It marked the filmmaking debut of Orson Welles, took inspiration from the life of US media tycoon William Randolph Hearst and received nine Academy Award nominations — and, since first hitting screens back in 1941, has long been regarded the greatest movie ever made. That feature, of course, is Citizen Kane. And while David Fincher isn't daring to remake it, his new film will take audiences behind the scenes of the famed production. Called Mank, Fincher's 11th directorial effort is named after screenwriter Herman J Mankiewicz — a drama critic for The New York Times and The New Yorker who is co-credited with writing Citizen Kane with Welles. As shot in inky, evocative black and white, Mank spends time with its titular figure as he's trying to finish penning the iconic script, and follows not only his clashes with Welles over the material, but the general ups and downs of 1930s Hollywood. Gary Oldman plays Mankiewicz, while the rest of the star-studded cast includes Amanda Seyfried as actor and Hearst mistress Marion Davies, Lily Collins as Mank's secretary Rita Alexander, Game of Thrones' alum Charles Dance as Hearst himself and The Souvenir's Tom Burke as Welles. Also adding to the movie's high-profile names, Fincher has recruited The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Gone Girl's Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor (yes, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor) to compose the score. As the just-dropped first full trailer for Mank shows, Fincher has set himself quite the task; "you cannot capture a man's entire life in two hours — all you can hope is to leave the impression of one," the clip itself tells viewers. But this is clearly a passion project for the acclaimed Fight Club and Zodiac filmmaker, as it's based on a script by his late father, Jack Fincher. In fact, the younger Fincher was originally slated to make the film back in the 90s, but it didn't come to fruition until now. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSfX-nrg-lI&feature=youtu.be Mank will release in select cinemas from November 19, before hitting Netflix on December 4.
Slap on that sunscreen and ready your most durable festival shoes. The annual pre-summer celebration of community spirit, craftiness and general shenanigans that is Newtown Festival is just over a month away and this year, there's a whole seven days of festivities to immerse yourself in pre-festival day. That's right, an entire week of festival-ing. The inaugural Newtown Festival Week will sunny up your life and douse you in community vibes and warm fuzzy feels from November 1, culminating with the much-loved and ever-sun-fuelled festival day on Sunday, November 9 in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park. As always, your gold coin donation on the day goes to the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, which provides social support services to disadvantaged people in the Inner West. The program for the week includes events, gigs and workshops showcasing the community's creativity and individuality, and a list of food and drink specials sure to have mouths watering and lines forming. "We thought it was time to take the celebrations back to the streets, and remind everyone of just how much we’ve got to offer in this neighbourhood," says festival director Sue Andersen. And what they've got to offer is pretty damn exciting, Newtown. Highlights of the week include live music at Corridor and Miss Peaches, a festival edition of Tokyo Sing Song's loose late night cabaret Care?-E?-Okay!, and Repressed Records' Only Mildly Neighbour Unfriendly Experimental Music Night. With a special burger at Mary's, and a festival combo at Bloodwood that'll leave change in your pocket for a scoop of one Gelato Blue's boozy, bespoke festival flavours, they've got you covered for satisfyingly Instagrammable eats as well. The 2014 festival's theme is 'Newtown Republic' — a cheeky nod to the individuality and community spirit of the suburb. The extension of the festival to the surrounding streets and businesses in the week leading up to it seems kind of natural — it's all about mutual support, inclusivity, and celebrating the local. Newtown Festival Week runs November 1–9. Check out the full program here.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, it's not time to go home yet — you just need to kick on just a little while longer. So, where do you go when you want to drink and dine with your pals well into the wee hours? Where can you channel the late (and great) Prince and party like it's 1999? These spots. We've partnered with Heineken to pull together this list of five top kick on venues, which prove the lockout laws haven't dampened Sydney's party spirit. Grab your mates, and a Heineken, and check 'em out.
The Kid LAROI hasn't locked in exact dates for his rescheduled Down Under shows for 2024 as yet, after his first-ever Down Under stadium tour was postponed from February, and will now take place in October instead. You can still spend time with the Australian singer-songwriter before summer is over, however, thanks to the just-announced Kids Are Growing Up — because The Kid LAROI is getting the feature-length documentary treatment. Directed by Michael D Ratner, the film features interviews with The Kid LAROI, obviously, as well as Justin Bieber, Post Malone and more. Fans will know the general story that the doco follows, exploring how Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard became a teenage star with global fame. But, as it charts not just the successes but also the pressures along the way — especially for someone Howard's age — this is a behind-the-scenes story. Arriving on Prime Video worldwide on Thursday, February 29, Kids Are Growing Up started filming before 'Stay' became a huge hit, and also covers Howard navigating his mentor Juice WRLD's death. The path from being an unknown talent to selling out arenas is also covered, as is mental health, love, and getting ready for The Kid LAROI's first studio album The First Time and corresponding world tour — plus the quest for happiness along the way. "I can't wait for audiences to see this behind-the-scenes portrayal of my journey, which perfectly encapsulates some of the most rewarding and challenging years of my life and career so far," said Howard, announcing the documentary. Director Ratner also helmed 2021's Justin Bieber: Our World, and founded OBB Pictures, the production company behind both Bieber's and now The Kid LAROI's films. There's no word yet when the 'Without You', 'Thousand Miles', 'Love Again' musician's Down Under shows will lock in their new dates, after they were postponed so that Howard could confirm a "really big surprise and special guest" — alongside ONEFOUR, who will also be on the bill — and also due to "a bunch of other logistical stuff". In the interim, he's touring Europe in April. Kids Are Growing Up will be available via Prime Video from Thursday, February 29. Top image: Adam Kargenian.
Car sharing service Uber has been making waves of late, but their latest offering is unreservedly tidal. Ahead of the US premiere of Transformers: Age of Extinction on June 27, Uber is giving app users in three American cities the opportunity to ride with Optimus Prime. Though we are unsure whether this Optimus is the talking type, from the image posted by Uber it seems to be the real deal. With an initial roll out yesterday in Dallas, Optimus will soon continue onto Phoenix before a final tour of Los Angeles this weekend. Uber users just open their app and select the ‘Autobots’ option to try their luck at summoning this legendary leader for a 15-minute joyride with the machine of your childhood dreams. This brings to mind local Sydney legend Zac Mihajlovic's recent Batmobile endeavour, in which Sydneysiders can buy joyrides in the Dark Knight's highly coveted date-impressing vehicle. Uber announced their Transformers fantasy come true to users via their blog yesterday, opening with "Get ready for the ride of your life." Hardly an understatement, but it sadly looks as though this ride won’t quite make it to Australian shores for the meantime. As Sam once courageously said to Optimus, "No sacrifice, no victory." Autobots, roll out. Via Mashable and USA Today.
The Taphouse changed hands in early 2017 and, under the management of the Thorpe brothers, it has not only maintained its reputation for serving an impressive array of beers, but has finally been given the facelift it needs. The heritage-listed pub is in various stages of renovation, and there's currently something brewing on its middle level. A new bar named Odd Culture — a reference to the wild yeast cultures used in fermentation — is set to open in late July with the largest selection of sour and wild ales in Australia, alongside minimal intervention wines and a smart selection of cheeses. Under the watchful eyes of Tom Evans, formerly of Wayward Brewing Co and The Royal Albert, the bar will feature eight taps pouring only sour and wild ales. Rumour has it that Topher Boehm of Wildflower Brewing & Blending is also working on a beer that uses a Taphouse-exclusive yeast culture for the opening of the bar next month. For those who prefer something a little darker, the bottle list will feature a selection of high-ABV beers, such as imperial stouts and barley wines, alongside spiced meads. In terms of wines, the focus will largely be on minimal intervention organic wines from independent Australian wineries. Odd Culture is slated to open in late July on the middle level of The Taphouse, 122 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst. Disclaimer: Dominic Gruenewald is currently an employee at The Taphouse. He is also Concrete Playground's beer writer and the host of Sydney's longest running beer appreciation society Alestars.
International travel hasn't returned to normal as yet, but the airline industry has still kicked off the new year the way it always does: by announcing the safest carriers to fly with over the next 12 months. If heading to or from New Zealand is on your to-do list for 2022 — depending upon border restrictions, of course — then this year's rankings come bearing great news, with Air New Zealand earning the top spot. As decided by AirlineRatings.com, the carrier nabbed the number-one positions for a number of reasons, including flying in difficult conditions — "from windy Wellington to the Southern Alps", the publication noted — and having a young fleet of planes. "The last two years have been extremely difficult for airlines with COVID-19 slashing travel and Airline Ratings editors have particularly focused on the lengths airlines are undertaking to re-train pilots ahead of a return to service. Air New Zealand is a leader in this field with comprehensive retraining," said Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas. Air NZ's victory came at the cost of another airline from Down Under — and the winner of the safest airline for the past eight years in a row. That'd be Qantas. Since 2014, the Australian carrier has begun each year by being named the safest airline to travel on for that upcoming year, but that streak has now ended. It still placed in the highly sought-after accolade's top 20, however, from a pool of 385 carriers from around the world. Virgin Australia also made the cut — and, in order, the full rundown of 20 airlines includes Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, TAP Portugal, SAS, Qantas, Alaska Airlines, EVA Air, Virgin Australia/Atlantic, Cathay Pacific Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, American Airlines, Lufthansa/Swiss Group, Finnair, Air France/KLM Group, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Emirates. [caption id="attachment_823330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brent Winstone[/caption] If you're a budget-conscious flyer, the website also outlined the ten safest low-cost airlines. Jetstar made the list — which it also did back in 2019 and 2021 — with Allegiant, easyjet, Frontier, Jetblue, Ryanair, Vietjet, Volaris, Westjet, and Wizz also featuring. Factors that influence a carrier's placement on the two lists include crash and incident records, safety initiatives, fleet age, profitability, and audits by aviation governing bodies, industry bodies and governments. No one needs any extra encouragement to dream about overseas holidays at the moment, but this just might be it. For the full AirlineRatings.com list, visit the airline safety and product rating review outfit's website.
