Another week, another cookie pie. That's how it feels sometimes thanks to Gelato Messina's beloved desserts — and no, we're not complaining. After the gelato chain first introduced its cookie pies to the world in 2020, it has kept bringing the OTT dessert back. We all need an extra dose of sweetness every now and then, obviously, including while both Sydney and Melbourne are in lockdown. So, it should come as no surprise that Messina is serving up the decadent dessert yet again. This time, though, it's quite the Frankenstein's monster of a dessert. This version is also a returning favourite — and, if you like fairy bread, cookie pies and Messina's gelato, prepare to get excited. Hang on, a cookie pie? Yes, it's a pie, but a pie made of cookie dough. And it serves two-to-six people — or just you. You bake it yourself, too, so you get to enjoy that oh-so-amazing smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen. Now that you're onboard with the overall cookie pie concept, the fairy bread version really is exactly what it sounds like. That crunchy, crumbly cookie dough is filled with milk and dark Messina chocolate chunks, as well as vanilla custard. It's then topped with more 100s and 1000s than you've probably seen since your childhood birthday parties. It wouldn't be a fairy bread version otherwise, of course. You can only buy this pie in kits, which means that you'll get some of the cult ice creamery's famed gelato along with it. You can opt for a 500-millilitre tub for $38, a one-litre tub for $44 or a 1.5-litre tub for $48. If you're keen to get yourself a piece of the pie, they're available to preorder from 9am on Monday, July 19 — with pick up between Friday, July 23–Sunday, July 25 from your chosen Messina store. Once you've got the pie safely home, you just need to whack it in the oven for 30 minutes at 160 degrees and voila. You can preorder a Messina fairy bread cookie pie from Monday, July 19, to pick up from all NSW, Vic and Queensland Gelato Messina stores except The Star.
The enthralling showcase of aerialists, acrobats, jugglers and circus performers is back once again this Easter long weekend to dazzle audiences at the Hoopla Festival at Darling Harbour. With a range of incredible skills and talents on display for 2013, this year's crew will provide a weekend of exceptional entertainment for all ages and backgrounds. With a Tumble Circus all the way from Ireland, the Barolosolo Cirkus Company revealing some of most hilarious and entertaining acts France has to offer, as well as performers straight from Cirque du Soleil, Legs on the Wall and Circus Oz, the high calibre of the artists on show will have you gasping, laughing and wanting much, much more. The acts on offer range from tricky magicians, bendy contortionists, burly handbalancers and saucy burlesque performers to hilarious comedians. Most of the performances are free or $5, ranging up to only $25, and they are all easily located on the ideal backdrop of our very own Darling Harbour. Check out the program to plan the most compelling Easter weekend (and probably cheapest) you would've and will have in a while.
By the beard of Zeus, everyone's favourite TV newsman is back — in podcast form. Not content with his regular job at KVWN Channel 4, or with being the star of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Ron Burgundy is giving another medium a whirl. Announced late in 2018, The Ron Burgundy Podcast is now staying classy on the iHeartRadio platform. His new show released its first episode on February 7, and will drop new instalments each Thursday. In total, two 12-episode seasons on their way, with the second batch due to hit mid-year. Yes, it's kind of a big deal, as is the fact that Will Ferrell reprises his role as the fictional San Diego newscaster. The entire show is co-produced by Funny or Die, which Ferrell co-founded, so it was always likely that he was going to be involved. While The Ron Burgundy Podcast could've just featured the anchorman chatting while sipping scotchy scotch scotch and talking over his beloved dog Baxter, that's not the finished product. Rather, the character tackles a different topic each week, starting with a subject that no one can get enough of: true crime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u_jcTy3JHM Serial, this isn't — but If you've ever wanted to unlock Burgundy's glass case of emotion about the Zodiac Killer, all of your favourite true crime binges and whether obsessing over the genre is a little bit creepy, now you can. In true Ron Burgundy style, he had some words about his new venture. "Listen, I don't know what a podcast is, but I currently have a lot of time on my hands and a lot to talk about. I am also broke. Therefore, I am very excited to do this podcast. It is literally saving my life." The first episode of The Ron Burgundy Podcast is now available on iHeartRadio, with new episodes dropping every Thursday.
Let's see what's behind door number one. Or how about door number 1000? After blowing our minds in 2017 with the incredible House of Mirrors, Australian installation artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney unveiled their follow-up at Melbourne Festival with the fittingly named 1000 Doors. And in April, it's popping up in Bendigo's town centre, thanks to Bendigo Art Gallery. Visitors will choose their own adventure, cutting a path through an endless labyrinth of doors, screens, portals and gateways in Rosalind Park. No two people will experience the work in quite the same way once they step across the threshold. While there's no word yet on what you'll encounter on the way — hopefully no deathly four-guard, two-door riddle à la Labyrinth — the artists have hinted to ghosts, time-travelling and 'inhabitants past'. We suggest you have your wits about you. 1000 Doors will be open daily from 2–9pm (last entry 8.30pm). You can purchase tickets at the on-site box office. Images: James Morgan
Do you wanna know the latest big Australian tour news? Yes, if you're an Arctic Monkeys fan, you do. Already slated to head Down Under for Falls Festival and Lost Paradise, the Sheffield rockers have just gone and added three huge standalone — and outdoor — gigs to their tour itinerary. We bet you'll look good on the dance floor when January 2023 rolls around, obviously. 2022 marks two decades since the band first formed in their Yorkshire home town, and they'll see out the year in Australia, then start next year here as well. For their solo shows, Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders will hit Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Brisbane's Riverstage, both with Mildlife in support, before heading to The Domain in Sydney with DMA's & The Buoys. Arctic Monkeys' last tour to come our way, 2019's Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino World Tour, was massive. Actually, every tour they've brought Down Under has been. Given their career to-date — including scoring the fastest-selling debut album in UK chart history when Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not released in 2006 — that's hardly surprising. (Nor are the Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday shirts always spotted in the crowd whenever the band makes the trip Down Under, with Aussie supporters of the group's two hometown soccer teams routinely coming out in force.) It's been four years since the Monkeys' last album, the aforementioned Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino — but they won't be short of hits to play. Expect plenty of fun when the sun goes down, and not just a number-one party anthem on the set list. And if you're somehow not already excited, snap out of it. ARCTIC MONKEYS 2023 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES — STANDALONE SHOWS: Wednesday, January 4 — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, with Mildlife Wednesday, January 11 — Riverstage, Brisbane, with Mildlife Saturday, January 14 — The Domain, Sydney, with DMA's & The Buoys Arctic Monkeys are touring Australia in January 2023. Tickets go on sale online at 12pm local time on Friday, June 17, with pre-sales via the band from 10am AEST on Wednesday, June 15 and through Frontier from 10am AEST on Thursday, June 16. For more information, head to the tour website. Top image: Raph_PH via Flickr.
Autumn's here, which means less time at the beach and more time doing indoorsy things like art and theatre and music. Luckily, a stack of bands and singer-songwriters are gearing up to tour the east coast during the next few months, helping to ease your transition into cooler weather. Narrowing them down into a top five has been no mean feat, but, in partnership with JBL Link Speakers, we've come up with these recommendations to kickstart your gigging adventures. And while you're waiting for the gigs to roll around, we curated a handy Spotify list to get you pumped. Listen to it on some JBL Link 10s — anywhere you like because these babies are portable and last you five hours — and you'll feel as if you're almost (we said almost) at the gig already. Here they are, the five gigs to add to your calendar this autumn. All shows are likely to sell out quickly, so don't dilly-dally: get your mitts on tix as soon as your wallet will allow. CAMP COPE This year, Camp Cope's second album, How to Socialise and Make Friends, nabbed a coveted 7.8 review on Pitchfork. A follow-up to their 2016 self-titled debut, the sophomore continues to address misogyny, sexual assault and sexism in the music industry via songwriter Georgia Maq's clever blending of the personal and the political. Lead single 'The Opener', with its quotable lines like "Yeah, just get a female opener, that'll fill the quota", came in at number 58 on the 2017 triple j Hottest 100. On the back of this commercial and critical success, the outspoken Melbourne-based folk-punk-rock trio is gearing up to take its fierce live act across Australia. WHERE AND WHEN — Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16: Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne — Saturday, March 17: The Tivoli, Brisbane — Friday, March 23: Metro Theatre, Sydney — SOLD OUT ALEX THE ASTRONAUT AND STELLA DONNELLY Two young Aussie songwriters who aren't afraid of tackling the big issues are teaming up for a joint tour this April. One is Sydney-born, Alex The Astronaut, whose single 'Not Worth Hiding', about openly owning your sexuality, became a bit of an anthem for the 'yes' campaign in the lead-up to the same-sex marriage postal survey. The other is Perth's Stella Donnelly, whose 'Boys Will Be Boys' deals with victim blaming following sexual assault and rape. WHERE AND WHEN — Saturday, April 14: Festival 2018 in South Bank, Brisbane (free) — Wednesday, April 18: Oxford Art Factory, Sydney — Wednesday, April 25: The Corner Hotel, Melbourne THE SMITH STREET BAND It's been almost a year since Melbourne's The Smith Street Band treated us to a national headline tour. But that's not to say they've been resting on their laurels. In 2017, the boys rocked out at several major festivals, including Groovin' the Moo and Splendour in the Grass, supported Midnight Oil and gigged all over the US and Europe. Plus, their new album More Scared of You Than You Are of Me entered the ARIA Charts at number three. Over the next few months, they'll be appearing pretty much everywhere in Australia with support from Bec Sandridge, who toured the UK and Europe last year on the back of new single 'I'll Never Want A BF', and Press Club, who've been basking in big love following the release of their debut single 'Headwreck'. WHERE AND WHEN — Saturday, March 24: Enmore Theatre, Sydney — Monday, April 16: The Tivoli, Brisbane — Saturday, May 12: Hawthorn Arts Centre, Melbourne — SOLD OUT ALEX LAHEY Alex Lahey's catchy melodies and honest lyrics have been scoring airplay ever since she released 'You Don't Think You Like People Like Me' in 2016. Last year, she followed up with debut album I Love You Like a Brother — which made the 2017 Triple J Listeners' Album of the Year list — before touring the UK and the US (including an appearance on Late Night with Seth Myers) and returning home to scoop up the Levi's Music Prize. She's spending March gigging around the UK and Europe, before kicking off the Huge and True tour here in Australia. WHERE AND WHEN — Friday, April 6: Factory Theatre, Sydney — Saturday, April 7: The Triffid, Brisbane — Wednesday, April 17: 170 Russell, Melbourne DZ DEATHRAYS If you're keen to thrash your way through autumn, then get along to one of DZ Deathrays' shows. The Queensland-based duo, who cut their teeth at house parties around Brisbane, are heading out on the road to launch their newest album Bloody Lovely, which is all about solid, old-fashioned party rock songs. Providing support will be up and coming bands Clowns, These New South Whales and Boat Show. Several gigs have already sold out, but new dates have been added, so you've still got a chance if you get onboard and grab a ticket ASAP. WHERE AND WHEN — Wednesday, May 9: Metro Theatre, Sydney — Wednesday, May 23: 170 Russell, Melbourne — Thursday, May 24: The Triffid, Brisbane Get your tix and amp yourself up for the gig with our Spotify playlist — played on some swish JBL Link speakers, of course. And if you don't have wifi and Bluetooth-enabled, voice-activated, durable, long-lasting and, most importantly, high-quality speakers in your possession, we've got some to give away here. https://open.spotify.com/user/concreteplayground/playlist/2k4LuQ65AP4xn0ekGTH1qM
Sometimes it festers in the hearts of killers. Sometimes it's the reason that villains keep stalking heroes. Sometimes, otherworldly forces are at play. However it graces the big screen, evil is a complicated concept — but cinema also frequently handles it in a muddled and simplistic fashion. Increasingly, as seen in origin stories like Joker and Cruella, profound wickedness has a relatable, almost-excusable reason. Acknowledging that bad things can just happen and unpleasant people can just exist without explanation (so, opting for something far more sinister and also much more realistic) is becoming rare. The other frequently deployed movie rationale, especially in horror, sits at the heart of one of the biggest cash-earning current franchises there is. In The Conjuring films and their spinoffs, evil lurks because literal demons also lurk. Different tactic, same result. Starting in 2013 with The Conjuring, expanding with 2014's Annabelle, and also including The Conjuring 2, both terrible and much better sequels to Annabelle, the dismal The Nun and the formulaic The Curse of the Weeping Woman, The Conjuring Universe now spans eight evil-fighting flicks — and they're all as straightforward as it gets regarding battling the nefarious. Circling around real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the franchise posits that the supernatural exists, darkness preys upon the innocent and its central couple usually has the tools to combat everything untoward. That template remains firmly in place in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. That said, the third Conjuring flick within the broader Conjuring realm does attempt a few changes. Rather than getting creeped out by haunted houses, it gets spooked by a kid and then a teenager who are both possessed. True to form, bone-shakingly horrific things can't simply occur without some kind of excuse and entity at play. The Warrens (Patrick Wilson, Aquaman, and Vera Farmiga, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) are first tasked with saving eight-year-old David Glatzel (Julian Hilliard, WandaVision) from a demon after his family moves to stereotypically sleepy Brookfield, Connecticut. Their efforts seem successful, even if Ed has a heart attack mid-exorcism, but the evil force they're fighting has really just jumped ship. Arne Johnson (Ruairi O'Connor, The Spanish Princess), the boyfriend of David's sister Debbie (Sarah Catherine Hook, NOS4A2), is quickly besieged by strange occurrences. He's soon also covered in blood after stabbing his landlord to Blondie's 'Call Me'. The death penalty beckons; however, the Warrens convince Arne's lawyer to plead not guilty by reason of demonic possession — the first time that ever happened in the US — and then commit to unearthing whatever paranormal details they can to save his life. The trailer for The Devil Made Me Do It teases legal thrills, but in a bait-and-switch way — because this film is barely concerned with Arne's court case. The true tale, which was previously dramatised in a 1983 TV movie starring Kevin Bacon, merely provides an easy setup here. Sticking to the facts hardly bothers director Michael Chaves (The Curse of the Weeping Woman) and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (Aquaman). Instead, the pair focus on the usual bumps, jumps and scares that have haunted this franchise since day one. Taking their cues from James Wan, the Australian Saw and Insidious co-creator who helmed the first two Conjuring flicks, The Devil Made Me Do It has all the eerie noises and sudden frights down pat, in fact. More of them are just splashed across the screen, attempting to unnerve the movie's audience with the gusto of a well-oiled machine. As the series' creator and producer, if Wan had opted to call this one The Conjuring 3: Conjuring Harder, the title would've fit. There's a difference between nailing the technical basics and making them engaging, though. This many movies in, The Conjuring Universe should be aiming for more than the former. It definitely shouldn't be cribbing from The Exorcist as gleefully as The Devil Made Me Do It does. Chaves and Johnson-McGoldrick — and Wan, who has a story credit — also forget that if you repeat something too often, it stops being unsettling. In comedy, some gags grow the more they go on, such as The Simpsons' classic Sideshow Bob rake sequence, but the same doesn't prove true in horror when shadowy figures loiter, things keep moving that shouldn't and sounds blast suddenly. All three use the element of surprise, and yet there's no chance anyone watching will be caught unawares by the The Devil Made Me Do It's souped-up demonic antics. And, don't go expecting a meaningful examination of satanic panic, or the way that conservative sections of society need something to blame for life's ills. In this movie, it's just a given that some folks stray from faith, become evil occultists and commit dastardly deeds. As this series has done over and over, it's also a given that femininity draws the short straw. An accused witch, a Raggedy Ann doll, a nun and the ghost of a mother have all symbolised evil in The Conjuring Universe's eyes, but the franchise does look fondly at one woman: Lorraine Warren. As played by Farmiga, she's depicted as the unwavering maternal presence always by Ed's side, and almost the clairvoyant Scully to his demonologist Mulder. It's that dynamic, and the investment that Farmiga and Wilson put into their roles, that keeps prolonging the series. It gives the Conjuring films, including this one, a centre to clutch onto — no matter how much Hollywood sheen has been buffed over the real-life figures, which is plenty. The Devil Made Me Do It needs them, even emphasising their love story, but that feels as standard as everything in the movie. Nonetheless, alongside Australian actor John Noble (Fringe) as a priest, Farmiga and Wilson are the best things about this routine, happily by-the-numbers, never remotely terrifying threequel. Indeed, the fact that more flicks will undoubtably still follow is the scariest thing about the film.
