Just six months after opening, JŌJI — the sleek Japanese-inspired rooftop bar and diner perched above the Cartier flagship on Pitt and King streets — is entering a new chapter. Its expansive fifth-floor space has launched a sharp new sushi menu, a broader à la carte offering and a stacked calendar of weekly happenings, from DJ-backed bottomless lunches to live music and midweek entertainment. The culinary revamp is headlined by a considered new sushi selection led by Head Chef Kihoon Kim, who has worked at celebrated omakase restaurants across Korea, Japan and Sydney, including Bay Nine, Besuto and Saké. His precise, elegant style is showcased in new signatures, including a delicate king salmon maki with midori salsa, cucumber and avocado. The new sushi selection sits alongside a larger-format à la carte menu by Executive Chef Erik Ortolani (ex-Itō), whose additions include share plates like miso-glazed Murray cod with dashi butter and thick-cut duck katsu sandos. As part of its expanded entertainment offer, JŌJI has launched Social Saturdays. This reimagining of the classic bottomless brunch includes a shared chef's menu and 90 minutes of free-flowing French rosé or beer, soundtracked by a rotating lineup of live DJs and musicians. Tickets are $120, and there's a $30 cocktail upgrade option if that's more your thing. JŌJI won't wait until the weekend to get the party started, though. Live music on Wednesday nights sets the mood for stylish midweek get-togethers. City workers won't be left out, thanks to the new Shibui Lunch: a $65 set menu available Wednesday to Friday, perfect for the power lunch crowd. "Since opening, JŌJI has been filled with an incredible crowd of regulars whose energy gives the space its soul," says Ibrahim Moubadder, co-founder of ESCA Group. "Watching how people moved through the space made me want to build something even more immersive. So six months in, we're evolving the menu, adding elegant, delicious dishes including sushi and more, determined to making JŌJI one of the best Japanese dining experiences in Sydney — a place where you can come for the best drinks, the music, a dance or an unforgettable meal, all in one electric setting." Find JŌJI on Level 5, 388 George Street, Sydney CBD. For more information, head to the venue's website.
Market City's Asian food hall, 1909 Dining Precinct, has gained some great international eateries since opening in March — including global hot-pot chain The Dolar Shop, famed Chongqing noodle bar Mr Meng and DIY Korean barbecue joint Kogi. These are now joined by a 160-seat Northern Chinese eatery, Beijing Impression. It's the second Sydney outpost for the brand, with the first located in Ashfield and much loved by locals. Founded in Beijing in 2014 by Tong Han, the restaurant chain has since expanded to 21 locations across China, Japan and Sydney. True to its Beijing roots, the Peking duck is the go-to dish here. It takes two days to prep and is served three ways: whole roasted with crispy skin, in a duck and vegetable soup with glass noodles or as duck pancakes with sweet bean sauce, sliced spring onion and cucumber. Other traditional dishes include the vinegary braised boneless pork feet and honeycomb briquette — fried black rice soaked in fruit and brandy, which is lit on fire at the table. The new restaurant will have CBD-exclusive menu items, too, including fish head juice pancakes and Catch the Five Heads, a sweetened pudding shaped like mahjong tiles. The fit-out falls in line with the brand's existing venues and takes its inspiration from Beijing in autumn. Think warm timber accents, deep tones and foliage aplenty — including real pomegranate and maple trees at the entrance. For larger gatherings, there are also six rooms that accommodate up to 12 people each. Beijing Impression offers a legit taste of the Chinese capital and is a welcomed addition to this budding precinct. Images: Anna Kucera
For those following a vegan diet, plenty of obvious items are off the menu: meat, dairy products and eggs in particular. So is anything made with gelatine, given that the substance is derived from collagen from animal body parts — which rules out many a sweet treat, too. Gummy and jelly lollies are definitely usually made with gelatine; however, with its newest release, The Natural Confectionery Co is giving vegans an animal product-free alternative. Already known for completely avoiding artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners, plus high-fructose corn syrup as well, the company is now launching a gelatine-free, vegan-, vegetarian- and flexitarian-friendly version of its fruity jelly lollies. If that's your next snack taken care of, you'll find packs of Vegan Fruity Flavoured Jellies in supermarkets from mid-August — starting with Coles and independent stores, then hitting Woolworths from mid-September. They'll cost you $4 for a 200-gram packet, which boasts five varieties of lollies inside: apple, blackcurrant, peach, pineapple and raspberry. The new addition to The Natural Confectionery Co's range comes in response to demand. "We couldn't ignore the requests from Aussies asking for a vegan-friendly option," explains Lauren Fildes, the Cadbury-owned company's Marketing Director for Candy, Biscuits and Meals. If you're a fan of the brand's other types of lollies — its snakes, fruity chews and sour worms, for example — you'll have to cross your fingers that they eventually get a vegan version as well. [caption id="attachment_779206" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Peter O'Connor via Flickr[/caption] Find The Natural Confectionery Co's Vegan Fruity Flavoured Jellies in Coles and independent supermarkets from mid-August, and in Woolworths from mid-September — costing $4 for a 200-gram pack.
New year, new murder in the building — in the fictional Arconia in New York, that is. That's what's in store for fans of Only Murders in the Building, the true-crime comedy that proved one of 2021's surprises and delights. Knowing they're onto a good thing, Hulu in the US quickly renewed the hit series, and now it's coming back in June with another killing to solve. If you missed the first season in 2021, it takes a great idea and turns it into an amusing murder-mystery gem. If you've ever listened to a true-crime podcast, decided that you'd make a great Serial host yourself and started wondering how you'd ever follow in Sarah Koenig's footsteps, then Only Murders in the Building is definitely the series for you. The show focuses three New Yorkers who basically follow that same process. Here, actor Charles-Haden Savage (Steve Martin, It's Complicated), theatre producer Oliver Putnam (Martin Short, Schmigadoon!) and the much-younger Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez, The Dead Don't Die) are all obsessed with a podcast hosted by the fictional Cinda Canning (Tina Fey, Girls5eva). They find themselves unexpectedly bonding over it, in fact. And, when someone turns up dead in their building, they decide that they can sleuth their way through the case by getting talking themselves. [caption id="attachment_824354" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu[/caption] That's how the first season panned out. Think Knives Out, but a sitcom and also a little goofier. Now, as the just-dropped first trailer for the show's second season shows, Charles-Haden, Oliver and Mabel are weathering the fallout from the last batch of episodes — namely, season one's big finale — and they have another murder to investigate (and another podcast season to chat about it on, obviously). Complicating their efforts this time around are a trio of factors: their public implication in the death in question; the fact that there's now a competing podcast about them and this new murder; the suspicions of their neighbours, who think they're guilty. Exactly how that'll play out won't be known until Tuesday, June 28, when Only Murders in the Building returns — but, whatever happens, both Cara Delevingne and Amy Schumer will be involved, with the pair joining the cast as guest stars. Check out the trailer for Only Murders in the Building season two below: Only Murders in the Building's second season will start streaming Down Under via Star on Disney+ on Tuesday, June 28. Read our full review of the show's first season. Images: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
After closing its doors in 2016, Sydney's Theatre Royal will finally reopen on Thursday, December 2. The show doing the honours: Jagged Little Pill the Musical. And, while that's fabulous news as it is, giving the city another venue to host big productions is even more exciting. The 1200-seat Theatre Royal is one of Australia's oldest theatres, dating back to the 1870s. But most Sydneysiders will know it in its current form, which reopened in the 1970s and was designed by famed Australian architect Harry Seidler. It was built as a replacement for the old theatre, as that was demolished when the MLC Centre was erected — and, before sitting idle for the past five years, it's played host to everything from the Australian-premiere season of Cats to a three-year season of The Phantom of the Opera. While the reborn venue will launch with Broadway's hit Alanis Morissette musical, that's not the only big-name show set to tread its boards in the coming months. In January, for Sydney Festival, Theatre Royal will play host to Girl from the North Country — which features the songs of Bob Dylan. Then, from April, it'll be filled with the song-and-dance that is four-time Tony Award-winner An American in Paris. As announced back in 2020, the NSW Government has signed over a 55-year lease to global company Trafalgar Entertainment (TE), handing over the keys to the space together with Dexus (owner of the MLC building) with hopes of encouraging more big-name musical productions to the harbour city. While Sydney nabbed the 2021 production of Hamilton, it lost Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to Melbourne, which one theatre producer put down to Sydney's "lack of a mid-to-large size venue". Jointly run by famed British theatre impresarios Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire, TE is promising to change this with its "Sydney gets it first" approach to programming of "first-class productions" — which is proving true with Jagged Little Pill and Girl from the North Country. Known for producing award-winning musicals and shows, such as The King and I, The Rocky Horror Show and War House, which have performed at London's West End and Melbourne's National Theatre, the company is also transforming Theatre Royal into a live-streaming content hub. In terms of physical changes during the multimillion-dollar refurbishment, TE has kept true to Seidler's original designs, while also increasing capacity from 1100 to 1200 via a redesign that's added an extra row of seats. The venue now sports a two-tiered setup, with no seat within the auditorium any more than 23 metres from the stage. Red and gold still feature heavily, colour-wise. There's also a new circular glass entrance space decked out with floor-to-ceiling windows, for views of King Street from the internal theatre foyer — and vice versa, including being able to see Theatre Royal's ribbed ceiling and geometrically precise hanging Mercator sculpture, as designed by Italian structural engineer Pier Luigi Nervi and American sculptor Charles O Perry respectively. And, there's a new Theatre Royal sign, as crafted and produced by Newcastle-based Owen Signs. The Theatre Royal reopens at 108 King Street, Sydney from Thursday, December 2. For more information, head to the theatre's website. Images: Pierre Toussant.
The Bay Run is one of Sydney's most idyllic stretches of tarmac, skirting the inner-west's waterfront through suburbs like Leichhardt, Drummoyne, Russell Lea and Rozelle. Yet a just-released announcement is set to make Callan Park in Lilyfield an even more popular destination along the route, thanks to a brand-new $3.8 million swimming spot — the Callan Park Tidal Baths. Whether you're rising early to beat your course record or taking a stroll with friends (keep to the left, please), you'll soon be welcome to cool off with a dip. Made possible by a partnership between the NSW Government and the Inner West Council, the project was first explored in 2018, with long-held plans for the Iron Cove foreshore finally getting the go-ahead. Included in the design, the future Callan Park Tidal Baths will feature an accessible pathway and ramp alongside a generous fixed jetty, pontoon and shark net. Closely integrated with the surrounding parkland, the aim is to deliver a family-oriented recreation facility ripe for safe and accessible swimming for the whole community. "The iconic Bay Run and surrounding parklands are already a community hub for family fun, sport, relaxation and exercise, so adding a swim spot where people can cool off in summer will be the perfect addition to an already thriving public space," says Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully. So, when can you slide into your togs? Once the final approvals are in place, construction on the Callan Park Tidal Baths is expected to take around six months. That means you should be able to enjoy a post-run swim by the time summer in 2026 comes around. In the meantime, Greater Sydney Parklands is preparing a Callan Park Foreshore Master Plan for community consultation in the coming months. "The Callan Park Tidal Baths will be a spectacular addition to the Bay Run, which is already one of the best-used recreation facilities in Sydney," says Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne. "This swim site is the next step in the incredible rehabilitation of the Parramatta River and will attract swimmers and families from all over the Inner West to take a dip in Callan Park." The Callan Park Tidal Baths are expected to open by summer 2026. Head to the website for more information. Image: NSW Inner West Council
Located along Hassall Street, just steps from Parramatta Train Station, this local mainstay is an obvious choice for a casual midweek meal, after-work drinks (aim for happy hour between 5–7pm when selected beers, wines and spirits are just $5.20) or to kick on after an event at Bankwest Stadium. The expansive pub offers both a beer garden and a sports bar, with live games played throughout the bar and on the three-metre outdoor LED screen to boot. From the kitchen, it's slinging all the pub grub, from schnittys, parmas and burgers to beer-battered fish and chips and buffalo wings, and from Monday–Thursday, you can grab lunch with a beer or wine for just $17. And you can really kick-on late night here, with the bar open until 6am on Fridays and 4am on Saturdays.
Good news gaming fiends: Melbourne's first hotel games-inspired room is now available for you to live out all your gamer dreams. View Melbourne has created a 35-square-metre room that's custom-made for gaming, providing guests with everything they need for the ultimate game night. It's essentially a fully loaded paradise for gamers and, yes, it's as good as it sounds. The PC corner includes an MSI MEG Trident X2 computer, dual 27-inch 170Hz Esports gaming monitors, a full Elgato streaming setup and a game library that boasts an extensive collection that's continuously updated. The setup also includes an Xbox controller, MSI gaming headset, mouse, keyboard and a Logitech speaker system. Meanwhile, the couch and main television are perfectly set up for all kinds of console gaming, from intense solo sessions to epic four-player parties. The main machine is a Nintendo Switch hooked up to a 55-inch Samsung TV complete with Apple TV, accompanied by four Nintendo Switch pro controllers. On the games front, all the Nintendo faves are available, including the big Mario titles, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Plus, guests also have access to a huge catalogue of NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Colour, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis and Nintendo 64 games, all of which are available to play via the Switch. Now, let's talk perks. The room comes with bottomless popcorn, which you'll make in the room yourself; a whole fridge filled with energy drinks, soft drinks, beer and wine; various spirits; and a fully stocked snack bar with an array of gamer faves (yes, even Cheetos). The popcorn is complimentary, but you'll pay for everything else that you eat and drink. The room is full of gamer memorabilia without feeling crowded, and the customisable RGB lighting adds a cool touch (don't worry, you can turn it off if it isn't your thing). Up to five people can stay in the room, so it's the perfect space for epic Mario Party sessions. The setup includes a king bed which can transform into two singles, a sofa bed, and the option to add a portable bed. The room is inclusive for two guests, with each additional adult costing $40 per night. Kids under 12 stay free if they're using existing bedding. For those looking to stream, the high-speed internet and Elgato gear, and even a ring light are there for a seamless experience. And if you're in Melbourne for business, the PC corner doubles as a workspace. In short, the room is a cool blend of nice hotel amenities and a gamer's dream setup, offering a fresh, fun way to stay in Melbourne if you're visiting — or a dream staycation if you just want to live out your 12-year-old kid fantasy. Find View Melbourne at 562 St Kilda Road, Melbourne — and head to the View Melbourne website for bookings.
If you're under the impression that Bundaberg is only good for sugarcane and rum, you're sorely mistaken. While it's true that the Bundaberg region is responsible for much of Australia's agricultural industry, in recent years the area's endless output of fresh produce has also led to a rise in local farm-to-table restaurants, with some of Australia's top cooking talent setting up shop in the area. Meanwhile, thanks to the region's prime position along Queensland's coastline, the area boasts a host of natural landmarks that comfortably go toe-to-toe with Australia's best-known destinations. It's also only a four-hour drive from Brisbane. Read on to find some of our favourite places to eat, drink and play in Bundaberg. [caption id="attachment_749802" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pocket Storehouse by Paul Beutel[/caption] EAT Bundaberg might still be a country town at heart, but it's got more than a few awesome dining experiences that give it a cosmopolitan touch. The Windmill Cafe Bargara is a must-visit stop when you're in the mood for some of the region's best coffee, which is made with fresh filtered rainwater. The menu offers all your favourite breakfast and lunch classics, alongside plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. Plus, it has an in-house gelateria serving 25 sweet flavours that are best enjoyed on a stroll along the coastline. Back in Bundaberg city is another headline restaurant: Water Street Kitchen. Led by chef Alex Cameron and his partner Jen Cameron, the meals are delicately put together using ingredients produced on a range of local farms. Having initially run a successful catering company, the duo decided it was time to put a face to their creations, opening their cosy restaurant in 2017 and quickly becoming one of the city's most acclaimed fine-dining destinations. [caption id="attachment_752093" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Paul Beutel[/caption] Once you start craving another coffee, Alowishus Delicious is a fine choice, having taken home top honours from the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Countrywide Cafe of the Year awards. And when it's finally time to make dinner plans, head down to the H2O Restaurant & Bar. You'll find high-quality modern Australian dishes, with a striking view of the Burnett River to match. [caption id="attachment_749822" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kalki Moon by Paul Beutel[/caption] DRINK Bundaberg's reputation for rum certainly precedes it, but the Kalki Moon Distilling & Brewing Company has built its legacy within the world of gin. As the first Queensland distillery to win first prize for its London-style gin at the Australian Distilled Spirits Competition, Kalki Moon has also received a range of commendations from around the globe. Be sure to stop by the distillery's cellar door for a free guided tour and samples of its handcrafted tipples, and to pick up some souvenirs to take back home. Across town at the Ohana Cider House and Tropical Winery you'll discover some delightful drinks that wouldn't be out of place at any big-city bar. Having taken a holiday to Hawaii and fallen in love with the tropical climate, founders Zoe Young and Josh Phillips left behind their desk jobs in Perth to buy a piece of Bundaberg land, where they established their much-loved tropical winery. Since then, they've gone on to release ciders ranging from dry apple to pineapple and strawberry, as well as produce some of the region's top vino. Ohana Cider and Tropical Winery by Paul BeutelIf you can't wait to get your hands on some more Bundaberg-made wine, your next stop has to be the Hill of Promise Winery, located 40-minutes south of Bundaberg in the township of Childers. Here, winemaker Terry Byrne carries on the traditions of his Sicilian family, who moved to the region in the early 1900s, by making fortified reds to sparkling whites and Italian classics like limoncello. For an expertly made cocktail, Bert's is the place to be. Honouring the life of local aviator Bert Hinkler — who achieved a flurry of Australian flying records — the 1920s-themed bar ensures his pioneering spirit lives on. There are pizzas and share plates, plus a lengthy list of cocktails and aperitifs, including specialities like French pear martinis. [caption id="attachment_749819" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lady Musgrave Island[/caption] DO The Bundaberg region is alive with natural wonders that draw visitors from all over the world. One of the most unique is the Mon Repos Nightly Turtle Encounter, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that'll leave you feeling like David Attenborough in the making. During Bundaberg turtle season, which runs from November to March, you can experience turtle conservation first-hand on the only ranger-guided turtle encounter on the east coast. Between November and January, you can witness mother turtles emerge from the deep blue and make their way up the beach to nest under the moonlight. Later in the season (late-January to late-March), you'll be able to look on as adorable hatchlings emerge from their sandy nests and scurry down to the beach. Next, dedicate some time to exploring the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Bundaberg is perfectly positioned at the first and most accessible point of the reef, and coral cays Lady Musgrave Island and Lady Elliot Island are the best places to experience the pristine waters and diverse marine life that the region is famous for (and, no doubt, why you're there). To explore Lady Musgrave Island and spend a day snorkelling with turtles, manta rays, tropical fish and other sea life, book a day trip with Lady Musgrave Experience. Your day tour includes transportation on a luxury catamaran from the Bundaberg coast, plus morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. [caption id="attachment_749818" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lady Musgrave Island by Melissa Findley/Bundaberg Tourism[/caption] Just to the south is the picturesque Lady Elliot Island, which showcases some breathtakingly beautiful lagoons, as well as the last coral cay amid the Southern Great Barrier Reef. You can access the island for a day trip via a scenic flight with Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort or, if you want to stay a little longer, book a night's stay in one of its cosy glamping tents. Naturally, it wouldn't be a trip to Bundaberg without a stop in at the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. You'll get to roam the sprawling museum and learn the secrets behind what it takes to be a master blender. A visit to The Bundaberg Rum Distillery guides you through a state-of-the-art facility before you take a break at the bar. [caption id="attachment_749815" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bundaberg Rum Distillery[/caption] The Bundaberg Region has activities for outdoorsy types aplenty, there are endless hikes to embark upon within the Cania Gorge National Park and Mount Walsh National Park. For something with a little less action, the white-sand beaches of Elliot Heads are just 20 kilometres from Bundaberg city, making it the perfect spot to catch Queensland's famous sun. [caption id="attachment_749827" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kellys Beach Resort[/caption] STAY Situated overlooking the black volcanic beaches of the Queensland coast, C Bargara Resort is a luxe stay for weekenders looking to make the most of their time in Bundaberg. The resort sports a collection of bright apartments and penthouses, plus a sleek swimming pool with a sundeck. For something more back-to-basics, Kellys Beach Resort's charming self-contained eco villas are set against a backdrop of tropical gardens, while there are also tennis courts, a spa and a sauna for maximum relaxation. Bundaberg has plenty of great camping spots, too. The Burrum Coast National Park showcases an oceanfront camping area along Kinkuna Beach, while the Cordalba National Park places you among some of the state's best hiking trails deep within the eucalypt woodland. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips in destinations all over the world. Top image: Lady Musgrave Island by Darren Jew/Tourism and Events Queensland.