Throwing an awesome barbecue doesn't have to involve making your own bunting and painstakingly pouring pomegranate jelly shots into hollowed-out strawberries. God (who looks like Bill Hunter if you're Australian) can see you when you do that, and he doesn't approve. But your mates won't think you're a wanker if you make a little effort. Here's what you need for a barbecue: food, a case or two, music, somewhere to sit, some ice, and good people. We can't help you with meeting good people and making them like you, although inviting them over to eat meat and drink beer probably won't hurt. 1. PLAYLIST & PEOPLE This is up to you, of course, but for a breezy arvo-into-evening sit-around, we suggest a vaguely chronological mix of soul and Motown, RSL bangers (we're talking Crowded House, 'Electric Blue', 'The Horses', 'Bette Davis Eyes', 'Dumb Things') and early-90s hip hop and RnB. Only invite people who enjoy all those things, don't invite anyone who hates 'Electric Blue', and there's your guestlist sorted. 2. DRINKS Beer: buy a case. Buy at least one. Buy two if you can afford it. What, are you worried you'll be stuck with a whole bunch of leftover beer? It's not a Christmas ham. People will (and should) BYO but you should always have communals they can get stuck into. And nobody's going to complain about free beer, but if you want to step it up a notch, use one of these apps to pick yourself a solid local craft beer. Wine: Non-beer-drinkers will usually BYO too, but you can now get an award-winning bottle of wine at ALDI Liquor for a fiver. Get two white, a rose and a red, just to be hospitable, and if you end up taking one to dinner at your in-laws', they won't be able to tell from the label that it cost less than a pub steak. As for ice: schlep to the servo and buy a bag. It's like $4. If you don't have a tub-type thingy and don't want to shell out for one, here is a short list of things into which you can place a sturdy garbage bag to create a reasonably capacious waterproof ice bucket: - A laundry basket - the carton the beer came in (or literally any other large cardboard box) - a milk crate - a small shelf turned on its side If you've got an old solid-metal bottle opener around, tie it to your table or BBQ stand with a piece of string. That way you'll always have one handy, it won't go walkabout in someone's pocket, and your dumbest/drunkest mate won't break a tooth trying to prove how hard he is. 3. MEAT Buy minute steaks, not rump. They're cheaper, thin enough to stuff into a white roll with sauce, and are much more friendly to plastic cutlery, paper plates, eating on laps and all of the above at once. Sausages are mandatory. Buy two kinds. Make one of those kinds the standard straight-sided fundraising democracy Saturday sport sausage-sizzle beef variety (get some from a good butcher if you're not wild about where the beef in the budget ones come from). Make the other a nice spicy Italian, fat pork ones, or vego ones if lots of your mates lean that way. 4. CONDIMENTS The most important sauces, of course, are the holy trinity of red, yellow and brown: tomato, barbecue and American yellow mustard in big squeezy bottles. Those are mandatory. Don't get fancy about it. Heinz and Masterfoods are your friends. Other than that, it's down to taste. A couple of hot sauces (chipotle, habanero or classic pepper), sriracha, a good brown'n'sticky like HP or A1, whole-egg mayo, onions, chutney, that Beaver brand hot dog mustard with the pickle chunks in it — line 'em up. 5.BREAD ROLLS Bags of them. Supermarket. Buy about one and a half per diner. 6. FOOD THAT IS NOT MEAT It exists! Barbecuing plant matter usually yields delicious results. Here's the best way to go about it: - Classic, cheap as heck, everyone loves corn, and all you need to put on it is butter. (Spicy mayo and grated cheese works too, though.) BBQ the cobs whole (you can even do them in the husk, if you rip out most of the silk and give them a soak in salted water beforehand so they steam themselves) and pile them up on a big plate. - Buy as much asparagus as you can afford. Snap off the woody ends, oil 'em up a bit, get some good char marks on there, chuck them in any dish that's longer than it is wide and squeeze a wedge of lemon over the top. Looks fancier than a mink bidet. - Baked potatoes. Wrap them in foil, stick them in the hottest corner of the BBQ (with the hood down, if you have a hood) and forget about them until it's time to do the steaks; they're done if they give when you poke them with the tongs. - The standard vego options at BBQs are portobello mushrooms and haloumi. Those are delicious things, but herbivores are usually pretty used to fending for themselves a little at social events – don't be shy about asking them if they'd like to bring something they're actually enthusiastic about. If you want to make a salad-y thing, here's the easiest one: cook a 500g packet of risoni or orzo, and dump in a whole jar of marinated feta (oil and all — break up the big bits) and a big bag of baby spinach and some chopped fresh parsley while the pasta's still warm. The oil from the feta will become your dressing, and you can add toasted nuts or chilli flakes or roasted veg if you want. For dessert? Fresh watermelon and pineapple, and/or Zooper Doopers. 7. AMBIANCE We've already talked music, and ruled out bunting. Fairy lights are your friend: string heaps of them above head height for a star-canopy effect, drape them randomly on a wall or fence, or twine them around the clothesline for that Strayan charm. (Bonus points if you can find the old-fashioned multicoloured, full-sized light globe style.) For daytime, shade is crucial, whether it's a covered area, an umbrella or a tarp strung up bivouac-style and if you're not blessed with a truck-sized vat of chemically-treated water in your backyard, a blow-up pool is just as much fun. Sturdy citronella candles are more practical than tea lights, smell like summer, and sometimes even keep mozzies away. (Keep a can of Pea Beu handy anyway.) All you need to do, really, is to let the booze flow, watch the evening roll in, and feel the serenity. And if it all devolves into a raucous game of Goon Of Fortune, at least your neighbours will know who the legends on your block really are. Image credits: Christopher Craig via photopin cc, Johan Larsson via photopin cc, Thomas Hawk via photopin cc, "Korb mit Brötchen" by 3268zauber CC, W i l l a r d via photopin cc, Joe Buckingham via photopin cc.
If a group of contemporary artists took over Hobbyco, it might look like this. Walk through the narrow gap between the boom gates at Casula Powerhouse and you’ll find five model railways that have been reimagined in fantastical ways. The Infinite Everything by Claire Thackway and Gregory Hodge is a baroque-inspired installation built from paper cut-outs. Bursting with bright patterns, this miniature landscape is full of people caught in motion. From dancers to bathers, there is something quite joyous about these acrobatic figures. There also seems to be a focus on different cultural communities. Bringing together their distinct painterly styles, Thackway’s figurative work weaves in and out of Hodge’s kaleidoscopic swirls. These fluid brushstrokes are nicely paired with the rolling motion of the train. There is an unfathomable amount of detail in Emily Hunt's Doctrine of Eternal Recurrence. Everything is textured with busy fingerprints. Filled with little shrines and Aztec-inspired totems, the lush wilderness holds a pseudo-religiosity. Hunt uses found materials in her work, picking up the pieces of modern waste — it's a recycled utopia of sorts. The only self-portrait in the exhibition belongs to Owen Leong, who has chiselled his face into a mountain. Away from the sunny optimism of Thackway and Hodge, this work is dark and decadent. The mountain is made from black glitter and the little train carriages are filled with rose quartz. There is a pool of white salt that seems to be funnelling into a stalactite — or an inverted mountain — shining underneath the table. Like a lump of treasure in the shadows, there is something enticing about the symmetry of this work. Jaki Middleton and David Lawrey's Time Trap is also on the darker side of things. Their “ghost train” travels on an ultraviolet ribbon of light through a dark trench that resembles a decaying Australian countryside. Unlike Hunt’s environment, these artists envision a somewhat dystopian future. Due to mechanical difficulties, not all trains were operational during my visit. A bit disappointing but not entirely unexpected, these issues will probably be ironed out. On the whole, this exhibition is pretty damn delightful. The artists preserve the delicacy of the traditional model railway but colour it with their own form of social critique or self-examination. You can and should take the train out to Casula for a sight sure to please big and small.
Halloween is fast approaching and if you've been hanging out for your friends to announce they're throwing a raucous house party covered in cobwebs and clowns, wait no longer. Darlo Bar is taking one for the team and throwing a retro Halloween house party on Saturday, October 28. So grab your Scream masks and fake blood and get ready for a (trick or) treat of a night. The party kicks off at 6pm with DJ Astrix Little spinning the kind of house party tunes that'll make you want to clear the couches and get the dance floor started. If you need a little liquid courage to get you through the spookiness of the evening, there will be Young Henrys beer on tap and frightfully delicious Halloween drink specials on offer. In case you needed to ask — yes, there will be prizes for best dressed. So get out your butcher paper and start brainstorming outfit ideas, or just head straight for the fake tan and toupees. After all, what's scarier than Donald Trump?
Get ready to toss a coin to your witcher, again — but they'll look more than a little different. For two seasons so far, Henry Cavill (Zack Snyder's Justice League) has played monster hunter Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's hit fantasy series The Witcher, and he'll be back again in season three when it arrives in 2023. After that, however, The Hunger Games, The Dressmaker and Independence Day: Resurgence's Liam Hemsworth will don the character's icy locks. The Witcher has indeed been renewed for a fourth season before its third even airs — something that happened with season three before season two dropped as well, and with season two before season one debuted before that — but a huge change is afoot. Netflix has revealed that Cavill is stepping away from the show, with Hemsworth replacing him. The two actors also shared the news on social media. "My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for season four," said Cavill in a statement. "In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam's take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find." It's official: The Witcher is returning for Season 4, and Henry Cavill will be handing his swords to Liam Hemsworth as the new Geralt of Rivia after Season 3. Welcome to the Witcher family, @LiamHemsworth! Read more: https://t.co/ABQMdqkzXX pic.twitter.com/xyIaRBbiRT — The Witcher (@witchernetflix) October 29, 2022 As for Hemsworth, he added that "as a Witcher fan I'm over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia". He continued: "Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I'm honoured that he's handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf's blades for the next chapter of his adventure. Henry, I've been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I'm truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world." Need a refresher on the story so far? Haven't watched the first two seasons yet? If The Witcher's name sounds familiar, that's because it's based on the short stories and novels of writer Andrzej Sapkowski — and, as well as being turned into comics, it was adapted the video game series of the same name. A Polish film and TV show also reached screens in the early 2000s, although they were poorly received. [caption id="attachment_875705" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liam Hemsworth in upcoming film Poker Face. Image: Brook Rushton.[/caption] In the Netflix show, Cavill plays the witcher of the title, aka the part that Hemsworth is taking over. Geralt of Rivia is a monster hunter who prefers to work — aka slay beasts — alone in a realm called The Continent. But life has other plans for the lone wolf, forcing him to cross paths with powerful sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra, Netflix's Wanderlust) and young princess Ciri (newcomer Freya Allan). The Witcher franchise doesn't just include the show itself, but also animated flick The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which hit Netflix in 2021. And, there's upcoming prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin, too — which'll take place 1200 years before Geralt's time, span four episodes, star Everything Everywhere All At Once's Michelle Yeoh and arrive this December. There's no sneak peek at the OG series' fourth season yet, or season three, but here's the trailer for season two in the interim: The Witcher's third season will hit Netflix sometime in winter 2023 Down Under. The show's first and second seasons are currently available to stream.
