Sydney's city skyline is set to welcome a dazzling new addition, as work officially kicks off on a 50-storey glass skyscraper they're calling Quay Quarter Tower. The tower, which will be located at 50 Bridge Street, is part of a $2.7 billion development AMP Capital has planned for a 11,000-square-metre Quay Quarter Sydney precinct, just near Circular Quay. The precinct will be made up of residential space, shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. The building clocks in at a soaring 200-metres tall and is designed by Danish architects 3XN. And, if plans are anything to go by, it's set to be one impressive-looking tower, featuring five "shifting glass volumes" set on top of each other, with atrium space and some cracking views across the Harbour. At the base of the tower, there'll be an urban green space and a 5000-square-metre lifestyle, services and food retail precinct. On top of that, it will be mostly office space. If all goes to plan, it's expected to be completed by late 2021. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Quay Quarter Tower is just part of an estimated $4.8 billion worth of projects currently being built around the CBD. Via smh.com.au
Does a cocktail, meal or cup of coffee taste better when it's served up in stunning surroundings? It shouldn't, but interior design is still a pivotal part of the hospitality experience. So recognises the Australian Interior Design Awards, which also highlights spectacular decor in shops, workplaces, homes and public settings — and the annual gongs have just revealed 2024's shortlisted venues. Now in its 21st year, AIDA has found more than a few bars, restaurants, cafes, houses, offices, retailers and the like that it considers supremely stylish. This year's shortlist includes 222 projects from around the country (plus a few overseas that spring from local talent), which is a record for the awards. Not all of them are hospo joints, of course; however, the next time that you're keen to hang out in chic digs while you get sipping and eating, you'll have more than a few choices. And, the same goes for whenever the urge to browse and buy strikes, too. [caption id="attachment_949107" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Wolf Dining and Bar, Brock Beazley[/caption] Hospitality design contenders include Capella, Longshore, Bar Besuto and Hanasuki in Sydney; Reine and La Rue, The Ritz-Carlton, The Lyall, Antara 128, Enoteca Boccaccio and Purple Pit in Melbourne; and The Wolf Dining and Bar and the revamped Gerard's in Brisbane. South Australia's Pinco Deli, Fugazzi Basement and Evergreen Cafe also made the cut, as did Ember Bath House, Lawson Flats, Canteen Pizza and Yiamas in Western Australia. In the retail design category, Dissh Bondi, Sydney's LeTAO and Gelato Messina Newtown are up against Melbourne's Pidapipó Laboratorio and G McBean Family Butcher, to name just a few places on the shortlist. And, the public design field includes UQ Brisbane City, Art Gallery of New South Wales' library and members lounge, and stage three of Geelong Arts Centre. [caption id="attachment_929402" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Capella Sydney, Timothy Kaye[/caption] The rundown goes on in all fields, which means that — as proves the case every year — there's no shortage of strikingly designed new, revamped and refurbished places demanding your attention around around the country. This year's winners will be announced in-person at a dinner the Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney on Friday, June 14. [caption id="attachment_922655" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Antara 128, Haydn Cattach[/caption] [caption id="attachment_905603" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Longshore, Jason Loucas[/caption] [caption id="attachment_927271" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Enoteca Boccaccio, Peter Clarke[/caption] [caption id="attachment_928198" align="alignnone" width="1920"] LeTAO[/caption] [caption id="attachment_949111" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gelato Messina Newtown, Jack Fenby[/caption] For the full Australian Interior Design Awards 2024 shortlist, head to the AIDA website. Top image: Como Restaurant by Cieran Murphy.
Auckland four-piece Tiny Ruins are embarking on a mini-tour of Australia playing three gigs in Sydney and Melbourne. Mid-tour, they'll be releasing an EP titled Hurtling Through, which was recorded in Brooklyn earlier in the year. Originally a vehicle for the solo work of singer-songwriter Hollie Fullbrook, over the years Tiny Ruins has morphed from a one-woman side-project into an indie sensation with mainstream appeal. Don’t expect Fullbrook to account for the band’s success; the seemingly shy singer/songwriter hasn’t changed things up, instead sticking to her tried and true formula of crafting haunting, melancholic ballads. Ballads so beguiling that the band’s debut album, Some Were Meant For Sea, was recognised as one of the five best albums of 2011 by the BBC World Service no less. Simply put, this is beautiful, bittersweet, halting music. If that sounds like something you’d like to see, you can’t go wrong with Tiny Ruins.
Since 1990, every child has wished for one thing: to get stranded home alone so they could relive the ultimate 90s Christmas movie. No one really wants to spend the festive season without their family — especially when their mum is Schitt's Creek legend Catherine O'Hara — but we've all wanted to follow in Macaulay Culkin's footsteps. Admit it, we've all yelled "keep the change, ya filthy animal!" in hope, too. Expect that line — and the entire seasonal cinematic treat that is Home Alone — to echo through the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall when 2024's festive season rolls around. Here's one way to relive the movie: watching it play in the hefty venue with a live soundtrack. As part of its just-announced season for next year, Sydney Symphony Orchestra is bringing the film back to the big screen in the best possible way, aka in concert, and welcoming the merriest time of the year in the most appropriate fashion. Home Alone made a star out of Culkin and, yes, made every 90s kid (and 00s and 10s kid as well) hope their family went on holidays without them. It truly is the best movie there is about an eight-year-old who outsmarts two burglars while living it up without his parents and siblings — and while it charts Kevin McCallister's antics, it also boasts a rousing Oscar-nominated score by iconic composer John Williams. That's what the SSO will bust out from Friday, December 6–Sunday, December 8, 2024 (and there's your essential end-of-year viewing taken care of next year). If your response to the above news is to hold your hands to your cheeks and exclaim, then you'll know that Home Alone isn't just any old Christmas flick. It's one of the highest-grossing Christmas films of all time. And, it's spawned sequels great (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) and forgettable (all the other ones, including 2021's Home Sweet Home Alone). The adored picture is also one of three that SSO will play through as it graces the silver screen in 2024. The other two: the glorious classic that is Singin' in the Rain, plus the animated delights of How to Train Your Dragon. Gene Kelly and wet weather will get their turn across Friday, April 12–Saturday, April 13, while Hiccup is in the spotlight on Saturday, August 24 — both also at Sydney Opera House. The three events sit on a growing roster of movie-themed performances for the SSO, including concerts focused on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, 100 years of Disney flicks, Black Panther, The Princess Bride and Hans Zimmer in 2023. Sydney Symphony Orchestra's Home Alone in Concert will take place from Friday, December 6–Sunday, December 8, 2024 at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. For more information about SSO's 2024 season, and tickets, head to the organisation's website.
Italy's Cesare Marchese, aka Cesare vs Disorder brings his own brand of groove-laden techno to Goodgod Small Club this Saturday, on behalf of Subsonic and Techno Tuesday. Marchese, a resident DJ at infamous Berlin club Kater Holzig, is joined by sultry Brazilian DJ Anna Leevia, who has been making a name for herself spinning at Berlin hotspots Club Der Visionäre and the late Bar25. Since his debut performance in Australia at the ‘09 Subsonic Music Festival, Cesare's club credentials have sky-rocketed thanks to his tracks being released on labels like Vakant and having featured on mixes from techno-luminaries such as Sven Vath, Konrad Black and Damian Lazarus. There’s never been a better time to become acquainted with Cesare — not only is he on the cusp of releasing an EP with Inxec, Konrad Black and Cesar Merveille, he is also reportedly set to unleash his debut artist album mid-2012. Marchese and Leevia are joined by Glitch DJs, MSG and seductive microhouse entrepreneur Chris Honnery. The party kicks off at 10pm and, in true Goodgod fashion, runs till the wee hours. $15 presale tickets are available through Resident Advisor.
This Sydney Festival favourite returns to Parramatta Park for another evening of gorgeous music by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the open night skies. Grab your friends, family, or current flame, pack a picnic and a blanket, and relax into the summery dusk for a night of music that will make you feel a bit like you're living in a film. The orchestra, conducted by Benjamin Northey, will run through some classics from the likes of Rossini, Strauss and Tchaikovsky, as well as some John Williams film scores that you're likely to recognise. The whole thing goes for three hours, so be sure to pack a good haul of snacks and drinks. Image: Victor Frankowski.
March can often arrive with a pang of seasonal realisation — summer's done. But there are some who resist the change, especially those intent on creating an entire beach festival in Coogee. You'll quickly forget any farewells to the sunnier months at the Coogee Foreshore Festival, a seaside celebration transforming Coogee Pavilion's ground floor into a burgeoning marketplace. It's just one tasty, beachy adventure in five weeks of March into Merivale. "This year, we have upped the ante to deliver a jam-packed five-week festival of the senses," says Justin Hemmes, Merivale CEO. "March into Merivale will show you how to live larger every day of the week as food, wine, adventure and surprises explode together in over 50 amazing events." The festival kicks off with a lavish launch party on Wednesday, February 25, which will showcase the best nosh and drinkies from over 20 Merivale venues all in one event at ivy. From Ash Street to Palings, you'll be able to stroll through the stalls for $45 entry, handpick your favourite Merivale snackery and maybe meet the chef. Then there's the new Coogee Foreshore Festival on Sunday, March 15. Set at one of our favourite openings from 2014, the $45-a-head festival will see Merivale pop-ups such as Papi Chulo, Mr Wong, El Loco and sushi e all taking their spot along the promenade, while roaming entertainment, a Deus surfboard-shaping stand and face painting bubbles inside. Weeknights are a thing to look forward to during March Into Merivale. Monday Detox will see free Lululemon yoga sessions every Monday night at ivy Pool Club (with $25 healthy dish and mocktail specials at Papi Chulo, The Fish Shop, Coogee Pavilion, The Beresford Hotel and Uccello). Tuesday Date Nights includes two courses for two at the same Merivale establishments, plus a bottle of San Pellegrino and a choice of beverage from Villa Maria, Chandon or Heineken, from $45 per person. Throughout the festival, diners with a love of adventure can book a 'Mystery Dinner'. You could end up in any Merivale eatery, from the grand dining room at est. to Potts Pott hangout Ms.G’s. Wednesday Showcase Events will see a dessert-only feature night at Establishment, Merivale Wines tastings at ivy, a European-focused night in ivy's laneway and an Asian cuisine 'Wok On!' party with hip hop, neon installations and stalls taking over Establishment. Savoir Fare Thursday is the fanciest of them all — and one for true Merivale enthusiasts — where Merivale kitchen masters including Dan Hong, Peter Doyle, Jordan Toft, Danielle Alvarez and Jeremy Strode will each take a turn to host their ultimate dinner party at ivy Private Dining Room, and hand over their skills to budding chefs while they're hosting (from $150 per person, limited 22 seats available each event). For the sweet tooth, Merivale’s queen of pastry, Lorraine Godsmark, will be taking weekly masterclasses at $80 per person. Weekends are where the party really ignites for MIM. Each Friday night will see a different Merivale venue picked for the 'Friday Surprise' — it'll be Establishment, ivy Pool Club, Slip Inn, Palings or Beresford. The 'surprise' can be anything from opera to impromptu cabaret, so be prepared. Saturdays will see a string of Merivale parties from Pacha Sydney's new Maison de Fous to the Beresford’s Mardi Gras Party. Then you'll dust it all off with Sunday Brunch, Merivale-style — Breakfast a la Française (Felix, 1 March), Mardi Gras Recovery Brunch (Beresford, 8 March), BBQ Brunch (Papi Chulo, 22 Mar) and Brunch Italiana (Uccello, 29 March). It's $55 per person including a set brunch feast and a glass of Chandon Rosé. Summer might be done according to the calendar, but there's no reason to dwell in melted daiquiris and uneaten Christmas chocolate. Forward march to autumn.