UPDATE: FEBRUARY 12, 2019 — This winter, we'll be able to return to Margaret Atwood's unsettling dystopian realm, with the announcement that the third series of The Handmaid's Tale will hit SBS and SBS On Demand at 8.30pm on Thursday, June 6. Lucky for us Down Under, this is the same time as it'll be dropping on Hulu in the States, so hopefully no spoilers will crop up. The 13-episode series will follow June's (Offred's) continued struggle against the controlling regime. While details are scarce, a teaser was dropped during this month's Super Bowl — which you can watch below. Under his eye. Praise be, Handmaid's Tale fans. The series' third season is due to hit the small screen sometime this year, and US streaming platform Hulu has just released the first sneak peek during the Super Bowl. Blessed be not only the fruit but the football, we guess. If you've been immersed in this world from the absolute beginning and can remember the show's first trailer, then this initial look at the next season will feel somewhat familiar. Of course, that's by design. How better to show just how creepy the fictional society of Gilead is than to start with a dose of recognisable propaganda — and then dive deep into the chaos that awaits Offred/June (Elisabeth Moss) and her fellow subjugated women? As the fiery clip tells us, it's time to wake up. Otherwise, details about the third season are about as scarce as a happy woman in red. The series' regulars are expected to return, and given how the second season wrapped up, expect the story to get even darker, too. While the current trailer may be brief, there's plenty more Handmaid's Tale bleakness to enjoy this year (well, not that enjoy is necessarily the right term). Margaret Atwood, author of the original 1985 novel that started it all, is coming to Sydney next month. And, she's also releasing a long-awaited sequel, called The Testaments, which'll hit bookshelves comes September. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=PuWg6AyzETg The Handmaid's Tale's third season will screen on SBS in Australia at 8.30pm on Thursday, June 6.
Sixty years after his death in a car accident at the age of 24, James Dean remains both an icon and an enigma. Much about him, including his hair and stare, have become instantly recognisable and commonly copied. Just as much about him, such as the contrast between his rebellious attitude and his evident shyness, still defies proper description. In Life, writer Luke Davies and director Anton Corbijn attempt to replicate what was seen on the outside and unpack what lurked on the inside of James Dean. That Davies wrote the novel and co-wrote the script of Australian drug drama Candy gives an indication of the intimacy of the storytelling. That Corbijn made his leap from photographs to music videos to movies with Control, a portrait of Joy Division's Ian Curtis, shows the style, patience and perceptiveness so keenly needed in such a biopic. Their approach to the smouldering Dean (as played by Dane DeHaan) is to show rather than tell the essence of the moody star, as seen in a snapshot spanning the lead up to the world premiere of his first film, East of Eden, plus his attempt to secure a role in his second, Rebel Without a Cause. Their entryway into his tragic narrative comes via 26-year-old Dennis Stock (Robert Pattinson), then an aspiring but struggling photographer looking to turn paparazzi gigs into acclaim, art and ongoing work. History already dictates that one of Stock's big breaks came courtesy of the series of candid images he snapped of Dean; however, they only eventuated after much convincing. From first meeting at a Hollywood party to exploits across Los Angeles, New York and Indiana, Life tracks Stock's efforts, Dean's reactions, their problems and personalities, and their blossoming friendship. The film bears the name of the magazine that would ultimately publish the photos, though that it doubles as an expression of a pivotal chapter in both its subjects' existences is always clear. Forget on-set antics and other markers of glitz and glamour, though, with the movie determined to stress that Dean didn't ever want to subscribe to the usual star behaviour. "I don't want to play their stupid games," he complains — and that he's often earning the ire of studio head Jack Warner (Ben Kingsley) by avoiding his publicity tasks also makes that evident. Indeed, Dean is painted as a picture of complexity above all else, and afforded a portrayal to match. DeHaan may be following in James Franco's footsteps again — after playing Spider-Man's Harry Osborn, too — but his efforts here do more than impersonate either figure. His mannerisms conjure the famous actor's mix of awkwardness and panache, so much so that taking your eyes off of him is impossible. That's not to discount Pattinson's latest impressive post-Twilight performance, nor the rapport that springs from the two circling around each other — it's just to highlight DeHaan's intensity. A similar level of concentration and attention to detail emanates in the graceful helming of Corbijn — and the visual precision of cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen. The end result doesn't just step beyond the facade of a cinema treasure or tell the tale behind iconic images, it helps to create the same itself. Indeed, there's ample life in this film, which succeeds in capturing something and someone elusive.
For 353 days each year — 354 days in leap years — Sydney's State Theatre doesn't operate as a cinema. The CBD isn't short on movie-going options, but you can't head to the glorious Market Street spot to get your film fix whenever you like. Understandably, that makes trips to the nearly 100-year-old venue for the Sydney Film Festival all the more special. Sinking into the cavernous auditorium, being surrounded by its gorgeous gothic and art deco architecture, watching movies that may never grace its big screen again — it's the cinephile version of a religious experience. Prepare to worship, Sydney movie lovers. From Wednesday, November 3 till Sunday, November 14, the Sydney Film Festival is back — in person. It's been a difficult couple of years for the prestigious event, after being forced to move online in 2020, and then shift its 2021 dates not once but twice; however, the time for losing yourself in the State Theatre — and other darkened rooms in picture palaces all around Sydney — is finally here. As it does every year, SFF has the lineup for the occasion. What starts with an anthology drama that tells eight tales by Western Sydney writers, then ends with Wes Anderson's latest? That'd be the fest's 2021 program. They're just the bookends, with Festival Director Nashen Moodley's full selection of flicks overflowing with other highlights. The entire bill spans 233 titles, in fact, so we started our festival viewing early — and here's ten exceptional SFF highlights that we've seen, reviewed and eagerly recommend. FLEE When Flee won the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, it added its first accolade to its name. The wrenchingly moving animated documentary has nabbed others since, and has plenty more coming its way — and it's already been selected as Denmark's Oscar submission in next year's Best International Feature category as well. Mere minutes into the film, it's easy to see why it keeps garnering awards and attention. Pairing animation with factual storytelling is still rare enough that it stands out, and writer/director Jonas Poher Rasmussen (What He Did) has created one of the best instances of this combination yet. As his subject, Afghani refugee Amin, shares his story, Rasmussen brings every detail to life not just with eye-catching imagery, but with visuals that ripple with empathy at every moment. Flee doesn't tell an easy tale, or a unique one — sadly — but it finds its an immense wealth of power in its vivid, expressive and humanistic approach. Its protagonist, who uses a pseudonym here, is a friend of Rasmussen's; however, no one, including the filmmaker, has ever heard him step through the events that took him from war-torn Kabul to seeking asylum in Copenhagen as a teenager, or to househunting with his boyfriend now. That journey, via Russia, is one of struggle and acceptance. So is an interlude in Sweden which gives the movie its most stunning sequence, as soundtracked to Daft Punk's 'Veridis Quo'. Flee uses its music cues bewitchingly well, actually, but that description also applies to every second of this poignant and shattering film. THE CARD COUNTER Another Paul Schrader film, another lonely man thrust into the spotlight as he wrestles with the world, his place in it and his sense of morality. The acclaimed filmmaker has a resume filled with such characters, and such tales — from his screenplays for Martin Scorsese's brilliant Taxi Driver and Bringing Out the Dead, through to his own directorial efforts such as Light Sleeper and First Reformed. You can't accuse Schrader of always making the same movie, however. Instead, his films feel more like cards from the same deck. Each time he deals one out, it's always part of its own hand, as gambling drama The Card Counter demonstrates with potency, smarts and a gripping search for salvation. The film's title refers to William Tell (Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage), who didn't ever plan to spend his days in casinos and his nights in motels. But during an eight-year military prison stint, he taught himself a new skill that he's been capitalising upon modestly now that he's back out in the world. Anchored not only by Schrader's reliably blistering probing, but also by Isaac's phenomenal performance — a portrayal that's quiet, slippery and weighty all at once — The Card Counter unpacks the storm brewing behind Tell's calm facade. His status quo is punctured by fellow gambler La Linda (Like a Boss' Tiffany Haddish, in a career-best performance), and also by the college-aged Cirk (Tye Sheridan, Voyagers) and his quest for revenge; however, as the movie delves into Tell's murky history, it also lays bare America's rot and emptiness. COW As its name so clearly explains, Cow devotes its frames to one farmyard animal — and it's one of the most haunting films of the year. It's the third feature to take its title from a four-legged critter this year, after the vastly dissimilar Pig and Lamb. It's also the second observational documentary of late to peer at the daily existence of creatures that form part of humanity's food chain, following the also-exceptional Gunda. And, it also joins 2013's The Moo Man in honing its focus specifically upon dairy farming, and in Britain at that. But the key to Cow is Andrea Arnold, the filmmaker behind Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights, American Honey and the second season of Big Little Lies. She sees Luma, her bovine protagonist, with as much affection and understanding as she's ever seen any of the women who've led her projects. Starting with the birth of Luma's latest calf — and, in the beginning, taking detours to see how it's faring as well — Cow unfurls with the rhythm of its agricultural setting. It's the rhythm of Luma's life, too, as she's milked and fed, moos for the offspring that's taken away too quickly, and is soon impregnated again. There's no doubt where the documentary is headed, either. There's simply no shying away from the fact that Luma and cattle like her only exist for milk or meat. Without offering any narration or on-screen explanation, Arnold stares at these facts directly, while also peering deeply into its bovine subject's eyes as often as possible. The result is hypnotic, inescapably affecting, and also features the best use of Garbage's 'Milk' ever in a movie. MEMORIA It's a match made in cinephile heaven: Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the director behind the Cannes Palme d'Or-winning Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives and the just-as-lyrical Cemetery of Splendour, and the on-screen force of nature that is Tilda Swinton. With Memoria, the former directs — and makes his English-language debut, as well as his first feature outside of Thailand — while the latter stars. Yes, they prove a beautiful pairing. Weerasethakul makes contemplative, meditative, visually poetic movies, after all, and Swinton's face screams with all of those traits every single time it graces a film. They're both devastatingly precise in what they do, and also delightfully expressive. They both force you to pay attention to their every choice, too. Swinton (The Personal History of David Copperfield) plays Jessica Holland, a British expat in Colombia who starts hearing a very specific noise. She can describe it in exquisite detail to sound engineer Hernán (Juan Pablo Urrego, My Father), who tries to recreate it for her, but only she can hear it. At the same time, her sister Karen (debutant Agnes Brekke) is a Bogota hospital with a strange ailment. Also, there's word of a curse that's linked to a tunnel being built over a burial ground. No plot description can ever do Weerasethakul's films justice, but Memoria doesn't even dream of linking its various threads in an obvious or straightforward way — and unlocking its puzzles by soaking in every exquisite, patient shot and exacting sound is a mesmerising cinematic experience. GREAT FREEDOM Great Freedom begins with 60s-style video footage captured in public bathrooms, showing Hans Hoffmann (Franz Rogowski, Undine) with other men, and with court proceedings that condemn him to prison purely for being gay. That was the reality in West Germany at the time due to Paragraph 175, which criminalised homosexuality — and, when he's incarcerated at the start of this equally tender and brutal Austrian film, Hans isn't surprised. He's been there before, as writer/director Sebastian Meise (Still Life) conveys almost like he's chronicling time travel. It's a canny touch, as relayed in the movie's cinematography, editing and overall mood. The minutes, days, hours, weeks and more surely move differently when you've been locked up for being who you are, and when being in jail is the better alternative to being in a concentration camp. Meise jumps between Hans' different stretches, exploring the imprint all that time behind bars leaves, the yearning for love and freedom that never dissipates, and his friendship with initially repulsed fellow inmate Viktor (Georg Friedrich, Freud). In the process, Great Freedom resounds with intimate moments and revealing performances, as anchored by another stellar turn by Rogowski. The German talent has had an outstanding few years thanks to Victoria, Happy End, Transit, In the Aisles and Undine. He's as absorbing as he's ever been here, too, in a movie that stares his way so intently — and with such a striking sense of light and shade — that it could be painting his portrait. Friedrich is just as impressive, too, in an outwardly thorny part. RIVER Some actors possess voices that could narrate almost anything, and Willem Dafoe is one of them. He's tasked with uttering quite the elegiac prose in River, but he gives all that musing about waterways — the planet's arteries, he calls them at one point — a particularly resonant and enthralling tone. Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom (Sherpa) knew he would, of course. She enlisted his vocal talents on her last documentary, Mountain, as well. Both films pick one of the earth's crucial natural features, captures them in all their glory at multiple spots around the globe, and waxes lyrical about their importance, and both make for quite the beguiling viewing experience. Thanks to writer Robert Macfarlane, Dafoe has been given much to opine in River, covering the history of these snaking streams from the planet's creation up until today. He hones in on their importance to human civilisation — in making much in our evolution possible, in fact, and also the devastation we've wrought in response since we learned to harness all that water for our own purposes. That said, River could've simply paired its dazzling sights with its Australian Chamber Orchestra score and it still would've proven majestic and moving. The footage is that remarkable as it soars high and wide across 39 countries, and peers down with the utmost appreciation. Here, a picture truly is worth a thousand of those Dafoe-uttered words, but the combination of both — plus a score that includes everything from Bach to Radiohead — is something particularly special. BLUE BAYOU Blue Bayou isn't Justin Chon's first film as an actor, writer, director or producer, but it's a fantastic showcase for his many talents nonetheless. It's also a deeply moving feature about a topical subject: America's complicated and often punitive immigration laws. Worlds away from his time in all five Twilight movies, Chon plays Antonio LeBlanc, a Korean American who has lived in the US since being adopted as child. That doesn't stop the casual or the overt racism often directed his way, however, or the deportation proceedings that spring after he's accosted in a supermarket by New Orleans police officers Denny (Emory Cohen, Flashback) and Ace (Mark O'Brien, Marriage Story). The latter happens to be his pregnant wife Kathy's (Alicia Vikander, The Green Knight) ex and father to her daughter Jessie (Sydney Kowalske, Doom Patrol), and that run-in has heartbreaking repercussions. There's a sense of inevitability to Blue Bayou, but by design; the path that Antonio's life is forced down isn't filled with surprises, but it overflows with feeling. Indeed, Chon has helmed a stirring and empathetic yet precise and intricate film, especially when it comes to the emotional toll weathered not only by Antonio, but also by Kathy and Jessie. At every moment, Blue Bayou plunges viewers into their whirlwind. That's true in every shimmering sight, including the movie's fondness for water and water lilies. It's evident in the urgent, bustling pacing, too, and in its key performances. Chon is terrific on-screen and off, while Vikander and scene-stealer Kowalske make just as much of an impact in a feature that hits its points hard, but isn't easily forgotten. WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY One of two films by Japanese filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi that are doing the festival rounds this year — the other, Drive My Car, also screens at SFF — Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy gives three tales about romance, desire and fate a spin. These three stories all muse on chance, choice, identity and echoes as well, and focus on complex women reacting to the vagaries of life and everyday relationships. Coincidence plays a role in each of the trio, too, and commonalities ebb and flow between each dialogue-heavy narrative. In other words, this is a smart, astute and savvily layered triptych from the director behind Happy Hour and Asako I and II, as brought to the screen with excellent performances, a canny knack for domestic drama and piercing long shots in each and ever chapter. In the first part, model Meiko (Kotone Furukawa, 21st Century Girl) discovers that her best friend Tsugumi (Hyunri, Wife of a Spy) has just started seeing her ex-boyfriend Kazuaki (Ayumu Nakajima, Saturday Fiction), and grapples with her complicated feelings while pondering what could eventuate. Next, college student Nao (Katsuki Mori, Sea Opening) is enlisted to seduce Professor Sagawa (Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Tezuka's Barbara) as part of a revenge plan by her lover Sasaki (Shouma Kai, Signal 100). Finally, in a world where the internet has been eradicated due to a virus, Natsuko (Fusako Urabe, Voices in the Wind) and Nana (Aoba Kawai, Marriage with a Large Age Gap) cross paths — thinking that they went to school together decades ago. LIMBO What happens when a group of refugees are sent to await the results of their asylum applications on a Scottish island? That's the question that Limbo ponders. There's no doubting why this second feature from writer/director Ben Sharrock (Pikadero) has been given its moniker; for Syrian musician Omar (Amir El-Masry, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker) and his fellow new arrivals to Scotland, there's not much to do in this void between the past and the future but wait, sit at the bus stop, check out the children's playground and loiter near the pay phone. That, and navigate the wide range of reactions from the locals — veering from offensive to thoughtful — and, in Omar's case, feel the weight of his prized possession. He's brought his grandfather's oud with him, which he rarely let go of, but his own musical dreams are in limbo as well. A film can be heartbreaking, tender, insightful and amusing all at once, and Limbo is indeed all of those things. It's both dreamlike and lived-in, too, a blend that suits its title and story — and also the mental and emotional state shared by Omar and his fellow asylum seekers as they bide their time on an island that feels like another world. A movie can be both heavy and light simultaneously as well, which is another of Limbo's strengths. Sharrock sees both seriousness and levity in his narrative, his characters and their plights, and recognises the nightmarish and the beautiful in tandem. The latter especially applies to the feature's haunting cinematography, which lenses a landscape that keeps Omar pals physically in limbo with a probing eye. HONEY CIGAR Forget the awkwardness that typically loiters in coming-of-age movies (the familiar approach: like character, like film). Honey Cigar charts the same kind of narrative, focusing on a 17-year-old French Algerian woman in the 90s, and yet does so with a mood and sense of assurance that couldn't be more candid and confident. This is a feature that feels at home in its own skin at every turn. It flows across the screen with determination and poise, too. It should; in her feature filmmaking debut, writer/director Kamir Aïnouz draws upon what she knows, telling a semi-autobiographical tale — one that isn't just about crossing the chasm from childhood to maturity, but also weaves in Algeria's political landscape during its chosen period. When Honey Cigar begins, Selma (Zoé Adjani, niece of French acting great and recent The World Is Yours delight Isabelle Adjani) is about to dive headfirst into business school. In doing so, she's abiding by her lawyer father (Lyes Salem, Abou Leila) and gynaecologist mother's (Amira Casar, Call Me By Your Name) wishes, with education paramount in their household. But Selma is also a teenager who's just getting in touch with her own desires — something that sits at stark odds with her parents' growing interest in her marriage prospects, especially when she starts seeing classmate Julien (Louis Peres, Mental). A film about agency and control on multiple levels, Honey Cigar also explores multiple generations of women battling traditions and expectations, and finds as much room for adolescent awakenings as hard-earned understanding. Looking for more SFF recommendations? We've already taken a look at a few other films screening at the festival. So, you can also check out our reviews of Petite Maman, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, Drive My Car, The Worst Person in the World, Zola, Bergman Island, Undine, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn and Blind Ambition — and I'm Wanita, Strong Female Lead and A Fire Inside, too. The 2021 Sydney Film Festival takes place in Sydney cinemas between Wednesday, November 3–Sunday, November 14. For further information, head to the festival website.
Snow White and the Huntsman (or as it might alternatively be known: "The Girl Who Forgot How To Smile"), is the second version of the famous Brothers Grimm fairytale to hit screens this year, and it's certainly the better of the two. Pursued by an evil witch and loved by two men sworn to protect her, Kristen Stewart plays the eponymous 'Bella', a withdrawn teenager whose...I'm sorry, I meant 'Snow White' - a withdrawn teenager whose unmatched beauty represents the witch's best chance at everlasting life - or as she tautologically describes it: "immortality forever". Charlize Theron plays the villainous queen Ravenna: murderer of Snow White's father and narcissist extreme. Her magical beauty (which rather awkwardly trumps Stewart's to all but the most subjective observer) is maintained by the dastardly act of sucking the youth directly out of the mouths of all the kingdom's attractive girls. Snow White manages to escape Ravenna's clutches before her own beauty can be tapped, setting up the dogged pursuit with which the bulk of the film is concerned. All the familiar elements are there in the story, like the poisoned apples and the seven dwarves (played both remarkably and controversially by some of England's leading regular-sized men, including: Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone and Nick Frost), along with some new elements like Chris Hemsworth's character Eric the Huntsman. It's darker than one might expect for a film clearly hoping to cash in on the Twilight/Tween market, though just the right amount of dark for a standard Grimm tale. Stewart brings a certain Joan of Arc quality to her version of the heroine, donning chain-mail and leading the charge during the film's climax, however even in its dialled-down capacity her trademark 'dour intensity' seems at odds with the 'fairest in the land' label. It's all a little 'Snow Grey' for what's meant to represent the diametric counterpoint to Ravenna's dark heart and sonorous demeanour, and it's actually Theron's scenes that ultimately shine brightest. Snow White and the Huntsman marks the directorial debut for Rupert Sanders, whose previous work was predominantly in commercials. It's a visually rich production and Sanders should be praised for his determination to favour real locations over green screens and CGI. However, he sometimes feels a little too preoccupied with appearance while too light on substance; something one might easily say of Stewart's performance, too. Snow White and the Huntsman is a good film with some great scenes, but too many characters and an unconvincing lead keep it from achieving any real distinction.
UPDATE, March 25, 2021: Guns Akimbo is available to stream via Stan, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Sadly, they exist everywhere online: petty folks who troll, subtweet and spit insults from the safety of their keyboards, all while simultaneously playing the victim and claiming to be superior. As personified by gamer and computer programmer Miles (Daniel Radcliffe), that's the kind of attitude Guns Akimbo seemingly endeavours to skewer. Miles is initially one of those guys, to an extent. Especially forlorn after breaking up with his girlfriend Nova (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), he's happy to mouth off on social media without thinking, even though he definitely knows better. But when he picks a fight with someone willing to take their beef into the real world, he's suddenly immersed in a physical, tangible, life-or-death battle — with guns bolted to his hands, no less — instead of merely trading belittling remarks with an unseen enemy from his couch. Guns Akimbo isn't the first film or TV show to ponder where humanity's thoroughly 21st-century obsession with technology and always-connected lifestyles may be taking us as a society (as Black Mirror keeps telling us, it's nowhere good). Following in the footsteps of 2016's mostly effective Nerve, it's not the first to get slick and playful with its commentary in this space, either. Alas, although Deathgasm writer/director Jason Lei Howden makes a perceptive leap from online trolling to actual death matches, he isn't particularly interested in engaging with the idea. Sure, one of the movie's characters yells "have you learned nothing from video games?" — winking at and nudging the audience in the process — but rather than meaningfully satirising or making a statement about the internet age, the ease with which abuse has become normalised and the lack of empathy that goes with it, Guns Akimbo is happy to simply lean into its OTT spectacle. Heartbroken, constantly denigrated at work and just mopey all-round, Miles wades into trouble when — like everyone in this futuristic world, or so we're told — he starts spending too much time watching an illegal underground fight club channel called Skizm. The battles are real, brutal and fatal, and the people pulling the strings don't take kindly to Miles' snarky commentary. Next thing he knows, ringleader Riktor (Ned Dennehy) and his cronies are banging down his door, giving him the body modification from hell and forcing him to play. To stay alive, Miles will have to hunt down reigning champion Nix (Samara Weaving), all while drone cameras capture and stream his every move to the braying, dead-eyed masses. One of Riktor's henchmen goes by the name Fuckface (Set Sjöstrand). When Miles and the Harley Quinn-esque Nix cross paths, she dubs him 'Fuck Boy'. And, standing atop a car, straddling a gun and wearing heart-shaped sunglasses like she's stepped out of someone's wet dream, Nix is also fond of yelling far more colourful banter. That's the level that Guns Akimbo is operating on — one that splashes slow-motion visuals all over the screen as frequently as its characters fire bullets, and attempts to dress it all up with plenty of supposedly edgy dialogue, relentless chase scenes, and emojis and video game-like imagery. Just as Miles discovers when he wakes up with weaponry nailed to his appendages, however, it all gets old fast. Expertly choreographed action scenes are a wondrous art form, as the John Wick franchise just keeps demonstrating, and will hopefully keep continuing to do so until Keanu Reeves is an octogenarian. Guns Akimbo is clearly reaching for such heights — while also taking inspiration from Battle Royale, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and the much less successful Keanu-starring and -directed Man of Tai Chi — but proves sorely lacking in the style and flair department. The trouble with largely forgoing any substantial plot or depth in favour of an overblown look and feel is that, if a movie misses its mark, it just comes off as empty rather than exhilarating. That's the case here, in a film that aims for wild but settles on obnoxious and grating. The one saving grace: Radcliffe, aka the likely reason that this flick even exists. On paper, watching Harry Potter fight for survival with guns bolted to his hands sounds like an entertaining prospect — and the former Boy Who Lived certainly gives his part more depth than the script or premise calls for. He's been doing that, of late. Finally free of his childhood altercations with Voldemort in one of the biggest movie series there is, Radcliffe has since gravitated towards out-there roles that he's been giving his all. See also: his turn as a farting corpse in Swiss Army Man, and his work as both a hapless angel and a floundering medieval prince in anthology TV series Miracle Workers. But he can't save Guns Akimbo from its worse impulses, and nor can Flight of the Conchords' Rhys Darby in a brief appearance as a homeless man. As for Weaving, who was such a standout in last year's Ready or Not, she's more on the movie's wavelength: cartoonish, ridiculous and in pure wish-fulfilment territory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOFatKD0Vzo
The first half of Before Midnight made me excited for my early forties. Mediterranean holiday tans, wild-haired children running barefoot in another room, expansive dinner table conversation with a circle of worldly friends — it's a dream for a more carefree age. But then comes the second half of the movie, an epic, exhausting fight that will either be the end of the couple's relationship or just one of several milestone feuds that mark a long commitment. That's when the rare quality of Before Midnight emerges; this is not a film about idyllic love, this is a film about real love. This is the tarnished ever after. The couple is one we know oddly well, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), who, in a typically Gen X act of slacker romanticism, spent one night walking and talking around Vienna in 1995's Before Sunrise and were finally reunited for a further afternoon in Paris in 2004's Before Sunset. In the nine years since, it turns out they've stuck with each other, but the insouciance of those early encounters has gone. "When was the last time we just walked around bullshitting?" Jesse says in one beautifully self-aware moment, as they rediscover the pastime on holiday in Greece. Instead, they've both been learning to deal with each other's crazy while simultaneously pushing a few years' worth of upset under the carpet. Jesse hates having to be separated from his pre-teen son, who's in the custody of Jesse's estranged ex in the US. Celine feels Jesse neglected her and their daughters while on his book tour and resents his general man-childness. Celine picks fights; Jesse papers over them. They might not ever resolve these deadlocks, but they have to move past them. With this series of films, dialogue is everything. In Before Midnight, it sparkles, dances and defies the bounds we expect of film. All three instalments are the product of a unique collaborative partnership between director Richard Linklater, Hawke and Delpy; from the start the actors have written parts of their own selves into the characters, and the possibility for honest exploration seems to have deepened with the passing of time. With nine years so far separating each film, the release of a sequel is becoming an event, so it's particularly great to see Before Midnight not only meeting expectations but raising the bar. People love Jesse and Celine with the intensity normally reserved for several-season TV characters (or real people, even). If we see fifty-something Celine and Jesse next decade — 'Before Noon', I imagine they'll call it — we'll be a very lucky audience.
