If you’re a fan of all things Mexican, you might want to visit the Cantina del Sol pop-up. For just one weekend, Villa Bar & Kitchen in Potts Point will be transformed into a Mexican cantina by interior designer Ally Bercich, inspired by the vibrant artwork of artist Frida Kahlo and the Mexican spiritual holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). There will be Sol beers, colourful cocktails decorated with fresh fruit and authentic Mexican cuisine. Fans of roaming taqueria-on-wheels Al Carbon will be happy to learn they will be catering the event, treating guests to their sharp, spicy street food. And, really, who can resist a charcoal barbecue? DJs, musicians and other creative types will keep the crowd entertained, including Balmain independent artist Skullavera whose hand-crafted ceramic skulls — also inspired by dia de los muertos — are spookily awesome. From Friday to Sunday you'll be able to grab lunch between 12.30-3.30 pm and dinner between 5.30-9.30 pm. Update 17 Oct: The fiesta continues — the Cantina del Sol pop-up has been extended to the last weekend of October.
A new exhibition exploring the beauty of underwater plant life has opened at the Royal Botanic Garden's outdoor exhibition space, The Calyx. Inside the Tide recreates kelp forests, coral reefs and seagrass meadows above the ground — using land plants in order to demonstrate the marvelous aesthetic and ecological value of these marine environments. "When most people hear the word seaweeds, they think of the dead stuff rotting on the beach or it touching their legs when they're trying to swim," Dr Yola Metti says. "There's a huge lack of awareness of the benefits of marine algae in general. One of the biggest things we can be thankful for is the amount of oxygen algae produce." Over 20,000 plants have been installed inside the venue, including one of the largest vertical green walls in the southern hemisphere. The plant wall, that most recently played home to thousands of flowers for the exhibition InBloom, now springs forward with the lush green tones of underwater plant life. "Our land plants are the actors with cactus and other succulents playing the roles of corals, and ferns and ivy becoming the seaweeds," Royal Botanic Garden Sydney Curator Manager David Laughlin said. "We have pandanus trees on the sandy shore with mock seagrass meadows we've created to feel like you're by the beach but in the heart of the city, surrounded by our beautiful gardens." The horticultural exhibition has been created in collaboration with puppetry and arts collective Erth who has helped transform The Calyx into a marine world with expressive sculptures of sea creatures and interactive elements that both children and adults can engage with. Inside the Tide is running from Friday, December 3 through until July next year. Throughout the exhibition, The Calyx will be open 10am–4pm daily and entry is available via donation. This exhibition marks the reopening of The Calyx following InBloom and maintenance that was conducted during Sydney's lockdown. The new exhibition took horticultural staff months to install and prepare. The Calyx is located at The Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquaries Road. Inside the Tide will run from Friday, December 3, 2021–July 2022.
There's a certain moment between waking up in a hot tent, losing your boot sole in shin-deep mud and slipping up the side of a muddy, muddy amphitheatre that we remember this unshakable music addiction of ours is fukt. Yet year after year, we load up our borrowed cars with hidden goon sacks, blow-up Kmart mattresses, '90s throwback playlists and enough muesli bars to make our mums happy and we drive our timetable-highlighting butts to the music mecca to rule them all post-BDO: Splendour in the Grass. Why do we do it? Why do we skate through mudpiles resembling a human bowel system? Why do we munch on greasy moshpit ponytails between burling throat-scraping vocals? Why do we shell out ten beans a tinny for watery piss that calls itself beer? Seems we can't shake this pesky music lovefiend. Returning to North Byron Parklands, this year's Splendour in the Grass gained wraps from the 5-0 for 'good behaviour' (the badly behaved are still sitting in sinkholes in the Mix Up tent), slam dunked three big gun headliners in a row (Mark Ronson, Florence and the Machine, Blur), and generally became the mudbath we annually buy novelty gumboots for. While we counted no less than seventeen headdresses and found an entire Splendour stall selling the damn things, there was a limited quota of douchebaggery to be seen — or perhaps they were simply easier to avoid; mud maketh muppets of the munted. Instead, here's what made us cheer for an encore. CLIENT LIAISON With a bigger budget and bigger audiences to boot, Client Liaison have become the nostalgia-fuelled spectacle they've been threatening to be for years; ferns, pastel tuxedos, gold necklaces, and three incredible legs-for-days aerobic dancers to pose Lampoon-style around Client's disco-dancin' Monte Morgan. With co-Liaison Harvey Miller tweaking singles 'Queen' and 'End of the Earth', Client finished up with a cover of INXS's 'Need You Tonight' with longtime live bandmate and triple j Hack presenter Tom Tilley. FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE Florence Welch is the new messiah. Well, you'd be forgiven for thinking so after this large-scale bapitism-by-ballad. Characteristically bare-footed and donning flowing white threads to rival Stevie Nicks, the British powerhouse entranced the amphitheatre with soaring vocals and theatrical spirit fingers, backed by her mighty Machine — stopping to remind the audience of her first Splendour performance in a Surry Hills-bought vintage wedding dress many moons ago. With expectations high following her slam dunk of a 2015 Coachella set, Welch careened through single to fan favourite to 'Dog Days Are Over' finish with the level of high energy usually associated with Bacchanalian wood nymphs. TAME IMPALA The last time Tame Impala played Splendour, they debuted a little ol' single called 'Elephant' three years ago. This year, Kevin Parker and his psychedelic bunch came armed with brand new album Currents and an amphitheatre full of expectant fans (and granted, Blur fans trying to get a good spot). It's not every artist who's confident enough to drop seven-minute single 'Let It Happen', or open a set with it, but Parker's not every artist. BLUR "You're all fucked, aren't you." Blur frontman Damon Albarn knew an end of Splendour audience when he saw one, bubbling with anticipation at seeing the '90s Britpop legends united in the ampitheatre on Sunday night. Saluting the moon, bounding about the stage like a merry pirate and getting up in fan faces over the almost two-hour set, Albarn steered Alex James, Graham Coxon and Dave Rowntree through a furiously fast 'Song 2', beloved singles 'Beetlebum', 'Parklife' and 'There's No Other Way' amongst plenty of material from new album Magic Whip. Finishing up the festival with epic 1995 ballad 'The Universal' made whimpering messes of fans amphitheatre-wide. PURITY RING Though the Mix Up tent was almost literally sinking into the mud, Canada's Purity Ring took Splendour punters to new heights of euphoria. Multi-instrumentalist Corin Roddick commanded booming synths and playable light-up crystals, while elven vocalist Megan James jumped, skipped and serenaded like a futuristic woodland sprite, blitzing everything from 'Push Pull' to 'Fineshrine'. MARK RONSON With Theophilus London, Kevin Parker, Daniel Merriweather, Keyone Starr and co. in tow, Mark Ronson's all-star variety show careened through the superstar producer's hit-dotted career so far; from explosive opener 'Feel Right' to a heartfelt 'Valerie' singalong using Amy Winehouse's original vocals. After cheesily getting bikes onstage for 'The Bike Song', bringing out Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt for a rendition of the Ronson-co-written single 'Animal', Ronson dropped the firecracker Splendour was waiting for: a ten minute, rain-drenched bacchanal fuelled by 'Uptown Funk'. Worth the subsequent flu. MØ If you've ever wanted to feel as old as humanly possible at a live gig, see a MØ gig. The Danish electro pop singer (real name Karen Marie Ørsted) made a mockery of ageing, blasting out a youth-fuelled escapade into her debut album No Mythologies to Follow in the Mix Up tent — finishing up with a giant singalong of Major Lazer and DJ Snake single 'Lean On'. Ørsted gave a nod to her buddy Elliphant, the pint-sized Swedish pseudo rapper who'd similarly stopped time the day before, with a sultry rendition of their duet 'One More'. JENNY LEWIS While DZ Deathrays melted faces in the amphitheatre and Japanese Wallpaper threw shapes for giggly teenfans, longtime crooner Jenny Lewis was kicking goals over in the GW McLennan tent. Turning what should be a sheriff-badged country hoedown into a candy-coloured pop shop, as Lewis's pastel rainbow-themed set flagged new material from her latest album The Voyager. Lewis has never been better. Sauntering through old heartwrenchers like 'With Arms Outstretched', and new buzz tracks 'Just One of the Guys' and 'She's Not Me', the ever pitch perfect Lewis dropped a bit of 'Bad News' for Rilo Kiley fans late in the set. Kudos go to Lewis's lead guitarist and keyboardist who joined Lewis for a three-part harmony a la Brother Where Art Thou that left no dry eye in the house. UV BOI If you're not across this 18-year-old Brisbane producer, take note. One of the most original and refreshing producers in the game right now, UV boi threw every genre in the book in the bin with his Tiny Dancer stage set. JARRYD JAMES There's a lot to be said for a killer single. Brisbane's Jarryd James has been kicking serious goals over the last 12 months, with a debut album on the way and a multi-platinum single 'Do You Remember' tailor-made for a big ol' Splendour singalong. But James is more than his big breakthrough song, showcasing the his Frank Ocean-meets-Blackstreet catalogue to a packed-out Mix Up tent. "Thanks for coming and hanging out, I know my music's not party music." Beg to differ bro, beg to differ. THE SMITH STREET BAND Melbourne's bighearted rockers hit it out of the ballpark on Splendour's sunny, sunny Saturday afternoon, while toilet paper rolls soared over the crowd. "I dare anyone else playing at Splendour to sweat this much," mused frontman Wil Wagner staring straight into the sun and leading his crew and one heck of an adoring crowd through such hard-hitting jewels as 'I Don't Wanna Die Anymore', 'Don't Fuck With Our Dreams' and the nostalgia-driven 'Young Drunk' in front of a huge banner preaching "Real Australians say welcome". Total legends. THE DANDY WARHOLS Though slightly lacking in vocal volume, the Dandies put on one energetic show for their boob-flashing fans. Bouncing from mega single 'We Used to Be Friends' to Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia throwbacks like 'Mohammed' and 'Bohemian Like You', the Oregonians proved unexpected highlights for both longtime fans and Dandy newcomers alike — all trying to get a solid footing on the perilously muddy amphitheatre slopes. VALLIS ALPS Watch out for these two. Filing the Mix Up tent for Saturday's perilously early midday slot, bright young up-and-comers Vallis Alps served up their dreamy brand of Chrome Sparks-like electronica to new ears. The Canberra and Seattle-based duo blitzed their fourth ever live show (yep, kids today), cranking a beauty of a Bon Iver 'Blood Bank' cover and finishing up with big buzz single 'Young'. MEGAN WASHINGTON Surrounded by metallic balloons and playing the absolute crap out of her beloved keyboard, Washington delivered one of her most energetic, stadium-like sets yet. The real showstopper? A mid-'My Heart Is a Wheel' cover of Real McCoy's 'Another Night', with Washo's keyboardist crushing that immortal 'rap' bit. Plus, punters got to nab those silver balloons, most of which were released into the night during Tame Impala's amphitheatre set. Magic. #1 DADS Last show for Tom Isanek's #1 Dads side project, and what an emotional feelbucket it was — from the heartbreaking 'Return To' featuring Tom Snowdon to that glorious, widely celebrated cover of FKA Twigs’s 'Two Weeks’. JOHNNY MARR Watching a legend play their own iconic guitar lick reminds you of how many bad cover bands you've seen over the years. Legendary guitarist for The Smiths Johnny Marr commanded the GW McLennan tent with tracks from his latest album The Messenger, but indulged in a few Smiths classics for fans, nailing Morrissey's warbling vocals in 'There Is a Light That Never Goes Out' and finishing up with the howling 'How Soon Is Now'. Images: Bianca Holderness, A. Catt, Justin Ma, Savannah Vander Niet, Claudia Ciapocha, Ian Laidlaw, Stephen Booth, Marc Grimwade, UV Boi.
