Some things never change, like packing a suitcase full of everything you think you might need on holiday, only to discover when you get to your destination that you've forgotten a crucial item. We've all been there, and more than once. When jetting overseas for a getaway becomes a reality again — and international travel returns in a big way, rather than just via quarantine-free bubbles — we all have that to look forward to. Even after Australia's borders have been closed for so long, that kind of thing isn't going to stop happening. But, if you're flying with Qantas and Jetstar, you will also need to add something new to your travel routine. Over the past 18 months, Qantas has responded to the pandemic in a number of ways. The carrier has sold off its fully stocked bar carts, done the same with its pyjamas and launched an athleisure wear range. It announced new routes for domestic getaways, released a gin and floated the idea of only allowing vaccinated passengers to travel. And, it ran a trial of digital health passports, in the hopes of using an app to facilitate safe travel when the global tourism market does reopen — which it has now announced it'll definitely put to use when it is able to resume international flights. The airline will work with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to use its digital Travel Pass app. The same pass was also assessed by Air New Zealand, which tested it on its Auckland to Sydney routes back in April. The big drawcard: enabling travellers to verify their COVID-19 vaccination information and test results with border and health officials, as well as with airline staff. While the final app is still in development, it'll connect customers to certified testing labs, which is how your test results will be accessed. So, it'll allow you to show proof that you've tested negative before your flight — and to show that you have a vaccine certificate also. Handily, the IATA Travel Pass will cross-reference your health details against the entry requirements for the country you're heading to as well, providing specific information for your exact trip. Announcing the news, Qantas Group Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully said that "we want to get our international flights back in the air and our people back to work and a digital health pass will be a key part of that. Many governments are already requiring proof of vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test result for international travel. Even if it wasn't a government requirement, Qantas has always been a leader in safety and we have a responsibility to our customers and crew." Last November, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce first advised that the airline was "looking at changing our terms and conditions to say, for international travellers, that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft". He continued: "certainly for international visitors coming out and people leaving the country, we think that's a necessity". For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Health website.
Sometimes it can hard to get through the working week. Even if you love your job, it always helps to add a little mid-week joviality to get you through to Friday afternoon. Concrete Playground, with help from Debit MasterCard, are giving you the chance to win a night out that will keep you grinning all week at your desk (if you make it to work at all the next day). One lucky person will win a priceless Sydney night out with three of their best mates, dolled up in a brand new outfit from free-spirited Sydney fashion label, Strummer. Your night will start at the The Norfolk where you can sit in the leafy courtyard and sip beers or one of their cooling cocktail jugs to get warmed up before you head off to The Carrington, one of our favourite new venues, for a fab meal. Once you're well-fed and merry, you will head to the Seymour Centre with your VIP tickets in hand to see Florence + the Machine, whose powerful pop songs have won them fans all over the world, debut their new album, Ceremonials. Then, while still on a post-gig high, you and your friends will head for an after-party at the The Flinders to continue your night of dancing. The sold out gig is is part of Debit Mastercard's Priceless Music series, which has commissioned previous shows by other awesome bands like Birds of Tokyo at Cockatoo Island and Kasabian at Melbourne's Docklands, and is set to take place on November 15. For your chance to win the perfect night out, just make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then leave your email address in the box below. The winner will be notified by email on November 11, 2011. Note: Entries for this competition have now closed. [email_capture] https://youtube.com/watch?v=WbN0nX61rIs
One day a year, each and every year, American football attracts fans around the world who don't watch any NFL games at any other time. The reason: the Super Bowl. Maybe you just check it out for the half-time show. Perhaps you're just keen on the film and TV trailers that drop during the match. Either way, there's no avoiding Super Bowl Monday, as it is in Australia, when it rolls around. The 2024 Super Bowl is different. The Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the San Francisco 49ers. Usher is doing the mid-game performance. But plenty of people watching will be hoping to say "yeah!" to a different music superstar. Everyone knows that Taylor Swift is dating Travis Kelce, who plays for the Chiefs. In fact, the NFL has already confirmed that Swift is on the ground in Las Vegas for the match. Taylor Swift is here with Ice Spice and Blake Lively! #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/0x4XIDRupW — NFL (@NFL) February 11, 2024 So, where can you watch in Australia? If you're streaming along from work or home, you have a few options. Via free-to-air TV, 7mate and 7plus are showing the game, which starts at 10.30am AEDT / 10am ACT / 9.30am AEST / 7.30am AWST, with coverage commencing half an hour earlier. Or, if you have Foxtel or Kayo, you can also stream the match there. The half-time show is expected to kick off at midday AEDT / 11.30am ADCT / 11am AEST / 9am AWST. [caption id="attachment_940494" align="alignnone" width="1920"] D.roller.saparena via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] While much of the focus has been on Swift, including if she'd make to Las Vegas after her Tokyo Eras gigs before heading to Australia for her Down Under tour leg, there's another reason for Aussies to be interested. Mitch Wishnowsky plays for the 49ers, and could become the first Australian to play in and win the Super Bowl if his team beats the Chiefs. Jesse Williams received a Super Bowl ring for the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, but didn't actually play in the match. The Chiefs also won 2023's Super Bowl, plus 2020's — against the the 49ers in the latter. [caption id="attachment_940492" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Accedie via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The 2024 Super Bowl takes place from 10am AEDT / 10am ACT / 9am AEST / 7.30am AWST on Monday, February 12 in Australia. Watch along via 7mate and 7plus, Foxtel or Kayo. Top image: All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia via Wikimedia Commons.
The Sapphires is a feel-good, sparkle-spangled film uncovering the journey of four Aboriginal girls as they are plucked from a remote Australian mission and thrust onto the world stage performing for black US marines in Vietnam in 1968. The film was not only snapped up by The Weinstein Company for North American release before it even premiered at the Cannes Festival earlier this year, but it also received an impressive 10-minute standing ovation following its midnight screening at the festival. The Sapphires is an adaptation of the iconic stage musical of the same name, inspired by the true story of writer Tony Brigg's mother and three aunts. The charismatic quartet is played by AFI award-winning Deborah Mailman, who plays the protective mama-bear, Gail, newby Miranda Tapsell as the sassy sister Cynthia, Aussie pop sensation Jessica Mauboy portraying the feisty younger sister Julie, and Shari Sebbens as the estranged cousin, Kay, brought up with a white family in Melbourne as part of the stolen generation. The girls are spotted by Irish soul-lover Dave (Bridesmaids' Chris O'Dowd), who has a kind heart and an ear for raw talent. Under the condition that they switch from their beloved country western style to the toe-tapping beats of soul, Dave takes the four divas under his wing and secures them a spot on a tour performing for the Vietnam troops. The racial struggle and social upheaval of the heady days of the late '60s and the Vietnam War are largely overshadowed by exuberant songs, complete with Motown, Stax and Atlantic Records classics, soulful performances and lessons learned about love, life and friendship. Director and first-time filmmaker Wayne Blair has produced an effervescent and upbeat movie which will be sure to get you belting out hit tunes from the likes of Marvin Gaye, Linda Lyndell and Jackson Five. Mention must also go to O'Dowd, who delivers a hilarious performance with his clumsy character that will leave you giggling long after the credits roll. The film is opening the world-renowned Melbourne International Film Festival on August 3 and hits cinemas on August 9. Concrete Playground has five double passes to giveaway. To go in the running to win tickets to The Sapphires, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
Empire of the Sun are back, proving that video making is still an art; Owl Eyes are telling golden lies; and Bastille are taking full advantage of the acoustics properties of a museum corner to give you the perfect Sunday song. 1. 'ALIVE' - EMPIRE OF THE SUN Empire of the Sun dropped their much-awaited new track 'Alive' just the other week. Tuesday saw the release of the accompanying video, and the apt word is wow. It almost looks like a futuristic Game of Thrones scene and it proves that Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore just know how to do epic. They also prove that despite the dwindling numbers tuning into MTV, the music video is still a valid art form. It also helps that the track is incredibly catchy. We should give a warm welcome back to the absurdly dressed duo. 2. 'GET LUCKY' - DAUGHTER And so the covers of the best song so far this year begin. Daft Punk's heralded return track has been covered here by brooding British band and anticipated Splendour act Daughter and is a surprisingly excellent cover, perhaps because they have taken such a different path to the French gods of electronica. Hopefully any other covers that follow are up to this quality. 3. 'YOUNG & BEAUTIFUL' - LANA DEL REY Anything to do with the upcoming movie The Great Gatsby gets me excited, mainly as everything is so secretive. The soundtrack is promising to be as epic as the film itself, with Jay-Z, Florence and the Machine and Sia just some of the artists who recorded for the film. For a long time we only heard snippets of sound, but now full tracks are starting to leak out. Lana Del Rey dropped this treat and, like all things Gatsby, it is suspenseful, epic and beautiful. Enjoy at will. 4. 'GOLDEN LIES' - OWL EYES Owl Eyes are telling us golden lies and I don't mind what truth they are covering up so long as it keeps sounding as good as this. 'Golden Lies' is one of the twelve dance-inducing tracks from Nightswim, Owl Eyes' debut album released just last week. Do yourself a favour and put this on repeat. 5. 'POMPEII' - BASTILLE These British boys were invited to perform 'Pompeii' at the opening of the British Museum's Pompeii exhibit, and we should all be very glad that Bastille accepted, as it turns out that the corner of a museum is the perfect place for a haunting voice, a guitar and three pairs of hands percussively beating thighs to make perfectly serendipitous music. Excellent for that relaxing Sunday afternoon.
The second annual Easter Dog Parade is sure to be a treat. All dog-lovers and dog-owners can come watch the competition, which includes Best Kisser, Waggliest Tale and Best Biscuit Catcher, among many others. For all the humans wanting to get in on the action, prizes are awarded in categories such as Best Impersonation of a Dog (by a human), Best Costume and Best Bonnet. The entry fee for each category is $2, with all proceeds benefitting the RSPCA Bushfire Appeal of New South Wales. All ages are welcome to compete in the competition, or enjoy the other activities the Easter Dog Parade has to offer. Listen to a reading of Aussie Dogs Stories by Paul Bugeja, enjoy some Doga (that's dog yoga), watch the wiener dog race, and gather around for the parade down Main Street (definitely not to be missed). The festivities include stalls set up by local sponsors, face painting and a concert performed by a mariachi band. The dog-fuelled day is sure to have something for everyone, whether four-legged or two. Photo via Padfoot Whiskers and Wings.
In the quarter-century since Pokémon first burst into the world, its slogan has gotten quite the workout. The entire franchise is about catching 'em all, but that sentiment has proven rather adaptable. When it comes to Pokémon video games, you've gotta play 'em all. Love the cards and merchandise? You've gotta collect 'em all. Adore seeing pocket monsters on-screen? You've gotta watch 'em all. Like Pokémon-themed doughnuts? You need to devour 'em all. Hang on, Pokémon-themed doughnuts? Yes, they're a real thing that you can indeed munch your way through now, all thanks to Krispy Kreme. And, in the spirit of the franchise, you really do need to catch them separately if you're eager to get your fix in-store, with a different variety of doughy goodness dropping every fortnight from Tuesday, September 7. On the menu: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Poké Ball doughnuts, with each type decked out in the appropriate colours and decorations. Obviously, if you're saying "I choose you" to a Pikachu doughnut, you're tucking into yellow icing — atop a doughnut that's filled with choc crème, then dipped in white truffle, and then decked out with a Pikachu white chocolate plaque. If you're grabbing a Poké Ball variety, you'll find it covered in white icing and red sprinkles, and also with an appropriate white choc plaque. The Bulbasaur type features green apple icing, sand sugar and a crème swirl, while the Charmander kind is orange-hued and filled with vanilla custard. And, when it comes to the light blue-toned Squirtle, it's jammed with strawberry filling. You'll find the Pokémon doughnuts at Krispy Kreme stores across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Auckland — or, if you fancy catching 'em all in once, you can grab a 12-pack (featuring one Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Poké Ball doughnut, two Pikachu doughnuts and six original glazed doughnuts) online. And if you're wondering why you're now able to eat 'em all, that's because Krispy Kreme is celebrating Pokémon's 25th anniversary. If you want to bust out Pokémon Go while you're snacking, or watch Detective Pikachu, that's perfectly understandable. Krispy Kreme's Pokémon range is available from Tuesday, September 7 — with a different doughnut on offer in-store every fortnight (for $3.75 each) and the full collection available online (in dozen packs for $29.95).
One of Sydney's longest standing players in the craft beer game, Harts Pub is set to hold the ultimate event of Sydney Beer Week — the Beer Olympics. While the full details remained shrouded in mystery, much like the vapours surrounding the Delphic shrine of Ancient Greece, we hear that there will be six events along the lines of foosball, darts, and Mario Kart. Accompanying refreshments — to help refuel the thirsty athletes — will be available from Little Alchemist, Holgate, 2 Birds, Kereru, Gage Roads and Rocks Brewing, with each supplying a new, seasonal or limited release beer. Tickets include three schooner vouchers and a chance to compete in all games. Merch giveaways, on-the-spot prizes and a glorious victory for the ultimate Beer Olympics Champion are on the cards. So get your game faces (and costumes) on for a great day of games, beers and good times all round.
