No one wants to live in a world where Parasite, the best movie of 2019, doesn't exist. But if it didn't for some reason, it's highly likely that Corpus Christi would've been this year's Best International Feature Film Oscar-winner, rather than just a nominee. This Polish drama also focuses on people pretending to be something they're not. As directed by Warsaw 44 and The Hater's Jan Komasa, and written by the latter's screenwriter Mateusz Pacewicz, it casts a wry eye over much about life in their homeland today, too. And it isn't afraid to call out hypocrisy, societal divisions and greed, either — literally in the latter case, via its protagonist's speech at the local sawmill. There are few other similarities between Corpus Christi and the movie it lost to, but perhaps the only one that really matters is how potently, blisteringly and rousingly it unfurls its on-screen gifts. Well that, and how striking every second of the film looks, pairing its ashen, almost-hazy aesthetics with its complicated account of an ex-juvenile delinquent who poses as a small-town priest. The imposter's name is Daniel and, as played with soulful intensity by star-in-the-making Bartosz Bielenia, he's a complex figure. First seen serving the final days of his reform school sentence, he has made a fan out of the facility's head priest, Father Tomasz (Lukasz Simlat). In fact, if Daniel's criminal record didn't preclude it, he'd desperately love to follow in the elder man's footsteps and join the seminary. While the correctional centre's hierarchy means that he has to take on look-out duties when his fellow inmates brutally rough up one of their own — lest he be on the receiving end instead — the look in the 20-year-old's eyes whenever he's reminded that his past choices have stripped away his preferred future is haunting. There's much about Bielenia's exceptional performance that sears itself into memory, but that firm, mournful gaze that adorns his face again and again is unshakeably powerful and poignant. When Daniel is released to work at the aforementioned sawmill in rural Poland, it's better than incarceration. Of course, it's hardly what he has dreamed about. Call it fate, call it divine intervention, or call it either good or dumb luck, but he's soon given the chance to pursue his calling. Through a series of events that never feels convenient or strained, Daniel claims that he's a priest — and that contention largely goes unquestioned. In a close-knit community of devout but struggling souls, with the area rocked by a recent tragedy that still lingers, locals eagerly welcome him as their new spiritual advisor. Daniel's devotion to the task helps to mask his youthful years. With those around his age, he's particularly at ease. He also genuinely has faith and believes in the job, so the jump from jailhouse scraps and drug-addled post-release parties to assisting his surprise congregation is both easy and natural. Corpus Christi is loosely inspired by real-life details, but even though this is a movie about an unconventional priest, it isn't the type of religious true tale that might instantly spring to mind. It couldn't be further from the dutifully pious standard, which remains the case even as it gifts its young protagonist with an unexpected second chance — an unlikely opportunity to follow his heart and make a difference to an insular yet divided town, too — and demonstrates that he's not the only one within the movie's frames with a troubled past to overcome. Whether he's attempting to convince the locals that an old grief-fuelled grudge reflects badly upon their character or getting closer to parishioner Marta (Eliza Rycembel) to an ungodly degree, Daniel is a wiry and magnetic bag of contradictions. Much the same can be said of his potential absolution, too. His motives are sincere, but his shot at vindication springs through subterfuge — well-meaning subterfuge that's purely a result of grasping an opportunity, rather than any misdeeds or maliciousness, but subterfuge all the same. Crafting a film that starts with grey hues, grim visuals and a mood to match, and never buffers out or prays away the grit in its aesthetics, Komasa uses Daniel's situation to veer down an important path. Benevolence and redemption are key tenets of Catholicism, and of many faiths, but there's a difference between speaking of them and putting them into action — which Corpus Christi explores in every reaction that comes its central figure's way. The film doesn't deify its protagonist, nor shy away from his mistakes and woes, but it clearly sees and accepts his desire to aid others. And, in the process, it asks what might be considered a sacrilegious question to some: if people can find the solace, warmth and comfort they yearn for in biblical characters who teach compassion and charity, why can't they in a tattooed, scarred, street-smart ex-criminal standing in front of them, getting to know them, willingly dedicating his time to helping them, and driven by the same kind intentions and aspirations? If that train of thought sounds thorny, tricky and even anxiety-inducing, that's Corpus Christi. When he's lost in prayer, Bielenia's face may look angelic; however, nothing else about this movie is ever so blissful or simple. As a film about a rehabilitated crim-turned-masquerading cleric, tension and foreboding unsurprisingly seethes through every second. First, Daniel wonders how he'll ever be seen as anything other than "scum", as he's called. Next, he worries about maintaining his deception and keeping the position he treasures. As it bubbles and broods, Corpus Christi doesn't ever offer simple answers — to audiences or to its lead character. That's to be expected; this is a feature that spends its entire time rallying against easy solutions, after all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU-Z90SEqGQ&t=20s
Get Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand and more exceptional women in a room, point a camera their way, let the talk flow: Sarah Polley's Women Talking does just that, and the Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar-nominee is phenomenal. The actor-turned-filmmaker's fourth effort behind the lens after 2006's Away From Her, 2011's Take This Waltz and 2012's Stories We Tell does plenty more, but its basic setup is as straightforward as its title states. Adapted from Miriam Toews' 2018 novel of the same name, this isn't a simple or easy film, however. That book and this feature draw on events in a Bolivian Mennonite colony from 2005–9, where a spate of mass druggings and rapes of women and girls were reported at the hands of some of the group's men. In a patriarchal faith and society, women talking about their experiences is a rebellious, revolutionary act anyway — and talking about what comes next is just as charged. "The elders told us that it was the work of ghosts, or Satan, or that we were lying to get attention, or that it was an act of wild female imagination." That's teenage narrator Autje's (debutant Kate Hallett) explanation for how such assaults could occur and continue, as offered in Women Talking's sombre opening voiceover. Writing and helming, Polley declares her feature "an act of female imagination" as well, as Toews did on the page, but the truth in the movie's words is both lingering and haunting. While the film anchors its dramas in a specific year, 2010, it's purposefully vague on any details that could ground it in one place. Set within a community where modern technology is banned and horse-drawn buggies are the only form of transport, it's a work of fiction inspired by reality, rather than a recreation. Whether you're aware of the true tale behind the book going in or not, this deeply powerful and affecting picture speaks to how women have long been treated in a male-dominated world at large — and what's so often left unsaid, too. Stay and do nothing. Stay and fight. Leave the only home they've ever had behind, be excommunicated from their faith and forgo their spot in heaven. When the Mennonite women catch one of their attackers, he names more, arrests follow and the men are sent to the city — the culprits imprisoned, the rest there to bail them out — those three choices face the ladies of Women Talking. To decide which path to take, they hold a secret vote while the colony's males are away. When the results are tied, a cohort within the cohort chat it out in the barn. From elders to mothers and teens, everyone has a different perspective across three generations, or a different reason for their perspective, but the hurt, pain, dismay and distress simmering among the stern gazes, carefully braided hair and surrounding hay is shared. The women's religious beliefs dictate one solution only: absolution. That's the outcome demanded by the scarred Janz (The Tragedy of Macbeth's McDormand, also a co-producer here), so much so that she won't entertain alternatives. But her peers Agata (Judith Ivey, The Accidental Wolf) and Greta (Sheila McCarthy, The Broken Hearts Gallery) see shades of grey in their predicament — shades that Polley and her returning Away From Her and Take This Waltz cinematographer Luc Montpellier highlight in Women Talking's colour palette, even though their viewers will scream internally for the women to immediately leave. While dialogue-driven by necessity, the film also spies the country idyll that sits outside the barn doors, where the kids play contentedly in the crops. This isn't an aesthetically sunny movie — its tones are muted, as its women have long been required to be — but it still sees what departing means on multiple levels with clear eyes. As the debate rages against Hildur Guðnadóttir's (Tár) score of yearning — The Monkees' 'Daydream Believer' also gets a spin, surreally so — Agata's daughter Salome (Foy, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) furiously advocates for battling. Her toddler daughter was among those attacked, which is understandably something she can't forgive, forget and keep living submissively beside the perpetrators, in a culture that allowed it to happen, afterwards. For Greta's just-as-irate daughter Mariche (Buckley, Men), who is abused by her husband openly aside from the widespread attacks, nothing good can come from running — including with their god. And for Salome's sister Ona (Mara, Nightmare Alley), who is pregnant from being raped, her ideals keep her going. As pros and cons about fighting or fleeing are thrown around, she speaks calmly but passionately about wanting a better community where the Mennonite women have agency and educations, as well as being safe and free. Indeed, because the group cannot read or write, formerly ex-communicated teacher August (Ben Whishaw, No Time to Die) is the lone male permitted to their meeting, taking minutes. More than a decade has passed between Polley's third film and Women Talking, and cinema has been all the poorer for it. How rich and resonant — how raw, sensitive and potent at the same time — her latest directorial effort proves. Compassionate and thoughtful in every frame, it scorches as a based-on-a-true-tale drama and as a state-of-the-world allegory, and says just as much beneath all the feverish utterances. Even with the Mennonite order's rules and conformity, costuming and hairstyles convey plenty about varying personalities. Letting colour seep into the movie's characters as the sun sets parallels the vibrant personalities these ladies are not expected to possess. And when Women Talking peers at the boys of the collective, it does so softly, asking what it takes to turn those innocent faces into men who'd subdue Salome, Mariche, Ona and company with cow tranquillisers to violate them. Such a complex and empathetic feature that's also intense, gripping and wide-ranging — pondering gender inequality, what community truly means and should stand for, religious devotion and the sins permitted in its name, unthinking compliance to any societal order and more — is unsurprisingly packed with performances to match. Women Talking's cast are deservedly up for the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards ensemble prize, while Buckley and Whishaw earned Gotham Awards nominations as well; there's no weak link in this troupe, including with all the rhythmic chatter. Each in their own way, Foy, Mara, McDormand and their co-stars radiate heartbreak, determination, vulnerability and anger. Whishaw is similarly excellent, but also never the film's focus. These portrayals are talking, too, in a movie that wouldn't fantasise about offering easy answers — but dreams of the possibilities spirited conversations and no longer staying silent can and do bring.
Sydney is no stranger to boozy brunches. They've popped up in the west with fried chicken waffles, on rooftops with endless Champagne and by the beach with tacos and margaritas. But, none do it quite like Surry Hills' Nour. The Crown Street palace of pastels and plants — and boundary-pushing Middle Eastern fare — has just brought on a new team of A-class chefs and launched a brunch offering with cocktails in teapots, breakfast pizza and possibly one of the best (and smokiest) bloody marys in the city. Executive Chef Ben Williamson (from Brisbane's Gerard's) together with Head Chef Mike Dierlenger (The Bridge Room) have overhauled the restaurant's general menu and unveiled its first-ever breakfast lineup, which is only available one day a week. On Sundays from 10am–2pm, you can find a spot on the sunny banquette (surrounded by pillows) or out the back (here, surrounded by plants) and order an appropriately boozy breakfast teapot. Made to share between two, the pots cost $36 and come filled with either bourbon, apple juice and earl grey or gin, lemon myrtle and peppermint. You could, instead, go for the bloody mary (made with gin, harissa and extra-smoky tomato juice) or a Blossom Pipe ($20), with cardamom, pineapple and vodka served in an elaborate glass pipe. Nour is known for using traditional Middle Eastern flavours in new and interesting ways — and its brunch is no different. Designed to share, the breakfast dishes include a falafel crumpet (with crisp edges and a soft interior) topped with tahini and a pickled quail egg; burnt butter hummus topped with whole golden chickpeas; and a lineup of manoushe: a popular Lebanese pizza typically eaten for breakfast. Cooked to order in a woodfired oven and topped with the likes of sujuk (spicy sausage) and stretched cheese curds, it'll dissuade you from ever eating cold, leftover slices of Domino's in the morning ever again. Another daytime highlight is the Baalbek eggs: a thin flatbread topped with soft-yolked fried eggs, tahini yoghurt and lamb awarma (which is spiced, cooked and preserved). You could, in theory, eat this with a knife and fork, but it's suggested you use your hands; tear off a piece of bread and use it to scoop up a salty, yolky mouthful. For the decision-averse, Nour's brunch menu also includes two banquet options for $45 or $69, with optional bottomless booze add-ons. For an extra $30 a head you can choose from 90 minutes of endless bellinis or rosé.
