the chance to chat briefly with three of these speakers, their fields covering whether to feel safe around robots, where grownups can get an imaginary friend and how to explain quantum theory to schoolkids. Hugh Durrant-Whyte is a former roboticist now working at NICTA in Everleigh. In his talk he explained not the future of robots, but what robots are already doing. He talked to us about the shape of robotics now and in the future. You said once before that you were a bit of a luddite. Is that still true? I don't have a mobile phone, I don't drive a car. I don't have a driving license. If that's a luddite: I'm a luddite. Why do you love robots? What got you into the field? Well, they're cool. As an engineer, I think what really drives you is making a difference. And it's so clear to see that in robotics. What do real robots look like? What sort of variety is there? Really anything. Imagine a machine: whether it's a car, or an aeroplane, or something that looks human-like, or indeed is perhaps just an arm, or just legs, or just a head. Any of those can be a robot. Because a robot in the end is simply this idea — that you observe what's really happening in the world, using sensors, vision for example. And you use that to decide what you're going to do, whether you're going to pick something up, manufacture a car, fly in a particular direction or drive down the street. And that makes a robot. It's the fact that it adapts to the world, or is capable of adapting to the world. So, it doesn't need just rules like you have in a normal computer program. Autonomy is a key word in this: without human intervention. The crucial thing in the perception part of it, is to be able to detect failure and to be able to autonomously recover from that. If you can do that then you can get a robot like the Port of Brisbane ones that have now operated for 5 years non-stop, 24 hours a day. All of them without ever going wrong. You have to be able to detect and recover from all failures. Not just the ones you model, but "unknown unknowns". Which is the challenge. When I was growing up I was a big fan of Isaac Asimov. And what me feel safe about robots was basically because I had this model of the three laws of robotics. Why should I feel safe about robotics with real robots? I'm not sure you should feel safe, I think it's fair to say. How far do you push robots? It's a tricky question. But it's a tricky question with all technology. We do have things now: these drones, the UAVs. They don't actually decide to shoot [for] themselves, a person does that. But, let's be honest here: you could probably figure out how to do that bit. There's a fine line there. And, sending robots to war? I don't know. Skynet must be something you end up talking about a lot? I think the bigger question people ask you about, in truth, is job loss. This brings us back to Ludd. We have gone through industrial revolutions for 300 years that have gradually automated things, and robotics is in some sense the logical conclusion of that. The other Chris Anderson was saying that as different things become abundant, you get new scarcity. I agree. I think that indeed is the case. The one thing, personally, that slightly worries me about it, now that I'm not really in robotics any more, is… Robots are replacing groups that are least able to actually retrain. Or use their lives in some productive other manner. So I no longer work in robotics: if that isn't clear. Evan Kidd researches imaginary friends. In his talk, he explained their value for children. Once parents understand what he has to say, they often ask how they can get one for their own kids. He talked to us about where grown-ups fit in. What's the difference between me liking Doctor Who or Joss Whedon's super-hero movies and me having an imaginary friend? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's fantasy play. And these behaviours — like being, for instance, into science fiction, or things like Star Trek, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, even Twilight — these provide fantasy elements that are exactly like fantasy play with children. Except, what you're doing really is not inventing it. But when you get to things like fan fiction and things like that, that's exactly what it is. Do you know the comedian Amy Sedaris? She would go on Letterman all the time and talk about her imaginary boyfriend Ricky. These behaviours don't go away. They just change. So often what you would find, for instance, in elderly couples, when one has died, the other will continue to talk to their dead spouse. And not in a creepy way, but in a way to keep their relationship with them alive. And that's exactly the same thing as what's happening with an imaginary friend in some way. It's just a really nice way — through really what is fantasy, but has a beginning in reality — of keeping warm and nice feelings available to you. Michelle Simmons runs the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology. What does that mean? She works to make quantum computing practical. What does that mean? She works to make computers run incredibly fast. In keeping with the global TED's new focus on education, she talked to us, very quickly, about how she explains science to a younger audience. Do you normally talk to non-scientific audiences? I do a lot of talking in schools. Teenage or younger? All the way down. At the university of NSW we have an outreach group, and for years I've told them I'm very keen to talk to schools. It's actually the most enjoyable part of everything I do. Over the years I think people have tried to dumb science down for them. And I don't think you need to. What sort of things do you tell them? The same things you were saying here? I actually add probably even more technical details than I would have had at the [TED] talk. I think the thing they don't appreciate is that we lead science in Australia, internationally. And I think they're just not aware of that. They just think that we're following other people. My field is quantum physics, and in Australia we're working on silicon quantum computing, we've got people doing optical quantum computing, people doing communication in the quantum medium, we've got astrophysics, we've got Brian Schmidt talking later today. What he does is world-leading. I mean: every area that I know in Australia is world leading. Leading image of Chris Anderson by Fe Lumsdaine, Lumsdaine Photography. Image of Hugh Durrant-Whyte by JJ Halans. Image of Evan Kidd by David Clare, First Light Photography. Image of Michelle Simmons by JJ Halans.
In an emotional sense, things are looking up this December. It's the festive time of the year, 2020's horror show is almost over and a much-needed break from the chaos is upon us. It's also worth peering skywards in a literal sense, however — because an event called the 'great conjunction' is about to happen way above our heads, and seeing it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you're not familiar with the term 'conjunction' within the field of astronomy, it refers to two objects or spacecraft sharing the same right ascension or ecliptic longitude — so they're at the same angular distance in one way or another. What makes a conjunction great? That happens when Jupiter and Saturn are involved. Specifically, it's used to describe the moment that the two planets are at their closest apparent point together in the sky. Great conjunctions actually happen around every 20 years, when Earth's orbit aligns with the pair as well so that their seemingly close proximity can be seen in our evening sky. The last took place on May 31, 2000 — but the one this month, on Monday, December 21, 2020, is particularly special. That's because Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together than they have in almost 400 years (since July 16, 1623, in fact). Because of this great conjunction's timing, it's also being called the 'Christmas Star'. https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1339010857443930112 As NASA explains, the two planets "have been traveling across the sky together all year", and getting closer across the month of December. On Monday, though — which coincides with the December solstice — they'll appear a mere tenth of a degree apart. They'll also look so near to each other that Saturn will seem as if it's as close to Jupiter as some of the latter's moons. And, as timeanddate.com notes, they'll appear so close and bright that they even might look like a single star — if you're wondering why else the 'Christmas star' nickname popped up. Plus, this is also the first time in "nearly 800 years since the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter occurred at night", says NASA. The conditions really couldn't be better in 2020, in other words The great conjunction will be visible almost everywhere around the globe on Monday evening, and via the naked eye as well. To get the best glimpse, you'll want an unobstructed view of the sky around an hour after sunset — and, to see Jupiter's moons, to use binoculars or a telescope. If you do choose some optical help, you'll be able to see both Saturn and Jupiter, as well as their moons, in the same field of view. And if you're wondering where you're looking, folks in the southern hemisphere should peer towards the western horizon. NASA advises that the planets won't be as close during the 2040 and 2060 great conjunctions, so 2080 is the next time you'll have a similar planet-watching opportunity. Indeed, as timeanddate.com outlines, only six great conjunctions across the thousand-year period from 1600–2599 will see Jupiter and Saturn appear two tenths of a degree or less apart (and, after this century, the next two won't happen until 2417 and 2477). December has already delivered a sky show via the Geminids meteor shower, so this may be just the latest astronomical gift this month — but it won't be repeated in a hurry. The Jupiter and Saturn great conjunction will be visible in the evening of December 21, 2020.
If you're a Sydneysider who loves musicals, the last year or so has seen you absolutely spoilt for choice. When theatres have been open, everything from Hamilton, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, An American in Paris and Cruel Intentions: the 90s Musical through to 9 to 5 the Musical, Friends! The Musical Parody, Mary Poppins and Jagged Little Pill have hit the city's stages. And, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella and Tina — The Tina Turner Musical are both on their way, while Come From Away will return. Also a big recent musical highlight: Six the Musical. No, Hamilton isn't the only hit musical from the past few years that took a few cues from the past, paired a well-known chapter of history with toe-tapping tunes and made on-stage magic. This one proved such a hit during its most recent Sydney stint — a whopping during its 15-week Sydney Opera House run over summer — that it's now coming back as well. From Friday, August 26–Saturday, October 1, Six the Musical will hit up the Theatre Royal Sydney for a strict five-week encore season. If you missed out last time, this is your chance to head along and see why everyone you know was raving about the show's pop-fuelled take on royal intrigue. First premiering back at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, then jumping to London's West End, Six the Musical takes inspiration from one of the most famous sextets there's ever been — because even if you don't know much about Britain's past kings and queens, you likely know that Henry VIII had six wives. The Tudor monarch's love life has inspired plenty of pop culture content over the years — including 00s TV series The Tudors and 2008 movie The Other Boleyn Girl — but this one takes the pop part rather seriously. It's presented as a pop concert, in fact, with Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr all taking to the microphone to tell their stories. Each woman's aim: to stake their claim as the wife who suffered the most at the king's hands, and to become the group's lead singer as a result. For this latest Sydney stint, Kala Gare (Rent) returns as Anne Boleyn, Loren Hunter (Strictly Ballroom: The Musical) will reprise her role as Jane Seymour, Kiana Daniele (Dirty Dancing) will step into Anne of Cleves' shoes again and Catherine Parr will be played by Vidya Makan (Green Day's American Idiot) once more. And, Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Chelsea Dawson (Shrek the Musical) return as Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Howard, respectively. Six the Musical will play Theatre Royal Sydney from Friday, August 26–Saturday, October 1. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the musical's website. Images: James D Morgan, Getty Images.
If it's the knockoff frothies you're missing the most, tuning into the new live stream programming from The Crafty Pint and Ale of a Time should provide some hopped-out, fizzy relief. The two Aussie beer publications have joined forces and launched a new YouTube channel, where they're broadcasting a series of daily virtual beer-sipping sessions. The Beer Together videos are here to help during a time when the pub's off-limits, inviting a roll-call of industry mates to your screens for some good ol' beer appreciation, education and banter. Each session varies, though they're mostly focused on celebrating great local beer, with guests from some of your favourite breweries and venues. You can keep an eye on what's to come over at Ale of a Time's Facebook page. We've had an on-couch tasting party with New Zealand's Behemoth Brewing Co, a sit-down with Sparkke Brewing's Carla Naismith, a cooking class with Casey Wall of Falco Bakery and now a regular beer quiz helmed by The Crafty Pint's Judd Owen, streaming 8.30pm AEST every Sunday. And of course, if you miss any of the live streams, the videos are sticking around on YouTube for you to view any time you like. Hooked and want more? Jump on the mailing list for links to the post-video after-parties. Top image: Kate Shanasy
Last week, rapper Kanye West came out with a music video for 'Bound 2', featuring his baby momma, Kim Kardashian. The (unintentionally) hilarious video, which features a nude Kimmy K straddling Kanye on a motorcycle, was too weird to go unnoticed. Thankfully Hollywood prank boys, Seth Rogan and James Franco, came to our satirical rescue with their parody in 'Bound 3'. As the story goes, the duo had some time to kill on the set of their new flick, The Interview. So what did the duo do when they were bored? Recreate a music video by the most ridiculous celebrity couple in the world. A shot-for-shot re-enactment, their version is a little too accurate. In the video, Franco becomes the multi-flannel wearing Kanye and Rogan embodies Kim, in all her over-the-top sexuality. Just like in the original, an au natural Rogan straddles Franco, wind in his (chest) hair and all. After the two-minute mark, yes, is the big kiss. Get ready for the most hysterically awkward love scene ever. Via The Daily Beast.