Fans of pastels and symmetry, brand-new Australian cinema, one of Japan's greatest filmmakers, a buzzy Euphoria and The White Lotus star, Succession, the internet's boyfriend and heartfelt animation, rejoice. Devotees of acclaimed Iranian directors, kaiju flicks, NBA superstar Stephen Curry, John Wick-style revenge tales, and wild commentaries on America's recent political landscape using clips from Wayne's World and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, too. Sydney Film Festival is back for 2023, and all of the above is on the lineup to help the cinema celebration hit 70 years old. Festival Director Nashen Moodley's carefully curated 2023 bill will screen from Wednesday, June 7–Sunday, June 18, featuring 239 films from 67 countries 18 — with 90 narrative feature films and 54 documentaries, and also notching up 37 world premieres and 123 Australian premieres. As for where you'll be heading to get your festival fix this year, SFF is back at The State Theatre, Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Newtown, Palace Central, Palace Norton Street, Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace Cremorne, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Australian Museum and Art Gallery of NSW. When SFF 2023 opens, it'll do so with Warwick Thornton's The New Boy. The Cannes-selected title is his first film since 2017's stunning Sweet Country, and sees him team up with none other than 2023 Tár Oscar-nominee Cate Blanchett. It's also vying for the festival's annual prize alongside 11 others, in what marks the official competition's 15th year. Other contenders span Aussie documentary The Dark Emu, about Bruce Pascoe's book; Bad Behaviour, the feature directorial debut of actor-turned-filmmaker Alice Englert (You Won't Be Alone) starring Jennifer Connelly (Top Gun: Maverick); Hirokazu Kore-eda's Monster, the prolific helmer's latest after fellow recent SFF titles Shoplifters and Broker; and Celine Song's first effort Past Lives, telling a bittersweet romance about two childhood friends (Russian Doll's Greta Lee and Decision to Leave's Teo Yoo) who briefly reunite after decades apart. Yes, Wes Anderson's Asteroid City is on the 2023 SFF program, bringing the filmmaker's now-trademark sensibilities and aliens together at last — and a characteristically massive cast filled with every famous actor ever or thereabouts. Also set to flicker across Sydney's screens is the Sydney Sweeney-starring whistleblower docudrama Reality, Sarah Snook in Sundance-bowing Australian psychological thriller Run Rabbit Run, the Paul Mescal-led (and Aussie-shot and opera-inspired) Carmen and Pixar's what-if-elements-had-feelings newbie Elemental. Jafar Panahi's (Tehran Taxi) Venice Special Jury Prize-winner No Bears was announced earlier as well, but remains a SFF must-see — and the kaijus come via Shin Ultraman, which springs from the creators of Shin Godzilla and Neon Genesis Evangelion. NBA fans will want to see Stephen Curry: Underrated, and the vengeance arrives via SXSW hit The Wrath of Becky (well, one of SFF's 2023 flicks about vengeance). And Soda Jerk return to the fest after Terror Nullius screened in 2018, this time with Hello Dankness and its chaotic yet cutting survey of US politics from 2016 onwards. Movie lovers should already be eagerly anticipating SFF's already-revealed Jane Campion retrospective, with the filmmaker herself in attendance — and Indian screen icon Amitabh Bachchan also earns his own program strand. But the new features keep coming, too, including in the fest's returning strands. Seasoned attendees should already be well-acquainted with SFF's ten-film focus on female directors from Europe, selection of movies about music, weird and wonderful horror and genre flicks, family-friendly fare, celebration of filmmaking talent with disability and titles from First Nations creatives, all back in 2023.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue for June. NEW STUFF TO WATCH NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5RDTPfsLAI DA 5 BLOODS A fiery examination of both the Vietnam War and US race relations, Da 5 Bloods is a Spike Lee film through and through. It nods liberally to its influences, such as Apocalypse Now, but only the acclaimed Do the Right Thing and BlacKkKlansman filmmaker could've made a war movie this affecting, incisive, entertaining and politically astute — especially given its focus on African American men expected to fight and die for the same country that still struggles to treat them equally. Plot-wise, the part combat drama, part heist thriller, part history lesson follows four ex-soldiers (Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis and Isiah Whitlock Jr) who make the trip back to Ho Chi Minh City decades after the conflict. They're searching for buried gold, as well as for the remains of their beloved squad leader (Chadwick Boseman, as seen in flashbacks). In Lee's hands, and with Lindo taking charge as a PTSD-afflicted, MAGA hat-wearing veteran, the results are energetic, passionate, and both intellectually and emotionally stunning. Da 5 Bloods is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEiwpCJqMM0 THE VAST OF NIGHT When strange things start happening in a 50s-era New Mexico small town while most of its residents are attending a school basketball game — unusual lights in the sky, and eerie sounds interrupting both radio broadcasts and phone calls — radio DJ Everett (Jake Horowitz) and phone switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick) decide to investigate. That's the premise behind The Vast of Night, and it couldn't be more simple and straightforward; however this smart and engaging sci-fi film is inventive and compelling from the moment it begins. In terms of its narrative, a few surprises pop up, even for those with a knowledge of history. But it's the movie's strong focus on character and its commanding style that's always riveting. Every shot, every camera movement and, crucially, every single sound contributes to an ambitious and gripping filmmaking debut (and a certain calling card) from first-time feature director Andrew Patterson. The Vast of Night is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWYPlhHbKtM RAMY In Ramy's first season, creator, writer, director and star Ramy Youssef explored the daily life of his on-screen surrogate: Ramy Hassan, a twenty-something New Jersey-based American Muslim of Egyptian heritage. Ramy struggles to reconcile his culture, religion and family's expectations with his own wants, needs and dreams, continually professing his desire to make the right choices while often overtly following questionable paths. In the show's just-released ten-episode second season, the same still rings true — although, this time, Ramy seeks guidance from a new Sheik (Moonlight and Green Book Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, who's excellent as always) while getting closer to the latter's daughter (MaameYaa Boafo). Youssef won a Golden Globe for his first-season performance earlier this year, and he's just as great in the next batch of episodes; however, it's the show's continual refusal to gloss over, ignore, excuse or accept Ramy's frequent array of self-sabotaging decisions that stands out. The just-released second season of Ramy is available to stream via Stan. The show's first season is also available, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGcJL6TG5cA SNOWPIERCER First, the bad news: Snowpiercer, the series, isn't directed by Bong Joon-ho. Now, the good news: while it isn't as great as Bong's film — because, honestly, how could it be? — it takes the same dystopian concept, heightens the suspense and drama, and serves up a class warfare-fuelled survivalist thriller that also spends its first five episodes unravelling a murder-mystery. Think constant twists, reveals and reversals, cliffhangers at the end of almost every scene, and a 'Murder on the Snowpiercer Express' kind of vibe. Once again, it all takes place on a 1001-car locomotive carrying the last remnants of humanity while constantly circling the frozen earth. Hamilton's Tony Award-winning Daveed Diggs plays an ex-detective who has spent seven years in the tail end of the train, only to be summoned to the upper carriages when bodies start piling up. Also excellent: Jennifer Connelly as the engine's all-seeing, ever-present head of hospitality. The first five episodes of Snowpiercer, the series, are available to stream via Netflix — with new episodes dropping weekly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaMIcuVH83M&feature=emb_logo THE BEACH Whenever Warwick Thornton makes a new project, it demands attention — and the Indigenous Australian filmmaker has never made anything quite like The Beach. The director of Samson & Delilah and Sweet Country turns the camera on himself, chronicling his quest to escape his busy life for an extended soul-searching getaway. With only chickens and wildlife for company, Thornton bunkers down in an electricity-free tin shed in Jilirr, on the Dampier Peninsula on the northwest coast of Western Australia. He fishes, cooks, chats to the chooks, wanders along the shoreline and reflects upon everything that's led him to this point, with this six-part documentary series capturing the ups, downs, sublime sights and epiphany-inspiring moments. Unfurling quietly and patiently in the slow-TV tradition, Thornton's internal journey of discovery makes for both moving and absorbing viewing. Indeed, combined with stunning cinematography (as shot by Thornton's son and Robbie Hood director Dylan River), it just might be the best piece of Australian television you see this year. The Beach is available to stream via SBS On Demand. ONES TO WATCH OUT FOR LATER IN THE MONTH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ozcr43fP4 WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS First hitting cinemas back in 2014, What We Do in the Shadows is a perfect comedy. It's clever and creative, finds new ways to satirise and deploy familiar tropes, genres and formats, and features a spot-on cast — and, of course, the Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement co-directed, co-written and co-starring movie is also sidesplittingly funny. Thankfully, the film's US TV spinoff also fits the above description. Focusing on a group of vampires living in a Staten Island sharehouse (rather than the original movie's Wellington location), it could never be considered a mere small-screen copy. Instead, it's a lively and captivating addition to the broader What We Do in the Shadows universe, which also includes New Zealand series Wellington Paranormal. Back for a second season (and already renewed for a third, too), the What We Do in the Shadows television show has two specific aces up its sleeves, too: the combined on-screen talents of Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak and Natasia Demetriou as three of the central bloodsuckers, plus the time to delve deeper into their undead world. The second season of What We Do in the Shadows is available to stream via Foxtel Now from Thursday, June 25, with new episodes added weekly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q6Co-nd0lM EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA As music, spandex and glitter fans everywhere know, the Eurovision Song Contest didn't go ahead this year. That's left a sizeable Europop-shaped hole in plenty of hearts; however Netflix's new comedy is here to help. Called Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, the film follows two Icelandic singers who've always wanted to represent their country at the famed sing-off. Lars Erickssong (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdottir (Rachel McAdams) aren't particularly well-liked in their homeland, but when they're named as the next Eurovision contestants, they're determined to prove that chasing their lifelong dream was worth it. Directed by Wedding Crashers, The Change-Up and The Judge filmmaker David Dobkin, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga looks set to feature plenty of Ferrell's over-the-top antics, as well as icy backdrops and a song called 'Volcano Man'. Also on offer: a fierce rivalry between Fire Saga and fellow competitor Alexander Lemtov (Legion's Dan Evans), and a cast that spans Pierce Brosnan and Demi Lovato. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga will be available to stream via Netflix from Friday, June 26. CULT CLASSICS TO REVISIT AND REDISCOVER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA87ltqFEIQ IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA This May, when It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia was renewed for a 15th season, it made history. When those episodes make it to the screen, the cult US sitcom will become the longest-running live-action comedy series that's ever aired on American television. That mightn't sound all that surprising given the general concept — a group of friends (Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito) try to run their own Irish pub and usually fail at everything they attempt — but It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's dark, nihilistic and irreverent sense of humour is all its own. This is a show that's dedicated most of its episodes to a whole range of taboo topics, after all, while also watching its characters stage a twisted rock opera and make their own version of Lethal Weapon 6. Indeed, when it comes to satirising despicable behaviour and attitudes, It's Always Sunny is on another level. Amazon Prime Video is now streaming the first 13 seasons, which means you now have 144 episodes to binge. The first 13 seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skpu5HaVkOc ALMOST EVERY FAST AND FURIOUS MOVIE It's the big-budget franchise that likes driving speedily and passionately, can't get enough over-the-top car antics and loves filling its frames with a constant onslaught of hectic stunts. It's also the Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez-starring saga that adores family — and Corona-swilling friends who become family — just as much as vehicular mayhem. And, it's ridiculously entertaining. Not every Fast and Furious movie is a winner (2 Fast 2 Furious definitely isn't, for example), but this huge series boasts more than a few high points. Of course, 2020 will no longer see the saga's ninth official film hit cinemas, with F9's release postponed until 2021 due to COVID-19; however you can now marathon the first seven movies on Stan. Come for a Point Break ripoff that swaps surfing for street racing, which is where it all began. Then, stay as everyone from Tyrese Gibson, Gal Gadot, Eva Mendes and Ludacris to Dwayne Johnson, Luke Evans, Jason Statham and Kurt Russell shows up, because of course they do. The Fast and Furious collection — featuring the franchise's first seven movies — is available to stream via Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw1euaNtuXM SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL'S PAST HITS Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's Sydney Film Festival didn't take place physically. Instead, it moved online, making 33 new films available for cinephiles to stream at home. And, as part of the one-off virtual move, SFF 2020 also features a whole heap of ace movies that have previously screened at the festival — 40 of them in fact, all thanks to a Sydney Film Festival Selects collection on SBS On Demand. It's a best-of lineup, so get ready to revisit Studio Ghibli co-production The Red Turtle, Taika Waititi's Boy, the Greta Gerwig-starring Frances Ha, Aussie comedy That's Not Me and New Zealand's The Breaker Upperers. You can also feast your eyes on Palme d'Or winner The Square, Scandi thriller The Guilty, Turkish drama Mustang and Xavier Dolan's Heartbeats, among other films. And, they're all available to watch for free. The Sydney Film Festival Selects Collection is available to stream via SBS On Demand until Friday, July 10. Top images: Da 5 Bloods via David Lee/Netflix; Ramy via Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu; Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga via Elizabeth Viggiano/Netflix.
You think origami, you think folding paper. But this April, put your assumptions to one side and think about what else could possibly be folded. At the Gosford Regional Gallery and Edogawa Commemorative Garden, an incredible visual spectacle is taking place on Saturday, April 13 with a host of musical acts, including DJ duo Stereogamous, pop artist Tessa Thames, and circus performer Ray Matthews. Attendees of Origami – Folding Light and Sound are advised to come dressed for a garden party (flowers in your hair, plant-themed accessories and the like), albeit a garden party that features a traditional Japanese teahouse, delicious Sichuan dumplings, and aerial cabaret. It's all the brainchild of the not-for-profit Naughty Noodle Fun Haus collective, which, since 2018, has been organising community entertainment events with a strong focus on inclusion, diversity and acceptance. In the collective's own words, they "proudly embrace renegade artists and thought-leaders who are courageous, outrageous and mind-blowing". All you have to do is bring a picnic blanket, lawn furniture and an open mind, and you'll be treated to a sunset experience where you can dance to your heart's content, find quiet contemplation in nature, and everything in between. Origami promises to turn Gosford into a tactile, audio/visual wonderland, giving you an evening that you'll never want to forget. Origami — Folding Light and Sound is coming to Gosford Regional Gallery and Edogawa Commemorative Garden, 36 Webb St, on Saturday, April 13, from 5—11pm. Tickets will set you back $45 or get a group of mates together for a concession. For more information or to grab tickets, visit the website.
We're going to trust this party on name alone. It's called The Velvet Cave Rave, people, and it's taking place at a super-secret venue in Sydney. In case you're not familiar with The Velvet Cave, expect a full night of next-level experimental music you've probably never heard before and extravagant light installations in a pre-requisite industrial warehouse. Showcasing international and local live artists and rare vinyl DJs, the lineup features live performances from the likes of Lucy Cliche, Orion and Buzz Kill and DJ sets from Ryan Grieve and Julian Sudek. We're not sure how to, but you should be prepared to get lost in the sounds of synthwave, hyperdelic, goth, Italo disco, Kraut, and techno amongst other genres.
Spend a day out on the water in the sunshine exploring the northern beaches' largest estuary, Narrabeen Lakes, with Jamieson Park Paddle. You can choose to rent a kayak, pedal boat or go stand-up paddle boarding. As you move across the water, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife such as the white-bellied sea eagle and black swans. There are also lessons available if you'd like a little more guidance or want to improve your existing skills. Jamieson Park Paddle can also host kid's parties and group paddling fitness sessions, too. You'll find it on the southern shores of Narrabeen Lakes — entry to the car park is via the esplanade.