If you've got meaty cravings for the delectable dishes of the southern states of the United States of America, then make your way to Roast Republic in the heart of Sydney's CBD. Family-style servings are the name of the game at this joint. The menu is brimming with classic Americana dishes like fried chicken, Mississippi shrimp (no prawns here), Carolina barbecue pork skewers, seafood gumbo, Philly cheesesteaks, and the hero share boards featuring dry-rubbed, slow-cooked and glazed lamb cutlets, pork chops and beef short ribs, grilled elote (corn) and house sauces. Dessert is equally American-themed, with peach cobbler, pecan pie and "American as Apple Pie" fried apple pie gracing the menu. The drinks list has something for everyone. There are plenty of wine options from across Australia, an extensive spirits collection — in particular, bourbon from all the big names — and specialised cocktails and mocktails designed to pair nicely with the American fare on offer. Images: Chris Manos
Self-taught Samoan choreographer Lemi Ponifasio and his internationally acclaimed company Mau return to Carriageworks with the Australian premiere of Stones in Her Mouth. Featuring an ensemble of ten Maori women, the piece is inspired by the strong Maori tradition of women authoring poetry and chant. Incorporating Maori language, spirituality, ceremony and genealogy, it explores themes of female oppression, silence, outrage and resilience. Mau has become recognised internationally for their beautiful, unnerving and hypnotic creations grounded in native Pacific cultures and their ancestral, elemental worlds. Stones in Her Mouth — combining choral work, dance and oratory — looks set to continue the company's habit of sidestepping traditional expectations, refusing to sit neatly within categories of 'theatre' or 'dance' and instead striving to reach a near-spiritual plane through performance. Ponifasio, who was once a philosophy student before he formed his "company of people", told the Australian, "I try to activate the space. To create a sort of cosmological space where we can somehow realise that we are part of the whole process of earth." To get a little taster of what they do, watch this video of Mau's Carriageworks performance of Birds with Skymirrors. Stones in Her Mouth is on at Carriageworks from May 28 to June 31. Tickets are $35 from here, but thanks to Carriageworks, we have four double passes to the Thursday, May 29, performance to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Some of the most satisfying and thought-provoking conversations happen over a drink or two at a bar. That's before we even factor in all the fascinating tidbits gleaned during a pub trivia night. The University of Sydney's annual event Raising the Bar, proudly supported by the City of Sydney, ups the stakes on your typical after-dark D&M. Academics and alumni will deliver entertaining talks unpacking big topics ranging from AI to longevity and diversity. Gain deeper insight into the solutions being developed in real-time to pressing societal challenges, develop new perspectives on big questions, or simply enjoy having your brain tickled over a great glass of wine. Block out your diary on Thursday, April 3, as Raising the Bar will take place on one night only across 20 free sessions (going down at 6.15pm and 7:30pm) at ten inner-Sydney bars. So where to first? Get to know our picks for the evening, including what to expect from the talks and the bars where they'll be taking place. Hermann's, University of Sydney Starting on home turf, Hermann's is one of the University of Sydney's top on-campus bars where drinks are well-curated and affordable. Arrive early to make the most of the beer garden before settling in for a talk on how astronomers are bad at naming things, including a look at the latest innovations in Australian astronomy tech, and what scientists are using right now to search for life beyond Earth. Stick around for the evening's second session and get an insight into how to make workplaces more welcoming for refugees, who make up some of Australian society's newest members. Fortress Sydney, Central Park Mall Part entertainment venue and part classic bar, Fortress Sydney is a mega-venue with a capacity of 1000 people. It's a good thing, too, because the two talks taking place here promise to be some of the evening's most topical. The night kicks off with a discussion of how to grow brains in a lab and what we can learn from them, before the conversation turns to how society gaslights climate anxiety and the emotional impacts of climate change. The Harold, Forest Lodge Located a stone's throw from the University of Sydney, Forest Lodge's local gastropub The Harold is the place to go if you're interested in learning why obesity persists, why the old adage 'eat less and move more' might not quite work, as well as a better way to potentially lose weight from a professor who is also a clinical trials director. Stick around to hear about fighting Australia's leading cause of death and learn about preventing a heart attack, as well as the surprising risk factors you should know. The Barrie, Chippendale Occupying the spot where Freda's used to be, The Barrie is a pub that's a true local's favourite — and it'll set the stage for talks on two topics that are just as popular. The night starts by pondering the morality of parenthood in a world impacted by climate change, as well as offering practical tools to navigate raising kids in said world. Then, settle in for a thought-provoking talk about making your personal life more experimental, where a data-driven toolkit might help you navigate major life choices such as relationships and career moves. Explore the full Raising the Bar program to discover a talk or two that piques your interest. Or, if you simply need an excuse to visit Brix Distillers, Foundry 616, Bank Hotel, the Rose of Australia, The Toxteth or New Britannia, look no further. Don't miss out and register for your free ticket now.
After months of speculation and a soft launch that turned out to be a bust, Amazon's hotly anticipated Australian website is finally up and running. And the offering is huge. It's been a couple of weeks since the online retail giant kicked off an 'internal testing phase' here in Australia, on November 23, though customers weren't actually able to get their hands on any products. Now, the site's gone properly live, filled with a hefty array of goods in time for that hectic, pre-Christmas retail rush. This online shopping wonderland spells trouble for your credit card, boasting everything from books, electronics and homewares, through to fashion, beauty products and even power tools. According to Senior Industry Analyst for IBISWorld Kim Do, Amazon's arrival in Australia is set to give the local retail industry a solid shake-up. "The company intends to challenge domestic retail prices by offering items for 30 percent less than domestic retailers," she explained, adding that technology products are expected to be Amazon's highest selling category. Let the retail therapy begin!
In a beachside suburb like Manly, an Assembly Label store is pretty a given. But the Pittwater Road shop is extra nice — it's been fitted out with sleek wooden counters and minimal white aesthetics by Manly's own interior designers Mr & Mrs White. The simplicity in the store's fitting is mirrored in the fashion it houses: Assembly-branded tees, linen pieces, swimwear and a few pairs of sandals. You'll probably see a lot of locals wearing this stuff. There's also cafe in-store with coffee by Allpress to boot.
There's something novel about soaking in a tub with no wall in front of you, no roof above you, and no worries if anyone will spoil the moment (or see you naked). It's romantic, relaxing, and the unfamiliar nature of bathing outdoors can be, lets face it, kind of exciting. This is especially true when your bath is paired with a glass of red and the knowledge that there's a roaring fire waiting for you inside the architecturally designed house you've found yourself in. So, to make your outdoor-bath dreams a reality, we've rounded up the most enviable houses in Australia that have particularly unique outdoor-bathing scenarios. Whether you fancy relaxing in a private Japanese bathhouse, a rustic metal tub perched on a farm's timber deck, or want to stargaze from a spa-bath in a mountain cave, we've got you covered. Read on for our top stays with next-level outdoor baths across Australia. Recommended reads: The Best Glamping Sites in Australia The Best Glamping Sites in New Zealand The Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Australia Liptrap Loft, Walkerville, Victoria This design-minded house combines Japanese architecture with rustic charm — it boasts a one-of-a-kind sunken indoor-outdoor Japanese bath in a traditional bathhouse that opens up to views of the surrounding property. From $406 a night, sleeps six. Wensley, Wensleydale, Victoria Built from recycled oregon and ironbark, this bespoke timber, architectural shed-like house is a bath-lovers paradise, with a deep indoor bath inside amongst the immaculately styled interiors, and a rustic metal bath on the wrap-around timber deck, perfect for cooling off on balmy evenings. From $995 a night, sleeps ten. Soul Wood Luxury Coast Cabin, Termeil, New South Wales Wake up to views of the bushland from this wooden tiny house. The dreamy outdoor bathtub is surrounded by tall native trees that will have you feeling completely immersed in the natural surroundings. From $300 a night, sleeps two. Woodlands Retreat, Porongurup, Western Australia Not a bath per-se, but the views this jacuzzi boasts earned itself an honourable mention. Just imagine sipping champagne with your pals and looking out over that deck submerged in steaming bubbly water, then slipping on a fluffy maroon robe to finish off the night — yes, please. From $438 a night, sleeps four. Stargazer, Beechmont, Queensland This property is enviable in every way, including a secluded location, cohesive architectural design, and a wood fire pizza oven for your entertaining needs. To top it all off, the uniquely positioned bath looks over the far-reaching countryside, taking your R&R weekend to the next level. From $278 a night, sleeps six. Secluded Studio, Byron Bay, New South Wales A designer retreat for two, complete with a glass-walled bathroom, secluded garden terrace and roomy outdoor tub to wash the salt off from a day spent in the sun and surf — it's a true hidden oasis, just minutes from the beach. From $400 a night, sleeps two. Boutique Retreat, Suffolk Park, New South Wales A cheery self-contained, beautifully styled apartment that's sure to win you over with its plush linens, palm-filled courtyard and massive pink stone outdoor tub for some quality soaking, drinking and reading. From $275 a night, sleeps two. The Enchanted Cave, Bilpin, New South Wales An actual clifftop cave, this unique couples' retreat is like something plucked from a storybook. Relax while enjoying dreamy views across the treetops from the large glass doors that open out from a deep spa bath. From $1140 a night, sleeps two. Seven Sisters Escarpment Views, Medlow Bath, New South Wales Tandem baths anyone? This mountaintop cottage feels worlds away from reality, especially when taking in the views from one of two gorgeous outdoor bathtubs. Be sure to cook dinner from the bush garden and cozy up in front of the wood fire on cooler nights. From $340 a night, sleeps four. Kestrel Nest Ecohut, Mount Adrahm New South Wales Halfway between Sydney and Melbourne, this eco-hut is nestled above a rocky mountain stream on the edge of rolling farmland and a conservation area. It features an outdoor bathtub, a fireplace and firepit, and a charming mix of timber and tiled interiors. From $460 a night, sleeps four. All photos courtesy of Airbnb. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Albert Tucker Slow Coffee is selling itself as the bubble bath of caffeinated experiences: clean, luxurious and not meant to be hurried. The joint venture of coffee expert Kate Britton and cultural entrepreneur Angela Bennetts, the pop-up shop will be making its debut at Redfern's 107 Projects between May 9 and 30. "We are unique, in that unlike most coffee vendors, we are serving filter coffee only," says Bennetts. “Basically, because it's a better way to taste coffee." Whereas an espresso machine tends to condense a bean's rich and varied flavours, a filter means the preservation of complexity. It is a type of pour-over coffee, entirely undeserving of the reputation American diners have given it. "In judging the quality of beans at cupping competitions, tasters will always try a filter,” says Bennetts. Having shopped around, the two coffee lovers have decided to launch their project with an exclusive blend from Engadine's Jack of Harts & Jude. "[It] is locally-sourced, organic and air-roasted," explains Bennetts. "The raw beans are sourced from the Byron hills region and are blended together with a new small-crop bean from just outside Nimbin to create the perfect filter drop." Apart from spreading the love of their filtered favourite, Bennetts and Britton are also seeking to create a "casual and communal environment". A selection of (mostly) locally and sustainably produced snacks, including artisan breads and spreads, will be on the pop-up shop menu. Plus, as the business names suggests, a distinctively Australian feel will inform the interior. "It's both a nod to our Australiana leanings and a not-too-imaginative pun on 'tuckshop'," explains Bennetts. "You could say that Tucker's renowned Antipodean Head is our unofficial mascot — he certainly looks like he chugs a lot of coffee."
Celebrating Dia de la Independencia in 2023 in Sydney means enjoying some of Mexico's best bars right here at home. Three watering holes that landed on the World's 50 Best Bars List for 2022 list, plus one that placed just outside the top 50 in the 100-bar longlist, are travelling to Paddington to descend on El Primo Sanchez and Oxford House for Mexican Independence Day. On Saturday, September 16, Limantour (number four on the World's 50 Best Bars List) will be taking over El Primo's main bar, while Brujas (number 64) will be popping up at the attached speakeasy La Prima. Both bars will be in charge of the festivities from 6–10pm. The following day, you'll find number 13 Hanky Panky serving drinks poolside over at Oxford House alongside Baltra (number 32) from 1–6pm. Expect all four bar teams to bring their signature flair and some of the drinks that have seen them listed among the best spots for a bev in the whole world. The vibes are expected to be high, with dancing until late. Local party starter Discoteca Tropical will be in charge of the music at Oxford House on Sunday. [caption id="attachment_918066" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nikki To[/caption]
Dreaming about warm coastal escapes is only natural now that winter has descended. Yet a trip inland to rural pastures can be just as satisfying, especially when a top-notch event like the Orange Region Fire Festival ignites the atmosphere. Held from Friday, August 1–Sunday, August 10, this bustling annual event has a stacked program for its 2025 instalment. With 40 events on the schedule, it's no surprise that cuisine is a focus, with this acclaimed food and wine region bringing the heat. Catch the Fireside Feast at the Oriana Gardens, participate in an immersive fire-cooking masterclass with Michael Manners, or settle into a long lunch guided by the cool-climate experts at Ross Hill Wines. Yet there's more to the Orange Region Fire Festival than just sumptuous eating and drinking. The event begins with the Millthorpe Fire Fair, with Pym Street illuminated with fire pits, street performers, late-night shopping and live music. Meanwhile, the Central Tablelands' creative side will be on full display at the Orange Readers and Writers Festival on Saturday, August 2, featuring a lively lineup of renowned authors, including Debra Oswald and Jane Caro. You're also welcome to get involved through a myriad of workshops. Jude Keogh from Earth & Fire Studio will guide a five-day pottery course, while Greentrees Gourmet Preserves founder Jasmin Bond will teach guests how to make seriously good jam or marmalade. Inspired by firelight, heading along to this rural festival is sure to spark your creativity, even when it's a little dark and dreary outside.
A weekend escape to the Blue Mountains automatically means views for days. At the Hydro Majestic, that view also comes with a decadent high tea. The historic hotel boasts panoramic views across the Megalong Valley, and its Wintergarden Room offers plush seating, a fireplace and a daily high tea — which is literally served on a silver platter, no less. Its signature high tea ($55–65), which can be made gluten free or vegetarian, comes with a delicate selection of finger sandwiches, petite pastries and freshly baked scones accompanied by clotted cream and homemade jam. A wide range of bottomless teas and coffee are on offer, too. Think classic cuppas, macchiatos, mochas and the requisite English breakfast served alongside lemon-ginger and Darjeeling. Plus, for five bucks extra you can add a tea blossom to your pot — with options like black tea rolled with jasmine, globe amaranth and peppermint; or white tea rolled with marigold and jasmine. If you'd like to add a bit of classy boozing to the mix, there's the deluxe and luxurious options ($69–85), which come with all of the above plus a glass of sparkling wine or Champagne, respectively. To really change it up, try the Eastern high tea ($60–75) — instead of your typical English scones and pastries, you'll be served steamed dumplings, crab claw and prawn rice paper rolls, pork belly tacos and a selection of Asian-style desserts. The Wintergarden High Tea is available Monday through Friday from 11am to 3.30pm and Saturday through Sunday from 10.30am to 3.30pm. Prices vary from weekday to weekend. Images: The Hydro Majestic
Professional boxers aren’t typically renowned for their eloquence. Pre-fight press conferences tend to centre around the two combatants standing silently and mashing their foreheads together, while the post-fight ones rarely escalate beyond monosyllabic grunts and the flaunting of novelty-sized belts. Maybe it’s the boxers' traditionally low socio-economic backgrounds at play, maybe it’s the almost guaranteed head trauma, or perhaps they’re simply still trying to figure out why a square arena is called a ‘ring’ and why anybody thought ‘light heavyweight’ wouldn’t sound ridiculous as a fighting category. In Southpaw, Jake Gyllenhaal plays one such professional ‘boxymoron', and he takes the inarticulacy to the extreme — presenting his character Billy Hope as a man who drools in the place of dialogue. It’s a bold choice for the accomplished actor, whose commitment to both it and the role’s physicality can't be overstated. One glance at the posters for Southpaw is enough to see that Gyllenhaal got jacked for this film, with muscles so enormous they should almost receive separate billing. He looks like a boxer, moves like a boxer and absolutely sounds like a boxer, meaning — in Southpaw — we totally believe him as a boxer. It’s a phenomenal performance, and without it the movie would be a complete write-off. Director Antoine Fuqua is fast establishing himself as the go-to action director in Hollywood, much like John Woo was in the '90s. With recent offerings including Olympus Has Fallen and The Equalizer, he’s continued to deliver slick, high-octane pictures without ever quite managing to repeat the success of his breakthrough film Training Day. The problem isn’t with the direction so much as the scripts, whose stories and dialogue languish in a mire of cliches. Southpaw is another example of this, failing to offer anything new despite coming tantalisingly close at its preface. The film’s early scenes touch upon compelling themes of administrative oversight, bureaucratic corruption, capricious management and the threat of ‘punch drunkenness’ courtesy of Hope’s particular fighting style in which he shirks defence and absorbs countless blows from his opponent until it makes him angry enough to retaliate. All of this largely falls by the wayside, however, as soon as family tragedy strikes and Hope finds himself bankrupt and alone. Redemption, then, becomes the order of the day, but the problem is we neither feel particular involved in it nor satisfied when it inevitably comes. This isn’t so much a tale of personal growth as it is one of reinstitution, where the only thing Hope really learns by the end is how not to get punched. Eminem was originally slated to play Gyllenhaal's role, but in his absence the roles of ‘singers trying to act’ were taken up by 50 Cent and Rita Ora, both delivering adequate performances as line delivery systems. Rachel McAdams pops in as a caricature of a boxer’s WAG and Oona Laurence does a decent job as Hope’s young daughter despite often unspeakably bad lines to work with. The only real other performance of note is from Forest Whitaker as Hope’s eventual trainer, whose brief screen time nonetheless reminds us why he’s one of the most gifted actors of his generation. He seems to find things in scripts that not even the writer could see, and injects some much needed humanity into Southpaw’s later stages, when neither the boxing nor the family troubles prove capable of sustaining the drama.
