UPDATE, September 16, 2021: Streamline is available to stream via Stan from Thursday, September 16. Chasing a dream can feel like swimming through cool water on a hot summer's day — gliding, splashing and laidback paddling all included — with each refreshing stroke propelling you closer towards your own personal finish line. That's when everything is going well, of course, and when whatever your heart and mind desires seems as if it's waiting at the end of the pool. Otherwise, when you're bogged down by everyday minutiae and nothing seems to inch forward, working towards a set goal can also resemble treading water. It can mirror repetitively doing laps, too, when your destination seems out of sight despite all the hard work you're putting in. And, if you're tired and fed up with all the effort needed to even keep afloat — and when your heart is no longer in it — it can feel like floundering and drowning. In Streamline, all of these sensations and emotions bubble up for 15-year-old Benjamin Lane (Levi Miller, A Wrinkle in Time), as he pursues a professional swimming career, a spot in a prestigious squad in Brisbane and, ideally, an Olympics berth and all the glory that goes with it. Indeed, one of the delights of this Australian movie, which boasts Ian Thorpe as one of its executive producers, is how evocatively it sprinkles these swashes of feelings across the screen. Written and directed by feature first-timer Tyson Wade Johnston, Streamline is a sports drama as well as a small town-set family drama — and it's also a portrait of that time when you're expected to dive headfirst into adulthood, and into knowing what you want to do with the rest of your life, but you're also inescapably wracked with uncertainty and apprehension. Teenage awkwardness and angst aren't simple states to capture on-screen, although enough coming-of-age movies have been buoyed by both; however, Streamline opts to plunge deep into the existential stress that goes beyond feeling out of place with your peers or being annoyed at your parents. Its protagonist, who everyone just calls Boy, only really connects with his girlfriend and best friend Patti (Tasia Zalar, Mystery Road) at school. And, he's definitely mad at his mother and father. He resents his single mum Kim's (Laura Gordon, Undertow) efforts to keep him focused, which he sees as controlling rather than nurturing. He's doing tumble turns internally over his dad Rob (Jason Isaacs, Creation Stories), who's just been released from prison and has never been a positive influence in his life. Boy is also furious at his surrogate father figure, Coach Clarke (Robert Morgan, The Secrets She Keeps), for all the cajoling that coaches tend to give. But, mostly the swimming prodigy is unsure — about what he wants, what he's been told he wants and what to do next. Streamline takes ample cues from sports flicks and the usual formula behind them, with big races, the pressure to succeed and the push to impress the right people to score the best opportunities driving much of the narrative alongside training and its tussles. But as this emotionally astute film explores the tension and trepidation swelling inside Boy — the kind that only worsens whenever his dad is mentioned, let alone turns up, and also ramps up as he spends time self-destructing with his hard-drinking, loutish older half-brothers Dave (Jake Ryan, Savage) and Nick (Sam Parsonson, Operation Buffalo) — it taps into themes that've been washing through Australian cinema with increasing frequency over the past decade or so. In movies such as Animal Kingdom, Snowtown, Buoyancy and 1%, young men struggle to carve their own paths, or even just to survive or avoid following in damaging footsteps, all in the lingering shadow of violence. Shades of late-90s great The Boys also filter through when Streamline's Boy is with his siblings, but this measured and moving picture is never merely the sum of its influences, even as it adds more flawed and fractured males to the nation's cinematic canon. Navigating this sea of toxic masculinity, Miller manages to convey many traits that fit the mould — Boy can be arrogant, reckless, careless with other people's feelings, moody, unwilling to express what's simmering within and combative — and also show his character's pain, conflict, yearning and vulnerability. It's a stellar performance, as well as a difficult one; the best work of the young actor's career so far, it's also likely to keep the Pan, Better Watch Out and Jasper Jones star in weightier roles moving forward. There isn't a weak link among the cast, though, but the film's standout moments all come when Miller is in front of the lens. A particular sense of power emanates in his scenes with Isaacs, and therefore with the man that Boy has been devastatingly hurt by and yet still finds himself drawn to. The two actors both played the same person but at varying ages in the vastly dissimilar Red Dog: True Blue, but now they play different points on a spectrum that neither wants Boy to slide down. Contrasting the rigours of seeking perfection with the toll it takes, Streamline submerges itself in its lead character's journey visually as well. This is a melancholy movie in tone and appearance, with hues of blue hovering in frame after frame. Those shades often emanate from the water, obviously, given that it has such a pivotal part in Boy's days and dramas — but when they continue to pop up elsewhere, they also exude the sorrow of a teen who realises he doesn't know how to either keep or to stop doing what he's doing. Cinematographer Michael Latham shot the aforementioned Buoyancy, too, and gave The Assistant, Island of the Hungry Ghosts, Strange Colours and Casting JonBenet their exacting, evocative and also piercing looks, with his efforts here continuing the trend. Indeed, watching Streamline feels like plummeting into a brooding well not only emotionally, thematically and narratively, but aesthetically. Sometimes chasing a dream is like that, too, as this excellent Aussie drama also recognises.
Sydney welcomes a new farm fresh market to its inner city area with the launch of the Erskineville Farmers Market — which goes by the mantra 'shop local, eat local, buy local'. It'll take over the front grounds of Erskineville Public School, starting on December 1 and proceeding every Saturday from 9am to 2pm. With a focus on sustainability and environmentalism, the market will be a plastic-free zone, with only keep cups allowed, too. For opening day, Boomerang Bags will be selling reusable grocery bags — which you can snag for a gold coin donation. Artisan food makers and high-quality produce will, of course, be front-and-centre. Expect stalls from Pocket City Farm, Brickfields Bakery, Kristen Allen Cheese, T Totaler and Tonicka Kombucha, plus hot food stalls like vegan Vietnamese from Redfern's Nourishing Corner, toasties from Mister Toast and vegan crepes from Frothin Crepes, to name just a few. Each week will also feature local musicians, DIY workshops and talks on sustainability. After December 22, the market will take a break for two weeks, then resume weekly trading from January 12.
Alexandria may be a former industrial area, but it's now got a lot proving it to be a go-to dining (and drinking) destination in Sydney. For one, it's home to the OG The Grounds. It also boasts watering holes for after-work drinks, neighbourhood bakeries for your weekly bread run and all-vegan breweries for when you want to pick up some cold ones. Located in the inner city, it's pretty easy to get to, plus the tree-lined streets, revamped warehouses and quirky design studios only add to its charm. We've teamed up with American Express to round up the must-visit spots in Alexandria, whatever the occasion. From coffee catch-ups and post-work drinks to tracking down fresh loaves of sourdough and picking up beautiful blooms, these six spots have you covered. So, hit the pavement and get exploring.
Tired of dating apps? There's little chance of getting ghosted by a rescue pup this Valentine's, as Petbarn Foundation and Maggie's Rescue make it easy to find your soulmate by hosting a unique Rescue Restaurant. This special event is an IRL chance to meet a dog in need of a forever home, plus there's even time for Sydney singles to mingle with other adopters. Taking over Forrester's in Surry Hills on February 13, this dog-friendly pub is the ideal setting for Rescue Restaurant. Here, the experts from Maggie's Rescue will facilitate meeting the pups and make sure the match is compatible. Then, it's over to you to spark up a conversation over snacks and drinks if any fellow adoptees catch your eye. Rescue Restaurant is hosted as part of Rescue Month, where Petbarn Foundation and SavourLife come together to save as many pets as possible. Aiming to rescue 400 pups from pounds while re-homing 500 cats from in-store adoption centres, you can do your bit by applying for this invite-only event. It's a great way to discover true love, human or otherwise.
A day without laughter is a day wasted, which works out well for comedy rooms around Sydney looking to sell out shows and fill out insurance claims for patrons whose sides have split from the funnies on-stage. Whilst there are copious clubs dedicated to your regular serving of stand-up, there are also a number of alternative, lesser-known and uniquely hilarious shows and events across the harbour city ready to leave you with a breathless stitch. Concrete Playground has laughed (and cringed) at a range of them to bring you the best seven non-stand-up comedy events in Sydney. Story Club Story Club is the wonderful grown-up version of a bedtime story. The best storytellers around read their (often) true stories to avid audiences in the club's new Surry Hills home, The Raval, on the third Wednesday of every month. And with each new evening hosting a brand-new theme, the material is always fresh and hilarious. Adding to the majesty are the the ornate story throne and enormous book the authors read from. Curated and hosted by the affable Ben Jenkins and hilariously dark Zoe Norton Lodge (The Hamster Wheel), Story Club is the most honest and hilarious evening of comedy available in Sydney and will crank the LOL factor up to ten. The Raval, 1/42 Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills. Full Body Contact No Love Tennis Full Body Contact No Love Tennis delivers hands down Sydney's best long-form improvisation. Performing upstairs every Tuesday at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe, a rotating cast of improvisers perform alongside fan favourites including creator Cale Bain and Steen Raskopoulos (winner of the Sydney Comedy Festival's Best Newcomer Award) create hilarious scenes from your audience suggestions that will never be seen again. Regarding the mouthful of a name: don't worry, it barely makes sense even to the initiated, but it sure does add charm. The Roxbury, 180/182 St Johns Road, Glebe. Sydney Fringe Festival Sydney's favourite festival of eclectic performances is about to begin, running from September 6-29, 2013, meaning that there is a glut of alternative comedy to check out. Whether it is The Human Jukebox skills of Benny Davis; MotherFather's newest comedy cavalcade, DoctorDoctor; Pat Magee's brave attempt to stage Every Episode of Doctor Who Ever Live on Stage in an hour; or the Game of Thrones-themed sketch show Make Way For Winter, there is plenty to enjoy without having to watch one person stand at a microphone. Club Cab Sav The secret to humour is surprise. With these famous words of Aristotle in mind, Club Cab Sav is a comedy night all about surprising its audience. Club Cab Sav offers its patrons an alternative take on the traditional night of laughs. Expect to see a mixed bag of entertainment experiments, laugh-inducing comedy and an eclectic palette of performances on the last Wednesday of every month at FBi Social, all for just $10. FBi Social, Level 2, Kings Cross Hotel, 244-248 William Street, Kings Cross. Project 52 Project 52 is Sydney University's home of comedy, playing host to a rotating roster of formats that includes one of Sydney's last sketch shows, Make Way for Ducklings; Sydney's best young improvisers at Improv Den; themed trivia nights; and Christmas Spooktaculars. Performing out of Sydney University's Hermanns Bar, the guys behind P52 clearly have you covered for a stand-up alternative (but they also have a stand-up night), and all are welcome to enjoy one of Sydney's best comedy rooms curated by Sydney comedy regulars Michael Hing, Steen Raskopoulos and Ben Jenkins — correct, it was the birthplace of Story Club. Hermanns Bar, University of Sydney, Cnr City Road & Butlin Avenue Butlin Avenue, Darlington. Theatresports Theatresports has always been a Sydney stalwart but it has experienced a resurgence in recent years. 2012 saw a surge in crowds attending the Cranston Cup, the state's most prestigious theatresports competition, and it's winners, MotherFather, deservedly went on to be crowned national champions. With this year's Cranston Cup only a month or so away from beginning, excitement is building. Erotic Fan Fiction Whether it is delving into the wonderful world of Harry Potter and exploring the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries, which happens to be a sex dungeon, or enjoying the sordid tales of Buffy the Vampire Layer, erotic fan fiction is funny. So imagine an entire evening dedicated to it. Whilst it does not have a regular night in Sydney, this adds to the allure, making it a must-see when it climbs out of bed to amuse and arouse audiences at events such as Penguin Plays Rough, Late Night Library, Story Club and the Sydney Writers' Festival.
Every year, So Frenchy So Chic asks Sydneysiders and Melburnians a question: do you fancy prancing through a field laced with the charm of provincial France, but without needing to book a flight? If your answer is yes, which it should be, then you'll be pleased to know that that exact setup is just casual summer weekendery when the fest rolls in each January. The ever-popular French celebration will bring the can-can back to Melbourne's Werribee Park Mansion and, for the first time, to Sydney's Centennial Park — a new venue for 2024. The dates: Sunday, January 14 in Victoria and Saturday, January 20 in New South Wales. For newcomers, expect an entire afternoon of French-inspired niceties, including (but not limited to) gourmet picnic hampers, très bon crepes and steak frites sandwiches, and supremely good wine — all set to a blissed-out French soundtrack. So Frenchy So Chic hinges on an eclectic lineup of artists, both taking cues from the classic sonic stylings of France and showcasing top-notch French talent. On the 2024 bill: La Femme, Marlon Magnée and Sacha Got's psych-punk rock group; Kill The Pain, aka Australian singer and songwriter Phoebe Killdeer with French vocalist Mélanie Pain; Laure Briard, fresh from releasing album Ne pas trop rester bleue; and the Serge Gainsbourg- and Angus and Julia Stone-loving Malo'. As always, the wine and food will flow just as easily as the tunes, headlined by an abundance of bubbly courtesy of Champagne Lanson, one of France's oldest champagne houses and a So Frenchy So Chic favourite. Eateries such as Frederic's, Hotel Gitan, Loulou and Bouillon Entrecôte will be doing the culinary honours, going big on French favourites in the process. So, expect oysters, croque monsieurs, duck liver parfait, mussels, chocolate eclairs, macarons and cheese upon cheese. [caption id="attachment_917827" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Christophe Crenel[/caption] Of course, there'll be plenty of French beer, cocktails, and rosé, red and white wines, too, no matter what you choose to snack on throughout the day. For groups of ten, this year's festival also includes a $199-per-person option that gets you your own prime spot with low-seated wooden tables decorated with flowers, rugs and cushions to make things comfy, two bottles of champers, a shady umbrella, and two charcuterie hampers and two cheese hampers. If you've got kids, you'll be happy to know that the whole thing is very family-friendly, with children's tickets starting from $25 (and entry free for kids under 12). [caption id="attachment_917828" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Taylor Kezia, Smith Street Agency[/caption] SO FRENCHY SO CHIC 2024 AUSTRALIAN DATES: Sunday, January 14 — Werribee Park Mansion, Melbourne Saturday, January 20 — Centennial Park, Sydney SO FRENCHY SO CHIC 2024 AUSTRALIAN LINEUP: La Femme Kill The Pain Laure Briard Malo' So Frenchy So Chic hits Sydney and Melbourne in January 2024. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the event's website. Top images: Liz Sunshine and Tekni.