If you're anything like us, you don't really feel like sipping on a tannic shiraz or a full-bodied cabernet sauvignon when the mercury hits above 26. And, if we're being totally honest with ourselves, we've really given the standard rosé (frosé, rosé icy poles, rosé spritz, rosé Christmas ornaments, rosé bath bombs…) a good run for its money. So, we think, maybe, it's time to branch out. This is where the orange wines, the skin-contacts, the pét-nats and the naturals step in. If you haven't had one yet, you've heard your friends talk about them. And they're perfect summer drinking — light, textured and exciting. To help you make some educated oenological decisions these holidays, we asked funky-wine aficionado Joel Amos, co-founder of DRNKS — an online wine store specialising in sustainable, organic and biodynamic wine — to give us a rundown of the top ten interesting drops to drink during the scorching summer months. To buy these wines, head to DRNKS (they're offering same-day delivery from now until Christmas in the Sydney metro), check the wineries' websites or ask your favourite local bottle-o. KIDS OF THE BLACK HOLE, OCHOTA BARRELS, ADELAIDE HILLS Ochota Barrels began as a conversation during a Mexican surf trip, now it's a name synonymous with natural wine. If you're a stranger to funky wines, this is a good place to jump in. This drop is a light skin-contact riesling, so it has a touch of orange colour but tastes fresh and zippy. For the uninitiated, skin-contact refers to white wines that are fermented with the grape skins left on for longer, which gives the wine an orange colour (usually the skins are removed before fermentation when making white wine). Amos says this wine is, "kind of like perfect perfection being made perfectly". So, perfect? SKINS, FROM SUNDAY, ORANGE "Orange wine from orange," says Amos. "It's always exciting to see interesting wines out of NSW." You'll notice that a lot of wines on this list are from SA, but NSW has been producing some interesting wines recently, too. This one is a skin-contact pinot gris — it's light, but textured, and way too easy to drink. It's also more rose-coloured than orange, but don't be tricked by its tint, we still recommend drinking it chilled. Then, taking it outdoors to a beach, park, forest or garden. RIESLING 2017, OISEAU ET RENARD, CLARE VALLEY Bird and Fox (the English translation of its name) made a similar skin-contact riesling in 2016 that was widely popular. This is the 2017 version and it doesn't disappoint. It's fresh and pretty, while still have a noticeable texture. It's also fermented in an amphora — a terracotta jar used often in Roman times — instead of barrels or stainless steel tanks. Amos says that it's, "pretty special stuff". We think you should order a bottle before it sells out. GEWURZTRAMINER, YETTI AND THE KOKONUT, BAROSSA VALLEY This wine label possibly has the best name in the business (yes, big call). It has also produced a might fine array of wines during its two years in production. A typically European grape, this gewürztraminer was grown in SA then fermented on skins. Now, you can find it in a host of restaurants and bottle shops around Australia. Amos says it's "fruit juice that can get you drunk", so we're going to recommend you drink with caution. RAINBOW JUICE, GENTLE FOLK, ADELAIDE HILLS Do you want to drink rainbow juice? We want to drink rainbow juice. We think the more rainbows in 2017 and beyond, the better. Gentle Folk is another big name in the funky-wine business, and another name that sells out quickly — so don't hesitate when buying your rainbow juice. It's made from 23 different red and white grape varieties, from around Basket and Forest Range, that spent some time fermenting in oak. Once again, Amos would like you to not be fooled by its colour — "serve it ice cold". PINOT BLANC, LUCY MARGAUX, ADELAIDE HILLS Last year's Lucy Margaux wines were pretty wild — highly textural and oft described as pond scum (which is not necessarily a bad thing with natural wine). This year they're slightly more pared back, light, fresh and really well priced. This pinot blanc is made organically (as are all the LM wines) and slightly dry and carbonated. We suggest pairing with a secluded beach. PINK, SI, MARGARET RIVER OK. We lied. We included a rosé. But it's not a typical rosé. It's a minimal-intervention cabernet sauvignon (with a touch of malbec) grown and fermented in Western Australia. Amos says, "this is really light and pretty — who knew you could have a not gross cabernet rosé?." Si knew. Now you know. And Santa won't cross you off his Christmas list if you turn it into frosé. PASH RASH, BORACHIO, ADELAIDE HILLS Luckily, this pash rash has nothing in common with the one you experienced during high school. It's a blend of pinot gris and sauvignon blanc and it's tart and easy to drink. The winemakers, Mark Warner and Alicia Basa — who can usually be found stomping grapes at another natural winery, Jauma — call it "boozy pub squash". GOOD TIMES, LATTA VINO, WESTERN VICTORIA Rounding out the lineup with a bang (literally), is this 1.5-litre bottle of pétillant-naturel. A pétillant-naturel, or pét-nat, is a sparkling wine made using the traditional méthode ancestrale — it's not a quick process to describe, but there's a full rundown here if you're interested. This juicy bottle is made using pinot gris and we highly recommend you ring in the new year with a bottle or two.
Young Henrys, Newtown's craft beer brewery, is encouraging everyone to rip in this month with an exciting three-day mini-festival from Friday, November 11 to Sunday, November 13. Dubbed the Rip In Weekender, the event will take place at the Hotel Steyne and features a well-curated lineup of DJs including familiar names like DMA'S, Pacific Avenue and Ruby Fields, as well as other local artists. Described as an "all hell breaks loose" party, the spring event is also promised to feature a pop-up tattoo parlour, with ink provided by Thanks Tattoos and Whistler Street Tattoo. Volcom Stone have been charged with dropping a half-pipe for skaters, or you can get your nails done by Volcom's resident nail artist. Elsewhere, film enthusiasts can screen the premiere of the Nao Deane movie. For those who love their surf, podcast favourite Ain't That Swell will be live streaming an episode at the venue, too. [caption id="attachment_876463" align="alignnone" width="1920"] DMA'S - Supplied[/caption] And of course, there will be plenty of beer to quench your thirst provided by Young Henrys. Head over to Young Henrys' event page to save your spot for the highly anticipated weekender. Top images: Ruby Boland, Pacific Avenue — supplied, DMA'S — supplied, The Regime — supplied. [caption id="attachment_876468" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ruby Fields — supplied.[/caption]
Victorians are preparing to say goodbye to plastic bags as the Victorian Government last night announced it will clear everyone's cupboards of single-use plastic carriers via a statewide ban. Premier Daniel Andrews announced the ban last night on The Project, saying that "we know this is really important for the environment, particularly for our waterways, for landfill [and] for waste management". This comes in direct response to a #BanTheBag Change.org petition run by the nightly Ten current affairs program. Premier @DanielAndrewsMP announces Victoria's plan to #BanTheBag! What say you, @GladysB? #auspol #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/J9u26wa5xr — The Project (@theprojecttv) October 17, 2017 The move brings the state into line with South Australia, the ACT, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and Queensland, who announced it will next year ditch lightweight single-use plastic bags in September. It follows the news that Woolworths and Coles will also be doing the same nationwide. NSW is now the only state that hasn't committed to banning single-use bags. Victoria's ban might seem like a long time coming — but, well, better late than never. It's unclear whether the ban will cover just lightweight plastic bags or both degradable and biodegradable options. Further details are expected to be announced by Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio today.
Music festivals can happen almost anywhere — or so contends the crew behind Wine Machine, Snow Machine and Dream Machine. Tunes amid the vineyards? Yes please. Dancing in alpine climes between skiing and snowboarding? That's a winter treat in both New Zealand and Japan. Hitting a scenic resort for a huge party soundtracked by big music names? That's on the agenda as well — including in 2024. Dream Machine started in 2022 at a secluded beachside resort in The Whitsundays, after initially planning to go ahead in 2021 but getting waylaid by the pandemic. Then, in 2023, it moved to Nusa Dua in Bali. That's where it's returning next year, complete with a packed roster of talent. The dates: Thursday, May 30–Monday, June 3, 2024. The lineup: it starts with Genesis Owusu, Snakehips and Hayden James leading the charge. They'll be joined by everyone from The Jungle Giants and Kimbra to Poolside and Cosmo's Midnight, plus Cub Sport, Miami Horror, Lazywax and more. So, if you've been longing to hear your favourite tunes while surrounded by your friends and also taking a trip to a beachside resort in Indonesia, this fest has you covered — again. 2024's Dream Machine will take place over a five-day, four-night once more, too, for a party-forward good time. Other activities promised, apart from the music, include a 500-person long-table lunch on the sand and a poolside conga line. If the simple activity of grooving to tunes in tropical surroundings, including by the pool and ocean, isn't enough motivation for you, festivalgoers have ten resorts to choose from among the fest's ticketing packages — at The Grand Hyatt and other spots to slumber that are connected to the main site via a beachside path, such as The Laguna, Kayumanis Villas, Mercure Nusa Dua, Novotel Nusa Dua and The Grand Bali. Keen to treat yo'self to a waterfront stay? You can add that to your itinerary. Enjoying kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and waterside cocktails is usually available as well. Unsurprisingly, this isn't a cheap festival to attend, starting at $799 per person. Accommodation, transfers and festival tickets are all included in the fest packages; however, you do still need to buy flights on top. Folks feeling particularly flush can also upgrade their tickets to gain VIP access, which includes a welcome party, plus VIP areas to catch the tunes that come complete with table service and access to private toilets — and start at $299 per person on top of your ticket. DREAM MACHINE 2024 LINEUP: Argonaut Cosmo's Midnight Cub Sport Dice Genesis Owusu Hayden James Jimi the Kween The Jungle Giants Kimbra Lazywax (DJ set) Leisure Mell Hall Miami Horror (DJ set) Old Mervs Poof Doof Poolside Shouse Snakehips Y.O.G.A Dream Machine 2024 takes place from Thursday, May 30–Monday, June 3, 2024 at Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, with pre-sales from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, October 31 and general sales from 12pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 1 via the festival's website. Dream Machine images: Danny Clayton / Khan Ong. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Back in March, which feels like eons ago, the Australian Government announced a ban on non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people — leading to the cancellation of thousands of events across Australia. Everything from Vivid to Bluesfest was scrapped as the country's COVID-19 restrictions got progressively stricter. Thankfully, we're now on the other side, and restrictions are easing. In New South Wales, this means the state's events calendar is slowly filling up once more. One thousand gigs are happening as part of the State Government-run Great Southern Nights; and theatres, concert halls and cinemas have been given the go-ahead to host events of up to 1000 people. In the latest win for the state, the Government has today announced that outdoor events, including concerts, of up to 3000 people will be allowed to happen from Monday, November 23. Just in time for Christmas and NYE. On the topic of NYE, the NSW Government has also unveiled just how the fireworks will go down, with a new Public Health Order set to be drafted for the occasion. And it involves having to apply for a permit if you want to enter key harbourside areas. This year, there'll be no 9pm fireworks, but the seven-minute midnight show from the Sydney Harbour Bridge will still be going ahead. You can either watch these live on the ABC, or head to one of the yellow or green 'zones' in the map below — but there are some rules. Only frontline workers will be allowed to visit spots around the Sydney Opera House, Cahill Expressway, Campbell's Cove and Mrs Macquarie's Point, and Bradfield Park, Blues Point Reserve, Mary Booth Reserve, Quibaree Park, Kurraba Reserve and Cremorne Reserve all in North Sydney will be closed. To enter any of the green zones after 5pm on Thursday, December 31, you must be a resident of said zone, a guest of a resident, or have a confirmed booking at one of the restaurants, hotels and bars within the area. If you fall into one of those categories, you'll then need to apply for a special NYE Pass via Service NSW from Monday, December 7. You are allowed to enter the yellow zone to watch the fireworks without a permit, and if you have a boat (or money to hire a boat) you can drive that onto the Harbour, but you will need to register said boat from Monday, December 7. On the NYE announcements, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, "2020 has been a tough year for everyone and we want people to be able to look forward to the festive season in a COVID-safe way." NSW has had no locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the last 12 days. For more information about NSW's coronavirus restrictions and NYE plans, head to the NSW Government website. To apply for a NYE Pass, head to Service NSW from Monday, December 7. Top image: NYE Fireworks 2016 by City of Sydney.
What can anybody write about the impending arrival of a legend? What's left to say? If you're not sure whether or not you should buy a ticket to see Bobby Womack, one listen to 'A Change Is Gonna Come' should sort out your indecision without further ado. Of course, some people adopt the view that performers lose their edge with age, and that is the case for some, but Womack ain't one of those. Last year, upon the release of The Bravest Man in the Universe, his first album of new material since 1994, the Guardian reviewed him as "at the apex of his game". Unbelievably, this visit will be Womack's debut headline tour of Australia, and to mark it, he'll be doing his thing thoroughly, with a 13-piece band. Last week he told Beat that the timing is perfect. "I'm coming to see everybody down there at just the right time," he said. "I was green before, but I'm well-seasoned now."