If summer always leaves you reminiscing about the balmy school holidays of your youth, you're going to be all about the latest line of frosty creations from Gelatissimo. The gelato chain is throwing back hard and digging up plenty of fond memories with its newly launched Aussie Favourites range — a trio of flavours that includes chocolate crackle, fairy bread and Weet-Bix with honey and banana. They're scooping now at all Gelatissimo stores nationwide, up for grabs until the end of January 2020. Sure to transport you straight back to some childhood birthday party, the fairy bread flavour pays homage to a true Aussie icon. Expect buttery vanilla gelato — made with real butter, mind you — scattered with 100s and 1000s, and crunchy pieces of lightly toasted fairy bread. Cleverly blurring that line between breakfast and dessert, the Weet-Bix concoction is another riff on a favourite, though one you're probably less inclined to scoff a bowl of before netball practice. It teams real Weet-Bix chunks with creamy banana gelato and a splash of Australian wildflower honey. And the nostalgia runs extra deep with the chocolate crackle creation, a sweet tribute to one of the most recognisable party treats in all of Australian history. It boasts rich chocolate gelato infused with chunks of real chocolate crackle, crafted just like Mum used to make, with rice puffs, cocoa powder, desiccated coconut and plenty of chocolate sauce. Of course, Gelatissimo's no stranger to dreaming up wild and innovative new creations. In the past year alone, the brand's launched a dog-friendly peanut butter gelato, a boozy frosé sorbet and even a frozen take on the iconic Bundaberg Ginger Beer. Gelatissimo's Aussie Favourites range is available from all stores nationwide, from Friday, November 29, until the end of January.
If you've been around Darling Harbour and Tumbalong Park of late, you've probably noticed Sydney's huge new $1.5 billion business and entertainment precinct, International Convention Centre Sydney, set to open in December 2016. This looming structure boasts three new theatres, an entertainment precinct, an open-air event deck and more (detailed in our handy breakdown), but it's not just design that's getting people talking about ICC Sydney. Focused on changing the game for average convention centre cuisine, the ICC Sydney is opening with a very specific angle on their food offerings, with a philosophy called 'Feeding Your Performance'. It's the brainchild of ICC Sydney's big name culinary team headed by director of culinary services, Lynell Peck and executive chef Tony Panetta, and they're focused on improving the alertness, concentration and overall health and wellbeing of guests. DON'T EXPECT BORING OLD FUNCTION FOOD HERE Corporate workshop, boutique event and ballroom dinner guests will be choosing from dishes that are "high in protein, low in saturated fats to boost the overall health of delegates and visitors," says executive sous chef Constantin Kautz. "We've also increased the ratio of plant based proteins to aid digestion and concentration." We even spy chia seeds and almond milk on the menu. Perhaps this is an indication that the health movement has moved from yogi fad territory into the world of Big Corporate — and there's nothing bad about that, come on. This appears to be an Australian, even potentially a world first, and Panetta says they've been fielding inquiries from around the globe. "We might be at the forefront now, but we also believe this philosophy will become business as usual in the future." LOCAL SUPPLIERS WILL RULE AN INTERNATIONAL VENUE While in other hands (or with less financial investment) this way of feeding huge crowds of people could feel trite and temporary, Panetta and the team are walking the walk when it comes to the food. Kautz says they're committed to working with local and regional farmers and producers who practice ethical and sustainable farming techniques. Among them are Martin Boetz from the Cooks Co-op, Old Salty's Oysters in Pambula River, Willowbrae Chevre Cheese Farm at the Hawkesbury river, Archie Rose distillery in Rosebery and Westview Limes from Kempsey. THERE'S A DIVERSE TEAM OF CULINARY EXPERTS BEHIND EACH DISH Panetta is enthused about this new way of cooking, saying it's a "completely different approach to anything I have ever worked with before." Along with the team including Kautz who was previously the executive chef at Sydney's Intercontinental, executive pastry chef Michael Belcher, executive sous chef Jack Astin and chef de cuisine Dylan Sanding, Panetta says the environment is one where "people are encouraged to flourish, challenging one another to keep upping the ante." He says the fact that they have such different backgrounds provides a unique jumping off point for the kitchen. "From convention centres to boutique hotels and five-star restaurants, everyone can bring something different to the table." There's also collaboration with a well-respected team of nutritionists including Dr Joanna MacMillan, who is reviewing the nutritional value of the menus and aiming to "drive physical and mental performance," says Panetta. He also says they're constantly aiming to "unlock the science behind ingredients" making sure they tick boxes in both flavour and health benefits. The focus is on locality, fruit, vegetables, whole grains and seasonal food. AND NOW A LITTLE PEEK AT THE MENU One of Panetta's favourite dishes is Australian king prawns with lemon verbena, carrot, kohlrabi and porky wild rice. "It's a zesty, seasonal dish that plays into all our philosophies." He says it's high in "protein, vitamins and minerals to actively drive mental ability." Kautz likes the slow braised beef cheek, pureed sweet potato and broccoli with pancetta and crispy white anchovies as "the beef is sourced locally from Rangers Valley and the broccoli leaves zero waste — all parts of the vegetable are included," he says. We also like the look of the Hawkesbury tomato salad, the Cowra C-boosted lamb salad with freekeh, kale, pomegranate and wild rice and the blue eye with beetroot, cucumber and sesame.
Women of the workforce, here’s your chance to network with Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs, taste-makers, writers and media personalities. And, while you’re at it, you can indulge in a turf-side champagne, a blow-dry, a croquet match or a T2 session. This is all happening thanks to 9 to Thrive: the first-ever Business Chicks experience, taking place at Australian Technology Park on Friday and Saturday October 23–24. Over two days, more than sixty exhibitors will showcase their wares across the food, beverage, health, wellness, fashion, lifestyle, beauty and business sectors. Meanwhile, an action-packed program of keynote speeches, panel discussions and workshops will feature the likes of glamorous fashion blogger Nadia Bartel, interior design pro Shaynna Blaze, fitness legend Michelle Bridges, I Quit Sugar author Sarah Wilson, bestselling author Zoe Foster-Blake, TV presenter Jules Sebastian, Business Chicks CEO Emma Isaacs, nutrition expert Dr Libby Weaver and many others. But it’s not all about listening and talking. In between chats, hang out in the King Living Lounge, check out Royal Randwick’s champagne-fuelled 'mini-races' experience or grab a tea. Alternatively, if you feel like freshening up, book yourself a touch-up with Benefit Cosmetics or a face-map with Dermalogica. Or get active at Chambord’s flamingo croquet bar, Body Pass’s pilates classes and Virgin Active’s shape-up sessions.
What do you do with a slab of unused space in the middle of the CBD? You plant a barley crop and open a brewery, of course. As part of Street Works, a landscape design competition hosted by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), the Beerline project will see Quay Street transformed into Haymarket's very own self-sustained brewery. Following its installation amongst traffic lights and tram tracks, the public harvesting of the barley crop last week marked the first step in the three-month process that takes the crop from barley to bottle. Throughout December, the barley will undergo the process of malting, brewing, and fermenting, ready to be bottled and served to the public in the January Beer Festival. Brewing will take place on site from start to finish, aiming to promote awareness and appreciation of the value of our food, more than just a 'vacuum sealed container on a supermarket shelf'. But the social initiative doesn't stop there. The crop will produce around 500 beers, all available for online 'adoption' through a pledged donation to Oz Harvest. Once you've adopted a beer, you can attend regular brewing events to keep an eye on your little tike as it grows up from grass, to make its social debut as an icy cold bevvy. The visionaries behind Beerline are a pair of bright young architects who go by the name of the Bean Factory. The Beerline is the first in a series of small ideas they intend to release into our city, in the hope that they grow (quite literally, in this case) into something bigger. The four other projects featured in the Street Works initiative will grace our city streets until the end of January. Check them out at www.streetworks.org.au
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including 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, 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. BELFAST Warm, cosy, rosy, charming, feel-good: typically when a film spins its story during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, none of these words apply. But with Belfast, Kenneth Branagh has made a movie set in its eponymous city when the Protestant-versus-Catholic violence was a constant sight, and also helmed a feature that's about a childhood spent with that conflict as a backdrop. It's an approach that only works because Branagh draws from his own experiences — the film isn't a play-by-play memoir, but it's also clearly personal. Here, it's 1969, when the actor-turned-filmmaker would've been nine years old. The movie's protagonist, Buddy (first-timer Jude Hill), is that exact age, in fact. And with the beginnings of a three-decade-long sectarian fracas bubbling and boiling around him, he navigates the usual age-appropriate antics, such as school, crushes, doting grandparents with ailing health and a potential big move. The Troubles are a constant sight in the largely monochrome-hued film, too, and the reason Buddy's that parents are contemplating relocating to England, something they wouldn't have dreamed of otherwise. Pa (Jamie Dornan, The Tourist) already spends most of his time working there as a joiner, leaving Ma (Caitríona Balfe, Outlander) at home with Buddy and his elder brother Will (Lewis McAskie, Here Before) — with assistance from the boys' Granny (Judi Dench, Six Minutes to Midnight) and Pop (Ciarán Hinds, The Man in the Hat) — and he's been offered a new job that comes with a house. The violence swirling through Belfast has already made it to the family's street, to their hounded Catholic neighbours and, when Pa refuses to join the fray, put them on their fellow Protestants' hit list. Shifting to London (or perhaps further, to Sydney or Vancouver) would provide a new start and a safer future, but leaving all they've ever known isn't a simple decision. Belfast's adult characters are only known as Buddy would know them, such is Branagh's commitment to seeing this story, time and place through a child's eyes as he once did. And, while there's much debate to be had between Pa and Ma about whether to go or stay, the film is filled with its young lead's joys and worries — with the prospect of never again seeing the Catholic classmate he swoons over high among the boy's concerns. Belfast isn't short on context, however, though there's zero chance that it could be mistaken for a meaty interrogation of The Troubles. Branagh weaves in examples of how the push-and-pull of the conflict that's inescapable in his neighbourhood every day, Molotov cocktails, broken windows, blazes, riots and all, puts Buddy and his family in the middle. Still, a magical view of childhood remains, including when Buddy gets thrust into the thick of the fray — where, after he returns home with looted supermarket wares, his mother marches him back to return the stolen products amid the chaos. Branagh also indulges in an origin story, perhaps inspired by his stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe directing the first Thor film back in 2011 (Buddy is even seen reading a Thor comic). Escaping The Troubles as much as anyone can in Belfast, the writer/director's on-screen surrogate adores seeing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and A Christmas Carol also features — scenes that come to life in colour, unlike the bulk of the picture around them. In the process, Branagh helps trace the early steps of his own desire to become a thespian and filmmaker, which has led to everything from Shakespeare adaptations such as Much Ado About Nothing and Hamlet, to doing double duty in front of and behind the lens with Hercule Poirot duo Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. He's played Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' Gilderoy Lockhart, helmed Disney's live-action Cinderella, gotten villainous in Tenet, and of course, enjoyed an applauded on-stage career as well, all stemming from those first rapturous experiences watching when he was growing up. Read our full review. HERE OUT WEST Western Sydney could use a love letter right now, and that tribute arrives in Here Out West. The product of eight up-and-coming screenwriters from the area, it celebrates a place that has spent much of the past year garnering attention for a reason no one wanted: thanks to the tighter rules applied to the region during Sydney's four-month stretch of stay-at-home conditions in 2021, it was home to New South Wales' strictest lockdown of the pandemic to-date. Thankfully, COVID-19 isn't this movie's focus. Instead, as told in nine languages — Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Kurdish, Tagalog, Turkish, Vietnamese, Spanish and English — and helmed by five female filmmakers, Here Out West dwells in everyday lives. It champions by seeing and recognising, and by trumpeting voices that have always been there but are infrequently given a microphone. Opening shots of suburban houses and looping highways set the scene: viewers aren't journeying to an Aussie beach or the nation's parched outback expanse, aka two of the prevailing visions of this sunburnt, sea-girt continent on-screen. Rather, Here Out West unfurls its octet of intertwined vignettes in spaces far more ordinary — not to downplay the importance of surveying western Sydney, but to clearly note that these are its daily playgrounds. It's here that mothers have babies, neighbours look after the kids next door, grandmothers worry about their grandchildren, dads struggle to connect with their sons, and sport and food are among the ways that people come together. It's here that adults bicker among themselves over love, and with their parents about their futures. It's where lives begin and end, and where folks with dreams both big and modest also try to start anew. And yes, all of these scenarios are covered by the film's narrative. Initially, Here Out West spends time with Nancy (Geneviève Lemon, The Tourist), who takes care of her eight-year-old neighbour Amirah (debutant Mia-Lore Bayeh), but wasn't actually planning to help out today. She has a newborn granddaughter to meet — one that the authorities are planning to take away, so Nancy makes a drastic decision that'll ripple throughout the community across the movie's one-day timeframe. In the film's second segment, hospital carpark security guard Jorge (fellow first-timer Christian Ravello) is brought into the wider story, and also gets a snapshot chapter of his own. His instalment then intersects with friends Rashid (Rahel Romahn, Moon Rock for Monday), Dino (Thuso Lekwape, Book Week) and Robi (Arka Das, Babyteeth), who run through the streets arguing about Rashid's cousin. Next, their section links in with Ashmita (Leah Vandenberg, The Hunting) and her dying Bengali-speaking father back at the local hospital. Returning to specific spots comes with territory, because it comes with living anywhere; paths cross, people are drawn to the same busy and central locations, and some facilities — such as Here Out West's pivotal hospital — are always a hive of activity in any community. That truth continues to drive the film as it meets Kurdish refugees Keko (De Lovan Zandy) and Xoxe (Befrin Axtjärn Jackson), who are hoping to make a new beginning that still involves his penchant for music and her skills hand-weaving carpets, before jumping to Tuan (Khoi Trinh) and his brother Andy (Brandon Nguyen), who possess varying ideas about what it means to be Vietnamese Australian. Then comes a glimpse at nurse Roxanne's (Christine Milo, It's a Cult!) day as she works a double shift and misses her family in The Philippines. And, there's also Winnie (Gabrielle Chan, Hungry Ghosts) and Angel (Jing-Xuan Chan, Neighbours) as the mother and daughter close their Chinese restaurant for the last time. Read our full review. JACKASS FOREVER Older men, same ol' tricks and dicks: that's Jackass Forever. The fifth film in the prank-fuelled TV-to-movie franchise isn't afraid of letting it show, either, just as it's never been afraid of flashing around male genitalia. No one in Jackass' crew of comic daredevils is scared of that much — or, if they are, they're more frightened of not challenging themselves alongside their buddies — so the proud and purposeful attitude