"My name is Jordan Belfort" explains Leonardo DiCaprio in the opening to Martin Scorsese's new film, The Wolf of Wall Street. "The year I turned 26, I made $49 million, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week." If you're a banker, that probably frames this film as something of a tragedy for you. For everyone else, it sets the tone for a semi-true story about a materialistic mercenary whose insatiable appetite for money and power saw him wreak havoc on both the stock market and his own family for two decades. Taking its name and story from Belfort's bestselling (and unsurprisingly self-aggrandising) biography, The Wolf of Wall Street largely confirms all the things you presumed you hated about unscrupulous investment bankers and even establishes a few new ones for you to despise. It is black comedy at its very darkest; a chronicle of depravity that at once amuses and nauseates. In his now award-winning turn as the eponymous 'wolf', DiCaprio holds nothing back — screaming, beaming and drooling his way through every scene with gleeful, passionate intensity. His best lines are often reserved for internal monologue, navigating by narration all the intricacies of drug consumption, prostitute procurement and, of course, stock market manipulation. Alongside him is Jonah Hill in a fantastically weird performance as Belfort's right-hand man Donnie Azoff. Grinning through hypnotically white teeth, Azoff is both Belfort's enabler and guardian — simultaneously safeguarding their friendship whilst steering it irreversibly down the road to inevitable ruin. Despite its cracking pace, The Wolf of Wall Street runs at just one minute short of three hours and definitely feels as long as it is. The cycle of sex, drugs and opulence admittedly entertains at first but soon becomes as unvarying and unremarkable as, presumably, it was in real life. That vapidity is then compounded by the lack of growth experienced by just about every character in the film. Belfort's transformation from wide-eyed newcomer to unapologetic sybaritic lasts precisely one (albeit probably the best) scene right at the start of the film, after which his character arc sits firmly on the 180. Lessons aren't learned, egos aren't checked and virtue never rears its head as the Wolf and his pack cruise, jet and blindly stumble from one orgiastic spectacle to the next. In that respect, The Wolf of Wall Street ultimately feels shallower and less arresting than, say, Oliver Stone's Wall Street or even Brian De Palma's Bonfire of the Vanities. All three unreservedly showcase the extraordinary grandiosity, greed and ruthlessness of men like Belfort, yet Wolf's predecessors prove that less is more when examining those for whom 'more' is the singular ambition. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
Touring to Australia for the first time in more than five years for your first Aussie festival headlining slot since 2011 is one way to celebrate 35 years as a band. The group: Tool. The fest: Good Things. For 2025, Maynard James Keenan and company lead the fest's big names. Also on the bill: Weezer and Garbage. Get ready to hear 'Sober', 'Forty Six & 2', 'Buddy Holly', 'Island in the Sun', 'Vow' and 'Only Happy When It Rains' like it's the 90s and early-00s again — all on Saturday, December 6 at Sydney Showground. The rest of the bill includes All Time Low, Machine Head and The All-American Rejects, as well as Knocked Loose, Lorna Shore, Refused, New Found Glory and Make Them Suffer. And, you can catch Dayseeker, James Reyne, Kublai Khan TX, Cobra Starship, Goldfinger, Tonight Alive and more. Good Things 2025 Lineup Tool Weezer Garbage All Time Low Machine Head The All-American Rejects Knocked Loose Lorna Shore Refused New Found Glory Make Them Suffer Dayseeker James Reyne Kublai Khan TX Cobra Starship Goldfinger Tonight Alive Bad Nerves Civic Dead Poet Society Fever 333 Gwar High Vis Inertia Palaye Royale Scene Queen South Arcade Wargasm Windwaker Yours Truly Top Tool image: Scott Moran. Good Things images: Kane Hibberd.
For one week each September, Brisbane becomes Australia's live music capital — even if a Melbourne survey generally claims otherwise. When BIGSOUND hits the city, it seems like every venue in Fortitude Valley is packed to the rafters with bands, industry folks and music-loving punters, all enjoying the latest and greatest the country's music scene has to offer. And given this year's newly announced lineup, expect that to be the case once again. Unveiling its first 76 acts for 2019, BIGSOUND will play host to a stacked pack of musos, spanning everything from pop, electronic, rock and rap to metal, hip hop and folk. Topping the bill so far is the likes of Bad//Dreems, Electric Fields, SCABZ, Outright, Milan Ring, LOSER, Tones & I and Tasman Keith, plus yergurl, EGOISM, Stevan, Laura Imbruglia and Concrete Surfers. Yes, the list goes on. A swag of other acts, reaching more than 150 in total, will be announced closer to the event. That said, the current lineup joins a host of previously revealed speakers — including keynote speaker Terry McBride, CEO and co-founder of Nettwerk Music Group, which includes Canada's largest independent record label, artist management and music publishing company; and British TV and radio presenter Abbie McCarthy, from BBC Music Introducing, Radio 1 & 4 Music, and Good Karma Club. [caption id="attachment_727168" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] I Know Leopard at BIGSOUND 2018. Image: Bianca Holderness.[/caption] Previous BIGSOUNDs have showcased everyone from Gang of Youths, Flume, Tash Sultana and Courtney Barnett to San Cisco, Violent Soho, Methyl Ethel and The Jungle Giants, so its program is usually a very reliable bellwether of current and up-and-coming talent. Even better — the festival's four-night $85 (plus booking fee) Rainbow Pass nabs you access to 270 music showcases at 18 venues. And, they're all held within three blocks of each other. Here's the full lineup of music acts so far: 100 3K Ainsley Farrell Alana Jagt Approachable Members Of Your Local Community Aquila Young Bad//Dreems Being Jane Lane Black Rock Band Bobby Alu Butter Butternut Sweetheart Chakra Efendi City Rose Concrete Surfers Deline Briscoe DREGG DRMNGNOW Dulcie EGOISM Electric Fields Fan Girl First Beige Fletcher Gull Flossy FRITZ Future Haunts Gordon Koang Hannah Blackburn Hemm Hope D Johnny Hunter Kat Edwards Kobie Dee Kymie Laura Imbruglia LOSER Louis Baker Love Deluxe Lucy Peach Mambali Marco Mariam Sawires Mermaidens Mickey Kojak micra MID CITY Miiesha Milan Ring Nerve Outright PINCH POINTS P-UniQue Raj Mahal Rebecca Hatch Reija Lee Reliqa RINI Royal And The Southern Echo Ruby Gilbert Ryan Fennis SCABZ Shady Nasty Spacey Jane Stellie Stevan Sycco Tasman Keith Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers THE DEAD LOVE The Money War Temgazi Tones And I Wolfjay yergurl ZĀN BIGSOUND 2019 runs from September 3–6 at various venues around Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For further details or to buy tickets from 9am on Monday, June 27, visit bigsound.org.au. To discover what to do, see, eat and drink while visiting Brissie for the annual event, check out our weekender's guide to Brisbane during BIGSOUND. Image: Bianca Holderness.
Imagine being brought up by cinema. Imagine your world shaped and informed by the films you spent hours and hours watching and rewatching, and your understanding of almost everything that lurks outside your home and family coming from what you see on a screen. Even the most avid cinephiles can't say they've had this experience to the same extent as the Angulo siblings. For the majority of their lives, these seven black-wearing, longhaired children remained inside their Manhattan apartment watching movies. The exploits of Bhagavan, Govinda, Narayan, Mukunda, Krsna and Jagadisa, plus their sister Visnu, fall into the categories of so outlandish it must be true and needing to be seen to be believed. First-time documentarian Crystal Moselle enters the family's sanctuary, captures a slice of their existence, and gives the teenage and twenty-something male members of this band of film fiends a chance to chat to the camera. Their tales — and their passion — prove striking, but these brothers don't just spend all their time staring at the television. When the documentary starts, they've never actually been to a movie theatre; however, watching whatever they can on DVD isn't their only form of interaction with cinema. They also transcribe the dialogue of their favourite fare, create scripts, then re-enact and record elaborate re-stagings. They're dedicated to getting things just right, too, obsessing over costumes and accessories, and handcrafting accompanying posters. It's a fascinating real-life scenario, made all the more so by the shadow of the father who has kept his kids confined to his realm with only films as their method of escape. It's also one that Moselle is content to simply watch and wonder at, rather than probe or peer deeper into. Said family patriarch is seen, and his wife too, yet any delving into his attempts to create his own isolated brood and her inability to do anything about it remains slight and superficial. Accordingly, as a portrait of the impact film can have upon those so enamoured with it that it becomes their whole life — albeit in strange and heightened circumstances — The Wolfpack engages, but that's all there is. Indeed, as a dissection of how and why the Angulos became such avid movie buffs, it never dares to diverge from the most standard of scripts. Thankfully, sharing in the joy of the former helps temper the latter, particularly when spirited, homemade reenactments of Reservoir Dogs, The Dark Knight, No Country for Old Men and Pulp Fiction rank among the documentary's highlights. Of course, that Moselle has done little more than serve up a fly-on-the-wall look at subjects she was certainly lucky to come across is never forgotten, as enthusiastic as their love of cinema — and as eye-opening as their stories and subsequent breaking out of their comfort zone — ultimately are.
Since its debut in 2022, Always Live has quickly become a loud and proud voice for sharing everything great about contemporary music and highlighting outstanding venues from Geelong to Gippsland and Ballarat to Bendigo. The stage is set for a 2024 return, with a huge range of artists set to hit venues all over Victoria from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, December 8. Leading the program is the Australian debut of genre-defying performer and artist Anyma, who's fresh off a record-sold-out six-show residency at the Las Vegas Sphere. Accordingly, the largest screen in the southern hemisphere will be set up for the show at Flemington Racecourse. [caption id="attachment_969884" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Ian Laidlaw[/caption] Other headline acts include Californian punk rock group The Offspring, who are bringing their famous punk energy to the stage for a one-night-only show. Tina Arena will perform at Mornington Racecourse in celebration of the 30th anniversary of her breakout album Don't Ask. Meanwhile, Victorian-based singer Missy Higgins will conclude her national tour with a show at Sidney Myer Music Bowl. A massive LGBTQIA+ party is kicking off in Port Melbourne, headlined by Irish artist Roísín Murphy alongside a set of global and local artists alike. Rockers St Vincent will hit two classic venues: Palais Theatre in St Kilda and Her Majesty's Theatre in Ballarat before returning to Melbourne for 'An Intimate Audience with St Vincent'. This one-of-a-kind show is a half-concert, half-dining experience and takes place in The Aviary, Crown Melbourne. [caption id="attachment_969882" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Simon Fazio[/caption] The program truly goes on and on and on, with shows from Chet Faker, Jack White, Baker Boy, The Rions and many, many more. You'd best start preparing a plan to hit as many shows as possible. Always Live 2024 runs from Friday, November 22, to Sunday, December 8, at venues across Victoria. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website.
Earth Hour is a symbolic action. Although there is carbon saved by turning things off, the point is the unmissable demonstration that a huge chunk of the world's population caring about the same thing at the same time. If we can manage this for Earth Hour, why not for grander environmental things? The Hour started in Sydney in 2007, and has become an international event in the years since. There are Earth Hour events in Kenya, India and Ireland these days, but you don't need to travel so far afield to find a way to join in this time around. At its simplest, all you need to do is stay home and turn off the lights. But if you'd like to have a more social darkened moment, you can head to a candlelit restaurant or one of a raft of other lights-off events. Image of Earth Hour Switch Off 2010 by Sewell / WWF.
