Famed Australian restaurateur Maurice Terzini is at it again, this time opening a luxurious new cocktail bar that's set to reclaim the decadence of years gone by. Terzini is of course known for many of his iconic spots around the city, including Bondi institution Icebergs Bar & Dining, which the restaurateur has overseen since 2002, Bondi Beach Public Bar and Mitch Orr-helmed trattoria CicciaBella — a second site of which was opened in Parramatta back in 2020. Closer to the city, Terzini took over Surry Hills pub The Dolphin back in 2016 and opened Belongil Beach Italian Foood up in Byron Bay last year. Now he's bringing his Midas touch to The Bar, a sleek new addition to the food and beverage options in the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay. It's all part of a wider plan to return the hotel to its former grandeur, when it served patrons like Princess Diana, Bill Clinton and Elton John in its past life as the Ritz Carlton. The Bar is bringing Icebergs' white-clothed elegance to the hotel, with tableside service and a menu focusing on classic Italian/Australian fare. Purists will be able to get their paws on The Bar's take on a classic martini, as well as several signature cocktail offerings like The Contessa, The Venetian, The Hugo and The Yuzu Spritz. [caption id="attachment_857392" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Loucas[/caption] While the menu is still to be finalised, it promises to hero locally sourced ingredients like Sydney rock oysters, beef tartare and spanner crab. Of course, there will also be a classic American cheeseburger — if you've never had a waiter in a white tuxedo bring you a cheeseburger on a trolley, this is your chance. The team at design practice Alfred are behind The Bar's interiors — all soft furnishings, flattering light, acclaimed artwork and even a grand piano, which acclaimed 'Piano Man' Scot Finnie is set to perform at. Whether you're staying at the hotel during a luxurious getaway or a decadent staycation, Terzini's newest venture might just be a reason to book a seat at The Bar. The Bar within the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay opens to the public today, Tuesday, June 14. Top images: Jason Loucas
Sydney's new hole-in-the-wall Mexican eatery Nativo is hosting a five-day fair for Cinco de Mayo. The tiny Pyrmont spot is led by Michelin-trained chef Manuel Diaz, who utilises native Australian ingredients to create his favourite Mexican street food dishes. The fair runs from Tuesday, May 2–Saturday, May 6, bringing a range of playful additions to the Nativo menu across the week. The biggest drawcard is a special four-taco flight that's available for $30. Diners who order the Cinco de Mayo flight will be treated to duck carnitas, a grilled broccolini and crispy potato taco, a slow-cooked beef birria taco, and a cochinita pibil taco made with braised pork shoulder and citrus annatto marinade. There's something for everyone at the fair, including the four-legged members of the family. The kitchen is whipping up dog-friendly tacos made with very lightly seasoned chicken on a 100-percent corn tortilla. If you head over on Thursday, May 4, your fluffiest pal will be treated to the snack for free, or else they're available for $3 on the other four days. Feeling thirsty halfway through your taco flight? Throughout the festivities, Nativo is whipping up $1 servings of aguas frescas in the flavours of horchata, hibiscus mint and tamarind. And, rounding out the activities, there will be a spin-the-wheel game where patrons can win Nativo hoodies and t-shirts designed by emerging artist Salvador Goa, $20 gift cards, and mini-hampers of Mexican staples like Jarritos, corn chips, salsa and tamarind lollies.
You've experienced the intoxicating highs of Negroni Week and Margarita Week, and now the time has come to turn your enthusiasm for drinking the finer things in life to whisky. World Whisky Day is officially happening on Saturday, May 20, and its existence provides whisky fans with an excuse (not that we need one) to partake in some of the world's finest. If you want to take your World Whisky Day commitment to the next level, Woodcut Restaurant at Barangaroo has teamed up with legendary Scotch distiller Benriach for a special whisky-inspired menu. The star of the show is a first-of-its-kind dish touted as 'Benriach's Ultimate Scotch Fillet' — a creation masterminded by Woodcut's chef-owner, Ross Lusted, comprised of a wood-grilled Rangers Valley Scotch fillet, brushed with Benriach's Smoke Season Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky and grilled to perfection. A full Smoke Season Benriach whisky-inspired menu and cocktail pairings will be available for a limited time in the lead up to World Whisky Day, from May 1-22. In addition to the scotch fillet is the Smoke Season BBQ duck with pickled plums, grilled shiitake and hazelnut crumb, or the pan-seared kingfish with smoked cauliflower puree, Brussels sprouts and dukkah. And don't forget about the cocktail pairings. The Penicillin cocktail, made with Benriach Smoke Season and served with a ginger and honey syrup beautifully complements the smoky notes of the whisky and the fire and smoke techniques that are a hero of the Woodcut dining experience. Book your spot now.
One of Sydney's most beloved and picturesque cultural spaces, White Rabbit Gallery is back with another free exhibition showcasing contemporary Chinese art throughout summer and autumn. SHUO SHU 说书 is an expansive exploration of the role of the storyteller in society, displaying at the Chippendale gallery until Sunday, May 14. The passing on of stories has been a cornerstone of communities and societies for millenniums, with the written word in China dating back over 4000 years. As we turn more towards digital and online spaces when communicating our histories and tales, Judith Neilson's White Rabbit Gallery is dedicating five months to the IRL iteration of the storyteller through this collection, which features more than 25 different artworks spanning an array of messages and media. Showcasing a variety of works including luminous installations, historical artifacts, animations and traditional paintings, these pieces explore aspects of storytelling ranging from myths and romances to political propaganda and censorship. White Rabbit Gallery is open 10am–5pm Wednesday–Sunday and entry is free. If you want to turn your trip into a real double-header, make sure to also put your name into the ballot to score tickets to Phoenix Central Park, the gallery's neighbouring concert venue. The upcoming season at this intimate hall features a range of experimental performances including a six-hour-long show from Sydney band pleasure. Images: courtesy of the artist and the White Rabbit Gallery, Hamish McIntosh.
This spectacular fine art collection from the mixed-media talent Kubi Vasak has been three years in the making — and it'll be making its debut across the walls of the Rainbow Studios space this month. The arty digs are truly making Vasak's work at home, bringing in a jungle of leafy green plants as a nod to the inspiration behind the collection. From Thursday, May 18 till Thursday, June 1, Vasak's Bloom Tall will be exhibited in the Darlinghurst corner spot. The kaleidoscopic collection of artworks sees an evolution in the creative's own practice, which is born from over a decade of collaging. Here, images of flora are cut, distorted, recoloured and layered, bringing new life to existing materials — with Vasak's use of bold washes of paint and his keen eye for colour proving a winning combo. Deliciously, Days & Daze will be pouring wine and Fellr have sorted out fizzy seltzers for opening night. So, from 6pm on Thursday, May 18, you can peruse this stellar collection — and meet the creative of the moment — with a standout sip in hand. It will be a weeknight to rival most, Sydneysiders. If you can't make it on Thursday, feel free to drop in during opening hours (10am–3pm Wednesday–Friday and 10am–2pm on Saturdays), or arrange a private viewing by appointment throughout the two-week exhibition. Bloom Tall takes to the walls of Rainbow Studios this May, with an opening night event — complete with Days & Daze vino and Fellr seltzers — on Thursday, May 18 at 6pm. The event is free to attend, though you're encouraged to register your attendance prior.
If you haven't been Gelato Messina's eight-seat degustation bar since it opened last April, this July is the perfect time to do so — because they're adding truffles to all their dishes. In conjunction with Madame Truffles, Messina's Creative Department is crafting a special seven-course gelato-meets-gourmet mushrooms degustation for just two weeks. So what kind of truffle-gelato goodness have the masterminds come up with? There's a pine and eucalyptus gelato that's a mix of 67 percent chocolate and black truffle cremeux, salted caramel, Jerusalem artichoke crisp and caramelised honey served with a ginger and lemon myrtle infusion. Using ingredients from the Dominican Republic, Japan, Tonga and NSW, Messina will take your tastebuds on a sweet and savoury journey. There are also two kinds of sorbet on the special Truffle Week menu: apple and nasturtium sorbet, and black truffle oil and vanilla oil sorbet. Sorbets are paired with a finger lime tonic and a spiced chai latte. Tickets are $130 per person and, with just eight seats available at each of the three sittings each night, you can book for groups of two, four, six or eight of your gelato-loving mates. And based off how quick these things sell out, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP. Head to the Messina Creative Department page to nab a seat. If you miss out, a limited editing truffle flavour will be available to buy at the Surry Hills store. Seats at the truffle takeover are now sold out, but, look at that — you can win a double pass by completing our reader survey.
Morning brown, morning brown, this bit of news is better than a cup of morning brown — because Aunty Donna is returning to your TV. After gifting your streaming queue one of the best new shows of 2020, aka Netflix's Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun, the Australian comedy group is teaming up with one of the country's national broadcasters on a new sitcom. Yes, Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane are heading to the ABC. The fact that the network is also known as Aunty is obviously incredibly apt — and it isn't the first time that the two have joined forces, with Aunty Donna's Fresh Blood hitting iView back in 2014. This time, Bonanno, Kelly and Ruane are headed to the ABC for a show called Aunty Donna's Untitled Project, a half-hour series that'll see the trio star in a Melbourne-set comedy. The premise: three best mates run a cafe in one of Melbourne's laneways. Their coffee-slinging establishment is trendy, but the stretch of pavement it's in on isn't. You can expect cups of morning brown to be served. Hopefully, the song about them will get a whirl. Will the cafe be open on Christmas and serve up a little bit of pud, too? You'll have to watch to find out. As soon as Neighbours ended it opened a lot of doors for us. — Aunty Donna (@AuntyDonnaBoys) August 24, 2022 This new show will be replacing the highly rated ABC @BreakfastNews show — Aunty Donna (@AuntyDonnaBoys) August 24, 2022 Announcing the news, Aunty Donna said: "we make show, you will love." Hey, it worked with Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun. Fingers crossed that Aunty Donna's Untitled Project proves just as absurd — although Aunty Donna seem incapable of creating anything else, hilariously so. [caption id="attachment_791048" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun, Netflix[/caption] "ABC audiences first got a taste of Aunty Donna in 2014 in Fresh Blood, so we couldn't be more excited to have them back where they belong and to be the home of their first narrative comedy series. Strap yourselves in... this is going to be a wild ride," said ABC Head of Comedy Todd Abbott. Aunty Donna's Untitled Project is set to air on ABC TV and ABC iview sometime in 2023, with exact dates yet to be announced. In the interim, you can check out the announcement video for the series below: Aunty Donna's Untitled Project is set to hit ABC and ABC iView sometime in 2023 — we'll update you when an exact release date is announced.
Tounge-twister aside (try saying the above quickly, six times) iconic East Sydney Wine bar Dear Sainte Éloise is celebrating its sixth turn around the sun — with fancy food and wine specials for a corresponding number of evenings from Monday, May 8 to Saturday, May 13. Potts Point locals will no doubt be familiar with the late-night, little laneway vibes that have been on offer at Dear Sainte Éloise since it first flung open its doors in 2017. But, to celebrate its sixth birthday (practically a lifetime in hospitality years), the venue is hosting an epic Parisian-inspired party. And you're all invited. Expect the classics that have kept regulars returning to the moody wine bar for 2000-plus days. Including a lineup of rare drops from around the world. Except this time, sommeliers Felix Auzou and Marcus Dullard will serve them by the glass. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a oenophile you'll know that these hard-to-find wines are rarely ever available unless you blow the budget on an entire bottle. So the opportunity to try some of the world's best booze at a more affordable price is a pretty big deal. Think Grower Champagne from Egly-Ouriet, natural French wine by Matassa, Jean Foillard's 'Eponyme' Beaujolais, Vin Jaune from Jura's Domaine Overnoy and back-vintage Bordeaux from Château de Bel-Air. Those hungry for a little more than world-class wine will be happy to hear that Executive Chef James Elliott will also be firing up the hibachi for a rotating lineup of skewers. While this will deliver delicious offerings on the daily, word on the street is that the prawn with chilli and fennel dressing is truly unmissable. Anyone with a fondness for seafood can also feast on freshly shucked oysters topped with Champagne vinaigrette and salmon roe, lobster rolls and Dear Sainte Éloise's always-excellent a la carte and set menus. The daily specials will appear on a board each day at the restaurant, plus over on the venue's Instagram. However, the best way to tackle the six-night celebration is to head in blind and discover what's in-stall for the night. Guests are encouraged to book ahead to secure a spot, although walk-ins will also be welcome. Images: Trent van der Jagt for Buffet Digital.