Foam ain’t just for music festivals and kids' parties. Artist Rosie Deacon will be staging a celebration of this wondrously fluffy substance at firstdraft this month. Her installation, featuring 700 kilograms of “Fun Foam”, will be a spectacle to behold. Deacon works with craft materials that are often derided and unappreciated within the world of contemporary art. She constructs fantastical sculptures, performances and installations from discount store goodies: synthetic eyelashes, glittery stickers, acrylic paint and clay. In addition to this exhibition, you can see Elena Papanikolakis’s visual exploration into “tripping” as woven together through memory and imagination and As If Light Could Be Translated from collective Art Proper, which will be an astrological investigation into constellations, space and the science of stars.
Summer hit Sydney in full force yesterday as the city sweated through its second hottest day ever recorded. Temperatures in Penrith hit a whopping 47.3 degrees at 3.25pm, according to live data from the Bureau of Meteorology. #SydneyHeat UPDATE: #Penrith has now reached 47.3 degrees at 3:25pm according to the preliminary live data from the weather station there. — Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 7, 2018 Earlier in the day, the Bureau mistakenly tweeted that Sydney had blitzed its previous record of 47.0 degrees from February 2017, before discovering old 1939 data from a now-closed Richmond weather station. Those temperatures remain the highest on record, clocking in at 47.8 degrees. #SydneyHeat: Sorry, in our earlier checks we missed a 47.8 degrees C temperature recorded at an old #Richmond station (now closed) in 1939. 47.3 today still beats the previous #Penrith record. — Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 7, 2018 In the city at Observatory Hill, the temperature hit a still-high 42.3 degrees at 1pm. While Sydney's weather's not expected to be quite as apocalyptic today, it's still set to be a scorcher, with temperatures in the low 30s predicted for the CBD and over 40 degrees in store for the western suburbs. Things will remain pretty sweaty tomorrow with highs of around 30 degrees, before we score a much more palatable top of 25 degrees on Wednesday.
The latest venture from subtlenuance theatre company (Blind Tasting, Rocket Man), High Windows Low Doorways is a multi-playwright project exploring spiritual belief. Opening mid-March, the show is a collaborative piece that originated when seven writers and seven actors worked together to tell a story from the actor’s personal experiences with religion. The result is seven separate pieces of theatre telling tales of, in their words, “fear, hope and love; of life, death and beyond.” The small, family-like company is gaining a following for their deep, thought-provoking pieces ideally suited to the intimate space at the TAP Gallery. Writers in this piece include Melita Rowston (Crushed, SPEW), and fans of the company will also recognise actors Helen Tonkin, Peter McAllum and Alice Keohavong from the company’s most recent show, Cristina in the Cupboard. For bookings call 0481 514 945
We're only one month into 2018, and it is already proving an eventful year as far as Sydney's Sirius building is concerned. Locals had a final chance to tour the iconic '70s-era building a few weeks back, and a farewell party for the structure's last remaining resident was held yesterday, all in the lead up to the impeding sale of the building. As part of the gathering for 91-year-old Myra Demetriou, however, Save Our Sirius campaigners revealed they'll be lodging their own purchase bid. "The government wants $100 million dollars for this building," SOS chairperson Shaun Carter said, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald. "We think that's too much but we'll pay [it]." Launching a plan that'll endeavour to harness community support and even contributions from local organisations, further details are yet to be revealed, in what mounts as the latest chapter in the fight to save the Brutalist, box-like structure that stands tall by the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Previous efforts include public rallies and crowdfunding campaigns, and even court intervention against the New South Wales government. It was put up for sale in December. If the Sirius is bought by developers, the 79-unit tower is highly likely to be demolished to make room for new apartments. As well as wiping out a crucial part of '70s architectural history, it'll also mean saying goodbye to an important public housing initiative, allowing people on low incomes to live in the centre of this expensive city and enjoy harbour views. With the situation certain to keep developing over the coming months, take a look through our gallery of the building as it currently stands. Via: Sydney Morning Herald. Images: Katherine Lu / Kimberley Low.
If you've ever tried to buy art, you'll know that it can often be an inaccessible, intimidating process where you get so overwhelmed that you don't end up buying anything at all. That won't happen at The Other Art Fair. The London-founded contemporary art fair — running over four days at COMMUNE in Waterloo from October 27-30 — is specifically designed to bridge the gap between artist and collector, making it easier for artists to sell their work, and for you to buy it. Returning to Sydney for its second year, the fair will feature over 100 contemporary artists all chosen on merit over experience. Last year's fair challenged artistic practice with live street art and 3D printing demonstrations. This year, there will be a competition to win a surprise tattoo created by LA-based husband and wife artists Kozyndan and tattooed by Rhys Gordon of Little Tokyo (in which participants won't know what the image is, or where on their body it will go), the chance to participate in creating a wall mural with artist Chocolate Einstein, and guided tours with The School of Life. Work-Shop will also be holding three classes over the three days, covering off watercolour brush lettering, gin blending (with Archie Rose) and perfume making. Food-wise, you'll be able to purchase noms from Three Blue Ducks' grazing table as well as sweets from Black Pantry (who'll also teach you how to make s'mores). A bar will be hosted by Young Henrys, Urban Winery with Archie Rose. Expect music, workshops, and loads of contemporary art that will challenge your expectations (and eventually fill your living room). Plus, this year the fair is presented by Saatchi Art, which means that all the works showcased will be added to the Saatchi Art online gallery — at the moment, it features over 500,000 works from across the world so it's a pretty big deal. We're psyched on the whole program, but we picked out four hands-on things you can do at the fair over here.
Two years ago, the City of Sydney announced a program that would bring food trucks off the bitter Saturday morning soccer fields and into the nightlife of the inner city. The nine food trucks that patrol Sydney’s streets every weekend have become a very welcome fixture around town, with thousands of people every month rocking up to treat themselves to a vast array of dishes and cuisines from the varied vehicles parked around the place, and the locator app being downloaded 51,000 times. Now, since the two-year trial period has come to an end, the City of Sydney has decided to give a massive thumbs up to the scheme and have pledged to expand the number of mobile street food vendors around town. As the restaurant-on-the-run owners apply to ply their wares, what’s going to get Sydney into the street-food big leagues with cities like New York, Los Angeles and Paris? And, as the program progresses and expands, what does the future hold for our town and its mobile eateries? 50 NEW FOOD TRUCKS TO HIT THE STREETS The City of Sydney Council have been working with the feedback from the street-food obsessed public to find out what it is that will make the program better, and the response has been pretty straightforward, according to Lana Zegura, the brains behind the management of the project. “The only improvement they want is for more trucks,” she says. So more trucks are what we’ll get. The council plans to approve up to 50 more mobile canteens, with applications to open next month. However, a lot of people are jumping the gun, eager to claim their permit. “It’s looking very healthy,” says Zegura of the response to the news, “we’ve had over 600 enquiries so far.” Which is a lot. The owners and operators of the trucks couldn’t agree more, in terms of the public response to the initial trial period. Simon Lawson, chef and operator of the Agape Organic Food Truck, has loved every second of his time behind the wheel. “I’m a chef, so I enjoy talking to people,” he says. “The public love it so much … there’s only been positive feedback from where we’ve been.” PUTTING SYDNEY ON THAT GLOBAL MAP Street food thrives all over the world, with hundreds of food trucks cooking up a storm all over the biggest cities, like New York, London and Paris. The hope is that our own expanding program to get more trucks on the street and more options in the hands of the public will get Sydney on that list of worldwide hot spots. “Sydney doesn’t have that street food culture," says Lawson, "but in time, it’ll become more popular.” That's something that the council bears in mind, too. Zegura hopes that the trucks, by providing more variety to more people than ever before, will “make us a global city, like New York or San Francisco”. Given that the-late night options in Sydney don’t extend much past CBD bars and pubs, a continually expanding program of late-night alternatives to drinking can only help to cement Sydney as a truly global destination. According to Zegura, the program is "part of our over-arching OPEN Sydney strategy to make Sydney safer, more vibrant, and to provide more late-night food alternatives.” It’s this kind of policy that’s commonplace all over the world, and is becoming a bigger focus here at home. THE LUNCH LET-DOWN With more the number of trucks increasing more than five times, Sydney street food is set to become a whole lot more visible. But at the moment, the plan remains night-centric. It's the fight for city parking that's limiting the possibilities of trade. "It’d be nice to have more permanent lunch time spots,” says Lawson, but he recognises the issues behind this. More trucks need more parking spaces, and the large vehicles could cause heavy traffic issues in the more congestion-prone areas of the CBD. However, more open lunch time spot, such as parks, are being explored as options by the council. “The people managing the program are doing a great job,” he adds. BEYOND THE CITY LIMITS The City of Sydney only controls the food trucks in its own jurisdiction, but the good news is that councils all around the Greater Sydney region are looking into implementing their own, similar projects. Interest is growing all over. “We get people following our truck,” says Lawson, “even coming from way out west to eat.” Councils in Randwick, Liverpool and Parramatta are all exploring the possibility of hosting food trucks, which bodes well for the entire region, not just the CBD. The word is spreading, and we couldn’t be more pumped.
We don't know what you have to do to be considered a 'beach expert', but after Australia's best beaches were revealed over the weekend, we're sure we need to become one. The 2017 list details 101 of the country's most stunning beaches, but the beach that's come out as number one isn't Bondi or Jervis Bay — it's Cossies Beach. Where the bloody hell is Cossies Beach, you say? It's located on Direction Island, which is part of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands about a four and a half hour flight from Perth. It's closer to Jakarta than Perth, which makes the logistics of your escape to the exquisite blue water paradise extremely difficult — but perhaps that's why it's so coveted. Now, the 'best' beach is obviously a hard one to quantify, but Brad Farmer has done a pretty thorough research job. He's the aforementioned beach expert, and for the release of the first edition of 101 Best Beaches he visited, documented and rated a whole heap of beaches alongside coastal geomorphologist Professor Andy Short, who has personally visited every single beach in Oz (there's 11,761 of them, by the way). Eventually the pair landed on the remote Cossies Beach as number one. It's so remote in fact that it didn't even have a name — while conducting his research, Farmer named it after after Australia's 26th Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, after seeking permission from locals. It's obviously insanely beautiful, and the pair have noted it as the best beach of them all due to its shallow water creating a brilliant blue colour, its 300-metre white sand strip, great snorkelling and shade from coconut palms. Other top beaches are ones you probably haven't heard too much about either — Moonee Beach on the Coffs Coast, Turquoise Bay in WA and Dolly Beach on Christmas Island all make the list. Tourist spots Burleigh Heads and Apollo Bay get a look in as well. Have a look at the top ten below. BRAD FARMER'S BEST BEACHES IN AUSTRALIA 2017 1. Cossies Beach, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Indian Ocean 2. Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island, Far North Queensland 3. Moonee Beach, Coffs Coast, NSW 4. Turquoise Bay, Coral Coast, WA 5. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Queensland 6. Maslin Beach, Adelaide, SA 7. Dolly Beach, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean 8. Shelly Beach, Nambucca Coast, NSW 9. Boat Harbour Beach, North West Coast, Tasmania 10. Apollo Bay, Great Ocean Road, Victoria Images: Rik Soderlund via 101 Best Beaches.
National Young Writers' Festival (NYWF) is the four-day writerly celebration that takes over the imaginations of young writers around the country. Directors Alexandra Neill, Jessica Alice and Lex Hirst have just announced their colourful program featuring familiar names like Benjamin Law, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Clementine Ford, Lawrence Leung, Genevieve Fricker, Steph Harmon, James Colley, Patrick Lenton and more (including some other names you might not recognise now but definitely will in the next five years). As well as more serious talks on slacktivism, mandatory detention and identity, NYWF won't be holding back on the life's practical truths, informing young writers about how to get paid as a writer, how to become an astronaut, how to make a sumptuously good sandwich and how to keep a diary and still be cool. Like any good writers' festival, Breakfast Book Club will start each day with impassioned discussion on life changing books, ones that make you plain angry and ones that are so good you turn into a nocturnal creature. Over 60 panels, discussions, workshops, performances and launches will carry you through deep into the evening when you'll get to sit back and relax to late night romance, crime and dystopian readings. Did we mention the whole festival is free? Yep, all of it. Blowing out 17 candles this year, NYWF is growing bigger and wiser by the year. But a festival is never too old for an intergalactic-themed ball and a spelling bee-cross-Hunger Games-style battle of the brains, right? NYWF runs from 2-5 October. Check out the full program here. Image: Alan Weedon.
As the surfers at Bondi begin to turn blue, festival directors Rachel Chant and Phil Spencer are getting ready to light the fuse on the seventh year of Bondi Feast. Like all good fringe festivals, the equation it presents is a stark one — 40-plus theatre, comedy, cabaret and circus shows, and only ten nights to catch them. Having surveyed the territory, we've pulled together our top picks of the bunch. There's plenty of gold to be found in this year's stellar lineup, but here are six that you shouldn't miss.