When October rolls around each year, the two-kilometre Bondi–Tamarama coastal walk usually becomes home to a huge free outdoor sculpture exhibition, with the always busy Sculpture by the Sea placing its latest works along the shoreline. But in 2020, that will no longer be the case, with the popular event announcing that it won't be taking place in its normal time slot. Back in April, organisers actually advised the exact opposite, confirming that the event would forge ahead as usual. Of course, as 2020 has taught us again and again, a lot can change in just a few months. Revealing the delay today, Sunday, September 27, Sculpture by the Sea Founding Director David Handley AM advised that "due to current public health orders limiting mass outdoor gatherings" the event can not happen from October 22–November 8 as planned. In 2019, the Sculpture by the Sea attracted approximately 450,000 visitors over three weeks, with crowds that size obviously posing a sizeable social distancing problem in 2020. Accordingly, Sculpture by the Sea and the Waverley Council are looking into potential new dates for either later this year or early in 2021. "We are continuing to work with the Council and NSW Government agencies, including NSW Health on reviewing all options for an exhibition that will ensure safe attendance," noted Handley. [caption id="attachment_747677" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sculpture by the Sea 2019 by Trent Van der Jagt[/caption] Already, more than 100 Australian and international artists have not only created their sculptures, but — for those located overseas — sent them to Australia from around the world. That's why the announcement regarding the event's delay is coming so close to its usual dates. "It was important to wait and see if there was any chance we could proceed with this year's exhibition as planned," Handley said. "Now, like everyone, we are waiting to see what might be possible, being mindful that everyone's health comes first." It has been an eventful year or so for Sculpture by the Sea, even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. To rewind a little, in mid-2019, organisers were at loggerheads with the Council over the construction of a new path, and were scoping out alternative locations for the long-running art exhibition. Indeed, it was only earlier this year that the parties came to an agreement to remain in Bondi — not just this year, but at least until 2030, with the organisers and Council agreeing to a ten-year deal. Sculpture by the Sea will no longer take place from October 22–November 8, with rescheduled dates not yet announced. It's expected to take place either later in 2020 or early in 2021, on the Bondi–Tamarama coastal walk. For more information, head to sculpturebythesea.com. Top image: Sculpture by the Sea 2019 by Trent Van der Jagt
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vdaJcoKk0s PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Promising Young Woman would've made an excellent episode or season of Veronica Mars. That's meant as the highest compliment to both the bubblegum-hued take on the rape-revenge genre and the cult-status private detective series. Writer/director Emerald Fennell clearly isn't blind to the parallels between the two, even casting Veronica Mars stars Max Greenfield (New Girl) and Chris Lowell (GLOW) in her feature debut. Don't go thinking the Killing Eve season two showrunner and The Crown actor is simply following in other footsteps, though. At every moment, the brilliant and blistering Promising Young Woman vibrates with too much anger, energy and insight to merely be a copycat of something else. It's a film made with the savviest of choices, and provocative and downright fearless ones as well, in everything from its soundtrack to its weaponised pastel, peppy and popping Instagram-friendly imagery. You don't include Italian quartet Archimia's orchestral version of Britney Spears' 'Toxic', Paris Hilton's 'Stars Are Blind' and an abundance of vibrant surface sheen in a movie about a woman waging war on the culture of sexual assault without trying to make a statement — and Fennell succeeds again and again. She has also made the smart decision to cast Carey Mulligan, and to draw upon the acclaimed actor's near-peerless ability to express complex internalised turmoil. Mulligan's fierce lead performance scorches, sears and resounds with such burning truth, and so does the feature she's in as a result. When Mulligan's character, Cassie Thomas, is introduced, she's inebriated and alone at a nightclub, her clothing riding up as she slouches in her seat. Three men discuss women over beverages by the bar, and notice Cassie while talking, with one commenting, "they put themselves in danger, girls like that". No woman brings sexual assault upon themselves, with this whole intelligent and astute revenge-thriller rebuffing the bro-ish bar guy's early observation in every way possible, and meting out punishment to those who think similarly. As viewers see in the film's opening sequence, Cassie is offered help by one of the chatting guys, Jerry (The OC's Adam Brody), who is concerned she could be taken advantage of by men who aren't as nice as him — but then takes her home, makes sexual advances, and learns that the medical school dropout-turned-coffee shop employee he's trying to bed has a lesson for him. Colour-coded names and tallies scrawled in a notebook illustrate this isn't a first for Cassie. The script drip-feeds details about its protagonist's motivations for her ritualistic actions; however, the specifics aren't hard to guess. Cassie's central vigilante quest is forced to adapt after she hears news about someone from her past, and the movie takes her to bold places, boasting a relentlessness that mirrors the persistence of grief and pain after trauma. Promising Young Woman never lets its protagonist's rage subside, proving furious from start to finish — and sharing that feeling even in the film's most overt setups and obvious scenes (which are also some of its most entertaining) is a foregone conclusion. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4gSLP9Smlg SUMMERLAND Opening in the mid-70s, Summerland begins with Alice Lamb (Penelope Wilton, Downton Abbey) tapping away at her typewriter and scaring away the children who come knocking at her door. Rewind to the 40s, and the younger Alice (Gemma Arterton, Their Finest) does much the same. She's been labelled a witch by the kids in her seaside village, and she's hardly happy when the pre-teen Frank (Lucas Bond, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness) arrives on her doorstep as part of a government program to evacuate the next generation from London. In fact, Alice demands that he be rehoused instead of interrupting her work; however, she's told that'll take a week. Moving to the big screen after stage success as a playwright and theatre director (and making short film Leading Lady Parts, also starring Arterton), debut feature filmmaker Jessica Swale penned the original script, so Summerland isn't based on an existing text or property — but everyone watching knows Alice and Frank have ample time to overcome their initial animosity, and that that's exactly what'll happen. Indeed, exploring an unexpected connection between a misanthrope and the young boy placed in her care, tackling multiple types of trauma, and espousing the enduring need for hope, this primarily World War II-set drama proves standard, straightforward and predictable in many ways. And yet, it also demonstrates that a feature can be neat, obvious, heartfelt and rivetingly acted all at once. When it spins a story about a woman given a new lease on life via an unanticipated bond that's thrust upon her, Summerland rarely flirts with surprise, let alone delivers many. Again and again, Swale's screenplay makes easily anticipated choices, and yet it also tells a resonant tale in the process. The film feels as if it has been built around Arterton, and it's definitely better for it. Thanks to her lived-in performance, Alice is able to navigate a formulaic emotional journey and still staunchly feel like her own person at the same time. Other than Arterton's memorable efforts, Summerland also benefits from two specific aspects: the backstory behind Alice's demeanour, and the way it unpacks her outsider status. Inescapably, the movie includes an almost-cringeworthy, far-too-convenient twist — but when it leaps back to the 20s, to Alice's immediate attraction to and subsequent time with Vera (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Misbehaviour) during her university studies, it doesn't just add a love story to the narrative. In its flashbacks and the shadow they leave on Alice's WWII-era life, the film also invests depth and emotion that isn't as strong otherwise, unleashes unexpected elements that aren't evident elsewhere, and offers a quiet yet potent undercurrent of subversion as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxGXbsiDhw0 SPREAD YOUR WINGS Whether they're about people helping other creatures find a way back home, spin stories about connections between different species that change everyone involved, or combine the two in one setup, films about humanity's bond with cute critters comprise a hefty genre. French family-friendly drama Spread Your Wings doesn't just belong in this category, but heartily embraces everything that audiences have come to expect from features that fit the above description — and it also shows how charming movies about humans and animals can be when done simply but well. Sharing a storyline similar to 1996 American film Fly Away Home, but actually based on the real-life exploits of meteorologist Christian Moullec, the latest effort from filmmaker Nicolas Vanier (Belle & Sebastian, School of Life) follows a scientist who is certain that he can save an endangered species of wild geese by teaching them a new migration route, even if his superiors scoff at his idea. With the flying waterfowl's usual path filled with hazards, such as airports, powerlines and light pollution, Christian (Jean-Paul Rouve, I Wish Someone Were Waiting for Me Somewhere) plots an alternate course, raises a new gaggle of goslings from birth, then plans to take to the skies in a homemade ultra-light aircraft to show them the way. Working with a screenplay written by Moullec and Matthieu Petit, then adapted by Vanier and Lilou Fogli (Blind Date), Spread Your Wings recognises the strength of its story. Crucially, while it tells Moullec's tale via fiction rather than as a documentary, it doesn't overcomplicate or overdramatise the narrative. Sent to stay with him for three weeks, Christian's teenage son Thomas (Louis Vazquez, In Her Hands) becomes as engaged in the project as his dad, even taking the lead when authorities in Norway try to scupper their flight — and while everything in the plot charts the expected course, including Thomas' involvement and the firm bond he forges not only with all the geese in his care, but with one white waterfowl from a different species, Spread Your Wings always feels as if it's telling a timeless story, rather than a cliched and well-worn one. The lively efforts of Rouve and a tender performance from Vazquez helps immensely, as does the scenic cinematography, which heads above the earth as much as it can. Vanier is obviously well aware that he's soaring into busy territory, and opts for a classic approach — which pleasingly works for viewers of all ages. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6iXpyVQf5Q&feature=youtu.be BUDDY GAMES When Adam Sandler factored into Oscar consideration for his phenomenal performance in Uncut Gems this time last year, he said that if he didn't receive a nomination from the Academy, he'd make a movie that was downright terrible on purpose. He doesn't star in Buddy Games, and this flat-out awful comedy actually premiered six months before Uncut Gems did (yes, even though it is just reaching Australian cinemas now); however, it's the kind of film one would imagine that Sandler was talking about. Directed, co-written by and starring Transformers: The Last Knight actor Josh Duhamel, this oppressively unfunny flick feels like the product of a bet to turn Jackass into fiction, to make it as awful and obnoxious as possible, and to give Duhamel both a cruisy filmmaking credit and the easiest on-screen role of his career. The premise: for years, a group of male friends have gathered together over a boozy summer weekend to compete in challenges, obstacle courses and games, with bragging rights the ultimate prize. Then one of their get-togethers goes wrong, the tournaments are shuttered and everyone loses touch. Jump to five years later, when ringleader Bobfather (played by Duhamel, of course) is convinced to restart the festivities by his struggling pal Shelly (Dan Bakkedahl, Space Force) — and, at the urging of the rest of the gang (Entourage's Kevin Dillon, Psych's James Roday Rodriguez, CHiPS' Dax Shepard and The Wrong Missy's Nick Swardson), to put up $150,000 for the winner. Duhamel and his fellow first-time feature screenwriters Bob Schwartz and Jude Weng must find testicle jokes and cocktails made with semen hilarious, because that's comedic level that Buddy Games operates on. Also covered: men strapping slabs of meat to their head, then trying not to get attacked by a wild reptile; and a chauvinist contest to see who can pick up a woman at a bar, dance with them and land a kiss, all after just taking laxatives and straining to avoid defecating. While meant to garner laughs, the film simply serves up sad middle-aged men trying to assert their masculinity and hold onto their youth in a puerile way — and says plenty about the folks who thought it was a movie worth making. Unsurprisingly given the alpha male traits aggressively on display, women barely feature, and are either stunning but still one of the guys when they do (with The Predator's Olivia Munn the only female cast member with any real screen-time) or painted as the object of no one's real affection. Homophobic references abound, too, and the fact that one of the group is secretly gay (his only character trait) is as cliched and flimsily thought-out as it sounds. Not even the cast appears particularly committed to their parts, other than Duhamel, obviously, and an over-acting Bakkedahl. Adam Sandler didn't end up getting an Oscar nomination for Uncut Gems — but whatever he thinks will be his absolute worst film is bound to be better better than Buddy Games. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been throughout the year — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23 and July 30; August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27; September 3, September 10, September 17 and September 24; October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22 and October 29; and November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, December 17, December 26 and January 1. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Personal History of David Copperfield, Waves, The King of Staten Island, Babyteeth, Deerskin, Peninsula, Tenet, Les Misérables, The New Mutants, Bill & Ted Face the Music, The Translators, An American Pickle, The High Note, On the Rocks, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Antebellum, Miss Juneteenth, Savage, I Am Greta, Rebecca, Kajillionaire, Baby Done, Corpus Christi, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky, The Furnace, Wonder Woman 1984, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman and The Dry.
Nicolas Winding Refn might've only made three films this decade, but they've all left an imprint. With Drive, Only God Forgives and The Neon Demon each boasting glistening neon hues, pulsating electronic soundtracks and grim, gritty underworld stories, how could they not? It has been three years since the Danish filmmaker's last movie, and while he doesn't have another big-screen release on the horizon just yet, he does have something else in store. Come mid-June, viewers will be able to watch new Amazon series Too Old to Die Young. Even better — all ten episodes are reportedly feature-length. As well as co-creating and co-writing the show with comic book writer and cartoonist Ed Brubaker, Refn directed every instalment, so fans can basically expect the equivalent of ten new movies from the Pusher, Bronson and Valhalla Rising helmer. In the series' first sneak peek, a cop (Miles Teller) talks about killing someone, Los Angeles' criminal underworld features prominently, the city gleams by night, John Hawkes and Jena Malone look secretive, and Cliff Martinez's distinctive beats kick in. Story-wise, hit men, Yakuza soldiers, Mexican cartel assassins and Russian mobsters all pop up as well, as does plenty of violence. Yes, it seems like Refn is in very comfortable territory. Chatting with The Hollywood Reporter last year, Brubaker described Too Old to Die Young as "the most Nicolas Winding Refn thing that ever existed, honestly". Billy Baldwin, Callie Hernandez, Cristina Rodlo (Miss Bala), Augusto Aguilera (The Predator), Nell Tiger Free (Game of Thrones), Babs Olusanmokun (Black Mirror), video game creator Hideo Kojima and Aussie actor Callan Mulvey help round out the cast. Check out the initial trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5ebyEQLYCI Too Old To Die Young hits Amazon Prime Video on June 14.
Under the theme of Only One Earth, the 2022 edition of World Environment Day lands on Sunday, June 5. An annual occurrence since its inception in 1973, the United Nations Environment Programme initiative calls on people from all walks of life to consider the impact they have on the planet, and works to raise awareness, inspire change and celebrate action. One such action is the NSW Government's Return and Earn scheme, which provides an action-based solution for anyone to responsibly dispose of the bottles, cans and cartons we all generate as our thirst is quenched during day-to-day escapades. And it couldn't be more simple, either. First step: collect your recyclables (after making sure they're accepted). Next: find a return spot near you (there are over 600 throughout NSW), transport yourself there and get returning. Choose between a refund or charitable donation and that's it — you're taking steps towards making the planet better for all. At the time of writing, 7,504,250,101 drink containers have been returned via the program — and over $30 million has been received by charities and community groups. These whopping numbers are illustrative of the powerful impact of small actions. And if you wanted some slightly more personal stats, check out the handy impact calculator, which allows you to see the direct impact your returning has on water, energy and landfill. What better time to start doing good with your recyclables than World Environment Day? Head to the website to find out more.
Longrain and Spice I Am, you'd better look out. Chef and Thai food expert David Thompson is officially making a return to Sydney, where he'll be opening another branch of Long Chim, his fun-loving eatery that has already won over hungry hordes in Perth and Singapore. Whether you've spent many years living in Bangkok or have simply had a one-night stopover on your way elsewhere, you'll know that eating in Thailand isn't just about what's on your plate. It's also about revelling in — or at least surrendering to — the city's freneticism. There are so many people, so many lights, so many noises and so many smells coming from so many directions. It's hard to take it all in. And that's a big part of Long Chim's appeal. Its atmosphere is a bit of recreation of Bangkok's streets; an open kitchen sends out all manner of delicious smells, sounds of crashing woks and clattering utensils, and service at lightning speed. In Sydney, the eatery will be taking over a multi-level, 190-seater space in an old basement underneath Martin Place, which Thompson has developed in collaboration with FJM Property and designer Kelly Ross from The Gentry. You'll have a choice of seating, from communal tables to counter stools to out-of-the-way alcoves, and there'll be original artworks from both Thai and Australian artists. "At Long Chim we want to capture all the excitement and tastes of the streets of Bangkok," said Thompson, who returns to the Sydney hospo scene after 15 years. "Long Chim is intended to be fun — 'sanuk', as the Thais say — with food and drinks that everyone loves. Our menu will have the dishes that many Thais miss the most when away from home." Long Chim Sydney plans to open in August this year. It will be located in a basement beneath 10-14 Martin Place, accessible through Angel Place. To keep updated on the restaurant's progress, follow them on Instagram.
Animals are better than people, so this double header is as good as sold out. Brendan Cowell has written The Dog, about the love triangle created when two men share a dog, and Lally Katz has created The Cat, about sharing a talking, smart-arse cat with your ex. Directing both is Ralph Myers, outgoing Belvoir artistic director, friend to all animals and real-life co-parent of Cowell's dog. Two plays, one night, funny, furry. Book it.