These days, you pretty much know what you're getting going into a Michael Moore film: snappy (if also convenient) editing, some cringeworthy stunts, and a broad comparison of America's woes compared to all those other countries doing it better. You watch Sicko and you leave feeling a little bit glum, a little bit entertained, and convinced universal healthcare would be better for the United States, but that it's probably never going to happen because of big business and dirty politics. Then you watch Where To Invade Next and you leave feeling a little bit glum, a little bit entertained, and convinced that US drug and prison policy would be worth overhauling, but that it's probably never going to happen because of big business and dirty politics. Fahrenheit 11/9 kicks off in exactly the same fashion, but oh man does it shift gears and deliver something unexpected by the end. You leave feeling a little bit entertained, a whole lot glum, and entirely convinced that nothing short of democracy itself (to the extent it exists at all within the United States) is at risk of collapse because of, yes, big business and dirty politics. And no, that's not even close to hyperbole. This is a fine return to form for Moore, pulling a remarkable bait and switch such that his ultimate point comes at you just as you're beginning to question if he even has one. He achieves this by constantly changing Fahrenheit 11/9's subject matter and tone, beginning with an amusing recap on the smug and almost jovial certainty with which everyone from the Democratic National Committee to the Republican Party to the media (including Fox) and even the Trump camp itself assumed Hilary Clinton had the 2016 election in the bag. Like Showtime's excellent The Circus, this section of the film carries with it an uncomfortable blend of dramatic irony, on account of us knowing how it all ended up, coupled with an ongoing dismay that, well, that's actually how it all ended up. But then it changes tact and jumps to Flint, Michigan, where the contamination of the city's water supply led to an ongoing lead poisoning crisis. And then it jumps again, this time to school shootings. Then it's Ivanka Trump. Then Bernie Sanders and Hitler, and you find yourself wondering what the hell is this guy doing? What he's doing is establishing a pattern, using small-scale examples examined with deep journalistic scrutiny, and then stepping back and applying that insight to national, global and even historical events. The litany of unfathomable scandals in Flint are used not only to shock us, but to reveal how Governor Rick Snyder's corporate influences first emboldened, then enabled, his wholesale suspension of democracy in the state (effectively a coup d'état in Moore's opinion). That it's unfathomable is the point: these successions of outrages, whilst shocking, do not in isolation feel like a crisis point to anyone other than those hapless few affected. Combined, though, they serve to steadily erode matters of far-reaching significance like voter confidence and trust in the three branches of government. The takeaway is, if it can happen in a town like Flint with the world watching on and still nobody does anything, then it can happen in your town, too. And then your state. And then your country. But back to the whole Hitler thing. Ordinarily, thanks to Godwin's Law, you'd assume it's at that precise moment when Moore's point, however salient, loses all credibility. Instead, courtesy of some unsettlingly frank interviews with experts like Yale History Professor Timothy Snyder, we realise Moore isn't saying Trump is Hitler 2.0. Rather, he's showing that the current apathy and perhaps even amusement with which everyone from the experts to the press to the voting public dismisses or downplays each of Trump's outrageous comments and racist, bigoted, sexist or protectionist policies, is precisely what happened in Weimar Germany. It's just puffery until it's not. Just a weather balloon until it's not. Just a joke, until there's nothing funny about it at all. And that's the same for Fahrenheit 11/9. It starts out quite amusing, but by its conclusion there are no more cheeky edits from Moore, nor any sniggers from the audience. It's a straight-up slap in the face, softened only by buying into Moore's unbridled enthusiasm for the activist youth movement in America (led by the likes of the survivors of the Parkland school shooting) and the surge of independent candidates and representatives poised to shake the foundations of the DNC. There are still some unnecessary stunts from Moore, along with some broader-than-usual bows drawn, but they're fleeting enough to have no impact on his broader message. The Flint section alone makes Fahrenheit 11/9 a film worthy of your time, but it's the whole that makes it so affecting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZeLvaflLLc
Both Mondays and the winter season have a pretty iffy rep; constantly scorned for following sunnier, happier, seemingly more leisurely times. But wintry Mondays are about to become something to look forward to; with one Sydney establishment taking it upon themselves to sweeten the start-of-week deal with a good ol' fashioned free movie night. Manly Wharf Hotel is transforming their main bar into a mini seaside cinema every Monday night from tonight until September. Locked in for Monday nights from June 1 to September 29, Manly Wharf Hotel's new weekly Monday Night Movies series combines bean bags, $10 movie meals and plenty of popcorn with one pretty excellent film program running on the hotel's two-metre TV — we're talking cult favourites, sleepover classics and a few 'movies you should have seen by now'. Kicking off with perfect seaside film Jaws on June 1, the lineup includes surf classic Big Wednesday, White Russian-accompaniment The Big Lebowski, immortal tearjerker The Notebook, George Miller's original Mad Max, Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs and plenty more. It's a pretty cheap and easy way to start your week off on an effortlessly good note, with the Wharf Hotel kitchen cranking out a $10 movie menu just for Monday nights — think pub classics like barbecue chicken or Margherita pizzas, veggie, beef and chicken burgers. Or you could pop into the Burger Liquor Lobster pop-up and nab a cheeky lobster roll. There'll be $10 Tooheys New and Hahn Super Dry jugs and $10 weekly cocktails — also in jugs. Best bit? You can order from your bean bag; the MWH staff will be running a Gold Class-like in-seat service (without the Gold Class price tag). MANLY WHARF HOTEL MONDAY NIGHT MOVIES PROGRAM: Monday June 1 Jaws Monday June 8 Big Wednesday Monday June 15 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Monday June 22 The Wolf of Wall Street Monday June 29 The Big Lebowski Monday July 6 Pulp Fiction Monday July 13 The Notebook Monday July 20 Ocean’s Eleven Monday July 27 Thelma and Louise Monday 3 August The Blues Brothers Monday 10 August Reservoir Dogs Monday 17 August Legend of Ron Burgundy Monday 31 August Wayne’s World Monday 7 September Fight Club Monday 14 September The Hangover Monday 21 September Mad Max Monday 28 September Silence of the Lambs
Having won over the hungry hordes with his recent takeovers of (the now-closed) Bar Brosé and Casoni, Ételek chef Adam Wolfers (ex-Yellow) is now set to move into Enmore's The Gretz. Running the kitchen for one day only, he'll be teaming up with owner-chef Gregory Llewellyn to create a cornucopia of Jewish Hungarian bar food. "Expect to see lots of fun snacks with a main focus on vegetables and seafood," Adam says. Look out for storm clams with crushed potato and bay oil, as well as barbecued oysters with walnut, fennel and red wine. Then, of course, there's the mighty lángos: a Hungarian fried bread snack that Wolfers will serve with smoked sour cream, dukkah and caviar. As expected, it goes damn well with beer — and The Gretz offers a good selection of local craft drops, including Yulli's blood orange pilsner and Willie the Boatman's Corn Ale.
About a 40-minute drive from Nelson Bay is Tilligerry Habitat, a nine-hectare reserve situated on the foreshore of Tanilba Bay. This area is open every day (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day) and free to visit — just grab a map from the Environment Office and set off exploring. Within the reserve, there are gravel tracks and boardwalks that'll lead you through swamp mahogany paperbark forest and woodland and over freshwater streams. If you want to know what to keep an eye out for, the habitat's website has a few guides to download on the birds and orchids that are often seen in the area — a reptile guide is coming soon, too, and there's a sensory guide that'll help you identify the native flora to see, touch, smell and, in some cases, taste. You may also get to see some native fauna — echidnas, bandicoots and koalas are regularly spotted in the habitat. This website, which tracks recent koala sightings, will point you in the right direction.
2021 swarmed with historic achievements for women in film, including Nomadland's Chloë Zhao becoming the first woman of colour and only second woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Director, that category's nomination of two female filmmakers for the first time in its then 93-year history and the Cannes Film Festival awarding the Palme d'Or to a woman — Titane's Julia Ducournau — for only the second time. But before all of that, Kosovo-born writer/director Blerta Basholli achieved something at the Sundance Film Festival that'd never been done either: winning the US fest's World Cinema Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award and Best Director gong for Hive. It was a well-deserved feat for a movie that'd stick in memory even without such an achievement, and it's easy to see why Sundance's jurors and viewers responded with such a show of support. A powerhouse of a true tale that's brought to the screen with a devastatingly potent lead performance, Hive is simply unshakeable. In Basholli's first feature, to peer at star Yllka Gashi (Kukumi) is to look deep into a battler's eyes. Hive directs its attention her way frequently. The also-Kosovan actor plays Fahrije Hoti, a woman who has never been allowed to stop fighting, although the men in her patriarchal village would prefer she'd keep quiet. They wish she'd just attend to her duties as a mother and do what's expected. They think she should be a silent, compliant wife, although there's a significant problem with that idea. With her husband missing for years due to the Kosovo War, she can't be a meekly obedient spouse even if that was in her nature — which it isn't — because the man she loves is gone, no sign of him either dead or alive has been recovered, and she's trapped in limbo as she waits, tries to keep caring for her family and endeavours to go on. Those dismissive, misogynistic attitudes flung at Fahrije by her community join the litany of roadblocks that she's forced to rally against with every word, thought and breath she has. In her husband's absence, her father-in-law Haxhi (Çun Lajçi, Zana) is eager to maintain the status quo, but Fahrije has been trying to make ends meet anyway, all in a town — and amidst a male-dominated culture — that couldn't be more unsympathetic to her plight. She isn't alone, however, with many of the locale's other women also widowed due to the conflict, and similarly expected to survive without upsetting traditional gender roles. So, with the beehives that she dutifully attends to unable to keep providing enough income to pay her bills, the enterprising Fahrije and her friend Nazmije (Kumrije Hoxha, The Marriage) decide to start a female-run co-operative to make and sell ajvar, a pepper relish. A picture of stinging resilience, unflappable fortitude and baked-in sorrow, Gashi is phenomenal as Fahrije. Not only does Hive keep gazing her way but, thanks to the raw compulsion of her performance, viewers eagerly do the same. The skill required to play stoic but also persistent, passionate and simmering with internalised pain can't be underestimated, and watching Gashi navigate that balance like it's the only thing she knows — because, for Fahrije after her husband's disappearance, it now is — is affecting on a gutwrenching level. Lived-in fury and resolve buzzes through every facet of her portrayal, all as the woman whose shoes she's walking in weathers derision, violence and attempted sexual assault for daring to dream of attempting to support herself. It comes as no surprise that various film festival prizes have been sent Gashi's way among Hive's collection of accolades, with ample merit. Such masterful and moving work is never an actor's alone, though — and, behind the lens, Basholli puts in just as magnificent an effort in making Fahrije's story, and Gashi's performance along with it, so commanding and all-consuming. Both the filmmaker and her lead play with reality, drawing upon the real-life Hoti's stirring and inspiring experiences; however, Hive could never be mistaken for a standard biopic. Basholli's script may trace a familiar narrative arc, as many tales of rallying against adversity and oppression do, but nothing about her film feels as if its beats are being faithfully hit to chart a straightforward path and evoke an easy emotional reaction — not at any time, and not even once. Instead, the meticulous care that's been put into every exactingly staged and observed scene is evident at every moment, resulting in a movie that's not just rousing but thoroughly lived-in. Understated in its style and unfurling of its story alike, if the blistering Hive shares similarities with any other features, it's with the work of Basholli's fellow Kosovan filmmakers who've also used their movies to grapple with the impact of the war, the way women have historically been treated, the dynamics within relationships as a result, the reality of life in the post-conflict Balkan republic and/or bits of all of the above. Perusing the country's list of Academy Award submissions paints that picture clearly, including 2014's Three Widows and a Hanging, 2018's The Marriage and 2019's Zana — all films that are as culturally specific about their setting as any can be. But, again, Hive is its own achievement. Perhaps it's more accurate to see Basholli's film as building upon the portrait that past features have started to shade in of her homeland, complete with its own layers and colours. It also adds to the snapshot-within-a-snapshot that've depicted what it means to be a woman on Kosovan soil as well. Defiance, determination, sporting both in the face of dispiriting and overwhelming forces that want the opposite of what's truly in your best interests, rebelling against convention and the patriarchy, doing just what needs to be done: that's what pulsates through Hive, Gashi's performance and Basholli's directorial choices. So does a shatteringly astute exploration of wading through grief so thick that it may as well be an ocean — of honey or ajvar, take your pick. That's where this deeply resonant film's intimate stares in its protagonist's direction pierce even sharper, seeing everything she's feeling, and just her in general, when so few in her midst will. It's why its scenes of Fahrije and her fellow widows disregarding everything they're told, soldiering on despite the backlash they receive physically and emotionally, and just sitting and making their pepper relish are so fierce and unforgettable, and yet also hopeful, too.
There were a few risks involved in the opening of Son of a Baker, the patisserie-cum-cafe in south Sydney suburb San Souci. The first was co-owner Roman Urosevski's decision to break out on his own rather than take over the family bakery as assumed; his father has been running the popular Alexander's Bakery for over two decades. The second was the location: Son of a Baker sits within a nondescript strip of shops at the sleepy Dolls Point-end of the Grand Parade — not exactly the type of place even locals would expect to find a decent feed. In an attempt to neutralise these risks, Urosevski teamed up with Marcus Gorgè, a Sydney cafe veteran (Local MBassy, Chimichuri), to open the cafe in early 2018. And it's safe to say: the risk paid off. Within only a few weeks, the Alexander's Bakery outpost in Westfield Miranda switched to a Son of a Baker store — a vote of confidence from Dad — and when we visited on a wintry Sunday morning, it was teeming with people. To figure out why, let's start with the space. Designer Korolos Ibrahim kept things things sleek and modern — pale timber tables, parquet flooring, washed cement walls and a marble counter holding a matte white coffee machine. The small space is made bigger by bifold windows overlooking the street and beach beyond. Up the back, a glass divider lets the curious look on as the pastry chefs get to work. It's small details like this that add warmth and character. Another one is the burek, a baked and stuffed Balkan pastry, which Urosevski used to make with his father. If you haven't cottoned on yet, this familial relationship is where the cafe's cheeky moniker comes from. Burek flavours vary, but during our visit there was pulled pork (soaked in orange and passionfruit) and spinach and leek. The cafe's two Macedonian pastry chefs, who were brought over from Alexander's Bakery, have also refined the dough to be vegan. It's important to call out here that the burek simply shouldn't be missed — but easily could be with red velvet croissants, nutella cronuts and strudels also on offer. Where Son of a Baker's fit-out is stunning in its simplicity, its food takes the opposite approach. Every plate on the eat-in menu has been designed by Gorgè to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible, which shows a strong attention to detail, but also means that food envy here is a very real danger. The menu is divided into brunch dishes and sweet treats. More than half of the former are vegetarian and there are varied cultural nods throughout — think shakshuka ($18), a falafel bowl ($19) and piperchi ($18), charred peppers, aged lamb prosciutto and feta with scrambled eggs. But if looks are important (hey, no judgement here), you'll want to opt for one of the burgers — barramundi with miso butter ($24), pulled pork with pear sauce ($22) or chicken with shiso slaw ($19) — served on a charcoal milk bun. Or there's the signature lobster tail benedict ($25) which, yes, is just as decadent as it sounds — three generous strips of lobster tail, two poached eggs, scallops, smashed avo, orange gel and hollandaise served in a croissant. There's a lot going on. It's not really a cohesive dish, but it's certainly fun. As is the butterfly pancakes ($18) which incorporate the uber-trendy butterfly pea powder to give the pancakes a purple hue. Drinks are simpler, but no less colourful, with coffee by Zest, freshly squeezed juices, smoothies and, no surprises, heavenly red velvet and taro lattes. Service is warm, in the way you'd expect from a neighbourhood spot, and slick, in the way you might not. It's the final piece of the puzzle that has seen this small suburban eatery go from strength to strength. It might take a little extra effort to get to Son of a Baker, but you'll be glad you made the trip. Images: Michael Wee.
Grab your woollies and get ready to celebrate all things chilly at the Bathurst Winter Festival. The two-week event celebrates the magic of the colder months — just because it's winter doesn't mean you can't get out and have a fun time. Bathurst will light up in a blaze of colour as interactive light installations project onto the town's historic architecture. Rug up and head along to the Winter Playground, where you can get your Nancy Kerrigan on at the ice-skating rink. Kids and adults alike will enjoy riding the giant ferris wheel. Held on the first and second Saturday, there will be two twilight Festival Nights. The first, Ignite the Night, will kick off the festival with local tunes and stunning light shows scattered around the village. The second, Brew and Bite, features twilight markets, with gourmet food trucks and lots of the all-essential mulled wine.