Kicking off with a light-hearted caper, ending with happy tears — that's what we look for in an Italian jaunt. And even if you're not heading over to Europe anytime soon, sitting in a cinema this September might be the next best thing, in the form of the 2017 Italian Film Festival. Marking its 18th year, Australia's annual celebration of Italy's filmmaking finest will kick off with screwball effort Let Yourself Go!, which won the 2017 Italian Golden Globe for best comedy, stars The Great Beauty's Toni Servillo, and follows a tightly wound psychoanalyst's dalliance with an upbeat personal trainer. Bookending the festival is a 20th anniversary screening of Roberto Benigni's bittersweet Life Is Beautiful, an Academy Award winner for best foreign language film. One of the more popular film events in Australia, IFF's 28-film, six-week national tour features brand new highlights, excursions off the beaten track, jaunts all over the country and an ode to coffee. Yes, there really is a film called Coffee in the program, which intertwines three tales about everyone's favourite caffeinated brew, and was inspired by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 2006 Oscar-winner Babel. As for the rest of the fest, highlights include the tender portrait of conjoined twin sisters that is Indivisible (the festival's centrepiece), to Sea Girls Dreaming, a documentary about carefree grandmothers living in the tiny Italian mountain village of Daone. Plus, Italian movie buffs can also enjoy romantic comedy Emma, which comes to Australia straight from the Venice Film Festival, and the based-on-a-true-tale Sicilian Ghost Story, about the disappeared teenage son of a Mafia informant. There's more where they came from, including Roman ex-cons attempting to start a new life, broad Christmas comedies and topical accounts of ex-terrorists fleeing extradition — and a special guest and a new initiative. This year's festival will welcome Australian-Italian actor Greta Scacchi, who'll attend screenings of her latest effort Tenderness, and sit on IFF's first jury. The Looking for Alibrandi star will help pick the festival's best from a six-film competition, with help from The Space Between's Ruth Borgobello, actor Daniela Farinacci, actor Damian Walshe-Howling and Radio National's Jason di Rosso.
Lime Cordiale are sleeping at your door, Bel Heir are kissing the devil whilst Magic Man are simply enjoying every day — as you should this weekend. You've earned it. 1. 'SLEEPING AT YOUR DOOR' - LIME CORDIALE Welcome spring! We have endured the cold winter months just to feel your warm, sun-filled embrace and it has been a wonderful first week. Farewelling winter also means that our speakers are set to be overrun by upbeat tracks that everybody can dance to all summer long, and Lime Cordiale have delivered one that will be on repeat until the cold returns. 'Sleeping At Your Door' is a 3 minute 18 second long bundle of energy and if it leaves you craving more, then do not fret, as their new album was released today. Keep it up spring! 2. 'MAD' - DE VERRE Hypnotising is the best adjective to describe De Verre's debut musical offering. The Southern Californians have delivered a sensual number dripping in allure. It is intoxicating, arousing and soothing all at once, with a video to match. This one is for later in the evening; step aside Barry White. 3. 'KISS THE DEVIL' - BEL HEIR Since Bel Heir announced that they would release a new track on the first Tuesday of each month for the rest of 2013, I have been looking forward to their monthly treat. If 'Kiss The Devil' is anything to go by, then we have three more incredible songs on their way. So have a listen to this track and if you haven't already noted the first Tuesday of October, November and December by the end of it then do so now. Also, extra kudos for their excellent band name. 4. 'HEALTH' - STILL PARADE Still Parade released a beautiful song 'Actors' in May and then went silent, until now. 'Health' is refreshingly simplistic, pulling you onto an emotional roller-coaster that has just the right amount of twists and turns. If they are going to produce gems like this, then I think we should all be okay with letting them disappear for four months at a time to return with musical magic. 5. 'EVERY DAY' - MAGIC MAN Speaking of magic, Magic Man has decided to pull out the guitars and drums and play them harmoniously to create 'Every Day', a track set to lighten 2013 road trip playlists. The band has a similar sound to HAIM, which is a compliment and a half so be sure to pick up their EP You Are Here on Tuesday, 10 September, whilst you wait for HAIM's debut.
The same team behind Frankie Magazine is about to launch a new publication entitled Smith Journal, a kind of guy-friendly take on the concept that has worked so brilliantly for the ladies. Over the years Frankie has created its own niche in the world of magazines. its creators saw a dearth of publications lacking warmth, impeccable design and solid content, so they filled the gap and they’ve done spectacularly well off it. In the past two years Frankie has had astounding jumps in circulation, making it the fastest growing magazine in the country. And the reasons for that are many, including their clean, environmentally-friendly design, support for underground acts and emerging creatives, and their emphasis on strong content, publishing distinctive writers like Benjamin Law and Marieke Hardy. Now they’re applying the same logic to the world of gentlemen’s magazines. The idea behind the name – Smith – is that of blokes doing stuff with their hands – blacksmiths and wordsmiths and the like. Their positioning is both old fashioned and down to earth, but never attempting to be cool or exclusive. And just like Frankie doesn’t bar the boys from the clubhouse, Smith also welcomes lady readers. The difference between Smith and Frankie is that it’s going to be a wee bit bigger and a little less regular. It’ll be printed out at a not-entirely-bus-friendly edition of 140+ pages, with only two issues a year in limited release. The first issue is out September 5.
If you're staring at that blank space on your bedroom wall and feeling uninspired, fret not. The Other Art Fair returns this December. The celebrated global event returns to Sydney for the eighteenth time from December 2–5. The fair will showcase a lively collection of emerging artists alongside wondrous art installations including a set of huge luminous bubbles in the stimulating surrounds of Barangaroo's The Cutaway. This iteration of the fair is actually 2021's second Sydney showing, after 2020s was delayed until March this year. The creative works of more than 110 carefully chosen artists, each selected by a prominent panel of art industry experts, will be up for sale. From the ornate to the inexpensive, The Other Art Fair offers thousands of artworks starting from as little as $100. Plus, the artists will be on-site, so you can chat with them and hear the stories behind your chosen piece. The vast four-day event is complemented by art activations, hand-poked tattooing, workshops and immersive performances, plus street food and DJ sets. This summer edition will play host to installations The Birds by Eness and Fever Originals, and Evanescent, an ethereal display of giant bubbles that previously popped up in Brisbane as part of Curiosity Brisbane. Make a party of it by attending on opening night ($35–40), or stop by for a general browse between Friday to Sunday — general entry tickets cost $20 online or $30 on the door. [caption id="attachment_804058" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Evanescent[/caption]
UPDATE, January 14, 2022: A Quiet Place Part II is available to stream via Paramount+, Google Play, YouTube Movies, iTunes and Amazon Video. When every noise you make could send savage aliens stalking, slashing and slaughtering your way, it's the waiting that gets you. When you're watching a nerve-rattling horror film about that exact scenario, the same sentiment remains relevant. In A Quiet Place, the Abbott family went into survival mode after vicious creatures invaded, hunted down every sound and dispensed with anyone that crossed their path. For the characters in and viewers of the 2018 hit alike, the experience couldn't have screamed louder with anxiety and anticipation. Evelyn and Lee (Wild Mountain Thyme's Emily Blunt and Detroit's John Krasinski) and their children Regan (Millicent Simmonds, Wonderstruck), Marcus (Noah Jupe, The Undoing) and Beau (Cade Woodward, Avengers: Endgame) all silently bided their time simply trying to stay safe and alive, but their continued existence lingered under a gut-wrenching shadow. The critters were still out there, listening for even a whisper. It was a matter of when, not if, they'd discern the slightest of noises and strike again. That type of waiting drips with tension and suspense, and also with the kind of inevitability that hovers over everyone alive. A certain bleak end awaits us all, a truth we routinely attempt to ignore; however, neither the Abbotts nor A Quiet Place's audience were allowed to forget that grim fact for even a moment. Initially slated to arrive in cinemas two years later, then delayed by the pandemic for 14 months, sequel A Quiet Place Part II isn't done with waiting. The film doesn't shy away from the stress and existential distress that marking time can bring, but it also tasks its characters with actively confronting life's inevitabilities. After an intense and impressive tone-setting opening flashback to the first day of the alien attack, when the Abbotts' sleepy hometown learns of humanity's new threat in the cruellest fashion, the storyline picks up where its predecessor left off. It's day 474 — the earlier film spent most of its duration around day 472 — and Evelyn, Regan, Marcus and the family's newborn are grappling with their losses. That said, they're also keenly aware that they can't stay in their Appalachian farmhouse any longer. After spotting smoke on the horizon and setting off in that direction, they reconnect with Emmett (Cillian Murphy, Peaky Blinders), an old friend who has been through his own traumas. Evelyn sees safety in numbers, but he's reluctant to help. Then Regan hears a looping radio transmission playing 'Beyond the Sea' and decides to track down its source. The plan: find other survivors, and also find a way to get the upper hand over their aggressors, all to stop spending their time simply waiting. A Quiet Place Part II isn't about making do, closing ranks and merely enduring, but about making a concerted choice to try to conquer an immensely difficult situation even when the odds seem insurmountable. No one can ultimately escape death, of course. Still, when it lurks in the form of extra-terrestrials who seem to have borrowed their resourcefulness and reflexes from Jurassic Park's raptors (and their ability to withstand most threats from Terminator 2: Judgment Day's killing machines), you can plan, prepare, fight and outsmart. The first film also used its alien attack story to explore the parental urge to protect children from life's harms, but here, writer/director/co-star Krasinski ponders the realisation that dawns upon all mums and dads eventually: that, despite their best efforts, their kids will always have to face the world's woes on their own terms. Both formidable and maternal — because the 'strong female lead' trope shouldn't exclusively favour the former — Blunt is once again a force to be reckoned with as the doting, wearied but determined Evelyn. But, while she's given top billing, this isn't the Looper, Edge of Tomorrow and Sicario star's film. Krasinski doesn't just broaden out the movie's mindset, themes and slice of dystopian life, but also expands his focus. The feature's second half masterfully intertwines Evelyn's efforts to get supplies, Marcus' struggles while babysitting and Regan's perilous quest, and it's the latter that's given pride of place. And, once more, rising talent Simmonds is exceptional. With her character proving bold, poised and resolved to do her best for her family, the young actor radiates confidence, commitment and fortitude. Indeed, while she could've been left to play sidekick to Murphy in a surrogate father-daughter relationship, there's no doubting that Simmonds is the film's hero — whether or not her character, who is deaf, is using her hearing aid as a weapon. Pushing Regan to the fore, and Simmonds with her, is a smart, savvy, engaging and rewarding move on Krasinski's part — and it's not the only choice he's made that earns that description. The film's aforementioned opening, including a particularly stunning shot set in the thick of the chaos, provides the type of spectacle that most movies can only dream of. (If the actor-turned-filmmaker wanted to dive headfirst into the action genre next, he'd have zero troubles settling in.) A Quiet Place Part II may spend more time squaring off against its aliens, rather than dwelling in a world where they'e an ever-present but often-unseen threat, but it never overplays its hand. In its fast-paced narrative, intimate visuals and pitch-perfect audio, it never simply rehashes its predecessor and hopes that the same successes will spring, either. The Abbotts' mission has evolved, as has the vivid cinematography (by Legion's Polly Morgan) that sees this post-apocalyptic world with a bittersweet eye, and the meticulous, characteristically silence-heavy soundscape as well. While the feature's potency and skill doesn't come as a surprise this time around, and neither does the unsettling unease that comes with all that waiting and those pervasive hushed tones, every second of this stellar sequel is no less thrilling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku4yAbIu6ao A Quiet Place Part II opens in Australian cinemas on Thursday, May 27, with advance screenings over the weekend of Friday, May 21–Sunday, May 23.
In 2010, celebrated photographer and music video director Anton Corbijn made The American, a slow but intensely atmospheric thriller about a hit man hiding out in a rural village in Italy. His follow-up, an adaptation of John le Carre's recent spy novel A Most Wanted Man, appears at first glance to be a film in a similar vein. Unfortunately, while the deliberate pacing remains, the atmosphere is nowhere to be found. Instead, viewers are left with a cliched and frequently stodgy affair, one that proves a wholly disappointing venue for the swansong of its star. Indeed, the spectre of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman's unexpected death hangs heavily over proceedings, although if anything it might inspire critics to look on the film more kindly. Hoffman plays Gunter Bachmann, a hardened senior intelligence agent with the German secret service. Specifically, Bachmann works for an unofficial anti-terror unit that develops informants within the Islamic community in Hamburg. His team's latest target is a Chechen refugee named Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin), who arrives covertly in the city to claim an inheritance worth tens of millions of Euros. Bachmann wants to use the fortune to help lure in bigger targets. Complicating matters, however, is the involvement of passionate human rights lawyer Annabel Richter (Rachel McAdams), who takes the traumatised Karpov under her protection. The ninth of le Carre's novels to be adapted for the big screen, A Most Wanted Man depicts the grim and grungy side of global espionage. Trapped within a broken system, Bachmann and his agents spend as much time traversing interagency politics as they do on stakeouts or interrogations. The bureaucracy of spying is not without a certain dry fascination, but as the movie drags on it becomes harder to stay engaged. Hoffman's performance is excellent, of course. Frankly, he never gave a bad one. Yet he's limited by a stock-standard character — the cynical old veteran with a nicotine addiction and a drinking problem, who bristles at authority and is haunted by the failures of his past. Similarly uninspired is McAdams' idealistic Richter, who of course by the movie's end learns the error of her altruistic ways. A Most Wanted Man is not without moments of suspense. Corbjin certainly knows how to craft a set piece, and also deserves credit for keeping the novel's original ending. But ultimately the film pales in comparison to his previous effort, or indeed, other recent le Carre adaptations, mostly notably Tomas Alfredson's masterful Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. There's talent here, both in front of and behind the camera. But that only makes the film we ended up with that much more disappointing. https://youtube.com/watch?v=i3PiMfpafuU
Even if you can't afford a plane ticket to Tokyo at the moment, (including a super cheap one with a five-hour stopover in Cairns that seats you so near the toilet you can develop flush-induced tinnitus for days afterwards), you can still get a taste of how the Japanese drink and dine at the Harajuku Nights pop-up launching Friday. As part of the ongoing ArgyleXchange Festival, Sake Restaurant and Bar will be temporarily taken over by DJs, Harajuku girls serving izakaya dishes, 20 different shochu-based cocktails and a "wasabi roulette" created by executive chef Shaun Presland. An izakaya is a kind of casual, after-work watering hole where you also eat food, usually at a pretty slow pace spread out over a few hours. Oh and for those who haven't sampled it, shochu is a traditional Japanese distilled spirit. So basically, you're in for yummy snacks, tasty drinks, fun costumes and a potentially explosive experience with wasabi. Sounds like a good way to start the weekend. And entry is free! This is just one of the events going on as part of the festival. For a full listing of events and special offers check out the official website.