A brand-new year is fast approaching, which means it's time to say goodbye to 2021 and get excited for what 2022 could be. Whether you're a New Year's resolution stickler or a go-with-the-flow kinda person, it's safe to say most of us would be keen to experience something different in 2022. And, let's face it, we'd be lying if we said we hadn't watched Survivor and thought, "I want to try that". Well, you can, just for a weekend, or even a few hours. Whether you're a bicycle junkie with hand-eye coordination Lebron James would envy, or if you just want to get out of your comfort zone, New South Wales has a full calendar of physical challenges to help you hit those new year goals. Here are eight you should add to your list. [caption id="attachment_838191" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination New South Wales[/caption] SPEED THROUGH THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS AT THE SNOWIES MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL When: February 4–6, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains Over the first weekend of February, the Snowies Mountain Bike Festival returns to Thredbo. Peddle-heads from far and wide are welcome to make the descent from Thredbo to Jindabyne with two unique course options to try. The Wild Brumby course is not for the faint-hearted. Across three days, you'll test your strength, speed and stamina as you tackle 114 kilometres of rugged terrain — most of it, single track. But you'll be treated to some of the most exquisite scenery in the world as you sweat it out, so you can't complain too much. For a less technical but no less intense ride, the three-day 75-kilometre Brumby course is also on the menu. Both of these multi-day rides can also be tackled as a two-person team event, too. Looking for a challenge but can't afford the time commitment? Sign up for one of the several one-day events, which includes 45-, 30- and 15-kilometre rides. Register for the Snowies Mountain Bike Festival at the website. [caption id="attachment_838195" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] OR, TAKE IN THE SURROUNDS ON A SNOWY MOUNTAINS TRAIL RUN When: February 18–19, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains Want to experience the Snowy Mountains from a viewpoint other than a ski lodge? Sign yourself up to the Snowy Mountains Trail Run Australia. The weekend-long festival of running includes a number of trails of varying lengths, including a 42-kilometre marathon and a 70-kilometre ultramarathon, both of which are new for the 2022 iteration. If you've got a competitive streak, there's also a $1000 cash prize each for the first male and first female runners across the line in the 70-kilometre event. Don't worry if you're not an experienced trail runner — there are a few more low-key runs for families and those who just want to get out and experience something new, including a cruisy five kilometre option. Whichever run you choose, you'll be in the perfect spot to take in the incredible views of Thredbo Valley and River within Kosciuszko National Park. The trails set off from Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa, so book ahead to make sure you don't have to go too far for your much-deserved post-run R&R. Register for the Snowy Mountains Trail Run Australia at the website. [caption id="attachment_838192" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supplied[/caption] STAY OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AT THE TREX CROSS TRIATHLON When: February 20, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains Stick around the Snowy Mountains after Trail Run Australia for some off-road action at the Trex Cross Triathlon on February 20. With Mount Kosciuszko as your backdrop, you'll start with a 1500 metre swim before mountain biking for 30 kilometres then finishing with a ten kilometre run on a gritty off-road track. The event is open to all experience levels, so even if you're still recovering from a summer of eating, drinking and beaching, there will be something to inspire you and fit your outdoorsy needs. Register for the Trex Cross Triathlon at the website. CHALLENGE YOUR LIMITS AT THE TRUE GRIT ENDURO When: March 5–6, 2022 Where: Lower Portland, Hawkesbury region Whether you're a fitness fanatic or a casual weekend warrior, the True Grit Aussie Titles will have something for you. This is no stroll in the park, though — this 24-hour event will present a serious challenge for even the most experienced athletes, testing both mental and physical endurance. It's billed as the toughest obstacle course race in the southern hemisphere, demanding competitors to complete as many laps of the ten-kilometre, 30-obstacle course in 24 hours at Dargle Farm on the Hawkesbury River in Lower Portland. The course will have you running, climbing and crawling as you move through grasslands, rainforest, swamps, towering sandstone cliffs and more. Not an elite athlete? No sweat (well, yes, sweat, but not as much). Just opt for the half course — it's a five-kilometre trek that features over 25 obstacles that'll put you through your paces, including traverse ropes and inclination. You can enter solo or as part of a team, too, so you don't have to battle the elements alone. Register for the True Grit Enduro at the website. [caption id="attachment_837880" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination New South Wales[/caption] TEST YOUR ENDURANCE AT THE SNOWY CLASSIC When: March 26, 2022 Where: Snowy Mountains The inaugural Snowy Classic will be taking place on Saturday, March 26, and it will see cyclists testing their endurance as they make their way through New South Wales' stunning Snowy region. The event boasts two courses on fully closed roads: a 170-kilometre ride and a 110-kilometre ride, both starting and finishing at Banjo Paterson Park, next to Lake Jindabyne. Both routes pass through the idyllic towns of Berridale, Dalgety and Jindabyne, while cyclists tackling the longer route will head up through the winding Kosciusko National Park on their way back to the finish line in Jindabyne. Fancy yourself a bit of a cycling superstar? There's a cash pool of $10,000 to be won — so slap on that lycra and get registering. Register for the Snowy Classic at the website. [caption id="attachment_837914" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marc Rafanell Lopez (Unsplash)[/caption] GET BATTLE-READY AT SPARTAN NSW TRIFECTA When: April 1–3, 2022 Where: Marulan, Southern Tablelands Ever wanted to run through mud and leap over fires without mum telling you off? Well, you're in luck, because the world's biggest obstacle race series is coming to NSW in 2022. For the first time ever, New South Wales is hosting a Spartan Trifecta weekend. Join the five-kilometre Sprint, the ten-kilometre Super or the 21-kilometre Beast depending on your fitness level, and expect swimming, running, leaping, and the oh-so-fun scrambling. You'll climb a rope, avoid barbed wire, drag a concrete block, traverse ropes and even throw spears at this event that's so challenging and rewarding, even mum will be proud. Register for the Spartan NSW Trifecta at the website. RIDE THROUGH VINEYARDS AT THE MUDGEE CLASSIC When: 30 April–May 1, 2022 Where: Mudgee That weekend in Mudgee you've been meaning to take can finally come to fruition in May — and what better way to take in one of New South Wales' premier wine regions than by cycling through it? Head to the state's mid-northwest for the Mudgee Classic, a cycling event catering to all levels of cycling ability featuring four courses: the 170-kilometre Maxi Classic, 120-kilometre Challenge Classic, 60km Rouleurs Classic and the 35-kilometre Social Classic. Whichever you choose, you'll have the best seat in the house to explore the region's expansive vineyards, rolling hills as you ride through them. Pro tip: if you plan on making a weekend of it by heading to a winery or two the night before the race (and why wouldn't you?), the Social Classic might be the one for you. Sign up for the Mudgee Classic at the website. [caption id="attachment_837810" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination New South Wales[/caption] RIDE HARD (AND PLAY HARD) AT PORT TO PORT When: May 19–22, 2022 Where: Hunter Region There's nothing better than a cold beer at the end of a hard day's work — and we say the same goes after a hard day of mountain biking. Experience it for yourself by taking part in Port to Port, a mountain bike stage race running over four days in May that takes in the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and Newcastle. It's a pretty social event, too — there's a bar positioned close to the finish line every day and participants are encouraged to unwind after each stage and enjoy the generous selection of local food, wine and beer on offer. You'll be made to work for it, though — the race spans around 196 kilometres of riding and 4300 metres of climbing. Register for Port to Port at the website. Feel new in 2022 by setting yourself a new challenge in NSW. For more information, head to the website.
Potts Point has seen many restaurants and bars come and go in its time, with upscale digs moving into sites previously home to the dives of The Cross's colourful yesteryear. And with the area becoming more residential (and increasingly affluent), comes the opening of more elegant-yet-casual eateries. The Apollo, Cho Cho San, Monopole and the soon-to-close Billy Kwong are all fine diners that have swung open their doors in the area over the past ten years — and joining them on Macleay Street this June is Franca, a modern French brasserie and bar set to open in the former Fratelli Fresh. With its moniker derived from lingua franca — a common language adopted by those whose native languages are different, historically a mix of Italian, French, Greek, Arabic and Spanish — Franca will take cues from all corners of the Mediterranean, though it'll lean heavily on France. Helmed by ex-Est and Bathers' Pavillion Chef Alexis Besseau, the menu will feature reinvented French classics, be it a niçoise salad with sashimi-style tuna or Besseau's seasonal take on soufflés. [caption id="attachment_717188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Chef Alexis Besseau.[/caption] For entrees, expect Gallic staples like foie gras, beef tartare and a selection of fruits de mer, and for mains there'll be seasonal dishes alongside steak frites and lièvre à la royale — a classic game dish eaten by French aristocrats traditionally made with hare, foie gras and bacon — for the committed Francophiles among us. A lengthy cocktail list will feature European classics made with local ingredients, and a 250-strong wine list will focus on labels from across France, Australia and New Zealand. While it's taking over the old Fratelli Fresh site on the ground floor of Macleay Street's Ikon building, Franca will look wildly different to its predecessor. Extensive renovations are being led by Steel and Stitch, the design firm behind some of Sydney's top hospo fit-outs, including Potts Point's Chula and the city's Havana-inspired Lobo Plantation. Franca is slated to open at 81 Macleay Street, Potts Point in June. We'll keep you updated with the exact opening date.
Strolls around the city have been much brighter in recent weeks, all thanks to the addition of some unexpected blooms. The CBD's grey, concrete streets have had a makeover as a part of the City of Sydney's seven-week 'Living Colour' floral display project. But as we leave the warmer weather behind, these flowers need a new home. And you can help out. This Sunday from 8am, St Mary's Cathedral will be the spot to snag some cut-price botanical beauties. For just a gold coin donation, you'll be able to take home everything from petunias to purple sage. Best of all, all funds raised will be heading directly to the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (giving those living with and affected by HIV a much-needed helping hand). Add some colour to your own space and feel good about it too. Who could resist adopting these little blooms that've seen it all?
The trend may be for live venues to open casual eateries, but if there was one place we thought would stay posh to the last, it was the Sydney Opera House. Yet now its tenant of 12 years, the illustrious Guillaume Brahimi, has announced he will not be submitting a tender for the site this year, leaving its million-dollar views open to those with a ten-buck ambition. "Our goal was always to run one of the best restaurants in the country, befitting such an iconic venue," said Brahimi in a press release. "The Opera House Trust is now seeking a bistro-style restaurant, cafe and bar. This clearly involves a very different vision." He said it had been their privilege to serve over half a million guests since Guillaume at Bennelong opened in 2001. The restaurant is a Sydney icon and has won 25 hats from the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide over the years, currently holding two. However, Brahimi's formal establishment is also a 'special occasion' restaurant for most, so it's understandable the Opera House Trust might seek something more capable of catering to the diverse audiences who visit for opera, theatre, concerts, festivals and talks. The Sydney Theatre Company now has its all-accommodating Bar at the End of the Wharf and Carriageworks has the cool Cornerstone (both operated by Fresh Catering) — will the Opera House swing the same way? Meanwhile, Brahimi isn't disappearing; he and his team are making busy plans that will be announced in the coming months, so we hope to see them emerge in a new incarnation in Sydney soon. Until then, you have six months to enjoy Guillaume at Bennelong before they shut up shop at the end of 2013.