UPDATE, October 29, 2020: Halloween is available to stream via Netflix, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. The boogeyman is back, and his warped face mask, stolen mechanic's overalls and gleaming kitchen knife too. But Michael Myers' return isn't the entire point of the latest (and second greatest) Halloween. While the creepy convicted killer stalks the streets of Haddonfield, Illinois as if he's never left, Jamie Lee Curtis' resourceful and determined Laurie Strode is back as well — and in the current version of events, she's spent four decades preparing for this very moment. Once a 17-year-old babysitter targeted by an escaped criminal asylum patient on October 31, Laurie is now a silver-haired, gun-toting grandmother. Living in a compound-like property in her hometown, she's so intent on facing her attacker that she has dedicated years to this very purpose. Laurie's now-adult daughter Karen (Judy Greer) resents her for the impact that it had on her childhood, while teenage granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) is caring but concerned. Regardless, Laurie knows that Michael will come for her — and when he again breaks free en route to a new psychiatric facility, she's proven accurate. Carnage ensues, just as it did in John Carpenter's original slasher classic. As Haddonfield trick-or-treats like it's any other Halloween in any other place, Michael adds more notches to his body count, Laurie lies in wait and Allyson follows in her grandmother's footsteps like it's 40 years earlier. Directed by David Gordon Green (Stronger) and co-written with frequent collaborator Danny McBride, 2018's Halloween knows how to incite bumps, jumps and screams, many of which will be gloriously familiar to seasoned Halloween buffs. But, with Carpenter's blessing and a new musical score from the horror maestro and composer, this take on the franchise also knows how to carve its own path. Now reaching its 11th instalment, Halloween unleashes the series' fourth different timeline, ignoring everything else except the initial 1978 flick. Black Mirror just announced that it's making a choose-your-own-adventure episode, but this franchise has been doing it for decades. Viewers can pick the cultish thread that eventually connects the first five sequels (including the Michael-free Halloween III: Season of the Witch), Laurie's first big return in Halloween: H20 and its terrible follow-up Halloween: Resurrection, or Rob Zombie's two remakes, however the series' next chapter is the most thrilling, perceptive and satisfying. Green and McBride are clearly fond of Carpenter's seminal work, stripping the saga's underlying suburban nightmare back to its terrifying basics, while contemplating the consequences of terrible trauma. Their film recognises the scariest fact of life: that truly awful things happen for absolutely no reason, and that they cast a dark shadow. That makes 2018's Halloween a powerful account of the ways that horrific acts shape the lives of survivors, as well as a celebration of women rallying to reclaim their own story. Nothing robs inexplicable terror of its potency quite like its intended victims refusing to be defined by fear. Thankfully, this Halloween isn't just thoughtful — it's thoroughly entertaining, even when it's hitting recognisable notes. Balancing the old and the new is a game that this sequel plays as well as Michael plays cat-and-mouse, from subverting genre tropes initially established by the series, to lovingly nodding to its many predecessors. When the true crime podcasters (played by Jefferson Hall and Rhian Rees) who kickstart the film's narrative visit Haddonfield's cemetery, and when Laurie calls new doctor Sartain (Haluk Bilginer) the "new Loomis", franchise devotees will want to cheer. When the movie turns Laurie into Michael's boogeyman, rather than vice versa, everyone will want to applaud. Of course, as plenty of horror shockers have demonstrated over the last 40 years — including a few Halloween follow-ups — it's not enough to simply work through the Halloween checklist. While 2018's Halloween does that with finesse and fondness that goes beyond mere fan service,it also feels the part thanks to its unsettling atmosphere and ample blood splatter. There's lingering menace in Michael Simmonds' (Nerve) cinematography, both when it's mirroring old shots from the original and bringing its own flourishes. Collaborating with his son Cody and godson Daniel Davies, Carpenter's score reworks the iconic synth and piano-heavy music that has served the series so well, but with a suitably bleaker tone. They both contribute to the sequel that Carpenter's seminal picture has deserved for all of these years. That said, 2018's Halloween does present a conundrum. It's the perfect culmination to the long-running franchise but, more than any other chapter, it leaves the audience pumped for more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL_I2vNwkXQ
It may sound like a cliché, describing a filmmaker as courageous. But when it comes to Jafar Panahi, it really is the only word that fits. For years, Panahi's films, including The Circle and Offside, drew the ire of censors in his native Iran for their frank depictions of the hardships felt by people, and particularly women, under the nation's conservative regime. This came to a head in 2010 when he was arrested on propaganda charges and later slapped with a 20 year ban from filmmaking – a ban he has been defying ever since. Tehran Taxi, which won the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival back in February, is Panahi's third film to be made under these restrictions, following This Is Not A Film in 2011 and Closed Curtain in 2013. Those films were shot in secret in his apartment and beachside villa, respectively. This time he's a little bolder, shooting surreptitiously from the inside of a cab as he drives it around the city, capturing his conversations with various passengers – including a schoolteacher, a lawyer and a thief – with a small dashboard camera. Whether these characters are real people or actors (or a combination of both) is intentionally left unclear, as Panahi playfully blurs the line between documentary and fiction. It's this playfulness and good humour that is key to the movie's success. In Panahi's previous two films, you can sense his frustration and feelings of helplessness – and given his situation, you can hardly hold that against him. They're fascinating works, and important, but more by virtue of their existence than their content. They feel like therapy, not films. Tehran Taxi, on the other hand, plays like a movie in its own right. Here, Panahi mixes the meta elements of his recent output with the shrewd social commentary of his pre-arrest work, all buoyed by a lightness and a cheekiness that makes it accessible to audiences far beyond the arthouse. Indeed, much of Tehran Taxi plays like a straightforward comedy. In one segment, a friendly vendor of pirated DVDs attempts to partner up with Panahi, reasoning that more people will buy his wares – including copies of Midnight in Paris and The Big Bang Theory – if he's working with a famous filmmaker. In another segment, Panahi must ferry two panicked, superstitious old women across town, so they might return their goldfish to a sacred spring in order to buy themselves another year of life. But the most delightful scenes belong to Panahi's young niece Hana, whose lively repartee with her uncle – after he picks her up an hour late from primary school – will leave you smiling from ear to ear. Of course even beneath the humour, Panahi's rebellious spirit shines through. Hana, we soon learn, wants to make a film herself, but she's baffled by the instructions of her school teacher, who insists that movies mustn't discuss political or economic issues, and that the students should remove anything dark or unpleasant. "There are realities they don't want shown," explains her uncle. In another scene, they give a ride to a friend of Panahi's, human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is on her way to visit the family of a woman who has been imprisoned for trying to sneak into a volleyball game. Yet even the film's more more serious moments, or in its abrupt, unsettling ending, Tehran Taxi leaves viewers with a sense of hope. It's a film that throws the hypocrisy of oppressors back in their face, and does so with a wry sense of humour. We'll end this review with a quote from filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, who headed the Berlin Festival jury that awarded Panahi top honours. "Instead of allowing his spirit to be crushed and giving up, instead of allowing himself to be filled with anger and frustration, Jafar Panahi created a love letter to cinema. His film is filled with love for his art, his community, his country and his audience." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOAOxsHVTYk
We've officially entered one of the busiest times of the year when it comes to buying gifts for the fam. Luckily, Black Friday deals make it a lot more affordable, especially if you have a big family. To help you get prepped, we've narrowed down some of the best bargains from Amazon for mums, dads, kids, sisters, brothers and partners. From coffee machines to cookbooks, skincare essentials and wardrobe staples, these savings are tantalizingly good, so get shopping and make the most of the deals while they last. For Mum Often the most self-sacrificing people when it comes to gifts, mum absolutely deserves a treat. From skincare to some newfound inspiration in the kitchen, these Black Friday deals will have you covered. Philips Espresso Machine for $699.00 – 41% off. VT COSMETICS CICA Reedle Shot 100 Serum for $26.40 – 47% off. RecipeTin Eats: Dinner by Nagi Maehashi for $24.00 – 47% off NIVEA SUN UV Face Shine Control Sunscreen for $8.99 – 50% off. Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker for $138.98 – 54% off. COSRX Snail MucinPower Repairing Essence Hydrating Serum for $12.99 – 66% off. For Dad Grab the dads in your life some gifts they will love, like an air fryer for lazy, healthy dinners or even a new watch if you think his outfits are in need of a little bit of extra flair. The Voice Inside by John Farnham for $29.00 – 42% off. Philips 5000 Series Air Fryer for $229.00 – 49% off. Inkbird Digital Meat Thermometer for $18.99 – 51% off. Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results Book for $17.49 – 53% off. Bonds Men's Underwear Cotton Action for $19.99 – 43% off. Tommy Hilfiger Men's Stainless Steel Watch for $139.00 – 58% off. For Your Sister or Girlfriend You really can't go wrong with some new shoes, hair accessories or nice-smelling stuff for the girls in your life. You can thank us later. d'Alba Italian White Truffle Toner for $19.98 – 50% off. Australian Food by Bill Granger for $29.00 – 42% off. Calvin Klein, Carousel Thong 5 Pack for $35.99 – 56% off. Dr. Martens Unisex Myles Brando Leather Slide Sandal for $139.99 – 46% off. Philips 5000 Series Hair Straightener for $64.99 – 40% off. Philosophy Cinnamon Buns Shampoo, Bath And Shower Gel for $13.55 – 60% off. For Your Brother or Boyfriend Whether they're a tech nerd, Lord of the Rings obsessed or are more of the active type, we've narrowed down some of the best low-price gifts to suit any kind of guy. BUZIO Insulated Water Bottle for $29.58 – 44% off. The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings Box Set for $40.24 – 50% off. Sennheiser Momentum 4 Special Edition Headphones for $335.00 – 46% off. MERRELL Men's Moab 3 GTX Hiking Shoe for $128.99 – 54% off. Calvin Klein One Eau De Toilette for $33.94 – 86% off. UGREEN Magsafe Power Bank for $49.99 – 42% off. For Kids If there's one thing we're certain of, is that it's oh-so-easy to make kids smile with a simple gift that will guarantee endless entertainment, whether it's a book, a board game or a toy you've heard them begging for the past six months. The Adventures of Tintin Complete Boxset for $149.90 – 57% off. Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Portable Speaker for $149.00 – 40% off. PicassoTiles 100 Piece Magnetic Playboards Tiles Set for $45.60 – 49% off. Barbie DreamHouse for $175.00 – 53% off. Blokus for $19.99 – 52% off. Crocs Kids' Bayaband Sandal for $28.04 – 42% off. Images: Supplied. This article contains affiliate links, Concrete Playground may earn a commission when you make a purchase through links on our site.
With a new superhero movie hitting cinemas every month, or near enough, you can be forgiven for feeling a bit fatigued with the general premise. With box office domination comes more of the same; however the genre's popularity is also inspiring creative takes on the concept — and in the case of Brightburn, something dark and creepy. You mightn't recognise the movie's moniker, given that it stems from an original script rather than an existing comic book property, but Guardians of the Galaxy writer/director James Gunn is the producer's chair. The first release with his name on it after he was fired from the Marvel franchise earlier this year, it was written by his brother Brian and cousin Mark. Brightburn also features a cast led by Elizabeth Banks, who starred in Gunn's pre-Guardians horror flick Slither. Directed by David Yarovesky (who also has a Guardians credit, appearing on-screen as a goth ravager), the premise starts in familiar territory. A child from another world crashes to earth, and is taken in by a caring couple (Banks and The Office's David Denman). But before you start thinking about Superman, this is a horror movie — and it definitely doesn't feature the man of steel. Brightburn opens in Australian cinemas on May 23, 2019 — check out the trailer below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lCimwXO0-U&feature=youtu.be
He's been hailed as the king of documentaries, known for his fearless deep dives into the boldest of subjects, from sex trafficking to religious extremists and just about everything in between. And now, Louis Theroux is stepping out from in front of the camera and onto the stage, venturing Down Under for his second Aussie speaking tour this summer. In January, the intrepid BBC filmmaker will hit Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, here to share his secrets in new show Louis Theroux Without Limits. The fearless journalist will be joined by local media personality Julia Zemiro for a two-hour on-stage adventure, dropping insights into his extraordinary life and behind-the-scenes secrets from his impressive catalogue of work. With more than two decades of filmmaking experience and multiple awards under his belt, Theroux has a knack for digging deep and getting people to spill the beans, telling it exactly how it is. From the opioid epidemic and the San Fernando Valley porn industry to the Church of Scientology, his work has given him countless fascinating stories to dish up on this latest speaking tour. "Australians are obviously connoisseurs of the weird side of life," Theroux said in a statement. "I look forward to coming back to share even more memorable moments and extraordinary stories from the people I have encountered in my films." He was last here in 2016, when he took his (sell-out) speaking tour to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. While you wait for Louis to head Down Under, you can catch his new series of documentaries on BBC Knowledge from Thursday, June 27. You can check out a teaser for the new show Louis Theroux Without Limits here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bcgv0S4Wj8&feature=youtu.be LOUIS THEROUX WITHOUT LIMITS 2020 DATES Sunday, January 12 – Riverside Theatre, Perth Monday, January 13 – Convention Centre, Adelaide Wednesday, January 15 – Brisbane Convention Centre, Brisbane Thursday, January 16 – Royal Theatre, Canberra Friday January 17 – State Theatre, Sydney Sunday, January 19 – Plenary Theatre, Melbourne Tickets to Louis Theroux Without Limits go on sale at 9am on Monday, June 24. You can sign up for pre-sale on the website.