SOPA and PIPA are two bold acronyms have been flashed consistently over media channels for the past few days, and yet many of us have little to no idea what they actually mean for us as global citizens. The Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect Intellectual Property Act are two bills that are currently being discussed in Congress in the United States. As their names suggest, these bills attempt to prevent piracy by granting Intellectual Property owners greater powers against copyright-infringing websites. It does this by attacking a website's appearance on search engines and hyperlinking through other websites, as well as its advertising and payment methods, which largely fall within the country's jurisdiction. This is an attempt by the US government to gain some substantial control on foreign websites which have transgressed legal boundaries rapidly. Piracy and online media sharing have completely overturned traditional revenue streams within the music and film industry, and this is why such legislation is receiving so much support from major labels and companies within these arenas. However, many argue that these bills are a great threat to free speech and innovation, as the Internet has become the greatest forum for global communication and access to information. Therefore, they are seen as a direct threat to the democratic ideals which underpin our society. Indeed, how are larger websites going to ensure that none of their content is hyperlinked to another website that supposedly breaches the bills? Unsurprisingly, many of the world's largest and most influential websites have expressed concern over the SOPA and PIPA propositions. Here are some of our favourite online reactions to the world's most controversial bills. Wikipedia Blackout The world's most useful website shocked users when it underwent a blackout for 24 hours. A link on Wikipedia has highlighted the mammoth effect of this relatively short shutdown, as it became the subject of 7,200 articles on Google News. Furthermore, SOPA has accounted for 250,000 tweets every hour after the blackout began. Indeed, Wikipedia have highlighted how this United States legislation will have an enormous global effect. It is estimated that a further 7,000 to 10,000 websites also jumped in on the blackout bandwagon. Buzzfeed's "25 Angry Kids Who Can't Do Their Homework Because of the Wikipedia Blackout" Wikipedia has become a mandatory initial source of information for pretty much any topic in life, and nothing highlights this more than this great compilation from the guys over at Buzzfeed. Collecting the tweets of numerous pissed off primary schoolers and teens, this is a nice summary of how we all felt when we couldn't extract some basic facts from our favourite online encyclopedia. Highlights include a tweet from @JetSetAmbee_, which reads "I'm tryna tell y'all if they take away Wikipedia, I'm gonna fail hella classes. No bullshit." Google's Censored Logo By now we're all used to Google's themed banners, but this time it wasn't as cute as the Christmas cartoons we usually see wrapped around the logo every year. In support of the claims that these bills would effectively amount to a censorship of the World Wide Web, the logo's familiar colourful letters were hidden behind a black bar that had been slapped on top. They say a picture tells a thousand words, and this definitely made its point. David Drummond of Google explained the dangers of SOPA and PIPA in this blog post. Free Bieber This website is actually about S. 978, another bill concerning copyright, but it has gained further attention in wake of the SOPA and PIPA bills. It argues that if it is passed, someone as harmless as Justin Bieber could go to jail because he initially gained fame through uploading YouTube videos of himself singing copyrighted tracks. A banner of the website proclaims that "Justin faces 5 brutal years in prison." You can even purchase Free Bieber t-shirts and stickers, and also fake tattoos that should be applied on your face and/or neck for that true inmate feel. Behind all the laughs there is an online petition for you to stop these bills. CloudFare's Stop Censorship App This app is to be added to your own personal website, and censors every word that is longer than five letters upon initial visit from a browser. As you can probably imagine, this makes for a very frustrating experience. When you click on a censored word a pop-up box appears which tells you about the effects of SOPA and PIPA. From there, the box allows you to tweet about it or even get the contact details of your local Senator to lodge a complaint. Furthermore, this app only takes under a minute to take effect on your site. Update: SOPA shelved
William Dobell had pretty much a full-on nervous breakdown as a result of a court case challenging the validity of his being awarded the 1943 Archibald Prize on the grounds that his Portrait of an Artist (Joshua Smith) was actually a caricature. He was fairly effectively vindicated during his lifetime by having his prize upheld and going on to receive a bunch of other awards and accolades, including a knighthood and an OBE. But it was those very elements of his style that got him into the whole lawsuit mess, that have set him up as the guy who has his name on Australia's best-known drawing prize. Established by the Sir William Dobell Foundation in 1993, the Dobell Prize is open to any Australian artist, and by not setting parameters for what it regards as a drawing has proven a valuable investigation of the state and nature of what a drawing is and can be. It's an acquisitive prize, meaning that whoever wins not only gets $25,000 but also has their work added to the Art Gallery of NSW's collection. The Prize is judged by a significant Australian artist, this year Guy Warren, and the winner will be announced on December 2. Image: Suzanne Archer Derangement (detail) © the artist. Winner of the Dobell Prize for Drawing 2010.
If you spent a few days this winter attending a Twin Peaks-inspired ball and seeing a giant teddy bear with laser eyes — watching a stunning new take on Dante's classic examination of hell, purgatory and paradise, too — then you went to Dark Mofo's 2023 run. Organised by Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art, the winter arts festival fills Hobart with all manner of weird and wild surprises every year. In 2024, however, it's pausing its usual sprawling event to plan for the future. The fest's team has announced that it'll largely sit out next year, after celebrating its tenth year this year. Apart from its beloved Winter Feast and Nude Solstice Swim, Dark Mofo will take a break in 2024 in order to work out what the next decade looks like for the fest. "Dark Mofo has always been dedicated to enriching and transforming lives through ambitious art and ideas. We want to make sure that we have a festival that continues to deliver incredible art and artists, that continues to expand its artistic boundaries and remains a beacon of creativity, innovation and cultural significance," said Dark Mofo Artistic Director Chris Twite. "While this was a tough decision, it ensures we move forward in a viable manner. The fallow year will enable us to secure the future of Dark Mofo and its return at full force in 2025." The moves comes after a hit year that saw Dark Mofo smash it with attendances and at the box office — notching up record figures, in fact. Despite the most event's success, the crew behind it will now work towards "a more sustainable model for a full return in 2025, and set the foundation for the next ten years", taking rising costs and other changing elements into consideration. So, no full Dark Mofo is the not-so-great development for your winter 2024 plans. That the culinary-focused Winter Feast and the frosty Nude Solstice Swim will still take place next year even without the broader festival around it is better news. "We are excited that in June 2024 — amidst the rebirth and renewal of Dark Mofo — that Tasmanians and visitors alike will still be able to meet and commune around the fires of Winter Feast and cast off the weight of another year at the Nude Solstice Swim once more," said Twite. This year's Winter Feast was headlined by Chef's Table alum Ana Roš from two-Michelin-starred Hiša Franko, cooking up fare inspired by her homeland but made with Tasmania's top seasonal produce with help from The Agrarian Kitchen's Stephen Peak and Rodney Dunn. Exact details for the 2024 food-centric event, and for the next chance to bare all and brave the cold while taking a dip, are yet to be announced. Dark Mofo won't take place in 2024 — apart from the Winter Feast and Nude Solstice Swim — with plans to return in full from 2025 onwards in Hobart, Tasmania instead. Head to the festival's website for further details. Winter feast images: Jesse Hunniford, 2023, courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023. Nude Solstice Swim images: Rémi Chauvin, 2023, courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023.
True-crime stories have saturated all forms of media of late. If you're not listening to podcasts on the topic, you're watching Zac Efron play Ted Bundy, exploring the intersection of fact and fiction in Mindhunter or poring over a TV series about Serial's Adnan Syed. But despite the seemingly never-ending list of new additions to the genre, we're betting you haven't yet witnessed anything quite like Joe Exotic's story, which is the subject of Netflix's new Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness docuseries. Clearly, Joe Exotic isn't the name that the show's mullet-wearing focal point was born with. But given Joe's love of big cats and line of work — and, based on the series' just-dropped trailer, his over-sized personality — he obviously decided that the moniker fit. Between 1999–2016, he created and ran The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, which was home to hundreds of tigers, lions and other large felines. Joe also took his tiger show on the road and, because he just adored tigers so much, he literally sang about them as well. His first country music album was called I Saw a Tiger, because of course it was. He found time to run for Governor of the state and, in 2016, President of the US. He was fond of guns and just as fond of marrying more than one person at once. Oh, and the zookeeper tried to hire a hitman to get one of his rivals — Big Cat Rescue animal sanctuary's CEO Carole Baskin — killed. Lions, tigers, eccentricity, polygamy and murder-for-hire, oh my! That's the tale that Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness — and yes, it's so strange that it can only be true. It's no wonder that Netflix has turned it into a series, which drops on Friday, March 20. And it's just as unsurprising that the folks behind last year's must-see doco Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened are behind it. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acTdxsoa428 Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness hits Netflix on Friday, March 20. Images: Netflix
Almost two months has passed since Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness first hit Netflix, sparking a worldwide obsession with Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin and the duo's strange intertwined story. Over that time, Tiger King-related news has just kept coming, including details about competing dramatised series — one with Kate McKinnon as Baskin, another with Nicolas Cage as Exotic. And now, in a hardly surprising development, another season of the Tiger King docuseries is also reportedly on the way. As revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix is reteaming with the filmmakers behind the popular documentary. This time, though, they're turning their attention to a different big cat-related tale. Audiences are already going to be hearing about Joe Exotic and his blonde mullet in various guises for years and years to come, so the next Tiger King series will focus elsewhere: on the 2003 mauling attack at a Siegfried and Roy show. The incident happened in Las Vegas on Roy Horn's birthday, when a seven-year-old white tiger named Montecore attacked Roy during a performance. It left the magician and entertainer with permanent injuries, with the tiger biting his neck and dragging him off stage. The news comes just days after Horn passed away on May 8 at the age of 75. [caption id="attachment_770551" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Carol M Highsmith via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] No firm details have been announced by Netflix as yet, so when more Tiger King might hit your streaming queue isn't yet known. And yes, it's likely that wild documentaries about tigers, as well as other big cats and exotic animals, will become the next big viewing trend. Via The Hollywood Reporter. Top image: Netflix.