Need to get from A to B, and keen to do so on a neon green scooter? Well, you're in luck. After setting up shop in New Zealand, running a test in Melbourne and trialling electric bikes in Sydney, US-born company Lime has now unleashed its motorised two-wheeled transport in Brisbane. Specifically, Lime is giving its dockless electric scooter service a whirl, initially leaving several hundred — yep hundred — in South Bank and Fortitude Valley. When the outfit launched in NZ, it clocked up more than 300,000 rides within a month, so it's clearly hoping for a similar influx of scooting here. The company has been gaining popularity across the globe, with even Uber signing up as a strategic partner. With biking Lime's domain, its Lime-S electric scooters are of the stand-up variety — like the ones you probably had as a kid, not mopeds. But, with a 250-watt motor, they can reach speeds of just over 23 kilometres per hour and have a range of around 32 kilometres. They'll cost you $1 to unlock and 30 cents per minute. In terms of hiring them, it works much the same as dockless bikes services that we've seen. You locate a nearby scooter using the Lime app, unlock it by scanning a QR code or entering an ID, and cruise to your destination. You then park and lock the scooter safely out of the way. Each of the vehicles is also equipped with a sensor, which can tell the operators its location. And for keeping an eye on battery life, that's something that you can monitor via the app. In Brisbane, Lime will add more to spots around the city according to demand, and will also collect the vehicles every night from wherever they end up. As far as the latter is concerned, the aim is twofold: to juice up the scooters for the next day, and to reduce both vandalism and street clutter. In other cities like Melbourne and Sydney, the bicycle sharing service boom, which Brisbane City Council has refrained from entering so far, has folks leaving their bikes wherever they feel like it, throwing them into rivers and more has been a problem around the country, which Lime clearly hopes to avoid in Brissie. In Sydney, the company is currently trialling bikes rather then scooters due to legal restrictions; however the Queensland Government has given Lime an exemption to laws that otherwise deemed its vehicles illegal. Without the arrangement with the authorities, users could've been fined up to $10,444 due to the speed and power of the scooters. The state's road rules mandate that motorised scooters can't travel faster than ten kilometres per hour, or have an electric motor with more than a 200-watt output. The Lime scooters are now circulating Brisbane. To find one, download the Lime App and follow the instructions.
Since popping up over the last decade, the term 'elevated horror' has always been unnecessary. Used to describe The Babadook, It Follows, The Witch, Get Out, Hereditary, Us, Midsommar and more, it pointlessly claims that such unsettling flicks have risen above their genre. Each of these movies is excellent. They all boast weight and depth, trade in metaphors with smarts and savvy, and have style to go with their creeps and thrills. But thinking that's new in horror — that pairing unease with topical woes or societal fears is as well — is as misguided as dubbing Michael Myers a hero. With a name that makes its #MeToo-era point plain, Men has been badged 'elevated', too, yet it also does what horror has at its best and worst cases for decades. That the world can be a nightmare for women at the hands of men isn't a fresh observation, and it's long been a scary movie go-to. Still, Men stresses that fact in an inescapably blunt but also unforgettable manner. The film's setting is an English manor, where Harper Marlowe (Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter) hopes for a solo stint of rest, relaxation and recuperation. Processing a tragedy, shattering memories of which haunt the movie as much as its protagonist, she's seeking an escape and a way to start anew. The initial hint that she won't find bliss comes swiftly and obviously, and with a sledgehammer's subtlety. Arriving at an idyllic-looking British countryside estate, Harper is greeted by an apple tree. She plucks one from the abundant branches, then takes a bite. Soon, she's told by her host Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear, Our Flag Means Death) that it's forbidden fruit. He also says he's joking — but in this garden, a woman will again shoulder a society's blame and burdens. As overt and blatant as this early exchange is, there's an intensely unnerving look and feel to Men from the outset. Returning to the big screen after excellent sci-fi TV series Devs, writer/director Alex Garland isn't a stranger to visually stunning, deeply disquieting films that ponder big ideas; see: the complex, eerie and sublime Ex Machina, plus the similarly intricate and intriguing Annihilation. Oscar Isaac doesn't turn up this time, let alone dance. Buckley and Kinnear do turn in mesmerising and magnificent powerhouse performances amid the perturbing mood and spectacular imagery. Gender expectations also get probed and challenged, as do genres. And, things get strange and insidious after Harper tries to lap up her bucolic surroundings. Those blood-red walls sported by Harper's atmospheric centuries-old home-away-from-home? That's another glaring warning. Also discomforting: the jump-scare glitch when she video chats with her best friend Riley (Gayle Rankin, GLOW), after being told by Geoffrey — who is polite but never direct, perfectly satirising both stiff-upper-lip Britishness and the fine line between being courteous and patronising — that reception isn't the best. And, when Harper ventures out of the house, she discovers scenic treasures alongside hardly hospitable locals. She's a woman plagued by troubles that don't begin as her own, and she's forced to devote everything she has to moving past them and surviving. That Harper is played with such instinctive and physical feeling with Buckley, who just keeps going from strength to strength thanks to Beast, Wild Rose, Chernobyl, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Fargo and her Oscar-nominated efforts in The Lost Daughter, is one of Men's biggest assets. First, there's the naked man who follows Harper through the wilderness, after she wanders through a cavernous tunnel with ethereal acoustics that's a delight one moment and boarded up the next. Then, more and more townsfolk spark alarm. There's the cop who barely believes Harper's stalker story, dismissively so. There's the teen who asks curious questions, demands attention and gets abusive when he isn't indulged. Also, there's the vicar who enquires about Harper's woes, then apportions responsibility her way for her struggles with husband James (Paapa Essiedu, I May Destroy You), while also putting his hand on her knee. The town pub's patrons are wary of her encroachment on their turf, while Geoffrey keeps making his presence known in his civil but passive-aggressive fashion. And, these men — yes, they're all men — share something beyond an unpleasant, off-putting and entitled attitude. Kinnear is also fantastic in Men because he's all men (including in scenes that make it clear that Garland saw his exceptional efforts as Frankenstein's monster in Penny Dreadful). Toxic masculinity deserves to be torn down repeatedly, and nuance needn't be part of that dismantling. The misogyny women can face openly and daily, and the way that simply existing can bring threats in the most ordinary spaces, also demands calling out loudly and strongly. Men does this. It ponders its key idea in different ways, too, including within religion and marriage. It shows how views can fester from adolescence, and within social and supposedly comforting confines. It demonstrates that just being can be fraught with distress for women, taking that reality to surreal, violent and fleshy extremes that'd equally do David Lynch and David Cronenberg proud. Also, it toys with how women are victimised in horror cinema. Garland's take on the topic is vivid and chilling — and as evocative as his past releases, plus his stellar screenplays for 28 Days Later and Sunshine — but Men also dives about as deep as noting that its namesake can be the worst, everyone knows it, and movies and life prey upon it. Still, as a piece of immersive cinema, Men is entrancing. It might be too kind to think its thematic bludgeoning is completely on purpose, but feeling like you're trapped in the same hell as Harper — in the film's present day, and in her orange-hued, positively apocalyptic, just-as-disturbing memories — is by design. Garland's work is that meticulous and sensory, and adept at conjuring up gut- and heart-wrenching reactions. It has been since he started out as the author behind The Beach, in fact. Here, he's aided by the intricate splendour, leafy and shadowy alike, lensed by his now usual cinematographer Rob Hardy (Mission: Impossible — Fallout), as well as the ominousness echoing in the choral-heavy score by fellow regular collaborators Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury (Archive 81). That all elevates the movie, although not because it's a higher form of horror, which it isn't. Men is as glaringly direct, primal and surface-level as a bar pickup line, and says nothing new, but its visceral and unshakeable menace still digs in hard, fast, tight and piercingly.
In the first season of The Last of Us, Joel (Pedro Pascal, The Wild Robot) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget) didn't always get along, but their best chance for survival was together. In season two, as the just-dropped full trailer for the HBO hit's long-awaited return shows, that may no longer be the case. Amid warnings about monsters — and scenes showing why those cautions are so important — the most-haunting moment of the new sneak peek arrives with two words: "you swore". Ellie flings that phrase at Joel like she's throwing a weapon — and it cuts deep. Exactly why, and also why the pair are in conflict with each other, will start to be revealed from Monday, April 14, 2025. Yes, the wait for this game-to-TV smash's seven-episode second season is almost over. In Australia, watching The Last of Us season two will also mean signing up for a new streaming service, as it'll stream via HBO's own platform Max, which is launching locally on Monday, March 31. How does humanity endure in the aftermath of the Cordyceps virus, and the global devastation caused by it? What does it mean to persist? Also, who do we become in the process? Audiences will find out again in mid-autumn. The new trailer for The Last of Us isn't the first glimpse at the show's second season — others have come as images, in promos for the network's full upcoming slate and via teaser trailers — but it does firmly set the scene for what's to come. Prepare for a time jump. Prepare for a guitar. Prepare for hordes of infected. Prepare for flames. Prepare for an eerie feeling, too. Also, prepare for sirens, flares and a stern warning: "there are just some things everyone agrees are just wrong", one of the teasers advises. In season two, it's been five years since the events of season one. And while there has been peace, it clearly isn't here to stay. The show's main duo also have company from both familiar faces and a heap of newcomers in its second season. Rutina Wesley (Monster High) and Gabriel Luna (Fubar) return as Maria and Tommy, while Kaitlyn Dever (Apple Cider Vinegar), Isabela Merced (Alien: Romulus), Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction), Young Mazino (Beef), Ariela Barer (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Tati Gabrielle (Kaleidoscope), Spencer Lord (Family Law), Danny Ramirez (Black Mirror) and Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) are the season's additions. The Last of Us made the leap from video games to TV in 2023, and was swiftly renewed after proving a massive smash instantly. The series gave HBO its most-watched debut season of a show ever — and its first episode was also the network's second-largest debut of all time. Locking in a second season was also hardly surprising because the 2013 game inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel. For first-timers to the franchise on consoles and as a TV series, The Last of Us kicked off 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes. Pascal plays Joel, who gets saddled with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (his Game of Thrones co-star Ramsey) out of a strict quarantine zone to help possibly save humanity's last remnants. There wouldn't be a game, let alone a television version, if that was an easy task, of course — and if the pair didn't need to weather quite the brutal journey. As a television series, The Last of Us hails from co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Craig Mazin, who already brought a hellscape to HBO (and to everyone's must-watch list) thanks to the haunting and horrifying Chernobyl. He teams up here with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also penned and directed The Last of Us games. Check out the full trailer for The Last of Us season two below: The Last of Us season two will arrive on Monday, April 14, 2025 Down Under, streaming via Max in Australia and Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of the first season. Images: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
It's won 11 Tony Awards and is one of the Obamas' favourite musical, and now Lin-Manuel Miranda's game-changing musical Hamilton is finally coming to Australia. The critically acclaimed hip hop musical, for which Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book, is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. As well as its 11 Tony Awards, which include Best Musical, it has nabbed a Grammy Award and even a Pulitzer Prize. After hitting Broadway in 2015, then West End in 2017, and beginning its third tour of the US earlier this year, Australians can finally catch Hamilton — when it makes its Southern Hemisphere premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in March 2021. According to the SMH, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane began vying for the rights to stage the musical in mid 2018, and Sydneysiders will be happy to have come out on top (this time). There's no word yet on whether it'll head to other Aussie cities later on — it's possible, other big musicals, such as The Book of Mormons, have. But, if you don't want to risk it, those located interstate should to start planning a trip ASAP — we think it'll be more than worth it. [caption id="attachment_722617" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hamilton by Joan Marcus.[/caption] It's not Miranda's first musical to hit Australia, either, his take on the classic 200s film Bring It On: The Musical hit Melbourne last year and quadruple Tony Award-winning In The Heights just finished a short season at the Sydney Opera House this January. Hamilton will make its Australian premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in March 2021. You can sign-up for pre-sale tickets now. Image: Hamilton, Broadway. Photo by Joan Marcus.