Sydneysiders, you're in for a treat this spring and summer. Quick Brown Fox has announced that it will be running a program dubbed After Hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Starting from 3pm until late, guests can enjoy the establishment's airy courtyard and coveted alfresco streetside seating while sipping on refreshing spritzes spanning Aperol, elderflower and rossini. Meanwhile, Head chef Daniel Grey has curated a new Mediterranean-inspired snacks menu comprised of anchovy toast with housemade fermented chilli mayo, appellation oysters served natural or with a Champagne vinaigrette, grilled miso burnt butter King Prawns, eggplant with a sticky tamarind peanut glaze, and more. Check out Quick Brown Fox's website for more details and bookings. [caption id="attachment_877339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Quick Brown Fox - Supplied[/caption] Top images: Quick Brown Fox - Supplied
Solar power. Who needs it? Well, we do — and pretty desperately. To generate it though, we need those pesky black solar panels to be fitted to people's roofs and properties and anywhere we can find a space for them. This can be a little hard without overtaking natural environments and farmland. But France have found thousands of kilometres of space perfect for solar panels — their roads. This idea of paving roads with solar panels was first floated by Scott and Julie Brusaw, when they launched a crowdfunding campaign to pave American parking lots with the things in 2014. But this project is a little more legit. Proposed by French transport infrastructure company Colas and France's National Institute for Solar Energy, it's been given the go-ahead by France's Agency of Environment and Energy Management. And if all goes to plan, they're promising to bring solar power to 1000-kilometres of roads in the country over the next five years. Named the Wattway system, the 7mm photovoltaic road surface would be stuck on top of existing road surfaces. Both its thinness and ease of application to existing roads make it the best proposal yet — and seeing as roads are only occupied by vehicles only 10% of the time, they'll be soaking up a lot of sunlight too. Claiming they are "paving the way to tomorrow's energy" (nice one, guys), Colas say that a one-kilometre stretch of Wattway panels would be able to provide the electricity to power public lighting in a city of 5000 inhabitants. According to Global Construction Review, tests on the solar roadway panels will begin this year. Let's hope the French trial is successful, and makes its way over here. As anyone who's stood barefoot on asphalt on a hot day knows, that stuff stores a lethal amount of heat. Via Tree Hugger.
Before the pandemic, heading overseas for your end-of-year break — for Christmas, New Year's Eve, or just because you've got some time off — might've been part of your summer plans. That wasn't possible over the summer of 2020–21; however, it looks set to be back on the cards from this December, with Australia's Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan announcing that the country's international border will open back up "at this rate, by Christmas at the latest." The Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister discussed international borders on Wednesday, September 22 as part of his National Press Club address, noting that "it's another reason why everyone should get vaccinated, and we have to stick to the national plan." Back in July, the Federal Government unveiled Australia's roadmap for dealing with the pandemic moving forward, which has been dubbed the National Plan to transition Australia's National COVID Response — and it includes allowing Aussies to travel overseas again without restrictions when 80 percent of the nation's eligible population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. "We continue to do all that preparatory work to make sure that when those international borders open, hopefully at the latest by Christmas," Tehan continued. "Australians will be able to travel with a QR code linked to their passport, which will be able to show a proof of vaccination." Providing documentation to show you've been vaxxed is set to become a standard part of Australian life moving forward, and is also highlighted in New South Wales and Victoria's roadmap out of their respective lockdowns. Under both plans, looser restrictions will apply to people who've been fully vaccinated in both states, who'll need to prove they've been double jabbed. Also on Wednesday, September 22, NSW announced that it's about to conduct a trial of a vaccine passport that'll link COVID-19 vax certificates to the existing Service NSW app. Exactly how reopening Australia's international borders will work is yet to be explained, including where the nation will open up to — and if it'll reopen to all of the globe at once, or in stages, or via bubble arrangements. Earlier in 2021, Australia and New Zealand implemented the trans-Tasman travel bubble, allowing quarantine-free travel between the two countries; however, it has been suspended due to COVID-19 outbreaks since July, and isn't set to resume until at least mid-November. The Australian Government has also floated the possibility of opening a similar arrangement with Singapore — and extending travel bubbles to some countries, such as Singapore and places in the Pacific, is specifically mentioned in the nation's roadmap. Unsurprising, just when Australia will reopen its international borders has been the subject of much discussion over the 18 months since the Federal Government implemented an indefinite ban on international travel, only allowing Aussies to leave the country in very limited circumstances. Last year's prediction that opening up to the rest of the world wouldn't happen in 2020 proved accurate — and, earlier this year, Australia's ex-Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy (now the Secretary of the Department of Health) said that we might not be going anywhere until 2022. Back in May, the Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister and Prime Minister Scott Morrison both advised that mid-2022 was the likeliest time for reopening. With Australia's vax campaign gathering speed, Qantas and Jetstar have begun selling tickets for overseas flights for trips scheduled from December, demonstrating hope that the country's international travel rules could ease by then. That said, the airlines did start selling the same types of tickets earlier in 2021, working towards a planned October date that was subsequently postponed. At the time of writing, 48.5 percent of Australians over the age of 16 have had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Once you've self-proclaimed your next album as the "album of the life" (see tweet), the next logical step is to create an epic, worldwide premiere party for its release. Well, it is if you're Kanye West (and, really, Kanye is the only person who could pull this off). So for the release of his upcoming album Waves — which was, up until a few hours ago named Swish — he'll be debuting it with a show at Madison Square Garden in NYC on February 11. And he'll be broadcasting the performance live in cinemas around the world. Yep, Kanye is literally going cinematic — and if you're in Melbourne or Sydney, you can get in on the action. Sydney's Hoyts Broadway and Hoyts Melbourne Central have both added listings for Kanye West / Season 3 / Waves which, according Hoyts' synopsis, will feature the "world premiere of the album Waves in its entirety, live from Madison Square Garden". He's also expected to present his new fashion line, Yeezy Season 3 at the show. Both screenings will take place at 8am on Friday, February 12. On Monday, Kanye tweeted a handwritten page detailing the tracklist for the then-Swish, now-Waves album. It's set to be broken into three acts and include collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Sia, Ty Dolla $ign, Vic Mensa and Post Malone. Amazingly, there are still a few tickets left to the screenings, so head over to the Hoyts website to snap some up. This is the greatest album of your whole life, after all.
No matter how gorgeous the surroundings, how lavish the place you're staying and how blissful everyone wants things to be, life's chaos doesn't magically disappear just because you're on holidays. That's one of The White Lotus' key ideas, which it played out to spectacular results in the show's Hawaii-set first season — making it the best new show on TV in 2021, in fact — and which it is currently unpacking again in its Sicily-set second season. Get ready for that concept to get a third go-around as well. In unsurprising but still extremely welcome news, HBO has just announced that it is bringing The White Lotus back for season three — news it revealed just three episodes into season two. Once again, it'll be a case of new year, new vacation season, new gorgeous destination, new cast, keeping the series' anthology format. "Reflecting on The White Lotus' humble, run-and-gun origin as a contained pandemic production, it's impossible not to be awestruck by how Mike [White, the series' creator] orchestrated one of the buzziest and most critically acclaimed shows," said Francesca Orsi, Executive Vice President, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, announcing the series' season-three renewal. "And yet, he's only continued to reach new heights in season two, which is the ultimate testament to Mike's raw, unparalleled vision. His courage to explore the uncharted waters of the human psyche, paired with his signature irreverent humor and buoyant directing style, have us all dreaming of more vacation days at the resort we've come to adore. We couldn't be more thrilled to get the chance to collaborate on a third season together." The news comes after The White Lotus hit an all-time ratings high in the US with its third episode of season three — although, given how ace the series is, and how widely loved by both viewers and critics (season one picked up a swag of Emmys just a month before season two premiered), bringing it back for more was always highly likely. HBO and creator/writer/director Mike White (Brad's Status) haven't announced if any of the current characters — or season one's — might return in season three, as Jennifer Coolidge's Tanya McQuoid-Hunt has across its first two batches of episodes. Obviously, before any familiar faces can check into another White Lotus property somewhere else in the world (the location of which also hasn't yet been unveiled), we'll need to see who survives season two first. The show's second season is currently diving into plenty of drama in a stunning setting, with Tanya travelling to the White Lotus hotel in Sicily with her husband Greg (Jon Gries, Dream Corp LLC) and assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson, After Yang) — however the former isn't happy that the latter is with them. Plus, Tanya thinks that Greg might be cheating. Also checking in for season two's biting satire of the one percent and class divides: F Murray Abraham (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities), Michael Imperioli (The Many Saints of Newark) and Adam DiMarco (The Order) as three generations of Di Grasso men, who are on a family holiday to connect with their roots; Aubrey Plaza (Best Sellers) and Will Sharpe (Defending the Guilty) as newly wealthy couple Harper and Ethan, who are vacationing with pals Cameron (Theo James, The Time Traveller's Wife) and Daphne (Meghann Fahy, The Bold Type); and Tom Hollander (The King's Man) as English expat Quentin, who's away with his nephew Jack (Leo Woodall, Cherry). And, there's also Beatrice Grannò (Security) and Simona Tabasco (The Ties) as locals Mia and Lucia; plus Sabrina Impacciatore (Across the River and Into the Trees) as this White Lotus' manager Valentina. There's obviously no trailer yet for The White Lotus season three, but you can check out the trailer for season two below: The White Lotus' third season doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. The second season of The White Lotus is currently streaming via Binge in Australia and Neon in New Zealand, dropping new episodes weekly. Read our full review.
Not too long ago, you’d be hard-pressed to find a good craft beer in Sydney. Now there are so many small breweries dotted all over the country producing amazing craft. Mid-October signals the return of Sydney Craft Beer Week, a celebration of these beers. It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, a beer geek or just a casual drinker. With over a hundred events across nine days, there’s something for everyone. Come meet the brewers, taste their products and have a good ol’ time. Check out our picks of the ten best events of Craft Beer Week.
Here at Concrete Playground, we thrive on bringing you the very best of Sydney's cultural happenings. So much so, we decided to get in on the action. To celebrate the start of summer — and the good times that come with it — we're throwing a one-day festival of music, food, drink and sun. On Saturday, November 16, we're taking over a luxe beachside location for a massive summer party, marking the beginning of many balmy nights ahead. Best of all? It's all going down by one of Sydney's most picturesque beaches: Manly. We've partnered up with BATI & RATU by RUM Co of Fiji, too, who'll be bringing a touch of Fijian paradise to our Aussie shores. So, expect plenty of sea breeze, lush decorations, dance-worthy live tunes and, naturally, lots and lots of rum. And, seeing as rum is the drink of pirates, mavericks and seafarers alike, we've decided to keep this summer shindig a bit of a secret. So, while there'll be no 'X marks the spot' business, we're keeping everything under wraps for now. We will, though, be giving away double passes to the party — head this way to be in the running. So, buckle up, beachgoers, because this party will be bringing summer vibes in spades.
For much of the DC Extended Universe, aka the film franchise based on DC Comics' stable of caped crusaders that started in 2013, it has often felt like the movie saga has been trying to play catchup with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That won't change when The Flash lands in theatres in mid-June, as the flick's just-dropped first trailer shows — because after the MCU went all in on multiple versions of Spider-Man in the same feature, the DCEU is doing the same with two takes on Batman. Yes, this is meant to be Barry Allen's (Ezra Miller, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore) time to shine, with multiple iterations of the character also known as The Flash in the movie that bears his name. But bringing in the DCEU's existing Batman Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar) and Tim Burton-era Batman Michael Keaton (Morbius) was always going to monopolise attention. Everything is a multiverse these days, clearly, as viewers can see in The Flash's debut sneak peek. Here, Barry's actions cause worlds to collide, after he uses his speedy powers to travel back in time to change the past. You don't need to be a regular viewer of comic book-based films to know that that's never a good idea. In Barry's new reality, General Zod (Michael Shannon, Amsterdam) is back and keen to destroy everything, and superheroes are also nowhere to be seen. That said, if The Flash can convince a different Batman to pop on the cape and cowl, and team up with a Kryptonian — with Sasha Calle (The Young and the Restless) playing Supergirl — the universe might be able to be saved. Also featuring among the cast: Ron Livingston (The Estate), Maribel Verdú (Raymond & Ray), Kiersey Clemons (Somebody I Used to Know) and Antje Traue (Dark). Filmmaker Andy Muschietti directs, in his first flick after creeping cinemas out with IT and IT: Chapter Two. And yes, the DCEU is about to look a whole lot different, given that The Suicide Squad filmmaker James Gunn and film producer Peter Safran are now overseeing DC's movie output — in what's being badged as a reboot, apparently starting with The Flash. Check out the first trailer for The Flash below: The Flash releases in cinemas Down Under on June 15, 2023.