When Disney+ made its way into the world back in 2019, it gave viewers — including folks in Australia and New Zealand — access to a huge range of Disney, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic movies and shows. What it didn't do is bring Hulu, which the Mouse House owns the majority stake in, to audiences Down Under. And, with Disney+ focused on family-friendly fare, it didn't deliver the kinds of series and films that Hulu screens, either. Hulu still isn't heading our way. But, come Tuesday, February 23, Disney+ is expanding to include a new section that's basically an international equivalent of Hulu. It's called Star and, when it was first announced late in 2020, film and TV fans were advised that it'd screen "an additional 1000 unique titles... in the first year". Wondering exactly what that'll include? Well, now Disney has revealed which series and flicks will be available when Star launches. Prepare to add 159 TV series and 447 movies to your streaming options — with four of those television shows falling into the 'Star Originals' category, meaning that they'll be brand new to viewers Down Under. Three of the four newbies are Hulu shows, too, so if you've been wanting to watch Love, Victor (the spinoff from 2018 movie Love, Simon), Helstrom (which forms part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) or Solar Opposites (an animated sitcom co-created by Rick and Morty's Justin Roiland), then you'll be able to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh-IaEaEdE0 From Star's big list of classics, plenty of titles stand out. Among the film selection, you'll find the Alien, Planet of the Apes, Die Hard and Omen franchises, plus the Predator and Taken flicks as well. And, you can also pick between older movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Fly, Never Been Kissed, Office Space, Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge, or more recent fare such as Black Swan, Eddie the Eagle, Logan, The Favourite and Jojo Rabbit. A heap of Wes Anderson films, including Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, are also featured. On the television front, you'll be able to binge your way through every episode of Angel, Alias, 24, Felicity, Firefly and Glee — or opt for New Girl, Prison Break, Scandal and The X-Files instead. The list goes on and, like the existing Disney+ range, you'll find a hefty focus on older shows over new titles. Star draws upon Disney's studios, such as Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, 20th Television and Touchstone. And it doesn't everything that Hulu does, because plenty of Hulu's series and films pop up elsewhere Down Under — like The Handmaid's Tale, for instance. That said, it's safe to expect that some of the rights deals that deliver Hulu content to other networks and streaming platforms in Australia and might change after Star's hits, moving where you can catch certain flicks and programs in the process. As you might've already guessed, Disney+'s expansion to include Star comes with a price increase. Australian subscriptions will go up to AU$11.99 per month or AU$119.99 per year, while New Zealand subscriptions will go up to NZ$12.99 per month and $129.99 per year. If you're already a subscriber, the new price won't kick in for six months, though — so whenever your next renewal hits after August 22. Star joins Disney+ in Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, February 23, with Disney+ subscriptions costing AU$11.99 and NZ$12.99 per month or AU$119.99 and NZ$129.99 per year from that date.
Well, folks, the game is up. It turns out Transport for NSW had us all fooled when it announced the winner of last year's public ferry-naming competition, giving the honour to Ferry McFerryface as the most popular submission. But, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald today, the whole thing was cooked. The name Ferry McFerryface actually scored just 182 votes in the 15,000-participant survey and only won top spot because it was the favourite of Transport Minister Andrew Constance. Plenty less comical names were snubbed in the process, including that of Clean Up Australia founder Ian Kiernan, who nabbed 2000 votes and was told the boat would be named after him, only to have the minister change his mind. The ferry — which has been on the harbour since December — will now be renamed after another strong contender in the original competition, late children's author and illustrator May Gibbs. She's the talent behind those iconic Gumnut Babies characters and classic titles you would have read as a kid like the Snugglepot and Cuddlepie series. Let's hope some of that wholesome, honest energy rubs off on Mr Constance. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
It's time once more for REMIX Sydney Summit 2017, a global event bringing together some of the foremost thinkers on the intersection of culture, technology and entrepreneurship. Hosted in New York City, London and Sydney, the two-day Australian leg of the event runs from 7–8 December and features keynote speakers, panel discussions, masterclasses, debates and more. The inspiring summit hosts more than 100 creative visionaries from many of the world's leading cultural institutions, innovative start-ups and media organisations. And you'll hear from the best of the best with Burning Man CEO Marian Goodell headlining the 2017 event. Leaders from trendsetters such as Disney, NASA, Lonely Planet, Samsung, National Geographic and many more will also be in attendance. You'll be able to hear from us, too, when CP founder Rich Fogarty takes the stage to discuss Future Tourism. Fogarty and a panel of fellow tourism experts — including prominent speakers from Airbnb and the Sydney Opera House — will examine technology's impact on tourism (hello, Instagram), profile the modern traveller and discuss what the rising anti-tourist sentiment means for local businesses and cities. To celebrate REMIX Sydney Summit 2017, we're giving away a two-day pass. To enter, head to our competition page. We're also offering a special discount for Concrete Playground readers – head to the REMIX website and enter 'concrete25' to save 25 percent on this year's event. Below, we've picked out five of our favourite REMIX Summit events that'll inspire you to change the world for the better. RE-INVENTING CULTURAL EXPERIENCES FOR A DIGITAL AGE The theatre may be steeped in millennia worth of tradition, but organisations such as the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) are working on bringing the art form into the 21st century and beyond. Talking enhancing physical space with digital tech, inventive collaborations and how to attract new theatre lovers, RSC Director of Digital Development Sarah Ellis will take the main stage at REMIX. As technology has become increasingly embedded in society, Ellis will discuss how the theatre company is working with technology leaders – namely The Imaginarium Studios and Intel – to interact with modern day audiences. One recent example is the RSC's 2016 production of The Tempest, where motion-capture technology – similar to that used in cinema – was used to project lifelike animated characters onto the stage that interacted in real time with the show's actors. Main Stage: 9.45am Thursday, December 7 INCUBATING IDEAS — NEW INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES It's no secret that making it in the arts industry is difficult. This panel discussion looks at how cultural organisations can team up with technology companies to bring new life to age-old ideas. Considering co-working spaces, start-ups and business accelerators, the panellists will discuss how forming partnerships with technology companies can lead to groundbreaking models that promote investment in and support of the arts. The expert speakers — including The Studio CEO Chantal Abouchar, founding curator of Vivid Ideas, Jess Scully and CEO of Create NSW Michael Brealey — will look at global examples of these partnerships. They'll discuss New Museum's innovative cultural incubator in NYC, The Fish Island Labs, at London's The Barbican, which help kickstart artists' careers using tech, and ACMI X, a creative co-working space in Melbourne. Remix Academy: 10am Thursday, December 7 LONELY PLANET: A TALE OF REINVENTION Not too many under 30s can say they are the CEO of anything – let alone the world's largest travel book publisher – but that's exactly what Lonely Planet's Daniel Houghton is. Graduating from photojournalism at Western Kentucky University in only 2010, Houghton set up a small marketing agency while photographing weddings to pay the bills. When one of Houghton's video productions captured the eye of American billionaire and Lonely Planet owner, Brad Kelley – Houghton was hired as CEO and thrust into the cutthroat world of publishing. With publishing being one of the more volatile industries in recent times, Houghton will discuss how the famous travel book publisher revamped itself on numerous platforms, using creative collaborations and evocative multimedia projects to relaunch itself to the forefront of the modern media landscape. Main Stage: 10am Friday, December 8 NEW HORIZONS: TECHNOLOGY AND STORYTELLING Storytelling has become much more than just books or films. Once fringe mediums, YouTube, video games, podcasts and virtual reality are now mainstream. As the confines of storytelling are rapidly changing and the opportunity to share work and find an audience are only becoming more accessible, this panel discussion considers what the emergence of these mediums means for traditional outlets and how technology of the future could impact creation and distribution. The panel for this talk features Toby Coffey, Head of Digital Development for London's National Theatre, which launched an immersive Virtual Reality storytelling studio in 2016; Sarah Ellis, Director of Digital Development for the Royal Shakespeare Company, who have combined motion capture technology with theatre production; and musician Beatie Wolfe, who received widespread acclaim for her world's first '3D interactive album app'. Remix Academy: 9.45am Friday, December 8 [caption id="attachment_646645" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott London[/caption] THE STORY OF BURNING MAN PHENOMENON Burning Man is on the bucket list of most festival lovers – for good reason — because it's now a cultural phenomenon that's virtually peerless. What started out as just a dozen or so friends celebrating the summer solstice on San Francisco's Baker Beach in 1986 has transformed into a desert metropolis housing 70,000 pilgrims annually for a week-long hedonistic festival. Marian Goodell, CEO of Burning Man, heads to REMIX Sydney Summit as the 2017 headline speaker. Here, she'll discuss the rise of Burning Man and her role overseeing the 70-plus year-round employees, getting the most from the festival's $30 million budget and producing the temporary 11-square-kilometre city. Marion first attended Burning Man in 1995 and became involved on the organisational side of things in 1997 – eventually being appointed CEO in 2014. Since then, she's expanded Burning Man's network to 250 representatives in 30 countries and has lead the effort to communicate the festival's ethos worldwide. Main Stage:4.15pm Friday, December 8
Home to raindrop cakes, Nutella gyoza and salted caramel gyoza, Harajuku Gyoza clearly likes getting creative with its sweet treats. The chain is fond of trying out new things with its savouring dumpling range, too, as its experiment with mac 'n' cheese and pepperoni pizza versions showed — but it obviously has a soft spot for the kind of desserts you won't find on any old menu. From Thursday, April 1, the Australian gyoza brand is serving up a new menu item that turns marshmallows into gyoza. You'll find them stuffed inside each dumpling, and also sprinkled on top. And, if your stomach isn't already rumbling, they'll come dusted with icing sugar and paired with Nutella sauce as well. The fried and crispy marshmallow gyoza are joining the chain's dessert lineup in plates of five, which'll cost you $10. And if you fancy tucking into the new gyoza after devouring two old favourites — cheeseburger gyoza, which is stuffed with burger pieces, aged cheddar, onion, pickles, mustard and tomato sauce; and mozzarella gyoza, which is filled with the obvious, then deep-fried and sprinkled with Twisties salt — that's up to you. Harajuku Gyoza's marshmallow gyoza will be available at all Australian stores — at Darling Harbour in Sydney; at South Bank and the CBD in Brisbane; and in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast — from Thursday, April 1.
The single greatest cult film this side of The Rocky Horror Picture Show screens at the Hayden Orpheum for a monthly late-night engagement. Described by critics as "the Citizen Kane of Bad Movies", with one critic comparing the film to "being stabbed in the head", Tommy Wiseau's The Room is an indescribable mess of plot holes, non-sequiturs, blurry camerawork and soft-core sex scenes, topped off by some of worst performances ever put to film. So naturally, we're recommending you go and see it. Of course, the truth is that no one really sees this movie. Rather, they experience it. Screenings of The Room are fully interactive, with audience members screaming lines of dialogue, dressing up like their favourite characters and hurling plastic spoons at the screen. This behaviour is actively encouraged by The Orpheum — in fact, they'll even be providing cutlery at the door. The cinema bar will be open ahead of each screening, something you should probably take full advantage of.