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image might be all about celebrating screen art — peering at films and TV shows, stepping into virtual reality and showcasing the talents that've made such a huge impact, for instance — but that doesn't mean that the Melbourne-based venue doesn't appreciate nature. The world around us can look stunning projected as large as a cinema can allow. David Attenborough has turned his documentaries about the planet into their own spectacular genre, too. And the natural realm can provide experimental artists with quite the playground to ponder, as Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature is exploring. This world-premiere exhibition sees art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast unveil a showcase of works that muse on trees, black holes, cells, breathing, space, science and more. Hitting ACMI from Thursday November 23, 2023–Sunday, April 14, 2024, Works of Nature spans five major pieces that aim to deeply contemplate and appreciate humanity's role in nature, and just nature overall. And, these aren't tiny pieces — these large digital works aim to inspire awe in both their size and content. This is the London-based MLF's first major showcase in Australia, adding a stint Down Under to appearances at the Sundance and Tribeca film festivals, the Istanbul Design Biennial, Lisbon Triennial and the V&A and Design Museum in their hometown. [caption id="attachment_917014" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Distortions in Spacetime', 2018, courtesy of the artists[/caption] That impressive history is matched by a significant lineup of names involved with MLF's immersive Works of Nature pieces. Cate Blanchett (The New Boy) lends her narration, director Terrence Malick (A Hidden Life) executive produces, while Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood (Licorice Pizza) and fellow acclaimed composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (Last and First Men) are among the talents providing music — the latter's work continuing to entrance after his passing in 2018. Daisy Lafarge provides poetry, while Jon Hopkins, Meredith Monk and Howard Skempton also contribute tunes. Whether you're a Melburnian or have a trip to the Victoria capital in your future, you'll be able to see the meditative Evolver, which uses Blanchett's voice to journey through the human body, breath, the origins of cells and the cosmos — and Distortions in Spacetime, which heads to a black hole's edge. Or, there's the large-scale Sanctuary of the Unseen Forest, a video installation about the Amazon's kapok trees. Thanks to The Tides Within Us, oxygen is in focus again via six static pictures. And with We Live in an Ocean of Air, MLF examine how that last word in the piece's moniker connects life on earth. [caption id="attachment_917018" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'We Live in an Ocean of Air', courtesy of the artists.[/caption] Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature is running at the Australian Centre of the Moving Image until Sunday, April 14. For more information or to book tickets, visit the website. Top image: Marshmallow Laser Feast, 'Distortions in Spacetime', 2018, courtesy of the artists.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to anything, we're here to help. We've spent plenty of couch time watching our way through this month's latest batch — and, from the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from October's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY When you've catapulted to fame as a fierce child queen in the biggest fantasy TV series of the past two decades, and you're next about to play perhaps the best-known teenage girl from a video-game franchise across the same period — so, when you're in-between starring in Game of Thrones and the television adaptation of the The Last of Us, that is — how do you fill the time? You make a magnificent medieval comedy that's also a coming-of-age film, a frank but irreverent look at history's treatment of women, and the third feature directed by Lena Dunham. That's the path that Bella Ramsey has charted, and she's as much of a delight in the marvellous Catherine Called Birdy as she was in the role that made sure everyone with a screen to stare at knows who she is. The energy that made such an impact as GoT's Lyanna Mormont bursts through here, too, albeit in a cheekier, scampier, bawdier and more humorous mode. That's what this version of Karen Cushman's 1994 novel calls for, and gets — and the end result is an utter charmer. The eponymous Lady Catherine, who prefers to be called Birdy, is the 14-year-old daughter of Lord Rollo (Andrew Scott, The Pursuit of Love) and Lady Aislinn (Billie Piper, I Hate Suzie), and is accustomed to spending her days inciting mischief around their Lincolnshire manor — much to her nurse Morwenna's (Lesley Sharp, Fate: The Winx Saga) dismay. But the family is now broke thanks to Rollo's poor handling of their finances, and only marrying off the reluctant Birdy looms as a solution to their money troubles. It's the done thing in the 13th century, but Dunham directs this tale with a firmly 21st-century mindset and spirit as her titular character does whatever she can to avoid basically being sold off to whichever gentleman of means has the most lucrative offer. The movie's thoroughly modern vibe and outlook doesn't just come through in its narrative, themes and lively lead performance, or its witty narration and all-round attitude, but with smatterings of pop songs on the soundtrack — Piper's own 'Honey to the Bee' included. If Girls was set eight centuries back, was about a teen, and also featured Joe Alwyn (Conversations with Friends) as a favourite uncle, this'd be the dream end result. Catherine Called Birdy streams via Prime Video. GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S CABINET OF CURIOSITIES Whether he's dallying with vampires, haunted houses, creepy carnivals, eerie orphanages, rampaging kaiju or romantic amphibious creatures, Guillermo del Toro has thoroughly proven himself an avid collector. You don't amass a resume like his without actively endeavouring to curate an on-screen compendium — with his movies stuffed full of ideas, themes, motifs and images that just keep fascinating the acclaimed filmmaker. So far, the proof has beamed into theatres for cinema-goers to revel in; however, new TV horror anthology Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities is a natural addition to his filmography. Across eight chapters helmed by eight other directors — including The Babadook and The Nightingale's Jennifer Kent, Mandy's Panos Cosmatos, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon's Ana Lily Amirpour, and Cube's Vincenzo Natali — del Toro keeps compiling, curating and and dissecting the unsettling, unnerving, mysterious and curious, whether Cabinet of Curiosities is getting grim and cautionary, stomach-churningly gory and grotesque, sporting soulful restraint, unleashing a stunning display of phantasmagoria or delighting in being off-kilter. Boasting a cast spanning everyone from Harry Potter's Rupert Grint and I'm Your Man's Dan Stevens to Mythic Quest and Moon Knight's F Murray Abraham and RoboCop's Peter Weller, there are no disappointing drawers in this Alfred Hitchcock Presents-meets-The Twilight Zone series; the tone varies, but del Toro and his colleagues are committed to contemplating what scares us and why. In Lot 36 by Guillermo Navarro, cinematographer on six of del Toro's features, that means a dark rumination on xenophobia — and while Amirpour's The Outside is noticeably lighter than its counterparts, squeezing out a satirical, The Stuff-esque, Christmas-set satire on consumerism, conformity and beauty, it too is sinister and disquieting. Other standouts include the show's two most grisly episodes: Natali's Graveyard Rats and David Prior's (The Empty Man) The Autopsy, both of which have descriptive titles. Or, there's Cosmatos's The Viewing, a wild, dazzling, synth-scored trip in the best possible way — and Kent's The Murmuring, reuniting her with The Babadook's Essie Davis for another stirring and striking haunted-house tale about grief and motherhood. Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities is available to stream via Netflix. Read our full review. THE FIRE WITHIN: A REQUIEM FOR KATIA AND MAURICE KRAFFT The twin film phenomenon strikes again — so if The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft gives you a hefty dose of déjà vu, there's a reason for that. You may indeed have seen a movie about the French volcanologists already this year, and with a similar title, all courtesy of big-screen release Fire of Love. If you did catch that also-stunning flick, then you've glimpsed plenty of the imagery showcased here as well. Keep it all coming, please. However many documentaries that however many filmmakers want to craft about the Kraffts, their lives, work and impact — and using their sublime footage from decades spent surveying lofty and dangerous peaks, too — audiences should lap each and every one up. Of course, this particular doco hails from the great Werner Herzog (Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds), who already showed Katia and Maurice ample love in 2016's Into the Inferno, so it was always going to be a must-see. Narrated with his distinctive tones and inimitable perspective on existence, The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft truly feels like the movie that the iconic German director (and one-time Parks and Recreation star) was born to create. Whether undulating hypnotically with red lava flows or inciting gut-wrenching terror with towering, billowing grey explosions projecting into the heavens, the imagery captured by Katia and Maurice is mesmerising, revealing and astonishing — no matter how many times you watch it. It's little wonder, then, that Herzog states from the outset that his aim with The Fire Within isn't to give the world another Krafft biography (because plenty of those already exist) but to do justice and pay tribute to their recorded materials. His voiceover still provides the necessary basic details for first-timers to the pair's story, however, including beginning with visuals from the 1991 Mount Unzen eruption in Japan that claimed their lives. But Herzog knows what anyone who's ever come across the Kraffts before knows, and everyone watching this movie quickly learns: that their otherworldly footage makes a helluva impact all by itself, including inspiring thoughts about nature, humanity, how humbled the latter is by the former, the earth's longevity, life's oh-so-brief run, passion and the importance of doing something you love. Herzog's own observations are a fantastic bonus, though. The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft streams via Docplay. THE MIDNIGHT CLUB New year, new spooky season, new Mike Flanagan series. Yes, that's as great a tradition as any. It hasn't quite happened every 12 months since 2018's The Haunting of Hill House — 2019 is the outlier — but 2020's The Haunting of Bly Manor, 2021's Midnight Mass and now 2022's The Midnight Club have kept the trend going, serving up a fresh dose of frights from the filmmaker also behind Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep. Co-created with Bly Manor alum Leah Fong, The Midnight Club offers a bit of a departure, however, this time going down the teen-centric route. Happily nodding to The Breakfast Club but shifting to a decade later and an evening hour, the series hails from the books by author Christopher Pike, and takes its name from a group of cancer patients getting treatment at a fancy hospice centre. After dark, they secretly meet to share spooky stories, and try to freak each other out. But there's another caveat attached to their tale-telling: whichever one of the terminally ill teens passes away first, they have to promise to try to contact the rest of the cohort from the other side to let them know what it's like. While The Midnight Club's moniker directs its focus away from its setting, another eerie abode is at the heart of the show — so, yes, it's classic Flanagan. Also thoroughly in the writer/director's wheelhouse: pairing chills, thrills, bumps and jumps with fleshed-out characters, and musing on the power of horror, the terrors of mortality and the inevitably of death in tandem. The cast should all use the series as a launchpad, too, especially Iman Benson (#BlackAF, Alexa & Katie) as Ilonka, the newest arrival at Brightcliffe Home. After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer just as she's preparing to go to college, the bright student finds the hospice online, researches its past and is determined to use it as a path to actually having a living future. If the narrative was that straightforward, there wouldn't be a series, though — and if you're hanging out for Flanagan's 2023 effort The Fall of the House of Usher, this'll fill the gap nicely. The Midnight Club streams via Netflix. WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Running for 53 minutes, Werewolf by Night is more a standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe special than a movie. It's the first release of its type for the sprawling comic book-to-screen behemoth, and it makes the case for more like it. In fact, if you've been feeling fatigued by average big-screen MCU releases lately, it also makes the case for more variety and experimentation in the Marvel blockbuster realm in general — because when the usual mould gets tinkered with in a significant way, and not just with a goofy vibe like Thor: Love and Thunder, something special like this can result. The mood is all horror, in a glorious throwback way, complete with gorgeous black-and-white cinematography. The focus: hunting for monsters, which does, yes, involve bringing together a crew of new characters with special traits. Thankfully, that concept never feels formulaic because of how much creepy fun that Werewolf by Night is having, and how much love it splashes towards classic creature features. That monochrome look, and the shadowy lighting that comes with it, clearly nods to the ace monster flicks of the 1930s and 1940s; composer-turned-director Michael Giacchino (who provided Thor: Love and Thunder's score, in fact), must be a fan, as we all should be. His filmmaking contribution to the MCU takes its name from comic-book character Werewolf by Night, which dates back to the 70s on the page — but if you don't know that story, let the same-titled flick surprise you. The plot begins with five experienced monster hunters being summoned to Bloodstone Manor following the death of Ulysses Bloodstone, and told to get a-hunting around the grounds to work out who'll be the new leader (and also gain control of a powerful gem called the Bloodstone). That includes Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal, Station Eleven), plus Ulysses' estranged daughter Elsa (Laura Donnelly, The Nevers). Everything that happens from there — and before that — instantly makes for pulpy and entertaining viewing. Werewolf by Night streams via Disney+. HELLRAISER Horror remakes and sequels are a bit like Halloween itself: even if you're not a fan, they always keep coming. First, a key rule about giving beloved old flicks a do-over or a years-later followup: the originals always still exist, no matter how the new movies turn out. Now, a crucial point about Hellraiser circa 2022: it's never going to be the OG picture, but it's still visually impressive, eager to get gory in bold and inventive ways, well cast and also happy to muse thoughtfully on addiction. And yes, there's a note of warning included in that above assessment of a film that arrives 35 years after Clive Barker's first stab at the series, and following nine other sequels. Directed by The Night House helmer David Bruckner, the new Hellraiser is stylish with its violent, bloody imagery, but it also still loves ripping flesh apart — and serving up a grisly nightmare. For newcomers to the Hellraiser fold, beware of puzzles. The moving box here is oh-so-enticing — that's how it gets its victims — but it's also a portal to a hellish realm. That's where demonic, frightening-looking beings called Cenobites dwell, and they're eager to haunt and terrorise the living. (Yes, that includes the ghoulish Pinhead, whose aesthetic really is all there in the name.) Accordingly, this Hellraiser movie kicks off with millionaire Roland Voight (Goran Visnjic, The Boys) obsessed with the box, and his lawyer Menaker (Hiam Abbass, Ramy) luring in new people to get torn to pieces. Then, six years later, recovering drug addict Riley (Odessa A'zion, Good Girl Jane) and her boyfriend Trevor (Drew Starkey, The Terminal List) find the cube in their possession. When it claims the former's brother Matt (Brandon Flynn, Ratched), she's determined to work out what's going on — and, while never full of narrative surprises, the brutal imagery sears itself into viewers' memories. Hellraiser streams via Binge. MASS Two couples, one church, six years of baggage and two absent children. That's one of the equations at the heart of Mass. Here's another: four phenomenal performances, one smart and affecting script that tackles a difficult subject in a candid and thoughtful way, and one powerful directorial debut by actor-turned-filmmaker Fran Kranz. Best known for on-screen roles in Dollhouse, The Cabin in the Woods, Homecoming and Julia, the latter guides gripping portrayals out of Reed Birney (Home Before Dark), Ann Dowd (The Handmaid's Tale), Jason Isaacs (Operation Mincemeat) and Martha Plimpton (Generation) — and crafts a harrowing yet cathartic drama out of the aftermath of a far-too-familiar tragedy, too. The reason that Richard (Birney), Linda (Dowd), Jay (Isaacs) and Gail (Plimpton) are in the back room at a place of worship, discussing their kids with heartbreak etched across their faces? Richard and Linda's son Hayden was a school shooter, killing Jay and Gail's son Evan in his spree, then turning the gun on himself. What can anyone say in that situation? Kranz, who both writes and directs, keeps his screenplay simple — but as loaded with emotion as the scenario obviously requires. He keeps his filmmaking flourishes just as restrained as well; that's a craft in itself, but the cast rather than the technique is the focus here. At first, they utter loaded lines with weighty awkwardness, aka the kind that fills and silences a room. Then, each in their own way, they unleash the hurt, anger, regret, sorrow, misery and more that's festering inside their characters, and that no amount of talking can ever completely capture. Mass is a musing on that very fact, too: that even the most spirited of dialogues, slinging about both carefully chosen and heatedly spur-of-the-money words, can't fix, explain or do justice to the pain that Richard, Linda, Jay and Gail are going through. The end result would make an exceptional, albeit unshakeably distressing, double with We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Fallout or Vox Lux, or even Elephant or Polytechnique as well. Mass streams via Stan. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK THE WHITE LOTUS Lives of extravagant luxury. Globe-hopping getaways. Whiling away cocktail-soaked days in gorgeous beachy locales. Throw in the level of wealth and comfort needed to make those three things an easy, breezy everyday reality, and the world's sweetest dreams are supposedly made of this. On TV since 2021, HBO's hit dramedy The White Lotus has been, too. Indeed, in its Emmy-winning first season, the series was a phenomenon of a biting satire, scorching the one percent, colonialism and class divides in a twisty, astute, savage and hilarious fashion. It struck such a chord, in fact, that what was meant to be a one-and-done limited season was renewed for a second go-around, sparking an anthology. That Sicily-set second effort once again examines sex, status, staring head-on at mortality and accepting the unshakeable fact that life is short for everyone but truly sweet for oh-so-few regardless of bank balance — and with writer/director/creator Mike White (Brad's Status) still overseeing proceedings, the several suitcase loads of smart, scathing, sunnily shot chaos that The White Lotus brings to screens this time around are well worth unpacking again. Here, another group of well-off holidaymakers slip into another splashy, flashy White Lotus property and work through their jumbled existences. Another death lingers over their trip, with The White Lotus again starting with an unnamed body — bodies, actually — then jumping back seven days to tell its tale from the beginning. Running the Taormina outpost of the high-end resort chain, Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore, Across the River and Into the Trees) is barely surprised by the corpse that kicks off season two. She's barely surprised about much beforehand, either. That includes her dealings with the returning Tanya McQuoid-Hunt (Jennifer Coolidge, The Watcher), her husband Greg (Jon Gries, Dream Corp LLC) and assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson, After Yang); three generations of Di Grasso men, aka Bert (F Murray Abraham, Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities), Hollywood hotshot Dominic (Michael Imperioli, The Many Saints of Newark) and the Stanford-educated Albie (Adam DiMarco, The Order); and tech whiz Ethan (Will Sharpe, Defending the Guilty) and his wife Harper (Aubrey Plaza, Best Sellers), plus his finance-bro college roommate Cameron (Theo James, The Time Traveller's Wife) and his stay-at-home wife Daphne (Meghann Fahy, The Bold Type). The White Lotus streams via Binge. Read our full review of season two. THE PERIPHERAL For four seasons on Westworld so far, viewers have been asked to ponder humanity's potential future with robots and simulations. A key question driving the hit film-to-TV HBO series: how might the years to come unfurl if people use mechanics, artificial intelligence and elaborately fabricated worlds as playthings and playgrounds? In The Peripheral, a similar query arises, also musing and hypothesising on what lies ahead — and how flesh, machines, the real and the digital might coexist. The latest question, in another twisty series, as fronted by Chloë Grace Moretz (Mother/Android): what happens if robots and virtual reality become humanity's conduit through time? Bringing Westworld to the small screen and now executive producing The Peripheral, Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy clearly have a niche. Indeed, if you didn't know that the latter series comes from the same minds as the former — adapting a 2014 book of the same name by cyberpunk pioneer William Gibson, and with Scott B Smith (The Burnt Orange Heresy, A Simple Plan) as its showrunner — you'd easily guess while watching this new tech-, robot-, avatar- and dystopia-obsessed effort. When storytellers speculate on what the upcoming years might hold, they theorise about choices and ramifications. The Peripheral has many to ruminate upon. In the process, it also serves up two visions of the future for the price of one, both riffing on aspects of life circa 2022 that could easily evolve as predicted. When the series begins in 2032, 3D print shop worker Flynne Fisher (Moretz) simply decides to assist her military-veteran brother Burton (Jack Reynor, Midsommar) by slipping into his avatar to make cash in a VR game — which she's better at than him, but sexism in the industry still reigns supreme. Then, when he's tasked by a Colombian company with testing a new virtual-reality headset that looks lower-tech, doesn't come with a glasses-like screen but exceeds the competition in its realism, she does the honours again. Flynne hasn't just plugged into a better simulation, though. Via data transfer, her consciousness is time-travelling to the future — to 2099, and to London — and inhabiting the robot body that gives the series its title while on an industrial-espionage quest. The Peripheral streams via Prime Video. Read our full review. INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE When Louis de Pointe du Lac met Lestat de Lioncourt, his life forever changed. His death did, too. That's the story that Interview with the Vampire tells and, by committing it to the page in 1976, Anne Rice's existence was altered for eternity as well — although not quite in the same way, naturally. The author has been known for her Vampire Chronicles series ever since, and its debut entry was adapted into a Brad Pitt- and Tom Cruise-starring 1994 movie before getting a do-over now as a television series. Obviously, the late Rice doesn't share her characters' lust for blood, or their ability to thwart ageing and time. Still, her famed works keep enticing in both readers and viewers — and this latest novel-to-screen version is a gothic series worth sinking your teeth into, especially thanks to its willingness to take on race, to embrace queer themes, to get playful and humorous, and to splash a sweepingly rich iteration of its now well-known tale across streaming queues. If you've seen the film, you'll know Interview with the Vampire's basic gist, although there has been some tweaking. Nonetheless, Louis (Jacob Anderson, aka Game of Thrones' Grey Worm) and Lestat (Sam Reid, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson) meet in New Orleans, where they're both drawn to each other — and soon the former joins the latter in sleeping in coffins, avoiding daylight and (reluctantly) feeding on people. The series has the titular chatting happen in today's times, however, as a continuation of the movie's first conversation. Yes, this version of Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian, Succession) has been there and done this before. That didn't turn out so well for him, so he's reluctant about a repeat discussion, this time in Dubai. But Louis still has quite the story to unfurl, including covering been a Black man trying to make his way in the bayou at the turn of the 20th century, what it's meant to join the undead, his complicated relationship with Lestat, and the arrival of Claudia (Bailey Bass, Psycho Sweet 16) as part of their bloodthirsty family. Interview with the Vampire streams via AMC+. 