flaunted in the flick's title and usual formula is thoroughly unsurprising. Twenty-two years have passed since Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave Englund, Wee Man, Danger Ehren and Preston Lacy first turned outlandish stunts and practical jokes into an MTV hit, but age hasn't wearied their passion or camaraderie. It also hasn't dampened the gang's fondness for showing their junk, but there's something sweet here among all the penises: the fact that time inescapably passes but doing stupid shit with your mates sparks immortal joy. Jackass Forever is stupid, because the kinds of gags that Knoxville and company love are profoundly idiotic — including the film's opening gambit, where a green Godzilla-esque creature tramples a city but it's really Pontius' package painted like a monster. Also inherently silly: using the cast's bodies to prop up skateboarding ramps, a Knoxville-hosted game show that penalises wrong answers with a whack to the sack, exploding a port-a-potty while Steve-O is using it and a contraption made of harnesses that simultaneously gives three people wedgies. The ridiculous bits go on, including lighting farts underwater and drinking milk on a moving carousel to the point of vomiting. Another reason that Jackass is forever for this troupe: they're still as juvenile now, even though they're all over or approaching 50, as they ever were. Describing Jackass' risky skits and scenes never comes close to watching them, but how funny anyone finds this franchise depends on individual senses of humour and, sometimes, upon your mood on any given day. Regardless, there's always been an art to its follies, as captured on camera by Jeff Tremaine, the series' longstanding director, and also its co-creator with Knoxville and Her filmmaker Spike Jonze. Jackass' slapstick credentials carry on the traditions of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and The Three Stooges, but lewder and grosser, obviously. The saga's commitment to documenting not just the stunts and pranks themselves, but the setups, attitudes in advance and reactions afterwards — the key interplay between its perpetrators, victims and spectators, too — also sees it deconstruct the brand of comedy it sports as it goes. These sense-defying jesters show their working, in other words, and share the thrills it inspires. No wonder they don't ever want it to stop. Mortality does hang over Jackass Forever, however, as seen in a number of ways — starting with Knoxville's grey hair. It isn't always so strikingly silvery, and he's also shown talking about not wanting to show his bald spot, which Jonze then rushes in to cover with black spray paint. But when the crew's ringleader does let his wintry-hued tresses show, it's the best visual representation possible of how these guys will be adoring all things Jackass till they die. Well that, and the plethora of injuries suffered, including Knoxville's concussion, brain haemorrhage and bone fractures from a bull stunt. Jackass' ridiculous men can't escape the passing years and its impact upon their bodies if they wanted to, but it clearly makes them savour what they're doing. Read our full review. MOONFALL Does Roland Emmerich hate earth? Asking for not just a friend, but for the residents of an entire planet that the filmmaker just can't stop blowing up, devastating via CGI chaos and threatening with its end in his movies. Or, does he really love it, and has committed to the cinematic version of negging — tearing this pale blue dot down again and again so that his always paper-thin characters can swoop in to save the day, and also somehow seduce thankful viewers? Either way, Hollywood's go-to disaster-porn helmer is running out of moves, after a career spent blighting the globe in Independence Day, the terrible 1998 American Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, 2012 and Independence Day: Resurgence. He does what he long has with Moonfall, of course, but with a space twist and while also noticeably ripping off elements of Alien and Prometheus. Moonfall begins in 2011, on a Space Shuttle mission, when it seems as if astronauts Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) and Jo Fowler (Halle Berry, Bruised) might first find themselves in a Gravity knockoff. Something dark, fast and strange swarms them while Harper is out in the inky nothingness working on a satellite, leading to a tragedy, but no one believes his version of events — including Fowler. Ten years later, he's considered a has-been, she's still at NASA and, when conspiracy theorist KC Houseman (John Bradley, Game of Thrones) learns that the moon has been knocked off its orbit, they're the only ones who can save the day. Harper is also one of the only people willing to listen to Houseman's wild claim that the moon is actually an artificial megastructure, which is linked to its sudden descent upon earth. There's a word for folks who share Houseman's beliefs: 'megastructuralist', a term that viewers will never forget given how many times that Emmerich, Harald Kloser (also the film's composer) and Spenser Cohen (Extinction) work it into their screenplay. It's all that Bradley seems to say, and Moonfall clings to it like its filmmaker is desperately trying to one-up the hollow earth theory seen in Godzilla vs Kong, a better take on creature features than his past attempt. In general, Moonfall's script plays like a grab-bag of better elements from other space, disaster and sci-fi flicks all thrown together and spun like a gyroscope, but its nods in Ridley Scott and the Alien franchise's direction couldn't be more blatant. Indeed, thanks to its obvious pilfering, Moonfall often appears to have a better movie lurking inside — an interesting-enough space film erroneously packaged with all of Emmerich's standard world-ending mayhem — but only if you can somehow forget that one of the best pictures ever made got there first. Emmerich's latest would definitely be improved it it blew away some of the time it spends charting the fallout on earth, where "city-sized moon pieces will rain down", Harper and Fowler both have sons to save, and the thoroughly bored look on Charlie Plummer's (Words on Bathroom Walls) face as the just-imprisoned-but-good-at-heart Sonny Harper says everything. But then this film wouldn't have been made by this director, who refuses to embrace the ridiculousness of everything he's thrusting onto the screen and sticks with his stock-standard self-serious vibe. The premise, the writing, each easily foreseeable twist — it's all ludicrous, but played far too straight, although that doesn't result in anything but by-the-numbers performances by Wilson and Berry, and a gratingly one-note turn from Bradley. Perhaps Moonfall's biggest feat is making that other recent flick about a falling celestial object, Don't Look Up, look better than it is in comparison. Well that, and owning its silliness exactly once, in its moniker, because Moonfall certainly does describe exactly what happens. INDIA SWEETS AND SPICES India Sweets and Spices sports a clunky title, but a descriptive one. The saccharine and the zesty — the formulaic and spirited, too — combine in this coming-of-age comedy about an Indian American college freshman returning home from her no-holds-barred campus life for the summer, and being expected to slot back into her parents' and culture's expectations and traditions as if she'd never left. That quickly unhappy student is Alia Kapur (Sophia Ali, Grey's Anatomy), who has little on her agenda for her break except lazing by and in the pool; however, her prim-and-proper mother Sheila (Manisha Koirala, an Indian cinema mainstay) and doctor father Ranjit (Adil Hussain, Star Trek: Discovery) still demand that she do the rounds of their social circle's weekly Saturday-night party circuit. It's more her mum's doing than her significantly more laidback dad's, but it's also the done thing. What isn't usual: inviting the new proprietors of the local Indian store to these well-to-do shindigs. Writer/director Geeta Malik (Troublemaker) could've called her sophomore feature Crazy Rich Indian Americans — or Snobby Rich Indian Americans — and the moniker would've stuck, with a clear class clash the obvious outcome when Varun Dutta (Rish Shah, To All the Boys: Always and Forever), his mother Bhairavi (Deepti Gupta, High School Musical: The Musical — The Series) and dad Kamlesh (Kamran Shaikh, Evil Eye) show up to the Kapurs' home as asked. The conceited judgement over their nice but not glitzy attire is immediate, and further awkwardness springs quickly when it turns out that Sheila and Bhairavi shared a past before they both emigrated to the US. Alia is outraged over the reaction, intrigued about her mum's history and, given that's the reason she invited the Duttas in the first place, interested in Varun — and all three swiftly shape her summer. There's a sprinkle too much of the familiar to India Sweets and Spices, both in its narrative — and many of the details and cliches used to tell it — and its insights into the struggles of growing up surrounded by one country's attitudes but with another's conventions always knocking at the door. The template-esque feel makes the film pleasant rather than overly memorable, and its boilerplate TV-style gloss and sheen doesn't help it stand out, either. Thankfully, Malik's three key female talents couldn't fade into a by-the-numbers setup if they wanted to, and add much of the movie's verve as a result. Ali may play a character that could've stepped out of any similar flick, including the likes of Bend It Like Beckham and The Big Sick, but her delivery and presence are one of this feature's best traits. And whenever Koirala and Gupta are on-screen, be it together or separately, India Sweets and Spices benefits immensely. All three women are also pivotal to Malik's biggest attempt to differentiate India Sweets and Spices from other comparable fare: her foray into the quest for women's equality in India. Perched within the film's otherwise straightforward intergenerational and class conflicts sits a look at gender roles both historically in India and within Indian American communities today — the movie takes place in New Jersey — plus an examination of the sacrifices that might be made by someone willing to forgo her own fight to gift a better life to her children instead. This meaty and meaningful aspect of the feature would hit harder if so much that surrounded it wasn't content with easy tropes, though. Indeed, India Sweets and Spices is a tad too happy to act against its own advice, settling for something that's good enough rather than pushing itself further past the tried and tested. STREET GANG: HOW WE GOT TO SESAME STREET On a fictional New York street that's home to a cross-section of the city's multicultural population, young and old alike, and also to boisterous muppets, sunny days have been sweeping the clouds away since November 1969. Eager to educate preschoolers, Sesame Street has taught multiple generations of children the alphabet, to count — with help from Count von Count since 1972, of course — and about life in general, and both its longevity and the beloved turf it holds within popular culture speak to its enormous success. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street knows that it's profiling a seminal piece of television, and that virtually everyone born in the past half-century grew up watching the adored series; however, it's also keen to tell the story behind that story. Nostalgia drips through this behind-the-scenes documentary, gleefully so, but so too does a chronicle of how Sesame Street became the icon it is — and against the odds. The show's backstory starts with TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett, and with a dinner-party conversation that saw them float the idea of a television series that might help American children prepare for school — particularly kids of colour. The path to Sesame Street reaching the air wasn't smooth from there, or plain sailing once it got to screens (its focus on racial integration didn't go down well in parts of Mississippi, for instance), but education-meets-entertainment history was nonetheless made. Inspired by Michael Davis' 2008 non-fiction book Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, documentarian Marilyn Agrelo (An Invisible Sign) fashions her film as an insider's window into a miraculous program, blending informative details about how it came to be and its early years with clips of its muppet-fuelled magic. Both elements of the movie engage, as do its recent and archival interviews. On the screen, Street Gang benefits from the type of observation that helped make its subject such a delight: that showing is far better than telling. Given that there's so much ground to cover — Sesame Street could easily earn its own historical documentary series, but this film fits what it can into 107 minutes — it's patently a tricky juggling act to find the right balance between Sesame Street footage and analysis, but the clips presented are charmers. Agrelo deploys these snippets to demonstrate the show's commitment to representation, as paired with chats with actors such as Emilio Delgado (Luis) and Sonia Manzano (Maria); its educational approach, aka its number-one reason for existing; and the puppetry prowess of original Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch performer Carol Spinney, and of the great Jim Henson and Frank Oz. Discussions with and about the former, including about how both characters gave him outlet for parts of his personality, are lovely, while giggling at the latter pair's work as Bert and Ernie never gets old, and neither does appreciating why the double act is such a piece of genius. Sesame Street has always been revolutionary, too, and in a plethora of ways, all of which Street Gang celebrates. Its firm intent to ensure that it represented America's diversity sprang from its times and made a statement, while its willingness to use advertising techniques — jingles included — was savvy and smart. Its blend of humour and information, its eagerness to entertain the adults watching as well as the kids, the passion for ensuring that all children felt included and empowered: they're all pioneering. And, as much as the aired segments and hilarious outtakes prove joyous, the meaning and power of Sesame Street always beams through. Of course, being both amusing and enlightening was always the show's aim, so it's apt that this loveable documentary about it easily achieves the same feat. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is screening at Sydney's Golden Age Cinema and Bar, and is also available to stream via video on demand. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on October 7, October 14, October 21 and October 28; November 4, November 11, November 18 and November 25; December 2, December 9, December 16 and December 26; and January 1, January 6, January 13, January 20 and January 27. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Alpinist, A Fire Inside, Lamb, The Last Duel, Malignant, The Harder They Fall, Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain, Halloween Kills, Passing, Eternals, The Many Saints of Newark, Julia, No Time to Die, The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Zola, Last Night in Soho, Blue Bayou, The Rescue, Titane, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, Dune, Encanto, The Card Counter, The Lost Leonardo, The French Dispatch, Don't Look Up, Dear Evan Hansen, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Lost Daughter, The Scary of Sixty-First, West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, The Matrix Resurrections, The Tragedy of Macbeth, The Worst Person in the World, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, House of Gucci, The King's Man, Red Rocket, Scream, The 355, Gold, King Richard, Limbo, Spencer, Nightmare Alley, Belle, Parallel Mothers and The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