As a coffee-conscious Sydneysider, you may have noticed a new beverage popping up on your radar. Perhaps you’ve seen it served somewhere, read about it online, or maybe you’re one of the early adopters who's tried it. Either way, bulletproof coffee has come to town, and odds are we haven't reached peak bulletproof yet. Of course, this new trend brings with it the usual questions of what it is, why it is and where can you get it, so we’re here to break it down and shine the caffeinated light of learning on the matter. WHAT IS BULLETPROOF COFFEE? In essence, bulletproof coffee is a mixture of black coffee, grass-fed butter and medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). In most cases, the MCT used will be a virgin coconut oil or something remarkably similar. The idea is to get all three of these ingredients, blitz them up and drink it instead of breakfast and it will leave you feeling full, energised and focused in a way that a normal breakfast usually wouldn’t. The fervent mixing of the ingredients is absolutely paramount, in order to stop the fats that are so abundant in both butter and coconut oil from separating from the brew, rising to the top and forming a layer that looks a lot like soup-skin's evil older brother. What you’re left with is a rich and creamy morning cup of Joe that feels like an oil slick going down the gullet but keeps you going for hours. WHY IS BULLETPROOF COFFEE? The idea of blending butter into hot drinks is not a new one. In fact, the guy behind the bulletproof coffee movement, Dave Asprey, claims to have thought the idea up after sipping on a yak’s milk tea in Tibet. But this new, urbanised combo brings a little more science to the party. Bulletproof coffee is the offspring of the Paleo diet, which essentially encourages you to cram as many saturated fats into your body as possible. For those unfamiliar with the term, the idea is to eat as close to the diet of prehistoric man as possible, which means fats, fats and more fats, but not many carbs. So, the thought process goes that by giving your body its coffee kickstart with a dose of energy-dense saturated fat and MCTs, the caffeine will be absorbed slower by the body and thus give a lasting ‘high’. Plus, the fats will leaving you feeling full and negate the need for breakfast. The effects touted by aficionados of the trend include both high energy, increased brain function and weight loss, all of which is backed by a load of anecdotal evidence. Given this, it’s easy to see why health-conscious people around the world are getting in on going bulletproof. However, there isn’t a whole lot of science to back it up. In theory, the high-energy part of the equation should work, and the increased focus should be provided by the extended caffeine high. There is also some research that shows that MCTs can help to burn fats in the body, too. But it’s a tenuous link. A study conducted at Oxford Brookes University shows that, while MCTs bypass the adipose system that encourages fat absorption and thus helps burn fat, it doesn’t exactly help to boost energy and performance. Plus, the icing on the cake is that by drinking your bulletproof coffee first thing in the morning, you’re skipping a highly nutritious meal that provides energy and essential nutrients that the body needs to survive. So, while you may get the energy kick you might need in the morning, and make it last, drinking bulletproof does forgo a slew of health benefits. WHERE IS BULLETPROOF COFFEE? There are a couple of places in Sydney that are starting to sell bulletproof coffee on the regular, mostly in the eastern suburbs. Rubys Diner in Queen’s Park are knocking one up daily, and are more than happy to chat about the benefits of the brew. So too are the Paleo Cafe in Bondi Junction who can provide a whole mess of information regarding living life to the Paleo standard. Alternatively, you can source your own coffee, coconut oil and grass-fed butter and do it yourself, following Dave Asprey’s recipe. THE LAST WORD All in all, bulletproof coffee is not designed to be sipped like a latte at your local cafe in the Sydney sunshine. It’s a health drink that is purported to give an energy kick and promote weight loss when consumed correctly. As such, it’s important to be informed of the trend, and not go all-guns-blazing into a frenzy of sucking back on the fattened java that’s becoming more readily available around town. For now, I’ll be sticking with my strong flat whites.
What's a Full Moon Crab Feast? It's a crustacean feast that's only happening on, you guessed it, full moon nights. There's a lot of debate about whether or not the best crab eating is during a full moon. We say, who cares? There's no reason to complain if you're chowing down on northern mud crab and Queensland spanner crab with one of Sydney's most beautiful ocean views. The two-course menu features boiled claws with spicy aioli; polenta croquettes; freshly cracked crab with chilli, saffron and olive; and sides like steamed potatoes, roasted crab oil and herbs. Yummy. Park yourself at the bar and enjoy the best of Australia's seafood. Don't wear white.
Now streaming on Disney+, Moon Knight arrives as the latest chapter in a seemingly non-stop franchise that's near monopolised popular culture over the past decade and a half. The newest episodic series to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it adds yet another tale to the saga's ever-expanding web of superhero stories — this time focusing on a character first seen on the page back in the 70s; hardly as well-known as the likes of Iron Man, the Hulk, Captain America, Thor and Captain Marvel; and otherwise wholly unseen in the MCU so far. Moon Knight also starts unfurling as the latest instalment in another trend. For the second time in less than a year, Oscar Isaac stars in a must-see streaming series. In cinemas in-between, he's also added Dune and The Card Counter to his resume, too, because the compulsively watchable actor pinballs between projects vast and intimate — and between blockbusters and character-driven pieces. His two most recent small-screen projects couldn't demonstrate that chasm better, although Moon Knight has more in common with 2021's Scenes From a Marriage than it might initially seem. Or, to be accurate, it boasts one very specific and important shared trait: it wouldn't be what it is without Isaac's magnetic performance. Make that performances. The setup: in this six-episode miniseries, Isaac plays Steven Grant and Marc Spector. They're one and the same due to a case of dissociative identity disorder, although this is news to mild-mannered British gift-shop employee Steven. Usually, he wishes that he could lead tours at work, obsesses over studying Egyptian history and, thanks to a sleeping disorder, chains himself to his bed at night. But as gaps in his days lead him to learn, he is also American mercenary Marc Spector — or, to be exact, vice versa. Complicating matters further, he's the on-earth conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu (voiced by Mythic Quest's F Murray Abraham) as well. Already struggling with being able to tell the difference between being awake and asleep, Steven's role as the moon god's offsider is a source of stress, unsurprisingly — especially with shadowy cult-like figure Arthur Harrow (Ethan Hawke, The Good Lord Bird) hanging around. Character-wise, the Steven/Marc combo swiftly proves as complex as the MCU has delivered so far in Moon Knight's first four episodes, as deepened even further during a continent-hopping mystery-adventure that has him doing Khonshu's bidding. That's where Harrow comes in, complete with unfinished business with the moon god and big plans of his own. Archaeologist Layla El-Faouly (May Calamawy, Ramy) also adds another layer, sporting ties to Marc's past that Steven is initially unaware of, and sparking a patch of romantic rivalry. Even within franchise confines, Isaac is mesmerising playing duelling dual personalities in Moon Knight, turning in the kind of portrayal that the MCU has been lacking. It isn't known as an actor's showcase, which is why even this far in — 27 movies and now six Disney+ series — the sprawling saga's standout performances make a splash bigger than throwing mjölnir into an ocean. It's what made Tom Hiddleston a hit in his big-screen outings, and also in fellow streaming show Loki. Also on the small screen, the greater texture served up by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, and the scene-stealing perfection of Kathryn Hahn as well, ensured that WandaVision left an imprint, too. Isaac bests them all; while Marvel's knack for casting has long been one of its superpowers — even with simply entertaining rather than necessarily meaty performances resulting — it flexes those talents magnificently in Moon Knight. Indeed, it's as shrewd a casting move as has been made to-date in this pop-culture behemoth. The fact that Moon Knight also tasks Isaac with playing someone that film and TV fans aren't already acquainted with is also pivotal. Welcomely, the Marvel formula feels fresher here. The series still spins an origin story, and will undoubtedly tie into the broader narrative to come. It also often falls back on a template between daring to be stranger and weirder. And yet, by branching off with a previously unseen protagonist, this is the first MCU Disney+ series that doesn't feel like homework. That isn't a slight upon WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki and Hawkeye, but recognition that reaching in new directions reaps considerable rewards. Moon Knight doesn't lack in star power, of course — there's a reason that Isaac is rarely seen suited up with his face covered, Hawke is also fantastic, and they bounce off of each other compellingly — but it hasn't enlisted its big-name MCU newcomers to merely go through the by-the-numbers motions. Similarly leaving an impression: having Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Diab (Clash) direct four episodes, and getting American sci-fi/horror wunderkinds Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Synchronic, The Endless, Archive 81) to helm the other two. Both help ensure that Moon Knight's biggest thrills come from its best asset, especially given that he's doing double duty in a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde-style premise — and the scenes where Steven and Marc bicker with each other about who gets to control their shared body (which happens via reflective surfaces such as mirrors and puddles, and are shot with not just flair but boldness), are the show's clear highlights. The Indiana Jones nods, and the swings in The Mummy's direction, are clunkier, but the end product is still easily the most intriguing small-screen Marvel effort so far. Actually, when Moon Knight does ultimately end up overtly linking into the MCU in its final two episodes — and if it smoothes itself down in the process — that'll feel like a let down. Check out the trailer for Moon Knight below: The first episode of Moon Knight is available to stream via Disney+, with new instalments dropping weekly. Images: courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
In a normal year, the five movies that comprise Small Axe would've likely screened in cinemas, and would be in the running for a heap of the film industry's shiniest trophies as a result. The entire quintet is directed by Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave and Widows filmmaker Steve McQueen, and every entry is as phenomenal as anything he has ever made. Given his resume, that isn't a statement we make lightly. The focus: the treatment of London's West Indian population from the 60s through until the 80s, with the series of films exploring the racist behaviour directed their way and the methods in which the community waged their resistance. The powerful Mangrove gets the series started, bringing a potent true tale to the screen with a cast that includes Black Panther's Letitia Wright — and, although it is excellent, so is the dance party-set Lovers Rock, the John Boyega-starring Red, White and Blue, biopic Alex Wheatle and the school-focused Education.
Everyone has their Christmas viewing rituals, whether you watch your way through every Home Alone movie each year (yes, even the recent one), pop on It's a Wonderful Life with the family after a big lunch or prefer saying yippee ki-yay to Die Hard. Until recently, however, it's likely that watching Australian festive flicks wasn't high on your list, given this country of ours doesn't have all that much seasonal fare to its name. Back in 2020, streaming service Stan aimed to help change that with A Sunburnt Christmas, a festive caper about a criminal, some kids and end-of-year hijinks — aka Australia's answer to Home Alone and Bad Santa, in a way. In 2022, the platform is set to add another homegrown title to its catalogue sometime before Christmas hits, too. Given it stars Miranda Tapsell and Matt Okine, it looks worth a watch based on its cast alone. [caption id="attachment_700158" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Top End Wedding[/caption] Christmas Ransom stars Okine (The Other Guy) as every kid's second-favourite person during festive season: the owner of a toy store. Things aren't too merry for his character, however, when his shop is held up by thieves on Christmas Eve. And yes, as the name makes plain, he's held for ransom. These kinds of Christmas movies usually involve children, whether or not they turn them into Macaulay Culkin-level stars — so obviously a couple of kids get caught up in the heist. To save the day, they enlist the help of Tapsell (Top End Wedding), who plays a pregnant security officer. Announcing the film, Stan notes that it's inspired by Home Alone, Die Hard and Elf. If you've ever seen just one Christmas flick for even just a few minutes, you will have spotted plenty that's predictable about the setup. Alongside Tapsell and Okine, Christmas Ransom stars Ed Oxenbould (Wildlife), Genevieve Lemon (The Tourist), Bridie McKim (Bump), Evan Stanhope (Thor: Love and Thunder), Tahlia Sturzaker (Ascendant) and Chai Hansen (The Newsreader) — and boasts Adele Vuko (Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am) in the director's chair. Add it to your festive viewing alongside this year's other big Aussie Christmas film, if it also surfaces in time: the upcoming movie based on Paul Christmas classic 'How to Make Gravy'. Otherwise, this newcomer will join the likes of A Sunburnt Christmas; Bush Christmas, both the 1947 and 1983 versions; the animated Around the World with Dot; and recent-ish horror movies Red Christmas and Better Watch Out — the latter also featuring Oxenbould. Christmas Ransom will be available to stream via Stan sometime this festive season — we'll update you with an exact date when one is announced.