The hospitality industry is well and truly back after an incredibly challenging couple of years. So what's next for the bar staff, chefs, restaurateurs and behind-the-scenes heroes of the local hospo scene? We're going to get the skinny from the ones in the know — and you're invited to join. On Monday, November 29 at 1pm, book in your lunch break and join Concrete Playground's livestream event Hot Takes & Takeaways: Episode 2 (relive the entertaining chaos of the first live show captured in the depths of lockdown here). In partnership with Uber Eats, Hot Takes & Takeaways is a series where we talk to some of the most fascinating — and opinionated — members of Australia's food community to tackle the big questions, live and uncensored. Swears are likely and no topics are off-limits. THE LINEUP Comedy star Gen Fricker returns as host, with special guests Jeremy Blackmore (owner and drink maker behind Cantina OK!, Tio's and the Cliff Dive), one of Sydney hospo's behind-the-scenes queens Kobi Morris (Operations Manager at Paramount Coffee Project and the Paramount House Hotel, as well as Reuben Hills and Shwarmama), and Instagram burger king Issac Martin AKA Issac Eats-A-Lot. Throughout the show, we'll test your food trivia knowledge so you could nab a $20 Uber Eats voucher. Head to our Facebook event and hit attending to get a reminder just before it kicks off. In the meantime, check out Uber Eats' Enterprise Hub if you'd like to learn more about what restaurants are doing.
Every Friday throughout September, Sydney Fringe will bring free gigs to pop-up spaces in Parramatta's CBD. Listen out for a mix of beats, bands, solo artists, duos and surprise collaborations. The event will take over Victoria Road's Information and Cultural Exchange from 6–10pm and Riverside Theatre's Studio 404 from 8–11pm. The events curated by fierce guitarist Serwah Attafuah who plays with politically-driven heavy metal band Dispossessed; the Bodega Collective, a group of young, ambitious producers and DJs; and Beatdisc Records, Western Sydney's last independent record shop. Also in the mix is an intimate evening with Darug artist Jacinta Tobin, who collaborated with The Preatures on song 'Yanada'.
Having a crack at their very own theme-ception, Earl's Juke Joint are hosting an '80s Halloween themed shindig this Saturday, October 29. What's not to love about big hair, brightly coloured leather, over-the-top gory horror flicks, and delicious Earl's bevvies? And as if that wasn't enough, be sure to get jazzed up in your spookiest finery and bring a date, because it's prom night — the fantastic folk at Earl's will decide on the night who takes home to the soon-to-be coveted Best Dressed prize. Doors are open 4pm until midnight.
I, along with many of my fellow Gen-Yers, am at a unique crossroads when it comes to the creation of deliberately grainy photography. I am just slightly too young to have had the childhood pleasure of making pinhole cameras (damn you disposable cameras, damn you), yet I am just old enough to watch on with dismay as every teenager with a smart phone claims the faux artistry afforded to them by Instagram. Designer Kelly Angood's new project the Pop-Up Pinhole Camera is not only a nostalgic throwback to the good ol' days of the DIY camera that Instagrammers can only emulate but still a source of basic wonder as pictures emerge from little more than a cardboard box. While making your own pinhole camera was often nothing short of a total nightmare, Angood has come up with a way of recapturing that old-timey, do-it-yourself feel but without the stress and strain of countless failed attempts: IKEA-style flat-pack kits. Yes, it's just like one of those build-your-own desk sets, except at the end you are left with a beautiful camera, named the Videre (definitely not a Hasselblad), that can take amazingly high-quality pinhole photographs. Best of all, Angood has already managed to raise over 20,000 pounds online to fund the project, and as such has promised her legions of fans that their very own pop-up pinhole camera should arrive on their doorstep by November. But don't let this stop you from donating: Head to her website if you fancy making a donation or picking up your own camera for photographic playtimes more surprising than anything on the end of an app.
Not one, but four brand spanking new exhibitions featuring all-female artists kick off on June 2 at AirSpace Projects, including Tracey Clements' intriguing Metropolis Experiment. An installation of creeping salt and corroding steel, the piece is "part architectural model, part mad science" — the result being a ruined cityscape infused with the mood of a laboratory where something has gone horribly wrong. Clements is yet again inspired by JG Ballard's 1962 post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel, The Drowned World. Enter another room and you'll find My Emotionalism, a colourful group exhibition curated by Ali Noble that features her own work alongside that of Grace Burzese, Cybele Cox, Danica Firulovic, Katy B Plummer and Helen Shelley. The group show sets out to "translate emotional states" — calling on viewers to feel rather than to think, to respond emotionally rather than to intellectualise. In another room you'll find the colourful geometrics of Susan Andrews' Off-Centre. Andrews, a lecturer in painting at NAS, is intrigued by the intersection of contemporary art with architectural design, and this collection sees her create triangles, squares and rectangles to play with the idea of imbalance. Finally there's Mangala Country by Broome-based artist Lydia Balbal, whose paintings explore stories of her family's country in the Great Sandy Desert, which they were forced to leave during severe drought. Sounds like the perfect way to spend a wintry afternoon. Image: Tracey Clements 'Metropolis Experiment I', 2016-17
Since mid-October 2020, New Zealanders have been able to visit some Australian states as part of a one-way travel bubble. The arrangement has been paused a few times due to COVID-19 case numbers in NZ, but it has remained broadly in place. In the coming months, Australians might also be able to hop across the Tasman as well — something that has been floated and discussed plenty of times over the past year, but now looks like it could soon come to fruition. Speaking with the media separately today, Thursday, March 18, both New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and NZ Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson advised that the NZ Government is progressing towards a trans-Tasman bubble. On Radio New Zealand, Robertson said that the country had been "working towards a joint framework, a joint set of protocols" with Australia, which didn't come into effect. Now, though, he doesn't think things are "too far off being able to create the New Zealand version to match up with the Australian version". "There's a few issues still to talk through there, including what we do in the event there is an outbreak — how we manage people who aren't in their home country at that time. But I'm very optimistic that we'll sort that out in reasonable short order, and we can move towards having our unilateral bubble alongside the Australian unilateral bubble," he advised. Speaking at a press conference to launch NZ's involvement in Expo 2020 (which is taking place in the United Arab Emirates from October 2021, after being postponed from 2020), NZ Prime Minister Ardern also discussed the potential travel bubble. "I haven't put firm dates because I don't want there to be moving goalposts. I want to present people with some definitive dates they can plan around — but we have said we'd like to see it soon," Ardern said. "Our goal, though, is that once we open, to be able to do it safely — to do it in a way that people understand the basis on which we may see short term closures, and to enable us to have a bubble that essentially sticks," she continued. At present, New Zealand travellers are allowed to visit all Australian states and territories, apart from Western Australia, without quarantining on arrival — but, because the bubble is only one way at present, they must enter 14 days of managed isolation on return to NZ and pay for it. New Zealand does currently have a travel bubble in place with the Cook Islands, but only one-way as well — from the Cook Islands to NZ. While the details of the quarantine-free arrangements for Australians travelling to NZ are yet to be finalised, it is great news for those who've been dreaming of overseas holidays since the pandemic began. And, it could possibly be in place while Australia's international border still remains shut to most global travel — and before a similar travel bubble could be put in place with Singapore. You can start slowly planning your NZ jaunt, too — we've rounded up some of our favourite glamping sites, wineries, sights and restaurants in NZ over here. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. To find out more about the virus and travel restrictions in New Zealand, head over to the NZ Government's COVID-19 hub.
In great news for cat-loving cinephiles, 2019 is shaping up to be a huge year for felines on film. Photorealistic big cats prowled around the remake of The Lion King, and they'll soon be joined by a bunch of singing, scurrying street mousers in the silver-screen adaptation of stage musical Cats. For nearly four decades, Andrew Lloyd Webber's acclaimed production has pranced across stages everywhere, turning a tale inspired by poems from T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats into an award-winning theatre hit. But, while plenty of other popular musicals have made the leap to cinemas, this one hasn't until now. The trailers for the new flick might just explain why. The first trailer dropped back in July and inspired much talk about its strange CGI decision to combine cats with human faces. Terrifying? Maybe. Entertaining? Definitely. If you've recovered from the first 2.23 mins of Cats madness, you'll be happy to know a second, equally bizarre, trailer has just dropped. [caption id="attachment_751620" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Judi Dench as a cat[/caption] Ever wanted to see Taylor Swift pouring cat nip on a crowd of cats from a suspended gold moon? Keen to soothe your disappointment over the fact that Idris Elba isn't James Bond by spotting him with whiskers, fur and a tail? Perhaps you've always dreamed of watching accomplished actors such as Judi Dench and Ian McKellen channel their inner feline? Have you ever hoped for all of the above, and for the actors to all play cat-sized cats? That's what's on offer in the just-dropped second trailer, as well as a heap of dancing and singing. In terms of story, Cats zaps Swift, Elba and company down to feline height to spin a narrative about the Jellicle cat tribe, who spend a night deciding just which four-legged moggy will get to leave their group, ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. The movie comes with a significant pedigree, with Les Miserables' Tom Hooper in the director's chair, Webber on music duties, Hamilton's Andy Blankenbuehler doing the choreography, and the cast also spanning James Cordon, Jennifer Hudson, Jason Derulo, Ray Winstone and Rebel Wilson. And yet, it all looks a little odd. But we'll let you decide for yourself. You check out the second Cats trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNTDoOmc1OQ Cats opens in Australian cinemas on December 26.
The pandemic has changed much about travel over the past year and a half, including the way that Australians approach roaming throughout our own country. Booking a ticket to another state or territory is no longer something we all just do whenever we feel like without checking the rules, restrictions and requirements first — because closed domestic borders will do that. But with New South Wales and Victoria both progressing through their roadmaps for reopening following both states' respective (and lengthy) lockdowns, venturing a bit further around the country might soon become a little easier. Exactly what domestic border limits will remain in place, and where, hasn't yet been revealed; however, Qantas and Jetstar have announced that they'll start ramping up their flights around the country anyway. Firstly, the two airlines will increase flights regionally within NSW, starting from Monday, October 25. That's around when the state is expected to hit the 80-percent double-dose vaccination mark, which is when travel throughout NSW will be permitted again. Next, Qantas and Jetstar have brought forward the start date for trips between NSW and Victoria. Instead of recommencing in December, these flights will now resume on Friday, November 5. [caption id="attachment_823330" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brent Winstone[/caption] So, if you're a Sydneysider eager to escape the city — either within NSW or to Victoria, you're about to have options. For Melburnians, heading north will be possible as well. Obviously, this all depends on the rules both states put in place regarding travel between them, because that's the world we now live in. The airlines haven't changed their flights between Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australia just yet, though, with trips to WA still remaining sparse for the foreseeable future due to its strict border arrangements all throughout the pandemic. The two carriers won't restart legs from WA to Victoria and NSW (and vice versa) until at least February 1, 2022 for that reason, other than the five return flights it's doing from Perth to both Sydney and Melbourne at the moment for folks with permits — but it's hoping to increase flights between Queensland and WA in the coming weeks. No matter where you live, expect to see a few incentives popping up trying to tempt you to holiday in certain parts of the country. The Northern Territory is doing discounts of up to $1000 for fully vaxxed folks who head to the NT from spots that aren't deemed hotspots, for instance, and there's also $250 tour vouchers up for grabs in Queensland's tropical north. For more information about Qantas and Jetstar's increased domestic flights as NSW and Victoria reopen, head to the Qantas and Jetstar websites.