If your plan was to commute to work on the train this rainy Monday morning, we've got some bad news — thanks to the wet weather and staff shortages there are hefty delays on five train lines. T1 North Shore, T2 Inner West and Leppington, T3 Bankstown, T5 Cumberland and T8 Airport South Line are all affected by delays in both directions, with a spokesperson for the Transport Management Centre telling the SMH that passengers should allow for plenty of extra travel time. Rail replacement buses have been organised for all affected lines, with passengers being urged to check Twitter and the Transport for NSW website for continued updates. https://twitter.com/TrainsInfo/status/1049033728251424768 For more details and updates, check Transport for NSW. via SMH. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
Surrounded by water on three shores, The Entrance is nearly an island. It's an ideal place to spend a winter weekender staring into endless blue, especially when you've been desperately longing to forget all about work, traffic and the general chaos of life. And it's just a 90 minutes' drive north of Sydney. On one side lies tranquil Tuggerah Lake, and on the other, the mighty Tasman Sea. Further north are the tiny settlements of Magenta and Norah Head, where you'll come across friendly cafes, rugged lookouts and white-sand beaches backdropped by national park. Set up home base at the Pullman Magenta Shores Resort and follow our guide to fending off the winter blues with a sneaky getaway. EAT All great weekenders start with ace coffee. Get yours at the Burrow Coffee House. This cosy spot offers nice brews and beautifully composed brekkies, including a bacon and egg roll with avocado, haloumi and balsamic. When you're ready for your next brew, head a couple of kilometres south to Long Jetty. Here you'll find The Glass Onion Society, a fun, art and music-loving cafe that does Sonoma baked goods, vegan doughnuts and 'Soul Soup', among other eats sure to warm up even the frostiest morn. When lunchtime arrives, explore a bit of history in the best way possible: while eating cake. Do so by booking high tea at The Entrance Lake House, an airy, elegant cafe that's been licensed since 1905 but underwent a reno in 2012. If you happen to be around Norah Head when hunger hits, then swing by The Ark Cafe, which serves Campos coffee and gourmet bites, such as a poppyseed bagel loaded with heirloom tomatoes, haloumi, spinach, avo and pine nut pesto. This place isn't just an eatery but a social enterprise, too. A percentage of profits goes to The Welcome to Paradise Foundation, which supports aid workers in South Sudan and a food program in Nepal, among other worthy causes. There's also a quirky retail space, where you can invest in a hand-shaped surfboard created by local Christian M. Laing and peruse a bunch of ethically produced clothing and homewares. Been saving up your pennies for a posh feast or looking to impress your date? Reserve a table for dinner at Ocean, a fancy restaurant whose floor-to-ceiling windows let you gaze straight out over the Tasman. You'll get premium seafood transformed into cracking dishes, such as ocean trout with lemon mayonnaise, beetroot, asparagus, peas and potato, or mussel and shellfish chowder. A more affordable option is The Shallows Bar where you can build your own charcuterie board or grab a few wood-fired pizzas. Or head to Bistro Jinja to sample dishes from all over Asia. Tuck into Shanghai braised pork belly, Chiang Mai chicken curry and dark chocolate tart with honeycomb and sticky fig ice cream, while seeing the sunset over Lake Tuggerah. DO One of the best things about visiting The Entrance during winter is that you get all the beaches but none of the crowds. Soldiers Beach, just south of Norah Head, has the whitest sand on the Central Coast and backs onto the lush greenery of Wyrrabong National Park. While you're there, keep an eye out for whales, which pass by from May until August. An even better vantage point is Pelican Beach Road Lookout, from where you can walk the 3.4-kilometre Red Gum Trail through towering red gum forest and the 3.5-kilometre Lillypilly Loop through rainforest, cabbage palms and burrawangs. Whales aren't the only creatures worth watching around here, either. The Entrance is famous for its pelicans. It's been named the 'Pelican capital of Australia', in fact. These kooky and characterful birds make great subject matter for photos, particularly if you stop by the waterfront at 3.30pm, their daily feeding time. It's not purely about feeding either — it's a chance for volunteers to make sure none of the little guys are tangled up in hooks, lines or other debris. Make your next stop spectacular Norah Head, whose lighthouse has been operating since 1903. In fact, this became the very last lighthouse in New South Wales to lose its lighthouse keeper when it became fully automated in 1995. Half-hour tours, which take you up the building's 96 stairs for epic 360-degree views are available every day for just $6 per person. Keen to travel further? Continue another 15 kilometres north to reach Munmorah State Conservation Area, a coastal wonderland of empty beaches, lookouts and walking trails. SLEEP To sleep with still water on one side and roaring surf on the other, check into Pullman Magenta Shores Resort. This beautifully designed luxe five-star resort is ten minutes' drive north of The Entrance, on the southern edge of Wyrrabalong National Park. The resort offers apartment-style accommodation options, complete with views overlooking the landscaped gardens. Recreation is the name of the game here, so don't even think about complaining of boredom. You've got the exclusive Magenta Shores Golf Course and Country Club, a day spa, tennis courts and three swimming areas: a 2o metre indoor heated lap pool, rock pools and the Lagoon with a swim-up pool bar, all at your fingertips. Go to the AccorHotels website to book your stay in The Entrance, and to discover more of regional NSW, check out Visit NSW.
Melbourne's Yarra River is known for a lot of things — like instigating a north-south city divide, being a sweet spot to have drinks next to, etc. — but being clean isn't really one of them. It's got a lot to do with that time it was a dumping ground for industrial run-off, sure, but it's also more visibly attributed to the litter that finds its way into the river. To help remedy this (literally) rubbish situation that's affecting the health and quality of that Yarra's water, local industrial designer Rowan Turnham has developed a floating device to help trap and remove litter from the waterway. In collaboration with non-profit vegetation renewal group the Yarra Link Project, Turnham (through his company Amass Design) has developed Project Galada. Galada is a modular capture barrier that floats on the surface of the water to capture and collect litter that accumulates there. Designed to look like bike chains (very Melbourne), the pods link together to create a barrier suitable for the environment. As the Yarra flows both ways, so the flap is opened by downstream flow (letting in litter), while an upstream flow pushes the flap closed (trapping litter). The blue pods also act as buoyant planters, with roots that are submerged into the water to provide bio-filtration for the river. As well as removing cheeseburger wrappers from the Yarra, Project Galada will also help improve the health, biodiversity and quality of Melbourne's waterways both now and for the future. We still wouldn't swim in it, but still.
Planning a Japanese getaway, or dreaming about eventually planning one? You can take one thing off of your to-do list: packing. Instead of carefully researching all possible weather conditions, obsessively trying to predict what you'll want to wear and then trying to jam it all into your suitcase, you can now simply rent whatever you need when you arrive at your destination. Luggage-free travelling comes courtesy of a new service called Locarry, which lets you hire everything from clothes to costumes to cameras — and sporting equipment, strollers and more — from residents on the ground, rather than taking your own. Prices are set by those leasing out the goods, with no fees charged by the sharing platform itself. The service can be used by friends to arrange to lend items to other friends as well. There are a few restrictions, understandably. While users can rent things out individually or as a collection (that is, a pack of objects that you might need if you're going sight-seeing in Tokyo or wandering through cherry blossoms in Kyoto, for example), they can't hire out food, drinks, booze, medicines, animals or a number of other items. And — as you'd completely expect — underwear is off the table as well. Of course, the idea of hopping on a plane without your own outfits won't appeal to everyone. Still, packing lighter than usual, being able to nab a raincoat if the weather turns or pick up a camera to use while you're away just might. For more information, visit Locarry's website.
The Yarra Valley is set to score its first big name hotel, with IHG announcing plans to open one of its new 'voco' accommodation sites there in 2021. The 170-room hotel, which has nabbed a hillside address in Lilydale, will feature its own on-site gin distillery, natural amphitheatre, mirrored maze, lavender farm and a providore selling local produce. Across one quirkily designed main building and 20 standalone cabins, it'll boast a gym, a restaurant and multiple bars with views across the region. Less than an hour out of Melbourne, it's in a prime location for visitors hitting the Yarra Valley's famed wine region and is on the way to popular ski field Mt Buller. Launched in June, voco is IHG's newest brand, pitched at delivering accommodation options that are upscale, yet fun. The same group has announced it'll be opening a Holiday Inn in Coburg in 2020, and has plans for 22 more hotels to launch across Australasia. voco is slated to open at 486 Maroondah Highway, Lilydale in 2021.
Spring is finally here, and warmer weather means sunny afternoons soaking up some rays with a refreshing beverage in hand. Long weekends, too. All of the above combines at the third iteration of Opera Bar's Rose All Day Festival on this year's October long weekend From Friday, October 4 until Monday, October 7, the harbourside bar with a incredible view of the Bridge will be thinking and drinking pink. Expect frosé, spritzes, pét-nat, cocktails and rosé still and sparkling, with varieties from Provence's AIX, Mojo, Red Claw, Cullen Wines, Cape Mentelle, Cloudy Bay, Chandon and Logan on offer. Buckets of prawns, picnic spreads and alcoholic rosé soft serve will be served up, too, while live music will provide a soundtrack to the weekend. The festival kicks off at 11.30am each day. Tickets cost $35, and include three pink drinks.
We are all well aware of the pervasive effect social media has on our lives in terms of connecting, conversing and sharing with others on an unprecedented scale. Yet there are a whole myriad of other uses that social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter provide, which can have immensely positive effects. Take a look at a few valuable uses for social media sites that you probably didn't expect. 1. Mapping Infectious Diseases Graham Dodge founded a cunning website called Sickweather which ingeniously uses Facebook and Twitter updates to track infectious diseases. Unlike Google Flu Trends, which launched in 2010 and is based off people's searches, Sickweather can actually track the occurrence and locations of specific ailments. Dodge is also optimistic that through the use of event schedules, travel and weather patterns and environmental data, social media will be able to predict the spread of diseases. He has already noted pertinent trends of the spread of disease throughout America, and now hopes to win a $21,000 prize in a government-sponsored competition for a new app, which uses Twitter to warn us about public health issues. So next time you feel a cough creeping up on you, do us all a public service and tweet about it. 2. Helping the Homeless find Equality A study conducted by the University of Dayton has discovered that Facebook provides a refuge for homeless people by making them feel more equal. Everyone on Facebook is equipped with the same services and benefits, whether that be liking, commenting, messaging or uploading photos. This, and the fact that people can't smell if they didn't shower yesterday, or even know that they are homeless, which, says one of the subjects of the study, makes them feel accepted. Facebook is also important in helping them establish community networks, and helping solve practical issues such as where to find social services, a meal or shelter. 3. Tracking Public Opinion Topsy released a new political index last week called Topsy Pro Analytics whereby we can use Twitter to gauge public opinion by searching particular topics or hashtags. The complex technology delves into two years of data from Twitter feeds and is updated in real time. The mass number of results from the search not only reveal the frequency and number of tweets about a topic over time, but it also measures the tone and actual content of the tweets and who is conversing most about it. 4. Getting Your Voice Heard Thunderclap is a new site, which allows users to send out a message. Once enough people tweet it or post it on Facebook (at this stage 500 messages over 5 days) the site reaches its threshold and all the updates are sent out at once. This not only increases the chance of the message becoming a trending topic on Twitter but it also increases chances of people seeing multiple updates on Facebook and paying more attention to it. The tool could be a dream for non-profit organisations and the like to help amplify their message. 5. Educating Conservative Cultures about Sex Social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are transforming the way youth consume their media, even in developing nations such as Ethiopia, Mozambique or Indonesia. Social media is also a great tool in educating young people about safe sex practices and the importance of condoms. Through Facebook pages, Twitter feeds and YouTube videos younger audiences can learn about condom use without the embarrassment of their parent's presence and remain anonymous if they wish to. Through these social media platforms it is significantly easier for youth in these lesser developed countries to access information about HIV protection and family planning and chat about sensitive issues. 6. Engaging a 3000 Student Class The thought of teaching a 3000 strong student cohort would surely be enough to plague any teacher or lecturer with terrible nightmares. But John Boyer at Virginia Tech seems to find this massive class a piece of cake. Boyer introduced a novel system of 'gaming principles' by which students can rack up points to determine their notes. On top of this, Boyer poses regular questions on Facebook and Twitter for his students to respond to and also holds office hours using instant messaging on Ustream so he can respond to his many pupils in real time. Skype is also utilised to host interviews with important figures in global issues, such as Kony2012 creator Jason Russel, or a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. 7. Sharing your Organ Donor Status Facebook has introduced a new status option in the United States and United Kingdom which allows users to proclaim their organ donor status. By openly advertising in their biographical information that one is willing to be or already is a registered organ donor, doctors and advocacy group leaders believe that this will have a domino effect and encourage many others to sign up to be an organ donor. As well as this, being able to view it on Facebook would most likely hasten the decision and make it easier for family members to approve their loved one's donation. The company is looking to expand the tool to other countries in the coming months.
If you're looking for a more low-key option for your group games, head to Balmoral. This relatively isolated lower north shore beach usually has calm waters and rarely sees people packed on the sand like sardines. You'll find swimmers doing laps, people tanning and families sitting in the shade of umbrellas — it's a laidback spot, so come here for more relaxed games rather than rowdy ones. Try your hand at a few rounds of cornhole or Bulzibucket (you don't even need all the gear, you can simply dig holes in the sand). A lightweight spikeball set is another good option here. Plus, Balmoral has the added benefit of being close to Taronga Zoo, in case hanging out with some adorable animals is also on your group's bucket list. Image: Anton Leddin
It's always a good idea to wear sneakers when you're walking around a gallery, but they're the only kicks that'll do when Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street arrives Down Under. First staged by The Design Museum in London, this exhibition pays tribute to the footwear's origins and evolution — through sports to fashion, surveying iconic brands and names, and obviously touching upon basketballers Chuck Taylor and Michael Jordan's relationships with the shoes. In total, more than 200 sneakers will be on display during Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street's Australian-premiere and Australian-exclusive season at the Gold Coast's HOTA Gallery. The six-level spot will give over its walls and halls to shoes, shoes and more shoes over the summer of 2023–24, starting on on Saturday, November 25, and marking the site's first major design exhibition since opening in 2021. While a hefty amount of trainers will feature, the entire showcase will span 400-plus items. The other objects at Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street include photos, videos, posters, artworks and process material, all helping to explore the journey that the footwear style has taken in its design and culturally. Expect to learn more about sneakers that were initially made specifically for getting sweaty, which is where the Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars and Nike Airs come in (and, with the latter, to add to a year that's already seen the movie Air step through the story behind them). Also set to feature: the shoes that've become cultural symbols (such as the Vans Half Cab and Reebok InstaPump Fury), future advancements in making kicks (as seen with Biorealize for Puma) and big-name collaborations (Jordan, of course, plus Run-DMC and more). Attendees will also check out sneakers that've made a splash on the runway (Comme des Carçons and A-Cold-Wall*, for instance), find out more about plant-based sneakers (such as Veja and Native Shoes) and customisable kicks (as Helen Kirkum and Alexander Taylor are doing), and dive into celebrity endorsements (Travis Scott with Nike, Pharell for Adidas and the like). Laid out in chapters called 'STYLE' and 'PERFORMANCE', the exhibition's first part goes big on aesthetics and its second on the act of making the best trainers — covering Chuck Taylor's basketball clinics, sneaker culture in New York City and everything that's happened since. "Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street reveals the role young people from diverse backgrounds have played in making individual sneakers into style icons and in driving an industry now worth billions," notes Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street Curator Ligaya Salazar. "The exhibition also gives behind-the-scenes insight into new upcycling and sustainable design practices, unseen prototypes predicting the future of performance design, and streetwear and fashion collaborations that changed the face of the industry." "As an active city with a vibrant street culture and enthusiasm for fashion, summer on the Gold Coast is the perfect time and place to celebrate the iconic footwear phenomenon. We are thrilled to be presenting this internationally acclaimed exhibition exclusively in Australia," added HOTA's Interim CEO Mik Auckland. Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street is the Gold Coast venue's second huge Australian-exclusive in 2023, following Pop Masters: Art From the Mugrabi Collection, New York and its focus on Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring from February–June. Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street will open on Saturday, November 25 at HOTA Gallery, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise Gold Coast — head to the exhibition's website for further details and tickets. Images: Ed Reeve, Design Museum London.