Greater Sydney could become three interconnected cities by 2056, under a long-term planning strategy unveiled by the NSW Government over the weekend. Greater Sydney Commissioner Lucy Turnbull yesterday launched the Draft Greater Sydney Region Plan 2017, an ambitious vision for a tripartite Sydney that could see two-thirds of residents able to commute between their homes, jobs and key services in under 30 minutes by the year 2056. The three cities would include an emerging area west of the M7 (which will, by then, be home to the new Western Sydney Airport, which is expected to open in 2026), a central river city surrounding Parramatta and an eastern harbour city that incorporates the current Sydney CBD. Of course, more urban infrastructure requires a public transport system that's reliable and able to handle an infinite increase in patronage. The plans for this revamped Sydney were launched alongside a long-term transport strategy, NSW's Future Transport 2056, in a cross-government collaboration designed to align land use planning with the future growth of transport services and networks. "Reshaping Greater Sydney as a metropolis of three cities — Eastern, Central and Western — will rebalance it, fostering jobs, improving housing affordability, easing congestion and enhancing our enviable natural environment across the entire region," Turnbull said in a press release. The population of Sydney is expected to bump from its current 4.6 million to six million within the next two decades, reaching eight million by 2056. It's thought Sydney's west will see the majority of this growth, with more than half of the city's residents expected to be living west of Parramatta by 2036. The three-city plan could certainly alleviate the bottleneck that commuters currently face when travelling to and from the current CBD, but depends entirely on the transport available to travel within and between the cities, as well as away from them — at the moment there is no planned train line to the new Badgerys Creek airport. And will Sydney be able to cope with steady population growth in the meantime? 2056 is still another 40 years away. The draft Greater Sydney Region Plan is on exhibition until December 15. Read it and offer your feedback here.
If you want to make your friends and co-workers jealous (or be the coolest person in any given room), go to Beer Meat Axe. You'll be able to tell them you "had some Willie The Boatman and Young Henrys, some slow cooked meat, did some axe throwing. Just the usual Friday arvo stuff." You know you want to say that. This event is one of our top ten picks of Sydney Craft Beer Week. Check out the other nine.
We're going back ... back to see Back to the Future, this time as a musical on the Sydney Lyric's stage. First floated 20 years ago by the big-screen trilogy's screenwriter Bob Gale, then finally premiering in 2020, the song-filled take on Marty McFly and Doc Brown's exploits has proven an award-winning success in London's West End and on Broadway. In 2025, the DeLorean has finally arrived in Sydney. The power of Back to the Future isn't really a curious thing. As viewers have known since 1985, the Michael J Fox (The Good Fight)-starring sci-fi/comedy is a timeless delight. But as well as making film lovers weep with joy for almost four decades, the iconic movie has been making other folks sing — the casts of the Olivier Award-winning Back to the Future: The Musical, that is. Aussie audiences can now experience the award-winning musical at the Sydney Lyric. Exclaiming "great Scott!" is obviously the only fitting response to this development, and to the production in general — and there's clearly plenty to get excited about. Since initially racing towards clocktowers onstage in the UK since early 2020 (around a pandemic hiatus or two, of course), Back to the Future: The Musical has picked up the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and then was nominated for two Tony Awards in 2024. And yes, the show does indeed follow the Marty McFly and Doc Brown-led story we all know and adore, but with songs, including renditions of Chuck Berry's 'Johnny B Goode' and Huey Lewis and the News' 'The Power of Love' and 'Back in Time', naturally. [caption id="attachment_1049421" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] Australian fans will now want to speed at 88 miles per hour towards the Harbour City, given that it is the only Aussie city where a season of Back to the Future: The Musical has been announced so far, so bookmark a trip to the Harbour City to see it — or pop on your own white lab coat, start tinkering around with electronics and whip up your own time machine to try to make it happen. Also featuring music and lyrics by OG Back to the Future composer Alan Silvestri and acclaimed songwriter Glen Ballard (Jagged Little Pill the Musical), plus a book by Gale — who co-penned all three Back to the Future film scripts with filmmaker Robert Zemeckis (Here) — Back to the Future: The Musical was nominated for seven Olivier Awards. It only won the big one, but emerged victorious over heavy-hitters and fellow screen-to-stage shows Moulin Rouge! The Musical and Frozen. Tickets are on sale now. For more info, head to the website. [caption id="attachment_1049422" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption]
One Drink Jack Nicholson wears sunglasses. Harrison Ford wears an earring. Ellen thanks Seth MacFarlane for setting the bar so low. Winner thanks God or Jesus. Winner pays tribute to the late, great Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Winner commends losing nominees. Winner’s speech is played off by the orchestra. George Clooney says something earnest and/or pulls a “hilarious prank”. Leonardo DiCaprio smiles with an “Another year, another supermodel” look. George or Leo brings his mother as his date (five drinks if they bring each other’s mothers). Matthew McConaughy makes an incomprehensible speech and/or beats his chest in rhythm. Presenter refers to “The McConaissance” Jennifer Lawrence does something adorably “real” (three drinks if it’s a fashion mishap). Michael B. Jordan offers to star in the sequel to Space Jam. Channing Tatum refutes the suggestion that 22 Jump St will be the last in the series because he can’t count any higher. Jennifer Garner reminds us she's married to Ben Affleck who has TWO Oscars. Kevin Spacey refers to that corrupt, pernicious, money-hungry institution ... HOLLYWOOD. Not CONGRESS. HOLLYWOOD! Two Drinks Jack Nicholson wears sunglasses and a hat. Harrison Ford wears an earring and an Indiana Jones hat. Ellen jokes that the show will be longer than the Sochi Games and almost as long as Wolf of Wall Street. Winner thanks Buddha or Ganesh. Winner pays tribute to the late, great James Gandolfini. Winner describes his/her film as “important” Winner describes his/her film’s director as “a genius”. Special effects winner has a ponytail. Brad Pitt says something insightful/poignant, or Angeline Joie says something lighhearted. Jessica Biel says that marrying Justin Timberlake was irrelevant to getting a presenter’s gig. Liam Neeson looks genuinely surprised he wasn’t nominated for anything. Goldie Hawn tells Kate Hudson that she should give Matthew McConaughy a call now that he’s all respectable and accomplished. Anne Hathaway makes a rambling joke about rambling in her acceptance speech last year (three drinks if she also sings). Joaquin Phoenix brings a “Galaxy S5 – new from Samsung!” as his date. Amy Adams says it was awkward to be upstaged by her own cleavage in American Hustle. Kerry Washington mentions the potential for “scandal”. Emma Watson refers to the “magic of filmmaking”. Bendict Cumberbatch, referencing Smaug, is disappointed to be surrounded by golden statues he can’t keep himself. Three Drinks Jack Nicholson wears sunglasses and an Indiana Jones hat. Harrison Ford wears an earring, sunglasses, and an Indiana Jones hat. Ellen conducts a divorce of some of the couples who were married at Grammys but have found marriage to be “overrated”. Winner thanks Allah or Mohammed. Winner pays tribute to the late, great Paul Walker. Losing nominee mouths “fuck” when the winner is announced. Non-human presents an award. Congratulatory kiss or embrace from presenter “gets awkward”. Keanu Reeves throws a tantrum because they are re-making Point Break. Chris Hemsworth says he’s shocked that Liam and Miley’s engagement didn’t work out. Jonah Hill is reminded that he’s a two-time Oscar nominee and chuckles, “Who’s ‘super bad’ now, Michael Cera?” Naomi Watts congratulates Robin Wright on her engagement (five drinks if she also notes that Ben Foster is not quite young enough to be either of their sons). Jared Leto and Lupita Nyong’o win and make out on stage. The Lone Ranger wins for Best Visual Effects and everyone is just confused. Daniel Day-Lewis says he’d give his left foot to have Phillip Seymour Hoffman back. Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd dress as Ghostbusters to farewell Harold Ramis (five drinks if Ernie Hudson also gets on stage). Jospeh Godon-Levitt or Tyler Perry makes a reference to marriage equality, Jason Collins, Michael Sam, or the Arizona veto. Five Drinks Ellen announces that presenters do not have to hand over awards to any winner who is ... from Arizona. Gravity wins an award and Neil DeGrasse Tyson rushes the stage to protest. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson take Christoph Waltz hostage, demanding that Quentin Tarantino make them relevant again. “Jackass” and “the Oscar goes to...” are used in the same sentence. Chiwetel Ejiofor or Michael Fassbender notes that it’s a bit weird that the two main actors in a movie about American slavery are English and German.
Who hasn't looked at Barry Otto's magnificent head and not felt immediately inspired to paint it? He danced to himself in Strictly Ballroom, and played ageing genius to his real-life daughter Miranda's up-and-comer in Proof on stage. He's one the most Australian actors — embodying our sense of quirkiness, solemnity and bewilderment. And while Barry Otto's fame rests on his reputation as an actor, he offers other non-theatrical ways into his head as well. Running parallel to his acting career has been a passion for painting, an extra-curricular pursuit which has seen him enter the Archibald more than once. For Artsite this year he's pulled out the pre-Raphaelite influences, to put on arsenic-tinted exhibition called A Romantic Obsession. The pre-Raphaelites at first looked back to pre-Rennaisance, mediaeval art. They painted the flattened world of a telephoto lens, or a stained-glass window, loved by Ruskin, and their aesthetic later colliding into new forms in the time of Wilde and Beardsley. Otto has waited a little longer than the age of Wilde to get their pale influence out of his head, but he has their aesthetic in abundance and his happy to show it off to you on a flattened canvas. *Artsite is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11-5. Image of 'Music' by Edward Burne Jones by Martin Beek.
Do you struggle with the basic task of ordering in restaurants? Do you sometimes wish there was some kind of elaborate computer program that could just decide on a menu item for you? If your answer to both those questions is "yes", then consider paying a visit to a KFC in Beijing's financial district, where facial recognition technology is being used to pick meals for customers based on their age, gender and mood. According to a press release put out by Chinese tech giant Baidu, who collaborated with Colonel Sanders on the technology, customers stand in front of a machine which scans their face and then makes recommendations as to what they might like to order. For example, a male in his 20s would likely be recommended "a set meal of crispy chicken hamburger, roasted chicken wings and Coke," while a woman in her fifties would be encouraged to purchase "porridge and soybean milk." Already, this jumps out as pretty sexist/ageist — after all, who is this robot to say that I, a male in his 20s, wouldn't also like to order a delicious bowl of KFC porridge? Mmm... appetising. Perhaps more promising is the fact that the machine can recall the faces of returning customers, along with their favourite menu items. That's the theory at least, although it didn't remember Amy Hawkins, a reporter for The Guardian who tried the machine twice but failed to leave an impression. Hawkins also noted that a vast majority of people in the Beijing restaurant seemed to prefer ordering the old-fashioned way. According to one customer she spoke to, "if it knows in future what I want to eat that's great, but at the moment it's not very smart." Perhaps they're scared off by privacy concerns? Personally, I don't know that I want there to be a digital paper trail of how frequently I visit KFC, or how much I order when I do (spoiler: it's a lot). Nevertheless, KFC is reportedly planning to roll out the technology to 5000 stores across China. It's a brave new world we're living in folks. A brave, greasy new world.