The Affectors define themselves as a group of individuals capable of moving hearts and minds, and they certainly do with their multisensory exhibitions. Their latest event, Affected, sets out to do this through the use of multimedia. Members of the Affectors team will sift through web content to deliver the best and most affecting the internet has to offer, from YouTube clips to music videos. Taking place at the collaboration-driven workspace The Hub, the event sees the Affectors working in conjunction with The Loop to pose questions like what aspects of ad campaigns drive emotions or what creates inspiring and entertaining music clips. Participants are invited to discuss how popular online content both appeals to emotions and embraces multiple online platforms. Discounted tickets are available for Loop and Hub members. Free gelato provided by Messina will be dished out throughout the event.
Maybe you lived through the 90s rave scene. Perhaps you spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s. Or, you might just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes. Ministry of Sound was around to see both, and now it's revisiting the experience — bringing back its massive Testament parties for another year, this time touring them around Australia over two weekends. If cutting loose like you've travelled back in time is your ideal way to mark absolutely anything, then you'll want to make a date with Testament when it hits up six Australian cities. For two nights each in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, plus one-day-only stops in Adelaide and the Gold Coast, the event will have you making shapes to 90s and 00s bangers. [caption id="attachment_799510" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ben Jones[/caption] More than 90 DJs will be hitting the decks between Friday, August 4–Sunday, August 13 across the tour. It's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, so fans of old-school tunes can hit up the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks, and lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. Leading the bill at the 90s parties are Barbara Tucker, Inner City, Phil Hartnoll and Tall Paul, while The Bloody Beetroots, Digitalism, Freq Nasty and Stanton Warriors are their 00s counterparts. The roster of local DJs varies per show and per city, too, including everyone from Alan Thompson, Jason Digby, Barking Boy, Mark Dynamix and Jen E on the 90s bill, plus Groove Terminator, Goodwill, Kid Kenobi, Bang Gang Deejays and Andee Van Damage on the 00s lineup. MINISTRY OF SOUND: TESTAMENT 2023 DATES: Saturday, August 5 — 90s session at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney Sunday, August 6 — 00s session at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney Saturday, August 12 — 00s session at The Timber Yard, Melbourne Sunday, August 13 — 90s session at The Timber Yard, Melbourne Friday, August 4 — 00s session at Warner Laneway, Brisbane Saturday, August 12 — 90s session at Warner Laneway, Brisbane Saturday, August 5 — 00s session at Metro City, Perth Sunday, August 6 — 90s session at Metro City, Perth Friday, August 4 — 00s session at Unibar Adelaide, Adelaide Sunday, August 13 — 00s session at Miami Marketta, Gold Coast MINISTRY OF SOUND: TESTAMENT 2023 LINEUP: Barbara Tucker Inner City Phil Hartnoll [Orbital] Tall Paul The Bloody Beetroots Digitalism FreQ Nasty Stanton Warriors + 85 local DJs around the country Ministry of Sound: Testament 2023 will tour Australia in August. For further details, and to buy tickets — with pre-sale registrations until midnight on Monday, May 29, pre-sales from 8am on Tuesday, May 30 and general sales from 8am on Wednesday, May 31 — head to the event's website.
A Separation had long been quietly gathering momentum, winning the Sydney Film Festival prize and making the Guardian's list of the top films of 2011. Now it's won both the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, it's suddenly got a louder and startlingly unanimous profile as one of the must-see films of the year. This is the appropriate response to a story that unfolds slowly enough to make you truly care for its characters yet so tensely as to keep you awake and feverishly reading the subtitles at 2am. In a year when the cloying Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a contender for Best Picture, it's worth thanking the Academy for exalting a film that's light on sentimentality but full of deeply emotive moments that come at you from your blindside. The unpretentiously shot Iranian feature, written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, starts with the separation of Nader (Peyman Maadi) and Simin (Leila Hatami). Simin wants to move the family abroad, but Nader won't leave his senile and dependent father or let Simin go with just their daughter, Termeh (Sarina Farhadi). So Simin moves to her mother's while she continues to press the issue, and Nader hires some casual help for his father. Razieh (Sareh Bayat) is a pious and compassionate minder, but she's also wrapped up in her own concerns for her unborn baby and her husband's debts. When these conflict with her obligations to Nader, it leads to a confrontation that will create unforeseeable damage to the lives of both couples. Not one of them deserves to bear the blow of these tiny, incremental tragedies, and your already torn sympathies will shift as the film subverts expectations based on gender, class and ethnicity. A Separation carries a feeling of almost 'this is what movies should be': Small, real, relatable stories that awaken you to the dormant problems in a wider society. Its success is also a boost for Iran's dogged film industry, from where we hear more about what we sadly can't see than what we can. https://youtube.com/watch?v=MjTkXGRhy9w
While New South Wales started moving out of lockdown a few months back, life definitely hasn't returned to pre-COVID-19 normality just yet. Slowly, however, more and more restrictions are continuing to relax — including, as just announced today, Wednesday, November 25, caps on the number of people you can have over to your house, and also on how many folks can head to small hospitality venues. As revealed by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, from Tuesday, December 1 at-home gathering limits will lift — to 50 if you're using your outdoor space, and to 30 if you'll be indoors without access to a garden or backyard. Obviously, the timing is geared towards the holiday season. The 50-person rule will be mandated by a health order, but the 30-person cap will be a strong recommendation. If you're having an outdoor gathering elsewhere, such as a picnic or park barbecue, those limits are going up to 50 from 30 as well — to match the at-home outdoor cap. Out of the house, venues with up to 200 square metres of space will be able to welcome in more customers, with a one-person-per-two-square-metres limit in place. There won't be a cap on the total number of patrons, either — just the density restriction. Commenting on the announcement, Premier Berejiklian said that more changes are set to come depending on the health advice, including applying consistent density and capacity restrictions across the hospitality sector. "[NSW] Health is looking very closely at being able to apply that two-square-metre rule indoors across all hospitality venues," she advised. It's hoped that that'll be able to happen prior to Christmas but, again, that's dependent upon health advice. As of the past Monday, November 23, all NSW hospitality venues are required to use QR codes for contact-tracing purposes, which will also play a big part when density and capacity restrictions are standardised across the entire industry. [caption id="attachment_786298" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Cassandra Hannagan[/caption] The other big change won't come into effect until Monday, December 14, and it applies to working from home. The NSW Government will remove the public health order that covers the topic, so you can expect more people returning to the office. In line with that shift, NSW residents are also asked to wear masks on public transport as there'll be more people using the network. As always, the usual rules regarding hygiene, social distancing and getting tested if you display any possible COVID-19 symptoms all still apply as restrictions keep easing. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Kitti Gould.
As mobile phones have evolved over the past three decades, every stage has had its charms. In the late 90s, Nokia's came with the wonder that is Snake. In the early 00s, devices got tiny. Since Apple released the iPhone in 2007, we all hate buttons. Then there are flip phones, which date back to the 80s, were hugely popular in the first wave of affordable handsets and offer something unique — the thrill that comes with slamming one shut. Thanks to Samsung, it seems that sensation will no longer be the domain of fond memories and 90s-set cinema, with the technology giant adapting the concept to the smartphone era. While clamshell handsets have never completely gone away, they don't tend to go hand-in-hand with touch screens. Samsung is solving that problem by making their new model foldable in the centre instead of flipping from the top, according to reports by CNBC. Speaking with the network, IT and mobile communications division CEO DJ Koh said the company would unveil its new phone later this year, with more details about size, cost and the device's release date likely to be announced at the Samsung Developer Conference in November. The handset is expected to use a single screen that's capable of being folded in the middle, and not two separate screens that are hinged together. Users will be able to use the phone both when it's folded and unfolded, although it'll have more functionality when it's in the latter state. Koh also pointed out that the foldable device won't just be a tablet in a more compact form. In short, it's set to serve up something a bit fancier than your old Motorola RAZR — and if it sounds familiar, that's because it's not the first time that Samsung have played around with the idea. The company released a concept video in 2014, showcasing its flexible OLED display and featuring a device that never came to fruition. Samsung also have competition in the foldable phone space, with Huawei reportedly also working on its own version that might make it to market first — although it's apparently targeting a 2019 release date. Via CNBC / The Verge.