Get the jab, get a free beer, flight, holiday or pair of jeans: thanks to plenty of companies around Australia, that's been a reality over the past few months. Breweries, airlines, hotel chains, denim brands and more have been offering Aussies a little something extra for rolling up their sleeves, all as part of an effort to encourage getting-19 vaccinated against COVID-19. Now, one group of philanthropists and corporations is handing out a cool $1 million for having the jabs. The newly launched Million Dollar Vax promotion knows what it's about: giving away a big stack of cash to someone who has been vaxxed. And, it's open to folks who've just had one jab, too, as long as you've had it when you enter — and as long as you'll be fully vaccinated by Monday, December 13. If that's you — and you're over the age of 18 — you can enter whenever you like in October, all by filling out the online form on the contest's website. It runs through basic information such as your name, email address, date of birth, mobile phone number, suburb, state and postcode, and does require you to tick boxes to confirm that you meet the jab requirements. (If you have a medical exemption, you're not eligible to enter.) After you've filled out the form, you'll go in the running to win that $1 million prize, which'll be drawn on Friday, November 5. And, the competition is also giving out daily prizes, too. Over the month, 100 $1000 gift cards will be given away each and every day, from a total prize pool — including that top $1 million prize — of $4.1 million. You can only enter the overall contest once, however, and you're only eligible for the daily prizes on the day you enter. If you do win one of the $1000 gift cards, you'll be contacted via email within five business days of entering. You'll then get your gift card emailed to you once you verify your ID and that you've been vaxxed. All prizes are being handed out randomly, so you don't need to come up with a reason to win, enter an answer in 25 words or less or anything else along those lines. And if you're wondering who is behind the promotion, it's being run by "a group of generous philanthropists and corporations" called the Million Dollar Vax Alliance, who are aiming "to accelerate Australia's COVID-19 vaccination program" according to the contest's FAQs. "The faster we reach vaccination rates nationally, the sooner we all can safely resume our full range of community and business activity," the FAQs continue. For more information about the Million Dollar Vax promotion, or to enter, head to the competition website.
Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema is back for another year. Inflating their giant screen overlooking Bondi Beach from Thursday, January 19, the organisers have once again put together a program that mixes the best Oscar contenders, special event screenings and retro classics. Setting up on Dolphin Lawn overlooking Bondi Beach, Ben & Jerry's Openair Cinema shows new releases and cult classics including Hollywood blockbusters Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Assassin's Creed, Allied, A United Kingdom and Passengers, Golden Globe winner La La Land, and old favourites Clueless, Dirty Dancing and Anchorman. The team are keeping their tried and true formula intact — live music and free ice cream on Sunday nights. There'll also be a fully-licensed bar and gourmet food stands. You can also hire deckchairs, beanbags and blankets, or go all in for a VIP Star Lounge ticket with lounger, a blanket, seat-side service and a glass of wine. For the full program or to buy tickets, head to the website. Check out CP's roundup of Sydney's best openair cinemas over here.
The Kooks were back in Sydney last week at the tail end of their Australian tour. We spoke with band member, Hugh Harris, about bringing in the New Year at Falls, cooking spag bol and retracing his roots in his spiritual homeland, Sydney. Hey Hugh, thanks for chatting with me today. So you have just landed in Sydney ready for the gig tonight? Well, we arrived last night but I have family in Sydney so we had dinner plans and then after dinner plans. Hopefully I will have time to have a rest today before the gig. But it is great to be in Sydney. I was down in Tassie for Falls so I saw you guys ring in the New Year! Oh, that's great, yeah, I think that was one of the best gigs we played, in Tasmania. And we managed to get the countdown right which was a bonus. Yeah, I was speaking to Alex Turner [Arctic Monkeys] the other day and he was a bit miffed that the countdown didn't really work out at Falls in Lorne when they were playing for NYE? Yeah, well I think in Tasmania it was OK because we had the big screen so it was pretty hard to mess up. In Lorne, there was no TV screen so it would've been hard for the Arctic Monkeys to count down. Have you played a summer NYE gig before? No, no summer NYE before, not on stage. I always think it is better just to have a party, then there is no pressure on anyone to provide the fun. But we have always wanted to do it and the opportunity came up so now we have. And did you get to see Pnau come on after you guys? Pnau? No. I stuck around for a bit. I had my cousins there from the countryside. My sheep shearing cousins. But it is hard you know when you are working, it is hard to know when the partying starts, but we just partied afterwards. Do you guys like playing festivals as compared to standard gigs? Yeah, I mean I think we are a festival band in a way. And it is a happier vibe. You get to play to people who aren't necessarily fans and that is an exciting prospect, you know, to gather a larger following. And you get that at festivals, everyone's drunk and they don't have a choice but to listen! You've been to Sydney a lot and having family here is there anything you really look forward to doing whilst you are here? Yeah, I have this nostalgia route that I take. We used to come here for Christmas because my grandmother was here. And one Christmas I got a skateboard and I used to take this route around Rushcutters Bay. So I will do that. On your skateboard? No, those days are past! I just walk it now. So I start at Rushcutters and then walk up the hill and go to No Frills [an offshoot of the supermarket chain Franklins that no longer exists] in the Edgecliff Centre and get a cake. It's where I used to buy my holiday cakes. And then I will head down to the Golden Sheaf and try and get a beer. And then a swim at that harbour pool. Redleaf? Yeah, Redleaf. So I will try and do that today. I think perhaps the Sheaf might have changed a bit since you were last there.. Yeah, I've heard that. What happened? Well, it is pretty much an empire now. When did you last go? Well, my Dad was here in the 1970s. Yeah, well it is not the Sheaf of the '70s! And neither of us was around then! You guys have been playing now for 7 years and you were only 18 when The Kooks signed to Virgin – did you always want to be in a band? No, absolutely not. I actually wanted to be in espionage, I always wanted to be a spy. And then second I wanted to be in a band. Well, maybe you could be a spy in your thirties? No, I think that might be too late. You know you have to do all this training, martial arts training; I think the dream is over. And maybe it will be too hard, you know needing to be inconspicuous and all? No, I'll shave my head that will be fine! And what do you guys get up to in your free time whilst you are on tour? Do you get into sightseeing or art galleries or whatever? Yeah, art galleries for sure. You hit the nail on the head. I love art galleries and try and go as much as possible. Modern art galleries. And cooking. I really love cooking, but mostly when I get home. I find it really relaxing and I cook a mean spaghetti bolognaise. Like all good boys! All boys have the staple spag bol! Yeah, but I would like to say that I think mine is better than anyone else's! You know, I leave it for a really long time, even cooking overnight, and it just comes alive. Well, not with bacteria hopefully. And other stuff? I like tennis. My favourite colour is yellow. And… Ok, just one more question. Your new clip for Is it me is particularly nostalgic with the typewriter and the 1960s primary colours – considering your musical influences how do The Kooks feel about nostalgia and looking back at the past? Yeah, we love the past. I love my past. And yeah, we are influenced by a lot of music from the past. But I think when we were young we used to go through our parents' record collections and just sift through, you know. But also I like that things from the past are spun and renewed and regurgitated. It's a blending of the past. Like with our new album, you know it is a bit of a bridge. It is The Kooks staple sound but then there are all these warm synthesisers in there so it blends the past and the present. That's what we do.
Peering at ancient pyramids isn't normally a Sydney pastime, but it will be come September 2024 without needing to leave the city — or country. At virtual-reality experience Horizon of Khufu, you'll get immersed in the past like it's all around you. Patrons will see the Great Pyramids of Giza, including flying over the Giza Necropolis. You'll climb to the top of the Pyramid of Khufu, in fact, and gaze out over Egypt with a 360-degree view. Getting a glimpse of burial chambers and embalming ceremonies, finding the queen's chamber, sailing down the Nile, attending Khufu's funeral: that's all also on the agenda, as is checking out the Great Sphinx of Giza and witnessing these ancient wonders by night. That's where your eyes will be heading, at least, via a VR headset that'll take you into a shared play space. Your peepers will also be checking out recreations of sights dating back 4500 years, to the time of Khufu, the second pharaoh of Egypt's fourth dynasty. He's the figure that's believed to have commissioned the largest of the pyramids, which was also his tomb. Your body will need to be at the Harbour City's Fever Pavilion, where Horizon of Khufu is making its Australian debut from Thursday, September 5, 2024. Once you've popped on your headsets, attendees will be led through Horizon of Khufu by a virtual guide, all while benefiting from design by Egyptologist and Harvard University professor Peter Der Manuelian. If you're with your date or mates, or family, the 45-minute experience also lets you visuals others in the VR space, so you won't all just be off on your own wander through bygone years. Australia joins France — where Horizon of Khufu debuted in 2022 — as well as the US, Canada and the UK in being able to enjoy this blast from the past. Unsurprisingly, it has proven popular around the globe, notching up more than one million visitors so far. If you've seen plenty of other Egypt obsessives at Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs and Pharaoh, you'll know that Aussies will help boost those numbers.
Sydney's love affair with natural wines shows no sign of slowing and we couldn't be happier about it. The latest venue to showcase the funky wines is newcomer Ode Bar; it's offering an Australian twist on European-style dining with minimal intervention wines, Italian-inspired share plates and an upcycled fit-out. At the helm is head chef Ben Abiad, who most recently led the kitchen at Potts Point's 350-label strong Dear Sainte Éloise (Concrete Playground's Best New Bar 2017 Winner). His impressive resume also includes Love, Tilly Devine, Sean's Panaroma and Mecca, plus co-founding Brickfields Bakery. Joining Abiad as co-owners are managers Jeremy Moyle and Jerome Wallcroft and designer Benedict Maurice — who are all Sydney hospo vets and have overlapped across many of the same venues. With this venture, they're "blurring the boundaries between wine bar and restaurant", starting with an extensive wine list from all-natural winemakers — using minimal intervention with no additives, fining, filtration or added yeasts. "The big difference we've found through seeking out these producers is it's not a story about one amazing wine maker using technical methods in the cellar; rather, it's a story about an amazing group of farmers that are growing the best fruit they can, to express the earth where it was grown, and what happened during that season," says Moyle. Ode aims to put the farmers on display and focuses on producers who are reviving native grape varieties. All four owners have spent time harvesting on vineyards, too, so their appreciation of good wine goes deeper than just time spent in hospitality. This produce-driven mentality extends to the kitchen, where Abiad's seasonal menu draws from his roots in Italian cooking. Like at Dear Sainte Eloise, it's a concise menu that's meant to be shared over a few glasses of wine. There's a clear focus on chargrilled cooking, with dishes like grilled scallops with a rosemary and anchovy sauce; grilled octopus with 'nduja and lardo; and smoked mussels on toast, topped with aioli and pickled celery (a dish reminiscent of the Dear Sainte Éloise menu, too). Mains centre on house-made pastas, which, at the moment, are used in heartier winter dishes like beef cheek ragu cavatelli, or gnocchi in a creamy gorgonzola and walnut sauce. On weekends, Ode is also slinging simple European-style brekkie from 9am — think sweet and savoury croissants, pastries and danishes by Clovelly's Tuga Pastry, plus soft-boiled eggs on toast and coffees by Mecca, of course. The fit-out follows a commitment to the au naturel, too, with the team building everything from scratch using mostly recycled materials. These include 200-year-old Blue Gum timber — salvaged from Botany Bay's La Perouse wharf — which became the bar top, tables and chairs, plus the majority of the back bar. Ode Bar is now open at 251 Bondi Road, Bondi. Opening hours are Tuesday through Thursdays from 3pm to 11pm; Friday from noon to 11pm; and Saturday through Sunday from 9am to 11pm.