A quick search through magazines and online will bring up hundreds of bucket lists suggesting the bright lights of Manhattan or the ancient ruins of Rome. However, for many people a city is a city, and to truly live and experience beauty one has to look further — much further. Here's just a few of the world's hidden wonders. 1. Mount Roraima in Venezuela/Brazil/Guyana Mount Roraima, the highest of the Pacaraima Mountains, is a massive tabletop plateau that spreads into three countries. Boasting a variety of plant life — such as pitcher plants, bellflowers and heather, some of which are unique — Roraima creates some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world and has steep sides that reach over 400 metres in height. Popular with backpackers and hikers, who usually hire a guide from the village of Paraitepui below, the plateau has only one route up, a perilous ascent of near constant cloud cover and uncanny rock formations. 2. The Door to Hell in Turkmenistan It's not strictly one of Mother Nature's greatest creations as mankind lent a hand in making it, but the locally dubbed Door to Hell in Turkmenistan is unlike anything else in the world. A giant hole in the ground with a never-ending supply of burning gas, the crater is around 60 metres across and easily just as deep. Supposedly formed in the '70s when geologists, drilling for natural gas, went too deep and caused a massive cave-in and explosion, the Door to Hell has been ablaze ever since, and may never go out. 3. Chocolate Hills in the Philippines Formed, according to legend, by the tears of a giant that had lost his love, the Chocolate Hills appear on the provincial flag of Bohol and all stand between 30 and 50 metres high. A more reliable explanation for this unusual landscape could be that the hills were the result of the self-destruction of an active volcano. Mostly uniform in shape and size, the hills are covered in rich, green grass that turns brown during the dry season (hence the name). It's thought that there are as many as 1770 of these mysterious hills spread out over an area of 50 square kilometres. 4. Stone Forest in Madagascar Home to many unique species, including the white lemur, which can be found in the passageways below as well as above, Madagascar's Stone Forest is filled with pillars of extensively eroded limestone that rise up to 70 metres above the ground. From the air, the area appears harsh and barren, but beneath the jagged peaks lies a world of forest canyons and humid caves, all teeming with plants and animals. The Stone Forest is known locally as 'Tsingy' (where one cannot walk barefoot). It's quite clear why. 5. Mount Sanqingshan National Park in China Shrouded in mist for 200 days of the year, Sanqingshan National Park, which is considered a sacred place, is used by many for meditation and is believed to grant immortality. Home to about 2500 species of plant, the area's granite formations and strangely shaped pine trees resemble silhouettes of people and animals. 6. Socotra in Yemen Considered to be the most biodiverse place in the Arabian Sea, world heritage site Socotra has some of the most unusual looking plant life in the world, including the distinct Dragon Blood Tree, mainly because of its harsh climate. Located within the Republic of Yemen, the group of islands are also home to a huge number of spiders, birds, and spectacular coral reefs. Socotra's main island has three different terrains: narrow coastal plains, a limestone plateau dotted with deep caves, and the Haghier Mountains, the tallest of which is 1503 metres high. 7. Devils Tower in the USA According to Sioux Indian legend, a group of young girls were out picking flowers when they were suddenly chased by bears. Seeing and taking sympathy on their plight, the Great Spirit moved the ground beneath them and raised them to safety. The bears, who couldn't climb the rock's steep sides, fell, leaving scratches in their wake. The mysterious rock is sacred to a number of tribes, and during the month of June, when they conduct ceremonies around it, climbing is prohibited. The truth behind the formation of Devils Tower, located in Wyoming, has experts baffled. While many believe it is the neck of an extinct volcano, as evidenced by the surrounding landscape, others are sceptical. We may never really know. 8. The Eye of the Sahara in Mauritania Used by shuttle crews as a landmark since the earliest days of space travel, the Eye of the Sahara, which has a diameter of 50 metres, resembles a giant bull's-eye in the desert or, to be more descriptive, the fossil of a giant ammonite. A true geological wonder, it was once thought the Richat Structure, as it is also known, was formed when a meteorite struck the earth. Nowadays experts believe it was formed by the constant lifting and erosion of the earth. 9. Dune of Pyla in France Completely out of place in France, the Great Dune of Pyla, Europe's largest sand dune, is a popular hot spot for paragliders and holidaymakers. With a height of around 100 metres, the dune comes in from the coast and runs along 3 kilometres of coastline, with its steepest side facing a green forest beyond. A strange sight indeed. 10. Cano Cristales in Colombia For most of the year, Cano Cristales, a river so remote it can only be reached by horse or on foot, is different to no other, littered with waterfalls, rapids, wells, and hollows, but for a brief period it transforms and earns its nickname, 'The River of Five Colours'. During the gap between the wet and dry seasons, a unique species of plant that lines the river floor suddenly appears to turn a brilliant red, which, along with yellow and green sand and blue water, turns the whole area into a vision of paradise.
UPDATE, August 30, 2020: Mary Shelley is available to stream via SBS On Demand, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. It has been exactly 200 years since Frankenstein's monster first shuffled through the pages of Mary Shelley's now-classic story, completely reshaping the gothic horror landscape in the process. At the time, no one anticipated the impact that the novel or the woman behind it would have. No one realised that Mary was responsible for the greatest horror novel ever written, either, a title it still holds today. In fact, only 500 copies of Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus were initially printed back in 1818. It was also published anonymously, with Mary's poet husband Percy Bysshe Shelley penning the introduction and originally thought by many to be the text's author. Today, the beast conceived by the teenage Mary has carved a path not only through the literary world, but across cinema screens for more than a century — but, as the movie's title suggests, Mary Shelley doesn't replay Frankenstein's familiar narrative. Instead, Haifaa Al-Mansour's follow-up to 2012's Wadjda subscribes to a different filmmaking trend. Like everything from James Whale's iconic 1930s adaptations, to Tim Burton's gorgeous Frankenweenie, Mary Shelley obviously owes its existence to Frankenstein. But this origin story is more concerned with the early life of its author than with an obsessed young scientist and his resurrected creature. It's not the first time that Mary has earned the biopic treatment, with 1980s flicks Gothic, Haunted Summer and Rowing with the Wind all exploring the woman behind the classic tale. Still, where that trio honed in on the Lake Geneva getaway that sparked Frankenstein into being (the novel originated from a holiday wager among friends to see who could write the scariest ghost story), this movie focuses on Mary's tumultuous adolescence, her relationship with Percy, and the influence of both upon her famous work. Before images even reach the screen, the sound of writing echoes from Mary Shelley. Before Mary (Elle Fanning) has even dreamed of Frankenstein, the film deploys her lyrical prose to set a distinctive mood and tone. Stylistically, that's Al-Mansour's vivid and evocative approach, infusing every moment of the movie with the same passion and poetry that drives its heroine. A willowy yet strong-willed teen, from the outset Mary is either spinning her own tales or reading others in her father's (Stephen Dillane) bookshop. In-between, she fights with her stepmother (Joanne Froggatt) and finds solace with her stepsister Claire (Bel Powley) — until Percy (Douglas Booth) comes along. Although Mary is just 16, and despite the fact that Percy already has a wife and child, the couple is determined to be together. In her debut feature-length script, Australian screenwriter Emma Jensen endeavours to examine a side of Mary's tale that hasn't previously received as much on-screen attention, championing her protagonist's achievements as well as the considerable obstacles that she faced. Neither can be downplayed and nor are they. That said, sometimes the scandalous love story that accompanies them is given a little too much prominence. Indeed, parts of the film feel like a stock-standard period romance that just happens to involve one of the most influential writers who ever lived. When Mary Shelley connects the dots between Mary's experiences and the book she'll forever be associated with, it's a much more satisfying, moving and involving picture. Likewise, when it delves into Mary's tussles with sexist, dismissive men who can't even conceive of a woman writing such dark, smart and terrifying things, the film comes much closer to doing justice to its subject, her struggles and her continuing importance. Thanks to Fanning's lively and spirited portrayal, there's no doubting the fire that burned inside Mary, even when the film does favour her amorous affairs. Whether surrounded by towers of tomes, scribbling by her mother's grave, or swooning over Percy, Fanning's take on the real-life figure always stands out — from the movie's sumptuous backdrops, which constantly catch the eye, as well as from the romantic plot. It's a performance worthy of the woman it depicts, and it leaves audiences wanting more. The same is true of Mary Shelley, although in a different way. You'll want to keep watching Fanning as she brings the fiercely independent and thoroughly fascinating Mary to life. But you'll also want the movie to flesh out the aspects of Mary's trailblazing existence that it sometimes rushes over. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zFFs6BHsS0
Erskineville's Naked Brew doesn't just let you bring your pup along to brekkie, it has a whole menu dedicated to dogs. If you're into matching your meal with your doggo's, this cafe especially caters to you. Settle into one of the outdoor tables and order coffees for you and your furry friend — their's is the doggie-chino topped with frothed goat's milk and liver sprinkles. For eats, pair your apple crumble brioche French toast with a doughnut for the pup (maybe the pup-safe peanut butter variety). If you're both on a health kick, the menu also offers plenty of veg brekkie options along with fresh pressed juices for you, plus a peanut butter and blueberry smoothie for your pup. Overall, the cafe's laidback vibes and friendly staff give you and your best mate the perfect excuse to laze the day away. Images: Mad Men Media
As part of the return of its Spring Festival, the stunning Mayfield Garden three hours out of Sydney will be hosting a luxurious on-site glamping experience. Bookable between Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, October 23, the experience will see guests stay in a luxury tent, enjoy a three-course meal and explore the picturesque gardens with special early and late-night access. Located in regional NSW just south of Bathurst, Mayfield Garden is Australia's largest privately-owned cool climate garden. In the gardens, you'll find expansive green spaces filled with bridges, paths, sculptures, stonework and vibrant flora, an English-inspired maze, a croquet court, a family chapel, interactive games and rowboats to take out on the lake. The Mayfield Restaurant offers a seasonal modern Australian menu based around produce grown on sight. Campers will be treated to a complimentary dinner at the restaurant, plus breakfast delivered to their tent, and can add a lavish sunrise or sunset picnic to their experience. The experience will set you back $475 per couple or pair per night. And, if you're a family, you can bring your kids under 16 for an additional $105 per child.
There's rarely a still moment in BlackBerry. Someone is almost always moving, usually in a hurry and while trying to make their dreams come true everywhere and anywhere. Those folks: Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel, FUBAR) and Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson, Anne at 13,000 Ft), who created the game-changing smartphone that shares this movie's name; also Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), the executive they pitch to, get knocked back by, then hire as co-CEO. That near non-stop go-go-go look and feel — cinematography that's constantly roving and zooming to match, too — isn't just a stylistic, screenwriting or performance choice. It's a case of art imitating the impact that the BlackBerry handsets and their tiny QWERTY keyboards had on late-90s and early-00s life. Before the iPhone and its fellow touchscreen competitors took over, it was the key device for anyone with a work mobile. The big selling point? Letting people do their jobs — well, receive and send emails — on the move, and everywhere and anywhere. Should you blame Research in Motion, the Canadian technology company that Lazaridis and Fregin founded, for shattering work-life balance? Dubbed "crackberries", their phones played a significant part in extending the office's reach. Is anyone being inundated with after-hours emails on a BlackBerry today? Unless they have an old handset in their button-pressing hands, it isn't likely — and BlackBerry the film explains why. Spinning on-screen product origin stories is one of 2023's favourites trend, as Tetris, Air and Flamin' Hot have demonstrated; however, history already dictates that the latest addition to that group doesn't have a happy ending. Instead, this immersive and gripping picture tells of two friends with big plans who achieved everything they ever wanted, but at a cost that saw the BlackBerry become everything, then nothing. Like its fellow object-to-screen flicks, it follows a big leap that went soaring; this one just crashed spectacularly afterwards. "A pager, a cell phone and an e-mail machine all in one": that's how Mike and Doug explain the PocketLink, the idea that'll turn into the BlackBerry, when they're trying to drum up investors. It's a winning concept, including in 1996 when the film kicks off, but these two pals know computers, coding and tech better than getting their creation out into the world. Balsillie, after rejecting them in a job he's feeling undervalued in, approaches the pair with an offer to assist. Give him a title, authority and a stake in the company, and he'll put in his own cash, become their business saviour and get their phone out into the world. And he does. BlackBerry devices were everywhere in the 2000s. Then Steve Jobs launched the handset that's become ubiquitous since, RIM responded, and the aftermath is well-known in everyone's pockets. There's a cautionary-tale air to this quickly compelling third feature from Johnson, who doesn't just slip into Doug's shoes while rocking an ever-present red headband — he directs and writes, as he did with The Dirties and Operation Avalanche, co-scripting here with Matthew Miller (Nirvanna the Band the Show, another Johnson-starring and -helmed project). BlackBerry isn't content to merely chart an upswing and downfall, plus a trouncing by a corporate adversary, digging into the perils of at-any-cost perspectives in every frame. Always as glaringly evident as a BlackBerry's buttons: if RIM hadn't made short-sighted choices and shady deals, cut corners, and played everything fast and loose while splashing around cash, the film mightn't wrap up as it does irrespective of the iPhone's success. Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs inspired dramas (see: The Social Network, Jobs and Steve Jobs), but Lazaridis, Fregin and Balsillie have sparked a tragedy meets farce. Stepping through IRL events that concluded badly, famously so, doesn't stop Johnson from staying playful as a filmmaker. Indeed, BlackBerry is firmly a satire. Non-fiction book Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry by journalists Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff provides the movie's starting-off point, the overall rise-and-fall arc sticks to the facts, and the era-appropriate aesthetic and pop-culture references — including The Strokes, Moby and The White Stripes needle drops; The Breakfast Club quotes; and Point Break posters — are spot on, but this flick would also go well with The Office or Office Space. The core character dynamic demands a sense of humour, pairing a smart but socially awkward couple of mates with big hopes with a ruthless and shark-like salesman. Reality demands it, too, with the film taking a "what else can you do but laugh?" approach to capitalism in action at its worst. That restless, shaky, zipping-around cinematography by Jared Raab (also The Dirties, Operation Avalanche and Nirvanna the Band the Show, plus We're All Gonna Die (Even Jay Baruchel)) captures plenty that's ridiculous and yet also never surprising. BlackBerry is an eager parody — it purposefully isn't 100-percent accurate in every single detail, and it's as offbeat in vibe as Johnson's past work — but the peppily paced picture remains affectionate about an undersung chapter of Canadian history. So, it chuckles, boggles and chronicles. It perfects the gist of RIM's journey to great heights and back to earth again so savvily that everything feels authentic (emotionally at least) and winking at once. BlackBerry makes cheeky jokes about the device's name, shows LANs and movie nights that couldn't be further away from the corporate normality, giggles when eye-watering figures are thrown at other company's employees and lets Howerton lean into the cut-throat exec type with visible relish — and always keeps clicking as a portrait of faking it till you make it, chasing a quick win over a long-term plan, tech-industry greed and hubris, and selling out over going with your gut. The cast, especially Howerton, buzz on the film's wavelength on the strongest setting possible. While he'll forever be Dennis Reynolds, as he has on the small screen across 16 seasons so far since 2005, he's also a powerhouse as the relentlessly calculating, hockey-loving, take-no-prisoners figure who knows that he's a predator — and he's equally and astutely hilarious. Sporting a shock of greying hair even while playing a thirtysomething, Baruchel is similarly excellent, and subtler. BlackBerry isn't chortling at Balsillie, or at Lazaridis and Fregin, though. Rather, it's amused by the fact that each does exactly what they were always bound to based on their personalities, taking RIM's tale down the only path they probably could with this trio thrust together at the helm. Blackberry phones were once a character-defining status symbol; this can't-look-away movie is three fascinating character studies inside a comedic corporate horror show.