Since the first Fast & Furious film back in 2001, cars that can cover a quarter mile in a mere ten seconds have been Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special) and his crew's holy grail. Well, that and Coronas — and family. So of course the just-dropped first trailer for Fast X, the tenth instalment in the Point Break-inspired saga, starts with Toretto's chosen brood sitting around a table drinking the series' favourite beer and listening to Dom's grandmother (Rita Moreno, West Side Story) talk about the franchise's most-beloved F-word. It takes a mere 11 seconds for the Toretto matriarch to say "family", in fact — and it isn't the last time it gets a mention in the near four-minute debut sneak peek. As the series has done since film one, Fast X's plot revolves around Dom, his relatives and the friends that he's welcomed into his family, with new nemesis Dante (Jason Momoa, Dune) going after them to avenge his own blood. Something else that all things F&F loves: new ride-or-die chaos that disrupts the Toretto crew's idyll, can only be solved by high-action stunts and ties back to past movies in this pedal-to-the-metal saga. As the Fast X trailer explains, Momoa's Dante is on a quest for revenge because he's the son of Fast Five's drug kingpin Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida, Warrior Nun). Also, as the whole Shaw-family antics have shown — aka the crusade for vengeance involving Jason Statham's (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) Deckard Shaw — threatening the F&F's main family as payback for slights against other families is also a series go-to. Accordingly, Dom faces off against Dante — but no one actually swaps faces Face/Off-style, at least in the trailer, although F&F should definitely work that in at a later date — and Statham does indeed make an appearance, as he's done since Fast & Furious 6 and in spinoff Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. Also featured are a whole heap of franchise regulars, such as Michelle Rodriguez (Crisis), Jordana Brewster (Who Invited Charlie?), Ludacris (End of the Road), Tyrese Gibson (Morbius) and Sung Kang (Obi-Wan Kenobi) as Dom's wife Lottie, sister Mia, and pals Tej, Roman and Han. And, Nathalie Emmanuel (The Invitation) returns as Ramsey, Scott Eastwood (I Want You Back) as government operative Little Nobody, John Cena (Peacemaker) as Dom's brother Jakob (see: Fast and Furious 9), Helen Mirren (1923) as Deckard's mother Queenie and Charlize Theron (The School for Good and Evil) as criminal mastermind Cypher. Every F&F flick also throws new famous folks onto its road — and while Nicolas Cage hasn't popped up yet to really help nudge the saga in Face/Off's direction, or Keanu Reeves to cement the Point Break ties, or Channing Tatum in a Magic Mike/F&F mashup that'd be a ridiculous dream, Fast X adds Momoa, Moreno and Brie Larson (Just Mercy). And, while not a household name by any means, Leo Abelo Perry (Cheaper by the Dozen) joins the series as Brian Marcos, Dom's young son. You'd better believe that the Fast X trailer also finds room for footage from past flicks featuring the late Paul Walker as the OG Brian, too. As for how it'll all turn out when Fast X hits cinemas in mid-May — in what's meant to be the first film in a two-part finale for the franchise, and what feels like it'll have to be a five-hour movie itself just to fit the entire cast in — the preview is filled with OTT chases and aerial feats, all those mentions of family, twist reveals and glorious F&F vehicular mayhem in general. Now You See Me and Grimsby filmmaker Louis Leterrier directs, fresh from helping make TV series Lupin such a hit, and also reteaming with Statham after The Transporter and The Transporter 2 back in the 00s. Yes, we'll count that as another F&F instance of family ties. Check out the first Fast X trailer below: Fast X releases in cinemas Down Under on May 18, 2023.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but not at Johnny Fontane's it ain't. Starting on Wednesday, July 12 the Darlinghurst bar is serving up hot deep-dish pizza and jazz as part of its all-new monthly Mafioso Night. It doesn't matter if you're a Bugsy, Knuckles, or Guttermouth, for $30, honoured guests will get two slices of Johnny's authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza along with a couple of entrees just like Mama used to make — think arancini, meatballs and polenta chips. There's even a free cocktail up for grabs to whoever finds the rat they've hidden in the bar. Keep in mind, these kids like a theme, so channel your inner Godfather and don your best mob-inspired ensemble. They're only opening up 50 seats for the Mafioso Night, so you'll need to book in advance to nab a spot (and maybe a blessing if you're lucky) by emailing the head honcho himself at thedon@johnnyfontanesbar.com.
Australia's film and television industry can't help falling in love with the year's biggest homegrown movie, the director behind it, and the actors bringing to life one of the 20th century's music icons and his wife. At the 2022 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic said "thank you, thank you very much" to a swag of gongs, winning 11 from 15 nominations. Yes, Elvis was truly in the building, and revelling in a hunk, a hunk of burning love. Back in October when the list of contenders was announced, Elvis was instantly the frontrunner, with the film maintaining Luhrmann's history of making flicks that earn AACTA's affection. Indeed, Australia's biggest movie and TV awards have also given Best Film to Strictly Ballroom and The Great Gatsby in the past, and showered all of the director's features with nominations. It comes as zero astonishment, then, that his take on the king of rock 'n' roll has come out on top this year. As well as Best Film, Elvis earned the Best Actor gong for Austin Butler for playing the man himself, the Best Supporting Actress prize for Olivia DeJonge for her role as Priscilla Presley and Best Director for Luhrmann. Also among its trophies: Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Visual Effects or Animation, and Best Sound. Elvis wasn't the only Aussie hit of the past year to win big, however, with Mystery Road: Origin collecting seven awards from 15 nominations in the television fields: for Best Drama Series, Best Lead Actor in a Drama (for Mark Coles Smith), Best Lead Actress in a Drama (Tuuli Narkle), Best Cinematography in Television, Best Direction in Drama or Comedy, Best Editing in Television and Best Sound in Television. In an impressive night for Australia's Indigenous actors, Coles Smith and Narkle were joined by Leah Purcell, who picked up Best Actress in the film fields for The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson, plus Heartbreak High's Thomas Weatherall, the recipient of the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama gong back in the TV categories. Elsewhere among the contenders, River won best documentary; The Stranger's Sean Harris won Best Supporting Actor and writer/director Thomas M Wright nabbed Best Screenplay; A Stitch In Time won Best Indie Film; and Brooke Satchwell won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama for The Twelve. Across both film and TV, a heap of international names graced the acting nominations — a common AACTAs trend over the years — including Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton for Three Thousand Years of Longing, both Butler and Tom Hanks for Elvis, Harris for The Stranger, Jackie van Beek and Jemaine Clement for Nude Tuesday, Joanna Lumley for Falling for Figaro and Jamie Dornan for The Tourist — but only Butler and Harris emerged victorious. Elvis' domination in the film categories isn't a surprise for another reason: AACTA history. When the Aussie academy loves something, it goes all in, with Nitram 2021's big winner, Babyteeth picking up seven awards in 2020, The Nightingale receiving six the year before, Sweet Country doing the same the year before that and Lion nabbing 12 in 2017. (Thanks to the likes of Hacksaw Ridge, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dressmaker, The Great Gatsby and The Sapphires before that, the trend goes on.) Here's a rundown of 2022's major AACTA nominations — and you can check out the full list on AACTA's website: AACTA WINNERS AND NOMINEES 2022: FILM AWARDS: BEST FILM Elvis — WINNER Here Out West Sissy The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson The Stranger Three Thousand Years of Longing BEST INDIE FILM A Stitch In Time — WINNER Akoni Darklands Lonesome Pieces Smoke Between Trees BEST DIRECTION Baz Luhrmann, Elvis — WINNER Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes, Sissy Leah Purcell, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson Thomas M Wright, The Stranger George Miller, Three Thousand Years of Longing BEST LEAD ACTOR Austin Butler, Elvis — WINNER Rob Collins, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson Joel Edgerton, The Stranger Idris Elba, Three Thousand Years of Longing Damon Herriman, Nude Tuesday BEST LEAD ACTRESS Aisha Dee, Sissy Leah Purcell, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson — WINNER Julia Savage, Blaze Tilda Swinton, Three Thousand Years of Longing Jackie van Beek, Nude Tuesday BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Simon Baker, Blaze Jemaine Clement, Nude Tuesday Malachi Dower-Roberts, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson Tom Hanks, Elvis Sean Harris, The Stranger — WINNER BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Jada Alberts, The Stranger Jessica De Gouw, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson Olivia DeJonge, Elvis — WINNER Joanna Lumley, Falling For Figaro Yael Stone, Blaze BEST SCREENPLAY Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce and Jeremy Doner, Elvis Jackie van Beek, Nude Tuesday Leah Purcell, The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson Thomas M Wright, The Stranger — WINNER George Miller and Augusta Gore, Three Thousand Years of Longing BEST DOCUMENTARY Ablaze Clean Everybody's Oma Franklin Ithaka River — WINNER TELEVISION AWARDS: BEST DRAMA SERIES Bump Heartbreak High Love Me Mystery Road: Origin — WINNER The Tourist Wolf Like Me BEST TELEFEATURE OR MINISERIES Barons Savage River The Twelve — WINNER True Colours Underbelly: Vanishing Act BEST COMEDY PROGRAM Aftertaste Five Bedrooms Hard Quiz Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell — WINNER Spicks and Specks Summer Love BEST LEAD ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Mark Coles Smith, Mystery Road: Origin — WINNER Jamie Dornan, The Tourist James Majoos, Heartbreak High Sam Neill, The Twelve Hugo Weaving, Love Me BEST LEAD ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Isla Fisher, Wolf Like Me Claudia Karvan, Bump Kate Mulvany, The Twelve Tuuli Narkle, Mystery Road: Origin — WINNER Bojana Novakovic, Love Me BEST COMEDY PERFORMER Wayne Blair, Aftertaste Patrick Brammall, Summer Love Harriet Dyer, Summer Love Tom Gleeson, Hard Quiz — WINNER Charlie Pickering, The Weekly with Charlie Pickering Doris Younane, Five Bedrooms BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Hayley McElhinney, Mystery Road: Origin Jacqueline McKenzie, Savage River Heather Mitchell, Love Me Brooke Satchwell, The Twelve — WINNER Magda Szubanski, After the Verdict BEST GUEST OR SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA Steve Bisley, Mystery Road: Origin Brendan Cowell, The Twelve Daniel Henshall, Mystery Road: Origin Damon Herriman, The Tourist Thomas Weatherall, Heartbreak High — WINNER
Music has an underground relationship with math and science. Few musicians attribute their success to a life-long obsession with the more measurable arts, but the numbers are there in the octaves, the kilohertz and the flanging. Tom Leherer briefly interrupted a successful career in mathematics with a successful career as a singing satirist. For Greek composer Iannis Xenakis, the companion to music was architecture. Working with famous designer and tower-block progenitor Le Corbusier, he helped design the famous Philips Pavillion in 1958, basing the building on parabolic mathematics he'd put into his early music. Sydney percussion group Synergy are bringing his music to the City Recital Hall, performing the whole of his symphony for six drums, The Pleiades. His symphony is named after a cluster of stars that hangs around the night sky near Orion, and which has a place in lots of mythologies around the world. Synergy did just an excerpt from Xenakis' Pleiades in 2008, and they're returning now to give you the whole story. The Pleiades contains many, many stars, only a few of which are visible to the naked eye. This symphony's six drummers are similarly small in number, but they'll connect you to hidden things in Xenakis' dark energy. Original image by write_adam.
Over the coming months, Real Food Projects have added a bit of history to their menu of workshops. Working alongside Sydney Living Museums, a series of classes named Real Food/Old Ways will be held at Vaucluse House. Along with a two-hour workshop in the stables, the $120 classes include a private tour and history lesson, followed by a range of delicious lunches. The first class, Foraging and Colonial Cocktails, runs on Sunday, February 16, where you'll spend the afternoon with foraging expert Diego Bonetto collecting plants to make into cocktails. Later, join Christopher Thomas and Byron Woolfrey of Trolley'd to learn the history, secrets, and how-tos of cocktails. 'Foraging and Colonial Cocktails' runs from 2pm-5pm, and you'll even get to pocket a colonial-style cocktail mixer. A pickling class with Matt Rothman of Hands Lane (previously from Single Origin) runs on Sunday, March 9. From 10.30am-1.30pm you'll learn the basics, history and procedure of pickling. Take home the recipes, a pickle-making kit and the jar of pickles you make on the day.