UPDATE, July 24, 2020: Vox Lux is available to stream via Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Fame's sharp edges have punctured the cinema screen several times of late. They cut deep in A Star Is Born's moving pop star epic, which tracked the ups and downs of celebrity with wrenching emotion and heightened drama. And they sliced superficially in Bohemian Rhapsody, as it neatly and cleanly explored Freddie Mercury's quest to remain true to himself as he stepped into the spotlight. In Vox Lux, the difficulties and complexities of success slash savagely and hack furiously, with Brady Corbet writing and directing a blunt yet brilliant onslaught of a movie. As he did in The Childhood of a Leader, the actor-turned-filmmaker relentlessly charts the ascension of an influential fictional figure who owes their rise to struggle and trauma. Perhaps unexpectedly, the difference between a troubled kid becoming a fascist ringleader in the former film and a shooting victim becoming a superstar singer in the latter is paper-thin. Celeste is that singer and, as Willem Dafoe's all-knowing, somewhat ominous narration explains, her story is significant. Initially just an ordinary American girl, she grows up to be a victim, then a symbol — and then a star and a pariah. As a teenager (Raffey Cassidy) in 1999, she escapes a Staten Island school shooting with a bullet lodged in her spine and disturbing memories embedded in her brain. Savvy even in her darkest hours, the 13-year-old parlays her distress into a heartfelt ballad with her sister Ellie (Stacy Martin), sparking global attention and a prosperous music career under the guidance of an opportunistic manager (Jude Law). As a long-established public figure (Natalie Portman) in 2017, Celeste has since endured the rollercoaster ride that is fame, and is worse for wear for the experience. She's now a largely absent mother to her own teen (also played by Cassidy), and a target for the tabloids, especially after a terrorist attack is carried out by perpetrators wearing costumes from one of her early music videos. Three acts of violence punctuate Vox Lux: the two mentioned above as well as 9/11. A classroom erupts with gunfire, ending Celeste's childhood. A plane hits the World Trade Centre, just as the rising star is farewelling her adolescence. A beach resort becomes the site of the world's latest massacre, all on the eve of Celeste's big comeback tour. Each incident proves the narrative equivalent to the sparing bursts of silence deployed by composer Scott Walker, punctuating his booming, needling orchestral score. They find further parallels in the soulful instances when cinematographer Lol Crawley peers closely at Celeste, lingers and truly sees her, rather than presenting the character as a product of her surroundings via mid and long shots. They're the moments when everything stops and changes, however Vox Lux is primarily concerned with the exact opposite. Tragedy strikes, and people are lost again and again, but life, pop music and celebrity worship all adapt, evolve and continue. A tale of multiple chapters, periods and sources of pain, all operatically building to a huge pop concert finale, Vox Lux knows that the show will go on. It also knows that everything comes at a cost, especially the type of whirlwind that transforms Celeste from a mousy slip of a girl to a strutting, spiky, leotard-clad adult with a chip on her shoulder as broad as her newly adopted accent. Penetrating insight is baked into the movie's frames, as its protagonist turns trauma into success, then sees her success defined by, reactive to and almost reliant upon the world's seemingly never-ending cycle of trauma. When tragedy and popular culture have become irreversibly intertwined, there's no alternative. There's no reprieve, either. As a result, when Portman's version of Celeste sings "I'm a private girl in a public world" during Vox Lux's third act (crooning bangers composed by Sia, who's responsible for all of the film's original pop tracks), it's the movie's most obvious observation. Still, it's also a powerful statement, recognising how hurt, despair, and humanity's darkest moments have become grist for the entertainment and escapism-driven mill that is our 21st-century existence. Corbet eschews subtlety for force, but he's smartly mirroring his subject matter. Everything that his film says about fame, celebrity, success, myth-making, trauma and public spectacle shouldn't come as a surprise. Yet there's knowing something, and then there's revelling in the crash, rush and mess that arises when a movie dissects its topic in such a provocative and piercing way. For a filmmaker whose visuals demonstrate a love of control — with every inch of Vox Lux proving as slick and stylish as a music clip, and as enamoured with its own style as well — Corbet also clearly loves chaos. He loves making a splash, engineering a reaction, then waiting for the fallout he knows will eventuate. When bullets intrude upon a classroom and later a beach resort, it's jarring. When the film flits from near-stilted scenes of violence to glossy concerts — and from staring up at New York City buildings to watching the younger Celeste grapple with her injury — it bathes in the evident contrasts. And when Cassidy's shy portrayal of Celeste gives way to Portman's larger-than-life vision, it's similarly grating by design. Indeed, the movie's two versions of its fractured protagonist, as played to perfection by its lead actors, couldn't better encapsulate Corbet's overall approach. For better and for worse, Celeste shines in the space where the fragile meets the gleefully in-your-face, and so does everything else about the exceptional, memorable Vox Lux. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMCYE9hKP68
On most weekends, somewhere in Sydney is hosting a beer festival. They might not happen every single weekend, but they definitely pop up with frequency. Only one is called the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular, however, and dedicates itself to weird, wild, wonderful and inventive varieties that are made exclusively for the booze-fuelled party. And that very fest has locked in its dates for 2023. If you're a newcomer to GABS, as the festival is known, it started off as a Melbourne-only celebration of ales, lagers, ciders and more. Then, it started spreading along Australia's east coast capitals, as well as to New Zealand. Now, its 2023 plans will see it return for its Sydney event from Friday, June 2–Saturday, June 3 at ICC Darling Harbour. While only dates and venues have been confirmed so far, and not brewers heading along or the beers they'll be whipping up, attendees can look forward to an event that's considered to be one of the best craft beer and cider festivals in the Asia Pacific region. And, you can grab tickets from the GABS website from 3pm on Friday, March 3. One big reason: it'll pour at least 1200 kegs — which in past years have been inspired by breakfast foods, savoury snacks, desserts, cocktails and more — from 240 taps. In 2022, peanut butter, coffee, earl grey tea, chicken salt, pizza, fairy floss, bubblegum and sour gummy bears all got a whirl. The event surveys both Australian and New Zealand breweries, plus folks from the US and UK, with more than 120 set to be pouring their wares this year. Also on the bill: other types of tipples, including non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, whiskey, gin, cocktails and wines. In fact, Archie Rose, Monkey Shoulder Whisky and Yellow Tail Wines will all be making their GABS debuts. GABS is known for dishing up a hefty lineup of activities to accompanying all that sipping, too, which'll span a silent disco, roaming bands, circus and sideshow performers, games and panels with industry leaders in 2023, as well as local food trucks and vendors to line your stomach. Yes, that includes the Mountain Goat air guitar championship, the Balter tins of glory, the Atomic wheel of pourtune and the Black Flag skate ramp. Updated March 3.
Since the mid-90s, Paul Rudd has been a constant presence on both big and small screens. First, he won over Beverly Hills' coolest teen in Clueless, joined horror royalty in Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers and somehow became the unattractive romantic alternative in Romeo + Juliet. Then, he helped deliver San Diego's news in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, ran for office against Leslie Knope in Parks & Recreation and became the world's smallest superhero in Ant-Man. The list goes on, spanning a trip to camp in Wet Hot American Summer, plus appearances on Friends and Veronica Mars. But it's Netflix's new series Living With Yourself that's finally giving the world all the Paul Rudd that anyone could ever ask for. Both asking and answering the question we've all been pondering for decades — aka why have one Paul Rudd when you can have two? — Living With Yourself is yet another existential comedy. That said, as written by Emmy Award-winning The Daily Show producer Timothy Greenberg, and directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Battle of the Sexes, Ruby Sparks, Little Miss Sunshine), the show finds its own charming niche amongst this growing genre. While the likes of The Good Place, Forever, Russian Doll, Miracle Workers, Maniac and Undone have each contemplated existence and our place in it, they haven't pondered whether we're all actually our own worst enemies in this comic but insightful fashion. Twice the Paul Rudd is twice as nice, obviously; however the two versions of his character cause quite the chaos in Living With Yourself, especially given that the double-up is a wholly unintended development. Everyone's favourite ageless star plays Miles, a burnt-out writer turned advertising agency employee struggling through an average life, until he discovers an unusual solution. Heading to a day spa recommended by a colleague, he's looking to come out relaxed and refreshed. That happens, but only because he's replaced by a clone and left for dead. Although the new and improved version of Miles couldn't be happier, the old version is still hanging around. So, the original Miles and the new Miles have to work out how to co-exist — and if they even can. How the pair handle their shared life, wife Kate (Irish actor and comedian Aisling Bea), career and identity fuels the show's eight-episode first season, as do plenty of weighty matters — including the quest to try to be a better version of ourselves. That's a notion that Living With Yourself's fellow existential comedies all deal with in different ways, and it's one that never stops being relevant. Here, in a series that comes layered with a heft dose of melancholy, that tussle not only gets a literal spin, but fuels an engaging, thoughtful and amusing show that does much more than just duplicate one of entertainment's beloved talents. Before binging the whole first series, check out the trailer for Living With Yourself below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w54yW2Ur50 All eight episodes of Living With Yourself's first season are available on Netflix now. Images: Netflix.
Every Wednesday during Art & About 2013, the bohemians at East Sydney Creative will be providing working folk with a good excuse to knock off early. Their 'Escape Early on Wednesdays' extravanganza promises to transform Darlinghurst, Paddington, East Sydney and Surry Hills into a hive of activity, where art is Queen Bee. Over 20 organisations will play host to exhibitions, installations, yarn bombing, live music and talks. At the heart of it all will be the Metro Screen Pop-Up Cinema & Bar. Designer Gui Andrade is transforming the Metro Screen Studios at Paddo Town Hall into not just a movie house but a visual and kinaesthetic experience. "The idea that I had for the pop-up cinema was 'the glitch'," Andrade told us. "It can be hard to pick up on when you're watching a film. I want to play with people's perspectives as soon as they walk into the theatre. I want to make them wonder if what they're seeing is real or illusory — if it's what they're supposed to be experiencing." Each week, a different program of short films will screen, each arranged by a different curator. On September 25, Rich Warren (former coordinator of the UK's Encounters Festival) will deliver 'Subliminal Psychosis and Paranoid Perspectives', "a trip into the twisted minds of filmmakers and the inhabitants that lurk there." October 2 will see 'The Lena Dunham Love In', a journey through "the origins of Lena's world, where characters were born, grew up and took shape on the big(gish) screen". October 9, titled 'Feed Me Weird Things', is promising "an evening of pretty things, twisted pixels and classic retro psychedelia". The final session, 'Prototype', to happen on October 16, will be curated by Craig Boreham, who's currently working on feature film Teenage Kicks. The Metro Screen Pop-Up Cinema & Bar will open between 5pm and 8pm every Wednesday during Art & About 2013 (25 September and 2, 9 and 16 October) at Paddington Town Hall, Cnr Oatley Road and Oxford Street (Oatley Road entrance, under the Chauvel Cinema). Entry is free but RSVP is essential, as numbers are strictly limited. Image: Tiny Furniture.
There's a big, white container coming to The Rocks. But, like most shipping containers in the city, it's not being used to transport furniture. And the word 'séance' will be written on the side in black. It's kind of ominous. But Séance is actually a new installation where participants take a seat inside the tiny space, put on a headset and place their hands flat on the table in front of them. The lights go out and the container enters complete darkness. For the next 15 minutes, participants are fed 'suggestible information' through their headsets. You're probably thinking that there's something dark or supernatural about the whole thing — and going by the name, we don't blame you. But the installation's organiser assures us that 'séance' is simply a French word meaning 'session' or 'sitting'. And so Séance is a sensory experience that looks at the psychology of a group sitting together. Despite not being a horror or supernatural-themed piece, it's a scary indicator of how easy it is for confusion, information overload and the people siting right next to us to affect our judgment. Artists David Rosenberg and Glen Neath (who have collaborated in other sensory deprivation projects before) are the creative masterminds behind the project, which has been described as 'disorienting' and 'deeply unsettling'. It's not recommended for the claustrophobic or the easily frightened. After a residence in Melbourne, the installation come to Atherden Street in The Rocks from November 22 to December 10. Séance is open daily, three times an hour between 11am and 10pm until November 12. Tickets cost $20 each.
Australians under the age of 40, it's time to roll up your sleeves — because the country's slow-moving vaccine campaign is finally opening up the Pfizer jab to all Aussies between 16–39. If you're in that age group, you don't fall into the high-risk or high-priority categories outlined by the Australian Government and you'd prefer to get Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, you've been spending all of this year waiting to get vaxxed; however, come Monday, August 30, it'll now be your turn. In a press conference today, Thursday, August 19, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that "the cabinet met today to affirm that we will be moving to opening up 16–39-year-olds for the balance of the program and intend that to commence on 30 August." That doesn't mean you can book just yet, though. "I want to stress, do not make a booking yet. We will advise when bookings can be made. It isn't today. We will advise when the time will come over the course of the next week," the Prime Minister continued. The Pfizer jab is the recommended COVID-19 vaccine for all Australians under the age of 60, but the country's vaccination rollout has been targeting high-priority and high-risk groups first, and then working backwards in terms of age range. In New South Wales only, folks aged 16–39 who live in Greater Sydney's 12 Local Government Areas that are currently under tighter lockdown conditions have been able to get the Pfizer vaccine since today, but that's the only part of the country that's been giving that specific jab to adults under 40 that aren't considered high-risk. So, before the month is out, around 8.6 million Australians will get their chance to receive the Pfizer shot, which will obviously give the nation's vaccination numbers a considerable boost. At the time of writing, 21.9 percent of Aussies are fully vaccinated, which includes 27.29 percent above the age of 16. And, as announced by the Prime Minister, 50 percent of Australians have now had their first dose. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been available to Australians of any age since late June, and will still be available — but, until the end of this month, Pfizer has only been open to under 40s if they're of of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; work in quarantine, border or healthcare roles; work or live in an aged care or disability facility; work in a critical and high-risk job such as defence, fire, police, emergency services and meat processing; have an underlying medical condition or significant disability; are pregnant; or participate in the NDIS, or care for someone who does. From September, there'll also be a third type of COVID-19 shot available to Aussies, with the Moderna jab just getting local approval this month. If you're eager to look for vaccination clinics — to plan ahead for when you can get vaxxed — you can check out a handy online map that collates vaccination hub, clinic and GP locations. It covers all Australian states and territories, including New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. Australia's Pfizer vaccination rollout will open to all Aussies aged between 16–39 from Monday, August 30. For further information, head to the Australian Government Department of Health website.
Bands? Check. Booze? Check. Helping out a worthy cause? You’d better believe it. So get pumped to get it on, Vegas style, at Club 77 on September 29. Hosted by notorious Vegas starlet Gigi Fontaine, Low Rollers looks like nothing short of a night you’d love to never forget — she’ll be telling stories about all the glitz and all the glamour (or the lack thereof) in Las Vegas, whilst local bands The First Husbands, Brother Speed and Polographia shred up a storm on stage. The event is the brainchild of the Young Centenary Foundation, and every nickel, penny and dime raised goes towards funding medical research. Which is good for the feels. There’s also an open bar, card tables and all manner of Vegas-oriented trashiness (shotgun wedding, anyone?), all promising to be worth the road trip in the Great Red Shark to a faux-Nevada nirvana. Vegas, baby.
Feel like startin' something? Now's the time to finally perfect your moonwalk—a celebration of Michael Jackson's unique artistry has hit Australia in the form of multiple Tony Award®-winning MJ the Musical, with the Australian Premiere now playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. The global touring musical's Sydney stint is brought to you by director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, supported by Destination NSW. [caption id="attachment_991797" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied.[/caption] Centred around the making of The King of Pop's 1992 Dangerous World Tour, MJ the Musical offers a rare look at the creativity and collaborative spirit that landed Jackson legendary status. You'll be out of your seats in no time. The musical features 25 hits, including all your favourites like Beat It, Billie Jean and Bad, plus plenty more. If you want the full VIP experience, why not go in the draw to win a bunch of epic experiences? Lucky winners will score four A-reserve tickets to a performance of MJ the Musical on select nights from Sunday, March 9 onwards, two nights of accommodation at Novotel Darling Harbour for a group of four, and a pre-theatre dinner at the Ternary for four people on one night. Winners will also get their hands on the official MJ Program and Merchandise pack and be treated to a backstage tour and meet and greet with some of the cast. Not in Sydney? No worries. We will hook you up with return flights from the nearest capital city. The competition is only open to those in Victoria, Queensland, ACT and New South Wales, and all prize elements are subject to availability. [competition]991802[/competition] Images: Original Broadway Cast, supplied. For more information on MJ the Musical, visit the website.