Located five hours down the coast from Sydney, Mystery Bay Campground is set directly along a stunning stretch of ocean, and your pup is invited to share every bit of it with you. It's definitely a more rustic campsite, though firewood is available onsite. But it's a chance to truly unplug and unwind with your best mate. Go for a swim or a surf in turquoise waters, then explore the region's rocky coves together. On the way in, don't forget to stop off at Narooma, where you can grab provisions. Image: Mystery Bay Beach by Sol Ramana-Clark via Destination NSW
Regular riders along the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycleway will be familiar with the stairs located on the northern end of the tracks — specifically, a looming 55-step climb (or slightly more bearable descent) used for route access. To address the bottleneck for both cyclists and pedestrians, the state government has revealed two design concepts for Milsons Point ramp this morning, Monday, May 3. The long-awaited unveiling follows an abandoned plan in 2018 to install lifts at either end of the bridge and the construction of six temporary cycleways in 2020. The bike-friendly track runs between Millers Point and Milsons Point, along the western side of the famous bridge. [caption id="attachment_810293" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist's impression - Milsons Point ramp (option one)[/caption] The first concept is a linear ramp running from Milsons Point Station on a "gentle gradient" north through Bradfield Park. This option aims to reduce cyclist and pedestrian conflict at the cycleway entrance. The second option is a two-storey spiral ramp in the centre of Bradfield Park, offering improved access, safety and convenience for cyclists, as well as a more compact footprint compared to the other design. "A new ramp will improve safety but also encourage people who are currently unable or unwilling to tackle the stairs from Bradfield Park to use what is our most popular cycleway in Sydney," Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said in a press release. [caption id="attachment_810294" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist's impression - Milsons Point ramp (option two)[/caption] Transport for NSW will seek community feedback on both concepts "over the coming months" and work with key stakeholders and industry experts to find an "outcome appropriate for this world-famous location". The state government said the number of riders who use the Sydney Harbour Bridge could more than double over ten years, with an estimated 2,000 cycling trips currently taken on weekdays. The new ramp concept is part of a wider $710 million investment by the NSW Government to improve walking and cycling infrastructure over the next four years. To find out more information about City of Sydney's cycle routes, head to the council website.
Inundated as we are by eroticised bodies selling the fantasy of sex and danger in magazines every day, the new exhibition The Fashion of Helmut Newton and Bettina Rheims may at first cause some to glaze over. But the work of these two iconic photographers has shaped the conventions of fashion imagery that our eyes read with such casual fluency today. Fifty black-and-white photographs, dating from the 1970s through 1990s, show each artist's approach to representing gender: Newton's fascination with the allure of powerful women, and Rheims' with the fleeting gender ambiguity of the human body as it blooms into adulthood. Photographs from the Private Property portfolios of Newton (b.1920-d.2004) conjure an opulent fantasy world of chandeliers and fetish gear. Some images are self-satirising, consciously theatrical and hedonistic, like By-Product of an Advertising Sitting, Paris, where a laughing woman's breast is groped by a man smoking a cigar. Masked Woman by the Sea, Naked and Masked Woman by the Sea, Dressed raises the question of which is the more powerful or objectified state: nude, or corseted in leather? Sigourney Weaver appears in a striking portrait that reminds you why she is famous, while the phallic imagery of Woman with Snake, Berlin is amusingly obvious. Alexander McQueen said in 2001 that Newton was "preoccupied with role play and crossing the divide between the masculine and feminine"; Newton himself respectfully said, "Women are stronger than men — in every possible way," even as he perhaps exalted to excess the eroticism of women's sexual availability to men. While Rheims (b.1952-) was Newton's protegee, her photography explores androgyny and shades of power between the sexes through a more naturalistic lens. Rheims launched her career as a portrait photographer at 26, having worked already as a model, journalist, and gallerist. Her acclaimed Modern Lovers (1990) series of low-contrast studio portraits offers a soft, understated counterpoint to the sensual decadence and spicy wit of Newton's glamorous tableaux. Rheims scouted her models, all under age 20, on the street. A wall of portraits shows slender boys sporting earrings and bee-stung lips, and pubescent girls with strong bone structure and diminutive buds for breasts. A glimpse of the child they all recently were is discernible. Among them is a most disarming portrait of Kate Moss peeking from behind lush, heavy tendrils of hair. It's reminiscent of artist Rona Yefman's photograph of her transgender brother Gil emerging from the sea, looking both assured and vulnerable. How much you read into a face like that is up to you.
First, you watch Rings. Then, your interest in the franchise quickly dies. That's what happens when someone unleashes a video no one really wants to see, right? If the Ring series has taught us anything, it's that unpleasant content always sparks a nasty end — and that's exactly what happens here. In a way, the saga's own rules explain why these movies keep coming, except for the fact that creating a copy is supposed to stop something bad from happening. In this case, it just makes things even worse. Odds are, you should already have some idea as to what this movie is about. Maybe you saw Naomi Watts in 2002's The Ring and its lacklustre 2005 sequel. Maybe you're familiar with the (superior) Japanese original from 1998, Ringu, and the numerous spinoffs that followed on from that. Perhaps you're even aware of the Korean remake The Ring Virus or the recent crossover with The Grudge franchise Sadako vs. Kayako. Point is, the premise remains much the same in every single one: unsuspecting folks press play on a creepy video tape, a phone call delivers a seven-day deadline, and the long-haired Samara (now played by Bonnie Morgan) starts wreaking havoc once time runs out. Finding a VCR at a flea market, college professor Gabriel (Johnny Galecki) and his student Skye (Aimee Teegarden) are the latest to let the unhinged ghost loose, turning it into a research project about the existence of the soul. Freshman Holt (Alex Roe) gets himself caught up in the mess, and is soon counting down the days as well. Enter his worried hometown girlfriend, Julia (Matilda Lutz), who decides to get to the bottom of the whole unsettling business. Wait, didn't the first two American Ring flicks involve a feisty female trying to thwart death by investigating Samara's background? Yes, yes they did. Doing the same thing over and over is what horror sequels are usually about, so the fact that this F. Javier Gutiérrez-directed effort retraces the same path is hardly a surprise. Indeed, there's basically nothing surprising about this film, other than Vincent D'Onofrio showing up to deliver some exposition. When you're trying to elicit scares, that's a problem. Cue the same tape and the same journey, shot in a style that makes the entire movie look like a digital copy of better material. A video-within-a-video of extra spooky visuals taunt Julia and company, and an expanded backstory tries to explain Samara's actions even further, but both just typify the filmmakers' underlying "more is better" line of thinking, and neither device manages to amp up the scares or the intrigue. Nor does updating the concept for the modern day. Seeing Samara on in-flight screens and smartphones, and watching people duplicate files rather than tapes, still ultimately smacks of more of the same. Even more infuriating is the fact that Rings is blatantly setting the scene for more unwanted chapters. That means that the 102-minute revisit isn't just a routine rehash — it's filler designed to work up a frenzy for something that might never actually get made. Keeping audiences hanging for future fare rather than bothering to really entertain them this time around might be common in an era of endless, interconnected superhero movies, but here, it's a bigger drag than Samara's limp locks.
Ever since The Great Train Robbery back in 1903, heist films have been a much-loved part of our moviegoing diet. There's something uniquely thrilling about watching a group of smooth-talking outlaws come together for a caper, especially as filmmakers keep finding new ways to inject new life into the genre. Whether it's crime meets comedy like in Snatch or A Fish Called Wanda, or high-octane action a la Heat and Mission: Impossible, Hollywood has shown time and time again that there's more than one way to separate a mark from their money. To celebrate the release of Logan Lucky, we've put together a list of five very different heist flicks. Consider this essential reading ahead of your next movie night… or if you're planning to rob a bank. LOGAN LUCKY The latest film from the chameleonic Steven Soderbergh, Logan Lucky has been billed as a 'hillbilly heist', and based on the trailer it's easy to see why. Channing Tatum and Adam Driver star as Jimmy and Clyde Logan, two dim-witted brothers attempting to pull off an elaborate robbery during a big money NASCAR race. They're joined by the likes of Riley Keough, Katherine Waterstone and Daniel Craig, whose performance as an eccentric explosives expert looks to be worth the price of admission all on its own. If nothing else, we know Soderbergh is adept with this kind of story, which brings us to the next film on our list… OCEAN'S ELEVEN A rare remake that eclipses the cultural cache of the original, Soderbergh's hugely entertaining 2001 hit remains one of the prototypical heist films of the modern era, as stylish as it is funny as it is wholly unpredictable. They say crime doesn't pay, but boy does Ocean's Eleven make it look fun. Oh, and it also features one of the most impressive, big-name casts in modern movie history. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle… need we go on? An all-female spinoff is in the works for next year, and we could not be more keen. RESERVOIR DOGS The low budget indie flick that launched the career of Quentin Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs is a rare kind of heist film in that we never actually get to see the heist. Instead, the story jumps backwards and forwards in time, between the planning stages and the disastrous aftermath of a diamond robbery gone wrong. The film's graphic violence, distinctive dialogue and non-linear timeline has inspired endless imitations of varying quality — it's not an exaggeration to call this one of the most influential films of the 1990s. And yet, like all of Tarantino's movies, it somehow feels utterly unique. INCEPTION "Your mind is the scene of the crime," teased early trailers for Inception, Christopher Nolan's blockbuster version of an M.C. Escher print. Rightfully celebrated upon release as a smart, original property in a sea of unremarkable franchise films, this epic sci-fi caper — about a group of professional thieves who ply their trade in their victims' dreams — confirmed Nolan as one of the most ambitious filmmakers working in Hollywood today. Sure, some of the exposition may be a little bit clunky, but what Inception lacks in nuance it makes up for in excitement, emotion and sense of scale. Most importantly, like all the best heist films, it totally stands up on second viewing. FAST FIVE The best film in the Fast and Furious franchise, it was Fast Five that helped transform this flagging series into a bona-fide global phenomenon. Street racing takes a backseat as Dominic Toretto and fam instead set their eyes on a $100 million score — one that is ultimately realised via one of the greatest action sequences of this decade, involving a massive bank vault being dragged through the streets of Rio at breakneck speed. Inventive and exhilarating, with a charismatic cast at the top of its game, Fast Five is popcorn entertainment at its absolute finest. Logan Lucky is now showing at cinemas nationally.
Have you ever dreamed of having ice cream for dinner? Well, your wish is Messina Creative's command. Big changes are happening at the gelato masters' Marrickville HQ with the launch of a Sydney exclusive pop-up: the SnackBar, where wines, bites, scoops and tunes are on the menu every Sunday from 4pm–late. For anyone who has been pining for a seat at one of Messina Creative's coveted six-course degustations, the SnackBar offers an accessible alternative, giving diners the chance to dip a toe into the world of gourmet gelato. Expect elevated, bespoke flavours, including spiced dark chocolate gelato with olive oil and sea salt and smooth coconut sorbet with caramelised mango liqueur. In addition to these chilled treats, guests can sip natural drops and enjoy other delicious snacks, such as prawn toast with tomato sriracha and the Messina glizzy with Emilio's pork sausage, spiced ketchup and mustard. Setting the mood, low-fi tunes will also be pumping from the venue's Pitt and Giblin sound system (one of the few residing in Sydney). Access is strictly limited to patrons aged 18 and over, so be sure to leave the rugrats at home.
After its Australian debut saw 1000 Sydneysiders board a cruise ship for last year's immersive Titanic Experience, Beyond Cinema has decided to go all in with their fantastical cinematic extravaganzas — having already announced three new events for 2018. Just earlier this month, the immersive cinema company announced it'll transform a Melbourne CBD building into a jail for The Shawshank Redemption experience on June 30, and takeover Sydney's sandstone castle at Curzon Hall, Mansfield for The Great Gatsby version on August 19. Tickets for both events are currently on sale, with tickets including the film screening and additional options ranging from canapés or 'prison food' to bottomless drinks and a full sit-down dinner. Now, the cinematic journey will take a leap down the rabbit hole for a Mad Hatter's Tea Party on Sunday, June 24. Transcending the boundary between film and imagination, the two-hour Alice in Wonderland-themed immersive experience won't screen the film, but will instead recreate it with an English afternoon tea, which, much like the film, is expected to go insanely awry. Tickets are $83 and include a high tea spread, as well as a coffee and a glass of wine in the Royal Botanic Garden. As with other events, fancy dress is required, which in this case will be your most colourful and bizarre outfit — each attendee will also be assigned a character to gear their costume toward. Just don't be late.