Despite our country being one that's girt by sea, as our anthem reminds us, we've become rather obsessed with waves of the man-made kind of late. Surfing legend Kelly Slater intends to open his second surf ranch on the Sunshine Coast and NSW's Hawkesbury region is getting a giant wave pool and luxury resort come 2022. But, most excitingly, Australia's first inland surf park Urbnsurf, near the Melbourne Airport, finally started pumping waves in 2020. Now, the Urbnsurf team is setting its sights on three more landlocked locations across Australia. Because, these days, you no longer need the beach to be able to hang ten. After a tumultuous first year at the Melbourne location due to the global pandemic — and with the on-site Three Blue Ducks' all-day diner now open — Urbnsurf is set to open locations in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. The 3.2-hectare Sydney spot got approved way back in 2017 and, after the success of the Melbourne outpost, the team is now focusing on delivering its NSW project at Sydney Olympic Park. Construction on the Sydney surf lagoon is expected to commence in 2021. While an exact opening date is yet to be announced, the wave pool is set to make a splash come summer 2022/2023 — don't worry, we'll be sure to keep you updated. [caption id="attachment_796164" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Render of Urbnsurf Sydney[/caption] Meanwhile, the company also plans to make headway on projects in Brisbane and Perth. With the progress of these two locations still very much in the early stages, the details are under wraps for now. Urbnsurf Melbourne powers up to 1000 waves per hour, day and night. Plus, every wave has six different take-off spots equating to 3600 surfable positions every hour. So, if that's anything to go by, Sydneysiders, Brisbanites and Perthians can expect A-class surfing year-round — come rain or shine. Urbnsurf Sydney is slated to open in summer 2022/2023. Urbnsurf's Brisbane and Perth locations and opening dates are yet to be announced — but we'll be sure to keep you posted. Top image: Courtesy Urbnsurf and Ed Sloane
We're all down with the fact that cheese and wine are a match made in tastebud heaven, but knowing which styles make the best mates can prove a little more elusive. Luckily, the folks at Cake Wines know a thing or two, and they're happy to share. Off the back of a sell-out event in June, the label's Redfern cellar door will be pulling together a couple of your all-time favourite things once a month, for a new cheese and wine pairing series called Where's the Cheese? Featuring Cake's own tasty drops alongside a global selection of top-notch cheese, each of these monthly nights will focus on a different wine varietal and explore which styles of cheese complement it best. This month — Thursday, August 17 — will focus on Cabernet and its ideal dairy offsiders, including an aged Gruyère, a cloth-bound cheddar and a Parmigiano-Reggiano. The $10 entry fee will get you samples of all that delicious cheese and plenty of fun facts to whip out at your next dinner party. You'll need to bring a few extra dollars for the wine, which'll be on offer at standard cellar door prices. You can book a table on their website. Updated: August 9, 2017.
UPDATE, May 12, 2021: Doctor Sleep is available to stream via Netflix, Binge, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. A river of blood cascading from an elevator. Creepy twins eager to play forever. The eerie woman in room 237. Since Stanley Kubrick brought Stephen King's horror novel to cinemas in 1980, these images have become synonymous with The Shining, as has the word 'redrum' and frosty hedge mazes. But, really, this story owes a debt to ice cream. That's not how King's 1977 book starts, or Kubrick's masterpiece; however Dick Hallorann's (Scatman Crothers) telepathic offer of dessert to five-year-old Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd) is one of the movie's pivotal moments. It's when audiences learn what the film's title means, and discover they'll be spending time in the duo's heads while they communicate without moving their lips. Doctor Sleep — which hit bookshelves in 2013 as a King-penned sequel to The Shining and now reaches theatres under the direction of Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) — latches onto that idea. In its predecessor, the Overlook Hotel that Danny and his parents (Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall) temporarily called home also had a "shine", turning it into a ghostly battlefield — but in Doctor Sleep, the characters' minds become a combat zone as well. Danny is now Dan (Ewan McGregor), a drifter who finds the straight and narrow in a small New Hampshire town, yet remains haunted by his boyhood experiences. He connects with fellow telepath Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a teenager whose powers eclipse his own. They initially chat without chatting, until Abra glimpses a sinister group of nomadic quasi-immortals who possess the same extrasensory gifts and consume the essence of psychic folks. Led by the malevolent Rose The Hat — who's played with menacing relish by Mission: Impossible – Fallout's Rebecca Ferguson, complete with Babadook-style headwear — this death cult earns Doctor Sleep's considerable attention. Sometimes, they recruit their potential victims. Mostly, they kill them, inhaling their shine or "steam". In Abra's case, the group is ravenous for — and frightened by — her potent power. As a face-off looms, Dan, who is still mentored by the spirit of Hallorann (now played by Carl Lumbly), adopts the same role for Abra. While the film takes its time teasing out Dan and Abra's individual stories, bringing them together and depicting Rose's twisted reign, it's always headed in one direction: to the Colorado hotel that has lingered over cinema history for nearly four decades. In a movie where getting into someone's head is crucial — and thriving on what you extract out of it, too — Doctor Sleep does the filmic equivalent with The Shining. King famously hated Kubrick's adaptation, even scripting his own TV version in the 90s. By writing Doctor Sleep, he attempted to reclaim his own story and put it back on his preferred path. Flanagan, however, has no such qualms about one of the best horror movies ever made. On the screen, Doctor Sleep begins with notes from The Shining's main theme, and the nods and winks only continue. He recreates scenes, mirrors visual motifs, uses snippets of the original, and finds aesthetic, narrative and thematic ways to allude to Kubrick's film. The picture's nostalgia is never as gratuitous and empty as Ready Player One's reference to the movie, thankfully, but it still traces its predecessor's footsteps more closely than it needs to. It can't be easy, making a sequel to an iconic book-to-film adaptation that also adapts the follow-up novel addressing the author's issues with the first movie. It's to Flanagan's credit that Doctor Sleep wholeheartedly tries to juggle these competing aims. An accomplished horror writer/director/editor with fellow King adaptation Gerald's Game to his name, he infuses Doctor Sleep with growing dread and gnawing unease. Never just trying to ape Kubrick, he crafts his own standout images — involving Rose and her cronies at their most frenzied, and literally stepping inside Dan, Abra and Rose's minds. Also boasting top-notch lead performances, a thoughtful exploration of childhood trauma and its impact, and an unnerving score, Doctor Sleep builds its own momentum and intrigue. Inevitably, though, it starts chasing The Shining's tail too blatantly and feverishly. Doctor Sleep was never designed to stand alone, but by remaining so beholden to The Shining, it can feel like a missed opportunity. It doesn't need to prop itself up so forcefully, or to imitate Kubrick so stringently, and proves a much better film when it's doing neither. In rare scenes where the sequel interrogates rather than apes the original movie, Doctor Sleep is far more convincing in linking the two. When Dan admits to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting that he drank because that's how he connected to the memory of his dad, it's the picture's most powerful moment — and shows why McGregor is perfectly cast to wade through Dan's niggling pain. It's also a way to take viewers both into the character's head, and into The Shining, without being so overt. The film still shines more often that not, but if only the bulk of Doctor Sleep had that same gift. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oCTK2U5lpc
Now in its 14th year, the Independent Games Festival recognises some of the most innovative leaps in video game development, all coming from independent publishers and developers from around the world. Though based in San Francisco, the IGF has teamed up with Sydney Opera House's Graphic Festival to present the pick of this year's featured titles. The first thing you'll notice when you arrive at the western foyer of the SOH is that the Best of the IGF is laid out with almost no ceremony. Large monitors sit at tables scattered around the foyer, with tiny little printouts detailing the rules and publishing information for the games you can play at each station. If you weren't looking specifically for this, you'd miss it completely, which is a real shame because the games on show here are an inspiring vision of the evolution of the art form. It is disappointing as well to notice that not much care seems to have been given to the maintenance of the layout — several games were not working when I came to play — and there is no easily found information about where you can purchase those games that have been commercially released. Having said that, the Best of the IGF offers a fantastic taste of ingenuity. One noticeable feature of the games on offer is that they have taken an established genre — such as 2D platformer, dungeon crawl and first-person horror survival — and switched their emphasis from a basic hack/slash to immersive problem-solving. Pick of the bunch for me is the terrifying Amnesia: The Dark Descent (see video), produced by Frictional Games in Sweden. You play as Daniel, an amnesiac who wakes up in a collapsing castle with the imperative to reclaim your memory and get the hell out of there. The only way to do this is to solve complex, object-based puzzles and read scraps of information left around the castle. But...oh...fa...the castle is crawling with psychotic, brain-melting horrors that will hunt you down and render you into gristle. These nightmares stalk you relentlessly, and poor Daniel's mind can only handle so much insanity before he becomes a whimpering sack of catatonia. Without any way of fighting these monsters, you must run and hide, huddle, close your eyes and pray that it'll be over soon. The soundtrack is so detailed and real that it's only a matter of time before a player has an actual heart attack when first chased through the dark corridors. A close second, and with a very different vibe, is Alexander Bruce's Antichamber. A koan, an exploration of non-Euclidean space; I am not sure exactly how to define this treasure. Again using the first-person perspective, you are given the option to navigate through a metaphysical space where all of your previously held understanding of video game conventions must be put aside. Parts of this game seem like Portal 2, but without the ability to make your own portals, and the puzzles are open-ended with even the most dire-seeming failures consoled with a continuing path. Also worthy of note is Playdead's Limbo. Using some very simple, but intuitive, physics, you guide a silhouette boy through a two-dimensional limbo. There is a dark, twisted sense of humour throughout the game, with the boy capable of grim, cartoon death at the hands of bear-traps and Burtonesque spiders. Ignore the poor layout and occasional malfunction — take a trip to the western foyer and play these games. Then support the indie scene by chasing them up online and purchasing your favourites. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yyHtk_ZhZAk
When SBS's new free-to-air 24-hour World Movies channel arrives in July, it'll boast plenty of reasons to get cosy on your couch, ignore the world and settle in for your own stay-at-home film festival. In fact, you might want to cancel your weekend daytime plans for the month — because you'll be spending every Saturday and Sunday watching a non-stop Studio Ghibli marathon. From 6am–7.30pm each weekend during July, the new channel will work its way through a heap of the studio's beloved flicks, including Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, The Secret World of Arrietty, Tales From Earthsea, The Cat Returns, The Castle of Cagliostro, From Up on Poppy Hill, The Wind Rises and When Marnie Was There. If that's not enough delightful Japanese animation for you, a couple of other films will be thrown into the mix — such as The Red Turtle, a gorgeous Ghibli co-production directed by Dutch animator Michaël Dudok de Wit; the lively Mary and the Witch's Flower, which was made by animators who previously worked at Studio Ghibli; and The Boy and The Beast and Summer Wars, which both hail from rightfully acclaimed filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wf57f5F09c SBS has also revealed what else will be screening on World Movies throughout its first month, and it's a hefty list that includes box office hits, festival favourites and plenty of familiar faces. Get teary over Lion's Oscar-nominated real-life reunion tale, start pondering the afterlife in A Ghost Story (aka the film where Rooney Mara devours a pie and Casey Affleck stands under a sheet), or check out the moving, banned-in-Kenya lesbian romance Rafiki. Elsewhere, Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem team up for the second time in as many years in Loving Pablo, which follows a journalist who falls for Pablo Escobar, while applauded Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke unveils a sprawling crime epic in Ash Is the Purest White. If you're looking for something to do on a Tuesday, the channel is devoting the night to French actor Romain Duris (Heartbreaker, The New Girlfriend), while Thursday evenings will be all about women in film. SBS World Movies launches on Monday, July 1 on channel 32. For its full lineup, visit the SBS TV guide.
As soon as they step off the plane in Tropical North Queensland, most people make a beeline for the Great Barrier Reef. After all, this marine wonderland is the largest coral reef system in the world and attracts visitors from every corner of the globe. The reef is bold and beautiful but it's also a delicate ecosystem, so it's important to take care when travelling to help protect it and to remember a few quick tips before you explore. Even simple actions like swapping to reef-safe sunscreen or checking you're fishing where you're allowed to do so can have long-lasting positive effects on the health of this natural wonder. Luckily, there are plenty of easy ways you can help keep our reef beautiful for generations to come. [caption id="attachment_842448" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] OFFSET YOUR TRIP Offsetting your trip is an easy way to travel responsibly — especially with many tourism and travel providers of all sizes now providing you an option to do so. One Tropical North Queensland tourism provider that is both dedicated to eco-friendly explorations and aids sustainability efforts is the award-winning Cairns-based Passions of Paradise. The company offers reef tours as well as snorkelling and scuba diving with all gear included, too, so you can get up close to turtles, fish and all the coral-dwelling creatures of the reef with ease before relaxing on board with a buffet lunch. Passions also gives certified divers the chance to engage in citizen science with its Eco Tours. Under the direction of a Master Reef Guide, divers who opt for this experience can contribute to ongoing reef conservation projects and support the work of local conservationists on the Great Barrier Reef through things like surveying reef locations, monitoring reef health or assisting in coral planting. Not a certified diver? You can still make a difference — Passions of Paradise work with researchers to help grow coral through the Coral Nurture Program and offset carbon emissions by planting trees in the Daintree. If you're visiting the reef from Port Douglas, consider a trip with Sailaway. This full-day tour with a qualified marine biologist is a great way to learn more about the wonders beneath the shimmering blue waves. The best bit? The company donates $20 from every ticket to its reforestation and carbon offsetting project. [caption id="attachment_830381" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] SEE THE REEF WITH FIRST NATIONS GUIDES If your idea of a perfect day in the ocean is seeing beautiful reefs and getting an insightful connection to the sea, put Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel on your itinerary. Offering a unique experience, this local team of First Nations sea rangers will invite you to step into the Great Barrier Reef's Dreamtime. Cairns' only Indigenous-focused cruise, Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel is recognised as one of Australia's leading ecotourism providers thanks to its Advanced Eco accreditation awarded by Ecotourism Australia and a Climate Action Business Certification, with its tours and activities carried out in line with industry-best standards. Some proceeds from ticket sales go to local conservation initiatives and further research through GBR Biology group, a dedicated team of marine biologists, educations and rangers that delivers immersive experiences and invests in coral reef monitoring and research. [caption id="attachment_845484" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mikhail Nilov (Pexels)[/caption] USE REEF-SAFE SUNSCREEN (OR WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING SO YOU DON'T NEED SUNSCREEN) If you went to primary school in Australia, then you are probably pretty familiar with the 'slip, slop, slap' campaign. Sun protection is always paramount when you live in a scorching country, but there are ways to keep yourself protected that also help protect the planet. Certain sunscreen ingredients are known to cause coral deterioration, so it's worth being savvy when choosing your products. An easy guide is to look for reef-safe ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and avoid nasties such as oxybenzone and octinoxate. Also, look for packaging that is recycled or recyclable and stay away from spray sunscreens that cause excess product to land on the sand. But if you're looking for the easiest (and most effective) way to escape sun damage, opt for protective clothing that is dark and densely woven. Unlike sunscreen, it doesn't need to be reapplied, and never washes off. [caption id="attachment_845201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] GET INVOLVED IN CITIZEN SCIENCE It's easy to feel overwhelmed when it comes to the long-term health of the Great Barrier Reef, but there are some simple ways we can all help. The Eye on the Reef app allows you to quickly log information about reef health and wildlife sightings, allowing anyone who visits to contribute to its protection. It's simple to use, free to download and use and requires zero special equipment — it takes just seconds to record any spots of coral bleaching or instances of sick animals. The app also uses GPS settings to give you specific zoning rules for each area, so you don't get caught out fishing or diving in restricted spots. [caption id="attachment_845200" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] PLANT SOME CORAL Want to help the reef in an immediate and hands-on way? Scuba divers: assemble. All you need is a PADI certification and a ticket on the Passions of Paradise reef tour. This proud ecotourism operator has spent decades on the reef via its 30-metre catamaran. Its Coral Nurture Program is a collaboration with the University of Technology Sydney and allows previously damaged sections of coral to flourish. Divers are carefully guided underwater and shown how to harvest tiny pieces of coral that they then relocate to a coral nursery where they can safely grow up to 30 centimetres each year. This is an immersive and educational activity that gives divers a tangible connection to coral rehabilitation. [caption id="attachment_845197" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption] ADOPT SOME CORAL Keen to help with coral conservation but don't have your diving licence? We've got you sorted. The Reef Restoration Foundation (RRF) is a not-for-profit social enterprise that challenges the idea that the reef is damaged beyond hope. Following a coral bleaching event in 2016, keen diver and soon-to-be RRF founder Gary McKenna observed that the coral in his home aquarium could regrow and create new fragments. He expanded his research worldwide, and discovered that there were several coral replanting methods that hadn't been tried on the Great Barrier Reef. International experts came on board, and grant funding allowed the RRF coral nurseries to double. While these steps are incredibly positive, reef restoration is a long-term project. By adopting your own patch of coral through RRF, you can provide much-needed funds to keep resources flowing. Plus, you will receive regular growth updates on your cute coral patch. [caption id="attachment_845797" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Juergen Freund[/caption] VISIT THE OUTER REEF When visiting the Great Barrier Reef, it's tempting to look for the quickest tours that have you zipping there and back before nightfall. However, for those who want to really immerse themselves in the region, the Eco Tourism Australia-accredited Coral Expeditions offers seven- and ten-day adventures to the outer stretches of the reef, far beyond the reach of most tourist vessels. Jump on board one of the company's purpose-designed small ships for an immersive voyage to uninhabited sand cays and pristine reef systems, taking in some of the most impressive and untouched dive sites on the Great Barrier Reef. The expeditions visit both the Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, with on-board experts to guide you through unforgettable moments like meeting green sea turtles, a Welcome to Country in the world's oldest rainforest and many more. LEARN ABOUT REEF CONVERSATION A useful resource for reef conservation information are the Master Reef Guides. These marine experts must meet a long list of criteria before they can carry the title, as well as having to undergo additional training in public speaking and storytelling. If learning more about the iconic destination is on your list while in Tropical North Queensland, be sure to book a tour that has a Master Reef Guide – they work across both tourism and research vessels. Ready to be rewarded for living responsibly? For more information on obtaining Green tier status via the Qantas Frequent Flyers program, visit the website. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland Words: Eliza Crisp, Courtney Ammenhauser, Stephanie Monteith, Nik Addams.