"A beautiful film… profoundly moving." Los Angeles Times "The Slumdog Millionaire of documentaries: an inspiring, deeply moving crowd-pleaser." Washington Post What happens in the world's largest trash city will transform you. Filmed over three years, Waste Land is the Academy Award-nominated documentary that follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of 'catadores' - self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Concrete Playground is teaming up with Jameson and Hopscotch Films to present A Movie Night this Wednesday, November 30 at Cinema Paris, Fox Studios (where the film will be screening exclusively from December 1). At 6pm, we will be serving up some tasty cocktails prior to a special advanced screening of Waste Land at 7pm. To go in the running to win tickets for you and a friend, just make sure you are subscribed to Concrete Playground then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au by 5pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. Winners will be notified by email soon after. https://youtube.com/watch?v=0XCxpQMfGfc
Next time you pour yourself a gin and tonic or start sipping a martini, you can say cheers to one of Australia's best-known architectural wonders in the process. With its latest release, Archie Rose Distilling Co is paying tribute to a building that's become an international symbol not only for its city, but for the whole country: the Sydney Opera House. There's plenty to celebrate when it comes to the Jørn Utzon-designed structure, so Archie Rose has whipped up two gins — or, in terms that suit its inspiration, two acts. Outside Gin nods to the Sydney Opera House's design, coastal location and the contrast of its man-made elements with nature, while Inside Gin is an ode to the acts and all-round creativity that've graced the venue's stages since 1973. Launching this month to mark the building's 46th birthday, the two tipples hero distinctive flavours. If you're keen on a heavy juniper taste with a mix of salty, sweet and citrus notes (aided by lemon-scented gum, South Australian yuzu, finger limes, white grapefruit, seablite and native seaweed), then you'll find it in the Outside Gin. For those who like their drinks fruity and summery — and with botanicals such as native thyme, Australian apricot, raspberry and strawberry gum — Inside Gin has you covered. Both are on sale now, individually for $99 each or as a gift-boxed pair for $179. And while their names don't mention the Sydney Opera House, their labels certainly do, with a stylised representation of the structure featuring on each 700ml bottle — against a sea-toned background for the Outside Gin, and contrasting against a dark mix of purple, red and black with the Inside Gin. Naturally, you'll also be able to sip the two spirits at the Sydney Opera House, with the venue's Opera Kitchen, Portside Sydney and theatre bars all slinging curated seasonal cocktails using both gins. Bennelong Restaurant is also stocking the duo, as are a selection of other bars and restaurants around Circular Quay. Archie Rose x Sydney Opera House Outside and Inside Gins are currently on sale.
First, Black Mirror's Twitter account broke a four-year silence back in April. Next, Charlie Brooker's dystopian sci-fi hit dropped a sneak peek at its next batch of technological nightmares — aka the first trailer for the show's long-awaited sixth season — and confirmed that the show would return sometime in June. Now, the Netflix series has unveiled more details about what's in store, including which new technological nightmares it'll be spinning. It might be a streaming smash, but that doesn't mean that satirising streaming is off the agenda. Indeed, one of season six's five episodes, Joan Is Awful, will focus on an average woman who discovers that a global streaming platform has adapted her life into a prestige TV drama. Playing her on-screen? Salma Hayek Pinault (Magic Mike's Last Dance). This instalment will be packed with familiar faces, too, including Annie Murphy (Kevin Can F**k Himself), Michael Cera (Life & Beth), Himesh Patel (Station Eleven), Rob Delaney (The Power) and Ben Barnes (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities). Also on its way: Netflix seeing the darker side of nature documentaries — which, like biographical dramas, it's mighty fond of making itself. In upcoming Black Mirror instalment Loch Henry, a sleepy Scottish town welcomes in a young couple, who are keen to follow in David Attenborough's footsteps. Then they learn of a shocking local story, in an episode with Samuel Blenkin (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Myha'la Herrold (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Daniel Portman (Game of Thrones), John Hannah (The Last of Us) and Monica Dolan (Empire of Light) in its cast. Viewers looking forward to Aaron Paul's (Westworld) return to Black Mirror after first being involved in 2017 will been keen on Beyond the Sea, where it's an alternative 1969, two men are on a high-tech mission and dealing with a tragedy's big consequences, and Josh Hartnett (Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre), Kate Mara (Call Jane), Auden Thornton (This Is Us) and Rory Culkin (Swarm) co-star. In Mazey Day, the paparazzi hounds a troubled starlet who is coping with the aftermath of a hit-and-run, with Zazie Beetz (Atlanta), Clara Rugaard (I Am Mother) and Danny Ramirez (Stars at Noon) featuring. And in Demon 79, it's 1979 and a sales assistant in Northern England is informed that she has to commit terrible acts or a disaster will occur — with Anjana Vasan (Killing Eve), Paapa Essiedu (Men), Katherine Rose Morley (The Syndicate) and David Shields (Benediction) starring. Brooker has penned all five new chapters, co-writing Demon 79 with Bisha K Ali (Ms Marvel). This season is being teased as "the most unpredictable, unclassifiable and unexpected season yet", which is saying something given everything that Black Mirror has thrown at the screen in past seasons (and in choose-your-own-adventure-style movie Black Mirror: Bandersnatch). And yes, Brooker does have quite the challenge this time around: making something that manages to be even more dispiriting than reality over the past few years. That's increasingly been one of the show's dilemmas — and noting that something IRL feels just like Black Mirror has become one of the cliches of our times — but this'll be the mind-bending effort's first round of episodes following the pandemic. Check out the first trailer and latest teaser for Black Mirror's sixth season below: Black Mirror season six will stream via Netflix some time in June. We'll update you when an exact release date is announced. Images: Nick Wall/Daniel Escale, Netflix.
I imagine that Travis Cotton, the writer and director of Robots Vs Art, was watching Arnie curl his fingers into a gloriously corny thumbs-up towards the conclusion of Terminator 2 when he decided that the notion of robots being able to feel and emote needed to be revisited with more meta, and that that decision resulted in the creation of his incredibly entertaining play. Robots Vs Art is set in a dystopian (or utopian, depending on your stance) future where humans have been eradicated by their humanoid creations and sent to work in mines to source energy for the now-sustainable world the robot overlords rule. However, fate intervenes for Giles (Daniel Fredriksen) — the last human alive — when Master Executive Bot (Simon Maiden) charges him with the task of making robots feel through the final frontier they are yet to conquer, art. What ensues is one of the funniest plays I have seen in some time. It is littered with brilliant one-liners — "wanker detected" will bring a smile to my face for the foreseeable future — and expertly written jokes about the theatre industry that Mr and Mrs Normal Viewer can also enjoy. The didactic dictionary-defined nature of the robots also provides some side-splitting moments. However, it is the physical humour of Clawbot (Paul Goddard) that steals the show. Goddard is magnificent as the dysmorphia-suffering robot, and he provides the heartiest laughs of the evening, both when he attempts to pick up a pencil with his claw hands and later with his over-the-top acting of 'being taken aback', which still has me giggling hours later. He is brilliantly supported by Maiden, who becomes hilarious once he explodes with emotion, and Natasha Jacobs, who plays the fembot Gib to perfection, right down to her meticulously hypnotic double blinks. The play has its flaws; Fredriksen's performance is ironically unemotional as our human hero Giles, the scene changes are clunky and dislocating, and the ending is quite abrupt. However, these do not detract from the overall enjoyment that Robots Vs Art delivers, and it delivers it in spades. It is a thoroughly entertaining and witty, 80-minute exploration of the value of art that will more than quench your thirst for hilarious theatre.
The NSW Government announced that 'affirmative consent' will be a legal requirement, as part of a number of changes for the state's sexual assault laws. Announced yesterday, Tuesday, May 25, the amendments enact recommendations initially made in November last year in a review by the NSW Law Reform Commission — and will legislate that affirmative consent needs to be actively communicated, and can't be presumed. As part of the proposed changes, a person will need to say or do something to communicate in the affirmative in order to give consent. And, if a partner doesn't do something to ascertain that consent — verbally or via an action — it will not be reasonable for them to assume that consent has been given. The changes to the Crimes Act 1900 are designed to both simplify and strengthen existing sexual assault laws in order to better protect and deliver justice for victims and survivors. Consent will still need to be given freely and voluntarily, a requirement that the amendments are also designed to strengthen. Announcing the planned reforms, Attorney General Mark Speakman explained that "this means we will have an affirmative model of consent, which will address issues that have arisen in sexual offence trials about whether an accused's belief that consent existed was actually reasonable." He continued: "no one should assume someone is saying 'yes' just because they don't say 'no' or don't resist physically. Steps should be taken to make sure all parties are consenting." The LRC's November report recommended 44 changes, all of which are supported by the NSW Government — by either adopting them in full or in principle. A bill covering the reforms will be introduced to NSW Parliament later in 2021. https://twitter.com/SaxonAdair/status/1397013547809316864 Responding to the news, Rape & Sexual Assault Research & Advocacy Director and survivor advocate Saxon Mullins called the reforms a big leap forward for the state. "After so many years fighting for this, it's almost hard to believe we'll actually have affirmative consent laws in NSW. I know there's so much more to do in this space, but this is a huge win for survivors, and I'm so grateful for all the survivors and academics who've paved the way for this to happen." A sexual assault survivor herself, Mullins has been advocating for changes to the state's consent laws since her own case was dismissed in 2017, with the LRC's review initially sparked by media coverage of her story. For more information about NSW's planned changes to the state's sexual consent laws, head to the Department of Communities and Justice website.
After beginning the year with a devastating bushfire season, then following it up with a global pandemic that rid the area of tourism, the Blue Mountains, it's fair to say, has has a tough 12 months. In response, Mount Tomah's Blue Mountains Botanic Garden has turned to an unlikely partner on its road towards bushfire recovery: gin. In collaboration with Sydney-based gin brand Grown Spirits, the Botanic Garden has released the Blue Mountains Grown Gin in a limited run of just 1000 bottles. All profits from the gin go to supporting the garden's horticultural and scientific staff in their efforts to restore hundreds of specimens and areas of the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden destroyed in the bushfires earlier this year. The Blue Mountains Grown Gin was created by Grown Spirits and Master Distiller Philip Moore at Distillery Botanica in Erina. It combines local eucalypt plant the silver-leaved mountain gum with juniper, valencia orange and liquorice root for a textural gin with a hint of spice. "In creating a gin homage to the Blue Mountains and the Garden, there was one botanical I was immediately drawn to, eucalyptus pulverulenta, or "Baby Blue" as some people call it," Moore said in a statement. "It brings fresh, cooling qualities to the gin much like the mountains themselves." The team recommends serving it in a G&T or a martini with a lime zest. You can also try it at Dead Ringer in Surry Hills, shaken into a cocktail called Evergreen. If you're looking for ethical holiday gifts this time of year, the Blue Mountains Grown Gin fits snuggly into a Christmas stocking. Not a gin enthusiast, but still keen to support the area? You can take a trip to the Blue Mountains — and the Garden — and spend liberally on local businesses. To start planning your adventure, check out our guide to the upper Blue Mountains and these enchanting local stays. The Blue Mountains Grown Gin is now available now for $129 at the Garden Grown Gin website or at select bottle shops across Australia.