UPDATE, April 1, 2021: The Little Things is currently screening in Australian cinemas — and it's also available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and Amazon Video. Before you've even seen a single frame of a film, much can sometimes be gleaned by merely knowing who's in it — if they've been cast to type. The Little Things features Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto, which means it can brag that it stars three Oscar winners, as its trailer does. The movie has also happily deployed its trio of main players exactly as you'd expect. So, adding yet another cop to his resume, Washington plays unflinchingly dedicated and determined, as well as a character who's far from perfect. Malek has a much shorter acting history, but once again combines the blend of awkwardness and meticulousness that seeped from his pores over four seasons of Mr Robot. As for Leto, he's asked to mine not just his recent cinematic past, but also his overall status in popular culture. From his overcooked take on the Joker in Suicide Squad to the misplaced swagger that's defined his off-screen persona and his rock stardom with Thirty Seconds to Mars, he's hardly widely beloved. The Little Things wants everyone watching to remember that, and perhaps to even stoke the flames of their existing Leto hatred. Washington's Joe 'Deke' Deacon was once a well-admired Los Angeles detective; however, when The Little Things begins, he's a deputy sheriff in Kern County. His current and former colleagues all see that shift as a step down, but he's just as dogged in his new job — and, when he's reluctantly sent back to LA to collect evidence for an important trial, then gets brought in on a new serial killer case by Malek's hotshot newcomer Jim Baxter while he's hanging about, he's downright unrelenting. A number of women have been found murdered, and in gruesome circumstances. Baxter doesn't realise it, but the details prove familiar to Deke from years earlier. As the pair's new investigation leads them to repair store employee Albert Sparma (Leto), neither Deke nor Baxter is willing to rest until they solve the case. Off-putting and unpleasant from the moment he's first seen, the creepy, possibly psychotic Sparma likes being seen as a suspect, though, and enjoys toying with the men following him. So far in 2021's awards season, Leto has been nominated for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his greasy-haired turn as Sparma, and it's near-impossible to fathom why. Tasked with an overtly and explicitly unlikeable part, he simply leans in, makes the most obvious of choices he possible can and relishes the dismay he seems to already sense coming his way. He's so over-the-top that he's just operating in the same one-note register that plagued his work in Suicide Squad (and, presumably, is about to be witnessed again in the new four-hour version of Justice League). There are exactly two notable elements to Leto's performance in The Little Things, and neither do him any favours. Firstly, everyone with abhorrence already pumping through their veins whenever he pops up in a film will feel not just comfortable about but justified in having made that choice. Secondly, Leto plays such a caricature with such forceful commitment and utter lack of subtlety that it makes his fellow big-name co-stars look positively rich and nuanced in comparison. Neither Washington and Malek will add another statuette to their mantles for their efforts in The Little Things, but the film is at its best when it lets the pair share a scene (and to do so without Leto). More than just bringing a stock-standard chalk-and-cheese pairing to the screen, they infuse Deke and Baxter's dynamic with texture — demonstrating the similarities between the two men as much as the differences, which gives the characters' working relationship far more liveliness than it might've boasted otherwise. As written and directed by The Blindside's John Lee Hancock, The Little Things doesn't gloss over either cop's flaws, but it mightn't have interrogated them to the same extent if they'd been played by other actors. And, when the storyline takes its two detectives into murky territory — with Deke haunted by past choices from the feature's first moments, and Baxter destined to follow him despite his clear conscientiousness — it might've rung hollow without Washington and Malek to sell the specifically required blend of bleakness, ambiguity and inevitability. If it was easy to predict how Hancock was going to use his three stars before even watching the movie, it's just as easy to see how their on-screen fates encapsulate the film. When The Little Things is great, it does more than just hit its blatant marks. When it's terrible, it's grating to the point of being futile. For most of its running time, it sits in the middle, and in the shadow of far better police procedurals. Zodiac, this isn't, for instance — but there's no doubting that masterpiece's influence here, or the similar imprint made by cop flicks from the 90s, when The Little Things is set. Hancock actually wrote his screenplay three decades ago, so it predates David Fincher's multiple entries into the serial killer genre and many of the other movies it now seems to ape, but the passage of time has proven a double-edged sword. If the film had reached cinemas back then, it might've been able to carve itself a distinctive niche or at least felt like part of a pack. Now, it mainly reminds viewers that better pictures exist, and have for some time. Still, as well as Washington and Malek's memorable-enough performances, this moodily shot affair does tick another welcome box. As seen through the era-appropriate absence of mobile phones, the time spent stepping through traditional detective methods, the weight of investigating tough cases, and the fallout from making both wrong and right decisions, The Little Things revels in the physical and emotional labour of chasing a killer. That's not enough to make up for its generally routine feel, of course, but it makes the audience follow the title's advice and value the smallest of highlights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HZAnkxdYuA
In 2007, Dublin-born writer-director John Carney released his low-budget indie musical Once to widespread critical acclaim. Seven years later he returns to the genre with Begin Again, a similarly plotted follow-up, just with a far bigger budget and cast. The additional gloss and star power runs somewhat contrary to the film's subject matter, about two unlikely collaborators making music on the cheap. Still, with leads this charismatic, it's difficult to go wrong. In a role that recalls his likeable loser persona from The Kids Are Alright, Mark Ruffalo plays washed-up New York record executive Dan. Once a successful music producer, he's long become disillusioned with the biz, pissing off everyone who matters and getting fired from the company he helped found. His personal life is in a similar state of disarray — when you need to borrow beer money from your teenage daughter (Hailee Steinfeld), it's a sign that things aren't exactly going great. While drowning his sorrows in a bar in the East Village, Dan hears a melancholy performance from Gretta (Keira Knightley), who we soon learn is the recently ditched girlfriend of up-and-coming British pop-star Dave Kohl (played in a fun, self-deprecating turn by Maroon 5 front-man Adam Levine). Convinced that she's got what it takes, Dan approaches Greta with a record deal. The catch is that neither of them has any money, so they'll have to record it live on the city streets. More than once, there's a sense that Carney wants to have his cake and eat it too. The film is highly critical of the music industry — embodied by Levine's sell-out Kohl — and champions the DIY approach of independent artists for whom music is about a lot more than money. It's a message that felt perfectly suited to the micro-budget Once but seems a little bit at odds with the A-list names and glossy production values found here. Begin Again is also a far perkier film than Carney's previous work, gliding over more serious plot points, such as Dan's apparent alcoholism, with relentless, fairytale positivity. Yet only a cynic would begrudge the film its optimism. Even as you're aware of the script's somewhat hypocritical construction, it's hard not to be won over by its considerable warmth and charm. Ruffalo and Knightley have wonderful chemistry, and the fruits of their partnership are a joy to hear come to life. The songs, like the rest of the film, are cutesy but ultimately enjoyable. And who knew Knightley could sing? https://youtube.com/watch?v=zqRL2dY5-us
Regular riders along the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway will be familiar with the stairs located on the northern end of the tracks — specifically, a looming 55-step climb (or slightly more bearable descent) used for route access. To address the bottleneck and assist with accessibility for both cyclists and pedestrians, the state government is building a new ramp and cycleway. With construction on the cycleway set to begin next year, Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes has unveiled the winning design. Created by ASPECT Studios, the design has been created specifically to assist with easier access to the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge while limiting disruption to the parks and pedestrian areas that dwell below the bridge's northern end. "The winning design for the Harbour Bridge ramp will allow people of all ages and ability to ride along our most iconic landmark, making it an accessible and spectacular route for all," said Stokes. Last year, the design competition was narrowed down to two designs and was opened up to the public to collect community feedback. More than 1000 people provided feedback on the shortlisted designs. "My local community has been vocal about the importance of the heritage and amenity of this place, and the need to protect and enhance public space," Member for North Shore Felicity Wilson says. The community will have another chance to provide feedback on the updated designs through the project's portal before construction begins in 2023. The cycleway and access ramp is planned to be completed by 2024. To find out more information about the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Access Program, visit the NSW Government website.
Australia has so much wonderful wilderness that spending a few days trekking up hills and down mountains is something everyone should try at least once. But doing so is not something that anyone should take lightly — from safety steps, to preparing food and drink, to having the ideal gear, being suitably prepared for your journey is a must before heading off. Since 1973, Macpac has been ensuring that both new and experienced hikers get the most out of their overnight treks, all thanks to a range of technical clothing and outdoor gear that can handle any type of climate. So, we teamed up with the brand — in celebration of the opening of its new Adventure Hubs — to help you get properly kitted out and put your plan in place. It's time to go trekking. HIKE AT THE RIGHT TIME It probably doesn't come as much of a surprise, but Australia's weather can be pretty temperamental. So when it comes to overnight hiking, it's important to choose a track that's going to have the right conditions for when you're planning to set off. Throughout the year, many hikes can change dramatically thanks to heavy rain or snow, with some becoming inaccessible altogether. Ensure that you're not caught out in the wrong place at the wrong time by researching exactly where you're heading — and by keeping an eye on the weather forecast so you always have the appropriate gear. Pack this: Less is Less Rain Jacket in women's and men's styles ($329.99) MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT Whenever you set out for an overnight trip into the hills, having a travel plan that you can stick to is the best way to avoid a bad situation. There are plenty of things to consider but, if it's possible, you should seek advice from the local Parks Victoria office or experienced local hikers so that you know what to expect when you arrive. (Plus, this way you may get some hints to some epic sights and views.) But bear in mind that if conditions change and any dangers arise, it's better to scrap the plan and cut your trip short than to keep pushing forward. Also crucial: making sure that you leave a detailed itinerary for someone at home, who can then raise the alarm if you don't return by your expected time. Include where you're going, the route you plan to take and how long you think you'll be gone for. You can also head to the Macpac website to make use of its helpful planning tool. Pack this: Suunto Spartan Sport Watch ($699) TAKE EXTRA FOOD AND WATER — JUST IN CASE More is more when you're heading off on an overnight hike — that is, it's always advisable to take more food and water than you think you'll need. And while packing food can be a bit of a challenge, you'll be thanking yourself if you largely opt for lightweight, dehydrated and non-perishable foods. As a general guide, you'll want to try to consume around 12,500 kilojoules or more per day; for water, it's recommended that you drink 250 millilitres for every 30–45 minutes of hiking. In terms of what to pack, many hikers prefer simple products that are easily stored like muesli bars, oatmeal sachets and basic pasta. But if you're feeling ambitious, here are a host of awesome camp food ideas that you can try if you consider yourself a bit of a chef around the fire. Pack this: Hydration Reservoir 3L ($59.95) PICK YOUR GEAR WISELY Bringing all of the right gear is going to make your overnight hike smoother and more enjoyable — plus, you'll feel like a seasoned adventurer. If you're the forgetful type, pack early and have a checklist of all the things you know you'll need. One thing that people often don't remember is just how useful a headlamp is, especially if you've ever tried cooking in the dark with one hand occupied by a torch. That also means bringing along some spare batteries, while sunscreen, a first aid kit and a paper map are always good ideas as well. Next, you need to consider if the gear you currently own is going to be suited for the climate that you're heading into. Consider upgrading your tent, sleeping bag or winter clothing if you think things might get a little chilly. Many popular hiking destinations also have online packing lists, so checking them out will also help. Pack this: Petzl Headlamp ($59.99) LEAVE NO TRACE Everyone loves Australia's pristine nature, so we all need to work together to keep it that way. Always plan to leave no trace when you go out hiking — that means carrying your rubbish with you and staying respectful of any wildlife you come across. Also, make sure that you're aware of any local camping regulations or environmental concerns in the area. One particular warning to take note of: total fire bans. While everyone wants a campfire when they set up their tent for the night, bans are commonplace across Australia and must be followed. If having a fire is allowed, try to keep it small while also using fire pans or mounds, which help keep the flames safely under control. Pack this: Scarpa Kailash Boots in women's and men's styles ($399.99) DON'T FORGET ENTERTAINMENT If storm clouds roll through and you find yourself stuck in your tent for a few hours, you might find that the conversation becomes a little stale. That's why bringing some light form of entertainment to keep yourself and others occupied never goes amiss. A deck of cards weighs next to nothing and is easy to carry, while paperback books (or a Kindle), magazines and audiobooks are other great ways to pass the time before you can hit the track again. Top image: Visit Victoria.