2022 CINEMA HIGHLIGHTS WORTH CATCHING UP WITH AT HOME RED ROCKET It might sound crazy, but it ain't no lie: Red Rocket's *NSYNC needle drops, the cost of which likely almost eclipsed the rest of the film's budget, provide a sensational mix of movie music moments in an all-round sensational picture. A portrait of an ex-porn star's knotty homecoming to the oil-and-gas hub that is Texas City, the feature only actually includes one song by the Justin Timberlake-fronted late-90s/early-00s boyband, but it makes the most of it. That tune is 'Bye Bye Bye', and it's a doozy. With its instantly recognisable blend of synth and violins, it first kicks in as the film itself does, and as the bruised face of Mikey Saber (Simon Rex, Scary Movie 3, 4 and 5) peers out of a bus window en route from Los Angeles. Its lyrics — "I'm doing this tonight, you're probably gonna start a fight, I know this can't be right" — couldn't fit the situation better. The infectiously catchy vibe couldn't be more perfect as well, and nor could the contrast that all those upbeat sounds have always had with the track's words. As he demonstrates with every film, Red Rocket writer/director/editor Sean Baker is one of the best and shrewdest filmmakers working today — one of the most perceptive helmers taking slice-of-life looks at American existence on the margins, too. His latest movie joins Starlet, Tangerine and The Florida Project on a resume that just keeps impressing, but there's an edge here born of open recognition that Mikey is no one's hero. He's a narcissist, sociopath and self-aggrandiser who knows how to talk his way into anything, claim success from anyone else's wins and blame the world for all his own woes. He's someone that everyone in his orbit can't take no more and wants to see out that door, as if *NSYNC's now-22-year-old lyrics were specifically penned about him. He's also a charismatic charmer who draws people in like a whirlwind. He's the beat and the words of 'Bye Bye Bye' come to life, in fact, even if the song wasn't originally in Red Rocket's script. Red Rocket streams via Binge and Prime Video. Read our full review. AMBULANCE Following a high-stakes Los Angeles bank robbery that goes south swiftly, forcing two perpetrators to hijack an EMT vehicle — while a paramedic tries to save a shot cop's life as the van flees the LAPD and the FBI, too — Ambulance is characteristically ridiculous. Although based on the 2005 Danish film Ambulancen, it's a Michael Bay from go to whoa; screenwriter and feature newcomer Chris Fedak (TV's Chuck, Prodigal Son) even references his director's past movies in the dialogue. The first time, when The Rock is mentioned, it's done in a matter-of-fact way that's as brazen as anything Bay has ever achieved when his flicks defy the laws of physics. In the second instance mere minutes later, it's perhaps the most hilarious thing he's put in his movies. It's worth remembering that Divinyls' 'I Touch Myself' was one of his music-clip jobs; Bay sure does love what only he can thrust onto screens, and he wants audiences to know it while adoring it as well. Ambulance's key duo, brothers Will (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, The Matrix Resurrections) and Danny Sharp (Jake Gyllenhaal, The Guilty), are a former Marine and ostensible luxury-car dealer/actual career criminal with hugely different reasons for attempting to pilfer a $32-million payday. For the unemployed Will, it's about the cash needed to pay for his wife Amy's (Moses Ingram, The Tragedy of Macbeth) experimental surgery, which his veteran's health insurance won't cover — but his sibling just wants money. Will is reluctant but desperate, Danny couldn't be more eager, and both race through a mess of a day. Naturally, it gets more hectic when they're hurtling along as the hotshot Cam (Eiza González, Godzilla vs Kong) works on wounded rookie police officer Zach (Jackson White, The Space Between), arm-deep in his guts at one point, while Captain Monroe (Garrett Dillahunt, Army of the Dead), Agent Anson Clark (Keir O'Donnell, The Dry) and their forces are in hot pursuit. Ambulance streams via Binge and Prime Video. Read our full review. Need a few more streaming recommendations? Check out our picks from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August and September this year. You can also check out our running list of standout must-stream 2022 shows so far as well — and our best 15 new shows from the first half of this year, top 15 returning shows over the same period and best 15 straight-to-streaming movies up until June.
More than most video games, Until Dawn always felt destined for the big screen from the moment that it first had players pressing buttons. The premise of the 2015 hit is straight out of a horror movie, with a group of eight friends attempting to make it through a trip to Blackwood Mountain — the place where one character's two sisters disappeared a year prior, and where everyone is now looking for answers — alive. The cast boasted star power, including a pre-Oscar Rami Malek (The Amateur), plus Hayden Panettiere (Scream VI) and Peter Stormare (So Long, Marianne). Visually, there's also its pivotal third-person perspective. Something that Until Dawn featured as a game, however, that was unlikely to make the leap to cinemas: the choose-your-adventure approach to play. Interactive films exist, but the two best-known recent examples are each streaming releases: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend, both on Netflix. In adapting Until Dawn into a movie destined for the silver screen, so lurked the dilemma — aka how to nod to the butterfly effect-style element, where player decisions dictate the storyline. The answer came by still focusing on choice, and also nodding to the fact hundreds of endings are possible in the game, making selecting an option a move that requires careful consideration about where any path might lead. Enter the mechanism that's fuelled everything from Groundhog Day and the Happy Death Day films to Edge of Tomorrow and so much more: time loops. In the movie directed by David F Sandberg (Shazam! and Shazam! Fury of the Gods), and penned by Gary Dauberman (Salem's Lot) and Blair Butler (The Invitation), there's still a group of friends, a missing sibling and a remote setting. That said, neither its helmer nor one of its writers, both of whom first collaborated on Annabelle: Creation, set out to make a direct adaptation of the game, Sandberg and Dauberman tell Concrete Playground. "It's more like a new chapter of Until Dawn," advises Sandberg, who first made the leap to full-length flicks in horror courtesy of the short-to-feature Lights Out. "The game is so cinematic, we just didn't want to try to replicate that experience," notes Dauberman, a mainstay behind the scenes on The Conjuring Universe films, including Annabelle and its sequels — he directed as well as penned Annabelle Comes Home — and The Nun, alongside scripting IT and IT: Chapter Two. [caption id="attachment_1000992" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images[/caption] Here, then, the characters are different, and the absent sister as well. The cast fighting to survive has changed, too. As a film, Until Dawn steps into a new scenario also, although Stormare remains the link among the actors to its gaming beginnings. This time, it's Clover (Ella Rubin, Anora) who is in search of Melanie (Maia Mitchell, The Artful Dodger) a year since she was last seen. The rest of her travelling group — Max (Michael Cimino, Never Have I Ever), Megan (Ji-young Yoo, Expats), Abe (Belmont Cameli, The Alto Knights) and Nina (Odessa A'zion, Am I OK?) — have helping Clover as their main aim rather than finding Melanie, though. She's determined to look for her sister. They're eager to assist her with facing her trauma and moving on. Of course, no one expects that following Melanie's path to an abandoned visitor centre in a secluded valley will lead them to being stuck battling an array of killers in a time loop, and dreading an hourglass flipping again and again. When they all die, Until Dawn's latest figures just find themselves in the same place, yet caught in another scenario. Sometimes that plunges the movie into slasher-film territory. Sometimes it skews more supernatural. Sometimes, Clover and her friends are caught in a creature feature — and the list goes on. The only way for them to be free of the nightmare, and from an experience that hops between horror subgenres, is right there in the feature's title. Make it until dawn and the hellish ordeal ends. What excited Sandberg and Dauberman, other than being gamers themselves, about taking on the task of bringing Until Dawn to cinemas? That's where our chat with the pair started. From there, we dug into selecting the different subgenres, basically making multiple horror flicks in one, Stormare's return, and how you enlist a cast when their gig is to get murdered over and over — plus interrogating choice via time loops, calling out other films using temporal repeats, the current wave of successful video game-to-screen adaptations (think: The Last of Us, Fallout, The Super Mario Bros Movie and A Minecraft Movie) and more. On What Excited Sandberg and Dauberman About Adapting Until Dawn Into a Movie Gary: "I think the thing that excited us the most — I'll speak for me — but was really being able to do a couple different subgenres of horror within one movie. The game is really this cinematic experience that's a true love letter to the genre. We wanted to make sure that was captured in the movie, and do that ourselves with the movie. And so that was really exciting. So then it just became about, 'well, how are we going to do that?'. Because it's not going to be a direct adaptation of the game — because, as I said, the game is so cinematic, we just didn't want to try to replicate that experience. So it was really about, 'okay, how can we stay true to the game, the world and all that, but also be able to do our own thing as well within the genre?'." David: "And what excited me was that Gary and Blair, they didn't try to just recreate the game — which was already so much like a movie and already cinematic. It's more like a new chapter of Until Dawn. And the fact that we have all these different horror genres in one movie. So I got to try out all these different things, including genres I'd never done before — like slasher or found footage. It was just a dream come true." On Deciding Which Horror Subgenres to Jump Between in the Film Gary: "It's interesting — Blair and I always had slasher first, and I think a large part of that's just because, I mean I know that's because of the game itself and the psycho mask and all that. And then I think it was just what could be different from slasher? We leaned into supernatural because that felt so different and a stark contrast to just the visceral kills of the slasher. So you just try to think of what's going to give that sharp contrast to whatever came before. Then you go supernatural, then you go right into body horror — which is super real and gross, whereas supernatural generally isn't that. That's the thought behind how it's laid out in sequential order, I guess." On Feeling Like This Movie Meant Making Not Just One Horror Film, But Multiple Horror Films David: "For sure, because it also, like schedule-wise and time wise, felt like we were trying to do six or seven movies in one. It was a challenge. It's a very ambitious movie for the time we had, so we had to do a lot of planning — and sometimes adapting on the day, where it's like 'okay, we're not going to have time to do all of these things, so we'll focus on what's most important to get'. So it was a challenge, but it was also the reason why I signed up for the movie — to get to do all of this. So I happily did it." On Making Dr Hill (and Peter Stormare in the Role) One of the Key Connections Between the Game and the Movie Gary: "Dr Hill, to me, was always the character I was most curious about in the game, and felt like he could be a great link, connective tissue, between the game and the movie. And he could really be the steward of the franchise, of these stories. He always felt like he's got more going on. And I think talking with the game developers and what they had intended with Dr Hill as well, it was a constant dialogue and conversation, so he just made the most sense organically to what they had in mind and what we had in mind to use. And plus, it's Peter Stormare. If you've got Peter Stormare, you want to use him every chance you get. So that was also a part of the decision. But from a storytelling aspect, I saw him as a great face of the franchise." On How You Build a Cast When the Gig Is to Get Killed Over and Over Again David: "We did a lot of auditions to try to find the right people. Michael, who plays Max, came recommended — he's worked with Gary before. But otherwise, it's just doing a lot of auditions and finding the right people who are not just good actors, but who are willing to go there, to these places. Because I had to warn the cast that this is going to be a challenging movie, like physically challenging and mentally challenging, because you're going to have to be wet and bloody and dirty and crawl through mud, and all of these things. And work nights and work in uncomfortable locations and all these things. But they were really up for it. And once we'd done all this extensive casting, they just worked as a team right away, just became instant friends and were just a pleasure to work with. And I know they really appreciated getting to do — like Maia was saying that in most movies and TV shows, she has to look pretty and perfect, and all these things. In this movie, you don't need to look perfect. You need to look like you've gone through hell. And you get to scream and let it all out. So they were more than up for it." On Calling Out How Popular Time-Loop Flicks Are in the Film — and Knowing How This Addition to the Genre Needed to Stand Out Gary: "We knew we didn't want to do the Groundhog Day-esque time loop. Happy Death Day does that so, so well and effectively. If we were going to do it, we needed to own it for us and make it different. So in a way, the knowledge of those made us just work against that — like going 'okay, we know that's out there, so we've got to do something different'. So that's kind of how we went. And then in terms of the subgenres themselves, it really was about the tropes within the subgenres that we were using as elements to each sequence — but not any specific movie per se." David: "Yeah, you don't want to shy away from some of these tropes, because you want people to feel like 'okay, now we're in this kind of film'." Gary: "Yeah, exactly." David: "But you try to subvert it so you don't know exactly what's coming, but you just need to feel familiar enough." Gary: "That's right." On Still Interrogating Choice, Even If the Film Can't Mirror the Game's Player-Shaped Storylines and Hundreds of Endings, in a Movie That's Also About Trauma Gary: "It was a really important element from the character standpoint of like, 'okay, the terror is new, but we're still here, we're still a part of this group'. And as the group starts to fracture a bit because they have different ways of how they want to go about solving this puzzle of how they're going to survive until dawn, I think it's about, one of the things is sticking together and surviving through trauma and leaning on each other to get through something — as opposed to just being off in a corner by yourself, because that's not going to get you through it, much like Clover was at the start of the movie. For Clover, for instance, she's someone who had to die over and over again in order to know how to live again. So that's kind of how we saw the character choices affecting the character arcs in the movie." David: "Yeah. And I thought it was so brilliant to have this restarting in the movie, because it does make it feel so much like the game — where you can play it several times and make different choices and see different deaths and different kills and stuff. And this was a way to get that in movie form." On the Film's Commitment to Practical, In-Camera Effects as Much as Possible David: "It's something I've always wanted to do. Since I was a little kid watching horror movies, reading all these books about effects done with latex and silicone — and makeup effects and all these things, something I've wanted to do forever, and this was a chance to do that. And I like when horror movies, in particular, do that. I'm not opposed to visual effects in any way, and there's visual effects in this movie, too, but we wanted to try to take practical as far as we could — and have things there for our actors to see and feel and react to, because it just makes it more fun for us. But I think the audience can feel that coming through as well." On How Sandberg and Dauberman's Working Relationship Has Evolved in the Eight Years Since Annabelle: Creation David: "Gary produced this movie as well. It all started with him, the project. So I guess you were more involved now. I mean, you were involved in all of Annabelle: Creation as well. So it's very similar." Gary: "I think it was similar, but I think we just got more comfortable with each other." David: "Yeah." Gary: "So I think it's evolved from that standpoint. But I think I just have a confidence in him that I don't have in a lot of people, so he's like a safe place for me. I just know that he's going to elevate whatever material I hand over to him. And so, yeah, I think it's just the familiarity and the comfortability that you oftentimes don't get in this business, because it's so transactional and it's new faces every time you go somewhere. So it's nice to have somebody who's consistent and constant." On Why Adaptations of Video Games Are Such a Focus at the Moment — and Striking Such a Chord with Audiences David: "I think it's because people who grew up with video games are now in positions to make to make and write these types of movies. And I think that really helps — because I think back in the 80s, making that Super Mario Bros movie, I don't think those people were gamers. Maybe they were, I don't know. So I think it's just like, for this generation or for us now, it's like 'well, of course video games are just as important as comic books or other movies or whatever'. So it's gotten to the respect that it deserves." [caption id="attachment_1000993" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images[/caption] Gary: "Yeah, and I think from a business standpoint, it's such an IP-driven business that comic books feels a little probably picked over. And so it feels like now the attention has turned to video games — and that IP, it's just been kind of sitting there. But as gamers, we've always known it's been — it's right there. You go do this stuff, give it the money and the time it deserves, and the talent. So I'm happy and excited to see that that's coming to fruition." David: "And games, of course, have become more and more cinematic, closer to movies as well." Gary: "Yeah, yeah, which becomes part of a challenge." Until Dawn released in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, April 24, 2025.
For a city with such a warm climate, Sydney doesn't exactly have an over-supply of rooftop bars. But budding entrepreneur Lyndon Gannon wants to change that. And he has his sights set on the rooftop of the Dymocks Building, which, as you probably know, is smack-bang in the centre of the city on George Street. According to Gannon, the space (pictured) would have capacity for 200 people. He believes that a bar area, small kitchen, greenery as per The Grounds of Alexandria and pergolas — to keep out the rain, when those famous Sydney downpours do hit — could all be part of the picture. Which all sounds great, but, given that the rooftop's not been developed for public use before, it would need to jump through quite a few compliance hoops before gaining council approval. Gannon also cites "heritage and acquiring a DA for use, and construction difficulties" as issues standing in his way. While no concrete plans are in motion yet, Gannon — who was the Liberal candidate for Balmain in 2015 and, having left politics, recently founded his own company, Pie in the Sky Partnerships — says he is in conversation with the building's manager and owners. Which is promising. At the same time, he's investigating a bunch of other unusual, underutilised spaces for their hospitality potential. "Sydney has a lot of basement bars, but not many rooftop bars," Gannon says. "There's a gap in the market...There are so many dormant spaces that could be turned into exciting new places." While the Dymocks dream could turn out to be merely a pie in the sky, activating unused spaces for the public is something we'll always chuck our support behind. Watch this space.