When the Godzilla franchise first started rampaging through Japanese cinemas almost 70 years ago, it was in response to World War II and the horrific display of nuclear might that it unleashed. That saga and its prehistoric reptilian monster have notched up 38 movies now, and long may it continue stomping out of its homeland (the American flicks, which are set to return in 2024, have been hit-and-miss). In such creature-feature company, the films of Makoto Shinkai may not seem like they belong. So far, the writer/director behind global hits Your Name and Weathering with You, plus The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 5 Centimetres per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices and The Garden of Words before that, sadly hasn't applied his talents to good ol' Zilly, either. But Japan's animators have been musing on and reflecting upon destruction and devastation for decades, too — stunningly and heartbreakingly so. In Studio Ghibli's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Grave of the Fireflies and The Wind Rises — in Howl's Moving Castle, Porco Rosso and From Up on Poppy Hill as well — conflict lingers in a variety of ways. In 2016's gorgeous and affecting In this Corner of the World, war is utterly inescapable. And in Shinkai's recent work, it's another catastrophe that casts a shadow: the Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting Fukushima nuclear disaster. He's made his past three movies, including his latest beautiful and heartfelt effort Suzume, with that incident clearly in mind. Indeed, although it hops all over Japan, acting like a travelogue in magnificently realistic animated form, this new tale about a teenage girl, matters of the heart and the earth, supernatural forces and endeavouring to cancel the apocalypse firmly has its soul in the part of Honshu that forever changed in March 2011. Suzume meets its namesake (Nanoka Hara, Guilty Flag) on Kyushu, Japan's third-largest island, where she has lived with her aunt Tamaki (Eri Fukatsu, Survival Family) for 12 years. More than that, it meets its titular high schooler as she meets Souta (SixTONES singer Hokuto Matsumura), who catches her eye against the gleaming sea and sky as she's cycling to class. He's searching for ruins, and she knows just the local place — an abandoned onsen, which she beats him to. There, Suzume discovers a door standing mysteriously within a pool of water, then opens said entryway to see a shimmering sight on the other side. That's an ordinary act with extraordinary consequences, because Shinkai adores exactly that blend and clash. To him, that's where magic springs, although never while spiriting away life's troubles and sorrows. Every single door everywhere is a portal, of course, but this pivotal one takes the definition literally. Suzume can't walk through the opening; instead, she's left peering at the enticing evening-hued realm lurking within its frame. That said, she does unwittingly unleash a monster that Souta and his family have spent generations trying to contain. The worm lives up to its moniker, sprawling high into and across the sky, and sending its red tendrils far and wide. As his grandfather was, plus a long line of other relatives before that, Souta is a closer, which means he's tasked with shutting the doors that pop up at Japan's abandoned places — including a school and an amusement park — to keep the worm away and humanity safe. Sometimes, he needs a keystone to do so; however, the one in Suzume's hometown turns into a cat when she picks it up. Also transforming, but not by choice: Souta himself, who swiftly takes the form of a three-legged yellow chair that his new pal has owned and loved since she was a pre-schooler. What's a girl, a walking-and-talking seat and a tiny white kitty — Daijin, aka that metamorphosed keystone, which can also speak (as voiced by newcomer Ann Yamane) — to do? The latter cutely but quickly scampers, unsurprisingly attracting ample social-media attention, while Suzume and Souta follow as fast as they can. Most road trips don't involve attempting to save the planet, but Suzume's is as scenic as any cross-country jaunt by ferry, scooter, van, train and car thanks to one of Shinkai's ever-reliable hallmarks: his breathtaking visuals. Whether or not any member of the film's audience has been to Japan themselves, watching this spectacular affair feels like stepping right into Miyazaki, Shikoku, Kobe, Tokyo and more. Once again, as he did with Your Name and Weathering with You as well, Shinkai brings the Japanese capital to the screen with detail so gloriously lifelike that it makes for simply exquisite animation. That gift is shared with everywhere that Suzume, Souta and Daijin visit, mesmerisingly so. It's both a fitting and knowing touch to get Suzume's heroine residing in the city that shares its name with Studio Ghibli great Hayao Miyazaki. By the watching world, Shinkai has been anointed the Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro filmmaker's successor frequently since Your Name proved such a delight and smash — and so stirring, melancholy and dazzling — and, while thoroughly earning those comparisons yet another time, he leans in. Whisper of the Heart, which is similarly about a teen chasing a cat, gets a direct (and lovely) shoutout. Nods to Kiki's Delivery Service also ripple, again thanks to the crucial adorable feline. As its characters tumble through episodic adventures sparked by that fateful first door, Suzume adds references elsewhere, starting with Alice in Wonderland. It's easy to see the thematic trilogy it's happily forming with Shinkai's last two movies, too. There's a mythic air and a determination to make something meaningful and with a message that's oh-so Ghibli always, though; like the animation house, Shinkai crafts films as devoted to getting viewers marvelling at the planet, life on it and the relationships forged as they are committed to entrancing the eyes with their radiant sights. Already the fourth-grossing Japanese film of all time globally — Your Name is third, and Weathering with You ninth — Suzume is vivid in every moment. Aided by its music from Shinkai regulars Radwimps and composer Kazuma Jinnouchi (Star Wars: Visions), it's rousing in all the fashions that a feature can be, in fact. Its guiding light makes cosmic romances, fantastical voyages and supernatural disaster flicks as well, plus contemplations of growing up and taking care of nature, and ensures that they swell and swirl with all the emotions that they demand. In a national cinema industry so well-known for confronting the country's past that it turned part of it into a giant stalking lizard, Shinkai keeps finding bewitching and sensitive methods to achieve that feat, and wonderfully. Here, as Suzume battles her own hulking force, she faces life-changing heartache that no one can ever truly get over, still learns how to go on but never lets her history slip away. It's no surprise that Suzume is as sweet and swoonworthy as Shinkai's work comes, and as earnest, intricate, intelligent, involving and enchanting.
Ending the nine-to-five grind with a beverage can make any working day better. Pair that tipple with cheap seafood, and you'll be counting down the minutes until knock-off time. Fratelli Fresh is clearly keeping that idea in mind this March — by serving up $1 oysters all month long. You don't just have to head by after work, however, with the deal on all day, every day throughout the whole month. And there's no missing numeral in the price, although you do need to order a minimum of six and buy a drink as well. You can also order as many oysters as you like, if six just isn't enough, although you'll have to purchase a drink with every half dozen. If briny seafood is not your snack of choice, Fratelli Fresh is also offering $1 scoops of gelato at all of its stores, all month. Choose from 16 different flavours, including black forest, cookies and cream, tiramisu, Nutella and passionfruit and raspberry sorbet. Also on offer — yes, the deals keep on coming — are ten different spritzes for $10 each. Like the gelato, these are available all-day and all-month long. Fratelli Fresh's $1 oysters, $1 scoops of gelato and $10 spritzes are available across all of its Sydney stores.
When a song speaks to you — and when it seems like it's speaking only to you — it's one of life's great pleasures. Everyone has a track, album or artist that achieves that feat, and British journalist Sarfraz Manzoor is no different. Born in Pakistan, immigrating to Britain when he was a child and constantly feeling out of place in the southeastern town of Luton, he found solace in one of the big music stars of the 80s. Bruce Springsteen's hit tunes might be so steeped in American life that they've virtually become synonymous with it, but they also captured exactly how Manzoor felt as an outcast teen in the UK. Introduced to The Boss by a school classmate who told him that "Bruce is a direct line to all that was true in this world", he's since seen his idol live more than 150 times, and turned his transformative connection to the singer into a memoir. With music-led movies echoing across cinemas everywhere of late, adapting this superfan story into a sweet coming-of-age film was inevitable. That said, with Manzoor helping to pen Blinded by the Light's screenplay, the resulting picture has a more personal and authentic air — than Beatles-centric flick Yesterday and its manufactured "what if?" hypothetical, than big biopics Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, and than forthcoming George Michael-focused festive rom-com Last Christmas as well. But, these types of movies still love a formula. With a soundtrack of well-known songs to bop along to, there are obvious beats to hit. Films about adolescent outsiders struggling for acceptance are also known to favour a template, which leaves Blinded by the Light feeling familiar several times over. Before he discovers songs such as 'Hungry Heart', 'The River', 'Thunder Road' and 'Born to Run', Javed (Viveik Kalra) — Manzoor's on-screen surrogate — splits his time between trying to meet his dad's (Kulvinder Ghir) expectations and channelling his general angst into his writing. His fiercely traditional father wants him to study hard, get a good job and have a better future than his own, but penning poetry and lyrics for his best friend Matt's (Dean-Charles Chapman) New Wave band stokes Javed's creative fires. Then, fellow South Asian student Roops (Aaron Phagura) lends him cassettes of Born in the USA and Darkness on the Edge of Town. Instead of being tired and bored with himself, Javed is suddenly dancing not just in the dark, but through life. Finding parallels between Springsteen's songs about working-class troubles, his own family's experiences as rare people of colour in a white, unwelcoming and often openly racist neighbourhood, and his dad's factory-job woes in Thatcher's Britain, the 16-year-old feels as if everything has changed. Matt laughs (partly because his own father, played by scene-stealer Rob Brydon, also loves Bruce), and no one at home understands — but soon Javed is asking out the girl (Nell Williams) he likes, writing essays about Springsteen and making a pilgrimage to his idol's home town. If underseen 2016 charmer Sing Street had used The Boss's music, rather than original tunes, it might've turned out something like this. Or, if Bend It Like Beckham filmmaker Gurinder Chadha had swapped soccer for Springsteen… actually, in a broad fashion, that's basically what does happen here. Directing, as well as co-writing with her frequent collaborator Paul Mayeda Berges and, of course, Manzoor, Chadha lets Blinded by the Light play out like a classic rock ballad that audiences already know inside and out. Perhaps that's by design, and not just because it suits Manzoor's real-life story. After the tenth or so spin, favourite songs keep resonating because they've become such an easy source of comfort — a sensation that, by sticking to all the usual music-focused and coming-of-age conventions, this agreeable movie mimics. While viewers are tapping their toes to a jukebox full of Springsteen tracks, and watching Javed navigate a predictable but pleasant path, Blinded by the Light has a clear aim. Even if you're not obsessed with The Boss and his anthems, music speaks a universal language, or so the cliché goes — and, if you can remember when a song has transformed your life, day or mood, then you can get swept up in the film's warm-hearted embrace. Chadha's purposefully amateurish musical-style sequences help, visibly translating Javed's passion to the screen. As the teen and his pals run around town while Springsteen tunes play, their enthusiasm proves infectious. Blinded by the Light plasters that feeling across its frames, weaving it into a likeable, albeit highly recognisable tale about finding your voice after first finding someone else's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ond9SLcHX4Q
Maybe you've spent much of 2020 glued to the small screen, viewing your way through this year's lockdown periods. Perhaps, as cinemas have been reopening around the country, you've flocked to the big screen to get your movie fix. Either way, if you've been thinking and supporting local — as has been the trend all-round in 2020 — then you've had plenty of Australian films and television shows to watch. And, from this hectic year, the best of the bunch have just been named 2020 AACTA Award nominees. The AACTA Awards — which were previously called the AFI Awards, before changing their name — span multiple types of screen content, so there's a hefty number of local productions vying for a gong when the winners are announced on Monday, November 30. From the initial rundown of nominees — with more set to be revealed on November 12 — three of the year's best Aussie movies rank among the top film contenders, with teen cancer drama Babyteeth scoring 12 nods, the blistering True History of the Kelly Gang picking up ten and the latest version of The Invisible Man receiving eight. Other movie nominees across directing, acting and cinematography categories include the family-friendly H is for Happiness, horror flick Relic, zombie movie Little Monsters, sheep farming comedy-drama Rams and Helen Reddy biopic I Am Woman. In terms of stars, everyone from Hugo Weaving, Richard Roxburgh, Russell Crowe and Ben Mendelsohn to Eliza Scanlen, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Essie Davis and Deborah Mailman are in the running — as well as overseas actors such as Elisabeth Moss, Lupita Nyong'o, Sam Neill and George MacKay. On the TV front, if you've been watching Mystery Road's latest season and mini-series Stateless, they each picked up seven nods a piece. Comedy-wise, series nominees include At Home Alone Together, Black Comedy, The Other Guy, Rosehaven and Upright. The 2020 AACTA Awards will take place on Monday, November 30. Here's a rundown of the major nominations — and you can check out the full list of nominees as they're announced on the AACTA's website: AACTA NOMINEES 2020 FILM AWARDS: BEST FILM Babyteeth H is for Happiness I Am Woman The Invisible Man True History of the Kelly Gang Relic BEST INDIE FILM A Boy Called Sailboat Hot Mess Koko: A Red Dog Story A Lion Returns Standing Up for Sunny Unsound BEST DIRECTION Shannon Murphy, Babyteeth John Sheedy, H is for Happiness Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man Justin Kurzel, True History of the Kelly Gang Natalie Erika James, Relic BEST LEAD ACTOR George MacKay, True History of the Kelly Gang Sam Neill, Rams Richard Roxburgh, H is for Happiness Toby Wallace, Babyteeth Hugo Weaving, Measure for Measure BEST LEAD ACTRESS Tilda Cobham-Hervey, I Am Woman Laura Gordon, Undertow Elisabeth Moss, The Invisible Man Lupita Nyong'o, Little Monsters Eliza Scanlen, Babyteeth BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Fayssal Bazzi, Measure for Measure Russell Crowe, True History of the Kelly Gang Aaron Jeffery, The Flood Ben Mendelsohn, Babyteeth Wesley Patten, H is for Happiness BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Emma Booth, H is for Happiness Essie Davis, Babyteeth Bella Heathcote, Relic Deborah Mailman, H is for Happiness Doris Younane, Measure for Measure BEST SCREENPLAY Rita Kalnejais, Babyteeth Abe Forsythe, Little Monsters Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man Natalie Erika James and Christian White, Relic Shaun Grant, True History of the Kelly Gang BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Andrew Commis, Babyteeth Brad Shield, Bloody Hell Geoffrey Hall, Escape From Pretoria Bonnie Elliott, H is for Happiness Stefan Duscio, The Invisible Man BEST DOCUMENTARY Brazen Hussies Brock: Over the Top Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra Slim & I Suzi Q TELEVISION AWARDS: BEST DRAMA SERIES Bloom Doctor Doctor Halixfax: Retribution The Heights Mystery Road Wentworth BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINISERIES The Gloaming Hungry Ghosts Operation Buffalo The Secrets She Keeps Stateless BEST COMEDY SERIES At Home Alone Together Black Comedy The Other Guy Rosehaven Upright BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Fayssal Bazzi, Stateless Bryan Brown, Bloom Jai Courtney, Stateless Ewen Leslie, Operation Buffalo Aaron Pedersen, Mystery Road BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Jada Alberts, Mystery Road Rebecca Gibney, Halixfax: Retribution Asher Keddie, Stateless Pamela Rabe, Wentworth Yvonne Strahovski, Stateless BEST COMEDY PERFORMER Milly Alcock, Upright Anne Edmonds, At Home Together Luke McGregor, Rosehaven Tim Minchin, Upright Celia Pacquola, Rosehaven BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Rob Collins, Mystery Road Darren Gilshenan, Stateless Damon Herriman, The Commons Callan Mulvey, Mystery Road Ed Oxenbould, Bloom BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Cate Blanchett, Stateless Jacqueline McKenzie, Bloom Ngaire Pigram, Mystery Road Tasma Walton, Mystery Road Jacki Weaver, Bloom
Meet Australian cinema's new heroine. Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage (Kate Winslet) wouldn't consider herself a star at anything other than making stunning dresses, nor does she try to conquer anything but her own doubts and cruel small-town gossip. However, she's the guiding force in a film that warmly embraces local flavour, deftly navigates everything from drama to mystery to comedy, and serves up an offbeat, engaging time at the movies. Tilly is the titular figure in The Dressmaker, which charts her homecoming to outback Australia after being driven away as a child. Scandal surrounds her return, linked to the death of a boy years ago. She can't remember all the details, yet is determined to do whatever it takes to put together the pieces. Her mother, 'Mad' Molly (Judy Davis), isn't much help, and most of the townsfolk barely offer a hello. Only the handsome, lovelorn Teddy McSwiney (Liam Hemsworth) and the secretly fashion-conscious Sergeant Farrat (Hugo Weaving) give Tilly a warm welcome, until the rest of her neighbours get wind of her winning ways with a sewing machine, that is. Soon, she's transforming the drab populace of housewives and shopkeepers' daughters with Parisian designs — but, as often proves the case in such insular, one-street communities, their newfound politeness can't always be trusted. If Tilly's scenario sounds like a bit of a mixed bag of figures and genres, that's because it is. The motley crew of characters she's surrounded by includes a stern schoolteacher (Kerry Fox), mean pharmacist (Barry Otto) and more, as played by a who's who of Australian actors (Sarah Snook, Gyton Grantley, Rebecca Gibney, Shane Jacobson, Alison Whyte, Shane Bourne and Sacha Horler among them). Her story flits between romance and revenge, laughs and long-held secrets, and standoffs and tears. Happy moments are followed by sad, with the film's tone veering in several directions. Thankfully, though, none of this mishmash of elements can be seen as a bad thing. Even when it threatens not to work, it still does — and in quite striking fashion. Skipping between seemingly mismatched parts is what The Dressmaker does best; this is a movie that introduces its lead with the words "I’m back, you bastards," then later has her stop a footy match by showing up in a jaw-dropping outfit, after all. There's always a bit of quirkiness, though not too much, to balance out the darker narrative threads, or some stunning sartorial sights to brighten up the frame, or a sympathetic exchange between Tilly, Teddy and/or Molly to temper the broader strokes of comedy. Accordingly, it's a fine return to film for writer/director Jocelyn Moorhouse — making her first feature since 1997’s A Thousand Acres — who brings Rosalie Ham’s 2000 novel of the same name to the screen with verve and then some. It's also a fine return to Australian shores for Winslet, who starred in the locally made Holy Smoke back in 1999, and hasn't lost her gift for our accent. That's not Winslet's only strength, nor the handsomely shot, 1951-set film's either. She perfects the mix of determined and vulnerable that Tilly radiates— though Davis, Weaving and Hemsworth do their parts, stealing scenes with one-liners, making a supporting player more than comic relief, and oozing allure and emotion respectively. Together, they make for a multifaceted bunch, as does The Dressmaker as a whole. And if the film encourages Australian audiences to see homegrown fare in a cinema — as it should — then it's a champion in its own right, alongside its shining protagonist.