The Global Mail is a newspaper with a difference. Launched today, the not-for-profit news and features website will offer its readers local and global public interest stories, but will not have any advertisers nor charge its readers. Instead, The Global Mail will be funded in entirety by Wotif.com founder, Graeme Wood, who has committed a minimum of $15 million to the project. At the helm will be former ABC journalist, Monica Attard (pictured), as Editor-in-Chief. She plans on taking a step back from the intensity of everyday news to create a more engaging, informative experience. "I had long viewed, with a degree of envy, the ProPublica model in the US and wanted to build a site here that carried only public interest journalism - no ads, no subscription, no celebrity stories, no spin, funded philanthropically", Attard told The Australian. Attard will lead a team of journalists in Australia and correspondents across Europe, the United States, Asia and Latin America. The site will give up-to-the-minute news nationally and internationally, and promises to deliver stories that speak to the people, tackling issues such as government, business, religion, science, art and culture. It sounds like a much-needed news alternative. Let's just hope that the impartiality remains when the philanthropy inevitably disappears.
How can a hotel take advantage of the social media revolution? 1888, 8hotels' brand-new boutique hotel in Pyrmont, is answering that question with a picture-perfect building that skilfully marries old and new and a host of features for the snap-happy — even a gilt frame hanging from the ceiling for a cheeky selfie, Instagram-friendly walking maps for the area, a free stay offered to anyone with a substantial Instagram following (we're talking 10K+) and a free stay for the guest who takes the best shot of the hotel each month. And "this is only the beginning" says hotel manager Roberto Russo. It's perfectly natural that 1888 should embrace Instagram so enthusiastically, given the amount of care that's gone into the hotel's distinctive aesthetic — it's a thoroughly visual experience. First impressions: the architect and designers have totally respected the original structure (built in 1888, the same year as Kodak launched with a patent for its first box and roll cameras) and capitalised on the pre-existing appeal of its patina-like, distressed brick walls and gargantuan wooden beams. The latter are so beautiful I had to hug one — the splinter I received only adding to the sheer rawthenticity of it all. In the middle of the lobby, an olive tree has been planted to represent the hotel's heart, and it has plenty of space to grow upwards into the five-storey atrium with its fancy glass elevators. The ethos of preservation also shows itself in the upcycling of original wood from the building (formerly a woolstore — and much later, there was even a carpark where the lobby is now located) including gorgeous desks that appear in every room, as well as the lofty ceilings, generous windows and feature walls. Some of the window sills even have graffiti of yore carved into them. These historical details are paired with minimalist custom furniture and brightly coloured vintage pieces to create a design counterpoint that's truly refined. Step into the bathroom of one of the larger rooms and you'll find a tub big enough for two — or one, if you fancy watching your companion perform a hilarious solo synchronised swimming act (as I did). Every room comes with wi-fi and a complimentary iPad which provides general info about the hotel, local places to eat, news and weather, and it also controls the AC. The room service tab is empty for now; plans are underway to expand what's on offer in the hotel's bar and kitchen, which currently serves breakfast from a rustic Italian-inspired a la carte menu and a buffet featuring some epic muesli that I can't get out of my mind. If you're starving you can always raid the mini-bar, which, far from being stocked with the usual junky Mars Bars and tiny Johnnie Walker bottles, sources from local companies with an emphasis on health and yumminess. For intimate functions or parties, there's The Williamson room (appropriately numbered 007) which boasts its own impressive side entrance — perfect for celebrity guests fleeing the paps — and a glitzy bar from the 1950s. The Geddes Room would work for a chic boardroom meeting. As for overnight stays, the Shoebox rooms are some of the best value for money in Sydney at $179, measuring 15 square metres but feeling bright and spacious thanks to the high ceilings and huge windows. 1888's been living up to its own hype, with all 90 rooms booked to full capacity only six weeks after opening. Book in and start hashtagging. 1888 Hotel has a 'Picture Perfect Package' available to book now until September 30. It includes: -A room to photograph – one night for two in a King Room -Foodporn – complimentary 1888 antipasto plate + two glasses of wine -Share-ability – complimentary internet connection and iPads in all rooms -Envy-inducing start to the day – complimentary breakfast Prices start from $239. To make a reservation, phone 02 8586 1888 or visit the hotel website. Instagramming 1888 Words and images by Shirin Borthwick.
Where would we be without Aussie hospo legends? They're there when we need midday croissants, midweek pub feeds and celebratory midnight margaritas. They help us get through the bad weeks — and the good ones. Not to mention they've had it pretty rough over the past year and a bit — which made us realise how integral they are in our day-to-day lives. So, now it's our turn to give a little back. To help you say thanks to all the hospo legends in your life and, more broadly, the industry, we've teamed up with Australian Cocktail Month. The inaugural event came about as a way to support the country's mighty fine bars, so we've come up with six easy-as ways for you to give back to the industry — especially if you're a bit of a bar fly. [caption id="attachment_785137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] HAVE A PUB MEAL WITH YOUR PINT If you usually stop by your local on your way home for a drink with mates, you're already doing a bit to help out. But rather than just ordering a cold one and then hightailing it out of there, why not order yourself a hearty pub feed, too? Not only will it help out the kitchen staff, but also the ones behind the bar as, let's face it, you'll probably order another round (or few). These days, pub meals go beyond your usual steak and chips offering (not that we don't love that, too). Next time you're keen for a drink and a feed, track down the likes of southern US-style snacks, woodfired pizzas and top-notch Asian nosh at one of your locals if you're not in the mood for pub classics. Plus, many venues have weekly events like live music, trivia and boozy bingo to keep you entertained. SAY CHEERS AT A COCKTAIL FESTIVAL Say a huge cheers to bars and the people behind them by grabbing a ticket to the inaugural Australian Cocktail Month. Running over the month of May, the event is popping up in 72 bars across Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Head to any of the participating venues for specialty cocktails — and support the bar industry as you sip to your heart's content. All cocktails will cost a cheeky $14, or $10 for non-alcoholic concoctions. All you have to do is get your hands on a ticket here, then join in the month-long celebration. GET YOURSELF SOME FUN MERCH One easy way to say cheers to the hospo places you love and frequent (almost too) regularly is to pick up some merch. Yep, wear your love for your local literally on your sleeve. For years, many pubs, breweries, bars, cafes and sandwich shops across the country have been selling branded tees, jumpers, hats and totes for you to sport and represent them on the streets. And, in the wake of COVID-19, even more jumped on the bandwagon — so now you're spoiled for sartorial choice. Sydney places like Yulli's Brews, Paramount Coffee Project and Tio's all sell some slick wares. Melbourne venues such as Proud Mary Coffee and Piccolina have good merch, as does Smith and Daughters' online merch store, which boasts branded earrings, cursive pins and denim dog jackets. In Brisbane, breweries like Newstead Brewing Co, Green Beacon and Felons all sell great branded tees and totes, too. GIVE BACK WITH COLD, HARD CASH You know those dingy glass jars on the countertops of your favourite watering holes and diners? Well, they're not there just for show, so next time you order yourself an iced mocha latte (or something stronger) throw in any loose change you've got. Not much of a cash-carrier? That shouldn't stop you adding a couple of extra bucks to your bill after you've had a fabulous time wining and dining yourself silly. Or, level things up by donating to a hospo relief fund, such as Tip Jar. Another Aussie charity doing a lot of good is OzHarvest. As well as reducing our country's food waste, the charity runs a hospo-focused program, offering industry employment and engagement pathways for at-risk youths. [caption id="attachment_733302" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] BUY LOCAL Instead of getting all your supplies from the major supermarkets, buy local. This way you'll back the independent places that serve the community through quality lattes, loaves of sourdough, bottles of wine and gourmet goodies. As hospitality venues were shut and, later, operating at smaller capacities, providores, suppliers and makers of small-batch products also did it tough last year. So, next time you're thirsty, head to a boutique bottle-o. When you're after some cheese, head to a delicious dairy wholesaler in your area. You get the idea. And, after adapting to the trying times of COVID-19, many cafes, bakeries and restaurants are still selling staple goods, which, let's be honest, provide a much nicer shopping experience than a supermarket. [caption id="attachment_760761" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julia Sansone[/caption] TURN UP TO YOUR TABLE Australia's food and drink industry is still recovering. So, now we can eat, drink and be merry in venues once again, we should catch up with mates, celebrate a promotion and grab a coffee with colleagues when we can. We're not saying burn a hole in your pocket, but if you love trying new places or hitting up your favourite haunt, then celebrate the fact that you can do these things. Word of advice: don't be a no-show. Yes, turning up to a booking is a pretty simple thing to do. But if you don't? Well, not only does someone else miss out on eating and drinking all the tasty things, but also the venue loses money and staff may get their shifts cut short. If you can't make it for whatever reason, simply call ahead so your table doesn't go empty. Australian Cocktail Month is taking over top bars across the Australia from May 1–31. To buy your ticket, and for the full list of participating bars, head here. Top image: Bar Margaux, Kate Shanasy
It might long be remembered as one of Star Wars' most cringeworthy come-on lines, but to give Anakin Skywalker a break, he did have a point when he told Padme, "I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere." Two New York-based summer surfers by the names of Charlie and Spike know what he's on about. Even if they wouldn't have used such reasoning to get fresh with Natalie Portman. Instead, they've invented a sand-solution, of sorts: the Shake Tote. It looks, pretty much, to be the mother of all beach bags. And here's why. Not only is it water-repellent, it's also fitted with a mesh bottom, which means that you simply have to give it one almighty shake and the sand falls right through. So, it's actually a bag that doubles as a giant sieve. Welcome to a grit-free summer. No more jiggling each item individually while blowing grains into your neighbour's face (or your own, for that matter). No more having to unpack your bag outside because you've inadvertently carried half the beach home with you. At 42.6 x 14.7 x 15.2 cm, the Shake Tote provides you with loads of room for your swimmers, towel, read-of-the-week and sundry beachy needs. There's also a zippered pocket for stowing your valuables. The neutral, natural-coloured canvas (with dashes of black and neon orange) goes with most get-ups and the plastic shoulder straps are anti-slip. The Shake Tote came into being thanks to Quirky, a platform dedicated to unusual inventions. Users are able to put forward their own innovative ideas and/or vote on those of others. They can also earn money by supporting successful pitches and helping out with branding and style decisions. The Quirky team gets behind the manufacturing process and provides international distribution online. Order your very own Shake Tote online for US$39.99 and watch every face on the beach gaze in awe. Via PSFK.