UPDATE, August 3, 2020: Downhill is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. "Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." They're the wise words of cinema's current king, aka multi-Oscar-winning Parasite filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, who made the above comment to a room full of Hollywood heavyweights at this year's Golden Globes. It's just a statement of fact — and while you could say that the folks behind Downhill have taken his advice, they've really just followed a frustrating trend. Remaking Swedish movie Force Majeure, they've read the subtitles, then decided that the world desperately needs an English-language version of Ruben Ostlund's (The Square) exceptional 2014 Cannes award-winner. This isn't the first time a great movie in a language other than English has received the remake treatment. And, as the likes of 12 Monkeys, Insomnia, The Departed, Let Me In and Gloria Bell have demonstrated, such a path doesn't always end badly. But Downhill is such a broad and simplistic adaptation of a savage and stunningly complex film that it only seems to be motivated by three factors. The first: money, cashing in on Force Majeure's modest success. The second: teaming up Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell. The third: taking a great concept and dumbing it down for the widest possible audience. Who needs a sharp, smart exploration of festering marital troubles and engrained gender roles — in Swedish, no less — when you can plonk a fighting, holidaying couple in a cross-cultural comedy? That appears to be writer/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash's (The Way, Way Back) favoured approach. The setup: on vacation in the Alps, the Stauntons have skiing and bonding firmly on their minds. Then, over what should be an uneventful lunch, a controlled avalanche completely changes their getaway's vibe. Snow rolls towards the chalet where Pete (Ferrell), Billie (Louis-Dreyfus) and their kids (Julian Grey and Ammon Jacob Ford) are discussing their soup options, and it doesn't seem to be stopping. Billie throws her arms around her sons, but Pete grabs his phone, jumps up and bolts. When the incident is over — leaving everyone shaken, frosty but unharmed — Pete's family can't quite look at him the same way, especially when he claims loudly and angrily that he didn't abandon his nearest and dearest in the face of a possible disaster. As the movie's title makes plain, things do go downhill. It was a risky move, giving this film that particular name, because the whole feature proves a definite slide from the original, too. Instead of subtlety and even ambiguity — and instead of cleverly and amusingly pondering humanity's inherent fight-or-flight response, today's multifaceted readings of masculinity and the passive aggression that lingers in all relationships — Downhill keeps everything as overt and obvious as possible. Cue ample bickering, absolutely no room for intricacy or doubt, and scene after scene devoid of either tension or laughs. When younger couple Zach (Zach Woods) and Rosie (Zoe Chao) arrive, for example — as secretly invited by Pete — they're supposed to reflect the audience's discomfort at watching a marriage potentially implode. Instead, the scene just plays like a bad sitcom outtake. As actors, Faxon (Ben and Kate, Married, Friends from College) and Rash (Community's Dean Pelton) have experience in the genre; however there's nothing funny about Downhill's stilted feel. In another altercation, when Billie and Pete report their experience to the resort's security team, a scene that's supposed to ripple with awkwardness and unease just seems pointless. Actually, it does have a purpose: giving a brief snippet of screen time to Game of Thrones favourite Kristofer Hivju, who actually had a sizeable role in Force Majeure and is clearly the only actor Downhill deems worthy of returning. The less said about Miranda Otto's stereotype-baiting, forcefully accented performance as an over-sexed hotel manager, the better. It's the type of character that should've disappeared from screens decades ago, although it does typify much about Downhill. At every turn, this remake strips out its source material's depth and richness in favour of the easiest, most cartoonish option — and for viewers who haven't seen Force Majeure, another superficial and formulaic flick about an unhappy marriage and Americans marvelling at cultural differences overseas is hardly high on anyone's must-watch list. You wouldn't guess that Succession and Peep Show creator Jesse Armstrong helped pen the script, or that Louis-Dreyfus is one of Downhill's producers. In the latter's defence, she does rank among the film's highlights. While Billie is tasked with navigating scenarios that manage to be both derivative and over-the-top — losing her cool before a helicopter ride and getting steamy with a hot Italian ski instructor — there's always weight to Louis-Dreyfus' performance. The same can't be said of Ferrell, who seems to be stuck in Daddy's Home mode, but Faxon and Rash have lucked upon the perfect distraction technique. By virtue of the movie's snowy, picturesque setting, whenever anything falls flat, they just relish the scenery. In a film that's constantly on a downward trajectory, that happens often. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY5SrKf_2ic
Celebrating all things LGBTQIA+ in Australia is easy this summer. In fact, it's historic. For the first time ever both Down Under and the southern hemisphere, WorldPride is heading our way, joining Sydney's already jam-packed lineup of queer events. That's the cultural landscape the returning Mardi Gras Film Festival slides into in 2023 — and it's marking the occasion with a massive lineup of movies to celebrate its own 30th-anniversary milestone. Fans of queer cinema, rejoice: this annual Sydney film fest is screening 166 films at eight venues around the city, running from Wednesday, February 15–Thursday, March 2 at locations such as Event Cinemas on George Street and in Hurstville, Dendy Cinema Newtown, the Hayden Orpheum, Ritz Cinemas, Casula Powerhouse, the Westpac Open Air Cinema and the Alumni Green at the University of Technology. The festival kicks off with coming-of-age film Of an Age, which heads to Sydney after also opening 2022 Melbourne International Film Festival, and marks the latest from Australian You Won't Be Alone director Goran Stolevski. Joining it as a MGFF bookend is closing night's The Venus Effect, with the Danish movie about two young women in love enjoying its Aussie premiere. And, just as huge is All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, 2022's Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winning documentary about queer artist Nan Goldin, her life and career, and her battle against the billionaire Sackler family. With the full fest program including 100-plus sessions in cinema, outdoors and on-demand — as well as panel discussions, workshops, networking events and parties — other highlights include two world-premiere screenings, glimpses back to the past and free sessions. Documentary Trans Glamore and camp comedy The Winner Takes It All will make their bows at MGFF; Vegas in Space and an episode of Aussie soap Number 96 will hit the big screen; retro sessions of Pride and Raya and the Last Dragon also get a spin; and new queer comedy specials by Joel Creasy and Rhys Nicholson will nab a run, without attendees needing to pay a cent. Or, there's a special Westpac Openair session of the Cate Blanchett-starring Tár, which looks set to score the homegrown talent another Oscar; doco The Giants, about Dr Bob Brown becoming Australia's first openly gay member of parliament; Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize-winner Joyland, a Pakistani effort about a romance between a trans woman and a married man; and moving Moroccan drama The Blue Caftan. Plus, other standouts include The Longest Weekend, about three siblings in Sydney's Inner West; inner-city cowboy love story Lonesome; Uýra: The Rising Forest, focusing on trans-indigenous artist Uýra; In From the Side, about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club; and My Emptiness and I, honing in on a young trans call-centre worker. And, that online component? It's showing 21 movies nationwide — including, obviously, to Sydneysiders at home.
The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader, announced his retirement from his political role in March. He didn't tape a goodbye show, like Oprah, so the announcement was duly recorded but largely ignored by the media. Given that the Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader as well as a figure of some political controversy, this may not reflect particularly well on the priorities of modern journalism. However, the Dalai Lama has always been known as much more than simply the head-of-state of the Tibetan government. To his admirers, he is an icon of endurance; a spiritual guru, a figure of serenity. To his detractors, he is an anachronism; a ditherer, “not the brightest bulb in the room”. Despite his persistent attempts to renounce his political functions in order to pave the way for a new generation of political leaders, he has become such a popular - some might say populist - figure that no one else could slip easily into his sandals. As a South African official once lamented, "To say anything against the Dalai Lama is equivalent to trying to shoot Bambi”, or switching off a certain goodbye special. Like Oprah, he is known for the pinpoint accuracy of his perceptions about people and politics; he may relinquish his power, but not his influence. To honour his upcoming visit to Australia, Customs House is mounting a series of large scale black and white portraits of the Dalai Lama taken by Victorian photographer David Roberts in 2007. This means that Sydney-siders will have an opportunity to sit for a moment with the meditative man, and study his portrait for traces of his spiritual magnetism. Image: David Roberts, 2007
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. THE FRENCH DISPATCH Editors fictional and real may disagree — The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun's Arthur Howitzer Jr (Bill Murray, On the Rocks) among them — but it's easy to use Wes Anderson's name as both an adjective and a verb. In a sentence that'd never get printed in his latest film's titular tome (and mightn't in The New Yorker, its inspiration, either), The French Dispatch is the most Wes Anderson movie Wes Anderson has ever Wes Andersoned. The immaculate symmetry that makes each frame a piece of art is present, naturally, as are gloriously offbeat performances. The equally dreamy and precise pastel- and jewel-hued colour palette, the who's who of a familiar cast list, the miniatures and animated interludes and split screens, the knack for physical comedy, and the mix of high artifice, heartfelt nostalgia and dripping whimsy, too. The writer/director knows what he loves, and also what he loves to splash across his films, and it's all accounted for in his tenth release. In The French Dispatch, he also adores stories that say as much about their authors as the world, the places that gift them to the masses, and the space needed to let creativity and insight breathe. He loves celebrating all of this, and heartily, using his usual bag of tricks. It's disingenuous to say that Anderson just wheels out the same flourishes in any movie he helms, though, despite each one — from The Royal Tenenbaums onwards, especially — looking like part of a set. As he's spent his career showing but conveys with extra gusto here, Anderson adores the craftsmanship of filmmaking. He likes pictures that look as if someone has doted on them and fashioned them with their hands, and is just as infatuated with the emotional possibilities that spring from such loving and meticulous work. Indeed, each of his features expresses that pivotal personality detail so clearly that it may as well be cross-stitched into the centre of the frame using Anderson's hair. It's still accurate to call The French Dispatch an ode to magazines, their heyday and their rockstar writers; the film draws four of its five chapters from its eponymous publication, even badging them with page numbers. But this is also a tribute to everything Anderson holds The New Yorker to stand for, and holds dear — to everything he's obsessed over, internalised and absorbed into the signature filmmaking style that's given such an exuberant workout once again. One scene, in the first of its three longer segments, crystallises this so magnificently that it's among the best things Anderson has ever put on-screen. It involves two versions of murderer-turned-artist Moses Rosenthaler, both sharing the boxed-in frame. The young (Tony Revolori, The Grand Budapest Hotel) greets the old (Benicio Del Toro, No Sudden Move), the pair swapping places and handing over lanyards, and it feels as if Anderson is doing the same with his long-held passions. Before Moses' instalment, entitled The Concrete Masterpiece, the picture's bookending story steps into Howitzer's offices in the fictional French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé. Since 1925, he's called it home, as well as the base for a sophisticated literary periodical that started as a travel insert in his father's paper back in Kansas. Because Anderson loves melancholy, too, news of Howitzer's death begins the film courtesy of an obituary. What follows via travelogue The Cycling Reporter, the aforementioned incarcerated art lark, student revolution report Revisions to a Manifesto and police cuisine-turned-kidnapping story The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner is The French Dispatch's final issue turned into a movie — and an outlet for both Howitzer's and the director's abundant Francophilia. Read our full review. DON'T LOOK UP Timing may be everything in comedy, but it's no longer working for Adam McKay. Back when the ex-Saturday Night Live writer was making Will Ferrell flicks (see: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Step Brothers), his films hinged upon comic timing. Ensuring jokes hit their marks was pivotal to his scripts, crucial during editing, and paramount to Ferrell and his co-stars. Since 2015, McKay has been equally obsessed with timeliness. More so, actually, in his latest film Don't Look Up. As started with The Big Short, which nabbed him a screenwriting Oscar, his current breed of politically focused satires trade not just in laughs but in topicality. Skewering the present or recent state of America has become the filmmaker's main aim — but, as 2018's Vice so firmly illustrated, smugly stating the obvious isn't particularly funny. On paper, Don't Look Up sounds like a dream. Using a comet hurtling towards earth as a stand-in, McKay parodies climate change inaction and the circus that tackling COVID-19 has turned into in the US, and spoofs self-serious disaster blockbusters — 1998's double whammy of Deep Impact and Armageddon among them — too. And, he enlists a fantasy cast, which spans five Oscar-winners, plus almost every other famous person he could seemingly think of. But he's still simply making the most blatant gags, all while assuming viewers wouldn't care about saving the planet, or their own lives, without such star-studded and glossily shot packaging. Although the pandemic has certainly exposed stupidity on a vast scale among politicians, the media and the everyday masses alike, mining that alone is hardly smart, savvy or amusing. Again, it's merely stating what everyone has already observed for the past two years, and delivering it with a shit-eating grin. That smirk is Don't Look Up's go-to expression among its broad caricatures — in the name of comedy, of course. Trump-esque President Orlean (Meryl Streep, The Prom) has one, as does her sycophantic dude-bro son/Chief of Staff Jason (Jonah Hill, The Beach Bum). Flinging trivial banter with fake smiles, "keep it light and fun" morning show hosts Brie Evantee (Cate Blanchett, Where'd You Go, Bernadette) and Jack Bremmer (Tyler Perry, Those Who Wish Me Dead) sport them as well. But PhD student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence, X-Men: Dark Phoenix) and her astronomy professor Dr Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) aren't smiling when she discovers a Mount Everest-sized comet, then he realises it's on a collision course with earth and will wipe out everything in six months and 14 days. And they aren't beaming when, with NASA's head of planetary defence Dr Teddy Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan, The Unforgivable), they try to spread the word. The world is literally ending, but no one cares. Conjuring up the premise with journalist/political commentator David Sirota, McKay turns Don't Look Up into a greatest-hits tour of predictable situations bound to occur if a celestial body was rocketing our way — and that've largely happened during the fights against climate change and COVID-19. The President's reactions stem from her clear-cut inspiration, including the decision to "sit tight and assess" until it's politically convenient or just unavoidable, and the later flat-out denial that anything is a problem. The character in general apes the same source, and bluntly, given Orlean is initially busy with a scandal surrounding her next Supreme Court nominee, and that her love life and the porn industry also spark headlines. The insipid media and social media response, favouring a rocky celebrity relationship (which is where Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi come in), is also all too real. The list goes on, including the memes when Dibiasky gets outraged on TV and the worshipping of Mindy as an AILF (Astronomer I'd Like to Fuck). Read our full review. DEAR EVAN HANSEN Dear Dear Evan Hansen: don't. If a movie could write itself a letter like the eponymous figure in this stage-to-screen musical does, that's all any missive would need to communicate. It could elaborate, of course. It could caution against emoting to the back row, given that cinema is a subtler medium than theatre. It could advise against its firmly not-a-teenager lead Ben Platt, who won one of the Broadway hit's six Tony Awards, but may as well be uttering "how do you do, fellow kids?" on the big screen. It could warn against shooting the bulk of the feature like it's still on a stage, just with more close-ups. Mostly, though, any dispatch from any version of Dear Evan Hansen — treading the boards or flickering through a projector — should counsel against the coming-of-age tale's horrendously misguided milk-the-dead-guy narrative. When the most interesting thing about a character is their proximity to someone that's died, that's rarely a great sign. It's the realm of heartstring-tugging illness weepies and romances where partners or parents are bereaved, sweeping love stories are shattered and families are forever altered, and it uses the sickness or death of another person purely as a prop to make someone that's alive and healthy seem more tragic. That's worlds away from engaging sincerely with confronting mortality, loss, grief or all three, as so few movies manage — although Babyteeth did superbly in 2020 — and it's mawkish, manipulative storytelling at its worst. Dear Evan Hansen gives the formula a twist, however, and not for the better. Here, after a classmate's suicide, the titular high schooler pretends he was his closest friend, including to the dead kid's family. A anxious, isolated and bullied teen who returns from summer break with a fractured arm, Evan (Platt, The Politician) might be the last person to talk to Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan, one of the Broadway production's understudies). It isn't a pleasant chat, even if Connor signs Evan's cast — which no one else has or wants to. In the school library, Evan prints out a letter to himself as a therapy exercise, but Connor grabs it first, reads it, then gets furious because it mentions his sister Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick). Cue days spent fretting on Evan's part, wondering if he'll see the text splashed across social media. Instead, he's soon sitting with Cynthia Murphy (Amy Adams, The Woman in the Window) and her husband Larry (Danny Pino, Fatale), who inform him of Connor's suicide — and that they found Evan's 'Dear Evan Hansen' note on him, and they're sure it's their son's last words. With his high school misery amply established through catchy songs, and his yearning to connect as well, Evan opts to go along with the Murphys' mistaken belief, including the idea that he and Connor were secretly the best of pals. As penned for both theatre and film by Steven Levenson (Tick, Tick... Boom!) — with music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman) — this plot point is meant to play with awkwardness and longing, but it's simply monstrous. Indeed, the longer it goes on, with Evan spending more time with Connor's wealthy family than with his own mum Heidi (Julianne Moore, Lisey's Story), a nurse always working double shifts, the more ghastly it proves. It's lazy writing, too, because this isn't just a tale that defines its lead by their connection to a deceased person; it's about someone who intentionally makes that move themselves, then remains the recipient of all the movie's sympathies. Read our full review. RESIDENT EVIL: WELCOME TO RACCOON CITY It's the franchise about zombies that just won't die. The series with a disdain for big corporations and the chaos they wreak that keeps pumping out more instalments, too. After six movies between 2002–16 that consistently proved a case of diminishing returns — and the original horror flick was hardly a masterpiece to begin with — welcoming viewers back to the Resident Evil realm smacks of simply trying to keep the whole saga going at any cost. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City does indeed extract a price from its audience, stretching their fondness for the video game-to-film franchise, their appetite for John Carpenter-inspired riffs and their penchant for overemphasised 90s nostalgia. Primarily set in 1998, and endeavouring to reboot the series without its previous star Milla Jovovich, it strenuously tests patience as well. After an orphanage stint filled with familiar Resident Evil figures — siblings Claire and Chris Redfield as kids, plus nefarious Umbrella Corporation scientist Dr William Birkin (Neal McDonough, Sonic the Hedgehog) — Welcome to Raccoon City first gets gory en route back to its titular town. The now-adult Claire (Kaya Scodelario, Crawl) hitches a ride with a trucker, who then hits a woman standing in the road. The victim still gets up afterwards, because unnaturally shuffling along after you've been killed comes with the territory. The walking dead are a new phenomenon in the desolate locale, however, following Umbrella's decision to shut up shop and leave the place a crumbling shell. Of course, the night that Claire arrives back to reunite with Chris (Robbie Amell, Upload), who's now a local cop, is the night that a virus zombifies Raccoon City's residents. Any movie that features besieged police officers trying to fend off attackers will always tread where Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 has already stomped, and Welcome to Raccoon City writer/director Johannes Roberts knows it — just as he splashed his awareness of shark horror flicks gone by across both 47 Metres Down and 47 Metres Down: Uncaged. Restarting a well-known series by blatantly taking cues from another filmmaker, and from 80s and 90s horror overall, isn't the path to success, though. As this dispiritingly generic feature keeps proving, it's about as smart as constantly splitting up while fending off the undead and navigating labyrinthine spaces, which Claire, Chris, and the latter's fellow cops Jill Valentine (Hannah John-Kamen, Ant-Man and the Wasp), Albert Wesker (Tom Hopper, Terminator: Dark Fate) and Leon Kennedy (Avan Jogia, Zombieland: Double Tap) unsurprisingly keep doing. Welcome to Raccoon City fares better with action over logic and originality, although nodding so forcefully to the filmmaker behind Halloween and The Thing stands out within the Resident Evil franchise. When it comes to Raccoon City's infected inhabitants, plus foes more frightening — their onslaughts, and Claire and company's attempts to evade them — Roberts finds a balance between stripping things back to ramp up the suspense and trying to imitate the video games that started it all. In the film's midsection, it all gets monotonous nonetheless, even while switching between first- and third-person perspectives and going big on monstrous creature design. Callouts to technology gone by, such as Nokia phones with Snake and VHS tapes (and, the flipside, marvelling over whiz-bang new tech by 90s standards like Palm Pilots and chat rooms), get repetitive and old fast, too. All things Resident Evil have as well, something this movie can't change despite its overt angling for a certain-to-eventuate sequel. NEW ORDER If only one word could be used to describe New Order, that word would be relentless. If just two words could be deployed to sum up the purposefully provocative film by writer/director Michel Franco (April's Daughter), savage would get thrown in as well. Sharing zero in common with the band of the same name, this 2020 Venice Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winner dreams up a dystopian future that's barely even one step removed from current reality. And, in dissecting class clashes, and also examining the growing discontent unsurprisingly swelling worldwide at the lavish lives indulged by the wealthy while so much of the world struggles, the mood and narrative are nothing less than brutal. Screens big and small have been filled with eat-the-rich stories of late — Parasite, Us, Candyman, Ready or Not, The White Lotus, Nine Perfect Strangers and Squid Game among them — but New Order is its own ravenous meal. The place: Mexico City. The setup: a wedding that goes undeniably wrong. As the ceremony gets underway at a compound-style residence that's jam-packed with the ultra-wealthy and ultra-corrupt, the chasm between the guests and the staff is glaring. Case in point: bride-to-be Marianne (Naian González Norvind, South Mountain) couldn't be more stressed when she's asked for money to help ex-employee Rolando's (Eligio Meléndez, La Civil) ailing wife, who also worked at the house, and plenty of her family members are dismissive, arrogant and flat-out rude about their former servant's plight. Then activists start making their presence known outside, as well as further afield in the city's streets — and interrupting the nuptials by storming the mansion, too. The military respond swiftly and brutally, sparing no one in their efforts to implement the movie's telling moniker. Franco doesn't want any second of New Order to be easy to watch. The film's opening foreshadows the bloodshed and body count to come, but even when it then gets immersed in a ridiculously lavish but characteristically chaotic upper-class wedding — as such events stereotypically are — all the slick excess so rampantly on display remains positively ghastly. There's a sense of insidiousness in the air that the filmmaker lets fester amid all the gated home's glass and steel, then pushes into overdrive as the violent uprising gathers steam. There's an utter lack of hope as well, because nothing can or will turn out well in this situation. It can't end nicely for the bourgeoisie previously oblivious to or cruelly uncaring about the 99 percent and, as authoritarianism kicks in to a savage degree, the ideals of fairness and equality being championed by protestors aren't shared by their government. One word that can't be used to describe New Order: subtle, or any synonym denoting a delicate approach. Franco wants the parallels between his fictional situation and reality, and the unsparing critique of the latter he's making with the former, to be noticed — and to be not only unavoidable, but searingly, blisteringly haunting. He's brash and bold with the film's style as a result, as well as blunt. He's forceful, but also masterful, and makes every image and sound resound with palpable anger. Franco's also trading in obvious concepts as he tears down the rich, greedy, powerful and unscrupulous, lays bare the ease with which a fascist nightmare can take hold and posits that the fight against both is never easy, but he's still moulded all those notions into an emotionally dynamic whirlwind. New Order is screening in Melbourne only. 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 August 5, August 12, August 19 and August 26; September 2, September 9, September 16, September 23 and September 30; October 7, October 14, October 21 and October 28; November 4, November 11, November 18 and November 25; and December 2. For Sydney specifically, you can take a look at out our rundown of new films that released in Sydney cinemas when they reopened on October 11, and what opened on October 14, October 21 and October 28 as well. And for Melbourne, you can check out our top picks from when outdoor cinemas reopened on October 22 — and from when indoor cinemas did the same on October 29. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Respect, The Night House, Candyman, Annette, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), Streamline, Coming Home in the Dark, Pig, Big Deal, The Killing of Two Lovers, Nitram, Riders of Justice, 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 and The Lost Leonardo.
It looks like we can all forget about the promised 2019 completion date for Sydney's new southeast light rail project, as the NSW Government has found itself embroiled in a legal battle with the Spanish subcontractor heading up the build. And it's already slowing down progress considerably. As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has declined to share details about the delays, though said the state would "not be held to ransom" by builder Acciona, which is taking Transport for NSW to court for the tidy sum of $1.2 billion. The company's demanding the extra money because it claims it was misled about the complexity of utility work involved in the project. The two are heading to the NSW Supreme Court this Friday, with Acciona proceeding with a go-slow on work in the meantime, though Transport Minister Andrew Constance told parliament "we are not going to tolerate a go-slow so that we write a cheque to hit the accelerator". Testing on a stretch of the new 12.7-kilometre route from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford began in February, with a view to have trams running on it next year. At this stage, that looks very unlikely. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
To get some of the best views along the Central Coast, head out on an 8.5-kilometre hike (one way) on the Bouddi Coastal Trail, boasting beaches, boardwalks and lots of birds. Start from Putty Beach and wind your way along the stretch of coastline past lookouts and stretches of sand, ending up at MacMasters Beach. Pack your snorkelling gear and explore one of the beaches — we recommend heading to the sheltered Lobster Beach and keeping an eye out for dolphins. This relatively easy hike will also take you through shady parts of rainforest and picnic-perfect spots, too. [caption id="attachment_764514" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Central Coast Tourism[/caption] Top image: Destination NSW
Picnic season is finally upon us. Come the weekend, the eskies are pulled out, the dogs are let off the leash and picnic rugs are laid out early as the best spots are snatched up across the city. But if you want to impress your friends (and all of Instagram), you'll need more than a wheel of brie and some seed crackers. Luckily, Sydney's top suppliers and producers make it pretty easy for you to put on an elaborate picnic spread that includes everything from the must-haves (stinky cheese, fruit and fresh bread) to important add-ons (pickles, pastries and pet-nat). So, heres our round up of the tastiest snacks in Sydney that will guarantee looks of envy from your fellow picnickers. [caption id="attachment_711917" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] CHEESE FROM PENNY'S CHEESE SHOP, POTTS POINT Cheese is the oozy, creamy glue that holds a picnic together. And whatever your cheesy preferences, Penny's Cheese Shop in Potts Point is sure to have what you need, from local cheeses to hard-to-find favourite international varieties. Most of them are cut to order so you can get as much (or as little) as your picnic team requires. Penny herself, a self-professed 'curd nerd', will help you pick the best selection of cheeses for your picnic, matching the weather and your wine. While you're there, you may as well grab one of her toasties — they're golden and crisp with fillings featuring jalapeño, kimchi and smoked wagyu. Alternatives? Fomaggi Ocello, Surry Hills; The Artisan Cheese Room, Manly; Field Blend, Balmain. [caption id="attachment_739719" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Harriet Davidson[/caption] BAGUETTES FROM IGGY'S BREAD, BRONTE The foundation of any great picnic starts with the simple combo of flour and water — and no one else in Sydney does this better than Iggy's. There's always a line, but it's most definitely worth waking up early on your day off nab a loaf. The crisp crust and sticky sourdough centre is the perfect device for transporting oozy slabs of the aforementioned cheese or mopping up any saucy remains on your plate. For a big crowd you can't go past the super long baguettes. If you're feeling a little extra, pop into the neighbouring croissant store and pick up a mixed selection of chocolate, plain and feta croissants coming out of the oven. Alternatives? Bourke Street Bakery, various locations; Infinity Bakery, Paddington, Manly, Darlinghurst; Wholegreen Bakery, Waverley (for gluten-free bread). [caption id="attachment_739710" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Harriet Davidson[/caption] FRESH FRUIT FROM KINGS CROSS ORGANIC MARKET, POTTS POINT A picnic isn't complete without a splash of seasonal produce — fresh cherry tomatoes and ripe strawberries won't just look good, but they'll add freshness to your spread, too. The Saturday morning Kings Cross Organic Markets are consistently impressive, with producers coming from Sydneys outer edges and the Blue Mountains. As you never know what will be there week to week, you're better going with no plan and making your snack decisions based on what's available. For a picnic spread we'd go for some easy dippers like tomatoes and carrots, and for something sweet grab yourself a bag of strawberries, lychees or a citrus mix. In addition to the mega selection of fresh produce, organic honey, fresh flowers and loads of nuts and seeds are for sale, too. Alternatives? Carriageworks Farmers Market, Darlington (Saturdays); Ramsgate Foodies and Farmers Market, Ramsgate (Saturdays); Parramatta Farmers Market, Parramatta (Fridays). [caption id="attachment_696538" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] CHARCUTERIE FROM CONTINENTAL DELI, NEWTOWN Any picnic worth its weight in truffle-infused salt requires an array of cold cuts spread out on a roughly hewn wooden board. Continental Deli in Nwetown is a one-stop shop for all your cured meat and tinned seafood needs. The curated selection of local and internationally sourced cold cuts are some of the best you'll find in the city — and don't forget to peruse the long list of canned fish, including nardin smoked anchovies and the cambados octopus while you're at it. We'd recommend getting yourself some sliced jamón ibérico, wagyu bresaola and definitely some mortadella — add some cheese and bread to create possibly one of the best picnic sandwiches you've ever had. Alternatives? Victor Churchill, Woollahra; Pino's Dolce Vita, Kogarah; Fomaggi Ocello, Surry Hills. NATURAL WINE FROM DRNKS, WATERLOO If you're a lover of natural wine — or you're just curious about the stuff — then go checkout Drnks for all your sunny day picnic juice. The online purveyor of natural wines opened its first brick and mortar store within the George Hotel in Waterloo earlier this year. It's one of Sydneys go-to destinations for all your funky beverage needs including a healthy range of wine, beer and cider. You won't find much of this stock in in your conventional bottle-o — so this isn't the place to get your $12 bottle of chardonnay. Most bottles sit between $25–40, though, so get your mates to chip in and you'll be cracking them open in the sun in no time. Alternatives? P&V Wine & Liquor, Newtown; Winona Wine, Manly; The Oak Barrel, Surry Hills. [caption id="attachment_733295" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] PASTRIES AND CAKES FROM CHERRY MOON, ANNANDALE Cherry Moon is the inner wests new woodfired bakery, cafe and general store which will very easily whisk you away to a sweet sugar-coated heaven. The bakery selection is much more elaborate and refined than your regular bake sale, with you favourite classics tweaked with native Australian ingredients such as wattleseed and finger lime. From the crisp outer shell of their lemon myrtle buerre noisette croissant scrolls to the creamy filling of their signature wood fired Portuguese tarts this is the place to satisfy those sugary cravings. Go in the morning to get your pick of the full range — your your biggest problem will be deciding what to not get. Alternatives? Rollers Bakehouse, Manly; Flour and Stone, Wooloomooloo; Nutie, Surry Hills (for gluten-free cakes). CONDIMENTS AND PICKLES FROM CONDIMENTAL If you're one to dip, slather and pour — meet Condimental, which bundles a heap of pickles, preserves, sauces, seasonings and relishes into a box and brings it to your door. On the menu is a changing range of limited-release and seasonal items from Australian suppliers, aka the types of condiments that you won't find in any old supermarket. With a spread of fermented spicy sauce on some fresh bread, or topping a cheesy cracker with some tangy pickles this box of treats will forever be the solution to boring snacks. Seasonal boxes can be ordered on their website and delivered straight to your door — a minimal effort item thats guaranteed to bring maximum tastiness. Alternatives? Go straight to the source to get watermelon pickles from Fleetwood Macchiato, Erskineville; or Westmont Pickles from Carriageworks Farmers Markets on Saturdays. [caption id="attachment_722768" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] FALAFEL AND DIP FROM THE SULTAN'S TABLE, ENMORE The individual who rocks up to a picnic sporting a giant takeaway container of fresh dips, falafels and a slab of still-warm Turkish bread is a goddamn hero. At Sultan's Table, the dip selection situation operates in a choose-your-own-adventure fashion where you can pick up to four dips depending on the girth of your container. Flavours include parsley, jajik (garlic yogurt), carrot, chilli, beetroot, spinach, hummus and smoky baba ganoush. Alternatives? Cairo Takeaway, Enmore; Simply Hummus Bar, Darlinghurst; Erciyes, Surry Hills.