Australia's love of culinary mashups isn't new, given we're the home of everything from lamington cruffins to Iced Vovo bavarians, but our sweet treat brands sure do like teaming up with beloved beverage brands at the moment. First came Allen's new range of Pasito, creaming soda and lemonade lollies, all based on the Kirks soft drinks. Next on your shopping list: Oak's collaboration with Streets on a new type of Golden Gaytime. Once again, as these hybrids always are, the end result is as simple as it sounds: a Golden Gaytime, but flavoured like Oak chocolate milk. Two local favourites, one new must-try dessert — that's it, that's this new ice cream. Specifically, the new flavour features an Oak-inspired ice cream in the centre, surrounded by a layer of chocolate, and then the usual Golden Gaytime biscuit pieces on top. That said, the latter have had a chocolate makeover as well. Chocaholics, this is obviously for you. This isn't the first time that Streets has mixed up its Golden Gaytime range, or taken cues from other food favourites. Last year, Fruit Loops and Crunchy Nut Golden Gaytimes hit shelves for all cereal-loving ice cream fans, and a Coco Pops versions arrived before that as well. You'll find the new Oak ice creams in some stores now — at IGA, Ritchie's, Drakes and Romeo's — retailing at $9.50 for a box of four. Come September, they'll also hit Coles, convenience stores and petrol stations, ready for frosty spring and summer sweet treats. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Streets Ice Cream (@streetsicecreamau) Streets' new Oak chocolate milk-flavoured Golden Gaytimes are now available at IGA, Ritchie's, Drakes and Romeo's, and will hit Coles, convenience stores and petrol stations from September — retailing at $9.50 for a box of four.
Across the last two months of 2023, most folks will celebrate festive season. Here's something else to mark this year: Godzilla season. New streaming series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters arrives in mid-November, combining kaiju with both Kurt (Fast and Furious 9) and Wyatt Russell (Under the Banner of Heaven). Then, the unrelated Godzilla Minus One will stomp onto the big screen Down Under to kick off December. This film marks a big return, and not just because Godzilla as a creature is huge in size (even though exactly how large the critter is varies between on-screen appearances). To the delight of fans of Zilly's rampages through its homeland's cinema, Godzilla Minus One is the first live-action Japanese Godzilla release about its namesake since 2016's excellent Shin Godzilla. When Godzilla first crawled out of the ocean and into cinemas, the famous movie monster made its debut appearance in the shadow of the Second World War. The link between the film's fears of nuclear holocaust and what Japan had just experienced wasn't an accident, in a picture that isn't just an excellent creature feature — the franchise-starting flick is stellar all round, including its glorious score. It was back in 1954 that Godzilla initially greeted the world. Now, almost seven decades later, 37 other movies have followed. The latest: Godzilla Minus One, which gives Zilly aficionados a long-awaited new Japanese Godzilla movie and takes its titular figure back to the country's postwar era. As seen in the both the first trailer for Godzilla Minus One and its just-dropped latest sneak peek, Japan is still coping with the aftermath of WWII's atomic bombings when the kaiju appears. The question: in a place that's already rebuilding, how will everyone both endure and battle against this towering critter? In a feature written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Lupin III: The First, Ghost Book), cue plenty of rampaging through the streets by Godzilla, plus fleeing by the film's humans. Cue buildings levelled, the ground both rumbling and crumbling, and explosions wreaking more havoc, too. Referencing going backwards from zero in its moniker, cue a film that follows people trying to survive and fight — all back in the time that gave birth to all things Godzilla. Already in cinemas in Japan since early November, Godzilla Minus One will hit the big screen Down Under from Friday, December 1. It follows three animated streaming efforts since Shin Godzilla: 2017's Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, and 2018's Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater. Of course, the broader franchise also includes America's take on Godzilla, starting with a low in 1998, then including another try in 2014, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong. After TV's Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, a sequel to Godzilla vs Kong, is due in 2024. Check out the latest trailer for Godzilla Minus One below: Godzilla Minus One will hit cinemas Down Under on Friday, December 1.
Carriageworks will host to an exciting new social experiment this summer. They're getting people up on stage to take a lie detector test — and we all get to watch. Truthmachine, run by performance artists Counterpilot, is a subversive, intimate and frolicsome new theatre show that uses biometric sensors and live voting systems to hunt out truths in a world of fake news and alternative facts. Even if you're not the one strapped up to the biometric sensors you're sure to feel the tension in the room. Naturally, it's recommended for audience over 18. Expect the unexpected. Find more Sydney Festival shows here. Image: Dave D'Arcy.
Sydney sweet spot KOI Dessert Bar is going whimsical this month with a one-day pop-up restaurant inspired by Disney's upcoming blockbuster, The BFG. The restaurant, aptly named Rotsome, will open for one day only on Monday, July 4, just a few days prior to the film's Australia-wide release on June 30. The menu is the brainchild of Masterchef 2015 favourite, Reynold Poernomo, and the immersive dining experience is meant to stimulate your tastebuds and imagination alike. The details of the "deliciously disgusting" three-course degustation is still under lock and key, but will include a "snozzcumber" and some form of steaming green goo drink. Rotsome follows Sydney conventions with a strict no reservations policy; the restaurant will run on a first-come first-served basis from 1-6pm. All you grown-up BFG fans out there will have to hold your horses, though. As part of the deal, all "giants" (aka adults) will need to be accompanied by at least one "childler" (a small child over six years old) to get a table. Now's the time to suggest your siblings/nephews/nieces/cousins really need a day off school — you best get calling now before your brother beats you to it. The Rotsome pop-up restaurant will be open for one-day on Monday, July 4 at Koi Dessert Bar, 46 Kensington Street, Chippendale from 1pm until 6pm. For more information, visit the Facebook event. Updated: June 20, 2016. Please note that the date of the event has changed to Monday, July 4 after publication of this article. The above article has been changed to reflect this.
Wins can be hard to come by, whereas fails, well, when it rains, it pours, right? When you've missed your morning train, been yelled at by your boss, come home to a huge electricity bill and then realised you've got nothing in the fridge for dinner — a win can feel like a distant memory. It's in moments like these where you've got to recognise the little wins — those seemingly minor things that can reshape your day and make you feel all warm and fuzzy. We've put our heads together with our friends at Coopers to come up with some foolproof, easy ways of making you feel like everything's coming up you. The win might be as simple as growing your own basil, but don't underestimate the effect that putting a fresh herb — one that you've nurtured from a little baby seed — into a homemade dish can have. Trust us, you'll feel like an accomplished gardener and your food will taste delicious. Win, win. Look at that, two wins in a row. MONDAY: READ A BOOK TO AN ELDERLY COMPANION Remember how soothing it was when your mum read you a bedtime story? Very. There's something really nice about being read to, so spare a thought for those who could use it. Go visit your nan, your friend's nan or even a stranger's nan, and take a book you've been meaning to read — that way you'll kill two birds with one stone, get through a chunk of your book and spend some quality time with an elderly companion. If you don't know an elderly person, just walk into your nearest respite or aged care facility — or even a hospice — and get to know someone who's no doubt lived quite a life. TUESDAY: EAT AT A NEW RESTAURANT There's nothing wrong with your tried-and-true Indian eatery down the road nor clicking the 're-order' button time and time again on Deliveroo. But there's also a lot to be said about trying new places and foods. How about Ethiopian instead of Indian? Moroccan instead of burgers? There are heaps of new places popping up across our cities all the time, so treat your tastebuds to new flavours from a fresh venue. Hit up one per week, even if you have to trek out to the other side of the river or harbour, and your stomach will thank you for it. What's more, trying a new place every week will give you a whole wealth of dining knowledge in your city. On our list, Half Acre in Melbourne, Lankan Filling Station in Sydney and Little Big House in Brisbane. WEDNESDAY: GROW YOUR OWN HERBS Making a pasta sauce from scratch is super nourishing for the soul and makes you feel like a nonna who's been doing it for generations. Every good homemade bolognese needs fresh herbs, so, why not push yourself even further and grow them in your own garden? Then you can attest to the freshness of every ingredient (well, perhaps you didn't grow the tomatoes, but if you can do parsley you can do tomatoes, too). Find a sunny — but not too sunny — spot in your backyard, plant your parsley and basil seeds in the ground or in a pot and don't forget to water them (that's probably the most important part). Now you're a bona fide green thumb, bravo. THURSDAY: DO A BOOK SWAP No more excuses, this year is the year that you'll read that Tolstoy novel. Okay, maybe next year... But this year you are going to read more, you can promise yourself that. While it can be hard to find the motivation to devour a lengthy novel, it becomes much easier when you do it in tandem with a friend — it's like a good type of peer pressure. Swap a book you love for one of theirs and off you go. Or, step things up a notch and start a book club. If you aim to meet once a month, you can get away with reading a few pages a night. And, the best part is, it'll improve your media consumption habits, too. No more Instagram right before bed? That's a win for your sleep habits, mental health and eyeballs. FRIDAY: HEAD TO DANCE PARTY You might be tired after a full work week but muster your second wind, Friday night beckons. Corral your mates, have some beers and head to a themed dance party. Nothing says 'win' more than living out your dream of dancing at a Beyonce vs. Rihanna party (seen in the past at Melbourne venue Yah Yahs). If you're in Sydney, keep an eye on what The Bait Shop is up to — often themed nights around sub-cultures and music of the noughties — or Brisbanites should monitor The Brightside, which held a Hogwarts-themed event this year. SATURDAY: GET ACQUAINTED WITH A NEW STYLE OF MUSIC Though your music likes and dislikes are probably set in stone and your favourite Spotify playlist forever on repeat, why not refresh your listening habits with some tunes outside of your usual genres? Head to live music venue — no, not your regular — and spend the evening getting acquainted with a new style of music. Head to The Night Cat in Melbourne for some rhythm and blues, Lazybones Lounge in Sydney for some folk and country or Doo-Bop Jazz Bar in Brisbane for, well, jazz. [caption id="attachment_680605" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Buffalo Bar, Brisbane.[/caption] SUNDAY: WATCH FOOTY WITH SOME RANDOMS If you've ever travelled overseas during AFL season and walked into a pub while a game is on the big screen, you'll know that it's never easier to make 20 new best friends than over footy and beer. If you're new in town, bored in your own town or just feel like you could do with some new friends, head to a pub where they broadcast live sport and shout "GO [insert team here]!". Before you know it, you will have gained a whole family of fellow supporters who'll probably have your back through thick and thin — and that's a massive win. We suggest, the Bellevue in Sydney, the Royal Saxon in Melbourne and Buffalo Bar in Brisbane. Bring on the beers and cheers. Kick off your 'easy wins' by enjoying a Coopers Dry, or two, with your mates. Top Image: Half Acre by Tim Ross.
He took home this year's best director Oscar thanks to his enchanting monster romance, and now he's in the spotlight at the Spanish Film Festival. That'd be The Shape of Water's Guillermo del Toro, with the fest celebrating his 2006 Academy Award-winner Pan's Labyrinth as its closing night selection. Of course, on its stop at Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 17 to May 6, the country's long-running celebration of Spanish-language filmmaking has plenty of other delights amongst its 25-film program. Marking its 21st year in 2018, that includes opening night's The Tribe, a street-dancing musical comedy inspired by real-life Spain's Got Talent winners, plus No Filter, this year's Spanish box office smash about a woman who can't stop speaking her mind. Other high-profile highlights range from screenings of Pixar's gorgeous Coco — in case you missed it in cinemas late last year — to a who's who of Spanish talent in historical epic Gold; to Loving Pablo, which features Javier Bardem as Pablo Escobar and Penélope Cruz as the journalist who falls for him. Fans of both actors can also catch them in Jamón Jamón — which, released back in 1992, was actually Cruz's first film. It plays as part of a four-feature retrospective dedicated to filmmaker Bigas Luna, alongside his fellow hits Golden Balls and The Tit and The Moon. A documentary compiled from the late director's video diaries, Bigas x Bigas, will enjoy its Australian premiere to round out the program strand. Plus, in the kind of curation that every film festival could benefit from, the Spanish Film Festival will also showcase the work of emerging Spanish female directors. While Summer 1993 actually played at last year's fest as well, the charming delight is getting another spin, with Málaga Film Festival hit Julia Is, Spanish Civil War-focused The Bastard's Fig Tree and the Goya-nominated The Open Door also on the bill. In addition, Melburnians get an extra pick thanks to doco Singled [Out], which was partially shot in Australia by the Melbourne-based Mariona Guiu and Barcelona-based Ariadna Relea.