The cinnamonny college-tastic whisky known as Fireball is under fire (#sorrynotsorry) this week after some pretty unwanted materials were discovered in a European shipment of the good stuff. According to The Daily Beast, it was revealed that Fireball whisky was being recalled in Finland, Norway and Sweden because the batch contains propylene glycol. Yep, that's a casual compound starring prominently in a little ol' thing called antifreeze. ANTIFREEZE. The chemical that helps protects your car's radiator and de-ices aircraft carriers. You won't be so quick to make a GoPro wedding video downing the spicy stuff now huh? European recipients of the batch in question were understandably unimpressed when the delivery rocked up; apparently the Fireball recipe with high levels of propylene glycol is aiiiight for America though. According to Huffington Post the propylene glycol is used to enhance flavour by absorbing water and is "generally recognized as safe" for use in food by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But European (and Australian) regulations for food and drink ingredients are apparently tighter than the US — DB reminded us of the time Subway was all geared up to remove azodicarbonamide from its Australian and European bread (yeah, that's chemical commonly used in yoga mats, no biggie). Not in the States though, thing are more lax in the Yoo Ess of Ay. So, Fireball owners Sazerac are legally allowed to put more propylene glycol in their US/Canada bevvies. But don't grab your torches and pitchforks just yet. Sazerac were quick to make embers of this week's uproar, releasing a statement pointing out that propylene glycol is given the a-OK by the FDA in amounts up to 50 grams per kilogram — apparently that's about eight times the amount Fireball has hidden away in its party-starting belly. "Most people consume PG every day in soft drinks, sweeteners, some foods or alcoholic beverages," said the Fireball team, adding that "all Fireball formulas are absolutely safe to drink." "Unfortunately, Fireball shipped its North American formula to Europe and found that one ingredient is out of compliance with European regulations. Finland, Sweden and Norway have asked to recall those specific batches, which is what the brand is doing." Australian batches seem fine for now. Shots anyone? No? Fireball whiskey has antifreeze chemicals in it? So it tastes great and I won't freeze? Make mine a double! — Maddox (@maddoxrules) October 29, 2014 Via The Daily Beast and Huffington Post.
If there's a time warp we still love stepping into, it's a video store like Dr What. A local Sydney institution, the shop with Australia's largest range of rental titles brings back nostalgic memories of return dates, rewinding tapes and carefully curating the perfect combo of new releases and weeklies for $10. That was the '90s. Today, the shelves at Dr What are largely empty. The Crisford family, owners for 30-plus years, will soon be closing the doors of the iconic Bondi shop with its mad doctor mascot painted above the awning. Although the quirky name is thanks to the original owners who opened the store in 1981, it's the Crisfords who made it what is today. "It was in liquidation, there [were only] about two thousand movies and we had to work hard to build it back up," says Neal Crisford. "Very early it was porn and horror, then the action movies came in." Gradually, Neal, his wife, Carol, and later his son, Daniel, expanded the number of genres to include no less than 40,000 videos, all curated into carefully thought-out categories. "Rather than buying fifty copies of the one movie, we would buy a range," says Crisford. "We concentrate on buying odd stuff and in the early days, I … spent my time going around warehouses and finding little gems." You can hear the passion in his voice as he reminisces about finding these lesser-known movies, a testament to the store's support of the independent film industry. For years, filmmakers, university students and cinephiles have come to Dr What to source the rare and obscure, knowing that, as Crisford puts it, "if its available, there's a good chance you can get it at Dr What." At its peak, video rental was a ritual for most Australian families, with VCRs selling faster here than anywhere else in the world. Crisford considers the late '80s and early '90s as the most successful years, "before cable, before people had internet". "Back then you didn't have a lot of movies at home, they were expensive to buy," he says. "Purchases were probably 10 percent of the market, so most people would rent." But Crisford is also the first to admit the industry has been a roller-coaster. Though the store survived the transition from VHS to DVD, the online availability of films today has meant the store simply isn't profitable. "We're a non-profit organisation", Crisford adds with a wry smile. Until the end of the month, all VHS and DVD stock at Dr What is on sale and the loyal following the store has garnered over the years means "they're all going to good homes". "We worried about breaking up the collection, but people who really appreciate films, who love them and who've been our regular customers … can take a little bit of Dr What home with them". Crisford is also positive these regular customers will follow the store's move to an online platform. Though it may be the end of the bricks-and-mortar Dr What, part of the legendary collection will have an online life through Quickflix, which has bought some of the titles. Plus, Dr What will continue to provide film production services through their own website, and since Crisford has previously moonlighted as a film producer, he is keen to spend more time behind the camera. "That's an area we're going to expand … a TV show about films is one of the things we're looking at doing". In the days left, drop in to the shop for a heady dose of nostalgia and some bargain film finds to boot. Find Dr What at 562 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, open 10am-9pm Mon-Sat and 11am-9pm Sun. The store closes for the final time at the end of August.
Wearing a pair of R.M. Williams says 'I'm ready for anything'. You could be going to the pub, walking into a work meeting or heading out to the farm to milk the cows. Sparkly footwear doesn't quite conjure up the same feelings of practicality. Well, until R.M. Williams released a special run of boots in gold metallic. For the past two years, the Aussie bootmaker has released a limited run of metallic gold boots to much fanfare — the shoes sold out quicker than most of us could transfer all our money into one bank account to pay for them. So we're sure more than a few people will be happy to hear that R.M.s will release a new limited edition metallic boot, this time in silver. This time it's the women's Millicent boot that has received the sparkly treatment. As with each R.M. boot, these have been crafted out of a single piece of leather and feature the same slim shape, elegant stitching and tapered heel cuban heel of the regular Millicent range. Each pair will be made to order, so expect a two-week delivery timeframe. R.M.s are arguably Australia's most iconic shoe. From a modest start in the Adelaide outback servicing the stockmen and women of the heartland, 85 years later, a diverse range of people still wear the boots — from farmers in the outback, to corporate businessmen, to the style set at fashion week. Australian designer Dion Lee has used R.M.s regularly in campaign shoots and runway shows, even creating his own for New York Fashion Week in 2014. Continuing to embrace contemporary styles and adapting to modern fashion without sacrificing their DNA has surely guaranteed the longevity of this historic label. This latest addition to the women's range is only available online. At $545 a pair, they're not exactly cheap — but if you're looking for an investment piece, a pair of R.M.s is the very definition of the phrase. If you ask nicely, maybe someone will chip in for them for Christmas. R.M. Williams' silver Millicent boots are available to order now at rmwilliams.com.au.
There's no missing Blue Spinach — it's quite literally the giant blue building on Liverpool Street in Darlinghurst. This secondhand store is a goldmine of designer goodies, all pre-loved and therefore within a far wider range of budgets (no sign of any spinach, however). The high-end consignment has had a loyal following in Sydney for more than 20 years, and it's understandable why — it's pretty impossible not to fall in love with at least one item during every visit. Blue Spinach's owners are qualified valuers and legitimately care about the authenticity and quality of the goods they sell so you can expect to find vintage Chanel, Gucci, Hermes and more in mint condition. That means that while the items in this store may not be the cheapest, they certainly are beautiful. So, if you're after some secondhand designer goodies in tip-top condition, Blue Spinach is an absolute must-visit. Image: Trent Van der Jagt.
By almost every conceivable metric, 2020 wasn't great. It was downright terrible, in fact. We know that you already know this, but let us share a sliver of good news: it was still a fantastic year for cinema. That's true even with picture palaces across Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the world closing for considerable periods. Indeed, when silver screens reopened again Down Under, and everyone was able to once again sit in darkened rooms and stare at celluloid dreams blown up big just as they're meant to be, we all remembered why the term 'movie magic' exists. And, in those theatres with their popcorn smells and booming sounds, we were able to see truly exceptional films. Every year delivers a treasure trove of movies — so much so that, here at Concrete Playground, we always put together multiple lists of film gems. As part of our end-of-year wrap-ups for 2020, we've already highlighted ten excellent movies that hit cinemas but sadly didn't set the box office alight, as well as 20 other standout titles from this year that really you owe it to yourself to have seen. From everything that flickered through a projector in general release in 2020, we're now down to the pointy end. Each year delivers awful, average and astonishing movies, and we've picked the cream of the crop when it comes to the latter. Some released pre-pandemic, in what seems like another life. Some are yet to hit cinemas, but will before the year is out. From movies that'll have you dancing in the aisles to unsettling head trips, these are the ten absolute best films of 2020 that made their way to the big screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSFpK34lfv0&feature=youtu.be NOMADLAND Frances McDormand is a gift of an actor. Point a camera her way, and a performance so rich that it feels not just believable but tangible floats across the screen. That's the case in Nomadland, which will earn her another Oscar nomination and could even see her win a third shiny statuette just three years after she nabbed her last for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Here, leading a cast that also includes real people experiencing the existence that's fictionalised within the narrative, she plays the widowed, van-dwelling Fern — a woman who takes to the road, and to the nomad life, after the small middle-America spot she spent her married life in turns into a ghost town when the local mine is shuttered due to the global financial crisis. Following her travels over the course of more than a year, this humanist drama serves up an observational portrait of those that society happily overlooks. It's both deeply intimate and almost disarmingly empathetic in the process, as every movie made by Chloe Zhao is. This is only the writer/director's third, slotting in after 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017's The Rider but before 2021's Marvel flick Eternals, but it's a feature of contemplative and authentic insights into the concepts of home, identity and community. Meticulously crafted, shot and performed, it's also Zhao's best work yet, and 2020's best film as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsWV2qTX21k NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS When some movies mention their titles, they do so via a line of clunky dialogue that feels forced, overstressed and makes viewers want to cringe. Never Rarely Sometimes Always isn't one of those films. It does indeed task a character with uttering those exact words, but the scene in which they're voiced is the most devastating and heartbreaking movie scene of the year. Given the premise of writer/director Eliza Hittman's latest feature, that perhaps comes with the territory. It shouldn't, which is one of the points this layered film potently makes, but it does. Upon discovering that she's expecting — and being told by her local women's centre that she should go through with the pregnancy — 17-year-old Autumn (first-timer Sidney Flanigan) has no other choice but to take matters into her own hands. With her cousin Skylar (fellow feature debutant Talia Ryder), she hops on a bus from her Pennsylvania home town to New York to seek assistance from Planned Parenthood. Given that Skylar has stolen the funds for Autumn's abortion out of the cash register at work, and that they don't have enough to cover a place to stay, this isn't a straightforward quest. Hittman's naturalistic style, as previously seen in 2014's It Felt Like Love and 2017's Beach Rats, makes every second of Autumn's ordeal feel intimate, real and unshakeably affecting, as does Flanigan's internalised but still expressive performance as well. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97nnV0fNd30 AMERICAN UTOPIA On paper, American Utopia's concept doesn't just sound excellent — it sounds flat-out superb, stunning and spectacular. A new David Byrne concert film, capturing his acclaimed American Utopia Broadway production, as directed by Spike Lee? Sign the world up, and now. In the most welcome news of the year, the execution matches the idea in this instant masterpiece (and wonderful companion piece to 1984's Stop Making Sense). It'd be hard to go wrong with all of the above ingredients, but Lee's second film of 2020 (after Da 5 Bloods) makes viewers feel like they're in the room with Byrne and his band and dancers like all concert movies strive to but few achieve in such engaging a fashion. Every shot here is designed with this one aim in mind and it shows, because giving audiences the full American Utopia experience is something worth striving for. Byrne sings, working through both solo and Talking Heads hits. He waxes lyrical in his charming and accessible way, pondering the eponymous concept with an open and wise perspective. And he has staged, planned and choreographed the entire performance to a painstaking degree — from the inviting grey colour scheme and the open stage surrounded by glimmering chainmail curtains to the entire lack of cords and wires tethering himself and his colleagues down. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-fxRXzfi0U KAJILLIONAIRE Awards bodies don't tend to recognise performances like Evan Rachel Wood's in Kajillionaire, but they should. It's a career-best effort from an actor with an array of terrific work to her name (most recently in Westworld), and it operates so firmly on the same wavelength as the film she's in that it's impossible to imagine how it would work without her. Kajillionaire is filmmaker Miranda July's latest movie, following Me and You and Everyone We Know and The Future, so it was always going to stand out. It was always going to need a knockout portrayal at its centre, too. Wood plays a 26-year-old con artist called Old Dolio Dyne, who has spent her whole life working schemes and scams with her parents Robert (Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water) and Theresa (Debra Winger, The Lovers) — to the point that it's all that she knows, and it has made her the closed off yet still vulnerable person she is. But when her mother and father take lively optometrist's assistant Melanie (Gina Rodriguez, Annihilation) under their wing, Old Dolio is forced to reassess everything. That might sound standard, but July has never made a movie that's earned that term and she definitely doesn't start now. Kajillionaire is a heist-fuelled crime caper, and an eccentric and idiosyncratic one; however, it's also a rich and unique character study, an astute exploration of family and a love story — and Wood is essential at every turn. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFqCTIdF7rs POSSESSOR The possibility that someone could hijack another person's brain, then use their body as a vessel to carry out corporate-sanctioned murder, is instantly distressing and disturbing. Whatever your mind has just conjured up reading that sentence, it has nothing on Brandon Cronenberg's vision of the same idea — as Possessor, his sophomore feature, illustrates in a brilliant and brutal fashion. As chilly and also as mesmerising as his first film, Antiviral, this horror-thriller spends its time Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough, The Grudge). It's her job to leap into other people's heads and carry out assassinations, and she's very good at it. When the movie opens, however, she experiences difficulties on a gig. Then she takes on another, infiltrating Colin's (Christopher Abbott, Vox Lux) brain, and struggles to maintain control over his personality and actions as she attempts to kill his fiancé (Tuppence Middleton, Mank) and her business mogul father (Sean Bean, Snowpiercer). Possessor's writer/director is the son of David Cronenberg, of Shivers, Scanners, Videodrome and The Fly fame, so exploring unnerving body horror has been implanted into his own head in a way, too. He certainly carries on the family name in a daring, determined and expectedly gruesome manner. Also striking and unforgettable here: the concepts that Possessor probes, including present analogues to Possessor's body-jumping technology. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNXHJB5Mto BABYTEETH Filmmaker Shannon Murphy made her feature debut with Babyteeth, but she shows no signs of merely cutting her chompers on this heartwrenching film. Based on the Rita Kalnejais-penned play of the same name and scripted for the screen by the writer as well, this Australian drama tackles a well-worn premise — that'd be: terminally ill teen falls in love as she endeavours to manage her grim health situation — with such shrewdness, vivacity and understanding that it puts almost every other movie about the same concept to shame. Milla (Eliza Scanlen, Little Women) is the cancer-afflicted high schooler in question. When she meets and clicks with 23-year-old small-time drug dealer Moses (Toby Wallace, Acute Misfortune), it takes her pill-popping mother Anna (Essie Davis, True History of the Kelly Gang) and psychiatrist father Henry (Ben Mendelsohn, The Outsider) time to adjust. Their struggles have nothing on Milla's own, though, because Babyteeth sees its protagonist as a person rather than an illness, and as someone with their own hopes, dreams, troubles and disappointments instead of the reason the folks around her have their lives disrupted. That's such an important move, but's just one of the many that the movie makes. Aided not only by superb (and AACTA Award-winning) performances all round, but also by arresting visuals and clever but realistic dialogue, Babyteeth proves both raw and dynamic from start to finish. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFOrGkAvjAE SOUND OF METAL It's one thing to tell viewers that the character they're watching is losing their hearing. It's another entirely to ensure that they understand exactly how that feels. Sound of Metal adopts two methods to achieve the latter feat — one expected but still extraordinary, the other truly earning the usually overused term that is 'immersive'. Firstly, Riz Ahmed (Venom) gives his all to the role of heavy metal drummer and ex-heroin addict Ruben Stone. Realising that one of his senses isn't just fading but disappearing obviously upends every facet of Ruben's life, which Ahmed conveys in a powerfully physicalised performance (and his second portrayal of a musician coping with health struggles after this year's festival hit Mogul Mowgli, too). Just as crucial, however, is the soundscape created by debut feature director Darius Marder and his team. It mimics what Ruben can and can't hear with precision, and it couldn't be more effective at plunging the audience inside his head. Both choices — lead casting and the film's audio — invest weight and depth into a story that isn't lacking in either anyway. Putting his tour with his bandmate and girlfriend Lou (Olivia Cooke, Ready Player One) on hold, Ruben reluctantly moves to a rural community for addicts who are deaf to learn to live with his new situation, does whatever is necessary to rustle up the cash for a surgically inserted cochlear implant and faces more than few hard truths along the way. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOs6gKtrb4 THE LIGHTHOUSE It initially hit cinemas pre-pandemic, but The Lighthouse might just be the most relatable movie of 2020. There are no prizes for guessing where it is set, but The Witch filmmaker Robert Eggers has zero time for scenic seaside escapades, turning his attention to two men holed up in the coastal structure, unable to leave and going stir-crazy (to put it mildly) instead. Those lighthouse keepers are played by Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate) and Robert Pattinson (Tenet), who both commit to the narrative with gusto. The former steps into the shoes of cantankerous sea dog Thomas Wake, while the latter endures quite the uncomfortable welcome as eager newcomer Ephraim Winslow — and, as anyone could predict given their talents and respective filmographies, they're gripping to watch. That sensation only increases when a storm sweeps in, with the fact that Winslow frequently fondles himself while holding a mermaid figurine marking just the beginning of The Lighthouse's claustrophobic chaos. Shooting in black and white, and boxing the film in via the 1.19:1 Movietone aspect ratio that's a throwback to a century ago, Eggers dives right into a vivid and entrancing nightmare that simultaneously unpacks masculinity, unfurls a manic head-trip and explores how people react when they're thrust together in a heightened scenario. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU-Z90SEqGQ CORPUS CHRISTI An Oscar nominee this year — losing the Best International Feature Film category to Parasite — Corpus Christi examines faith with blistering and unflinching intensity. This quietly powerful Polish drama doesn't just contemplate what it means to believe, but how the supposedly pious actually enact their convictions (or don't, as the case often proves). Freshly released from reform school, Daniel (Bartosz Bielenia) is drawn to the seminary after connecting with the facility's head priest, Father Tomasz (Lukasz Simlat), during his sentence. Alas, his record instantly excludes him from following that calling, even though he's only 20 years old. Then, through a twist of fate that always feels organic, he's given the opportunity to act as the new spiritual advisor in a rural town after its residents mistake him for a man of the cloth. Given that this is an imposter tale, Corpus Christi proves inherently tense and bristling from the outset; however, just as much of that mood and tone stems from the way that Daniel's new community say one thing but act in a completely different manner involving a recent tragedy. Warsaw 44 and The Hater filmmaker Jan Komasa willingly steps into thorny territory as he tells the young man's tale (with top-notch help from Bielenia), and wonders why it's so easy for so many to cling to centuries-old concepts and stories, but so hard for most to put them in a modern, realistic and everyday context. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzqevBnUUZU THE ASSISTANT Charting an ordinary day in the life of a junior staff member at a film production office, The Assistant is as unsettling as anything else that reached screens in 2020. Jane (Julia Garner, Ozark) has the titular position, working an entry-level job for a demanding head honcho who everyone in the office indulges — although viewers never get to meet him. She arrives at work before daylight, trudges through menial tasks and is treated poorly by her male colleagues. She's expect to anticipate everything that her boss could ever need or want, or face his wrath if she doesn't. And, as the day progresses, she realises just how toxic her workplace's culture is and how deep its inappropriate conduct burrows. Seeing how predatory the man she works for acts on a daily basis, and how his behaviour has a significant impact, she also learns how those who even try to speak out can still be powerless to effect change to stop it. If you've kept abreast of the #MeToo movement over the past few years, you'll know exactly what has inspired The Assistant, of course. However, Australian filmmaker Kitty Green wants her audience to experience this devastating scenario via Jane, rather than merely read about it. She doesn't just succeed; although she's working in fiction here, she directs a film as searing and perceptive as her last project, the excellent documentary Casting JonBenet.