A documentary that's deeply personal for one of its directors, intensely powerful in surveying Australia's treatment of its First Peoples and crucial in celebrating perhaps the country's first-ever Aboriginal filmmaker, Ablaze makes for astonishing viewing. But while watching, two ideas jostle for attention. Both remain unspoken, yet each is unshakeable. Firstly, if the history of Australia had been different, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta man William 'Bill' Onus would be a household name. If that was the case, not only his work behind the camera, but his activism for Indigenous Aussies at a time when voting and even being included in the census wasn't permitted — plus his devotion to ensuring that white Australians were aware of the nation's colonial violence — would be as well-known as Captain Cook. That said, if history had been better still, Bill wouldn't have needed to fight so vehemently, or at all. Alas, neither of those possibilities came to a fruition. Ablaze can't change the past, but it can and does document it with a hope to influencing how the world sees and appreciates Bill's part in it. Indeed, shining the spotlight on its subject, everything his life stood for, and all that he battled for and against is firmly and proudly the feature's aim. First-time filmmaker Tiriki Onus looks back on his own grandfather, narrating his story as well — and, as aided by co-helmer Alec Morgan (Hunt Angels, Lousy Little Sixpence), the result is a movie brimming with feeling, meaning and importance. While Aussie cinema keeps reckoning with the nation's history regarding race relations, as it should and absolutely must, Ablaze is as potent and essential as everything from Sweet Country, The Nightingale and The Australian Dream to The Furnace, High Ground and The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson. As the last filmic ode to a key Indigenous figure within cinema also did, aka My Name Is Gulpilil, Ablaze has a clear source of inspiration beyond the person at its centre. Appearing on-screen, Tiriki begins with two discoveries that put him on the path to making the movie: finding a suitcase filled with Bill's belongings, which included photographs of Indigenous boys in traditional paint peering at a film camera; and learning that the National Film & Sound Archive was in possession of footage of unknown origin that it believed to be linked to Bill. Accordingly, Ablaze is as much a detective story as it is a tribute, with Tiriki puzzling together the pieces of his grandfather's tale. Structuring the film in such a way is a savvy decision; even viewers coming to Bill with zero prior knowledge will want to sleuth along to solve the feature's multiple mysteries. Connecting the dots starts easily, after Tiriki spies the boys in Bill's photos in the NFSA's nine-minute reel — footage from which it's an enormous treat to see in Ablaze. From there, though, the what and why behind the material takes longer to tease out. So too does exactly why Reg Saunders and Doug Nicholls — the first Aboriginal officer in the Australian Army and the famed Aussie rules footballer-turned-pastor, respectively — appear in Bill's silent footage. Also an opera singer, Tiriki guides Ablaze's viewers through the answers, while delivering a biographical documentary-style exploration of Bill's existence along the way — from being born in 1906 at the Cummeragunja Aboriginal Reserve, on the Murray River in New South Wales, through to his passing in 1968 following the successful 1967 referendum on counting Indigenous Australians as part of the population, for which he spearheaded the campaign. As is any fascinating doco's curse, much in Ablaze could fuel several movies. Bill packed plenty into his time, although filmmaking, activism, and sharing his culture far and wide are recurring themes. Before shooting the reel that helps spark Ablaze sometime around 1946, Bill had gleaned how influential cinema could be to spread a message. And, from working on other productions — such as Charles Chauvel's Uncivilised in 1937 and Harry Watt's The Overlanders in 1946 — he was intent on using that power to tell the world about Indigenous Australians and their plight. In addition, with the same quest, he took to the stage. As Ablaze shows among its treasure trove of archival materials, white Aussies were flocking to a horrendously offensive-looking production called Corroboree, starring white performers in hand-stitched blackface bodysuits — which Bill set to counter. Even the newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II was among Corroboree's audience, as seen in another of Ablaze's impressive compilation of clips from decades back. Contrasting that fact with glimpses of Bill's White Justice, his theatre piece inspired by the 1946 Pilbara strike by Indigenous workers — a show that was filmed and forms part of that unearthed reel — is just one instance of a trend that keeps popping up throughout the documentary. Each time that Tiriki unfurls a new strand to Bill's story, more infuriating horrors come with it. When Bill travelled overseas to attend a peace festival East Germany to draw global attention to the situation back home, he was reportedly surveilled by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. When he received an invite from Walt Disney to go to America, ASIO helped put a stop to it. The atrocities go on, and aren't always personal. As explained by actor and now-elder Jack Charles (Preppers), even the traditional act of making possum skin wraps that chronicled the wearer's life was banned by white Australia, with the animal fur commandeered for fashion instead. With its mix of archival footage, motion graphics made from old photographs, animation and interviews — plus Tiriki's travels — Ablaze has a wealth of other threads weaved through its frames. As they're all stitched together, another truth solidifies: this film, and its wide-ranging examination of how Indigenous Australians have been treated since colonisation, is exactly what Bill was dedicated to bringing to the screen. Its moniker also feels extra apt, even after being outlined early (we have a caravan fire to thank for its subject's prowess behind the camera, and what he shot, being so little-known). Scorchingly obvious in almost every second of Ablaze, Bill was aglow with fiery determination. There's little that's remarkable about the way this cinematic homage to his efforts is put together but, given who it focuses on and his tireless crusade for equality, this doco was always going to burn bright.
World cinema buffs should check out the upcoming Latin American Film Festival. Reflecting the changing face of Latin cinema thanks to greater arts funding, the 12 days will feature 22 films from 14 different countries, along with a whole lot of food, music and dancing. If you’re in the mood for a party, opening night at the Opera Quays includes a samba performance, a screening of Brazilian actor-director Selton Mello’s comedy-drama The Clown then a fiesta at Ryan’s Paragon Hotel. Budding filmmakers can attend post-show Q&As with directors Hernán Jabes (Rock, Paper, Scissors) and Rodrigo H Vila (Mercedes Sosa: The Voice of Latin America). Or maybe see Arlos Lechuga’s debut, Melaza (Molasses), banned in Cuba for its harsh depiction of rural life. Foodies should watch documentary Peru Sabe: Cuisine as an agent of social change, following renowned chef Ferran Adrià of elBulli on his first trip to Peru, guided by local culinary hero Gastón Acurio. After the screening there’s a Peruvian feast. An added incentive is the festival’s non-profit status: money raised this year goes to Instituto Raoni, an organisation supporting indigenous communities in Brazil. For a full list of films, head to the official festival site. The festival is based at Dendy Opera Quays (4-11 October) and Bankstown Arts Centre (13-15 October).
Nick Coyle has made a very ridiculous name for himself by writing, directing and performing a whole mess of shows based around the inert silliness we all generally hide. The 2012 FBi SMAC Award winner for Best on Stage has been behind such productions as Me Pregnant!, Double Tribute and Rommy. This time, however, Nick is bringing his antics to The Bondi Pavillion Theatre, and these antics are for kids. Uh Oh Tony! is one man’s quest to find his best friend. Who happens to be a robot. With his somewhat unwanted sidekick. Who is a puppet. Of course. That said, it’s exactly the kind of weirdness that Coyle is known for, so what else could we expect? As much as the interactive, all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza is written for little kids, there’s no reason why big kids (us) shouldn’t love it either. Get out of the way, shorties. Uh Oh Tony is on at 11am and 1pm daily.
Sydneysiders, if you're under the age of 40 and you live in one of the city's 12 Local Government Areas that are currently under tighter lockdown conditions, the New South Wales Government has just revealed some great news. As announced by NSW Health today, Wednesday August 18, the state's COVID-19 vaccination rollout is now prioritising doses of the Pfizer jab for folks aged between 16–39 in these LGAs of concern — effective from Thursday, August 19. Accordingly, under 40s in the Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta and Strathfield LGAs — and in 12 suburbs in the Penrith — are able to get booking, with an extra 530,000 doses of Pfizer becoming available to this specific group over the next two-and-a-half weeks. "We know there are several hundred thousand people in these LGAs who are unvaccinated in this age group, and this is a great opportunity for them to come forward and get their jab," said NSW Health Deputy Secretary Susan Pearce. 📢 Priority Pfizer vaccination appointments are now available to all 16-39 year old's living in a local government area of concern 📢 pic.twitter.com/oMIFJAx5WH — NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 17, 2021 Although the AstraZeneca vaccine has been available to Australians of any age since late June, this is the first time that the Pfizer jab will be available to residents aged 16–39 in these 12 parts of Sydney — without needing to fall into a high-risk or other high-priority category, that is. So, if you live in these areas and fit the right age range, it's now time to roll up your sleeves. The Pfizer vaccination will be available to under 40s at hubs such as the Bankstown, Bayside, Liverpool, Prairiewood, Penrith and South Western Sydney vaccination clinics, and venues at Sydney Olympic Park, Qudos Bank Arena, and Sonic Healthcare in Hurstville and the CBD. Bookings opened at 9am on Wednesday, August 18, for appointments from Thursday, August 19 onwards. Before now, NSW residents under 40 who'd prefer the Pfizer vaccine have needed to fall into a specific group to access it, as the nation's vaccination rollout hasn't yet opened up the Pfizer jab to everyone under 40. That means that adults aged up to 39 haven't been eligible to get the Pfizer vaccination unless you're of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent; work in quarantine, border or healthcare roles; work or live in an aged care or disability facility; work in a critical and high-risk job such as defence, fire, police, emergency services and meat processing; have an underlying medical condition or significant disability; are pregnant; or participate in the NDIS, or care for someone who does. If you're aged between 16–39, live in Sydney but don't reside in these 12 Sydney LGAs of concern, you do still need to fall into a priority category to access the Pfizer jab until NSW opens it up to under 40s statewide. For further information about NSW's vaccine rollout, head to the NSW Health website — and for more information about opening up the Pfizer vaccine to under 40s in Sydney's 12 LGAs of concern, head to NSW Health's announcement.
Sydney's Wild Life Zoo may be temporarily closed to the public, but its keepers are continuing to feed and care for its many animals, big, small, scaly and slimy. And it's inviting you to get in on the action this week when it live streams the feeding of one of its biggest residents. At 2.30pm AEDT on Wednesday, March 25, you can watch Rocky the mammoth 365-kilogram saltwater crocodile splash around in his large pool, clamp his jaws around snacks and maybe even show off a death roll or two. Before the feeding kicks off, there'll be a Q&A with Rocky's keepers Caroline, Ashley and Sofia, who'll be answering all of your questions about the world's largest reptile. Thankfully, this isn't the only live-stream the zoo is planning. Keep an eye on its Facebook page for future cute and slightly scary content, including possible koala cuddles, snake feeding and after-dark hangs with the nocturnal animals. Live-Stream: Feeding Time with Rocky the Crocodile is happening at 2.30pm AEDT via Wild Life Zoo's Facebook page.
Few areas of Sydney have gone through as much of a transformation in the past decade as Alexandria and Rosebery. What was once considered a mostly industrial area has seen swaths of commercial and residential development. First, former warehouses were converted into restaurants, creative hubs and entertainment spaces. Then came a futuristic new library and the food-filled laneway at Infinity by Crown Group. There is also an aquatic centre and a huge 6200-square-metre park in the works. It's an area in flux, which means it's a pretty exciting part of Sydney to both live in and visit. But, as there is so much to explore here, we decided to ask you — Concrete Playground readers — what local businesses you love to support. So, follow this guide to find the best places to visit in Alexandria and Rosebery, as chosen by you. Read on to discover some of the most popular picks to visit during the day. Then, flick the switch above and we'll dim the lights to show your favourite things to do in Alexandria and Rosebery once the sun goes down.
The Powerhouse Museum has plenty of weird and wonderful on offer during daylight hours. But things are about to get even more adventurous with the launch of MAASive Lates, a monthly after-hours series featuring circus acts, extreme sideshows, go-go dancing, body art, catering by Black Star Pastry and more. The first event, titled 'Circus Follies', is happening on January 15. It's promising a circus extravaganza, set within the Powerhouse's Circus Factory exhibition. There'll be left-of-field circus performances from Phantasia, fire shows by Circaholics Anonymous, live music and a one hundred-year-old carousel that you can actually ride. And if you've been contemplating getting in touch with your inner circus, your participation is welcomed with opportunities to make articulated circus characters and dress up in provided costumes. The second MAASive Late, scheduled for February 26, and dubbed 'Queer Bigtop', is all about embracing Mardi Gras — with a circus-inspired approach. Heading up proceedings will be Sydney's legendary drag queen Prada Clutch, acting as ringmistress, while the soundtrack will be delivered by DJ Kitty Glitter, official DJ for the 2015 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. By way of visual feast, there'll be outrageous tricks and extraordinary treats from Belladonna Brabazon and go-go dancing from the Go-Gettes. You're invited to get in on the action, with a drop-in go-go class running all night, and a game of drag queen bingo hosted by Conchita Grande. The third in the series, set for March 26 and named 'Undressed', heads away from the circus theme and towards, well, underwear. It'll be hosted within the Museum’s new exhibition, Undressed: 350 Years of Underwear in Fashion. Expect pole dancing, burlesque performances, live body art and a showcase from local lingerie designers. And, if you're keen to get creative, you'll be able to join the Museum’s lace experts for hands-on lace-making workshops. "In 2014, we presented a hugely successful Late Night at the Museum as part of the Sydney Design Festival, attended by over 600 people and attracting new audiences to the Museum whose interests were piqued at the after-hours antics on offer. In 2015, we're looking forward to making late nights part of our regular program," said Janson Hews, partnerships and festivals manager at the Museum of Arts and Applied Sciences. "MAASive Lates are specifically programmed with 18-35 year olds in mind, and we're thrilled to be partnering with some of Australia's finest live performers who will help bring our exhibitions to life after dark." MAASive Lates will be happening between 6pm and 9pm on January 15, February 26 and March 26 at Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo. Tickets are $30 at door and $25 online. Combine Circus Follies and Queer Bigtop for $40. Image credit: Brooke Degiorgio
Yes, it's opera. Yes, there are bits that you probably won't understand. Yes, you will have to spend almost your entire inheritance just to get in the door. BUT. It's directed by John Bell. It's set in Nazi-occupied Rome and there's music in it that will grab you by the scruff of the neck, frog-march you to a clifftop and toss you off the precipice into a vast, shining sea of Opera Appreciation. Cavaradossi, a painter, is giving a church a spruce up when an escaped prisoner busts in looking for sanctuary and aid. Cavaradossi helps Angelotti, but it places him squarely in the sights of the Fascist police chief Scarpia. Scarpia takes Cavaradossi prisoner and makes Tosca, his lover, an ultimatum. He will spare Cavaradossi's life in exchange for Tosca's affection. If she remains loyal to Cavaradossi, however, he will be put to death. Decisions, decisions. Opera isn't known for being the most inviting of mediums, but if you've always wanted to know what the bellowing and viking helmets is about, you could do much worse than a John Bell-led tour of 1940s Italy.