So much about The Many Saints of Newark is a matter of when, not if: when familiar characters will show up looking younger, when well-known New Jersey locations will be sighted and when someone will eat ziti. This all occurs because it must; it wouldn't be a prequel to The Sopranos otherwise. Servicing fans is a key reason the movie exists, and it's far more resonant if you've already spent 86 episodes with Tony Soprano and his mafia and blood families while watching one of the best TV shows ever made. This is a film with a potent air of inevitability, clearly. Thankfully, that feeling reaches beyond all the obligatory nods and winks. That some things are unavoidable — that giving people what they want doesn't always turn out as planned, and that constantly seeking more will never fix all of life's woes, too — pulsates through this origin story like a thumping bass line. And yes, on that topic, Alabama 3's 'Woke Up This Morning' obviously gets a spin. Penned by The Sopranos' creator David Chase and series alum Lawrence Konner, and helmed by veteran show director Alan Taylor, The Many Saints of Newark doesn't merely preach to existing devotees, even if they're the film's main audience. Marking the last of the big three 00s-era prestige US cable dramas to earn a movie spinoff — following El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and Deadwood: The Movie — the feature is aware of its own genesis and of gangster genre staples in tandem. Casting Ray Liotta, who'll forever be associated with Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas, was always going to show that. Travelling back to the 70s, when The Godfather franchise electrified cinema, does also. Indeed, The Many Saints of Newark plays like a hybrid of pop culture's three most influential and essential mob stories. A bold move, it also explains what works and what falters in a film that's powerful and engaging but firmly baked in a well-used oven. The first detail that Sopranos fans should've picked up when this flick first got a title: in Italian, many saints translates as moltisanti. While The Many Saints of Newark spends time with young Tony as a pre-teen in the late 60s (played by feature first-timer William Ludwig) and a teen in the early 70s (when The Deuce's Michael Gandolfini, son of the late, great James Gandolfini, steps into the character's shoes), its protagonist is Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola, The Art of Self-Defense). He's seen as an uncle and mentor by Tony, who'll eventually hold the same roles for Dickie's son. The Sopranos mainstay Christopher Moltisanti (Michael Imperioli, One Night in Miami) turns narrator here, in fact, offering knowing voiceover that occasionally channels the show's dark humour — calling out Christopher's death at Tony's hands, for instance. Dickie was recalled with reverence in the series, yet threw a shadow over Tony's middle-aged mob-boss malaise — as seen in his duck obsession, panic attacks and reluctant chats with a psychiatrist. Here, Dickie falls into a similar pattern with his dad 'Hollywood' Dick (Liotta, No Sudden Move), who returns from Italy to subject his new, much-younger bride Giuseppina (Michela De Rossi, The Rats) to domestic violence. One of The Many Saints of Newark's finest traits is its layering, honing in on cycles that keep echoing through generations as it examines Dickie's role in turning Tony into the man viewers watched from 1999–2007. Its greatest stroke of casting plays with the same notion as well, and the younger Gandolfini is a soulful yet primal revelation. To call his performance lived-in is the epitome of an understatement, and it's never a gimmick. Nivola is equally masterful, especially given that Dickie is torn in almost every way he can be. He abhors his father's treatment of Giuseppina with Oedipal fury, but also has a psychopathic temper. Part of the DiMeo crime family, he runs numbers in Newark with help from his football pal Harold (Leslie Odom Jr, Music), but all his cronies — Tony's father Johnny (Jon Bernthal, Those Who Wish Me Dead) included — couldn't be more overtly racist. The Many Saints of Newark uses the 1967 Newark riots about systemic prejudice as a defining event, too, although it's often treated as window dressing. One particularly spectacular shot sees Tony spy the resulting flames from his bedroom window, and Harold is mobilised to start his own gambling racket afterwards, but that's about as deep as the movie delves on the subject. It has other things to ponder in its tale about family, crime, loyalty, life and death, as Dickie is just as conflicted about Tony's future. Regarding the latter, The Many Saints of Newark takes a few cues from Breaking Bad prequel series Better Call Saul, with its origin story also a tragedy because we know the only place it can lead to. That's one reason the film blisters with emotion, even if the same standard gangster narrative could've easily been told without any ties to The Sopranos. It's also why all of the expected references feel a bit like a game of spotting the nudges in the moment — including Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) as Tony's mother Livia, Corey Stoll (Scenes From a Marriage) as his uncle Junior, and John Magaro (First Cow) and Billy Magnussen (Made for Love) as his future sidekicks Silvio and Paulie — but ultimately add authority. Still, in a world where The Sopranos changed TV forever — every television drama has been indebted to the groundbreaking HBO series for the past two decades — The Many Saints of Newark is also the most basic version of the film that plenty have dreamed about since a certain fade to black. It delivers what it sets out to, not just in resurrecting Tony by venturing backwards, but also in fleshing out backstory, grappling with recognisable themes and musing on generational repetitions. It serves up two stellar core performances, as set against handsome period staging. It's a fine-looking movie all-round, and its blue palette conveys a sense of sorrow that perfectly suits its task. But it treads in heftier footsteps and knows it — and while that's part of its message, it's a bit like snacking on gabagool after a hearty, life-changing serving of pasta.
Jiro is an idealistic young man obsessed with the concept of flight. His poor eyesight means he can never be a pilot, so he becomes an engineer, designing planes that go as fast as is humanly possible. As Japan finds itself embroiled in the Second World War, Jiro falls in love with Naoko, and is torn between his desire to be with her, and his duty to his masters. Japanese animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki — best known for classics such as My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo — creates what may be his final film ever. (Miyazaki has announced his retirement many times in the past, and did so in the lead-up to this film. There are claims that he has backtracked this one as well.) If it is his last, it's a fitting coda. It's not difficult to see Miyazaki in Jiro: a single-minded focus with an artistic endeavour to the point of obsession. Despite being based upon a true story, a significant amount of creative licence is taken. This is, counter-intuitively, a good thing. Often, the more reverential a biopic attempts to be, the less interesting a film it is. This is a film about artistic passion, and there are more important truths about life during wartime that are illuminated in a way that a simple recounting of events would not. The film studiously avoids the cliches one would expect from this setup. It refuses to shy away from the questionable decisions made by Japan during wartime, but nor does it allow the idea of the country as the destined defeated to overwhelm what is ultimately a tale of human passion and endeavour. It's hard to think of a more measured film about non-violent people in wartime. Much of the controversy surrounding the film has focused on the fact that the protagonist is developing planes that will eventually becomes those that attacked Pearl Harbour. But that is the exact position of the myopic Jiro, who at one point expresses frustration that the planes must carry weapons and bombs, for they will slow down his masterpieces. And that's the point of the film: that the purity of artistic endeavours are often destroyed by those more concerned with conflict and battle. Madman Entertainment is releasing the film in both English and Japanese with English subtitles. You'll have to check to see which version your local cinema is playing, but if you have a choice, the Japanese language one is always preferable. There's something about the formality and manner of Japanese speech that doesn't translate well into English vocals, and even the most careful redubs often sound silly and awkward. Moments of sincerity can often sound funny, so exercise discretion. On the other hand, the English version has Werner Herzog as a German spy, so you can't really go wrong either way. It's a bold, unapologetic film that is not always completely successful, but there is a confident vision at play, and that is always welcome. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RzSpDgiF5y8
He's directed a mockumentary about sharehouse-dwelling vampires in Wellington, one of the most offbeat and adorable fugitive films there is, and the best big-budget blockbuster about a certain cape-wearing, hammer-wielding Norse god- turned-superhero that's reached screens so far. Now, after winning hearts and laughs with not only What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok, but New Zealand comedies Eagle vs Shark and Boy too, Taika Waititi has turned his attention to making fun of Hitler. His latest movie is called Jojo Rabbit, with the beloved filmmaker not only writing and directing, but starring as the Nazi. It's a satire, obviously, following a bullied but nationalistic young German boy called Jojo (newcomer Roman Griffin Davis) who discovers that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie, Leave No Trace) in their attic. He doesn't quite know what to do, so he asks the obvious person for help: his imaginary friend Adolf Hitler. World War II-set films are a very common sight on the big screen, so if you feel like you've seen every possible take on that period of history, Jojo Rabbit is here to change your mind. As the movie's initial teaser and its just-released full trailer both show, this isn't your usual grim, serious war flick. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this month, and based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, it's being badged as an "anti-hate" comedy, should you need more of an idea of the tone that Waititi is going for. As well as the writer/director himself, the film co-stars the high-profile likes of Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant and Alfie Allen. It's not the only project that Waititi has in the works — it was just announced last week that he'll be directing the next Thor film, Thor: Love and Thunder — but it is the only one where he gets Hitler to call himself a lunatic and a psycho. Check out the new trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4McUzXfFI Jojo Rabbit releases on December 26 in Australia.
UPDATE, AUGUST 13, 2020: Inception's tenth anniversary season has now undergone so date changes, it almost feels like something out of the movie's twisty plot. It'll now kick off on Thursday, August 13. We've updated this article to reflect that change. With Sydney's cinemas shutting down for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic — and beginning to reopen at the start of July — the idea of watching a movie in a darkened theatre in 2020 currently feels a bit surreal. From Thursday, August 13, that'll just be the first level of your dream-like film-going experience. Expect at least four others, with the dreams within dreams (within dreams within dreams) of Christopher Nolan's Inception returning to the big screen. Ten years after it first hit cinemas, the acclaimed mind-bender is back — to mark that anniversary; to help get everyone in the mood for Nolan's new movie, Tenet; and to give film-lovers something else to watch as Aussie picture palaces slowly relaunch. It's actually popping up just a fortnight before Tenet, which has had its Australian release pushed back a few times now. So, has the re-release of this twisty Nolan action-thriller, but now it's locked into the calendar. As written and directed by Nolan, Inception became a fast favourite a decade ago for plenty of reasons, including its dream-hijacking premise, its eye-popping visuals and its fantastic cast. In case you've forgotten the setup, it follows professional thief Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), who steals secret information from his targets' subconscious while they slumber — with help from the likes of Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFNwbQXGMu4 Inception's tenth anniversary season is screening at various cinemas from Thursday, August 13, with exact dates and times differing depending on the venue — check out your local picture palace for details.