The traditional home of adventure, phone accessories and delicious food, Chinatown is like a holiday without leaving town. That's not to say there's no risks involved. Unfamiliar signs, labyrinths of stores and suspiciously enthusiastic street hawkers make this an adventure filled with peril. Fortunately, Concrete Playground has assembled the ten best bits for you. 1. BBQ KingWhere: 18 Goulburn Street, Haymarket 2000 Dead ducks hanging in the window, kitsch Chinese decor and the best Peking Duck in Sydney. What more could one ask for? Take advantage of the late opening hours - they don't close until 1.45 am - and swing by for a late meal accompanied by a few Tsing Taos, a crisp Chinese beer. There's plenty on offer, but our advice is to go straight down the cliché line. The signature dishes here are, obviously, the roast Peking Duck and Pork. If you're not here with a huge group, though, the full serves can be difficult to get through. An easier option is the Peking Duck Pancakes, served up with slices of roast duck, green onions, hoisin sauce and chili to taste (ask for fresh). For review and details, click here. 2. Morning GloryWhere: 22 Goulburn Street, Haymarket 2000 There are three Morning Glory stores to choose from in Chinatown, but our favourite is the one right in the thick of it. What this particular Morning Glory holds over all the others is that the entire store is organised by colour. This place is literally an encyclopaedia of cuteness. The store is overflowing with Hello Kitty, Pikachu, Totoro, pandas and a whole bunch of things I'll never be able to place. Take your pick from nail polishes, notebooks, lunch boxes, keyrings, pens, tissue box covers, socks and plush-toy phone holders. If it all becomes a little too overwhelming, retreat into one of the sticker booths in the far back corner, and emerge victorious with a sheet of glittery sticker photos of yourself and friend. 3. Ten Ren Tea Where: 696 George Street, Sydney 2000 This simple shop front on George Street is deceiving. Take away teas can be bought from the counter downstairs but, if you make your way upstairs, a whole new experience awaits you. Super cheap meals, adventurous Taiwanese desserts and a ridiculous range of teas are on offer in this laid back dining room. Begin with the teas, the raison d'être of the establishment. For a cold tea, opt for Black Milk Tea with QQ ($6.5/$7.50). This 'bubble tea' includes tapioca pearls - here called 'QQ', meaning 'chew-chew'. If you'd prefer a hot tea, try Osmanthus Oolong ($5.50/$6.50), a traditional blend where oolong tea is scented with osmanthus flowers. For a delicious pot, try fragrant and calming Lavender ($8.50). And if the menu simply seems too overwhelming, ask the staff for recommendations: they'll be happy to help. For review and details, click here. 4. MamakWhere: 15 Goulburn Street, Haymarket 2000 Mamak is the talk of the town and with good reason. It's one of the few places in Sydney to get exceptional Malaysian hawker food, still offered at an authentic price. It's no surprise that this place often has lines of eager customers stretching down the street. All I can say is: get in early, it's worth it. Walk in past the chefs, on full display, and bathe in the aroma of curries and fried roti. It's a long room, crammed full with wooden tables, and service is courteous but necessarily efficient. The menu is divided into Roti, variations on the warm bread served with curry dips and spicy sambal sauce, Satay, available in chicken or beef, Mains, featuring curries and fried chicken, and Noodle and Rice dishes. For review and details, click here. 5. Chinatown Night MarketsWhere: Dixon Street Mall, Haymarket 2000 Every Friday night, between 4 and 11pm, Chinatown becomes just a little bit more special. The weekly Night Markets offers the best bits of Chinatown right out on the street in the middle of a bustling crowd. Food, crafts, massage, bonsais and candy... You name it, it's here. Look out for the Takoyaki, or fried octopus balls - you'll typically find the tent by following the insanely upbeat techno pop. Dragon's Beard Candy is another rare treat, finely spun sugar reminiscent of a white beard. Or just grab a cup of freshly squeezed Sugar Cane Juice with lemon, and wander the stalls to see what turns up. 6. Emperor's Garden Cakes and BakeryWhere: 96-100 Hay Street, Haymarket This bakery is a must stop on any trip to Chinatown. Discover it in the mall next to its parent restaurant, you'll find it by the line of people waiting outside a small side window. They're after freshly baked Emperor's Puffs: hot little custard balls of pure delight. Wander inside, and you'll discover plenty more treats on offer. We're talking moon cakes, Sacher tortes, chocolate eclairs, egg tarts, sticky rice dumplings and barbeque pork buns. You'll find a slightly different selection every time you visit, so it's worth returning often. 7. Menya Noodle Bar Where: Shop TG8, 8 Quay Street, Haymarket 2000 It's a big call to claim that something is the best of its kind. Yet it doesn't feel like a stretch to hand Menya the title of Best Ramen Bar in Sydney. The noodles are fresh and chewy, the broth is incredibly rich, and the atmosphere is just the right kind of casual. For the beginner, we suggest the Menya ramen. Pick the Tonkotsu, beef, or Tori-gara, chicken, broth base then opt for either Shoyu ($9.30/$9), a salty soy sauce flavour, or Miso ($10.30/$10), a richer choice. Our favourite is the Menya Tonkotsu Miso ramen ($10.30). If you'd prefer a ramen with extra toppings, try the Tori Kara-age Ramen (from $10.90), with deep fried kara-age chicken, or add extras like Kakiage Tempura ($2.50) or Sweet Corn ($1.50). For review and details, click here. 8. Din Tai FungWhere: 644 George Street, Sydney 2000 An infamous Taiwanese noodle chain is introducing Sydney to the best dumplings it's ever had. Just make sure you turn up early, or be prepared to pull up a wooden stool and wait. That's not to imply that Din Tai Fung are not efficient. This they are, in the extreme. Peer into the kitchen and you can observe the production line: line baskets with cloth, cut dough into discs, roll the dough, fill and pinch it at the top, then pop the newly made dumplings into the baskets ready for steaming. It's strangely hypnotising. For review and details, click here. 9. Media Asia Where: 50 Dixon Street, Haymarket 2000 Looking for movies? This is the place to go for the latest and greatest. Media Asia has a huge selection of Japanese anime, including a sub-section with English audio for all you non-native speakers. There's also an impressive array of other titles, including kung fu flicks and Korean dramas. While you're there, make sure you pick up one of the pop group posters that adorn the walls. If the music playing here is anything to go by, they'll be your favourite group in no time at all. 10. Thai Kee IGAWhere: inside Market City, 9-13 Hay Street, Haymarket 2000 It's been a long day in Chinatown by now. Let's face it, you're probably feeling a little bit worn out. Why not leave with some take home memories? (We especially recommend the edible ones.) The Thai Kee IGA, hidden away above Paddy's Markets, can provide you with all you need. Dumplings and steamers, Koala biscuits, aloe vera juice, Japanese curry, kitsch bowls and crockery sets, Super Lemons, hot barbeque pork buns, Chrysanthemum tea, Chinese slippers: you name it, it's all here. In fact, you should probably allow an extra hour or so just to wander down these aisles. Trust me, you'll be surprised at what you find.
Sydney is spoiled with a wealth of bars that also offer up top-notch eats alongside their drinks. Uncanny is the latest to join this list, as a King Street cocktail bar offering a selection of delightful Mediterranean share plates. Located just across from Newtown Station in the former digs of Gurdys, the cocktail bar comes from a family of experienced hospitality veterans — Julien, Michel and Laura Bouskila — who have joined forces to open their first venue. "Uncanny came to be through a mutual excitement and desire to create a venue that felt like a home away from home," co-founder Laura Bouskila says. Step into the cosy and inviting venue and you'll be greeted by an array of family photos, movie posters and knick-knacks, all of which come from the Bouskila family home. As with the best cocktail bars in Sydney, you can order all of your standards alongside a selection of house specials. Uncanny's creations stretch from the sweet to the strong, playing on classic mixes. The Julio Ricter takes a mezcal margarita and adds a salt and za'atar rim; while The Ritz features thyme-infused Aperol with sparkling rosé and soda. And, each time you come in you can expect something new, with the bartenders having regular competitions to come up with new exciting creations. While the drinks hit the spot, the food is the big drawcard. The standout is the bed of hummus with hot pieces of lamb reminiscent of donna or shawarma on top. Laura recommends you pair this with the Julio Ricter fo the ultimate Uncanny experience. Elsewhere on the share-friendly menu is eggplant and pomegranate molasses, harissa and sumac potatoes with chilli aioli, 24-hour marinated chicken shwarma and sautéed harissa prawns. Plus, you'll also find trivia, live music and open mic comedy at the bar on three Tuesdays of each month. Originally slated to open in June of 2021, the pandemic hit the bar pretty hard, with delays and closures continuing until the start of this year. "Since opening again in January, we have not looked back," continues Laura. "We are so grateful and excited that the Newtown community is loving the vibe of Uncanny." Images: Elyse Genrich.
Eating actual food from the World's 50 Best Chefs can come with a pretty hefty price tag, but this April, you'll have the opportunity to feast on their words of wisdom for a whole lot less. This year, the prestigious World's 50 Best Restaurants awards are set to take place on Aussie shores and, while most of the associated culinary fun will be reserved for industry folk, absolutely everyone's invited to catch the globe's top chefs take the stage for #50BestTalks. Hosted by commentator and ABC presenter Annabel Crabb, there are just two of these foodie events planned, happening at the Sydney Opera House on April 1 and Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena on April 3. Sydney's lineup includes appearances from Dominique Crenn (2016's World's Best Female Chef and mastermind of San Francisco's Atelier Crenn), Massimo Bottura (of 2016's World #1 Restaurant, Osteria Francescana), and our own Peter Gilmore, whose restaurant Quay ranked #98 in last year's awards. On sale from tomorrow, February 15, tickets for both events start at a tidy $30. That said, if you fancy splashing out, $119 VIP tickets will also nab you entry to a post-event canapé function and the opportunity for a meet and greet with some of the chefs.
The Sydney Fringe Festival has unveiled its ambitious 2018 program, promising over 400 shows in more than 60 venues across six hubs — and 21 postcodes. There are a few major firsts, too, including a takeover of the Oxford Street Precinct, a touring hub sponsored by Archie Rose, a partnership with physical theatre company Legs on The Wall, and three initiatives in Western Sydney: a theatre program at Penrith's Q Theatre, a new hub at Liverpool and a series of live music pop-up events in Parramatta's CBD. Just a couple of the acts slated to appear at the Archie Rose Touring Hub, which you'll find at the Old 505, Newtown, are Sh!t Theatre's DollyWould, which will be travelling from the UK, having twice sold out at Edinburgh Fringe, and Maggot by New Zealand trio Angela Foughy, Elle Wootton and Freya Finch, who won Outstanding Ensemble at New Zealand Fringe 2018. Meanwhile, the Legs partnership, to take place at Lilyfield's Red Box, will host The Women of Chasing Smoke by Casus Circus, Australia's only Indigenous contemporary circus ensemble, and Letters To An Unborn Child by Brown Paper Circus, from Sydney's Trapeze School. In Liverpool, the Fringe will invade the former Northumberland Arcade and Macquarie Bistro with a free program curated by Nisrine Amine, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Parramatta Actors Centre, covering pop-up performances, music, art and a laneway cinema dedicated to animation. Several Fringe classics will be back, including the official opening party Fringe Ignite, happening on 1 September. This year, however, you'll find all the shenanigans in the Oxford Street Precinct, running across 11 venues, from the National Art School and UNSW Art & Design to Ariel Booksellers and Stonewall. Keep a lookout, too, for the return of the Fringe Club at the Kings Cross Hotel, the Emerging Artist Hub at Erskineville Town Hall, the Dance Hub at the PACT Theatre in Erskineville and Festival Village at Kensington Street, Chippendale. Down Chippendale way, at Broadway Sydney, you'll also find a rooftop roller skating rink and a pop-up store selling Frida Las Vegas and Nicol & Ford wares.
Australia’s leading food rescue organisation is getting in on the pop-up trend. Opening in Pyrmont on Tuesday, May 12, harvested will serve up high-quality meals made entirely from ingredients destined for landfill — and they're calling on you to help generate buzz. Ready to spend the next three months making you rethink your lunch, the cafe is the brainchild of Travis Harvey; a chef with more than ten years experience in restaurants around the world. He's also the man behind OzHarvest's Cooking for a Cause program, which each year helps prepare thousands of meals using surplus food collected from supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and catering companies, and delivers them to people in need. "The idea behind harvested is simple," says Harvey. "It takes a challenge that OzHarvest and our food recipients have to face every day... what to do with surplus food that society has rejected because of its appearance, discolouration or slight imperfections? We wanted the public to experience this too, and see how good it can be." In order to help spread the message, the pop-up cafe will be giving away free lunches (free lunches!) on opening day, in exchange to photos shared on social media using the hashtag #mealforameal. Seems like a pretty good deal, especially since you'd probably have Instagrammmed your deliciously newsworthy lunch anyway. Harvested will be open for lunch on Wednesdays and Thursdays until the end of July, operating out of a restaurant space donated by City West Housing located at 56 Harris St, Pyrmont. The menu will change daily depending on available ingredients, although they've already teased the likes of slow cooked lamb with vine leaf, house dried fig and walnut sauce, pumpkin quinoa burger with beetroot relish and chilli macadamia butter, double roasted spiced pork with rustic potato and house pickled cues, and spice crust chook with carrot puree and labneh. And to think, this was food people were throwing out. Meals will cost a flat $15, money that OzHarvest can use to feed up to 30 people. Thursday through Sunday evenings, the temporary space is also home to Baraka, a pop-up Middle Eastern restaurant run by Fouad Kassab, which also donates a portion of its proceeds to OzHarvest. Harvested opens on Tuesday, May 12 at 56 Harris St, Pyrmont. The pop-up will be open every Tuesday and Wednesday for lunch only from 11.30am – 2.30pm (until end July). For more information, visit www.ozharvest.org.
Do you enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner but find the mark-up a little hard to swallow? Perhaps you’ve been saving a special bottle in your cellar (aka laundry). Or maybe you just have an appetite for good value. Either way, who doesn’t love a bit of bring-your-own. Here are Sydney’s best restaurants to come armed with a bottle. CHAT THAI Chat Thai is one of Sydney’s worst kept secrets. Join the inevitable queue for sizzling satays, coconut curries and zesty salads, which hail from the steamy streets of Bangkok. With 26 syrupy and sticky sweets on the menu, there’s no excuse for skipping desserts. We recommend the flash-fried dough sticks smothered in pandan custard ($6.90) and the young coconut ice-cream with sticky rice, candied palm seeds and roasted peanuts ($6.90). All five Chat Thai branches are BYO, as well as their offshoots Boon Cafe, Assamm and Samosorn. BYO wine only (corkage $3 per person). 20 Campbell Street, Haymarket. DIN TAI FUNG Welcome to dumpling heaven. Taipei based global chain Din Tai Fung is famous for their silky-skinned and hot-bellied xiao long bao ($10.80) as well as their shao mai parcels ($10.80) and colourful dumpling gems ($15.80). Din Tai Fung pride themselves on their strict quality control, with each disc of pastry measuring exactly 6cm, with an acceptable total weight of 4.8 – 5.2 grams. Beer and dumplings have been friends since time immemorial, so pair with a floral and herbaceous pilsener, such as James Squire’s Four Wives. BYO wine and beer (corkage $10 per wine bottle, $2.50 per beer bottle). 644 George Street, Sydney and other locations. NEW SHANGHAI New Shanghai’s pan-fried pork buns have attained a certain level of notoriety in Sydney. These puffy dumplings with lovely burnished bottoms are served alongside Shanghai classics including braised garlic eggplant ($13.80), drunken chicken ($8.80) and shallot pancake ($5.80), which make a good match for a bottle of crisp, dry white. The dark woods, deep reds and warm lighting will have you back in 1930s Shanghai, while at the front window, dumplings are handmade with mesmerising precision and speed. BYO wine only (corkage $2 per person); 273 Liverpool Road, Ashfield and other locations. YEN FOR VIET Serving traditional Vietnamese cuisine in a smart, modern setting, Yen for Viet takes the title for Sydney’s most pho-nomenal pho. Alongside this herb-filled rice noodle soup, you can order slow-cooked pork belly in young coconut ($15); clay pot caramelised fish ($16); and banh xeo, a crispy pancake stuffed with beansprouts, mungbeans, prawns and duck ($18). Mmm Viet-noms. Bring a citrusy, fresh-tasting semillon with you, which should marry well with the fresh herbs and salad. BYO wine only (corkage $2 per person), 296 Illawarra Road, Marrickville KEPOS STREET KITCHEN We’re not advocating a bottle of burgundy with breakfast (well, maybe on a weekend) but there’s nothing stopping you from making a toast with your toast at this all-day cafe. Kepos Street Kitchen is a charming corner cafe in Redfern that boasts a Middle Eastern-inspired menu. Here you can feast upon Tel Aviv falafel with green tahini ($12) and traditional Moroccan lamb and pine nut cigars ($17), and who can honestly say no to salted caramel churros ($12)? BYO wine only (corkage $8 per bottle). 96 Kepos Street, Redfern. SULTAN'S TABLE This Turkish delight in Enmore serves mezze fit for a king. Come for the delicious suckling lamb ($20), sizzling adana kebab grilled over charcoal ($14) and authentic woodfired pide. Start the meal with an assortment of dips in a rainbow of flavours ($22), which includes parsley, jajik (garlic), chilli, beetroot, carrot, spinach, humous and baba ganoush, accompanied by a slab of oven-baked Turkish bread. Finish with a strong, aromatic Turkish coffee and a syrupy baklava ($3) or head next door for arguably the world’s best gelato at Cow and Moon. BYO wine and beer (corkage $0). 179 Enmore Road, Enmore. BAR REGGIO For not much dough, you can score a supremely good pizza at Bar Reggio. This loud and lively family ristorante serves hillocks of spaghetti, whole baked fish, veal scallopine and pizza. Oh, and don’t forget to leave room for gelato and tiramisu. Their Tuscan-themed courtyard makes a perfect place for group get-togethers, and it’s well-placed on Crown Street if you feel like kicking on afterwards. BYO wine and beer (corkage $2 per person). 135 Crown Street, Darlinghurst. MAMAK Serving exceptional Malaysian hawker food, Mamak is famous for its feather-light, flaky roti canai, which is theatrically folded and flipped out front to the delight of onlookers. Use your roti to mop up tangy fish curry with okra ($17) and spicy samba tiger prawns ($19), or wrap it around charcoal satay ($9) and Malaysian-style fried chicken ($14). You can even order sweet roti ($8) filled with sliced banana or pandan and coconut, topped with ice-cream. Try a clean-finishing craft brew like James Squire Fifty Lashes, which will complement the fiery, feisty flavours. BYO wine and beer (corkage $2 per person). 15 Goulburn Street, Haymarket. CHIOSCO BY ORMEGGIO Located side by side on a Mosman jetty, Chiosco is mere metres from the water’s edge, with spectacular 300 degree views of luxury yachts and sparkling sea. While parent restaurant Ormeggio is a fine-dining affair, Chiosco (which is Italian for ‘kiosk’) has adopted a casual approach, serving Italian street food and takeaway with a ‘barefoot and BYO’ ethos. With cheaper prices and executive chef Alessandro Pavoni at the helm, it’s a good excuse to go a little overboard. Bring a bottle of champagne or a six pack of golden ales with you. BYO wine and beer (corkage $10 corkage per bottle for wine and $2 per bottle of beer). The Jetty, d'Albora Marina The Spit, Spit Rd. Mosman. TETSUYA'S This stalwart of Sydney’s luxury dining scene marries the Japanese philosophy of natural, seasonal flavours with French culinary expertise. Their ten-course degustation ($220) has been updated with new offerings, including the inspired pairing of New Zealand scampi tail with chicken liver parfait; however, the one dish that never changes is the impeccable confit of petuna ocean trout, which is renowned the world over. Not exactly the most budget-conscious evening out, but a great opportunity to borrow a special bottle from your parents' stash. With matching wines rounding out at $110 per person, you may also save yourself a pretty penny too. BYO wine only (corkage $25 for the first bottle, $45 each bottle after). 529 Kent Street, Sydney.