Two of our city's most dynamic arts organisations — Carriageworks and Sydney Dance Company — are joining forces again to give up-and-coming choreographers a platform to showcase their work. Running every year since 2014, New Breed is an initiative supported by philanthropic organisation The Balnaves Foundation and is an ongoing collaborative commitment to nurturing Australia's next generation of performers and artists. Now in its sixth year, it boasts a successful track record of recipients going on to do national and global tours, picking up many awards along the way. So, this is your chance to catch the new wave of talent before the rest of the world. This year's program features a powerhouse lineup of independent choreographers: Josh Mu (Melbourne), Lauren Langlois (Melbourne), Arielle Casu (Sydney) and Davide Di Giovanni (Sydney). These four dancers, who have decades of training and dozens of accolades between them already, were selected to create original works and were also given the opportunity to work at Sydney Dance Company's studios with some of Australia's best contemporary dancers to bring these creative pieces to life. And now, you get to enjoy the fruits of their labour with an evening of stunning and wildly diverse performances. New Breed 2019 will run nightly at Carriageworks from Thursday, November 28 to Saturday, December 7. Tickets cost $35 per person and can be purchased here. Images: Pedro Greig.
Power in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar is brutal. It's corrosive and fleeting. It makes good people do bad things for their short-term survival, leads them to blur the public interest with their own. A manipulative entourage operates behind each visible figurehead. The citizenry's patience is short and their memory shorter. They martyrise their last despot not long after rejoicing in his removal by another. Their favour sways like a rope bridge over a gusty ravine. Sound familiar? The Bell Shakespeare Company thought so, too, which is why their slick and effective take on Julius Caesar speaks to modern executive government generally and the Kevin-to-Julia Labor leadership switch specifically. By keeping the allusions from getting petty or gimmicky, they pull off the production with grace and resonance and built it up to possibly the best Caesar you'll have the pleasure to see. The set is ringed by steel-framed meeting-room chairs and oversized spotlights; the cold corporate aesthetic interrupted only by the presence of a ruined Roman column bursting through the floor (which has a point, you'll see). There's shoe throwing and Q&A-style discourse, and the abridged script emphasises imagery of "the faction" and conspirators with "faces hidden in their cloaks" that were sketched 400 years before we made a cliche of 'faceless men'. Brutus (Colin Moody), Cassius (Kate Mulvany) and their supporters begin moving against tyrannical old Caesar (Alex Menglet) in a gently paced first half before the infamous execution scene is split by intermission. You're then dropped into a relentless and regularly jaw-dropping second hour where the set comes alive with a mesmerising assemblage of scaffolding, two great orators battle for the audience's hearts, and there's much navel-gazing on the part of the losers as they get their comeuppance at the Battle of Philippi. There are some great performances here, particularly from Mulvany (who's also the excellent dramaturg). Making one of the key political players female proves an instant way to modernise the play, and disregarding gender, she is a brilliant Cassius — bitter, sharp and determined. With regard to gender, it creates an interesting opportunity to play with sexual power and subtly question how we see women in positions of authority. Director Peter Evans and the creative team have had a clearly conceived idea of what this show should be and proceeded to impressively execute it. The drama features some strong choreography, including explosive fights. Where most Caesars have chosen to swim in blood, this one marks its wounds with movement and white chalk dust — it's bloodless, in fact. Like in modern politics and warfare, this violence is clean and distant. It doesn't get its hands dirty, and it's more disturbing for it.
Let's get the obvious out of the way immediately: a business's use of technology is fairly integral to its day-to-day functionality. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule but, for the most part, how a business is able to embrace technology and shape its output accordingly is fundamental to long term success. That's why the City of Sydney and founder-focused development and investment firm Investible got together to devise the Retail Innovation Program — an eight-week intensive that provides forward-thinking businesses with expert mentoring, in-depth workshops and guidance as they look to keep themselves ahead of the retail game. We spoke to four of the Sydney-based small businesses that have taken advantage of this innovative platform. Read on to discover how these entrepreneurs are using tech to do everything from making the design process more sustainable to rethinking how supply chains can work — and are thriving because of it. [caption id="attachment_734147" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] POP UP FINDS: HIRE SERVICES YOU DON'T NEED TO OWN It might come as a surprise, but pop-up events don't simply just pop up — a huge amount of work goes into ensuring they run smoothly, which can often rack up big bills very quickly. Pop Up Finds is designed around reducing wastage and minimising the hard costs associated with running events. "Brands were purchasing furniture to use as a one-time event and then throwing it away or storing it in their warehouse never to be used again," explains co-founders Kim and Taryn Hoang. Given this ethos is ingrained into their business model, the pair are pretty skilled at taking advantage of tech services that follow this same principle. Instead of forking out money to own a van, the Hoangs use car-sharing service GoGet to hire one as and when they need. The same goes with staff — the pair rely on platforms like Freelancer and Upwork to scale up the crew and fill gaps in skill sets when required. [caption id="attachment_731486" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Trent van der Jagt[/caption] CITIZEN WOLF: BUILD ALGORITHMS FOR THE PERFECT FINAL PRODUCT Have you ever thought about the nature of your relationship with clothes? For the past three years, Citizen Wolf has argued that tailoring your clothes is the optimal way to feel attached to them and wear them for longer than a season. Instead of using outdated tape measures, it's built the Magic Fit algorithm. What's that, you ask? Well, it's a statistical model that caters for height, weight, age and bra size to design the perfect fitting shirt for each individual. Citizen Wolf takes the Magic Fit pattern and uses a laser to cut the fabric before local Sydney sewers pull the final product together. Ultimately, this model is making the design process as straightforward as possible and reduces the likelihood of buyers returning products or, even worse, throwing them away because they don't fit properly. The fabrics the business uses are 100 percent natural fibres, and it's currently investigating biodegradable threads, too. Plus, it's looking to start working with a Spanish mill to turn old t-shirts into recycled yarn which will complete the circle entirely and reduce waste. [caption id="attachment_734138" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] FOODCOSTR: ADOPT DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS TO REDUCE WASTE Whether it's due to poor stock management or massive portion sizes, many Australian restaurants and cafes are wasting a huge amount of good quality food. That's what Foodcostr, and its founder Min Chai, is hoping to change. As the founder of the now-closed ice cream chain N2 Extreme Gelato, Chai knows a few things about the challenges of food stock. Having shifted his focus away from N2, Chai is now committed to helping other businesses operate more sustainably – both financially and environmentally. While it's still in development, Foodcostr is aiming to be a piece of tech that chefs can use to future-proof their restaurants — and it'll take advantage of other tech platforms to do so. Initially, the app was just going to be a way to calculate food costs, but Chai is now investigating ways to incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict exactly what a restaurant has to buy in order to meet the demands of its customers and minimise wastage. Plus, he hopes to get to a point where the app is generating valuable data-driven insights, like pinpointing specific ingredients to add or remove from the menu to improve the bottom line. [caption id="attachment_734152" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kimberley Low[/caption] MODSIE: KNOW YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE Getting your hands on authentic second-hand luxury fashion is the dream, but when you dig some up at your local op-shop or online, how can you be sure that it's the real thing? Modsie is Australia's answer to this conundrum as its members are safe to buy and sell their goods, which are verified by the company's own expert in-house quality control team. Co-founder Josephine De Parisot says that the Retail Innovation Program helped Modsie build a strategy to communicate with a wider audience. "The digital tips we received from Kelly Slessor from ShopYou and Emma Lo Russo from Digivizer were really interesting and helpful," says De Parisot. "They've made us aware of easy ways to improve our business's visibility, to determine clearly who our target is, and how to communicate better with our customers on Facebook, Google or simply on our website." Learn more about the City of Sydney Retail Innovation Program here. Image: Kimberley Low.
Each year we anticipate the arrival of December 25. Because of the day off, the promise of an afternoon spent dozing in a hammock — and the arrival of Gelato Messina's annual Christmas cake. This year, the gelato chain is bringing back its version of the quintessential Australian dessert: the trifle. Yes, we're talking Christmas desserts already. The Christmas Coma will return for its third year running — and this time it's more fruity than overly decadent. The epic ice cream creation will feature layer upon layer of everything that is good about Christmas — but instead of being soggy and slightly regrettable, this one will have you licking the glass bowl. So what's in it? Well, Messina has switched out the vanilla gelato for a mango sorbet, and will be slathering it with its house-made passionfruit mousse. Then it will be layered with — here we go — whipped guava jelly, coconut cream, sponge soaked in mango and macadamia crunch. Oh, and garnished with a chocolate coconut. Plus, it'll come with some Messina rum custard to douse all over the mess and a box of Christmas crackers for the table. The trifle, which serves 20–30 (or less if you really commit), costs $170 and can be pre-ordered from October 28. You can pick up your Christmas Coma between midday on Friday, December 20 and 6pm on Christmas Eve, from all Gelato Messina stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane except The Star, Surry Hills, Richmond and Coolangatta. It comes in a Messina cooler bag and, if you keep it in there sealed, can survive for up to two hours. Last year, the trifle sold out super fast, too, so we suggest you don't wait on this one. The Christmas Coma available to order from Tuesday, October 29. Updated October 29, 2019.
It's possible to wish that I'll Be Gone in the Dark told its story in another way, and to still find yourself captivated by every single thing the six-part series serves up. In fact, there's no way to watch this immensely personal true-crime docuseries and not wish that author Michelle McNamara was a part of it in a very different way. She's the reason the show exists, and her obsessive work investigating the Californian murderer known as the Golden State Killer helped keep the case alive. She even wrote a book that shares this program's name, but she died from an accidental overdose in 2016, before it was published. I'll Be Gone in the Dark charts McNamara's quest to expose the man who committed at least 13 murders and 50 rapes between 1973–86, but it also intertwines McNamara's own story — including interviews with her husband Patton Oswalt. If you think you've seen every spin on the true-crime genre there is, you'll change your mind when you watch this highly detailed and also intimately personal series.
Can you get much more rock 'n' roll than your band having its own signature Harley Davidson? The members of Dutch outfit DeWolff might have the answer: they received the honour last year. Like The Black Keys, with whom they've been invited to perform, DeWolff plays music that hearkens to another era — that of 1970s psychedelic rock. They're loud, highly energised and passionate about playing like they mean to be heard. "We put everything we have into our shows, so it's one hell of a psychedelic rock 'n' roll trip," vocalist Pablo Van De Poe has explained. It seems to be working: Rolling Stone named them European 'Must See Live Band' of 2012. To mark their 2013 Antipodean tour, DeWolff is releasing three albums: their new blues-rock project, DeWolff IV, and a double CD that includes Strange Fruits and Undiscovered Plants and Orchards/Lupine, to be released in Australia only. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gh-8lQbTUoY
Twenty years ago, Tracey Moffatt became the first Australian Aboriginal woman to make a feature film, in the process polarising critics, who argued over whether BeDevil was a work of genius or a cinematic failure. Contemporary audiences will have the chance to make up their minds on Friday, April 19. Public intellectual and activist Professor Maria Langton AM has chosen BeDevil to open Debil Debil, an event combining a weekend-long cinema programme at Carriageworks with an exhibition at Anna Schwartz Gallery. Saturday, April 20 will see screenings of Rachel Perkins's stirring musical drama, One Night the Moon, and two works directed by Ivan Sen: his psychologically penetrating Wind, and his intimate study of life on the mission, Toomelah. A series of short films will run on Sunday, including works by Wesley Enoch, Darlene Johnson, Beck Cole and r e a. All screenings are free, but numbers are limited. Avoid disappointment by booking online.