What's more difficult a feat: to ponder everything that the universe might hold, as writer/director James Gray did in 2019's sublime Ad Astra, or to peer back at your own childhood, as he now does with Armageddon Time? Both films focus on their own worlds, just of different sizes and scales. Both feature realms that loom over everyone, but we all experience in their own ways. In the two movies, the bonds and echoes between parents and children also earn the filmmaker's attention. Soaring into the sky and reaching beyond your assigned patch is a focus in one fashion or another, too. In both cases, thoughtful, complex and affecting movies result. And, as shared with everything he's made over the past three decades — such as The Yards, The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z as well — fantastic performances glide across the screen in unwaveringly emotionally honest pictures. In Armageddon Time, Gray returns to a favourite subject: the experience of immigrants to New York. With a surname barely removed from his own, the Graff family share his own Jewish American heritage — and anchor a portrait of a pre-teen's growing awareness of his privilege, the world's prejudices, the devastating history of his ancestors, and how tentative a place people can hold due to race, religion, money, politics and more. The year is 1980, and the end of times isn't genuinely upon anyone. Even the sixth-grader at its centre knows that. Still, that doesn't stop former Californian governor-turned-US presidential candidate Ronald Reagan from talking up existential threats using inflammatory language, as the Graffs spot on TV. Armageddon Time also takes its moniker from a 1977 The Clash B-side and cover; despite the film's stately approach, the punk feeling of wanting to tear apart the status quo — Gray's own adolescent status quo — dwells in its frames. Banks Repeta (The Black Phone) plays Paul Graff, Gray's on-screen surrogate, and Armageddon Time's curious and confident protagonist. At his public school in Queens, he's happy standing out alongside his new friend Johnny (Jaylin Webb, The Wonder Years), and disrupting class however and whenever he can — much to the dismay of his mother Esther (Anne Hathaway, Locked Down), a home economics teacher and school board member. He dreams of being an artist, despite his plumber dad Irving's (Jeremy Strong, Succession) stern disapproval, because the elder Graff would prefer the boy use computing as a path to a life better than his own. In his spare time, Paul is happiest with his doting, advice-dispensing, gift-bearing grandfather Aaron (Anthony Hopkins, The Father), who's considered the only person on the pre-teen's wavelength. Gray fleshes out Paul's personality and the Graffs' dynamic with candour as well as affection, as seen at an early home dinner. There, Paul criticises Esther's cooking, orders dumplings even after expressly being forbidden and incites Irving's explosive anger — and the establishing scene also starts laying bare attitudes that keep being probed and unpacked throughout Armageddon Time. Indeed, Paul will begin to glean the place he navigates in the world. Even while hearing about the past atrocities that brought his grandfather's mother to America, and the discrimination that still lingers, he'll learn that he's fortunate to hail from a middle-class Jewish family. Even if his own comfort is tenuous, Paul will see how different his life is to his black, bused-in friend, with Johnny living with his ailing grandmother, always skirting social services and constantly having condemning fingers waggling his way. And, Paul will keep spying how Johnny is at a disadvantage in every manner possible, including from their instantly scornful teacher and via Paul's own parents' quick judgement. Filmmakers diving into their own histories is one of the prevailing flavours of recent few years, including Alfonso Cuarón's Roma, Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza and Kenneth Branagh's Belfast — all Oscar-nominees, with Roma and Belfast also Oscar-winners. Don't call the trend navel-gazing, though. As much as these movies, and now Armageddon Time as well, are products of personal experience, all four films are also time capsules steeped in specific places and confronting corresponding realities. In Gray's addition to the fold, he doesn't like, love or appreciate everything that he surveys, with the director delving into happy and sorrowful slices of the past with wide-open eyes. There's another movie to be made that hones in on Johnny instead, but Armageddon Time knows what its audience does, and what Paul doesn't see as clearly but Gray can thanks to the passage of time: that small moments leave an imprint, small deeds left undone cause craters, and everyday aggressions and acts of oppression allowed to run rampant make the world shatter. That soul-searching hindsight explains Armageddon Time's overall neatness; when someone reflects upon what's come before and what it really meant, it's easy to spot intricacy and complexity that went unnoticed at the time, and to also simultaneously view the bigger picture. Still, while the film's conclusions might be blatant, this is a layered and subtle feature, as any coming-of-age contemplation set against a fraught social and political backdrop must be. With cinematographer Darius Khondji behind the lens as he was on Gray's The Immigrant and The Lost City of Z — and adding a different vision of New York to his resume compared to the frenetic Uncut Gems — Armageddon Time brings that texture to its visuals, which always have the look and feel of a memory. Painting in shades of brown is a straightforward, instantly evocative and significant choice; nothing in this powerful feature is ever rose-tinted. There's nothing simple about Armageddon Time's performances, either. In fact, Repeta and Webb manage something remarkable, more than holding their own against the reliably excellent Hopkins, Hathaway and Strong. The young pair's camaraderie shines, whether Paul and Johnny are getting sent to detention, bonding over space and Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight', skiving off from a school excursion or smoking the joint that'll get Paul moved to his older brother's snobbish private school — where racism and classism is overt among the offspring of rich Republicans, and where then-Assistant United States Attorney Maryanne Trump (Jessica Chastain, The Good Nurse), Donald Trump's sister, addresses assembly. In Hathaway and Strong's work, complications and contradictions abound, with the former getting the thinner-written role and the latter the best redemptive moment, but the two combining to offer a snapshot of being seemingly progressive in a country engrained with intolerance. As for Hopkins, he's so naturalistic and effortless that even the harshest truths feel digestible in his presence. Armageddon Time is largely that sensation in filmic form, too — tenderly, poignantly and unflinchingly.
Stay tuned. More info coming soon.
There's yoga and then there's yoga while surrounded by koalas. On a rooftop. At sunset. For a good cause. The latter is exactly what you can do at Wild Life Sydney Zoo's two Koala Sunset Yoga sessions, which it's hosting on its openair Koala Rooftop on Tuesday, December 10 and Wednesday, December 11. You'll be shavasana-ing and tree posing surrounded by ten of the extremely adorable marsupials, with the beginner-appropriate classes run by Kiin Yoga and Flow Athletic. They'll also be providing the mats, so just rock up in comfy clothes and get ready to get stretchy. Tickets to each class will set you back $45 will 100 percent of proceeds going to Koalas in Care and WIRES Bushfire Emergency Fund, both which are helping rescue and care for wildlife injured during the catastrophic bushfires across NSW. According to WIRES, 850,000 hectares of land has been destroyed so far and, with 90 fires still burning (at time of publication), this number is expected to continue growing. There'll be raffles held on both nights, too, with prizes including yoga memberships and breakfasts on the Koala Rooftop. Tickets are $5, so bring cash if you're keen.
If you love movies and the magic that goes into making them, it's easy to get spirited away when you head to the cinema. Come late August, however, that will definitely prove the case, because Studio Ghibli's moving castles, cat buses and cute balls of fluff are taking over screens across Sydney. From August 24, the acclaimed and adored Japanese animation house will be floating across movie theatres thanks to a month-long Celebrate Studio Ghibli showcase. The jam-packed program spans all 22 of their gorgeous flicks plus a behind-the-scenes documentary. Yes, that means devouring everything from Hayao Miyazaki's early efforts such as Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, to perennial crowd-pleasers My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away, to later efforts like Ponyo and The Wind Rises. Of course, while Miyazaki might've become synonymous with the studio he helped build, he's not their only filmmaking force — as doco The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness demonstrates. Ghibli's other stars also get their time to shine, with the likes of Isao Takahata' Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Tomomi Mochizuki's Ocean Waves, Hiroyuki Morita's The Cat Returns, and Gorō Miyazaki's Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill also on the bill. Basically, whichever Ghibli movie is your favourite, you'll get the chance to revisit it on the big screen.
If you haven't experienced a sweat-inducing, VHS-style aerobics class made popular by the likes of Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons, we recommend you change that ASAP. Luckily, we've got you covered. In partnership with Good Food Month, we're hosting a series of Monday morning retro aerobics classes — and we've got six double passes to give away. Whip out the hot pink and turquoise lycra, tease up your hair and get ready for fitness queen Shannon Dooley's Retrosweat, Palm Springs edition. Dubbed 'Not Another Manic Monday', these classes will get your heart pumping as you high-kick your way into a new week with beats and moves from one of the most outlandish decades — when bum bags, acid wash and power suits were king. What's more, the Good Food Month version of the '80s workout will bring out the So Cal vibes that'll make you crave a whiz down Venice Beach with your skates, high cut leotard and pastel leg warmers. Why's that? Because this year's Good Food Month will see Hyde Park transform into Hyde Park Palms, a Palm Springs-inspired food, drink and party hub. Feeling a bit intimidated by this much energy exertion on a Monday? Don't worry, after the 50 minutes of high intensity, '80s moves, you'll be given a 'naughty' takeaway brekkie courtesy of Black Star Pastry and cake creative Katherine Sabbath, to keep you buzzing the rest of the day. What's on the menu? Think a bacon bread twist, quiche lorraine and mini custard flan from Black Star Pastry, and a cheeky cactus cookie by Sabbath. Enter our competition below to win a double pass to a Not Another Manic Monday session on Monday, October 16 or Tuesday, October 17. See you and your lycra there. [competition]638001[/competition] Words: Quinn Connors and Jonathan Ford.
If you're a fan of Gelato Messina and its sweet treats, 2020 and 2021 have been years that just keep on giving. That saying doesn't apply to much at all of late, but it definitely fits in this situation. The dessert chain has released all manner of one-off specials, launched a new range of chocolate-covered ice cream bars in supermarkets, dropped a new merchandise line and brought back its Christmas trifle, for starters — and, after taking care of your summer drinks list, it's now moving on to Easter cocktails. Teaming up with Cocktail Porter, Messina has a new DIY kit that'll let you make your own boozy beverage — this time using its dulce de leche, and pouring it inside an Easter egg. Basically, it's the answer to a familiar dilemma, especially at this time of year. No one likes choosing between tucking into an orb of chocolate or having another boozy beverage, after all. The Messina dulce de leche and coffee cocktail packs come with the brand's popular topping, as well as Baileys, cold-drip coffee and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur. You'll also receive chocolate Easter eggs, which you'll pour your mixed liquids into, as well as pieces of salted caramel popcorn to pop on top. You can pick between two different-sized packs, with the small kit costing $80 and making five drinks, and the large costing $140 and making 12. A second type of seasonal kit is also available, without Messina products, but featuring espresso martinis served out Lindt milk chocolate bunnies. This one also comes with vodka, cold-filter coffee, sugar syrup and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur, and the prices for both small and large batches are the same. Cocktail Porter delivers Australia-wide, if that's your Easter drinking plans now sorted. To order Cocktail Porter's Easter cocktail kits, head to the Cocktail Porter website.
This article is sponsored by our partners Thredbo. The first-ever Efterski Festival is shaping up to be Australia's most comprehensive snow-inspired event. Whether you're a pro who can’t keep off the white stuff, an amateur who isn't afraid to get your fancy dress on, or a filmmaker with a secret inkling that you could be the David Attenborough of extreme sports photography, you'll find a way to get involved. Running over five days from September 10, Efterski centres around the Toyota One Hit Wonder Big Air, the only gold ranked AFP (Association of Freeskiing Professionals) event in the Southern Hemisphere. The world’s most skilled (and least frightened) freeskiiers spend four days showing the judges (and us — the whole thing happens in the sky, so it's visible for free) exactly what they can do with 100 feet of time in the air. Australia's biggest freeskiing cash prize is their inspiration. The winners are announced at the Saturday night afterparty, held in Thredbo Village and sponsored by Rekorderlig. Efterski's second major event is the Atomic Alpine Knockout, a dual giant slalom. To be held on Friday, September 13, it's a new addition to the alpine competition calendar, boasting a $10,000 prize pool. Gun skiiers and snowboarders are still welcome to enter and, if sufficient snowboarding pairs show interest, a snowboarding division may well be on the cards. Saturday, September 14, will be witness to the most universally friendly event of the week — the Rhythm Skim Showdown. Anyone can enter ("skier, snowboarder or snoller-blader"), as long as they're committed to turning up in fancy dress and risk getting wet in a 'pond skim'. Prizes go the Best Outfit and the Best Wipe-Out, with DJs providing some inspiration. Finally, if you prefer to record the action, as opposed to becoming a participant, the Efterski's Contour Rookie Film Comp would love to see your work. They're looking for three-minute action sports short films that are viewable by a PG13+ audience, including at least one shot set in Thredbo and feature at least one point-of-view shot. Of course, if all of that is sounding like too much action, you can always spend the weekend in the village, immersed in the 'Big Beats' dimension of the Efterski programme.
From Four Pillars to Archie Rose and Poor Toms, Australia is home to some of the world's best gin. Now, a new player is about to emerge, with a new distillery set to open in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge later this year. Hickson House Distilling Co is the new distillery opening in The Rocks this June. The distillery is the new venture from Mikey Enright and Julian Train (The Barber Shop, The Duke of Clarence), as well as former Manly Spirits distiller Tim Stones. The distillery's first products will be a range of gins made using all locally sourced ingredients, including native botanicals from The Loch farm in Berrima. As well as creating gins, and eventually whiskies, aperitifs and specialist spirits, Hickson House will also be open to the public for a range of tours, tastings and dining experiences. [caption id="attachment_798830" align="alignnone" width="1920"] A render of Hickson House[/caption] You'll be able to purchase bottles of the house-made spirits from an on-site store or visit a cocktail bar, which will sit above the distillery floor, serving tasty creations that champion the Hickson House spirits alongside a complementary menu of botanical-inspired food. While the menu for the bar and dining experience is yet to be revealed, we've been told it'll feature Enright and Train's take on modern Australian cuisine. The 450-square-metre warehouse is the former parking garage of the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi. The garage is currently being transformed into the bar and distillery with the garage roller doors proposed as the planned entrance. Designed by Sydney agency Steel + Stitch and UK designer Sara Mathers, the bar will feature twin chandeliers and will retain much of the aesthetic nature of the original warehouse. Hickson House Distilling Co is slated to open on Hickson Road, The Rocks in June 2021. Top image: Mikey Enright, Julian Train and Tim Stones
Those keen to jump in their car — or on a plane — and explore another Australian state or territory may be able to do just that this winter, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison hinting that interstate travel could be back on the cards by early July. After a national cabinet meeting today, Tuesday, May 5, the Prime Minister said he was hopeful interstate travel would be a possibility by the next end-of-term school holiday, which is June 26 in Queensland and Victoria, and July 3 in the ACT and NSW. "It's part of the road back that national cabinet is considering," the Prime Minister said in response to a question about interstate travel. "Hopefully, by the end of term school holiday, if [Australians] are able to go and have a holiday on the Gold Coast or in South Australia or in — wherever it happens to be out of one's home state — let's hope that is possible because that will be great for those places in terms of the tourism impact." This does, of course, depend on some Australian states and territories reopening their borders. Queensland, Tasmania, WA, SA and the NT have all suspended non-essential cross-border travel and require interstate arrivals to quarantine for 14 days. The possibility of interstate travel resuming this winter was a sentiment echoed earlier today by Qantas, too. In a statement released this morning, the Australian airline group said, "the initial easing of government restrictions suggests some domestic travel may start to return before the end of July". When domestic travel does ramp up, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said Melbourne-Sydney flights on Jetstar could drop as low as $19. The airline also announced that it had extended flight cancellations from the end of May through to the end of July, but that "some capacity can be added back in if domestic and Trans-Tasman restrictions ease in coming weeks". New Zealand is another travel possibility that's been flagged for Australians the near future, with Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy previously saying it could be allowed by within the next three-to-four months. The Prime Minister also said that he'd been discussing a Trans-Tasman travel bubble for "several weeks" with NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who joined today's national cabinet meeting, and that, in terms of international travel, it was "the most obvious place to start" but that was "still some time away". It's expected a clearer look at the "road out" and some possible easing of restrictions will be announced on Friday, May 8, after this week's second national cabinet meeting. Top image: Numbananga Lodge by MVandavee for NPWS.