Buy the ticket, take the ride, strap in for an onslaught of frenetic locomotive-bound fights: that's high-octane action-comedy Bullet Train on- and off-screen. Set on a shinkansen hurtling from Tokyo to Kyoto, in as stylised a vision of Japan that anyone not named Quentin Tarantino has ever thought of, this neon-lit adaptation of Kōtarō Isaka's 2010 page-turner Maria Beetle couldn't be more onboard with its central concept. That premise isn't snakes on a plane, but rather assassins on a train — plus one snake, one of nature's hitmen, actually. Cramming all those killers onto a single engine sparks mayhem, banter and bodies, not to mention chaotic frays in the quiet car and almost every other space. And when it works, with John Wick and Atomic Blonde's David Leitch steering the show, Tarantino and Guy Ritchie alum Brad Pitt as his main passenger, and a lifetime's worth of references to Thomas the Tank Engine slotted in, Bullet Train is as OTT and entertaining as it overtly wants to be. It doesn't always completely work, however; every journey, zipping along on a high-speed train or not, has its dips. Still, there are plenty of moving parts trying to keep the movie in motion — and plenty of plot, for better and for worse in both instances. In his second 2022 action-comedy after The Lost City, Pitt plays Ladybug, who is back riding the hired-gun rails after a zen break packed with new-age self-help platitudes. That's what he spouts to his handler (Sandra Bullock, The Unforgivable) by phone, in-between rueing his bad luck, as he tries to carry out what's supposed to be an easy job. All that Ladybug needs to do is take a briefcase, then disembark at the next station. But that piece of luggage is being transported by British assassin double-act Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, The King's Man) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry, Atlanta), as they escort a Russian mobster's son (Logan Lerman, Hunters) home. To up the hitman ante, the shinkansen is also carrying The Prince (Joey King, The Princess) and Kimura (Andrew Koji, Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins), who have their own beef, as well as the revenge-seeking Wolf (Benito A Martínez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny, Fast and Furious 9). As is always the case whenever anyone asks "are we there yet?" IRL, there's more: more twists and turns to the narrative, more bickering, more familiar names facing each other down, and a mass of flashbacks to events minutes, hours, days and months earlier, most of which make the leap from the page via Zak Olkewicz's (Fear Street: Part Two — 1978) screenplay. Wondering if the scribe and Leitch have seen Kill Bill, or the Pitt-starring Snatch, or the 90s attention-grabbers that were Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels as they bring Isaka's novel to the screen is thoroughly pointless. But, after The Gray Man, Bullet Train is the second big, star-studded, midyear action flick that's pieced together from familiar components, only to boast the cast and visual spectacle to carry it off more often than not. What a treat Pitt is, and has been for more than three decades — because that's how long it's been since Thelma & Louise thrust him to fame. Bullet Train draws upon his Ocean's Eleven brand of chattering, casual, happy-go-lucky charisma, even with Ladybug grappling with an existential crisis over his chosen profession. Pitt is comic, but never reaches Burn After Reading's goofiness. Amid the navel-gazing and bromides, he's still calm, collected and supremely capable at holding his own, but never to a Once Upon a Time in Hollywood extent. Although Leitch doesn't give Pitt his own John Wick or Atomic Blonde, it's as crucial a piece of casting. Neither of those two flicks would be the gems they are without their specific stars, and Bullet Train similarly wouldn't have hit the marks it does without its bucket hat-wearing biggest name and his detailed performance. While they fill their scenes trading words and blows, the best of Pitt's co-stars inspire the same reaction — including Hiroyuki Sanada (Mortal Kombat) as a veteran yakuza, Michael Shannon (Nine Perfect Strangers) as a pivotal powerbroker, and Taylor-Johnson and Henry particularly. A visually mismatched pair who quip and sling crosstalk with every breath, the latter duo have cookie-cutter comedic-relief supporting roles on paper, yet bring flair, scene-stealing commitment, and a genuine rapport and weight to their characters. It's thanks to Henry as the blonde-topped Lemon that popular culture's most famous train among pre-schoolers not only plays such a sizeable part, but becomes a life-guiding creed. That's a bit taken directly from the source material and, yes, it could've proven both clunky and cringey on-screen. Bullet Train isn't concise at 126 minutes, and giving its Thomas gags a bit too much steam is just one of its repetitive touches, but that whole gambit would've derailed fast in other hands. Leitch knows banter, and how to direct it; see also: Deadpool 2. While he also knows how to overdo a winking, nodding, smirking vibe that overflows with references to entertainment elsewhere — see also: Deadpool 2 — Bullet Train never feels like it's merely and smugly laughing at its own jokes. And, although not every gag lands, or even the tone from station to station, it's gleeful about how silly it can skew, as its impressively choreographed and inescapably ridiculous action scenes show. Leitch also knows stunts, given that's where he famously started out. In Fight Club, Spy Game, Ocean's Eleven, Troy and Mr and Mrs Smith, he was Pitt's double. It's little wonder that the dynamic confrontations — which involve everything from that key briefcase, laptops and water bottles through to knives, guns, swords and the snake — bounce across their train-bound setting, and the screen, as vividly lensed by Leitch's regular cinematographer Jonathan Sela (Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw). Bullet Train's highlights gleam and flow, just like the film's sleek look and feel, but even when you're happily strapped in, bumps can bubble through. There's never a moment where it isn't a lot, which it's well aware, although luckily — the audience's, and Ladybug's — it's never having less than a hyperactive, cartoonish blast with everything it throws at the screen. Henry's Atlanta co-star Zazie Beetz, playing another of the feature's killers, deserves a better, more fleshed-out character, and more screentime. The ideas of family, trauma and fate at the story's core are often just scaffolding around the repartee and setpieces. Spotting the picture's influences is as plain to see as Tokyo's twinkling lights, and as blatant as the Japanese covers of 'Stayin' Alive' and 'Holding Out for a Hero' on the soundtrack. Buy the ticket, take the ride, settle into the movie's rhythm, let Pitt be your guide: that's still Bullet Train, though, too.
In Unsane, Sawyer Valentini (Claire Foy) moves across the country to escape her stalker David (Joshua Leonard), but can't break free from his grasp. She still sees his face everywhere she looks. She still feels like she's unravelling. She still experiences flashes of pain and anxiety at inopportune moments — when a Tinder date is getting hot and heavy, for example. Alone in a new city, Sawyer seeks professional medical help, yet even that exacerbates her situation. Signing what seems to be a routine form, she's soon trapped in a mental health centre "for her own safety". Even worse, she spies David among the staff. Directing his second feature following his short-lived retirement from filmmaking, Steven Soderbergh puts Sawyer through a recognisable ordeal. As scripted by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer (in quite a departure from their previous work, the Jackie Chan vehicle The Spy Next Door), the movie takes a leaf out of the well-thumbed psychological thriller playbook. Or does it? Surprises are part of the film's nightmarish world, as well as the genre that it knowingly fits into, but Unsane isn't just a chip off the old block. It slides smoothly into Soderbergh's filmography — in fact, if his 2013 flick Side Effects met his excellent TV series The Knick, it might look something like this. More than that, Unsane pairs a savage takedown of America's profits-before-patients health system with an equally sharp take on society's treatment of women. Specifically, Soderbergh and company dive into the mindset of someone who has been violated and attacked, providing a devastating expression of a victim's fraught, overwhelmed viewpoint. The film's plot continues to set the appropriate scene, pitting Sawyer against hostile doctors, nurses and cops, as well as her stalker, with allies few and far between (Amy Irving plays her mother, while Jay Pharoah pops up as a fellow detainee). If it sounds broadly familiar, that's by design. Here, a woman is harassed through no fault of her own, and is stuck reliving the trauma. She's subjected to unwanted attention from her assailant, and is scrutinised by the powers-that-be when she tries to take control. Further, when she asks for assistance, she's left at the mercy of a system that's complex at best and oppressive at worst. Indeed, Unsane's biggest shock doesn't spring from anything in its narrative, even when the film toys with reality. Instead, what's truly astonishing about the picture is how effectively it relays its perspective. The twists and suspense all work swimmingly, keeping the audience on edge throughout, but figuring out what's true or false is really beside the point. What matters in Unsane is how Sawyer is made to feel over and over again, and how the movie conveys her emotional and mental agitation to the viewers. Who, under intense stress, hasn't imagined something they definitely didn't witness? Who, in the same circumstances, hasn't felt like they're being watched? Who hasn't questioned their own sanity? Who hasn't felt hyper-alert, physically reacting to everything and everyone around them? In bringing these aspects of Sawyer's turmoil to the screen — and making her anguish seem to seep from the screen — Soderbergh's decision to shoot the film on three iPhone 7 Plus handsets is particularly astute. Every shot is intimate and urgent, as well as both voyeuristic and claustrophobic. Each visual composition feels heightened, frequently positioned at a slightly askew angle and often keeping part of the frame out of focus. Every image looks gritty and grim, even bordering on unpleasant. Crafting a literal picture of distress, the director (who also acts as his own cinematographer and editor under different pseudonyms) matches his style with the movie's substance, in an inventive filmmaking masterclass. Regardless of who Soderbergh was pointing his camera-phones at, his shooting technique would've hit the mark. But with Foy on the other side of the filmmaker's jumpy handheld lens, Unsane hits home hard. Far removed from the drama and glamour of The Crown (and with the American accent to prove it), the actor's performance couldn't be less regal. It also couldn't be more committed or compelling. The movie itself might come packaged with a pulpy tone, but the uneasy look in Foy's eye, the jitters in her hands and the stiffness of her stance speak to something more than lurid thrills. In fact, as this powerful film makes plain, they've stared back at many a viewer from their own mirrors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yOkE3vsU6g
If there's one way to gauge how attitudes to huge live events have changed in 2022, it's this: the year has only just ticked over its halfway point, but end-of-year festivals have already been announcing their lineups. Sydney's NYE in the Park is the latest, locking in its plans for Saturday, December 31 — so you can start getting ready to farewell yet another chaotic 12 months. Fancy saying goodbye to 2022 while dancing in Camperdown's Victoria Park? Then this is the bill for you. Leading the charge: Flight Facilities, Lime Cordiale, Cut Copy and Rico Nasty, as well as San Cisco, Crazy P Soundsystem and Aussie Daft Punk tribute act Discovery. [caption id="attachment_861702" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Wesley Allen[/caption] As always, the roster of talent for this music-filled NYE spans everything from electronic and dance to hip hop and indie pop tunes — with Poof Doof Drag Jamboree on hosting duties once more. Other highlights so far include Late Night Tuff Guy, Graace, Vacations, Grentperez, Becca Hatch and Tori Levett, with more still to be announced. [caption id="attachment_832015" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jordan Munns[/caption] Also on offer, as usual: gourmet street food to keep up your sustenance, pop-up bars because all that dancing is thirsty work, and a VIP garden experience if you're keen to fork out more for a closer spot to the stage, your own private viewing garden, and access to a curated cafe and cocktail bar. And if you need a reminder about what else is coming up — the other fests you'll need your sneakers for, that is — the list includes Listen Out, Summer Camp, Festival X and Grapevine Gathering, plus Falls Festival to also help see out the year. NYE IN THE PARK 2022 LINEUP: Flight Facilities Lime Cordiale Cut Copy Rico Nasty San Cisco Crazy P Soundsystem Late Night Tuff Guy Graace Vacations Grentperez Discovery Becca Hatch Tori Levett Whatslivelystage Poof Doof Drag Jamboree NYE in the Park will hit up Victoria Park, City Road, Camperdown on Saturday, December 31. Pre-sale tickets are available from 6pm on Tuesday, July 26, ahead of general ticket sales at 12pm on Wednesday, July 27. For more information or to sign up for pre-sales, head to the festival website. Images: Jordan Munns.