Flume and Lorde at Goodgod. Flight Facilities at Piano Room. Cloud Control at Spectrum. They're gigs we probably didn't realise were bloody important at the time, in live music venues we poured our pocket money into. And now, these now-closed venues are getting the funeral they deserve. In a visually provocative response to the NSW Government's controversial lockout laws and the highly debated Callinan review, Keep Sydney Open has installed 18 plaques commemorating Sydney live music venues which have closed down. Spearheaded by Sydney music writer and activist Jonathan Seidler and backed by Keep Sydney Open, this project features plaques emblazoned with the name of an internationally successful artist who cut their teeth, met future bandmates or held residencies at the particular venue they're installed at. Most artists are Sydney locals like Flight Facilities, Rufus, The Presets and The Preatures, but our adopted Kiwi neighbour Lorde is also in the mix (she played her first ever showcase at Goodgod Small Club). Where can you find the plaques? They've been installed, with supporting funeral flowers and candles, at once-buzzing, now-closed venues throughout the lockout zone — from Kings Cross stalwarts Hugos and Piano Room, to Oxford Street go-tos Phoenix and Spectrum, Chippendale's The Lansdowne, to the CBD's Goodgod Small Club (now reopened as Plan B). Each Friday night, KSO volunteers will be handing out flowers and candles, if you're wanting to pay your respects to the now-closed venues. "It sends a clear message to the government that live music cannot survive without live music venues, which is where our world-beating talent first hone their craft," stated Keep Sydney Open, who pointed out that live music contributes $2 billion annually to Australia's economy (and that more Australians see live music every year than see sport). Sure, some live music venues are now exempt from the lockout laws, but after reports that Sydney venues had lost up to 40 percent of their revenue since the introduction of the laws, here's hoping it wasn't too late a move. Here's where you'll find the plaques: Flight Facilities (Piano Room) Flume (Goodgod) Lorde (Goodgod) Anna Lunoe (Phoenix) Sneaky Soundsystem (Hugos) Nina Las Vegas (Hugos) Cloud Control (Spectrum) Art Vs Science (Spectrum) Alison Wonderland (Q Bar) Hayden James (34B) Bag Raiders (34B) RUFUS (Club 77) Peking Duk (Soho) The Presets (Club 77) Jagwar Ma (Flinders) The Preatures (Lansdowne) You Am I (Lansdowne) Yolanda Be Cool (Q Bar) Keep Sydney Open's plaques are now installed throughout the city until further notice. They're also holding a huge rally protesting the lockout laws and the Calinan review on October 9. Details here.
Missed The Preatures on their huge sold-out 'Cruel' tour this spring? How'd you like to catch them live this summer, for free? The Sydney fivesome are gearing up for another national escapade, this time joining forces with Corona Extra for a huge free November tour. Locked in for 20 locations across the country, Corona Sunsets will see the Sydneysiders play unplugged shows everywhere from Bondi Beach's Bucket List to the Portsea Hotel. Kicking off in Yallingup, Western Australia on November 6, the tour will wind through some of The Preatures' favourite bars in WA, NSW and Queensland before finishing up in Victoria on the last weekend in November. Isabella Manfredi, Gideon Bensen, Jack Moffitt, Thomas Champion and Luke Davison will be careening through their 2014 debut album Blue Planet Eyes, from crowd favourite singles like 'Cruel', 'Somebody's Talking' and 'Is This How You Feel?' to lesser known album gems like 'Ordinary' and 'Whatever You Want'. Fingers crossed for a raucous pub singalong to The Preatures' go-to cover, The Angels' 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again'. All shows are free entry, over-18s only and it's first-in, best-dressed. If Corona Extra's previous free Australian tours, like Cloud Control, are anything to go by, you're going to want to get there pretty damn early. For details head to Corona's website. THE PREATURES' CORONA SUNSETS AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES: WESTERN AUSTRALIA November 6 Caves House Hotel, Yallingup, 7.30pm November 7 The Leftbank, East Fremantle, 2.30pm The Northshore Tavern, Hillarys, 7.30pm November 8 The Lucky Shag Waterfront Bar, Barrack Square, 2.30pm Ocean Beach Hotel, Cottesloe, 7.30pm NEW SOUTH WALES November 13 Towradgi Beach Hotel, Towradgi, 8.30pm November 14 Watson’s Bay Hotel, Watsons Bay, 3.30pm Manly Wharf, Manly, 7.30pm November 15 The Bucket List, Bondi, 2.30pm Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale, 7.30pm November 22 Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads, 8pm QUEENSLAND November 20 Beach House Hotel, Scarness, 8pm November 21 Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point, 3pm Noosa Heads S.L.S.C, Noosa Heads, 9pm November 22 Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta, 3pm VICTORIA November 27 Lambys, Geelong, 9pm November 28 The Deck est 2013, Frankston, 3pm Westernport Hotel, San Remo, 9.30pm November 29 The College Lawn, Prahran, 2.30pm Portsea Hotel, Portsea, 7pm
Restaurant Hubert isn't just one of the best restaurants in Sydney. While the Swillhouse team's underground CBD eatery may stake claim to that title due to its unbeatable atmosphere and lavish French eats, it can also transform itself into a hub for art and theatre. Head down the spiral staircase and through the dining room to find Theatre Royale, a hidden arts arena that hosts Hubert's Magnums and Movies series, as well as the restaurant's postmodern burlesque La Vie Royale. The cabaret show will return to the intimate theatre on Sunday, September 24 with a stacked program intended to wow, challenge and incense audiences. Justin Shoulder is on the bill with illusions, movement and mimicry; Bella Louche will bring their renowned burlesque to the stage; and Marlena Dali is making their La Vie Royale debut with a colourful mix of performance art and clownery. Plus, your host for the night will be the beloved and multi-talented Betty Grumble. All tickets include bottomless wine, which will be passed around the room and poured generously throughout the evening. If you want the fully immersive experience, opt for the Front Row Feast, which includes floor seats right in the mix of the action and a full dinner for $225. There are also Admission De Luxe passes available for $120. These more affordable seats are located up in the stands and include a range of canapés.
The Chaser gang are getting back to their roots, with plans to publish a brand spanking new print magazine. The team behind The Hamster Wheel, Yes We Canberra, Sydney's Giant Dwarf theatre and the Make a Realistic Wish Foundation have recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to get the satirical publication off the ground, with the aim of releasing their first edition in the next couple of months. According to the group's Pozible page, The Chaser Quarterly will be a 96-page colour magazine that will address "the key problem of our time: namely — there is not enough content in the world." They're hoping to raise $50,000, money they say will be use to establish a "'tax effective' offshore corporate structure" so as to ensure the project isn't stymied "by the onerous burden of paying tax to fund Australia's hospitals, schools and roads". Truly this campaign video says it all. Right now, a $25 pledge will get you a copy of the magazine, while $50 will see it signed by the entire Chaser team. More extravagant rewards include the chance to pitch your own article for $500 (although there's no guarantee it will be published), or the opportunity to run your own full page ad for $1500 (on the condition that it "fundamentally undermine the product it is seeking to sell".) Although best known for their highbrow political satire on television, The Chaser team actually started out publishing a fortnightly newspaper that ran for six years between 1999 and 2005. Among their memorable stunts from this period was the time they published Prime Minister John Howard's home phone number on their front page. Assuming they reach their Pozible target, the first edition of The Chaser Quarterly will be published in spring 2015 and feature articles by many familiar Chaser contributors, including Andrew Hansen, Chris Taylor and Craig Reucassel. In order to keep up the appearance of a successful company, head team members will be payed in Beluga Caviar, while the rest of the creatives, including writers, cartoonists, illustrators and graphic designers, will divvy up $300 between them. Pledge via Pozible and keep an eye on the Chaser Quarterly website for updates.
It's the season of pre-5pm sunsets, crisp mornings and hot soup stains on your jeans, so you might as well enjoy it. Forget basking in watery late-afternoon sunlight and unnecessarily wearing shades to recapture those bygone summer days, and feel the allure of nights in and mulled beverages instead. Indeed, why not do it like a Nord, embrace winter with aplomb, and get a Scandi design and culture fix while you're at it. Sydney is a hot-bed of Nordic style — and if you follow our top picks, you'll be smiling your way through the chillier months in no time. FIKA SWEDISH KITCHEN, MANLY Fika's lunch special changes daily, offering fish patties, varied smørrebrød (open sandwiches) and a mean sweet 'n' sour lamb casserole. Their regular menu is a smorgasbord of meatballs, cured and seared fish and caviar on knäckebröd (rye crispbread), and delicious seasonal produce. For those nursing a cruel snaps-hangover, the bacon and egg bap with beetroot relish is a winner, but there are delicious veggie breakfast bowls, tossed muesli and pancakes, too. Sunflower-yellow crockery, an airy cottage-kitchen vibe and beaming servers can easily make you forget you're in Sydney, but the coffee is made with classic Aussie expertise. Given all of the above, it won't come as a surprise that the weekend queue around the chunky wooden counter for a takeaway can be heinous, so bag a table if you can. With an outrageous pyramid of glazed, crème filled and soft cinnamon tossed pastries glaring from the display cabinet, this is a true 'treat yo'self' brunch spot. If you want to take a little bit of Sverige away with you, grab a slab of Marabou (only the richest, creamiest chocolate in all of the North) or a bag of chewy 'mallow Bilar. NORSK DOR, CBD With brisk winds and cool nights well and truly here, Scandinavia's blanket-laden cafes can teach us a thing or two about how to bunker down. At the end of sharply descending hidden passageway beneath Pitt Street is Sydney's answer. There's something inherently cosy about being underground, which Norsk Dor nails it with elegant-minimalism-meets-homely-longhouse style. Think impeccably-set Nordic decor complete with fur-draped seating softly lit industrial-chic lamps. The menu is graceful and hearty. The slow-cooked venison is mouth-watering, but equally hard to overlook is the wagyu bone marrow, baked cheese, and all manner of cured and smoked seafood on the menu. True to Scandi simple-done-well culinary philosophy, their fresh house-made bread and salted butter is delicious, and they offer a solid range of Nordic spirits. Knock back an after-dinner shot of Aalborg Akvavit like a true Dane, or sample the stripped-back signature cocktails with names like Danske Delight (Don Julio, citrus, beetroot glaze) and Norway Nights (Lagavulin 8yr, Grand Marnier, Espresso, Cream) at the glossy plant-flanked bar. You'll forget about the horizontal rain outside in no time. EDITION COFFEE ROASTERS, DARLINGHURST Okay, so this one isn't exclusively Scandinavian, but there's a natural harmony between the serene minimalism of both Japanese and Scandinavian design that qualifies this Asian/Nordic Surry Hills coffee-spot for our list. Nestled on a sloping Darlinghurst street-corner, Edition Coffee Roasters exudes functional-chic with light, neat architecture and a littering of design and fashion journals on the tables. True to Nordic culinary form, the brunch menu champions seasonality, featuring smoked, pickled and cured dishes of winter vegetables, and belly-warming sweet and savoury crepes. Highlights include the Skinke og Aeg (ham and eggs) with maple miso leg ham, Danish honningkage (ginger and honey cake), and the host of petite pastries for sale on the counter. With speedy wifi, top-notch coffee and quality people-watching potential, Edition Coffee Roasters is exactly where you want to fika (take an indulgent coffee-break) during your lunch hour. MJOLNER, REDFERN Before April, the most Scandinavian thing about the basement of an ex-tobacco factory in Redfern was that you could probably have found a few tins of snus in there at some point. A couple of months ago, however, highly-anticipated Viking themed carvery and whisky bar, Mjolner, took over. Featuring a rotating menu of one bird, fish, beast and vegetarian dish, as well as an open kitchen and carvery, the Speakeasy group has brought the medieval merriment of Asgard to Redfern. Brick archways, black pillars and roughly-hewn wooden ornaments behind metal grates give Mjolner an architectural brutalism that suits the rowdy-Gods-post-battle-feast theme. With an eye for the fine-dining market, it's tastefully offset by gleaming silver drinking horns on each table and simple but elegant wooden furniture. For all your meat, marrow and mead needs, Mjolner has you covered. [caption id="attachment_631190" align="aligncenter" width="4080"] Flickr: Petra Bensted[/caption] THE LICORICE SHOP, THE ROCKS MARKET Somewhere down the historical line, the Scandinavians forged their own path away from the well-trodden track towards candy and caramel, and settled in the Badlands of the lolly world: liquorice. In fact, it's something of a regional obsession. You may not have grown up gnawing on dried lakris roots and chewing big Nordic brand GaJol's packages of salted liquorice discs, but you might have tried Sweden's soft and chewy Skipper's pipes, had your fair share of Liquorice Allsorts or heard of Johan Bulow's premium and experimental sweets from wind-ravaged North Sea island, Bornholm. Here in Sydney, family-run lolly emporium The Licorice Shop hosts a weekend market stand in The Rocks where you can get your fix. If eating black liquorice sounds like a pure assault on your taste buds and culinary values, there's a multitude of downright delicious fruit and chocolate variations to get your teeth into for an authentic Scandi treat. FUNKIS, PADDINGTON Funkis Swedish Forms is a little homeware and fashion outlet in Paddington brimming with clogs, accessories, design trinkets and gorgeous kitchen ceramics from the FortyNine studio in Marrickville. With rails housing Scandi brands including the iconic Marimekko and RAINS, it's a quick hop-step from looking for a birthday card to buying a statement winter jacket. Out the back is brand new petite garden-café, Koket. Perfect for your afternoon fika, sip coffee in the dreamy paved courtyard surrounded by grasses and olive trees. For a quick bite there are fresh sandwiches in gnarled bread rolls, sticky cinnamon buns and a fridge full of kombucha. For a more leisurely lunchtime detour into Scandi food culture, the Swedish tasting platter — a selection of mini knäckebröd bites topped with cured, grilled and smoked seafood — is not to be missed. PALACE CINEMAS SCANDINAVIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2017 In the wake of the roaring success of Scandi cinema in all its gut-wrenching realism and stark visual glory, Sydney's Scandinavian Film Festival returns to Palace's theatres for another season. Check out works by the best emerging names in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Finnish film, and brush up on classic Nordic Noir with a glass of wine and some tapas. This year's highlights include odes to real-life figures, heart-stirring dramas, explorations of indigenous plights, brooding murder mysteries and the politics of war — in fact, we've picked five highlights if you need more viewing suggestions. HONOURABLE MENTIONS: MORE SCANDI STYLE ON YOUR DOORSTEP The uncomplicated palettes and effortlessly smart tailoring of Nordic style remain unrelentingly à la mode. Get some winter cool in your wardrobe this season with a few Scandi fashion exports. Bright wet-weather wear from Danish brand RAINS and Sweden's Stutterheim nails form and function with simple, unisex silhouettes, with Sydney stockists including Incu, The Iconic and The Stables — where you can also find collections by Danish brand Norse Projects. Or, scout out some Scandi street style at Stockholm fashion house Acne Studios' Sydney outpost in Paddington with thick, slouchy knits in muted autumnal colours and oversized scarves. Plus, The Standard Store in Surry Hills is packed with playful accessories and gifts from bold Danish designer, Henrik Vibskov. And, what a coincidence, you're within reaching distance of rounding off your fashion hunt Copenhagen-style with a long black and a pastry at Bourke Street Bakery.
We've all got a favourite drink to order when we're under pressure at the bar. Having a go-to drink is a source of comfort in an outrageous world of fat-washed cocktails and pear infused espresso martinis. A go-to keeps you steady when you're overwhelmed by options. Being comfortable is nice, but sometimes it's even nicer to throw caution to the wind and take a risk by trying something new. We say risk it, and risk it with The Rusty Nail. This classic Drambuie cocktail was the go-to drink of the Rat Pack boys (that's Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr. and chums if you didn't know) in the '60s. It's a combo of Scotch whisky and spicy, syrupy Drambuie (which is made with herbs, honey and scotch) served with a twist of lemon. The cocktail first appeared in 1937 at a British Industries Fair held in New York, and consisted of Drambuie, scotch whisky and bitters, uninspiringly dubbed the B.I.F. The cocktail then disappeared, but mysteriously popped up in the 1950s USA post-war boom. At the time, and for decades after, it was one of the hottest cocktails going around. The Rusty Nail as we know it today appeared under a variety of different names such as the Mig 21 (in Vietnam), and the D&S (in Manhattan). There are several stories as to how the name 'Rusty Nail' came about. One story mentions rusted nails on the wooden cases of Drambuie that were dropped off in the Hudson and East Rivers in NYC during the Prohibition era, while another cites a bartender stirring the cocktail with a nail. It's most likely that the name has to do with the golden hue Drambuie gave to young Scotch whisky when it was mixed. All good stories, so we don't mind which one is true, and we've probably told all three as gospel after we've indulged in a few Rusty Nails. The cocktail has been given the modern treatment by a fair few bartenders. It's not unheard of to mix Monkey Shoulder with Drambuie for an interesting flavour combination, or to mix tequila or mescal with your Drambuie for an extra kick. Drambuie is a top-notch way to pimp up your cocktails – you can skip using other syrups because the liqueur adds a splash of richness to your experience. The story of Drambuie originates in 1740s Italy. A Scottish prince was sentenced to exile in Rome (doesn't sound too bad, really), and brought his personal recipe of mixing saffron and honey with Scottish whisky with him when he came back over to Scotland in an ill-fated attempt to reclaim the British throne for his father. Prince Charles Edward Stewart's name sits on the shoulders of the bottle as a reminder of how far this recipe has come. Like a cocktail with a little bit of history? Suss out whether there's a bottle of Drambuie skulking around in your liquor cabinet. If there is, call your mates – it's Rusty Nail time. Head down to A Night With the Nail at Sydney jazz club The Swinging Cat every Thursday for three months from September 7. It's your chance to try the Rusty Nail, and to see the bar decked out prohibition-style.