Looking to escape winter? We hear you. That's why we've teamed up with the wild child of luxury Cairns hotels, Crystalbrook Flynn, to give one lucky CP reader — and a plus one — the chance to win the ultimate tropical getaway. If you're looking for a big dose of sunshine and the rush of adventure, pop your details below to go into the running to score a Thrill and Chill package. The getaway includes two nights in the spacious Flynn's Suite (which features unbeatable views of the Coral Sea) with a Wolf Lane negroni on arrival; return private transfer between the airport and the hotel; daily breakfast for two at Flynn's Italian; a scenic helicopter flight over the Great Barrier Reef or Wet Tropics rainforest; 60-minute signature spa treatment for two at Eléme Day Spa; and a fully stocked cabana for a seriously lavish pool day including champagne, charcuterie, fresh seasonal fruit, poolside lunch and bottomless sparkling water and soft drinks. To sweeten the deal, we'll also throw in a $500 flight voucher to get you there and back. The five-star hotel is located in the heart of Cairns, just footsteps from Cairns Esplanade. And with so many incredible ways to experience Tropical North Queensland, you'll be perfectly positioned for the ultimate escape from winter — if you even want to leave the hotel. It's time to channel your inner thrill-seeker, and jet set to the tropics. [competition]859968[/competition]
UPDATE, October 9, 2021: Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is available to stream via Disney+, and is also screening in Sydney cinemas when they reopen on Monday, October 11. Much of Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) involves stunning archival footage, as recorded more than five decades ago, capturing live performances by an astonishing lineup of musicians. At the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a free series of gigs that rolled out across six weekend and saw around 300,000 people head along, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, BB King, Sly and the Family Stone, the Staples Singers, Mahalia Jackson and Gladys Knight & the Pips all took to the stage — among others — and the newly unearthed reels that immortalised their efforts are truly the stuff that music documentary dreams are made of. For his filmmaking debut, Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson could've simply stitched together different songs from various sets across the festival, and let those music superstars lead the show. He could've taken the immersive, observational approach as Amazing Grace did with Aretha Franklin and her famed gospel gigs, and jettisoned context. But The Roots frontman and drummer doesn't make that choice, and he ensures that two words echo strongly throughout the film as a result: "Black Woodstock". Also in New York — upstate in the town of Bethel, 100 miles north of Harlem — Woodstock itself took place in the summer of 1969 as well. The Harlem Cultural Festival kicked off before and kept playing after its better-known counterpart ended, but comparing the two events makes quite the statement. Why has one endured in public consciousness and proven pervasive in popular culture, but not the other? Why did footage of one quickly get turned into a film, with the Woodstock documentary first reaching cinemas in 1970, but recordings of the other largely sat in a basement for half a century? Why did television veteran Hal Tulchin, who shot the entire Harlem Cultural Festival from start to finish on four cameras loaded up with two-inch videotape, get told that there was little interest in releasing much from a "Black Woodstock"? (One New York TV station aired two hour-long specials at the time, but that's all that eventuated until now.) These questions and the US' historical treatment of people in colour go hand in hand, and whenever the words "Black Woodstock" are uttered, that truth flutters through Summer of Soul. Here's another query that belongs with the others: why was such an important event left to fade in memories, and in broader awareness, to the point that many watching Questlove's exceptional doco won't have heard of it until now? Consider Summer of Soul an act of unearthing, reclamation and celebration, then. It's a gift, too. The archival materials that are so critical to the film are glorious, whether a 19-year-old Wonder is tickling the ivories; a young Staples is singing with Jackson, her idol; The 5th Dimension are breaking out matching outfits while crooning their 'Aquarius' and 'Let the Sunshine In' medley; or Simone is delivering her anthem 'To Be Young, Gifted and Black' with fierce passion. Powerful moments featuring immense talents like these keep popping up, including The Temptations' David Ruffin singing 'My Girl', and Reverend Jesse Jackson introducing Jackson and Staples' rendition of 'Precious Lord, Take My Hand' by giving a eulogy for Martin Luther King Jr. These are slices in time that everyone — every music lover, every fan of every single artist featured and everyone in general — needs to see, and now can. Savvily, Questlove also weaves through an exploration of the whys and hows not just behind the Harlem Cultural Festival, but also surrounding its lack of attention since. Where he can, he chats to the musicians, canvassing their recollections and reactions. Just as crucial: his interviews with attendees, many of whom were kids that were taken along by their parents. These festival-goers reflect upon how strong the event remains in their childhood memories; how it shaped them, their music tastes and their personalities afterwards; and the sense of togetherness that floated through the shows with the summer breeze. Their reminiscences tie into the broader discussion into New York City at the time, America's political climate — MLK was assassinated a year earlier, and Black Panthers acted as the festival's security — and the determination within the Black community to champion itself at every turn. Journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault even shares her fight to get The New York Times to print the term 'Black' as pride around it grew. Also covered: the moon landing, and the conflicting sentiment about whether it was a giant leap for humankind or a wasteful step that spent money that could've been better put to use on earth (and specifically in Harlem). Indeed, this is a portrait of an era, a neighbourhood and its people as much as it's a window into one essential and historic festival. As its subtitle notes, it's also a snapshot of a revolutionary mood. If there's one misstep here, and it's just one, it comes from a few contemporary snippets of commentary that don't add anything beyond the obvious. Most movies can be improved by getting Lin-Manuel Miranda involved, but the Hamilton and In the Heights visionary's insights into the potency of music aren't needed here — because the footage, and the tales from the people who went to the Harlem Cultural Festival, say it all anyway. Questlove finds plenty of time for shots of the crowd, showing their response to the sets playing onstage, and all those jubilant faces and swaying bodies paint the strongest picture there is. Unsurprisingly, Summer of Soul captures their joy with an impassioned rhythm. Its director is also a DJ and music director, after all (including at the 2021 Oscars), and he knows where to bob in and out of tracks, vibes and refrains. When the film ends with one festival attendee watching footage from the event and exclaiming "I'm not crazy!" because he now has proof that this oft-overlooked "Black Woodstock" was real, it's the ultimate mic drop. Wanting to devour every second of material that Tulchin shot all those years ago is a clear side effect, though.
When winter blows her icy breath on our pale, dressing-gown-clad bodies, it can be all too tempting to stay indoors on the couch with a cup of tea and some mindless TV. Put down your Earl Grey because getaway experts Mr & Mrs Smith want you to embrace the chill and explore your own extended backyard with these ten deals and one killer competition celebrating Victoria's hidden charms. Whether you're keen to wander the countryside or draw near to the beating heart of the city, Mr & Mrs Smith will get you out of your Ugg boots and knee-deep into Victoria. As the frost sets in, Melbourne comes into its own, enchanting you with an abundance of cosy cafes and busy bars nestled in cool hidden laneways. Get your warm winter wardrobe at the unique boutiques and fashion strips on Chapel Street or get a healthy dose of culture at the many art, music and theatre shows on offer. Venture just an hour or two out of the city and you'll be swept away in the beauty of the Victorian countryside. Sip a batch of the freshest cider from the Yarra Valley and go on a tasting trail on your bike of locally grown wine and produce. Explore the natural beauty as you hike through the Grampians. Get your wetsuit on and forget about your goosebumps as you surf some world-famous beaches along the Great Ocean Road or be treated like royalty in the luxurious hotels of Daylesford. Mr & Mrs Smith have selected only the most standout boutique hotels and smart self-catering stays to tempt you off your couch and get you ensconced in a Victorian winter getaway. Win the Ultimate Victorian Adventure Mr & Mrs Smith are offering a chance to win the ultimate Victorian winter wonderland holiday for two. You'll be spoiled in the city with two nights at the Prince in St Kilda, where you can treat yourself to dinner at the top-rated Circa restaurant. Then head to Daylesford, spending two nights in the luxurious spa at the Lake House. Finish your trip off with two nights at the Mornington Pensinula’s beachside Big Blue Backyard and get the blood pumping with a dip in the ocean. You'll feel like a rockstar with a BMW X Series car ride to get up close and personal with the sights of Victoria. Return Qantas flights for two will get you to Melbourne from your closest Australian capital city. Enter the competition via their website. Exclusive Offers from Mr & Mrs Smith Can't wait? Check out all of Mr & Mrs Smith’s exclusive offers for Concrete Playground readers. 1. Big Blue Backyard, St. Andrews Beach Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; Stay three nights but only pay for two on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. 2. The Cullen, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; save 20 per cent on Studio Suites and experience all the sights of trendy Prahran and Chapel Street. 3. Lake House, Daylesford Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two and soak up Daylesford and the spectacular spa country. 4. Lyall Hotel and Spa, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; discover the secrets of South Yarra and the sights and delights of Chapel Street and save 20% off the usual rates. 5. Mansion Hotel & Spa, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; savour the historic surrounds, wine delights and zoo experience all within reach of this iconic hotel and save 20% off the usual rate. 6. Mollisons, Kyneton Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two and experience historic Kyneton and surrounds. 7. Mt Sturgeon, The Grampians Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two in the beautiful Grampians. 8. Ovolo Hotel Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; visit Melbourne during winter and save 20% off rates. 9. The Prince, Melbourne Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; trendy St Kilda is yours to explore on this special winter offer and save 20% off the usual rates. 10. Royal Mail Hotel, The Grampians Exclusive to Mr & Mrs Smith and Visit Victoria travellers; stay three nights but only pay for two in the beautiful Grampians. To take advantage of these exclusive offers, book through the Mr & Mrs Smith website. Top image courtesty of Mr and Mrs Smith. Other images courtesy of Tourism Victoria.
The first day of March marks the first day of autumn, but when you’re at El Loco it’s never not summer. So if you are a fan of spicy tortilla, colourful flags, icy margaritas, floral oilcloth or general happiness, chase the ephemeral form of Sydney’s favourite Mexican cantina to its new home in the Slip Inn courtyard. If you made to the pop up at Sydney’s Opera House you’ll know the deal: Kitschy décor, a killer snack menu featuring Dan Hong’s infamous tacos and cheese-drowned hot dogs, and a “secret taco” that always tends to increase in appeal as the bucket of Coronas diminishes. Everything is priced around the $6 - $10 mark, including a few additional items made exclusively for the CBD’s brightest pop up. Between Wednesday and Saturday there will be live entertainment kicking on until last Coronas are called, which on weekends will be well after midnight. El Loco at Slip Inn will be open Monday to Thursday, from midday til midnight and Friday & Saturday, from midday til late.
As part of this year’s Art & About Festival, the extremely agile members of the innovative Shaun Parker & Company (Happy as Larry, The Yard) will be turning three different Sydney playgrounds into their temporary stages for SPILL. Treat your inner child to what is guaranteed to be a memorable (and free!) 30 minutes of cutting-edge choreography performed by four very talented people. I mean, come on, when have you ever seen brightly coloured professional dancers leaping, swinging, jumping and rolling their way across swings, seesaws and climbing frames? Even better, this crazy street dance-meets-child's play is accompanied by the intriguing music of Nick Wales. For a glimpse of what you’re in for, check out this video. And more good news: after every show you can do an audience participation workshop with the performers. So start limbering up now. SPILL takes place at 10.30 am and 12.30 pm at the following playgrounds: Victoria Park, 20-23 September Wentworth Park, 26-30 September Sydney Park, 4-7 October
This long weekend sees The Dolphin Hotel fire up for a huge all-day NYC-inspired party on Sunday, June 9, marking the eighth edition of the Italo Dining & Disco Club run by restaurateurs Maurice Terzini (The Dolphin, Icebergs, Bondi Beach Public Bar) and Giovanni Paradiso (10 William Street, Fratelli Paradiso). And every corner of the Surry Hills boozer is getting involved in a different way. It all kicks off in the dining room (12–5pm), where the kitchen will be whipping up a generous Italian-American menu, headlined by a range of NYC-style 20-inch pizzas, available as whole pies or by the slice. You'll also spy a selection of pasta, fried calamari, fresh salads and a chicken parma sub, which can be paired with a hefty lineup of wines. Award-winning bartender Matt Whiley has also knocked up a snazzy list of cocktails, featuring drinks like the Rome and Stormy, starring Amaretto, ginger and lemon myrtle kombucha. When you're done with lunch, head upstairs to the top floor cocktail bar Scout (2–7pm) for even more inventive Italo sips, including the strawberry gum-infused Miami Vice negroni. A special edition of Delfino Aperitivo will then take over the Dolphin's Wine Room from 5–7pm, offering Italian snacks (and most likely Jatz) by Mitch Orr (of the soon-to-close Acme), alongside a menu of American and Italian wines and other libations by sommeliers Marie Sophie and James Hird. From 7pm, the party really heats up, as the dining room is transformed into a dance floor and New York-based DJ Mike Simonetti takes the decks for a free disco-drenched evening, running until late. Itali Dining & Disco Club runs from midday–10pm.
These days, travel trends shift in the same way as food, music or fashion. Destinations that were popular a few years ago don't always stay that way, and as you scroll through Instagram, you'll often see your friends all hitting up the same travel hotspots. Instead of chasing the same locations, travelling in 2026 is about going somewhere that feels fresh, exciting and a little unexpected. Thanks to Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fare Deals, you can book ahead to the cities that are sure to fuel your curiosity, from Manchester to Johannesburg to Ho Chi Minh City. Manchester, England London will always be a classic holiday destination and a popular gateway to Europe, but Manchester has a lot more to offer than you might think. Known for its legendary music history (responsible for bands like The Smiths and Oasis), the city has evolved over the years into a hive of live gigs, design festivals and one of the UK's most exciting dining scenes. Football fans already know Old Trafford and the Etihad are must-visit stadiums for a game, but Manchester's neighbourhood bars and galleries are just as worthy of your time. With Singapore Airlines' Early Bird fares, you can fly Perth to Manchester from $1,555 return. Brussels, Belgium Belgium's capital is full of beautiful architecture and public spaces, but it's also fast emerging as Europe's creative hub, where street art and digital design combine with the city's old-world charm. Between modern art galleries, neighbourhood breweries and its reputation as the birthplace of fries, there are so many reasons to go and visit. It's also perfectly positioned for day trips to Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp, if you feel like taking your travel plans even further. Early Bird fares from Adelaide start at $1,473 return, proving that booking ahead pays off. Istanbul, Türkiye Few cities are as interesting as Istanbul right now. Straddling Southeastern Europe and Western Asia, the city is buzzing with a new wave of restaurants, rooftop bars and contemporary art spaces that sit alongside ancient mosques and markets. Stay in Sultanahmet if you want to be right in the historic centre. For something a bit less touristy but still trendy, find a place in the Beyoğlu neighbourhood. You can spend your days wandering through the Grand Bazaar, cruise along the Bosphorus and sample modern Turkish cuisine in Karaköy. Lock in your 2026 flights now and you'll have first pick of this ever-changing city. Frankfurt, Germany When most people plan a European trip, they think of Italy, Greece or Paris. But Frankfurt has quietly become one of Europe's most exciting cities, and it's worth adding to your list. Beyond its skyscrapers and reputation for delicious sausages, it's also home to leafy riverside parks, food halls that champion local producers and some of Germany's most active nightlife districts, offering everything from old school German pubs to trendy wine bars. With Singapore Airlines' and Lufthansa's joint network, you can also connect from Frankfurt to other European cities seamlessly, making it easy to hit multiple destinations in the one trip. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam On the Southeast Asia front, Ho Chi Minh City (still known locally as Saigon) is a place of constant movement. Once you touch down, you won't need any plans other than setting out on foot to explore. Street food stalls sit beside cocktail bars, while French colonial buildings stand near cutting-edge coworking hubs. Block out an afternoon to visit the historical Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office buildings, or check out the city's many stores stocked with locally sourced streetwear, jewellery and antiques. It's energetic and chaotic in the best way, and it's impossible to visit without wanting to return again and again. Johannesburg, South Africa For those wanting to go further afield, South Africa's largest city is an eye-opener. Over the years, the city has reinvented itself with a thriving arts district, an innovative restaurant scene and a proud emphasis on heritage as the home of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. It's also the perfect launchpad for safaris or road trips across South Africa, making it a destination that feels equal parts unique and inspiring. Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen is one of those cities that feels old and new all at the same time. There's colourful harbour front houses and cobbled streets alongside sleek architecture, bike-friendly paths and world-leading restaurants. In 2026, plan your visit for summer to make the most of the city's long, warm evenings — perfect for rooftop drinks, open-air festivals and cycling along the canals. Book with Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fares and you'll have first pick of the best travel dates to soak it all in. For Aussies looking to head overseas, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of fresh horizons. Thanks to Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fare Deals, you can book now and secure your seat to over 100 destinations worldwide. Singapore Airlines' Early Bird Fare Deals end September 30, 2025, so get in early and make your next adventure one to look forward to. Find out more and book your Early Bird fare for select travel dates in 2026 here.