For fans, the news that Peter Conistis's CBD settling ground-cum-Sydney's Hellenic Club headquarters, Alpha, has opened its doors for Saturday and Sunday lunches can be nothing but great. For everyone else, it's good news too: Alpha has the potential to become a fabulous, lazy winter weekend lunch spot if it can fill all its seats. Less than half capacity on our visit, the place is huge and needs a buzz to suit, yet it's comfortable and gleams with warmth like the Greek isles from which it hails. Step in from the grey of Castlereagh and you're instantly bathed in the whites and creams of the Med, complemented by impressive fishing net light shades dividing the tall, spacious dining room from the intimate and casual outside section looking onto the street. At the back of the restaurant is a large bar complete with sit-up dining and drinking. We took a seat on one of the plush, multi-cushioned central banquettes and, when in Rome (well, close enough) began with pita ($2 per person), hommous ($8), taramosalata ($11) and a bottle of Viognier ($90) from the northern Greek town of Epanomi. The hommous and taramosalata hit the mark, especially smeared over the hot, soft and crispy-where-it-counts pita (obvious warning alert: don't fill up on this). We had barely had a slice each by the time our twice-cooked octopus arrived ($25), but in all fairness it was ready to go: the succulent flesh fell apart with each chew, accompanied by melt-in-your-mouth white beans and the floral, fruity flavours of the wine. Next came one of Alpha's arguably favourite dishes, the spanakopita, aka spinach, leek and filo pie ($20). A telltale sign of good Greek, the pastry was just the right level of moist but light enough to avoid dryness and that all too familiar feeling-like-a pig-syndrome when you've still got another dish coming. Said dish in question was the spiced, slow roasted lamb shoulder (the small yet not small version at $35) with roast potatoes and tzatziki. You can imagine it just fell off the bone. We also added a side of wild greens immersed in the holy trinity of garlic, chilli and olive oil, which were a standout ($10). Finishing off, we squeezed down both the chocolate hazelnut baklava ($12), which was my personal favourite until I crunched into an overpowering lump of clove that must have missed the full mixing process, and the strawberry and raspberry loukoumi delight ice cream slice with filo cigars ($14). The latter was refreshing and not too heavy, but also not the best colder-weather choice. Already established in the city as a go-to for good Greek, it's clear that if the team here really want to make weekend lunches work all they have to do is put arses on seats (and perhaps work on dish timing a little). Food, drink and service all get a big fat Greek tick here. We just need the big fat Greek atmosphere too.
As we pass World Environment Day for 2022, the year's motto of "only one Earth" lingers. It's a message at the forefront of the news cycle and on the minds of many, with our planet only continuing to get hotter and our need to make lifestyle shifts getting only more pressing. Enter Lottie Dalziel, the Sydneysider dedicating her working life to everyday sustainability. The self-professed optimist is the founder of Banish, an online marketplace, education platform and recycling platform. With a focus on small achievable changes (which collectively have a large impact), Lottie inspires hope — and change. "I believe people do want to be more sustainable," Lottie says. "I think the main barrier to people making eco-switches in their life is them not knowing where to start." One easy way to start? The NSW Government's Return and Earn program. Working towards adjusting the state's everyday consumption behaviours — and highlighting the ease of making a big eco-impact — Return and Earn allows you to easily recycle the bottles, cans and cartons we all amass in our daily lives, with used containers back on shelves living a new life in as little as four weeks. There are over 600 return points where recyclers are given the choice between a refund or charitable donation. Either way — you're taking steps towards making the planet better for all. Together with Return and Earn, we had a chat with Lottie and asked her to share her favourite switches that will see you quickly — and easily — living a more sustainable life. 1. DITCH THE SINGLE-USE COFFEE CUPS "Use a reusable coffee cup for your daily brew," Lottie says. With caffeine powering a great number of us through our days, a simple and oh-so-effective switch is ditching those plastic-lined cups and nabbing yourself one for keeps. 2. CHOOSE BAMBOO "Every plastic toothbrush that every person has ever used still exists somewhere on this planet — and will take at least 300 years to break down," Lottie tells us. The sheer enormity of those numbers is overwhelming, which makes this easy swap from the sustainability queen that much more welcome: "Switch to a bamboo toothbrush," she offers. "Then, when you're done, you can compost the base." Taking it to even higher sustainability heights is bamboo's rapid growth rate, natural pest-resistance qualities (eliminating the need for chemical pesticides, which can enter the wider ecosystem) and ability to remove carbon from the air (a huge point-breaker in the plastic-or-bamboo-toothbrush debate). 3. GET COMPOSTING Pump the brakes on throwing veggie scraps in your rubbish bin. "Start composting! On average, 40% of the contents in a household bin is organic matter that could be composted. Grab yourself a kitchen caddy and then join ShareWaste — and get its app — so you don't even need to get your hands dirty." 4. WAKE UP YOUR MAKEUP ROUTINE Giving a shout-out to another small biz that's as planet-focused as Banish, Lottie suggests a simple switch-a-roo between single-use makeup wipes and these Sabbia Co resusable ones. Removing the day doesn't have to cost the earth, so grab some machine-washable, 100% cotton pads — which can last over 200 washes with the right kind of loving. 5. KISS PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS GOODBYE Lottie knows how to keep it simple yet effective: "Remember your reusable tote bag when you head to the grocery store." Have the best intentions but always turn up with empty hands? Pop a tote in your car, or a teeny-tiny fold-away one in your bag, so you're not left with plastic — or a precarious hand-held balancing act — as your only option. If you haven't made the switch already you'll want to do it soon — some of NSW's biggest retailers are farewelling the plastic shoppers for good, which is sure to prove a momentous step towards a greener planet for all. [caption id="attachment_767688" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Markus Spiske (Unsplash)[/caption] 6. SHOP SMARTER Think long and hard about whether those four apples really need a bag around them. And surely your bananas can handle themselves? Skip the plastic when you can, but if your market haul — we're thinking brussels sprouts and string beans — is really in need of some organisation assistance, Lottie has an easy solution: "Ditch plastic bags in the fruit and veg section, and use reusable produce bags instead." 7. BLADES OF CHANGE "Never use a plastic razor again," says Lottie. "Grab a safety razor and for the rest of your life all you'll need to do is replace the blades." That's a sell that's hard to shop past, so if you're not spending winter growing your hair out, head to Banish to see the back of plastic-powered hair care. Looking to kickstart your eco-journey? Head to the Banish website. Or, if you're ready to put your recyclables to work, look no further than Return and Earn. Crunch your numbers at the impact calculator and see the real-world benefits your recycling will have. Images provided by Lottie Dalziel.
One of the most interesting fixtures on the increasingly crowded calendar of Sydney film festivals, Possible Worlds presents the best of Canadian cinema, and for the first time this year, the program has been expanded to also include some gems of American independent film. Run by Sydney non-profit company The Festivalists, who are also behind a series of film-related events including the excellent short film night Kino and Jurassic Lounge, this year's program is a strong and diverse selection. The lineup includes Greta Gerwig/Noah Baumbach comedy Frances Ha and Sarah Polley's constantly acclaimed documentary Stories We Tell. Read on for our picks of the five films to see at Possible Worlds.
If you're a fan of basketball, talented Aussies shooting hoops and one of the biggest local names in the game in the 21st century, then this one's a slam dunk: Patty Mills is coming home to chat about his career. The Brooklyn Nets point guard returns to Australia for the first time since helping score the Boomers their first-ever Olympic medal — and shooting 42 points himself in the crucial bronze-winning match — to tour the nation throughout September. Whether you're keen to hear the man himself discuss his success, life, learnings and everything in-between in the flesh, or you know some budding basketballers who are eager to follow in the Indigenous Aussie's footsteps, you have options. There are two parts to the tour: basketball camps for young up-and-comers and in-conversation gigs. Yes, the four-time Olympian will be present at both. [caption id="attachment_867421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Erik Drost via Flickr[/caption] The camps will hit up the Gold Coast, Logan, Sydney, Thursday Island, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne in one-day stints, starting on Wednesday, September 7 — but players do need to be aged between 12–17 to head along. If that's someone you know, they'll get time with the some of the top basketball coaches and volunteers in each area, and also nab an up-close-and-personal experience with Patty Mills himself. Plus, basketball clinician DJ Sackmann will be leading the fun. The onstage component of Mills' tour will make four stops, kicking off on Monday, September 5 at The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, then heading to ARA Darling Quarter Theatre in Sydney, Astor Theatre in Perth and the Palais Theatre in Melbourne. That's where the star player will speak from the heart about his journey — which has taken the Kokatha, Naghiralgal, Duaureb-Meriam man from growing up in Canberra to rising through the basketball ranks, and also becoming Australia's first Indigenous Olympics flag bearer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Patty Mills (@balapat) "The Patty Mills Unearthed Tour is the realisation of a dream that I have had for some time now. Home really is where the heart is, and this homecoming trip fulfils a desire in me to connect with the communities and supporters who have been by my side, no matter where my career has taken me," said Mills. "It's been a huge couple of years and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to go back to my roots to deliver an immersive experience to be felt and enjoyed both on and off the court. It was also important that this tour allowed me to share parts of me that I've never been able to share before. Getting up close and personal with my own hopes, challenges and achievements has allowed me to embrace opportunity to the fullest and by sharing my own journey, I hope to inspire others out there, especially our youth, who are on their own path of self-discovery." PATTY MILLS UNEARTHED AUSTRALIA 2022 TOUR DATES: SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE — PATTY MILLS IN HIS OWN WORDS Monday, September 5 — The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane Sunday, September 11 — ARA Darling Quarter Theatre, Sydney Friday, September 16 — Astor Theatre, Perth Tuesday, September 20 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne PATTY MILLS BASKETBALL CAMPS WITH DJ SACKMAN Wednesday, September 7 — Gold Coast Thursday, September 9 — Logan Saturday, September 10 — Sydney Tuesday, September 13 — Thursday Island Saturday, September 17 — Perth Monday, September 19 — Adelaide Wednesday, September 21 — Melbourne The Patty Mills Unearthed Tour heads around Australia throughout September 2022, with tickets to both the on-court and speaking events on sale now.