When one of the biggest cultural events in the world is expanding Down Under for the first time ever, and the same year marks half a century since hip hop began, what's the best way to celebrate? With the debut SXSW Sydney welcoming Chance The Rapper to its stage to mark the occasion. The three-time Grammy-winner will have no problem reflecting on the milestone in Australia come October — and making an already-massive SXSW lineup even heftier. "As we celebrate 50 years of hip hop in 2023, I'm reminded of the transformative power this culture has had, not just on the world stage, but on the streets of Chicago's South Side," said Chance The Rapper, announcing his SXSW Sydney stint. "Hip hop has provided a rhythm to our stories and a canvas for our creativity. I'm really looking forward to joining SXSW Sydney as a speaker to expound upon hip hop's transcendent legacy." [caption id="attachment_917274" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julio Enriquez via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] The 'Hot Shower', 'I Might Need Security' and 'Do You Remember' singer-songwriter, aka Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, will hit Australia during the Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 event amid global celebrations of hip hop's birth. It was in August 1973 that DJ Kool Herc first isolated percussion breaks, then repeated them — and made history. At SXSW Sydney, Chance The Rapper will chat about hip hop's immense impact, not just where the Chicago-born and -raised star grew up but also globally. [caption id="attachment_917272" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anthony Quintano via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] "Chance The Rapper is renowned for both his chart topping and community advocacy. There's few out there like him, who take what they've made and use it to build the dreams of others," notes SXSW Sydney Managing Director Colin Daniels. "His genre-blurring sounds reverberate across generations, making him a powerful voice to reflect on the past 50 years of hip hop. His unique perspective bridges the gap between the genre's rich history and its dynamic future." [caption id="attachment_917273" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Julio Enriquez via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Chance The Rapper joins SXSW Sydney's speakers lineup alongside Coachella CEO Paul Tollett, Queer Eye star Tan France, Future Today Institute founder and CEO Amy Webb, Layne Beachley, Osher Günsberg and plenty more — a 700-plus strong bill of talent so far, in fact, covering over 300 sessions. SXSW Sydney will also feature more than 300 gigs across 25 venues, and has been dropping its music highlights and must-attend parties since earlier in 2023. Its dedicated gaming strand will include a dedicated tabletop game expo. And, the SXSW Sydney Screen Festival will open with The Royal Hotel, and host the world premiere of Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles. The entire event — the festivals within the bigger fest, exhibitions, talks, networking opportunities and streetside activations — will happen within a walkable precinct in the Sydney CBD, Haymarket, Darling Harbour, Ultimo, Chippendale and more, with the SXSW Sydney's footprint operating as a huge hub. Venues named so far include Powerhouse Museum, ICC Sydney, UTS, Central Park Mall, the Goods Line Walk, The Abercrombie and Lansdowne Hotel. SXSW Sydney runs from Sunday, October 15–Sunday, October 22 at various Sydney venues — head to the festival's website for tickets and further details. Top image: Keeley Parenteau. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
The last of Red Rock Deli's Secret Suppers in Sydney has been and gone, with Lotus' executive chef Chris Yan creating a feast in Darling Harbour's Chinese Garden of Friendship. The exclusive supper series saw some of Australia's most talented chefs whipping up mouth-watering, three-course feasts inspired by Red Rock Deli's new limited-edition range. And when we say exclusive, we mean it — only 20 lucky guests got to tuck into each lavish dinner. On Thursday, August 8, Shanghainese chef Chris Yan put up a feast. After guests were picked up from Central Station's Grand Concourse entrance and whisked away to a mystery location, Yan's dished up plates inspired by Red Rock Deli's Thai red chilli and creamy coconut chips. In the first two courses, Yan made both chilli and coconut heroes in with his crispy pork hock with Thai chilli and red braised beef brisket with Thai chilli and coconut cream. While his dessert of jasmine tea sago with rhubarb and pink grapefruit incorporated the creamy texture of coconut. Sounds like a meal that shouldn't have been missed but, if you did — or you went and want to recreate the magic at home — check out Yan's recipe for the crispy pork hock here. Images: Kimberley Low
If there's been a big, White Night-shaped hole in your social calendar since the famed Melbourne after-hours fiesta wrapped up its last edition in February 2018, you'll be happy to know it's making a return this August. Just be prepared for a very different experience, as the immersive festival makes some serious changes to its programming and farewells part of the late-night fun. As well as making the move from summer to the deep of winter, organisers have revealed that White Night Reimagined will swap its previous one-night format for an expanded three-night affair. Interestingly, it's also scrapping the all-nighter aspect in the process. Instead of the usual 7pm–7am program, which has been in place since the festival's inaugural 2013 edition, White Night will this year run from 7pm until midnight on Thursday, August 22, and again on Friday, August 23, followed by a 7pm until 2am session on Saturday, August 24. The new curfew means punters will no longer get to experience what some might argue is one of White Night's biggest pulls — the adventure of roaming around town soaking up art and installations, right through until the wee hours. Although, frosty August probably isn't the best time of year for pre-sunrise wanderings, anyway. [caption id="attachment_728542" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pollution Pods by Michael Pinsky[/caption] The new-format event will also expand in scope, held across three key precincts with each boasting its own distinct theme. Treasury Gardens will take the form of the 'Sensory Realm', showcasing dazzling projections, lighting and audio installations, and interactive artworks inspired by the five senses. Here, you'll find British artist Michael Pinsky's immersive Pollution Pods, which represented the different environments of global cities; a musical and calming SongCloud; a colourful light and audiovisual installation called Cluster; as well as a giant floating Cocoon made from 1000 lights tied together by ropes. Carlton Gardens will be transformed into the mystical 'Spiritual Realm', featuring a huge ten-metre lion puppet by Melbourne artist Joe Blanck, along with illuminations sharing the stories of Indigenous Australia. And the 'Physical Realm' descends on Birrarung Marr, showcasing the Aussie debut of internationally acclaimed street theatre performance Globe, from a troupe of 41 acrobats, aerialists, singers and actors. [caption id="attachment_728540" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Globe by Gerard Dubois[/caption] Other famed Melbourne spots coming to the party include the Melbourne Museum, the National Gallery of Victoria and the State Library Victoria, all hosting their own programs of art, food and music. The rest of White Night Reimagined's extended program, including the music component, is set to be revealed in the coming weeks. Starting from 2020, White Night will also form part of a new and bigger winter festival, in conjunction with the Melbourne International Arts Festival (MIAF). White Night Reimagined runs from Thursday, August 22 to Saturday, August 24. Top images: White Night 2018, SongCloud by Amigo & Amigo and Cluster by Playmodes Studio.
At a time when most IKEA furniture ends up deep in the Gumtree 'For Sale' ads or left on the side of the road, the Swedish retailer has come up with a pretty clever plan to give those unwanted flat-pack ensembles a second lease on life. Today, in an Aussie first, IKEA has launched a full furniture take-back service out of its Tempe store, allowing Sydneysiders to bring in their retired IKEA pieces to be sold on to a new home, and score a voucher for their efforts. This is also great news for those looking to score some cheap furniture, as the bought-back pieces will be available for purchase in-store. The company already runs programs to recycle its products elsewhere in Australia, but only for sofas, mattresses, batteries and light bulbs. Customers can also get an insight into the recyclable and renewable materials that go into their flat-packs, at IKEA's first-ever Circular Living pop-up store, on show at Tempe for the next eight weeks. Both initiatives have been spurred by findings from the company's latest People & Planet Positive Report, which suggests Aussies threw away up to 13.5 million pieces of furniture that could have been recycled, reused or repaired. If you're keen to take advantage of IKEA's take-back system, simply fill out an online form and email photos of your unwanted furniture to be assessed by an IKEA expert. If it gets the thumbs up, you'll be offered a selling price, then have 14 days to bring your piece into the Tempe store and pick up an IKEA voucher priced to the same value. IKEA will then sell on your unwanted furniture for the price of your voucher. Find IKEA Tempe at 634-726 Princes Highway, Tempe
Name a movie made in the 90s, any movie, and odds are that it already has or is about to get a 2020s remake or sequel. Hocus Pocus, The Craft, Interview with the Vampire, A League of Their Own — they're just a handful of recent examples from a list that keeps growing. Indeed, within months, they'll be joined by the initially Woody Harrelson- and Wesley Snipes-starring basketball flick White Men Can't Jump. This time around, 31 years after the OG film had Harrelson and Snipes bouncing and hustling, Jack Harlow is turning actor to lead the movie. As the just-dropped first teaser trailer for White Men Can't Jump circa 2023 shows, the musician is joined by Nanny's Sinqua Walls — and as well as shooting hoots, they're arguing about America's greatest living director. Harlow's character votes for Boogie Nights and Licorice Pizza's Paul Thomas Anderson, while Walls shows BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods' Spike Lee some love. Neither filmmaker helms this do-over, though, with Calmatic doing the honours after also directing a House Party remake — yes, another 90s flick — and stepping behind the lens on a heap of music videos, including winning a Grammy for Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road'. The new White Men Can't Jump's sneak peak so far is more about vibe than story, as soundtracked by Skee-Lo's 1995 track 'I Wish'. So, as Harlow and Walls banter, dribble and pit themselves against whoever will take their bet, the lyrics "I wish I was a baller" echo. Penned by Black-ish's Kenya Barris and Doug Hall, 2023's White Men Can't Jump will head straight to streaming in the US via Hulu on May 19, with Down Under release details yet to be revealed — but given it's a 20th Century Studios production, Disney+ seems its likely destination. If you're new to all things White Men Can't Jump, as well as the street court action it featured a significant Jeopardy!-related storyline. The trailer for the new movie doesn't show any signs of bringing that back, sadly. Check out the first teaser trailer for White Men Can't Jump below: White Men Can't Jump will be available to stream in the US on May 19 via Hulu — we'll update you with a release date Down Under when one is confirmed.
HBO's Cordyceps infection isn't going anywhere soon — not for the seven more weeks that The Last of Us' first video game-to-TV season has left to air, and not for a further season after that either. In excellent news for fans of the PlayStation title, the Pedro Pascal (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent)- and Bella Ramsey (Catherine Called Birdy)-starring show it has inspired, and both, the US network behind it has officially announced that its first massive hit of 2023 will return for a second season. This development is hardly surprising, but still obviously hugely welcome. When it comes to mashing buttons, the 2013 game also inspired a 2014 expansion pack and 2020 sequel. Also, even just two episodes in so far, HBO's version has been attracting viewers faster than any sudden movement attracts zombies. When the series' debut episode aired on Sunday, January 15 in the US and Monday, January 16 Down Under — where it screens and streams via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and on Neon in New Zealand — it became HBO's second largest debut ever. The first? A little show called House of the Dragon in 2022. In America alone, The Last of Us' movie-length first instalment has notched up more than 22 million viewers, while its second episode earned 5.7 million viewers just on one night — more than a million than that premiere chapter, and giving HBO its largest-ever growth from week one to week two of any series it has ever made. In other words, even after leaping to television with a huge gaming fanbase behind it, The Last of Us' popularity is spreading. Given how impressive the HBO series' first season is — how thoughtful, character-based, well-cast, and committed to exploring not just what's happening in its contagion-ravaged dystopian world but why life is worth fighting for — that too is unsurprising. For newcomers to the franchise on consoles and as a TV series, it's set 20 years after modern civilisation as we know it has been toppled by a parasitic fungal infection that turns the afflicted into shuffling hordes. Pascal plays Joel, who gets saddled with smuggling 14-year-old Ellie (his Game of Thrones co-star Ramsey) out of a strict quarantine zone to help possibly save humanity's last remnants. There wouldn't be a game, let alone a television version, if that was an easy task, of course — and if the pair didn't need to weather quite the brutal journey. As a television series, The Last of Us hails from co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Craig Mazin, who already brought a hellscape to HBO (and to everyone's must-watch list) thanks to the haunting and horrifying Chernobyl. He teams up here with Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog, who also penned and directed The Last of Us games. Alongside Pascal and Ramsey, the series also boasts Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate) as Joel's younger brother and former soldier Tommy, Merle Dandridge (The Flight Attendant) as resistance leader Marlene and Aussie actor Anna Torv (Mindhunter) as smuggler Tess. And, Nico Parker (The Third Day) plays Joel's 14-year old daughter Sarah, Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus) and Nick Offerman (The Resort) feature as isolated survivalists Frank and Bill, Storm Reid (Euphoria) pops up as Boston orphan Riley, Jeffrey Pierce (Castle Rock) plays quarantine-zone rebel Perry and Yellowjackets' Melanie Lynskey also guest stars. HBO hasn't announced when season two will arrive, but cross your fingers that it drops early in 2024. Check out the full trailer for The Last of Us below: The Last of Us screens and streams via Foxtel and Binge in Australia, and on Neon in New Zealand. Read our review of the first season. Images: Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Not all that long ago, the idea of getting cosy on your couch, clicking a few buttons, and having thousands of films and television shows at your fingertips seemed like something out of science fiction. Now, it's just an ordinary night — whether you're virtually gathering the gang to text along, cuddling up to your significant other or shutting the world out for some much needed me-time. Of course, given the wealth of options to choose from, there's nothing ordinary about making a date with your chosen streaming platform. The question isn't "should I watch something?" — it's "what on earth should I choose?". Hundreds of titles are added to Australia's online viewing services each and every month, all vying for a spot on your must-see list. And, so you don't spend 45 minutes scrolling and then being too tired to actually commit to watching anything, we're here to help. From the latest and greatest to old favourites, here are our picks for your streaming queue from January's haul of newbies. BRAND NEW STUFF YOU CAN WATCH IN FULL RIGHT NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQamk0b0k8 ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI Pondering the conversations that might've occurred between four pivotal historical figures on one very real evening they spent in each other's company, One Night in Miami boasts the