Most people know the tonal nuances of Ira Glass' voice better than they know they know their own family's birthdays, but, chances are, they don't know him like this. The prolific This American Life host and producer is coming to Sydney and Melbourne this July — but not to do a live broadcast of the seriously popular NPR show or to speak in conversation. He'll be performing as part of a contemporary dance stage show. Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host combines live radio with dance. You may think that these two disciplines have "no business being on stage together" (Glass' words, not mine), but somehow the public radio king manages to pull it off. Collaborating with veteran dancers Anna Bass and Monica Bill Barnes, the 90-minute, three-act performance pulls in Glass' knack for storytelling, staging radio interviews as dance pieces and weaving in anecdotes from the performers' own lives. "I know this whole thing sounds a little nuts but I swear it's pretty great. Huge laughs. Big emotions," said Glass. "Dance is all visuals, no talking. Radio's all talking, no visuals. But what the stories on This American Life have in common with dance is music." The radio-dance spectacular will visit both Melbourne and Sydney this July, with two shows at both the Sydney Opera House and the Arts Centre's State Theatre. After initially debuting as a ten-minute test run back in 2013, the show has gone on to be performed all over the U.S. It will tour through California, New Hampshire, Alabama and North Carolina, before finishing up in Australia. Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host will visit the State Theatre at the Arts Centre Melbourne on July 14 and 15, before going to the Sydney Opera House for two performances on July 17 and 18. Tickets for the Melbourne show go on sale on Friday, March 11 at 9am here, while the Sydney show will go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 18 here. Image: David Bazemore.
It's been an unusual year, and so it would make sense that one of the annual events we look forward to each year is shaking (or stirring) things up in 2020. Negroni Week, sponsored by Campari, is back from September 14–20 — and this year you can support your local bar from a distance, by learning to make your own at home. Campari has collaborated with 50 leading bartenders across Australia — including Black Pearl's Matt Linklater, PS40's Michael Chiem, Nick & Nora's Kayla Reid and Old Mate's Brittany Rowe — to create a free Negroni Cocktail Book that you can download and follow to recreate some of your favourite twists on the classic negroni. The Negroni Cocktail Book is a gift from the bartenders who've invented new ways to serve us during lockdown. There are two parts to the book; the first has ten classic recipes, like an americano, a coffee negroni and a kingston, and the second has 50 cocktail recipes from the masters, think one influenced by the bullet coffee trend, one that tastes like french toast, and heaps of others inspired by the cocktails in the negroni family. And, as those bartenders have done so much for us over the years, it's also good to give something back. This year's Negroni Week is raising a glass to the hospo industry, which has faced months of legislation, uncertainty and waves of financial instability, by partnering with Help Out Hospo. You can pay it forward to those workers hit hard by the pandemic by making a donation to Help Out Hospo, here. The initiative was created during the pandemic with all profits going to out-of-work hospitality staff. So far it's raised nearly $60,000. Download the free Negroni Cocktail Book here. Remember to Drinkwise.
The Black Phone didn't need to star Ethan Hawke. In a way, it doesn't really. Fresh from Moon Knight and The Northman, Hawke is definitely in this unsettling 1978-set horror film. He's also exceptional in it. But his top billing springs from his name recognition and acting-veteran status rather than his screen time. Instead, superb up-and-comer Mason Thames gets the bulk of the camera's attention in his first feature role. After him, equally outstanding young talent Madeleine McGraw (Ant-Man and The Wasp) comes next. They spend most of their time worrying about, hearing rumours of, hiding from, battling and/or trying to track down a mask-wearing, van-driving, child-snatching villain — the role that Hawke plays in a firmly supporting part, almost always beneath an eerie disguise. Visibly at least, anyone could've donned the same apparel and proven an on-screen source of menace. There's a difference between popping something creepy over your face and actually being creepy, though. Scary masks can do a lot of heavy lifting, but they're also just a made-to-frighten facade. Accordingly, when it comes to being truly petrifying, Hawke undoubtedly makes The Black Phone. He doesn't literally; his Sinister director Scott Derrickson helms, and also co-wrote the script with that fellow horror flick's C Robert Cargill, adapting a short story by Stephen King's son Joe Hill — and the five-decades-back look and feel, complete with amber and grey hues, plus a nerve-rattling score, are all suitably disquieting stylistic touches. But as the movie's nefarious attacker, Hawke is unnervingly excellent, and also almost preternaturally unnerving in every moment. Whenever he opens his mouth, his voice couldn't echo from anyone else; however, it's the nervy, ominous and bone-weary physicality that he brings to the character that couldn't be more pitch-perfect. Everyone is tired in The Black Phone, albeit in varying ways. At first, that comes as a surprise — it's a looser, more laidback time, and the film happily rides the vibe in its opening Little League game. Still, that relaxed air comes with its own sense of anxiety. What's better, an era when kids escape their homes during daylight, roaming the streets as they like but also instilled with a festering sense of stranger danger, or a period where such unsupervised freedom seems utterly unthinkable? This movie lurks in the former, obviously, and there is indeed a dangerous stranger prowling around north Denver's suburban streets. To 13-year-old Finney Blake (Thames), his younger sister Gwen (McGraw) and their schoolmates, that monstrous figure is known as The Grabber, and he's abducted several of their peers so far. Finney and Gwen are also exhausted at home, where their alcoholic father Terrence (Jeremy Davies, The House That Jack Built) is hardly hands-on — unless his hands are flying in anger their way. At school, Finney has a trio of bullies to deal with, too; luckily, if his pal Robin (first-timer Miguel Cazarez Mora) isn't around to save him, the plucky and sweary Gwen usually is. She's zapped as well, courtesy of dreams of events that haven't quite happened yet. The pair's mother had the same ability, which is why their dad is so sozzled, and also so hard on the two of them. Fatigue is well and truly in the air, thick yet invisible, although The Grabber's (Hawke) is the flimsiest. After taking Finney, he's drained by his need to kidnap and kill. That doesn't stop him from terrorising the neighbourhood, of course — but if his latest target has his way, aided by advice whispered down the disconnected basement telephone by past victims, the masked assailant might soon be far worse than simply weary. If you didn't know that The Black Phone came from Hill's pen, or that his father is the most famous horror author alive, you'd likely guess it the moment that The Grabber uses balloons to lure his prey. Those decorations are black, not red. The Grabber is a part-time magician instead of a demonic clown. No one dwells in a sewer here, but the trapped Finney does peer out of a basement window — and looking at him from the outside has a Pennywise-in-a-storm-drain appearance to it. The Black Phone isn't an IT do-over; however, it always feels like it has been moulded not just from memories of growing up in the 70s (Derrickson and Hill are the right ages, as is Hawke), but by minds that have also internalised King's brand of horror. Stranger Things does the same, but with the 80s. And as with the Netflix hit, that loving, knowing, nodding sensation doesn't stop The Black Phone from drawing viewers in — or keeping them immersed, engaged, entertained and unsettled. If you also didn't know that The Black Phone was a short story on the page, you'd swiftly pick that by watching, too. The film can't be called economical or slight, but it jumps speedily from forebodingly setting the scene with gripping unease (that weariness is palpable) to getting close to wrapping everything up, all without lingering much in the middle. The sense that connecting the dots is happening a tad too fast can't be shaken, although it doesn't confine The Black Phone to the cellar where terrible, half-baked, by-the-numbers horror flicks should go to rot. (Also, The Black Phone isn't any of those things.) Rather, for such an escape room of a movie — a picture that's all about a teenage boy who isn't the typical hero using his brains and even his fears to hopefully puzzle together the necessary pieces to escape a room, with some supernatural help — it just seems too eager to flee. Wishing there was more teasing and loitering to Derrickson's return to horror after helming the first Doctor Strange, and Hawke's as well, is the right kind of problem to have, though. There's plenty about The Black Phone that keeps audience hooked — and, unlike Finney, we'd be happy to remain that way a little longer. Derrickson's film is big on mood, and on crucial details. Almost every character feels lived-in, from its two key kids through to The Grabber, Terrence, and other victims fleshed out in small scenes and flashbacks. (Performances obviously play a pivotal part in the latter, not just from the superbly vicious Hawke and the impressive Thames and McGraw, but right down to IT: Chapter Two's James Ransone showing up and getting unhinged quickly.) There's always a dripping sense of tension, much of the picture's imagery is perturbing all on its own, and the well-executed jump scares do exactly what they're supposed to. The Black Phone doesn't always know when to stay on the line, but the chilling flick is still a horror-movie call worth taking.
There are art fairs – and then there is The Other Art Fair. The celebrated global event returns to Sydney for the fifth time this March. From March 14–17, the fair will showcase a lively collection of emerging artists in the stimulating surrounds of Eveleigh's creative hub, Australian Technology Park. Presented by Saatchi Art, this year's fair is bigger than ever before. The creative works of more than 120 carefully chosen artists, each selected by a prominent panel of art industry experts, will be up for sale. From the ornate to the inexpensive, The Other Art Fair 2019 offers thousands of artworks starting at as little as $100. Plus, all of the artists will be on-site, so you can chat with them and hear the stories behind your chosen piece. The vast four-day event is complemented by an eclectic array of art activations, workshops and immersive performances, plus street food and DJ sets. And good news, art-lovers — we've got a bunch of tickets to The Other Fair Sydney to give away. For the prize details, and to be in with a chance, see below. [competition]707414[/competition]
It's almost obvious when you think about it. The vibrator did not first appear in history to bring women sexual pleasure; it appeared to make them manageable. It took some private revelations and a mass revolution before the device was reclaimed for its rightful purpose. In the Next Room, or the vibrator play is set in the late 19th century, when the advent of electricity led physicians to upgrade the previously manual technique of 'pelvic massage' they used to treat female 'hysteria', an umbrella illness whose symptoms could include faintness, nervousness, irritability, insomnia and/or "a tendency to cause trouble". The eventuating 'hysterical paroxysm' (ahem) would cure all lady ills. In this environment, the wide-eyed, restless and maternally troubled Catherine Givings (Jacqueline McKenzie) begins to listen at the door of her husband Dr Givings' (David Roberts) office. She finds the sounds coming from it most compelling. Drawn to meet the patients within — the soon rejuvenated Mrs Daldry (Helen Thomson); the rare male hysteric, an artist who's lost the use of his paintbrush, Mr Irving (Josh McConville) — she makes discoveries about her body, her relationship and the nature of intimacy. It's a period of history that holds a rich seam of material — a perfect junction of women's oppression, scientific subjectivity and the general quirks of Victoriana — and In the Next Room mines it using the weight of dramatic irony carried in by the clued-in postmodern audience. As you'd expect, watching a person have an orgasm on stage when they don't know what's happening to them is funny. Stuffy doctors showing off their inadvertently sexy inventions are funny. Double entendres are funny. A theatrical audience has never laughed this hard. The pleasant surprise, though, is that uncannily perceptive and heavily awarded young American playwright Sarah Ruhl has bestowed beautiful, random, entirely non-sex-related humour, too, and a warm, open meditation on the role of sex in society and in our inner lives. Only poor wet nurse Elizabeth (Sara Zwangobani) is given short shrift, culminating in an odd and overwrought clash with Mrs Givings. With its charming heroine, its lush and zeitgeist-containing costumes ('buttoned up' could have been coined just for referring to the Victorians) and its ornate, painterly set (Tracy Grant Lord) where walls blend into curtains, lights pointedly flicker and zap and you're enveloped in a living room fit for Jane Austen herself, In the Next Room is an incredibly fun and accessible work, and still a bit illuminating for its 21st-century onlookers.
A fan of multi-colored dreadlocks and intergalactic funk so energetic it can only be described as 'musical Viagra', George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic are back to give a rollercoaster of a funk performance with their three-hour P-Funk Feast, so dig in. Seasoned funk artist George Clinton has been releasing albums since 1967 and helped to revolutionize the funk genre alongside the legendary James Brown and Sly Stone, and he hasn't lost his groove. He's since teamed up with modern musicians The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dog. and was recognised when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted 16 members of his group the P-Funk Collective in 1997. His big hits include 'Maggot Brains', 'Atomic Dog' and 'Mothership Connection', and he shows no sign of slowing down, touring 200 days per year. Now that's some pretty strong stuff. 26 of the Parliament Funkadelic crew will be tearing up the stage alongside Clinton this April.
Alcoholic champagne icy poles might've been 2016 and 2017's must-eat frosty treat, but they just might have a challenger for the summer of 2018–19: boozy frosé sorbet. National ice cream chain Gelatissimo has launched the new flavour to mark the first official day of the season, with the chilled dessert made using Chandon Sparkling Brut Rosé and strawberries. Why drink pink while eat fruit when you can combine the two in this icy pink concoction, clearly. The gelato fiends have also launched a second summery variety, this time pairing with Aussie swimwear brand Speedo and taking inspiration from the ocean. Yes, that means Eyre Peninsula sea salt and plenty of it, in a sea salt butterscotch blend that's a creamy blue shade. Gelatissimo's new flavours are available at all of the ice creamery's stores around the country throughout December, unless they sell out before the end of the month. For more information, visit Gelatissimo's website.