It's time once more for REMIX Sydney Summit 2017, a global event bringing together some of the foremost thinkers on the intersection of culture, technology and entrepreneurship. Hosted in New York City, London and Sydney, the two-day Australian leg of the event runs from 7–8 December and features keynote speakers, panel discussions, masterclasses, debates and more. The inspiring summit hosts more than 100 creative visionaries from many of the world's leading cultural institutions, innovative start-ups and media organisations. And you'll hear from the best of the best with Burning Man CEO Marian Goodell headlining the 2017 event. Leaders from trendsetters such as Disney, NASA, Lonely Planet, Samsung, National Geographic and many more will also be in attendance. You'll be able to hear from us, too, when CP founder Rich Fogarty takes the stage to discuss Future Tourism. Fogarty and a panel of fellow tourism experts — including prominent speakers from Airbnb and the Sydney Opera House — will examine technology's impact on tourism (hello, Instagram), profile the modern traveller and discuss what the rising anti-tourist sentiment means for local businesses and cities. To celebrate REMIX Sydney Summit 2017, we're giving away a two-day pass. To enter, head to our competition page. We're also offering a special discount for Concrete Playground readers – head to the REMIX website and enter 'concrete25' to save 25 percent on this year's event. Below, we've picked out five of our favourite REMIX Summit events that'll inspire you to change the world for the better. RE-INVENTING CULTURAL EXPERIENCES FOR A DIGITAL AGE The theatre may be steeped in millennia worth of tradition, but organisations such as the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) are working on bringing the art form into the 21st century and beyond. Talking enhancing physical space with digital tech, inventive collaborations and how to attract new theatre lovers, RSC Director of Digital Development Sarah Ellis will take the main stage at REMIX. As technology has become increasingly embedded in society, Ellis will discuss how the theatre company is working with technology leaders – namely The Imaginarium Studios and Intel – to interact with modern day audiences. One recent example is the RSC's 2016 production of The Tempest, where motion-capture technology – similar to that used in cinema – was used to project lifelike animated characters onto the stage that interacted in real time with the show's actors. Main Stage: 9.45am Thursday, December 7 INCUBATING IDEAS — NEW INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES It's no secret that making it in the arts industry is difficult. This panel discussion looks at how cultural organisations can team up with technology companies to bring new life to age-old ideas. Considering co-working spaces, start-ups and business accelerators, the panellists will discuss how forming partnerships with technology companies can lead to groundbreaking models that promote investment in and support of the arts. The expert speakers — including The Studio CEO Chantal Abouchar, founding curator of Vivid Ideas, Jess Scully and CEO of Create NSW Michael Brealey — will look at global examples of these partnerships. They'll discuss New Museum's innovative cultural incubator in NYC, The Fish Island Labs, at London's The Barbican, which help kickstart artists' careers using tech, and ACMI X, a creative co-working space in Melbourne. Remix Academy: 10am Thursday, December 7 LONELY PLANET: A TALE OF REINVENTION Not too many under 30s can say they are the CEO of anything – let alone the world's largest travel book publisher – but that's exactly what Lonely Planet's Daniel Houghton is. Graduating from photojournalism at Western Kentucky University in only 2010, Houghton set up a small marketing agency while photographing weddings to pay the bills. When one of Houghton's video productions captured the eye of American billionaire and Lonely Planet owner, Brad Kelley – Houghton was hired as CEO and thrust into the cutthroat world of publishing. With publishing being one of the more volatile industries in recent times, Houghton will discuss how the famous travel book publisher revamped itself on numerous platforms, using creative collaborations and evocative multimedia projects to relaunch itself to the forefront of the modern media landscape. Main Stage: 10am Friday, December 8 NEW HORIZONS: TECHNOLOGY AND STORYTELLING Storytelling has become much more than just books or films. Once fringe mediums, YouTube, video games, podcasts and virtual reality are now mainstream. As the confines of storytelling are rapidly changing and the opportunity to share work and find an audience are only becoming more accessible, this panel discussion considers what the emergence of these mediums means for traditional outlets and how technology of the future could impact creation and distribution. The panel for this talk features Toby Coffey, Head of Digital Development for London's National Theatre, which launched an immersive Virtual Reality storytelling studio in 2016; Sarah Ellis, Director of Digital Development for the Royal Shakespeare Company, who have combined motion capture technology with theatre production; and musician Beatie Wolfe, who received widespread acclaim for her world's first '3D interactive album app'. Remix Academy: 9.45am Friday, December 8 [caption id="attachment_646645" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scott London[/caption] THE STORY OF BURNING MAN PHENOMENON Burning Man is on the bucket list of most festival lovers – for good reason — because it's now a cultural phenomenon that's virtually peerless. What started out as just a dozen or so friends celebrating the summer solstice on San Francisco's Baker Beach in 1986 has transformed into a desert metropolis housing 70,000 pilgrims annually for a week-long hedonistic festival. Marian Goodell, CEO of Burning Man, heads to REMIX Sydney Summit as the 2017 headline speaker. Here, she'll discuss the rise of Burning Man and her role overseeing the 70-plus year-round employees, getting the most from the festival's $30 million budget and producing the temporary 11-square-kilometre city. Marion first attended Burning Man in 1995 and became involved on the organisational side of things in 1997 – eventually being appointed CEO in 2014. Since then, she's expanded Burning Man's network to 250 representatives in 30 countries and has lead the effort to communicate the festival's ethos worldwide. Main Stage:4.15pm Friday, December 8
Cosmo's Midnight is the playful moniker for the much-adored Sydney-based production duo made up of twins Cosmo and Patrick Liney. The pair have been writing and producing feel-good jams since 2012, with their ever-evolving sound and clear natural talent seeing them only continue to rise in popularity across the globe. For the uninitiated, their songs are eclectic and yet instantly recognisable: dance tracks heavy on the instrumentals, floaty lyrics and sky-high vibes. After a 2022 chock-full of buzzing festival crowds and tours here and abroad, Cosmo's Midnight are getting ready to take to the For The Love stage on the Gold Coast (Saturday, February 25) followed by legs in Wollongong (Sunday, February 26), Melbourne (Saturday, March 4) and Perth (Sunday, March 5) — along with a stacked lineup. Joining them are legendary pop and dance icons Charli XCX and Duke Dumont, plus Budjerah, Sonny Fodera and Snakehips to name a few. Ahead of their tour with For The Love (curated by renowned party-throwers from Untitled Group), we caught up with Cosmo and Patrick to chat about their summer highs, creative influences and how they're feeling ahead of the waterside gigs. First up, how are you both? Enjoying summer? You've spent the warmer months hitting festival stages here and abroad — there must be some exhaustion in there! "Doing very well, it's nice to finally have a summer where we aren't dodging flood waters. After pretty extensive touring for the last half of 2022, it's been so good to recoup and hit the beach in between writing sessions. We're currently writing some of the best music we've ever put together and can't wait to show some of the stuff Pat and I have been working on." On and off the stage, what have been your summer highs? "Hitting Hobbiton in New Zealand was a massive highlight, we've been massive fans of LOTR and Tolkien as a whole our entire lives. It was so magical walking through the set and having the opportunity to get turpsed at The Green Dragon, the pub from The Shire. Also just touring with our band is so fun, they've been good mates of ours since before we started doing shows together and we spent one torrential day in Auckland go-karting in inch-deep water. No one else was on the track so the people running it just let us have free reign, trying to destroy each other and doing our best to recreate Tokyo Drift." Amazing! What's it like touring with your sibling? "It's really easy despite the fact we have little sibling tiffs every now and then — they're always quickly resolved and never spiral into something sinister. Luckily we both enjoy the same general things outside of music, so there's no massive vote required to figure out what the band is going to do when we're not on stage." You both exude such a positive energy when performing, how does it feel to be on stage? "We both love performing, as far as music goes it's the biggest payoff of writing and developing a live show. Seeing how people respond to your music is the truest review you can get in this age of music streaming, where it's hard to tell what people think immediately — where we more so just watch the play counts rack up." For The Love is about to kick off its run of music events to see out Australia's summer, how are you both feeling ahead of taking the stage? "Really excited, we're keen to debut some new music and renditions of old songs to up the ante even further. It's been a while since we've hit a national tour in Australia so it will be great to see some familiar spaces and faces!" How do you prep for a gig? Any non-negotiables in the lead up? "Always rehearse really close to show day. Despite all the touring we did last year, we made sure to go through everything again with the band before we hit a tour. We all got so familiar with our live set last year after touring through Europe, UK, USA that I think we got a bit cocky and thought it might be okay to skip it... luckily we decided against it. Always gotta break out the WD-40 even when nothing sounds rusty." Whose set on the For The Love lineup are you most excited to catch? "I'm so excited to see Charli perform, we've been big fans of hers throughout her career and the ebbs and flows she's had as she explores different genres and styles. Unfortunately we've never caught her live, so it's going to be a massive highlight to see her at FTL — I hope we get to meet her!" I have everything crossed for you! Do you have a favourite track to perform? "It changes as time goes on but currently we have a really fun extended version of CUDI that is just so satisfying and exciting to play. I feel like if your song doesn't give you tingles when you're performing it, you've got to work on it until it does and we've reached that sweet spot with CUDI." You've got a unique and recognisable sound — inherently upbeat with a little eighties-disco edge. What are you influenced by creatively? "You're entirely right, we do listen to a lot of disco for inspiration. Before every new musical endeavour we do a massive amount of listening to kind of figure out the palette and sound for our next project. These last two years, we've extended our listening into more recent decades like the nineties and two-thousands to see both how the natural progression of disco leaned to house and pop — and what we can take from those eras that is so timeless and exciting." I've had a good old internet dig, and gleaned that your third album is well on its way to ears — how are you feeling about it? What can we expect from Cosmo's Midnight in the near-ish future? "Solid investigative work you've done there! It's well on the way, some would even say its getting wrapped up soon! We're feeling really excited and confident for the new project, it's some of the most upbeat and fluid writing we've done to date and we're really looking forward to dripping them out so everyone can get across them all." Are you taking any time off after the For The Love run? "We're going to take some time off to plan the rest of the year music and touring-wise. We're also going to use some downtime to work on other artists' projects, maybe do some writing camps and holidaying! It's always a good time mid-year to see what is happening up in the northern hemisphere." And finally, what are your three favourite places to eat and drink in Sydney? "Shameless plugs for friends: I love visiting my mates over at Baba's Place in Marrickville for a bite to eat! Then Naija Jollof has really good West African food just up the street from me, which is really hearty and spicy. Cafe Nho in Marrickville has the coffee with the closest taste to that in Vietnam, if you've travelled there and miss the coffee I'd strongly recommend trying it out!" Cosmo's Midnight are set to take the For The Love stage on the Gold Coast (Saturday, February 25) and in Wollongong (Sunday, February 26), Melbourne (Saturday, March 4) and Perth (Sunday, March 5). For more info and to nab your tickets, head to the website.
Whether you're travelling for work, leisure or something in-between, if you're a Brisbanite who has been in New South Wales lately, you've probably been happy to venture further than your own city. But with four Local Government Areas in Sydney about to be placed under stay-at-home orders from 11.59pm tonight, Friday, June 25 — yes, that's another term for a lockdown — the Queensland Government now requires anyone who has visited the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick council areas since Friday, June 11 to also abide by the same conditions. Yes, you should be feeling a bit of deja vu. This type of thing now tends to happen when another city goes into lockdown, so it has indeed occurred before. Queensland has already closed its borders to the Greater Sydney area in response to the city's current COVID-19 outbreak, but the state has now put a new stay-at-home requirement in place for anyone currently in Queensland who has been to the four specified LGAs. As announced in a Queensland Health public health alert released today, if you fall into that category, you're required to follow the same conditions that would be in place if you were in those four Sydney areas at the moment. The rules are the same as during Brisbane's three lockdowns, which means that you're only allowed to leave the house for select reasons. So, you can only head out for work or education if you can't do that at home, for essential shopping, for outdoor exercise, and for health care or to provide support for a vulnerable person. The City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick LGAs will be under stay-at-home orders until at least 11.59pm on Friday, July 2. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1408274632910655496 Queensland is giving folks who've been in the four LGAs a little bit of extra leeway, though — if you're in the Sunshine State, the lockdown requirement won't kick in until 1am on Saturday, June 26. That said, Queensland's Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young advised that "if you're one of these people, please don't rush off to another location on holiday — if you do, you'll still need to follow these rules wherever you are." And, although Greater Sydney has already been deemed a hotspot by Queensland, that declaration is being backdated for the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick LGAs as well. So, if you're a Sunshine State resident who returns home after 1am on Saturday, June 26, and you've been in the four LGAs since Friday, June 11 — even if that's not where you're arriving back from now — you'll need to go into hotel quarantine for 14 days. Dr Young is also advising Queenslanders to "reconsider their need to travel to New South Wales during this time." Residents of seven Sydney LGAs — not just the City of Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick, but also Bayside, Canada Bay and Inner West — are not permitted to leave the metropolitan Sydney area. As always, the usual general advice regarding hygiene and social distancing applies in Queensland, as it has throughout the pandemic. For more information about Queensland's COVID-19 border restrictions, or about the status of COVID-19 in the state, visit the Qld COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website.
Are you a cat person or a dog person? Alongside whether or not you're a fan of pineapple on pizza, pet preference is one of humanity's great dividing factors. Some folks love the unconditional affection that a barking bestie brings. Others thrive on the contented purrs of a meowing mouser sitting on their lap. Whichever camp you fall into, here's something that even the most-avid pup proponents and feline fanciers can agree on: that an exhibition dedicated to both cats and dogs, charting their place in art, design and human history, is a delightful must-see. Cats & Dogs is that showcase, giving NGV Australia in Melbourne's Federation Square one of its big summer highlights. It's a great time to be an art lover in the Victorian capital, or visiting the city, with all things Yayoi Kusama taking over NGV International and beyond — and also this thoughtful and adorable exhibition bringing joy via more than 250 cat- and dog-focused works at the Ian Potter Centre until Sunday, July 20, 2025. If your camera roll demonstrates your firm belief that there's no such thing as too many pet pictures, consider this the wide-ranging display that understands, then illustrates that idea — literally — via art. Pieces by Rembrandt van Rijn, Francisco de Goya, Pierre Bonnard, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, Hulda Guzmán, Atong Atem, Charles Blackman, Grace Cossington Smith and Nora Heysen are among the works featured, spanning both international and Australian artists. And yes, because cats and dogs don't always get along, the exhibition places dog pieces on one side and cats on the other. For plenty of pet lovers, you could hang all the pictures in the world of cats and dogs in a gallery and it'd instantly become a cherished art experience, but NGV International has arranged its showcase thematically to dig into what these two types of cute creatures mean to us. Using works from the NGV Collection, it explores subjects such as working dogs and cats, how the two pets feature in mythology and the occult, and their significance in religion and spirituality. So, expect cattle dogs, superstition-inspiring black cats and everything in-between, Also included in a display that ranges from ancient history to today: a survey of cats in popular culture. And if thinking about moggies and art gets you thinking about Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen's 1896 Chat Noir art nouveau poster, the recent acquisition by the NGV is part of the exhibition. Paintings of cats and dogs, prints of cats and dogs, drawings of cats and dogs, photos of cats and dogs, sculptures of cats and dogs, fashion featuring cats and dogs: they're all covered, as are textiles and decorative arts heroing the two critters. Other specific highlights include Atomicus, the surrealist photography by Philippe Halsman with Salvador Dalí pictured next to flying cats; Thomas Gainsborough's two-metre-high oil painting Richard St George Mansergh-St George, focusing on a soldier and his hound; Atong Atem's 2022 self-portrait Maria of Mars, complete with a lapdog earning atttention; pieces by First Nations artists, such as wooden carvings of camp dogs by Far North Queensland's Aurukun artists; and fashion by Alexander McQueen, Romance Was Born and others. Do you know in your bones that your own cat or dog belongs in the same company? There's a pet portrait gallery, too, where attendees can share images of their own pets. Images: Installation view of Cats & Dogs at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia from 1 November 2024 to 20 July 2025. Photos: Eugene Hyland and Tom Ross.
Jesus Christ Superstar is coming to Australia. The record-breaking Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera tour de force has been travelling around the globe for more than 40 years and is landing Down Under this June. It is not arriving as fans of the musical would expect, either, with the production reimagined for post-millennial society, with Twitter, Occupy protests and bankers all making an appearance. Whilst it may be slightly modernised, it has lost none of its charm, receiving rave reviews throughout its recent UK run. Resurrecting John Farnham's 1992 Jesus on stage will be Ben Forster, a role he won after performing on Andrew Lloyd Webber's reality TV show Superstar. Also starring and adding some Australian flavour are Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot and Deal or No Deal's Andrew O'Keefe as King Herod, and the cast also features a Spice Girl. That's right, 'Sporty Spice' Melanie C will be portraying Mary Magdalene. If you still need convincing, the Pope himself approved the musical. So if you want to see a musical with a papal seal of approval, it will be in Sydney from June 7 until June 9 and tickets are selling fast.