Best Picture Will Win: 12 Years a Slave Should Win: Her Her was an almost perfect movie; however, its engaging quirkiness will also likely be its downfall, robbing it of the kind of gravitas the Academy likes to see in its dramas. There's also the Academy's history of loving history. Seventeen of the last 24 winners in the Best Picture category have been stories based on real events, and while that does keep American Hustle in the mix (which notably took out the Screen Actors Guild back in January), the asymmetry between 'cute crime caper' and 'essay on reprehensible crimes against humanity’ places 12 Years A Slave firmly in the driver’s seat. What then of Gravity? History’s not on its side either. Sci-fi is batting 0-84 in the Best Picture category, though the Academy won’t mind denying it the Best Picture victory since its director, Alfonso Cuarón, is a shoe-in for Best Director. Best Director Will Win: Alfonso Cuarón Should Win: Alfonso Cuarón Steve McQueen’s been on a golden run since his debut with Hunger, so much so that it would take either a monumental collapse in talent or his outright departure from the industry to think he won’t — in the next five years — walk away with this statue. For the 2014 awards, however, Cuarón should, and almost certainly will, come in for the win. Gravity was a breathtaking film, and with barely more plot than there is oxygen in space, the responsibility for that vests first and foremost in its direction and the performances Cuarón secured from his two leads. Last week’s BAFTA win for the Mexican director only narrows the odds further. Best Actor Will Win: Matthew McConaughey Should Win: Oscar Isaac Let’s talk about Leo first. The feeling that the guy is due is palpable, but just because a roulette table throws up nine reds in a row doesn't mean it has to be black’s turn next time round. While DiCaprio's Wolf of Wall Street performance was a fearless endeavour, it still lacked the critical poignancy of an enslaved parent or HIV-positive pioneer. A two-horse race hence seems most likely, and as good as Chiwetel Ejiofor was in 12 Years A Slave, McConaughey’s remarkable reinvention by way of smaller, character driven ensemble pieces has earned him both enormous respect and the Golden Globe. The big surprise here is Oscar Isaac, whose sublimely reserved yet beguiling performance in Inside Llewyn Davis didn’t even garner a nomination. Best Actress Will Win: Cate Blanchett Should Win: Cate Blanchett There’s arguably never been a better description of Meryl Streep than Colin Firth’s suggestion that she is "unreasonably good". Typically, then, in August: Osage County we saw just the latest in an impossibly long line of flawless performances so good one feels the interests of fairness might warrant handicapping her somehow for all future roles, perhaps by only allowing her to speak in vowels. Yet she won’t win this year. In a collection of powerhouse performances by a field of nominees who’ve all previously won the award save for Amy Adams, it was Cate Blanchett who proved the undeniable standout. Her Jasmine was elegant desperation and icy vulnerability wrapped up in an overt, sexually charged Ingmar Bergman-esque archetype. She’s already won the SAG, Golden Globe and BAFTA, making this about as sure a thing as the Oscars permit. Best Original Screenplay Will Win: Her Should Win: Her With ‘Will’ and ‘Should’ locked in there, Her would seem a foregone conclusion, but it’s not nearly that clear-cut. Was Spike Jonze’s screenplay the most original of the nominees? Absolutely. Was it also the best? Again, yes, but does that mean it will win? …Probably. Standing in its way is American Hustle, whose script — while lengthy — was a rollicking, unceasing procession of zingers, plot twists and exquisite turns of phrase. It also has the box office momentum behind it. For Her to win, which it should, it’ll need the Academy to consider the ‘Original’ part of 'Best Original Screenplay’ its most important characteristic.
Snow place like home, right? Here at CP, we're excited for winter playtime. Whether you can't wait to hit the slopes again or you're a curious first-timer, we know just the snow-covered playground that will hit the spot: Thredbo. Just a 5 and a 1/2 hour drive from Sydney, winter holiday goers congregate to the alpine village in their masses for the longest ski runs in Australia (when the mountain is fully covered in snow). And we've got the lowdown: where to stay, where to re-fuel, and where to party in your snow boots. Athol Got a lot of friends? This cosy, rustic self-contained chalet sleeps up to 12 people with a perfect communal layout for a big group. Gather round the open fire, sprawl out on the balcony and dig in to some hearty food at the canteen-style dining table. Diggings Terrance, Thredbo Village; Athol website Banjo Townhouses Each townhouse is a modern apartment with one or two bedrooms and beautiful views of the mountains. Loft units have their own slow-burning wood fire: lush! Banjo Drive, Thredbo Village; stayz.com.au/93085 Bernti’s Mountain Inn Bernti's is restaurant, hotel and nightlife all rolled into one. This European-style boutique inn has 30 rooms (and a rather entertaining host in Donna), gourmet food and a popular al fresco deck. Why would you ever leave? 4 Mowamba Place, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6332; berntis.com.au Black Bear Inn In the heart of Thredbo, and at the centre of all the action, this traditional lodge and restaurant has rooms to rent from single to family-sized. It’s a stone’s throw from the shuttle stop, plus never-ending German beer at the Inn. 30 Diggins Terrace, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6216; blackbearinn.com.au Thredbo Alpine Hotel Thredbo Alpine Hotel is boutique accommodation with the pick of rooms or chalets for an easy, comfortable stay at the base of the Kosciuszko chairlift. Thredbo Resort Centre, Thredbo Village; 1300 020 589; Thredbo Alpine Hotel Moonbah Hut A short 30 minute drive from Thredbo, and 15 minutes from Jindabyne town, Moonbah Hut is in a whole world of its own. This completely isolated, unique stone hut is fully equipped with underfloor heating, a rocking chair and fluffy robes for a romantic getaway. Jindabyne; (02) 6457 8311; moonbahhut.com Paringa Self contained, all the mod-cons and a shuttle bus on your doorstep, Paringa apartments are two bed units plus loft space, the obligatory balcony BBQ and a Swedish sauna. (02) 6457 7030; skiinskiout.com.au River Inn Priding itself on being a ski-in, ski-out hotel, River Inn has modern rooms and suites with plenty of extras, like wireless, a heated indoor pool and laundry service. 4 Friday Drive, Thredbo Alpine Village; (02) 9369 3010; riverinn.com.au Rockpool Lodge Like a little luxe? When only 5 star will do, Rockpool Lodge is a good pick. It’s got the spa, faux fur throws, sauna and champagne on chill (okay, we can’t guarantee the last one, but you get the picture). (02) 6457 7132; rockpoollodge.com.au Kareela Hutte Breakfast, coffee, champagne or cellar door, Kareela Hutte is a well-loved haunt for skiers and boarders on their up or down the mountain. On the Supertrail at 1810m altitude; (02) 6457 6099; kareelahutte.com.au Merritts Mountain House On-slope marketplace dining, from fresh juices and salads to stews, soups and strudel. Merritts uses artisan produce to create lovingly homemade food, conveniently located between slopes. Top of Merritts chairlift at 1660m altitude; (02) 6457 6084; merritts.com.au Black Sallee's Nestled amongst the gum trees off Crackenback Supertrail, Black Sallee's is famous for its hot chocolate, European beer selection (try the Maisel's Weisse) and schnapps. The service is quick, so you’ll be shoop shooping again in no time. At the top of Snowgums chairlift; (02) 6457 6439; Black Sallee's Bullwheel Bar & Bistro Laying claim to being Australia’s highest bar and bistro, Bullwheel has quick snacks and warming drinks, as well as German wheat beers, gluhwein and schnapps. At the top of Kosciuszko chairlift at 1937m altitude; (02) 6457 6019; Bullwheel Bar & Bistro Bernti’s Tapas Bar Serving a gourmet selection of international tapas, from smoked trout bruschetta to veal schnitzel, Bernti’s has al fresco dining and plenty of wine and beer to wash it down with. 4 Mowamba Place, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6332; berntis.com.au/tapas-bar The Knickerbocker Pan fried market fish, duck confit, spinach and ricotta dumplings... Yum! Riverside Cabins, Diggings Terrace, Thredbo; (02) 6457 6844; theknickerbocker.com.au The Terrace Relaxed fine dining: head chef Karen Forsstrom, formerly of Sydney’s Kingsleys restaurant, cooks up the finest ingredients to serve up her handcrafted menu. The Denman Hotel, 21 Diggings Terrace, Thredbo; (02) 6457 6222; thedenman.com.au The Wildbrumby Open daily for breakfast and lunch, the kitchen at Wildbrumby schnapps distillery door has a hearty selection of soups, pates, sandwiches and burgers - all created using local produce. Cnr of Wollondibby Rd and Alpine Way, Jindabyne; (02) 6457 1447; wildbrumby.com Apres Bar For a sophisticated start to the night, head to Apres Bar at The Denman. Cocktails, retro decor and tapas. The Denman, 21 Diggins Terrace, Thredbo Village; (02) 6457 6222; thedenman.com.au/bar Schuss Bar A little more laid-back, the Schuss Bar has live music and entertainment every night throughout winter. Threadbo Village Resort, Alpine Way; (02) 6459 4200. Thredbo Alpine Lounge Bar From 12 noon to midnight, the Alpine Lounge Bar is the place to kick-back and enjoy a coffee (or something stronger) beside the fire. Relaxed vibe, live music and great views. Thredbo Village Resort, Alpine Way; (02) 6459 4200. The Keller Looking to party late into the night? Revellers migrate to Thredbo’s famous nightclub. Thredbo Village Resort, Alpine Way; (02) 6459 4200.
Looking to add another streaming service to your subscriptions? Particularly keen on Amazon Prime Video, the online shopping behemoth's film and television platform? Good news and bad news, Australians. Firstly, you can sign up and stream selected content right now. But (and yes, sorry, there's a but)... it doesn't appear as though it's all that official. Technology website EFTM first broke the news that Aussies could not only register for an Amazon Prime Video account, but start watching Amazon's original programming such as The Man In The High Castle and Red Oaks. And, since then, word has spread that Amazon has launched their video platform in Australia. That's particularly exciting for anyone interested in watching The Grand Tour, aka Amazon's new motoring show hosted by former Top Gear personalities Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, which kicked off on November 18. Alas, it's not quite that straightforward. On the one hand, yes, you can currently access the aforementioned series, and others that don't have streaming deals with other platforms — although with some restrictions (only the first season of '80s set dramedy Red Oaks is available, for example, despite the second season launching in the US last week; and you can't access shows like Transparent that are available elsewhere in Australia). However, in a pretty significant sign that using Amazon Prime Video in Australia isn't as official as we all want it to be, you can only access it by visiting either the American or UK sites. There's no Prime Video option on amazon.com.au, no Australian pricing, and no information whatsoever about the service being offered to Aussies. In a statement reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, Amazon is adamant that it hasn't launched in Australia, which answers the question, really. Why Aussies can access content through the US and UK sites remains unanswered. Of course, it has long been rumoured that the platform would launch locally soon, largely thanks to The Grand Tour's certain appeal to Australian audiences, and the fact that Amazon has retained the global rights to the show — and it likely will in December as already announced. For now, in what is proving a big week for Amazon on our shores (the retail giant is set to launch a series of bricks-and-mortar stores and an online supermarket here within the next two years), go forth and watch what you can while you can, and watch this space for more developments.
Sometimes it's hard to convince your friends to do anything other than grabbing a drink and having a dance on a Saturday night. Bowling? Not usually how people want to spend their precious few hours of fun during the weekend. But pinheads — or those who just want something decidedly different to go with their beers — can rejoice now that the Standard is reopening its doors under a new name, Standard Bowl. The best part? It's free. Inspired on recent trip to New York by two Brooklyn mainstays, Brooklyn Bowl and The Gutter, part owner and CEO of the Standard Paddy Coughlan and former owner of the Annandale Hotel Matt Rule (whose new company Music Booze & Stuff will handle all musical bookings for the Standard Bowl) found a way to combine their love of live music with their wish to differentiate the Standard from other venues in Sydney. "It's more like The Gutter," says Coughlan. "It's a lot smaller, a bit more industrial, a bit more edgy." For those who will be missing the bigger acts that previously played at the Standard, Coughlan expresses that he never wanted it to permanently stay a ticketed music venue. He first converted the upstairs space that originally housed junk into a street and graffiti art gallery. Then 12 months later, he reinvented it as the Standard. "This is like the third incarnation of what it is, so still with live music but free, bowling and a cool bar," he says. "I like the space to always be changing, you know, so it doesn't get stale." Though it's moving away from the ticketed venue format, Standard Bowl continues to have live music, with a slew of local, young, up-and-coming acts on the lineup. "We're huge supporters of the live music industry in Sydney ... but what I want to get away from is this kind of idea where live music is in one room and that's all that happens in that room," says Coughlan. "Across all our venues we're trying to blend the offerings so that these bands are playing in cool spaces." Coughlan believes his format takes pressure off the local bands to produce a crowd, with the appeal of a cool environment doing that job for them. "The onus isn't just on the band to bring a crowd, the crowd would like to go there anyway. So who's playing probably becomes less important, just the fact that there is someone playing," he says. The aim is for the bowling to be casual and non-competitive; more of an entertaining activity while listening to some live music. "I don't think anyone is going to bother scoring or any of that stuff, it's just a social thing," says Coughlan. "I mean we've got all the touch screen things up there to score, so you can if you want to, but my gut feeling is that I don't think people will bother." If competition is more your style though, Standard Bowl plans on eventually introducing Wednesday night bowling tournaments. As for germaphobes who hate the thought of sporting shoes that others have worn before them, fret not, as no special footwear is required. In addition to the live music and bowling, Standard Bowl is outfitted with pool tables and vintage pinball machines. Playing at the opening on Thursday will be Wolf & Cub, with Palms and Jenny Broke the Window playing Friday and Saturday night respectively.