Keen to get a big ol' dose of culture by the beach? A new arts prize has landed in Sydney's Northern Beaches, so you can check out some epic art right after (or before) a dip in the ocean. Dubbed the Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize, it was open to both established and emerging creative talents, receiving more than 800 entries. And, until Sunday, December 12, you can see the top 226 finalists across three of the beaches' top arts spaces: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Creative Pop-Up. The inaugural multi-venue exhibition displays contemporary works by Australian artists and designers, all offering unique perspectives on the natural world and our current environmental challenges. With eight categories — ceramics and small sculpture; functional design; wearable design; digital work, film and video; interdisciplinary collaboration; painting; works on paper and photography; and young artists and designers — there's a lot to see. So, you may want to set aside a few hours to hop between each venue. After you've seen all the works, you can even vote for you favourite work in the People's Choice Awards. On top of the exhibition, there are events that'll take your art viewing to greater depths. At Curl Curl Creative Space, you can catch a workshop on creating art with nature on Sunday, December 5, at 3pm. Otherwise, head to Mona Vale Creative Pop-Up and hear from the young finalists on their works and their hopes for the future. The inaugural Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize is on display across Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Curl Curl Creative Space and Mona Vale Creative Pop-Up until Sunday, December 12. The exhibition is open from 10am–5pm, Tuesday–Sunday. [caption id="attachment_834184" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Works L-R: Ivy Whiteman, Why the Sea is Boiling Hot; Gemma + Richard Rasdall, Table Lamp; Karina Teh, Citrus Prism; Susan Milne, Greg Stonehouse and Justin Martin, Gwabba Maia - Place of Joy at the Environmental Art & Design Prize 2021, Curl Curl Creative Space.[/caption]
"What if it's a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing?" a climate-change denier asks at a climate summit in one memorably epigrammatic USA Today cartoon. His ironic declaration seems to capture the buzz around current trends in the sustainability movement, where the community of old is combined with the technology of the new, gelled together with a heavy dose of ingenuity and comes out signposting of a future we'd be happy to live in. The works on display at Try This at Home might be part of this happy future. The exhibition invites artists and collectives to creatively address the issue of sustainable living. A part of the Curating Cities project, it will branch out of its home at Object's Project Space to mingle with We Make This City in Taylor Square, facilitate discussion on the blog, and otherwise encourage and inspire people to play along at home. The exhibition includes a very practicable bike-powered home cinema system by Magnificent Revolution Australia, which, if you pedal hard and fast enough, will allow you to watch a documentary on the carbon-neutral CO2penhagen music festival; the very scientific Natural Fuse (2008) from Haque Design + Research, which uses hooked-up plants to offset your personal energy consumption through carbon sequestration; and the very participatory 6 Jars project from the Makeshift Collective, encouraging you to replace processed, packaged goods with homemade alternatives and share them within your neighbourhood group. The set-up isn't as attractive as it could have been, and it's not quite as cosy as the "living room" they were going for, but the projects on show at Try This at Home will fire up your imagination and leave you with something — be it a jar of date balls or a shiny idea — to take home at the end.
If The West Wing, The Social Network, A Few Good Men and Steve Jobs taught us anything, it's that Aaron Sorkin knows how to write dialogue. With his work often rapid-fire in pace, passionate in tone and frequently delivered via his trademark walk-and-talk scenes, Sorkin demonstrates a winning way with words unlike anyone else in the business. With Molly's Game, however, he's faced with a new challenge. Sure, he knows how to pen intelligent stories that flow with their own almost-hypnotic rhythm. But does he know how to direct them as well? Like much of Sorkin's output, the success of Molly's Game comes down to the folks doing the talking. Invariably, his wordy scripts shine brightest when they're brought to life by exceptional actors. With a knack for his timing, sharpness and smarts, Jessica Chastain proves a perfect match. Indeed, Molly's Game might have Sorkin's name and stamp all over it, but this is Chastain's picture through and through. Whether she's rattling off skiing and gambling statistics in voiceover, bantering back and forth with her also-excellent co-star Idris Elba, or working poker rooms filled with the rich and famous, she is the movie's true trump card. In her latest impressive performance as a formidable woman in a male-dominated realm (see also: Zero Dark Thirty, A Most Violent Year and Miss Sloane), the two-time Oscar nominee plays Molly Bloom, the real-life former Olympic-level skier turned poker magnate. Stripped of her sporting dream after a horrific accident, Bloom heads to Los Angeles to "be young for a while in warm weather." When she takes on an admin job to pay the bills, she has no idea that she'll also be running her boss' weekly card games. Before long, she's in charge of her own underground gambling empire, and later being chased down by the FBI. Sorkin's film is based on Bloom's tell-all book, Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker. That title may be a bit of a mouthful, but it also explains why Sorkin was so attracted to the story (other than a fondness for verbosity). Power, success, the pursuit of both, and the intersection of idealism and corruption are common themes in his other screenplays, and they're all present here. As such, he's in very comfortable territory with a dynamite true tale that's topical, entertaining and filled with astute insights about human psychology and behaviour. Throw a stellar star and a stacked support cast — Michael Cera, Kevin Costner, Chris O'Dowd and even Stranger Things' Joe Keery — into the mix, and Molly's Game must've seemed like an easy winning hand. And it is, almost. In addition to its slick visuals, the film reflects some of Sorkin's best tendencies — a recent Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay is proof of that. Unfortunately it also suffers from some of his worst. Indulgence is one such grating trait, with moments of repetition and near-constant chatter blowing the running time out to 140 minutes. Sentimentality is another, with the writer-director happy to hit hard in his dialogue, but happier still when it comes with a warm glow as well. Still, when Chastain is unleashing her fast-paced narration or trading pithy chatter with Elba, you'll be able to overlook many of the film's flaws. And thankfully, that happens a lot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVMkOuZOMe0
When millennials reach their twilight years, Zac Efron might be singing his way through Retirement Home Musical, Blue Ivy Carter could win an Oscar for cinema's latest big hit musical biopic — about her mother, naturally — and the Stranger Things kids may've become the go-to grizzled crackpots in every sci-fi film and TV show around. No offence meant to any of them, but that's what popular culture does. Nostalgia never dies, so the entertainment industry keeps recycling the same things for the same audience, just in an era-appropriate fashion. And it'll keep doing so, long past the point when Fast & Furious 89: Now We're Fast, Furious and Fragile zooms into theatres. For a current example — a predecessor to an elderly Vin Diesel and The Rock still doing what they do, perhaps — look no further than the old geezer heist genre. In recent years, it keeps serving up veteran actors reliving their heydays with varying degrees of success. When it's done in a smart, soulful and insightful manner,the Robert Redford-starring The Old Man and the Gun is the end result. When ease, laziness and cashing in are the aim of the game instead, you get Michael Caine's two latest jaunts across Australia's big screens: 2017's Going In Style and now King of Thieves. In the former film, Caine played a desperate Brooklyn resident who robs a bank with his usually law-abiding pals (Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin). In the latter, he's a seasoned cockney crim doing what all seasoned crims do eventually, or so the movies tell us. Reuniting with his fellow retired crook friends (Tom Courtenay, Jim Broadbent, Ray Winstone and Paul Whitehouse) after the death of his wife, Caine's Brian Reader plans one last London job over the Easter long weekend. Their target is a Hatton Garden safe deposit facility filled with cash, gold and jewels to the tune of £14 million, and they've got help from the much younger 'best alarm specialist in London', aka Basil (Charlie Cox). There's a moment early in King of Thieves that epitomises the film's bland, routine approach. The movie's five main elderly Englishmen stand around in a workshop, plotting their high-stakes scheme and rallying against today's high-tech ways — the internet is overrated, most of them decide. Then Basil walks in. The mood instantly turns frosty, complete with shots of horrified faces from Winstone's hard man, Broadbent's wildcard, Courtenay's doddering gent and Whitehouse's outsider. Caine abstains, but only because it's his character that's brought the newcomer in on the plan. In mere seconds, director James Marsh summarises the entire picture: old dogs, an aversion to new tricks and a story that keeps emphasising both. There's a few narrative twists, a dose of duplicity and treachery, and plenty of greed complicating matters, however there's never any doubt about where the whole thing is going. You'd never guess that Marsh has a duo of excellent documentaries to his name in Man on Wire and Project Nim, before he started turning true tales into standard dramas with The Theory of Everything, The Mercy and now King of Thieves. Similarly, that screenwriter Joe Penhall created stellar serial killer series Mindhunter will thoroughly escape your attention based on the dull material at hand. And King of Thieves is so broad and formulaic that you simply won't realise or care that it's based on reality, with the actual robbery carried out by geriatric criminals in 2015, and marking the largest theft in British history. The fact that the film flits awkwardly and unconvincingly between comedy and thriller doesn't help, and nor does its visually drab images, or some of the least exciting robbery scenes ever committed to celluloid. Caine and his cronies, whose numbers also includes a dishevelled Michael Gambon looking far removed from his Dumbledore days, aren't blowing the bloody doors off anything either. How can they be when they're tasked with groan-inducing one-liners like "I don't care about prison life; it's the afterlife that worries me"? Indeed, when King of Thieves resorts to inserting brief clips of the silver-haired main crew in their younger, sprightlier years — taken from older, much better works on the actors' respective resumes — the result is as creaky as the cast's joints. They deserve better, as do the viewers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeQAY_9vG8M
This film suffers from a major case of false advertising. From the title you might be persuaded that Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro had passed their dysfunctional schtick along to the next generation, or that the film actually has something to do with the holiday season, when really it's just more of the same Meet The Parents shenanigans with an afterthought of a Christmas scene plonked on the end. That's ok, insofar as you're mostly spared little munchkins trying to do comedy, but why all the misdirection? Director Paul Weitz (American Pie) and his all-star cast seem more than happy to continue riffing on the same ole' chords. If you can believe, it's been a six years since Meet the Fockers (and ten since the original Meet the Parents), and in that time Greg (Stiller) has risen up the ranks of hospital administration and is now being courted by a smoking hot drug rep (Love & Other Drugs style) Andi Garcia (Jessica Alba) to make some quick cash spruiking for an erectile dysfunction drug. The extra income comes at an opportune moment, for the ever over-bearing Jack (De Niro) has decided to shift the patriarchal crown over to his son-in-law, and in doing so heavily suggests Greg should get his finances in order and his kids into private schools. This leads to all manner of miscommunication as Greg and Jack tour the comically named Early Human School, run by the fiercely free spirited Prudence, in a scene-stealing cameo by Laura Dern. But this is as much as the film has to do with the little Fockers, as the rest is just elbowroom for Stiller, De Niro and the reintroduced Owen Wilson as Greg's wealthy, worldly rival Kevin, to muck around on screen. And yet for all the telegraphed laughs and the mind-numbing obviousness of it all, there is actually something relatively fun about watching these guys chew the scenery with the likes of Harvey Keitel, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand and Blythe Danner. Everyone looks to be having a truckload of fun, newcomer Alba especially, so one can be forgiven for being swept up in the benign frivolity. But of course another way to look at the misleading marketing and Boxing Day release is as a blatant cash-grab, to which you can say 'Bah Humbug' and tell Stiller, De Niro and their Little Fockers to, well, you know. https://youtube.com/watch?v=y27IueXA8-E
If you’ve missed waking up with Tom every weekday morning since he left triple j, then now is the time to reconnect. Wil Anderson describes him as “one of the most original, fearless and hilarious voices in Australian comedy”, and that guy knows a thing or two. So get yourself down to The Comedy Store and catch Ballard's latest work of art. Be quick though; it will sell out. This is one of our top picks of the Sydney Comedy Festival. Check out our full top ten.