"My name is Jordan Belfort" explains Leonardo DiCaprio in the opening to Martin Scorsese's new film, The Wolf of Wall Street. "The year I turned 26, I made $49 million, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week." If you're a banker, that probably frames this film as something of a tragedy for you. For everyone else, it sets the tone for a semi-true story about a materialistic mercenary whose insatiable appetite for money and power saw him wreak havoc on both the stock market and his own family for two decades. Taking its name and story from Belfort's bestselling (and unsurprisingly self-aggrandising) biography, The Wolf of Wall Street largely confirms all the things you presumed you hated about unscrupulous investment bankers and even establishes a few new ones for you to despise. It is black comedy at its very darkest; a chronicle of depravity that at once amuses and nauseates. In his now award-winning turn as the eponymous 'wolf', DiCaprio holds nothing back — screaming, beaming and drooling his way through every scene with gleeful, passionate intensity. His best lines are often reserved for internal monologue, navigating by narration all the intricacies of drug consumption, prostitute procurement and, of course, stock market manipulation. Alongside him is Jonah Hill in a fantastically weird performance as Belfort's right-hand man Donnie Azoff. Grinning through hypnotically white teeth, Azoff is both Belfort's enabler and guardian — simultaneously safeguarding their friendship whilst steering it irreversibly down the road to inevitable ruin. Despite its cracking pace, The Wolf of Wall Street runs at just one minute short of three hours and definitely feels as long as it is. The cycle of sex, drugs and opulence admittedly entertains at first but soon becomes as unvarying and unremarkable as, presumably, it was in real life. That vapidity is then compounded by the lack of growth experienced by just about every character in the film. Belfort's transformation from wide-eyed newcomer to unapologetic sybaritic lasts precisely one (albeit probably the best) scene right at the start of the film, after which his character arc sits firmly on the 180. Lessons aren't learned, egos aren't checked and virtue never rears its head as the Wolf and his pack cruise, jet and blindly stumble from one orgiastic spectacle to the next. In that respect, The Wolf of Wall Street ultimately feels shallower and less arresting than, say, Oliver Stone's Wall Street or even Brian De Palma's Bonfire of the Vanities. All three unreservedly showcase the extraordinary grandiosity, greed and ruthlessness of men like Belfort, yet Wolf's predecessors prove that less is more when examining those for whom 'more' is the singular ambition. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
Sydney's nightlife scene is having a renaissance right now. Multi-arts festivals, restaurant and bar openings and summer music events are all bringing life back to the city after dark. Then in steps Paddo Night Out to bring even more of this cracking summer evening fun to Sydney. From 4–8pm on Thursday, October 27, businesses all over Paddington are doing things differently. [caption id="attachment_874148" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Paddo Inn[/caption] 100+ shops, restaurants, hotels, galleries and salons throughout the suburb are all taking part this year — each with their own unique menus, specials, sales, offers and activations. Take, for example, Tequila Mockingbird, where street tacos and $15 classic margaritas take centre place. The Paddo Inn is hosting a live jazz night with a $12 cocktail special, and there will be a tea tasting and meditation advice at Hälsa Health. And excitingly, Defiance Gallery will be creating a buzz before crowning the winner of the $30,000 Paddington Art Prize. [caption id="attachment_874147" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Tequila Mockingbird[/caption] The night is set to have the entire neighbourhood buzzing — and offers the perfect occasion for exploring the whole Paddington area. Paddo Night Out takes over Paddington on Thursday, October 27. For more information on the evening's events and all the local business activations, head to the Visit Paddington website.
Now that the weather has become slightly chillier and you've accepted that you might have to pop a jacket on when you head out for the day, what's the best way to keep feeling as invigorated as one does while sipping a G&T on a summer's day at the park? Green Park Hotel's latest Thursday night event, Gin in the Park, obviously. The kind folks at the Darlinghurst public house have all sorts of juniper-heavy evenings planned to keep us all feeling upbeat and refreshed during the dreaded post-summer blues. PICNIC AT THE PUB Now that it's cooler, there's no need to brave the great outdoors because Green Park is serving picnics at the pub. To snack on while sipping $10 G&Ts, these adorably retro picnic hampers contain all the classic goods that some might think of as simple fare but are undeniably moreish — cubed cheese, Jatz crackers, pickled onions, dips and cucumber sandwiches are all on the menu. It's called a 'povo picnic', but it sounds pretty priceless to us. DON'T BOTHER WITH THE BOWLO If, in addition to your delightful picnic, you feel like a spot of lawn games, you're in luck. The Greeny ups the ante on Thursdays with, what they refer to as, "silly" versions of lawn game classics. Ring toss, skittles and Jenga will all be on offer, so you can let your competitive side come alive without having to take yourself too seriously — gin in hand, all the while, of course. There'll also be plenty of martinis if you wish to shake things up from your usual G&T. Disclaimer: the pub doesn't have an actual lawn — it's more of an astroturf-covered pool table situation. But hey, when you can play with martinis on the pour, does it really matter? [caption id="attachment_714426" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sean Foster.[/caption] MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCES Have you ever meditated with a cocktail in hand? We wouldn't question if you had, you gin fiend, but we promise you've certainly never done it like this. The Green Park is spiking its Thursdays with unconventional gin events in collaboration with Hendricks, such as this immersive meditative martini experience. It'll elevate your love of gin to whole new sensory plains, with blindfolds and noise-cancelling headphones all part of the adventure. You can take part on these gin-credible (we had to) Hendricks Meditative Martini Experiences once a month (and of course on Thursdays) — April 18, May 16, and June 6 — but make sure you sign up, as places are limited. BOOGIE TO THE SOUNDS OF LOCAL DJs Gin in the Park certainly wouldn't be complete without a heavenly soundtrack that distils the night into one to be remembered. At Green Park, there'll be a rotation of local DJs hellbent on making your Thursday as enjoyable as possible — just like a cruisy Sunday arvo with mates at the local park. Who can you expect to be dishing out your pre-weekend boogie? The beloved resident DJs Kate Monroe, Hamo and Dom de Sousa. Gin in The Park takes place every Thursday from 5pm at Green Park Hotel. Visit the pub's website for more information.
Following a big night out, scrolling through your snaps may be part of your morning-after routine, letting you bask in the glory of all those photos immortalising all that fun. Or, hitting up a gig, bar or party just mightn't be complete unless you're filling your socials while you're there. Whether one or both of the above apply to you, neither is out of the ordinary — so much so that heading to a shindig without being able to access your phone is now a novelty. That's exactly the kind of situation that Lane 8's record label This Never Happened is embracing, however, when it tours Australia's east coast with for a series of gatherings. At This Never Happens Presents, you won't have a screen in your hand — or face. You won't be swiping, texting or doing anything else with the gadget we're all addicted to, either. Attendees will have their phones taped upon arrival, because these dance music get-togethers are all about connecting IRL and in the moment. The tour has three stops over one July weekend, starting on Friday, July 14 at 170 Russell in Melbourne, then moving to Sydney's Metro Theatre on Saturday, July 15, before wrapping up at Brightside Outdoors in Brisbane on Sunday, July 16. In each city, you'll enjoy tunes from Le Youth, Sultan & Shepard and PARIS on the dance floor — and you'll just have to rely upon your noggin to remember all the highlights afterwards. These will be This Never Happen's first shows in this part of the world, after launching in 2016, signing artists who've toured with producer and DJ Lane 8, and first hosting parties in 2017 and 2019 elsewhere around the globe. Pics or it didn't happen? Not here. THIS NEVER HAPPENED PRESENTS 2023 DATES: Friday, July 14 — 170 Russell, Melbourne Saturday, July 15 — Metro Theatre, Sydney Sunday, July 16 — Brightside Outdoors, Brisbane THIS NEVER HAPPENED PRESENTS 2023 LINEUP: Le Youth Sultan & Shepard PARIS This Never Happened Presents tours Australia's east coast in July, with ticket pre-sales from 12pm AEST on Wednesday, May 10 and general sales from 12pm on Thursday, May 11.
Make tracks to Chippendale's creative space Sew Make Create if you're looking to start a new project. Run by fashion designer Melissa Tan-Lu, the shop is a collaborative haven for every kind of artist and maker. There's a huge range of classes on offer for those looking to upskill or take on a new hobby. The classes focus on hand-crafted, eco-friendly designs — think hand embroidery and quilting workshops, introduction courses to sewing, crocheting and basket weaving, scent blending and even lampshade and macrame classes. You can also use the space in your own time, with hourly sewing machine hire on offer too. You can check out upcoming classes here. Sew Make Create is open 10am–5pm every Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday.
Sydney Dance Company's first show of the season presents its dancers at their most open, honest and mindblowingly athletic yet. In the words of choreographer Rafael Bonachela, ab [intra], which is Latin for "from within", is an exploration of our "primal instincts, our impulses and our visceral responses". Rather than beginning with a script, Bonachela worked backwards. While improvising and experimenting in the studio, he asked dancers to anonymously write down their emotions, ideas and questions on hundreds of yellow Post-It notes and created a narrative from them. Throughout the piece, dancers shift from portraits of intense intimacy to explosions of dynamic interaction and moments of stillness. Costumes are minimal, exposing an unsettling mix of vulnerability and power, and the original score, composed by Nick Wales, combines both classical and electronic influences. ab [intra] is Bonachela's first full-length work since 2012, when 2 One Another and a collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra called Project Rameau both took the stage. This is his tenth year as artistic director of the Sydney Dance Company. https://youtu.be/CQVMpxo5UaQ Images: Pedro Greig
Any night of the week, you're guaranteed a good feed in Sydney. But during Sydney Solstice, the city's dining scene is taking things up a notch. The new two-week event is taking over more than 200 bars, restaurants, art galleries and live music venues across multiple suburbs for a series of magical feasts, devilish dinners and food-filled street parties. Running from Tuesday, June 8 till Sunday, June 20, the event series will feature a midnight feast at CBD dumpling master Mr Wong, a wine series with Opera House views at Aria and a free beer fest at Pyrmont's Terminus Hotel — and that's just the start. We've teamed up with NSW Government via Destination NSW to round up nine Sydney Solstice experiences to lap up this winter if you, like us, are always thinking about food and booze.
Hospitality heavyweight Merivale has barely dipped its toe into Sydney's north, but where is has, it sure has done it a bang-up job of it. Proof of that lies in Manly Wharf's much-loved Papi Chulo and sprawling Pittwater pub The Newport, which Merivale reopened back in April 2016. Now, the group's announced plans to again beef up its northern beaches portfolio by taking over the beachfront Collaroy Hotel. Perched right on the sand and boasting some pretty special ocean panoramas, there's no doubt that this beach boozer is primed for the signature Justin Hemmes treatment. What's more, it's bound to work pretty well as a sister venue to The Newport, which will unveil its second stage — a new indoor restaurant and bar — this summer. At this stage, there's no word on exactly what we can expect from The Collaroy's newest incarnation or when exactly it's expected to open. We'll keep you posted. But for the time being, The Collaroy will remain open as usual.
Sydney's multitude of takeaway kebab shops have just gotten some serious competition thanks to one of the city's top chefs. Mat Lindsay (Ester, Poly) has teamed up with Paramount Coffee Project's Russell Beard (Reuben Hills), Mark Dundon and Jin Ng to open Shwarmama: Surry Hills' new all-day kebab joint that launched just this week. The tiny standing room-only restaurant is open from brekkie until 10pm every night of the week, offering up a rather succinct menu of five dishes — all for under $16. The main event is, of course, the shawarma, made using New South Wales lamb that has been marinated and cooked on a traditional slow-rotating, vertical shawarma spit. It's sliced to order and served in soft-but-chewy laffa flatbread. [caption id="attachment_748488" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shawarma by Kitti Gould[/caption] Also on the menu, you'll find fried-to-order herb falafel stuffed in a pita with tahini, hummus, pickles and cabbage; an Israeli breakfast sandwich called sabich that's stuffed with fried eggplant and a boiled egg; and the NHSP (non-halal snack pack) with chips and juicy chicken doused in tahini, hummus and garlic sauce. All of those sauces and add-ons are made in house, too, including the hot sauces, pickles and other condiments. You can also grab a plate of hummus for $10 and a salted choc-chip and sesame cookie for six big ones. The venue is also fully licensed, with a Victorian fiano and NSW nebbiolo currently available on tap, as well as a wild-fermented beer from Marrickville brewery Wildflower. Plus, you can make yourself a coffee at the DIY espresso machine — but, if you'd like something fancier (a hand-poured filter or silky flat white, for example) we suggest you wander up the road to PCP, which is a mere 100 metres away. [caption id="attachment_748502" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kitti Gould[/caption] Before you do, though, take a good look around the space. Designed by Anthony Gill (who's also behind Ester and Poly), it combines an industrial feel (textured glass, steel and polished concrete) with marble bench tops (primed for leaning) and pops of red from signs, trays and merch. And we're guessing you're going to find it hard to leave without an eye-catching red-and-white souvenir, too, in the form of a caps, a tee or a mug emblazoned with "Mama's Got You" and "Come to Mama". Shawarmama is now open at Shop 2, 106–112 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills. Opening hours are Monday–Friday 8am–3.30pm and 5–10pm, and Saturday–Sunday 10am–10pm. Images: Kitti Gould
The Lady Hampshire is making a huge comeback. After scoring another transformation, this Camperdown staple is now ready to welcome newcomers and regulars alike with back-to-back weekends of partying. To kick off its return, the revamped dedicated live music venue is hosting a month-long celebration of music from Friday, April 14 until Saturday, May 20. The venue's weekly live music takeovers are shining a spotlight on both local and international artists from Wednesday to Sunday night. So grab a beer, take a seat, and dance the night away. The space has been taken over by PUBLIC hospitality group, which aims to prioritise keeping the heritage of the place intact, with a focus on community and experience. Keeping the locals and live music in mind, the venue's massive upcoming weekend gigs are set to be The Lady Hampshire's reintroduction into Sydney's ever-growing scene of live music in pubs. If you head over early, or need a quieter place for a breather, head on up to the 100% recycled urban beer garden. As a bonus, you can sip your way through the night next to Aussie icons like Kath & Kim, Steve Irwin, Cathy Freeman and Adam Goodes with Scott Marsh's gorgeous mural adorning the wall. The likes of Bootleg Rascal, Abby Bella May, Close Encounters, These New South Whales and Radicals are all on the bill, so make plans to hit up the live music venue on Friday and Saturday nights, in particular, to catch these artists on stage. You can stay up to date with the gig guide over at the pub's Instagram page. You'll also be able to get into a heap of these gigs for free — just be sure to RSVP via the event link beforehand.