A high-profile cast. An acclaimed local director. A thorough traipse through the country's colonial past. While that description applies to a growing number of Aussie films (Sweet Country and The Nightingale, just to name two recent examples), it'll never get old — as new frontier western High Ground demonstrates. Indeed, while Stephen Maxwell Johnson's film feels like a natural addition to this growing genre, it also makes its own imprint. The setup: on what's supposed to be a routine expedition in Arnhem Land, almost the entirety of an Indigenous tribe is wiped out by northern Australian police. Their leader Travis (Simon Baker) isn't responsible for the carnage, but it weighs heavily on him in the aftermath. In this gorgeously shot, deeply contemplative drama, Travis is still haunted by the incident 12 years later, in the 1930s, which is when the bulk of the feature takes place. The ex-World War I sniper is enlisted by his superior (Jack Thompson) and his former partner (Callan Mulvey) to track down one of the massacre's revenge-seeking survivors — all while accompanied by boy-turned-tracker Gutjuk (Jacob Junior Nayinggul), who also lived through the slaughter. When High Ground premiered at this year's Berlinale, it deservedly wowed crowds. Since then, it opened the Brisbane International Film Festival and screened at the Adelaide Film Festival — and it has stints planned at Sydney Film Festival's My Cinema My Film Festival touring event in November and December, and during its summer weekend program in January. It'll hit Aussie cinemas in general release come January 28, and it has just revealed its tension-dripping full trailer. As well as Baker, Thompson and Mulvey — and phenomenal first-timer Jacob Junior Nayinggul — High Ground also stars Aaron Pedersen, Ryan Corr and Caren Pistorius (Unhinged), plus debutants Esmerelda Marimowa and Witiyana Marika. It's the second film from Johnson, who previously directed 2001's Yolngu Boy. The filmmaker grew up living in the Northern Territory, and also directed music videos for Yothu Yindi — including for 1991 track 'Treaty'. Check out the High Ground trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL-G4oCoDF0&feature=youtu.be High Ground opens in Australian cinemas on January 28, 2021.
I hate goodbyes. Always have. It’s a symptom of being overly sentimental. No farewell is ever adequate. No amount of 'Here's lookin' at you kid' or scribbled sentiments stained with red wine and tears ever says it all. Walking away from anything that means something inevitably leaves me with that sense of having forgotten an essential thing - keys/passport/wallet/mind. Of not having ever said or done enough. Nonetheless it must be given a shot, so here is my attempt. It is with the exact bittersweetness of biting into the 85% Lindt chocolate that has seen me through so many of these deadlines, that I turn in my ceremonial headdress and resign my post as Chief of the Playground. So, over the deafening symphony of sobs that I’m convinced I can hear resounding in response, I bid all of you wonderful CP devotees who have kept me in a job for over two years, an infinite chorus of shamefully inadequate so-long-farewells and an equal number of thank yous for having me, and for humouring me each week. But like a proud parent struggling to come to terms with sending their child off to college (apparently I’m an American parent in this analogy), you can rest assured that I’ll continue to experiment with creative and embarrassing ways of sending love and attention from afar. I'll be right here. And an occasion as epic as my timely exit (yes, it’s still all about me), requires no less than the accompaniment of an epic montage of events. This week reveals the greatest lie of the western world, tunes in to a celestial radio, showcases the handy work of some clever women, delivers exotic films to Aussie cinemas, and marks in beautiful ways the passage of time. As a final word, it would be remiss of me not to add that it has been the greatest honour, pleasure, and absurdly good time collaborating with such a talented and dedicated tribe who continue to work tirelessly to propel CP to greater strengths. I can’t crap on enough about their brilliance. So my friends, I leave you with a raised glass, a final over-the-shoulder wink, and a 'just put your lips together and blow.' Thank you, it has been quite the trip. Project Parlour The details: Thursday, April 5- Thursday, April 15 @ MLC Centre Isn’t there something just a little special about viewing art during the twilight hours? A flute of bubbles in hand, the hum of the outside world silenced for the day. Isn’t art always a little more fascinating when you’re slightly buzzed? Following in the footsteps of hot spots like MCA and the Art Gallery of New South Wales, a little ole’ local art collective is set to unveil a series of after-dark programs. Aiming to bring heightened interaction to a selection of exhibitions, the Kaldor Public Art Project will fuse art with workshops, creative discussions, performance, film, live music and best of all, cocktails. Find out more The Great Lie of the Western World - Cathode Ray Tube The details: Wednesday, March 28 - Saturday, April 21 @ TAP Gallery That burnout crashing on your couch might be here to save your life. Find out more Marking Time The details: Thursday, March 29 - Sunday, June 3 @ Museum of Contemporary Art Australia Opening the show as the first temporary exhibition for the newly-refurbished MCA is an exhibition whose focus settles on the passing moments. Find out more Yann Tiersen The details: Thursday, April 5 @ The Metro Theatre Bulking up the keys and strings with heavy guitars and swelling synths, this is a show you literally have to see to believe. Find out more African Film Festival 2012 The details: Thursday, April 5 - Sunday, April 8 @ Dendy Opera Quays Get along to this inaugural event for enlightening, thought-provoking and diverse films showcasing African talent. Find out more Hoopla Festival 2012 The details: Friday, April 6 - Monday, April 9 @ Darling Harbour Silly antics, mind-boggling acrobatics and circus stunts that make you check your vision. Find out more Women with Clever Hands The details: Saturday, March 31 - Saturday, June 9 @ Object Gallery Bean reds, cyanide greens and earthy oranges bring Arnhem Land to Sydney. Find out more A Dangerous Method The details: Thursday, March 29 - Thursday, April 19 @ Various cinemas Take a dramatic turn in the early history of psychology. Find out more
Sandals, swords, a shirtless Paul Mescal, fighting a rhinoceros, Ridley Scott behind the lens: welcome to the Gladiator II arena. The first trailer for the filmmaker's 24-years-later sequel to his 2000 Oscar-winner also includes odious Emperors — yes, multiple — plus seafaring clashes in the Colosseum. And, alongside Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington can't stop thinking about the Roman Empire Mescal's (All of Us Strangers) Lucius watched the climactic events of 2000's Russell Crowe (The Exorcism) and Joaquin Phoenix (Napoleon)-starring film, as the sneak peek explains, which is just one of the ties that Gladiator II boasts with its predecessor. Another: Connie Nielsen (Origin) returning from Gladiator as Lucilla, Lucius' mother. If the sequel's protagonist didn't have his own date with Rome's iconic amphitheatre, there wouldn't be much of a film. His stint comes after Emperors Caracalla (Joseph Quinn, A Quiet Place: Day One) and Geta (Fred Hechinger, The White Lotus) take over his home. Queue a quest for revenge, plus glory for Rome, with Pascal's (Drive-Away Dolls) general Marcus Acacius becoming Lucius' target. As for Washington (The Equalizer 3), he plays power broker Macrinus. Alien, Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise director Scott has been in blast-from-the-past mode for over a decade now, first revisiting the Alien realm with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, then reteaming with Phoenix on Napoleon, and now helming his second Gladiator flick. Of late, he's also been fond of making movies set in the past — long ago and more recent — as not only seen with Napoleon, but also with House of Gucci, The Last Duel and All the Money in the World. With Gladiator II, the British filmmaker teams up two of the internet's boyfriends in Mescal and Pascal, and promises a battle-filled time following up the feature that picked up Best Picture, Best Actor (for Crowe), Best Costume Design, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards. Scott also earned his second Best Director nomination, after Thelma & Louise — and before Black Hawk Down gave him a third. Gladiator II hits cinemas Down Under on Thursday, November 14, 2024, which means that local audiences will see it a week before American audiences. In the US, viewers are in for a Barbenheimer-style release day with the film and Wicked Part One arriving on the same date, Friday, November 22. Repeating that possible new moviegoing phenomenon in Australia and New Zealand had already been nixed, however, given that the first Wicked flick won't reach picture palaces here until Thursday, November 28. Check out the trailer for Gladiator II below: Gladiator II opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, November 14, 2024.
A gay intergalactic wizard breastfeeding a baby alien, an orphaned monster plotting revenge in a thick Latin American accent, the search for your robot best friend — Nick Coyle does not come up with normal things. Whatever you usually see at the theatre, if you see anything at the theatre, Coyle's work is not much like it. Yet his brand of comedy weirdness has proven widely palatable to us normals; his shows have toured Australia and won him two FBi SMACs for Best on Stage (2011 and 2013). Now he's about to take one such funny/sad, sweet/mad, limitless/lo-fi work, Double Tribute, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. But it needs a little dust-off at the Giant Dwarf first. Double Tribute is a tribute to dead girlfriend Jenny. But one tribute leads to another, and to find out about that one, you'll just have to hop on this journey of "sexual awakening and grief".
What do we love? Summer, obviously. Pashing the pool boy. Palm trees. Pina Coladas. But how will the ice cream-licking public know that we love these things? We need some fresh accessory, some new sartorial canvas with which to advertise our priorities in life. "Aha," muse Soludos and We Are Handsome simultaneously. "We shall bring summer to the feet of the people." Hence, the We Are Handsome x Soludos collection, comprising the first-ever digitally printed photographic espadrilles. The evocative collection is the latest collab by Soludos; past partners in creative crime have included Opening Ceremony, Mara Hoffman and Bassike. Not to be alarmist, but this is a limited edition exclusive to Australia and the US, so it might sell out stat. It's got four classic WAH prints adorning the breezy 100 percent cotton uppers of espadrilles ($67) as well as hot sexy derby-style lace-ups ($81). The numero uno design is arguably the vintage Miami Hideaway lace-ups, which, let's face it, you should probably just wear on your hands because they're too good for feet. WAH director Jeremy Somers honours the Paradise and Tropical prints with this most noble creed: "Living a never-ending summer is what both Soludos and We Are Handsome are all about, and nothing personifies this better than the iconic image of the humble, but fantastic palm tree." Indeed. And who's that, prowling through the foliage? Why, it's the Vagabond, an escapee from Siegfried and Roy's. "Whether it’s a panda, eagle or lion face bikini bottom, I’ve always loved the unexpected, bold tongue-in-cheek attitude and vivid '80s-inspired photo print design of We Are Handsome," says Soludos founder Nick Brown. "It's been a really fun process working with We Are Handsome and we have ended up with some wild designs that capture both brands' love for all things summer." Amen, and can we please have a music video with Solange dancing in these? It just feels right.