If you're in Ashfield on Sunday morning and catch the enchanting scent of jam-filled doughnuts or cheese and potato dumplings, you're probably close by the Polish Club. Not-for-profit Polish cultural organisation PolArt is hosting a Pierogi & Paczki Party at the Ashfield Polish Club on Sunday, March 28. The takeaway food market comes in the lead-up to Wielkanoc, the Polish Easter Sunday. On the menu will be paczki, Polish doughnuts filled with plum jam that are consumed by the millions in Poland in the lead up to Easter, and Polish dumplings called pierogi that will be available with cheese and potato, cabbage and mushroom, pork and sweet cheese fillings. Limited stock will be available on the day, so it's recommended that you preorder if you don't want to miss out. To do so, email your order to info@polartsydney.com.au or head to the Polish Club website for more details. The market is raising funds for the upcoming PolArt Sydney Festival, a ten-day celebration of Polish culture that's scheduled for 2022. The festival the largest and longest-running of its kind outside of Poland. If you stick around after the market, from 3pm you can see the Polish Folkloric Ensemble Syrenka perform for the final time at the Ashfield Polish Club before it closes for renovations. [caption id="attachment_804172" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Renata Brak[/caption] Pierogi & Paczki Party runs from 10am–2pm. Top image: Dana Douglas
Much has happened in the world of Marvel this year. Black Panther started things off on a high, Spider-Man is about to return to its animated roots, and the man who started it all, Stan Lee, sadly passed away. Oh, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe completely changed the game with the snap of a few fingers. We know that you know what we're talking about — Avengers: Infinity War sits atop the box office Down Under for 2018. Of course, ever since the third Avengers movie hit screens, excitement for its follow-up has been feverish to say the least. Now, the first look at Avengers: Endgame has finally arrived — and yes, that's the film's brand new title. It all starts with a despondent Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), before giving a taste of how the remaining heroes are facing their new predicament. Check out the trailer below — and start counting down the days until Avengers: Endgame makes its way to cinemas on April 25: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA6hldpSTF8 Plus, if you need a bit more excitement, Marvel also dropped the next Captain Marvel trailer earlier this week — with the first film featuring Brie Larson's superhero arriving prior to Avengers: Endgame, on March 7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LHxvxdRnYc
Luxe lingerie maker Honey Birdette, known for its provocative pieces and high-end bedroom accessories, is hosting its first-ever warehouse sale this month. Fans of the Australian brand, which has been spicing up bedrooms around the nation since 2006, know that a Honey Birdette sale is as rare as they come, so be sure to head to The Venue in Alexandria between May 27–29 to score exclusive discounts on a range of products. There'll be nothing over $100 at the three-day sale, with bras starting at $40, bottoms from $20 and accessories for just $10. You'll be able to shop a selected range of 2022 collections, as well as rare pieces and last-chance items. Afterpay, Zip and Klarna will also be available at this Sydney-exclusive event. Honey Birdette's first-ever warehouse sale will take place at The Venue, Alexandria, on Friday, May 27 (12–8pm), Saturday, May 28 (9am–5pm) and Sunday, May 29 (10am–5pm). For more information and bedroom inspo, head to the website.
Unofficial Bridgerton balls have already popped up in Australia, but now it's time for the real thing: The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience, which comes with the backing of Netflix and Shondaland. After bringing regency-era vibes to Los Angeles, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver and New York in the US, and also to Toronto and Montreal in Canada, the event is finally letting Down Under fans unleash their inner duke and duchess. For a month between Friday, May 24–Sunday, June 23, Melbourne will be doubling for London high society in the early 1800s, in The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience's exclusive Aussie stop. Step inside Fever Exhibitions Hall on Dawson Street in Brunswick and you'll feel like you're stepping back in time — or into the huge Netflix hit series, at least. Lady Whistledown aficionados will be able to head along every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening to promenade around an immersive setup where a string quartet will be playing live tunes inspired by the show, dancers will accompany the music and live theatrical performances will keep you entertained. You'll also go for a spin in the ballroom yourself at the afterparty. Before then, you'll also hit up Madame Delacroix's modiste and an underground painting studio, then visit with the queen. Actors in period costumes will be wandering around, helping to set the mood — and yes, if you'd like to dress to fit the occasion, and the series, that's obviously heartily encouraged. The drinks list, including cocktails, will be Bridgerton-themed. While your sips aren't included in your ticket, a full bar will be available, as will snacks such as chips and lollies to purchase. Tickets for The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience will be available via presales from 6pm AEST on Monday, April 29 and general sales from 6pm AEST on Tuesday, April 30. The event unleashes its lavishness just after the show's third season arrives, with the first four episodes dropping on Thursday, May 16, then the next four on Thursday, June 13.
The 21st-century has not been kind to the vampire. Between Stephenie Meyer's sparkling high schoolers, the leather-clad killers of the Underworld series and whatever the hell those things in I Am Legend were meant to be, the once noble creatures of the night have been reduced by pop-culture to cringeworthy caricatures. Bela Lugosi must be turning in his grave. Enter Jim Jarmusch, director of Dead Man, Ghost Dog and Broken Flowers, to name just a few. One of the enduring figures of the American indie film movement, Jarmusch has made a career out of minimally plotted, post-modern genre subversions, and his latest work is no exception. Mixing traditional vampire mythology with the director's distinctively aloof brand of cool, Only Lovers Left Alive is a handsome, compelling, meditative take on the lives of the eternal undead. An appropriately gaunt and pasty Tom Hiddleston plays Adam, a centuries-old bloodsucker living on the outskirts of Detroit. A reclusive figure, Adam's only human contacts are a crooked hospital doctor (Jeffrey Wright) who provides him with fresh batches of O-negative, and a wide-eyed rock 'n' roll fan (Anton Yelchin) from whom the vampire buys vintage guitars. Aside from his music, the one thing Adam cares about is his wife, Eve (Tilda Swinton), with whom he is reunited not long after the movie begins. For a while, the immortal lovers live in peace, only to find their solitary existence shattered by the arrival of Eve's impulsive younger sister (Mia Wasikowska). Like many of Jarmusch's films, Only Lovers moves along at a languid pace, with large stretches of the movie unfolding in which very little actually happens. Nevertheless, viewers willing to give the film their patience will be rewarded by its rich, intoxicating atmosphere. Synonymous both with rock 'n' roll and America's crumbling economy, Detroit's empty streets and abandoned buildings are the perfect stalking ground for Jarmusch's silent camera, which finds an eerie kind of beauty in moonlit vistas of urban decay. Electronic guitar chords flow despondently across the soundtrack, ringing in perfect harmony with the images projected on the screen. The protagonists are drawn with fascinating detail. Late-night musings, on music, art, science and the various historical figures that Adam and Eve once knew, are underlined by a sardonic sense of humour, informed by centuries of bitterness and disappointment. Detached from the world around them, there's an air of tortured disinterest to the duo, like ageing rock stars, or unkillable hipsters (and isn't that a terrifying concept?) Emphasising mood over story, Only Lovers Left Alive is the cinematic equivalent of one of Adam's melancholic rock songs. It washes over you, absorbing through your skin. Jarmusch has brought dignity back to the vampire, in his own unmistakable style. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ycOKvWrwYFo
Escape the office in time for a game of sunset bowls at Clovelly Bowling Club. Perched right on the cliff overlooking the sea, the bowlo is the perfect place to soak up the last rays of afternoon sun and ogle a glorious summer sunset next to the ocean. Round up the workmates for a $15 (per person) game of barefoot bowls, which also includes a beginner's lesson if needed. Hot tip: stop by the supermarket on the way there to pick up some meaty treats. The club provides free barbecue facilities for bowls players.
This retailer rewards those who find it, secreted away on Crown Street, with quality streetwear and amiable service. Everything in Above the Clouds is carefully curated, with an emphasis on coveted brands. Local designers like Sydney's Pseushi and Melbourne's Butter Goods sit alongside international labels such as Casablanca, Dickies and Soulland. There's eyewear from Monokel and fragrances from the cult Swedish brand, 19-69. The sneaker game is also strong here, you'll find Adidas Originals, Nike, New Balance, Converse and more fresh kicks to walk away in.
Sydney has some great street sculpture hidden around the traps. But while almost all of it is on display almost all of the time, it's something you can easily lose track of when we're not in the middle of dressing them up or moving them around. We have a city full of (mostly) pleasant sculptural surprises. Here at Concrete Playground we thought we'd help with your hunting for these outdoor sculpted beauties by narrowing it down with our list of seven of Sydney's best street sculptures. 1. Il Porcellino (The Little Pig) by Pietro Tacca Where: Outside Sydney Hospital, Macquaries Street, CBD. Copy of Pietro Tacca's (1547) statue in a fountain in Marketo Nuovo, Florence. Although not as cute as its title suggests, this statue is an iconic one, looking out over busy Macquarie Street as it perennially dribbles water. It’s one of five copies cast by the Florence foundry, Fonderia Ferdinando Marinelli, donated to the Sydney Hospital by Marchessa Clarissa Torrigiani in memory of her father and brother (both had been respected surgeons at the hospital). Its nose is golden from being rubbed for good luck, although tour guides are known to encourage tourists to rub a different part of the little pig. 2. Bibles and Bullets by Fiona Foley Where: Redfern Park, Redfern Street Bibles and Bullets consists of cast stainless steel and bronze lotus flowers that emerge from the ground and is a part of Foley’s art playground in Redfern Park. The delicate flowers, made of invincible bronze, are a beautiful contradiction, representing the strength of a colonised culture. 3. Always Was, Always Will Be by Reko Rennie Where: 1-5 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst If you ever frequent Oxford Street to shop or get boozy, you’ll have noticed a building that looks like it has been painted by a drag queen in bright pink and blue in Taylor Square this year. Although it could be mistaken for an obnoxious beauty parlour, it is in fact an artwork through which artist Rennie explores what it means to be an urban Aboriginal in contemporary Australian society. The geometric diamond pattern references the traditional markings of the Kamilaroi people. It reminds Australians that although Sydney may change and evolve, it was and always will be Gadigal country. 4. El Alamein Fountain by Bob Woodward Where: Cnr Darlinghurst Road and Macleay Street, Kings Cross Most Sydney-siders at some point in their life have surely uttered ‘meet you at the fountain in the Cross.’ Looking like a golf ball or dandelion, this one of Sydney’s best-loved icons. What you might not know is that it’s a memorial to soldiers who died in 1942 during the Second World War in two battles at El Alamein, Egypt. It was restored this year and remains smack bang in the Cross. If sculptures could talk… 5. Aspire (Under the Freeway) by Warren Langley Where: Harris Street, Ultimo This fantastic piece somehow blends into its natural surroundings and very much stands out concurrently. When you drive past it, you do a double take, not sure if it was a magical apparition you dreamed up. It celebrates the community uprising of nearby Fig Street, which prevented local housing being destroyed for the Western Distributor. The glowing forest of trees is at one with its urban surroundings; a co-habitual, peaceful presence. 6. Forgotten Songs by Michael Thomas Hill Where: Angel Place, Sydney This flight of cages commemorates the original wildlife that occupied Sydney before it was settled by the Europeans. Each cage plays a song of one of fifty birds that would have lived in the area before being forced out by colonisation. The calls change as the sun sets and turn into those of nights birds. Beautiful yet melancholy, this sculpture was a part of 2009’s Art By George! Laneway art program but it was kept on. Nice one Sydney. 7. In Between Two Worlds by Jason Wing Where: Kimber Lane, CBD These spirit figures play on Wing’s dual heritage; he is Aboriginal-Chinese and in both cultures, the elements are said to have their own spirits. The half human, half spirit figures in Kimber Lane represent our past, present and future ancestors. The figures glow blue at night in an otherwise dark and dank lane; watching over the city’s inhabitants. Leading image of John Cornwell's statue of Mathew Flinders cat Trim from outside the State Library by Glen Reilly. Il Porcellino photo by Minnaert. Reko Rennie's Always Was photo by Newtown Graffiti. Photo of El Alamein Fountain by angusf. Forgotten songs photo by Colleen Galvin.