Is it possible to make a heist movie that's inspired by detective fiction but takes some cues from reality, including riffing on the director's own mother's experiences and her work as a filmmaker? Then, can such a flick become a charming crime caper that's effortlessly fresh and oh-so French, and yet also could've been made during both the French New Wave and American cinema's glorious 70s era? With his latest feature The Innocent, consider actor, writer and helmer Louis Garrel 100-percent guilty. Consider the film itself an utter delight, too. And, consider it gorgeously shot (by César-nominated Les Misérables cinematographer Julien Poupard), smartly penned (by Garrel, gumshoe novelist Tanguy Viel and Garrel's The Crusade co-screenwriter Naïla Guiguet) and winningly cast, with the latter including Little Women's Garrel himself opposite Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Noémie Merlant, plus Roschdy Zem (Other People's Children) and Anouk Grinberg (The Night of the 12th). Actually, in his fourth stint as an actor-turned-filmmaker following 2015's Two Friends, 2018's A Faithful Man and 2021's The Crusade, Garrel hasn't just assembled a stellar core quartet of actors. In addition to that, he has them anchoring a movie that overtly explores the role of acting in everyday life. Sylvie Lefranc (Grinberg) is a theatre thespian and teacher, as initially observed showing imprisoned men the tricks of the board-treading trade. In her class is Michel Ferrand (Zem), who she swiftly marries — with Sylvie's thirtysomething son Abel in attendance but hardly approving, especially because this isn't her first set of jailhouse nuptials. He's worried about his mom and suspicious about his new stepdad, which gives him a distraction from grieving for his recently deceased wife and hearing about her best friend Clémence Genièvre's (Merlant) tumultuous love life. He knows that Sylvie's head-over-heels infatuation isn't a performance, but is the just-released Michel's claim that he's now on the straight and narrow all for show? To answer that question, Abel gets a-tailing throughout Lyon with the game and eager Clémence's help. This couldn't be a heist film if they found nothing amiss, of course, with ex-con Michel's plans linked in with the cute little florist shop he's opened to make Sylvie's dreams come true — claiming that a friend had rented them the space for free, which is obviously far too good to be accurate. So, Abel is faced with his own spate of acting to protect his mum. Michel can't do the job without assistance from him and Clémence playing decoys, and his mother will suffer if he doesn't aid and abet an armed robbery pilfering lucrative Iranian caviar. Yes, as well as being a heist movie, a romance, and a drama about parents, children, love, loss, moving on and second chances all in one, The Innocent is a delicious and hilarious farce. There's a clear contrast at the heart of The Innocent: women who love quickly and deeply, as Sylvie and Clémence do, and men who are hesitant and guarded, as Abel and Michel prove. In much lesser hands, that juxtaposition might be dated and cliched, not to mention needlessly and gratingly stereotypical. Thankfully, adding to the lengthy list of things that The Innocent manages to be, and breezily, it's also an intelligent, textured and savvily scripted character study. Even when they're overtly acting a part — for work, for each other and, in the widowed Abel's case, often with himself — Sylvie, Abel, Michel and Clémence are each lived in to the point of seeming ready to walk right off the screen. Crucially, every move they make is steeped in their fleshed-out stories and backgrounds, rather than mere convenience, too. Garrel, Viel and Guiguet have penned these characters with nuance, intricacy, and realistic emotions and motivations. Thoughtful touches abound around The Innocent's stars; see: Abel's job as a marine biologist at a local aquarium, where Clémence also works, which nicely stresses the difference between analysing and diving in — and also provides a dazzling setting for pivotal scenes and shots. The film makes wonderful use of Sylvie and Michel's florist in a comparable way, the space literally blooming with colour and life but its roots not what they seem. The Innocent's casting can't be underestimated, though, as particularly seen in Grinberg, Merlant and Zem's efforts. Grinberg steps into Garrel's IRL mother Brigitte Sy's shoes, given she too is an actor who got married in prison, and does so with a gregarious and yearning spark. With a sense of lightness here, Merlant keeps showing her exceptional range, boosting a growing resume that also includes Jumbo, Paris, 13th District and Tár. And Zem, a director himself — including of 2011's Oscar-shortlisted Omar Killed Me and 2016's Monsieur Chocolat — is sincere, determined and charismatic, and also helps turn a bit with a bowtie into something special. As for Garrel, he enlists himself for the fourth time as the fourth character called Abel (although in A Faithful Man and The Crusade, they're the same figure), and he's again ace under his own direction. When your godfather is Jean-Pierre Léaud, one of the faces of the French New Wave ever since starring in the movement's seminal film The 400 Blows, perhaps being drawn to spirited and soulful movies about emotional chaos just comes with the territory. Garrel keeps writing, directing and performing in them, with The Innocent his most entertaining instance yet. Cinema was always in his blood as well as his orbit, seeing that his father is French filmmaker Philippe Garrel, whose pictures he often features in (such as 2013's excellent Jealousy); Sy clearly has an acting history (including 2018's Invisibles); his sister Esther also pops up on-screen (as seen in Call Me By Your Name); and his grandfather is the late actor Maurice Garrel (César-nominated for La Discrète and Kings and Queen) — and it shows. As conveyed in celluloid dreams, heists, crime capers, mysteries and noirs frequently involve throwing an array of moving parts together in high-stakes circumstances, then seeing what fits, sticks, struggles and leaks. French greats Rififi and Bob Le Flambeur, both of which The Innocent feels tied to, knew this. US highlights The Long Goodbye and The Last of Sheila, which it similarly brings to mind, capitalised upon it as well. In all of their many guises, these narrative setups and mainstays strike a chord because they so vividly reflect life's mess, just in heightened circumstances — and Garrel is equally well-aware of that. The Innocent's French pop-synth soundtrack gifts the already fast-paced film with a marvellous sense of bounce, but also reflects exactly what the movie is: a supremely finessed, funny, endearing and engaging flick that echoes for everyone.
If I were to present you with a map and ask you to direct me somewhere, you'd say something along the lines of "Huh? Where's the GPS on this piece of paper?" I am universally acknowledged as being useless when it comes to directions. I will frequently ask people to turn left, then yell "no! I meant the other left!" For this reason my friends forbid me to offer any form of direction on any means of transport and have been known to resort to violent swearing. I use Google Maps every day. But never have I been lost and resorted to an actual map. Google Maps rules the field of location and direction these days. People Finders connect you with others during times of disaster, Street Art View allows you to tag art from around the world, and with a new and improved view you can take a virtual stroll through the streets of Stockholm and Mexico City. An oversized and confusing piece of paper simply can't compete. Now, a series of collages entitled Map Works by American artist Matthew Cusick have taken what has essentially become a dead medium and turned those maps into beautiful and intricate collages. By rescuing them from the landfill and thrusting them into the retro-chic realm of cassette tapes and typewriters, it's work like this which will make us appreciate old-fashioned maps in years to come.
Love a party? How about one filled with drag queens, dance-worthy tunes, copious snacks and ice-cold bevvies? Then, surely you've been to The Imperial in Erskineville? Ever since it reopened its doors, with nods to its Priscilla, Queen of the Desert glory days, it's been the inner west's go-to for flamboyant fun. And now, brightening up the bar even more, is a one-off party by Jägermeister and Aussie designer Poppy Lissiman, who is known for her avant-garde (and very fun) accessories. Celebrating the pair's recent collaboration, this shindig is going to be one colourful, glitzy and OTT evening. It's all going down on Thursday, February 13, from 6.30–11.30pm at The Imperial Basement — the pub's live performance and dance space. There'll be plenty of boogying, with DJs, including New York artist Lord Fascinator, playing a range of fabulous tracks, as well as drag queens strutting their stuff, modelling the new range of extravagant Poppy Lissiman x Jägermeister sunglasses. So expect a wild, wonderful night ahead of you, should you get your mitts on this prize. Not only will you and your crew get into the exclusive party, but you'll also get Jäger-based cocktails, plus select wines, beers and cider as part of the deal. And, to keep your stomach lined, there'll be a 'Gothic grazing board', featuring charcuterie, cheeses, spicy chicken, dips and breads. For sweets, think doughnuts, cakes and Jäger truffle balls. Best of all? You'll cop a sweet pair of Poppy Lissiman x Jägermeister sunnies. If you miss out, don't despair — we've got prizes for four runners up, too. You won't cop a new pair of shades, but you will get into the party with five of your mates, plus booze, snacks and boogie times galore. Wanna check it out? See details below to enter. [competition]757579[/competition]
Need a bit of extra motivation to exercise? Would the chance to dress up and step back in time make you more eager to burn some calories? If so, jog along to Retrosweat — a series of themed workouts inspired by '80s and led by Shannon Dooley of Physique Aerobics, who says she's aiming to inject a lot more fun (and eye shadow) into exercising. Her classes celebrate the glorious music and dance moves of the '80s. Think Prince, Michael Jackson and Madonna. Sessions are a non-intimidating 50 minutes long and all experience levels are welcome, so don't rule yourself out if you think you have two left feet. And as to the dress code "G string leotards are encouraged, scrunchies and sweatbands compulsory". Retrosweat runs every week at 7pm on both Tuesdays in Alexandria (Worldwide Dance Studios, 39-40/112 McEvoy Street, Alexandria) and Thursdays in Surry Hills (Hiscoes Fitness Centre, 525 Crown St, Surry Hills).
This August, The Morrison Bar and Oyster Room will be hosting the The Morrison Loves Oysters, a month-long oyster festival with events that cater to everyone from oyster virgins to connoisseurs. They could also make for fun dates — particularly given the oyster's reputation as an aphrodisiac. A highlight of the festival is Oyster Hour, serving up $1 oysters from 6-7pm every day in August. Normally at The Morrison they shuck the oysters for you, but hey, oyster shucking is a valuable cosmopolitan skill — which is where Shuck Me Silly comes in. The Morrison's own Vio Pramano will hold classes where he'll show you how to shuck oysters while looking classy and not accidentally severing your fingers, which is always a plus. And for the more discerning oyster fan, there's the Oyster Love-In, hosted by Sean Connolly, 'seafood genius' John Susman and two top oyster farmers. There'll be a four-course meal where they'll teach you how to spot a perfect oyster, where the best ones come from and how to match your wine with your oysters. They'll also be serving up a range of oyster-related cocktails, including oyster shots — which are oysters squished into the bottom of shot glasses and topped with your choice of either Verdita, pineapple, coriander, jalapeno and mint or Sangrita, tomato, pomegranate and lemon. There's also the Oyster Dry Martini, which replaces the traditional olive with oyster brine.
How does a show featuring some of Australia’s most experimental, unusual and innovative music sound to you? If a whole evening focused on some of the most eclectic purveyors of rock and electronic music from around the country sounds like your thing, then Unpopular Music 2011 has got you covered. The event sees four of Australia’s leading underground music advocates – New Weird Australia, Octopus Pi, Sound Series and Refraction – join forces to put on two separate shows this Saturday evening. The first, starting at 6pm at Enmore’s Hardware Gallery, features Sydneysiders Thomas William and Scissor Lock premiering material from their debut collaboration Jewelz. Other artists in tow include Melburnians Monolith, Und and Anna Chase. This is due to wrap up some time before 9pm, but then things are going to get really interesting — there will be a ‘magical audio tour’ leaving Hardware at 8:45pm and arriving at Dirty Shirlows in Marrickville in time for the second 9pm show. How exciting! The second show features Brisbane psychedelic outfit Strange Forces, with other groups including Sydney’s Zeahorse, Brisbane’s Secret Birds and veteran Sydney punk group Scattered Order. Tickets for the two shows are $12 all up, and $2 from each ticket goes towards the upkeep of Sydney’s FBi radio station!
Aside from that time Bart Simpson called Australia and learnt that Australian toilets drain clockwise (and subsequently had to travel out 'ere to apologise), The Simpsons hasn't really uncovered many of our country's truths. But that's not true anymore with a new Simpsons short — which takes place outside the Sydney Opera House — released online yesterday. In the video, Homer manages to take down our accents, diss Rupert Murdoch, meet the Sydney seal and get attacked by seagulls in little more than a minute. It was created by Matt Groening ahead of his appearance at the Sydney Opera House for their GRAPHIC festival, which will run over one weekend in November. The fest celebrates pop culture and graphic storytelling, animation and music. Groening will be doing a keynote (which has already sold out), as well as a talk with fellow cartoonist Lynda Barry. Finally, the rest of the world can know the truth: the Australian animal to be afraid of isn't snakes — it's seagulls. Watch the full short video below. Video: THE SIMPSONS TM & ©2016 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
Facts, facts and nothing but facts: at Antenna Documentary Film Festival, that's what's on the agenda. Since 2011, the Sydney fest has been bringing the best and brightest in factual filmmaking to the city's screens, with 2024's just-announced program marking a big return. In 2022, the event held two festivals in the same year. Then, in 2023, it took a well-deserved break, preparing for this year's 52-title lineup. Opening the 11-day fest, which runs from Friday, February 9–Monday, February 19 in 2024: The Gullspång Miracle, which won an award at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival, and focuses on a family unexpectedly brought back together via the purchase of an apartment. If you need an example to demonstrate how fact is always stranger and wilder than fiction, Antenna is kicking off with exactly that. While the bulk of the event's screenings will take place at Dendy Newtown and the Ritz in Randwick, the festival is making a trip to the Sydney Opera House for another of 2024's big standouts. Ryuichi Sakamoto|Opus covers the final recorded concert by the late, great The Revenant composer, who passed away in March 2023, and will screen in Antenna's closing slot. No stranger to Werner Herzog's docos, the fest also boasts the German filmmaker's Theatre of Thought on its lineup. This time, the Into the Inferno, Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds and The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft director explores the human brain. Still among the big-name helmers, Antenna will screen Wang Bing's Youth (Spring), Claire Simon's Our Body and Alex Gibney's In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, with the latter joining the Oscar-winning director's resume alongside everything from Taxi to the Dark Side and We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks to The Armstrong Lie and Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief. Other on-screen highlights include the Oscar-shortlisted 20 Days in Mariupol, with journalists Mystlav Chernov, Vasilisa Stepanenko and Evgeniy Maloletka in the Ukrainian city immediately after Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation"; Thank You Very Much, about comedian Andy Kaufman; and A Still Small Voice, hailing from Midnight Family director Luke Lorentzen and following a chaplain-in-training at New York City's Mount Sinai Hospital. There's also Samsara, which aims to take the audience through the Buddhist concept of birth, life, death and rebirth; Knit's Island, which is shot entirely in the DayZ video game (and from 963 hours spent in it); and Sundance-winner Kokomo City, which is also on the 2024 Mardi Gras Film Festival lineup. Plus, John Wilson from HBO TV show How to with John Wilson is coming to Antenna in-person to present a selection of films that proved instrumental in shaping his work. In 2023, he did the same at New York's Anthology Film Archives, with Sydney scoring a version of the same series, as well as a masterclass about his approach. Antenna's DocTalk day of chats is also back, which is where Wilson will get chatting. Heading to the State Library of NSW on Monday, February 12 for a day of discussion about the documentary form — spanning covering Indigenous topics, ways of viewing culture and sound design for docos. Antenna Documentary Film Festival 2024 runs from Friday, February 9–Monday, February 19 at Dendy Newtown, the Ritz in Randwick, State Library of NSW and Sydney Opera House. For more information and to buy tickets, head to the festival's website.