Joan, Again, the new play written and directed by Paul Gilchrist (Christina in the Cupboard, Rocket Man) for subtlenuance, centres around the peasant girl turned warrior-saint Joan of Arc. Or does it? Does it matter? Gilchrist's protagonist is either returning from the dead or masquerading as a French icon, and both writer and character realise that when it comes to identity theft, your probability of success can depend greatly on the improbability of the genuine article. A modest crucifix, a crude table and bench, a sprinkling of hay and warm, rustic lighting establish a yard in a small French town. The visit of a Cardinal (Lynden Jones) on his way to Paris is complicated by the arrival of a young woman (Sylvia Keays) claiming to be Joan of Arc, back from the dead ten years after her execution. The ensuing debate about the veracity of the girl's story splits the house's inhabitants between those who take her at her word and those who demand that the mysterious visitor repent and tell the truth. Hiding in plain sight is the 'mouse', Therese (Kit Bennett), who has more to contribute on the subject of divinity than her colleagues suspect. Helen Tonkin is unflappable as the prickly, no-nonsense atheist Isabelle and provides a nice counterweight to the self-satisfied malevolence of Jones' Cardinal. David Kirkham’s perpetually terrified Felix is also quite enjoyable, staying on stage just long enough to deliver a nervous disclaimer or apology before scampering out of sight again. Keay's Joan, though, is a hard one to read. In accordance with the script, she doesn’t give much away, surely a curious tactic to use against people so well-versed in her exploits as a charismatic military leader. The speed with which she allays the suspicions of the majority of the characters, regardless of their credulity, rings somewhat hollow. In addition to the vaguely Crucible-esque vibe of the piece, with truth obscured by a rising tide of religious hyperbole, I found Joan, Again strongly reminiscent of a medieval morality play, in which the soul of the protagonist is contested by stereotypical forces of good and evil. On the one hand, Gilchrist’s script presents a witty, if overly long exploration of deception, identity and hypocrisy, with each character contributing a different angle on the subject. On the other, this approach makes for very little character or plot development, a factor exacerbated by the large cast and static staging of the piece. As the play continues, the characters lose dimension and humanity, becoming archetypes, facets of a debate rather than people. Although flawed, Joan, Again is a nice jumble of history, myth and religion and an interesting study on the cult of personality in the mediaeval era.
Are you feeling a little Clueless about what to do for date night, Sydney? Never fear, Love Is in the Air is here. For the whole of September, Sweethearts will be hosting free screenings of all your favourite rom-coms on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The show starts at 7pm, also known as dinner time. Luckily for you, Sweethearts is home to great berbecue so you can impress your date with a plate full of delicious ribs, a mean apple cider slushie and your skill at quoting Love Actually. Love Is in the Air is part of a series of festivities at all Keystone venues. It will be a month of drinking, dining and entertainment at some of their much-loved venues. It's not just for couples though; anybody can enjoy a good rom-com. Who knows, you may even have your own meet-cute. September 1 - Juno September 2 - Knocked Up September 7 - About a Boy September 8 - Love Actually September 9 - Notting Hill September 14 - There's Something bout Mary September 15 - When Harry met Sally September 16 - Forgetting Sarah Marshall September 21 - Pretty in Pink September 22 - Sixteen Candles September 23 - Dirty Dancing September 28 - 10 Things I Hate About You September 29 - Pretty Woman September 30 - Sleepless in Seattle
With a trio of skyscrapers already erected and a casino on the way, it's hard not to wonder what Barangaroo's namesake would have made of Sydney's new financial district. Barangaroo was a fisherwoman for the Cammeraygal people who apparently deplored the excesses of the British settlers, so it's a stretch to imagine her embracing the economic opportunities of the rejuvenated docklands. For 2019's Sydney Festival, Bangarra's Helpmann Award-winning head of design Jacob Nash will be out at Barangaroo crafting a large-scale public sculpture spelling ALWAYS. Using the phrase 'Always was, always will be' as an impetus, the work will serve as a reminder that Sydney's newest development is taking place on Aboriginal land. On January 26, an overnight vigil will be held on the eve of Australia Day at Barangaroo near the sculpture. Running from sunset right through to the morning — around 8pm to 6am — it's a reflection on the impact of the arrival of the First Fleet and Australia's colonisation on First Nations people, with musical performances and stories told by community Elders throughout the night. Always is part of Sydney Festival's dramatic and diverse 2019 program. Check out the full lineup here. Images: Victor Frankowski
This Woollahra Village institution has been serving its community for the past four years. The salon is situated within a sunny rustic loft filled with leafy greenery, so expect a true escape from the bustling streets below where you can switch off and relax in the care of the trustworthy team. Willomina's stylists provide specialised services in all things cutting, colour and styling. Bonus: they know how to handle curls. A simple blow-dry starts at $50, while more complicated styling ranges from $80–160.
"If you don't see it, you're mainstream." Blerg. Don't let the tagline from this cringe-inducing local promo campaign divert you from seeing the wondrously singular Holy Motors, which has been gathering such rapturous/bemused word-of-mouth as to render even good advertising redundant. After its premiere in competition at Cannes, June's Sydney Film Festival rushed to add Holy Motors to its scheduled programme. August's Melbourne International Film Festival ran a retrospective of the works of its director, Leos Carax, a slim oeuvre comprising five feature films over 28 years, the high point of which was 1991's Lovers on the Bridge, starring a young Juliette Binoche. In Holy Motors Monsieur Oscar (Denis Lavant) is driven around Paris to a series of appointments, each its own separate setpiece. Applying elaborate costume before stepping out of his limousine-cum-dressing room, he becomes a dowager's-humped old woman begging in the street, a thuggish hit man sent after his own doppelganger, and an odd little troll who emerges from the underground to crash a fashion shoot, among other transformations. Why is he employed to do any of these things? Who could possibly be a client or beneficiary of this bizarre service? Some hints of the superstructure that explains his existence appear, but they're just that: hints. What matters to Holy Motors is the condition of human beings within the world it has invented, and the loose poetry it spins on the performative aspects of our contemporary lives. Weirdness affected for weirdness's sake can get tired fast. But Holy Motors' kooky anti-narrative isn't for the hell of it, and it definitely isn't boring. There's a two-step test it passed to justify its rampant weirdness to me: First, it threw up utter beauty, often. I can't let go of the image of two improbably agile motion-capture-suited artists meeting for an erotic dance in the dark, of a naked and aroused imp posing for a Rococo tableau with a chartreuse-silk-wrapped Eva Mendes. Second, you might not know exactly what's going on, but you have the sense that Carax does (although he and his stars are being notoriously tight-lipped). That feeling of a fantasy world following its internal logic keeps incredulity at bay. It means when Kylie Minogue appears to sing a melancholy ballad, you go with it. See Holy Motors. See it see it see it see it. Relent and go down the rabbit hole. Holy Motors won't save you from the mainstream, but it will remind you of the sheer possibilities of cinema and the pulchritude we've yet to dream up. And if you're thinking that all sounds like Holy Motors is too hepped up on its own self-importance, rest assured, there are talking cars that will dispel any chance of that. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WTNUPcb9YuQ
Swifties, listen up. A new Darlinghurst food joint is celebrating the build-up to Taylor's Eras tour arriving in Sydney with three weeks of Taylor Swift-themed bottomless brunches. The boozy affair will be popping up at Harry's by Giuls on Saturday, January 13 and 27 and Saturday, February 10, 17 and 25. The Stanley Street restaurant is the second venue from the Giuls team, opening at the tail end of 2023. A few months after swinging open its doors, the charming Italian restaurant is proclaiming "welcome to Darlinghurst" with a new tune-heavy bottomless brunch. Don an outfit representative of your favourite era from Ms Swift and settle in for 90 minutes of free-flowing drinks and tasty Mediterranean snacks. The menu sticks closely to your classic brunch affair, with a few Taylor Swift puns thrown in for good measure. You'll kick things off with a mystery Lavender Haze cocktail and some Getaway Carbs (arancini balls and Harry's pizza bread). You'll then be treated to antipasto, green olives, shoestring chips, burrata la stella, and a selection of pizza and pasta to share. Throughout the hour and a half, you can take your pick from espresso martinis, Aperol spritzes, house wine and mimosas — but that's just the start of the fun. There will also be friendship bracelets (a regular occurrence on the Eras tour), a life-sized cutout of Taylor for photo ops and a DJ playing exclusively TS tracks.
According to the BucketFeet philosophy, "Art is not meant to hang in an expensive gallery, it is meant to travel and be seen." Why hang paintings on your wall when you can wear them in the street? BucketFeet, a Chicago-based company, sells artist-designed footwear. Every one of their products is a unique piece, envisioned by an artist and realised through ethical production methods. The artists involved collect royalties from every shoe sold. Launched in spring 2011, they're now selling in 12 countries, and the best news is, they've just hit Australian shelves. Co-founders Raaja Nemani (who doubles as CEO) and Aaron Firestein (chief artist) first met in Argentina, where Raaja was escaping the world of finance via extended international travel and Aaron was working as a photographer with a sideline in putting Sharpie to sneaker. "[Aaron] designed a pair of shoes for me that inspired a pair of shoes we later launched with BucketFeet called 'Cuadras', based on the city blocks of Buenos Aires," says Raaja, who went on to wear the shoes across six continents and gather the attention of footwear lovers at every stop. "I think what made the shoes special were the stand out colours he used, which you wouldn't necessarily think go together. They were so unique and original, and while I'm not the craziest dresser, I always like to wear a unique piece — usually a cool pair of shoes or a cool hat. Lately, it's been BucketFeet!" Now launching their SS14 line, they've clocked up more than 100 shoe designs by 70 artists. And those artists are a diverse bunch. "It doesn't matter where you're from or what social class you fit into," says Aaron. "For example, we have worked with artists from the favelas of Rio who work jobs as pizza delivery boys during the day and paint at night, just because they love it so much. We've also worked with people who get artwork commissioned by big companies like Disney, Dr. Pepper or Sony for their marketing campaigns. Art is the unifying factor and, if the person has talent, we want to work with them. Everyone's got a story." The artists involved earn US$250 upfront for their work and then $1 per pair of shoes as well as royalties for as long as the shoes are sold. The payment system is the same no matter how many shoes are sold, or through which channels. "On a global scale, our give-back is substantial," says Raaja. "More than the financial element, we drive awareness and exposure to our artists. We think this is more important than money. There's something to be said about applying artwork to shoes and then having a person walk around in those shoes. The art travels, it is seen by new people, and I think that is what matters most. To get into a pair of Bucketfeet, check out their website or their Australian stockists, Monster Threads.
For nearly three decades, Sydney's annual Mardi Gras Film Festival has given the city something that's not always available elsewhere: a wealth of vibrant, eclectic, heartfelt and important queer cinema from around the world. That's a crucial task, but the 27-year-old fest still has room to blaze new trails. Indeed, in 2020, it's opening with an Australian flick for the first time in the event's history. That'd be lesbian love story Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt), which was shot in Sydney and features Marta Dusseldorp (Janet King) and Rachel House (Hunt for the Wilderpeople). It's also one of MGFF's six world premieres in 2020 — and 57 feature-length films and 75 short films on the jam-packed bill overall, too. Taking over Event Cinemas George Street, Dendy Newtown and Hayden Orpheum from Thursday, February 13–Thursday, February 27, other big-screen highlights include Georgian drama And Then We Danced, which is set in a dance school; Aniara, a Scandinavian sci-fi thriller; and tightly-wound Aussie effort Sequin in a Blue Room, another Sydney-shot effort. Or, keep an eye out for Monsoon with Crazy Rich Asians' Henry Golding, page-to-screen adaptation Tell It To the Bees starring Anna Paquin and Matt Bomer as a lonely TV weatherman in Papi Chulo. Plus, if you like true crime tales reframed with a feminist gaze, make a beeline to Lizzie — it revisits the infamous story of Lizzie Borden, starring Chloe Sevigny and Kristen Stewart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylfEsqKDgKI&feature=emb_logo This year, MGFF will also be focusing on queer horror — such as transgender and lesbian vampire flick Bit, which plays like a 90s throwback, as well as documentary Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm St, about the movie that's been dubbed 'the gayest horror film ever made'. On the factual front, check out films about queer-focused performance collectives, the folks behind West Hollywood's best-known adult bookstore and Israeli adult film star Jonathan Agassi, as well as docos on the American HIV epidemic during the 80s, the use of crystal meth in New York's queer community and the representation of queer women on-screen.