kind of talk-heavy concept that'd clearly work well on the stage. That's where it first began back in 2013 — but adapting theatre pieces for the cinema doesn't always end in success, especially when they primarily involve large swathes of dialogue exchanged in one setting. If Beale Street Could Talk Oscar-winner and Watchmen Emmy-winner Regina King doesn't make a single wrong move here, however. The actor's feature directorial debut proves a film not only of exceptional power and feeling, but of abundant texture and detail as well. It's a movie about people and ideas, including the role the former can play in both bolstering and counteracting the latter, and the Florida-set picture takes as much care with its quartet of protagonists as it does with the matters of race, politics and oppression they talk about. Given the folks involved, there's much to discuss. The film takes place on February 25, 1964, which has become immortalised in history as the night that Cassius Clay (Eli Goree, Riverdale) won his first title fight. Before and after the bout, the future Muhammad Ali hangs out with his equally important pals — activist Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir, High Fidelity), footballer Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge, The Invisible Man) and musician Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr, Hamilton) — with this equally meticulous and moving certain future Oscar-nominee ficitionalising their time together. One Night in Miami is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga0iTWXCGa0 LUPIN Few actors are as charming on-screen as Omar Sy. Ever since the French talent started making a big-screen splash in films such as Micmacs and The Intouchables, he has been a delight to watch. Consequently, the Mood Indigo, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Jurassic World star couldn't be better cast in Lupin — the Paris-set mystery-thriller series inspired by Maurice Leblanc's 1907–36 novels and novellas about the fictional gentleman thief of the same name. Sy plays Assane Diop, who is first introduced as a cleaner working at the Louvre. In flashbacks to recent events and to the character's childhood, viewers learn just why he's at the famous museum, and what has inspired his life of crime as well. The son of a Senegalese immigrant (Fargass Assandé, Eye of the Storm) who once worked for the wealthy Pellegrini family, Assane has a complicated history, plus a mystery to solve, Marie Antoinette's diamond necklace to steal and vengeance to exact. Each chapter of his on-screen tale is slick, engrossing and swiftly-paced, as all heist and espionage affairs should be. Based on his engaging performance, they should probably all star Sy, too. Also influential here, though, is filmmaker Louis Leterrier. His resume has more misses than hits, spanning the first two Transporter movies, The Incredible Hulk, Clash of the Titans, Now You See Me and Grimsby, but he brings a deft touch to this series — as he did to the vastly dissimilar The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Lupin's first five episodes — which comprise the first of the series' two parts — are available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uC7_PFQgCc THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC Remaking the 1981 film of the same name, Indonesian horror movie The Queen of Black Magic takes three men back to the remote orphanage they grew up in. Naturally given the setup and the genre, more than just memories await. Friends Hanif (Ario Bayu, The Bridge), Anton (Tanta Ginting, Hit & Run) and Jefri (Miller Khan, Foxtrot Six) all return to pay their respects to the man who raised them, the ailing Mr Bani (Yayu AW Unru, Brata), and they've each brought their families and spouses along — but when they arrive at the facility, there's no mistaking the eerie feeling that permeates. Hanif, his wife Nadya (Hannah Al Rashid, The Night Comes for Us) and their three children are already a little rattled after an incident during their drive. Soon, the kids are exploring the property and unearthing secrets that have long haunted their father and his pals. Just as swiftly, filmmaker Kimo Stamboel demonstrates that he isn't going to hold back on the bumps, jumps or gore, although fans of his work as part of the Mo Brothers — including Macabre, Killers and Headshot — won't be surprised by his unflinching approach. The writer/director of Satan's Slaves and Impetigore, screenwriter Joko Anwar also helps shape a picture that leans on more than a few horror tropes, but never feels like a by-the-numbers haunted house movie. And, if you'd like to compare it to the original, that's joining this new version on Shudder as well (with the current flick available now, and the initial film arriving on the platform in February). The Queen of Black Magic is available to stream via Shudder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqT77bdfEaA HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY: THE REN & STIMPY STORY When August 2021 rolls around, it'll mark 30 years since a psychotic chihuahua and a kindly cat first brought their chaos to the small screen and changed the way people think about Nickelodeon's animated shows. At the time, there was simply nothing like The Ren & Stimpy Show — and that applies to its dark humour, willingness to shock and often grotesquely detailed visuals, as well as its characters, storylines and jokes. The 52-episode show also proved immensely influential. Without it, SpongeBob SquarePants probably wouldn't exist, in fact. But the history of Ren & Stimpy is filled with both highs and lows, as documentary Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story explores. More than just a nostalgic look back, this chronicle by first-time directors Ron Cicero and Kimo Easterwood covers the series' origins, evolution and success, as well as its behind-the-scenes struggles and eventual demise. It chats with the folks who made it happen to examine why it struck such a chord, and to also make plain the reality of making such a hit. And, it doesn't shy away from the accusations levelled at John Kricfalusi, Ren & Stimpy's creator and the voice of Ren, including not only the difficult working environment that sprang under his watch, but the allegations of sexual abuse and grooming that came to light in 2018. Indeed, the latter could fuel its documentary, but here it adds another layer to the tale of a TV show unlike anything else, and the ego that both made it happen and caused its downfall. Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story is available to stream via Docplay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XByiHpUvrj0 THE HISTORY OF SWEAR WORDS Listening to Nicolas Cage utter profanity is a beautiful thing. Witnessing him on-screen always earns that description, of course. Whether he's running maniacally through the streets because his character is convinced he's a vampire, or he's flirting with subtlety while also playing identical siblings, he's a pleasure to behold — which is why Netflix's decision to task cinema's undeniable king of the unhinged with hosting The History of Swear Words is a smart moves. He opens and closes each episode, and pops up intermittently as an array of comedians and language experts offer their thoughts. He doesn't appear as often everyone watching would like, but he's the comedy series' best feature. He screams "fuck" like no one else, makes jokes about his career, and paints in front of a picture of a peach that nods to Face/Off and one of the most outlandish scenes he's ever been in, too. Without him, The History of Swear Words would've been interesting, rather than entertaining. The fact that it sticks to a very brief exploration of its selected curse words (fuck, shit, bitch, dick, pussy and damn) would've been more obvious. But Cage makes the show as delightful as it can be in its chosen form, even as viewers are left wanting more not only from him, but from the series' examination of profane terms. Of course, deploying The Wire and Da 5 Bloods' Isiah Whitlock Jr. on one specific episode is a pitch-perfect move as well. The first season of The History of Swear Words is available to stream via Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiTFFr5PTJk BUMP Thanks to The Secret Life of Us, Love My Way, Spirited, Puberty Blues and The Time of Our Lives, Australian TV hasn't lacked Claudia Karvan's presence over the past two decades. Bump joins them, with Karvan co-creating, co-producing and also co-starring as schoolteacher Angie Davis. The narrative focuses on Angie's teenage daughter Oly (Nathalie Morris, Black Christmas), though. An overachiever attacking Year 11 with gusto and dreaming of a career working for the United Nations, Oly isn't sure what's going on when she starts feeling pangs of pain one morning; however, after throwing up in the school toilets and being taken to hospital via ambulance, she's soon a mother to the baby she didn't even know she was expecting. That all happens in Bump's first episode, with the Stan series' ten-part first season then charting the aftermath — including the massive changes to Oly's life, to Angie and her estranged husband Dom's (Angus Sampson, No Activity), and to Oly's brooding classmate Santi Hernandez's (Carlos Sanson, Little Monsters) as well. Set in Sydney's inner west, filled with characters who actually act and talk like teens, and offering a refreshingly multicultural view of Australia, Bump finds time for both big and small moments. It doesn't shy away from melodramatic plot developments, but it's also filled with complex, well-written and excellently performed characters, Oly and Angie especially. And, it'll fill the Heartbreak High-sized hole in your life before the new version hits. Karvan did star in The Heartbreak Kid, the movie that series was spun off from, after all. The first season of Bump is available to stream via Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGdcTUMGxB0 THE RENTAL If you've ever felt a little unsettled upon checking into a holiday property, Dave Franco and Joe Swanberg understand. The Bad Neighbours, Nerve and The Disaster Artist actor turns filmmaker for the first time with The Rental, co-writing the script with Drinking Buddies, Win It All and Easy director Swanberg — and the horror-thriller that results preys upon the uneasy suspicion that we could be under surveillance when we pay to stay in someone else's house. Charlie (Dan Stevens, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga), his wife Michelle (Alison Brie, Happiest Season), his brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless), and his business parter and Josh's girlfriend Mina (Sheila Vand, Snowpiercer) all decide to head to a picturesque seaside spot for a weekend getaway. Searching online, they find what seems like the perfect place; however, upon arrival, Mina is quickly creeped out by Taylor (Toby Huss, Halloween), the house's caretaker. The vacation goes downhill from there, not only due to Mina's lingering anxiety about their remote abode, but because the two couples' underlying struggles are thrust out into the open. Unpacking the situation, Franco doesn't always find the best balance between the narrative's horror story and its relationship dramas, but he could've focused the film on either element and it still would've proven engaging. The excellent cast help immensely, and so does the commitment all-round to ensuring this isn't just a cookie-cutter cabin-in-the-woods effort. The Rental is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video. NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS TO CHECK OUT WEEK BY WEEK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBhlqe2OTt4&t=19s WANDAVISION From Iron Man to Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has notched up 23 big-screen instalments in its 13 years so far, firmly establishing a franchise template in the process. The characters in the spotlight change from film to film, but a clear formula is at work — which is why the mould-breaking goofiness of the Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy movies (Thor: Ragnarok especially) has stood out. New Disney+ series WandaVision also sits apart from the crowd. It's Marvel's biggest swing so far, in fact. It's also the company's first TV show from a hefty upcoming roster of series about characters already established in the MCU (including Loki, Falcon, the Winter Soldier and Hawkeye), and it relies upon viewers knowing Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen, Sorry for Your Loss) and Vision's (Paul Bettany, Solo: A Star Wars Story) history; however, its eagerness to do something different is worth applauding. Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, it follows its titular couple in their home life. Just how it's able to do that given details already established in the MCU is one of its mysteries. So is the reason behind its approach, with the show aping classic sitcoms such as Leave It to Beaver, Bewitched and The Brady Bunch, as well as the involvement of Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris, If Beale Street Could Talk), daughter of Captain Marvel's Air Force pilot Maria Rambeau. So far, WandaVision doesn't always hit its marks — in fact, despite Olsen, Bettany and Kathryn Hahn's (I Know This Much Is True) comic performances, it can be inescapably clunky — but it keeps its audience not only intrigued and invested, but guessing. The first four episodes of WandaVision's first season are available to stream via Disney+, with new episodes releasing each Friday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FGq5rZi1Pc SERVANT In its first season, which debuted in 2019, psychological horror series Servant introduced a distinctively disquieting scenario. Philadelphia newsreader Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose, Six Feet Under) and her chef husband Sean (Toby Kebbell, Bloodshot) hire teenage nanny Leanne Grayson (Nell Tiger Free, Game of Thrones) to move in and care for their baby son Jericho — but she's really looking after a doll that Sean has been using to replace the infant, after the boy died at 13 weeks old and Dorothy couldn't cope. That's just Servant's setup, too. Initially, it gets its tension from the efforts by Sean, Leanne and Dorothy's brother Julian (Harry Potter's Rupert Grint) to maintain their ruse, and it makes ample use of the concept. Then Leanne's past comes into play, and the show shifts in different narrative directions while also maintaining its focus on grief, secrets, unhealthy family bonds and the way that darkness can fester in close quarters. M Night Shyamalan is the show's executive producer and has directed multiple episodes, but the series takes far more time to explore its creepy tale — and its sprawling claustrophobic brownstone setting — than Shyamalan's twist-heavy features. Servant's just-started second season picks up where it first left off and continues in the same engrossing fashion, all while investigating mysteries old and new. Its first two episodes also benefit from the work of Raw filmmaker Julia Ducournau behind the lens, while Ishana Night Shyamalan keeps things in the family by following her dad into the director's chair on a couple of episodes as well. The first three episodes of Servant's second season are available to stream via Apple TV+, with new episodes releasing each Friday. CULT CLASSICS TO REVISIT AND REDISCOVER https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFHjOfgMstE DINOSAURS Sometimes, sitcoms about families unfurl their tales via animation, as seen in everything from The Flintstones and The Jetsons to The Simpsons and Bob's Burgers. More frequently, they fall into the live-action category, which the likes of Family Ties, Full House, Fresh Off the Boat and Modern Family can all attest. But only one family-focused TV sitcom in the television history has focused on animatronic dinosaurs. That'd be Dinosaurs, of course. The big early-90s hit is set 60,000,003 years BCE, when earth was home to the supercontinent Pangaea, and it follows the day-to-day lives of the Sinclair family. Patriarch Earl works as a tree pusher for the Wesayso Corporation, which gives you an idea of the show's satirical leanings. His youngest son Baby spouts catchphrases like "not the mama" and "I'm the baby, gotta love me", which is indicative of the series' broad humour and easy gags. The whole concept was conceived by Jim Henson, his company also produced it, and it was as kooky when it first hit screens as it now sounds. It's also a show that everyone who was a kid in the 90s has strong memories of, and it has quite the finale. And, although your much-younger self couldn't have known all that time ago, Dinosaurs also sees Jessica Walter voice one of her many TV matriarchs — before fellow family-focused sitcom Arrested Development and spy spoof Archer, that is. All four seasons of Dinosaurs are available to stream via Disney+. Images: The History of Swear Words, Adam Rose/Netflix; Lupin, Emmanuel Guimier/Netflix.