Australia's annual Alliance Francaise French Film Festival marked its 30th year back in 2019, and celebrated the big occasion with no troubles at all. Proving that no one loves entering their 30s, however, the event hit a few struggles when it turned 31. That happened in March 2020, when Australia started to go into lockdown. The fest was already underway, so AFFFF had to stop screening, postpone its plans, then pick things up again in July and August after cinemas started reopening. Here's hoping that 2021, the fest's 32nd year, all runs smoothly. AFFFF has 37 films on its hefty lineup this time around, and it's touring them around the country from March 2–April 22. The event will be making its usual capital city stops, so French movie fans in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart can start blocking out time in their diaries. There'll also be seasons playing in Byron Bay and Parramatta as well. As for what you'll be seeing, AFFFF will open its 2021 lineup with Eiffel, a new biopic starring Romain Duris (All the Money in the World) as the civil engineer who gave Paris' most famous attraction its name. At the other end of its program, the fest will close out with rom-com #Iamhere, which follows a French chef who falls in love via Instagram. And, in-between its two big bookending events, viewers can look forward to a heap of movies starring recognisable faces — including Monica Bellucci, Lupin's charming Omar Sy, the incomparable Isabelle Huppert and Kristin Scott Thomas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXVezkYnDL0 Highlights include The Man Who Sold His Skin, a twisty tale about a Syrian refugee, a tattoo artist and an unusual bargain; Summer of 85, the latest film from acclaimed director François Ozon; and police drama Night Shift, which dives deep into not only law enforcement, but alsoits handling of immigration matters. Or, there's Fahim, the Little Chess Prince, about the Bangladeshi refugee who became a national French chess champion; The Godmother, which sees Huppert tussle with the drug game; and Aline, which is inspired by the life of Céline Dion. Elsewhere, the story of France's first restaurant hits the screen via 18th-century-set period drama, Delicious; Final Set sees an ageing tennis player try to win the French Open; Miss follows a boy who'd like to enter the Miss France beauty pageant; and delightful animated feature Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary imagines Calamity Jane's early years. Fans of Deerskin filmmaker Quentin Dupieux can also check out his latest, Mandibles — and, because AFFF always shows at least one absolute classic French flick, this year it's screening Jean-Luc Godard's 1959 masterpiece Breathless. Check out the festival trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBm8ztOVnC4 The Alliance Française French Film Festival tours Australia from March 2–April 22, screening at Sydney's Palace Central, Palace Verona, Palace Norton Street, Chauvel Cinema and Hayden Orpheum Cremorne from March 2–April 5; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay, Palace Westgarth, Astor Theatre, The Kino and Pentridge Cinema from March 3–April 5; Palace Raine Square, Luna Leederville, Windsor Cinema, Luna on SX and Camelot Outdoor Cinema from March 10–April 11; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace James Street from March 17–April 15; and Adelaide's Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Palace Nova Prospect Cinemas from March 23–April 22. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the AFFFF website.
This gorgeous apparel and lifestyle boutique unbelievably started out as a sneaker concept store in 2003. Gifted with the talent of curation that seems effortless, owners Karin Kuok and Phil Koh thankfully branched out into apparel, homewares and more, creating a destination boutique that is both adored by Sydneysiders and incredibly difficult to categorise. Footage only works with labels that have 'stories', and focuses on sustainability and quality design and craftsmanship — every item it sells needs to be, in one way or another, special. Expect to find everything from skincare made from native plants, organic chocolates and locally crafted ceramics to ethical fashion labels. This is the type of place that will make you want to hide your credit card from yourself, so be prepared to fall in love over and over again. With its focus on supporting quality suppliers in mind, Footage also runs an after-hours 'meet the maker' series, in partnership with the City of Sydney, which invites local producers to discuss their craft and industry, before taking part in an intimate Q&A session. Keep an eye on Footage's Facebook page for news on upcoming events. Image: Trent Van der jagt.
Based on James Patterson's world wide best selling novels, Alex Cross follows the action-packed journey of young detective/psychologist (Tyler Perry) as he meets his match in a serial killer (Matthew Fox) who is fascinated by pain and specialises in torturing his victims. In this psychological thriller Cross is pushed to his moral limits and when the mission gets personal, he is willing to protect his family at all costs. Alex Cross (previously played by veteran Morgan Freeman in Kiss The Girls & Along Came A Spider) embarks on a high-stakes mission to put an end to a vicious serial killer in this high-speed, suspenseful action thriller. Concrete Playground has 15 double passes to giveaway to see Alex Cross. To go in the running just subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au
A Sydney institution has closed its doors. While Redfern Continental (and its cocktail bar GDR) are no more, we're happy to announce that a new venue is already set to take its place, with Golden Gully owners Daniel McBride and Dynn Smulewicz poised to open a sister venue to their Leichhardt small bar this month. The Sunshine Inn, as the new restaurant will be called, is set to open its Redfern doors on Thursday, September 24, with a casual bar facing the street and a degustation-only dining room — dubbed DD's — taking over the old GDR space. "We always thought it would be cool to do a concept in a bit more of a high traffic area," says McBride. "But Redfern still has that neighbourhood vibe that our venues are all about." Gully's Executive Chef Emma Evans (Alibi) will be in the kitchen serving up elevated gastropub eats up front and a three-to-five course degustation menu out back — all of which will be vegetarian and focus on locally sourced produce. Think jalapeño poppers, burnt garlic hummus and salt and vinegar potato scallops for snacks, plus New South Wales cheese and olive plates. For larger dishes, there'll be a vego 'meatball' sub, vegan scallops (made with mushroom) and a seasonal pasta dish that won't break the bank. "It'll be cheap eats that you can make a meal of or just have a few snacks with drinks," says McBride. "I'm a big fan of getting a $17 or $18 pasta dish and just having a glass of wine by myself, so Sunshine Inn will accommodate for that." [caption id="attachment_782298" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hugh McDonnell[/caption] While the front bar will be bright and airy with a minimalist fit-out — think white walls with navy accents and natural timber furnishings — the back restaurant will be dark and moody. "I loved the moodiness of GDR, so we've gone even further with that," says McBride. "We've painted the ceiling a deep blue, reupholstered all of the booths and chairs in velvet and added in a chandelier." The intimate space will host two dinner sittings per night (with bookings essential), then turn into a cocktail lounge once the kitchen is done. It's looking to be one of Sydney's best priced degustation menus, too, ranging from a very reasonable $40–60 (for three-to-five courses, respectively). Expect more refined fare here that's reminiscent of Gully's set menu. It will change regularly, but a dish that may make the cut is the cider-glazed brussels sprouts with miso and rice paper crackling. [caption id="attachment_782295" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hugh McDonnell[/caption] Also similar to the one at Gully, the cocktail menu will focus on Aussie spirits and native flavours — but The Sunshine Inn's list will include international booze, too. "I found with the Gully that, though I love doing Australian-only spirits, it's a bit restrictive if, say, someone wants a margarita," says McBride. "What we're doing instead is focusing on different approaches to classic cocktails, while getting extra creative with our house-made syrups so all of those native flavours will still shine through." The 20-strong cocktail list will include The Cure All (a tequila and mezcal take on the penicillin, made with jalapeño and ginger syrup), an amaro spritz (made using Poor Toms' Imbroglio, strawberry gum syrup and prosecco) and the Aussie Amari Sour, which McBride described as "a grown-up version of an amaretto sour". The wine list takes cues from the Gully as well, focusing on Aussie drops while balancing the natural with the accessible. Local winemakers M&J Becker, Balmy Nights and Yetti and the Kokonut will all represent, and brews from Sydney's Wildflower, Akasha and Grifter will be pouring as well. Find The Sunshine Inn and DD's at 180 Redfern Street, Redfern from Thursday, September 24. Opening hours will be 3pm–midnight Wednesday–Sunday at The Sunshine Inn and 6pm–midnight Wednesday–Saturday at DD's. Images: Hugh McDonnell
It can be difficult to unearth quality gifts for our paternal figures — especially when it's at a distance. No matter how many times your pops insists on "not wanting any presents" this year, you know that deep down he does. To take the guesswork out of gift giving on Dad's big day, we've compiled a list of six interesting presents you can send the father figure in your life. Whether you're near or far from the human you'd like to celebrate this September, these gifts will ensure you attain favourite child status from the comfort of your couch. THE BEER-LOVING DAD When Father's Day rolls around, the Beer-Loving Dad will want to spend it with a cold one in hand. But, being a special occasion, it's likely he'll want to go beyond his usual brew. To mix things up for your dad this Father's Day, consider sending him a BoozeBud Hops and Socks for Pops Gift Pack. Inside, he'll find 16 delicious types of beer to try, including pale ales, IPAs, lagers, sours and a comfy pair of socks to match. The pack includes independent brewery mainstays like Stone & Wood and Coopers, plus newer kids on the block such as Capital Brewing Co and Atomic Beer Project. THE ACTIVE DAD Know a dad that really loves being active? Like, a lot. You know the type — they're up at the crack of dawn for a lycra-clad, early morning cycle or a surf before they head to work. If you've got one of these in your life, then there's a good chance he could do with a new pair of running shoes because the Active Dad is known to keep a close watch of their step count. So, why not help them hit their daily 10000 strides in style with a pair of new Nike kicks. They're practical, versatile and, if you choose wisely, could elevate your dad's street cred tenfold. THE MASTERCHEF DAD Some dad's are famous for whipping up one-pot wonders. If you've never heard of this culinary creation before, lucky you. Typically, this dish consists of an assortment of limp vegetables tossed into a singular pot with stock and whatever herbs and/or spices happen to be in the pantry. Then, after being boiled within an inch of its life, dinner is served. Other dads, however, take their cooking much more seriously. Whether the father figure in your life is merely an expert in tinned things on toast or could be a serious contender on the next season of MasterChef Australia, sending a quality cookbook his way this Father's Day is top-tier gift idea. Not sure which one to buy? Try Cooking with Koori by Nathan Lyons or The Chin Chin Book bursting with recipes and intel from Benjamin Cooper. THE OUTDOORSY DAD Have a dad who's obsessed with the great outdoors? He's a loveable character who's a huge fan of getting out of town, off the grid and into good ol' fashioned nature. Perhaps this human is still reeling over the cancellation of the TV show of the same name back in 2009. If that's your guy, consider slinging him a lil something that'll level up his outdoor adventure set up and help fill the Ernie Dingo-shaped hole in his heart. We suggest sending a lightweight camping hammock or the latest cooking gear so he can test it out at home — even if the backyard is the furthest he can travel this Father's Day. THE DAD JOKE DAD A lot of dad's consider themselves comedic masterminds. Maybe there's an anonymous course they attend right before the birth of their children that instils a wacky sense of humour in them. Or, perhaps simply becoming a dad unlocks something that was within them all along. Either way, the Dad Joke Dad is a sucker for top-notch merch to help to show off his kooky personality. Thankfully, the BoozeBud Hops and Socks for Pops Gift Pack contains a pair of sidesplitting socks that dad will never want to take off. THE MUSO DAD The Muso Dad often considers himself as a rebellious type. But, despite his desire to be counter-cultural, he is somewhat easy to spot in the wild and typically exhibit one or more of the following behaviours: a history of taking you to live gigs; owning Rage merchandise; and unironically throwing around the phrase "back when music was good". Sorting out a few tickets to your muso dad's favourite band is a lil trickier this year, so we suggest taking his advice and digging into the music archives. Do your darndest to find that vinyl he's been chasing for years; sort him out with a Spotify membership complete with personalised playlists of his faves; or, if you've got a bit of extra cash to splash, send him a record player so he can dust off the record collection and put it to good use. We recommend checking out Sydney's Repressed Records, Melbourne's Discrepancy Records or Rocking Horse Records in Brisbane. Learn more about BoozeBud by visiting the website here. Top image: Discrepancy Records, Tracey Ah-kee
With every year, Pyrmont Festival gets bigger and bigger... and bigger. In 2025, literally everything is on the program – from wines and spirits to cheeses and honey, art classes and art prizes, live music and jumping castles. If all that sounds like your kind of party, then keep Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18 free and head down to Pirrama Park. Get started with an entree at the Cheeky Naked Oyster Bar or Japanese Aburi Bar, before visiting one of the many local food vendors for a feast – be it Mighty Bird, Satay Brothers, Fish Face Bar & Grill or The Pharaoh BBQ. Then you'll be ready to sample wines, beers, whiskys and gins from the many NSW winemakers and distillers represented. Keep a look out for Slow Wine Co. who'll be travelling in from Milthorpe near Orange; De Beaurepaire Wines, which does fabulous French-style wines in Rylstone; and, from closer to home, Buffalo Vale Distillery. Also on site will be a bunch of regional producers, including The Really Stuffed Olive Co., BC Jerky, and Wembley's Chocolate Makers. As far as entertainment goes, there's way too much to choose from. Join an art class with Jane Bennett, TAP Art Gallery, or Sydney Visual Arts Academy; catch live music on two stages; and treat the kids to a jumping castle, face painting or giant outdoor game.