Looking to make the most out of the upcoming long weekend? Grab your mates and head to Barangaroo HAUS Party for a banging all-weekend-long celebration. Forget about Friday and start a little early — the grooving kicks off on Thursday, September 29, and continues all weekend through to late on Monday, October 3. Drinks will be flowing, beats will be spinning and you'll be wondering if you took a trip to Ibiza. [caption id="attachment_871572" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] All three levels of Barangaroo House are playing host: newest hot spot Rekōdo will be dishing up Japanese bites, sake and cocktails while vibey DJs spin vinyl; rooftop bar Smoke will be channelling Manhattan energy with elegant cocktails under the stars; and ground-level House Bar is the easy-breezy spot for waterside bevs in a lush environment. Over 40 DJs will be taking to the decks, with the likes of Phil Smart, Milky Tea, Taras, Baby Gee and Madami all slated to play. The best bit? Entry's free — but we recommend you make a booking, because it's set to be the party to be at this long weekend. Barangaroo HAUS Party takes over Barangaroo House from Thursday, September 29 till Monday, October 3. Head to the website to secure your spot.
Two Sci-fi fans have taken their excitement at the release of the new Tron: Legacy film to the next level. Drawing inspiration from the film's nightclub scene, Brits Ben Rousseau and architect Ian Douglas-Jones have toiled under freezing conditions to create the Legacy of the River suite at Sweden's Icehotel. The futuristic light installation is just one of several art suites at the hotel. Literally the coolest hotel in the world, Icehotel is no Travelodge. An annual fixture in the Swedish town of Jukkasjärvi situated 200km north of the Arctic Circle, the site stands vacant through summer. But as soon as winter starts to push temperatures below zero, a bunch of artistic little elves from all over the world get to work. Using only frozen water from the Torne River, they create this spectacular, functional ice sculpture with a different twist each year. Meanwhile in sunnier Sydney, the rest of us are still counting down the days to the Australian release of the Tron: Legacy film on 16th December. The sequel to the 1982 classic Tron has already been elevated to cult status, featuring cutting edge futuristic special effects and an electro-freaky soundtrack by cult French artistes Daft Punk. [via Wired]
Few things are as satisfying as fried food. Whether you've had a few beers with mates or had a shocker of a day at work and need comfort food, it just hits the spot. We'd even argue that it's the only kind of food group that you should be demolishing after a long day of fun or frustration. Luckily, Sydney's bars and eateries deliver in spades. Together with American Express, we've found the fried snacks to order when you've had too long a day either way, from seriously good Korean fried chicken to a meat pie poutine (yes, really).
Parks in urban places are often considered sacrosanct. They are a haven where one can escape from the mass urbanisation and technological transformations surrounding them. Development remains outside whilst nature dominates the metropolitan Eden. Until now. Invisible Structures, a London-based design and engineering company, is transforming this train of thought into a train of innovation as it seeks to integrate public parks and the modern technologically developed city in an attempt to enhance the environment, rather than harm it. The implements for this idea are ingenious biophilic structures constructed from a creative combination of sustainably sourced timber 'ribs' and a range of eco-friendly 'skins'. They use elements found in nature to create constructions that camouflage into their surrounds. These organic architectural works thus mimic the natural world and Invisible Works hopes to plant them in Central London parks in the upcoming summer, pulling people out of urbanity and into nature. "The idea, in a simple way," Invisible Structures owner Edward Shuster says in an interview with Fast Company, "is that they'd look like they'd grown there." Shuster and Claudia Moseley, the other half of the team behind Invisible Structures, hope to create a new interactive space within London, with the structures housing an ampitheatre, an exhibition space and dining 'seeds', amongst other things. Moseley and Shuster believe the semi-permanent structures will improve the interaction between urban populations and nature as they provide unique arenas to enhance artistic performances. "The fundamental problem that we think we're tackling is the lack of how people who live in cities are able to interact with green spaces and interact with nature," says Shuster. They are hoping the project resides in London for 10 years. If not, though, the structures can also be easily dismounted and flat-packed to move to new cities and shared around the world, transforming the way humans interact with nature. Via PSFK.
Star Wars did it. Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, too. No blockbuster movie franchise stays away from cinemas for too long these days, so of course The Lord of the Rings is being taken back to the big screen — even though it has already spawned one huge hit trilogy, then followed it up with another. Expect more hobbits, elves and dwarves in more places — in multiple movies, in fact — given that The Lord of the Rings is also doing big things on the small screen of late. In 2022, the long-awaited The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hit streaming, bringing Middle-earth to Prime Video across a stunning-looking series. Season two is in the works as well, with the show stepping back thousands of years into the JRR Tolkien-created fantasy realm's past. The new Lord of the Rings flicks are being made by Warner Bros Discovery, so it's unlikely that they'll tie into the TV show — but exactly what they'll cover, be it new tales or linking in with the OG three LoTR movies or The Hobbit films, is yet to be revealed. So far, Warner Bros has just advised that more features are on their way, announcing the news as part of the company's latest investor earnings call. Making more LoTR films involves coming to an agreement with Swedish gaming and media company Embracer Group, which owns the intellectual property rights to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and other Middle-earth-related literary works. As part of the new movie arrangement, the upcoming flicks will be produced by Warner Bros-owned production company New Line Cinema, which was behind the first two trios of hobbit-filled features. "Following our recent acquisition of Middle-earth Enterprises, we're thrilled to embark on this new collaborative journey with New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures, bringing the incomparable world of JRR Tolkien back to the big screen in new and exciting ways," said Lee Guinchard, CEO of Freemode — which is part of Embracer — in a statement. "We understand how cherished these works are and, working together with our partners at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros Pictures, we plan to honour the past, look to the future, and adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values." No further details, including regarding plots, characters, casting, directors or timing — including whether Oscar-winner Peter Jackson will be involved after helming all six past New Line features — has been announced as yet. But Warner Bros Pictures Group Co-Chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy added that "for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by JRR Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film." "The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honour," the pair continued. The first LoTR trilogy hit the big screen two decades ago, with The Fellowship of the Ring arriving in 2001, The Two Towers in 2002 and The Return of the King in 2003. They were followed by the three Hobbit movies a decade later, An Unexpected Journey debuting in 2012, The Desolation of Smaug in 2013 and The Battle of the Five Armies in 2014. Before the latest Lord of the Rings films come to a fruition, an anime will get there first. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is currently in production, and will spin a story set 183 years before the events of LoTR, focusing on the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan. Expect it in cinemas in April 2024. Obviously there's no trailer for the just-announced flicks as yet, but here are the trailers for The Fellowship of the Ring,The Two Towers and The Return of the King in the interim: The new Lord of the Rings movies don't yet have a release date — we'll update you with more information when it's announced.
The war on waste isn't just about banning plastic shopping bags, recycling plastic drink containers, phasing out plastic straws and finding alternatives to disposable coffee cups. That's a great start, but humanity's reliance upon single-use plastics includes cutlery, plates, stirrers, cotton buds and more. Europe has committed to stop using such items by 2021, building upon similar decisions in the UK and France, while Australia is working towards banning all non-recyclable packaging by 2025 — but one Aussie state is now taking matters into its own hands. As originally revealed earlier this year, the South Australian government has been exploring the possibility of implementing its own ban on single-use plastic items. After a consultation period — which followed the initial proposal by SA Environment Minister David Speirs, who released two discussion papers and called for for public feedback — the plan is progressing towards legislation. The government will now draft applicable laws for further community input, with the aim of introducing them to parliament in 2020. If they're enacted, it'll become the first Australian state to take the step. SA Premier Steven Marshall has outlined the proposed ban, which'll occur across multiple phases. At present, the government is trialling plastic-free precincts. When the legislation comes into effect, plastic straws, cutlery and stirrers will be phased out immediately, then takeaway polystyrene containers and cups will follow 12 months later. As for takeaway coffee cups, plastic bags and other takeaway food service, further investigation and consultation will be undertaken before eradicating them from circulation. https://www.facebook.com/StevenMarshallMP/photos/a.334019693384086/2240955376023832/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCgQEDNSaeZW-ix7RSmoon8MNPIMnKTQMdJynEovfagvk0Qc8FeIer17xgDJjo8GTsDkxiNJUMPUPgHPbwasO3fOkX2xwSuybsGzBQZOLx5UOxsgTghfVz4pOfoZ68issh_w_1scmiE6bNXV0QAATbBw8cQplg2d5CzUuCV7b9Ebh_j2toAPshn-xQpP4n76zaucK56WXfhmv58JzY-6HT4HzBgw5Et3NJo2Mg48O0BwM11PwniCfX4tEXlrSEvjnC_vRFqnNsYLNtyHP8KAUwGmKeqdbm8GzM8KaRu05zf-g8NHef-7Bg2Tf78LsmaweIMPp_lceUvUMOY-Qme8bp5qQ&__tn__=-R SA was the first state in the country with a container refund scheme, introducing its 10-cent refund for eligible items back in 1977 — and causing an entire generation of interstate dwellers to grow up making jokes about driving a haul of cans and bottles to Adelaide to collect some cash. It was also the first state to phase out lightweight plastic bags, a move that came into effect in 2009. In comparison, New South Wales only brought in container refunds in 2017 and is yet to commit to banning single-use plastic bags. Victoria doesn't have a container refund scheme on the horizon, but will phase out plastic bags this November. And Queensland enacted both container refunds and a plastic bag ban in 2018. While action at a government level continues to take its time across the country — apart from in Hobart, where takeaway containers will be banned either late this year or early next year — companies and venues have been stepping in themselves. McDonalds will remove plastic straws from its packaging by 2020, IKEA is phasing out single-use plastics by the same year, Melbourne's Crown Casino is cutting down its plastic usage, the Queen Victoria Market is banning plastic bags and straws and Coca-Cola Amatil is also getting rid of plastic straws from 115,000 Aussie venues. In the skies, Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly is committed to becoming the world's first single-use plastic free airline by the end of 2019, while Qantas is eradicating 100 million single-use plastic items from its flights and lounges each year from 2020 onwards.
Hip-hop fans listen up, an intimate show from Briggs and his Bad Apple Music label is coming to The Lair inside the CBD's Metro Theatre on Thursday, April 7. Billed as Briggs, Nooky and Friends as part of the Great Southern Nights program, expect memorable sets from the two trailblazing MCs as well as a bunch of surprise guests. Through his career, Briggs has been a vocal voice in the fight of First Nations people in Australia through his music — both solo and with A.B. Original — his writing and his comedy. He's toured with the likes of KRS-ONE and 50 Cent as well as written for programs like Black Comedy and Charlie Pickering's The Weekly. A newer voice in the hip hop community, Nooky's list of achievements is already long and impressive. Alongside his hard-hitting EP Lyrebird Par released at the end of last year, he's also the host of Triple J's Blak Out and the founder of Indigenous social enterprise We Are Warriors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7XevQAVoBI Great Southern Nights is facilitating a heap of gigs across Sydney and regional NSW, ranging from icons like Jimmy Barnes in western Sydney or Archie Roach performing in Wagga Wagga, through to smaller acts like hyped young R&B singer Liyah Knight headlining a night of local music and DJs at Zetland's 107 Projects. You can find the full program at the Great Southern Nights website.
October is made for weird, wild and wonderful movies filled with shocks and scares. 'Tis Halloween season, after all. So, the world obliges, including on screens big and small — and, in 2023, via the return of Australia's genre film festival Monster Fest, which is dedicated to flicks of the spooky, dark, twisted, offbeat and out-there variety. Monster Fest doesn't always pop up in the month when everyone is worshipping pumpkins and thinking about costumes; however, the timing obviously couldn't be more perfect. In Sydney, it's heading to Event Cinemas George Street between Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29. On the lineup: the latest and greatest in genre filmmaking, spanning horror, sci-fi, comedies with elements of either and all-round unnerving movies. Standouts titles on the 2023 program include Suitable Flesh, which stars Heather Graham (Extrapolations) as a doctor going mad, takes its inspiration from HP Lovecraft and boasts Joe Lynch (Creepshow) behind the lens; The Last Video Store, a horror-comedy set, yes, in one of the last video stores; and Norwegian flick There's Something in the Barn, about a gnome uprising that plagues an American family (including Party Down's Martin Starr) who've relocated to Scandinavia. Or, there's also sci-fi comedy Time Addicts, Australian slasher Bloodmoon getting a 4K restoration 33 years after its OG release and Trim Season's nightmarish trip to a weed farm.
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. Watching travel correspondent Herbsaint Sazerac (Owen Wilson, Loki) wheel around Ennui — a place that isn't quite Paris, just as The French Dispatch isn't quite The New Yorker — comes complete with choirboy gangs rumbling seniors, rat-filled tunnels and bodies fished out of rivers. Anderson's love of quaint and quirky details initially shimmers before that, in Howitzer's workspace beneath his comical "no crying" sign, but doesn't stop gleaming for a second. It's there in Moses' success, as aided by his muse/prison guard Simone (Léa Seydoux, No Time to Die), fellow inmate/art dealer Cadazio (Adrien Brody, Succession), and journalist JKL Berensen (Tilda Swinton, Memoria), who relays the specifics. And, it's clear in the chronicle by political writer Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand, Nomadland) about a student uprising led by the suitably moody Zeffirelli (Timothée Chalamet, Dune) over accessing girls' dormitory rooms. Regardless of their amusingly monikered setting, there's nary a trace of boredom or indifference in any of these chapters, all of which ape real New Yorker stories and scribes. So too does Howitzer, as well as Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright, No Time to Die), author of the film's third major segment. The French Dispatch layers in themes and ideas as potently and deeply as its visual gems, tortured genius myths and "the touching narcissism of the young" (as the movie itself describes it) all included; however, its Roebuck-focused thread is exquisitely intelligent and affecting. On a TV set, the journalist relays his attempt to write about Nescaffier (Steve Park, Warrior), chef to the local police commissaire (Mathieu Amalric, Sound of Metal), which was derailed by a hostage situation involving the latter's son — and his piece also becomes an outsider's lament. Whether going monochrome in homage to the French New Wave, pulling off a bravura late-film long shot, or finding roles for Elisabeth Moss (The Invisible Man), Saoirse Ronan (Ammonite), Edward Norton (Motherless Brooklyn) and Willem Dafoe (The Card Counter) — plus Jason Schwartzman (Fargo), who also nabs a story credit with the director, Roman Coppola (Isle of Dogs) and Hugo Guinness (The Grand Budapest Hotel) — Anderson does his utmost at every turn. While aided by sublime work by his eight-time cinematographer Robert D Yeoman, regular production designer Adam Stockhausen and frequent composer Alexandre Desplat, the result feels like slipping not only into Anderson's head but his heart, and more so than any other feature he's made. The French Dispatch is a treasure chest for Anderson, his devotees, and lovers of words, France and inventive cinema alike, although it holds zero chance of converting his naysayers. "Just try to make it sound like you wrote it that way on purpose," is Howitzer's wise advice to his writers, but there's no doubting that every minuscule choice made in this remarkable delight is utterly and marvellously intentional.