It's been four years since Los Angeles-based philosophy student Romana Gonzalez (a.k.a. Nite Jewel), then an undergraduate, started experimenting with an eight-track cassette recorder. A mellow, richly textured, lo-fi electronica emerged, over which Gonzalez's lyrics floated in obscurity. With her second LP, One Second of Love (her first release on Secretly Canadian) Gonzalez has developed a cleaner, sleeker, more minimalist pop sound. Where before we were watching shadows in the mirror, we're now peering through sun-kissed glass. However, on her first Australian tour, Gonzalez will be travelling with a four-piece band who will undoubtedly inject a healthy dose of rhythmic fervour into the live experience. They'll be performing originals at Goodgod on 31 January ahead of their appearance at Laneway, and fans of Kraftwerk won't want to miss Nite Jewel's interpretation of Computer World at the Famous Spiegeltent for this year's Sydney Festival. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3YMmX1f5sQI
Ash Grunwald is back, ready to tour his unique sound to the ears of Australians nationwide. He won't be alone though, having teamed up with bass-straddler Scott Owen and drumming maverick Andy Strachan of The Living End fame. The unlikely trio have been jamming and have created a heavier sound than Grunwald fans may be used to, but it is well suited to his rustic vocals and if the first product of their activity in the studio is anything to go by, the live show promises to be electric. The dreadlocked talent and his band of misfits will be taking to the stage at the Metro Theatre on Friday, June 21. Who knows how long this collection of Australian musical talent will band together for, so why not let them surprise you while they can.
Sculpture in the Vineyards brings an artistic bend to the Hunter Valley with its annual arts and cultural festival, held throughout four independent vineyards in the Wollombi Valley from October 28 through December 3. This free public exhibition features site-specific, large scale sculptures which transform the boutique vineyards into exhibition parks. The celebration combines art, food and, of course, wine throughout the month, with tastings happening at each of the vineyard cellar doors. Visitors can also take guided tours, attend artist talks and workshops, learn about local Aboriginal history and feast at a wine and food degustation. Events will also take place at the nearby historic Wollombi Village. Entry into the exhibitions along the Wollombi Valley Wine Trail is free and open daily from 10am–6pm, with additional special events happening across the month.
When the Australian Government announced its three-step road map to a COVIDSafe Australia last month, it included a 100-person cap on gatherings in step three, which is set to be introduced in July. Today, Friday, June 12, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lifted this cap and replaced it by a blanket four-square-metre rule. This means that bigger venues will be able to have bigger gatherings — and more than 100 people at events as long as they don't exceed one person per four square metres. The Prime Minister also announced that outdoor venues, such as stadiums, with a capacity of up to 40,000 will be allowed to open at 25 percent capacity, but events must be ticketed and seated. As the Prime Minister said, this means music festivals and nightclubs are still off the cards: "Large folk festivals where people are roaming around from tent to tent, from gathering to gathering, that is not something we're talking about here." Larger events that would be allowed as part of step three, according to the Prime Minister, include funerals, cultural performances and sports. [caption id="attachment_635708" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Letícia Almeida[/caption] Exactly when this will be allowed, though, is up to individual state and territory leaders. As has been the case throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the roadmap is a guideline and it's up to individual leaders to implement the steps — and amend the state laws — as they see fit. The Prime Minister did say, though, that the country was on track for the three-step process to be completed by July. Queensland has already outlined what step three could look like, and plans to introduce it on July 10. Victoria has plans to ease more restrictions on June 21 and again in mid-July. NSW is easing some restrictions tomorrow — including opening gyms and allowing gatherings of up to 20 people — but Premier Gladys Berejiklian said yesterday that more on the government's plans for July would be announced "imminently". 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.
It's beginning to look a lot like summer — or, as we may as well call it in Sydney, outdoor movie-watching season. While St George Openair Cinema won't announce their full program until early December, they have revealed their very first title for their 21st season. If you like watching homegrown films under the stars, get excited. The 2017 program will kick off with a preview of Lion, starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, David Wenham and eight-year-old newcomer Sunny Pawar. Based on a true story you might've seen splashed across the local media over the past few years, it tells the tale of Saroo Brierley. He became separated from his older brother at the age of five, first ended up nearly 1,500 kilometres away from home, and then forged a new life in Australia — before taking to Google Earth more than two decades later in an attempt to find his long-lost family. If it sounds more than a little moving, that's because it is, with awards buzz following the movie since it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. And, while it releases in Aussie cinemas on January 19, this is your chance to see it early. Just what else will grace St George Openair Cinema's 350-metre screen might still be anyone's guess; however we do know that they'll be running a 39-night season between January 7 and February 17, and featuring more than a dozen premieres and previews. The other thing we know is that it'll be busy: more than 1500 patrons per evening are expected to flock to Mrs Macquaries Point adjacent to Royal Botanic Gardens. St George Openair Cinema 2017 runs January 7 to February 17. Tickets are on sale at 9am on December 9, 2016. Visit the website for updates, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Winter — with its plummeting temperatures and early nights — has arrived, casting a bit of a damper on the everyday. But not everyone's suffering. We all have that mate who has somehow managed to wrangle a vacation to some sunshine-y corner of Europe and is living it up while you're over here piling on extra layers of outerwear. If you're at the stage where looking at yet another pic of a beautiful meal on your mate's 'I'm-in-Italy' Instagram is going to drive you round the bend, it's time to take matters into your own hands. How, you ask? With a quick visit to one of the city's impeccable Italian spots that dish up pizza so good, it easily rivals the original. To steer you in the right direction, we've partnered with American Express to round up the city's top pizza joints — ranging from the understated to the extravagant. Plus, these pizzerias all accept American Express so you can stock up on points to use towards your future European vacay at the same time. Throw in a glass (or two, or three) of Italian vino and that FOMO will evaporate in record time. Got yourself in another dining situation and need some guidance? Whatever it is, we know a place. Visit The Shortlist and we'll sort you out.
At various points, the past has promised that by now we’d have robot servants, flying cars, men on Mars, time travel, teleportation and designer babies (of the genetic kind). But whilst those ideas are still slowly chugging through the endless pipeline of human dreams, many more exciting possibilities have come to light. The International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA) descends on Sydney this month to present some of the most exciting new ideas in science and technology as thought of by some of the world’s leading contemporary artists. Here are five places to go to see amazing art for free while it's still in town. 1. Souped-up holograms Venue: COFA Remember holograms? Those stickers you put on your year five school diary that were eyes opening and closing or planets rotating depending on what angle you looked at them from? Well. Welcome to 2013, the land of computer-generated laser holograms, digital holographic prints and stereoscopic animations. Holoshop: Drawing and perceiving depth showcases collaborative holographic and stereoscopic video artworks developed by Associate Professor Paula Dawson in collaboration with the Holoshop research team. Do your eye muscle exercises before attending because this will be a journey of lush optical candy. Image: Paula Dawson, 2013. Production still for digital holographic print, created using Holoshop haptic interface. 2. Robots, for real Venue: Artspace There are two cool awesome sick things happening at Artspace. The first is a suite of projects focusing on robotics. Artists Petra Gemeinboeck & Rob Saunders (Sydney), Mari Velonaki (Sydney) and Simon Ingram (Auckland) all present works that consider the material structures, functions and alterations that automated machines can generate. This is, like, even better than Furbies. The second cool sick awesome thing happening at Artspace is This Is Video curated by Stephen Jones, which charts a history of video art in Australia, pulling together archival work used in a 1981 exhibition titled Video Art from Australia and topping it up with some more contemporary gems. Check out the website for exhibiting artists. Image: Simon Ingram, Drunken walk machine, 2008 (detail) 3. Interactive Introspection Venue: 107 Projects There is actually so much going on at 107 Projects that you might need to bring along an extra brain. If A System Fails In A Forest… is curated by COFA PhD candidate and academic Scott Brown and explores the ubiquitous systems that shape and govern our lives. A host of interactive artworks by local and international artists will reveal what these systems really look like, how we subliminally interact and communicate with them, and whether we can even exist without them. Also at 107 Projects is Electrolapse a video art exhibition about video art(!) presented by Electrofringe that addresses themes of system failure, manipulation, distortion and opportunity. Image: WildPark by Yiwon Park and Peter Wildman 4. Viewing images, not with your eyes Venue: Kudos Gallery Where does the virtual world end and the real world begin? When your fingers swipe the screen and transfer electromagnetic pulses into digital actions, are you temporarily a virtual entity, too? Depends on your Point of View, also conveniently the title of this exhibition going down at Kudos Gallery. Curator Volker Kuchelmeister has selected works that use electronic media to investigate the limitations that traditional ocular optics put on our perception of mediated imagery, while also exploring and exploding the boundaries of the cinematic image. Image: Lightbridge (Machines Studies) by Chris Henschke. Photo of screen, courtesy of the artist. 5. Building, not with our hands Venue: Tin Sheds If 'art-chitecture' was a word, then this is where it would belong. Three major projects will be exhibited at Tin Sheds, forming part of the Emercen/City urban interventions and research project. DisSentience, curated by Lian Loke, speculates on a future where digital technology has pervaded all aspects of daily life, infiltrating even the most mundane and intimate of domestic rituals. The Generative Freeway Project by Matthew Sleeth is a self-generating sculptural installation that populates itself over the exhibition period by way of a prototype 3D printer. It is part robot, part performance and part durational installation. And Transpotage by Spanish architectural duo Selgas Cano is a moveable and translucent garden, the second phase of the ongoing laboratory-project aimed at transferring new technologies borrowed from other disciplines into the sphere of architecture. Image by Matthew Sleeth (courtesy of Claire Oliver Gallery, New York) Honourable Mention Also check out the Electronic Art at The Rocks Pop-Up.
Summer days are back, and along for the ride is the free-of-charge open-air cinema at the Beresford Hotel. After last year's festival went down like a frosty on Friday arvo, it's once again time to while away the longer days and warmer nights with weekly cinematic classics in the great outdoors. Well, the courtyard at the pub, at least. Running on Monday nights from the October long weekend through to April, the weekly movies are divvied up by genre, like Soundtrack Season in December (think Jaws and West Side Story) and Love & Cheese in February (Notting Hill and Dirty Dancing, of course). The whole shebang is rounded out with Action in April, featuring everyone's favourite cop classic, The Departed. With the cheap as chips vino and $15 lasagna from the in-house trattoria thrown in for good measure, summer is really set to heat up in Surry Hills. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SGWvwjZ0eDc
Butter is expanding its streetwear and fried chicken empire and opening a third location on the lower north shore. Set to launch just days before Christmas, the Chatswood Chase location will have Butter's signature combo of fried chicken, sneakers and serious champagne. But, it'll also have something entirely new for the brand: charcoal chicken. It's been a big year for charred chook already, with Henrietta opening in Surry Hills and both Frango and El Jannah launching their first-ever drive-thrus. Now, the lower north shore is getting in on the action. Like Butter's existing Surry Hills and Parramatta stores, the Chatswood Chase shop will have a lineup of hard-to-find sneakers from brands such as Raised by Wolves, Hypebeast and Smile + Wave, as well as Butter's own branded merch. It'll have a full bar, too, with cocktails and huge range of champagne. Executive Chef Julian Cincotta is bringing the original Butter food menu over to the lower north shore but with a few added extras — so you'll be able to order the same chicken sandwich with pickles and the '3 Pac' box of fried chicken and hot sauce. But there'll also be new menu items, such as a bigger range of beef burgers, salads and charcoal chook. The smoky chicken will be rubbed with Butter's signature red spiced pepper, marinated for 48 hours and cooked over fire. Whether this new charred chook will be served with garlic sauce (like El Jannah), chilli sauce (like Frango) or something completely different is still unknown, but we're keen to find out. We're also keen to find out exactly how you order these new dishes. Supposedly, they won't be on the 'normal' menu and you'll need to "put in some work to find them". To be the first to try, you can enter the draw to win an all-expenses-paid ticket to the invite-only launch party over at the Butter website. Butter is opening inside Chatswood Chase sometime in the week beginning Monday, December 21. We'll let you know when an exact date it announced.
You're juggling a lot right now: morning video calls with the office, Zoom parties with your mates, evening Skypes with the parents to make sure they're following the new self-isolation rules. It's a lot. And you'd be forgiven for wanting someone else to take the lead on planning breakfasts, lunches and dinners instead of diving into another packet of instant noodles as you screen a virtual yoga class from the sofa. Well, that someone could be food delivery service Soulara. Why reach for the frozen bread when you could be eating choc hazelnut and chia seed pudding for brekkie, mexican red beans and rice for lunch, and coconut lentil soup for dinner? All without falling off the wagon on your health and fitness goals for 2020. Soulara will bring you a week's worth of plant-based meals, all created by chefs and nutritionists, packed with vital nutrients. Gluten free? There are options for you too, as well as for your soy-free housemates. All the meals are packed fresh, not frozen, and you don't have to sign for delivery or worry about the extra packaging waste (the box is recyclable). It's also got bliss balls, kombucha and cold-pressed juice packs that you can tack onto your order, avoiding the need to nip to the shops when you're feeling peckish. Plus, if you opt for 12 meals a week (its most popular subscription), your meals work out at $9.95 a feed. Picky? You get to choose your meals from the planner each fortnight and no one will judge when you opt for the jungle curry every single time. As all the meals are pre-portioned and ready-to-eat, you don't need to plan in any cooking time either, which gives you more downtime for when you need it most. Soulara delivers across Australia. For more details of its Sydney and Melbourne delivery times, as well as meal planners, head here.