I'm of the firm belief that travelling somewhere new is best enjoyed with some local intel. As the resident writer hailing from Tropical North Queensland at Concrete Playground, I feel it is my duty to share my go-to ways to enjoy a balmy (and palmy) break in the tropics. And, if you feel like you missed out on some of your summer fun this year, this is your sign to book a holiday in the tropical north where summer lives on. Full disclosure: I'm based in Sydney now, however, I did spend the first 18 years of my life in this part of the world and head back to the truly idyllic region as often as I can to visit friends and family. So, if you're looking for a holiday that's brimming with immersive nature experiences, scenic drives and spectacular views, I've got you.
Now in it's third year, MTV Beats & Eats returns November 18 to take over Wollongong's Stuart Park. Just steps from North Wollongong beach, the festival brings live music and food lovers together for one big ol' party that will satisfy both your belly and your soul. Themed 'Space Fantasy', the festival encourages attendees to come in fancy dress as whatever their space fantasy may be. Astronauts, martians, space cowboys, alien unicorns — whichever costume you choose, you could win $2,000 for best dressed, $1,000 for second and $500 for third best dressed. Plus you'll look awesome. With past acts including Savage, PACES, Tigerlily and DJ Steve Aoki, you can expect an even bigger roster of local and international acts this year. Plus, in between sets, fill up on a range of eats from food vendors from the region, along with a few Sydney imports expected to dish out some top-notch barbecue, burgers and pizzas. And, though you probably don't need another excuse to get a ticket, your attendance will also go towards a good cause. With every ticket sold, MTV Australia will donate $1 to headspace, the national youth mental health foundation.
Celebrate the new year in style with two absolute legends of hip hop. You might know Talib Kweli from the amazing album he made with Mos Def in the late '90s — Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star — but he has been making intelligent, insightful and lyrically rich music for almost two decades. A born communicator and natural performer, Kweli comes armed with tunes from his new album Prisoner of Conscious, which features the likes of Miguel, Kendrick Lamar and Busta Rhymes. Joining him on this massive double bill is Dead Prez, one of the most respected outfits in the history of the genre, who follow in the footsteps of Public Enemy, KRS-One and 2pac by using brilliant, banging tunes to address the impact of unthinking consumerism, rampant sexism and homophobia in hop hop. Their signature tune, 'Hip Hop', is an incredible example of their fiercely intelligent art — the perfect answer to all that crass, commercial crap about cars, chains and clubs. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1U3q9zgYaUA
After a three-year gestation period, 24 Frames Per Second is finally here. Carriageworks has commissioned artists, dancers, choreographers and filmmakers from across the globe to create 24 artworks at the intersection of dance, film and art. The multidisciplinary installations will invite you to explore a broad range of subjects, from pack mentality to longevity. You might find yourself in a field of broken glass and reflecting light or viewing a film about walking the fine line between sanity and madness. Ever thought about how dance is used to enter altered states within a spiritual context? How about the heightened state of conscious at mass demonstrations? This is just a few of the interesting pieces to see at the exhibition. There won't just be installations; a series of public programs and artist's talks will be happening over the duration. Get yourself down to Carriageworks and use those well-oiled brain cogs.
How much do you know about Australian Jewish culture? Jessica Bellamy (writer of Sprout and Bat Eyes) knows a lot, she’s just written a play about it, and she's preparing to cook you a Jewish dinner. It's Shabbat Dinner, an immersive play directed by Anthony Skuse (4000 Miles, Punk Rock) which looks at the place of women, family and food in contemporary Jewish culture. The play weaves in traditions and rites over the course of a Shabbat dinner prepared by Bellamy herself. As the feast is served to you and the performers, everyone becomes involved in the story. While you eat you take part in the creation and eventual disintegration of a new community. Like Bellamy's previous works, it promises to be poetic and questioning. Shabbat Dinner plays at the Bondi Feast festival from July 23-26. Dinner is included in the $15 ticket and vegetarians are catered to. Image: Bondi Feast.
The nights are longer, the temperature is rising, and people just seem to be more joyous — it must be summer. While December is mainly focused on a certain event on the 25th, it lasts far beyond that. Parramatta comes into its own in summer, with something to do all season long. What's more, plenty of these events are family-friendly occasions that won't break the bank. Parramatta has exactly what you need this summer, starting with these seven standout selections. NEW YEAR'S EVE AT PARRAMATTA PARK Proving there's more to NYE than the display on the Harbour Bridge, Parramatta Park is giving you the opportunity to see off 2023 with a bang. The family-friendly event on Sunday, December 31, is free to attend and includes food trucks, activities and a musical lineup headlined by ARIA Award-winning group Sneaky Sound System. So, you can get a gozleme and a beer, challenge the family to garden games, see some great music and, to top it all off, stare in wonder at a killer fireworks display at 9pm. You can also bring your own food and drinks, esky and blankets, so make a real evening of it and enjoy the last day of the year without breaking the bank. SYDNEY FESTIVAL AT RIVERSIDE THEATRE Now a summer institution, Sydney Festival always kickstarts the new year with various events throughout the city. Parramatta's Riverside Theatres has a great range of shows in January, which are well worth your time. There's something for everybody, from a multicultural comedy gala to a night of Palestinian memories or an interactive Dinosaur World experience. The highlight of the program is Bananaland, a musical comedy about a failing punk band who accidentally become the next Wiggles due to a viral hit. Scored by Aussie pop royalty Kate Miller-Heidke and directed by Simon Phillips of Muriel's Wedding The Musical fame, Bananaland will surely be the hottest ticket in town. SYDNEY SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS Any opportunity to see the Sydney Symphony Orchestra is special. This free concert in Parramatta Park showcases a range of works, including classical favourites, familiar film scores and Australian originals. On Saturday, January 20, you'll be able to hear Strauss' The Blue Danube and pieces from Apollo 13 and ET, as well as the kind of thing you wouldn't ordinarily associate with a famed orchestra. Aunty Delmae Barton and Véronique Serret are joined by didgeridoo maestro William Barton, and, on top of that, Anoushka Shankar shows off her sitar pedigree (her father is sitar genius and Beatles collaborator, Ravi Shankar). With all this talent on show, it's probably worth reiterating that this concert is free. Gratis. Zero dollars. You've no excuse not to go down there. BALLOON GLOW On Thursday, January 25, head to Parramatta Park's Cattle Paddock for the inaugural Balloon Glow event: a hot-air balloon and light display timed to music. The balloons and lights might be the headline act, but it's a free, community-oriented evening with live music, activities and food trucks to entertain and feed you and the whole family. With something different from your standard local fireworks display, Balloon Glow will spread awe and glee to young and old alike. JAMMIN FESTIVAL It's long established that summer is where it's at for music festivals. The fact that Europe and the US start the year with freezing temperatures means that some of the biggest international acts get the privilege of coming Down Under. Jammin Festival, taking place on the first weekend of February in Parramatta Park, is Australia's premier reggae festival. Next year's headline acts are true heavy hitters: Shaggy and Sean Paul, two of the biggest reggae and dancehall stars of the 21st century, will be appearing alongside legendary reggae mainstays UB40 and ferocious British MC Stefflon Don. There's also a slew of fantastic Australian and Polynesian artists to keep you entertained, meaning the good vibes will flow all weekend. LUNAR NEW YEAR Say goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and hello to the Year of the Dragon on Saturday, February 10 in Parramatta. Both Parramatta Square and Centenary Square will host festivities and a range of street food stalls, not to mention dancing, lanterns, workshops and performances. You can also catch a dragon art installation by Amigo & Amigo in Parramatta Square for the first half of February. The incredible event will showcase the diversity and inclusion of the local community while celebrating Asian cuisine and culture. There are few better places for you and your family to ring in the Lunar New Year in the state capital. SOULED OUT FEST After a successful soft launch in 2023, Australia's only festival dedicated to modern R&B is going supernova in 2024. Before hitting Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Auckland and Perth, it all kicks off in Parramatta Park. Massive international acts including Summer Walker, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Bryson Tiller, Majid Jordan and Tinashe, will be in attendance, and emerging acts showcasing the full spectrum of what R&B means in the 2020s. It's rare to have the chance to see so many of one genre's global big hitters in one place, so be an early adopter and jump on the Souled Out train before everyone is across it in 2025. And that's just summer in Parramatta. Throughout the year, the River City has plenty on to keep you entertained, whether it's events highlighting the local community or huge sporting matches at CommBank Stadium and the ever-popular Parramatta Lanes, which offers food, music, arts and entertainment. Discover other events around Parramatta at the website.
Starred in Community, written for 30 Rock, amassed over 150 million YouTube views, performed an hour-long Comedy Central stand-up special, premiered his own feature film at Sundance, released two critically-acclaimed albums — what hasn't Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino done? Sold out the Hordern Pavilion you muppet, so get on it! Having melted tickets to the Luna Park Big Top in under hour, internet rap god Gambino has been bumped up to the Hordern for his Splendour sideshow on Sunday, July 27. Off the back of his dark, brooding, highly ambitious and utterly unique second album Because the Internet, Gambino is set to mark one of the must-see winter gigs when he brings his Deep Web tour to town. An increasingly complex and sophisticated rapper, Gambino has abandoned his previously upbeat, pop culture-riddled hooks in favour of a more introspective, genre-defying sound, while still retaining his disdain for the cliched tropes of hip hop and lazy lyricism of commercial rappers — all over beats that he produced himself. Why? Because, as he said in his breakout single 'Freaks and Geeks', having an Emmy just wasn't enough. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ExVtrghW5Y4
The best spot in Australia for a picnic is hotly contested. Melbourne has some good ones. So do Sydney and Brisbane. Mount Buffalo, a picturesque mountain surrounded by green valleys roughly a four-hour drive from Melbourne, is now coming for the title — as long as you're not afraid of heights. The Bright Adventure Company is offering secluded picnics for thrill-seekers suspended off the cliff face of Mount Buffalo, on a platform 300 meters off the ground. For $449, you'll get a set up on the suspended ledge suitable for two people, a delicious picnic hamper and all the safety equipment and training required. Then you can relax with your partner or picnic buddy as you take in the views of the Mount Buffalo National Park. All you need to bring is warm clothes, sturdy shoes, a water bottle and a total lack of fear of heights. The experience goes for three hours with sunrise, lunch and dinner packages all available. If you have a group of four you can organise a set of two edges side-by-side so you can share the experience with your besties. Book a cliff picnic through the Bright Adventure Company. Before heading interstate, check the relevant state's COVID-19 guidelines.
It's been a nice week. Maybe you've been readying to discard your (semi)malfunctioning umbrella and pack away your raincoat, but, pause and take a look out the window — Marge, the rains are 'ere. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the city is expected to be hit with about 70mm of rain over the new three days. If you take a look at its radar, it looks like the first of it could hit any minute. https://twitter.com/BOM_NSW/status/1047379035733614592 According to the SMH, if this prediction is correct, it'll be the most rainfall the city — and parts of the state — has seen in more than three months. Just last month, Australia experienced its driest September on record. This rain, while slightly annoying for umbrella-less commuters, will be welcomed by NSW farmers, with 100 percent of the state currently in drought. With the majority of the rain (30–50mm) expected to hit tomorrow — Thursday, October 4 — we suggest snagging yourself a poncho or two if you plan on heading along to the opening night of the Night Noodle Markets.
You won't struggle to find a high-pressure escape room in Melbourne. But have you experienced one designed to explore dating compatibility? Held on the first Tuesday of every month at Escape This, the crew have teamed up with renowned sexologist Dr Nikki Goldstein to create a Singles Night social experiment that uncovers red flags and good vibes before the relationship gets serious. With the classic escape room format ramping up the pressure, singles will enter the space with a stranger and work together to crack the problem within 30 minutes. As the clock tick, tick, ticks, there's a greater chance that someone's true nature will be revealed. Perhaps someone is a poor communicator, or they hit the mark with accountability — either way, this experience is intended to offer a little more insight than your average first date. "Pressure reveals character," says Dr Nikki Goldstein. "We all put on our best face for a first date, but that doesn't help you predict what someone's like in a relationship. The moment something goes wrong in an escape room, people show how they deal with conflict, how they communicate, how they lead, or bulldoze." Kicking off at Escape This locations in Sydney and Perth, participants will put their connection to the test through two blind dates, with each session lasting 30 minutes. However, the partner you head into the custom-designed environment with isn't quite as random as it seems. Before the night arrives, guests complete personality quizzes that align them with one of seven relationship problem-solving styles. You could be 'The Leader' — someone who's direct, decisive and solutions-focused. Or maybe you're 'The Energiser' — a keen motivator who likes to keep the mood high. Of course, these nights aren't just for singles; couples are more than welcome to get involved, too. Putting your existing dynamic under interactive pressure, there's a separate compatibility quiz to help you get to know each other's blind spots. Says Goldstein: "There are often red flags that don't appear until years into a relationship, but Singles Night is about fast-tracking that insight. And let's not forget the green flags, like calmness under pressure, empathy and humour. Escape This creates the perfect chemistry lab for love." Singles Night at Escape This is happening on the first Tuesday of the month at Sydney and Perth locations. Head to the website for more information.