Sydney's LGBTIQ+ scene is thriving. There are great, queer-friendly gatherings happening all around the city, from secret warehouse parties with a BYO policy, to regular drag and queer nights and charity celebrations. The vibes may vary, but the all-inclusive nature prevails. In partnership with Skyy Vodka, who are supporting marriage equality with a #cheerstoequality campaign, we've rounded up five venues, party crews and events that can guarantee a fun time in an atmosphere that's welcoming to all. Whether you're part of the queer community or just tagging along with a friend, here are five of the best queer-friendly spaces Sydney has to offer. HEAPS GAY For the past three years, Heaps Gay has been throwing some of the best LGBTIQ+ parties in Sydney, leading the queer community with intimate events that are all about dancing, art, inclusion, and absolutely no lockouts. The party crew is known for popping up in warehouse spaces across Sydney, as well as hosting events at Mardi Gras, Vivid Sydney and collaborating with Keep Sydney Open. This year Heaps Gay are bringing back their third annual Vivid Festival party, and donating $1 from every ticket to Redfern's community-focused 107 Projects. The Heaps Gay party crew regularly double their paid parties as charity initiatives, an even better reason to join them on an unrestricted night out. [caption id="attachment_606868" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Glitoris: Alli Sebastian Wolf.[/caption] THE BEARDED TIT The Bearded Tit is one of Redfern's most eclectic watering holes, often filled with a host of colourful characters. The bar doubles as an art and creative space, showcasing weird and wonderful local artists (including The Glitoris, by Alli Sebastian Wolf above) and welcoming everyone into its kitschy interior, which features everything from barber chairs and fruit chandeliers, to crocheted penises and a taxidermy boar playing the trumpet. The bar is also known for bringing some of Australia's best pop and dance acts in for a full-on party. Upcoming nights including a live performance for the Broads album launch and a retro Hawaiian-themed fashion show and dance party. The venue has teamed up with the aforementioned Heaps Gay in the past, to create a rooftop pop-up bar for Mardi Gras 2016. SLYFOX Enmore's Slyfox is an all-round party venue, boasting late nights with a stellar lineup of DJs and live bands. Retro decor and a moody atmosphere give the venue a warm and inviting glow, and their regular dance nights have helped put Enmore on the map as a go-to place for queer parties. Their rotation of events run every Tuesday to Sunday, ranging genres from punk, indie and jazz to funk, hip hop, house and techno. Their regular queer nights include the weekly free entry Birdcage party — running every Wednesday, the self proclaimed "queerest shin-dig" in Enmore is about to celebrate their 5th birthday with a blowout bash. Acts include K-pop dropout Nes, the R&B beats of Mowgli May and tropical vibes of Pineapple Pineapple. THE FLINDERS HOTEL The Flinders has gone through a few revamps since closing due to lockouts back in 2015, and once again, it officially relaunched this year in March, partnering with Skyy's #cheerstoequality campaign to celebrate inclusiveness, equality and the return of a classic. While a few things have changed since The Flinders of old closed — including the addition of a swanky marble bar imported from Italy, a custom DJ booth and repainted graffiti walls — the spirit of the original venue is still alive and well, continuing to be 100 percent inclusive and welcoming on Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. The revamp has brought on a new cocktail list of classic favourites and their 3am licence is back in action as well, promising heaps of late night parties with some of the Flinders original DJs to boot. The bar is perfectly situated in the queer centre of the city, making it ideal for a regular party haunt of the LGBTIQ+ community. CANNED FRUIT Canned Fruit is Sydney's newest all-inclusive queer party and they've been making a name for themselves with their regular Canned Fruit Wednesdays at Enmore's Secret Garden Bar. The "juicy" parties promise drag performances, cheap drinks and no labels, along with the requisite dance floor tunes. Past weeks have featured the likes of femme duo Fox Force II, CF preacher Double D and "Enmore's unholiest" Burley Chassis DQ, with upcoming events featuring the fabulous Cherry Kills channelling Patsy Stone and beats master Dunny Minogue. Themes range from "80s and Fabulous" to the iconic film But I'm A Cheerleader. The small bar has become a regular go-to for the inner west queer community, and gives off some serious let loose, anything goes vibes. Show some SKYY Vodka support for marriage equality by taking a selfie and tagging it with #CheerstoEquality and #AusPol. Top image: Heaps Gay.
Bunnings Warehouse is supercharging its usual sausage sizzle, to support a few Aussie communities that are doing it pretty tough. On Friday, January 24, all of the hardware giant's stores will host a special pre-weekend edition of their legendary snag sessions, raising coin for those impacted by drought and the current bushfires. All of the day's sausage profits will go to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. This is the second sizzling fundraiser day that Bunnings has hosted since the bushfire crisis began late last year — a similar nation-wide fundraiser in November raised over $600,000 for non-profit Givit to purchase essential items for communities affected by the bushfires. So, on Friday, grab a snag in bread and show those in need some love — the sausage sizzles will run from 9am–4pm across all Bunnings Warehouses in NSW (and the country). If you can't make it, you can chuck a few dollars into its collection tin over here. For updates and advice on NSW bushfires, head to the RFS website.
Rockpool Bar & Grill is glamorous and over the top — making it a fab spot to really treat yourself. Nested in the grandiose surrounds of the City Mutual Building's art deco interior, dining at this place is an experience to say the least. A marbled open kitchen exposes spunky chefs sweating under heat lamps, atmosphere is aplenty, and the wine selection is more like a bible than list. But what you're really here for is some of Neil Perry's wham bam steak. Loosen your belt buckles, folks, because you ain't leaving without ingesting at least 250g of juicy beef. Word. But before the eating bonanza begins, we recommend you perch at the bar for a couple of beverages. The wine list is over 145 pages long, covering red, white, rosé and fortified drops from across Australia and beyond to Europe, the US, South America and Asia. Move into Rockpool's dining room — it's here where they let the games begin. Start with a half dozen Sydney Rock oysters, the Iberico jamon with Piquillo peppers, olives and pickled onions, or the yellowfin tuna with lemon and Davidson plum. If one had to play the singling out game, we'd call the jamon. From the woodfired grill, there's a neat selection to choose from. Here, we're talking about beef of only the finest quality, of course. The Cape Grim dry aged 36-month-old grass-fed fillet is a lean cut, almost completely without fat and quite possibly what they had in mind when they coined the phrase, "melts in your mouth". Then there's the rib-eye on the bone for the bottomless pits among us. Don't be ashamed, be proud. Add to these a side of potato puree and charcoal-roasted pumpkin and sautéed padron peppers with garlic and sherry vinegar, and you've what we call an almost unchallengeable meal. Rockpool Bar & Grill deserves every last sliver of hype it gets. Steak is its language and warm hospitality its philosophy, so go on, spoil yourself. It's worth every penny. Appears in: Where to Find the Best Burgers in Sydney for 2023 Where to Find the Best Steak in Sydney
From Nutie and Bourke Street Bakery to Paramount Coffee Project, Surry Hills is home to an overwhelming number of cafes. Running a cafe in Surry Hills would be a daunting task, but one of the area's hottest spots, SOUL Deli, is offering something different. It's a Korean cafe and deli, slinging fresh and packaged deli goods, cafe food to have-in and takeaway, and a range of products made by local Korean community members. From the deli, you can purchase a wide variety of kimchi, pickles, sauces and snacks. For those who want to dine in or pick up a morning meal, the menu stretches from cafe classics like the bacon and egg or Korean fried chicken rolls to exciting creations such as kimchi cheese pulled pork sandwiches, a Korean chicken porridge and buttermilk hot cakes with maple syrup and cultured butter. It also makes a great coffee for those looking for their caffeine fix, as well as bellflower and ginger tea, juices and Korean soft drinks. While you're picking up your locally sourced coffee or pulled pork sandwich, you can also shop the range of products that line the walls at SOUL Deli. Browse ceramics, pottery and clothing all from local small businesses and artists. Images: Leigh Griffiths Appears in: Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Sydney
Ever wanted to own your own Banksy original? Well now for a mere $435,000 you can. And while that may sound a bit steep, the price actually isn't that bad when you consider that it includes the entire three bedroom house on which the mural is painted. Located on the side of a two-story terrace in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Spy Booth depicts three secret agents dressed in trenchcoats and dark glasses monitoring a nearby phonebooth with surveillance equipment. Painted in April 2014, it's viewed as a comment on the global surveillance scandal caused by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The house is located just a few kilometres away from the headquarters of the GCHQ, Britain's security and intelligence agency. But while you might imagine that having a Banksy on the side of your house would be a blessing, the owner of 159 Fairview Road says he has experienced constant stress since the appearance of the artwork, which he's been unable to remove or sell since council planners granted it retroactive planning permission. So instead, he's selling the whole building. "If Cheltenham want it, they can have it," 45-year-old David Possee said in an interview. "Just buy the building off me, I just want to get on with my life. Cut me free, you can have the Cheltenham Banksy." Fair warning to any potential bidders out there: while the artwork may be great, the house itself is in need of serious renovations. Or, as real estate agents Peter Ball & Co put it, "requires a comprehensive schedule of refurbishment." To view the listing, go here. Via Domain.
From Friday, November 29 to Sunday, December 1, Wine Island is back, but not as you know it — for the first time, the festivities are departing Clark Island and coming ashore to Watsons Bay, taking over the Gap Bluff area of the Sydney Harbour National Park. What won't change, however, are the jaw-dropping harbour views and the holiday vibes, so prepare to sip your way around the world, one delicious drop at a time. Festivalgoers can embark on a global tasting adventure with Wine Island's top-notch drinks and culinary highlights. Savour your way through a curated lineup of top cellar doors from vineyards such as Kies Family Wines, DAS Juice, Chateau Tanunda and Rameau d'Or, to name only a few. You can also discover some of Australia's best distilleries and craft breweries, including Broulee Brewhouse, Papa Salt Gin and Lūla Rum. Once you've had a taste of home, it's time to experience the Mediterranean. You won't need your passport to access The Amalfi Beach Club, where stunning waterfront vistas go hand-in-hand with luscious Italian wines, spritzes and irresistible beachside pizzettes. Who needs a Euro-summer jaunt when you have this little slice of the Med right on your doorstep? From the shores of Italy, to the kitchens of South America — it's time to get a bite. The Flavour Fiesta dining precinct is bringing the heat with yummy eats from Carbón, Cancun Boat Club, Santa Catarina, Brazilian Flame and BrOz Burger. And of course, there will be plenty of Tequilas, Mezcals, and Margaritas to wash it all down. But Wine Island isn't just about sipping and snacking — it's also about diving into other kinds of fun (with a glass in hand). Unleash your creativity at the Pottery & Plonk workshop, find a moment of zen with Yoga & Unwined, or expand your vino knowledge at the Wine Selectors Tasting Terrace. In the mood to dance? Club Tropicana's silent disco blends good music and great wine for a playful twist on your typical weekend boogie. For those who want to take the experience up a notch, First Class (VIP) tickets offer a range of exclusive perks, including uninterrupted harbour views in a private seating area, an International Wine Bar, a Greek barbecue feast, and access to the Oyster & Yarra Valley Caviar bar. It's the luxury escape you've been dreaming of.
Why make one drink when you can make ten? Batched cocktails have grown significantly in popularity across the cocktail world. They're a great, easy option for the amateur bartender — particularly useful when you're hosting a party, because you're not going to be stuck behind the bar all night mixing drinks if you plan ahead. You'd expect that bartenders would turn up their nose at a pre-mixed cocktail, but the trend has caught on in multiple Australasian venues — it turns out they love pre-mixing too. One of the main reasons why is that it's much more practical for bartender and consumer. They don't have to spend 15 minutes mixing and muddling up a complex cocktail, and you don't have to wait. Cocktail ingredients are pre-prepared (bars usually pre-mix cocktails two to three hours before opening), and the ingredients in the drink are left to infuse. When you're using gin, this means there's enough time for botanicals to infuse with the other ingredients, and richer, bolder flavours appear. In partnership with Bombay Sapphire, we asked Sean Forsyth (the Bombay Sapphire Australian ambassador) to show us how to mix up a big batch of Coffee Negronis — literally just the Negroni cocktail you know and love with cold-drip coffee added. Like a Negroni, coffee is sweet, bitter and complex — so it's the perfect ingredient to complement and spice up this famous gin cocktail. Get your hands on some cold-drip and you've got yourself a breakfast-appropriate cocktail. "If you walk into a bar and they don't know how to make a Negroni, leave," Forsyth says. He's right. To make a Negroni you just need to know how to mix gin, vermouth and Campari — it's easy. To make a batch of Coffee Negronis, you need water, a one-litre measuring jug, a funnel and a one-litre glass bottle instead of a shaker. It's getting much, much easier to make good cocktails. THE COFFEE NEGRONI (Serves 10) Ingredients: 250ml Bombay Sapphire 200ml Martini Rosso 200ml Campari 100ml cold drip espresso 250ml water 1 litre sealable glass bottle Method: Using a funnel and a one-litre measuring jug, build ingredients into a clean one-litre glass bottle Shake and add into the freezer one hour before service Pour into rocks glass filled with cubed ice Garnish with an orange slice Images: Kimberley Low.
The world's best game of connect the dots is currently happening in Brisbane. Step foot inside Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art, and it begins — first with a multi-coloured, circled-covered sculpture, then with giant yellow spheres suspended from the ceiling. Bright canvases blasted with tiny pinpricks, portraits of animals surrounded by giant rings, mannequins with orb-like structures protruding from their torso — the list goes on. They're present on paintings of pumpkins, on recreations of the Venus de Milo and when you peer into a mirrored hexagon through a circular porthole. Of course, given that GOMA is currently playing host to a free 70-plus piece retrospective of Yayoi Kusama's work, dots are inescapable. Whether peppered across other objects, floating through the air or plastered across a white room by a willing audience, they've been a part of the Japanese artist's work since she was ten years old. Ask her why, and she has a simple answer: "I am just another dot in the world," she has famously replied — and it couldn't better encapsulate the feeling of looking at her repetition-filled, infinity-pondering artistry. That sentiment doesn't just echo throughout the gallery. It's written on one of its walls — not that visitors need the reminder, given the round shapes that linger everywhere you look. The exhibition might be called Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow after one of her most recent pieces, but at the heart of that rainbow sits a giant circle. Yes, we mean that literally. It's one of the last paintings on display, so you'll see it for yourself. Co-curated with the National Gallery Singapore, where the exhibition displayed until September, the vast showcase also spans everything from Kusama's 'net' paintings and soft sculptures to her black-and-white pieces and video work — and, all of the dot-flecked pieces that you could imagine. Running in Brisbane until February 11, 2018, it's an immersive experience that has to be seen to be truly understood and appreciated. Here's six things to look out for along the way. [caption id="attachment_646485" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] I WANT TO LOVE ON THE FESTIVAL NIGHT A mirrored hexagonal box isn't the type of thing that you see every day. Neither is the kaleidoscopic array of colourful lights shining brightly inside. An Instagrammer's dream, I WANT TO LOVE ON THE FESTIVAL NIGHT was specially created for the exhibition's Singapore stint, though it has evolved from her 1966 effort, Kusama's Peep Show. You'll want to peer into each of the structure's three viewing holes, and, given the changing hues, you'll want to stay staring through each for at least a few minutes. [caption id="attachment_646487" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] THE HEART OF KUSAMA'S RAINBOW Colour abounds in Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow, just like dots; but standing in one particular room in the exhibition will make you feel like you're bathing in several pails of paint. The bright, spiky shapes of Kusama's sculptures combine with the vibrant hues and vivid lines in her paintings, making the room seem alive. And that's without featuring any of the artist's immersive installations in this specific space. [caption id="attachment_646493" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] THE OBLITERATION ROOM It's an old favourite for a reason, and it's back. Interactive in the best, brightest and most fun possible way, The Obliteration Room stems from Kusama's childhood perception, seeing the world through a screen of tiny dots. After "obliterating" her work with dots from that moment, she now asks everyone else to do the same. You step inside a room, painted white from floor to ceiling — including all of its surfaces, fixtures, furniture and objects too — and then add spots of colour in sticker form. Yes, running around sticking spots on everything is as fun and therapeutic as it sounds. [caption id="attachment_646512" align="aligncenter" width="1926"] Sarah Ward[/caption] SOUL UNDER THE MOON Other than dots, one thing is certain at Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow: whatever day or time you visit, there'll be a line visible on the other side of the exhibition entrance. It's for the most immersive aspect of the show, and it's well worth the wait. While you're only allowed inside SOUL UNDER THE MOON for 30 seconds given the queue, you'll find a dark, mirrored room filled with suspended glowing balls awaiting once you enter. Be careful not to step too far when you're marvelling at its luminous sights that appear to go on forever (or taking snaps), or you'll find yourself in water. [caption id="attachment_646510" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Sarah Ward[/caption] PUMPKINS AND POLLEN If you can wander through Life Is the Heart of a Rainbow and leave without feeling the need to eat pumpkin, then you clearly haven't spent enough time looking at Kusama's orange corner. You won't just find paintings of vegetables on display here, but sculptures that look like mutated pollen, a horror-movie like tentacle piece called Sex Obsession, and quite the blend of fabric, stylised anatomy and paint. Just when your cravings subside, however, you'll enter the mirrored THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS — and you'll be seeing pumpkins for days. [caption id="attachment_646494" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Anwyn Howarth[/caption] KUSAMA'S VIDEO WORK Amidst the colour, movement, mirrors and dots of GOMA's exhibition, it's easy to walk past the dark room out the back — but don't. Inside, you'll find documents and video works from throughout Kusama's career, plus a seat to sit down and watch. Doing just that is recommended, whether you want to see the artist walk through the streets five decades ago, or see her stick dots on a cat. Yes, the latter does happen, and yes, it's as fantastic as it sounds. "If there's a cat, I obliterate it by putting polka dot stickers on it," is another of her famous quotes, after all. Yayoi Kusama: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow exhibits at Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art until 11 February 2018. For more information, head to the gallery website. Images: Anwyn Howarth / Sarah Ward.
Dessert king Reynold Poernomo is expanding his sugary empire, with the former MasterChef contestant and co-owner of Chippendale's KOI Dessert Bar opening a second location on the other side of town. Slinging sweet treats as of today — Friday, April 21 — KOI Ryde will feature the same decadent creations Poernomo's fans have come to expect, while also offering cooking classes with some of Sydney's best dessert chefs. The Ryde dessert bar will be run by Reynold along with his mother Ike and his brothers Ronald and Arnold, but it won't be a carbon copy of the Chippendale venue. Although it will function as a cafe where you can eat your cake straight out of the cabinet, the team hopes to also introduce a brand new menu offering (brunch is on the cards) and even monthly chef's table dinners. The space will also function as the production facility for all the cakes and pastries sold at both KOI locations and a masterclass kitchen, which will host classes by Sydney's best bakers, along with Poernomo himself. As for what you'll be scoffing on, expect KOI staples including the bright green mango yuzu made with mango mousse, yuzu curd and almond sable, and the coconut kalamansi featuring coconut mousse, white cheese, kalamansi (like a Filipino lime) curd and chocolate sable. We are ready for you, tomorrow 10am! #koidb #dessert #pastry #sydneydessert #ryde A post shared by KOI Dessert Bar (@koidb) on Apr 20, 2017 at 3:03am PDT KOI Dessert Kitchen Ryde is now open from 10am till 10pm Tuesday to Sunday at Shop 3, 62-66 Blaxland Street, Ryde. For more info, visit koidessertbar.com.au.
She's made a living filling your Instagram feed with insane baked creations that wouldn't look out of place in Willy Wonka's factory. Now, high-school teacher turned self-taught dessert queen Katherine Sabbath is taking things to the next level by crowdfunding her very own 3D pop-up cookbook. Titled Katherine Sabbath - Greatest Hits - The Pop Edition, the 80-page hardcover book will feature 40 unique, removable, "kitchen proof" recipe cards, and ten intricate paper pop-ups, which will be created by Sydney paper artist Benja Harney (who we recently got to make us a burger piñata). Sabbath hopes to raise $227,000 by mid-December, enough to publish an initial run of 5000 copies. A pledge of $65 will get you your very own copy of the book, with an expected delivery date of September 2017. The book will have a recommended retail price of $80 once it hits stores. "Home bakers will be able to recreate all of my most well-known cakes and recipes," wrote Sabbath as part of her Kickstarter pitch. "The high-quality recipe cards are designed, for functional, everyday use in the kitchen, whilst the book itself is a beautiful art piece. Every cake featured also comes with its own story, revealing my inspiration behind each creation. A keepsake of dessert inspiration and paper engineering to both admire and display!" For those unfamiliar with her work (your dentist would be proud of you, to be honest), Sabbath rose to fame thanks to her absurd cakes and other sweet creations, and has since worked with the likes of Luke Mangan and Anna Polyviou. For more information, or to chip in a few bucks, check out Sabbath's project on Kickstarter. You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram for more insane dessert photos. Images: Nikki To.