Good morning to 2022's newly minted batch of Academy Awards nominees, and to fantastic news for the past year's very best film. The Power of the Dog leads this year's list of contenders with 12 nods, including three for filmmaker Jane Campion — who is now the first woman in history to receive two nominations for Best Director (after also being nominated for The Piano back in 1993), and could become the second female filmmaker in a row to win the coveted field (after Chloé Zhao's 2021 win for Nomadland). The Power of Dog's cinematographer Ari Wegner is also just the second woman to be nominated in her category, while the film's main cast all scored nods — including a Best Actor nomination for Benedict Cumberbatch, a Best Supporting Actress nom for Kirsten Dunst, and Best Supporting Actor nods for both Jesse Plemons and Australian talent Kodi Smit-McPhee. For real-life couple Dunst and Plemons, they nabbed their first-ever Oscar nominations together. For Smit-McPhee, if he wins, he'll become the second-youngest actor to score the shiny statuette in his category. That's the power of The Power of the Dog, clearly. Following Campion's exceptional New Zealand-shot western at the top of the 2022 Oscar nominations list is Dune with ten, including for Best Picture — although the film must've directed itself, with Denis Villeneuve missing out. After the sci-fi epic sits Steven Spielberg's new version of West Side Story and Kenneth Branagh's black-and-white memoir Belfast with seven apiece, also including Best Picture slots in a field that spans The Power of the Dog (obviously), CODA, Don't Look Up, Drive My Car, King Richard, Licorice Pizza and Nightmare Alley as well. Inspired by Haruki Murakami's short story of the same name, Drive My Car is now the most-nominated Japanese film in history, thanks to its Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay nods for filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, and its spot in the Best International Feature and Best Picture categories. Also making history: astonishing animated documentary Flee, which became the first movie to nab a spot in the Best International Feature, Best Animated Feature and Best Documentary Feature fields. Other standouts nods: Kristen Stewart's Best Actress nomination for playing Princess Diana in Spencer; Penélope Cruz's place in the same field for Parallel Mothers; Troy Kotsur's nod for CODA, becoming just the second actor who is deaf to be recognised by the Academy; both Olivia Colman (Best Actress) and Jesse Buckley (Best Supporting Actress) getting nods for sharing the same part in The Lost Daughter; Questlove earning some love for Best Documentary Feature for Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised); and The Worst Person in the World picking up places in the Best International Feature and Best Original Screenplay fields. Licorice Pizza's strong showing — including a Best Director spot for Paul Thomas Anderson — is also well-deserved, although the Oscars couldn't find room for Alana Haim's glorious lead performance. Oddities and omissions come with the territory every year, of course. The Academy went big for the average-at-best Being the Ricardos performance-wise, including nominating Nicole Kidman for Best Actress — and Don't Look Up's Best Picture nod probably at least means that filmmaker Adam McKay won't make a followup about how people ignored a movie that riffs on the response to climate change because they were more interested in better features. Also, despite a big public campaign, Spider-Man: No Way Home was only recognised in the Best Visual Effects category. That's a reflection of the film itself, though, and not of any supposed anti-superhero/supervillain flick bias, given that Black Panther scored seven nominations in 2019 and Joker picked up 11 in 2020. From all of this year's nominations, movie lovers will learn who'll emerge victorious on Monday, March 28, Australian and New Zealand time. And if it feels like we just went through all of this, that's because 2021's awards were held a little later than usual due to the pandemic — and because chatter about who's won Oscars and who'll win next, aka the sport of the film world, has become a year-round affair. The 94th Academy Awards will take place on Monday, March 28, Australian and New Zealand time. Here's the full list of nominations: OSCAR NOMINEES 2022 BEST MOTION PICTURE The Power of the Dog West Side Story Belfast Dune Licorice Pizza King Richard CODA Don't Look Up Drive My Car Nightmare Alley BEST DIRECTOR Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Steven Spielberg, West Side Story Kenneth Branagh, Belfast Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye Kristen Stewart, Spencer Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Will Smith, King Richard Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... Boom! Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Ariana DeBose, West Side Story Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard Judi Dench, Belfast Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Troy Kotsur, CODA Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog JK Simmons, Being the Ricardos BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson Belfast, Kenneth Branagh King Richard, Zach Baylin Don't Look Up, Adam McKay (story by McKay and David Sirota) The Worst Person in the World, Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal CODA, Sian Heder Dune, Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Drive My Car (Japan) The Worst Person in the World (Norway) Flee (Denmark) The Hand of God (Italy) Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan) BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Encanto Luca The Mitchells vs the Machines Flee Raya and the Last Dragon BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Flee Ascension Attica Writing with Fire BEST ORIGINAL SCORE The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood Dune, Hans Zimmer Don't Look Up, Nicholas Britell Encanto, Germaine Franco Parallel Mothers, Alberto Iglesias BEST ORIGINAL SONG 'No Time to Die', No Time to Die (Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell) 'Dos Oruguitas', Encanto (Lin-Manuel Miranda) 'Be Alive', King Richard (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson) 'Down to Joy' Belfast (Van Morrison) 'Somehow You Do', Four Good Days (Diane Warren) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Dune, Greig Fraser The Power of the Dog, Ari Wegner The Tragedy of Macbeth, Bruno Delbonnel Nightmare Alley, Dan Laustsen West Side Story, Janusz Kaminski BEST FILM EDITING Dune, Joe Walker The Power of the Dog, Peter Sciberras Don't Look Up, Hank Corwin King Richard, Pamela Martin Tick, Tick... Boom!, Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Dune, Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos Nightmare Alley, Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau West Side Story, Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo The Tragedy of Macbeth, Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh The Power of the Dog, Grant Major and Amber Richards BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Dune, Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer Free Guy, Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Dan Sudick Spider-Man: No Way Home, Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver No Time to Die, Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner, Chris Corbould BEST COSTUME DESIGN Cruella, Jenny Beavan Dune, Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan West Side Story, Paul Tazewell Nightmare Alley, Luis Sequeira Cyrano, Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh Dune, Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr Cruella, Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon Coming 2 America, Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer House of Gucci, Goran Lundstrom, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras BEST SOUND Dune, Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett West Side Story, Tod A Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy No Time to Die, Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor Belfast, Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri The Power of the Dog, Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT Audible Lead Me Home The Queen of Basketball Three Songs for Benazir When We Were Bullies BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM Affairs of the Art Bestia Boxballet Robin Robin The Windshield Wiper BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM Ala Kachuu — Take and Run The Dress The Long Goodbye On My Mind Please Hold Top image: Netflix.
There's an air of inevitability about Escape Room. A strong feeling of familiarity, too. Hollywood was always going to turn the popular pastime into a scary movie — a matter of when, not if — but this first major attempt just rebadges a horror film staple. Long before people were paying to sleuth their way out of a locked space, audiences have been watching the same concept on the big screen. It's there in countless haunted house flicks, in 1997's stylish and twisty thriller Cube, and in the gore of the Saw franchise as well. All that Escape Room adds to the mix is an obvious moniker, and a clear desire to start a new Final Destination-style series. The setup is as straightforward as expected, with six strangers receiving mysterious invitations to visit a new Chicago space. If they can find their way out of the high-tech escape room, which no one has been able to manage so far, they'll win $10,000 for their troubles. But as shy college student Zoey (Taylor Russell), supermarket slacker Ben (Logan Miller) and finance whiz Jason (Jay Elis) wait to enter the puzzle alongside dedicated gamer Danny (Nik Dodani), the high-strung Amanda (Deborah Ann Woll) and the older Mike (Tyler Labine), it becomes apparent that this isn't any old immersive experience. From the moment that the lobby starts getting warmer than it should be, these competitors aren't just angling for a cash prize — they're endeavouring to stay alive. Thanks to an unrelated, barely seen 2017 film that's also called Escape Room, plus a 2018 TV movie called No Escape Room, director Adam Robitel (Insidious: The Last Key) and screenwriters Bragi Schut (Season of the Witch) and Maria Melnik (TV's Counterpart) aren't treading new filmic ground in any sense. Rather, they're merely jumping into territory that's recognisable in several ways, just with a bigger budget and audience reach. Still, while there's much that remains well-worn about 2019's Escape Room, Robitel and company don't always stick to painting by the numbers. Although their picture won't wow viewers with its twists, or surprise many with its tricks and riddles, it does succeed in the most crucial area: making its escape room sequences stand out. There's more than one literally killer space to flee here, and each proves inventive and clever — whether stranding Zoey, Ben and the gang in an upside-down pool bar, or thrusting them into a place that resembles a hellish acid trip. Indeed, watching the group navigate each complicated chamber never fails to entertain and impress, with full credit due to the movie's production designers. It's a strange sensation, to view characters fighting for their lives as their surroundings attempt to assassinate them, and to completely understand the appeal of the escape room craze. This isn't an ad for the real thing or an accurate representation of it, obviously, however by making its spaces so intriguing and engaging, the film aptly conveys why they've become so popular. Alas, at almost every other turn, Escape Room is a rare picture that could've benefited from fewer details, not more. When you're filling your film with stereotypical characters, giving them standard personality traits and cliched traumatic backstories doesn't add depth — it just highlights how paper-thin everyone is. Similarly, while witnessing the sextet's battle for survival is suitably unsettling and suspenseful, attempting to explain why they're stuck in this predicament feels overly contrived, even for such a high-concept premise. It also feels utterly unnecessary, and smacks of attempting to set up a sequel. When Escape Room lures audiences into its murderous maze, more of the same may sound like a treat. But when the movie is happily ticking boxes, it serves up a firm reminder that many horror flicks can barely sustain their own running time, let alone a franchise. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dSKUoV0SNI
Inside the Sydney Fringe Festival is another mini festival, the Festival of Weird Spaces. Things kick off on September 12 with the Artcore Guerilla Artfair at the Imperial Hotel (5-10pm and free entry). It'll be an art-fair of local, emerging artists in the basement, complete with an oh so secret feature band and lucky door prizes (for those of you who love a good freebie). On September 14 (also part of all things strange), will be some venues that you all know and love like The Duke, The Water Horse, RaBar, The Warren View and The Sly Fox, which will be subjected to what they’re calling 'Decoration Wars.' Hopefully nothing like The Block, you’ll need to grab a map and a voting card before taking a turn of these bars. Yes - kinda like a pub crawl and art class combined. There’s also a Pop up Festival on Saturday – and don’t we all just love a pop-up? Held at Camperdown Park will be The Collective Project Unit & Friends – Ska Band, whose influences include 1960s Jamaican party music and Skatalites. Other tunes include the barbershop style four-part harmonies of Tuxedo Vocal Harmony Quartet and Nathanial Pyewacket, an experiemental cross-platform performer (who builds his own electronic and electro-acoustic instruments). Apparently there’s more to be announced, but they can say that there will be a balloon artist there. Balloon dog anyone?
Quay's three-month long renovation is nearly upon us and the closing of its doors will also mark the end of a dessert era. That's right, Sydneysiders — this month is your last chance to taste the famous Snow Egg before it's gone forever. One of Australia's most awarded restaurants, the three-hatted venue will close its doors on Sunday, April 1, to undergo a major facelift, reopening in mid-2018 with a new state-of-the-art kitchen facility and a revamped dining room. Executive chef Peter Gilmore is again teaming up with TZG architects (who designed other Fink Group restaurants Bennelong and Otto Brisbane) and the fit-out will mimic Gilmore's approach to food — with elements of texture, nature and intensity in the design. Seating with views of the Harbour Bridge will open for the first time and the existing 100-person dining room will be reduced to a more intimate affair, with small dining spaces featured around the restaurant. Likewise, the menu will be completely reimagined — sans Snow Egg — and only tasting menus will be available at both lunch and dinner. The service model will also change to offer a more interactive culinary experience for guests. "After 16 years of Quay in its current form, this new incarnation will give me the opportunity to fulfil even greater aspirations for my food," says Gilmore. "This new chapter will facilitate a long-held desire to take the diner on an even more personal dining experience." With the new menu comes teary-eyed goodbyes to some of Quay's most iconic dishes, most notably the Snow Egg. Making fan-crazed waves as the star dish in the 2010 Masterchef finale, the dessert's decade at Quay has seen over half-a-million made in more than 20 flavours. For the final version, Gilmore is offering up a custard apple and mangosteen Snow Egg, served with pear granita and custard apple ice cream. "The Snow Egg has graced our menu for over a decade, but this is a time of change and I want to be looking forward," says Gilmore. "It was a tough decision but removing it gives me the opportunity to grow and evolve the menu to give guests a new dining experience." As a farewell to the Quay of old, the restaurant is holding a super-pricey retrospective dinner on Wednesday, March 28. It will showcase some of Gilmore's most defining dishes over his 16-year tenure — including the original pork belly and sea scallops from 2001 and Gilmore's decadent sea pearls from 2006, along with mud crab congee and free-range chicken with truffle — and finished off with the beloved Snow Egg. The $500 per-person dinner also includes a premium wine pairing by renowned sommelier Amanda Yallop. If you can't quite fork up this amount of cash but are still keen to nab one last taste, the Snow Egg is also available on the regular lunch and dinner menus through till April 1. In the lead-up to its retirement, expect to see S(no)w Egg posters, like the below, pop-up around Sydney. <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgPOJpqHkrY/" data-instgrm-version="8" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.5% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgPOJpqHkrY/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">🚨 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 The Snow Egg is retiring when we pauses service for renovation on April 1st, this is no yolk. Don't be a fool, reserve your experience today. Link in our bio for details. #SnowEgg #Desserts #QuayRestaurant #RestaurantAustralia</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/quayrestaurant/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> QUAY</a> (@quayrestaurant) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2018-03-12T21:13:07+00:00">Mar 12, 2018 at 2:13pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script> Quay will close on April 1 and reopen in mid-2018. This month is your last chance to nab a taste of the famous Snow Egg before it is off the menu for good.