Modular, the legendary Australian label, is returning to Vivid LIVE in 2012 to take over the Studio and showcase three mavericks who tread the boundaries of rock, dance and pop – London's Tom Vek and Adam Bainbridge (aka Kindness) and Australia's Jonathan Boulet. Tom Vek and Kindness have both re-emerged this year with a distilled sound — Vek a mix of post-punk, electronics and deadpan wit, and Kindness a dreamy take on new wave, funk and disco. Even with their critically acclaimed debut releases, both have surpassed hype and expectation to refine their song craft in the studio. On the local front, Jonathan Boulet is the Australian equivalent of these British producers, working solo to create wide-scope anthems with a penchant for percussion, culminating in his heavier live grooves that are "always pushing to be louder and bigger". Returning to transform the Studio into a series of euphoric club sounds weaving between progressive and pop, this year's show will sound just as good as it looks. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RMsWWNgH--I
Didn't think the inner west needed another place to drink craft beer? Well, meet Staves Brewery: the newest in the new wave of microbreweries popping up in the area. Snugged next to the Broadway Shopping Centre on Grose Street, this is possibly the most unconventional spot for a brewpub yet. In fact, there's nothing to denote the speakeasy-style brewery apart from the words 'bar' and 'brewery' painted on the otherwise frosted windows. The building itself still has features from its steel fabrication workshop days, which adds to the industrial, alleyway feel of the fit-out. To be fair, brewing is an industrial process, and the simple, barrel-focused interior is reminiscent of an English pub of old. It's not such a surprising venture from British owner Steven Drissell, whose impressive rap sheet boasts competitive beer judge, long time craft beer enthusiast and, of course, brewer. The space will ultimately be a fully functioning brewery, but while Drissell gets the space ready to brew his own batches of craft, Staves is operating as a brewpub. For now, the eight taps will house a ton of local talent, like Wayward and Batch, as well as Holgate and some other Victorian favourites. But the craft selections aren't chosen with just the pros in mind. The beer menu caters to a wide range of people and tastes, says Drissell. "I've had people come in asking for the closest taste to Corona — I cater to people wherever they are on their craft beer journey." Whether you're a beer geek searching for the next big craft beer or just looking to learn something new, Staves has the pint for you. "Once you go craft, you never go back," says Drissell with a cheeky smile. "Newcomers may not know that yet, but I sure do." The brewery name game is more than just the Aussie pronunciation of Drissell's first name. It also refers to the thin piece of wood on a cask barrel and the lines on sheet music, essentially summing up what the bar is all about: music and brewing. Combining his two great loves in the one venue, Drissell aims to create the ultimate bar for inner westies. The plan is to make Staves the go-to for great craft — both the music and beer kind. And live music and Staves' own brews aren't the only things to come — an upstairs pizza kitchen is also in the works. While it gears up, Staves will only be open weekends, with live music from 4pm every Sunday. So, when given the choice between grocery shopping and heading next store for some tunes, pizza and craft beer...well, you get where we're going with this. Staves Brewery is located at 4-8 Grose Street, Glebe. At the moment, it's open Thursday to Friday 4pm – midnight, Saturday 11am – midnight, and Sunday 11am – 10pm with live acts from 4pm. Find out more at stavesbrewery.com
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter" isn't just a line The Little Mermaid fans have had stuck in their head for the last two decades. Come the beginning of 2019, it's also the first thing likely to pop into the minds of anyone heading to one particular Norwegian restaurant. Set to open in the coastal village of Båly in the country's south, Under will plunge hungry patrons into watery surroundings, offering more than just the usual scenic vistas. At this eatery, diners will be tucking into their dishes underwater. To be specific, they'll be feasting on seafood under the sea — if you're going to open a space underneath the ocean, you have to serve up the fish, which is just what head chef Nicolai Ellitsgaard will be doing. Visitors will descend down three colour-coded levels to sip sparkling tipples in a champagne bar that boasts views of the shoreline, before enjoying meals in the completely submerged dining room. The latter sits five metres below the water's surface, and is surrounded by panoramic acrylic windows for quite the aquatic view. For those wondering about pressure and safety, metre-thick concrete walls will keep everyone nice and dry, in a structure designed by architecture firm Snøhetta. Describing the space as "a sunken periscope", the building will be constructed not only to wow those stepping foot inside, but to fit in with its surroundings. The grey exterior colour scheme will blend in with the rocky coastline, and coarse surfacing will encourage molluscs to cling on. Indeed, over time it's hoped that Under will become an artificial mussel reef. As well as offering a memorable place to eat, the project also aims to champion biodiversity, functioning as a research centre for marine life. This will include informational plaques educating visitors about the area, helping to expand not only the list of places you've tucked into a meal, but your knowledge. Start planning your 2019 Scandinavian trip now. Images: Snohetta.
UPDATE, April 16, 2021: Crawl is available to stream via Netflix, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. Part creature feature and part disaster movie, Crawl is a gleeful ripper of a thriller. Not only unleashing a ferocious hurricane upon its father-daughter duo, but a congregation of snapping alligators as well, its premise is simple — what the film lacks in narrative surprises, however, it makes up for in suspense and tension. That's the holy grail of fear-inducing flicks. Regardless of the concept, if a movie can make the audience feel as if they're in the same space as the characters they're watching, enduring every bump and jump, and sharing their life-or-death terror, then it has done its job. By playing it straight, serious and scary, Crawl manages to exceed its Sharknado rip-off status to craft a highly effective battle between humans, animals and the elements. The film introduces aspiring swimming star Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario) on a wet and windy day, although she initially misses the wild weather warnings while she's doing laps at training. A panicked call from her sister (Moryfydd Clark) doesn't rattle the no-nonsense young woman, and nor does the news that her divorced father Dave (Barry Pepper) isn't answering his phone. Still, thanks to a few unresolved daddy-daughter issues nagging at her conscience, Haley is quickly driving down the blustery highway, flagrantly ignoring police instructions and heading to their old family home. It's no spoiler to say that she discovers more than she bargained for down in their basement, with Haley soon trying to save the injured Dave, stay alive herself, fend off ravenous gators and stay ahead of rising flood waters. In telling this tale, writers Michael and Shawn Rasmussen (The Ward) haven't met a cliche they didn't love, an emotional beat they didn't want to hit, or a convenient twist of the narrative screws that they didn't want to turn. It can't be overstated just how much of Crawl, in a story sense, plays out exactly as expected. Plot developments and character decisions all stick to the usual formula, as does animal behaviour and storm surges (if you're a screenwriter, it's possible to control the very forces that your protagonists can't). But it's worth thanking the cinema gods that Alexandre Aja is sitting in the director's chair — and that he knows a thing or two about creature features and horror movies. While the French filmmaker has both hits and misses to his name (including Haute Tension, remakes of The Hills Have Eyes and Piranha, and the devilish Daniel Radcliffe flick Horns), here he masters the art of conveying an alligator's menace. Of course, it could be argued that much of Crawl's work is easy. Along with sharks, gators already rank among the most frightening beasts on the planet. Courtesy of their teeth, speed, size and power, just thinking about them gives plenty of people the shivers — so, on paper, all that an unsettling film need do is place the scaly critters front and centre. And yet, as too many Jaws wannabes have shown since Steven Spielberg's massive hit created the concept of the blockbuster as we know it, it's not enough just to throw a bunch of attacking animals at some clueless folks. As more comic takes have demonstrated in Sharknado, Snakes on a Plane and the Birdemic movies, it's not enough to write off the whole scenario as simple silliness either. There's an existential basis to the genre's underlying idea, unpacking how humanity truly copes when it's made to face nature. As a species, much of our sense of collective worth stems from our ability to shape and control our world, and yet we can't stop weather systems from morphing into destructive hurricanes, or hungry reptiles from doing what they're designed to do. Mainly lurking in the Kellers' dank, dark, rat-infested crawlspace, Crawl leans into the primal side of pitting people against the environment. Aja takes every chance to emphasise the scampering threats eager to gobble up Haley and Dave. With assistance from his regular cinematographer Maxime Alexandre, he ramps up the unease, deploying tried and tested filmmaking techniques such as low shots, quick cuts, point-of-view perspectives, dim lighting, and ample movement and shadow. A couple of gory kill sequences add to the mood, as does the movie's approach to its swirling winds and rushing water. Indeed, amid the rampant CGI, there's a sense of awe for the havoc that alligators and hurricanes can each wreak, which only heightens the stressful atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, fear and tension radiates through the film as a result — and through its key duo, too. Although Scodelario and Pepper are given about as much room for character development as their cold-blooded foes, they still bring a naturalistic air to their performances, portraying anxious everyday folks just fighting to survive by doing whatever it takes. No matter what's thrown at us, or how, or where, that's what making humanity grapple with our surroundings boils down to, after all. In fact, given the state of the planet, Crawl's central theme not only proves frightening and fuels an effective thriller, but also feels unnervingly prescient. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4WuVXo_XAM
In music, a nocturne is drawn from the night or other dusky moods. At the Object Gallery's Project Space, Janet Lawrence and Lee Mathers are exhibiting their own nocturnal visions. Lee Mathers' four pieces form a single image of sky and stars. She uses a series of clear, luminescent fairy lights to paint out words and objects. The most striking as you enter are lines from William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury written in fairy light across the black sky. The words spill down over the floor, and across a box full of the things they describe. On the other side white fairy lights push up from the floor, sprouting glass ashtrays. Between these lights, three tiny dandelions with luminescent bright cores shine, their LED globes stuffed with real dandelion pods. These three little tufts, with tough hearts glowing, seem to sit in midair with their own solemn purpose. Janet Lawrence's work sits on a white shelf, opposite Mathers' black wall. She presents smoky glass panes, fuzzy like an X-ray, which lean back between the black dead branches of one tree and the white-antlered limbs of another, a small owl trapped in the second's branches and both veiled in thin fabric. The work seems lost in itself — lost between trees, in strange tides or the spectre of creeping molds and fungi. Branching white tissue, forking limbs and the sensation of snow on a dead forest seem to overwhelm the individual parts of Lawrence's whole work. The cold and the shivers stay with you, despite the warm summer rain pattering on the roof of the object gallery in real life. And while the Object Gallery is beautiful in itself, up close the broad sweeps of these works fail to resolve into single pictures, as you can only back away from them so far. But edge back as far as you dare and you'll still see some little slices of night. Image by Steve Ryan.
As of Monday, November 6, Black Star Pastry will have another branch — and brand new headquarters. You'll be able to wander along Bent Street in Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter at any time of day and see the Black Star creative process in motion. That's right, the cake masters from both Newtown and Rosebery are moving digs, into a transparent 500-square-metre factory floor in the EQ. "We'll be doing all our cake production there," says Black Star's founder and owner Christopher The. "We'll be bringing the two teams together in one spot. It's going to be amazing...It's a part of town that's getting a lot of energy invested into it. We like to go to places that are just on the cusp of booming." To keep up with demand and to allow staff members more time to be creative, The has invested in some whizz-bang machines — and you'll be able to watch them in action. "There's an ultrasonic cutter, an egg-cracking machine that separates yolks from whites and a crazy pressure cooker that we'll put our mixes in," The says. If you're anxious that Black Star is going to turn into a mechanised behemoth, fret not. The says he's definitely keen to maintain the "hand-made quality and feel" on which Black Star has built its reputation. Just next door, there'll be a cafe, which The describes as very similar to Rosebery. However, you can expect an expansion of the savoury menu and "a futuristic, alien mothership futuristic feel" — what that means, we're not quite sure. Plus, unlike Newtown, there's no shortage of parking in the EQ car park. The opening of Black Star Moore Park, brings the company's total number of outlets to four. You'll also find them in Newtown, Rosebery and the CBD within Kinokinuya Books. Black Star Pastry Moore Park will open at Bent Street, The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park on Monday, November 6. For more info, visit blackstarpastry.com.
Long before Australia was plunged into a cost-of-living crisis, German-born supermarket chain Aldi was beloved by budget-conscious shoppers for its discounted groceries. Fans of cheap snow gear love the brand for cheap winter threads, too — and everyone knows someone who has nabbed a bargain bed, TV, barbecue, air fryer, outdoor setting or kettle from the retailer. Next on Aldi's list: $3.25 beers. No, there's no figure missing from that number. Yes, that's a wallet-friendly price for a frothy. In Sydney on Wednesday, December 13, you can also enjoy the cheapest pub visit that you're ever likely to have while still buying a drink. To celebrate its new summery beers, which are called ALD IPA and are brewed by BrewDog at its Brisbane base, Aldi is setting up a one-night-only pop-up pub. Meet Special Brews by Aldi, with beverages costing $3.25 there as well, and the beers on offer from 3–7pm at Hotel Sweeney's on Clarence Street. Head along to Special Brews and you'll get a sneak peek at ALD IPA, because it'll be available at the pop-up before it hits supermarkets on Wednesday, December 20. It's a first-come-first-served setup with no bookings, which means that arriving early is recommended. There'll also be a three-drink limit per person, so you won't even spend $10 on brews. Tucking into some chips while you drink will up your budget, however, with Special Brews featuring Aldi's Blackstone crisps in smoky chorizo (aka smoked paprika, pork, garlic and salt) and truffle and olive oil flavours for $3.49 a pack. Also on offer on the night: limited-edition BrewDog stubby holders and socks. Described as "a fresh, fruity ale with tasting notes of citrus, stone fruits and a hint of toast", made with four different hops and coming in at four-percent ABV, ALD IPA will cost $13 for a four-pack — so, still $3.25 each — at Aldi.
Sydney has a lot of outdoor pools in stunning spots, but one of the oldest and most iconic is the Andrew "Boy" Charlton Pool near the Royal Botanic Gardens — Australia's first ever swimming races took place there in 1846. In 1968, the pool, formerly known as the Domain Baths, took on its current name in honour of Andrew "Boy" Charlton, who set five world records at various Olympics. Duck out from your desk on Tuesday, and head to the pool for some picturesque laps, before the weather turns too cold.