It seems like we've been talking about the live action remake of Ghost in the Shell for a really long time. Now that it's finally here, we're not going to waste time weighing up the quality of the source material. It's proven itself in the manga iteration, as well as the cult anime film that followed. Instead, the question is this: does the remake add anything to the discourse? And as such, should you bother paying to see it or should you give it a miss? Ghost in the Shell, in case you're not familiar, is based on a 1989 manga by Masamune Shirow. Protagonist Major Mira Killian (played here by Scarlett Johansson) is a member of Section 9, a unit of elite officers tasked with fighting cyber criminals. Major has a human brain and consciousness (a 'ghost') inside a fully cybernetic body. Her previous life is a mystery, even to herself. But when a delinquent hacker known only as Kuze (Michael Pitt) starts to infiltrate the network to which all humans are connected, a series of events are set in motion that lead Major on a classic origin chase, punctuated with shadowy memories ('glitches') from her past. Let's start with the good: the visuals in this new version of Shirow's story are stunning. Director Rupert Sanders has crafted a really good looking film, with many rich scenes and compositions. It's literally a smorgasbord of sci-fi aesthetics. But, like the model children of celebrities, it was always going to look great, because the source material is spectacular. Many of the film's most memorable images are taken almost shot for shot from the original. It's great to look at, sure, but no points for originality here. Moreover, this Americanised take on Ghost in the Shell feels decidedly more commercial (read: dumber) than its Japanese counterpart. Many of the same philosophical ideas are present, but you can't help but feel as though they're being fed to you with a spoon. Likewise, the mood here is less melancholy, less isolating. The eerie, disconcerting quality of the anime has been diluted, and the film feels weaker for it. The filmmakers have woven in extra content from the manga, shed a few of the more ambiguous scenes to resolve the narrative, and maximised Johansson's screen time. On the plus side, the score absolutely holds up, with composer Clint Mansell building on what came before while also bringing something fresh to the table. Finally, let's get to the big white elephant in the room: why was Scarlett Johansson, a Caucasian woman, cast in a role that many have said should have gone to an Asian or Asian-American actor? Sadly, whitewashing is a very real problem in the film industry, where cultural whiteness (and often white actors) is inserted into films where it simply doesn't belong. Did Scarjo bring something that a Japanese actor couldn't? Quite simply, the answer is no. Still, the sad truth is that all the controversy and talk of whitewashing in the lead up to the film may well be the most interesting about it. It may look pretty, but look any deeper and Ghost in the Shell is a bit of a fizzer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4VmJcZR0Yg
Heading on holiday, looking for a place to stay, but aren't keen on the usual hotel experience? Thanks to Airbnb and a growing array of similar platforms, finding somewhere different to bunk down is now easier than ever. Whether it's an apartment, a campervan or an architecturally significant home, there's a service for it — and now there's a site that specialises in letting you kip in the luxe digs owned by your friends, or friends of friends. If you've ever visited a pal's place and thought that you'd like to holiday there, or heard stories about a mate of a mate's gorgeous pad in a far-flung spot, Stay One Degree is here to help. It operates like other house-sharing platforms, but puts trust, recommendations from those you know and good ol' fashioned vouching for others at the centre of its transactions. As such, users can only rent from people they already know — such as family, friends or work colleagues — or people who know someone they know. The idea came to founders and friends Thomas Bennett and Jorge Munoz during their own frequent travels. The duo realised something that everyone does at some point during a trip — that, even though there's no place like home, actually staying somewhere that feels like home comes close. After testing out the concept themselves and discovering that only renting from people they were already connected to still took a lot of planning, they decided to start a service that simplified the process, and that anyone could use. After launching at the beginning of 2018, Stay One Degree now boasts hundreds of properties all around the world — including two in Australia and 19 in New Zealand at the time of writing, should you be looking to stay close to home. And, as well as offering travellers the chance to hang out in a friend's ace digs, it obviously also works the other way around — helping folks fill their empty house with someone they know (or someone that someone they know knows) while they're away. For more information, visit Stay One Degree. Image: Stay One Degree.
Your bags are packed, you've caught the Airtrain and you've navigated the check-in process. All that's left is to sit and wait until your flight boards, and then your holiday will be underway. That's how most of us approach airports, admit it. But we've all been forgetting a very important piece of travel advice: your trip actually begins when you walk through the airport doors. Once you've collected your boarding pass, dropped off your bags and passed through security, you're basically on your way. So, you might as well enjoy it. Most of us are guilty of finding the nearest seat, pumping out a few last-minute emails and tapping our toes impatiently as we scroll through our newsfeeds for the 1000th time until it's time to hop on the plane. But Brisbane Airport offers a range of alternatives at its Domestic Terminal. Whether you're a local starting your trip or you're a visitor with a spare window between connecting flights, coffee, shopping, music and more await. GET YOUR CAFFEINE FIX Airports and coffee are one of life's essential pairings. Most of us can't even contemplate making our way through the building — let alone the flight — without a good caffeine hit. Of course, as every coffee fiend knows, there's a difference between an average takeaway brew and a proper coffee — and Fonzie Abbott is onsite at Brisbane Airport to deliver the latter. Open from 4.30am weekdays and 5am on weekends, the coffee roasters brew up flavoursome beans that are widely considered among the best in Brisbane. Otherwise, rich hot chocolates are on offer — if that's your preferred warm beverage. Pair your coffee or choccie with a muffin or slice of banana bread, and sit by the cafe's windows for a bit of plane-spotting. And, if you're worried about the coffee situation when you land, you can also grab a bag of beans to take with you. HIT THE SHOPS One of the best views in the Brisbane Airport isn't at any of the boarding lounges, it's in the Lorna Jane store. If you find yourself staring outside rather than rifling through the racks, that's understandable — although shoppers will find plenty to keep their attention. Those needing something comfy to wear on the flight will be in the right spot, but whatever you're after, you'll likely find it among the Domestic Terminal's mini mall. You'll find the usual shopping centre suspects including Witchery, Seed, Peter Alexander, Typo and Sunglass Hut — great for when you realise you left your sunnies on the kitchen bench. There's also a Mecca Maxima should you need some skincare to help you stay fresh on the plane. Finally, there are, of course, spots like Newslink, Watermark Books and News Travels, where you can pick up a book to really sink your teeth into on your long-haul. EAT A DECENT PRE-FLIGHT MEAL Kimchi-filled Korean-style chicken sandwiches, slider platters and a pie tasting plate might not sound like your usual airport fare, but they're all available at the Domestic Terminal's Glasshouse Bar. Named after the nearby mountains on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, the restaurant and watering hole places a particular emphasis on local produce. Expect to also find a Darling Downs rump steak and a caesar salad with soft-boiled Tamborine Mountain free-range eggs on the menu, plus a range of Queensland brews. Settling in by the mountain mural is a great, leisurely sit-down option, but if you only have time for a food court meal, you can still have something a few steps above the reheated and fried meals that can plague food courts. At the Qantas food court, you'll find Vietnamese joint Roll'd with an array of vegetable-stuffed rice paper rolls, pho and banh mi, and Sumo Salad serving an array of fresh salads, grain bowls and made-to-order wraps at the Virgin end of the terminal. RELAX OVER A PRE-DEPARTURE BEV You might not be heading from Brisbane Airport to Cairns, but you can still enjoy some of the tropical Queensland city's best brews at the onsite Great Northern Bar. Because it's always 5pm somewhere, the bar stays open from 5am until late, with the closing time depending on the flight schedule. Expect a hefty lineup of beers and other alcoholic beverages, plus pub-style food and a nice view out over the tarmac. GET YOUR TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER Arrived at the airport after a busy day at work with a phone battery that's fading fast? Want to get in a few episodes of your favourite Netflix show during your flight, but forgot to download them? Finished shopping, eating and drinking but still have a couple of emails to write? That's where Brisbane Airport's free wifi and free charging stations come in handy; let's face it, hopping on a plane staring at the red power meter on your phone is the stuff nightmares are made of. With wifi throughout the terminal, you can get your affairs in order while you browse or sit at the bar. And as for charging up, you'll find a number of outlets scattered throughout the terminal's two food courts. Next time you find yourself at Brisbane Airport, pass the time pre-flight eating, drinking and shopping your way through the terminal. Images: Atlanta Bell.
Cooler nights are just around the corner, and while it's mighty tempting to use the weather as an excuse to stay in, there's only so much reality TV you can watch and takeaway food you can eat before you start to crave a little slice of luxury. Luckily, you don't need to book an overseas flight to find it. The Star in Pyrmont is your one-stop shop for autumn indulgence with top-notch food, relaxing spa treatments and luxe accommodation. And to help you ease into the cooler months, we're giving away a staycation package here (for you and a loved one) that's worth leaving your blanket fort for. The package includes a spa treatment of your choice — up to the value of $215 — at The Darling Spa. Rejuvenate with a Moroccan Mud body wrap or a facial, or wind down with one of the spa's four signature massages: aromatherapy, hot stone, deep muscle or bamboo. Each massage begins with an essential oil smell test, which enhances relaxation and improves complexion — so you can both feel and look less stressed. Next up, you'll dine at one of three restaurants in The Star (and spend up to $250 on food and drinks). Head to BLACK Bar & Grill for hearty Australian fare — think braised saltbush lamb and garlic prawns. If you're feeling more sashimi than saltbush, make your way to Sokyo Lounge, where its new autumn hot pot stew and smoky cocktail combo will really warm your belly. Finally, if the cooler weather is calling for a big bowl of pasta, Balla has an exciting lineup of hearty Italian dishes that will comfort and soothe. When you're done relaxing, eating and drinking, head back to your room at The Darling. The luxury package includes one night's stay in the King Room, which has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lights of Pyrmont. To enter, see details below: [competition]667085[/competition]
Comfortably settled into its home overlooking URBNSURF, RAFI Sydney Olympic Park is ready to celebrate its first birthday. Serving as a stellar outpost to the North Sydney original, this surprising location pairs elevated dining with panoramic views over the park's undulating lagoon. Plus, guests can expect a slightly more surf-focused and, seafood-first concept. Inviting visitors to ring in the milestone throughout June, the team has put together a special deal featuring its beloved banquet menu. Just book with six or more of your friends to receive a complimentary banquet on the house. With distinct menus available for $85 or $105 per person, bringing a big crew makes for a significant saving. Smaller groups are also welcome to get involved. Featuring a special dish and beverage pairing curated for this birthday bash, the entrée option ($40) sees scallops with horseradish, crème fraîche, white soy, green apple and cucumber served with a glass of MV Clover Hill Blanc de Blancs. For something sweet, there's also a dessert pairing for $35, as a double chocolate mousse with macadamia crumb, cacao crisp and Tasman salt is presented alongside a decadent Choc Mac Old Fashioned. Featuring Four Roses Bourbon, Brookie's Mac, chocolate salted macadamia and wattleseed, this luxe combo is definitely worth celebrating.
Is Renée Jeanne Falconetti's face the most haunting in cinema history? For almost a century, The Passion of Joan of Arc has made that case. Playing the titular role in Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 silent great, the French actress says everything with her eyes as she stares at the lens with deep and lingering soulfulness. Seeing the film means never being able to forget her. Watching The Passion of Joan of Arc on a big screen also usually involves being treated to a new experience each and every time. Among the silent films from almost 100 years back that keep scoring new cinema showings, this is a deservedly popular pick — and it keeps gaining new scores, too. Julia Holter is among those who've tried their hand, first performing her soundtrack for the movie in Los Angeles in 2017. In 2025, she's finally bringing it to Australia. Melbourne International Film Festival is presenting the cinema masterpiece with Holter's score played live, taking over Melbourne Recital Centre for two evenings across Monday, August 11–Tuesday, August 12. This is both an Australian premiere and Australian exclusive, with Holter taking to the stage with her band and The Consort of Melbourne choir — and with UK-based orchestrator and composer Hugh Brunt conducting. A film like no other, a performance to match, and a score by the musician that also left an imprint on the screen with her soundtrack for Never Rarely Sometimes Always: this will be a memorable movie-and-music presentation.
Ignoring the short, dark days is easy at Salty's Bondi, where the summer vibes never seem to stop. In fact, July feels especially light and breezy at this SoCal-inspired spot, with the return of its annual Margarita Month helping guests get through the cool season. Now in its fourth year, this special occasion offers $16 signature margaritas, with eight Altos Tequila creations to explore. Featuring much-loved inventions like the Aperol Marg and Salty's Espresso, you're invited to sip for a great price all day, every day throughout the month. Plus, live DJs and disco beats will give the venue an energetic atmosphere until late. To help ramp the feel-good mood up even further, Salty's has given its interiors a cheeky Palm Springs makeover, playing on nostalgic beach days and sun-drenched surf and skate culture. There's even a spinning wheel offering daily prizes both in-venue and when booking online. Free margaritas, food and merch are up for grabs, so take a turn on the wheel to see if fortune favours you. Plus, there's a major prize you won't want to miss. Valued at $1400, the Surf & Sip Package rewards one lucky winner with a Surf Culture Surfboard and a Salty's Bottomless Margarita Package. Keep an eye on Salty's socials for entry details.