Sit down to dinner at Arthur when it opens in Surry Hills later this month and you'll have some idea of how chef-owner Tristan Rosier best remembers his grandfather. The original Arthur, with his love of getting friends and family together over food, was the main inspiration behind Rosier and partner Rebecca Fanning's 35-seat Bourke Street restaurant, which is slated to open its doors on Wednesday, October 24. It marks the first solo venture for the chef (ex-Farmhouse and Dead Ringer), whose focus here is on using interesting, seasonal ingredients in unexpected ways, through dishes as elegant as they are exciting. As much as possible will be done in house from scratch, from the breads and preserves, to a raft of pickled things. Food at Arthur is enjoyed as part of a $70 a head shared feast of around 11 set dishes — a move Rosier says is designed to allow punters space to really enjoy that good eating and company, rather than worrying about the whole decision-making and ordering affair. The menu will be an oft-changing one, though there'll always be at least one raw dish making an appearance and two desserts sweetening the finish. While the starting lineup's being kept under wraps, you can expect plates like crumbed baby globe artichokes, roasted pork neck served alongside crackling and kohlrabi, and carrots elevated with mandarin and horseradish. And for dessert: a chocolate and mascarpone cake served with fresh cherries. As for the wine offering, expect an Australian-heavy selection that trips across the country, showcasing "easy-to-drink wines with brightness, balance and crunch". You'll find Arthur at 544 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, from Wednesday, October 24. It'll be open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday and lunch on weekends. Images: Damian Flanagan
Since Greater Sydney first went into lockdown towards the end of June, we've all been able to set our clocks by one constant: the 11am press conference that delivers New South Wales' new COVID-19 case numbers for the past 24 hours. For as long as the city — and, for a while, the whole state — has been under stay-at-home conditions, either Premier Gladys Berejiklian or Health Minister Brad Hazzard has fronted the media to chat through the figures and the situation. Sometimes they've both been there, and they've always had NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant or another NSW Health staff member for company. Often, other speakers take the microphone as well, including health workers, emergency services workers, members of NSW Police and other ministers. That all changed today, Tuesday, September 14 — after the Premier flagged last Friday that the NSW Government would be shaking up the usual press conference format. Berejiklian initially announced that it'd change from Monday, September 13; however, the Premier then spoke through the cases and COVID-19 situation as normal that day. Today, however, it was NSW Health's Dr Jeremy McAnulty who did the honours. Wondering what that means for tuning in and hearing the latest — aka that thing we've all been doing with our mid-morning coffees each day for almost three months now? Thankfully, you'll still be able to watch along, with NSW Health still uploading the briefings to its Facebook page. Today's session was still streamed live, actually; however, when the Premier announced the end of her daily involvement in revealing the new cases numbers, she advised that NSW Health would be doing daily videos. So, in the future, that might mean a return to the pre-recorded updates that were the norm before lockdown started — which were uploaded on both Facebook and Twitter. That's where you'll want to keep looking at 11am each day. NSW Health also posts the daily figures on its social media platforms at the same time, so you'll see the numbers there as well if that's all you're looking for. Whenever the cases are delivered via livestreams, you'll still likely find them on various news media outlets' websites, live blogs and YouTube pages, and usually on the ABC News channel as well. NSW recorded 1,127 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. pic.twitter.com/QS809aYxhy — NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 14, 2021 The Premier has advised that she and/or other ministers will still be doing press conferences "intermittently" on a "needs basis". So, expect that to happen when there's a big announcement — such as future changes to lockdown restrictions, as have already been flagged when NSW reaches the 70-percent and 80-percent fully vaxxed mark. NSW Health posts the daily COVID-19 case numbers on its Facebook and Twitter pages at 11am daily, and you can find its livestreamed briefings on Facebook as well. For further details about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Goodbye traffic, hello impressive views while zooming around Brisbane: within the next decade, that might become a reality. Yes, it sounds like something out of a futuristic movie. Yes, it'd help you ditch the dreaded peak-hour crawl. And yes, there is indeed a plan to bring self-flying taxis to the Queensland city's skies — and within the next decade. As every Brisbanite knows and won't be able to forget in their lifetimes, Brissie is hosting the 2032 Olympic Games — news that was announced exactly a year ago, in fact. As a result, the city is set to get a whole lot busier, and there'll be plenty of people trying to get from point A to point B during the huge event itself. One potential solution: those automated aerial taxis. Back in June, southeast Queensland's Council of Mayors signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wisk Aero, which has been developing all-electric self-flying air taxis in the US. It's now setting up an Australian base, and working with SEQ's Council of Mayors with a hope to introducing "safe, sustainable and scalable autonomous air taxi services" to the region. Exactly where those taxis could fly from and to, how often and what it'd cost haven't been finalised or revealed yet, obviously, with the arrangement still in the planning phase. Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said that the world expects "to see the emergence of advanced air technology in places like Singapore, Paris and Los Angeles, and by 2032, I'd love to see it supporting new and innovative experiences for tourism and travel right here in southeast Queensland." "While there's still plenty of work to do around regulation and safety, the prospect of having autonomous air taxis operating throughout our region and between venues during the Brisbane 2032 Games is really exciting," Schrinner continued. Wisk Aero was created in 2019 as a joint venture between aviation companies Boeing and Kitty Hawk — and the latter has been exploring the self-flying air taxi space since 2010. In 2017, it tested and successfully flew an autonomous aircraft designed for passenger use in America. Kitty Hawk, which is supported by Google co-founder Larry Page, also did some testing in New Zealand in 2017 and 2018. Uber was also flirting with the same space via Uber Elevate, with plans to test flying taxis in Melbourne in 2020; however, the company was sold to Joby Aviation that year. In southeast Queensland, KFC has been trialling delivering chicken by drones — so people taking to the air to get around town was always the likely next step. For more information about Wisk Aero and the plans to bring self-flying taxis to southeast Queensland, head to the Wisk Aero and Council of Mayors websites.
Looking for a little bit of R&R after a long day of shopping? Encore Beauty has you covered. You can treat yourself to a selection of massages and skincare treatments. The trained therapists customise the treatments based on your specific skin needs, and use products from luxe French skincare brand Sothys to treat and nourish your face, neck and décolletage. The studio offers micro-needling, cosmetic injectables and light therapy, too. Meanwhile, the body treatment menu includes 'hanakasumi', a Japanese ritual which uses shea butter and cherry blossom. The shop also has a number of skincare products from Sothys, Mayerling and more for sale, too, if you need to restock your home stash. Images: Trent Van der jagt.
Australians, if a trip across the ditch ranks high on your wish list, the New Zealand Government has delivered some great news: across the first half of 2022, the country will start reopening its borders to international travellers. Earlier in 2021, Aotearoa and Australia had a brief international travel bubble, which allowed Aussies and Kiwis to fly back and forth between the two countries without quarantine. It was then put in pause in July after COVID-19 outbreaks in Australia — and that suspension was extended following outbreaks in New Zealand. But, in a press conference on Wednesday, November 24, NZ COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins announced that the country's international travel restrictions are set to lift in January — beginning with vaccinated New Zealanders and those who hold NZ visas early next year. From Monday, January 17 NZ time, folks who fall into those categories will be able to re-enter NZ without quarantining in NZ's managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities — although a seven-day stint in self-isolation will be required. That move will then be extended to vaccinated travellers from other countries, including Australia, across a three-step process. Here's how it's going to work: STEP ONE From Monday, January 17 next year, double-vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers (such as visa holders) will be able to return to New Zealand from Australia, without a two week stay in MIQ facilities. This means Kiwis can travel to Australia, however briefly, and avoid MIQ on their return. However, they'll need to self-isolate for seven days after returning to Aotearoa, and must provide a final negative test before entering the community. STEP TWO From Monday, February 14 next year, double-vaccinated New Zealanders and other eligible travellers (such as visa holders) will be able to return to New Zealand from all other countries — not just Australia — and also avoid an MIQ stay, except after travelling to countries deemed "very high risk". The same safety precautions as above will need to be taken: they'll need to self-isolate for seven days and must provide a final negative test before entering the community. STEP THREE From Saturday, April 30, all other double-vaccinated international travellers will able to enter the country, without an MIQ stay. This might be staggered on visa levels, Hipkins added during his press conference. The requirement to self-isolate and provide testing upon return will be assessed during this period, but it's expected this will be probably be in place throughout May. So, it isn't time to go packing your suitcases for a NZ getaway just yet, but it will be soon — and just in time for ski season (if you're already thinking about your winter plans). Since the beginning of November, double-vaxxed Australians have been permitted to leave our shores for overseas holidays; however, exactly where you can head obviously depends on travel restrictions in other countries. More information about NZ's international travel three-step plan and Hipkins' full statement can be found on the New Zealand Government website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
The good ol' Marly has bid farewell to its upstairs neighbour Miss Peaches and has welcomed something much quirkier in her place. The Newtown boozer's first floor space is now home to the weird and wonderful Cuckoo — a kooky bar inspired by Germany's alpine resorts. Venture on up and you'll feel a bit like Alice tumbling into the rabbit hole. Brought to life by hospitality group Solotel with help from International Worldwide (the creatives behind the recently renovated George Hotel, The Duke, The Old Fitz) and Monster Children, Cuckoo is filled with knick-knacks, a lounge room bar pulled straight from your opa's house and constant sounds from the collection of cuckoo clocks adorning the walls. It even has a bouldering wall, so you can really pretend you're climbing up Zugspitze. The quirkiness is also embraced wholeheartedly by the drinks list, which boasts eight different house-infused schnapps, alongside crafty cococktails such as the cardamom, sour apple and ginger-laced Apfelschorle cocktail ($18) and the Deer's Blood ($18) with gin, Jägermeister, Campari and honey vermouth. Meanwhile, taps are pouring Germanic-style beers from local breweries like Batch and Wayward — try yours in a stein or in the glass shoey the team's calling Das Boot. If you head in during Schnappy Hour — from 5–7pm, Wednesday–Friday — you'll score yourself a glass of house schnapps for just $5 and a selection of cocktails for $15, too. Sticking with the theme, Cuckoo's food offering is filled with German classics like schnitzels (in chicken, veal and pork varieties), smoked kransky sausage ($8) and spätzle ($8). But, thanks to a fully-stocked condiments station, the house-made pretzels ($12) might just steal the show. Images: Kitti Gould
Vivid Sydney is no stranger to lights. In each year's program — including with 2023's set-to-dazzle lineup, complete with Lightscape in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney — filling the Harbour City with luminous installations is one of the citywide arts festival's main aims. Whether you're a local or a visitor, a wander around town in June involves stunning radiant sights awaiting at every turn. And this year, that glow will extend down to Wynyard's unused railway tunnels for the first time ever. This is the first time ever that the subterranean spot will be opened to the public, in fact — and turned into a light show beneath the streets. Meet Dark Spectrum, the ticketed installation that's world premiering at Vivid Sydney as a just-announced addition to the 2023 program. We hope you like lasers, secret passageways, bright colours and a one-of-a-kind experience, all on offer from Friday, May 26–Sunday, July 16. A collaboration between Vivid Sydney, Sony Music, Mandylights and Culture Creative, this underground spectacle features eight rooms, all heroing a different hue, with the entire setup inspired by raves and their dance floors. They're each meant to mimic the human experience through life, too, as helped by robotics, visual technology and a pulsating electronic dance music soundtrack. Accordingly, Dark Spectrum will take attendees through rooms themed around separation, constriction, pressure and the unseen, then spaces that are all about reflection, the unfamiliar and connection. The last one? It serves up an end with a revelation — which will obviously need to be experienced rather than explained. Vivid Sydney has given a few hints about what's in store, though. In Construction, 150 LED pipes will hang from the roof, while Pressure will feature 50 archways covered in lights and mirrors — and make Wynyard's tunnels look like a never-ending tunnel. Or, there's Interaction, a sea of hanging string lights and illuminated plants that respond to movement, which takes its cues from Avatar. "We're thrilled to announce this world-first experience for Vivid Sydney 2023. Dark Spectrum is a perfect fit for this year's festival theme, exploring the intersection between human emotions, our natural environment and the urban landscape and relics of Sydney's industrial past," said Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini. "Diving beneath the surface of what is now one of the city's busiest railway lines, Dark Spectrum is a truly mesmerising and engaging experience for visitors to explore Sydney in a whole new way. I am excited we get to shine a light on unknown spaces across the city". After its Sydney debut, Dark Spectrum will tour the world — so for folks outside of the Harbour City who can't make it along during Vivid, cross your fingers that it next comes your way. Vivid Sydney 2023 will run from Friday, May 26–Saturday, June 17. For further information and tickets — including to Dark Spectrum from Friday, May 26–Sunday, July 16 — head to the event's website.
Sydney comes to flamboyant life in Mardi Gras season with shows, parties and the globally broadcasted Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday, February 29. This year's theme is 'What Matters', and you don't have to venture far from the heart of Mardi Gras to find countless fun events across the month. Queer friendly venue The Beresford is hosting festive, raucous and glitter-filled events to get you and your friends into the groove this Gay Christmas. Head to the Surry Hills party palace, no matter how you identify, to get involved in the festival. You can even pen a love letter to your beau and enter it into this competition for the chance to win a whopping $10,000 Merivale gift card. [caption id="attachment_708573" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Salkeld[/caption] GET SERIOUS AT THIS COMMUNITY ISSUES TALK As well as celebrating how far we've come, Mardi Gras is also about remembering the challenges still faced by the community. Equality Australia is presenting a talk on the topic 'Freedom of Discrimination' on Sunday, February 23, which is a good time to contemplate the issues we continue to experience. Beresford Talks is your opportunity to consider the potentially damaging impact of the Religious Discrimination Bill across health, workplaces and inclusivity. It's also completely free to attend, and we bet even your most politically engaged mates could learn a thing or two about the big issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community today. WATCH 'THE BIRDCAGE' AL FRESCO Openair cinemas are a dime a dozen in Sydney, but how about catching a classic queer movie in a beer garden? Sounds like you should grab your mates (or perhaps a date) and head over to The Beresford's courtyard to see the 1996 comedy The Birdcage on Monday, February 24, or the musical comedy Hairspray on Monday, March 2. Movies start from 7pm, and you can laugh along and enjoy food, drinks and the summer breeze as you watch. As part of the celebrations, there's a special Mardi Gras cocktail on offer, with $2 from every coconut and lime concoction going to charities Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and ACON. GET THE GANG TOGETHER FOR BINGO WITH A TWIST Bingo? Boring. Bingay? Hell, yeah. Call up your most competitive mates for a night of fabulous tunes and outrageous game rules at this drag queen-led bingo night. Hilarious penalties and lewd calls are par for the course, and as it's a popular night we suggest booking your spot early for Wednesday, February 26. You'll be in for a chance to win one of many prizes, including tickets to the official Mardi Gras Party. Expect to be serenaded with gay pride anthems and to laugh out loud to cheeky banter from your hosts Charisma Belle and Naomi Palmer. It's $20 per person and 100 percent of the proceeds go to ACON programs and services that focus on health and wellbeing services for the LGBTQIA+ community and people living with HIV. [caption id="attachment_749877" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jeffrey Feng[/caption] WATCH THE PARADE WITH A COCKTAIL IN HAND Gay Christmas is almost here. On Saturday, February 29, you can watch the glittering parade standing shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists, or from the comfort of your couch. Or, you could join in the biggest party of the year with a cosmo in hand by watching a live stream of the parade action at The Beresford. Don your most colourful outfit and take a seat in the Surry Hills courtyard as you sip on cocktails, then later dance the night away with friends old and new. There'll be jaw-dropping costumes, plus some surprise performances from queer royalty on the night. You never know who might pop by. Merivale and Absolut are celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community across a number of events this Mardi Gras. Find out where you can purchase a special Mardi Gras cocktail. Absolut Stardust, and how to profess your love for that special someone, along with the chance to win a $10,000 Merivale gift card.
Have you ever found yourself scrolling through Facebook and pausing to watch the videos of the drool-worthy desserts only to discover they're from some faraway place in Europe or the US? Never fear, Sydneysiders, there's a haven for dessert lovers right in your backyard. Bay Vista has undergone several makeovers since its establishment as a diner back in 1991, but its conversion to a dessert restaurant has by far been the most successful. No matter what your sugary vice is, Bay Vista is sure to deliver; crepes, pancakes, waffles, brownies, cakes, pies, scrolls, ice cream and fondues are all on offer until the early hours of the morning. If you aren't in the mood for a sweet treat, it also makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich. Images: Trent van der Jagt.
Bored of your usual Wednesday night entertainment? Head to Friend in Hand for something a little different: crab racing. Every last Wednesday of the month, you can expect crisp, cold schooners, or better yet $10 jugs from 7–8.30pm, while you watch an upturned bucket of hermit crabs race to the finish line. The pub's been bringing these crustacean shenanigans to Glebe for over 20 years from 8pm. So grab a jug, and get set to cheer on your fine shelled friends. Image: Kitti Gould.