UPDATE: DECEMBER 10, 2018 — As it approaches the one-year mark, The Book of Mormon has announced that its final performance will be held on February 8, 2019 — and 10,000 tickets have just been released. You can currently book $69 tickets for shows between December 16 and February 3 next year. If you're one of the few Sydneysiders that haven't seen it yet, you might want to jump on it while you can — the tickets will only be available until December 16. Book them here. First, posters popped up around Sydney saying 'the mormons are coming' and come February, they'll officially be here. If you thought you were going to have to head down to Melbourne to catch The Book of Mormon, think again, because Trey Parker and Matt Stone's hit musical is bringing its hilariously irreverent self to the Sydney Lyric Theatre. After playing most of 2017 down south, the multi-award-winning production will settle in for a Sydney season from February 28, 2018. Tickets are now on sale for its second Australian stint, and given that all of its 250-plus performances have sold out in Melbourne, it's certain to prove a hot ticket. Written by South Park and Team America's notoriously puerile creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, together with Robert Lopez of genius grown-up muppet show Avenue Q, The Book of Mormon is probably one of the most lauded comedies ever to have centred on the Church of Latter Day Saints, African missions, AIDS, bum jokes and super ironic racism. If it wasn't so smart and so funny, few would forgive it. But since it is, The Book of Morman has picked up nine Tonys, four Olivier Awards, a Grammy and two Helpmanns since it debuted in 2011, and has been called "one of the most joyously acidic bundles Broadway has unwrapped in years". If you've been envious of the throngs seeing the musical in New York, Chicago or London, then you'll be plenty excited that you'll now get the chance to go learn all the idiosyncratic details of Mormonism, meet war criminal General Butt-Fucking Naked and know the true meaning of the hakuna matata-like saying 'Hasa Diga Eebowai'. The Book of Mormon has also introduced an online lottery for those wanting to nab some affordable $40 tix. Every week, eight double passes will be up for grabs for the week ahead — just enter the lottery here between midday on Wednesday and midday on Thursday. The show will still run a lottery at the theatre every night, but, this way, you don't have to actually go to the theatre without the promise of a seat. Image: Ryan Bondy, Zahra Newman, Nyk Bielak and company in The Book of Mormon, AUS 1411. (c) Jeff Busby. By Sarah Ward and Libby Curran.
Sydney bass-boy and nationally-recognised cool guy Hayden James is bringing his massively popular techno musings to venues all over Australia. James only appeared on the scene in 2013, cropping up like most modern beat artists on exclusively online mediums like Soundcloud and YouTube, however it wasn't very long before he garnered quite the hefty fanbase. International touring schedules ensued, landing his precise, near-minimalistic take on hard hitting beats, summery harmonies and techno bass in front of thousands of dancing fans. James has spent the formative portion of the last few months touring the US and Europe, and following a brief stop over in Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Bali will be bringing his Just a Lover tour to Aussie shores. Starting at Brisbane's Triffid on August 26, then onto Max Watts in Melbourne for August 27, he'll spend September 2 at Perth's Villa Nightclub, September 10 at the Fat Controller in Adelaide, before a final blowout in his hometown Sydney, at the Metro Theatre. Supported by Dena Amy.
Don't believe anyone who tells you that you can't like both arts and sports. Whenever a film or TV awards ceremony rolls around, that's clearly proven wrong. Watching great movies and television shows get the attention they deserve, as well as the talented folks that make them, is the screen entertainment equivalent of a grand final — with the same amount of thrills. At this year's Golden Globes, that included a red carpet filled with black-hued outfits to make an important statement, Oprah Winfrey giving one of the most inspiring and extraordinary speeches you'll ever hear about oppression and the fight for equality, and host Seth Meyers making Kevin Spacey jokes. And that's not to mention Tommy Wiseau living his dreams and taking to the stage, Natalie Portman pointing out that there was not one female nominated for best director and Amy Poehler popping up as well. Plus, whether some of your most anticipated films of 2018 won plenty of shiny ornaments (hello The Shape of Water and Lady Bird) or you're certain the best damn thing on any big or small screen was thoroughly robbed (yes, we're talking about Twin Peaks), we can still watch all of the best and the rest once the ceremonies are over. Indeed, this year's Globes winners have gifted us all with quite the must-watch list of both quality efforts to catch up on, and others coming to screens near us soon. Here's our pick of their picks. Get viewing. BIG SCREEN MUST-SEES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFYWazblaUA& THE SHAPE OF WATER Building his career out of monster movies in multiple guises, Guillermo del Toro has proven himself a master at creature features of the moving and unusual kind — think Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim and even haunted house effort Crimson Peak. Compared to the above, The Shape of Water floats through its own stream of romance and drama, and yet it could've only been made by this year's Golden Globe winner for best director. Here, Sally Hawkins plays a mute woman who works nights cleaning at a top-secret government lab, only to fall for its prized possession: a man-like amphibian. The film won top honours at last year's Venice Film Festival, and it's likely to keep collecting them in the next couple of months. It's that entrancing and wonderful. GLOBES Won: Best Director — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Alexandre Desplat) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Sally Hawkins), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Octavia Spencer), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Richard Jenkins), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor) In cinemas January 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzgTHyEv5Ng LADY BIRD Greta Gerwig, sitting solo in the director's chair for the first time in her career, didn't even score a nomination in that Golden Globes category. No female filmmakers did. As ridiculous as that is, her film won half of the fields it was nominated in anyway. A clearly personal endeavour for the Frances Ha and Mistress America star, Lady Bird wanders through life in her hometown of Sacramento circa 2002, spinning the exploits of its titular character (Saoirse Ronan) into one of the most relatable coming-of-age flicks to grace the big screen in years. No wonder it took out the gong for best musical or comedy film, and that fantastic Irish talent Ronan (Brooklyn) won best actress in the same category. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (Saoirse Ronan) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Laurie Metcalfe), Best Screenplay - Motion Picture (Greta Gerwig) In cinemas February 15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aZ3r-84EQc THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI If Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri wasn't already an Oscar frontrunner, it is now, winning best drama, best actress in a drama, best supporting actor and best screenplay. They're all well-earned awards for Martin McDonagh's black comedy about a mourning mother doing whatever it takes to motivate her local police force, though none is more deserved than star Frances McDormand's. She's in typical top form spouting McDonagh's typically coarse dialogue; however, the always-fantastic Rockwell shouldn't be underestimated for bringing nuance to a difficult role either. Our only gripe about its Globes success? That the fleet-footed Rockwell didn't dance when he won his statuette. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama (Frances McDormand), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Sam Rockwell), Best Screenplay — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh) Nominated: Best Director — Motion Picture (Martin McDonagh), Best Original Score — Motion Picture (Carter Burwell) In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DT41LF22ZA THE DISASTER ARTIST Well, we all know what The Disaster Artist 2 should focus on. James Franco might've won best actor in a musical or comedy for playing Tommy Wiseau, but there wasn't a fan of The Room didn't break into an enormous smile when the real-life man himself took to the stage as well. He might've missed out on another chance to leap up when The Disaster Artist couldn't turn its second nomination — for best musical or comedy flick — into a trophy, but he stole the show as he tried to steal the microphone away from the man who imitated him perfectly. Next stop: the Oscars, hopefully. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy (James Franco) Nominated: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy In cinemas now — read our review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyjnzhXJlHU IN THE FADE Diane Kruger may be the most famous German-born actress working today, but she hadn't starred in a German-language film until In the Fade. At Cannes last year, she won best actress for her troubles, but at the Golden Globes, it was the movie's time to shine. Under writer/director Fatih Akin's guidance, the best foreign-language feature winner is an exploration of terror, mourning and revenge that — like much of what we're seeing on screens these days — is all-too timely and relevant. It's also on the shortlist for the same field at the Oscars, so expect to keep hearing about it. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Foreign Language Release date TBC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DIm1PyBSwc COCO In an industry increasingly ruled by sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots, resurrections, cinematic universes and franchises that'll still be going long after we're all dead, it's always a joy to see a studio rewarded for taking a chance. While Pixar was once known for only making original stories — albeit, always about toys, monsters, robots and even feelings having feelings — their love of follow-ups like the terrible Cars 3 changed that. Then came Coco, which isn't the first animated film to play with Mexico's Dîa de los Muertos celebrations, but it is the most gorgeous, engaging and heart-swelling. A great pick for best animated film, it overflows with warmth and authenticity as it charts a 12-year-old boy chasing his music dreams into the Land of the Dead. GLOBES Won: Best Motion Picture — Animated Nominated: Best Original Song — Motion Picture In cinemas now — read our review. FUTURE SMALL SCREEN BINGES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmwkTrW4OQ THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL Calling all Amy Sherman-Palladino fans. If you loved Gilmore Girls and Bunheads, then you'll follow the American TV writer, director and producer anywhere, including to her latest show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Winning best comedy TV series, and best actress for star Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards) too, it's the best show you probably haven't seen yet about a New York housewife trying out her stand-up comedy chops in the late 1950s. It should come as no surprise that Joan Rivers was one of the inspirations for the series, and that it is equally hilarious, heartfelt and finely observed, with the usual Sherman-Palladino charms in abundance. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy (Rachel Brosnahan) Now streaming on Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9P34WqoBtQ BIG LITTLE LIES The series everyone was talking about in early 2017 just keeps garnering attention — turning a limited run into a second season, sweeping the Emmys and now doing the same at the Golden Globes. The only nods Big Little Lies didn't turn into victories? When it had two actresses competing against each other in both the lead and supporting actress categories. Winners Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgård, and nominees Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley all star in this adaptation of Aussie Liane Moriarty's novel, about the mothers of first-graders attending the same school in California's Monterey. With filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild, Cafe de Flore) in the director's chair for all seven episodes, it's a deep and complex ride through topics that aren't always thrust into the spotlight. GLOBES Won: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Nicole Kidman), Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Alexander Skarsgård), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Laura Dern) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Reese Witherspoon), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Shailene Woodley) Now streaming on Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTonrzXTJs THE HANDMAID'S TALE 2017 couldn't have been been a better time for The Handmaid's Tale to make it to the small screen. If that felt true when it first aired, the series' depiction of the oppression of women in a near-future dystopian society only proved more powerful as events played out in Hollywood as the year went on. The show's topical nature is only one of the its selling points, however, with everything about the adaptation of Margaret Atwood's ahead-of-its-time novel drawing you into an utterly unnerving realm. Standout and best actress in a drama winner Elisabeth Moss is particularly fantastic as Offred, one of the still-fertile women forced into sexual servitude to bear the ruling elite's children, while the series' mastery of mood and tone will give you literal chills. GLOBES Won: Best Television Series — Drama, Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series — Drama (Elisabeth Moss) Nominated: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Ann Dowd) Now streaming on SBS On Demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzwZZjPHv3A FARGO When the idea of turning the Coen brothers' Oscar-winning black comedy Fargo into a television show was floated, fans were understandably skeptical. So specific in its tone, so tied to its directors' sensibilities and so driven by Frances McDormand's ace lead performance, would it work on the small screen? And if an attempt to do just that failed in 1997, why would it succeed now? Those fears were easily quelled by the excellent end result, and the anthology series has continued its stellar run across not one, or two, but three series to date. In the latest, newly minted best actor in a limited series winner Ewan McGregor plays two very different brothers, in another account of greed, crime and stupidity in snowy Minnesota climes. GLOBES Won: Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Ewan McGregor) Nominated: Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (David Thewlis) Now streaming on Netflix.
In partnership with Stoneleigh, and in collaboration with Cornersmith, we're hosting a wild soda workshop at the Stoneleigh Hotel in Chippendale on December 1. In a house that's been decked out with overgrown plants, vines and wine, Cornersmith's head fermenter Jaimee Edwards will show you how to make wild soda, and supervise as you make one of your own. You'll also get to taste test some of Stoneleigh's Wild Valley wine range as Edwards explains the relationship between wild fermentation winemaking and wild soda. Cornersmith in Marrickville have been dishing out superfoods and delicious coffee to the people of the Inner West for a while now. At their picklery next door they hold fermentation workshops — cheesemaking, pickling and fermenting vegetables like kimchi. The workshops aim to give everyday folks the opportunity to get their hands dirty and create something from nothing, at the same time teaching people to lean towards sustainability. If you'd like to get involved and be one of 60 people to attend, register your details here. We're holding four sessions — at 5.30pm, 6pm, 6.30pm and 7pm. If you can't make it, go DIY and follow our handy how-to guide — it's sure to become your favourite summer drink. [competition]599348[/competition] Find the overgrown Stoneleigh Hotel is at 48 Kensington Street, Chippendale from November 11 until December 3. Images: Steven Woodburn and Michael Wickham.
Internationally celebrated sculptor Ron Mueck returns to Sydney this summer with his most significant Australian exhibition in over a decade. Ron Mueck: Encounter — exclusive to the Art Gallery of NSW — brings together nearly one-third of the Melbourne-born artist's oeuvre from his three-decade career, sourced from major public and private collections around the globe. Most of the works have never been shown publicly in Australia, making this the country's largest and most comprehensive survey of Mueck's visionary practice to date. Since reshaping the language of figurative sculpture in the late 1990s, Mueck has captivated audiences worldwide with his hyperreal, meticulously crafted figures and bold shifts in scale. His sculptures chart intimate psychological terrain — moments of vulnerability, connection, alienation and observation — distilled into forms that feel at once familiar and otherworldly. In Encounter, these works — often of surprising scale — invite us to examine our relationship with the world and with one another. [caption id="attachment_1052934" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ron Mueck 'Woman with Sticks' 2009–10, mixed media, 170 × 183 × 120 cm, Collection Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Paris, acquired 2013 © Ron Mueck, photo: Gautier Deblonde[/caption] The exhibition's centrepiece is 'Havoc 2025', a monumental new installation created especially for Sydney and unveiled at AGNSW for the first time. This immersive work places the viewer in a tense, cinematic stand-off between two packs of colossal dogs, their muscular stillness charged with unsettling intensity. Part sculpture, part psychological tableau, 'Havoc' is a larger-than-life reflection of our current moment, while showcasing Mueck's unmatched ability to fuse technical precision with visceral impact. Together, these works create a rare opportunity to experience Mueck's world up close — and a must-see for fans of contemporary art. [caption id="attachment_1052937" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Installation view of the 'Ron Mueck: Encounter' exhibition, featuring 'Havoc' 2025, courtesy the artist © Ron Mueck, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Anna Kucera[/caption] Top image: Installation view of the 'Ron Mueck: Encounter' exhibition, featuring 'Couple Under an Umbrella' 2013/2015, Giverny Capital Collection © Ron Mueck, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Felicity Jenkins.
What started out as a humble hunt for the perfect pilsner took head brewer Mike Beresford Jones on a decade-long quest. This brought him from making a home brewing kit and going on a beer-making journey through The Netherlands to creating a brewery in his own garage. Then word got out about just how bloody good his beers were during a crowdfunding and recruitment drive, and he decided to finally open 7th Day Brewing — a brewery bar deep in the Northern Beaches. The result of all this is a venue that is all about community, sustainability and damn fine beer. These days, 7th Day is firmly entrenched in the community and churns out beers like the Mango Hazy IPA, Pacific Ales, Raspberry Sour Cider, XPAs and the famous pilsner. The taps rotate regularly but rest assured, plenty of fine drops are available at all times. The brewery's atmosphere is friendly, unpretentious, and almost entirely recycled. Timber stairs that once adorned the brewery's front suddenly became a beautiful wooden bar, while the fence out the back is made from old timber palates. Blokes relieve themselves against recycled kegs (in the urinals) while disused surfboards create the signage and chandelier above the hot-yellow pool table. There's a hydroponic plant wall, which we're guessing also does a lot of good, sustainable stuff. It's open Wednesday to Sunday with plenty of shenanigans all week —think pizzas and trivia on Wednesdays, food specials on Thursdays, cheap pints on Fridays, DJ sets and a dance floor on Saturdays and live music on Sundays. If you're a Northern Beaches local, get there as soon as possible. And if you're not, be sure to set aside a weekend and make a mission of it. The vibe from the beaches is hard to replicate, but the 7th Day Brewery crew has it sorted. And it all started with a home brew kit and a garage brewery.
Lovers of cinema and hummus-fuelled picnics rejoice: the Moonlight Cinema program has finally arrived and it’s looking mighty good. The lineup features some of this year's biggest new Hollywood releases alongside more demure titles, family favourites and age-old classics, so you can guarantee you’ll find something that piques your interest. Let’s start with the bigwigs What better way to see the big releases of summer than outdoors on a balmy night? Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two and SPECTRE are all showing and (we’d imagine) best viewed under the stars. We’re also thrilled to see a fair whack of female-centric films in the lineup too, as well as an array of movies that cover hitherto taboo topics in the popular cinema circuit. Joy, starring everyone’s favourite human Jennifer Lawrence, follows the unconventional story of a mother of three as she builds a business empire in the '90s; Suffragette is an important historical period drama about women's fight for the vote in pre-war Britain and appropriately features a dreamy cast of unique and unapologetic women including Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter. We’ve also got The Danish Girl, featuring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, which explores the life of transgender artist Lili Elbe. Closer to home on Australia Day, we’ve got The Dressmaker, a montage of Kate Winslet looking hot and Liam Hemsworth looking filthy hot (maybe other things happen in the plot too but why would they bother?). And at the other end of the spectrum is the lighthearted comedy Sisters, featuring unstoppable duo Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. But don’t think the gentlemen miss out. The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio’s latest Oscar bid, was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (of Birdman fame) so you can guarantee it’ll be equally beautiful, dramatic and weird. And if you miss The Martian or missed Jurassic World in cinemas, you can catch them at Moonlight sessions too. As always Moonlight Cinema will be throwing back to classics: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Top Gun, Dirty Dancing and Grease. Tickets are on sale now for the summer sessions so get booking lest you get stuck in front of Dirty Grandpa (yes, a film where you can see Robert Deniro making out with April Ludgate while Zac Efron wears a vast array of golfing sweaters — that is apparently showing too :/). Moonlight Cinema runs across Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide from December 3, Perth from December 5 and Brisbane from December 16. Tickets are on sale now from the Moonlight Cinema website.
It's not every festival feels like a country weekend fete that just happens to be headlined by say, Father John Misty. Fairgrounds, Australia's newest boutique camping festival descended on the small NSW town of Berry last December to big ups. Taking over the local Berry Showgrounds, Fairgrounds boasted all the trimmings of a major music festival with the essence of a local fair — with a mini-Meredith lineup to boot. And this December 2 and 3, it's back for another two-day round. Last year's festival was headlined by the high priest of folk balladry, Father John Misty, alongside Brooklyn's rocktronica duo Ratatat, Portland/New Zealand's genre-defying Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Sydney's raucous garage favourites Royal Headache and Melbourne's soul virtuoso Meg Mac. Fairgrounds brought the best bits of Meredith to Berry for one (bloody hot) day of laidback sets at the showground. This year's lineup is yet to be announced, so stay tuned. With a strong focus on the local South Coast area, however, Fairgrounds wasn't just about the tunes. Local nosh, local market stalls and the local swimming pool played equally starring roles at this multifaceted festival — something we're sure made Berry residents pretty happy. Between watching Searching for Sugarman at the openair cinema, sack races, bouts of tug-of-war and dips in Berry's local pool (within the festival grounds and equipped with hectic DJ sets), punters feasted on local delights, from South Coast candy from Berry's own Treat Factory, and fresh rock oysters from An Australian Affair, harvested less than half an hour from the festival site. Plus pies, pies, pies, pies, pies. Straight-up, it warmed our jaded little hearts to see a smaller scale festival like Fairgrounds supporting local nosh, something still spearheaded by the likes of local loving' bigwigs like Bluesfest and Splendour. Although there were a few food shortages and longish waits, Fairgrounds' menu was a slam dunk of a local spread, one worth waiting for (if you tried the oysters). Fairgrounds returns to Berry Showgrounds on December 2 and 3. Lineup yet to be announced. Check out our gallery of happy snaps from last year's festival. Images: Andy Fraser.
